Shattering the Sword. Cantona2 (a) vs Herbiesan (j)

[cantona2]

Yet again (ffs [:@]) apologies to readaars for typo on screenie. Meant to be West and North West not East and North East.

[cantona2]

At work so cant run turn but as Herb also sends the CR, here is the gratifying news:
 
Ground combat at Tarawa

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 8047 troops, 97 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 509

Defending force 9055 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 128

Allied max assault: 438 - adjusted assault: 106

Japanese max defense: 88 - adjusted defense: 43

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Tarawa base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
540 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
430 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

[:D]
 
The race is now on to fortify and supply Tarawa before he gets his forces in order. More detailed post when i get home and run the turn.

[Alfred]

Great news on Tarawa.  I thought however, part of the plan was to capture an adjacent base to use it as a trap, using Tarawa based bombers to sink the returning IJN.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Thats phase two. Makin is unoccupied and a para bn is on its way. Mili is also a target. Immediate concern is to dump two SeeBee units and about 20,000 supply on Tarawa ansd build, build build!

[cantona2]

Well it seems that Morsel was pulled off with no major hiccup, yet!! The weather has been on our side as for two days Japanese fields have been socked in keeping Miss Betty at home. The forecast is now turning to Overcast and it is quite probable that the carrier fighter pilots will begin to start earning their keep over the next few days as further landings are covered.

The day began with 3 different landings on the atoll. The 25th Infantry Division took the centre of the atoll while the 8th New Zealand Brigade formed the left flank. On the right the 24th RCT formed the last prong of the trident. As the transports approached, however, an enemy submarine was spotted snooping the approaches. A 4 strong destroyer ASW force was dispatched and successfully hunted and killed the Japanese submarine. An easy kill in the shallow waters!

ASW attack near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese Ships
SS I-5, hits 13, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Ward
DD Schley
DD Chew
DD Litchfield

The troop transports began to unload troops without further ado. Well, apart from the exploding shells and machine gun fire the Japs provided as welcoming fireworks! By midday substantial elements of all three units were ashore and consolidating beach heads. The transport carrying the 762nd Light Armoured was finding it diffcult, however, to find a suitable landing place for its tanks. Yet the armoured support was not really required. As once the attack went in the Japanese soldiers were quickly pushed back into several small pockets on the different atolls that make Tarawa. As more troops landed it was clear that the Japanese had lost Tarawa and the coup de main had been successful. The nail biting would begin now as the Japanese retaliated. If the weather clears Jap bombers will no doubt strike. Its a race now, build up vs counter attack!



Ground combat at Tarawa

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 8047 troops, 97 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 509

Defending force 9055 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 128

Allied max assault: 438 - adjusted assault: 106

Japanese max defense: 88 - adjusted defense: 43

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Tarawa base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
540 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
430 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

[cantona2]

The second phase of operations will now begin. First of all supply laden convoy is making its way from Baker Island while Base Support Units are steaming in from Canton Island. A second base force unit is making its way to Abemama Island and an airstrip is to be built there to further strengthen the flank on Tarawa. USN Carriers will remain on station for a few days incase the IJN decides to do an immediate sortie. His carries are approaching Japan if my stake out sub's observations of B5N2's is to be believed. So any sortie will be carried out by surface units probably led by fast BB's and CA's. The Oaklahoma TF at Abemama will also remain on station in case its guns are needed. I aim to have everything on Tarawa by the end of this first week, then a standing force of fast BB's and CA's plus two CV's will remain on Canton Island as a reaction force if Herb decides he wants Tarawa back.

[cantona2]

Situation 22-5-42

Japanese torpedo bombers have twice hit transports unloading at Tarawa but it must be said that losses are at an absolute minimum. So far i have lost the DD Litchfield and the AK Florence D. to Miss Betty and her cousin Ms Nell. In exchange the IJN is down three submarines. One sunk at Amebama, one at Tarawa itself with another one confirmed sunk by DMS escorts moving away from Tarawa. FaF-4's of the USN and US Marines have been effectively able to mount a reasonable amount of CAP over Tarawa and so far no strikes have been made against the carriers, though a H8K was chased off today by fighters of VMF-221 from the Lexington, causing the carriers to shift their course.

The submarines of the IJN however did show their teeth today as the battleship Tennessee (25/20/10) was hit by a single torpedo. She was part of the escort group of the Lexington and has been detached and is making her way to Canton Island under escort.



Yet as mentioned above the IJN subamarines have not had it all their day. SS I-156 has met its watery grave courtesy of Mk7 Depth Charges!



In an effort to disrupt Japanese strikes against Tarawa the 65th Bombardment (B-17) flying from Wake Island hit the airfields at Kwajalein with no apparent effect. A LB-30 Group (435th Bombardment) has rebased at Wake from Noumea as its aircraft have the range to hit Maloelap.



As the day progressed the first Japanese attack of the day came in early in the morning. Nells and Betties, escorted by Zeroes broke over Tarawa. 14 Wildcats from VF-6 (Enterprise) were flying the early morning patrol and depsite shooting down 6 aircraft the Japanese deliverd their torpedoes.



Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
G3M Nell x 21
G4M1 Betty x 7

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
G3M Nell: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Subadur
AK Anakan
AK Jalarajan, Torpedo hits 1
AK Florence D., Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage *sinks*
AK Roseville, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Waterhen, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hoegh Merchant

Around midday a second, weaker strike, as it was only comprised of Nells. 11 fighters of VF-6 once again accepted the challenge and shot down 3 enemy planes for no loss. Yet again the bombers got through but hit less ships than the earlier strike.



Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
G3M Nell x 10

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Admiral Gove, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Admiral Nulton, Torpedo hits 1


Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

So after two days of landings on Tarawa and only one lost transport i cannot say i am too unhappy about the loss rate, especially in the air where its 9-0 to the Enterprise! The first supply shipments are following so im hopeful that Japanese pilots are too tired to be effective! Maleolap shows as quite red so maybe the LB-30's can start a bonfire or two!!!

[Alfred]

Cantona2,
 
I assume Miss Betty and her cousin are coming in from Malelop.  How big is the airfield and port there?  Do you have any spare subs to place in and around Malelop to interdict IJN resupply convoys?  Once your LB-13 hit Malelop, have you given any consideration to visiting the base with a 30kt bombardment TF?
 
So far Operation Morsel is looking very good and is taking advantage of the IJN overkill to capture Port Moresby.  If you are correct and the KB is moving to the Home Islands, then your phase II move on Makin may prove very useful.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Alfred

Yep Maleolop. Its at airfield 4 so it can host torpedo bombers.LB-30 raid was ineffectual, i think the crews were tired after their hop from Noumea!
The KB is definitely at Japan. Vals and Kates have repeatedly attackeb my subs staking out Osaka and Tokyo and intel has revealed two CV's at Tokyo and another pair at Osaka.

[Mike Solli]

Be careful.  Not sure how big KB is at this point, but the IJN has quite a few land based Kate and Val daitai.  Part of KB may be elsewhere.  You have no way of knowing whether those planes are land based or carrier based.  A fun tactic for the Japanese player to drive the Allies nuts is to base a land-based chutai of Kates and Vals (along with some Zeros) on an airfield where you know they will be "spotted" just to make the Allies think KB is there.

[cantona2]

No incoming strikes were recorded today against the shipping unloading at Tarawa. The first supply convoy reached the atoll and began to unload while the 15th USAAF and 8th Marine CD should begin unloading tomorrow. Likewise the engineers slated for Abemama should be arriving in the next couple of days. I am very confident that Herbs carrier force is in the Home Islands. They have been in constant action since 12/41 and the Akagi and Kaga are out of action. They must be in need of a refit and r n r. I therefore have a small window of opportunity to fortify Tarawa somewhat. My carriers will play a crucial role in this and in the next few days Hornet will leave Sydney to releive one of the other carreirs so they can upgrade the Devastators to Avengers in June. Wasp is a couple of Weeks away and will soon be in theatre.

Less submarines were detected this turn but the amount of US hardware flying int he air must have kept them suppressed. As of today (23-5-42) three US units are mopping up on Tarawa and US carriers maintain a certain degree of aerial superiority over the area. BB Tennessee is out of immediate danger and damage control has been able to stabilise flooding and pump some out! Its closing in on Canton Island before heading to the West Coast. The screenie shows the general situation.



Damaged and empty transports head West while supplies and reinforcements head East. Kingfishers detected Japanese ships on a SE heading and the pilots swear they looked like barges! Whatever the case maybe the covering force at Abemama will be sallying to Tarawa and patrol befor retiring back to its haven.

The LB-30's from Wake made their raid on Maloelap but were ineffectual. The crews were suffering from their hop from Noumea and accuracy was poor. The bombers reported A6M2's on CAP but the only loss is one plane thats missing, believed to have ditched in the sea after losing its way on the return flight.

[cantona2]

Elsewhere in the theatre:

SS Skipjack was attacked repeatedly in the immediate envrions of Sorebaja. Several Darwin based subs have been patrolling the Southern Dutch East Indies for the past week. Darwin is posing a particular problem. There is plenty of supply but has no fuel at the moment, though two big fuel convoys are steaming south through the Indian Ocean to refil its tanks. Do ships disbanded in the harbour use up fuel as well as it those that dock at port and have Refuel OK?

CV Formidable is patrolling the approaches from the Nicobars. Japanese forces are beginning to converge on Sabang and the RN is hopeful on a strike on any ships that may be supporting ops there. However a Walrus flying from the CL Enterprise detected shipping, the pilot says he saw a heavy cruiser, at the Nicobars. The TF is moving East to bring its torpedo planes within range and hopefully launch a strike if there is a window in the weather.

In Burma the RAF fighters have been mauled in two days of massive sweeps of almost 100 Japanese fighters. They have been stood down and rebuilt. Thankfully the loss of pilots, some with high xp, is at a minimum. In China its almost impossible for US and Chinese planes to achieve any sort of superority. My best chance are ambushes and second guessing where Herb's unescorted strikes are going to go in. Sian was hit hard last turn with 7 RAF and AVG planes torched on the ground there.

[cantona2]

I'm off on holiday until Thursday so the game will take a little break. There might be a chance of an update tomorrow if Herb can get the turn back to me with the time difference. If not the game and AAR will continue next week. Thanks for all the comments and contributions.

One question when a carrier TF replenishes at sea does that mean that it can keep on flying its planes or does it need to redock at port to reset the number of sorties it can fly?

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Be careful.  Not sure how big KB is at this point, but the IJN has quite a few land based Kate and Val daitai.  Part of KB may be elsewhere.  You have no way of knowing whether those planes are land based or carrier based.  A fun tactic for the Japanese player to drive the Allies nuts is to base a land-based chutai of Kates and Vals (along with some Zeros) on an airfield where you know they will be "spotted" just to make the Allies think KB is there.

Hmmm i hadnt thought of that! The last visual on the KB was in the Phillipine Sea on a NE heading. Im already commited so ill stick to the plan, but with extra vigilance after this titbit.

thanks

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: cantona2
One question when a carrier TF replenishes at sea does that mean that it can keep on flying its planes or does it need to redock at port to reset the number of sorties it can fly?

Refueling at sea does not reset the sorties. The TF must dock and "refuel from port" in order to reset sorties. I believe sorties use supply but I don't know that for sure. I assume that because they reset when you refuel and restock ammo in port.

[cantona2]

24-5-42

A small night action was carried out near Tarawa as the patrolling units sank two barges that approached under the cover of darkness. But the majoe news of the day was the Nell launched torpedo that hit the Lexington. Her fighters were able to bring down 2 of the 8 plane flight, its a bit unconcerting that flak brought down none however, but one hardy pilot, with a couple of Wildcats on his tail, pushed on through and sank his fish into the Lady. Shes still in fighting form (16/11/8) but is retreating slightly to the SW to rejoin her sisters, who still have to suffer any form of attack. In Tarawa an unfortunate transport, ex Phillipine, took 4 torpedoes as she unloaded her carg, part of the 8th Marine CD. Once again VF-6 was patrolling the airspace and took down another caouple of bombers. Only 9 Zeroes were seen escorting the raid so maybe fatigue is starting to play a part in Herbie's plans. Thankfully the supply ships were not hit, and supply is flowing onto the beaches.

Elsewhere, subs once again hit enemy transports at Lunga while the weather kept the flight decks of the Formidable closed. AAR will continue on Thursday.

The Lady takes a hit!

[marioa]

Please what graphic art mod are you using for this very interesting aar?
Thanks in advance.
marioa

[cantona2]

Back so AAR will continue in earnest.

Noticed the hits has gone up so thanks to any readers and hope you're enjoying the ride!

@mairoa the ship art is from Fremen (http://www.telefonica.net/web2/witp/en/index.html), the map panels are Cobras Digital Panels (i think) and the plane tops are the Elf's

[cantona2]

Things have progressed nicely so far. Landings continue on Tarawa and the first base force unit is on land. The 25th Infantry will be withdrawn at a later date leaving the remaining forces to garrison the atoll. An MLE is closing on Canton Island and it will be used to resupply minelaying craft that will soon begin sowing mines around Tarawa.

Herb has had ships moving in the eastern Coral Sea as enemy short ranged float planes were seen fyling over Ndeni. This happened a few days ago. As such no more sightings have been made but an S-boat is hanging around just in case.

The Saratoga has left the Tarawa overwatch position and is steamin to Canton Island to resupply its ammo stores before heading back to relieve the Lexington. All flooding and fire damage from its torpedo hit has been eradicated but its at 16 sys so it will head to Pearl for repairs. CV Hornet has finished its upgrades at Sydney and is also headin to the area. Abemama now has a USAAF base force and its airstrip is being developed. I have 2 Seebee units closing in fast so im hoping for a fast development of these bases.

[cantona2]

Situation 28-5-42

Most of the transports involved in Operation Morsel have already left the Tarawa area. Incoming ships now carry the vital supplies needed to build up the base and get it up and running. Over the past two days three transport ships have been lost to submarine action, though two submarines have been confirmed sunk and another was successfully engaged in Abemama.



Herbie seems to have deployed every single submarine he had based at Kwajalein in order to disrupt my forces. I am sure he is after the two carriers stil hanging around but so far the Dauntless has proved a very stern deterrent. The 435th Bombardment (LB-30) carried out another raid on Maleolap but suffered about 50% casualties with 5 being shot down and one lost due to damage. Though two zeroes were accounted for and the base damaged the raids are not cost effective, another way of disrupting Maleolap will have to be found!



For the first time in days Japanese torpedo bombers attack the shipping around Tarawa. Once again the F4F-4's of VF-6 rise to meet them but no planes on either side are lost. One transport (AK Steel Trader unloading construction material) is struck by one torpedo leaving it slightly damaged but still able to continue unloading. Observations made by the fighter pilots that followed the bombers in have been relayed to intelligence and the attacking unit was identified as the G2/1st Daitai.



Tarawa now hosts a unit of Catalina float planes that have begun flying search missions from the atoll. Several concentrations of Japanese ships were spotted to the North East, but the one that had captured the high command's attention was the reported cruisers and battleship spotted north of Makin. The Enterprise rearmed her planes for a naval strike, these having been on ASW duty, and the covering force in Abemama has been ordered to move northwards. Likewise the flanking force on Baker has begun to move Westwards.