herbie goes bananas again

[1275psi]

The first thing to realize is how long I have been playing wobbly - he is tricky

So, this PM invasion - is it the real thing?
9 aks, 9 aps, and 2 CVE
is that it?
Well i reckon its a trap to invite KB down to play
And a lot of this turn seems to confirm some tricky stuff is up.
More MSW in PM, lots more
Some ships south of PM, more or returnies?
HUGE airstrike on lunga
20 helen, 21 oscar,11 tony over PM
NO CAP????
B17s hit buna shipping - maybe after bigger game?
19 val, 16 kate attack, no cap
16 kate,21 oscars
14 val
all up 3 ak hit? one at least twice, and 2 aps sunk ? (FOG of war)
Sunk an MSW as well
And only 1 lousy regiment landed
We shock attack tomorrow

I send a BB TF to munda, and a 2 CA one to munda, all under heavy lrcap
KB and the 2 divisions will travel down the slot.
He is being a sneaky guy, hopefully too clever by half
Thunderstorms tomorrow.

[1275psi]

Our friendship is finished
I told Wobbly that his "invasion of PM" was only a diversion
He said - no, its a farce
I said "Arse"
Wobbly try to be tricky - never[:'(]

11/2/43
MSWs PM again
MSWs Irau !!![:D][:D][:D]
So many MSW operating at irau the replay takes forever
Kingfishers sighted at irau
CVs at irau
APs south of Irau
Some strikes on shipping at Buna
SO, the BBs are in good position thanks to yesterdays orders. ATTACK!!!!

Beufighters attack barges near irau
I shock attack at PM, and kill 497 men, he runs away
Tonight hell will explode!!


12/2/42
1st naval battle of Irau[:D]
There will be many more too[:@][:@]
The invasion of irau begins, I wish I knew how many hits the coastal guns gave out, but they were not suppressed.
The reports just kept coming, and coming (bit like the indians)

tanaka attacks!!
CA Kako, CA Mogami and 7 dd encounter BB Colorado and Tenessee, 2 CL and 10 DD
His gunnery is good, and he hits 2 DDs with torps
Come on tanaka, do your stuff
Colorado long lanced, and tenessee Long Lanced
Then Colorado wears 2 more torpedos

Tanaka has done his job!
The battle is as viscous as any i have seen.
magami is crippled and crawls away, kako is 20 system
All 7 DD will be lost[:(]

BB Kirishima, guided by the fires, with sendai home in on the action
Its beautiful to watch[:)][:)][:)]
Kirishima directs salvos of 14 inch shells into Colorado
She does not sink, but she's finished for the game[:D]
Kirishima gets away scott free, sendai badly damaged, 3 more dds are sunk, or will

I claim 5 dd leave the battle burning

As the ships leave, more task forces are encounterd.
CA chicago, CL hobart are battled
Hobart sinks

What a day!
losses
I wince, nearly every dd I had is sunk or crippled (10)
mogami may sink, kako will be back.
Kirishima is unscathed

2 enemy BBs are out of the war, 1 may sink
he has a full division ashore. I have forts on 9, only 1 regiment defending

Tonight 2 BBs enter the fray, and the airforce will begin sweeping .

corsairs have been sighted!

after that, the cupboard is bare for at least a month.[8|]

[1275psi]

13/2/43
My batteries at irau pound away at his transports. Wobbly tells me that I have really hurt him there
A sub sinks one of my crippled DDs
18 Wildcats, 8 corsairs and 4 avengers attack the crippled mogami, a dud hit
some 6 regiments,all marines, 2 tank regiments, 2 engineer regiments, 1 coastal gun regiment, 3 see bee, 1 base force and 1 HQ, vs my single regiment, and dregs.
The 3 coastal gun units are doing well
His troops appear to be terribly disrupted, but the shock attack goes in
3 to 1, Forts to 5
I lost 313 men to his 824 men
Thunderstorms again!, Fuso and yamashiro remain undetected, they will arrive tonight. I can see at least 5 BBs awaiting them.

14/2/43
The second battle of IRAU
BBs yamarishio and Fuso , with CA Ashigaro and 5 DD encounter BB Maryland, CAs Vincennes CAs Wichita and Chester and 5 DD
Its a battle at 3000 yrds, and mostly both sides miss, I reckon Maryland gets the worst of it
Witchita scores a Long lance.
2 of my DDs are badly hurt
At 8000 yrds both sides get the range. Maryland is hit hard.
Both my BBs are hit many times, but this is what BBs can do, shrug of 8 inch and 5 inch shells
Its the DDs that suffer, 3 sink
At this stage I am pleased, the 2 BBs retire in pretty good shape
South Dakato and Indiana pound Irau
My fast transport group slips in drops off troops and gets out!
Then it went to custard[:(][:(][:@]
2 subs put a total of 5 torpedoes into both BBs.
From heros to zeros
fuso now 69/74/26
Yamashiro 7/51/12
ashigaro 37/8/8
And Mogami is scuttled
Indiana, North carolina and south dakato waste ammo on 4 AGs, then pound IRAU. the coastal guns do a good job on his escorts

His shock attack , 4 to 1 , forts to 0
Allies lost 1084 men to 518

So, to sum up
Im a goner!!!
The losses to my DDS are catastrophic, on map at the moment I have
2cv
1 cvl
1cve
2cs
BB kirishima
and about 12 DDs
That is it
I have 2 divisions at sea, level with Munda
No way I can get to irau now with them
decision, decisions.
I will place 1 division on Lunga, the rest of the troops will be delivered to Shortlands
All ships will clear the area, and await reinforcements.
Its up to the army now.

[1275psi]

Well the entertainment resumes after we both spend a weekend remembering a real war. (ANZAC day)
Today 1 AP and 2 AKs are reported sunk at irau, and a very slow convoy leaves the place, I wish I knew just how many ships I heavily damaged with the coastal guns.
Yamashiro dodges more sub torpedoes on the way home, but the fuso does not[:(][:(][:(][:(]

So the 2nd BB is lost for the war
The marines shock attack, and Irau falls
The entire herbie plan of defence has fallen like a pack of cards, another month and I would be OK, more ships returning to the theatre, and replacements are back to high

The plan is now to get a division onto lunga, and one into shortlands
It cost him dear to push aside one regiment with every marine he has got I think.
KB (or what there is of it is covering the convoy into lunga)

[1275psi]

The Wrath of WObbly

It begins, overnight the whole outlook changes
So many ships south of irau its almost solid green[8|]
27 zero and 35 oscar sweep irau, 11 p 38 intercept
1 zero, 5 oscar destroyed, 2 lightnings shot down
Then the wrath begins, beufighters and dauntlesses, already operating out of irau hit my convoy of troops coming in. 6 APs are burning, 1000 casos
The troops are scrambling to get ashore at tassafroga
KB this turn will set full LRCAP over the aps, as will some planes from munda
KB also attacked with a handful of kates - hitting an AK

the troops remaining on Irau are destroyed, half a regiment is in the jungle to the north, they actually have plenty of supplies

tactics
get troops ashore onto lunga, and shortlands
get KB the hell out
await a few more carriers
form fast transport groups
The emphasis is purely on escorting, getting supplies in, and resist, resist, resist.

[1275psi]

17/2/43
My CVs spotted at last, he has Cats at irau, now hiding becomes so much harder
I order them north
The convoy is not attacked, but probably will be tomorrow[:(][:(][:(], as I can only provide 1 sq of planes from munda tomorrow with kb retiring
75 B17, 24 B26, and 16 B24 hit lunga
7 lousy tonies achieve nothing
P 39s begin sinking gash barges

Im retiring the fleet (what is left of it), and praying that most of 41 division can get ashore at tassafroga
its going to be very, very nasty tomorrow I think

[1275psi]

18/2/43
a very quiet day, no action at all.
Im going to try for a betty strike against irau, move planes into munda

19/2/43
A very, very bad day
41 div trying to unload at tassafroga is hammered by , well, crikey, if it flies it hit me
oscars try their best, but are swatted aside
10 APs hit, 4 sink

56 nick, 15 betty attack, pathetic, 1 dud hit on a AK
Losses are heavy too, half the bombers die

20/2/43
remnants of troops at irau recieve treatment
the APs continue to get hammered, but troops ashore

Im re organising at truk
Every combat ship is gathering for a pep
talk!!!

lets get organised, and I need a new plan
Munda is heavily capped for tomorrow, lets see what is next!

[1275psi]

We grind our way on
Irau is firmly his, half a regiment of shattered survivors that I had forgotten about wandered back into the airfield hex.
Wobbly threw them back into the jungle quick smart
LBA drops bombs galore on the other troops in the area

I suppose I should try to rescue some[:(]
My massive fleet (not) of subs, all 5 of them are enroute to start getting some remnants out ( we will never abandon the defenders of nippon!!!)

Elsewhere I am simply trying to get all ships back to Truk
KB is growing again, and replacements are still on high. another 2 or 3 weeks and I might have a real force again

No sign of all the CAs i sent back coming south again though[:(]

Fleet currently consists of
1 CV TF - 1 cv, 1cvl, 1cve
1 fast transport - 1bb, 3 cs, 2 cl, 8dd
1 fast transport - 5 dd

and that is that, Im keeping wobbly at bay I think with smoke and mirrors

[1275psi]

Imposting from work, so notes, thus this from memory
About 3 days passed now since last post, Ive cleared all the shipping out.
3 sqs of zeros over munda had a brawl with p38s and light bombers, and it came out even
Subs score 1 ship
My port attack on cairns missed
His strike back at PM did not, buggar, a sq of nells trapped there now
Big news, heavies hit Munda today, and closed it.
Lunga closed. PM closed, Munda closed.
Not good is it[:'(]

Im trying to get supplies to lunga via 2 APDs, pathetic aint it
2 BBs sail from Truk, might as well use em while I have them

Wobbly is off line getting a new box I think, all the mail bounces[:(]

[Freddy Fudpucker]

Herb,

Just thought I'd post a reply to say that I'm still enjoying your AAR. [8D] It looks like your moves are grinding to a halt with so little surface power left. How much of his own hand do you think Wobbly might be holding back? If he was to unleash everything he has methinks you'd be in some serious doo-doo!

[1275psi]

serious doo doo!!!

now that is an understatement
several turns to report, wobbly turn to have computer problems ect


Well, this turn, DAAA< DAA!!!!, a sub of mine actuallysinks an allied ship near lunga, only a MSW, but, well....
Subs are trying to evaac troops from irau

next day
Gawd, a miracle, the same sub sinks an SC today !!!
pretty quiet
I try to be smart, and move a heap of betties and nells and planes into munda, put the lot into naval strike.....


28/2/43
And here is the result....


The sky goes black with heavy bombers over Munda, and destroy nearly 50 of my bombers on the ground.
50[X(][X(][X(]

A whole game of conservation, and in one turn it goes to pot.
Add the 27 nells getting chewed up at Port moresby (only 80 lba hit it today) - only 80 4 engine bombers[;)][8|], and my bombers are about doomed.

grrrr
Only good news is that replacements are on high, and KB is almost rebuilt.
The emporer wants to know when i will retake irau.
Time for a painful interview i think.[8D]

[1275psi]

A couple more days to post.
basically every time the weather clears, bombers in literally the 100's come and flatten something

today the bombers come over again, the fighters do go up, 45 zero, 13 oscars vs 20 P38 and 70 heavies

5 P38 damaged, maybe lost, 12 zeros shot down
50 of my bombers are wrecked on the ground at Munda.
I think the war really took a bad turn here.

1 cv, 1 cvl arrive truk


Next day, thunderstorms.
The engineers do well, and munda is opened, the dribs and drabs try to fly back to rabual, all of 10 bombers.
Over 100 are left behind

major defeat this
Only consolation is that the pilots are still available.

[1275psi]

a couple of turns, we have entered the grind herb down stage, and Im helpless to stop it[:@]
45 zeros, 13 oscars vs 48 P 38s and 72 heavies over munda
85 hits
19 zeros lost, 3 P38s lost.

then 7 tony take on 14 corsair, 70 b26, 44 b25 at lunga
47 hits
2 tonies, 2 corsair lost
a sub hits a dd in shortlands
kb now 3 cv, 3 cvl, 1 cve, and sails to try to cover Munda, I need it to recover to get the bombers out[:(]

4/3/42
the grinding continues, more hits on munda, more LBA, just less zeros to challenge today, I am being destroyed very slowly but surely

APs sighted near lunga!!!!!
BBs ISE and NAGATO are at shortlands, they are ordered to do the down the slot thingo, should be interesting this
2 cl also in another TF are ordered to do it too.

And bb kirishima with 3 cs will run from shortlands to munda, supply run

fireworks due!!!!!!

[1275psi]

After a bit of e mail hassles the war continues
ss RO- 33 tries to hit the CA australia, but misses.
her escorts do not[:(]

Then a enemy sub s-38 attacks CL tama, she misses - and my escorts get her[:D]

Lots of enemy planes hit PM today, munda is not attacked.
Lots of my ships sighted today, thunderstorms tomorrow, so I have hopes of a few good supply runs tomorrow.

KB is off shortlands

[1275psi]

here we go, a few turns over the week end
6/3/43
Thunderstorms are going to settle in for the next few days
today not much happened, Im trying to complete the re supply ops for Munda, and to get the bombers out, this is my focus
Sub I-16 misses the CL columbia near irau, a DD gets her - witha torpedoe[X(][X(][X(][X(]

7/3/42
An AP is sunk near shortlands by a sub
IN his mail wobbly announces quite smugly I feel, operation razorback
I spot ships parralle with lunga, to the east of the base.
Thunderstorms again
So many damaged planes at munda - I disband, withdraw so many planes today
But the principle op is complete, munda is functional again , and heavily stocked with supplies

As something big is about to start - if wobbly can be believed - here is my dispositions
Irau - still sub evacuating - and this is going well
Lunga ; shattered, but heaps of troops
tassaforga - some troops
russel island- empty ------ooooops
rennell island - still some stranded troops
Munda - plenty of troops -a full division, 5 sqs of fighters in sos sos shape, a convoy in port, lots of ags, and 2 apds
shortlands - 2 divisions of troops, no planes though, but heaps of support forces available
TF of BB ise and nagato, a cl and 6 dds
TF of BB Kirishima, 3 CS a CL and 8 dds, for fast transport duties -can carry nearly a half regiment in one lift
TF of 5 DDs
AND KB- 3CVs, 3CVLs, a CVE is right near by

A few transport ships, and tankers
Rabual
1 division, 3 sqs of betties,and nells, and lots of kates and vals.

Port moresby - a crator - still supplied ok, and the division is ok, no engineers though
Gilli, gilli - 2 regiments
Buna - a couple of naval guard units
lea
is heavy with planes, and some troops
gasmatta - a few troops, some planes
sag, sag, -a good strike of planes availabe
Woodlark island - some lillies here - and some tonies

I await the offensive!


8/3/42
operation razorback
Thunderstorms
ANd 2 CVE, cls, and DDs and APs are sighted 2 hex from russell island to its east - directly headed towards munda.
3 lilies from munda attack, with 11 fighter escort, they encounter corsairs, and die.
I pick russel island as the target - Im gambling everything that it is
The bbs are sent to russell -full speed
The fast transport is told to load
I fill shortlands with planes- mainly vals and fighters
all LBA in thae area is put to naval attack
And I order KB to Munda- attack!

Its got tense again

Why take russell- it would leap frog lunga - and save a lot of pain
Then again, this could be a fient
If it is, never mind, its an opportunity to cause pain.[:@]

[1275psi]

I guess right - russell island it is[:'(]

Its raining
BBs Ise, Nagato, CL agano and only 3 DDs encounter CL Clevland and Columbia, 7 DDs and a dms

he gets surprise, and a hail of 5 inch shells and 6 inch shells stream towards the battle wagons.
In a few minutes 2 of the dds are burning, and small fires break out on the BBs
But the armour defeats the shells.
the range is close, 4000 yrds, and still shells pound the BB armour
Finally nagato opens, and hits clevland with a 16"

Nishimura continues to bore in, intent on getting to the invasion fleet
DD selfridge closes, and hits ISE with a torp
the 5 inch shells continue to pound , CL agano takes 7 hits, ISE 31 hits, nagato 29 hits, a torp tears one of my DDs into 2, it sinks

Round 2
range is close now 2000 yrds - a knife fight
DD helm is torpedoed
DD shirayuki sinks
Columbia picks out Ise - a stream of 5 inch shells hit, all on the belt
the reply finally comes - 3 times 14 inch shells smash her
bofors fly out
DD Akigumo, so far untouched pounds the helm
Nearly every DD he has shoots at Agano - poorly
DD porter must have done something silly, nagato picks her out, and hits her 8 times - a full 16 inch salvo

porter sinks

As the battle breaks away, columbis takes another 14"

Poor akigumo - survives the battle, but is sunk soon after by a sub

Ise 35/45/200
Agano 12/0/6
nagato 10/0/4 [:D][:D][:D][:D] love that armour plate!!
All 3 DDs will be lost
This is why Navies had battlewagons, and I think UV has got it so right, BBs vs CLs, and the right guy won

I claim both CLs - not only the heavy hits, but both BBs hit them with a number of 5 inch hits
I confirm 2 DDs sunk, and claim 2 more
dawn
KB strikes, and gets a coordinated strike with planes from shortland
And something goes wrong for Wobbly, no naval fighters
20 P38 vs 32 Nick,32AM3, 32AM2 and 18 oscars - escorting 21 val
i lose 14 zeros, 2 val, 4 oscar, 4 nick - to 5 P 38
The Nicks attack!! - CVE Chenango - hits times 2, CVE Sangamon hit
The Vals dive in - no bunnies these guys, but original early war pilots, 80 plus experience - AP kanimbla 2 hits, and the CVEs are smashed

A second strike - 18 oscars, 16 zero, 25 nick, vs 17 P 38
10 nick lost, 1 P38 destroyed, CVE burning hulk hit again

I order another rotation of air groups in and out of shortlands.
I risk all, KB is ordered south at full speed, there are LPDs down south
Nagato will try to refuel, and return.

A good day for the empire

[1275psi]

10/3/42
2nd battle of russell island

tanaka passes the remains of nishimura headed north, and charges into the jaws of death
CL Kuma, CL tama, 5 DDs
Vs
BB south dakato, CA Australia, a CLAA (some dutch named ship) 6 dd, 1 dms

A two round smashing fight, CL tama in round 1 wears multiple hits,but CL Kuma gets a free shot
Its a long lance comeback!!!

results
CL tama is burning badly
4 DDs sunk- Im almost out of DDs in this game now

BB South Dak - 2 Torps - and she may well sink!!!
The CLAA - did sink
1 dd sunk
then the air war explodes
His P38s, tired for being on such long range CAP encounter all those ACE pilots Ive spent the whole game saving [:'(]
82 medium bombers hit lunga - 4 tonies struggle
55AM2, 37AM3,7 zeke,49 Val,28 kate vs 33 P 38
6 val lost,5 kate lost, 26 zero lost - 14 p 38 lost
The CVEs are both sunk - multiple hits

18AM3,19AM2,26 oscar, 11 helen,18 betties,5 jake vs 26 P38
I lost 8 zeros, 3 betties, 5 oscars - he lost 16 P 38

A third wave - 22 P38 encounter 71 zeros, 20 val
8 zeros lost - 15 P 38 claimed

Totals for the day - 40 zeros, 7 val,3 zeke,4 kate,8 betty,4 oscar,1 tony,2 helen
40 wildcat (guess where they went!) 45 P 38!, 6 medium bombers

Tomorrow is thunderstorms
KB will head north
I have 2 more days of fresh planes to throw into this fight, I rotate the next squadrons in, and todays out
BB Kirishima, 3 CS will try to force to russell island today
AGs will try to land today (bomb and ammo spunges these)
And in desperation - a big convoy will leave shortland tomorrow as well

And BB nagato will hit the place as well
Russell island is to be turned into hell on earth!!!

[1275psi]

11/3/43
thunderstorms.
sub ssI-15 gains immortality, placing a torp into the what appears to be crippled south dakato!!
I-15 does not escape though.

The whole conserve policy until the crunch comes bears fruit.
The crunch has come, I am throwing everything into this.

nagato and 4 dds hit the unescorted [:D][:D]LCVPs, and LCMs
1 LCVP, 3 LCMs are sunk.
My fast transport gets a regiment ashore, unscathed.
The AGs unload, unscathed a eng regiment.
can I reinforce quicker than him, yes I can i feel[:'(][:'(]

KB launches just 1 strike - the zekes on naval attack at 100 feet.
4LCMs hit
Then the secret weapon attacks, nicks at 100 feet
3LCMs hit. Thats all that were there I believe
And then a sub sinks what i think was the last LCVP as well!!!

Wobbly cannot be enjoying this!!!
Some irvings sweep over, and a few helens as well.
But no opposition
Beaufighters are operating out of irau - replacements for the P38s I feel.

KB retires closer to shortlands
If only I can get some more ships released, still on high, 6 carriers available[8|][8|][8|]

I turn around nagato and co
kirishima loads another regiment
Aps enroute, a third regiment
AGs enroute, 2 SNLFs enroute
And the next wave of fresh planes move into shortlands

Munda is fully repaired!!!!
(I await the B17 visit tomorrow ) so no planes there today.

early 43 and japan still has plenty of teeth.[:@][:@][:@][:@]

[1275psi]

OK, the climax is here
Wobbly E mails me and says I should expect his CVs at TRUK - and guess what, I do not care.
They don't turn up this turn, so who knows
Subs sink about 3 APs near russel island today, and 3 AGs from memory

BB Nagato and her 4 DDs encounter CA australia and 2 DDs, both sides dodge and weave, and break off.
I think Nagatos captain is feeling the strain[:'(]
GAWD, Russell island is already an airbase!!!!!
I order the 2 regiments there to shock attack - Kirishima group successfully delivered her second load
A gazillion LCMs are sighted near lunga enroute - must get a victory soon, or lose.
Consequently I order every plane I can to fly tomorrow, the thunderstorms today kept everyone grounded.

[1275psi]

13/3/43
CRUNCH DAY- AND THE BEGINGING OF THE END OF THE EMPIRE

Its just one thing

Its called the corsair[:(][:(][:(][:(][&o][&o][&o]
cloudy day - and in come the strikes
Endless strikes went in, each time met by the corsairs, all 23 of them
1 oscar kills 1 corsair today
combined flak and corsair losses are;
61 zero
29val
1zeke
7kate
12nell
23betty
5 jake
34oscar
14 lily

all up 190 a/c today- to a total of 5[X(][X(][X(][X(][X(]
too many attacks to relate- but the results may be worth the cost ;
BB INDIANA 2 bomb hits, 1 torp hit
BBNorth Carolina ,6 bombs - 4 torps - yes!!!
3 DDs hit by torps
and several DDs bombed

CL kuma all alone takes on 8sc- and sinks 5
the shock attack gets 1 to 1, losses are even

toomorrow thunderstorms

I dispatch every last ship to russell island, even all of KBs DDs( all 4 of them[8|])
the Kirishima group is told to unload its regiment - and not retire.
Nagato told not to retire
2 transport groups arrive tomorrow, and so do his lcms

today may have been worth the cost - if the troops get ashore!!!!!

I have only 1 more plane shot left in the locker - then we are basically finished[:@][:@]

never anticipated a war game turn more!!!!!