Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI

[Bif1961]

If at first you don't succeed, hit reset.

[Energisteron]

Apologies, BBf : I meant useful NOT usual! I will move ground air support around if I can.

Bif : Life's not like that! Even if this goes wrong again quickly, I'll still play it to a conclusion.

Now to escape those darned Mavis's prying eyes!

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 05

There were no surprises. The Japanese invasion heads towards Milne Bay observed by our Subs ordered to concentrate nearby and by Catalinas flying from Port Moresby. The Subs were unable to make an attack due to the remarkably efficient vigilance of DDs Yayoi and Mutsuki which were in the vanguard. Subs S-38 and SS-44 were attacked but escaped unscathed.

The leading TF appears to consist of CLs and DD escorts and possibly one Assault Ship Transport. About 80 NM rearward and following exactly the same course would appear to be the main Invasion TF consisting of several Transports and Escorts including Minesweepers. There was no sight of any Carrier aircraft all day.

Our Carriers link up and continue to head west before heading up the coast towards Cairns and Cooktown. Bad weather throughout the operational zone permits us to escape detection by the Mavis spotters from Tulagi. But, the Australian Surface Combat TF is located and shadowed all day but no attack results. It will feign withdrawal overnight but may strike at Tulagi next night if in a position to do so.

The Oilers move further away, one towards Cairns and one back to Brisbane. However, both are under surveillance by Mavis spotters.

On land, air and air ground support (what little there is) is reorganised to concentrate on the northern bases, Cooktown, Cairns and Townsville. Cooktown is now home to our best land-based fighters, Warhawks, which will make a further leap forward to Port Moresby in days to come. Brisbane is stripped of its fighters which move up to Townsville.

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 06

Bang! First blood to the enemy and then some more!

The Australian Surface Combat TF speeding SE after being detected late yesterday is kept under observation by spotter planes all through the night and then at dawn is attacked with devastating effect. A first wave of 17x Vals, 17x Kates and an escort of 11x Zeros does the job in minutes. CL Hobart is struck by a single bomb and its magazine explodes! CA Australia is slowed by a torpedo strike then set afire by several bomb hits before being abandoned as flood control fails. Even the DD Whipple is pursued and hit by 3 torpedoes which sink her rapidly. So, the Japanese took the bait, and gobbled it whole! Not quite our intention! Will there be any benefit from this diversion? Are the Japanese CVs too far off to prevent ours from hitting the Transports in the morning?

Our CVs reach their deployment zone near Cookstown with a good CAP of their own supplemented by land-based Warhawks. The Naval Search keeps the leading enemy TF under observation but an aerial attack is deliberately withheld, leaving the Wirraway Squadron at Port Moresby to attack. The Wirraways are met by 12x Zeros and badly mauled losing half their number. While the raid is underway, Nells from Rabaul make a successful attack on Port Moresby airfield rendering it temporarily inoperable. The returning Wirraways are forced to crash land nearby. The lucky pilots then find some bright shiny replacement aircraft have escaped damage in the raid and are ready for tomorrow. But are the pilots? Presumably, the Zero escort indicates another enemy Carrier is nearby. Time to kill it with some luck!

In view of the demise of the small Surface Combat TF, the CV Escorts will stay within the Air Combat TF and not be detached as planned.

[Yaab]

Wirraways!

They should have been left in PM as the last line of defence. Once the Jap Amphibious TF reaches PM you can set Wirraways to strafe at 100 feet against the ships. Wirraways have 2 CL MGs and will destroy/disable devices loaded on amphibious TFs. Every aircraft has its uses.

[BBfanboy]

The combat report notations (the part at the bottom after the combat results) should tell you which carriers were involved in the attacks on the Aussie TF and on the Wirraways. Chances are CVs Shokaku and Zuikaku went after the Aussies and CVL Shoho defended the invasion TF.

EDIT: Don't put too much emphasis on the larger invasion TF behind - that may be all the BFs, engineers and Air HQ troops while the lead invasion TF will have a high proportion of fighting troops.

[Energisteron]

Thanks for your timely advice, Yaab

I'm not sure anything will be flying out of Port Moresby very soon!

But, if possible, I'll give your trick a try.

[Energisteron]

I agree, BBf.

I suspect from the relative numbers of aircraft involved that there's a CVL near Milne Bay and the big CVs are much further east, possibly within the spotted TF just north of the sinkings of the poor Aussies.

Here's the Combat Report. It does not seem to indicate from which deck(s) the raid came. Then again we've not actually seen a CV in that area yet!

[Energisteron]

Situation - May 07

So, we must strike now!

Our CVs will make every effort to disable the Invasion TFs from their current position which will permit additional CAP from Cooktown. I believe we have adequate Naval Search cover from land-bases to keep an eye on the approach of the enemy CVs. We'll have to depend on our CAP to fend off any attacks from the suspected CVL and from the other CVs if they get within range - which won't be long!

The subs, since they've failed to stop the Invasion TFs, will attempt to form a cordon N-S then head east to observe or intercept the enemy CVs approach.

Port Moresby was due to get Warhawks via Cookstown but to send them across the channel now when the airfield is damaged could be futile. Port Moresby will just have to take what comes! Efforts to expand the airfield there are stopped as only 6% progress was made in 2 days.

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 07

The leading enemy TF (CL Yubari, DD Yayoi, DD Mutsuki, E Oite and E Asenage) bombards Port Moresby overnight to little effect. Our gunners only manage to fire 8 shells in return and we score no hits. When dawn comes there's been no landing and there's no sight of the enemy TF!

This is followed up with a brisk air raid by 17x Nells which is resisted by 3x Wildcats straying from our CVs LRCAP (for raids on the Transports). Damage is limited compared to yesterday and 1x Nell is shot down and two damaged for no loss to our aircraft.

Then we release our dragon! Our Naval Search aircraft detect the principal Invasion TF about 60 NM out from Port Moresby early in the morning light. A massive strike meets with no enemy CAP, which was fortunate because our fighter escort failed to show up, and proceeds to shred to enemy Transports, sinking 4 and damaging many others. The aircraft work well together with Dauntless dive-bombers scoring hits followed by the coup-de-grace by torpedo delivered by the aptly named Devastators. It is like a training exercise!

The raid is followed up very effectively in the afternoon without any intervention from the enemy. As our aircraft turn for home without loss, just one Transport remains undamaged with 4 more being sunk. To cap a fine day for us, SS-47 catches up with the wallowing enemy TF and puts a big fish in the side of the last undamaged Transport. What a fine day's work?

It's just great when things go well!!

Ok, so what do we do now? Worryingly, we've lost sight of their CVs completely. Where are they? What's their intention now the Transports have been destroyed? Retribution or retreat?

As I wrote at the beginning, we will continue to follow the 'Beatty principle'; keep our CV threat intact rather than using is and losing it! At least that's our intention!

[Yaab]

Congrats!

In this scenario Jap xAKs are more important than enemy CVs.

[Devonport]

Love your AAR's. Don't know about tactics, but shouldn't it be the Jellicoe Principle? [:)]

[Energisteron]

Thanks, Yaab. Totally agree. Now I must try to preserve my CVs without allowing the Japanese CVs to roam at will devastating the Australian coastal cities.

Thanks, Devonport. Apologies, indeed I believe you are correct! Jellicoe, it was, not Beatty or Fisher (or Nelson for that matter who would never have adopted it!). [:)]

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 08

A relatively quiet day follows. We lose contact with all enemy TFs excepting just a single ship near Port Moresby. Where are those Carriers?

Two Cruisers (CA Minneapolis, and New Orleans) are detached from the Carrier TF and sent in search of surviving Transports and the mystery vessel intervening between their position and Port Moresby. There is a brief sighting during the night but their prey eludes them. At dawn CM Tsugaru, carrying nearly 600 troops, is intercepted and pounded with 14 shell hits at 13k yards before she sinks. We sustain no hits.

The Carriers maintain their position and stance, with Search looking NE for any Transports, a substantial CAP above, and an LRCAP over the departing Cruisers and Port Moresby itself. Cooktown also provides an additional LRCAP of Warhawks. Naval Search finds nothing. Have all the Transports actually gone down or have they escaped overnight? Perhaps Tsugaru was the only survivor?

The LRCAP at Port Moresby deters another raid by 16x Nells from Rabaul which is heavily escorted by 34x Zeros! They're obviously spoiling for a fight but our Wildcats take no losses while destroying 1x Zero and 2x Nells. There is minimal damage.

Towards late afternoon Carrier spotter planes are noted by CA Minneapolis, and Lexington spots a 'dive-bomber' on recon duty. There are land-based search reports of lots of enemy submarines around Cooktown. Real or imaginary? We must step up our ASW patrols at the expense of search.

So, we've survived another day, but what does the enemy plan next?

[Energisteron]

Situation - May 09

While keeping a watchful eye on the approach of any additional enemy Transports, or worse still, their Carriers, we will replenish all ships at sea just north of Cooktown. Some Destroyers especially are getting low on fuel.

Three Subs will head east towards Tulagi. If they see the enemy Carriers so much the better.

Otherwise we may as well wait for the enemy's next move for the time being.

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 09

Very quiet except for the usual air strike on Port Moresby. Despite LRCAP from our Carriers the raid gets through and causes some damage. We take no aircraft losses.

The Cruisers successfully link up with the Carrier TF and all ships are refuelled. The Oiler will return to Brisbane for a top up!

Our 3x Subs out east near the Solomon Islands headed for Tulagi. Late in the day they spot an enemy Surface Combat TF (3x CA) heading west. What? Are they playing the same fishing game as we did? Cruisers for bait? Well we're not interested!

[Energisteron]

Situation - May 10

Except for the Sub Raid on Tulagi, we wait.

[Energisteron]

The Outcome - May 10

The quietest day by far!

No air raid on Port Moresby. No enemy spotter plane activity near Carriers.

There's just two incidents of note. Our Sub SS-44 reaches Tulagi and finds a small TF unloading. She survives the escort's attentions without a scratch. Two other subs are following-up.

An enemy sub is attacked by a Dauntless on ASW patrol about 80 NM north of our Carriers. The sub seems not to have been damaged. Meanwhile the Oiler proceeds southwards now with LRCAP from Townsville.

[BBfanboy]

Take note of the detection level on your subs during their search for the carriers. If any jump suddenly to 10/10, chances are there is an enemy carrier or two nearby.

I suspect since you have killed off the raîson d'être for the IJN carriers being there, I suspect they have RTB.

[Energisteron]

Hi BBf

Yes, I'd agree that seems likely. I will make some minor and cautious aggressive moves shortly.