Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice)

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: A few reinforcement/supply TFs are accompanying DS. A few are sailing independently. This one came over from Timor, by flank speed to catch up. Most of the fleet sailed from Darwin.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: This small enemy DD TF is tuckered out from prior activities.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: Inconclusive clash.

Ternate was the closest base to create PT boats. Here they're operating at extreme range, with Boela (no fuel) set as the home port. An AO TF is inbound - dangerous waters but the vortex to the front should lower the risk considerably.

I typically use PTs in 6-boat TFs but here got lazy - I did this at the very end of a turn in which I'd already done 5,000 clicks. And I have't noticed that there's any difference in performance, or I'd have gritted my teeth and made smaller TFs. PT boats pretty much don't do anything, most of the time.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: But if the PTs distract MTBs, mission accomplished.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: The night phase ends, DS appears to be in position due south of Ternate, and the a.m. search phase begins.

Japanese search aircraft take the air first and generate messages like this one. And then more. And then many more. And then vastly more. Not the usual dozen or two. Scores. Maybe even many score?

The Allied search aircraft then report that KB is a hex south of Ternate, so Dave didn't withdraw! Enemy CAP downs Allied search aircraft - the usual 10 or 15 or 20.

By the end of the afternoon search phase, I'm scratching my head thinking, Did Japan lose 10 score patrol aircraft?

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: No strikes by either side during the morning. Weather, I presume.

In the evening, the Allies sortie first - a sizeable strike faces CAP of 400+ Zeroes (that's a lot because I think KB has about 800 aircraft total). The Allied aircraft get chewed up. Mauled. Only a few strikers get through. They don't register any hits.

[Canoerebel]

It's encouraging that only Zeroes are on CAP. Enemy airfields must be in a pretty bad way. (This battle wouldn't have taken place if Sorong's level 8 airfield was still operational - I wouldn't have dared.)

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: Second large Allied raid, and it gets chewed up two. Enough torpedo bombers get through to score some hits on CVL Zuiho.

There are no enemy counterstrikes, neither LBA nor KB.

Apparently, Dave had his carriers rigged for defense only. This is a change - I haven't seen him do this before. I have seen John III do it a few times.

I had DS configured primarily for defense. Partly that's because DS is heavily CVE oriented, so it simply doesn't have much capacity for strike aircraft. On the one hand, I lament that there weren't more strike aircraft to get after his ships. On the other, I'm glad that my fighter corps will still be in good shape (I think), so that DS needn't retire. This campaign is more about rescuing Ternate than anything else.

This leaves me with one question: Was Dave being clever or desperate?

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: The second, and last, ASW vs. sub action of the day. Both ended well but I'd expected many more.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: Allied take heavy air losses. DS strike aircraft are gutted - there's no offensive capability left.

But enemy air losses are nearly as high - all from search aircraft downed by CAP. I've never seen this before.

All enemy air destroyed on the ground is LBA - I don't think Zuiho went under.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: Map shows deployment at the end of the day.

DS split during the turn, but it didn't bite the carrier TFs because Dave was rigged for defense.

I assume DAve intended to gut DS's aircraft numbers, thus forcing it to retire and/or giving him a crack at it the next turn.

Whatever his plan was, I don't think it worked out the way he wanted. After considering the information and viewing the map, I think he'll most likely withdraw KB.

DS will remain on station, to allow some of the troop transports and supply ships to catch up, to absorb any possible attacks by enemy air or combat vessels tomorrow, to see if he retires, and to permit the relief of Ternate if things work out okay.

I spend a lot of time working with DS aircraft squadrons, shifting the remaining strikers to ASW duty and beefing CAP considerably.

While all this is going on forward, engineers and base forces land at Boela. They'll have the airfield up and running shortly. It's level 4, so it can lend a hand.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: But if the PTs distract MTBs, mission accomplished.

In addition to distracting, your radar-equipped PTs will raise the DL on the MTBs and enable your ships to hunt/avoid them as their TF type dictates.

[BBfanboy]

The only explanation I can imagine for all those KB strike aircraft being on search missions is ASW work. KB has been parked in the same area to cover his reinforcements coming in and your subs are all over the area. Detecting your subs would be a very high priority for him, to protect his carriers and transports.

EDIT: PS - he may also have thought your ships were headed to invade Sorong.

[Canoerebel]

I do think he wondered if Sorong was the target, but the configuration of his subs and the taut situation at Ternate probably had him focused there (I think).

It was a weird battle. It's possible he mis-set orders for this search aircraft. Or possibly he had them limited in range to handle ASW (as you suggest) while (as he figured it) DS was still approaching. I had the CVE TFs set to flank speed so that DS would move more quickly and further than is usually the case. Perhaps that caught him by surprise.

Yes, that has to be it.

The Allies ended up splitting a big carrier battle (in effect) without losing any ships or expending sorties or AA ammo. DS can remain on station. I bet KB retires.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

The Allies ended up splitting a big carrier battle (in effect) without losing any ships or expending sorties or AA ammo. DS can remain on station. I bet KB retires.

You've made a plausible case, and I can't argue against it. But this is one hell of a high stakes poker game.

[Canoerebel]

Information is everything.

Since the last carrier battle, Dave has lost CV Akagi (in port, Soerbaja). CV Zuikaku took two torps. And now CVL Zuiho has taken two. KB seems currently configured with about 800 aircraft.

DS is light on strike aircraft but uber strong on fighters, with more than 1k. In addition, the Allied combat fleet is immensely strong.

The one thing always in the back of my mind: I haven't seen Yamato or Musashi yet. Are they nearby or did Dave postpone them to put everything into his carriers (can you even postpone Yamato?).

[Canoerebel]

6/18/44

Battle of Ternate: A new turn begins. This is the opening screen, after a couple of react messages between Sorong and Boela. Confined waters with a heckuva lot of TFs for both sides.

[USSAmerica]

[Canoerebel]

[:)]

[Canoerebel]

6/18/44

Battle of Ternate: These DMs have orders to sow mines at the friendly dot hex. Both sides have used that strait for key forays. Probably this little altercation will halt said sowing.

P.S. These are dangerous waters for vulnerable ships but there are times when it makes sense to force an issue. I held the DMs back yesterday and thought there might be a window today.