Into the Breach

[bigred]

A sad day for the empire as the proud ship Kirishima is sunk by Allied naval air.  The Big E and the Saratoga provided the last few torpedoes to finish the deal. 

[bigred]

1st Marine Corp has cleared Jaba of all enemy units w/ help of the 5th AF.

[bigred]

W/ thunderstorms followed by rain the allied LBA has been scaled back for R&R.  On the propoganda front new naval units will be entering the game soon.  These fast carriers may not be fast enough to see front line action before the end of the game. Intel reports the Chikuma slipped under the waves on a return trip to Truk.

[bigred]

In a discussion of current end of game strategy I had to choose between invading Rabaul or Bouganville.  I did not know about the IJA regiment south of Rabaul until after 2 weeks into the Bouganville campaign.  Bouganville offered not as much VPs but was w/in 1e air range of Lambetta and Russell Is. Bouganville also was a center point on the map where the Sopac/SWpac forces could work together to split the island.  If I had landed at Rabaul Sopac would have had a longer trip to reinforce the landing w/shipping w/o LBA cover.  The decision was easier to make by the fact that both Jaba and Torikina had both been improved into level one airfields before the mass tactical airdrops.  After the airdrop into both locations the plan was to use allied ATR(c-47) reinforcements. Bouganville was a central location for both theatre commands. Rabaul would have been a long air bridge for Sopac.
I considered Bouganville a trap as the IJN/IJA could possibly rack up alot of VPs, maybe even to the point of a possible axis marginal victory.  The final decision to attack Bouganville was made with a comment by Ikesan99 on the forum.

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.

Too win a decisive is something that should be worked for and earned. So we will see.

[Wirraway_Ace]

ORIGINAL: bigred

1st Marine Corp has cleared Jaba of all enemy units w/ help of the 5th AF.

Big Red, what aircraft graphics are you using? Your F4Us look like a P47 in Navy colors.

Very enjoyable AAR by the way...

[bigred]

Stock. I am afraid to make too many changes. Not very computer skilled. Ike99 taught me how to use the paint command in spanish.

[Ike99]

Two more diving attractions in the South Pacific.

[bigred]

11-20-43:  Allies continue to hit IJN shipping and the ports at Buin and Bonis, among others.  Bad weather next turn. The P39 sqn operating out of Jaba has been effective in shipping suppression around Bouganville.

Japanese Ships
AP Kyokusei Maru, Shell hits 84, Bomb hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy
damage

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 403

[Ike99]

Bigred is having computer problems at present so turns are slow.

Night Bombing Bigred

[Kingfisher]

His processor might be having trouble keep track of all those air strikes.

[bigred]

Finally both offensives kick off, oddly on the same day. The Austrailians are attacking Bonis and the Marines are hitting Buin. All LBA in the solomans is max load on all bases and assigned to support the marines. LBA out of PM will work w/ the aussies over Bonis. Deliberate attacks have been set and Halsey is awaiting the results AM tomorrow. 2 allied divisions are on both sites. Intel reports majority of all IJA troops w/ blown morale defending Bonis and Buin after the retreats from Jaba and Torikina.

On an admin note my XP caught a bug and needed some work. I had been operating on my old win98 which I found difficult to work the AAR and really missed my XP.

[bigred]

The prep for the ground attack begins with the allied LBA.  Note the use of SB2C hell diver operating out of Lunga and ground strikes Buin.  Also note the IJAAF as it brings a weak response to the USN shipping.

[bigred]

The ground attack at Buin and Bonis has started.  Halsey was surprised at the rapid colapse of the fortifications around Bonis and is jelous of McArthurs advance..  Buin seems ready to provide a tougher fight. Allied intel suspects the arrival of the IJN KB would not save this situation. Weather forcast is thunderstorms. Will the attack continue???

Ground combat at Buin
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18518 troops, 187 guns, 101 vehicles
Defending force 21369 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 9)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 8
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 483
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 107
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bonis
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 25307 troops, 230 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 9495 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 8)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 270
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 16

[bigred]

Bonis has fallen.  Allied steamroller may be hard to stop w/ senario 17 @100% ship commitmant.  More details after work.

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18412 troops, 187 guns, 101 vehicles

Defending force 20756 troops, 245 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 8)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 5


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 602
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 56


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bonis

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25244 troops, 230 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 9265 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Bonis base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 488

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 13
Guns lost 2

[bigred]

Another maximum effort, not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVbnDBBt ... re=related
"You are already dead, just dont think about it."

W/ Thunderstorms all allied air was ordered to fly in support of ground forces.  The 4e LBA out of PM did not fly(and questions will be asked of the commanders).  Again the IJAAF tries to penatrate the CAP over our fleet carriers only to add more points to the allied score.

W/ the fall of Bonis brings an airfield w/in 7 of Rabaul. Can the Allies take Rabaul before Dec 31? My guess as allied commander is "based on all intel if we can get one fresh Division into the hex by 25 Dec43 Rabaul will fall."

[bigred]

Your time has come.

[tocaff]

Won't there be a final death ride of the KB before the bitter end?  The IJA asks, where is the IJN?

[Ike99]

The 4e LBA out of PM did not fly(and questions will be asked of the commanders).

The new propaganda leaflets I have been dropping over your airfields must be having an effect.

[bigred]

Buin has fallen.  Note all bases on Bouganville are allied controlled. The entire maximum effort of the 3rd and 5th air force helped the Marines to clear the hex.  In the largest escorted attack this month the IJAAF almost hit the Wasp.
Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18331 troops, 187 guns, 101 vehicles

Defending force 19043 troops, 240 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Buin base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 23591
Guns lost 225

[Kingfisher]

C'mon Ike, if Ozawa can take the KB out with a bang so can you.