He would typically send a bombardment TF at full speed, then it would be gone by daylight. Damage to the base had been, overall, low; several planes damaged, only a few destroyed.
Moreover, all the Pacific area airforce is flying non strategic, abundant planes like P-39 or P-40s. Loses had not been a concern.
I also decided, a few turns ago, to move significant dive bomber and torpedo bomber assets there, knowing of course that they would be at risk, somehow mitigated by their relatively high pool numbers.
Well, last turn things really worked out!
first: the 400+ minefield finally yielded some results: DD Hamakaze, a Kagero! hit a mine. It then drop out of the bombardment force with DD Karukaya as escort
second: although bombardment TF did some significant damage (I lost 6 Dauntless + two Avengers on the ground) it did not close the airfield
third: escort TF of DDs Hamakaze and Karukaya was too slow to get out of range [:D]... both were sunk by Dauntless dive bombers
A good victory; with one week of production I will make good the losses, while Japanese destroyers are really scare and hard to replace, specially for a Kagero fleet destroyer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 31 encounters mine field at Luganville (120,150)
Japanese Ships
DD Hamakaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Luganville at 120,150
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 35 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 56 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 destroyed on ground
Beaufighter Ic: 28 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 23 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 14 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed on ground
Japanese Ships
CA Kako
CA Nachi
CA Myoko
CL Yubari
Allied ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 39
CA Kako firing at Luganville
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CA Nachi
CA Nachi firing at Luganville
CA Myoko firing at Luganville
CL Yubari firing at 32nd Infantry Division
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 119,148
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 10
TBF-1 Avenger x 5
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD Karukaya
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 119,148
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 17
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD Karukaya, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Hamakaze, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Karukaya
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hamakaze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 119,148
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 2 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD Karukaya, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
DD Hamakaze, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Karukaya
Hamakaze dead in the water ...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hamakaze
