I'm afraid the number of enemy 4Es is increasing...must be many different verions of Liberators in production by now.
In addition to the monthly reinforcements you also got the new and fully fleshed out units arriving.
If there only were Hurries IIb I wouldn't be worried, but the increasing number of T-bolts and newer models ain't good for Oscars [;)]
Mostly using the Oscars as long range escorts.
Yes I actually did that last turn; upgraded the crack LBA unit on Christmas Island to Frances and set to naval attack.
If Andy wants to sweep the place with 160 defending fighters it will cost him and attriting his CAG with LBA is exactly what we want to do, especially over
our own bases as this reduce friendly pilot casualties in A2A.
This turn we got a convoy trying to force its way through the Torres Strait; our torpedo bombers failed in the bad weather but the low flying Helens hit most of the transports.
The Kongo class ships have now returned from the upgrade and the new Unryus have completed their air group optimizations.
In China I have merged 2 understrength divisions from single Bdes and released them; they're now fleshing out and preparing to be shipped to the front.
- Malaya, Sumatra, Java and the rest of the SRA is slowly becoming a fortress.
Several new Air HQs and Flotillas also arrive during the next months; will go straight into the SRA.
The goals is to make any Allied advance into a slow and costly brawl were all the best bases are garrisoned and fortified.
This will make Andy impatient and that's usually something we can take advantage of![8D]
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 13, 43
Air Combat
Again a smaller number of 4Es hit one of our forward SRA bases; it holds a size 4 af but not much air support - yet.
The nearby Tojo CAP leaked and 3 b models claimed 2 B-17s.
Morning Air attack on Memboro , at 63,112
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 7
B-24D Liberator x 9
B-24D1 Liberator x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 25
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 12000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 12000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 12000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
1st Sentai with Ki-44-IIb Tojo (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Merauke at 86,124
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G4M1 Betty x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
xAK Cape Orange
DD Edsall
xAK Cape Trinity
Aircraft Attacking:
15 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Merauke at 86,124
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
A6M5 Zero x 13
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 39
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
xAK Cape San Martin, Bomb hits 11, and is sunk
xAK Cape Trinity, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Pellicula, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Edsall
xAK Cape Orange, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
30 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground Combat
An armored brigade is rolling towards the coast; constantly low on supplies.
This clearly shows that a few Jap divisions could have seriously delayed the Allied capture of Northern Oz.
The problem would have been that these troops would have been more or less lost as stronger and stronger enemy air formations perform
interdiction of both ground units and ships trying to bring supplies or evacuate.
Ground combat at Nookanbah (66,130)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 3446 troops, 16 guns, 348 vehicles, Assault Value = 227
Defending force 572 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 30
Allied adjusted assault: 97
Japanese adjusted defense: 7
Allied assault odds: 13 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Nookanbah !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)
Japanese ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 3
Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
4th Armoured Brigade
Defending units:
4th Indpt SNLF Coy
12th Garrison Unit /1
15th Garrison Unit /2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SRA - Northern Oz - New Guinea Area Air Operations
