The enemy subs are still there. I had an SBD squadron on a carrier on ASW, and it was lighting up the enemy locations. I moved my carriers towards Townsville to rearm, so the northern area went dark. That's where there were lots of subs. Now that my carriers are moving east, I'll probably light up more subs. I did place that squadron back on naval strike, because I brought up a CVE with a squadron on ASW. The CVE is supposed to link up with Idaho and help it get home, but it couldn't make it that far today, so it linked up with my carriers.
So yes, the enemy subs are still around. I engage a few every day, but only occasionally get a good hit on them.
I wonder if the enemy thought that the Indiana task force was where my carriers were. They were exactly there a couple of days ago. The enemy moved 7 hexes for its strike.
It's certainly an interesting point in the game. Make my new bases size 4 or 5 and the outlook is completely different, when I can place bombers on the fields and threaten enemy shipping.
I was one day from moving a Marine regiment to Rossel, but can't now. That task force is with my carriers now, waiting to move in.
See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
5 Dec 42
During the night, battleships Yamato and Kongo and escorts come to Milne Bay. First they dispatch AM Benalla, then they bombard. It's another excellent bombardment for the bad guys.
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 67 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 46 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 3 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 4 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied ground losses:
866 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 78 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (13 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 16
Runway hits 110
Port hits 2
The airbase is shut down.
Then Rossel Island is bombarded. 3 light cruisers and escorts first engage 5 PT boats, sinking one of them. The bombardment is rather good for 3 light cruisers.
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 12 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
ZPK: 3 damaged
ZPK: 1 destroyed on ground
Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma
CL Isuzu
CL Jintsu
DD Isonami
DD Usugumo
DD Shinonome
DD Fubuki
DD Kawakaze
Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 41
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 2
Between Milne Bay and Rossel, I lose 11 P40Es and 4 Kittyhawks. Just about every other aircraft is damaged at Milne Bay.
Then, for the good guys, cruiser Chicago and escorts bombards Horn Island. Damage is decent.
Japanese ground losses:
388 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 5
During the day, my PT boats at Rossel return from retreating after combat, and engage the light cruiser force again, and again, one PT is lost.
Zeros sweep Milne Bay, but the airfield is shut down, and there is no CAP.
Northeast of Shortlands, an xAK task force is spotted coming southeast along the coast. 12 B-25Cs attack at low level, hitting 2 xAKs. Some ground casualties are caused. 2 B-25s are shot down by 14 fighters on LR CAP.
Today I move my carriers near Rossel and attempt to land a Marine regiment there. Some supply should land also. I'm guessing that enemy ships won't arrive 2 nights in a row.
BB Idaho continues to head toward port, slowly, and taking more damage. FLOT damage went over 80. I'm 9 hexes from Cairns, and most days Idaho is moving 1 hex. Not looking good.
During the night, battleships Yamato and Kongo and escorts come to Milne Bay. First they dispatch AM Benalla, then they bombard. It's another excellent bombardment for the bad guys.
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 67 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 46 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 3 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 4 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied ground losses:
866 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 78 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (13 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 16
Runway hits 110
Port hits 2
The airbase is shut down.
Then Rossel Island is bombarded. 3 light cruisers and escorts first engage 5 PT boats, sinking one of them. The bombardment is rather good for 3 light cruisers.
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 12 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
ZPK: 3 damaged
ZPK: 1 destroyed on ground
Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma
CL Isuzu
CL Jintsu
DD Isonami
DD Usugumo
DD Shinonome
DD Fubuki
DD Kawakaze
Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 41
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 2
Between Milne Bay and Rossel, I lose 11 P40Es and 4 Kittyhawks. Just about every other aircraft is damaged at Milne Bay.
Then, for the good guys, cruiser Chicago and escorts bombards Horn Island. Damage is decent.
Japanese ground losses:
388 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 5
During the day, my PT boats at Rossel return from retreating after combat, and engage the light cruiser force again, and again, one PT is lost.
Zeros sweep Milne Bay, but the airfield is shut down, and there is no CAP.
Northeast of Shortlands, an xAK task force is spotted coming southeast along the coast. 12 B-25Cs attack at low level, hitting 2 xAKs. Some ground casualties are caused. 2 B-25s are shot down by 14 fighters on LR CAP.
Today I move my carriers near Rossel and attempt to land a Marine regiment there. Some supply should land also. I'm guessing that enemy ships won't arrive 2 nights in a row.
BB Idaho continues to head toward port, slowly, and taking more damage. FLOT damage went over 80. I'm 9 hexes from Cairns, and most days Idaho is moving 1 hex. Not looking good.
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
6 Dec 42
Milne Bay gets plenty of attention from Japanese bombers today, all of it targeting the ground troops. Omen of things to come? 25 Sallys, 47 Bettys, and 20 Bettys. All raids had fighter escort. There is no CAP at Milne Bay. The airfield remains closed. Damage to the troops is slight though. JUngle terrain.
My B-17s in Australia all target Buna's airfield. It showed 40 aircraft there yesterday, but none today. 92 runway hits are reported, with 32 airbase hits, and some more from followup fragmented bombers. Mouseover reports 74 AF damage. There was a CAP of 10 Zeros and 19 Nicks, no doubt from Lae.
In the afternoon, Zeros sweep Milne Bay for good measure.
12 B-26s bomb Port Moresby's airfield, doing 4 airbase hits, 1 supply hit, and 31 runway hits. No CAP is observed. Mouseover shows Port Moresby's airfield at 55 damage.
I have a small task force unloading a Marine regiment at Rossel Island. 14 Nells from Rabaul target the ships, escorted by 15 Zeros. CAP is 43 F4F-4s from my carriers and 10 P-40Es. The Zeros do remarkably well. Must be superb pilots. But US numbers finally win out in the battle. 4 Nells drop torpedoes but miss an xAP.
Losses for the day are 17 Zeros, 11 Nells, and 3 Nicks, while I lose 9 F4F-4s and 2 P-40Es.
The task force northeast of Milne Bay is the same one that was 3 hexes south of that yesterday. It's moving very slowly. It has been at range 7 from my carriers for 2 days now, so I haven't attacked it. There's definitely damaged ships here, but since I never attacked, they must have hit one of my minefields, probably when they bombarded Rossel.
Today I move my carriers a bit west, and I move out my xAPs from Rossel. They weren't done unloading the Marine regiment, but they look too tempting for KB. I'll pull back for a day and move back in the next night, possibly.
My carriers will be needed soon to support reinforcements headed to Milne Bay.
Battleship Idaho continues to float, barely. It took no additional damage today. A couple of light cruisers and destroyers joined up with Idaho and its two destroyers. The battleship is moving the speed of being towed, just one hex a day. I have a CVE postioned slightly south of Idaho. It has an SBD group on ASW duty.
Milne Bay gets plenty of attention from Japanese bombers today, all of it targeting the ground troops. Omen of things to come? 25 Sallys, 47 Bettys, and 20 Bettys. All raids had fighter escort. There is no CAP at Milne Bay. The airfield remains closed. Damage to the troops is slight though. JUngle terrain.
My B-17s in Australia all target Buna's airfield. It showed 40 aircraft there yesterday, but none today. 92 runway hits are reported, with 32 airbase hits, and some more from followup fragmented bombers. Mouseover reports 74 AF damage. There was a CAP of 10 Zeros and 19 Nicks, no doubt from Lae.
In the afternoon, Zeros sweep Milne Bay for good measure.
12 B-26s bomb Port Moresby's airfield, doing 4 airbase hits, 1 supply hit, and 31 runway hits. No CAP is observed. Mouseover shows Port Moresby's airfield at 55 damage.
I have a small task force unloading a Marine regiment at Rossel Island. 14 Nells from Rabaul target the ships, escorted by 15 Zeros. CAP is 43 F4F-4s from my carriers and 10 P-40Es. The Zeros do remarkably well. Must be superb pilots. But US numbers finally win out in the battle. 4 Nells drop torpedoes but miss an xAP.
Losses for the day are 17 Zeros, 11 Nells, and 3 Nicks, while I lose 9 F4F-4s and 2 P-40Es.
The task force northeast of Milne Bay is the same one that was 3 hexes south of that yesterday. It's moving very slowly. It has been at range 7 from my carriers for 2 days now, so I haven't attacked it. There's definitely damaged ships here, but since I never attacked, they must have hit one of my minefields, probably when they bombarded Rossel.
Today I move my carriers a bit west, and I move out my xAPs from Rossel. They weren't done unloading the Marine regiment, but they look too tempting for KB. I'll pull back for a day and move back in the next night, possibly.
My carriers will be needed soon to support reinforcements headed to Milne Bay.
Battleship Idaho continues to float, barely. It took no additional damage today. A couple of light cruisers and destroyers joined up with Idaho and its two destroyers. The battleship is moving the speed of being towed, just one hex a day. I have a CVE postioned slightly south of Idaho. It has an SBD group on ASW duty.
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Any chance you could hit Lae and put that airfield out of business, too?
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
We think alike jwolf! 
You saw that coming with my B-24s moving to Cooktown! I don't know how many fighters will be encountered, but I'm starting to recon Lae now to find out. I may use the B-17s also but would have to move them north.
My opponent is very fond of keeping KB near friendly airbases. Knocking out Lae would help make the area less useful for that.
You saw that coming with my B-24s moving to Cooktown! I don't know how many fighters will be encountered, but I'm starting to recon Lae now to find out. I may use the B-17s also but would have to move them north.
My opponent is very fond of keeping KB near friendly airbases. Knocking out Lae would help make the area less useful for that.
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Yeah, win-win in a lot of ways -- if you can pull it off and hit Lae as badly as you have hit Buna and PM. Actually I didn't catch the connection with the B24s moving. I just noticed a lot of irritating interference from Lae so I was hoping you could smash the base there. [:'(]
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
7 Dec 42
My opponent reminded me that we've reached a big anniversary. I told him that, yes, it's the anniversary of the beginning of the great evacuation of Singapore! I did get about 25 units out of Singapore to India. I was quite proud of that. These units have helped and continue to help with the line at Burma.
During the night, I-15 lined up CVE Altamaha, fired 6 torpedoes, got 2 hits, and sank the escort carrier. The escorting destroyer McCalla then pummelled I-15, forced the sub to surface, and then finished it off.
Always bad to lose a carrier, even an escort carrier. I had SBD-1s on it doing ASW work near battleship Idaho. So, as some of you suggested, I shouldn't throw good ships into danger to save an old slow battleship, one that may sink regardless. But I did. I resolve to be more careful with my escort carriers. They get a very nice AA upgrade in April 1943, I think. I'll be very cautious with them until then.
In the morning, 58 Bettys escorted by 40 Zeros hit Milne Bay's airfield. There is no CAP as the airfield is still damaged, and all of my remaining planes are damaged. Damage from this raid is almost none.
In the afternoon, 22 Zeros sweep Milne Bay, and again find nothing in the air.
Then 97 Kates escorted by 91 Zeros hit Milne Bay's airfield. A couple of planes are destroyed on the ground, and probably every other damaged plane is damaged some more. Damage to the airfield is moderate. Wouldn't matter if I had a couple of squadrons on CAP with 90 Zero escorts.
For good measure, 26 Vals then attack, doing no damage.
On Mindanao, I'm very sad to report that my tiny base unit fragment just disappeared. There had been supply at the base, so I'm not sure what happened to the unit. I was looking forward to Argonaut coming out of refit just to go rescue this unit. Not to be.
Now what to do.
I had an infantry division on ships with or near my carriers. This division was headed to Milne Bay. I'm faced with the fact that KB is hanging out to the north, up by Lae, and in range of Milne Bay.
Do I risk my shipping, and risk my carriers moving near Milne Bay to support the reinforcement landing? I thought awhile on this, and decided not to take the risk this time.
Milne Bay's airfield is no help at the moment. If I can get the airfield operational, I'd feel a little better about taking this risk.
So my decision is to generally retire my task forces back to Australia. A couple of xAKs will continue to unload at Rossel Island. I may lose these ships tomorrow. They weren't attacked today. I need the supply.
I will unload my troops at Townsville and move small numbers of troops in using APDs. I'm hoping that using Fast Transport, the APDs will be there at night, and gone in the day. No guarantee though. It has been working for me with just unloading supply. I just snuck some supply into Deboyne Island this way.
Battleship Idaho continues west toward Australia. At one hex a day, it will be 7 more days to get to Cairns. Current damage is SYS 55, FLOT 83/37, ENG 34. It added a couple points of damage today. I still need luck to make it. A number of subchasers are trying to escort and clear the path.
I'm moving some cruisers and destroyers over to Rennell Island. Troops for the Munda landing will be arriving soon. I may use my cruisers to raid Buin if there continues to be shipping there.
My heavy bombers are resting. Recon of Lae didn't occur today.
So my carriers will refuel and maintain their air units at Townsville. Then it will be back to the front to guard against a counter-invasion.
My opponent reminded me that we've reached a big anniversary. I told him that, yes, it's the anniversary of the beginning of the great evacuation of Singapore!
I did get about 25 units out of Singapore to India. I was quite proud of that. These units have helped and continue to help with the line at Burma.During the night, I-15 lined up CVE Altamaha, fired 6 torpedoes, got 2 hits, and sank the escort carrier. The escorting destroyer McCalla then pummelled I-15, forced the sub to surface, and then finished it off.
Always bad to lose a carrier, even an escort carrier. I had SBD-1s on it doing ASW work near battleship Idaho. So, as some of you suggested, I shouldn't throw good ships into danger to save an old slow battleship, one that may sink regardless. But I did. I resolve to be more careful with my escort carriers. They get a very nice AA upgrade in April 1943, I think. I'll be very cautious with them until then.
In the morning, 58 Bettys escorted by 40 Zeros hit Milne Bay's airfield. There is no CAP as the airfield is still damaged, and all of my remaining planes are damaged. Damage from this raid is almost none.
In the afternoon, 22 Zeros sweep Milne Bay, and again find nothing in the air.
Then 97 Kates escorted by 91 Zeros hit Milne Bay's airfield. A couple of planes are destroyed on the ground, and probably every other damaged plane is damaged some more. Damage to the airfield is moderate. Wouldn't matter if I had a couple of squadrons on CAP with 90 Zero escorts.
For good measure, 26 Vals then attack, doing no damage.
On Mindanao, I'm very sad to report that my tiny base unit fragment just disappeared. There had been supply at the base, so I'm not sure what happened to the unit. I was looking forward to Argonaut coming out of refit just to go rescue this unit. Not to be.
Now what to do.
I had an infantry division on ships with or near my carriers. This division was headed to Milne Bay. I'm faced with the fact that KB is hanging out to the north, up by Lae, and in range of Milne Bay.
Do I risk my shipping, and risk my carriers moving near Milne Bay to support the reinforcement landing? I thought awhile on this, and decided not to take the risk this time.
Milne Bay's airfield is no help at the moment. If I can get the airfield operational, I'd feel a little better about taking this risk.
So my decision is to generally retire my task forces back to Australia. A couple of xAKs will continue to unload at Rossel Island. I may lose these ships tomorrow. They weren't attacked today. I need the supply.
I will unload my troops at Townsville and move small numbers of troops in using APDs. I'm hoping that using Fast Transport, the APDs will be there at night, and gone in the day. No guarantee though. It has been working for me with just unloading supply. I just snuck some supply into Deboyne Island this way.
Battleship Idaho continues west toward Australia. At one hex a day, it will be 7 more days to get to Cairns. Current damage is SYS 55, FLOT 83/37, ENG 34. It added a couple points of damage today. I still need luck to make it. A number of subchasers are trying to escort and clear the path.
I'm moving some cruisers and destroyers over to Rennell Island. Troops for the Munda landing will be arriving soon. I may use my cruisers to raid Buin if there continues to be shipping there.
My heavy bombers are resting. Recon of Lae didn't occur today.
So my carriers will refuel and maintain their air units at Townsville. Then it will be back to the front to guard against a counter-invasion.
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Looks like Idaho made it about half way to base. She's still got a fighting chance!
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
USS Idaho
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Great pic - one I have never seen before. [:)]
I bet the bridge crew were not too happy about that bow spray!
I bet the bridge crew were not too happy about that bow spray!
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
8 Dec 42
Enemy ships find my small minefield at the entrance to Rabaul. KB did sail through here during the night. I don't know if any mines were hit.
Some ASW work by my subchasers near BB Idaho. I-21 receives one good hit.
Near Koepang, Timor, sub Triton takes a shot at a patrol boat escorting some xAKs. Torpedoes miss.
No real air action today. Milne Bay fixes some damage, with the runway fixed but the service is still 97 damage. I fly out 2 repaired fighters. Lots of damaged ones still.
Tagula's airfield becomes a size 1. I fly in some fighters. I now have a squadron there and another at Rossel. Both are set to range 1 to help protect the other. Can't stop a naval bombardment though. I do have mines at Rossel, and even an ACM in the port. Don't expect that to last long though.
Alarmingly, battleship Idaho did not move at all today. I thought that all ships moved at least one hex, even when out of fuel. That is apparently not the case for damaged ships. SYS damage and FLOT damage increases by 1. If the ship doesn't move, I'll have to scuttle it. I'm still hopeful.
My carriers will reach Townsville. KB is at Rabaul. He can threaten any of my bases in one turn from there. I need 2 turns to get to my bases.
At Rennell Island, troops destined for the Munda invasion have arrived and are unloading. They will reload for the invasion soon. I can protect Munda, somewhat, with LR CAP from the Solomons.
Enemy ships find my small minefield at the entrance to Rabaul. KB did sail through here during the night. I don't know if any mines were hit.
Some ASW work by my subchasers near BB Idaho. I-21 receives one good hit.
Near Koepang, Timor, sub Triton takes a shot at a patrol boat escorting some xAKs. Torpedoes miss.
No real air action today. Milne Bay fixes some damage, with the runway fixed but the service is still 97 damage. I fly out 2 repaired fighters. Lots of damaged ones still.
Tagula's airfield becomes a size 1. I fly in some fighters. I now have a squadron there and another at Rossel. Both are set to range 1 to help protect the other. Can't stop a naval bombardment though. I do have mines at Rossel, and even an ACM in the port. Don't expect that to last long though.
Alarmingly, battleship Idaho did not move at all today. I thought that all ships moved at least one hex, even when out of fuel. That is apparently not the case for damaged ships. SYS damage and FLOT damage increases by 1. If the ship doesn't move, I'll have to scuttle it. I'm still hopeful.
My carriers will reach Townsville. KB is at Rabaul. He can threaten any of my bases in one turn from there. I need 2 turns to get to my bases.
At Rennell Island, troops destined for the Munda invasion have arrived and are unloading. They will reload for the invasion soon. I can protect Munda, somewhat, with LR CAP from the Solomons.
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
9 Dec 42
More ASW activity. One good hit on I-166 by DMS Southard.
Bettys, Helens, and Sallys return to bomb Milne Bay, escorted by lots of Zeros. Oddly, they've switched targets back to ground units, and almost 100 bombers do almost nothing. Milne Bay takes advantage of the respite and completely repairs the airfield and port.
I decide not to rush air units back in, fearing a naval bombardment, again. My airfields are starting to multiply in the area, and shutting them down is getting more difficult for the enemy.
At Malaybalay, Mindanao, where I'm holding out in the mountains, the 33rd Infantry Regiment has joined the 4th Division in sieging the base. It's still going to be a challenge for the enemy.
Battleship Idaho did move a hex toward safety today, and it took no additional damage today. Six more days to safety. Still could go either way. I'm using a bunch of ASW forces to escort the ship, and clear the path.
More supply did unload at Rossel. APDs will try to rush into Deboyne Island and unload parts of a couple of engineer units.
KB was at Rabaul. It moved one hex to the northwest. It's either paranoia that I might strike Rabaul while it was there, or it is moving back to the coast by Lae. It's the right number of hexes to the favorite spot one hex southeast of Lae.
More ASW activity. One good hit on I-166 by DMS Southard.
Bettys, Helens, and Sallys return to bomb Milne Bay, escorted by lots of Zeros. Oddly, they've switched targets back to ground units, and almost 100 bombers do almost nothing. Milne Bay takes advantage of the respite and completely repairs the airfield and port.
I decide not to rush air units back in, fearing a naval bombardment, again. My airfields are starting to multiply in the area, and shutting them down is getting more difficult for the enemy.
At Malaybalay, Mindanao, where I'm holding out in the mountains, the 33rd Infantry Regiment has joined the 4th Division in sieging the base. It's still going to be a challenge for the enemy.
Battleship Idaho did move a hex toward safety today, and it took no additional damage today. Six more days to safety. Still could go either way. I'm using a bunch of ASW forces to escort the ship, and clear the path.
More supply did unload at Rossel. APDs will try to rush into Deboyne Island and unload parts of a couple of engineer units.
KB was at Rabaul. It moved one hex to the northwest. It's either paranoia that I might strike Rabaul while it was there, or it is moving back to the coast by Lae. It's the right number of hexes to the favorite spot one hex southeast of Lae.
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RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
ORIGINAL: apbarog
Milne Bay takes advantage of the respite and completely repairs the airfield and port.
Wow that was fast! How many engineers do you have there?
BTW I am very much enjoying the story within a story of your attempts to save the Idaho -- hopefully successfully in the end.
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Does the enemy have any D/L on the Idaho TF itself?
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Thanks jwolf. I do enjoy trying to save the damaged ships, probably too much.
I checked on the number of engineers at each of my invasion sites:
Milne Bay has 107 engineers and 15 engineer vehicles.
Goodenough has just 1 engineer and 0 engineer vehicles. It has a tiny combat unit and little supply.
Deboyne has 34 engineers and 0 engineer vehicles. I'm attempting to land more today.
Tagula has 52 engineers and 2 engineer vehicles.
Rossel has 85 engineers and 22 engineer vehicles.
As for Idaho, the enemy has had D/L on it on most days. The value of the D/L has gone down as I moved south, but is staying low but fairly constant as I move west. I am "hiding" the battleship in a bigger task force of some cruisers and destroyers now. It should be pretty obvious, though, that this task force is barely moving.
I checked on the number of engineers at each of my invasion sites:
Milne Bay has 107 engineers and 15 engineer vehicles.
Goodenough has just 1 engineer and 0 engineer vehicles. It has a tiny combat unit and little supply.
Deboyne has 34 engineers and 0 engineer vehicles. I'm attempting to land more today.
Tagula has 52 engineers and 2 engineer vehicles.
Rossel has 85 engineers and 22 engineer vehicles.
As for Idaho, the enemy has had D/L on it on most days. The value of the D/L has gone down as I moved south, but is staying low but fairly constant as I move west. I am "hiding" the battleship in a bigger task force of some cruisers and destroyers now. It should be pretty obvious, though, that this task force is barely moving.
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
10 Dec 42
Sub Triton finds a small xAK task force near Koepang, Timor, but misses a shot at a destroyer.
PC Yandra and DMS Chandler go after subs near BB Idaho.
I sent a bombardment force to Buin. They do good work. KB shows up adjacent to Buin during the daylight, so this task force nearly ran into KB.
Night Naval bombardment of Buin at 109,131
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 7 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 26 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 10 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire
CA Chicago
CL Marblehead
CL Raleigh
DD Tucker
DD Reid
DD Downes
DD Dunlap
DD O'Bannon
Japanese ground losses:
409 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 40
Port hits 6
Port supply hits 1
During the day, 27 Zeros, possibly from KB, sweep Rossel Island. 14 P39s and 23 P40Es are on CAP. Losses are slightly higher for the US. A fragment sweeps next, with a couple of planes lost for each side.
B-26s and B-24s bomb Port Moresby's airfield, doing good work. There is no CAP.
Then multiple raids, with lots of fighter escort, hit Milne Bay's airfield. Damage is rather slight.
KB then sends 19 Kates and 34 Zeros to attack a 7 APD task force which just unloaded at Rossel Island and is heading to Rennell Island. All torpedoes miss.
Another KB strike targets Milne Bay's airfield, with 79 Kates and 58 Zeros. Depleted CAP does little damage to the strike, but damage to the airfield in very low.
Then 25 Vals join in. 3 planes are on CAP and get a few of the Vals.
Then 30 more Vals attack, with similar results. Neither Val raid damages the airfield at all.
I had noted that an infantry regiment joined the infantry division attacking me in the mountains on Mindanao. Today they attack, get a 1 to 2 attack, the forts stay at 2. Enemy casualties are 245 with 31 disabled squads. My losses are 145 with 18 disabled squads. I will lose this fight eventually, but the enemy continues to be tied down, taking casualties, cleaning up the rear area a full year after the war began.
And I've saved the worst for last:
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 96,139
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 damaged
Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Leander
CL Concord
Aircraft Attacking:
26 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
The attack came from Lae. I didn't anticipate Bettys with Port Moresby and Buna out of action. This definitely hurts the morale. All I can say is that someday, hopefully someday soon, some big ship, like maybe Yamato, will be found, will be sunk, and the exclamation will be heard........"REMEMBER THE IDAHO!"
Sub Triton finds a small xAK task force near Koepang, Timor, but misses a shot at a destroyer.
PC Yandra and DMS Chandler go after subs near BB Idaho.
I sent a bombardment force to Buin. They do good work. KB shows up adjacent to Buin during the daylight, so this task force nearly ran into KB.
Night Naval bombardment of Buin at 109,131
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 7 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 26 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 10 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire
CA Chicago
CL Marblehead
CL Raleigh
DD Tucker
DD Reid
DD Downes
DD Dunlap
DD O'Bannon
Japanese ground losses:
409 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 40
Port hits 6
Port supply hits 1
During the day, 27 Zeros, possibly from KB, sweep Rossel Island. 14 P39s and 23 P40Es are on CAP. Losses are slightly higher for the US. A fragment sweeps next, with a couple of planes lost for each side.
B-26s and B-24s bomb Port Moresby's airfield, doing good work. There is no CAP.
Then multiple raids, with lots of fighter escort, hit Milne Bay's airfield. Damage is rather slight.
KB then sends 19 Kates and 34 Zeros to attack a 7 APD task force which just unloaded at Rossel Island and is heading to Rennell Island. All torpedoes miss.
Another KB strike targets Milne Bay's airfield, with 79 Kates and 58 Zeros. Depleted CAP does little damage to the strike, but damage to the airfield in very low.
Then 25 Vals join in. 3 planes are on CAP and get a few of the Vals.
Then 30 more Vals attack, with similar results. Neither Val raid damages the airfield at all.
I had noted that an infantry regiment joined the infantry division attacking me in the mountains on Mindanao. Today they attack, get a 1 to 2 attack, the forts stay at 2. Enemy casualties are 245 with 31 disabled squads. My losses are 145 with 18 disabled squads. I will lose this fight eventually, but the enemy continues to be tied down, taking casualties, cleaning up the rear area a full year after the war began.
And I've saved the worst for last:
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 96,139
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 damaged
Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Leander
CL Concord
Aircraft Attacking:
26 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
The attack came from Lae. I didn't anticipate Bettys with Port Moresby and Buna out of action. This definitely hurts the morale. All I can say is that someday, hopefully someday soon, some big ship, like maybe Yamato, will be found, will be sunk, and the exclamation will be heard........"REMEMBER THE IDAHO!"
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Rats, it hurts to have kept it alive so long and then it gets hit and sunk from one shot. [:(] Other than that the turn seemed to go reasonably well.
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Dang! I feel like I jinxed it by asking about the DL ...[:(]
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
Yes, now that I've had some hours to look at it more objectively, it does hurt. But it was a fun month, making it to Deboyne Island and then disappearing for a couple of weeks. Then I decided to set off for Australia, and that very day Deboyne Island was reconned for the first day, and it was empty! I really thought that a sub would get it, though. They were everywhere. Then I lost a CVE trying to put up some ASW coverage. Once I got further south, and was heading west to Cooktown, it never dawned on me that, for a Betty, I wasn't that far away, even from Lae. He got me from 13 hexes. I wrongfully assumed that having Port Moresby and Buna airfields closed that I didn't have to worry about bombers, except from KB.
It was a fun month trying though.
I'm looking at trying to expand the area of battle. It's rough with Lae and Rabaul both showing 126 fighters today, and KB being right there too. Not a lot I can do offensively. I'm going to lose my Brit carrier in a few weeks, and then I'll be down to 4 US carriers available, with Lexington and Wasp in for repairs.
I'm revisiting the idea of a Nauru and Ocean Island landing, and possibly Tabiteuea again, but more so the other two. Nauru is still just an airfield 1, and Ocean is a 0, so I could approach with some safety there. It is close to Truk, and the Solomons, for that matter. But for Nauru and Ocean, all of the units that I had going there earlier are still 100% prepped for them.
If I could get there undetected (doubtful), maybe I could land and get away. The difference is that this time I'd use my carriers.
If I could get KB to go that direction, and assuming that Milne Bay/Tagula/Rossel airfields are built up, I might be ready for the next step in that area.
Just thinking.
I'm very close to going to Munda. With KB moving south today, next to Buin, with a battleship group and a transport group, I can't do anything there. I don't know where he's going now. It may just be a Munda reinforcement, or a new landing, or he went southeast to there, and now 6 hexes to the southwest is Rossel Island. Maybe he doesn't know that I just landed a Marine regiment there. It sure was weak before that.
I guess we'll find out tomorrow.
It was a fun month trying though.
I'm looking at trying to expand the area of battle. It's rough with Lae and Rabaul both showing 126 fighters today, and KB being right there too. Not a lot I can do offensively. I'm going to lose my Brit carrier in a few weeks, and then I'll be down to 4 US carriers available, with Lexington and Wasp in for repairs.
I'm revisiting the idea of a Nauru and Ocean Island landing, and possibly Tabiteuea again, but more so the other two. Nauru is still just an airfield 1, and Ocean is a 0, so I could approach with some safety there. It is close to Truk, and the Solomons, for that matter. But for Nauru and Ocean, all of the units that I had going there earlier are still 100% prepped for them.
If I could get there undetected (doubtful), maybe I could land and get away. The difference is that this time I'd use my carriers.
If I could get KB to go that direction, and assuming that Milne Bay/Tagula/Rossel airfields are built up, I might be ready for the next step in that area.
Just thinking.
I'm very close to going to Munda. With KB moving south today, next to Buin, with a battleship group and a transport group, I can't do anything there. I don't know where he's going now. It may just be a Munda reinforcement, or a new landing, or he went southeast to there, and now 6 hexes to the southwest is Rossel Island. Maybe he doesn't know that I just landed a Marine regiment there. It sure was weak before that.
I guess we'll find out tomorrow.
RE: See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28
There may be a delay in our game. My opponent tells me that something happened during the turn that he cannot explain, and it went very badly for him.
Apparently his bombardment task force that was next to Buin was set to bombard Tagula Island, but it went to Rennel Island, way down in the Solomons, instead. It sounds like his ships didn't get far away during the daylight, and my naval bombers really hurt him. I had a bunch on naval strike at Lunga, in case he came that way. (I thought he may be reinforcing Munda).
So I think that my opponent may be asking a dev to look at his saved game, in the hopes of learning why his ships went where they did.
He confirms that his destination was set correctly. In my experience, if I set a task force to bombardment and my target is less than the full-speed run-in distance, strange things can happen. Sometimes the ships will move away from target, to get to the right distance for the full-speed approach. I've had the ships just do nothing.
He did say that he had a reaction range set, and he did engage PT boats at Rennel, but I don't know if or how reaction range affects bombardments. I always have reaction range at 0 for bombardments.
So at this point, I don't know what happened and I don't know when the next turn will be. I do hope that there is a logical explanation though, as it sounds like the Allies had a good turn, finally.
Apparently his bombardment task force that was next to Buin was set to bombard Tagula Island, but it went to Rennel Island, way down in the Solomons, instead. It sounds like his ships didn't get far away during the daylight, and my naval bombers really hurt him. I had a bunch on naval strike at Lunga, in case he came that way. (I thought he may be reinforcing Munda).
So I think that my opponent may be asking a dev to look at his saved game, in the hopes of learning why his ships went where they did.
He confirms that his destination was set correctly. In my experience, if I set a task force to bombardment and my target is less than the full-speed run-in distance, strange things can happen. Sometimes the ships will move away from target, to get to the right distance for the full-speed approach. I've had the ships just do nothing.
He did say that he had a reaction range set, and he did engage PT boats at Rennel, but I don't know if or how reaction range affects bombardments. I always have reaction range at 0 for bombardments.
So at this point, I don't know what happened and I don't know when the next turn will be. I do hope that there is a logical explanation though, as it sounds like the Allies had a good turn, finally.