The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[obvert]

Obvert,
we have already tried that kind of "bluffs" in the past and all of them ended up simply in a material loss for the allies, with Rader that didn't "overreact" nor lost his mind. We tried two different invasions in CENTPAC (Tarawa and Marcus-Wake-Iwo) when Rader was fully committed with his Indian gamble. We found well prepared oppositions, with enough troops dug in to repulse a not overwhelming allied effort.

As you can see from the map i attached, Rader has garrisoned The Adamans, Diego, Scoodra, southern DEI, The Mariannas, Kuriles and Marcus/Wake since their conquests.
He also has regiments sitting in Cocos and Christmas.
He knows which are the "hot spots" for an allied counteroffensive and he has devoted assets and energies to occupy them and garrison them with just enough troops to avoid an "easy conquest", so to give him space and time to mount a counteroffensive.

Thanks for the map. Clarifies some things.

I get it, and I remember the Central Pacific tries from earlier that didn't go so well.

I completely agree you should be preparing for something major by getting units in the right places and preparing for the autumn advances. I wasn't advocating another BIG invasion.

You're the player, and you know the lay of the land better than us. What I mean to suggest are small raids, using few ships, small land units, finding little areas to poke at him so he doesn't know anymore where you're going to hit. As the Allied player in 43 you should be jabbing a bit. Try out your left just to make him hold his hands up and so he doesn't know when or where the right is going to land.

[princep01]

Reek. You have gotten much strategic advice from many. Most of that advice is good, especially the "Do not lollygag around" advice. However, as your master, I come today to wake you from your slumber among the girls to whisper a word of tactical advice. Listen carefully, my Reek.

1. That TF you have running about bombarding an empty airfield....yes, that one. The one with the CA Hawkins in it. Check carefully , Reek. I think the Hawkins is an older CA that has no business among ships like BB Massachusetts and CA Wichita. If memory serves me well, the presence of a ship like that in a TF can have dire consequences if the LYBs decide to fight a surface battle. Check that ship out and, if I am correct, substitute a more modern vessel to avoid those dire consequences.

2. Stop diddling about. By-pass those strongly held islands immediately in front of you in the Solomons and conduct offensive ops against more vulnerable ones BEHIND them. To put this is a perspective you may understand, do NOT attack a strongly held Winterfell when you can more easily take lightly held Dreadfort and cut Winterfell off from supply and communication. That is the soul of island-hopping.

Now, get hopping and stop basking in the glory of having won a battle over his air force (he is quickly restoring it while you have no followup to that punch). And, while you are at it, round up the starving remanent on Tulagi, securing that base for good, and get the units there prepped for other tasks ahead. Your sitting on your thumbs. Stop or I assure you, you will have no thumbs when I return from my "vacation".

Princep Bolton

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: princep01

Reek. You have gotten much strategic advice from many. Most of that advice is good, especially the "Do not lollygag around" advice. However, as your master, I come today to wake you from your slumber among the girls to whisper a word of tactical advice. Listen carefully, my Reek.

1. That TF you have running about bombarding an empty airfield....yes, that one. The one with the CA Hawkins in it. Check carefully , Reek. I think the Hawkins is an older CA that has no business among ships like BB Massachusetts and CA Wichita. If memory serves me well, the presence of a ship like that in a TF can have dire consequences if the LYBs decide to fight a surface battle. Check that ship out and, if I am correct, substitute a more modern vessel to avoid those dire consequences.

2. Stop diddling about. By-pass those strongly held islands immediately in front of you in the Solomons and conduct offensive ops against more vulnerable ones BEHIND them. To put this is a perspective you may understand, do NOT attack a strongly held Winterfell when you can more easily take lightly held Dreadfort and cut Winterfell off from supply and communication. That is the soul of island-hopping.

Now, get hopping and stop basking in the glory of having won a battle over his air force (he is quickly restoring it while you have no followup to that punch). And, while you are at it, round up the starving remanent on Tulagi, securing that base for good, and get the units there prepped for other tasks ahead. Your sitting on your thumbs. Stop or I assure you, you will have no thumbs when I return from my "vacation".

Princep Bolton

My Master, as you prefer, as you order, as you wish.

Seriously i know the limits of CA Hawkins. I'm using her intensively cause, despite her terrible endurance (6,000), and her little caliber (7,5 inches with low penetration), she has torpedoes and her crew is very experienced (70/74) both at day and at night. I use her as an Omaha Class CL...for her torps. My Cleveland Class CLs are good, but without torps it's difficult to hope to face a CA/BB enemy TF...

About the thumbs to sit upon... ...i understand you get the idea that i'm doing simply nothing and i'm not following up the latest aerial and ground victories, but to be honest i think i'm doing lot of things in order to prepare and get ready for my future advances.
The constant bombings of Russell, Thousands and Auki are intended to keep those threatening bases closed and "not safe" for his air forces. In fact the front has "de facto" been moved back to the line of Rekata Bay-Munda. I'm been considering a lot the idea of skipping the line Russell-Thousands-Auki, but that "triple-position" is too strong to simply bypass it and don't have yet the means to keep them shut and isolated at the same time while mounting up an offensive operation. consider also that the invasion of Thousands have the very good charachteristic of been doable without the CV support (using TLT as a big supporting carrier providing both CAP and offensive bombers).

Anyway, also in response to Obvert, the "multi front" offensive should exactly have that advantage, so to say that if these offensives are started with the right timing, they can be used to unbalance him and force him to divide his efforts on different fronts.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Guys,  first of all thanks again!

Secondly i'd like you to refrain from using terms like "arrogance" related to Rader's style of play. It's not fair, even if it's just a "word". Rader has always been a very good and sportman opponent and his gentlemanship has been shown to me in several occasions. The fact that he tried to push me out of the map [:D] is just part of the "role-game" we're playing!

Well said. Rader holds all of China (very big deal) and virtually all of India (almost a clean sweep) His play has not been too shoddy even if if differs from what we all like to see. He is no slouch...If he has made some mistakes, I see none of them as being fatal.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: paulkenny

"And our CVs are getting ready.... "

A George McClellan quote if I have ever heard one![:D]

Use em or lose em my good man.

Hopefully you are taking this in the good humor it is meant.  Really enjoying your AAR and especially appreciate your good sportsmanship and patience with all the monday morning admirals around here.[align=right]
[/align]

You guys are not paying attention. GJ has incurred "massive" losses in surface ships and others in turning back Rader's well orchestrated advance. Go back in the AAR and take a look. Now you are urging him to risk his one remaining serious naval asset (carriers) at at point where he does not really need to or should want to. Scen #2 allows Rader to practically match him in carriers until the end of the year and outproduce him in all types of aircraft. Give him a little room to rebuild up his fleet. He will need an infusion of DDs and CAs. If he were to lose a carrier battle at this point Rader could actually go back on the offensive for the rest of 1943. The great thing about India and the Solomons is that GJ has a hold on Rader where he can fight him without great risk to his fleet. My two cents anyways.[;)]

[GreyJoy]

July 30, 31 1943

Our bombardment TF at Rekata wasn't lucky...we didn't get a single one of the 200 and more planes present there...

One of our subs finally sunk an enemy xAK that was moving in a big convoy south west of Rabaul...seems that the ship was empty...Rader is doing something...i still don't get what!

Intel says another Mix Bde is being moved to Adaman Islands... and a guards regiment to Diego...

As far as i can tell at Diego there are 2 regiments right now, an Army HQ and a combat Eng regiment.
Scoodra should have 1 division, an Army HQ, an Air HQ and some construction BNs for sure... i see some high level forts there...

he has massed again 1300 fighters beyond the "Munda Line"... a future battle is coming for sure...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Rekata Bay at 113,134

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
CA Astoria
CA Salt Lake City
CA Chester
CA Houston
CA Northampton
CA Indianapolis
DD Shaw
DD Mahan
DD Craven
DD Helm
DD Morris
DD Anderson
DD Gansevoort



Airbase hits 25
Airbase supply hits 14
Runway hits 87
Port hits 31
Port supply hits 6

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: paulkenny

"And our CVs are getting ready.... "

A George McClellan quote if I have ever heard one![:D]

Use em or lose em my good man.

Hopefully you are taking this in the good humor it is meant.  Really enjoying your AAR and especially appreciate your good sportsmanship and patience with all the monday morning admirals around here.[align=right]
[/align]

You guys are not paying attention. GJ has incurred "massive" losses in surface ships and others in turning back Rader's well orchestrated advance. Go back in the AAR and take a look. Now you are urging him to risk his one remaining serious naval asset (carriers) at at point where he does not really need to or should want to. Scen #2 allows Rader to practically match him in carriers until the end of the year and outproduce him in all types of aircraft. Give him a little room to rebuild up his fleet. He will need an infusion of DDs and CAs. If he were to lose a carrier battle at this point Rader could actually go back on the offensive for the rest of 1943. The great thing about India and the Solomons is that GJ has a hold on Rader where he can fight him without great risk to his fleet. My two cents anyways.[;)]

And i cannot but agree with you mate. I lost nearly every single one of the old BBs (only 3 are left) and a number of DDs, CAs, CLs ect... i understand the public wants some "blood" now, as the allied pubblic opinion strongly wanted a reaction in RL, but we need to remain "wise".... my 0.2 cents

[paulkenny]

I realize you have taken casualties, I have followed the AAR (read the 1st 70 pages or so a couple of weeks ago and following diligently since).  You, though, have been inflicting serious casualties on Rader.  You have decimated his air force.  it is high time you grabbed a hold of him and ground him into dirt.  You will take losses, sure, but you will inflict more or even the same on him.  And those are replacements he cannot easily (in terms of airplanes, transport and light naval) or cannot possibly (in terms of CA and heavier ships), replace.

You are being McClellan, worrying every detail, taking a slow and methodical course, waiting until everything is perfect.  And what happened?  he got his butt handed to him in the 7 Days battle, the ultimate transcendance of one general over another.  Complete and utter destruction of a commanding general's morale, despite having overwhelming numerical and material superiority.  You need to be like Grant, grab ahold and dont let go, tear into him at all costs, cause if you bleed, so does he and very quickly he will lose all strategic ability for offensive action, ala Lee post June 64. 

There should be some penalty for the Allied player for keeping his carriers out of action for nearly 20 months.  There is NO WAY FDR or the JCoS would allow them sitting in Port when the European needs were so high. Carriers should be recalled to the Atlantic

[paulkenny]

If I were in your position I would be thirsting for contact, desparately looking for bases that I can reach him with my 4E bombers.

Of course I tend to lose alot of ships and planes and as a JFB am envious of the wealth of the Allies, but still..................

[JeffroK]

I'd rather be a McClellan than a Hood.  He's also preferable to a Lee who nearly lost the war at Sharpsburg & Gettysburg.  At the moment you cant afford to be Grant and a Cold Harbor might be fatal.

Looking over the map, you have been pushed into the corners and your thoughts of a campagn from NW Australia make more sense. (Having seen CR & CT try this route shows that its entering an area with lots of bases to clear out but does threaten the Oil regions) But dont butt into his strongpoints, pick up some of the bases cheaply with APD or Paras if you can, get plenty of recce into the area in advance (might make himget used to their presence and dismiss their threat.

IMVHO, the Kuriles is a poor second choice, but not impossible.

Another thought for a smallish op with some value is to clean up the islands/atolls south of Tarawa. It would make your suplly LOC a bit safer and some are capable of large airbases. You could move out of the Ndeni area so shouldnt need too much rebasing of assets.

[jmalter]

hey i'm just 'nother Monday-morning advice-fountain here, but GJ's been doing quite well in teh Solomons w/ attrition-war, he immolated a major Aleutians spoiling-attack, & managed a fighting withdrawal in India rather well.

so i'd like to remind GJ, "the enemy is hurting, too!"

Rader is max extended, covering too much area w/ too few units. don't neglect to start aggressive probing on multiple fronts, while you assemble & train your strike-force.

[GreyJoy]

August 1-4 1943


Here we are again Guys: Rader has mount another massive offensive operation....

On the 1st and 2nd of August our long range PB4Ys on seacrh duties from Ndeni spotted the KB moving SE from Ponape Island, 18 hexes north of Ndeni...at the same time lots of enemy shippings appeared at Rekata Bay and Shortland...mainly PBs and SCs....but the BBs moved to Rekata Bay too....
We feared a trap, so we moved out of TLT area our BBs. At the same time we ordered the newly arrived CA Australia TF (who, along with 2 Omaha Class CLs has just finished her repairs after the last naval battle of June at Tulagi) to bomb Auki...if Rader was looking for another counter advance he surely had to base his planes in his front line bases again...

On the 3rd of August our light Bombardment caught 100 planes and the ground and badly damaged many more...so we were right....when the day came we had lost contact with the KB while our worst nightmare was becoming true...another japanese massive offensive. a gran total of 700 fighters had been based at Russell-Thousands-Auki, with a backup of more 400 between Munda and Rekata, along with another 200+400 bombers at Shortland/Torobika.... enemy's BBs appeared at Thousands, along with a huge number of barges and small escorts...
The KB is flanking our position....could be everywhere now south/East of Tarawa....raiding or simply taking a different route to fall down at the back of our main bases at Ndeni at the very same time those 1000 fighters will attack....imagine a 1000 fighters sweep, followed by a full KB raid....[X(]
But those barges may mean he's trying to evacuate again what remains of the Tulagi Invasion force....17k men.... or this could be a trap in order to destroy once for all our naval surface assets...

Unfortunately we all know i cannot simply let him do it...at this stage i have to fight back...or die in the attempt...I tried to do my best in order to provide a serious air CAP for my BBs that are rearming and reorganizing at Ndeni and in 3 days we should be ready to move back to Tulagi...hopefully engaging his surface fleet in a mortal combat...
I've also emptied our 6 CVs in the theatre of every aircraft, sending SDBs, TBs and Hellcats to Ndeni with an attacking range of 8 hexes. If he wanna raid the BBs at Ndeni springing up at my shoulders at 8 hexes range he's gonna have a nice surprise.
My PTs have been massed at Tulagi and will try to defend the beaches and at the same time will sweep Thousands... a lucky hit would be welcome[:)]

You see? When i refrain from bombing and keeping shut Russell/Thousands/Auki those bases become really really dangerous... my naval search has been slaughtered last turn with 13 planes shot down over there....[:o]




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Kaki
AMc Wa 14, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Atsu Maru
AMc Shanan Maru #16
PB Keijo Maru
LB-516
LB-517, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
LB-518
LB-519
LB-520, Shell hits 1
LB-521
LB-524
LB-5004
LB-5005
LB-5006
LB-5007, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
LB-5009
LB-5010
LB-5011
LB-5013
LB-552
LB-553
LB-554
LB-555
LB-556
LB-5051
LB-5052
LB-5053
LB-5054
LB-5055
SC CHa-15
SC CHa-17

Allied Ships
PT-149
PT-236
PT-301
PT-343


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Auki at 115,136

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 7 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 7 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 5 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 1 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
DD Cummings
DD Dunlap
DD O'Brien
DD Conway
DMS Lamberton

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 33
Port hits 11

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Auki at 115,136

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 18 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 5 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 10 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Frazier
DD Caldwell
DD Bancroft
DD Farenholt



Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 23
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Auki at 115,136

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 64 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 11 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 22 damaged
N1K1-J George: 5 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 31 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 12 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 8 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Trenton
CL Richmond
DD Aylwin
DD MacDonough
DD Hull
DD Dewey
DD Saufley
DD Cony
DD Chevalier

Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled



Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 46
Port hits 18
Port supply hits 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,135

Japanese Ships
PB Akagane Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Halibut



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CL Abukuma
DD Natsushio
DD Susukaze
DD Hikokaze
DD Tanikaze
DD Nowaki

Allied Ships
SS Grayback

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: paulkenny

I realize you have taken casualties, I have followed the AAR (read the 1st 70 pages or so a couple of weeks ago and following diligently since).  You, though, have been inflicting serious casualties on Rader.  You have decimated his air force.  it is high time you grabbed a hold of him and ground him into dirt.  You will take losses, sure, but you will inflict more or even the same on him.  And those are replacements he cannot easily (in terms of airplanes, transport and light naval) or cannot possibly (in terms of CA and heavier ships), replace.

You are being McClellan, worrying every detail, taking a slow and methodical course, waiting until everything is perfect.  And what happened?  he got his butt handed to him in the 7 Days battle, the ultimate transcendance of one general over another.  Complete and utter destruction of a commanding general's morale, despite having overwhelming numerical and material superiority.  You need to be like Grant, grab ahold and dont let go, tear into him at all costs, cause if you bleed, so does he and very quickly he will lose all strategic ability for offensive action, ala Lee post June 64. 

There should be some penalty for the Allied player for keeping his carriers out of action for nearly 20 months.  There is NO WAY FDR or the JCoS would allow them sitting in Port when the European needs were so high. Carriers should be recalled to the Atlantic

i do respect your POV mate, and i understand it, but i do not agree. Where should i have used our CVs in this game? Since we reached the parity in numbers of CVs, Rader never moves his CVs away from his mass of LBAs and when he does he raids, springing up from nowhere just to disappear the next turn...
What am i supposed to do? move my CVs right into his LBA+KB range? You have seen his numbers...it doesn't matter if the avg quality of his pilots has decreased...he has NUMBERS....he just needs to have 100 betties on naval attack escorted by 5/600 fighters backed up by the CVs....and i'm toasted! Look what he's doing in his other AAR...

If i lose my CVs now my offensive plans are destroyed. And i want to start advancing

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

hey i'm just 'nother Monday-morning advice-fountain here, but GJ's been doing quite well in teh Solomons w/ attrition-war, he immolated a major Aleutians spoiling-attack, & managed a fighting withdrawal in India rather well.

so i'd like to remind GJ, "the enemy is hurting, too!"

Rader is max extended, covering too much area w/ too few units. don't neglect to start aggressive probing on multiple fronts, while you assemble & train your strike-force.

covering too much area w/ too few units. don't neglect to start aggressive probing on multiple fronts, while you assemble & train your strike-force.

I know mate...i know...but Rader still has fangs and nails...and i'm nowehere close to be strong enough to freely attack without a proper preparation.... The enemy is hurting, yes...but i need to make him fight at my own terms...now is Rader who's still dictating the pace of operation....I need to hurt him more than that!!!!

[Canoerebel]

99.5% of all newcomers playing the Allied side get their CVs sunk early in the game.  Many of them quit.  Those who soldier on vow never to do that again.
 
AE is not the actual war.  Those who play as if it was are in for a rude surprise, unless they happen to be playing against a Japanese player who also views the game as the actual war.
 
GreyJoy has shown unusual and very laudable restraint in holding back his carriers.  He hasn't needed them to this point and the payoff is going to be huge.  He will rule the waves in late '43 and '44.  He played it very smart.

[GreyJoy]

August 7, 8 1943

Our nose is still working finely....

Rader has organized a massive operation...nearly a thousand fighters took off against my shippings in TLT....was a trap for my BBs....he moved to Thousands his BBs cause he wanted me to move to Tulagi mines....
The evidence is that his BBs retired from Thousands, leaving behind lots of barges that have been successfully attacked by night by my aggressive PTs...all the barges were empty....[&:]

Then when the day came his Nells and Frances started to attack our DDs at Lunga....he had a HUGE number of fighters as escort and my guys were outnumbered to say the least...still have to see the turn so i don't know our exact losses but they are very high however....[:o]

The KB showed up as forseen but right north of Tulagi...didn't launch and my subs were unlucky again....(i'm getting sick of these useless subs!!!)....

However...take a look at the reply....and then tell me again i should send my CVs against these hordes of LBA (consider that the KB didn't partecipate at these battles...)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Kaki, Shell hits 1
AMc Atsu Maru
AMc Shanan Maru #16
PB Keijo Maru, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
LB-516, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
LB-518, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-519, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
LB-520, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LB-521, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
LB-524, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LB-5004
LB-5005
LB-5006
LB-5009, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
LB-5010
LB-5011
LB-5013, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
LB-552
LB-553
LB-554
LB-555
LB-556
LB-5051, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
LB-5052
LB-5053
LB-5054
LB-5055
SC CHa-15, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
SC CHa-17

Allied Ships
PT-242
PT-243
PT-348


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Kaki
AMc Atsu Maru
AMc Shanan Maru #16
LB-5004, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LB-5005, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
LB-5006
LB-5010
LB-5011
LB-552
LB-553
LB-554
LB-555
LB-556
LB-5051, and is sunk
LB-5052, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-5053
LB-5054
LB-5055, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC CHa-17

Allied Ships
PT-245
PT-253
PT-285
PT-298
PT-338
PT-352




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 42
A6M3a Zero x 36
A6M5 Zero x 44
G3M2 Nell x 13
N1K1-J George x 62
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 62
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 56
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 132
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 27
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 35



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 10
Spitfire Vc Trop x 12
P-40N1 Warhawk x 10
F4U-1 Corsair x 26
F6F-3 Hellcat x 11


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 3 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40N1 Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 5 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Frazier
DD Farenholt



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 25
A6M3a Zero x 33
A6M5 Zero x 41
G3M2 Nell x 13
N1K1-J George x 57
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 58
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 72
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 115
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 24
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 28



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 9
Spitfire Vc Trop x 11
P-40N1 Warhawk x 9
F4U-1 Corsair x 22
F6F-3 Hellcat x 10


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 3 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Farenholt
DD Frazier


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Ontong Java at 119,133

Japanese Ships
CV Hiyo
BB Hiei
CA Haguro
DD Hatsuharu
DD Suzukaze
DD Tachekaze
DD Katsutade
DD Tadeshiwa
DD Yugure

Allied Ships
SS S-33, hits 1



SS S-33 launches 4 torpedoes at CV Hiyo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 12
A6M3a Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 43
N1K1-J George x 18
P1Y1 Frances x 13



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 9
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
P-38H Lightning x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 12
P-40N1 Warhawk x 9
F4U-1 Corsair x 27
F6F-3 Hellcat x 32


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 4 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 21 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed
P1Y1 Frances: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Caldwell
DD Farenholt

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 24
A6M3a Zero x 24
A6M5 Zero x 2
G3M2 Nell x 5
N1K1-J George x 36
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 53
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 69
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 140
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 30
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 28



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 7
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
P-38H Lightning x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 20
P-40N1 Warhawk x 9
F4U-1 Corsair x 29
F6F-3 Hellcat x 30


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 5 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 2 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40N1 Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed

[GreyJoy]

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[GreyJoy]

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[GreyJoy]

And here are the losses...the Corsairs again are those who took the worst beatings....

[GreyJoy]

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