Well this turn went about as bad as it could
Merak falls making Java 100% Japanese owned. Balikpapan also fell which was no surpise.
My TF reached Terapo but lacked enough op points to unload. Poor planning on my part. IJN CVs should up off Buna and the carnage began. My attack aircraft launched one weak attack at shipping off Lae. That's it!!!!
Suspect weather had a bearing on it. Conversely the IJN carrier aircraft only attacked the AMPH TF. So we had a carrier battle without any carriers being attacked. Not quite true because Nells attacked Lexington but failed to hit her
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32
G3M2 Nell x 13
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
AP W.A. Holbrook, Torpedo hits 1
AP American Legion
DE Barker
AK Castor
Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 13
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 20
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 5 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
AK Procyon
AP President Hayes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DE Stewart
DE Bulmer
Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,128
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
G3M2 Nell x 15
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 30
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
CV Lexington
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
G3M2 Nell x 15
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 38
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
AP Zeilin
AK Alcyon
DE Barker, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Thomas Jefferson
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
G3M2 Nell x 22
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 31
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 10 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
DE Stewart
AP Thomas Jefferson, Torpedo hits 1
DE Paul Jones
AP McCawley, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
AP President Hayes, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Fuller
Allied ground losses:
1374 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 96 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 50 (49 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 69
B5N2 Kate x 43
D3A1 Val x 36
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
AP Thomas Jefferson, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
AP W.A. Holbrook
DE Paul Jones, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AP American Legion, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Alcyon
AP Henderson, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DE Parrott
AK Procyon
AP Fuller, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Heywood, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP McCawley, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DE Bulmer
AP Hunter Liggett, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Allied ground losses:
739 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Several SCTF have been spotted near Milne Bay (of course none of the half dozen subs I have up there did anything about that). I divided out the merchants that could only make 8 kts and sent them towards Cooktown. They'll probably be picked off but better to sacrifice a few to save the larger lot.
- Battle of Terapo.jpg (207.25 KiB) Viewed 591 times
Oh and the are Zeroes at Amchitka Island now. GRRR
So this plan obviously has to be nixed. Any time I venture forth out of my air cover, KB appears and ruins my day. I am contemplating abandoning the Terapo idea as it being in range of Rabaul just makes it too hard. Without some engineers there, it will be hard to build up the base and keep it repaired if Larry starts bombing it. Fast Transport won't get any ENGR vehicles across so that a no go. I can air lift in an air HQ but the air base is only level 1 right now. Will need to concentrate on getting the units at sea home before I worry about that.
The 35th ID has suffered 232 infantry squads destroyed over the past few turns. I declare it combat ineffective