I-80 border war: Condor vs. TabPub

[Shadow of the Condor]

7 April 43
Wx: Partly Cloudy

No combat today, and I wanted to post the score update as requested:

Japanese 12191, Allies 6493

Allied ship losses: CV x 5, CVE x 3, BB x 2, CA x 1, CL x 5, DD x 23, PG x 3, APD x 5, AV x 4, DMS x 2, MSW x 4, AO x 2, TK x 1, SS – 9 {7 S-boats}, PT x 23, SC x 11, AP x 20, AK x 37, LCI x 2, LST x 1, LCVP x 1

IJN ship losses: CV x 1, BB x 1, AV x 1, CA x 3, CL x 2, DD x 13, MSW x 7, SS x 7, AP x 14, AG x 1

Allied planes lost: 1407. "Major" plane types... – F4F-4 Wildcat 229, SBD Dauntless: 269, C-47 Dakota: 106, P-38G Lightning 84, B-17 Fortress 87, PBY Catalina 79
Japanese planes lost: 1586. "Major" plane types... – A6M2 Zero – 403, A6M3 Zero 132, D3A Val – 258, B5N Kate – 267, G4M1 Betty – 225, G3M Nell – 60

Although no combat was reported, there was damage taken by an FT force as it entered the mined waters of Port Moresby. The destroyer Walke took 3 mine hits and will be out of the campaign if she makes port. The cruiser Australia took too hits, and two other destroyers took a mine hit each. In return for this damage, the FT TF unloaded an infantry regiment at Port Moresby, and they will begin bombardment attacks today. We’ll see if the recon was correct. The port had been listed as having 66 damage, and is now down to 55, so I suspect engineers are in there somewhere as well. A squadron of P-39Ds have moved into Lea Lea to “assist” the remaining infantry unit at Port Moresby with its travel plans.

Very tempting is to grab my paras and drop onto Buna. Seizing the northern end of the Kokoda trail would trap the Japanese infantry and armor from Lea Lea currently moving north on the trail. I fought that back, because although no infantry units are reported at Buna, my paras and Marine Raiders are in no shape for the trip. Impulsive moves cost me a good portion of the shipping I lost (and my opponent was quick to cash in on every opening I gave him [&o]). No need to get cute now.

As to the reorganization of the Lunga/Tulagi bases, I’ve decided to leave the four divisions there. The Americal will move over and garrison Tulagi, while the 43rd and the two Marine divisions will rest at Lunga. Supplies are beginning to pile in at Lunga (over 7000 now) and the assault values of the combat troops have been climbing for the past week, so they are fine where they are. SBDs and fighter bombers have also moved in. FB attacks on the remnant Japanese troops at Taivu and Tassafaronga begin tomorrow. The 25th is still a reserve force, as is the newly arrived 37th at Noumea.

More damaged ships sent back to PH, and more ships have been released as a result. Commitment level remains at High.

As to the loss of the carriers, the truth of the matter is I’m still learning how to not get them shot to hell every time I use them in an operation. At this point of the game, however, they aren’t critical, as my foothold in the Solomons and New Guinea guarantee multiple bases from which to launch strikes. If I still had them I’d probably send them back to PH. It’s hard to tell. What isn’t hard to tell is that the 8 carriers lost are responsible for almost 2000 points of my deficit on their own.

The operation to retake Port Moresby is on. Hopefully I can conclude it quickly, and have my two springboard bases (Port Moresby and Lunga) fully ready for the next operations by May.

And now, back to the story...

[Shadow of the Condor]

7 Apr 43
Wx: Partly Cloudy

0759L…Noumea harbor…

In just a few minutes, the assembled ships would sail away. Men gathered on the decks and watched the Australian minesweeper Launceton as she began the slow journey back to Pearl Harbor. The twisted deck of the little ship attested to the fury of an enemy who was being driven back to the north - driven back, to be sure; but not defenseless. The men wondered at what awaited them as they began to assume their part in the days to follow…

1106L…onboard USS Walke…240 miles SSE of Port Moresby…

Long since left alone, Commander Fraser, 15 officers and the 235 men of the DD-416 inched their way south and to the protective waters of Australia. In the war for almost a year, they were one of the most experienced crews in the theater. They had delivered an infantry regiment to Port Moresby and struck three mines on their way in. The flooding they caused was still a problem, but at least the fires were out. Two of the ship’s boilers were not operational, and the ship’s speed suffered. The men in the engine room worked feverishly to get them repaired. They knew their fate was tied to the speed the ship could make; and their speed was all contingent on how long the remaining boiler could hold out. Amazingly, no air attacks meant that the ship and her crew would stay alive at least one more day. Reports of a Japanese submarine outside of Lea Lea had Fraser a bit concerned, but he doubted a Japanese sub captain would waste a precious load of torpedoes on a cripple such as his ship. Still, his radio operators kept transmitting their status reports, and a PBY was scheduled to overfly them twice a day until they were back in port. Fraser hoped that’s all the PBY would be needed for…

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/07/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Tassafaronga , at 37,39


Allied aircraft
P-70A Havoc x 6


no losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 16th Naval Pioneer Battalion, at 37,39


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 20
A-20G Boston x 9


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 22

Attacking Level Bombers:
9 x A-20G Boston at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 16th Naval Pioneer Battalion, at 37,39


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 16
P-38G Lightning x 21


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 13


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[toraq]

Thx for the casualities report. I think it has been a painful post. Many losses, especially the carrier ones. I´ve lost 3 CV also. It seems there is no way to avoid a CV disaster for the USN.
Keep going, as I´m sure there will be better times in the future
Good luck

[Shadow of the Condor]

11 Apr 43
Wx: Partly Cloudy

0319L…Irau harbor…

The delay had proven costly. The arrival of the new P-70A Havoc nightfighters with their radar systems had been scheduled to arrive today, but storms had delayed them one day. It was just enough time for 6 Japanese bombers to make a port attack. One bomb started a fire that spread to a generator station and shut down power to the pumps working to salvage an American cargo ship. With no pumps working, the ship continued to take on water from the damage inflicted during her run to Lunga and she sank in the harbor. The destroyer Radford was also unlucky as she took a bomb hit directly on her deck. The men worked throughout the night to quench the fires, and wondered about the amount of luck that worked against them this night…

0729L…158th Regiment command post…Port Moresby…New Guinea…

Lieutenant Colonel Livingston of the 1st Australian Pioneer battalion arrived and reported to the commander of the 158th US Army infantry regiment, Colonel Herndon. They began reviewing the deployment for the rest of the infantry forces expected to arrive tomorrow. With only a limited amount of power at their disposal, they were content with small artillery barrages to continue to wear down the Japanese troops, identified now as the 80th Infantry Regiment. Reports from scout patrols indicated these last defenders were also trying to leave the base as well. Within 24 hours, enough combat troops would arrive to make their departure a certainty and the base proper to once again be claimed by the Allies in their drive north…

1417L…30 miles SW of Rabaul…onboard USS Silversides…

"and......fire!”

Six torpedoes sped away, towards the Japanese warship now that had been the focus of a hunt that combined raw nerves and mathematical precision in such a manner as to wear down even the most hardened of combat veterans. Almost twenty minutes later, after a single explosion and no other noise of destroyers coming towards him, Commander Burlingame raised the periscope again and trained it aft. Silversides was clearing the area, but the captain reported to all hands that the Japanese ship – probably a cruiser – was now on fire and almost dead in the water. With only two torpedo loads left and deep in enemy waters, it was time to head home while a new boat would move in to take her place. Reports for the past ten days showed lots of shipping activity between the Shortlands and Rabaul, and Silversides had just punctuated that report with an exclamation point. Rabaul was going to be the Japanese stronghold as they tried to hold on to a presence in the South Pacific, and American submarines were beginning to take up stations around the area to begin the long process of laying siege to the base by choking off her supply lines…

The CR:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/11/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Irau , at 42,43

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Radford, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Port fuel hits 1

Attacking Level Bombers:
6 x G4M1 Betty at 4000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 16th Naval Pioneer Battalion, at 37,39


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 44
P-38G Lightning x 20


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 23


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 21,29

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Silversides


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2783 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 6861 troops, 83 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 10

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shadow of the Condor]

14 Apr 43
Wx: Overcast

0911L...Port Moresby...New Guinea...

Lance Corporal Allen was well hid in the stand of trees. He had been there for a total of four days. His job was to spot for the artillery fire that would precede any attack. He had noted the Japanese resistance at the base was weakening, and had observed trucks leaving the base headed north. Today, however was different. Using his spotting scope, he scanned the entire area for almost 20 minutes and then picked up the handset of the WS-9 radio set and called in...

The Japanese were gone.

2100L...briefing room...base operations building...Noumea, New Caledonia...

The briefing had long since been over, and the revealation that the Japanese had indeed abandoned Port Moresby was welcome news. A short-lived celebration was ended when Admiral Pye - as he did after the recapture of Lunga - told the assembled group that it was time for another force assessment in the Coral Sea. The time to push north was approaching.

2109L...Garbutt airbase...Townsville...Queensland,Australia...

The first to depart were the airbase support personnel. They streamed onto the C47s parked in row after row. Over 140 planes waited to get the 117th Base Force to Port Moresby. They would hit the ground running, as airstrikes against the Japanese on the Kokoda Trail were about to get started...

The CR:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/14/43

Weather: Overcast

Air attack on 19th Naval Pioneer Battalion, at 37,39 (at Tassafaronga from Lunga)


Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 23
P-38G Lightning x 18


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 36


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 36072 troops, 293 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 528 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied forces CAPTURE Port Moresby base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shadow of the Condor]

17 Apr 43
Wx: Partly Cloudy

0711L…near Kokoda village…

The ungainly aircraft swept low over the enemy troops. The Hudsons had already dropped their bombs, but the American bombers strafed the jungle, tearing it apart. On their second pass, each plane dropped twenty small parachutes from honeycomb racks under their wings. Each parachute looked like a small white mushroom, no more than eighteen inches in diameter. Under each parachute was a 23-pound bomb. These bombs made no noise until they hit the ground and started to explode. Men died, and supplies were destroyed. And the “safety” of Buna was still miles away through very inhospitable terrain…

0813L…over Dobadura airbase…

The Oscars flying CAP over the Japanese base rose to meet the attackers. Over forty heavy bombers approached the base. Four B-17s did take damage, but the reality of it was the fighters couldn’t prevent the planes from dropping their bombs and returning to Australia. On the ground, four parked fighters were destroyed, and a larger number were damaged. With no anti-aircraft fire to hamper them, the American bombardiers were quite accurate. The damage to the base was almost enough to close it.

0942L…60 miles SE of Lae harbor…

The PBY report of transport ships between Lae and Buna was accurate. The squadron of Australian Beaufort torpedo bombers broke into groups of three, and launched their attack. One group was destroyed by accurate AA fire without dropping a single torpedo. No hits were scored, and the Beauforts limped back to Port Moresby, unaware of the success they actually scored…

0944L…60 miles SE of Lae harbor…

The carrier air wing was intact. With 22 fighters for escort, two SBD and one TBF squadrons followed up the Beauforts. This time, however, the results were different. Anti-aircraft gunners weren’t training their weapons on slow moving planes coming in level. The dive-bombers nosed over from 17,000 feet and began to score hits on the transports. Then the Avenger torpedo planes came in and scored – one hit was on a light cruiser.

1800L…briefing room…base operations building…Noumea, New Caledonia…

The photographs included in the briefing showed enemy troop deployments in and around New Guinea. Condor wanted to keep pushing the Japanese north, and was already looking hard at bases on the north side of the island. There were advocates to taking Gili Gili first, and reconnaissance flights were made to establish what would oppose the Allies if they tried to land there. The initial numbers looked good, as only a single infantry unit was there, probably not even a regiment. One division could easily take the base – if they could sail there undetected. And that was a big if.

Meanwhile, in the Solomons, the Americal Division was settling in at Tulagi. Improvements to the base were already underway. Nobody expected the Japanese to try and take it back, but that was no reason to stop working…

The CR:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/17/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Southeast Fleet , at 11,39 (on the Kokoda Trail)


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 27
B-25J Mitchell x 8


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 20

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 100 feet
8 x Hudson at 6000 feet
1 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
5 x B-25J Mitchell at 100 feet
9 x Hudson at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Lae , at 9,33

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 6

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 11
A-20G Boston x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe x 2 destroyed


Runway hits 2

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x A-20G Boston at 20000 feet
3 x A-20G Boston at 20000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Dobadura , at 13,38

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 23

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 26
B-24D Liberator x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 23

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 34

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
Beaufort x 9


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort x 3 destroyed
Beaufort x 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
AP Nankai Maru
DD Yudachi

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x Beaufort at 200 feet
0 x Beaufort at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort at 200 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22
SBD Dauntless x 36
TBF Avenger x 18


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 2 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 2 damaged
TBF Avenger x 4 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 12 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Miike Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Ushio
AP Goyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Teia Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
CL Naka, Torpedo hits 1
DD Nenohi
AP Kumagawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
TBF Avenger x 8


Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 1 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Miike Maru, on fire
AP Syoka Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 10
B5N Kate x 10

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe x 4 destroyed
B5N Kate x 2 destroyed
B5N Kate x 7 damaged


CPT R. Mchale of 8th FS is credited with kill number 5

Allied Ships
DMS Hamilton
AK Trianglum, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Brevard


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
Beaufort x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort x 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Syoka Maru, on fire

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x Beaufort at 200 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 21
SBD Dauntless x 28
TBF Avenger x 6


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 5 damaged
TBF Avenger x 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Nenohi
DD Murasame, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Aki Maru
AP Nankai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Brazil Maru
AP Nagara Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,35


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
Beaufort x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 5


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort x 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AP Miike Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x Beaufort at 200 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 4
B5N Kate x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe x 1 destroyed
B5N Kate x 4 damaged


CPT C. Taylor of 8th FS is credited with kill number 2

Allied Ships
DD Fanning


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shadow of the Condor]

24 Apr 43
Wx: Overcast

The Japanese launched a very large strike against Port Moresby a couple of days ago. The base is just now returning to normal flight operations. Bombers from the three carriers in the area, Dobadura, Buna, Lae, and Rabaul all coordinated their strikes and really laid waste to the base. The cost to the Japanese, however was considerable. 40+ planes were lost, almost all of them fighters.

The Solomons responded yesterday with a strike from Irau and Lunga against the Shortlands base, concentrating on the dockyards. Three barges were sunk, and an APD took 4 bombs (according to the pilots – I’d say no more than two hit it) and an AP also took a 500 lb bomb. Lightnings flew escort, and took their share of the enemy CAP – 8 enemy fighters lost for two Lightnings.

I’ve decided on a fundamental tactics shift for the future operations. More on that later.

In a few days, I will be out of town (in Wisconsin) for the New Year’s. Coincidentally, those four days have been scheduled for peace talks, which will probably fail. <grin>

The CR:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/24/43

Weather: Overcast

Sub attack near Shortland Island at 29,34

Allied Ships
SS Sailfish


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Shortland Island , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
A6M3 Zero x 19

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 39
B-17E Fortress x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 4 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning x 2 destroyed
P-38G Lightning x 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress x 9 damaged

2LT J. Myers of 80th FS is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
APD 1, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kaihei Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AG 5052, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (sunk)
AG 122, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (sunk)
AG 5071, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (sunk)

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 41

Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

Attacking Level Bombers:
6 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 2nd Engineer Regiment, at 37,39


Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIC x 24
P-39D Airacobra x 45
P-38G Lightning x 15


no losses

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 8


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shadow of the Condor]

A short delay as secret negotiations in a capitalist resort complex in Wisconsin known as Lake Geneva begin today......Next update will be on 2-3 Jan...

[marky]

from the lack of updates

perhaps peace talked SUCCEEDED? [X(]

[:D]

[Shadow of the Condor]

A very belated hi to everyone!. My opponent is in the process of moving and we will not have any more turns until around the 1st of the month. The peace talks (fortunately [:D]) did not succeed and hostilities recommenced, but a save game problem cost us about a week's worth of time. We got a few turns in after that and then the news about moving. Let me bring everyone up to speed on what's happened.

Port Moresby is back in the hands of the good guys, as are both Lunga and Tulagi. Fleet strength is beginning to improve, and the production gates of the US are wide open. It's the end of April, 1943 and sights are being set further north as the Japanese presence in the area begins to wane.

So please be patient and we will have more installments on the way. [:)]

Phil

[Shadow of the Condor]

Still hanging in there, as tabpub is still having connectivity probs - apparently where he moved to was supposed to be DSL ready but he found out it wasn't - and he had to try a dial-up account - which (of course) isn't working. So keep them fingers crossed!

Phil

[Shadow of the Condor]

The prospects of continuing the game/AAR aren't looking too good for now. Perhaps we will be able to pick it up again or start a new one. Thanks for all of the comments and encouragement!

Phil