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...and the Intelligence Summary screen:

End of Month Summary for August 1942

Problems with my opponent’s computer slowed the pace at which our game has been proceeding, but at last we have completed another month of the campaign.

The air war

Aside from China, there has been comparatively little activity. Almost daily there is a heavy bomber raid on Efate from Fiji, with occasional raids on neighbouring Espiritu Santo. Every few days a mixed force of B-25’s and B-26’s raids Attu from Adak, and is met by the small contingent A6M2-N float fighters that defend the base. That’s a situation likely to change soon, as I anticipate the US North Pacific Command will shortly get an allocation of P-38’s to provide an escort. I still have a diminishing window of opportunity to mount an ambush on these bombers whilst they remain unescorted, and Japan’s Northern Area Force is assembling a contingent of fighters for this purpose.

The P-38’s made their debut in a sweep over Thursday Island on 30 August. 16 Lightnings were met by 15 Zero-32’s from the elite Tainan Air Corps. The Americans retired with 6 damaged aircraft; obviously the Tainan boys’ high experience stood them in good stead.

The P-38 also appeared for the first time over Burma on 30 August, escorting 9 Liberators against Magwe, where the few remaining oil-producing installations were destroyed. I was surprised by my opponent’s early abandonment of air attacks on oil and resources in this theatre, and even more surprised the attack has not been renewed. I’ve always treated Burmese sources of oil and resources as a bonus that cannot be expected to last long, so losses to them cause me no great concern.

Now that the Shoki and the Hien are being rolled out on a big scale to fighter units in the Burma theatre it will be interesting to see how well they hold their own against Allied aircraft of much improved quality. I had hoped to ambush the Allied heavies operating against Mandalay with a quantity of the new fighters – instead my opponent elected to raid the Andamans.

The rate of pilot attrition has been so low that I still retain 189 IJAAF and 39 IJNAF pilots in the pool. I made the mistake of not filling out the below-establishment squadrons on day 1 of the war (actually, I didn’t then know you could do so without reducing the pilot pool), so I still have several units that can accept additional aircraft and crew (mainly E13A floatplanes). Whilst the carrier groups and most land-based Navy fighter units have full pilot complements, a few land attack bomber units are at somewhat reduced strength, and filling out these and the floatplanes would empty the navy pilot pool. I have been husbanding this pool in anticipation of a carrier clash that would require a substantial pilot draw-down, and I wanted the replacement carrier pilots to be of high experience. However, that clash has not occurred, and now I’m inclined to empty the pool so that I can start drawing rookie pilots that can be fed into a training programme. Any thoughts on the wisdom of that course?

The sea war

After the excitement of July, a very quiet month.

On 11 August I-9 encountered West Coast-bound freighter Red Jacket and put a torpedo into her. Pursuing her injured quarry, the I-boat re-engaged on the following day and sank her with a second torpedo.

For all his infestation of my ports with submarines my opponent failed to hit a single Japanese merchant ship during the month. In fact I did greater damage to my own merchant marine when AP Josho Maru immolated herself on the Japanese minefield at Johore Bahru!

But the Japanese minefields have also taken a minor toll of Allied ships. On 6 August USS Grunion attempted a penetration of the Kii Suido and paid in full by striking two mines that sank her immediately. On 18 August Dutch submarine O23 went down after striking a mine at Penang, also the scene of S-37’s demise at the hands of an ASW group’s accurate attack on 7 August.

Most of the submarine action has been in New Britain and the Solomons. On 14 August USS Wahoo scored a devastating torpedo hit on ex-Momi class Patrol Boat 2 in Simpson Harbour. Fortunately Rabaul is hosting 4th Fleet HQ and a repair ship, and their presence, perhaps assisted by the assignment of a new skipper to the vessel, just sufficed to arrest and ultimately reduce her flotation damage – at one point standing at about 92.

At the southern end of the Solomons, USS Tautog struck a mine at Tulagi on 16 August, and O16 did likewise at Lunga on 28 August. An ASW group pursued O16 and south of Guadalcanal landed 2 further, minor hits upon her two days later. So far, however, there’s no indication that she’s sunk.

The mine struck by O16 was laid by a group that included minelayer Ukishima, which was torpedoed by USS Stingray on 26 August. Regrettably the presence of 3 repair ships at Tulagi was not enough to save her.

The land war

The only action on land has taken place in China, and I’ll make that the subject of a separate post.

The economy

To my inexperienced eye this looks to be in pretty good shape, aside from some concerns about resource and tanker shortages.

It now seems clear that, at certain oil-producing bases at least, there’s an oil storage limit equal to daily oil production X 100: now that stockpiles at both Miri and Brunei have been reduced below that ceiling they appear to have resumed oil production.

Of course, that merely puts into sharper focus the problem Japan has with her shortage of tankers. With all tankships except for a handful of naval oilers engaged in shifting oil full tilt, it looks as though the point may still come at which the principal oil-producing bases are simply going to run out of storage capacity. Forget about the minor oil sources – just concentrate on getting it out of Palembang, Brunei and Balikpapan!

The other big worry is resource stockholdings. Woos’ utility indicates that Japan (excluding Hokkaido) has a resource reach of just 27.8 days. The excellent new WitP Tracker indicates that currently total resource stocks stand at 1,361,895 units, of which 341,536 units – about 25% - is currently on board ship. It will be interesting to note how far the resource reach gets extended when these major resource convoys unload, but I suspect I shall find that the current rate of industrial output is simply unsustainable and will have to cut back heavy industry output.

In other respects things look pretty healthy to me, with total supply holdings in excess of 3.7M and fuel holdings exceeding 4.6M (including fuel in ships’ bunkers). A respectable proportion of that supply has been delivered well forward – there are few bases in urgent need of additional supplies. OTOH, the tanker shortage also makes itself felt in limiting the quantity of fuel that can be brought forward: Truk has little more than 100,000 fuel units, not really enough for sustained fleet operations.

China!

Leaving aside some of the more, ah, ‘interesting’ features of ground combat in WitP, I quite enjoy dealing with some of the challenges the China theatre presents, together with the opportunity to engage in manoeuvre warfare.

I previously posted my intention of mounting a major push against Nanning, for which purpose Japanese operations were directed initially to the seizure of Pakhoi. It had been my intention to use Pakhoi as a re-supply base for the attack upon Nanning, given that the two bases are separated by only 60 miles as the crow flies. Foolishly I had overlooked the fact that supply would, of course, flow in a roundabout way through the road net rather than directly across country, so there was nothing really gained by the capture of Pakhoi other than a convenient base for air attacks upon Nanning.

Having reviewed force dispositions in South China, I have decided to make fundamental changes to my operational plans. Instead of pushing frontally at Nanning, I propose instead to make my main effort up the left bank of the Pearl River from Canton to Liuchow via Wuchow. Significant advantages flow from this revised plan.

First, the thrust through Wuchow will benefit from the presence of China Expeditionary Army’s HQ, which should greatly assist the process of bringing forward supplies to sustain the sieges of Wuchow and, ultimately, Liuchow.

Second, supplies will be coming forward over a much shorter route, the initial objective at Wuchow lying only 120 miles distant from major port facilities at Canton. I am hoping that these two factors will do much to overcome the perpetual supply problems that confront the Japanese in China.

Third, I should derive some benefit from the fact that I have been able to engage and defeat a proportion of Wuchow’s defenders in open country: this should somewhat reduce their potency as defenders of the base.

The biggest advantage I perceive in the revised plan is the possibility that it will make Nanning untenable. I managed to get an armoured regiment athwart the Chinese LOC between Liuchow and Nanning, and although this was ultimately forced away from the road its presence gave notice to the Chinese defenders of Nanning’s vulnerability to encirclement. A successful drive through Wuchow and on to Liuchow would likewise isolate Nanning from supply, and I suspect my opponent will recognise this vulnerability and evacuate Nanning’s garrison, the better to defend Liuchow, Tuyung and/or Kweilin. If so, I should gain Nanning without the cost of a formal assault upon it.

As a consequence of the change of plan I am in the process of withdrawing several units previously intended for direct attack upon Nanning. 21st, 31st and 48th Infantry Divisions and 2nd and 4th Viet Minh Militia divisions will remain in situ to contain Nanning’s defenders, but 2nd Division and the bulk of the Japanese heavy artillery park, which had previously been committed to the Nanning operation, will now withdraw to Haiphong prior to shipping to Canton for reinforcement of the drive on Wuchow.

The events in August leading up to this change of plan are illustrated on the attached map of South China. Apologies for the indistinctness of the arrows showing Japanese movements; I really must stop using red for this purpose or find some way of avoiding the colour bleed in jpeg compression.

This game has now reached the end of September 1942, so I'll post a summary of the month's developments theatre by theatre, to be followed later by some details of economic progress/disaster.

South Pacific

Allied 4-engine bombers have continued to pound Efate on a daily basis. This looks like a softening up exercise to precede a landing, but despite a couple of false alarms, no invasion fleet has yet been sighted. Japanese prospects of holding the island look poor, as it has proved impossible to lift the fortification level above zero and Allied bombing has pounded the garrison to a condition of near-impotence. The aim here will be to inflict the most severe casualties possible upon the enemy, but the priority has been to build more secure defences further back in the Solomons and Eastern New Guinea. Noumea has been fortified to the maximum, but will probably become untenable as soon as Allied aircraft can base in strength upon Efate. The same is true for Espiritu Santo, though the defences there are weaker, and evacuation of all but a token garrison may prove advisable. If a landing in the New Hebrides represents the start of a counter-attack up the Solomon chain then that’s the kind of campaign I can live with.

South West Pacific/Australia

After their seizure of Portland Roads on 11 June the Japanese left the base site unoccupied. During the course of September an Australian infantry company was observed advancing towards it from Coen after the site had been comprehensively snooped by Allied recce aircraft. On 10 September, shortly before the Australians’ arrival, the paratroops of Yokosuka 3rd SNLF were dropped in to delay the site’s recapture. From 12 to 27 September this defiant little band was subjected to a merciless bombardment from every available heavy bomber on Australia’s eastern seaboard. Amazingly, the Australian infantry contingent launched bombardments but no formal attack on the Japanese position until 27 September, by which time Japanese capacity to resist was gone:

09/27/42
Ground combat at Portland Roads
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 642 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Allied max assault: 16 - adjusted assault: 10
Japanese max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Portland Roads base !!!

What the Allies apparently failed to notice was that for several days prior to the final assault Navy Type 97 transport flying boats had been successfully evacuating a significant number of the Yokosuka paratroops, for whom the writing was otherwise clearly on the wall. When the position was eventually overrun all that remained were a handful of wounded infantry and support squads. By their sacrifice they had bought a month’s peaceful strengthening of Japanese bases on New Guinea’s south coast.

Meanwhile, Australian militia forces began a northward advance through their country’s heartland in an apparent bid to recapture Northern Territories. Clearly the handful of paratroops that had seized and garrisoned Alice Springs was not going to hold against a full militia infantry division, so they were duly air-evacuated before the Australians arrived.

Further to the north the Japanese have been preparing their defences on the road to Darwin, and in due course we shall discover the extent of the Australians’ ability to sustain an assault upon defended positions via a logistics trail that stretches all the way across the continent. I am hoping they will find it beyond their means to do so, but we shall see. So far 1st and 2nd Australian Infantry Divisions have been identified amongst the advancing forces, together with an army tank battalion. I wonder whether he’s left anything to guard Adelaide?

Burma

Here, the air war has hotted up with a vengeance. SEAC has some 4-5 squadrons of Liberator III’s, and in the early part of the month these were used for attacks upon Meiktila’s resources. Surprisingly, these attacks petered out, and were followed by a series of attacks against Mandalay’s airfields between 18 and 21 September, coupled with sweeps against the defenders by recently arrived P-38 units. The bulk of the IJAAF’s Type 2 and 3 single seat fighters have been deployed in this theatre, and against the new Allied models they have consistently given as good as they got. The policy has been to rotate Mandalay’s principal fighter unit on a daily basis, with damaged aircraft being returned to Rangoon or further south by rail to re-unite and recuperate with the flying contingent. After a few days of attacks against the Mandalay airfields the enemy apparently tired of the exercise – a minor victory for Japan.

Midway through the month an armoured unit, 3rd Carabineers, was observed moving south from Imphal, and a Japanese brigade took station on the east bank of the Irawaddy to counter any attempt by this unit to isolate the Japanese base at Myitkyina. Now a further threat, in the shape of 1st Burma Bde, has been observed moving south from Ledo towards Myitkyina. It appears that a serious attempt is to be made to re-open the Burma Road, and towards the end of the month the Allied bombing effort was switched to attacks upon the Myitkyina garrison in support of this. However, I’m doubtful that the forces currently threatening the base will suffice to lever the Japanese out.

China

Here the revised Japanese plan has already borne fruit. Evidently the Chinese command perceived the threat posed to its forces at Nanning by the Japanese advance towards Wuchow, and early in the month Chinese units that had been based at Nanning were seen to be withdrawing towards Liuchow. This prompted a Japanese assault against the reduced complement of Nanning defenders on 12 September:

09/12/42
Ground combat at Nanning
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 81770 troops, 501 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 1817
Defending force 19958 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 638
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4
Japanese max assault: 1762 - adjusted assault: 1791
Allied max defense: 626 - adjusted defense: 206
Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanning base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
564 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
1194 casualties reported
Guns lost 29
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

The Japanese conquerors inherited a base severely damaged by repeated attacks by the IJAAF, so the potential of the base (level 6 airfields) for attacks against the Chinese interior remains latent, though repairs are progressing steadily.

Meanwhile, the Japanese thrust against Wuchow has plodded steadily forward, and whilst the Japanese troops advance with infuriating slowness, the Chinese have been seen to be reinforcing their defences on the left bank of the Pearl River. They have clearly made a major commitment to the defence of Liuchow, which now hosts some 140000+ defenders in 16 units. However, Japanese forces NW of Nanning still pose the threat of a drive up the Tuyun road, so the Chinese have been compelled to dedicate a substantial force to defend the threatened river crossing point north-west of Liuchow.

IJAAF air strength is at its greatest in S China, and throughout the month its bombers have been remorselessly pounding the base facilities at Wuchow and Liuchow, preceded by a week of profitable attacks against Kweilin’s airfields, where a quantity of Allied aircraft were destroyed.

The map shows Japanese troop movements preliminary to the assault on Wuchow. I had hoped to stage an assault straight across the river to cut the Liuchow-Wuchow road, but the game wasn’t having it, and I have had instead to move east along the right bank of the Pearl River for 60 miles before the attackers could swing back northwest to the real target. This has slowed operations substantially, but it seems clear that my revised plan for this theatre has obliged the Chinese to respond in the way I wished. Consequently, Nanning was taken cheaply, and Wuchow looks likely to go the same way. The number of defenders present makes Liuchow a tougher proposition, however.

Further updates.

The War at Sea during September 1942

As in August, the Allies lost 7 ships (50 points), but the Japanese loss rate increased to 6 ships (45 points)

On 1 September submarines Trout and Searaven bumped mines at Tulagi and Truk respectively. Trout sank. Searaven didn’t.

2 September: MLE Kurogane Maru was mortally struck by SS Albacore’s torpedo off Kavieng. She was hit again trying to make port at Rabaul on 4 Sep and sank immediately.

On 13 Sep I-154 was sunk in the Bay of Bengal. She thereby paid for nearby sister I-164’s successful attack on aux. minelayer Teviotbank on 11 Sep. The minelayer later sank short of making Vizagatapam.

On 17 Sep a 100 Shiki Juh-baku (that’s a Ki-49 Helen to AFB’s) on ASW duty at Kuala Lumpur successfully attacked RN submarine Rover. The damaged submarine almost made it back to Colombo, eventually sinking SE of Ceylon when only some 200 miles short of safe haven.

On 19 Sep destroyer Uziki took a torpedo from submarine Tuna at Rabaul. She went down immediately. Tuna had another success at the same place on 21 Sep, sinking a minesweeper notwithstanding intense ASW activity around the base by air and sea. There are times when I despair of Japanese ASW capability.

As the month progressed it became apparent that the Americans were reinforcing Adak and covering this operation with a carrier task force. 2nd Mobile Force (with Hiyo, Junyo and the Japanese light carriers) sortied from Shikuka to meet Akagi, Kaga and Hiryu, which had recently completed upgrades at yards in Honshu. The hope was to precipitate a carrier engagement on favourable terms, but nothing came of the attempt. Instead, a patrol line of Japanese submarines were accurately directed onto the American carriers’ return course to Hawaii – and for its pains one was sunk by the escort.

A reinforcement of Attu was arranged to coincide with the Japanese carrier sortie. The convoy took significant bomb damage whilst unloading, but stout work by the merchantmen’s crews will probably lead to their survival. Only small AP Murasaki Maru was sunk.

For much of the month the Japanese beavered away with their intensive minelaying activities at multiple bases within the enlarged Empire. Only then did I become aware of the arbitrary limit of 4000 minefields and at the same time noted that no mines had been deposited following one minelaying sortie. Can’t say that I’m happy about this as minelaying was a comparatively low-tech defensive option, and as such one Japan could always have adopted more extensively than she did. Does that 4000 minefield limit include air-dropped mines?

29 Sep: an auspicious day for the IJN, as Yugumo class destroyer Kiyonami joins the fleet at Yokosuka. Setting her apart from any other vessel in the Imperial Navy, she is the first to sport the twin horns of a Mk2 Mod 2 centimetric radar set. It’s an experimental fit for a destroyer, though the new equipment is due to be rolled out to a range of battleships from October onwards. But destroyers too will begin to receive them from the start of 1943 onwards when they are due to be installed on other units of the Yugumo and Kagero classes. Hopefully this will assist the IJN in future surface encounters, but for the time being they will remain at a disadvantage relative to their radar-equipped foes.

(<grumble> Shame that in this mod the Japanese carriers aren’t going receive the air search sets they received in reality – all goes to make life just a little more difficult)

The War Economy

My usual sequence of screen shots, starting with the Intelligence Summary. Something wrong here:
August – Allied bases 189, Japanese bases 298.
September – Allied bases 189, Japanese bases 299.
Where did that extra base come from?

Aircraft Production and Economy Summary. Reisen 22-gata production ramping up nicely, with new machines of this marque already rolled out to 2 airgroups and part of a third. Army Type 1’s (Ki-43) are actually not producing, though the capacity has been retained to benefit from the switch to the improved production model, I think in November. Note that I have started to expand the Nissan and Toyoda capacity in advance of these higher performance engines beginning production. I see this as an expensive and difficult-to-manage exercise, given the cost of 1000 supply points per point of capacity.

Stockpiles graph. Not sure it’s worth continuing with this, as Woos’ graphs from Decoder give a much more accurate indication of what’s actually taking place.

Courtesy of WitP Tracker: Naval Construction. I’ve tried to balance merchant building against capacity, but am prepared to accept a decline in the Naval construction points pool pending delivery of Musashi, which will free a deal of capacity and prompt a reassessment on naval construction priorities.

Lastly, also courtesy of WitP Tracker, WitP Economics Summary. Should speak for itself.

As it doesn't happen often:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/04/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Truk at 66,78

Japanese Ships
PG Toyotsu Maru
PG Sozan Maru
PG Uji
APD Patrol Boat No. 38
DD Hatsuharu
DD Arare

Allied Ships
SS Bonita
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Truk at 66,78

Japanese Ships
DD Yamakaze
DD Yugure

Allied Ships
SS Bonita, hits 30, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Looks as though the series of ASW attacks endured by Bonita eventually obliged her to surface to get a charge on her batteries - only to find an ASW group waiting. Or it could be a consequence of prior battle damage - from the previous day's combat report:

Sub attack near Truk at 66,78

Japanese Ships
DD Kuretake
PC Kyo Maru #7
PG Nikkai Maru
MSW Tama Maru No. 2
MSW Seki Maru #3
MSW Noshiro Maru #2
MSW Hagoromo Maru
MSW Fumi Maru #2

Allied Ships
SS Bonita, hits 2, on fire

Not surprisingly, Bonita sank immediately after her encounter with Yugure. Her skipper, Cdr Sampson, went down with her. For some reason, Yugure's aft turret never engaged the target.

South China: fruition of the Japanese plan.

With a blocking position established astride the Wuchow-Liuchow road, the Japanese launched their assault on Wuchow on 3 October. Initially the results look discouraging, but the Japanese know they have the defenders isolated from further supplies. Only a short series of attacks are necessary before the Wuchow garrison surrenders, with a two day interval between each during which the attackers draw breath and replenish ammunition stocks:

3 October 1942:
Ground combat at Wuchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 126701 troops, 723 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 2577

Defending force 24088 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 679

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 7

Japanese max assault: 2443 - adjusted assault: 3168

Allied max defense: 630 - adjusted defense: 871

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 7)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 7

Japanese ground losses:
1511 casualties reported
Guns lost 32
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
1565 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

6 October 1942:

Ground combat at Wuchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 124000 troops, 702 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 2439

Defending force 20100 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 595

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 6

Japanese max assault: 2359 - adjusted assault: 3491

Allied max defense: 570 - adjusted defense: 480

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 6)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 6

Japanese ground losses:
938 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
730 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

9 October 1942

Ground combat at Wuchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 122977 troops, 700 guns, 78 vehicles, Assault Value = 2381

Defending force 18705 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 522

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Japanese max assault: 2326 - adjusted assault: 3320

Allied max defense: 502 - adjusted defense: 305

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 5)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wuchow base !!!

Japanese ground losses:
1289 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Allied ground losses:
28810 casualties reported
Guns lost 44

South Pacific Developments

Meanwhile, far away in the South Pacific, Japanese search aircraft sight an upsurge of naval activity in the North Fiji Basin. In view of the repeated bombing of Efate on a daily basis the Japanese have to assume that this island has been designated as the objective of an amphibious attack that is now getting under way.

Immediately available to oppose the gathering Allied threat the Japanese can muster 170+ 1-Shiki Rikko that the Allies refer to as the Betty bomber and 110+ Reisen. These are concentrated mainly at airfields on Gudalcanal, and some will need to ferry to Noumea to supplement the single daitai currently based there.

By way of naval assets, a number of Japanese submarines prowl the area to the east of the New Hebrides, and selected units of these have been ordered onto the predicted approach track of what appears to be an Allied bombardment group reported to include two battleships. A quartet of mine laying submarines had recently seeded the Efate approaches when the Allied task forces were spotted, and some are now returning to the area to thicken the undersea screen.

From Tulagi, Rear Adm Hashimoto Shintaro’s Outer South Seas Force has been ordered to sortie. However this is built around the elderly Aoba and Furataka class cruisers, and Vice Adm Inouye’s 4th Fleet planners at Truk entertain grave doubts as to Hashimoto’s capacity to take on the mass of naval power likely to be arrayed against him.

If the Japanese are to do serious damage to this threat to their perimeter, it is clear that they will need to bring substantially greater combat power to bear. The six fleet carriers of 1 Koku Kantai have completed their round of autumn refits, but are they near enough to come to grips with the Allied armada? If so, then what may well prove to be an engagement critical to both sides’ fortunes will be in prospect.

The Battle of Efate: Day 1 – 11 October 1942

The task group observed 120 miles east of Tana was assumed to have orders to bombard Efate. When later observed 120 miles west of Tana it became obvious the target was Noumea. However, it was still assessed to be more than a half-day’s sailing from New Caledonia, so a major part of the effort of the daitai of Noumea-based Rikko’s of the Genzan Air Group was directed towards it. Furthermore, the Japanese went ahead with their plan to reinforce New Caledonia with a mass of additional land attack bombers, judging that they would have the opportunity to launch the new arrivals against the oncoming bombardment force before it could strike. Meanwhile, a mass of Allied task forces arrived off Efate. Only one attack was launched against them by Noumea’s bombers, the strike being aimed at battleship Idaho, but meeting with no success.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/11/42

ASW attack at 74,116

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63, hits 3

Allied Ships
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Mugford
DD Helm
DD Bagley
DD Gwin
CL Perth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Luganville , at 71,111

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M3 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 21
B-24D Liberator x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 3 damaged
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
42 casualties reported

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 14

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 6th NLF , at 72,114

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 34

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet

Day Air attack on TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Idaho

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 71,117

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G4M1 Betty x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 20 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Northampton, Torpedo hits 1
CL Achilles

Aircraft Attacking:
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Efate at 72,114

Japanese Ships
SS RO-33, hits 11, on fire, heavy damage (sinks)

Allied Ships
DMS Wasmuth
DMS Hovey
DD Rathburne
DD Aylwin
DD McDougal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Efate, at 72,114

Allied Ships
DD Lamson
DD Sterett
CL Phoenix

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 10

The Battle of Efate: Day 2 – 12 October 1942

Combat reports from the second day of the battle, with some commentary

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/12/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 76,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
DD Brooks
DD Porter
DD Stack
DD Farenholt
DD Aaron Ward
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Efate at 72,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-16, hits 2

Allied Ships
CLAA Juneau
DD Lamson
DD Sterett
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A somewhat tentative bombardment effort; I had expected BB Idaho to participate

Naval bombardment of Efate, at 72,114

Allied Ships
DD Lamson
DD Sterett
CL Phoenix

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Port hits 2
Port supply hits 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The minefield laid by submarines just prior to the invasion groups’ arrival claims a couple of victims

TF 1160 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)

TF 1160 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114

Allied Ships
AK Empire Haven, Mine hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1160 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)

TF 1160 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114

Allied Ships
AK West Planter, Mine hits 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 76,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-22, hits 8

Allied Ships
DD Balch
DD Fanning
DD Dunlap
DD Preston
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In come the usual, wearisome series of heavy bomber raids – how I have come to loathe these. On the plus side, the Japanese defenders have been so heavily written down by these raids that few further casualties are sustained!

Day Air attack on Luganville , at 71,111

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
A6M3 Zero x 2

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 12
B-24D Liberator x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 14000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 6th NLF , at 72,114

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 9
B-24D Liberator x 35

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here was a surprise: the Allied command is so confident of its superiority that it feels able to despatch carrier dive bombers on a ground attack mission – not even assigning the bombers a secondary mission to naval attack.

Day Air attack on 6th Naval Construction Battalion, at 72,114

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 32

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
15 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But now the Japanese begin to hit back with their Noumea-based land attack bombers on torpedo strike.

Day Air attack on TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
DMS Long
DMS Trevor

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 9 damaged

Allied Ships
DMS Hovey
DD McDougal
DD Rathburne

Aircraft Attacking:
1 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 Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
G4M1 Betty x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Aorangi
AK San Gabriel, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mount McKinley
AP Empress of Australia, Torpedo hits 1

Aorangi and Empress of Australia! The Rikko crews can scarcely believe their eyes! The Americans have commandeered half the Canadian Pacific liner fleet and put it into the front line! Tokyo Rose is going to have a field day with this!

Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 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 TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 10 damaged

Allied Ships
APD Stringham
APD Colhoun, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
APD Manley, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks*)

Allied ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

These APD’s seemed to have been heavily laden with troops

Aircraft Attacking:
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 TF at 73,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Jeff Davis
AK Steel Navigator, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belatedly some Grummans appear to defend the airspace over the transports

Day Air attack on TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G4M1 Betty x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
MSW Rail
MSW Bobolink, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks*)

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Efate at 72,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 25

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Barnett, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Empress of Australia
AK Trieste, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Edgar Luckenbach
AK Liberty, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK J.L. Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
125 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Aircraft Attacking:
2 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
2 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating in the shallows near the assembled transports, the Japanese submarines are relatively easy meat

ASW attack near Efate at 72,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-16, hits 14, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks*)

Allied Ships
DMS Hovey
DD Rathburne
DD Aylwin
DD McDougal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Efate at 72,114

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63, hits 3

Allied Ships
DMS Hovey
DD Rathburne
DD Aylwin
DD McDougal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The battle has been well and truly joined. The Japanese ground forces on Efate or in no condition to resist an amphibious invasion of any kind, let alone one on the scale now taking place. However, the Japanese have long since accepted that Efate was never going to be a defensible bastion, and their objective is to inflict casualties rather than repel the invasion.

Today elements of four land attack daitais hurl themselves at the Allied transport groups. They are moderately successful, but though they suffer relatively modest total losses in aircraft many more are damaged and the morale of the aircrew is severely shaken. The enemy seems not to have mounted fully effective fighter cover over his task forces, but the AA barrage these have put up has largely compensated for the fighters’ absence.

At this stage things seem to be going the Allied way; will the battle’s third day bring a change in Japanese fortunes?

The Battle of Efate: Day 3 – 13 October 1942

Combat reports for the third day of the battle, with commentary

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/13/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A mass of Allied units land from a number of separate transport task forces

TF 1004 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1004 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1090 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1090 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
784 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1091 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1091 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied Ships
APD Stringham
DD Monaghan
Allied ground losses:
154 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1002 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1002 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1004 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1004 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
103 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1090 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1090 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
687 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1091 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1091 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1135 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
TF 1135 troops unloading over beach at Efate, 72,114
Allied ground losses:
1079 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1032 encounters mine field at Efate (72,114)
Allied Ships
MSW Tern
MSW Rail
MSW Turkey

Another U S carrier air strike, this time directed at Espiritu Santo’s airfield. Once again it’s a morning strike, indicating an Allied assumption that no naval targets would appear on the scene

Day Air attack on Luganville , at 71,111

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
A6M3 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10
SBD-3 Dauntless x 34

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The customary raid by 4-engined bombers based on Fiji

Day Air attack on 6th NLF , at 72,114

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 36

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 15000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A bolt from the blue! 1 Kido Butai despatches every available strike aircraft against the Yorktown task force operating 180 miles ESE of Efate (a proportion of carrier attack planes were withheld as scouts). As planned, the strike launched from maximum range to evade a torpedo-armed counter-strike. The Japanese intention was to follow up with a torpedo strike on the following day if necessary, having first closed as many American flight decks as possible. As things turned out, this single, massive strike proved more than enough to dispose of Yorktown. However, as the American carriers had been dispersed into single-carrier task groups, Wasp’s TG evaded carrier-borne attack. The Reisen of Lt Cdr Kikuchi’s Air Control Force become engaged in a fierce battle with the defending CAP, in which they lose 3 spanking new Model-22 fighters. In return, 75% of the defending Grummans are destroyed, and they are unable to interfere with the mass of attacking bombers, whose only losses are to flak.

Notwithstanding that Wasp’s task group is left untouched by the Japanese strike, she launches no riposte against the Japanese carriers.

Day Air attack on TF at 74,114

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
D3A2 Val x 158
A6M3a Zero x 53
B5N2 Kate x 130

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
D3A2 Val: 6 destroyed, 22 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed, 9 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 16 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 51, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks!*)
CL Honolulu, Bomb hits 4, on fire
BB South Dakota, Bomb hits 22, on fire
CA Salt Lake City, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
5 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
1 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
5 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
4 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
5 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
1 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
5 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
1 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
5 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
8 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
8 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
8 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
7 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A2 Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing at 18000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now it is the turn of Noumea’s Land Attack planes to add their contribution

First escort carrier in trouble

Day Air attack on TF at 73,115

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G4M1 Betty x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Nassau, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

North Carolina probably shrugged aside this single torpedo hit

Day Air attack on TF at 74,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Wasp
BB North Carolina, Torpedo hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 74,114

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 4

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Preston

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second escort carrier in trouble

Day Air attack on TF at 74,114

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G4M1 Betty x 4

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This will have left no doubt as to the weakness of the Efate garrison

Ground combat at Efate

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 360 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 627

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It appears that the Allied command had no inkling of 1 Kido Butai’s approach, and the raid that destroys Yorktown comes as such a shock that the surviving American carriers are unable to mount a return strike.

The tentative Japanese estimate is that Hornet is in Northern Pacific waters, with Lexington and Saratoga undergoing refit on the West Coast. There certainly doesn’t appear to be any sign of them being in the offing, but even if there were, the Japanese would stay to fight, given a worst case scenario of carrier parity and the likelihood of numeric advantage. Furthermore, the Japanese carrier air groups remain substantially intact, the strike on Yorktown having cost 17 crews at most.

Efate will undoubtedly be lost to the Allies on 14 October, but they will have paid a high price for the conquest, and will now have to sustain two major assault formations, 1st Marines and 32nd Infantry, on an island currently without an airfield and close to appreciable Japanese air assets.



<edited for my bad speling>

Banzai! Your opponent seems to have fallen into the trap of planning for what he thought you would do instead of what you might possibly do.

The Real World has kept me away for a couple of days, but now I can post a fresh update.

Ahoy, Cuttlefish: Yes, whenever my carriers are at sea I try to make it a rule to ask myself two questions: (1) What is the worst thing that could happen to them, in view of the orders I have entered? (2) Am I content to accept the danger of that happening, given the mission I have assigned to them?

Really just another way of expressing the younger Moltke's dictum 'First reckon, then risk'.

It would have been useful to tag Wasp as well as Yorktown, but even so the battle so far has seen a helpful shift in the Pacific balance of power. I should not now be suprised to see an appearance with the Pacific Fleet of USS Robin/HMS Victorious!

I think Jonathan's most significant error lay in failing to mass his carrier power in support of the Efate invasion. Had his other three US carriers been present in support the outcome might have been very different, as I would likely have suffered significant carrier casualties. I have been extremely fortunate to take down two fleet carriers without having a glove laid upon KB. OTOH, I was content to commit KB to battle here in any event, given the date and the advantages conferred upon me by the battle area.

Judging by his emails I think Jonathan is quite disheartened by the way things have turned out. If anyone can give his morale a boost feel free, as he's an excellent opponent who's given me a great contest. Couldn't have wished for a better intro to PBEM.