Aussie Affair, Beta's Twilight

[Raverdave]

Hey ratbrain !

[Speedysteve]

[:D]

[Mark VII]

Dave,
You need to keep a more carefull watch on your kids when you are at the airport.

ORIGINAL: Raverdave

Hey ratbrain !

[Luskan]

Raver got a good idea into his head - hit lots of airfields at once and spread my fighter defence out.

He killed about 100 of my planes on the ground = doesn't worry me in the least. I lost 5 in the air.

He lost 22 mitchells in a suicide raid at Moulmien - no fighter escort. He also lost another dozen or so planes on the flight home.

[Raverdave]

I will still win the war of attrition ! Luskan has done little or nothing to expand his empire, indeed he is content to sit and watch it being eroded away.

[Luskan]

Nothing you can see

[Terminus]

Didn't you forget your evil cackle, Luskan?[;)]

[Oliver Heindorf]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Didn't you forget your evil cackle, Luskan?[;)]

was left behind [;)]

[Raverdave]

Sorry guys but there is littkle to report. Luskan has been rather busy with something called "real life" and turns have been slow ( about 2 a week). Once Luskan gets sorted we should be back to full turns.

[Luskan]

Hopefully got some time tomorrow evening - and even more hopefully by wednesday next week I expact to be back to full pace.

[Raverdave]

Got a move from ratbrain this morning, and was surprised to find that he had moved some CVs about 10 hexes west of Johnston Island. Maybe he is simply fishing to see how good my detection setup is? I just don't know. But given who many air units I have got packed onto all of the Islands in and around PH, it seems like a stupid move.

[ColFrost]

Of course, you say that. But why would you tell the truth in the forum? [;)]

[Raverdave]

Because I simply cannot understand how Luskan could be SO STUPID as to try and hit PH in early '43.[X(] And I am going to enjoy blowing the cr@p out of his flat-tops and then posting the triumphant AAR of the whole event!

[Luskan]

Raver spots a single CS and thinks he's spotted a CV TF.

Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't. The reason they are there . . . Weellll . . . Firstly Raver crapped himself, and then he worries about whether or not I saw him moving early

If Raver reacts as expected, I'll be reporting a bit of a battle in a couple of turns.

[Raverdave]

Well bollockchops, you can't report ANYTHING unless you send me the bloody turn.[8|]

[Luskan]

This turn and last turn had some action. namably Raver is trying to blast me into submission. Lots of air raids over china (how does he supply them???) and burma, to little effect, however the breadth of the attacks worries me.

If he just hit 1 target hard, that would hurt a bit, but it is the constant bombardment (daily) on 3 and 4 targets a turn that is causing headaches.

In other bad news, allied troops retook gasmata unopposed this turn. Ie vacuated my garrison there to rabaul, where they were half evacuated before the lockdown occured. Rabaul will wither on the vine, good thing I got the irreplacable stuff out (HQs!). The rest will respawn in Tokyo after time (already started).

Raver sent some minesweepers in to deplete the minefield at Rabaul, and they did an ok job - but my betties claimed 3 or 4 MSWs for their trouble. I also had a surface combat group sneak into the northern most island of the Shortlands chain and sink 2 allied AKs this turn (they couldn't catch the allied pair of DDs that ran too fast). Not exactly a knockout blow but a nice result all the same.

In the Pacific . . . well I've got a plan afoot. There is a bit of manouvring one way and the other and Raver has been lucky to spot at least two of the forces in my manouvre. To be honest I don't think Raver has been fooled and all will come to naught (if it was going to work, I've be reporting a big battle right now). Maybe he was too wise to step into the trap, maybe I timed it badly and his forces are elsewhere (he bombarded Tarawa again - but I doubt he's trying to invade that before he tries to hit wake again).

The trick now for my forces is to vanish and reappear somewhere else he doesn't expect. Pearl was never really an option.

[WhoCares]

ORIGINAL: Luskan

... Rabaul will wither on the vine, good thing I got the irreplacable stuff out (HQs!). The rest will respawn in Tokyo after time (already started).
...

Isn't it actually the other way around, with destroyed HQs respawn while all other troops are lost forever?!

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: WhoCares

ORIGINAL: Luskan

... Rabaul will wither on the vine, good thing I got the irreplacable stuff out (HQs!). The rest will respawn in Tokyo after time (already started).
...

Isn't it actually the other way around, with destroyed HQs respawn while all other troops are lost forever?!

I´m interested in this as well. What troop fragments do I have to rescue and which come back anyway?

[Raverdave]

As if I am going to try and be suckered into a CV clash now.[8|] My CVs are safely tucked away on the west coast having some upgrades. There will be no CV on CV duels until I am ready. I will only march to the beat of my drum, not Luskan's.

[Luskan]

Target practise.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/17/43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31


Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 44


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 2

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 136

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 209

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-54 Hickory: 6 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 10 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 10 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 15 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
237 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 143

Aircraft Attacking:
36 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
27 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
20 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
20 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
13 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
10 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
13 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amboina , at 39,73

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 94
B-24D Liberator x 79

Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 23

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
27 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
20 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
20 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
13 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wewak , at 52,81


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 24
B-25J Mitchell x 14
B-26B Marauder x 184


No Allied losses

Port hits 5
Port supply hits 10

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
20 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
22 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
35 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
24 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
29 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
G4M1 Betty x 3
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 2

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vb: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Piet Hein

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Green Island at 63,89

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 45

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
MSW Quail
MSW Lismore, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Abraham Crijnssen
MSW Colac
MSW Jan van Amstel, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Warrnambool
MSW Cairns
MSW Gympie, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rabaul , at 61,88


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 11
Kittyhawk I x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Green Island at 63,89

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 12

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
PG Warrego
MSW Gympie, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Quail

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Green Island at 63,89

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 13

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 destroyed, 9 damaged


Allied Ships
DD Chevalier
DD Meade, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet