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

[apbarog]

August 1943
What's Where, What It's Prepped For, and Preparation

[apbarog]

29 Aug 43

Sub Pickerel spots an xAK task force near Kavieng, but misses a patrol boat with 2 torpedoes.

Sub Paddle spots a tanker convoy near Cam Ranh Bay, then reattacks and fires 2 torpedoes at TK Kotai Maru. One torpedo hits but is a dud. Looking forward to the torpedo dud penalty going away in a couple of days.

Cruiser task force bombards Manado, and returns to Kendari, as usual.

Today the reinforcing Marine Division made it to Manado, so we'll do a deliberate attack. I'm hoping that it goes well, with all of the bombing and bombardment being done.

The big event is a huge strike on Soerbaja. I've committed many squadrons to sweeping, escorting, and bombing Soerbaja's airfield and port. There are ships in port, and probably a damaged battleship. Allied carriers move within range of Java. I have 4 carrier task forces. I have half of them assigned to naval strike, with a secondary port strike. The other half is just assigned naval strike, and at a different altitude than the first half. My reasoning is that a small naval strike could go out and take all of the escorts with it, leaving my port strike with no escorts.

It could be ugly regardless, depending on the order of who shows up at Soerbaja first. And if the escorts do really escort. Many heavy bombers will participate, and mediums too. It's a major effort. No invasion for me here, yet, but this should make Walker give up on using Soerbaja as a forward base. We'll see.

Carriers involved are Yorktown, Victorious, Enterprise, Wasp, Yorktown II. Lexington II, Hornet, and Essex. Also CVLs Belleau Woods and Princeton. CV Saratoga is passing Java and will join up after this operation. Included in the carrier task forces are battleships Prince of Wales and Massachusetts, 8 heavy cruisers, 7 light cruisers, 4 CLAAs, and 22 destroyers. Fast battleships North Carolina and Washington just got to Darwin, and will head toward the carriers, having recently finished upgrades at Sydney. Battleship South Dakota has also upgraded, and is at Townsville heading toward the front.

Madoien is an airbase west of Soerbaja, and is the closest big base that Walker is using, besides Soerbaja. Madoien will be swept and bombed also.

Another operation, the invasion of Torokina in the Solomons, is about to occur. All of my CVEs and 3 slow battleships are headed this way. Troop ships from Luganville are on the way. Torokina, Buin, and Shortlands all have some airfield damage, and have not been used by enemy air for awhile. Rabaul is still a big base and has plenty of planes.

[apbarog]

29 Aug 43 - Solomons

[BBfanboy]

What are the enemy ships at Rabaul?

[apbarog]

Seeing just patrol boats and subchasers. There's been an occasional transport task force, taking out troops, I think.

[jwolf]

Is your long term plan for Soerebaja what the Allies did historically with Rabaul -- i.e. isolate, cut off, destroy facilities and use for bombing training? I'm wondering because Soerebaja also has that nice shipyard which would really be a help for the good guys.

[apbarog]

I do plan an invasion of Java. It will come after the invasions of Balikpapan and Samarinda.

My plan for Java is to land a US division at the eastern tip. This base is lightly defended, lighter than it was a couple of months ago. The terrain is clear. I will take that base and build it. There are mountains between there and Soerbaja, so I expect Walker to reinforce the better terrain, and maybe try to kick me off of Java entirely. He has a tank division on Java, and I know that he has been reinforcing it.

I've planned for a bigger invasion, directly at Soerbaja. I'm using 2 Indian divisions and a huge Chinese corp, along with other support. If Walker weakens Soerbaja to reinforce the mountains or attack my first landing, I'll go directly to Soerbaja. If Soerbaja appears too strong, I'll reinforce my original landing.

Either way, my plan is not a swift conquest of Java. My plan is to encourage more reinforcement of Java, and an attritional battle. I'd like to take Soerbaja, yes. But tying down enemy forces is the plan. Anything taken is a bonus.

Meanwhile, the main push will be up the northeastern coast of Borneo, to Jolo and Zamboanga, then the northeastern tip of Borneo and the island chain to the east that stretches toward Manila.

As for Rabaul, I am going to bypass it and bomb it, as was historically done. My Solomons activity is of low priority, but I want to keep at least some pressure there. I think that Walker is evacuating at least some troops from Rabaul already.

[apbarog]

30 Aug 43

The big strikes at Soerbaja did not go as planned. First, elsewhere:

Manado is bombarded by 2 cruisers. Good results.

North of Babeldaop, sub Tunny spots an xAK task force, fires 2 torpedoes at xAK Zyunyo Maru, and gets one good hit. There are troops on the ship, which will probably survive.

Sub Perch is chased by subchasers near Bataan, but survives after missing SC CHa-13 with 2 torpedoes.

Land based air fly to Madioen. F4Us and P-38Gs sweep, but find no CAP. B-17s escorted by Kittyhawks arrive, destroying 3 Lilys on the ground and doing good damage to the airfield.

Balikpapan is swept, and there is no CAP. 12 B-24s hit the airfield, and do a reported 40 hits on the airfield.

Torokina's airfield is bombed by 24 B-24s. Good results.

In the morning, there are no strikes flown over Soerbaja. Nothing flys from the carriers in the morning either.

In the afternoon, 36 Hellcats sweep Soerbaja, and find a massive CAP of 18 A6M3a Zeros, 33 A6M5 Zeros, 82 Oscars, and 36 Tojos. The Hellcats take about twice the losses of the enemy. To be expected by the first squadron in.

The next strike is 54 SBDs and 54 TBFs, escorted by 43 Hellcats. Heavy CAP still there. Heavy US losses. The port is the target. I-18, xAK Yamura Maru, and ACM Fumi Maru are sunk. Nothing else seen in port. Disappointing.

At Probolinggo, southeast of Soerbaja, 2 cargo ships are spotted. 36 SBDs and 18 TBFs are escorted by 54 Hellcats, and find a weaker ranged CAP of 16 Zeros and 1 Tojo. Losses are small for both sides. xAK Tofuku Maru and xAKL Kofuku Maru are sunk. No idea what they were doing there. No reason to be loading or unloading anything there.

East of Soerbaja, at Pamekasan, Walker has had a tiny minesweeper stationed for quite awhile. Carrier planes decided to go after it. 34 SBDs escorted by 18 Hellcats meet a ranged CAP of 4 Zeros, 15 Oscars, and 5 Tojos. About 4 planes lost for each side. 31 SBDs drop bombs but every bomb misses. What a waste.

Then another tiny AMc is spotted, this one at Soerbaja, and 18 TBFs escorted by 12 Hellcats go after it, right into the teeth of 100 enemy fighters. Heavy US losses, and 9 torpedoes miss the tiny minesweeper. Again, a huge waste.

And that's it for the airstrikes. Nothing but a big disappointment. The enemy CAP at Soerbaja was very heavy, as expected. The key was that no land based aircraft flew to Soerbaja. Planes at Denpassar, Mataram, Makassar, Watampone, Palopo, and Waingapoe all sat on the ground.

Here's what didn't fly:

Denpassar
36 F6Fs
12 F4Us
24 P40Ks
19 P38Gs
21 P38Hs
25 P47s

Mataram
36 F6Fs
25 P47s
25 P39s

Makassar
48 B24s
16 B25s

Watampone
28 B25s

Palopo
10 B17s

Waingapoe
24 B-24s

My goal was to whittle down the enemy fighters on Java. This was not accomplished. The secondary goal was hitting ships in Soerbaja's port. This was accomplished, but there were few ships there, and nothing of value. Walker will most probably not use Soerbaja for ship repairs again, so at least that was gained.

Results would have been different had those hundreds of land based aircraft flown. But that's how it goes.

So today, we try again. All land based fighters will concentrate on Soerbaja, as will all heavy bombers. Medium bombers will not be tasked. Carriers will move away from Java, to rendezvous with AOs to the east. They may get some replacement aircraft from replacement squadrons. I don't want to go all the way back to Darwin now. Loading for Balikpapan will start very soon.

At Manado, the first deliberate attack went at 1 to 2 odds and reduced the forts to 2. 1617 casualties for the enemy, 737 for the Allies. I'll rest a day and repeat.

In the Solomons, Torokina will be invaded. Shipping will just make it to the base, so unloading will be minimal today, and will require another day to complete, at least. Many CVEs will provide cover. There is a task force at Rabaul that may or may not be a surface group. I think not, but it's impossible to say from the poor recon.

[BBfanboy]

I would interpret that TF at Rabaul to be a Fast Transport TF. That's the only reason to have DDs and PBs together with few or no xAKs.

[apbarog]

31 Aug 43

Sub Pogy spots a tanker convoy southwest of Formosa. No engagement.

Manado is bombarded to good effect. Troops will attack today, after resting a day.

PT boats from Denpassar move to intercept the lone AMc at Pamekasan, east of Soerbaja. They do so, but the tiny minesweeper evades combat.

With the failed carrier raid of Soerbaja yesterday, today we hope that the land based aircraft flys, and they do. CAP starts out at about 170 planes. The first squadron in is 21 P-40Ks, and they have a rough time, being so outnumbered. After that, it gets better, with P-47s showing up. Then P-38s. Then more P-47s. Each time, the CAP is weakened in number and effectiveness. Then 70 land based Hellcats get a rare combined sweep. Now all of the losses are enemy planes. The first heavy bombers to arrive have P-39 escorts, and a bunch of P-39s are lost. It might have been better to not escort. The bombers do well on their own, especially against a depleted and tired CAP. Airbase damage is moderate in the heavy rain. Could have been better. A few planes are hit on the ground. At the end of the morning, more sweepers arrive, but there's no CAP left to engage.

Over the invasion beach at Torokina in the Solomons, Bettys attack, escorted by Zeros, Oscars, and Nicks. Fortunately, there's a strong ranged CAP from the CVEs in the adjacent hex, and some land based air joins in. There's just enough protection. Lots of enemy planes are downed. 4 Bettys get through to drop torpedoes, but they target a tiny LCI. One torpedo hits, but it's a dud.

In the afternoon, just 6 Bettys attack, with just 13 Zeros as escort. No Bettys are able to drop their torpedoes. Then 24 Vals are escorted by 5 Rufes. CAP is sufficient. Just one Val drops a bomb, targeting a small LCI, and the bomb misses. That Val is promptly shot down on the way out. The Allied fighter groups here are mostly average pilots. The Sea Hurrican unit is elite, and the land based Hellcat squadron is very good. A lot of average pilots got a little better today.

Total air losses, including action over Soerbaja and Torokina are:

57 Oscars
40 Bettys
36 Zeros
28 Vals
15 Nicks
11 Tojos
3 Rufes

11 FM-1s
10 P-39s
9 P-40Ks
5 P-47s
5 P-38s
2 B-24s

The Torokina invasion didn't start until the afternoon, but the 1st Cavalry Division is completely unloaded. The HQ unit is only partially unloaded. Unfortunately, the LSTs with supply for the invasion is lagging far behind. The LSTs will get to Vangunu today, and could reinforce the landing tomorrow. I probably should have delayed the invasion a few days and waited for the supply ships. I don't want to risk the valuable APAs to unload the supply on them. No attack at Torokina until sufficient supply gets there. Enemy units at Torokina are the 18th Naval Guard Unit, 13th Field Construction Battalion, and the 7th JNAF AF Unit. The cavalry division should handle them.

A slow bombardment task force will hit Torokina tonight. PT boats will stay there. All transports will leave. Some may return tomorrow. I want to see if the task force at Rabaul that looks like a cruiser task force will come to Torokina tonight.

[apbarog]

I knew that Walker wasn't going to be able to do a turn today, so I held onto the turn for an extra day, and did some additional long range planning. Always a good idea to look around and find units that really aren't needed where they are.

Troop ships for Balikpapan and Samarind are now loading at Darwin, and elsewhere. Carriers are refueling from AOs. There will be a deliberate attack at Manado, which should go well, and one on the jungle road north of Akyab, which probably won't. I did note that the enemy tank division isn't in that hex any longer. Walker has pulled a few units back and formed a river line east of Akyab.

And it is now September 1, 1943. The big day when the torpedoes start working as they should.

[apbarog]

No turn today from Walker. Always looking for another turn, of course, and will do so tomorrow.

[apbarog]

1 Sep 43

It was supposed to be a day to celebrate working torpedoes. Instead, it's a day of loss for the submariners. Sub Raton found a task force west of Mindanao, and fired 4 torpedoes at CS Chitose. All torpedoes missed, and it turned out that the task force had at least 2 xAKs in it, as well as a bunch of escorts. Destroyers Hatsuyuki and Hatsushima hit Raton with 2 depth charges, forcing the sub to surface, and then continue to hit the sub with guns, sinking Raton. Raton is only the 6th US sub sunk during the war: 2 S-boats and 4 fleet boats now. In comparison, the Japanese have lost 36 submarines.

Torokina, in the Solomons, is bombarded by slow battleships New Mexico and Oklahoma, and escorts. Good results. This task force spots RO-35 on the way home, but doesn't damage it significantly. Lots of enemy subs reappear today, near Torokina. Hadn't seen one in the area for quite awhile.

In the jungle near Akyab in Burma, Allied medium bombers target enemy troops, and do minor damage. Same thing for the enemy at Manado. Samarinda's airfield is bombed.

Near Diamond Harbour in India, xAKL Illinoian is moving to Calcutta from Ceylon. It is spotted by I-26, which hits it with one shell and then submerges. The small cargo ship is damaged and burning somewhat, but could make port, just 2 hexes away. I'm moving a few cargo ships into the area to help bring in supply to Cox's Bazar. Hard to pull supply overland here. I've had a battleship task force standing off to the west, waiting for the mines at Akyab to disappear so that it can bombard, but that hasn't happened yet. Walker has not been using Akyab recently to drop off supply.

Allied attack at Manado. A good result. Will rest a day then go again.

Ground combat at Manado (75,99)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26638 troops, 439 guns, 404 vehicles, Assault Value = 797

Defending force 14478 troops, 132 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 281

Allied adjusted assault: 315

Japanese adjusted defense: 253

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
714 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 93 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 22 (5 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
839 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (3 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Assaulting units:
134th Cmbt Engineer Battalion
7th Infantry Division
2nd Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment

Defending units:
20th Infantry Regiment
8th/A Division
8th/C Division
9th JAAF AF Coy
3rd Construction Battalion
14th JAAF AF Bn
12th Ship Engineer Regiment
77th JAAF AF Bn
16th Army /1

Allied attack in the jungle near Akyab in Burma. Good result. Better since the enemy withdrew the depleted tank division. Will rest a bit then go again.

Ground combat at 55,44 (near Akyab)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25588 troops, 422 guns, 813 vehicles, Assault Value = 1030

Defending force 15165 troops, 183 guns, 188 vehicles, Assault Value = 419

Allied adjusted assault: 460

Japanese adjusted defense: 671

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
402 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 78 (23 destroyed, 55 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
358 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 93 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 47 (8 destroyed, 39 disabled)

Assaulting units:
255th Armoured Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
45th Indian Brigade
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
46th Indian Brigade
11th Indian Division
268th Motorised Brigade
29th British Brigade
XXXIII Indian Corps
2/9th Fld RAA Regiment
85th British AT Gun Regiment

Defending units:
9th Tank Regiment
14th Division
5th Field Construction Battalion
16th AA Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Army /2

Today more troops and supply will go to Torokina, and CVEs will move to the east side of the island to cover. Balikpapan invasion convoys are on the move. US carriers continue to refuel south of Celebes.

[apbarog]

2 Sep 43

Cruiser task force bombards Manado, same as most days. Enemy troops must be badly disrupted.

The rest of the HQ units, and supply, unloads at Torokina.

Near Taytay, sub Searaven spots a big tanker convoy, fires 4 torpedoes at TK Kyoie Maru, and gets 2 hits (and no duds). The ship is not reported as sunk, but sinking sounds are heard in a later phase, and with fuel burning, the ship is a goner.

South of Cam Ranh Bay, sub Lapon spots a tanker convoy, one with large tankers. The escorting E boats get a depth charge hit on the sub, and the sub is ordered to return to port. Damage is not severe. Later in the day, Lapon takes a shot at TK Nisshin Maru #2, but both torpedoes miss.

Balikpapan is swept and bombed. Samarind is bombed. Despite many bombers used, damage is only moderate, due to bombing in the light rain. There was no CAP.

Boela's troops are bombed by B-25s. As are Torokina's troops.

US troops on Boela attack. The odds were only 1 to 3, but the forts were reduced to 2. Enemy casualties were 452 with a unit destroyed. US casualties were 702. I'll rest a bit and continue. The enemy is still in supply. The Americal Division is about half disrupted. The 37th Infantry Division is about 70% disrupted. Both have plenty of supply. My options include reinforcing, which isn't advisable as nothing else is prepped, pulling out a division to rest and recover, and come back later, or just rest in place and wear the enemy down. I continue to chose to continue as is, and win, eventually.

In Burma, the Allies will attack just north of Akyab, again. Medium bombers will support. Akyab's mines just disappeared, so the BB task force will move into place to bombard. There's a risk of Bettys, although none are seen. Fighters will sweep Mandalay, where the enemy fighters are, and many heavy bombers will hit the airfield.

In the Solomons, US troops will attack at Torokina. CVEs and BBs will leave the area and head to Darwin to support future operations. In a risky move, I send 9 Fletchers from Torokina to Rabaul for a raid. Lots of ships there. And probably lots of mines. Over 150 fighters there but no bombers. A risk but an interesting one. I have a good leader in the task force.

With no turn possible from Walker tomorrow, I'm holding onto the turn for a day and continuing detailed work on operations following Balikpapan.

[BBfanboy]

DDs to Rabaul! I like it!
Who Dares, Wins!

[apbarog]

A look at the South China Sea

[apbarog]

Burma Situation

[apbarog]

I have a squadron of 12 Brit Liberator GR III bombers. With a normal range of 23 hexes, they can hit where most current bombers cannot. They were based in India, but they have an amazing transfer range of 89 hexes. I just flew them from Calcutta to Dobo! I'll give them a day of rest, then they will strike Babeldaop's port, where there are some support ships. There's about 30 fighters there.

[apbarog]

3 Sep 43

My 9 Fletcher destroyers stirred up some trouble at Rabaul. The weather was thunderstorms, and with just 17% moonlight, the engagements all began at either 1000 or 2000 yards.

Round 1: DD Ayanami hit by a torpedo in the first exhange of fire
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CA Furutaka
DD Shinonome, Shell hits 2
DD Isonami, Shell hits 2
DD Ayanami, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Oboro, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bush
DD Dyson
DD Foote, Shell hits 1
DD Fullam
DD Harrison
DD Schroeder
DD Terry, Shell hits 1
DD Thatcher, Shell hits 6


Round 2: Yes, there were mines.
TF 534 encounters mine field at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Ships
DD Terry, Mine hits 1, on fire
DD Dyson, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
DD Thatcher, Mine hits 1


Round 3: Patrol boats sunk.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Choko Maru #5, Shell hits 4, on fire
PB Kosin Maru #3, Shell hits 4, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bush
DD Foote
DD Fullam
DD Thatcher, Shell hits 2, on fire


Round 4: What a huge task force. A shame there's just 3 Fletchers.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed
F1M2 Pete: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Katori, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PC Nire
PC Take
PB Ikunta Maru
PB Showa Maru #5
ACM Shofuku Maru #2
TK Nikkoku Maru
AV Kunikawa Maru
AV Kiyokawa Maru, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Aratama Maru
AKE Keiyo Maru
AKE Kenyo Maru
PB Hakakisan Maru
PB Konsan Maru
PB Sansei Maru
PB Taikei Maru
xAK India Maru
xAK Ryuzan Maru
xAK Kiyoshima Maru
xAK Kotobuki Maru #5
xAK Kuraido Maru
xAK Otori Maru
xAK Sanura Maru
xAK Sakido Maru
xAK Shinkoku Maru
xAK Utide Maru
AKE Yosida Maru #1, Shell hits 7
xAKL Kaijo Maru #2
xAKL Tateyama Maru
xAKL Saiho Maru
xAKL Konsan Maru
xAP Hikawa Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hakone Maru
xAP Husimi Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Suwa Maru
xAP Miike Maru
xAP Buenos Aires Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Shanghai Maru
E Yaeyama
AMc Iwate Maru #4
AMc Iwate Maru #5
AMc Takunan Maru #6
AMc Kamoi Maru #9
AMc Kujirono Maru
AMc Rumonoe Maru
AMc Uruppu Maru
xAK Shinai Maru
xAK Wazan Maru

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bush
DD Foote


Round 5: Enemy patrol boats do well sacrificing themselves for the rest.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 3,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Nire, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
PC Take, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Ikunta Maru
PB Showa Maru #5
ACM Shofuku Maru #2
TK Nikkoku Maru
AV Kunikawa Maru, Shell hits 7
AK Aratama Maru
AKE Keiyo Maru
AKE Kenyo Maru
PB Hakakisan Maru
PB Konsan Maru
PB Sansei Maru
PB Taikei Maru
xAK India Maru
xAK Ryuzan Maru
xAK Kiyoshima Maru
xAK Kotobuki Maru #5
xAK Kuraido Maru
xAK Otori Maru
xAK Sanura Maru
xAK Sakido Maru
xAK Shinkoku Maru
xAK Utide Maru
AKE Yosida Maru #1
xAKL Kaijo Maru #2
xAKL Tateyama Maru
xAKL Saiho Maru
xAKL Konsan Maru
xAP Hikawa Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hakone Maru
xAP Husimi Maru
xAP Suwa Maru
xAP Miike Maru
xAP Buenos Aires Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Shanghai Maru
E Yaeyama, Shell hits 5
AMc Iwate Maru #4
AMc Iwate Maru #5
AMc Takunan Maru #6
AMc Kamoi Maru #9, Shell hits 1
AMc Kujirono Maru
AMc Rumonoe Maru
AMc Uruppu Maru
xAK Shinai Maru
xAK Wazan Maru

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bush, Shell hits 1
DD Foote


Round 6: Another task force found.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Burma Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Holland Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Italy Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Ryoyo Maru
xAK Hoeisan Maru
xAK Ryuun Maru
xAK Aki Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Toyu Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Ueizuru Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire
PB Kaito Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
PB Fukkai Maru, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Taijin Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bush
DD Foote


Round 7: I-31 sinks previously undamaged DD Harrison
Sub attack near Rabaul at 106,125

Japanese Ships
SS I-31, hits 10 (one good hit but won't sink her)

Allied Ships
DD Harrison, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage (Sunk)
DD Schroeder


Quite fun to watch. The Fletchers do well, but so do the enemy mines. DD Harrison is sunk outright by the sub torpedo. DD Dyson is gravely damaged, and is almost surely going to sink. But I will try to get her home. She's moving just one hex a day, and has damage of SYS 25/FLOT 90-69/ENG 34-29/FIRE 0. 4 days or so just to get to Torokina, if I take the base by then. Very doubtful. The 2 other damaged destroyers are DD Terry SYS 33/FLOT 35-22/ENG 2-0/FIRE 0, and DD Thatcher SYS 33/FLOT 37-13/ENG 5/FIRE 0. All destroyers, including those undamaged in the fight but somewhat damaged in the full speed run, will eventually go to Sydney for repairs.


Elsewhere, Torokina is bombarded and bombed. Near Torokina, subchasers sink I-174. The ground attack goes well, with 2 to 1 odds, lowering the forts from 4 to 3. Losses are light, with 187 enemy and 67 friendly. We attack again today.

A maximum air effort against Mandalay goes badly. The weather is severe storms. P-47s, then P-39s, then P-40s sweep, finding a CAP of about 45 Zeros and 45 Oscars. The Allies do poorly, even the Thunderbolts. Bombers come in after, taking heavy losses and doing only moderate damage to the airfield in the bad weather. Total air losses are 12 P-40s, 12 P-47s, 9 P-39s, and 12 B-24s. Enemy losses are 11 Zeros and 7 Oscars.

In the battle hex north of Akyab, a deliberate attack goes at 1 to 2 odds. 354 enemy losses to 916 friendly. Need to rest a bit. 2 units are being rotated back to Cox's Bazar, and 2 fresh infantry units leave Chittagong to reinforce. Today BB Resolution, unspotted in the Indian Ocean, will bombard Akyab.

At Manado, a US ground attack goes well, going at 1 to 1 odds and lowering the forts to 0. Heavy enemy losses at 1770, with 210 friendly. This base is about to fall. We attack again.

Invasion shipping for Balikpapan will get close to Makassar today, so the run in to the invasion beaches start tomorrow.

[BBfanboy]

I thought that raid on Rabaul might be interesting & it exceeded my expectations by a long shot.
Good move - well done!