ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution
Is there a chance we can have some kind of all-encompassing sitrep at some point? For instance, I have very little idea about what's going on in the SOPAC and CENTPAC theaters.
Hehe...neither do I evidently.....
Seriously, I stink at these map thingies...I am lucky that my comp turns on and that I can find this forum sometimes....so, when/if Marc has the inclination to draw up something, that's when you'll see it; if I was to do it, it would look like I hired a chicken with crayons tied to it's claws (chickens have claws, right? They're not paws, nor feet, nor hooves...must be claws.) which was then beheaded and left to run amok in the maproom....
The route of advance is working NW right now thru the Solomons. Fiji is the main base of operations currently; it resembles a mini-PH right now, with Fleet HQ, various repair ships, rows upon rows of nice insulated Quonsets for the some 4-5 divisions that are in residence at various times.
The New Hebrides are getting nicely built up; once the dredges are done at Luganville, the Fleet stuff will migrate there. Should be in 2 weeks or so.
Since capturing the 'Canal some weeks ago and evicting the Jap division that was there, the trenches are about 1/2 done and the strip has reached...size 6 I think. Recons go out every day to various scenic locales in the area to see what our little brothers are up to; it's not much evidently. There's evidently a LOT of assets tied up in the prison island formerly known as French Noumea; which is guarded by the air and naval assets in the Caledonian Islands. 4 (or is it 5) carriers and their escorts reside there behind their anti sub nets. In the Savo Sound, under the cover of the air base rests a surface battle group of 3 old BB's and 2 divisions of DD's; sweeps and DM's scurry about doing their thing amongst the islands of the area.
Marine Raiders have occupied and left the Russels, then moved on to Munda point; some AK's carrying a CB batt were weakly attacked from Rabaul Betties, but were able to disgorge their cargo and get home to Lunga with one 1/4 damaged. A BF recently arrived in Lunga will move there soon and operations will begin from there. The next installment of the ladder will be arriving in a week's time I reckon; it's goal is....oh, can't talk about that...but you can guess I suppose.
Supplies are sufficient at all these bases, but more have to come in over the next month or two to sustain these plans. There are 3 million tons of bunker fuel in the Hawaiians, but only 20 TK planned to move it; more have yet to arrive. The real crunch is freighters; too many have piled up in the forward area, they are being re-allocated over the next few days (I just can't do it all in one sitting...it drives me nuts...I can't believe that I did the whole war in my '45 game that is nearing it's end versus Herbie). When I have sorted out the freighter situation better, the pace here will pick up; not that it will ever resemble Mandrake's March to Glory...he's the Great Improviser...I, the Planner.....
All major units of the Fleet report ready other than
IDAHO, which is down to 1/3 damaged after being towed into SF's Mare Island repair yard after the heroic battles off Midway to retake it from the Empire. Sub patrols are scoring the occasional hit, though not as many contacts as I would like. Cuttlefish is a cagy sea creature and we are still trying to assess his shipping patterns. I think he changes them back and forth from 2 routines; I am just getting enough assets in place to cover both now. Hope to see the scores rise soon; some are currently busy trying to help the SWPac forces by covering the approaches to their area; the torpedoing of
MUTSU was one of these subs off Northern Luzon.
