CINCSoPac/SWPac

[Rob Roberson]

The air war in the south pacific continues in all its terrible glory. I have shifted my emphasis from Lae to Rabaul and hope to see results of this soon. I need to rotate some bomber crews out of PM soon, the strain of daily missions has begun to wear them out. About three weeks ago I sent an Australian brigade marching up the Owen Stanleys. They still have not arrived at their destination. I am begining to believe that was in error. When I decide to move against Lae I wanted to pressure the Japanese from two sides. I now feel that those Aussies will require too much rest when they reach their jumping off postiions at Wau to be of much use. We will see. I have narrowed the list of invasion possibilties in the Solomons. I am considering using the Marine parachute battalion in this operation. If I can find a useful area to drop them in. I have begun to move them up to Luganville. The lack of Japanese submarine activity had bothered me. No more. They are now hunting off of San Cristobal. I intend to send my "splinter navy" there to combat them. My bombardment group should arrive off Guadalcanal this evening. I eagerly await the results.

Not much word about the tempo of operations from CinCPac lately. Admiral Nimitz was recently meeting with Admiral King in San Francisco. I believe CinCPac wants to make a visit here soon. I welcome anything that will bring more ships and planes to my operating area.


Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

27 September 1942

[Rob Roberson]

My bombardment against Luna did not come off. The group spotted a fat Japanese transport, chased them down and wiped them out. By the time the action was over they had to withdraw. They will give it another go tonite. I have ordered a submarine to land a recon patrol at New Britain. Navy frogmen are on their way to New Georgia.

Admiral Nimitz is due to come out sometime in the middle of October, while I feel no pressure from his visit I would love to have my marines routing out the enemy somewhere in the Solomons. But where.


Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

28 September 1942

[Rob Roberson]

My bombardment group pasted the airfield at Guadalcanal tonite. I intend to do this every nite that there is no carrier prescence in the Solomons.

Battleship by night and aircraft by day. The Japanese there will come to believe they have been sent to hell.

CinCPac has told me to expect no more warships in the near future. It looks like I will have to make war on the Japanese with what I have in port at Noumea. The ghost of gili gili continues to hamper my operations. I must decide soon where I will put troops down. It is time to bring the Japanese back to battle.



Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

29 September 1942

[Rob Roberson]

The weather in theatre has been miserable over the last few days. Not many air missions from either side have gotten off the ground, particularly in New Guinea. My airfield at Kiriwina, (an island north of Buna) is operational. I moved an army fighter squadron and some navy dive bombers there. I look at it as an unsinkable escort carrier. If Pearl can't ship me new carriers, I will make do with what mother nature has given me.

THe air and sea battles around Guadalcanal continue to rage. If I didn't have to refuel my battleship task group on occasion, Guadalcanal's airfield would be out of business. Thanks to a combination of poor weather and slow replenishments it remains somewhat operational.

When Admiral Nimitz arrives I hope he brings plenty of medals for the 2nd Patrol Boat command. Those brave sailors have certainly given the Japanese hell off of Guadalcanal. Two more were lost the other night when they made runs at a Japanese Heavy Cruiser group. No hits this time, but I don't think men get braver then these.

Operation Gabrial is set for tomorrow. Marines of the 1st Parachute Battalion will be landing on the Island of Vila just south of Shortland. This is the second phase at cutting the supply lines to Guadalcanal. My staff believes that the area (based on incomplete recon) can hold a single engine airbase. The marines are there to secure it and follow on troops will be brought in by destroyer. This operation of course is assuming the weather holds up and right now its not looking good.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

4 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Weather is seriously hampering my air operations at New Guinea. Only a recon sortie went up today in the southwest Pacific. The Japanese made their daily visit to Gili and no sooner then the airfield opens then bombers attack Kiriwina. Which is exactly what I had hoped.

The Solomons remains quiet. I had to delay Gabrial by a day due to weather. I have ordered my battlegroup home for rest and refit. They should arrive at Noumea day after tomorrow.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

5 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Vila was unoccupied by enemy forces. I have a destroyer group enroute with supplies, a second one will follow with Navy Seabees. I had previously sent a group of Navy frogmen to the island. The marines did not make contact with them, and they are MIA.

The rain continues to fall in New Guinea and with it my air campaign there. Tomorrow is another day.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

6 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

The Japanese airfield on Guadalcanal is much bigger and more sophisticated then we first thought. My staff now believes that it could hold level bombers which would represent a huge threat to my command here on Noumea. I may not be able to wait to starve out the garrison. I have ordered my staff to begin to work on the infrastructure and plans for a possible invasion of Guadalcanal. I believe there may be as many as 2 Japanese Regiments there now. It will be a bloody affair if I must take it by force.

Carrier planes struck Kiriwina, this is good. I invite my enemy to continue to throw himself against that outpost.

Japanese submarines continue to be a menace off of San Cristobal. I have a group of subchasers in the area know I hope to see some results of that soon.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

7 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Heavy air battles in and around the New Guinea operational area. I believe a carrier group has come south into the area based on the type of aircraft we are seeing. My carrier group is on the wrong side of the south Pacific to be able to do anything about it. I will have to depend on land base air. Rabaul sent a 100 plane raid against PM that was the first time in many weeks. Up until now they had concentrated all their airpower against Gili.

I am attacking every ship trying to get near Guadalcanal. Some are still getting through, but the Japanese are paying a heavy price for it. Between my airpower, subs and the occasional sorties by my warships. I believe a near perfect blockade is up.

A Japanese Val dive bomber succeeded in putting a bomb in Washington. Minor damage and she is still proceeding towards Guadalcanal for tonite' s nightly raid.

Surprisingly the Japanese appear to have not taken much interest in Vila. Although I have been hammering their port at Shortland with daily raids from PM, I believed that they would at least hit the area with LBA. The longer they delay the better for me.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

8 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

I do not understand what the Imperial Navy is trying to do. He has placed his carriers well underneath the range for my bombers north west of Gili. (Though army pilots couldn't hit the broadside of a barn standing next to it, never mind maneuvering warships). Away from their starving troops at Guadalcanal. I can not counter carrier airpower in the Solomons despite my unsinkable carrier at San Cristobal. It just doesnt make sense. With the kind of carrier air I have seen he could easily break the blockade in the Solomons. No matter. I continue to bomb the Japanese on that island during the day and shell it at night with my battle group. Nothing is getting in and when it does it doesnt leave.

I have ordered Raymond Spruance to sea with USS Hornet. I can not sit by and watch Japanese aircraft carriers off New Guinea and not challenge them. It may end up 1 against two, but with army bombers making sorties the odds might be even. I only hope I don't lose Hornet. If I do I have a feeling that Admiral Nimitz's visit next week will be to relieve me.

Admiral Robert ROberson commanding

9 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Shortland - Operation Landshark

I believe that while Shortland maybe well defended it is the most vulnerable of Japanese bases in the area currently. My bombers from PM and Gili have wrecked the Port. The majority of the shipping my submarines are attacking are not coming from Shortland. By all my intelligence estimates I believe it is ripe for the picking. I have assembled a huge task force with 1 bombardment group led my North Carolina and the second by Washington (who will rendevous with the invasion fleet). USS Hornet is headed towards the Gili area and will hopefully keep the enemy carrier pinned there. The invasion will be conducted by the 1st, 7th Marine Regiments and the 1st Marine armored Battalion. The land portion of the operation is under the command of General Vandegrift. The naval portion Admiral Jack Fletcher. Spruance will be in command of the air components should the Japanese carrier choose to retire prior to the invasion. The whole show should start about the time of Admiral Nimitz's arrival on the 15th weather permitting. I will push the time table up or back depending on the clean assembly of units at the jump off point.

The Japanese carriers continue thier patrol off Gili. I hope Spruance can get there soon and give them something to do.

USS South Dakota and her escorts are due any day now. She will take over bombardment duties from Washington during Landshark.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

10 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Seems like a simple insult was all it took to motivate those army pilots at New Guinea. P-39 pilots out of Gili attacked and struck the Junyo with at least one bomb. The pilots claim the bomb caused secondary explosions staggering the carrier. If true, this would be a major coup with Landshark just 4 days away and the carrier balance would be close to even. (My intelligence believes there is one Japanese fleet carrier and one light carrier in theatre).

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

11 October 1942

[Ron Saueracker]

Let me see. You do not have command of the sea or the air. Lunga is a big bastard airbase right next door to your only hope at salvation within SOPAC (San Cristobal) and is overlapped by air from Shortlands and Rabaul. My guess is you are outnumbered everywhere. How are the Shortlands ripe for the picking? The suicide bases in the central Slomons and Kiriwina are reckless enough. If you attempt this, you are condemning the Marines to an early, senseless death. How do you propose to supply them once on the beach, given your earlier statement that you barely can scratch together merc bottoms as it is? Where will the requisite LBA cover come from? Offense is usually the best defense, I agree, but you have to have the puck.

Nimitz will have your *** if you don't consolidate and pursue a more measured approach. Make Lunga a living hell for the Japs by using LBA to isolate it to the point of starvation. You have the advantage here (and you don't have many), as long as you can bomb the crap outta the airfield and mine the western approaches (I'm assuming Rabaul based LBA can't hit Irau). Make him come to you and make him pay for that effort. His CVs will show up sooner or later, and it is best if they do under your terms and conditions of advantage, not in No Man's Land. Be patient or suffer defeat. Don't hand the AI the game by screwing around in his backyard, especially as there seems to be little possible gain (should read zero, zilch, nadda) achievable by doing so. And don't forget....losing to the AI is a most shameful outcome.

Just my two cents worth while patientlly friggin' waiting for friggin' UPS to friggin' deliver my copies of UV. :rolleyes:

[Ron Saueracker]

Keep mum about "not paying attention to the losses" up to this point in the campaign when on the carpet with Nimitz. He hates stuff like that.

[Rob Roberson]

I don't believe the situation is quite as desperate as all of that. Lunga is cut off. Its a big airbase, but given the number of planes I see coming out everyday, I think he is having a hard time keeping it supplied. (I see him pushing unescorted APs through my ring of subs...to me...thats a sign of no spare warships and desperation.).

I have built up enough transport capacity again to suffer hideous losses in the shortland operation and still keep the Marines supplied. Is this hard on my navy crews...you bet it is. If you want this job you had better be willing to take risks to succeed. That being said if Shortlands goes and I believe the Solomons goes with it. I see him getting more and more desperate. I have noticed in the last two weeks (prior to the recent resurgence of Japanese carriers) he is doing nothing navy wise. It's clear to me..(well I believe anyway) that he was hurt as badly as I was during the North Coral Seas campaigns. Shortlands a gamble...yes it is...am I hoping for a bit of luck...right again. But I think that the time is now to strike him and strike him hard. I am very concerned about his carriers, but they have been at sea for a while they have to be short on fuel...and Shortlands has been closed by army air as a port.

Even if this campaign fails...and I think its 60/40 right now he has to commit more resources to fight me off... and I have them to spare over the long haul..unlike him.

Oh and one more thing if Nimitz had wanted a caretaker in the South Pacific ...he would of appointed Ghormley...

[Rob Roberson]

Those Japanese carriers are everywhere. I have begun to suspect that my Army pilots may have been a wrong about the amount of damage to the carrier they claim to of hit. My search planes have not seen a carrier split off from the main force and the main force is too agile to have been slowed by a damaged sister. Carrier air attacked Gili in the morning went north and attacked my Marines on Vila. They have now positioned themselves between Shortlands and my task groups.

Spruance is heading west towards the Japanese in Hornet. As Hornet goes so goes Landshark. If Spruance can at least hurt the Japanese carriers in the exchange they will have to withdrawal and I can move forward. If not...I then I will delay the operation until the enemy carriers have cleared the area. I am interested in hurting the enemy, but I will not send unescorted surface ships against enemy carrier air.

Dive bombers from Kiriwina continue to interdict shipping along the New Britain coast. My pilots are reporting a large number of merchants moving in and out of Gasmata.

When Admiral Nimitz and his staff arrive they want to visit San Cristabol. I have advised against it given the fact that it is in range of Japanese air out of Lunga...to which the Admiral replied...
"perfect."

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

12 October 1942

[Rob Roberson]

I love the comments...I have made more then one change in my operations due to the comments of my "staff". Keep them coming.

Rob

[Rob Roberson]

Battle of New Georgia

Spruance and Hornet launched his strikes as the sun was coming over the horizon. Based on reports from both land based air and a submarine sighting, he was pretty sure he knew where the Japanese flattops where. The problem was. The Japanese KNEW where he was. Hornets planes found and smashed the Junyo. 4 bomb and 1 torpedo hit did what the Army claimed they had done, staggered her. A pilot out of VB-6 made a very disturbing report. There wasnt 1 CV and 1 CVL, there were 2 CVs and a CVL. Hornet was out numbered significantly. The intelligence failure cost Spruance dearly. 8 bomb hits and two torpedos left Hornet dead in the water ablaze. Hornet's last communication was that they were attempting to counter flood, but did not think they could save the ship. An hour later Long Island was attacked by Kate's and was struck once.

If we did in fact hurt Junyo as badly as we hope then the battle goes from decisive loss, to not quite as decisive of a loss. The loss of the Hornet pushes the naval balance back into the Japanese favor. Without carrier air I am forced to react to what he is doing. He knows it, I know it.

I have decided to withdraw Landshark south until I make a decision on whether this is to be a delay or a cancellation of the operation.

Needless to say, Admiral Nimitz and I will have a great deal to discuss.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

13 October 1942

[Sinjen]

It looks like your going to have to use island bases as a permanent carrier force and make your LBA force the issue. At this point it and your much faster reinforcement in planes are your biggest advantage.

[Ron Saueracker]

I'm attempting to influence player intel on my strategic makeup. Once they believe I'm a conservative freak, aka "caretaker":D , I'll be in Tokyo Bay in 43. Muwhaaaahahahaaaa.....

I've always been a bit conservative with strategic level games, with the exception being games such as Panzer Armee Afrika where the fluidity of the theatre and combat therein requires boldness and, at times, reckless abandon. I'm kinda conservative on the tactical level, too. Hell, you should see me play Close Combat on the net. I don't lose often, but people think I'm a bit boring....until of course all those carefully concealed maneuvers and feints reach fruition and the crap hits the fan for them. I have found that most players get a little anxious and make premature decisions, most of which prove fatal.

With this game, I have to agree with Mogami. When playing the Allies, as long as Japan has the trump cards (superiority in CVs), the Allies would be wise to ride it out and wait for opportunities that are advantageous prior to committing to a carrier battle or any other offensive action of any real size. The same goes for the Japs if, let's say Coral Sea is attempted prior to the arrival of more carriers and the IJN CVs meet their fate early in an unlucky exchange of blood and fire. Any major operation would be at risk without adequate CV forces.

I'm not talking about local superiority granted by enemy CVs being in port to rest and refit for a few weeks either. That is not an advantage, as they will pound you later, as opposed to now. As long as they are afloat or in theatre, caution is the better part of valor. Rob, you said Lunga is isolated given it's location and so near to your base at Irau(?). That being true, how would you define a fledgling Allied base in the Shortlands with no LBA or CV support? You might have the balls big enough to sport their own gravitational pull (and even a willing honey), but if ya can't afford a room, what's the point?;) Hmmmm, where did that come from?:D

All this being said (or spewed forth), you are playing the AI. I see from the opponents wanted thread that you've a few PBEM opponents. You will naturally embrace the conservative side, Luke. Unless of course, they regularily lose to the AI. Ahuh, ahuh, ahuh...

Yours, babblingly. Ron.

PS. If a certain package came in the mail, I wouldn't be harassing anyone on these forums. First it was Kid, now you. Both of you will soon be able to kick my butt soon as punishment for my interuptions of your gaming pleasure. Should not have ended my last relationship until UV arrived. At least I'd have something to do.:p

[Rob Roberson]

I have canceled Landshark. Without carrier air I do not feel like I can protect my Marines from Landbase air out of Shortland or Rabaul.

I have ordered air offensive operations to stand down in New Guinea. My bomber pilots are exhausted from their constant pounding of Shortland. All surface forces associated with Landshark are returning to Noumea. As long as that enemy carrier group is in area (last reported just outside "the slot") there is nothign I can do but bide my time.

I intend to rotate all my pilots from San Cristobal for fresh ones. Marine dive bombers and fighters will continue the work of the army and navy pilots at enforcing the blockade. My submarine forces report more and more Japanese transports are getting tangled in the many minefields we have laid.

I have a destroyer transport force steaming for my marine paratroopers at Vila. They will bring supplies and Navy seabees to start construction of another "unsinkable" carrier there. When complete more marines. pilots will be stationed there.

Admiral Chester Nimitz has arrived at my command and we will begin a two day conference. Happily he hasn't fired me. Yet. His willingness to let his admirals make mistakes and learn from them is a relief. On the job training.

The loss of the Hornet, big as it is does not effect my belief that the Japanese can be beaten on Guadalcanal through attrition. No landings will be necessary. I intend to land on perimeter islands...build airfields and dominate the Solomons that way. I still believe Shortlands was ready to be taken, but I will not send my Marines into an area that I cannot cover landing ships with air power.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

14 October 1942