Into the Breach

[bigred]

Recon Shortland

[Ike99]

No MSW has been performed around Bougainville. Two out of 3 ships dropping recon teams have hit mines.

[bigred]

Short range LBA from Kiriwina seen working over a transport at Rabaul.

[bigred]

In this next raid at Rabaul over 200 LBA seemed to do minor damage to Rabaul w/ 36 troops killed.  But note the overlay of a followup b25 strafing mission that killed 400 troops. This raid was conducted in a thunderstorm. Allied VP +2000. Currently +2500 is a decisive.

[bigred]

Seems Ikesan99 is full of tricks w/ a road march from Madang to Nazib.  Another Bataan death march?

[Ike99]

Allied VP +2000. Currently +2500 is a decisive.

No, I have...

12,583 points.

12,583 X 1.25=15,728

You have...

14,574

15,728-14,574=1,154

You´re 1,154 points from decisive. Not 500.

Your bombing has gained you 1% point in the last 40 days. Any landing on Bougainville will be met by a large responce.

[Ike99]

I´ve seen a lot of complaints on the Allied naval search strikes. A help on Japanese aircraft, the Betty and Nell are no good for this but the KI-61 Helen works the same as the Allied bombers in this. Good range too.

[bigred]

I was surprised to catch this TF in the open.

[bigred]

Note the 2 bases on Bouganville under allied control.  Captured by Paradrop and sub transport.  It is amazing to me that Ike would build these bases for me then pull out...

[bigred]

IJN surface combat Tf has moved on top of Kiriwina.  3xBBs, 3xCAs.  This area is the center of an allied naval air kill zone.  Shocking. I count 107 bomb hits on the Kongo.
Recon showed CVs northwest of Bouganville.

BB Kongo, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Susuzuki
DD Ushio, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1
CS Nisshin, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 1
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

CS Nisshin, Bomb hits 1
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Kongo, Bomb hits 50, on fire, heavy damage
DD Michishio, Bomb hits 1
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 18, on fire, heavy damage
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 15
CL Oyodo, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagiri, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Asashio
DD Susuzuki, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuzuki
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 6, on fire
DD Arashio, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shimotsuki, Bomb hits 1

BB Hiei, Bomb hits 10, on fire
DD Michishio, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CS Nisshin, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Kongo, Bomb hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze, on fire, heavy damage
CL Oyodo, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asashio, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

CS Nisshin, Shell hits 44, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CL Oyodo, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

CL Oyodo, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CS Nisshin, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

BB Kongo, Bomb hits 28, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 19, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Arashio, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asashio, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

DD Arashio, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Kongo, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuzuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

CS Nisshin, Shell hits 32, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CL Oyodo, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

[Ike99]

IJN surface combat Tf has moved on top of Kiriwina. 3xBBs, 3xCAs. This area is the center of an allied naval air kill zone. Shocking. I count 107 bomb hits on the Kongo.
Recon showed CVs northwest of Bouganville.

I had the experience of a ¨design feature¨ here.

[bigred]

The allies had a good day with the sinking of the Kongo.  A IJA regiment shock attacked the 1st Marines at Jaba.  The marines held. 

[bigred]

10-23-43.   The Nagato has been sunk.  These waters are very dangerous for both sides.

[Kingfisher]

That was weird

Was it a bombarbment TF that got caught at dawn?

[Ike99]

That was weird

Was it a bombarbment TF that got caught at dawn?

Bombardment changed to Surface Combat.

[bigred]

Our last two turns were made after midnight.  we are tired.

[bigred]

Allies have liberated two "gemme" or "trap" bases.  Easy for me to take, easy for the Japs to kill me.

[bigred]

IJN comes to jaba for a night time visit and finds more allied (or did the japs hit their own) mines.

[Ike99]

Oscars and Zeros push through the P38s and Corsairs to deliver a strike.

[bigred]

It is a mistake for me to have exposed the Canberra into the Jaba base hex.  I dont remember the command to send it to Jaba.  Suspect the TF w/ the Canberra was given a follow TF command.