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Fully agreed. If you have control problems and don't trust yourself, send them back to Pearl!

6 USA CV's makes for a rude party crash, 4 might not get in the door, 2 never even show up!

You don't need them really until you start your counter-drive to kick Japan back to Truk in October '42. Until then, they are just time bombs waiting for you to goof and loose the game

The ratio of CV Fighter aircraft to CV is whats important.

USA = 36 per, Japan = 22 per (averages). Once you get to 6, the amount of CAP you can fly is enough to stop cold the lower numbers of escort that Japan can fly. Until that point in time Japan WILL score CV hits, and since you have fewer larger CV to absorb the bombs, it means that you are more likely to loose important CV vs Japan loosing CVL/CVE.

The important side effect of waiting, all your fighters will be a minimum of F4F-4 and all you Torpedo Bombers will be the greater ranged TBF instead of the hopeless TBD that you start with.

One hundred and ten percent agree with Luskan and Mr. Frag - but it doesn't mean the carrier aircraft can't do some damage from NZ - especially GG if you can get it to a level 2. I've had some luck vs. Quark in our game with that - but if you can pull it off, the IJN will soon find itself with a invasion force sitting on PM and nothing to supply it with.

I moved the CVs to about 24 hexes away from GG and transfered the 4 squadrons of SBDs. Then get the carriers out of there! Either back to Noumea or south to Brisbane. Forget about the TBDs, I just use them for CV ASW duties. If necessary, the SBDs can scoot away either back to the carriers if you send them back towards GG or you can play it safe and transfer the SBDs to T'ville, Brisbane, and then to the CV TF all the way south halfway between Brissy and Noumea.

Don't discount the Wirraways either - although not as much punch as an SBD, a 250 lb bomb still does some damage ).

And FWIW, I rarely have success (for some reason) with PM LBA (A24s, P39s, etc.) on Naval Attack even vs. ships in PM harbor (although one notable exception when the A24s hit Shokaku twice). So I just let them pound away at the invaders.

Finally, keep in mind that a cagey IJN player will LRCAP to protect the PM invasion force (probably from Lae or Buna). Keeping the C47s fresh from Australia for supply runs is a MUST! I use four squadrons from T'ville and send one sqdn per turn if I can. Keep a few fighters on CAP yourself over PM to help reduce the chance the Dakotas have to dogfight the Zeroes (even the Army Zeroes can shred the C47s if given a chance).

Good luck!

Dan Curruthers Diary addition (see further up the thread)

i have been away for an extending esater break - hence the lack of updates.

I am getting some truely fiendish advice here! thanks guys. Luskan I do love that idea. Once I get another CV (or maybe 2) that is going to be one I pull - you still have to worry about the betties and Nells after all!

I hear you on the "wait until you have 6 CV's" call but find this very gamey. I know this is a moot point if you keep loosing your CV's but i do like to utilise them to some extent.

I will soon get the Long Island (yah - rapture!) and i am planning on making a small AC TF and cruising it up by Luganville. Hopefully he will scout it and think my CV's are still over that side of the ocean.

He is regularly bombarding PM and sending DD's into GG. If I scout a TF this turn it will have a greeting party. However, I had a seagull scout his departing Bombardment TF and he might twig to the fact it can only have come of a cruiser. i am going to move the SC TF slightly west (closer to cooktown) and hope that the week long break will have made him forget about the sighting. I did get a sighting of his CV's east of shortland.
My CV's have nearly made port in Townsville - undetected.

Another thing you can do to improve your defenses...

Mines

I know you don't have any minelayers this early, but consider sending a few S-boats back to Brisbane, disband them and reform a Sub Minelayer TF (you can only do this at Brisbane or Noumea).

Set a target hex for a shallow water hex (use F2 to see the depths) otherwise the mines will disappear . The hex directly south of GG is a neat place to put them in addition to the harbors. Usually the IJN is wary about entering a harbor without minesweeper support, but be on the lookout for shallow water choke points...lay your 2 mines, and keep the sub in the same hex .

Keeping one (and only one) sub in a port hex will work as a last line of defense (assuming the port has good supplies, the sub will never run out of torpedoes) as well .

Welcome back!

Well well well. So the secret USN strategy to beat us IJN types is wait for 6 CV's.

To me this just escalates. The IJN player will gladly move a few squadrons of Vals off and replace them with more Zeros. IJN gets so many more Kates which are the real ship killers. If there are no big CV battles IJN gets to keep his high exp pilots and all Kate squadrons will fill out. The extra Zeros even things up nicely.

Where's Adm Halsey when you need him?:D

Now when Attack Condor moved the air wings to GG that really caught me off guard. I didn't have enough Zero's to LRCAP everything. Even using all my CV fighters. And of course the SBDs knew what TF didn't have a CAP.

I also agree totally about mining.

An alternative to Frag's use of the Kanga force is to airlift another regiment into Wau and have it run amok. Between the Kanga and 1 regiment of the 7th you could take Lae before the IJN knew what hit him. This takes on more possibilities if the 3rd Aussie arrives early( if you use variable reinforcements) and covers the Aussie cities. IJN would have to divert a whole division to retake Lae and that would seriously set back any efforts to take GG and PM. If you sense a big enough force coming retreat back to Wau and airlift out.

BTW I won't tell herbieh about loading up the zeros. I love the way you two have organized your AAR.

Good Luck
Quark(wily IJN player)

Another update in the war diary of Dan Curruthers added above.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/08/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Night Time Surface Combat at 0,0

Japanese Ships
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 31, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Chester
CA Chicago
CA Australia
CL Hobart
DD Sims
DD Hammann
DD Walke
DD Morris
DD Farragut

Excellent, Lee reacts tot this FT TF coming into GG and smashes them - unfortunately herbie had mined the waters (seems a little dangerous considering he is FTing into there) and the Portland hit one sys 23.

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Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 10,40


Allied aircraft


Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Havoc x 2 destroyed
A-20B Havoc x 5 damaged

Airbase hits 7
Runway hits 29

Obviously there was another TF about, one that Lee missed. Considering the Coast watchers thought there was 2 BB's in the attacking TF (likely CA's) it is probably better Lee went after the FT TF anyway - get some nice night time experience. Had to retire the havoc squadron - they are down to 8.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Buna , at 12,38

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

no losses

?????? Don't know what this is about. I do know he is basing them and Mavis's out of lae now though.
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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G3M Nell x 39
G4M1 Betty x 23

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 7

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 1 damaged

Runway hits 1

Attacking Level Bombers:
23 x G4M1 Betty at 26000 feet
11 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet
3 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet
11 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet
10 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet

Or what this is about really - just wearing out the planes - although he only lost one nell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Buna , at 12,38

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

no losses


In other news, a PBY scouts an AV south of Gili... why do this, it can't fly it's planes? I don't think it is misinformation (i.e. a CS) as I doubt he has one yet - puzzling, there are 2 other ships in the TF. No news as to his CV's, but news as to mine. They will make port at Townsville next turn.
Quark, thanks for the encouragement, we are on "very variable" and I have got the aussie 3rd! I have started the implimentation of Operation "Back Passage" with the Kanga force 8 miles out of Wau. I have earmarked the base force at charter towers to be airlifted in to run the air show: the problem is timing. I don't know whether to impliment the attack on Lae as he attacks PM or before so he starts to have thoughts about sending the attack force for PM to Lae instead.
Also, incredibly, the powers that be at Pearl have decided to rate the probablility of shipping reinforcement to the area as high!

Well he definately did have an AV southeast of gili, he moves it closer to PM this turn and one of my medium bombers spots it. Everything at PM is set to naval attack (with the medium bombers set to bomb ground forces at gili) even 1 sqd of P39's, at 100 ft, are set to naval.
With no other ships in the TF (he either split the others off or it was spurious info) the kamikawa maru is no more. The P39's manage 4 bomb hits included with many 37 mm and .50 cal. Even the level bombers hit the target (once it has slowed down).

In other news, the air combat TF made it to townsville. He manages to recon a BB in townsville but that is all. I don't know if he knows I have the carriers there or not....

He captures lunga with a garrison inf batt and some engineers and he has landed some troops on Tulagi so that will go next.

originally posted by wobbly

In other news, the air combat TF made it to townsville. He manages to recon a BB in townsville but that is all. I don't know if he knows I have the carriers there or not....

The jig is up. If your opponent has played #17 for any length of time, he knows US battleships aren't in theater this early. He may not trust the tired eyes of the search pilot yelling out "Battleship!! Battleship!!" but he now knows something very big is at Townsville. He may not know for sure they're your carriers, but I'm sure he's thinking very hard that they may be.

Be safe. What would change in your plans if you knew that he knew your CVs were at Townsville?

Also, consider the power of the Seagull aircraft on your cruisers. If you want to misdirect your opponent, one trick is to send a small cruiser force (e.g. 1xCA, 2xDD) somewhere where you want his attention, then set the Seagulls to 100% naval search.

Conversely, if you want to sneak up on him, set the Seagulls to "Stand Down" (put them in the hangar, lock the door and lose the key for a few days ).

Nothing ruins a suprise raid more than the notification "SOC-3 Seagull sights 1 ship" :rolleyes: After all, you're probably operating in an area where your PBYs and perhaps your level bombers are on Naval Search mode anyway. Planning, stealth, and hopes are often dashed when the enemy TF looks up at the sound of a biplane sputtering in the air. Nothing against the little plane, but the IJN staff knows that the Seagull doesn't have a range of 1200 miles

The same applies to the CVs... if you want to hide them, set the SBDs to Naval Attack with a search of 0%. If the SBDs sight something and then don't attack, your carriers are rather hung out to dry.

Good luck!

"The jig is up. If your opponent has played #17 for any length of time, he knows US battleships aren't in theater this early. He may not trust the tired eyes of the search pilot yelling out "Battleship!! Battleship!!" but he now knows something very big is at Townsville. He may not know for sure they're your carriers, but I'm sure he's thinking very hard that they may be. "

Possibly, he does know my cruisers are about as they were the culprits in the sinking of his 2 DD's. They retired to Townsville. I had the portland there as a single ship TF - and I think this was the BB he sighted; the problem, o course, is you can't be sure.

I hear you with the seagulls, didn't mean to leave them flying - oops.

Another turn done, nothing ot report though. I have scouted a few ships at Rabaul and he took Tulagi. The continued overflight by rufes of buna continues, still don't know what he is doing here. maybe he thinks i will send C49's in and he will intercept them. i thought you just did LRCAP for that though...
I have set the level bombers to attack LAE, see if I can shut it down.

In an interesting turn of events the Japs have stationed a surface taskforce at Gili. They don't appear to have dropped anyone off... I think this was an attempt to make a surface group react into them - thankfully noone was there to do so. However, i am taking a risk that he will move away this turn, as I am sending in 4 DD's with supplies! - fingers crossed.
They also appear to be moving troops to buna via slow transport - a mitchell recons 2 troop ships this turn. I itched at sending the CV's out on a little foray but managed to overcome the urge and they stay in the barn. Threfore i set all the p39's to 100 ft Naval attack - as you can see in the following combat report - they can't even fight unescorted bombers at altitude so they may as well try hitting ships instead. As an aside - the CV's have been in dock 3 days now and I don't seem to be getting replacements to flesh out the CV airgroups. Also, do you only get a conversion to F4F-4's when there are 27 in the pool? I currently have 22.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/11/42

Weather: Overcast

Air attack on Buna , at 12,38

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 7

no losses

these guys must be getting tired!

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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G3M Nell x 21

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 6 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 1 damaged

PO2 G.Kawakami of F1/Tainan Daitai is credited with kill number 2

CPT D. Mcgovern of 35th FS bails out and is RESCUED

Attacking Level Bombers:
21 x G3M Nell at 26000 feet

Shows how bad the P39's are at altitude - don't even hit a bomber and they are too high for the flak - however the bombers also do no damage to the airfield.
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Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42


Allied aircraft
A-24 Dauntless x 14
B-25D Mitchell x 9
B-26B Marauder x 12


Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Dauntless x 1 destroyed
A-24 Dauntless x 12 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 2 damaged
B-26B Marauder x 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
DD Sazanami, Bomb hits 1
CA Kako, on fire
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Haguro

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet

The mines he laid in the harbour strike the kako and I get a couple of bomb hits, only the Sazanami is likely to be hurt. I hope this is enough to persude them to sod off, if he leaves this group there it will decimate my FT destroyers.
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Air attack on Lae , at 9,33


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 18


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 39

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 5

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet

ouch, the 3 fortresses that are damaged are all lost.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Buna , at 12,38

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 7

no losses


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


Allied aircraft
A-24 Dauntless x 7
B-25D Mitchell x 9
B-26B Marauder x 9


Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Dauntless x 1 destroyed
A-24 Dauntless x 2 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 3 damaged
B-26B Marauder x 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Kako, on fire
CA Aoba
CA Furutaka, on fire

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
2 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet

The A24's and the mitchells need to be rotated out to cooktown and another sqd rotated in. the p39's are due for a break too although i want them to have a crack at the transports heading for Buna.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 4
B-25D Mitchell x 8


Allied aircraft losses
B-25D Mitchell x 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Haguro
CA Kako, on fire

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

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

In other news he appears to be fortifying lunga reasonably heavily - I have nothing over that side to catch them with their trousers down so it looks like he will continue here.
Still 10 days out to reinorcements - the mighty CVE long Island.

It may be too late this turn, but in the future, if you have a FT TF heading in harm's way, just change them to a surface combat TF and have them wait with a Patrol/Do Not Retire option... maybe move a hex or two if spotted. Once the enemy TF leaves, switrch the DDs back to FT TF and finish the mission

d@mn, I forgot to send my combat report to work, so I'll see if i can remember what occured:

6 nells launched a nighttime raid on PM - 4 runway hits - fixed by the morning. 1 Nell damaged by flak

My FT DD's make it in and out without hitting mines or finding enemy warships; however, how they did it I don't know! They must have just cleared harbour as a slow transport TF of japanese pulled in! One of the transports hits one of his mines and they begin to unload. More Naval attacks in the wind from PM thinks me.... Nope, that's because he has moved an AC TF down to provide LRCAP over the landing site! My bombers magically realise there is CAP and don't go. Thank God I kept my CV's in the barn! The other transport TF above Buna is again scouted, it is above Buna still, this goes with a Coastwatcher sighting of a DD in harbour during the night. Have I mistakenly scouted the AP's form the previous day as APD's? They are only 2 hexes above Buna and FT missions come form further afield - fuel problems?? Who knows, anyway it is a moot point as PM doesn't strike the TF.

a couple of raids of Rufes over PM - P39's go up but they are ships in the night. Maybe he was just getting experience for them?

So, what does this mean? Looks like he is serious about gili and I am unsure as to what to do. With air cover the gili force will probably be immune from PM attacks. However, if the AC TF is LRCAPing the invasion hex it isn't CAPing itself - window for AC TF attack? Or do I look to send in a surface force? He has some DD's guarding the transports - experience tells me that the DD's are the targets and it is unusual to hit the transports; more importantly the time it will take to get a surface group up there will mean the troops will have disembarked anyway. This of course goes over and above the fact any combat damage - like a mine or torpedo hit - is likely to slow a retreating warship down to the point the AC TF hammers it when the sun comes up.

My Carriers are not loaded with planes and pilots yet, and I still have the F4F-3s rather than 4s. Also making my AC TF strike just the invasion hex and not the enemy carriers will be an exercise in control. The problem of course being, I can hardly control my own fleet - when the keep wanting to react (even with react off!) - let alone control where his will be. I have to be prepared for a possible CV battle. It will also take time to get the TF into position - again the troops will be off so i am just looking to hit empty troop ships.

I am leaning towards giving him the base. I have very little on the base (engineers without their vehicles) I can always congregate what subs I have in the area where I think his AC TF is likely to go and also line up for the retreat of the transports.

As always comments welcome, I also have the luxury of not having done my turn yet, so I can act on the best ideas!
Check it out 5 stars!!!

OK, so after all my twiddling of toes and wondering what the hell to do I got back to my turn to notice the DD's returning from the FT mission. Each has over 3000 fuel and are still within one sprint of Gili so I changed their mission and turned them around. I can't remember the leader I had but he was chosen for caution and that saves a few rounds shot at the landing force that the japs have positioned at Gili. However we do manage to sink 2 ships and put a few holes in 2 others.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/13/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Night Time Surface Combat, near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese Ships
MSW W20
MSW Fumi Maru #2
PG Keijo Maru, Shell hits 1
PG Nikkai Maru, Shell hits 24, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Akibasan Maru
AP Asakasan Maru
AP China Maru, Shell hits 34, on fire, heavy damage
AP Chowa Maru
AP Daifuku Maru
AP Marsue Maru
AP Mito Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Sims
DD Russell, Shell hits 1
DD Morris
DD Dewey

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 197

THe China Maru goes under the waves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Buna

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1192 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Buna base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing new to report. Next turn I will have 27 F4F-4's in reserve - I wonder if I will be allocated them?

All I would suggest is if you are in fact unsure about defending GG and/or PM then get out of there ASAP. Halfway defensive measures leave units all the way dead.

In my game vs. Quark, I am holding onto PM and GG, but it took a commitment from the first turn to do so along with a slick move to keep GG from falling and then building it up to where it is a real threat to anything afloat sailing within its "kill zone" - and even with all of that it took a lucky hit on his CV providing LRCAP for the invasion helped even the odds. With the defensive factors of "non-combatant" troops raised via patch 2.30, the task of defending NG is a little easier, but the real key is not how many troops are there, it's how long can you keep them in "bread and bullets".

As I said, it can be done, but don't fall into the trap that the US moves are easier early on because they "don't have to invade anything". FWIW I think of my supply TFs as invasions in and amongst themselves, and plan to defend them as if they were gold.

They are

Welcome to command!

Gidday guys (and girls in the minority I guess). No turn update today although Herbie looks like he has updated his info. I am away from my home PC and its game so I have no info to give - still have internet access though.
Back at home tomorrow.

Attack Condor; I so hear you, I am having kittens worrying about my gamble in "operation back-passage". A hell of alot depends upon supply and my level of commitment.

Worrying issues:

1. Taking enemy bases.

2. Supply of Kanga force and any other airlifted units into the bases forward of Wau.

3. Providing aircover for the air supply.

4. Getting the boys out again - if the need arises as I am pretty sure it will. Especially as my plan is to NOT commit to PM.

Ponderings:

1. My initial intentions - mainly due to previous advice during this campaign; was to take Nadzab, it is right next to Lae and will provide greater consternation for Herbie. However, if Kanga doesn't take either of the bases in between Wau and Nadzab, wont the overland supplies be restricted (for reference I have gone inland)?

If so, then Kanga needs to take the base to allow the supplies through. Obvious this will give away the plan and Herbie will likely move a unit to Nadzab for defence - something Kanga will not be able to overcome.

A question then: and this is very gamey. Can Kanga take the inland base (name alludes me) while half way on the march to Nadzab? You can have engineers build bases on the move. If so, will it reset the movement of the marching force, defeating the purpose.

Obviously I could just airlift another force into Wau and march them to the inland base - but more troops require more supplies. Which leads me nicely onto problem 2.

2. Supplying all these troops. If I don't intend on keeping PM, which is my intention, all these troops and aircraft are going to require air supply (ouch - very hard), once PM has fallen. So I don't want to be sending more troops than are absolutely necessary.

3. So, if I am air supplying I need to defend my air transports. More fighters, more supply required. This is getting out of hand!

4. So now I want to get everyone out, means I have to base some C-49's there, something I saw coming, but again is upping the commitment, and the scary question I come up with next is: what is my goal? How could I instigate this without having a clear goal?

Some advisors have put forward the actual capture of Lae: with added defence capacity of support units, this will require a couple of battalions (I would have though) without their heavy guns too!

Others have said I can use my P-39's from Nadzab to Naval attack TF's going to LAE (he doesn't appear to be slow transport supplying it) or air attacking Lae itself.

Personally I am leaning on it being more of a pain in the backside for him while he tries to take PM, so much so, that he may fail. In which case should I be trying to hold PM - arrgggghhh this is impossible

To add fruit to the mix, I don't know whether airlifting and air supply has the capacity to pull this off.

What a fun game

Don't count on the Dakotas to provide much in the way of supply... I've run tests between PM and Buna with a full squadron of C47s (16 aircraft) with fatigue <10 on a supply mission and a grand total of 80 supplies arrived. I re-ran the turn with the same results.

80 :rolleyes:

FWIW, I'm using the transports for just troop movements. 80 might be fine for a recon team (of course, recon teams usually don't go where there are "unoccupied" level 1 airfields), but even if the only unit at the base is the BF unit, it will eat almost 80 supplies a day on its own. Add the fact that as soon as a "fresh" C47 unit gets wind of having to fly a supply mission of more than 3 hexes, it gains 40+ fatigue! lol

And you're right about things spiraling out of control if you aren't careful. You haven't even addressed the fatigue your troops will rack up on their tour of the IJN bases.

If you want to abandon NG and bide your time ubntil you are stronger, check out my thoughts in the early posts of my AAR with Grotius "Do Condors Eat Sushi?".

Just one more piece of advice for you to mull over

Herbie and I have managed to coordinate a few turns this weekend - amazing considering i wasn't at home for most of the weekend - it's a sod when work gets in the way of your addiction!
Anyway, the japs are coordinating the offloading their troops at Gili and that looks to be almost over bar writing the last stanza's. However, his CV group that was guarding the landings - situated south of Gili - has now moved north again. this means I have put together a SC TF under Lee to try a little snipe at any remnants at Gili, realistically I think it is a little too late.
I have a problem with my F4F-3's they of course haven't converted to 4's - d@mn the marines - but I also have 17 3's in stock that aren't being released to my current squadrons. I'll have to wait and see.
Operation "back-passage" looks in tempestuous straights! Obviously any loss of any of the bases in-between the forward troops and PM, puts the front troops out of supply. I have also had to fly extra troops in to take the base in-between Nadzab and Wau - again for supply reasons. I am going to continue to make him worry about the taking of PM. I know he is LRCAPing gili - I sent recon, so the itchy trigger finger is on the "release the CV hounds". Not without my fighters though...


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/15/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Sub attack at 8,43

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
DD Sims, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

The same group who hit his transport TF get some come-upance trying to bring the vehicles of the 808 eng group into PM. The DD makes it and is trying to hide in dock getting rif of some of the flooding. Once I can't take the strain anymore I will send it to safer waters and hope it makes it. It will have to negotiate the sub filled waters to the south of PM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 7

no losses

no losses


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

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/16/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 1

no losses

no losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 91st Engineer Battalion, at 0,0

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 12
G4M1 Betty x 27

no losses

Attacking Level Bombers:
27 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
12 x G3M Nell at 6000 feet

More 0,0 attacks - I thought this was fixed?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Buna , at 12,38


Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 14
B-26B Marauder x 21


no losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 2

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet

Continuing to up the experience on the lads - they are set to attack naval first but they are still low on exp and moral ~55-60.
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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe x 1 destroyed



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Air attack on TF at 16,36


Allied aircraft
B-26B Marauder x 3


Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder x 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
PG Seikai Maru

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8
A6M2 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 7

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-400 Airacobra x 2 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra x 2 damaged

Woah this is a bit more troublesome - zeros at Lae - might have to see if I can shut the place down - don't think I have quite enough airpower there though.
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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 7
A6M2 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 1

no losses

no losses

Dan Curruthers diary updated

I'll pass on the combat report, just a bomb run against buna and more passes over PM with his Rufes.
However, there is a plethora of targets above New Guinea. He is also setting himself up to take the islands south of Lunga (can't remember the name). His CV's are still north of Gili.
In more important news, Lee is within strike distance of Gili and there is still a TF in port.
Now, I expect him to have a surface force on react and he obviously has his CV's ready. hope I get away with it - have a nasty feeling about mines!
My CV's have fleshed out their compliment of F4F-3's but they are in need of repair and they don't have pilots. I am heavily contemplating moving them against the larger Buna landing about to happen. Next turn - if he is still north they will sortie and head east south east of PM, try and hit him with only the Dauntlesses. Gaud I hate the windindicators!

Stay Tuned!

Dan Curruthers diary updated.

Nothing much happening of much interest. I torpedoed one of the retreating Gili TF's ships.
My Air Combat TF has put to sea.

he still has his carrier north of Buna and is going to invade the dot hex next to buna (can't remember the name).