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Low on fuel, my CVs retire with the last transport. I wish I'd had some spare engineers to land on Tulagi, too; I will strip them off Louganville for this purpose. I also realize I should've dumped more supply on Guadalcanal. I have only 35,000 tons or so there.

Moreover, the minute I leave, Rabaul wakes up. Ms. Betty (escorted by Mr. Zero) begins calling on Lunga every other day. I move in some P-40s, but I'm surprised that the Zeroes seem to be getting the better of the air war, even at long range. Meanwhile, the IJN suddenly decides it had better build up Munda and Shortland Island, and massive numbers of transports suddenly appear there. The P-40s conduct nuisance bombing raids, but I slowly realize that I need some real bombers on the island -- and to support them, I need a lot more supply. Gah. The planners of Operation Castle should be shellacked for skimping on supplies.

A curious new fighter from Britain appears in India. It's called the "Spitfire." I decide to try it out. Here is its very first action in the Pacific War:

Day Air attack on Jorhat , at 35,24

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-21 Sally x 36
Ki-46-II Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 17 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vb: 1 damaged

Runway hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet
14 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 14000 feet
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22 July 1942: Japan quickly takes Buna and Gili Gili, leaving Port Moresby increasingly isolated. Recon shows at least four ground units in Buna. Hmm. At least I have lots of supply in PM: 140,000 tons or so. I've also lightly reinforced Port Moresby with an Aussie regiment, but it still has only one base force, which limits air ops there. I have another base force preparing to reinforce PM, but I haven't decided whether to commit more infantry. Northern Oz looks awfully exposed as Japan continues to mop up in the DEI.

27 July 1942 (my current turn): I have spotted transports northeast of Guadalcanal, on a southwesterly course. They are now very close. I have one squadron of Dauntlesses based in Lunga, ordered to conduct Naval Attack. Here's a screenshot of the current situation in the Solomons:

5 August 1942: Those transports were headed for Russell Island, and while I managed to bang them up with my Dauntlesses, I wasn't able to stop the landings at Russell. In fact, a swarm of transports has buzzed in and out of the northern Solomons over the past week, and while I've roughed them up from Lunga, it's getting harder and harder to do that because of pressure on Lunga from Rabaul. The Japanese are sending 140 Betties and 60 Zeroes a strike! Here's just one example -- one raid out of about five that have pummeled Lunga since late July:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/04/42

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Day Air attack on Lunga, at 67,97

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 74
G4M1 Betty x 143

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 13 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 39 destroyed, 7 damaged
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 6 destroyed, 9 damaged


Allied ground losses:
145 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 53

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
13 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 14000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
9 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 17000 feet
9 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 18000 feet
10 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 14000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 17000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 18000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 14000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 17000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 18000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 14000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 17000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 18000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
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I've just switched to Very Hard, which I'm sure isn't helping. But also my fighters are tired, and I don't have a sufficiently large base force in Lunga. I plan to move in a larger one ASAP.

Here's the current condition of Henderson Field:

And yes, I know I have too many planes and not enough Aviation Support. I'll move some out temporarily while I prepare to move another base force unit in from Noumea. Operation Rook will reinforce Lunga and land troops on Tulagi. I plan to undertake it in the next day or so.

In the meantime, here's a look at the situation in the Solomons:

12 August 1942: The enemy has landed troops at Tassafaronga, on the other side of the island of Guadalcanal from my base at Lunga. Again my Dauntlesses banged up the incoming transports, but again they couldn't stop the landings altogether. I'm gathering my surface vessels and carriers at Noumea to spearhead a reinforcement of the island, and of Tulagi. I've been too slow to reinforce it, but I won't wait any longer.

Here's the current situation in the Solomons:

I like this AAR, it's nice to be able to see the strategy and operations play out in such a short time.

Thanks! My goal is to whiz through the game pretty quickly, so that the reader (especially newcomers) can see how the entire campaign plays out from start to finish.

21 August 1942: Operation Rook, the reinforcement of Tulagi and Lunga, is well under way. I have troop transports, supply transports, CV Yorktown, CV Enterprise, a surface combat TF, and a replenishment TF all approaching Guadalcanal as we speak. So far the operation has not been spotted by the enemy, except that a submarine put two torpedoes in the side of a transport carrying the major part of an AA unit. Whether the transport makes it to a safe port is a fifty-fifty proposition.

In the meantime, the Japanese have completely closed my base at Port Moresby. Port, runway, and service damage are all extremely high. I've lost dozens of planes on the ground. My only defense of Moresby is a string of submarines scattered from PM to Gili Gili. Now would be an opportune time for the enemy to invade.

Here is a shot of an early stage of Operation Rook:

And a later stage:

A little later still:

And the current situation. I promise not to take a screenshot of every day of the war, but I thought it was fun to track this operation as it moved through the ocean toward its target.

1 September 1942: World War II is now three years old, but the War in the Pacific is still in its first year. I marked the occasion by crowning Operation Rook a success. Engineers are now busy building up Tulagi, and the additional bulldozers in Lunga mean it's now got some impressive fortifications as well as a decent airfield. We did lose one transport to an enemy submarine, and unfortunately it happened to be carrying the most important elements of an AA unit. Other than that, though, things went off without a hitch. The USN carriers even found a couple of enemy targets-of-opportunity -- transports, mostly -- and sent them to the briny deep.

My ships have retired to Noumea to plan their next move. The enemy has kept the airfield at Port Moresby closed for two weeks now, but no sign of an amphibious invasion. I believe our next move will be to reinforce Moresby and take Gili Gili, but my officers are still consulting with me on this.

I'm very much enjoying your AAR. Great screenshots, reporting of the action, and the thinking behind your operations. Very helpful to newcomers to the game. I just got UV as a "demo" for WITP...can't imagine it will take me that long to plunk down the 70 bucks to upgrade to the full war after reading good AARs like yours. Good luck in the war [:)]

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I've got another month's worth of action to report; I've fallen behind because I've been sidetracked by a short 14-day PBEM (Scenario 3, Coral Sea). But I do intend to see this game against the AI to its conclusion.

6 November 1942: It's been two months of game-time since my last report, so it's past time for an update. I've been working my way up the Solomon chain and attempting to secure my foothold on New Guinea. The resultant fighting has been the fiercest of the war. (Incidentally, the timing of these developments is nice because I'm about to start a PBEM of the Guadalcanal scenario.)

I took Russell Island, just north of Guadalcanal, a couple weeks ago. Opposition was light, and Lunga is now a size 5 or 6 airbase with a swarm of fighters providing cover over Russell. So I focused on my next operation, taking Gili Gili. I landed a small infantry force there, plus a couple of batallions of engineers. I, uh, may not have landed a large enough combat force. But I covered the landings with my four fleet CVs, plus a hefty surface combat TF, and I built some PT boats in the port to boot. I got an airstrip up quickly, based some P-38s there, and seemed to be in good shape.

Then all heck broke out on both fronts!

At Russell Island and Guadalcanal, the IJN began a series of night bombardments that caught resupply convoys at both bases. My land-based air out of Lunga did sink a few DDs and a CA, in part because the AI isn't great about providing air cover. But the kill-count was disappointingly low; in part, LBA was hampered by bad weather. So, because Gili Gili seemed quiet, I detached two CVs (Lexington and Saratoga) and ordered them to the Guadalcanal area to deal with the bombardment TFs.

Well, my two CVs arrived near Lunga just in time to start seeing the "D3A Val has spotted" messages. Ruh oh. In the meantime, 3 BBs suddenly popped in to bombard Gili Gili, followed by an invasion Transport TF that (as usual, per AI) lacked air cover. My CVs near Gili Gili did pound that TF, but not before it unloaded a small load of troops that's larger than MY small load of troops. The next post contains the AAR from the action-packed turn that ensued.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/06/42

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ASW attack at 67,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-162, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD McCall

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Puerto Princesa at 38,55 [For whatever reason, this is the sole Phillipines base the AI hasn't gotten around to taking]

Japanese Ships
DD Teruzuki, Shell hits 1
MSW W.8
MSW Noshiro Maru #2

Allied Ships
PT PT-32, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
PT PT-33
PT PT-34
PT PT-35
PT PT-41

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ASW attack at 65,93

Japanese Ships
DD Fubuki
DD Kasumi
DD Minegumo

Allied Ships
SS Grampus

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Day Air attack on Yenen , at 50,26

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 9
Ki-51 Sonia x 8
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 2 destroyed

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Day Air attack on Hong Kong , at 43,42


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 16
SB-2c x 9


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kinai Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
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Day Air attack on Kohima , at 34,25

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5
Ki-21 Sally x 22
Ki-46-II Dinah x 3

Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 7 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged



Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 12000 feet
10 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 66,93

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 69

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
SBD Dauntless x 12
Beaufort V-IX x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 12 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 8 destroyed
Beaufort V-IX: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 66,93

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 69

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 29
SBD Dauntless x 6
P-40E Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 30 destroyed, 6 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 16 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 7 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku

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Day Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 67,97

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 50
D3A Val x 69
B5N Kate x 76

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 54
P-40B Tomahawk x 19
P-40E Warhawk x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 62 destroyed
D3A Val: 16 destroyed, 12 damaged
B5N Kate: 25 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 81 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 13 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Pensacola, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage [sunk]
DD Aaron Ward, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Steel Exporter, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Charles McCormick, Torpedo hits 1
AK Coquina, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Alcyone, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Arcata, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
1 x B5N Kate bombing at 7000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 7000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 7000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 7000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 7000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 56,94

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
G4M1 Betty x 3

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 damaged

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Day Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 56,94

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
G4M1 Betty x 32

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 14 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Nevada, Torpedo hits 1 [just after finishing repairs from PH too ]
BB Mississippi
BB Idaho
BB Arizona [she lives!]

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Panggoe at 65,94


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 24
SBD Dauntless x 66


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Minegumo, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage [sunk]
AE Soya, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AE Kashino, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Fubuki, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kasumi, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 56,94


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
SBD Dauntless x 38
TBF Avenger x 29


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
TBF Avenger: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Yukikaze
PG Hong Kong Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW W.13
DD Nowaki, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hayashio, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Satsuki
PG Kaiun Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aratama Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Akashisan Maru, on fire
DD Kuroshio, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Hatsushima

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 67,98

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
D3A Val x 23
B5N Kate x 17

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 32
P-40E Warhawk x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 22 destroyed
D3A Val: 6 destroyed, 14 damaged
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 28 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 10 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga
CV Lexington

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 8000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 8000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 8000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 8000 feet
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Naval bombardment of Gili Gili, at 56,94 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

38 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Yura, Shell hits 8
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 11
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1


Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Gili Gili, 56,94, firing at TF 294
TF 294 troops unloading over beach at Gili Gili, 56,94


247 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PG Ikunta Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
MSW W.13, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 1
AP Daifuku Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 3
AP Aratama Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Akashisan Maru, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
408 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
3 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Gili Gili

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2426 troops, 62 guns, 8 vehicles

Defending force 2911 troops, 39 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
88 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

So I stumbled into a CV battle in the worst possible configuration: I had only two CVs, and the IJN has at least three; I was out of range; I was down to fewer than half my remaining sorties; and my Replenishment TF hadn't had a chance to refuel me recently. And yet Saratoga and Lexington escaped without a scratch -- even as they failed to launch a retaliatory attack against the Japanese carriers.

In part I was saved by bad weather. In the shot below, taken in the morning, it's hard to see my CVs near Gudalcanal; they're one hex SW of Lunga, underneath a very happy cloud. In the afternoon, the clouds did lift, but miraculously my CVs lived to tell the tale.

And here's the South Pacific the next morning. I think I'll retreat a bit, refuel from my Replenishment TFs, and hope the IJN CVs retire. I lost 100 planes that turn, but most were LBA on Guadalcanal; the IJN lots 60 or so, and most I suspect were from the CV TF. So if the IJN CVs do retire, I can perhaps still catch a few straggling surface ships before I return my CVs to Noumea to resupply. (My max sorties is down to 40% or so.)

Note, by the way, that each side has a whole mess of BBs and CAs lined up for a big juicy surface action in Gili Gili. I hope it comes to pass!