Matrix Games Forums

Ah, missed that comment in my haste. Thanks witps.

Cheers,
CC

Oct 16, 17 1943

We decided at the very last minute to hold back our invasion for one more turn and we sent forward to Thousands a bait composed by 5 cruisers and 6 DDs, along with 10 merchants full of supplies. Detached a very strong LRCAP over this bait and sent 75 P-47s to sweep Thousands...

The KB showed up south west of Treasury Island...

I wanted to wore down his air forces a bit before committing my precious invasion ships...

The bait paid off...

It resulted in a great serie of air fightings over the southern Solomons...

I sniffed the fact that Rader, after seeing my fleet at Karaikira last turn, would have finally order a general naval attack, so giving his LBA bombers a range that could reach Karaikira at Least....i hoped he didn't set a greater range cause i kept my fleet 2 hexes North-East of Karaikira...

Our guess was correct...

hordes of Nells, Betties and Frances showed up over Thousands and over Lunga, while our sweeps at Thousands gave the chance to my P-47s to tangle again against his georges that showed up en masse...probably coming from Rekata Bay...

The KB never launched...despite her favourable position...

At the end of the 2 days turn we obtained a good 3-1 ratio...and, above all, we gave a strong blow to the morale of his air crews...hopefully this will help in tomorrow landings...





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

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 40,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1 Rex x 2
N1K1-J George x 34
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 4



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 14
Hurricane XIIb x 16
P-38G Lightning x 12
P-38H Lightning x 18
P-40K Warhawk x 11
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 24
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
F4U-1A Corsair x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 27


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1 Rex: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 6 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed




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

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 43 NM, estimated altitude 39,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 6
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 1



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
Kittyhawk III x 16
Spitfire Vc Trop x 4
Hurricane XIIb x 8
P-38G Lightning x 12
P-38H Lightning x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 10
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 36
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
F4U-1A Corsair x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed

No Allied losses





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 93 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 13
N1K1-J George x 9



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 5
Kittyhawk III x 8
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
Hurricane XIIb x 5
P-38G Lightning x 11
P-38H Lightning x 14
P-40K Warhawk x 19
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 18
F4U-1 Corsair x 26
F4U-1A Corsair x 8
F6F-3 Hellcat x 31


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 193 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 57 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 58
N1K1-J George x 89
P1Y1 Frances x 6



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 4
P-38H Lightning x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 10
P-40N1 Warhawk x 10
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 15
F4U-1 Corsair x 8
F6F-3 Hellcat x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 3 destroyed
P-40N1 Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 3 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
DM Preble
DM Montgomery, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 100 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 35 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 23
G4M1 Betty x 9



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4
Kittyhawk III x 3
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
Hurricane XIIb x 5
P-38G Lightning x 9
P-38H Lightning x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 16
F4U-1 Corsair x 15
F4U-1A Corsair x 6
F6F-3 Hellcat x 20


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 7 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAK Steel Traveler



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 111 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 2
P-40K Warhawk x 3
P-40N1 Warhawk x 2
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Cushing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 13
N1K1-J George x 22



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 5
Kittyhawk III x 7
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
Hurricane XIIb x 3
P-38G Lightning x 10
P-38H Lightning x 25
P-40K Warhawk x 17
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 19
F4U-1 Corsair x 25
F4U-1A Corsair x 7
F6F-3 Hellcat x 46


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 183 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 54 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 11
N1K1-J George x 27
P1Y1 Frances x 6



Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 7
P-40N1 Warhawk x 7
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
F4U-1A Corsair x 7
F6F-3 Hellcat x 7


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed
P1Y1 Frances: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 27,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 11
G4M1 Betty x 9
N1K1-J George x 35



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3
Kittyhawk III x 3
Spitfire Vc Trop x 7
Hurricane XIIb x 2
P-38G Lightning x 7
P-38H Lightning x 20
P-40K Warhawk x 11
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 14
F4U-1 Corsair x 10
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
N1K1-J George: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Sin Kheng Seng, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Admiral Wiley



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9



Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 5
P-40N1 Warhawk x 4
F4U-1 Corsair x 10
F4U-1A Corsair x 7
F6F-3 Hellcat x 3


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses


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

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 38,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1 Rex x 2
N1K1-J George x 24
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 3



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 13
Spitfire Vc Trop x 13
Hurricane XIIb x 7
P-38G Lightning x 10
P-38H Lightning x 17
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 41
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
F6F-3 Hellcat x 19


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1 Rex: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 8 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 2 destroyed
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed

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

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 39,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 2



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 10
Spitfire Vc Trop x 7
Hurricane XIIb x 13
P-38G Lightning x 10
P-38H Lightning x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 9
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 39
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
F6F-3 Hellcat x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 4
N1K1-J George x 7



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4
Kittyhawk III x 8
Spitfire Vc Trop x 9
Hurricane XIIb x 4
P-38G Lightning x 9
P-38H Lightning x 24
P-40K Warhawk x 14
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 19
F4U-1 Corsair x 24
F4U-1A Corsair x 8
F6F-3 Hellcat x 43


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 2 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 191 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 57 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 32
N1K1-J George x 28
P1Y1 Frances x 6



Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 6
P-40N1 Warhawk x 8
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
F6F-3 Hellcat x 10


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 9 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CM Salem
DM Preble


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 100 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 10
P1Y1 Frances x 9



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3
Kittyhawk III x 2
Spitfire Vc Trop x 8
Hurricane XIIb x 4
P-38G Lightning x 9
P-38H Lightning x 19
P-40K Warhawk x 14
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 11
F4U-1 Corsair x 7
F4U-1A Corsair x 8
F6F-3 Hellcat x 23


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed
P1Y1 Frances: 6 destroyed

No Allied losses

.

.

Nice ambush, lots of planes you won't be seeing tomorrow, not to mention damaged planes and pilot morale. Got to say, those Jake losses are totally off the wall. They must make good cannon fodder.

I've noticed that Rader, also in in other game, is particularly eager to sacrifice jakes in waves...he simply doesn't care...and that speaks a lot about the a/c production capabilities of scenario 2...
 
 
Anyway, i'm thinking a lot about what to do now...there are still lots of fighters and bombers in Rader's hands that didn't partecipate in today slaughterhouse and that are still fresh. I count at least more 500 fighters and something like 130 LBA bombers that didn't took off today...not considering the KB...
We need to make Reek rhyme with sneak...and to do that we must keep on being as less predictable as possible...
 
His KB is now in an exposed position. I'm pretty sure Rader complains about the fact that the KB never launch in the Solomons...it's already the second time in a row that the KB tries to partecipate to Rader's mass LBA attacks against my shippings and that it ends for 2 days in a row under a terrible storm that prevents her from  launching her planes...
When i say that the KB is exposed, i mean that it's in range of my SDBs that, if based at Lunga, could attack her... so i think Rader will move her now for the next turn......so wht to do? Shift from the defensive to the offensive and base 200 SDB/TBMs at Lunga with 200 fighter as escort?
 
...hard to tell...
 
But there's another important decision i'm taking...
Thousands Ships Bay...our target...
...i've recollected the last 30 combat reports and all the bombings (naval and aerial) we've done in the last 2 months.
I know i should have done it earlier but without Tracker it's really a pain to keep track of all the infos that you collect every turn...
 
However...Thousands has been encreasing its strenght in a dangerous way. More AAs, more engs and i suppose he brought there a base force with CD guns cause they started to shoot back at my BBs lately...
My air bombing recon shows that remenants of the Tulagi invasion force are present there, along with one more regiment and a combat eng regiment.
Even 150 4Es lately had hard time to damage the AF...which is a clear sign of a good fort level...
 
in a word...i'm getting really scared...
 
 

...and i'm thinking to an alternative plan....

AUKI....where there's only 15,000 men, 70 guns and 8 vehicles...and only a garrison unit present...so roughly 100 AVs....

Ok, i've made a test. In a non atoll base, even if not prepped, my invasion force should easily take a base defended only by a garrison unit. I can deploy 1000 AVs and a very good firepower, supported by a couple of bombing runs and, if needed, by an air bombing with 4Es (not ordered for the moment in order to save some precious 4Es that, for the moment, are not considered decisive for this landing).

I don't think Rader is waiting for me at Auki...i've been focusing mainly on Thousands for the past months and i'm pretty sure that if he sends a surface force to interdict me (strange enough he didn't last turn) it will be directed towards Thousands). In any case a SCTF, leaded by Lee and composed of 2 fast BBs, 2 modern CAs, 3 Cleveland Class CLs and 8 Fletchers DD will sweep Auki on the first night, right before my landing forces that are supposed to arrive in the following morning.
The amphib TFs will be supported by 3 old BBs, 3 CAs and some 12 DDs, along with a HUGE number of SCs, DEs and other ASW ships.
4 separate ASW TFs will provide an ASW Screen, while 2 Escort Carrier TFs, composed by 9 CVEs will give close air support, boosting the LRCAP provided by fighters based at Tassa and Tulagi.
At Lunga i'm keeping a strong bait under 200 fighter CAP.
Night CAP over our landings is provided by 11 Havocs from Tulagi.
PTs will form a screen in an arc around the whole southern Solomons, while a Cruiser SCTFs will be based at Auki, giving close support in any case.
2 Bombing runs are ordered against Munda (a DD division) and against Rekata Bay (1 CA+4 CLs)...hope to damage some of his primary AFs in the area.

CVs will away...hoping to be able to come into play when the KB will have lost some of his power...

100 mines will be placed at Thousands by night with 2 CMs and 1 DMs...

I think it's definitely a good idea to go around any bases he has made special preps for, like CD guns, if there is another more lightly defended base right next door. It looks like he's ready to jump whatever you do so the next few turns will be interesting.

When is D-Day?

ORIGINAL: obvert

I think it's definitely a good idea to go around any bases he has made special preps for, like CD guns, if there is another more lightly defended base right next door. It looks like he's ready to jump whatever you do so the next few turns will be interesting.

When is D-Day?

D-Day is tomorrow. We should start the first landings during the first morning (remember 2 days/turn)...so we're gonna have, on paper, 3 pahses to unload my precious APA/AKAs...should be enough...
Now what remains to be seen is what Rader will do with his surface forces and with the KB...

I stripped the old BBs and sent them to Ndeni...against a soft defended target without CD guns i prefer not to risk them...

I already feel the pain for the losses in terms of CVEs i'm going to suffer...

Hope my CVEs won't react...they are in "escort CV" mission and should follow, with react 0 and with not aggressive commanders, the amphib TFs...let's see how it goes...

Finger crossed...turn sent

ORIGINAL: obvert

I think it's definitely a good idea to go around any bases he has made special preps for, like CD guns, if there is another more lightly defended base right next door. It looks like he's ready to jump whatever you do so the next few turns will be interesting.

When is D-Day?

I dont think CD guns will be an issue. Japan only gets 3 movable CD units, them sharing 8 x 20cm, 8 x 14 and 15cm and 12 x 12cm guns between them. Ie. almost nothing, and best the movable base forces and engineering units have are 25mm AA guns.

Mines and minisubs on the other hand...

I like your new plan and cant wait to see the results.

If you cant beat it, pass it by! Just dont let him evacuate Thousands without inflicting massive causalities.

There are times when it makes good sense to invade with little or no preparation. Those occasions do require the use of overhwelming force. It sounds like you know that, either instinctively or as something you've thought through. So good luck with the invasion.

...but you had better not drag this out another day! We, your humble peanut gallery, are sitting on the edges of our seats and biting our finger nails. Please make sure rader is available for another turn or two today. No slacking off now! No vacations to Madagascar! No dates with the girlfriend! No trips to the local mall for a body waxing! Get to it, man!

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

There are times when it makes good sense to invade with little or no preparation. Those occasions do require the use of overhwelming force. It sounds like you know that, either instinctively or as something you've thought through. So good luck with the invasion.

...but you had better not drag this out another day! We, your humble peanut gallery, are sitting on the edges of our seats and biting our finger nails. Please make sure rader is available for another turn or two today. No slacking off now! No vacations to Madagascar! No dates with the girlfriend! No trips to the local mall for a body waxing! Get to it, man!

This evening i've promised my GF to cook for her...but i've already planned to simulate a backsliding of the intestinal flue we both suffered at Zanzibar...so the idea is to send her back home pretty soon [:D]
If Rader keeps his usual scheldue for today, i guess we can have 2 more turns during daylight-first evening (US time).


Auki isn't a very good strategical position like Thousands...but now i need to start moving and if i can bypass it (and i think i can) without taking unacceptable losses, i think we can start to jump over the Solomons in a faster way in the nearby future. Now the plan remains the same for this area: Take Auki and isolate Thousands and Russell and then jump forward, threatening the New Georgia Islands.

Thousands or Auki doesn't change much at this point....and if there i can get less losses...let's go there and don't bother much with preparation...i should get a 10-1 AV ratio once unloaded, so preparation shouldn't really be an issue...

ORIGINAL: Kapitanma

Got to say, those Jake losses are totally off the wall. They must make good cannon fodder.

The attrition rate for planes on search is very high when there are heavily capped hexes in the search radius.

ORIGINAL: Erkki

ORIGINAL: obvert

I think it's definitely a good idea to go around any bases he has made special preps for, like CD guns, if there is another more lightly defended base right next door. It looks like he's ready to jump whatever you do so the next few turns will be interesting.

When is D-Day?

I dont think CD guns will be an issue. Japan only gets 3 movable CD units, them sharing 8 x 20cm, 8 x 14 and 15cm and 12 x 12cm guns between them. Ie. almost nothing, and best the movable base forces and engineering units have are 25mm AA guns.

Mines and minisubs on the other hand...

Is the number of CD guns the same in Scenario 2? I don't know one way or the other.

GreyJoy, you mentioned it was strange that Rader didn't interdict you with surface forces at Thousands last turn, but I think it's expected.  In my mind, Rader will wait until you show up with transports and start unloading, and then try to hit you with his SC TF's.  The 2 day turns may really work to your advantage here, if your APA/AKA's can all unload in 3 phases and get out of dodge.  Good luck!  [:)]

Another experienced player recently mentioned that a number of IJ base forces upgrade to include CD guns sometime in 1943. I don't remember who mentioned this or where he mentioned it, but it got my full attention as an Allied player (my "full attention" doesn't necessarily mean I have a good memory, as my spouse will attest). So I think there are more than three IJ CD units by 1943. Perhaps alot more.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Another experienced player recently mentioned that a number of IJ base forces upgrade to include CD guns sometime in 1943. I don't remember who mentioned this or where he mentioned it, but it got my full attention as an Allied player (my "full attention" doesn't necessarily mean I have a good memory, as my spouse will attest). So I think there are more than three IJ CD units by 1943. Perhaps alot more.

So it seems... Looks like the upgrade TOE is not viewable in the Tracker, but the Base Forces arriving after mid-43-ish seem to indeed have some CD guns! 4 x 8cm/40 T88 DP guns per unit. If GreyJoy has some heavier than DD ships in the amphibious TFs, those guns shouldn't be much of a problem.

We'll stay tuned GreyJoy. [;)]