At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

N&IC: We should have let these guys through. The 3 Allied cruisers could have taken them.

ight Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 114,160, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CL Yura
DD Yukikaze
DD Kasumi
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
PT-36
PT-37, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-38
PT-40
PT-43, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

More little guys. We'll put up a plaque or something.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 114,160, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CL Yura
DD Yukikaze
DD Kasumi
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
PC Daphne, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

How did Edmonds lose after crossing the "T" like this? We were robbed.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 114,160, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CL Yura
DD Yukikaze
DD Kasumi
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
PC Alert, Shell hits 4, and is sunk

Improved night sighting under 96% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 96% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
Edmonds D. crosses the 'T'

[Cap Mandrake]

Heavies up by Koumac. This is a nicely coordinated raid. Bloody annoying

Morning Air attack on TF, near Belep Islands at 112,156

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 4
A6M2 Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 17
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed by flak
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
DD Yugiri
BB Hiei

[Cap Mandrake]

Big inbound carrier raid.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,160

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
B5N2 Kate x 26
D3A1 Val x 35

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 4 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Bomb hits 2
DD Chew
xAK Lillian Luckenbach, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Preston
DD King
DD Maury
xAK Alcoa Pathfinder, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CA Chicago
CA Australia, Bomb hits 2



Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 6 (3 destroyed, 3 disabled)


A couple of tanks did not make it ashore. Not sure how much damage on Chester and Australia

[Cap Mandrake]

Damn. This squadron got separated from the F4F's

Morning Air attack on TF, near Belep Islands at 112,156

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 1
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 14

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
DD Shikinami
BB Hiei

[Cap Mandrake]

Afternoon attacks. Ours is pretty pitiful

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 114,160

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 5
SBD-3 Dauntless x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 1, on fire


Nice dodging.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,160

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
B5N2 Kate x 54

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 10 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
DD Chew
DD Helm
CA Chester
DD Preston
CA Australia
DD Ward
DD Maury

[Cap Mandrake]

Bombardment at Noumea

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 9320 troops, 155 guns, 64 vehicles, Assault Value = 390

Defending force 9501 troops, 92 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 295

Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Parachute Battalion
8th Marine Regiment
193rd Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Bn /1
Noumea Base Force
804th Aviation Engineer Battalion
64th Coast AA Regiment
198th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Marine Defense Battalion
21st MAG
147th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd Pion Bn /2

Defending units:
4th Division

[desicat]

The Japanese seems to be committing a lot of valuable assets to the N&IC AOR, it looks like you are going to make them regret it.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: desicat

The Japanese seems to be committing a lot of valuable assets to the N&IC AOR, it looks like you are going to make them regret it.

That's because they have 2 full divisions (one of which is quite beat up) and perhaps 35-40K troops there a beachhead with no port and no airstrip.
Not sure how much supply they have either. The nearest naval base suitable for rearming BB's is probably Rabaul. They can hardly allow 2 full divisions to be destroyed.

[Cap Mandrake]

***************Jan 30, 1942(e)***********

Serious carnage. Hiei inbound as predicted

Night Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 112,157, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CA Tone
CA Haguro
CL Sendai
DD Isonami
DD Shikinami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
PT-44
PT-46
PT-47
PT-48, Shell hits 1, and is sunk


Good..just like the plan.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,158, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CA Tone
CA Haguro
CL Sendai
DD Isonami
DD Shikinami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
PT-44, Shell hits 1
PT-46
PT-47

Nice...the sacrificial DD squadron...which lives

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 114,160, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
CA Tone
CA Haguro
CL Sendai
DD Isonami
DD Shikinami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
DD Maury
DD Preston, Shell hits 1
DD Chew, Shell hits 1

It just might work! [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

The other PT flotilla! It's brilliant! What a brilliant plan!

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 114,160, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CA Tone
CA Haguro
CL Sendai
DD Isonami
DD Shikinami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
PT-36, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-38
PT-40

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh...crap...Hiei keeps going. Well...this is why you signed up!

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,160, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
CA Tone
CA Haguro, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai
DD Isonami, Shell hits 1
DD Shikinami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Shell hits 4
CA Chicago, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Australia, Shell hits 1
DD Helm
DD Ward
DD Schley
DD Stuart, Shell hits 1
DD King
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 1
DD Hatfield
DD Rathburne, Shell hits 1, on fire

Well..that might have been worse. Surely they have to turn around now?

[Cap Mandrake]

Wow...Chicago succumbs to 5 shell hits.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,159, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 3
CA Atago
CA Nachi
DD Hibiki
DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 1
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Chicago, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
CA Australia, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Helm, Shell hits 1
DD Ward, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Schley
DD Stuart
DD King, Shell hits 1
DD Lawrence
DD Hatfield, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
DD Rathburne, on fire

Well, surely they need to turn around now?

[Cap Mandrake]

The sacrificial DD's have a run.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,160, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CA Atago
CA Nachi
DD Hibiki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma

Allied Ships
DD Maury, Shell hits 1
DD Preston, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Chew, Shell hits 1, on fire

Well, NOW they have to turn around?

[Cap Mandrake]

Santa Maria!

Well..the plan was good. I blame the staff.

Night Naval bombardment of Noumea at 115,160 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 28 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
P-39D Airacobra: 109 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 3 destroyed on ground
P-38E Lightning: 8 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 17 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed on ground
SBD-3 Dauntless: 18 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CA Nachi
CA Atago
DD Inazuma
DD Ikazuchi
DD Hibiki

Allied Ships
xAK Lewis Luckenbach, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Ruth Alexander, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
454 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 28 (1 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Vehicles lost 19 (2 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 23
Runway hits 67

Ouch. There goes the CAP and the runway. [:(]

[Cap Mandrake]

Might as well die fighting because we are about to get swarmed with carrier bombers..most likely

ay Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,159, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 4
CA Atago, Shell hits 2
CA Nachi
DD Hibiki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Shell hits 3
CA Australia
DD Helm, Shell hits 1
DD Ward, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Schley
DD Stuart
DD King
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Rathburne

[Cap Mandrake]

Hory crap! That's why it seemed like there were two carrier groups...there are.

Warspite is down by Raoul Is, inbound toward Noumea.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Raoul Island at 130,170, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu, Shell hits 4, on fire
CV Soryu, Shell hits 1
CVL Ryujo, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVL Zuiho, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Hosho
CS Chiyoda
CL Isuzu
CL Tenryu
CL Tatsuta
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Arare
DD Hatsuharu, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yugure
DD Ariake
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ayanami
DD Sazanami
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 5
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Worden, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Dewey, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Hull

She shoots! She scores!

[Cap Mandrake]

Too bad we missed more damage on Hiryu and Soryu but that is still quite a score. Hiryu and perhaps Soryu might be able to launch.

[Cap Mandrake]

Here comes the retribution.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,160

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A1 Val x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 9 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Australia


and

Morning Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,159

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
B5N2 Kate x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Lawrence, on fire
DD Rathburne, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

[Cap Mandrake]

and [:(] Not a single fighter in the air.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Mare' at 117,161

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
D3A1 Val x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Chew, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Maury, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

[Cap Mandrake]

[&o]

A noble lady. The B5N1's are a surprise.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Raoul Island at 129,173

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 7
A6M2 Zero x 12
B5N1 Kate x 6
B5N2 Kate x 18
D3A1 Val x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 6 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 4, on fire
DD Hull
DD Worden, on fire