Near disaster at Guadalcanal

[Toro]

Okay, I THINK I know what I did wrong here, but opinions would be appreciated. Note, this is coming from someone who never toyed with PacWar, so conducting invasions is new to me (I was a surface sailor, not an amphib one!).

Invasion of Guadalcanal. (Sorry, no dates included, but I've asked for a log archive!)

I noted that the Japanese were bolstering their forces at Lunga, and that Tulagi, while being a Jap base (port), had no airfield or troops. I by-passed Tulagi (first mistake?). So, I began prep'ing for an invasion of Lunga.

I noticed the Japanese were HIGHLY interested in PM, and were sending everything that way. Okay, fine. Sara, go get 'em. Sara did a job, nicely dicing APs at Gili Gili, and taking on the CA bombardment TFs of PM. She even, with a touch of support from AC at PM, took on two CVLs and the Junyo (CV), sinking two and heavily damaging the third (with no damage herself... what a nice ship!).

In the meantime, I began building up L'ville as my invasion base of ops. Lots of supplies and fuel sent there to prep for the invasion. Likewise, as the 1st Mar Div arrived, I shuttled it up to L'ville until the whole force was in theater. In addition, I sent a couple AVs to Rennell to spy.

The E and Wasp arrived, and I sent the Wasp to PM to clean up, while the Sara came down to support E. (The Wasp, in the meantime, managed to find a Jap sub and receive three torps in the side, taking her out of the action; sub escaped.)

Okay, 1st Mar Div in theater, loaded onto APs with plenty of supplies, some AKs and AOs with more supplies and fuel, both CVs (Sara and E) to Guadal (one SW, one east), two surf TFs (CAs/DDs and one of only DDs), loaded up L'ville with B-17s, then sent them all on a rampage. The surf TFs bombarded Lunga, the B-17s creamed the airfield and then the port, and then began working on the Jap troops there. So far, so good. I threw in the CV squadrons to hit the troops, too. Invasion force arrives, starts disembarking. All goes well. The Japanese troops attack, but do little damage as my forces continue to build.

Suddenly: the Zuikaku and Shuikaku arrive in the Slot and attack. Sara is hit multiple times, but not severely (what a great ship!), and then the sky over the invasion force is filled with Jap LRBs from Shortland and Rabaul (I think Rabaul... the line pointed that way, anyway). Many APs go down, morale drops, Admiral Toro is fired. Aaarrrgggh! And Mom would have been so proud!

Mistakes (?):
1. no airfield nearby to support the invasion with LRCAP
2. no bombardment of Shortland
3. bombardment (air) of Lunga not long enough
4. didn't take Tulagi (which was open) and use for a staging base?
5. some other dorky thing a real admiral would have thought of?

Opinions and insights appreciated.

Looking to redeem himself,
Toro

[mogami]

Hi, You could place the 2 CV in a single TF. Have the TF 4-5 hexes behind Transport TF with fighters set to LRCAP and pick Transport TF as target. This would help keep the CV out of range of enemy CV and still have cap over transports. Also I would use every CV I had (in TF of 2 CV and TF of 1 CV both in same hex)
Use the smaller transports. It takes more of them but they unload faster. (I usally have the 3k ones running supply between friendly bases outside of air attack range. They also shuttle ground units ) San Cristabol is a nice place to build an airfield for fighters with range to Lunga. (also provides a place for CV pilots to land if anything happens to their birdfarm)

[Toro]

Good. Good points. Didn't notice the unloading faster thing with the smaller transports.

Come to think of it, I should probably not mix sizes of transports, so that lots of little ones are sitting waiting for a larger one to finish.

Good durn thing this is a game. All those Marines! All those letters I'd have to write!

[mogami]

Hi, Also the different sizes move at different speeds. Don't forget to have a minesweeping TF move in front of transports.
The patch has F2 key that displays shallow water. Deep water mines degrade so they are not much aof a threat unless enemy has minelayers on standby and rushes out to lay them after spotting your TF's approach. Before your landings have Argonault lay mine fields west of Lunga in shallow water (to slow down reaction TF's) . A line of subs west of Lunga to intercept (and provide early warning about enemy movement) minesweepers have 2 hexes east of Lunga in channel and then of course any mines you have placed in path of transports (your transports will have to move extra to go around friendly minefields)
Fast transports should carry smaller ground combat units with assault value (they will be first to hit beach) Next TF should carry larger ones. Don't forget to have HQ land before starting attacks (20 percent bonus to attcking units) A surface combat TF should be on station at Lunga (once base is captured it can stand of 4-5 hexes (set to do not retire/ react to enemy) This will protect it from air while still allowing it to move in response to enemy TF at Lunga. (place a replenishment TF at standby hex)
Place float plane groups a L'ville along with transport AC.
Once you capture airfield you can airlift in a baseforce to provide support for fighters you move there.

[Raverdave]

Yeah the first time I tried the same move I got thumped by the Jap LRB's followed up by IJN Carriers.....it was not a good to watch. I am now just starting this again.......and am paying a lot more attention to details such as air support, and smaller transport TF's. I have also found that making a large bombard TF and have them go racing in every three to four days usally bags three to five Jap AP,s.