More Variants - The Allies ride again - No xargun please

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:22 pm

November 19, 1942

A fun turn for me and probably a frustrating turn for Xargun.

At night in the air over Chittagong there were 4 raids against the airfield.
In total 99 G3M2 Nells and 14 G4M1 Betty bombers attacked.
16 Buffalos were on night CAP. The outcome is 1 airbase hit and 1 runway hit.
4 Nells were lost( 1 air-2-air, 1 flak and 2 ops)

Meanwhile a SCTF consisting of CA Astoria( Variant pick upgraded to Baltimore Class ) with 5 Fletcher DDs with
Arleigh Burke in command reacted from Torokina to Rabaul

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kohoku Maru, Shell hits 16, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
DD Hale
DD Doeing
DD Sherwood
DD Salcedo
DD Eccher

And then it reacted to Talasea

Day Time Surface Combat, near Talasea at 103,125, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB CHa-8, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
PB CHa-10, Shell hits 35, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
DD Hale
DD Doeing
DD Sherwood
DD Salcedo
DD Eccher

And retired home again after a good nights work.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:25 pm

November 20, 1942

Nothing happened.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:41 am

November 21, 1942

Lost an xAKL between Noumea and Northfolk Island.
I have sent ASW patrols to find the sub and destroy it.

Xargun sent sweepers and bombers to Akyab. He slowed construction
but all damage was repaired by the end of day. He lost 11 aircraft in the operation
6 to flak and 5 to ops.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:41 pm

November 22, 1942

SS Snapper found a working Mk-14

Sub attack near Truk at 110,111

Japanese Ships
PB CHa-6, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Snapper

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

SS Snapper launches 2 torpedoes
Sub escapes detection

A different SCTF reacts from Torokina, first to Rabaul

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB CHa-14, Shell hits 34, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Trenton
CL Marblehead
CL St. Louis
CL Helena
CL Honolulu
DD Henley
DD Patterson
DD Benham
DD Ellet
DD Wilson
DD Selfridge

and then to New Hanover Island

Night Time Surface Combat, near New Hanover Island at 105,122, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB CHa-9, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Trenton
CL Marblehead
CL St. Louis
CL Helena
CL Honolulu
DD Henley
DD Patterson
DD Benham
DD Ellet
DD Wilson
DD Selfridge

Japanese ground losses:
151 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (6 destroyed, 21 disabled)

And then 3 waves of fighters and bombers attack Akyab
24 Sally and 81 Hellen bombers attack the port and airfield. They did
minor damage, they did not stop construction, they did slow it some.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Aug 10, 2022 7:35 pm

November 23, 1942

Not much. A number of Nell and Betty bombers did a night bombing raid of Calcutta.
A couple of damaged aircraft and a runway hit.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 1:13 am

November 24, 1942

5 waves of night bombing of Calcutta.
4 Nells were lost, 3 air-2-air by a squadron of Hurricanes and 1 ops.
No Allied aircraft were harmed, and only a couple of airfield hits were made.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 1:59 pm

November 25, 1942

I sent waves of B-25C bombers to Rabaul to close the airfield and attack supply.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 5:47 pm

November 26, 1942

More waves of medium bombers bombed Rabaul after numerous waves of Corsairs swept the base.

That's all folks.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 7:39 pm

November 27, 1942

Same as yesterday, fighters and bombers over Rabaul

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:30 pm

November 28, 1942

Bad weather limited the strikes at Rabaul and limited the effects. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear skies.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:53 am

November 29, 1942

I guess because my fighters were grounded for two turn by weather, Xargun put up some
LRCAP over Rabaul. We shot down 3 Tojos. And bombed Rabaul.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:33 pm

November 30, 1942

I changed sweeps and bombing to Kavieng. recon shows some fighters there.
No CAP was present and no aircraft were hit on the ground. I will try again.

I detected a CA/DD TF that seems to have moved from Rangoon toward Akyab or Cox's Bazar.

ASW attack near Rangoon at 53,55

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Chokai
DD Yugure
DD Wakaba
DD Hamakaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
SS KXV, hits 1
==========================
ASW attack near Bassein at 51,52

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Chokai
DD Yugure
DD Wakaba
DD Kagero
DD Tachikaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
SS KVIII

Same ships moving North. I have move all aircraft from the two bases and am retreating the two
merchant TFs in the area.
I also sent a fairly large CL/DD TF to Akyab and my MTB TF to Cox's Bazar. We will see what happens

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:31 pm

December 1, 1942

Sweeps and bombing at Kavieng, not much there, a Tojo destroyed on the ground.

A B-25B squadron tried a mast level bombing attack off the Burmese coast, with
no success.

CV Wasp was hit by a torpedo SE of Rabaul, not too damaged, 21 Float and 2 system damage.
I have an ARD a few turns out of Lunga. Wasp will stay on station for a bit, the DS is going
to help protect the Rabaul invasion that set sail today.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:09 pm

December 2, 1942

I am still tracking the IJN CA/DD TF SW of Akyab. I have a number of Dutch and British subs vectored to nearby locations.

A lot of subs detected South of Rabaul, only one was attacked and damaged, no direct hits reported.

Troops will land at Rabaul next turn.

Sweeps and ground unit attacks at Rabaul in preparation. I have a number of TFs that will be doing Naval bombardment
attacks in the next days.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:27 am

December 3, 1942

Stupid move 9,999. Send in a CV Escort mission to Rabaul with 4 CVEs all with fighters, but leave the fighters on training.
It did not cost much, but it is a stupid move.
A CA and a xAP took torpedo hits, I think both will make it.
Flak brought down 6 Nell bombers and 2 more were lost to ops
I realize that Xargun could be a bit frustrated, I now realize that there were in total 105 Nell bombers in the 4 waves of attacks
and only two hits by torpedoes.

I landed the 1st Marine Division, most of the 1st Amphibious Corps HQ and most of the 763rd Tank Bn. I will unload more
today and go back and pick up another division and more Tank Bns and a combat engineer Regiment.
I only have a few APAs at this time, so I am doing this in shuttles. I have a very large( 9 BB and 14 DD) Naval bombardment attack
scheduled for tonight. That should be a wake up.

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 16143 troops, 138 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 678

Defending force 15577 troops, 290 guns, 245 vehicles, Assault Value = 467

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

Assaulting units:
4th Division
41st Naval Guard Unit
52nd Naval Guard Unit
11th Air Fleet
2nd JAAF Base Force
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
2nd Base Force
36th JNAF AF Unit
7th Naval Construction Battalion
35th JNAF AF Unit
10th Special Base Force
22nd Special Base Force
37th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
1st Marine Division
763rd Tank Bn /4
I US Amphib Corps /3

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:38 pm

December 4, 1942

This is the only turn for today, Xargun is out of town for the day.

As he did last game, he created a number of MTBs at Rabaul. It looks like he created 6 and all 6 were sunk by my surface TFs.

A few sub sightings and ASW attacks. No confirmed kills, but at least two of the subs had reported direct hits on them.

The large Naval Bombardment

Night Naval bombardment of Rabaul at 106,125

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
BB South Dakota
BB Tennessee
BB California
BB Arizona
BB Oklahoma
BB Nevada
BB West Virginia
BB Maryland
DD Compare
DD Peasley
DD Power
DD Mutz
DD Morales
DD Deloser
DD Hughes
DD Meade
DD Gillespie
DD Gansevoort
DD Farenholt
DD O'Bannon
DD Chevalier
DD Fletcher

Japanese ground losses:
546 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 4 disabled

Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 79
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

BB Warspite firing at 4th Division
BB South Dakota firing at Rabaul
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Tennessee
BB Tennessee firing at Rabaul
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB California
BB California firing at 4th Division
BB Arizona firing at 4th Division
BB Oklahoma firing at 4th Division
BB Nevada firing at 4th Division
BB West Virginia firing at 4th Division
BB Maryland firing at 4th Division
DD Compare firing at 4th Division
DD Peasley firing at 4th Division
DD Power firing at Rabaul
DD Mutz firing at 4th Division
DD Morales firing at 4th Division
DD Deloser firing at 4th Division
DD Hughes firing at 4th Division
DD Meade firing at 4th Division
DD Gillespie firing at Rabaul
DD Gansevoort firing at Rabaul
DD Farenholt firing at 4th Division
DD O'Bannon firing at 4th Division
DD Chevalier firing at 4th Division
DD Fletcher firing at Rabaul

This TF returned to Shortlands and reloaded its ammo. It will hit the base again tonight.

I still have not seen KB in the area, not sure where it is.

I finished landing the 1st Amphibious Corps HQ and the 763rd Tank Bn. I have another Tank Bn landing tomorrow and
the APAs are returning to Shortlands to pick up the Americal Infantry Division.

Xargun flew a number of Nell bombers on night Naval Attack missions, they scored no hits.

It looks like he tried moving troop either into or out of Rabaul
It cost him.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:51 pm

December 5, 1942

Not a particularly good turn for the Allies.

CA Astoria took two more torpedo hits and is sunk.
An ASW TF reacted too far and ended up in range of Vals from Manus
and two DDs were sunk.
The Allies did manage to sink a PB, two SSX and 2 SS during the turn.
Another large Naval bombardment was conducted.
My APA amphibious TF is loading the Americal Division and a Combat Engineer Regiment at Shortlands.
They will be unloaded at Rabaul in three turns.

Night Naval attacks on ships at Rabaul did not net any hits for Japan.

Bombers again hit troops at Rabaul.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:13 am

December 6, 1942

Things are not getting much better at Rabaul for the Allies.
xAK Manoa hit some underwater rocks unloading at Rabaul and sank.
A minefield was detected and DD Sterett hit one of them and sank, we did sweep 33 mines and I have
a 4 x DMS minesweeper TF that just showed up there.

A smaller Naval Bombardment by a CA/DD TF

Night Naval bombardment of Rabaul at 106,125

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CA Quincy
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
CA New Orleans
DD Kortenaer
DD Arunta
DD Vampire
DD Voyager
DD Caldwell
DD Lardner
DD Lansdowne

Japanese ground losses:
240 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Airbase hits 8
Runway hits 25
Port hits 3

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Vincennes
CA Vincennes firing at 4th Division
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Quincy
CA Quincy firing at Rabaul
CA San Francisco firing at 4th Division
CA Minneapolis firing at 4th Division
CA New Orleans firing at Rabaul
DD Kortenaer firing at 4th Division
DD Arunta firing at 4th Division
DD Vampire firing at Rabaul
DD Voyager firing at 4th Division
DD Caldwell firing at 4th Division
DD Lardner firing at 4th Division
DD Lansdowne firing at 4th Division

All of my bombers attacked ground targets at Rabaul.

I knew that taking Rabaul at this time would be expensive, it is becoming a bit more expensive that I
thought it might be, but I did not want to wait for 4-5 months for more APAs and LSTs. It is taking longer
than I originally expected, but not much. I should start attacking at Rabaul in about 3 turns and I do not
think it will hold out long.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:44 pm

December 7, 1942

Another 89 mines swept at Rabaul. There is still a minefield symbol showing.

A BB/DD Naval Bombardment of Rabaul

Night Naval bombardment of Rabaul at 106,125

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
BB South Dakota
BB Tennessee
BB California
BB Arizona
BB Oklahoma
BB Nevada
BB West Virginia
BB Maryland
DD Compare
DD Peasley
DD Power
DD Mutz
DD Morales
DD Deloser
DD Hughes
DD Meade
DD Gillespie
DD Gansevoort
DD Farenholt
DD O'Bannon
DD Chevalier
DD Fletcher

Japanese ground losses:
434 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 58 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (4 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Airbase hits 11
Runway hits 57
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 3

BB Warspite firing at 4th Division
BB South Dakota firing at 4th Division
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Tennessee
BB Tennessee firing at Rabaul
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB California
BB California firing at 4th Division
BB Arizona firing at 4th Division
BB Oklahoma firing at Rabaul
BB Nevada firing at 4th Division
BB West Virginia firing at Rabaul
BB Maryland firing at 4th Division
DD Compare firing at Rabaul
DD Peasley firing at Rabaul
DD Power firing at 4th Division
DD Mutz firing at 4th Division
DD Morales firing at 4th Division
DD Deloser firing at 4th Division
DD Hughes firing at 4th Division
DD Meade firing at 4th Division
DD Gillespie firing at 4th Division
DD Gansevoort firing at Rabaul
DD Farenholt firing at 4th Division
DD O'Bannon firing at 22nd Special Base Force
DD Chevalier firing at 4th Division
DD Fletcher firing at Rabaul

Portions of the Americal Division, the 37th Infantry Division, and the 34th Combat Engineer Regiment landed
along with parts of the 226th FA Bn and the 1st USMC Tank Bn. These have high fatigue and/or disruption so my first DA will
have to wait a turn or two.
I now have more AV than the Japanese do. A couple of turns more of heavy Naval Bombardment, aerial bombing, and getting my
units into better shape should be enough.

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Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 10:33 pm

December 8, 1942

Much of the same. A Naval Bombardment at Rabaul, many medium and heavy bombers attacking troops.

Unloaded more troops and I have decided to do a DA tomorrow. So I ordered up 4 Naval bombardments for tonight
and hopefully I will be successful. I do not think I will take the base, I expect it to have level 6 or higher forts,
but I am hoping I can lower the forts down one or two levels and kill more than I lose. The disruption of the enemy
troops should be high, and maybe supply will be a bit short.

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