Rise of the Sheep! JocMeister(A) vs. Obvert(J)

[JocMeister]

26th July -44

Talaud-eilanden
Last turn I had an amphib TF that was to deliver the troops for Talaud arrive at Morotai. Its only 4 hexes between the two so rather than to unload them I decided to take a gamble. Love it when those pay off! Only 6 Jills took off after the landing ships so either Erik was completely surprised by this or he had decided to not fight for the base.

Ground combat at Talaud-eilanden (79,97)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8604 troops, 89 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 320

Defending force 19287 troops, 321 guns, 640 vehicles, Assault Value = 761

Japanese ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
38th Ind.Mixed Brigade
54th Ind.Mixed Brigade
90th Naval Guard Unit
14th Nav Gd /2
28th JAAF AF Bn
1st Mobile Bde /3

Defending units:
5th USMC Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
24th Infantry Div /8
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
I Corps Cmbt Engr Rgt /5
147th Field Artillery Regiment
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

I looked up the troops he has there and they are the same kind of low EXP units found at Tinian (40-45 EXP). This will be quick work as there are virtually no AT capabilities at the island. [&o] The Ist Corps Combat Engineer RGT is one of the massive 250+ combat engineer ones. The 754th Tank BTL has 50+ Shermans in it together with some CS tanks. Lots of firepower per AV I think. [:)] Will have to rest the troops for a few days though as fatigue is quite high. I have an ID 100% prepped on its way just in case.

I´m continuing to push my luck and eventually I´ll be smacked for it. But I knew the troops were going to get ashore and the shipping I can replace. But perhaps its time to slow down and build up the bases in the Moluccas. I need bases to place my bombers on. So far only fighters has been brought forward.

Strange happenings at Manado
Something very strange is happening here. I´ve attached a screen. Anyone have any idea what Erik is up to? Using subs to mine the base? [&:] Trying to set a trap of some kind? Lots of bombers at Balikpapan all of the sudden.

Reinforcements
A huge number of TFs is starting to gather at PH. They will depart in about a month for New Guinea. I´m trying to split the TFs from the start in SOPAC/Marianas TFs already at PH. I also have about 1 million fuel that will travel follow. It will be needed as I´m guzzling fuel right now.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I´m getting spoiled with good fortune lately! [&o] Troops ashore, no losses in ships and the base will very soon be securely in allied hands! Proper update coming tonight.

Huzzah! [:)]

You said earlier you wanted to keep moving fast before he can prepare his fall-back positions, and you have just reaped the success of doing that. Operational tempo is very important for keeping the Japanese off balance - keep them retreating!
The KB absence makes me wonder if most of the CVs have been back in Japan, doing upgrades.

[BBfanboy]

The TFs at Manado look like mini-subs and MGBs, which can be spawned from base supplies.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

The TFs at Manado look like mini-subs and MGBs, which can be spawned from base supplies.

I think you are right. I think he is preparing a trap for me. Hoping the MTBs will slow any amphibs down enough that they won´t have time to unload everything during one turn. That would give him time to send in the KB from hiding. That would also explain the bombers as Balikpapan...

Time to ponder a bit...

[DOCUP]

Send in a cpl of small DD TFs to engage whats there. They can take on both MTBs and Mini subs.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Send in a cpl of small DD TFs to engage whats there. They can take on both MTBs and Mini subs.

I´m going to do that...with a twist! Stay tuned! [:D]

[JocMeister]

Was unable to send Erik a turn tonight. The baby got her first teeth this morning. Not a happy camper! [X(]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Was unable to send Erik a turn tonight. The baby got her first teeth this morning. Not a happy camper! [X(]

When she uses that tooth on your wife, she will not be a happy camper either! [:D]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
When she uses that tooth on your wife, she will not be a happy camper either! [:D]

You mean I will have to deal with two of them?! [X(]

[JocMeister]

27th-28th July -44

Still not much action to talk about.

Thrym
I decided to go for Manado in style. I really need a level 9 AF in the region. This will require the full fleet. The activities there is making me ears twitch. I´m certain Erik is planning something here. This turn I spotted 2 CM going away from Manado on a NW course. Probably planted a lot of mines there. My CV fleet will reach Sarmi next turn and refuel and replenish. I decided to postpone the DEI landing another 2 weeks to give the CVs time to add their weight to the Manado landings.

I also hope by then I will have at least 3 level 3 AFs in the Moluccas. I will absolutely PACK them with P47s to provide LRCAP over the fleet. If Erik tries something here it will cost him badly I hope. Lets see if the KB shows up for this.

Burma
A flood is leaving Burma. Crap. But it looks like Erik is reinforcing Toungoo. 76.000 men there now. [X(] I don´t know if this is brave or foolish but sometime this has to backfire on him. This time I have a partially prepped Command HQ and Corp HQ. I´m doing something differently here this time. I´m attacking supply instead of troops. I´m bombarding with troops, attacking every single AF I can get my hands of. I´m even bombing his 3000 AV stack with the sole purpose of having them spend supplies by firing AA. Perhaps I can get his supply to run short. If not I have troops moving to open the hex sides to Toungoo meaning I simply move through it.

He also tried to move over the river to Bessain. Only Thai troops though. Guess the withdraw the next turn? He failed pretty badly. I don´t care about Bessain and never have. Its to exposed and all I have there is small Chinese Corps, some BFs and 2 Recon planes.

Ground combat at Bassein (54,52)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 12753 troops, 94 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 660

Defending force 13782 troops, 104 guns, 126 vehicles, Assault Value = 215

Japanese adjusted assault: 238

Allied adjusted defense: 130

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 6)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1714 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 427 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 36 (1 destroyed, 35 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
420 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th RTA Division
3rd RTA Division
1st RTA/A Division
7th RTA/B Division

Defending units:
7th New Chinese Corps
I/221 Gp Forward Base Force
48th Aviation Base Force
858th Engineer Aviation Battalion
167 Wing
122nd RAF Base Force
48th Light AA Regiment
XXXIII Corps RIASC Base Force
I/224 Gp Forward Base Force
243 Wing
II/221 Gp Forward Base Force
848th Engineer Aviation Battalion

[>:]

OZ
Finally cleaned out all of OZ

CENTPAC
My "New" CV TF is leaving San Fran. Three heavy CVs and 8 CVEs. Fighter heavy. I have another 3 CVs joining the fleet in 2 months. Should have about the same amount of CVEs for that TF too. Playing allies in mid 44 is fun. [:'(]

Marianas
Erik let up on the bombings. Runway damage is down to 8 again! [:'(]

KB
Unknown. Not even a whiff of something. Spidey sense still says somewhere around PI. He can no longer get to cover the DEI without being detected if he is there though. Or go North of Borneo. So he might have shifted to the Java sea. I´ll try to put some long range search up.

Strat bombing
I´ve started pummeling Medan again. I´ve decided to leave the XX Bomber Command in Burma until its down to zero. Will take a while to get XXI to OZ anyway. Something changed in the BETA patch and its taking forever to assemble them at San Fran after the rail from Eastern USA.

[BBfanboy]

He has tried to make Manado a trap with mines, mini-subs and MTBs/MGBs. I would just land at the nearby dot hex and march in, negating the trap against the landing vessels. Otherwise, it's sweep mines and send ASW/SCTFs before you send in the invasion.
There are likely a lot of I-Boats and RO-Boats in the area too.

[JocMeister]

29th July -44

Extremely little to report. Still no opposition from Erik anywhere. I´m continuing to bomb in Burma. Looks like Erik has no AA at Toungoo?! Big mistake, oversight or intentional? Switching to ground attack to see if I can get any good results.

Also looks like Erik might be moving a SAG forward in New Guinea. Sent a BB division forward to counter. CV are refueled and replenished. Troops at Talaud is recovering agonizingly slow. No idea why they were so disrupted. Fatigue is still over 30 and only dropping with a point per day. [:(] I´m bringing in the extra division but it will take some time.

[BBfanboy]

If Talaud Eilanden is a small base, < 7 points total development, malaria will have a serious effect. The effect only goes away completely when the base is developed to level 9 [port + AF]. Having lots of BF support and HQ support is the only other way to speed up recovery. Of course, there must be lots of supply too, especially beer!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If Talaud Eilanden is a small base, < 7 points total development, malaria will have a serious effect. The effect only goes away completely when the base is developed to level 9 [port + AF]. Having lots of BF support and HQ support is the only other way to speed up recovery. Of course, there must be lots of supply too, especially beer!

Haha, I´ll try to send some beer then!

On a more serious not I´m going to land SWPAC command HQ and another Corps HQ to add support. They are going to suffer on the landing though with only 35 prepp. But so be it.

[JocMeister]

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. There has in fact been very little to report. Erik has been content to stand by the sidelines and letting me reinforce and expand the Moluccas. This has led to some adjustments of the overall plan.

Operation Baugi

This is an addition to Thrym that developed over the last few days. Goal is to establish a stronger foothold on the islands surrounding the Moluccas and take advantages of all the unguarded bases in the area.

Second objective with this operation is to try and lure the KB out of its hiding and destroy it. With the added airpower of 700 land based P47s, Corsairs and Spitfires the allied CV fleet will be freed from the task of providing LRCAP over invasion TFs. This operational freedom will be used to actively seek the destruction of the Kido Butai.

The AF sizes are the predicted AF sizes when Baugi launches in a few days. Recon has been unable to fly the past few days due to reorganizations. Fresh intel is expected next turn. The whereabouts of KB is unknown. I´m starting to suspect he sent them north of Borneo and into the Java sea. This way he could cover both a DEI and possible reach an incursion into the Celebes sea.

[JocMeister]

2nd August -44

Again, sorry for the lack of updates. There is very little to report. The usual Marianas bombings are still on. I´m still very amused by them and the do put a smile on my face. [:D]

Morning Air attack on Tinian , at 108,94

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 30
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 11
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 46
Ki-84a Frank x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 12 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 2 destroyed by flak

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9 [:D]

Morning Air attack on Tinian , at 108,94

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 36
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 4
Ki-67-Ia Peggy x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-67-Ia Peggy: 11 damaged
Ki-67-Ia Peggy: 1 destroyed by flak

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 1 [:D]

The airfield is very much open with only 2 runway damage. Its very cute. [:D]

Base building is going on as planned in the Moluccas. I sent in some DDs and PTs to Manado to check what the TFs I have spotted there was. Mini subs! Not much of a threat. Erik has swamped the waters between the Moluccas and Manado with subs. I sent in a ASW TF with heavy LRCAP to see if I can kill some of them off. If I´m lucky they will draw some strike too. Ordered some P47s to check out the opposition over Manado. I´m also moving the CVs in a threatening motion towards Manado. Lets see if the KB shows up. Speaking of the KB I´m starting to suspect he actually is still in the Sulu sea. A sub has been spotted there by Jills twice now... Hmm.

Game is utterly slow and boring right now. I decided to start renovating Idas room instead so that will eat a chunk off the AE time.

[JocMeister]

3rd August -44

Boredom seldom leads to good operations. But for good or bad, Manado here we come! Almost my entire fleet is unspotted. Only one of the CVE TFs have a 4/4 DL. I´m hoping Erik will think this is something else entirely so I decided to go in. Unless they are held up at night most the troops will get ashore during the night phase. I´m landing on both Manado and the dot base SW of Manado called Sidate. The latter is getting a very small LRCAP but have very few ships.

125 P47 are LRCAPing Manado from the Moluccas while 80 Hellcats LRCAP Sidate. A small portion of the CV airpower is diverted to LRCAP as well. Most of it are on CAP. The assault shipping while important arn´t critical as long as the troops get onshore. I feel its more important to protect the CV fleet itself.

I think KB intervention is unlikely. He would want to strike at invasions and not take on the CV fleet itself. Then again he has been very aggressive borderlining reckless with the KB before. Hence I keep a big CAP up. [:D]

My main worry right now is that the Amphibs will get held up and not make it to beaches to unload during the night. I should probably have waited until the bases in the Moluccas was more built up. But I´ve already spent a good portion of my luck lately so why not push it? [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Good luck! [8D]

[JocMeister]

1st Battle of the Celebes sea

Only seen the replay so I don´t have the numbers. Wow! [X(]

Erik DID send in the KB. [X(] Don´t know if he was looking for fight with my CVs or he got wind of my amphibs somehow. There were massive battles all over the map as many of Eriks strikes that were probably intended for my CV fleet went over to Morotai were they were slaughtered. All in all this was a allied victory. Not a decisive one but we did put the hurt on Erik. I´m guessing he lost somewhere around 1000 planes today. His fighter strength is crippled for a while thats for sure! I also think the KB airwings are almost completely destroyed again too. That is significant but more on that later.

The KB strikes

1st strike

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Manado at 76,99

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 82 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 14
D4Y3 Judy x 24

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 65
Hellcat I x 24
Seafire IIC x 18
Wildcat V x 6
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 33
F4U-1A Corsair x 263 [&o]
F6F-3 Hellcat x 294

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 3 destroyed
D4Y3 Judy: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire IIC: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

2nd strike (Main strike)

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 16
A6M5b Zero x 64
B6N2 Jill x 35
B6N2a Jill x 65
D4Y3 Judy x 51
D4Y4 Judy x 23

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 65 [&o]
Hellcat I x 24
Seafire IIC x 17
Wildcat V x 6
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 29 Leaky LRCAP I love you! [:D]
F4U-1A Corsair x 261 [&o]
F6F-3 Hellcat x 280

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 6 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 20 destroyed, 1 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 3 destroyed by flak
B6N2a Jill: 28 destroyed, 9 damaged
B6N2a Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 22 destroyed, 5 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y4 Judy: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged
D4Y4 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Seafire IIC: 1 destroyed
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Ommaney Bay
CVE Wake Island, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Petrof Bay, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CVE Breton
CVE Kalinin Bay, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Belleau Wood, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires Should make it!
CVL Langley
CVE Savo Island, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Kitkun Bay, Bomb hits 1
CVE Santee, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Ranee
CVL Unicorn
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Only allied ship that got sunk today !!! [&o]
CV Intrepid
CVL Princeton
CVE Nehenta Bay, Bomb hits 1
CVE Anzio
CVE Corregidor
CVL San Jacinto
CVE Marcus Island, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
CVE Barnes, Bomb hits 1

3rd Strike (Only 15 bombers get through CAP)

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 11
A6M5b Zero x 42
B6N2a Jill x 23
D4Y3 Judy x 39
D4Y4 Judy x 18

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 64
Hellcat I x 23
Seafire IIC x 16
Wildcat V x 6
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 19
F4U-1A Corsair x 256
F6F-3 Hellcat x 243

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 5 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 5 destroyed
B6N2a Jill: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged
B6N2a Jill: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 18 destroyed, 4 damaged
D4Y4 Judy: 10 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Altamaha
CVL Cowpens
CVE Casablanca
CV Illustrious
CVE Corregidor, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Essex
CVE Anzio

4th strike (Again 15 planes get through CAP) Allied CAP is still very strong

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Manado at 76,99

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 14
B6N2a Jill x 17
D4Y3 Judy x 20
D4Y4 Judy x 21

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 62
Hellcat I x 21
Seafire IIC x 16
Wildcat V x 6
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 11
F4U-1A Corsair x 247
F6F-3 Hellcat x 220

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 5 destroyed
B6N2a Jill: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 3 destroyed by flak
D4Y4 Judy: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged
D4Y4 Judy: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Bunker Hill
CV Illustrious, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Langley
CV Intrepid
CVL San Jacinto

5th strike (25 planes get through)

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 28
A6M5c Zero x 28
B6N2 Jill x 16
B6N2a Jill x 42
D4Y3 Judy x 84

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 56
Hellcat I x 21
Seafire IIC x 14
Wildcat V x 4
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 5
F4U-1A Corsair x 231
F6F-3 Hellcat x 195

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 6 destroyed
A6M5c Zero: 5 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 11 destroyed
B6N2a Jill: 25 destroyed
D4Y3 Judy: 50 destroyed, 3 damaged BOOM!
D4Y3 Judy: 4 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVL Cabot
CV Viking
CV Bunker Hill
CVL Monterey
CV Midgaard
CV Illustrious
DD Welles

Allied response coming in the next post. Quite disappointing in fact...

[JocMeister]

Allied strikes

During the replay I got a lot of "failed to link up" messages. In fact 80% of the allied strike capabilities never showed up. Had they done that there wouldn´t have been a KB no more. I lost a crap load of planes but still dwarves in comparison to what Erik lost. My losses are easily replaceable as TBs are plentiful and so are TB trained pilots.

1st strike

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Manado at 74,95

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 8
A6M5b Zero x 28
A6M5c Zero x 2

Allied aircraft
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 28
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 29
TBM-1C Avenger x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 17 destroyed, 1 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 13 destroyed, 8 damaged
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CVL Zuiho, Bomb hits 1
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Ryuho
BB Fuso
CVL Shoho
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage

No escorts but very meagre CAP. Strange! [X(] Looks like Junyo and Hiyo are in big problems.

2nd strike

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Jolo at 74,92

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 13
A6M5b Zero x 68
N1K2-J George x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 5
Ki-61-Id Tony x 6

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 134
SBD-5 Dauntless x 25
TBM-1C Avenger x 113

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed
SBD-5 Dauntless: 7 destroyed, 5 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 19 destroyed, 18 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Kaga, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Yamato, Torpedo hits 1
BB Musashi
CVL Ryujo, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CV Taiho, Torpedo hits 1
CV Amagi
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 1
CV Hiryu

Some escorts this time around though. A lot of the Avangers went for the BBs. [:@]

3rd strike

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 8
A6M5b Zero x 33
N1K2-J George x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 41
TBM-1C Avenger x 55

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
TBM-1C Avenger: 16 destroyed, 16 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Amagi
BB Musashi, Torpedo hits 1
BB Yamato, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Taiho
CV Hiryu
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CVL Ryujo, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CV Kaga, on fire, heavy damage

4th strike

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Allied aircraft
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 29

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 7 damaged
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 2
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVL Zuiho, Bomb hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 3

No CAP up. What? [X(]


And thats it! [:(][:(][:(][:@] There were some small unescorted strikes that got chewed up. I think about 500 fighters and 500 DBs "failed to link up". I shouldn´t complain too much though. Losing only 1 CVE after a battle like this...