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

[Cap Mandrake]

RN cruisers trying to sneak up on Geelong for another night attack. Unfortunately, the KB moves West again.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Portland at 75,167

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
B5N2 Kate x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Colombo, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CL Capetown, Torpedo hits 1
CL Hobart

[Cap Mandrake]

We try to kill the paratroops West of Sydney.

Ground combat at Katoomba (88,166)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 300 troops, 6 guns, 82 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Defending force 939 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 38

Allied adjusted assault: 14

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
231 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
754th Tank Battalion

Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
Yokosuka 1st SNLF

[Cap Mandrake]

N&IC: Leisurely daytime bombardment of Koumac. No operational A/C at either Koumac or La Foa.
We also sink an AK. Not sure what they were doing.

aval bombardment of Koumac at 113,156

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi

Japanese ground losses:
407 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 14
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 2

BB Mississippi firing at Koumac

[Cap Mandrake]

The much smaller air forces at Noumea attack.

Morning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-20A Havoc x 9
A-29 Hudson x 4
LB-30 Liberator x 4
P-40B Warhawk x 2
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26

Allied aircraft losses
A-29 Hudson: 1 damaged

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

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 10

And some TBD's

fternoon Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 7
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
TBD-1 Devastator x 22

No Allied losses

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

[Cap Mandrake]

Our escorts over Geelong get shot up pretty bad. Runway damage only at 30%. This is not working.

[Cap Mandrake]

Obviously, the LYB's are not afraid of our dive bombers at Melbourne. We need to bring over the P-39's and F4F from Noumea and NZ and overwhelm the CAP over the carriers...or sneak in some gunnery platforms at night.

[Cap Mandrake]

By ra way, Hobart really should a Wood/Rough hex. There is some serious terrain outside of town.

[zuluhour]

What ah trannies? Three legged women?

[BBfanboy]

Perhaps he has not set up minesweepers yet. Some sub-laid mines might just cause some excitement of the good kind ...

[Cap Mandrake]

Good idea about the sub minelaying.

[Cap Mandrake]

***********************March 25, 1942(e)*******************

The Melbourne PT boat "flotilla" recons toward Geelong and has a weird extended night gunnery battle with the KB's SCTF.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Geelong at 80,171, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CA Kako
CL Jintsu
DD Umikaze
DD Yugiri
DD Oboro
DD Sazanami

Allied Ships
PT-30
PT-61

[Cap Mandrake]

The KB is parked just South of Geelong again. They may have even dropped anchor, and are making campfires and playing beach volleyball ashore.

[Cap Mandrake]

Our lads at Tamworth are just getting murdered from the air.

Morning Air attack on 2nd Armoured Brigade, at 91,163 (Tamworth)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 31

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
192 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

US Tank Bn at Katoomba gets murderized as well

Morning Air attack on 754th Tank Battalion, at 88,166 (Katoomba)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 13 damaged

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 19 (5 destroyed, 14 disabled)

So does the WJD 8th Tank Regt near Waga Waga

Morning Air attack on 8th Tank Regiment, at 84,167 , near Wagga Wagga

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 13

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

The B-26's, now flying from Sydney get their licks in too.

Morning Air attack on 2nd Raiding Regiment, at 91,163 (Tamworth)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 11

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
199 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Anticipating a Jap attack at Hobart, 17's and 25's from Melbourne get JJ's attention.

Morning Air attack on 146th Infantry Regiment, at 81,179 (Hobart)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 1
B-25C Mitchell x 15
Kittyhawk IA x 7
B-17E Fortress x 12
P-40E Warhawk x 10

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
252 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


But...they also spot our ships at Hobart.

Kates dropping bombs..range 8 hexes. They bring a tremendous escort of Zeroes

Morning Air attack on TF, near Hobart at 81,179

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 46
B5N1 Kate x 5
B5N2 Kate x 22

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAK Royal T. Frank
DD Litchfield
DD Crosby
DMS Zane
xAP Mataroa, Bomb hits 1, on fire

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

[Cap Mandrake]

There is "severe storm" over Hobart. Jesus sent a "divine wind" to hide our ships but the Tasmanian Devil was at work too.

[Cap Mandrake]

Crappy rust buckets ordered to make some noise. They attract only Vals which can't reach Hobart anyway


Morning Air attack on TF, near Portsea at 81,171

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 18
D3A1 Val x 36

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAP Legaspi, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Van Spilbergen, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAP Candesa, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Kedah, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk.

[Cap Mandrake]

So far, that is 70% of the KB's fighters on escort duty. [X(]

We might be able to break through 30 planes on CAP.

[Cap Mandrake]

JJ's afternoon attack is more successful, but we do shoot down some elite KB pilots.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hobart at 81,179

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 43
B5N1 Kate x 8
B5N2 Kate x 42

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 3
Kittyhawk IA x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Katoomba, Bomb hits 1
DMS Zane, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Crosby
xAP Mataroa, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Litchfield, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Irenee Du Pont, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Allied ground losses:
176 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 10000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
24 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
15 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 10000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

Here comes JJ's big attack at Hobart with all of fighters at risk........