Twilight of the Battleship - Japan AltWNT PBEM / Juan(J) vs csatahajos(A)
Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:59 pm
Well, the Noumea operation got interesting, to put it mildly.
February 16th 1942
As far to the north the landings on Adak and Attu commenced, the Amagi group took up a position on the east side of New Caledonia, some 120nm off the coast and 200nm from Noumea. The other groups led by Soryu and Koryu moved on the other side of the island to some 200nm west of Noumea. At dawn the fun began.
The morning saw viscious air strikes from Noumea against the Amagi group - this was exactly as planned, and the transports due to start unloading tommorow at Koumac will be undisturbed. The resulting air battles came out to something like 20 US fighters (all P-40Es) and another 20 US bombers (SB2U-3s and A-24s) shot down for the loss of 4 Zeros.
In the afternoon, the western force which had also escaped the attention of the aircraft at Noumea, found what it was hoping to find - an allied CVTF to the south. The group led by Soryu reacted. The Koryu group did not, and was out of range to launch strikes.
My strikes came in 4 waves - a coordinated mix of fighers, divebombers and torpedo bombers first, then a second wave of fighters and divebombers. And then two groups of unescorted torpedo bombers.
-The first strike put 3 torpedoes into BB South Dakota and a 250kg bomb into CV Hornet. 1 Zero, 13 Kates, and 3 Vals were lost, and 19 and 14 Kates and Vals respectively damaged.
-The second group scored a single 250kg bomb on South Dakota, and lost another 4 Vals with the remaining aircraft damaged.
-The third group found the enemy cap weak with only 14 F4Fs in the air, but still lost 4 Kates before turning back.
-The last group went for CV Lexington, and once again caught the allies with only 8 F4Fs up, and put two 250kg bombs which failed to penetrate into Lexington.
The enemy strike against the Soryu was even more ineffective, but atleast it was coherent. The group of 14 F4Fs, 23 SBDs and 7 TBDs failed to hit anything, and lost 5 F4Fs and 1 SBD and TBD. The TBDs were flying at extended range as they were only carrying bombs.
At the end of the 16th, the squadrons from Taiho had been butchered the worst, though Soryu s were in bad shape too, and I moved both CV groups to converge south of Noumea in case the allies decided to move further north. Meanwhile the Amagi group headed south to get involved.
Map of the area;
Japanese aircraft losses;
Estimated Allied aircraft losses;
February 16th 1942
As far to the north the landings on Adak and Attu commenced, the Amagi group took up a position on the east side of New Caledonia, some 120nm off the coast and 200nm from Noumea. The other groups led by Soryu and Koryu moved on the other side of the island to some 200nm west of Noumea. At dawn the fun began.
The morning saw viscious air strikes from Noumea against the Amagi group - this was exactly as planned, and the transports due to start unloading tommorow at Koumac will be undisturbed. The resulting air battles came out to something like 20 US fighters (all P-40Es) and another 20 US bombers (SB2U-3s and A-24s) shot down for the loss of 4 Zeros.
In the afternoon, the western force which had also escaped the attention of the aircraft at Noumea, found what it was hoping to find - an allied CVTF to the south. The group led by Soryu reacted. The Koryu group did not, and was out of range to launch strikes.
My strikes came in 4 waves - a coordinated mix of fighers, divebombers and torpedo bombers first, then a second wave of fighters and divebombers. And then two groups of unescorted torpedo bombers.
-The first strike put 3 torpedoes into BB South Dakota and a 250kg bomb into CV Hornet. 1 Zero, 13 Kates, and 3 Vals were lost, and 19 and 14 Kates and Vals respectively damaged.
-The second group scored a single 250kg bomb on South Dakota, and lost another 4 Vals with the remaining aircraft damaged.
-The third group found the enemy cap weak with only 14 F4Fs in the air, but still lost 4 Kates before turning back.
-The last group went for CV Lexington, and once again caught the allies with only 8 F4Fs up, and put two 250kg bombs which failed to penetrate into Lexington.
The enemy strike against the Soryu was even more ineffective, but atleast it was coherent. The group of 14 F4Fs, 23 SBDs and 7 TBDs failed to hit anything, and lost 5 F4Fs and 1 SBD and TBD. The TBDs were flying at extended range as they were only carrying bombs.
At the end of the 16th, the squadrons from Taiho had been butchered the worst, though Soryu s were in bad shape too, and I moved both CV groups to converge south of Noumea in case the allies decided to move further north. Meanwhile the Amagi group headed south to get involved.
Map of the area;
Japanese aircraft losses;
Estimated Allied aircraft losses;