Field Marshal Bananas Tale of Victory

[EUBanana]

No results at Milne Bay.  My Betties hit Port Moresby, but even escorted, they just don't have the bombload to be effective against bases.  Clearly base attacks are misuse of these precious assets.

3 x SNLF are en route from Truk to Rabaul in my 'kitchen sink' approach. 

Allied cruisers and possibly carriers sighted south of Lunga.  I've ordered some cruisers and  the CVBG to loiter a good days steaming north.  I'm not anticipating contesting this if his CVs are present, but I'd like to be in raiding distance just in case...

[EUBanana]

Tough choices.

A bombardment group with 2 x BB is en route to Port Moresby again, and he knows about it as it got lightly bombed today.

Three TFs loiter north of Lunga, meanwhile, two cruiser SAGs and my CVs.

An Allied resupply of Lunga is evidently in progress as an IJN submarine sank an AK headed north between Noumea and Lunga.    And two ten ship Allied TFs, presumably warships, have been sighted - one by Rossell Island by Noumea, and one some distance (12 hexes) south of Milne Bay.  My data is sketchy, no heading or anything.  One of those TFs is carriers - maybe both of them for all I know. 

Basically where his carriers aren't I want to hit, question is where is that? 

I've decided to send in the battleships to Port Moresby because they should be well on the way back to Rabaul by daylight, so I think thats fairly safe.

At Lunga I've decided to send in the weakest of the cruiser SAGs to bombard.  Mainly these guys are sacrificial lambs, as I think thast where his CVs are...  they might well get away though as they are fast, and in any case, I need info - I want to know if he's split his CVs, if he has, a major opportunity awaits.

[EUBanana]

Well, bad news I guess, all his CVs were indeed in the TF south of Milne Bay.  Actually two TFs.

The bombardment at Port Moresby was completed, Pyrrhic victory though - Hiei and Kirishima both took two torpedoes each, and CA Haguro took one.  I don't think any will sink, but they'll all be out for a long time.

However, this does mean that his resupply of Lunga is bare.  I've ordered my CVs forward at full speed to a spot five hexes east of Lunga to get max distance between my carriers and his.  His ships should be well in range for a roasting.  We'll have to hope Kirishima and Hiei were not torpedoed in vain!

I've got several fast transport and transport TFs plying their trade around the Solomons too, four APDs got into Rekata Bay only today for example.  That expendable AKL force is being sent in now.

[EUBanana]

My CVs charged and took up position east of Lunga.  His CVs moved up to Port Moresby, so I guess any maskirovka going on did its job.

Airstrikes were launched against his resupply op.  But results were poor despite the large amount of ordnance.  Several torpedo hits, including one on a CA, but a lot more misses.  The Vals for some reason didn't fly in force, only 12 launched and that without escort (in my game as the Allies vs Erik the Viking the Val was also conspicuous by her absence, I wonder whats going on here?).

My CVs are ordered out, I'm not risking a full on confrontation until my other CVs arrive.  No penny packets for me.  A SAG buzzed Lunga but was too early, I've ordered it to buzz again if he happens to press on.

While the coast was clear two fast transport TFs succeeded in supplying Rekata Bay and Tassafaronga, so I guess things could be worse.

My reinforcement Division arrived today. We'll have to see what his CVs do. If they are headed home - now is the time to land at PM. It's absurdly risky but I think just about everything for Japan in this scenario is.

So what the hell! Banzai!

[EUBanana]

Massive Allied convoy at Port Moresby.  It's taking forever to unload.  This is why his CVs are there, they are covering.

Well, I moved my CVs to a carefully selected spot off Lae, in range of PM, out of range of his CVs, possible thanks to replenishment at  a strategically placed TF.  End result, some fairly heavy bombing, the high point of which was a magazine explosion in CA Australia.  Booom.  Several transports were hard hit, but not enough to prevent the unload.  My Netties at Rabaul have sat on their arses throughout, despite recon, orders, escort.  No sake for them, only seppuku!  In their defence Nature has been on the Allies side, incessant thunderstorms over PM.

My CVs airgroups have suffered quite badly.  Even slight encounters result in hordes of dead Jap a/c.  The odd unescorted strike certainly doesn't help.  Shokaku + Zuikaku + Ryujo are down to about 100 aircraft, which is a near 50% loss.  Vals and Zeroes have suffered disproportionately.   If this is how my fearless samurai do against a handful of Aussie Kittyhawks and USMC Wildcats, it's just as well I've not challenged the USN, I think.

The massive convoy at PM might result in a revising of the Japanese target.  Kinda depends on what awaits, or if he can be lured into the Owen Stanleys perhaps.  I'm aware that every day of prep results in Ultra telling him what I'm doing.  [:(]