RGIJN vs Stingray

[a1981stingray]

USNHQ has been relocated to a shrimpin' boat off the coast of... can't tell you because I really don't know, maybe an uncharted Island. The shrimpin' boat captain doesn't speak or understand english either...
That's probably good...
Since the fires burned down the previous USNHQ building, DC thought it was a good idea to have a mobile HQ on the open ocean...
Current reports from the frontlines: 2 steps forward 20 steps backwards. What DC thought was a good plan to "push forward" and deny the enemy free reign, has actually backfired...
Yes there are lots of assets lost and unrecoverable. Yes there are very few replacements. Yes the Imperial Japanese will now be able to do anything they want without fear of retaliation from the Allies. Yes the frontlines will waver and probably be lost to the enemy.
It will be at least 2 months before any kind of Assault War Plan can be put together and into action. Hopefully the Allies can "hold positions" until their reinforcements arrive.
 
Note: (scribbled in the margins of the Commander's Journal)
The Imperial Japanese have a huge Victory Point advantage at this point in the war, and it is highly unlikely that the Allies will be able to squeeze any kind of victory from this point onwards. It will be a slugfest and there will be more casualties......
 
 

[RGIJN]

minor update:


CV LEXINGTON, CA YORKTOWN, CA CHESTER and several oilers (AO & TK type) were reported sunk the last few days.

Irau back in imperial possession... and remnants of the allied intruders fled into the jungle. Wonder if the USHQ intends to drop food and other supplies to their fellow comrades...?

[a1981stingray]

Progress Report to Washington:
All Objectives for the Mid '42 campaign have failed. The only signs of success are the "fragmented" INF Divisions marching thru the New Guinea jungles towards Lae.  Sadly there are no transports available for supply missions, ferry supplies to the airfields, or to airdrop supplies to the troops in the jungle or forward bases. All the Fast Transport ships that were used early in the war had severe system damage in the [solid red numbers] so all of them had to be sent back to Pearl. Noume has a handful - you can count them on 1 hand - of AO tankers, the biggest AP & AK, a couple of SC, PG, and 1 MSW.  Only C-47s can airlift supplies into Port Moresby but the fatigue and operational loses have this shut down to a single squadron.
 
It will be a long night in the South Pacific as the BB Yamato's 18" guns shell every Allied base...
 
 

[a1981stingray]

It appears that the IJA have managed to bring in some troops, just as the Allies were leaving for Wau. Now the base has no defenders except for a few fragmented ENG and an HQ units....
INTEL REPORT picture:

[a1981stingray]

In stunning news today from the freighter AP Leedstown...

In the twilight hours a small ship appeared to be following the transport when the deck crews began to here diesel engines from astern.

All reports from the freighter Captain was the thought of Piracy on the high seas, but as the sun began to rise in the east, the unmistakable appearance of a periscope and the IJN flag waving in the breeze gave way to the highly trained transport crew and the mighty 40mm Bofors. In just a few rounds the biggest of IJN subs SS I-21 was exploding into shrapnel.... search and rescue operations are underway but the appearance of fuel and oil on the water's surface clearly the sub is sunk.

[RGIJN]

IJN HQ ordered heavy shelling recently... several hit PM with a rain of 5"...18" ammo, causing this base to be out of supply along with many burning A/C wrecks.

Another sailed down to Espiritu Santo from the Shortlands (its just a three day ride) to visit the guys there. Of course some sub spottings and the recent attacks on ships of different kind in this vicinity emphasized the need for such a move even more. And correct - see what they found:




nice glimpse indeed to face six huge cargoships with a fullsize surface group...




Three sunk right during the wild melee...


In the meantime, IJA augmented strength at Lae to a bold army. We eagerly await the allied onslaught coming out of the bush!

[a1981stingray]

The Engineers in Pearl have released the schedules for the following CVs: 
It might be a hard time for those ground troops slugging it out in the jungles or rotting on the islands.
USNHQ has determined that without adequate CV TFs to deter the enemy BB TFs from shelling the airfields on Luganville and Port Moresby it might be difficult to mount an offensive to recapture what was lost. It appears that without the Transports (sunk by BB TFs) most if not all troops that were to reinforce these forward bases are now lost for several weeks.

[RGIJN]

overall war progress is estimated to be extremely satisfactory so far. [8D]

Above all, Nihon Kaigun brilliantly managed to knock out the entire allied fleet. Four of the enemies big attack carriers are sunk, along with a decent part of the cruiser force. Moreover the Allies have almost no lift capacity afloat anymore after we sent the major part of her cargo fleet to the bottom. Especially this fact is judged to have a bold lasting effect for the remainder of this struggle. The enemy will miss these ships for any future invasion phantasies... It should be hard enough for them to keep the bases left to him in sufficient supply!

Of course we will not only try to thwart such a routine... there are some kinda grand scheme for the operations of the upcoming months. (BTW, we agreed on no autovictory possible except Brisbane or Noumea)

But before any large-scale southward offensive can be launched we´ll take care of the jungle troopers scattered all over Papua. After inflicting terrible LCU losses to the US & Aussie Armies, perhaps the enemy will consider to admit defeat...!?
[&:]


However Chief of staff, Combined fleet gave special advise for all forces not to exceed movements to far beyond sanity - even (or especially) given the superiority we have right now.
This is very true since the allied LBA is still pretty intact and we have to deal with that...

As said before already, next operations are scheduled to be the liberation of Nevea and Papua.




picture taken at Irau, after we discovered a single unmolested beachfront property which wasn´t touched from the war yet... Intention is to turn it into a recreation area for the recuperation of our victoriuos men.

[a1981stingray]

Even though large tracts of the South Pacific have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Empire and all the odious apparatus of Imperial Japanese rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in Australia, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our islands, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets; we shall never surrender![/b] and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Australia or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the Allied Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

[RGIJN]

Two more big cargo ships were hit by imperial submarines, and due to heavy damage both freighters had to be abandoned off the Australian east coast. One sunk in sight of Brisbane´s lighthouse at the northern harbour entrance. Both were reported loaden with troops, and again the allied army lost valuable LCU. However, a few dozen men made it ashore by swimming and climbing debris.


We appreciate the brave attitude full of fighting spirit our honourable enemy displays. And of course we´re well aware that the struggle is going to stiffen soon, as latest intel revealed the existence of a massive industrial endeavour in the US and Australia to counter the southern expansion of The Divine Empire of Japan.

[RGIJN]

again, the enemy dropped anchor at PM on a bright & sunny day. We´re still not certain if this taskforce was a FT on a resupply mission for the starving garrison or if he tried to catch my AV+APD force in these waters.
Anyway, several airstrikes managed to knock out two cruisers with bombs & torpedoes. Since we lost ridicoulous nineteen aircraft today, we rather consider it nice but expensive...









AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/16/42

Weather: Clear

Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 4
A6M3 Zero x 11
D3A Val x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 5 destroyed
D3A Val x 17 damaged

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1
CA Vincennes
DD Henley


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G4M1 Betty x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 16 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CL St. Louis, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Conyngham



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake x 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake x 6 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes, Bomb hits 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 6
A6M3 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes, Bomb hits 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 9 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Henley
CA Vincennes, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
DD Conyngham


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[RGIJN]

another heavy shelling of PM took place tonite.

And more allied lift got lost today...

one small AP hit a type 88 submarine mine, while another was engaged by our U-boat I-2 with its gun & 21" torps...
Thus, parts of the 1st Marine Div drowned in the New Caledonia area and others got stranded at one of these tiny islands there... Having kinda coconut party[8D]




deadly waters...





AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/18/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 10,40


Allied aircraft


Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway x 3 destroyed
Wirraway x 2 damaged
P-39D Airacobra x 4 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 9 damaged
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed
P-40E Kittyhawk x 2 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 5 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra x 7 damaged
F-5A Lightning x 1 destroyed
F-5A Lightning x 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
Men lost 30
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 28
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 100


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 53,66

Japanese Ships
SS I-2, Shell hits 5

Allied Ships
AP President Polk, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
Men lost 78


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 4th Naval Garrison Unit, at 9,39


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 12
B-17E Fortress x 9


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 57


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lea Lea

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2714 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4532 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 51

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 37


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[RGIJN]

more torps for the enemy cargo ships...

[RGIJN]

July 1942 in its waning days...

The enemy again decided to take some risk and came pretty close to our forward base at Guadalcanal with his single remaining CV SARATOGA... too close! G4M Betty bomber took off with a massive fighter escort and slammed a fish into her hull. The allied carrier group is retreating now.

[RGIJN]

In the meantime Port Moresby was seized, along with decent prize of 160 A/C captured and 8k LCU taken POW.







AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/29/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 5680 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 8080 troops, 98 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Moresby base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 138

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 8306
Guns lost 26


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



VP spread is about 6600 now...

[a1981stingray]

The Allied Supreme Command stationed in Brisbane Australia has surrendered to the mighty Emperor of Japan...  refugees from everywhere flee to other countries currently not occupied by Japan hoping to escape and not be "detained" as enemies of Imperial Japan.

[Kingfisher]

A most impressive smack down, and in only two months time.

[RGIJN]

Imperial Supreme Command at Tokyo has approved the release of final results and latest intel as for July, 30 1942 - the Day the unconditional Capitulation was signed by the Allies aboard HIJMS YAMATO at Truk base.

[RGIJN]

see the final limits of the war powers´ spheres of influence... Note that most of the enemy forward frontline bases were cut from supply, thus starving garrisons.

[RGIJN]

Vessels sunk as for July 30, 1942


Allies:

CV - 4 (LEXINGTON, YORKTOWN, ENTERPRISE, HORNET)
CA - 5
CL - 1
DD - 4
Esc - 11 (PG/SC types)
AV - 3
DMS - 4
AO - 11
SS - 2
AP/AK - 52 (!)


IJN:

MSW - 1
SS - 1
AP - 3