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one fish into a battlecruiser hull... hmmm. Better you don´t expect her too certain to leave the scene for wharf. Remember - "fog of war" is enabled...

Saratogo is a tough lady. I would expect 10+ Sys and flooding below 30. The flooding will be reapiered in a couple of days and within two weeks she is under 10 Sys.

Like you said....one fish into the side of Saratoga is not the end of the world. While I would have preferred not to have been the recipient of the sushi "special of the day", she is holding up well and is still on station...

Jamie

as I guess bigbaba´s kitchen has some other fancy dishes still to deliver... But congrats to sturdy SARA!

12/13/42

the imperial navy HQ notifies:

operations are on the way to liberate GG from the anglo-american aggressors.

the goal of the first phase of the operation was to reduce the american air power in the area. our fighter pilots did a great job and several american air groups are completley erased.

in the next phase, admiral tanaka will go to GG with his mighty battlefleet and destroy any resistance there.

then, elite troops of 2 japanese army divisions will land at GG and destroy the remains of the american troops.

FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!

BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/13/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 91
A6M3 Zero x 50
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 13
TBF Avenger x 10

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 15 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 12 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 1 damaged

PO1 D.Matsuba of F2/6th Daitai is credited with kill number 7


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
A6M3 Zero x 36
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 15

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 17 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 1 damaged

ENS V.Kanzaki of F2/6th Daitai is credited with kill number 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 91
A6M3 Zero x 50
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 20 destroyed

LT J. Yamashita of F2/1st Daitai is credited with kill number 4

LCDR W. Gallaher of VS-6 bails out and is RESCUED


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 91
A6M3 Zero x 50
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
TBF Avenger x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 20 destroyed

LTJG L.Mikami of F2/252nd Daitai is credited with kill number 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 82
A6M3 Zero x 45
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
TBF Avenger x 3

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 1 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 1 damaged


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 82
A6M3 Zero x 45
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SBD Dauntless x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless x 13 destroyed

PO2 P.Minegishi of F1/6th Daitai is credited with kill number 3

LCDR C. Shands of VF-71 bails out and is RESCUED

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 17,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39
A6M3 Zero x 22
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
SBD Dauntless x 15
TBF Avenger x 15

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4 damaged
SBD Dauntless x 14 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 2 damaged
TBF Avenger x 14 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 2 damaged

LT J. Yamashita of F2/1st Daitai is credited with kill number 5

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yep....It would appear that your long range cap is very effective against my carrier air...well...what used to be my carrier air. I wonder why they would have even flown into that much cap?

Jamie.

maybe they belived the allied propaganda, that the japanese are "running on empty" and have green pilots.[;)]

anyway..this turn, jamie managed to damage 4 troop transporters with his remaining carrier planes. the CAP was resting after 2 days of intense flight.

heavy CAP... Sushi Air at it´s best[;)]

ORIGINAL: Bigdog128

Yep....It would appear that your long range cap is very effective against my carrier air...well...what used to be my carrier air. I wonder why they would have even flown into that much cap?

Jamie.

The Japanese ability to project LRCAP over huge distances in this game is so severely overmodeled it borders on a joke. It's the single most abused capability in the entire game.


ps Ralf, stop trolling the boards and get your turn done and off to me please.

despite the bad weather, the air battle over GG continues:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/15/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10

Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D Mitchell x 1 destroyed
B-25D Mitchell x 2 damaged

LTJG S.Oda of F2/1st Daitai is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
APD 39

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10

Allied aircraft
Hudson x 3
P-38G Lightning x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 destroyed
Hudson x 2 damaged
P-38G Lightning x 5 destroyed
P-38G Lightning x 4 damaged

CPT C. Saito of 24th Sentai is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x Hudson at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 6
B-25D Mitchell x 6

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning x 2 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Akigumo
DD Satsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
Hudson x 1

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 destroyed

Attacking Level Bombers:
0 x Hudson at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
Hudson x 3
Beaufighter VIC x 6
P-38G Lightning x 10
B-25D Mitchell x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 destroyed
Hudson x 2 damaged
Beaufighter VIC x 3 destroyed
Beaufighter VIC x 4 damaged
P-38G Lightning x 3 destroyed
P-38G Lightning x 2 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 1 destroyed
B-25D Mitchell x 3 damaged

PO1 O.Nagashima of CII-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 4

LT J. Yamashita of F2/1st Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Maya
DD Okikaze

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
2 x Hudson at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIC x 15

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter VIC x 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
PG Keijo Maru
PC Ch 5, Shell hits 8, on fire
PG Seikai Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 21
B-24D Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 9 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Takanami
BB Mutsu
BB Haruna
CA Myoko
DD Urakaze
CL Natori

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3
B-24D Liberator x 5

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 3 damaged
B-24D Liberator x 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
DD Hagikaze

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
DD Tachikaze
CL Nagara
BB Nagato

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@hans:

remember, that every operational fighter was flying the CAP. thats nearly 400 fighters and all pilots were well rested and experienced with 99 moral. also, the air battles location was right at the half of the normal range of the A6M2 at a point between GG, lae and rabaul and not at GG.

also, they didnt fought against allied level bombers (the japanese CAP sucks here) but against single engine navy planes which are easier to shoot down.

and finaly, the pilots got a extra ration of sushi before takeing off. this "light food" did not hindered them in the fight.[;)]

never underestimate the power of: [:-]

@hans:

remember, that every operational fighter was flying the CAP. thats nearly 400 fighters and all pilots were well rested and experienced with 99 moral. also, the air battles location was right at the half of the normal range of the A6M2 at a point between GG, lae and rabaul and not at GG.

also, they didnt fought against allied level bombers (the japanese CAP sucks here) but against single engine navy planes which are easier to shoot down.

and finaly, the pilots got a extra ration of sushi before takeing off. this "light food" did not hindered them in the fight.[;)]

Bigbaba,

In this particular case it does not appear to have been an excessive abuse. The excessive abuse I speak of is early in many games when the IJN is making bombardment runs on PM with complete impunity as a result of LRCAP flown from Rabual. That's the part that's a joke. The IJN TF sits a couple hexes south of GG with sufficient CAP over it to preclude any sorties against it by the American bombers based at PM.

If the IJN could have flown effective LRCAP from Rabaul to a point south of GG historically they could have invaded GG without having to put their carriers at risk covering the GG invasion fleet as they did at the Battle of the Coral Sea.

The ability of the Japanese player to shut down PM with bombardment runs without having to cover those TFs with LRCAP form carriers in close proximity is what is a joke.

CAP is all about maintaining a presence. LRCAP is all about time over target. The further you have to go to reach the target, the more difficult it becomes to maintain a presence. Odd that with so many idividual sorties none of them got through a gap in the rotation. Probably because the game doesn't model the kind of rotation that would be necessary to maintain a full time presence over such a distant target.

ok hans. i thought that my LRCAP over the battleships far north of GG was a abuse. i agree with you, that any japanese LRCAP from rabaul to a point south of GG is simply not realistic because of the distance...although i find japanese CAP against anything what has more then one engine is very very ineffective...but thats something realistic.

a japanese fighter pilot shoot several rounds on a B-17 in the middle of the pearl harbor attack with no result and he said after the attack, that his thought was, that this plane will cause a lot of problems for the japanese in the comming war. 

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

ok hans. i thought that my LRCAP over the battleships far north of GG was a abuse. i agree with you, that any japanese LRCAP from rabaul to a point south of GG is simply not realistic because of the distance...although i find japanese CAP against anything what has more then one engine is very very ineffective...but thats something realistic.

a japanese fighter pilot shoot several rounds on a B-17 in the middle of the pearl harbor attack with no result and he said after the attack, that his thought was, that this plane will cause a lot of problems for the japanese in the comming war. 

The problem with the game engine is that the American 2Es won't even fly into the LRCAP from Rabaul to that point south of GG and that is why those bombardment runs can be made with complete impunity. Since it's out of range of the American escorts, the cap to escort ratio calculation keeps the 2Es from ever flying at all.

The first few times I experienced those bombardment runs I assumed the opposing player had carriers nearby covering the surface TF. When time after time I sufered this bombardment and never once spotted a carrier TF I became suspicious. So, I loaded up a solitaire game as the Japanese and experimented to discover to my horror that the designers were such huge Japanese fanboys that they gave the Japanese this incredibly game breaking ahistorical capability. I lost a lot of respect for Gary Grigsby after that discovery.

gili gili is liberated. long live the emperor! banzai! banzai! banzai!

we are now at the end of 1942 and i lead by 4000 VP.

you guys mean that its possible as the japanese (scenario 16 with 100%) to escape to the end of the game with this VP difference at the beginning of 1943?

anyway..i made some neary fatal mistakes, i would never ever repeat in other games. i did not fortify PM and GG to level 9 as it was quiet. after all, i still learn as a PBEM-rookie.

edit:

the situation at the end of 1942..happy x-mass, yanks.[;)]

01/12/43:

my valued opponent is gathering his fleet again south of PM.

seems that my elite bomber pilots will get some training soon. over 300 nells and bettys and over 200 A6M2 are ready to launch.[:-]

should make for a warm welcome...

he is landing at lae lae...again and in force.

lets see, if i can start another 160+ planes torpedo attack with my "sushi-air force".[;)]

who said, zeros suck against 4E bombers? its only a question of the right diet (sushi for the win!)[:D]

the USAAF lost 15! B-17 and B-24 in one day in the attempt to bomb a level 9 fortificated lae.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/26/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Lae , at 9,33

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 62
A6M3 Zero x 57

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 5 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator x 1 destroyed
B-24D Liberator x 12 damaged

Japanese Ships
PC Takunan Maru #10, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Lae , at 9,33

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 62
A6M3 Zero x 57

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 6 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 23 damaged

PO2 H.Chiyoshima of F2/6th Daitai is credited with kill number 3

Japanese Ships
AO Iro, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 13

Port hits 4
Port supply hits 5

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

now the zeros dont shoot down so many bombers directly, but the long way back to australia in a bullet sieved bomber does the job for me.

its the end of january 1943 and the VP projection amounting 4100!

the battlefleet is intact and so are the 300+ nells/bettys with 70-80 xp-pilots. and not to forget the soon 500 fighters.

the main problem for me is the fact, that i got maybe 4-5 ships in the last 2-3 months! maybe i should play at 200% next time instead of 100%. but "you grow on your problems" and so:

BANZAI BANZAI BANZAI! long live the emperor. long live the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere!

take care. If the US gets F4u's in range of Irau, your situation will go downhill fast. Plus, the US is going to get far more ships than you in 1943. Still, congradulations on your success to date! what are each sides CV losses so far?