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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 06, 43
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ASW attack near Tongatapu at 137,165

Japanese Ships
SS I-7

Allied Ships
DD Lardner
BB Warspite
DD Cony
DD Gillespie
DD Gansevoort
DD Bancroft
DD Bailey



SS I-7 launches 6 torpedoes at DD Lardner
DD Gillespie fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Gansevoort attacking submerged sub ....
DD Gansevoort is out of ASW ammo
DD Gansevoort is out of ASW ammo
DD Bancroft fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Bailey fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Gillespie fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Gansevoort fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Tongatapu at 137,165

Japanese Ships
SS I-15

Allied Ships
CVE Suwannee
DD Gansevoort
DD Lansdowne
DD Gillespie
DD Bancroft
DD Bailey
DD Woodworth



SS I-15 launches 6 torpedoes at CVE Suwannee
I-15 diving deep ....
DD Gillespie fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Bancroft fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Bailey fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Woodworth fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Gillespie attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-15 eludes DD Gillespie by diving deep
DD Gillespie fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Gillespie fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Gillespie fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Gillespie attacking submerged sub ....
DD Gillespie cannot reach attack position over SS I-15
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Tongatapu at 137,165

Japanese Ships
SS I-24

Allied Ships
CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Warspite
DD Cony
DD Gillespie
DD Bancroft
DD Bailey
DD Woodworth



SS I-24 launches 6 torpedoes at CVE Chenango
DD Gillespie fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Bancroft fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Bailey fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Woodworth fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Any suggestion to how to counter this mess???

1 - Don't fly P-39s, P-400s, P-40Es, Kittyhawks and other 1941 generation planes against A6M3as....

2 - Disband your air units in the Solomons and rebuild them in 60 days on the West Coast with better planes...

3 - Pull out your forces from the New Hebrides/New Caledonia and put them into New Zealand

As far as the Japanese subs around Suva:

1 - Put ALL of your bombers (including CV bombers) on 100% ASW at 1000 feet - keep them within half of their max range

2 - Send out ALL of your ASW ships in multiple ASW TFs towards all Japanese subs within a one turn distance

3 - Set ALL of your Floatplanes (not Cats) to Night Naval Attack at 1000 feet - they will have a chance to attack the enemy subs

As I said before "There are no Solomons"...

If it was an invasion force I'd have the amphib force following a SCTF or Bombardment TF. Wouldn't you have better ASW results if you had the CVE TF following the ASW TF?

Another turn and another tragedy.... another CVE sunk by subs between Pago and Suva..

Actually, come to think of it, this is the best thing that could happen to you right now.

Why? Because without any CVEs you will be less likely to throw away all the rest of your CVs in a huge, hopeless gamble.

Now, harass the Japanese subs for the next couple of turns, then form up your CVs in a BIG TF and send it home - preferably to the West Coast, and leave it there until you can replace ALL of the Wildcats with Hellcats.

I know, you want to bravely attack - but think of it this way, if you do what I say, in four months time you can attack with some hope of success. If you throw away your CVs it will be 10 months before you can bravely attack again...

I would have formed multiple ASW TF composed of a DD and 2 or 3 SC/PC. Each ASW TF would be ordered to follow the one before them from one hexes behind so you had a small train of ships. The hex with the CVEs would be following 2 ASW TF in that same hex. So your ships will be spread out over about 5 hexes max. Old CLs would have their FP trained up in ASW skill and range set to 2 hexes. Maybe not to hit his subs, but to spot them. Those SC/PC have poor crew experience, but I would rather have them sunk than your CVEs.

Actually, come to think of it, this is the best thing that could happen to you right now.

Why? Because without any CVEs you will be less likely to throw away all the rest of your CVs in a huge, hopeless gamble.

Now, harass the Japanese subs for the next couple of turns, then form up your CVs in a BIG TF and send it home - preferably to the West Coast, and leave it there until you can replace ALL of the Wildcats with Hellcats.

I know, you want to bravely attack - but think of it this way, if you do what I say, in four months time you can attack with some hope of success. If you throw away your CVs it will be 10 months before you can bravely attack again...

It seems to me that you have agreed to house rules which neutralize the ability to either resist Japanese thrusts or conduct amphibious campaigns of your own prior to the Essex class CV's and the Hellcats.

When Allied players engage KB in late 42 they typically rely on a network of bases and the 4e and 2e LBA to attrite KB fighters. As many say, your 4e bombers are your best fighters as the Allies. When they engage in amphibious attacks they generally rely on a network of bases, often seizing several bases together or striking within support distance of an existing network. By massing 2e and 4e planes, KB cannot engage the network without risk and vulnerability. With a one squadron per base limitation, KB can support an air domination campaign with impunity! It makes it difficult to maintain yourself in air bases or provide cover for a surface force presence. The other way Allied players sometimes successfully engage KB is by surface force ambush when it ventures to near Allied bases. But you can't provide adequate air cover to enable you to keep you surface forces close to the action or engage in the surface force attrition which favors the Allies.

Have your CV TF follow the ASW TF and not the other way around. This way the ASW TF comes into the hex first.

Unfortunately ADB is right again. I had to "Dunkirk" the Solomons when i could...but now...how can i do that?
How can i evacuate the equivalent of 3 divisions, 4 Tanks BNs, tons of eng, base forces, artillery etc etc....??
If i let them there they will simply be bombed to dust and then captured. If i try to evacuate them without a decent air cover Rader is going to annihilate my forces with KB+SUPER-LBA.

What can i do? I can use my 150 C-47s...but i'll have to leave behind all the heavy equipment and for sure most of the units won't be saved...

Should i try to organize a inverse-Tokyo Express evacuation style? Would it be worth?

You know that i cannot let my best Marines Divisions to simply rot there...

Again...Greyjoy...you've overvaluated your chances and your forces...and now you pay the heavy price of your own stupid bad plans.

To reply to String, NY59G and the others...no, i had the CVTF leading followed by the ASWTF...Ok, i'll try that new disposition...it's too late now but better late than never right?

...still thinking on how can i evacuate...i think i have to decide which unit will be sacrificed ald left behind...and concentrate only on the real valuable units....what a PITA!!!!!

You know that this is gonna be the 4th major land disaster of the war...and possibly the worst one right!? I mean, China, India, PM and now this...[:-]

Ok, drawing now the plans for the operation "Waterfalls"...the evacuation of SOPAC[:o]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, drawing now the plans for the operation "Waterfalls"...the evacuation of SOPAC[:o]

Don't, keep pouring in resources, he'll have a tough time resupplying his troops as well.

Reading back what i wrote just a couple of pages ago.... you know those sadic people who first give to a baby a candy to make him smile...then they grab it back and slap the baby on his face!...well, i feel like the named baby [:D]

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, drawing now the plans for the operation "Waterfalls"...the evacuation of SOPAC[:o]

Don't, keep pouring in resources, he'll have a tough time resupplying his troops as well.

What you mean? I should stay there? How am i supposed to resupply Tulagi and Lunga if i cannot keep an air defence over there? He's surrounding me building up with an incredible fast pace every single dot base around my positions...and every time i try to put up an umbrella CAP over a re-supply convoy it ends up with 300 planes on sweep that destroy my CAP, followed by well escorted Betties who easily sink the convoy...and by Helens which closes the AF were i based my CAP...i haven't been able to find a solution for that. No matter how good my pilots or planes can be...he will easily destroy my CAP with these sweeps...

What shall i do? I have to decide today...if i have to evacuate i have to do it now (it's already too late perhaps)...not next month...not tomorrow

Stop wasting time repeating ad nauseum the same eroneous pitying statements, stop responding to each post made by third parties as if they all provide good advice, stop asking for explicit moves from your readers, stop sending off turns so quickly to your opponent and use the time to learn how to play the game and read those early posts from those who no longer bother to post here and were trying to train your mind to think.

• there is a way to get supply through
• there is a way to interdict your oponents supply lines
• calculate what are the benefits of holding on

Also, if Rader is really interested in conquering all of India, and there is evidence he isn't, you are in serious danger of losing Karachi within 6 months. The large garrison you maintain at Karachi is a very poor, but absolutely typical of your play, use of Allied resources.

Alfred

My only advice would be... deciede an general strategy on what you want.. commit to it and make him pay.

Only you know what general plan you have for your offensive or defensive actions.

You cannot shift those plans on and off... if you want to fight now than you do... if you want to retreat now than you do.... whatever you deciede to do than grind it through.

Here's the situation map.

In every single one of those AF he has brought in no time at least 10k men (i bet all Eng units) and he's building AFs with an incredible speed!!!!

His fighters are disposed spread around in every single base, and his bombers too...

This is the last turn Sweeps over Lunga and Tulagi....



Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 11
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
11 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet



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Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 27



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
27 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 31000 feet



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Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 12 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 40
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
40 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet


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Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 194 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 58 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 3
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet





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Morning Air attack on 3rd Marine Defense Battalion, at 114,138 (Lunga)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 135 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 57
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 118



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 6 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak


Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
21 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 199 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 55 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 3



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 31000 feet



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Morning Air attack on Lunga , at 114,138

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 197 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 58 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 4
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 36



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet

Morning Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 2


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
10 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet


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Afternoon Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
13 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 31000 feet


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Morning Air attack on Tassafaronga , at 113,137

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 92 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 7



No Japanese losses



Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-45 KAIa Nick sweeping at 12000 feet

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Stop wasting time repeating ad nauseum the same eroneous pitying statements, stop responding to each post made by third parties as if they all provide good advice, stop asking for explicit moves from your readers, stop sending off turns so quickly to your opponent and use the time to learn how to play the game and read those early posts from those who no longer bother to post here and were trying to train your mind to think.

• there is a way to get supply through
• there is a way to interdict your oponents supply lines
• calculate what are the benefits of holding on

Also, if Rader is really interested in conquering all of India, and there is evidence he isn't, you are in serious danger of losing Karachi within 6 months. The large garrison you maintain at Karachi is a very poor, but absolutely typical of your play, use of Allied resources.

Alfred

Thanks Alfred for coming in again.

I try to respond to every one who writes here because i feel that if someone is so cute and kind to take his time and write few lines (or even a lot of lines) to share his thoughts and give suggestions, that person at least needs a word of "reward" for giving his free contribute in order to make the AAR a shared experience of play, not only by the one who actually plays the game, but even for the readers. Obviously there may be some who don't like my style...

And i did always try to learn "how to play the game", investing and devoting really a lot of time in the process of learning...and, to be honest, i think i made some decent progress since the beginning...yes, it's still a long way to become a good player, but i'm willing to learn! and every day i learn something new about the mechanics and about strategy. But it takes time and lots of defeats to grasp the strategical and logistica concepts of this game. It's a tough learning curve.
In the Solomons for ex i really felt "safe". Never thought 120,000 allied well armed troops could be in danger in 1943...because i didn't consider the implications of the whole picture, or i did overvaluate my capability of defending my air space.

Thanks

GJ

ORIGINAL: aztez

My only advice would be... deciede an general strategy on what you want.. commit to it and make him pay.

Only you know what general plan you have for your offensive or defensive actions.

You cannot shift those plans on and off... if you want to fight now than you do... if you want to retreat now than you do.... whatever you deciede to do than grind it through.

Would it be so easy...[:)] When u don't have the experience to know if what you're planning in your mind have some chance of success, every single opinion can change your view about the plan.... so what seemed to be a good plan yesterday, becomes the worst possible plan tomorrow after someone managed to point out a detail that you simply haven't seen the day before...

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: aztez

My only advice would be... deciede an general strategy on what you want.. commit to it and make him pay.

Only you know what general plan you have for your offensive or defensive actions.

You cannot shift those plans on and off... if you want to fight now than you do... if you want to retreat now than you do.... whatever you deciede to do than grind it through.

Would it be so easy...[:)] When u don't have the experience to know if what you're planning in your mind have some chance of success, every single opinion can change your view about the plan.... so what seemed to be a good plan yesterday, becomes the worst possible plan tomorrow after someone managed to point out a detail that you simply haven't seen the day before...

That is the problem than. You can't keep shifting your "focus".

You either commit to battles or not. As long as he dictates what you can and will do than he has the upperhand.

ORIGINAL: Alfred

• there is a way to get supply through
• there is a way to interdict your oponents supply lines
• calculate what are the benefits of holding on

Alfred

About supply: i'm trying really hard to bring supplies to the Solomons. We've delivered quite a bit during the last month (but the price paid in terms of xAKs was high) but it's getting more difficult every day. I've been using C-47s, APDs in fast transport mode and fast xAKs escorted by DMSs and DDs...but the real point is that, once he conquers the air supremacy over the contested base, even if i succeed in the process of resupplying my garrisons, he will simply destroy that supply with his bombing attacks...and sooner than later he'll start bombing with his BBs (i bet he'll do that)..and my supplies will be gone in a second... If there's a way, i'm not seeing it.

About interdict his supply lines... I'm using my subs between Truk and Rabaul and they're achieving something...but a couple of xAKs in 2 weeks isn't exactly what is going to stop him from steamrolling me. However i'll keep on trying

Holding on will surely provide benefits for my upcoming counterinvasion of India. But to fix him here with the KB i need to provide a decent fight...and that means keeping on sending units, planes, ships and resources into the Solomons MeatGrinder...The risk is to lose badly here and give him however the time to get safely back to India with the Combined fleet once he has secured a ring of steel and fire around my Solomons garrisons, starving them to death and finally invading with overwhelming AVs. To hold on i need to find a way to stop his advance (building up the chain of bases that leads to Lunga) and to stand a fight against his sweeping fighters