Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI

[Energisteron]

Day 2 - May 05

Results

A very interesting day develops. The only slight change to the plan was the earlier than intended detachment of the slow Transports and a Minesweeper from the main Invasion TF.

At dawn our first air raid from Rabaul hits the defenders of Port Moresby. We take no losses to quite heavy flak. Later in the morning the Invasion TF (now split in 3) is spotted by Catalinas presumably from Port Moresby, and soon after 6x Wirraways make a bomb run on xAK Chicago Maru without success. A CAP of 4x Zeros from CVL Shoho destroys 2x Wirraways and damages another. No Zeros are lost.

By afternoon, CVL Shoho has rounded Milne Bay point, and searching to the east discovers and attacks a small enemy TF comprising CA Australia and CL Hobart. Five Kates fail to gain a hit and we lose one damaged by AAA.

The Fleet Carriers successfully negotiate the Shortlands channel preceded by the mixed Transport and Support TF which docks at Shortlands. There were no mines! Our Carriers have been spotted only by a land-based level-bomber late in the day. The remainder of the Tulagi Transports seem to have evaded detection and are now well east of Onton Java.

Our Naval Search from Shortlands (6x Mavis) spots all manner of contacts in the north Coral Sea!

Day 3 - May 06

Here's the position. No significant change of plan. Note we've been gifted Guadalcanal. I'm not sure how or why, but it now flies our flag (it gives us 3 points!). Certainly, I had nothing to do with it!

So, the main Invasion TF is to make a dash past Milne Bay under the watchful eye of Zeros (with drop tanks) from Lae. CVL Shoho will take risks to cause a distraction between Milne Bay and its current position while our Fleet Carriers approach from the north. With luck, by dawn we will have Buna and Milne Bay to ourselves.

[BBfanboy]

Lunga "flipped" because it had no enemy garrison and you had troops nearby at Tulagi. This is a probability built into the AI - each turn there is a chance the flip will happen but no guarantees. Note that you do not get points for the base if there is any damage to facilities or (IIRC) 0 supply.

[Energisteron]

Thanks, BBf

Not sure I'll be able to supply all these deserted rocks!

[Energisteron]

Day 3 - May 06

Plenty of action today but nothing conclusive.

Overnight SS I-22 intercepts the enemy Oiler, AO Neosho, and gets 1 torpedo hit. The tanker bursts into flames but was not seen to sink before the escort, DD Sims, counterattacks. Our Sub takes significant damage and with just3 torpedoes left she'll return to base.

[Energisteron]

Day 3 - May 06

The minor detachments from the main force reach their secondary targets and commence disembarking at Buna and Milne Bay. There is no resistance except for the surf and both parties get established on shore.

Soon after dawn our Fleet Carriers, already close to Milne Point, detect another Oiler, AO Tippecance, and her Escort, DD Worden. Five Kates attack but score not hits. Shortly afterwards, CVL Shoho detects the enemy CL Hobart and attacks with 4x Kates with a single Zero as escort. Again no damage was done.

[Energisteron]

Day 3 - May 06

By noon, CV Shokaku has launched another raid at the Oilers, but again we get no hits and take no losses. Then CVL Shoho strikes at the small Surface Combat TF again with 4x Kates and we get a torpedo hit on CA Australia.

In the early afternoon both our Carrier TFs are detected by a single Carrier aircraft but no retaliatory raid results. However, our Fleet Carriers do make one air strike at the enemy Carrier TF before dusk. Fourteen Kates escorted by 13x Zeros fail to break through the enemy CAP of 34x Wildcats and we take losses; two Zeros and 7x Kates destroyed. We cannot claim any Wildcats and we don't make a single attack run at their Carriers.

As dusk approaches, our main invasion TF reaches Port Moresby and after a brief bombardment commences unloading. Shore batteries take their toll on the troops as they go ashore but losses are sustainable.

[Energisteron]

Day 4 - May 07

Planning. There's quite a lot to think about. We must react now to the enemy's moves.

Since our main Carrier TF made fruitless air strikes against ghosts yesterday it may be prudent to fall back towards Rabaul and land-based bombers and fighters. We have achieved our first objective of disembarking at Port Moresby, and to intervene effectively the enemy Carriers must close on Port Moresby where our beachhead and Invasion TF will have LRCAP from Lae, and probably from CVL Shoho.

If the Allied CVs do react that way, then we can then advance again from the east with our main force after resting our pilots a little.

We must also decide how best to use the 4xCA. BBfanboy's suggestion to embed them in the landing TF seems like a good idea. Then there's our Subs. I believe their best target is the enemy Oilers, one of which is already damaged, plus CA Australia which has taken a torpedo hit already.

It is hard to believe this is just day 4!

[Energisteron]

Just a clarification on above graphic:-

The 'Green' TF at Shortlands is the mixed Transport Support TF ex Tulagi. It will make its intended move to Milne Bay to insert Air Support vessels, then we can fly in float Rufe fighters from Rabaul.

[Energisteron]

Ok, I've made my decision: the Fleet Carriers will drop back slightly to a position 80 NM NW of Woodlark Island (80 NM NE of Milne Bay), and cut-back marginally on air ops to rest pilots. However, Zeros from Lae and Rabaul equipped with drop-tanks will provide LRCAP (the Rabaul pilots have had 2 days rest and Lae has been operating at 50% capacity).

Meanwhile, CVL Shoho will continue to take risks in her current patrol position (moving between Milne Bay and 200 NM S of there) under only her own CAP, and make threatening gestures at the Cruisers and Oilers to her east.

Our 4xCA will be emedded in the Invasion TF which today will continue unloading without any CAP. Rabaul bombers will make air strikes at the defenders of Port Moresby and these will be reinforced by a further group of Nells from Truk. If the enemy Carriers stray into our land-bombers' comfortable range today then we may switch to Naval Attack tomorrow.

On land our tiny detachments at Buna and Milne Bay are too exhausted after yesterday's swim to make an advance, and in any case the need to unload a ew more supplies. With that in mind the Mavis Transport planes are switched to Lae from whence they'll fly in supplies particularly to Milne.

Place your bets, please!

[Yaab]

It is a short scenario and switching AI to Hard may be giving too much of a bonus to Port Moresby defenders.

[Energisteron]

Could be, Yaab. Could be . .

[Energisteron]

Day 4 - May 07

The Outcome.

A lot happens today; far too much to review in detail, but suffice to write that during the morning our Carriers struck first (16x Vals 11x Zeros versus 24x Wildcats), gaining one bomb hit on CV Yorktown. Inevitably, a massive counterstrike (56x Dauntless 15x Wildcats versus 20x Zeros) was already airborne and it got clean through our CAP and hit Shokaku with 4 bombs and Zuikaku with 2 more. CV Shokaku was put out of action immediately with fires raging out of control. Its aircraft returned to a just serviceable CV Zuikaku or in some cases all the way back to Rabaul.

But we weren't done yet! Later in the morning, we made a second strike (9x Vals 7x Zeros versus 22x Wildcats) and this time we got a good number of bomb runs against CV Yorktown scoring 4 hits. And then CVL Shoho joined the fray. Surely this would be decisive? It was not to be. A smaller strike (6x Kates 7x Zeros versus 18x Wildcats) did get to the target but missed! CV Yorktown was confirmed as being on fire.

Then in the afternoon we got in the first strike again! We mustered a small raid (7x Kates 7x Zeros versus 20x Wildcats) and made several runs at CV Yorktown without success. However, one flight of Kates took on CA Chicago and got 2 torpedo hits! As we left the Cruiser was fully aflame and listing. Of course, then came the US counterattack (47x Dauntless 12x Zeros versus 11x Zeros) and this time it fell exclusively upon CV Zuikaku since CV Shokaku had limped north and out of combat about noon. The results were devastating! No fewer than 7x 1000lb bomb hits wrecked our Carrier which was seen to have huge holes in its side through which could be seen fires raging throughout its hull including the engine room. She sank quickly. The remaining bombers turned their attention to the escort craft and scored 2 more hits on both CA Myoko and DD Akebono. The latter exploded and sank immediately.

The weather may have played a large part in all this. Our 3 morning air strikes found CV Yorktown in 'severe storms' and it wasn't until our small afternoon strike that we found her under just 'light cloud'. Conversely, the US bombers took off in severe storms presumably, but found our Fleet Carriers under 'light cloud' in the morning which worsened to 'heavy cloud' in the afternoon. [If there is a way of ordering one's CVs not to attack until the weather has improved then please let me know!] Amazingly the weather forecast was for 'Clear' skies.

Here's some more pictures of burning Carriers!

[Energisteron]

A summary of air combat losses for the above air strikes:-

Unit Sorties Lost

Zero 53 2

Val 25 5

Kate 13 1

Wildcat 111 1

Dauntless 103 5

However, we lost more aircraft when CV Shokaku went down, and when CV Zuikaku was hit again later. Many pilots and machines are recovering at Rabaul.

And the naval losses:-

Japan CV Zuikaku sunk / CV Shokaku out-of-action

US CV Yorktown damaged (extent unknown) / CA Chicago sunk (confirmed later)

We also have confirmation that CA Australia sank overnight.

EDIT [Corrected ID of CVs sunk and damaged]

[Energisteron]

Day 4 - May 07

And elsewhere:-

Does it really matter? Well, yes, I suppose it does. Although at great cost, our 2 Fleet Carriers have prevented an attack on our Transports at Port Moresby. Our troops are nearly all ashore now, so if we take Port Moresby we can just about be satisfied.

So, at the beachhead, unloading continues. At first the shore batteries make occasional hits on the discharging Freighters and two are hit, one quite badly. Then CL Yubari is hit and set on fire. The recently arrived Cruisers then take over support actions and losses are much reduced. We lost 70 troops in total. Both sides then settle down to a mutual bombardment. In our case losses are inconsequential.

Our Subs make several attacks against the enemy Surface units south of the Carrier action. CL Hobart has a lucky escape. Neither side suffers any damage.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Energisteron

A summary of air combat losses for the above air strikes:-

Unit Sorties Lost

Zero 53 2

Val 25 5

Kate 13 1

Wildcat 111 1

Dauntless 103 5

However, we lost more aircraft when CV Shokaku went down, and when CV Zuikaku was hit again later. Many pilots and machines are recovering at Rabaul.

And the naval losses:-

Japan CV Shokaku sunk / CV Zuikaku out-of-action

US CV Yorktown damaged (extent unknown) / CA Chicago sunk (confirmed later)

We also have confirmation that CA Australia sank overnight.

Your narrative indicated Zuikaku sunk and Shokaku was damaged (not that it changes anything point-wise).

Weather "Forecasts" are for the large area of the map (about four or five zones cover the whole map) and only indicate "trends". In reality the weather in a hex can vary with complete randomness. and as you saw it can change during the day. I guess the idea was that there were no weather stations out at sea so forecasting was a craps shoot.

As for the Sunk Ships report - it is subject to much more FOW than the air losses report. It will ALWAYS report any ship hit by a torpedo as sunk. Don't believe it until you see confirmation at the bottom of your Ops report, along the lines of "CA Chicago is reported to have been sunk on (date) ".
There is a good chance Chicago did sink - the older US CAs did not have good compartmentation and early in the game their crews are inexperienced.
I highly doubt that Australia went down with only one torp hit.

[Energisteron]

Thanks again, BBf, for your proof reading and as usual your very helpful comments!

Indeed, you are correct; in the morning CV Shokaku took the brunt of the first Allied air strike and was detached and headed north, while CV Zuikaku was hit badly in the Allied afternoon raid and sank almost immediately.

I am quite impressed by the complexity of the weather algorithm and have no complaints. However, I'm surprised the US Carriers could mount such a massive well-coordinated strike in such poor weather (severe storms), and also that we found CV Yorktown at all!

That's worrying information about the sunk ships report. I would not be surprised then if the Cruisers have escaped. It's too late now to hunt them down in any case, and to do so would have risked CVL Shoho.

[Energisteron]

Day 5 - May 08

Planning

We will strip all undamaged CAs and CLs from the Fleet Carrier TF and dash past Milne Bay overnight to get to Port Moresby to assist the Ground Force there. We will make a deliberate attack for the first time. The severely damaged Shokaku will head for Rabaul via the Lae Straights. The Aviation Support vessels will drop off at Milne Bay preparatory to the Rufes being transferred there and the Transports will follow the others going to Rabaul via Lae. We will begin flying in supplies from Lae with Mavis Transports.

CVL Shoho, exposed in the vanguard for so long, will fall back on Port Moresby but will make one last attack on the enemy Carrier TF before it gets out of range. By afternoon it should be under LRCAP from Lae.

We will take the Rabaul bombers off ground strikes against Port Moresby, and instigate Naval Search and Attack in a southerly direction and hopefully can engage the enemy Carriers that way. We badly need to take out at least the already damaged CV Yorktown.

The Subs meanwhile will search for the Oilers, if they're still afloat.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Energisteron

The severely damaged Shokaku will head for Rabaul via the Lae Straights.

OK, let's get this straight - a strait may or may not be straight, but ships on the ocean hardly ever steam straight anyway, what with currents and wind and barnacles affecting them.
And dire straits are a very narrow water passage that only the desperate would navigate while dire straights are people who are against gay marriage.
Got it? [;)]

[Energisteron]

Roger, Admiral! [:D]

I'll have to blame spellcheck! [8|]

Anyway, it'll go through that narrow bit near Lae!

[Energisteron]

Day 5 - May 08

The Outcome

Unloading of supplies continues at Port Moresby overnight assisted by the 4 Cruisers detached from CVL Shoho's escort. But the shore batteries continue to get hits on the Freighters which remain their primary target and today xAK Chicago Maru, damaged previously, is sunk. With adequate supplies piling up within the beachhead we can consider postponing further discharging until we capture the port (he says confidently!).

Six hundred miles south-east, deep in the Coral Sea, our Subs make several attacks against CL Hobart before finally getting a clean hit forward on the port side. CL Hobart is observed listing as all 3x Subs elude their pursuers. None are damaged but all have only a handful of torpedoes left.