Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28

[Walker84]

Nov 21 part 2

B-26s launch airfield and ground attacks on Horn Island leaving me pretty sure that an invasion is forthcoming. The Allied carriers have dispersed to the south of the battle zone (see map positions) and there is no shipping at Milne Bay but a fair bit around Tagula and Rossel Island. My subs manage to hit a few targets...

Submarine attack near Rossel Island at 105,137

Japanese Ships
SS I-176

Allied Ships
xAK Arkansan, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

xAK Arkansan is sighted by SS I-176
SS I-176 launches 2 torpedoes


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Tagula Island at 104,138

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
APD Crosby, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-166 launches 4 torpedoes
I-166 diving deep ....

In ground combat today Rossel Island falls but my forces at Tagula Island and Milne Bay manage to hold out for an extra day.

Ground combat at Tagula Island (104,137)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1527 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 64

Defending force 527 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21

Allied adjusted assault: 25

Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/3rd Pioneer Battalion
Rabaul Base Force
2nd Pioneer Battalion
4th RAAF Construction Battalion

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Milne Bay (101,133)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3265 troops, 58 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 221

Defending force 2408 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Allied adjusted assault: 76

Japanese adjusted defense: 25

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
453 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
89 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Australian Brigade
30th Australian Bde /1
2/9th Armoured Rgt /1
A/B Hy Cst Arty
2nd US Naval Const Bn /1
Katherine RAAF Base Force /1
32nd Aus Lt AA Rgt /1
2nd Port Advn Base Force /1

Defending units:
86th Naval Guard Unit
4th Indpt SNLF Coy
51st Const Co

[Lowpe]

Looks like you might not have had night recon up for the Milne bay bombardment?[&:] Or bad weather scrubbed the flight, since the weather seems horrendous here lately.

Severe storms and torpedoes make for horrible accuracy.

These early attacks make for the one of the best opportunities for Japan to hit back against the Allies. Try to make the most of it! Banzai!

Sub dropped mines at Tagula and Rossel can do good work with all the restricted hexes.

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Looks like you might not have had night recon up for the Milne bay bombardment?[&:] Or bad weather scrubbed the flight, since the weather seems horrendous here lately.

No, you are right - as I was hoping to run into the damaged Idaho plus any other stragglers I had my spotters set to maximum naval search. Now I'm going to see what I can do in this locality before my opponent can get any CAP up.

Incidentally, I'm perplexed about Idaho - it looked like she took up to four torpedoes but she seems to have pulled out with the rest at high speed. I guess it's possible that she went towards Rossel instead but my search has not picked up any limping battleships among the various TFs in the vicinity.

Nov 22, 1942

Flight of the Peary

APD Peary was spotted running away to the south of Denpasar after an incursion into DEI. One of my TFs was vectored to intercept...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 53,121, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
DD Uranami
DD Shikinami

Allied Ships
APD Peary, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 100% moonlight: 12,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Sone, Akira crosses the 'T'
DD Shikinami engages APD Peary at 10,000 yards
DD Uranami engages APD Peary at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CA Mogami engages APD Peary at 11,000 yards
DD Shikinami engages APD Peary at 11,000 yards
DD Uranami engages APD Peary at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CA Mogami engages APD Peary at 8,000 yards
DD Shikinami engages APD Peary at 8,000 yards
DD Uranami engages APD Peary at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CA Mogami engages APD Peary at 9,000 yards
DD Shikinami engages APD Peary at 9,000 yards
DD Uranami engages APD Peary at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CA Mogami engages APD Peary at 12,000 yards
DD Shikinami engages APD Peary at 12,000 yards
DD Uranami engages APD Peary at 12,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Unfortunately it looks as if Peary may have escaped for the time being as Mogami is ordered back to Koepang to counter a possible threat to Horn Island.

Coral Sea, PNG, Solomons

A couple of sub actions: First SS I-174 attacks APD Crosby near Rossel Island, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage. Then SS I-30 encounters the following Allied TF near Portland Roads at 92,133:

Allied Ships
CA Pensacola
CA Chicago
DD Patterson
DD O'Bannon
DD Reid
DD Downes

Daytime search reveals three TFs standing off Portland Roads only a day or two's sailing from Horn Island which, incidentally, takes a second day of ground attacks from Oz-based B-26s, causing the resident Naval Guard unit considerable casualties. The island will be difficult to defend unless I can attack my opponent's shipping before he gets there. Kind of difficult with Port Moresby and Buna airfields more or less shut down with damage for the moment. I wish in hindsight I had put at least a reinforced regiment on Horn Island and built up the airbase at Merauke more. I was hoping to get more done by early '43 but kudos to my opponent who has pre-empted my timetable by his recent actions in this theatre.

One spot of good news: the defenders of Tagula and Milne Bay hold out for another day.

[jwolf]

It's amazing to me that any Allied shipping can get through all those red subs! [X(] As an Allied player I would be terrified of that sub concentration. If the Allies do attack Horn Island as you suggest then this would like kind of like Cartwheel but on a larger scale since you took more than the historical Japanese did.

Any chance you can get reinforcements to contest Milne Bay or Tagula? Or are they lost causes? Even without a counter-invasion, say at Milne Bay, I'm wondering how long you could delay things by bombing and/or bombardment.

Last, what will you do when you find out the Peary is the real story and all the fighting in the Coral Sea is just a fake? [;)]

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

It's amazing to me that any Allied shipping can get through all those red subs! [X(] As an Allied player I would be terrified of that sub concentration. If the Allies do attack Horn Island as you suggest then this would like kind of like Cartwheel but on a larger scale since you took more than the historical Japanese did.

My opponent has done pretty well with avoiding subs. Remember that Allied escorts have superior ASW values, especially in DBB, plus he has used accompanying SCs judiciously to keep my subs heads down. I am just as scared that I will lose one of my own flat-tops to Allied subs in the waters around New Britain which has restricted my own room to manoeuvre a little.


Any chance you can get reinforcements to contest Milne Bay or Tagula? Or are they lost causes? Even without a counter-invasion, say at Milne Bay, I'm wondering how long you could delay things by bombing and/or bombardment.

If these bases are built up in any size it will be pretty tough for Rabaul and the Solomons as they really are pointing into my backyard so I will have to contest them all I can. This will necessarily involve bombing and bombardments, however my bombers are nowhere near as effective as B-17s in closing airfields down. I may also launch a counter-attack but this will need to be finely-judged to avoid failure.

Last, what will you do when you find out the Peary is the real story and all the fighting in the Coral Sea is just a fake? [;)]

I think it was all part of a cunning plan to return Macarthur to the Philippines two years early and win the war with guerilla actions on Mindanao.

I forgot to mention in the above report that the battle of Rossel Island claimed another victim when CA Nachi succumbed to its wounds and sank near Torokina after the pumps failed.

[Walker84]

Nov 23, 1942

DEI / NW Australia

No sign of Peary today so it's possible that the ship sank after the encounter with Mogami; alternatively my Mavis search boys may have missed her. Btw, Mavis 5s based at Port Hedland can perform search all the way to Perth and beyond so its an excellent early warning station.


Coral Sea/Solomons/PNG

Various ASW actions take place during the night but no hits for either side. It seems that our subs are largely acting as spotters this turn. My Netties manage to fly against Allied target bases this turn but the results - in heavy cloud and rain - are distinctly underwhelming:

Morning Air attack on 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion, at 104,137 (Tagula Island)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
G4M1 Betty x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 7000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 2nd Pioneer Battalion ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 23rd Australian Brigade, at 101,133 (Milne Bay)
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
G4M1 Betty x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 9000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 30th Australian Brigade, at 101,133 (Milne Bay)
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
G4M1 Betty x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
33 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 9000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 30th Australian Brigade, at 101,133 (Milne Bay)
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 5 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak

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

Aircraft Attacking:
26 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 9000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

Allied bombers hit Rossel Island and Horn Island again. Then, the ground combat phase, and somewhat miraculously my depleted forces hold out again.

Ground combat at Rossel Island (105,137)
Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1186 troops, 8 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Defending force 261 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Allied adjusted assault: 10

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), leaders(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
98 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Marine Raider Battalion
91st Construction Regiment
4th Air Advn Base Force /3

Defending units:
II/19th Naval Guard Unit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tagula Island (104,137)
Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1535 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 64

Defending force 527 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21

Allied adjusted assault: 30

Japanese adjusted defense: 9

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
2/3rd Pioneer Battalion
2nd Pioneer Battalion
Rabaul Base Force
4th RAAF Construction Battalion

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment

The map position is very interesting at the moment. Three Allied TFs have taken up position due south of Horn Island, so will either invade tomorrow night or do something unexpected. My search has revealed no carrier force accompanying them, which seems odd. I guess my opponent figures that my options are limited with the KB on the other side of Papua, and Port Moresby airfield shut down. No doubt he will have positioned LR CAP at Portland Roads to protect his TFs.

I have a strong bombardment TF heading towards Milne Bay and, depending on the reading of the situation tomorrow, may decide to continue round the coast and head into glorious action to take the Allied TFs in the flank. Clearly the out of sight Allied carriers will need to remain far enough south for this to be a viable option.

I have a plan...

[Walker84]

Nov 24, 1942

Coral Sea/PNG/Solomons

During the night IJN coastal minesweepers start clearing the sub-dropped mines at Finschhafen and Fergusson Island.

As expected, the Allies invade Horn Island but the forces deployed look surprisingly small given the TFs spotted earlier...

Pre-Invasion action off Horn Island (91,128)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

25 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham
DD Wilson
xAP Benjamin Franklin

Japanese ground losses:
111 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CL Birmingham firing at Kure 2nd SNLF
DD Wilson firing at Kure 2nd SNLF
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards
mphibious Assault at Horn Island (91,128)

TF 260 troops unloading over beach at Horn Island, 91,128

Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)

11 troops of a Aus Inf Sect 42 lost in surf during unload of 13th Australian Bde /1

In the morning, JAAF Helens and JNAF Betties hit Tagula causing modest casualties. USAAF B-26s sink an ACM in Port Moresby harbour but lose 6 of their number to CAP diverting from Buna.

Then the bit I was waiting for as my Netties fly against the Allied TFs at Horn Island...and miss [:@]

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Horn Island at 91,128

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham
xAP Moreton Bay
xAK Manukai

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VMF-441 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes

At least we now know that Allied CAP is minimal.

In ground combat, II/19th Naval Guard Unit barely survives another attack at Rossel Island and is eliminated by attrition later. At least I managed to evacuate a cadre by Mavis transport. Then 1st Raiding Regiment survives another attack at Tagula, delaying the Allies acquisition of bases by a further day.

Finally, a shock attack at Horn Island...

Ground combat at Horn Island (91,128)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 621 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 56

Defending force 2221 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Allied adjusted assault: 23

Japanese adjusted defense: 21

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
240 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
13th Australian Bde /2
73rd RAAF Base Wing /2
2nd RAA Med Arty Rgt /1
Horn Isl Base Force /1

Defending units:
Kure 2nd SNLF
37th Const Co
3rd JNAF Coy

Operation Banzai

...and my reinforced naval task force is spotted as it reaches Port Moresby but is now in sailing range of Horn Island...

[jwolf]

Very exciting ... the fans are going wild! [:D] Thanks for the writeup of a great game and some hotly contested real estate. I'm curious what "Banzai" will do at Horn Island or wherever it is going. Good luck!

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Very exciting ... the fans are going wild! [:D] Thanks for the writeup of a great game and some hotly contested real estate. I'm curious what "Banzai" will do at Horn Island or wherever it is going. Good luck!

Thanks jwolf, its good to know that the report is garnering some interest and indeed excitement at times [:)].

Nov 25, 1942

Aleutians

One of my subs patrolling around Umnak Is takes a heavy pounding from SCs and will have to return to base for repairs. Not much going on otherwise in the North Pacific as far as I can tell, although I expect my opponent to advance on Attu once he has built his bases up sufficiently. My top priority right now is in defending SW Pac but I can't afford to neglect other theatres. Hmm... any reinforcements to spare?

SW Pacific / Coral Sea / PNG

During the night six APDs unload more Allied forces at Milne Bay but are gone by daybreak. There is no night time naval combat indicating that the Allied invasion fleet has upped anchor and fled - back to Portland Roads in fact, where it is spotted in daylight having managed to evade my SCTF entirely.

Several Allied subs stationed around Truk fail to intercept any of my incoming TFs containing some of the ships damaged in the battles around Rossel Island etc.

KB is now formed into three divisions:

1. Carriers requiring dockyard time: currently steaming north out of the war zone.

2 Carriers requiring minor repairs / resupplying: now disbanded at Truk.

3. Carrier covering force: currently operating in support of the Horn Island operation.


Two groups based at Rabaul get a good air attack in on 73rd RAAF Base Wing at Horn Island in clear sky:

Allied ground losses:
230 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 17 (7 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Then my Buna-based groups find a US CVE protected only by light CAP near Cooktown:

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 98 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39
G4M1 Betty x 12

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Long Island, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

There are two further attacks on the main Allied TF near Portland Roads but, in the face of stiff opposition from No.881 Sqn FAA with Martlet IIs and VMF-441 flying F4F-3 Wildcats, only a single AK is sunk.

xAK Manukai, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Allied ground losses:
420 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (17 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 49 (45 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Six further B-17 raids during the day effectively shut Buna down so I won't be able to pull the same trick off again for a while. At least we managed to save Horn Island from a bigger invasion...temporarily.

Tagula holds out again and there are no attacks at either Horn Island or Milne Bay so, all-in-all, not as eventful a day as I had expected.

[jwolf]

Dumb map question: can your carriers cover Horn Island from the Solomon Sea, or would they have to go around to the PM side? Or even around the long way [:D] and come in from the DEI to the NW?

[Lowpe]

Lots of us reading and following along.[&o]

Once the Allies get established down here, they can then keep advancing without risking their carriers too much...in effect opening up another front elsewhere.

Keep punishing him, especially keep putting those vehicles on the bottom!

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Dumb map question: can your carriers cover Horn Island from the Solomon Sea, or would they have to go around to the PM side? Or even around the long way [:D] and come in from the DEI to the NW?

They can't cover as far as Horn Island from that side but can range out to within a few hexes of it (and the Australian coast). As you say, there is the possibility of approaching from the DEI side which could yield good results if surprise can be maintained.

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Lots of us reading and following along.[&o]

Once the Allies get established down here, they can then keep advancing without risking their carriers too much...in effect opening up another front elsewhere.

Keep punishing him, especially keep putting those vehicles on the bottom!

Thanks! I'm doing my best even though my airfields are taking a pasting. I don't want to think about what it will be like once Hellcats are available. [8|]

[Walker84]

Nov 26, 1942

Another interesting day in the Pacific with some action in Burma to spice things up even further!

Burma / India

To keep us on our toes while the focus is in the SW Pacific perhaps, the Allies launch a massive sequence of air attacks on Cox's Bazar, our most northerly airbase and close to the front line.

There is a crack unit of A6M2s at Cox's, plus a group of Oscar IIas at Akyab but, even together, they are swamped by wave after wave of every model of fighter and bomber that the Allies possess in India right now. The airbase will have to be evacuated temporarily as a result of the damage sustained.

The battle of Horn Island

I didn't expect the Allies to be bold enough to come back in again straight away but bold they were and the covering force ran into a bombardment TF that I had sent in. Our force came off slightly worse, plus the Allied transports were protected which, in itself, makes it an Allied victory...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Horn Island at 91,128, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 3
DD Akatsuki
DD Ayanami
DD Amagiri, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DD O'Bannon
DD Patterson, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Downes
DD Reid

Improved night sighting under 89% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 89% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
CA Pensacola engages CA Aoba at 8,000 yards
DD Downes engages DD Amagiri at 8,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Downes at 8,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Patterson at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Pensacola at 2,000 yards
CA Chicago engages CA Aoba at 2,000 yards
DD Patterson engages DD Amagiri at 2,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Downes at 2,000 yards
DD Amagiri sunk by DD Patterson at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Pensacola at 3,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Chicago at 3,000 yards
DD Reid engages CA Aoba at 3,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages DD Downes at 3,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages DD Patterson at 3,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages DD O'Bannon at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Chicago at 5,000 yards
CA Pensacola engages CA Aoba at 5,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD Patterson at 5,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Downes at 5,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages DD Patterson at 5,000 yards
CA Aoba engages DD O'Bannon at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Chicago at 8,000 yards
CA Chicago engages CA Aoba at 8,000 yards
DD Reid engages DD Ayanami at 8,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD Downes at 8,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD Patterson at 8,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD O'Bannon at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Chicago at 12,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Chicago at 12,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD O'Bannon at 12,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages DD O'Bannon at 12,000 yards
Task forces break off...

I have several subs in the area but all they manage to do is cause Allied escorts to unload copious amounts of ASW ordnance on them.

The Allies bomb the units at Horn, and then things get more interesting (for me) as the carrier group sitting near Buna launches long-range strikes with Kates carrying bombs...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Horn Island at 91,128

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
B5N2 Kate x 22

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Rangitata, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Rangitiki
xAP Noordam
CL Birmingham, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Henley
-------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Horn Island at 91,128

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 45
B5N2 Kate x 46

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham, on fire
xAK Makawao, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAP Rangitiki
xAP Moreton Bay
xAP Benjamin Franklin, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Noordam, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

The ground combat is close but indicates that the Allies could pull it off if they shock attack again tomorrow...

Ground combat at Horn Island (91,128)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1001 troops, 24 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 65

Defending force 1886 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Allied adjusted assault: 30

Japanese adjusted defense: 29

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
162 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
84 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
13th Australian Bde /2
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
73rd RAAF Base Wing /2
Horn Isl Base Force /1

Defending units:
Kure 2nd SNLF
37th Const Co
3rd JNAF Coy

Air battle over Shortlands

To increase the pressure, the Allies also mount sustained raids on the airfield at Shortlands. This goes rather well for Japan as the raids start to fragment and plenty of Dauntlesses come in unescorted and are shot down. By the end of it all, Shortlands runway damage is only at 15 and we still have plenty of CAP available. I bet next time it will be B -17s all the way.

Here are the total air losses for the day:

[Walker84]

And the map situation...

The interesting development is that I now have 7 BBs at Merauke, having sent large elements of my Indian Ocean fleet in this direction via Soerabaja when the first Allied attacks in SW Pac kicked off. I need to be cautious, however, as the Allied carrier force will still be largely intact, plus they have a number of air bases built up within range of Horn Island. Hit and run will be the order of the day...

[jwolf]

As long as the US doesn't have working torpedoes, your BBs will be very difficult to sink. I would suppose that gives you a huge edge if you can get them into the action at Horn Island or anywhere else for that matter.

[Lowpe]

If you have full ops points and plenty of fuel and ammo, send some of those BB into bombard; send others (fast ones) into to clear the Allied shipping. Make sure you use the lowest numbered task force as the sweepers as they most likely will arrive first.

Give plenty of night search and copious amounts of engagement ranges for the sweeping taskforce. You can LRCAP some of your sweeper task force just in case (I hope). If you are worried about Allied ship launched torpedoes, sweep the base with a destroyer squadron first before the heavies arrive.

A hefty night time bombardment, and then if the Allies shock they might be in for a surprise.

Don't forget the night time recon on Horn. Try to have at least two ships providing, those with the best recon pilots on the floats.

Overall, a really good day with lots of potential for the morrow.

Can you lay some sub mines at Horn? Really good base for them. Hey, I would bend over backwards to fly some troops into Horn -- you can easily hold there.

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

As long as the US doesn't have working torpedoes, your BBs will be very difficult to sink. I would suppose that gives you a huge edge if you can get them into the action at Horn Island or anywhere else for that matter.

The Allied subs might cause a few problems but I hope to catch the Allied TF still unloading. If they try to turn tail again they might have a little surprise if my plan works [;)]

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

If you have full ops points and plenty of fuel and ammo, send some of those BB into bombard; send others (fast ones) into to clear the Allied shipping. Make sure you use the lowest numbered task force as the sweepers as they most likely will arrive first.

Give plenty of night search and copious amounts of engagement ranges for the sweeping taskforce. You can LRCAP some of your sweeper task force just in case (I hope). If you are worried about Allied ship launched torpedoes, sweep the base with a destroyer squadron first before the heavies arrive.

A hefty night time bombardment, and then if the Allies shock they might be in for a surprise.

Don't forget the night time recon on Horn. Try to have at least two ships providing, those with the best recon pilots on the floats.

Overall, a really good day with lots of potential for the morrow.

Can you lay some sub mines at Horn? Really good base for them. Hey, I would bend over backwards to fly some troops into Horn -- you can easily hold there.

Thanks for this, I had worked on a plan similar to the one you have outlined before I got round to reading the post so it was fantastic as a checklist[:)]. I have definitely set the night recon this time and I also have a powerful sweeper force of fast battleships and heavy cruisers going in first. A parachute unit is going to drop on Horn, and I am even reinforcing Tagula which the Allies have failed to consolidate so far. I reckon Milne Bay will still fall but hopefully I can isolate it up to a point.

[jwolf]

It looks like you could really wreck the Allied landing force at Horn Island, both on the ground and at sea if he stays there. I wonder if Horn Island will become another Ontong Java -- MAD but with you holding the base at the end of the day.