The Darkest Hour: Treaty Mod Allies

[AdmNelson]

Jan 4-7

Hong Kong falls .

Rabaul falls also

Almost the entire IJN air fleet is between Port Moresby and OZ. Sight and intell confirms TF headed towards Port Moresby should start landing in the next 4-7 days. Not much I can do this.

Is Noumea next or Oz? Suva should be strong enough for awhile.

First landings near Alaska.

[AdmNelson]

500 posts only took me 13years.

[AdmNelson]

Jan 8

Amph force sighted near Milne Bay. SBDs put 1 1000lb bomb in a BB.

Jan 9

Port Moresby Amph forces starts landing two more 1000lbs hit two different BBs. No fires sights in any of the 1000 pounders. 2nd Inf division lands

Jan 10

First assault on Port Moresby fails.

Jan 11 -- Port Morseby falls to the 2nd Div.
Searchs shows most of the front line carriers for IJN are near Rabaul.

Christmas Is. US CAs bombard about every four day. I am sending a DD to Midway to bombard.

Jan 13

KB sighted north Noumea. I have the 34th reg landing at Noumea right now.

Jan 14

Landings at Ambon going on

US TF at Noumea gets most of the 34th landed, but most of the vehicles still on the APs when the IJN stikes

The BRAVE PC SWAN goes into action just outside of Noumea


Day Time Surface Combat, near Belep Islands at 113,155, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Okiyu Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Yosyu Maru
xAK Tensyo Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Tatsuta Maru
xAP Hikawa Maru

Allied Ships
PC Swan


Now the frantic attempt to reinforce Koumac before any landings.

Jan 15-16 air battles around Noumea as the KB pulls back a little. ON the 17th the Imperial 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment lands at Koumac. I have air transported in a bunch of marines to support two art batt and the New Caledonia Det.

Jan 18 Indianapolis finds landing TF and does some damage
Day Time Surface Combat, near Belep Islands at 113,155, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Okiyu Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAK Yosyu Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tensyo Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Tatsuta Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Hikawa Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 2
DD Tucker

IJA assaults Koumac and fails

Our battles have seamed to centered in this theater.I know John will be back with more hopefully this will delay his plans. Singapore still stands and DEI stills holds. With only Palembang and Kendari haven fallen.

[ny59giants]

ON the 17th the Imperial 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment lands at Koumac.

A few games ago, I pointed out to John the presences of three highly experienced (80) regiments in northern China. Now he spends PPs early in his games and often sends them to SoPac. Expect to see the other two soon. [;)]

I think John got spoiled with all the 'toys' for the IJN in RA, that he is having trouble going back to stock troops only. No 'Assault Divisions' to use in SoPac.

[AdmNelson]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

ON the 17th the Imperial 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment lands at Koumac.

A few games ago, I pointed out to John the presences of three highly experienced (80) regiments in northern China. Now he spends PPs early in his games and often sends them to SoPac. Expect to see the other two soon. [;)]

I think John got spoiled with all the 'toys' for the IJN in RA, that he is having trouble going back to stock troops only. No 'Assault Divisions' to use in SoPac.

I completely agree with you on this point. John doesn't have the same toys. He is moving fairly quickly in the SoPac though. At this point my guess would be Australia for his objectives. Pearl is out, he has been moving somewhat slow in DEI== so I believe India is not high on his list. All of his fleet carriers are in SoPac. The 2nd Div is at Port Moresby etc. For the next month or so there will be a battle for Noumea. It will give me time to reinforce OZ

[AdmNelson]

Almost everywhere things are quiet, or as usually.

Except South Pacific and Central Pacific

Jan 19

KB sight west of Suva. I have plenty of TFs unloading at Suva.

Jan 20

KB strikes Suva-- Caught with TFs to close to the front. This will be ugly for the next few days

Allied Ships
DD Crane
AVP Pelican
AP Wharton, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DD King
TK Beau, Bomb hits 1
TK Manzanillo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Lawrence
DD Kilty
TK Halo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AG Aldebaran, Torpedo hits 1
TK Hagood, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Mobilstation, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
TK California Standard, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP President Polk, Bomb hits 2
AP President Jackson, Bomb hits 3, on fire
TK Montebello, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

I was able to unload two 2nd and 8th Marine REG before the airstrikes.Over all lost 9 TKs plus APS and AKs. Will give an update and the final bill in a few days.

Jan 21

BC Constellation hits Koumac with a bombardment.

IJN CVEs? launch airstrike on the US CA Chester and New Orleans near Christmas Is. No hits. I have a surprise for them later.

Palmyra falls to the 144th IJA Infantry

KB makes more airstrikes around Suva

Jan 22

KB more airstrikes, but this time the port of Suva is hit.

US ground fores at Koumac assault the 13 Indpt. 1-3 will bring in more reinforcements if we can

Jan 23

KB MORE AIRSTRIKES AROUND SUVA-- This is getting old

NOW the Surprise

Morning Air attack on TF, near Fanning Island at 172,139

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes TALKING ABOUT CLOSE IN

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 9
A6M2 Zero x 23

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 11
F4F-3 Wildcat x 11
SBD-3 Dauntless x 30
TBD-1 Devastator x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A5M4 Claude: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
CVE Ibuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Oboro, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CVE Hosho, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DD Hamakaze
CL Kinu
DD Uzuki
DD Sazanami, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

SECOND ROUND
CVE Taiyo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Ibuki, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage I THINK SOME CVEs are going to Sink

Jan 24 DAY starts good WITH SOME PAY BACK

Night Time Surface Combat, near Palmyra at 170,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Fukui Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Hakkaisan Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Ikunta Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Kyo Maru #8, Shell hits 1
AMC Kinryu Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
xAK Aratama Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tatuharu Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAK Terushima Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Kohoku Maru
xAK Nishimi Maru
xAP Dairen Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Hoten Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Chester
CA New Orleans
CL Honolulu
DD Patterson
DD Maury
DD Dunlap
DD Benham

DAY ends with SINGAPORE falling

KB finally leaves the Suva area

[BBfanboy]

Nice to see the Allies get some licks in so early in the game.
With those CVEs out of the way, you should be able to continue the decimation of that convoy unless KB can get there in one turn.

[Cribtop]

Heavy fighting here! Cool to watch.

[Mike McCreery]

Very nice job!

[AdmNelson]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice to see the Allies get some licks in so early in the game.
With those CVEs out of the way, you should be able to continue the decimation of that convoy unless KB can get there in one turn.

KB is around Noumea so my carriers are safe for now, but Noumea and of course Suva in a few weeks will be in trouble.

[AdmNelson]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Heavy fighting here! Cool to watch.

heavy fighting maybe a under statement.

[AdmNelson]

Jan 25

Another landings---This could be trouble

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 25, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at La Foa (114,159)

TF 56 troops unloading over beach at La Foa, 114,159

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

15 Aviation Support troops lost in surf during unload of 36th JNAF AF Unit
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of Guards Mixed Bde /2
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of Guards Mixed Bde /3
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of Guards Mixed Bde /4
15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of Guards Mixed Bde /4

[AdmNelson]

Jan 26
DEI is going to be heating up as more Imperial units are landing at Merak. First assualt on Buitenzorg failed today 1-7 result. Two SNLF units couldn't push out two KNIL regiments plus CAV sqn.

Koumac-- the 34th US regiment showed up and with some marine help,assaulted the 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment result 1-2 not good. I am going to have them withdraw back Nouema.

US carriers find a TF south of Canton headed towards Pogo
CL Kitakami, Bomb hits 1, on fire Great News
DD Mutsuki
CL Yubari
DD Kisaragi
This must be another Fast Transport of John's and is probably headed to Pogo. John uses a lot of Fast Transports. That is how Canton, Christmas Is , and Palmyra have fallen. Carrier group is rushing to get in front of this TF. CL St. Louis is there now and is the only surface combat ship.

[BBfanboy]

Carrier strike only gets one bomb hit?? Sub-par performance! Even if it was just one squadron attacking.
Was there any CAP opposition, indicating IJN carriers nearby?