The KB has moved South, presumably to cut off communication to Noumea from Suva. They are carefully staying out of range of the SBD's at
Suva and now, Noumea.
2 Arty units, a tank Bn, and a USMC Para Bn still disembarking at Noumea. Another tank Bn and USMC Pioneer Bn will try to land at La Foa. I have a feeling something is going to get broken..but it might be their stuff...as well.
That red TF with the ? could be KB oilers, or more troops for Koumac. Worth checking out if your heroic DD has any ammo.
As for the 3 BB & AKEs at Rabaul, one AKE will often run out of ops points if trying to replenish ammo on more than one BB. It might take them three days to rearm. I doubt that he neglected to put any AKEs or AEs in the area.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
That red TF with the ? could be KB oilers, or more troops for Koumac. Worth checking out if your heroic DD has any ammo.
As for the 3 BB & AKEs at Rabaul, one AKE will often run out of ops points if trying to replenish ammo on more than one BB. It might take them three days to rearm. I doubt that he neglected to put any AKEs or AEs in the area.
Hey..didn't think about the oilers. That is a good thought. Mouseover shows two "CVE" and something else with 3 planes. Maybe a CS or CL with 3 seaplanes and some oilers or a cruiser and some DD's?
Be careful how you deploy Warspite....I thought this was a bit lopsided but,......
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 13, 42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Attu Island at 153,49, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Arashi, Shell hits 1
DD Yamagumo
It took me 90 minutes to get the joke. I thought it was some insider thing about Engrish dentistry or something.
Your medical training made you pronounce the "y" in hypo as a long "I", so the hippo was not coming through. Lots of things we learn make us oblivious to alternate interpretations/ideas.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
It took me 90 minutes to get the joke. I thought it was some insider thing about Engrish dentistry or something.
I also did not get it the first time that I read it.
So I read it a 2nd time, then a 3rd time, and then the light bulb went on and I got the joke.
(considerably less than 90 minutes [;)] )
Right, that's essentially what I did..just that the second read was 90 minutes after the first. [:)]
At first I am scrolling through the standards..racist...no...ethnic..no..anti-muslim...no, it would be funnier...a fat joke, maybe? Tooth joke? Class stratification joke?
KB has swung South to cut off reinforcements and perhaps to blow things up.
Norfolk Is.: Good news..we find the KB. Bad news..they blow something up..2 9 pt AK's and a PC and a few guns of an AA Bn. Norfolk is secure for now with a RCT, aviation support and AAA. Auckland has no fighters so we send some from Norfolk and Noumea and back fill from Suva.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Norfolk Island at 113,170
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
B5N2 Kate x 9
D3A1 Val x 9
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
xAK Shooting Star, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK James Lykes, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
PC Cahoone
Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 10 (6 destroyed, 4 disabled)
La Foa: JJ has moved the beat up 33rd Div to La Foa. We are having trouble getting the tanks and USMC Pioneer Bn ashore there as the landing is opposed and Pioneer Bn is prepped to land in Santa Monica.
[:)] CO of Pioneer Bn is still aboard the transports in his bathrobe. No hope of capturing La Foa with these forces. We will give up and unload the rest of the tanks at Noumea. Nominally, JJ could crush the small force at La Foa and then move North and take Koumac for a safer landing spot for the reinforcements they will need.
JJ has these forces at La Foa. Their bombardment is inept. USN crusiers and HMAS Australia will bombard La Foa tonight.
Ground combat at La Foa (114,159)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1663 troops, 21 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 338
Defending force 1372 troops, 42 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 38
Assaulting units:
33rd Division
Maizuru 2nd SNLF
24th Special Base Force
21st Air Flotilla
25th JNAF AF Unit
Noumea: I think this leaves the even more beat up 4th Div and a SNLF at Noumea. Jap heavies 480 miles N of Koumac...probably headed for a night bombardment of Noumea. The 3 cruisers aren't going to be enough. Warpsite can't join easily because of the position of the KB. Looks like a night battle is in the works the night of 30/31. The CA need to (in order of priority):
1) Stop a shore bombardment by making the Jap heavies use up their ammo
2) Sink or put out of action the Jap heavies.
3) Not get sunk
If the airfield is intact, Jap cripples will be vulnerable to the SBD's...very Guadalcanalish.
Oz: JJ has reached Toowoomba and is 80 miles North of Brisbane on the coast road.
First fight at Toowoomba looks promising though they do take down our fort and beat up our P-40's in the air overhead.
2 understrength inf brigades arriving Toowoomba tonight.
Ground combat at Toowoomba (94,159)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8896 troops, 58 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 307
Defending force 3285 troops, 51 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 87
A Jap convoy was spotted 2 d ago heading SE near Ambon. They appeared to be well escorted. Landing at Ambon (which was beign heavily suppressed by air)?
The frist day they passed Ambon..well maybe a landing at Merauke then?
Yesterday, they ran into a Dutch AVP retreating from Ambon...hmmm..I wonder if that stripped off soem of the escort? Well, the Darwin Squadron was loitering to the SW of their route..figure 160 miles or so of progress during the night..they have to go south of one of the Medium and Lesser Sundas...there...the Darwin Squadron needs to be about ......there. [X(]
Day Time Surface Combat, near Taberfane at 82,119, Range 23,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Murasame, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shinonome
DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tokusima Maru, Shell hits 23, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hokumai Maru, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
xAK Hokutai Maru, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hukusei Maru, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hukuzyu Maru, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kosei Maru #4, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
xAK Yamagiku Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAK Daigen Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Argun Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAK Kotohira Maru, Shell hits 2
Noumea: Test bombardment at Noumea....hmmm...I wonder if we should attack before they send help back down from La Foa? It's pretty good terrain for the defense. Why did JJ divide the 4th Div into regiments like that? Doesn't that remove some heavy weapons?
Ground combat at Noumea (115,160)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 9604 troops, 158 guns, 117 vehicles, Assault Value = 386
Defending force 9466 troops, 93 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 294
Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Assaulting units:
193rd Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Regiment
8th Marine Regiment
2nd USMC Parachute Battalion
2nd USMC Tank Bn /1
804th Aviation Engineer Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Marine Defense Battalion
21st MAG
64th Coast AA Regiment
Noumea Base Force
260th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd Pion Bn /2