speedy vs swift - who gets there faster

[wernerpruckner]

The plan did not work out as intended - Steven kept outside the range of my naval bomber units and now he is also withdrawing.
But still it was a tactical Allied victory with nearly 200 lost Japanese A/C in a three day period. I guess his Naval bomber units are very low on exp and morale right now [:D]
At least I hope he is withdrawing and not moving along all the islands to PagoPago. I have two larger supply convoys moving around here !!

07/21/42:
a few more lost Allied AKs but also :
D3A Val: 42 destroyed
B5N Kate: 70 destroyed
[:'(]
My bombers are still attacking Japanese shipping around Luganville and Efate in a smaller scale:
AP Mexico Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 1
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 1

07/22/42:
KB is leaving the waters around NZ.
4 more Allied AK sunk ( a total of 19 AKs for the virtual destruction of the naval bomber force - 120+ Kates and 70+ Vals [X(] )
Bombers at Noumea are resting this turn.

[wernerpruckner]

07/23/42:
more or less the same as before, except an annoying air strike against Darwin. Wirraways and Hurricanes are no match for Zeros !!
Steven made several big attacks in China, but after I use nearly all A/C able to carry supplies to China [:)] his attacks were bounced - the supply levels in Cina are now much better than I hoped for!!
Efate still holds and gets bombed and bombarded every turn.
My pilots were only able to damage one ship this turn:
AP Kunimitsu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

07/24/42:
nothing to report - except that my flyboys are unable to hit any shipping at Luganville and Efate

07/25/42:
a Japanese destroyer TF got hit hard this turn - Steven was probably investigating some sub or PT movements ( I let a few PTs move out 2 hexes every few turns, just to see what Steven willdo...):
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Yayoi, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Kisaragi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Tanikaze, Bomb hits 2, on fire
later the following raids caused less damage:
DD Isokaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
but still, I am happy that my boys hit something this turn - a real push in morale [8|]

07/26/42:
Steven is moving KB to Luganville; my pilots tried to attack it, but without any chance !! The Zero screen prooved to be impenetrable - I lost nearly 80 A/C this turn, 50 of those were P-40s, for around 20 Zeros.
I think Steven will start the Invasion of New Caledonia soon after he defeats my defenders at Efate ( recce tells me that he has around 50k troops there at the moment - my defenders are just around 7k troops !! ).

[wernerpruckner]

07/27/42:
after a longer battle Efate was lost this day [:(]
my bomber pilots tried to help with bombing the enemy shipping ( but under heavy losses!!):
AK Tusima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Suez Maru, Shell hits 4

07/28/42:
Pacific is quiet, but many japanese attacks in China. China seems to be a mess, but the supply levels are quite high ( 2 bases have 50+k supply due to heavy air lifting from Ledo and other Indian bases with nearly everything that can carry supply )

07/29/42
nothing new

07/30/42
SS Argonaut lost after a mine laying sortie in Japanese home water.
Start of nuisance high level raids by B-17 from Noumea - they probably will hit nothing, but they will keep some preassure on Steven.

07/31/42
not much to report - KB is moving away from Lugaville, 3 subs will try to intercept them.

[wernerpruckner]

08/01/42:
more or less the usual - trying to attack the enemy shipping around Luganville ( and getting a bloody nose )
but also a few good moments:
SS Sargo attacked the AP La Plata Maru (Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage)
and a few escorts gangbanged the SS I-1 (hits 8, on fire, heavy damage)

08/02/42:
always the same - enemy attacks in China ( air and ground) and me trying always the same around Luganville ( maybe I should try something different)

08/03/42:
I moved the AVG back to the frontlines, nice surprise for Steven - I will follow with on FG and one FS ( P40Es ) to beef them up [:D]
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 24
Ki-21 Sally x 53
Ki-48 Lily x 10
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 10 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed
SB-2c: 2 destroyed

08/04/42:
and here they come again:
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
A6M3 Zero x 25
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 17
Ki-21 Sally x 47
Ki-48 Lily x 8
Ki-46-II Dinah x 6

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 10 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 15 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 9 destroyed, 13 damaged
[:'(]
other events:
SS Sargo damaged by escorts
and three BBs hit near Luganville
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 1
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 1
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 1
I do not think they felt anything [:(]

08/05/42:
Steven tries attack/bombardment runs against Noumea - my scoutting PTs slowed them down a little bit ( but with the loss of some PTs):
PT PT-122, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
PT PT-125, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT PT-121, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
PT PT-118, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
PT PT-117, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT PT-82, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
PT PT-126, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
[:(] and not one single hit on an enemy ship !!
in the morning the bombardment did only little damage:
CL Yura
CL Nagara
CA Haguro
CA Myoko
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei


Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Also in the morning an enemy sub tried to interfere with my supply shipping. Not the wisest thing to do with many escorts around [;)]
SS I-9, hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
During the daylight my bombers tried to attack the home going bombardment group, but they only scored minor hits on some BBs.
I also started the first high level attack against Luganville with my B-17s ( as long as he does not complain that this is cheating I will go on, maybe he will move in soem Oscars and Tojos ) [:D]:
Day Air attack on Luganville , at 72,107

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 3
B-17E Fortress x 129

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
MSW W.18, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kogyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Tusima Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mutsuki, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

08/06/42:
The SS Grunion scored a torpedo hit one the heavily escorted AK Tamagawa Maru ( Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage, 13 casualties reported )

08/07/42:
the next Japanese bombardment group is incoming onto NOumea - my pilots tried to stop them, but EvilSpeedySteven but his fighters on LR patrol:
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 45
A6M3 Zero x 13

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SBD Dauntless x 13
Kittyhawk I x 8
P-400 Airacobra x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 76
P-40E Warhawk x 28
A-20B Boston x 6
B-25C Mitchell x 9
B-26B Marauder x 8
B-24D Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 30 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 11 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 8 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra: 8 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 59 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 16 destroyed
A-20B Boston: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 5 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 1
CL Kiso
BB Hyuga
CA Furutaka
DD Umikaze
CL Tama
and a second time:
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
A6M3 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Kittyhawk I x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 9
B-24D Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 10 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
and a third time:
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 30

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Bomb hits 1

The ongoing enemy offenisve around Kungchang was able to reduce my fort level to 3 [X(] - absolutly not good !!!

08/08/42:
once again bloody air battles around Luganville - I need to think of something else !!

08/09/42:
a bombardment group slipped through my PTs and subs, but luckily two of his escorting DDs moved into a minefield:
DD Shiokaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tomozuru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
The bombardment of Noumea did only minor damage:
Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso
CL Tama
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Ashigara
BB Hyuga
BB Ise


Allied ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Runway hits 2
Port fuel hits 1
Later that morning the DD Shiokaze was caught by my bombers and sunk !!
The BBs were once again untouchable by my bombs.
Also once again huge A/C losses on my side.

08/10/42:
An enemy sub sneaked through the escorts and attacked the AK William Dawes ( Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage ) but later the sub was counterattacked by my DDs - SS I-29, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage.

08/11/42:
A Japanese DD got hit by a nice little sub layed mine at Iwo Jima:
DD Nagatsuki, Mine hits 1, on fire
The battle of Kungchang continues - now my fort level is only 2!! and Steven has 4 times as many troops there [X(]