Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Smeulders


So it's a predecessor of the Heart of Gold-class. If only she were able to replicate the trick with the whales and the missiles, but in reverse. All your problems would quickly be solved.

Yes..yes..quite possibly..and a fine ship she is.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Smeulders


So it's a predecessor of the Heart of Gold-class. If only she were able to replicate the trick with the whales and the missiles, but in reverse. All your problems would quickly be solved.

Yes..yes..quite possibly..and a fine ship she is.

I thought the HMS Hooker was the one typically associated with the Heart of Gold-class?

[Cap Mandrake]

Admiral Spruance leaves behind his stingers at New Edinburgh

[USSAmerica]

I love your maps, Cap.  [&o]

[Cap Mandrake]

Nobody ate their Wheaties at breakfast so half a morning of good weather is wasted on a fruitless (I dare say idiotic) attack on a single AK at New Ullapool.....


Morning Air attack on TF, near Koumac at 113,156

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 10



Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
SBC-4 Helldiver x 10


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBC-4 Helldiver: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Koyu Maru

Then, the bar was open and the likeable guy with the beard told some hilarious (and I dare say ribald) twin stories so all the boys sadled up to attack the Jap carriers.....

Morning Air attack on TF, near Isle of Pines at 118,166

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32



Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 3
F2A-3 Buffalo x 15
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10
SBC-4 Helldiver x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 20


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
F2A-3 Buffalo: 7 destroyed (yes I Realize this was Admiral malpractice at this point in the war but there aren't enough GD Wildcats)
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBC-4 Helldiver: 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2
CV Hiryu
DD Harusame
CV Hiyo


5 Hits out of 33 bombers (15%)

By the afternoon, they were taking off without escorts even....

Morning Air attack on TF, near Isle of Pines at 118,166

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18



Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 6


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 destroyed



Then the guy with the beard stood up on the bar and brought the house down with hilarious headhunter stories. Those that could walk, went back out again.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Isle of Pines at 118,166

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21



Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2
SBD-3 Dauntless x 23


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Hiryu
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 1
CV Zuikaku, on fire

[Chickenboy]

3 flaming Jap carriers is worth a few Buffaloes and SBDs, Cap'n. Nice shootin'.[8D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

3 flaming Jap carriers is worth a few Buffaloes and SBDs, Cap'n. Nice shootin'.[8D]

3 burning and 1 dented. Akagi's and Soryu's Zeroes and Vals are confirmed operating at New Ullapool which suggests both carriers are not ready.

That leaves Kaga and one CVL last seen near Timor and one undamaged carrier in the group SE of New Scotland. I dont think they can leave one or two carriers on station at New Scotland...too dangerous with 4 Allied carriers in the area. Of course, the Allied carriers are paper tigers now as most of their planes are ashore and the Japs can make the same inferences about Navy SBD's.

Even better, all 4 Jap BB's in theater are either sunk or damaged. This means bombardments will be leass effective and I might be able to guard New Edinburgh with the CA's.

[USSAmerica]

Even though none were likely sunk, those CV's are going to have to spend some time getting patched.  At a minimum, I think you just turned the tide in the local theater and you should now be able to get some supply and reinforcements in to bolster the defenders.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: USS America

Even though none were likely sunk, those CV's are going to have to spend some time getting patched.  At a minimum, I think you just turned the tide in the local theater and you should now be able to get some supply and reinforcements in to bolster the defenders.

NOW I may agree with my brushheaded colleague's assessment from a couple days ago (and Sprior's too). Like Mike says, likely those carriers will have significant SYS damage-enough to restrict air combat activities. Your odds just went short, sir. Are you in a position at riposte with your carriers?

[sprior]

big girl's blouse = slang term for a wimpy, emasculated and weak man. In particular, one who complains immoderately.

[sprior]

And it's a long way back to any decent repair facilities for all those glowing carriers.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

big girl's blouse = slang term for a wimpy, emasculated and weak man. In particular, one who complains immoderately.

Whew. I was being tempted toward "immoderation" [;)]

Great word by the way. Positively Churchillian.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: USS America

Even though none were likely sunk, those CV's are going to have to spend some time getting patched. At a minimum, I think you just turned the tide in the local theater and you should now be able to get some supply and reinforcements in to bolster the defenders.

NOW I may agree with my brushheaded colleague's assessment from a couple days ago (and Sprior's too). Like Mike says, likely those carriers will have significant SYS damage-enough to restrict air combat activities. Your odds just went short, sir. Are you in a position at riposte with your carriers?

Not for several days unless the Japs bring in the Imperial triremes. I think there are 2-3 Wildcats between the 4 carriers. Almost everything that could fly went to New Scotland. I just sent the RN torpedo demi-squadrons to Suva in case the Jap carriers move within range. There are 16 TBD's at Suva and 12 crated up F4F's and 20 SBD's coming in to Wellington from Oz.

The carriers will refuel at Samoa today (if there is enough fuel), then they will have to head back toward Fiji to pick up some of the USN squadrons and the RN F4F's.

Absolutely 1 Jap carrier, likely 2, and less likely 3 will be able to conduct flight ops. Probably, the seviceable carries will cover Zuikaku and Shokaku which are burning badly. Their retreat choices are West and then North through the Coral Sea or skirt closer to Fiji to avoid the dive bombers at New Edinburgh.

If I were them I would go West. They can't know completely how impotent the Allied carriers are right now..

[Cap Mandrake]

I watched the combat replay for the 18th. There were TWELVE dud torpedo hits (including a hit on Shokaku) to one detonation. [:@]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I watched the combat replay for the 18th. There were TWELVE dud torpedo hits (including a hit on Shokaku) to one detonation. [:@]

One better than Midway?? [:'(]

EDIT: Seriously, the USN air-dropped torpedoes were really, really bad at the beginning of the war... a good percentage of them disintegrated when they hit the water, and most of the detonators failed... still, they did OK at Coral Sea... not so good at Midway... the torpedoes were vastly improved by the end of the war through various fixes...

REEDIT: i think i would had to stop the replay and get several drinks after about the 4th dud, though... [X(] [8|] [:@]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I watched the combat replay for the 18th. There were TWELVE dud torpedo hits (including a hit on Shokaku) to one detonation. [:@]

One better than Midway?? [:'(]

EDIT: Seriously, the USN air-dropped torpedoes were really, really bad at the beginning of the war... a good percentage of them disintegrated when they hit the water, and most of the detonators failed... still, they did OK at Coral Sea... not so good at Midway... the torpedoes were vastly improved by the end of the war through various fixes...

REEDIT: i think i would had to stop the replay and get several drinks after about the 4th dud, though... [X(] [8|] [:@]

These were torps from subs. No TBD's were involved in the recent fighting. If I had been made to watch 12 dud torps from TBD attacks I would not be posting here right now......I would be at the top of some bell tower with a sniper rifle.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************May 19, 1942*************


The Jap carriers disappeared. All of them. I probably have a recon gap South of New Scotland after all the PBY's losses recently.

Pallsier was ordered to stay at New Edinburgh with Dent and Scout in the hope he could deflect weaker Jap bombardment forces. This he did to some succes v Kinugasa and Kinu. Palliser was eventually driven off and the bombardment by Kinugasa was largely ineffective. When the sun came up; however...........


Ship's Log: HMGS Arthur Dent


23:35, May 18 Make speed 30 kts, course 210, fire at will............

23:50 Make smoke. New course 170

.
.
.
07:25, May 19 Lookouts report enemy dive bombers. Hard left rudder ordered....

07:28 hard right rudder

07:35 hard left rudder

.
.
.
09:35 Hard right rudder
.
.
11;28 Hard right rudder
.
.
.
13;20 Hard left rudder
.
.
.
15:25 Abandon ship...


Dozens of Val and Kate sorties from New Uallapool attack both ships but only the 5th and 6th attacks succeed. Squaw of yellowhair Palliser cry in teepee tonight....well, honestly, it depends on the life insurance payout and if the step kids are going to fight over the inheritence.

Allied medium bombers attack New Ullapool with good success, destroying 20 planes on the ground. New Perth was also hit by two cruisers and then a shock attack by 58,000 angry LYB's in the morning. This came off at 1:2 but resulted in over 5000 Jap casulaties (a 10:1 ratio). Supply at New Perth falls to almost zero. The planes will have to leave.

The dive bombers at NE dont even leave the ground.

A Jap DD near New Ullappol was hit by a dud torp....natually.

I still need to get supplies in and kill the cruisers....and I need to get some of the dive bombers out of NE and get the 17's back in.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I watched the combat replay for the 18th. There were TWELVE dud torpedo hits (including a hit on Shokaku) to one detonation. [:@]

Considering renegotiating your contract with M&M Enterprises?

[Onime No Kyo]

I think I broke The Worst AAR Ever. [X(]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

I think I broke The Worst AAR Ever. [X(]

How long have you had these feelings of grandiosity?

In reality, it took 2 1/2 days to get the turn back, then the Japs nearly captured New Edinburgh...Madre de Dios!. I also found out what happened to the McGoo kid that is MIA on Tanna....but there has been a severe outbreak of XX chromosome-induced, transient (I hope) communal psychosis at my place and I couldnt get to it.


BTW...my ice maker stopped working again......SELL!!!!!!