speedy vs swift - who gets there faster

[wernerpruckner]

05/24/42:
nothing to report

05/25/42:
also nothing to report (= small combat in China, and Steven training air units in the PI against my two bases there )

05/26/42:
SS Truant hit the AP Tatsuwa Maru - a few Japanese soldiers lost [:)]
Japanese landings at Tassafaronga and Tulagi.

05/27/42
More Japanese landigs: Tassafaronga, Tulagi, Lunga and Andaman Islands.
The small minefield at Lunga scored three hits on the AP Horaisan Maru [:)]
Japanese troops capture Tassafaronga, Tulagi and Andaman Islands!

05/28/42:
And once again some Japanese landings at Lunga and Russell Islands.
The minefield at Lunga scores one more hit: AP Daihachikyo Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage [:)]
Japanese forces CAPTURE Lunga base !

05/29/42:
More landings at Nicobar Island.
Japanese forces CAPTURE Russell Islands and Nicobar Island base.

05/30/42:
he isn´t stoping with his invasions: Munda & Vella Lavella

05/31/42:
Valla Lavella and Munda are now under Japanese rule

06/01/42:
Steven is busy sweeping Hinterland bases from mines [:'(]

06/02/42:
Bigger air attack in China: 100 Japanese A/C bomb Kweiyang !!
At Noumea SS I-124 was destroyed by some refueling DDs. That bugger left some mines here - but my DMS will clear them out.

06/03/42:
12 Oscars vs 11 I-16c - no Chinese A/C lost, but two Oscars destroyed during the dog fight [:D]

06/04/42:
and once again my valiant Chinese pilots kill two Oscars without a loss above Sian [:D]

06/05/42:
The daily Japanese attacks against my base at Kweiyang is annoying, therefor some additional air units have been moved to China - for some counter attacks: 2 Hurricane and 4 Blenheim IV units.
SS Seawolf lost due to ASW attack [:(]




The question at the moment is:
Where will Steven attack next ??

India ? - probably only with the Japanese army ( KB is far away)

Australia ? - very probably, but the problem is: where on this island ??
I have strong forces at Darwin, Perth, Townsville and Brisbane.
All other northern bases have only small base forces.

New Caledonia & Espritu Santo?? - probably ?
Main US base in the South Pacific - several US units around here.
Also main base for the smaller fleet units ( subs ( 3 AS ), PTs (12), MSW, DMS..)
The larger units are in NZ.

Maybe one of the island bases along my supply lines ??


At the moment I am busy mining Aussie ports with the MLs and New Caledonia and surroundings with a few DMs.


Here a picture of my damaged ships situation:

[wernerpruckner]

06/06/42:
mine sweeping at Noumea - the damn bugger left some presents before he got sunk !!
Heavy air attack by Japanese forces against Kweiyang.
SS I-160 is no longer in the game [:D] - she was sunk between Espritu Santo and Noumea - probably also on a minelaying mission.

06/07/42:
once again a big air attack against Kweiyang

06/08/42:
still minesweeping at Noumea [:(]
the usual attacks against Kweiyang
SS I-155 was attacked by a few escorting PGs along the Indian coast near Bombay.
Another Japanese sub ( I-3 ) was attacked near French Frigate Shoal - but no success here

06/09/42:
the usual - minesweeping at Noumea and heavy air attacks against Kweiyang


Except those actions nothing happened in the Silent Ocean.

[wernerpruckner]

06/10/42
nothing to report

06/11/42
heavy air attack against Kweiyang - I seem to be unable to get enough supplies to this town, I will start to move out unsupplied & understrength units; maybe I will hand this base to Steven for free. With nearly no supplies getting via roads here it is undefendable, and the few supplies I get via a Dakota unit - it is not enough to use this base as defence !! [:(]

06/12/42
nothing to report

06/13/42:
Steven posted in an open topic that he goes for Noumea - a diversion or real ?? I do not know. I have two Divisions at Espritu Santo and 5 Divisons and some support at New Caledonia.
Also around 400 A/C. And not to forget my PT flotilla with now 14 PTs. Other ships are some minesweepers, a few DDs on ASW duty, going and coming minelaying TFs and supply convoys.

This turn one of the Japs subs (SS I-28) hit the TK Victor H Kelly ( medium damage, I am sure she will make it) in a homecoming convoy to SF - my escorts seemed to be surprised and were probably [>:]

06/14/42
the SS I-28 tried to attack a second time - very bad idea, now my escorts were wide awake - goodbye little yellow sub [:D]
Steven is attacking Kweiyang from the air and from the ground - I will continue to move out the weak units and the rest is delaying action !!


Extensive search patterns with subs ( 6x ) and recce A/C from Aussie land and Noumea to find KB and transport TF - but still: the hint could only be a diversion.

[wernerpruckner]

06/15/42:
heavy fighting on all fronts in China. The British bomber units in China are busy bombing ground troops.

06/16/42:
huge Japanese attack against Kweiyang - 6000+ Japanese casualities, but also 4000+ Chinese [:(]

06/17/42:
more heavy fighting in China

06/18/42:
nothing to report

06/19/42:
Steven has reacted to the British bombers in China - 8 Blenheim IV lost on a mission [:(]
SS I-153 torpedoed the TK Empire Airman near the Indian coast. Escorts attacked the sub and scored a few hits - the TK will make it ( no fires and floodings less than 20 )

06/20/42:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kweiyang base [X(] defending such a base without getting enough supplies there.....
9000 Japanese casualities and 4500+ Allied casualities !!

06/21/42:
Enemy TFs closing to Espritu Santo - it looks like several big SF and one huge (30+ships) transport TF.
Also KB is here - the DM Pruitt was destroyed by Vals and Kates after creating a new minefield at Luganville. In the afternoon KB attacked Luganville with nearly 300 A/C.
A Japanes supply convoy found some mines at Andaman Island - one PC heavy damaged

06/22/42:
lots of action around Luganville, but my bombers wre unable to score a hit on any big ship [:(]

06/23/42:
several bombardments of Luganville - the ground losses are low [:'(] - two Chinese ships hit a mine during those actions:
DD Akebono and CA Aoba
During the daylight several air missions were flown, but only one success: AP Sanura Maru was hit twice

06/24/42:
the first try to get some PTs to attack the Japanese ships around Luganville was no success - all torpedoes were fired but not one hit; after some shelling two PTs were lost.
Next black moment was the attack of the SS Pollack - 4 torpedoes fired at the CV Soryu, and missed. My sub was attacked by escorts and is heavily damaged.
During the whole day lots of minesweeping missions and landings at Luganville. My airforce tried to attack, but was often driven away by the fighter cover from the KB. Only some smaller success:
AP Ayo Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire
AP Kuraido Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire
AP Astuga Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Otori Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Nichiryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Toyooka Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Fusemi Maru, Mine hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tama Maru, Shell hits 96, on fire, heavy damage
AP Shofuku Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
AP Shinai Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
MSW Shonan Maru #8, Shell hits 4
and 5000+ Japanes casualities during the landing ( some 6 divions, several regiments and battalions - I do not think that the invasion routine of WitP is any realistic !!!)

[wernerpruckner]

06/25/42:
more landings, bombardments, airattacks andwhatsoever against Luganville - it looks like Steven will be landing with 200k men here !!
several more Japanese ships are damaged:
AP Fusemi Maru, Mine hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Taian Maru, Shell hits 22, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ryuosan Maru, Shell hits 23, on fire
DD Manazuru, Shell hits 1
AP Amakasu Maru #1, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
AP Awa Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Turusima Maru, Shell hits 20
DD Kamikaze, Shell hits 4
AP Tateyama Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Uji Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Montoiru Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Haruna Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW Tama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Yoshino Maru, Bomb hits 1
and also around 20k ground losses during the landings.

Several air-raids against the KB and battleships were repeled.
Also, yet another try from the sub Pollack to hit Soryu ( sub has been lost [:(] )
The PTs were not able to get through the screening ships - two more lost !!


06/26/42:
more of everything put against my troops at Luganville !!
The first real success in this battle:
CV Akagi is damaged - the skipper from the seal put a fish into her belly [:D]
also some other ships have been damaged:
AP Senkai Maru, Shell hits 46, on fire
AP Nichiai Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Asakaze, Shell hits 1
AP Senkai Maru, Shell hits 41, on fire
DD Kamikaze, Shell hits 1
AP Heian Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( another successful sub attack !!! SS Stingray !!)
AP Anzan Maru, Bomb hits 1

At the moment Steven has put 160k+ troops onto the shore of Luganville !!
Allied losses today - too many A/C, a sub and two PTs ( they are still trying to get through !!)

Here a picture of the sub situation around Espritu Santo:

[wernerpruckner]

some pictures of the adventure of the Seal:

[wernerpruckner]

kaboom

[wernerpruckner]

kaBOOM

[wernerpruckner]

KABOOM [:D]

[wernerpruckner]

and no reaction by his escorts [X(][:'(][:D]

[wernerpruckner]

still unloading some more troops
the two other bases at New Caledonia have two INF units each ( one Aussie Div and one smaller NZ unit each)

[wernerpruckner]

My major American fleet base ( more ships than SF or PH at the moment !!)

[wernerpruckner]

06/27/42:
more landings, bombardments and air attacks at Luganville. Also heavy ground combat!!
several more enemy ships damaged:
AP Senkai Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Tsuruga Maru, Shell hits 19, on fire
AP Senkai Maru, Shell hits 29, on fire
AP Tsuruga Maru, Shell hits 12, on fire
AP Yoshinogawa Maru, Shell hits 5

06/28/42:
heavy ground combats at Luganville,
my subs seem unabel to get through any escort screen [:(] (SS O16 and Stingray damaged )
and my bombers from Noumea are either not finding the enemy ships due to bad weather or they are turned away by the mighty Zeros from the KB

06/29/42:
Luganville captured by the Japanese hordes !! a bad day for the Allied forces.
Throughout the day heavy air combat (2:1 in Stevens favour ) and only small damage done to enemy shipping [:(]

[wernerpruckner]

06/30/42:
licking my wounds and trying to sink some ships with the Air Force:
AP Shintoku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Arabia Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Arizana Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Dainiunyo Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Argentina Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Tazima Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
I seem unable to score any hit on a major ship ( there are several CVs and BBs out there, they also get attacked, but no hit !!)

07/01/42:
one more try with the Air Force and also one attack with 4 PTs.
Air Force was unable to score anything, but the Navy scratched a few ships for the loss of all four PTs:
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shiranuhi, Shell hits 3
Another bad moment was the loss of the Stingray!!

07/02/42:
once again the Air Force tried their luck [:(]
only nice moment of the day was that the Japanese sub I-25 tried to sneack through my escorts and got hit hard [:'(]

07/03/42:
once again a try for the Air Force without any damaged ship.
Stevens subs try to attack a convoy near the Christmas islands ( there are two convoys out there, both heading for SF - each has 40 transports and 10 escorts - the two convoys are seperated three hexes ).
This time the SS I-15 was hit hard [:)]
Steven tried a bombardment run against Efate - two DDs moved into the minefield (KABOOM ):
DD Sagiri, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Satsuki, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
and also the coastal guns fired back ( what guns ?? [X(] AFAIK the biggest weapons here are 105mm howitzers ):
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 5
BB Ise, Shell hits 5

07/04/42:
more enemy subs sighted around my convoys ( SS I-5 )
I think I will stop the fruitless air attacks of the Air Force and move some of the heavys back to NZ for some resting)

07/05/42
after the loss of several subs, my sub force will move away from Luganville.
They will deploy a line a few hexes north of it. I hope they will spot incoming and outgoing shipping.
Three repaired subs from Australia will move to NZ ( two of those subs are quite shortlegged with only 3500 range ) and from here they will patrol the seas east of Luganville

07/06/42:
This time one of Stevens subs was able to sneak thourgh my escorts and attack the TK Admiral Wiley, after that the sub I-16 was destroyed!
Otherwise it is once again quiet in the Pacific Ocean.

[wernerpruckner]

07/07/42:
SS Flying Fish got trapped while retreating from the post near Lunga - sub lost !!

07/08/42:
only some recce and small scale air attacks on both sides

07/09/42:
I tried to attack a supply(??) convoy near Luganville with my bombers - not a very bright idea it seems !!
25 Allied A/C lost for 5 Zeros and zero ships [X(][:(]

07/10/42:
China looks worse and worse, but I start to stock a nice amount of supplies ( 2x Dakota and 8 Wellington squads are hauling supply to China - only very few operational losses!! [:)]

07/11/42:
a Japanese supply convoy crossed the path of a spotting sub ( SS Tautog ) a few hexes north of Espritu Santo - the skipper put a fish into a TK:
TK Gen'yo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

07/12/42:
Invasion of Efate has started this turn - I hope they hold some time..... At the moment I play mostly for time and more time in the South Pacific !!!!
The patrolling SS S-45 put a torpedo into the AP La Plata Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire at Efate ( a few Japanese soldiers lost )
The lone PT-119 was lost to a strong SF-TF in the night; later this TF bombarded Efate ( 3xBB,1xCA,2CL...and several DDs, one of those hit by counterfire )
Meanwhile the Japanese sub SS I-165 was sunk by British forces one a routine mission along the Indian coast [:)]
During the landings at Efate Stevens MSW proved to by very effective ( no mine hits, and 500 mines cleared during the first day !!)
Japanese ships damaged during the Invasion:
MSW Tama Maru #2, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Hiyodori, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Kogyo Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Mizuho Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yukaze, Shell hits 9, on fire
PC Ch 16, Shell hits 10, on fire
PC Ch 24, Shell hits 11, on fire
AP Sakido Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire

07/13/42:
the landings continue:
MSW Toroshima Maru, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Wa 2, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 16, on fire
PC Ch 24, on fire
DD Hiyodori, on fire
AP Tofuku Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Kuroshio Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Tatuharu Maru, Shell hits 4
PG Akitsu Maru, Shell hits 10
PG Takunan Maru #10
AP Yawata Maru, Shell hits 11
MSW Bisan Maru, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Wa 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tofuku Maru, Shell hits 9
AP Kuroshio Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Otori, Shell hits 6
AP La Plata Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

[wernerpruckner]

07/14/42:
more attacks against my troops at effate.
My bomber crews from Noumea try to help them ( but they are not able to do much )
Only good thing this turn: 2 unescorted AKs were able to put more supply to New Caledonia !!
Several enemy ships have been damaged around Efate this turn:
AP Tofuku Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Wa 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 24, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Akitsu Maru, Shell hits 5
DD Murakumo, Shell hits 1, on fire
PG Akitsu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PG Takunan Maru #10, Shell hits 6, on fire
AP Mizuho Maru, Shell hits 1
MSW Tama Maru #2, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Noshiro Maru #2, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 8
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 2
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 5, on fire
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 1
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kogyo Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

07/15/42:
the same as in the last turn.
There seem to be around 15k of Japanese troops on Efate now ( The Allied strenght is around 8500 men)
more ships damaged:
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 5
CA Kinugasa, Bomb hits 1
CL Tama, Shell hits 4
AP Kunimitsu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

07/16/42:
and the next wave of Japanese landings at Efate [X(]
AK Tusima Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire
MSW Shonan Maru #8, Shell hits 20, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kureha Maru #3, Shell hits 1, on fire
MSW Seki Maru #3, Shell hits 10, on fire
MSW Choun Maru #8, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kenzan Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
MSW Choun Maru #7, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Keisyo Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Kasima Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Kunimitsu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Kotobuki Maru #5, Shell hits 2
AP Koshu Maru #2, Shell hits 1
AP Kenzan Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Kenshin Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Kembu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Katsura Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Kasima Maru, Shell hits 1
There are now more than 25k Japanese here !!
A sneaky Japanese sub was able to attack the TK Byron D Benson - I hope she will make it to SF !!

07/17/42:
and more landings at Efate
AP Kotobuki Maru #3, Shell hits 1
AP Kyosei Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Kenshin Maru, on fire
AP Katsura Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
BB Nagato, Shell hits 2
AP Minowa Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Kyosei Maru, Shell hits 1
Steven has put 30k troops at Efate !! But my boys are still holding their defence lines.
I think to this turn Steven had around 10k casualities in the landings at Efate.

07/18/42:
more landings and bombardments at Efate.
AP Netsuda Maru, Shell hits 5
AP Netsuda Maru, Shell hits 35, on fire
and:
Ground combat at Efate

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 30328 troops, 242 guns, 1 vehicles

Defending force 8011 troops, 89 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 1)
[:D]
my boys are good

07/19/42:
KB sighted between NZ and Noumea - moving south!! That port is my major hub here - there are 30+ ships here at the moment, but only around 60 fighters [:(] I expect heavy ship losses in the next turns !!
At Efate still the same:
AK Tottori Maru, Shell hits 7
DD Manazuru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Yamato, Shell hits 11
I have never thought that my boys at Efate would hold so long against the Japanese attacks. But the odds are still 0:1 [:D]

[wernerpruckner]

07/20/42:
Today KB went for Auckland -
I tried to disperse some of the ships in the prior turns, but still I lost 10 AKs at sea and one CVL in the port.
The only good thing today was that Stevens pilots insisted to attack the port without any escorts - BIG MISTAKE

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 71
B5N Kate x 132

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 34

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged
B5N Kate: 40 destroyed, 18 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Long Island, Bomb hits 26, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AV Tangier, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AVD Williamson, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Ruth Alexander, Bomb hits 1
Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Port hits 3

other than that only the usual anti shipping raids aeound Luganville and Efate:
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Here a picture of the air losses today

[wernerpruckner]

What should/could be done with my ships at Auckland - I am sure Steven will try to sink some more in the next few turns ??

[wernerpruckner]

Ahhh -
I see a nice CV-TF near the coast [:)]
but what to do with it ??

[wernerpruckner]

What did I do ???
[X(]
I moved all A/C to my A/F at Auckland !!
I really hope he stays close enough for my Navy A/C to hurt him !!!
The carriers are moving south towards Dunedin

here a picture of my A/C situation at Auckland at the moment: