See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28

[jwolf]

I fear a counter-landing at Milne Bay or one of my islands nearby.

I suppose the key is whether or not you can successfully capture the base or bases first, especially at Milne Bay. The Japanese defenders are stubbornly not going along with the plan, however. Can you target those bases with an all-out bomber effort to knock out the defenders once and for all?

[apbarog]

If the enemy does not reinforce Milne Bay, I think that I can capture it with what I have there now. Supply could be an issue. My previous combat results here were good. I was wearing down the defense. I stopped attacking because my disruption was getting high. I will begin attacking again tomorrow, and can use my B-17s here if necessary.

[apbarog]

24 Nov 42

An enemy AMc sneaks down to Ferguson Island and starts sweeping my mines. I don't see the ship during the day.

I invade Horn Island. Landing goes smoothly during the night.

During the day, my troops on Tagula are bombed by Bettys, and this time, by 53 Sallys. Despite the high number of bombers, damage is slight. Then Helens join in, and do minor damage to my troops.

I sent 12 B-26s to Port Moresby, hoping to get the ACM in port. The bombers find 13 Zeros, which must be from Buna, and some bombers are lost. The port is bombed, and the ACM is hit by one bomb and sunk.

14 B-26s bomb enemy troops on Rossel Island.

15 B-25s bomb enemy troops on Tagula Island.


16 Bettys escorted by 40 Zeros attack my shipping at Horn Island. It is interesting that there were 3 directions of approach by the enemy. One was from the base to the northwest of Horn Island, which is a size 1 airfield. Transports and the light cruiser Birmingham are targeted, but all torpedoes miss.

I attack at Rossel Island. Most defenders are eliminated, and the rest are wiped out by attrition. Rossel is clear.

I attack at Tagula and continue to reduce the defenders, despite all of the enemy bombing.

The invasion at Horn Island triggers a shock attack. I didn't land enough troops in one day, so the attack goes at 1 to 1 and reduces the forts to 2. 240 enemy casualties and 142 for me. Things are ok, but I need to land the rest of the troops.

But I can't today.

My opponent made a daring move and sent some type of task force at high speed from Rabaul to Port Moresby. It moved 17 hexes in one day, and went right through Milne Bay. I think that it went through a minefield also. I'm seeing BBs, CAs, and DDs in the task force, but I wonder if battleships could have moved this fast. Regardless, I suspect a strong cruiser and destroyer force.

The obvious move is for the enemy to go to Horn Island and attack my transports. My escorts are weak and didn't expect a surface fight. I decide to stop unloading and move south to my closest port. Friendly CAP will be provided here. I'm guessing that the enemy will run in at night at high speed, and run back to Port Moresby. I'm mining the hex just outside of Port Moresby during the night phase.

I broke out my CVE into a small task force which will run south. A couple of cruisers and some destroyers will move north into the port hex that my transports will mvoe to.

I'll be ok at Horn Island. I just need to land the rest of my troops. I will continue to bomb the enemy troops here. I have moved several squadrons to the north coast, and set them on naval attack, just in case the enemy lingers at Horn Island.

My B-17 force will hit Buna today. Buna is loaded with bombers at the moment. It would be nice to hit them there. Buna has 35 damage. Port Moresby's damage is still in the 80's and isn't being used at the moment.

I moved more recon capability into the Solomons. From now on, Torokino, Buin, and Shortlands will have recon set every turn. I will then pick and choose what and when to hit with my B-24s in the area. Time to start shutting down those airfields while the bulk of the fighters are on New Guinea.

My carriers are now northbound, heading back into the danger area. It will be a few days to arrive though. They have filled out airgroups. Damaged ships are now mostly in ports starting repairs.

It will be very interesting to see what becomes of that task force at Port Moresby. Maybe my opponent thought that I was making an end run to Darwin when I moved southwest of Horn Island. It was a bold move to move to Port Moresby though. Credit to my opponent. He risked that my carriers could have been just to the south.

[jwolf]

Your strategy for Horn Island makes sense, making the best of what you have. I like your thinking on the B24 attack to come in the Solomons. Good idea to make him pay for moving air strength to New Guinea. Question about the enemy surface force that just showed up at PM: how do you know it came from Rabaul in one turn? Are you figuring it couldn't have been in the Solomon Sea because if so you would have seen it there? I'm wondering how confident you can be with naval search.

With Rossel in the bag, I hope you get the others soon. Good luck! You two are putting on quite a show for the fans! [:)]

[apbarog]

I can't be absolutely sure that it started at Rabaul, but I didn't see anything south of Rabaul the turn before, and I did see ships there. During the night phase of the replay, I saw the enemy ships at Milne Bay and Ferguson Island. The Ferguson Island spotting coincided with the local minesweeper report in the combat report. The Milne Bay night sighting had to be the ships passing through to get to Port Moresby.

This part of the game can be the most fun for both sides. Neither side has overwhelming strength, and many battles can go either way. The Japanese is still very strong. There are a lot of troops at Rabaul, and I know that they can be at my invasion points in just a day or two. So nothing is for sure at this point.

I do hope to keep putting pressure at multiple points. Horn Island is the latest. I've been wishing that I had something prepped for Munda, to climb up the Solomon chain a bit further, because now would be a good time for that. But I don't, but I will.

I've been happy just to get my damaged ships to port and get repairs underway.

It's been a fun week of turns. I'm hopeful that we can do a couple more tomorrow.

Thanks for your interest jwolf.

[apbarog]

25 Nov 42

At least some of the enemy carriers went to Truk.

During the night, 6 US APDs deliver supply to Milne Bay. Not much, but every little bit helps right now.

The enemy continues to sweep mines at Finschafen and Fergusson Island. The AMc moves in at night and sweeps a few mines, then goes home. Probably to Buna.

During the day, 49 Bettys bomb my troops at Horn Island. With clear terrain, a lot of casualties occur, including destroyed squads, engineers, and guns. I have to get more troops here and take the place as soon as possible.

At Cooktown, the enemy finds CVE Long Island. I had already moved the fighters off of the carrier to help with duties near Horn Island. 12 Bettys escorted by 39 Zeros attack. 10 Kittyhawks fly CAP and are overwhelmed after downing some planes. Long Island takes 2 torpedo hits and automatically disbands into port and into pier repair mode. Damage is 10 SYS and 73 FLOT. The 9 fighters that were on the carrier probably didn't justify risking the ship. Maybe seeing a carrier here changed the enemy's thinking, maybe not.

At Portland Roads, where the Horn Island invasion shipping went, 16 Bettys and 9 Nells find the ships. 5 Martlets and 8 F4F-3s fly CAP, and do a good job. No torpedoes hit.

Then 29 Sallys with 3 Oscars hit my troops at Milne Bay. No damage.

Then 25 Sallys with 8 Oscars arrive. Again, no damage.

At Buna 24 B-17s aim for the airfield. 27 Zeros and 5 Nicks are on CAP. Moderate airfield damage, and some planes on the ground are hit. Followup fragments of this raid hit, adding slightly to the damage. Buna is now 51 airfield damage, with 27F/32B/46. I send more bombers today, but a lot fewer. I need to rest my heavies for a good week or so.

Back at Portland Roads, 12 Bettys with 23 Zeros target shipping. My CAP is tired and does poorly, overwhelmed by the number of Zeros. xAK Manukai takes 2 torpedoes and is sunk. 420 casualties with lots of non-combat, guns, and vehicles lost. I think there was a base force on it.

I attack again at Tagula Island. Attack and defense strengths are dwindling. 9 versus 8 casualties. I have the base here. I'll wait for reinforcements.

With my shipping exposed at Portland Roads, I decide to send them back to Horn Island. I'll LR CAP what I can. I need to land and take the place.

The scary part of today is that the enemy surface group that made the high speed run to Port Moresby yesterday completely disappeared today. It's either close by in bad weather, or it ran back to Rabaul (which doesn't make sense), or it ran the straits at Horn Island and continues west, to Terapo or Darwin. I just don't know.

Allied carriers continue north. I am reloading ships to bring to Milne Bay the rest of the troops that were supposed to land there the first time. More stuff is coming to the islands also.

In the Solomons, I'm bombing Shortlands, aiming for the airfield and the ACM that is in the port.

In Burma, I'm making a maximum air effort at Cox Bazar.

[apbarog]

26 Nov 42

Very exciting replay. Then I spent many hours plotting my turn.

At night, submarine Shad fires 4 torpedoes at cruiser Mogami near Darwin. They miss. Mogami and 2 destroyers eliminated my APD that tried to slip past Java a few days ago. There is no doubt that they came to Darwin to start supporting Horn Island.

At Horn Island, my surface group finds I-34 and gets one good ASW hit.

West of Merauke (which is northwest of Horn Island), Grampus fires 4 torpedoes at a destroyer in a huge battleship task force. Hyuga, Ise, Fuso, and Nagato, with 3 cruisers and 7 destroyers are spotted at Merauke during the day. This does not bode well for my nearby Horn Island invaders. I do see other task forces at Merauke, and now see 3 ground units there. There is a squadron of Zeros there also.

Still at night, an evenly matched surface battle takes place:

****************
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
******************

The fight turned out fairly even. As things are now, I will not lose any ships. The worst damaged ship for me was Pensacola with 25 SYS, 19 FLOT, 13 ENG, 0 FIRE. Patterson's damage was under 20. The key was good visibility and enemy torpedoes missing when the range close to 2000 yards.

The enemy did not interfere with my transports which then started to unload (again).

Then destroyer Wilson found I-158 at Horn Island, and got one good hit and lots of minor ones. I-158 could be in trouble.

Then daylight came.


I sent my Australian based B17s back to Buna. I sink the ACM in port, and do light damage to the airfield.

At Horn Island, 12 B-26s cause over 100 enemy casualties. Clear terrain. Both my opponent and I despise the effectiveness of bombers on ground troops in clear terrain, but we both have to do it at times. The fight at Horn could go either way right now.



I did a maximum air effort targeting Cox Bazar in Burma. It went pretty well. The interesting thing was that for all of my bombing, using all of my mediums and heavies, not a single enemy plane was destroyed or even damaged on the ground. I think that my opponent really likes using ranged CAP. He couldn't be doing LR CAP all this time.

First 25 P40Ks sweep, and have even losses versus 36 Zeros and 10 Oscars.

Then 25 P38s sweep downing a couple of planes. There is heavy rain. That could be interfering. I expected more here.

Then 25 P-39s sweep at low altitude, and trade losses.

Then my bombers start. All in all, they do moderate damage to the airfield. I sent about 100 bombers of all types. Heavy rain didn't help the targeting.

Back at Tagula Island, lots of Bettys and lots of Sallys bomb my troops, but do little damage. Not clear terrain here.

Then comes my big effort in the Solomons at Shortlands. It goes very, very badly. There are just a few planes based here, but lots of planes from Buin and/or Torokino.

Then 3 B-25s and 10 B-26s arrive at Shortlands, without escort. 47 fighters wait, and down a few bombers. Almost no airfield hits.

Then it gets worse. 46 SBDs arrive without escort, against 38 fighters. Half are downed. Almost no damage to the target.

Then 9 B-25s from Rennel Island arrive, and hey, here's my escorts! (29 F4F-4s) Little damage to either side and no damage to the base.

Now 18 more SBDs attack, no escort. Some are damaged, getting 1 port hit.

Then 16 A-24s attack, and most are shot down.



Finally, enemy carriers appear on the east coast of New Guinea, up by Lae but southwest of where our carrier battle occurred. From here, Kates with bombs can hit my ships at Horn Island, and with adequate escort, they do so.

2 xAPs each take one bomb hit.

In the afternoon, the Kates come back. 2 xAPs again take one bomb hit. An xAK takes 3 bombs. The ships did get to unload, but they aren't empty.

I do a shock attack at Horn Island, barely get a 1 to 1 attack, and reduce the forts to 1. 162 casualties for the enemy, 84 for me.


Summary:

Enemy battleships are about to storm into Horn Island. There's no doubt about that. With the clear terrain, that is a big problem. I did just unload a fair number of fresh troops onto Horn Island. My choice is to sit and wait out the upcoming bombardment, or try to take the base now.

I choose to shock attack now and hope that the base falls.

I'm running my transports south at high speed today. No point in staying. My damaged cruiser force is running south at high speed also. I've moved every bomber that I can to my northern bases, including torpedo bombers. I don't have enough fighters there to both CAP my task force and escort my bombers. I choose to CAP my transports.

My carriers are coming, but won't be in range today. They haven't been spotted so far, but probably will be today.

I've lined up my subs in the probable approach to Horn Island for the battleships. I'm sending some B-17s to bomb enemy troops at Horn Island. Both sides will be badly disrupted. I just hope that I can win the day.

I'm holding off attacking at Tagula and Milne Bay. Reinforcements for Tagula are a few days out (and require the carriers to unload safely there), and a huge task force is on the way to Milne Bay, carrying everything that didn't get completely unloaded the first time.

Enemy carriers are a big problem and will prevent these landings, but we may have another carrier battle before that. Like I said, he hasn't seen my carriers yet.

Wild, wild turn. So much to think about.

Those 4 enemy battleships are the same ones that were prowling the Bay of Bengal for so long. There's almost no activity off the coast of Burma anymore. For months, I've been prepping units for a future operation there. I figured that it would be WAY in the future, but now I'm thinking it may be sooner rather than later. It would require carriers, though, and lots of transports.

I want to achieve a certain level of progress in New Guinea before I'm willing to send the carriers elsewhere and rely on land based airpower. We're not there yet.

Another big turn coming tomorrow.

[jwolf]

How much longer until your carriers can add their weight to the battles at Horn Island and/or Milne Bay? Seems like the Japanese have the edge in air/naval strength until your carriers can tip the scales the other way (but I admit I really don't know for sure).

I wonder if the bombing in the Solomon Islands would be better deployed against Milne Bay and/or Tagula, if possible.

BTW any progress on the Idaho fixing some of its damage?

Edit: Horn Island is shaping up kind of like Ontong Java, although with higher stakes and (hopefully!) a better outcome for you. Good luck!

[apbarog]

My carriers will not be in position in the next turn, but could be in the turn after that. Of course, if the enemy carriers come south today, we could have a fight.

Japan does have the edge in carrier strength, if all of the big and small ones are together. They didn't quite get all together for the first battle, and I was lucky with that. The battle turned out even or in my advantage, from what I can tell. I have to be careful.

Most of the Solomon Island bombing last turn was with SBDs, and they don't have the range from Guadalcanal or Rennel Island to hit Tagula, Rossel Island, or Milne Bay. Once I get Tagula or Rossel with an operational airfield, though, things will change.

As for Idaho, it is still hiding. It hasn't fixed any damage, but the damage hasn't gotten worse either. All I can do is wait and hope that it isn't found.

[apbarog]

27 Nov 42

The night started with damaged xAK Makawao frantically unloading supply over the beach at Horn Island. The troops desperately need whatever can be landed. Nearby, Pickerel fires 4 torpedoes at destroyer Tokitsukaze, but misses. 3 battleships are spotted in this task force. They are near Horn Island and coming fast.

3 of the previously spotted 4 battleships, with 7 destroyers, move to Horn Island and quickly sink xAK Makawao. Then the ships bombard my troops there, and with the clear terrain, its a dreaded nuclear bombardment. Over 500 casualties, with a big chunk of destroyed squads, guns, and vehicles.

My only hope now is that my many bombers can do to the enemy troops what the battleships did to mine.

But it was not to be. When daylight comes, bad weather at Horn Island cancels all air missions targeting it.

The Allies shock attack at Horn Island, but it is suicide. 1 to 99 attack. The enemy also brought in a fragment of the 3rd Raiding Regiment. My troops are decimated. The remaining fragment of the 13th Australian Brigade has 4 healthy squads, and 83 disrupted ones. The 3 support units that landed are all wiped out by attrition.

The fight at Horn Island was actually a very close thing. I may have won if I had been able to continue to land troops on the second day. But I left, and came back on the third day. On the fourth day, the battleships decided the battle.

I've learned some things from this loss, and the previous defeat at Tabiteuea Island. I've played many years as the Japanese, but this is my first game as the Allies in AE. The biggest thing I've learned is that in a contested area, which most are, it is very important to land as much as you can on that first day. This is difficult to do early in the war. Using an AP is much preferred over using an xAP. But there aren't many at this point, and it's a tough call to risk them knowing that they will upgrade to even better APAs in 1943.

So Horn Island was a defeat, but I'm not overly concerned. Horn would have been a nice victory, threatening a quick move toward Darwin, but my priority remains Milne Bay and the islands nearby, and that is still going fine.

Today at Milne Bay, I got a 1 to 1 attack, just missing a 2 to 1, and the enemy took 395 casualties while I took 116. Lots of destroyed enemy squads too. It looks like I'll take the base before my reinforcement convoy arrives.

The enemy battleships are now on the wrong side of New Guinea with my shipping approaching Milne Bay and the islands. KB is returning to Rabaul. If KB comes south, there will be another carrier battle.

I'll also be happy to get my Horn Island transports to safety as they run south. I know that the coast if full of enemy subs, but I have to go that way.

Many troops continue to prepare for phase 2 for the New Guinea/Solomons campaign. That won't kick off until Milne Bay and the islands can provide air support.

[jwolf]

Too bad about Horn Island. [:(] Here's to hoping you get Milne Bay and Tagula under control quickly.

[apbarog]

Yes. I'm afraid that my opponent's victory might help him decide to counter-attack those landings also. I am moving to reinforce them as quickly as possible.

I had hoped to catch him unprepared at Horn Island, and he was, to some extent. But he rushed the navy there and saved the day. It could have gone either way. Nice work by my opponent.

I lose a brigade, but it's not the end of the world. I will now bomb his troops out of existence in the clear terrain. Keeping my footholds at Milne Bay, Tagula, and Rossel Islands are priority one.

It's been a fun couple of weeks. The kind of weeks we play this game for.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: apbarog
I will now bomb his troops out of existence in the clear terrain.

In theory if you really do that you could then take Horn Island with paras, correct?

[apbarog]

Yes, it's possible that a big para drop could take Horn Island after an extended bombing campaign. I could have sent paras to aid in the battle there, but I chose not to. My paras are prepped for something more important that will occur soon, hopefully.

[Lowpe]

Haven't checked in here in a while, but it is always fun to read both sides of an AAR.

Hididng BBs, lots of laughs![:D] Sometimes it is the only thing you can do...

[apbarog]

I used to be strongly opposed to disbanding ships in a size 0 port. In the "old" days, using recon you couldn't see any ships disbanded in a size 0 port. I'd house-rule myself on this. But after being told that wasn't the case anymore, I don't have a problem disbanding a badly damaged ship in any base. Idaho is badly hurt, and has zero chance of making it to safety moving 2 hexes a day from where it is. If the flotation damage doesn't get it, the many subs will, or the many Bettys/Nells in the area. Not to mention KB. I had no choice. I could have replaced the captain of BB Idaho with CINCUS and set sail and thrown it away. Instead, now it is essentially a gun platform beached on the shore waiting for the front to move on past. And that will be a long wait.

I will have a dilemma soon when the airfield at this base wants to go to a size 1. That will signal that I'm here, and it will be reconned and found. I do have troops here, it's just that they've never been seen. (As far as I know)

I do really want to get some air power into the area, but I don't want to give away Idaho's position either. Another game within the game.

[BBfanboy]

If you don't need the airfield at that particular island yet, or are not ready to place air support there, why not stop just short of level 1 AF and start on the port? When it is time to make the island operational a level 1 port would be most helpful. It will even help BB Idaho repair the system damage a little faster, reducing the chances of runaway flooding.

[jwolf]

Well either a port or airfield will tip off the enemy if it is improved. But he could work on one or both up to around, say, 90% and leave it there until he is ready to make a public announcement to the Emperor. [;)]

[apbarog]

28 Nov 42

At Horn Island, the enemy makes a probing artillery attack to see what is left of the Allied invaders. The answer is not much. There will be an attack tomorrow and the rest of the 13th Australian Brigade will be eliminated.

KB, or at least a large group of enemy carriers, is spotted at Rabaul. Hmmm, 9 hexes from Rabaul. That is still Kate range, with bombs, to Milne Bay.

Allied carriers will move next to Tagula Island and help protect transports moving to the island with an Aussie Brigade. A big reinforcement task force bound for Milne Bay will rendezvous with the carriers there, and move to Milne Bay afterwards.

The big news is that Milne Bay is captured. The enemy retreats northwest. It was interesting to see my mines appear in the replay when the enemy retreated to that hex.

Enemy mines are discovered to be at my new base, though. I am rushing minesweepers in today, and hopefully will have things cleared up by tomorrow, so that my reinforcement task force can head in. These reinforcements have the rest of most of the units that are there already. This will fill out the 2 Aussie Brigades that are there now.

More reinforcements for the region will be coming soon. I'm going to do what I can to hold what I've taken. I debated whether to move in fighters immmediately to Milne Bay. Supply is very low, and the airfield is just a level 1. I could be hit with big sweeps and/or bombings immediately. I could be naval bombarded. I decided to move in 2 fighter squadrons and hope for the best.

***********************************
Ground combat at Milne Bay (101,133)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3324 troops, 57 guns, 61 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Defending force 1607 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 28

Allied adjusted assault: 50

Japanese adjusted defense: 21

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Milne Bay !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
667 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Allied ground losses:
58 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

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

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

[jwolf]

Can you put your own mines at Milne Bay? That might discourage enemy bombardment at least. Granted the danger of air attack would still be present. I hope you can finish the job at Tagula as you just did at Milne Bay.