Matrix Games Forums

GreyJoy, keep up the good work!
 
This is a bit of speculation on my part, but there is a good chance that you have now broken the back of the Japanese air force.  If that's true, you may be in a position of assembling your carriers into a Death Star configuration that Japan has little chance of defeating.  If so, sometime in the not too distant future, you might be able to load up the Death Star and send it to some fairly distant locale accompanied by a massive invasion force.  By doing so, you could penetrate the hard outer crust of Japan's defenses, throwing rader into a panic as you render that outer crust largely irrelevant. 
 
Just as a for instance, a major invasion of the Marianas and Marcus would render the Solomons, Rabaul, Port Moresby, Truk and Wake Island irrelevant.
 
Other possible targets might be the Kuriles, Timor, the islands between Timor and Java (lots of good potential bases there), the Nicobars and Port Blair, and probably plenty of others.
 
You'll have lots on your menu to choose from if you keep on playing like you've been playing.  You are killing rader (or allowing him to kill himself, which is pretty much the same thing).

I clicked over onto this AAR due to the Martin Quote in the Header: REEK. Very disappointed with the new book (not to hijack the thread...)!

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

GreyJoy, keep up the good work!

This is a bit of speculation on my part, but there is a good chance that you have now broken the back of the Japanese air force.  If that's true, you may be in a position of assembling your carriers into a Death Star configuration that Japan has little chance of defeating.  If so, sometime in the not too distant future, you might be able to load up the Death Star and send it to some fairly distant locale accompanied by a massive invasion force.  By doing so, you could penetrate the hard outer crust of Japan's defenses, throwing rader into a panic as you render that outer crust largely irrelevant. 

Just as a for instance, a major invasion of the Marianas and Marcus would render the Solomons, Rabaul, Port Moresby, Truk and Wake Island irrelevant.

Other possible targets might be the Kuriles, Timor, the islands between Timor and Java (lots of good potential bases there), the Nicobars and Port Blair, and probably plenty of others.

You'll have lots on your menu to choose from if you keep on playing like you've been playing.  You are killing rader (or allowing him to kill himself, which is pretty much the same thing).

Thanks Canoe!

Consider that we haven't seen the KB performace since the "Ndeni Turkey Shot" (when in early march Rader attacked Ndeni and took something like 250 a/c losses directly referring to KB). As far as i know Rader could be keeping the elite of his IJN crews for his KB, letting his IJAF and IJN land based fighters and bombers impale themself against my CAP.
I have no experience concerning amphib landing and i don't think i have the "cojones" to go directly for the "inner core"...i wanna advance slowly but steady, possibly opening a third front before.
Don't think that the Mariannas or the Kuriles are undefended btw. At Paramushiro there are already 23k men. 30k are based in the Chikawhatever Jiima and more than 10k men are reported in every single island of that damned island chain...
The Mariannas are well fortified and garrisoned since the beginning of 42 so i think it's better not to ask too much to myself and to my luck

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I clicked over onto this AAR due to the Martin Quote in the Header: REEK. Very disappointed with the new book (not to hijack the thread...)!

Why? didn't you like it?...maybe it's because i love this saga too much and i cannot see the drawbacks, but i find it pretty good (also considering how PITA FEast and Dance have been for Martin in the last 5 years)

Chikawhatever Jiima

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

Chikawhatever Jiima

[:D] so that CR cannot report me for the 100000 time to teh Kangoroo Court for mispelling [;)]

Amphibious invasions against non-atolls are much easier.  Basically, you just load up as many men on as many ships as you can possibly corrale, not forgetting to bring as much supply as possible too.
 
Just keep the whole notion in the back of your mind.  So far, you've convinced yourself that the hard outer crust is well-defended.  Okay, if that's so, then you need to keep the softer (not necessarily soft) inner crust in mind.
 
Think of it this way - a massive invasion slips out of Capetown and heads north into the Indian Ocean, slipping between Cocos Island to the east and Diego Garcia to the west.  Suddenly, rader finds a massive invasion force coming ashore on the Nicobars and Andamans.  He scrambles to shift some aircraft from India, Timor, New Guinea, etc. to his best airfields in the area - Sabang, Port Blair and Georgetown, but he doesn't have a much in the way of base forces there and he's too late anyway.  The Allies have landed a division at each island and three divisions at Port Blair.  The Allies will have airfields up and running in a few days and the Allied carrier CAP is too strong for the Japanese to handle.  Now, what' will rader do?  India is threatened with isolation and his defenses there are suddenly irrelevant.  And..he thinks, because he has too and because his imagination is running away with him...what if GreyJoy is prepared to press forward with a massive invasion at Moulein, Tavoy or Victoria Point?  Then, his massive army in India is truly threatened.  So, he panics.
 
That's the kind of forward thinking you should be engaging in now.  Not that that should be your choice, but you should be considering as many possibilities as possible.
 
And, at a minimum, it will take you two or three months to get assets in place for such a strike, so if you want to be able to do so in three months, you have to get started now.
 
....and you'd also want to make the occasional "mistake" in India to keep rader occupied and focused there.  You'd want to sortie out of Karachi again in a week or two, try to make a credible advance on Multan, take a few hits, and retire with your tail tucked between your legs, bemoaning to rader in an email:  "How am I ever gonna break out of India?"  Then, do the same thing again in a month.
 
 

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Amphibious invasions against non-atolls are much easier.  Basically, you just load up as many men on as many ships as you can possibly corrale, not forgetting to bring as much supply as possible too.

Just keep the whole notion in the back of your mind.  So far, you've convinced yourself that the hard outer crust is well-defended.  Okay, if that's so, then you need to keep the softer (not necessarily soft) inner crust in mind.

Think of it this way - a massive invasion slips out of Capetown and heads north into the Indian Ocean, slipping between Cocos Island to the east and Diego Garcia to the west.  Suddenly, rader finds a massive invasion force coming ashore on the Nicobars and Andamans.  He scrambles to shift some aircraft from India, Timor, New Guinea, etc. to his best airfields in the area - Sabang, Port Blair and Georgetown, but he doesn't have a much in the way of base forces there and he's too late anyway.  The Allies have landed a division at each island and three divisions at Port Blair.  The Allies will have airfields up and running in a few days and the Allied carrier CAP is too strong for the Japanese to handle.  Now, what' will rader do?  India is threatened with isolation and his defenses there are suddenly irrelevant.  And..he thinks, because he has too and because his imagination is running away with him...what if GreyJoy is prepared to press forward with a massive invasion at Moulein, Tavoy or Victoria Point?  Then, his massive army in India is truly threatened.  So, he panics.

That's the kind of forward thinking you should be engaging in now.  Not that that should be your choice, but you should be considering as many possibilities as possible.

And, at a minimum, it will take you two or three months to get assets in place for such a strike, so if you want to be able to do so in three months, you have to get started now.

....and you'd also want to make the occasional "mistake" in India to keep rader occupied and focused there.  You'd want to sortie out of Karachi again in a week or two, try to make a credible advance on Multan, take a few hits, and retire with your tail tucked between your legs, bemoaning to rader in an email:  "How am I ever gonna break out of India?"  Then, do the same thing again in a month.

Oh boy...that would be so cool....Do you think 5/6 divisions would be enough for that kind of operation?...cause i can spare pretty easily 3500 AVs from those i have at Aden...
what really scares me is the fact that i have no intel at all...i'll be completely blind...without any "exit strategy" and right in the middle of nowehere...I'll have to bring with me everything will be necessary for at least 3/4 months of constant combats....
However this could be the percet 4th front...
I imagine as a scenario something like this: by november 1943 we start advancing in India towards Multan, covered by 150 4Es and with an Air Army almost invicible in terms of CAP efficiency.
At the same time we land at Russell Island, starting the advancing campaign on the Solomons.
At the same time 2Es and P-38s start a bombing campaign from NW Oz (Derby, Brome etc)
...and....the great armada pops up from the wormhole at CT and invades the Adamans...[&o]

I'll start to think about the 4th front... Thanks you CR!

You wouldn't want to overkill the invasion - these bases should be lightly held - the various Nicobars with nothing or at most a Naval Guard unit.  Port Blair might have a mixed brigade behind good forts.  So, a division for each of the Nicobars is almost certainly enough (I'd say 99.99%) to take each.  As for Port Blair, I think three division is 98% likely to be enough.  And, more importantly, those allocations will be sufficient to stand against any conceivable counterattack (it should take rader weeks to orchestrate one).
 
In the unlikely event Port Blair has too much to take, you at least get three or four other bases that can be built large.
 
That means you need to bring plenty of engineers, base forces, and supply to turn the Nicobars and Little Andaman into stout bases and airfields in short order.  I'd say at least a Sea Bee unit and EAB for each base.  Maybe two Sea Bees plus EAB.  Each base ought to get at least 100 air support.
 
You'd want even more engineers and base support for Port Blair.
 
You'd also want to have follow up operations ready to go.  Certainly, you'd want to quickly deal with Diego Garcia immediately after you hit the Andamans and Nicobars.  You don't want that in enemy hands mucking up your LOC.  Diego is an obvious target to rader, but it's unlikely he'd risk posting a division that far out.  More likely he's going to have a Naval Guard unit or two.  I'd probably want at least two divisions, but more likely three.
 
Then think about how you expand from there.  Is Ceylon your next target?  Western Sumatra?  Moulmein?  Tavoy?  Victoria Point?  Have your troops ready to go just in case things go so well that you're ready to move quickly.
 
I really like the idea of also hitting Russell Island and threatening Multan just before you spring this. 
 
The sudden crisis in the Bay of Bengal is going to give you some opportunities in the Pacific.  So be prepared to act there too.
 
Be prepared everywhere all the time is kind of the notion, though that's a pretty tall task, isn't it?

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Amphibious invasions against non-atolls are much easier.  Basically, you just load up as many men on as many ships as you can possibly corrale, not forgetting to bring as much supply as possible too.

Just keep the whole notion in the back of your mind.  So far, you've convinced yourself that the hard outer crust is well-defended.  Okay, if that's so, then you need to keep the softer (not necessarily soft) inner crust in mind.

Think of it this way - a massive invasion slips out of Capetown and heads north into the Indian Ocean, slipping between Cocos Island to the east and Diego Garcia to the west.  Suddenly, rader finds a massive invasion force coming ashore on the Nicobars and Andamans.  He scrambles to shift some aircraft from India, Timor, New Guinea, etc. to his best airfields in the area - Sabang, Port Blair and Georgetown, but he doesn't have a much in the way of base forces there and he's too late anyway.  The Allies have landed a division at each island and three divisions at Port Blair.  The Allies will have airfields up and running in a few days and the Allied carrier CAP is too strong for the Japanese to handle.  Now, what' will rader do?  India is threatened with isolation and his defenses there are suddenly irrelevant.  And..he thinks, because he has too and because his imagination is running away with him...what if GreyJoy is prepared to press forward with a massive invasion at Moulein, Tavoy or Victoria Point?  Then, his massive army in India is truly threatened.  So, he panics.

That's the kind of forward thinking you should be engaging in now.  Not that that should be your choice, but you should be considering as many possibilities as possible.

And, at a minimum, it will take you two or three months to get assets in place for such a strike, so if you want to be able to do so in three months, you have to get started now.

....and you'd also want to make the occasional "mistake" in India to keep rader occupied and focused there.  You'd want to sortie out of Karachi again in a week or two, try to make a credible advance on Multan, take a few hits, and retire with your tail tucked between your legs, bemoaning to rader in an email:  "How am I ever gonna break out of India?"  Then, do the same thing again in a month.

Oh boy...that would be so cool....Do you think 5/6 divisions would be enough for that kind of operation?...cause i can spare pretty easily 3500 AVs from those i have at Aden...
what really scares me is the fact that i have no intel at all...i'll be completely blind...without any "exit strategy" and right in the middle of nowehere...I'll have to bring with me everything will be necessary for at least 3/4 months of constant combats....
However this could be the percet 4th front...
I imagine as a scenario something like this: by november 1943 we start advancing in India towards Multan, covered by 150 4Es and with an Air Army almost invicible in terms of CAP efficiency.
At the same time we land at Russell Island, starting the advancing campaign on the Solomons.
At the same time 2Es and P-38s start a bombing campaign from NW Oz (Derby, Brome etc)
...and....the great armada pops up from the wormhole at CT and invades the Adamans...[&o]

I'll start to think about the 4th front... Thanks you CR!

Take CRs advice to heart here. In the Solomons Rader has a massive net of air bases and plenty of infantry for slogging defense. It is here that he can combine his carriers with LBA to actually match your stronger carriers if you commit to an major amphibious attack on one of his well defended bases. It also stands to reason that he is over committed here and weak elsewhere.

But there are plenty of other bases where he is isolated with limited LBA and where your carriers can overwhelm his carriers in a stand up fight. In fact, it is not the invasion that you should be thinking of here but drawing him into a big carrier fight. That is, any invasion becomes secondary. The real purpose is to force him to react with his carriers in a place favorable to you. Now you need to just look over the map and pick a spot where you can do this and start some long term planning. There are any number of places including any point that will threaten his oil supply. Once you draw him into another fight you can continue to advance in the Solomons as he will have to divert planes and shipping. Your surface force is a bit weak now, so I don't think I would look to go very deep into his lines but just go after any weak point in his perimeter or a little deeper, to get him spread out. And then look for a deep move in early to mid 44.

Like I said, the Solomons are a point where you can hold the tiger by the toe while you look for a place to stab him in the vitals. In spite of his air losses, do not think he can't replace them in scen #2. You really need to be wary of his air force until well into 1944.

I should also remind you that he moving up the construction date of his carriers as well and at this point is probably matching you in carriers (though not in quality) I believe Pzb's AAR shows that the Japanese can have both the Taihos and all the Amagi class carriers by early 44. But by early 44, you will really start to have a lot more carriers than him.

My favorite. Look at Siboret Island and the other barrier Islands on the coast of Java. Probably poorly defended, easy to take, very hard for him to retake because they are Islands. Siboret can be built to a level 9 airfield that is in range of Palembang and most of the others near it go to level 8. You take Siboret and he is forced to divert masses of air to the defense of Java as the Japanese player cannot ignore the threat to his oil. But without Colombo, your supply network will be weak as you will need to use Diego Garcia as your main staging base. Just one possible idea out of many.

CR and CrSutton...really thanks.
I won't understimate Rader nor his airforce or his CV strenght. I wanna remain coutious. A massive defeat in my first landing may be a terrible step-back for me.
 
However i take a look and the locations you pointed out and i gotta say that you managed to really intrigue me [:)]... The first and most important thing i consider mandatory for any chance of succeeding of this kind of "operation" is the fact that Rader's attention and assets must be dedicated to something else. So i need to make him focus on the Solomons and keep him deeply involved there...my attacks need so to be credible and effective...he has to think that i'm dedicating my 100% of efforts there!
 
Anyway Diego is defended by an Army HQ, a Guards regiment and a normal combat regiment for sure. Probably base forces, eng and CD guns are also added.
Scoodra is well defended too with the 15th Army HQ and a regiment for sure... considering he had more than 1 year to dig in i expect at least 7 lvl forts there...not an easy nut to crack!
 
However i got the message: think about something else. Think about a 4th front where he can be weak...where he will be necessary weak...and start prepping
 
Thanks guys! I will

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I clicked over onto this AAR due to the Martin Quote in the Header: REEK. Very disappointed with the new book (not to hijack the thread...)!

Why? didn't you like it?...maybe it's because i love this saga too much and i cannot see the drawbacks, but i find it pretty good (also considering how PITA FEast and Dance have been for Martin in the last 5 years)

Parts of it were enjoyable but there was NO GREAT moment within it. What happened? Lots of character work but little-to-no-action with nearly 1,000 pages.

Don't want to hijack! PM me and we can chant about it.

IIRC Japan gets very few CD units even in scenario 2. 2-3 total.

Most of the single digit BFs (1 thru 9) get an upgrade in early 43 that allows them to get CD guns in Scenario 2.

Any possible invasion has to take into account your ability to reinforce and resupply where ever you land.

Opps! I did not realize that Rader held Diego. Got to give him credit. he is sacrificing forces but building a good perimeter.

As you transition to the strategic offensive, young Jedi, just remember the principles of victory. Tactically and strategically, it is mass, not dribblets. Whether land/sea/air, hit the opponent where he does not expect you and strike with a mailed fist. That is, looking at things like Thousand Ship Bay and naval bombardment missions, don't send one BB when you can send 2, and so forth. War on the offensive will be a very different animal than what you have experienced to date.

Of course, I do not know what you are planning and do not want to know, but as others have said, you should be thinking very seriously about how you will approach Japan. You should have been doing that 6 game months ago. I hope you have, but the tenor of your copious comments has been almost strictly tactical even when you have spoken of the offensive at all.

Good luck. You are a good sport and write an entertaining AAR. I think I shall spare that finger afterall.

Bolton

There are many, many factors that I would be evaluating constantly throughout the period leading up to the invasion:

1. Is there any evidence that rader is drawing down his India defenses. A positive answer would worry me as it might indicate rader is withdrawing to a new line of defense, which in all probability would be anchored on Burma, Malaya and Sumatra. It's always tough to determine if the opportunity is still there or is no longer worth it.

2. Can I take Diego Garcia on terms acceptable to me? If not, is there an alternative course of action?

3. Assuming that a massed Allied invasion of the Nicobars and Andamans draws full enemy attention, could I follow it up quickly with an invasion of the Ceylon bases of Koggala or Jaffna (taking advantage of the fact that enemy air will be drawn to Malaya, etc.) While Colombo and Trincomalee might be strongly held it is less likely that the other two ports would be. Either or both bases can be built large and would pretty much guarantee that rader would want to withdraw his troops from the other bases however possible.

4. If Diego is too tough, what about Cocos Island?

5. If Cocos Island is desirable, would it make sense to shift the invasion targets a bit south, forgetting perhaps Port Blair but concentrating on the Nicobars, the islands south of Sumatra with good airbase potential, and possibly even a base in western Sumatra?

5. If all of this looks problematic, can I shift the invasion to the east, hitting a string of good base-islands east of Java plus perhaps a base on Java?

That's just the beginning of the factors I would be weighing as I look at the map. It's complicated, but it sure is fun.

Rader can't be strong everywhere, so it is likely that a massed Allied invasion will succeed. A few things you can guarantee:

1. Not everything will go as planned. One or more bases won't fall for some reason.

2. The enemy will be thrown in disarray. While you will be tending to concentrate on consolidating and holding your newly acquired bases, rader will be worried about the possibility of further invasions in places where he knows he is week. Can you minimize your "unfounded" concerns while tickling his concerns?

3. Eventually, rader will attack with the KB, combat ships, and massed LBA. Can you get enough supply ashore to manage things during a period of "blackout"? Can you win (or tie) in any such clashes to ensure that you hold your conquests?

CR: I like your thinking: Keep the man unbalanced. Although I don't know the entire situation, I would think a southern DEI invasion (Den Pasar and 2 or 3 nearby bases) and Andaman/Niocobar invasion would be the two main choices. I wouldn't land on Sumatra or Java in the first phase as we know how tough Rader can be on a large land mass. That's his strength. I also am biased against the atolls in the Marshalls and Gilberts, what with their low stacking, although feints in that region could help. Of course, keeping a credible threat in the Solomons is crucial as well.

Cheers,
CC

July 4, 5 1943
 
Rader retired again back to Rabaul his surface assets. It seems that the presence of my BBs and my strong CAP is keeping him away from TLT...he doesn't seem to be willing to risk his CAs/BBs in a surface engagement, nor to risk his KB to come any closer to my main bases.
 
So we'll keep on pushing. Another BB TF will bomb Thousands Tomorrow, followed by my 4Es against Russell and another smaller Bombardment TF (2 CLs + 6 DDs) against Auki.
The idea is to make him feel less and less confortable to the idea of basing fighters or bombers in these front-line bases.
 
For what concerns the strategical issues...
Diego and Scoodra are really well defended guys and Cocos too (we are sure at least a regimental unit and a combat eng are based there).
Rader has occupied and fortified the most obvious key points of his outer perimeter.
For sure Sumatra and Java aren't well garrisoned...but again, as NY59 has said, we need to have a footstep in his outer perimeter (a kind of a door) in order to be safe in the inner perimeter...
I still have the counter-landing Indian operation in my scheldue, but my newly arrived recon says that 20,000 men are based at Surat and 15,000 at Bombay, with 71 units (all his divisions and combat LCUs) based at Dehli. At Multan there are 28 units and 71 more at Jodpur (mostly engeneers and AA)...think a counter landing right now will be a suicide...i have to try the land way and see what happens...
 
Still think that the Solomons+NW-OZ is probably the best and safest way to advance in this game, combined with a total assault of his Indian perimeter (so to say Multan strong-point).
 
I'm thinking about an approach to South Java (which should be lightly garrisoned and not built up), using the NW OZ bases, once garrisoned and supplied, as jumping and linking point.

JULY 6, 7 1943

What a risk...what a turn....

on the night of the 6th our naval bombardment at Thousands and Auki caught MANY helens on the ground....(the helens haven't been in the theatre for months now...)...at first i didn't get the meaning of that....
Then, the next day....we spotted the KB moving north of Tulagi...going south east....GOSH...that was meaning Rader was going for a full attack at Ndeni where my BBs are based....

We finger crossed but not a single Helens took off, partly because of the damaged AFs and partly because of the storms over Ndeni...

On the morning of the 7th July the KB parked at 10 hexes northwest of Ndeni and launched a mass attack....109 Judys heavily escorted.... but my CAP did a wonderfull job and only a little number of the enemy bombers arrived over the base and they scored a single 250kg hit on BB Missisipi[:)]

then it was the time of a number of Betties that starting from Rekata Bay AF attacked the AF at Ndeni....catching few planes on the ground but being slaughtered by my CAP...

Clearly everything went wrong for Rader.... if i hadn't naval bombed his bases i bet HORDES of Helens and Betties would have closed Ndeni AF on the first day, leaving a freeway for his Judys on the second day to bring destruction on my fleet...

....we've clearly been lucky...thank God

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 5 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 124 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 19 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 176 damaged
N1K1-J George: 28 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 17 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 11 destroyed on ground
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 damaged
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed on ground

84 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Indiana
BB Washington
CA Wichita
CL Santa Fe
CL Cleveland
CL Boise

Japanese ground losses:
306 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 6 (3 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Airbase hits 30
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 47
Port hits 11
Port supply hits 10

BB Indiana firing at Thousand Ships Bay
BB Washington firing at Thousand Ships Bay
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Wichita
CA Wichita firing at Combined 8th SNLF
Combined 8th SNLF firing at CA Wichita
CL Santa Fe firing at Combined 8th SNLF
Combined 8th SNLF firing at CL Santa Fe
CL Cleveland firing at Thousand Ships Bay
CL Boise firing at Combined 8th SNLF
Combined 8th SNLF firing at CL Boise


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Auki at 115,136

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 98 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 14 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 33 damaged
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 5 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 13 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 5 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CL Montpelier
CL Leander
DD Lamson
DD Cummings
DD Dunlap
DD O'Brien
DD Hammann
DD Woodworth
DD Duncan

Japanese ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled



Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 71
Port hits 14
Port supply hits 4

CL Montpelier firing at Auki
CL Leander firing at 72nd JAAF AF Bn
DD Lamson firing at Auki
DD Cummings firing at Auki
DD Dunlap firing at Auki
DD O'Brien firing at Auki
DD Hammann firing at Auki
DD Woodworth firing at Auki
DD Duncan firing at Auki


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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jul 07, 43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 133 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 65
A6M5 Zero x 85
B6N2 Jill x 107



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 72
F4F-4 Wildcat x 72
F6F-3 Hellcat x 33


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 9 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 46 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 1



Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
17 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
2 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-42 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 25 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 23 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 26000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 26000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
VF-71 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 25 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 15 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
35th FG/40th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 14 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
347th FG/339th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 14 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes



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Morning Air attack on Thousand Ships Bay , at 114,136

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 1



Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 16
B-24D1 Liberator x 150


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 9 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 30 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 6 destroyed on ground
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x Boomerang C-12 sweeping at 15000 feet *
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
802 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 14000
Raid is overhead



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Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 82
A6M5 Zero x 18
G4M1 Betty x 39



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 60
F4F-4 Wildcat x 67
F6F-3 Hellcat x 29


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 7 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 15 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed on ground
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed on ground
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground



Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 7

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
12 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-42 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 17 scrambling)
15 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 4 scrambling)
22 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
VF-71 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 4 on standby, 9 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
16 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 20620.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 8 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 45 minutes
35th FG/40th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 10 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 76 minutes
347th FG/339th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
18 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes



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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tulagi at 114,137

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 94 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N1 Kate x 4



Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 20
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
F6F-3 Hellcat x 37


Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses



CAP engaged:
VF-6 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
VF-37 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters between 16000 and 35000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
VF-60 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
VMF-123 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
VMF-211 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
VMF-216 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 21000 , scrambling fighters between 17000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
15th FG/46th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
347th FG/68th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tulagi at 114,137

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 109 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N1 Kate x 5



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 1
P-38G Lightning x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 20
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
F6F-3 Hellcat x 39


Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses



CAP engaged:
VMF-112 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
No.77 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk III (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
49th FG/9th FS with P-38G Lightning (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
VF-6 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 35000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
VF-37 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
VF-60 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35000 , scrambling fighters between 14000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
VMF-123 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters to 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
VMF-211 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
VMF-216 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 21000 , scrambling fighters between 17000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
15th FG/46th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
347th FG/68th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes



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