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A very well carried out invasion of PM. Build up those forts ASAP. I would second the suggestion ot build up PRs and HI, very valuable bases as they cut the flight time to and from oZ and NG, P-38's can also fly LRCAP with tanks from here as well. Nice to also have the confirmation of the paras halving AV.

One question GJ, may I link this aar at my blog at http://bytesanddice.wordpress.com/

I think it makes for riveting reading and it seems we are now at the key point in the game. it also shows the progression of a new player and how things are picked up during the game quite qucikly.

Now kill more Japs, man!

ORIGINAL: cantona2

A very well carried out invasion of PM. Build up those forts ASAP. I would second the suggestion ot build up PRs and HI, very valuable bases as they cut the flight time to and from oZ and NG, P-38's can also fly LRCAP with tanks from here as well. Nice to also have the confirmation of the paras halving AV.

One question GJ, may I link this aar at my blog at http://bytesanddice.wordpress.com/

I think it makes for riveting reading and it seems we are now at the key point in the game. it also shows the progression of a new player and how things are oicked up during the game quite qucikly.

No kill more Japs man!

Sure you can Cantona!


Oct 28, 29 1943

It's been a mixed turn...lights and shades

I had ordered to all my PTs to leave their anchors in the Solomons and to intercept the enemy fast transports...my calculations said that the LBs would have been leaving Thousands and Russell on the night of 28th...
So my PTs went out in waves...and we achieved an astonishing serie of successes!
0% moolight...the perfect night for the brave PTs...

Will be boring to post all the combat reports...more than 15 engagements!!

I will copy and past the jap losses in terms of troops loaded on LBs or PBs that were sunk by my PTs...

All these engagements took place between Rekata and Munda

Japanese ground losses:
1937 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 52 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 70 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Japanese ground losses:
605 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 29 destroyed, 17 disabled


Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled


Japanese ground losses:
1089 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 63 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 15 (10 destroyed, 5 disabled)



Japanese ground losses:
801 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 80 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Japanese ground losses:
522 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (3 destroyed, 7 disabled)


Japanese ground losses:
468 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Japanese ground losses:
584 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 22 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 21 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)




Japanese ground losses:
312 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled


Japanese ground losses:
788 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 22 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 30 destroyed, 8 disabled



Japanese ground losses:
463 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 41 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Japanese ground losses:
433 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 24 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)



Japanese ground losses:
209 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 4 disabled



Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Japanese ground losses:
169 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Japanese ground losses:
176 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled





Then, when the day came, we watched with desperation the price of our mistakes...
I had sent the Hawkins TF at flank speed towards Munda...considering it didn't engage during the night i thought it was back at Tulagi as ordered when the day had come...while it ended up right between Munda and Rekata...[:o] We ate 2 torps during the morning and 3 more during the afternoon...we had some CAP during the afternoon (leaky one) but the Hawkings and the Trenton could not be saved...2 cruisers lost...for no gain...[:-] Have to be wiser using my cruisers...i'm running out of them[:o]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Munda at 112,134

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 105 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 3
A6M3a Zero x 16
G4M1 Betty x 13
N1K1-J George x 50



Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 1


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Leander
CA Hawkins, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CL Trenton, Torpedo hits 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rekata Bay at 112,135 What a leaky CAP!!![X(]

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 30
G4M1 Betty x 16
N1K1-J George x 29
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 17
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 19
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 51
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 34
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 12
Ki-84a Frank x 17



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
Kittyhawk III x 8
Spitfire Vc Trop x 12
Kittyhawk IV x 6
P-38G Lightning x 4
P-38H Lightning x 14
P-40K Warhawk x 19
P-40N5 Warhawk x 7
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 22
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
F4U-1A Corsair x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 4 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
DD DeHaven



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Munda at 112,134

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 15
G4M1 Betty x 13
N1K1-J George x 38



Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 1


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Hawkins, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Taylor
CL Trenton, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk



So Rader has been able to extract nearly 27,000 men from Thousands and Russell...in one single night...quite an achievement!
But a lot of them are now on the bottom of the Slot...[:D]

Rader has finally moved some fighters to NG (but Lae and Buna are still damaged) and the KB remains at Bouganville...

We cannot stop now.

Mylne Bay will be the next operation, while we'll keep on putting pressure on the Solomons...

NO OZ is building nicely...and Rader has finally decided to put an aye there...the first recon planes spotted over Exmouth and Port Heland...

I count 8.7k troops sunk! [:D]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: cantona2

A very well carried out invasion of PM. Build up those forts ASAP. I would second the suggestion ot build up PRs and HI, very valuable bases as they cut the flight time to and from oZ and NG, P-38's can also fly LRCAP with tanks from here as well. Nice to also have the confirmation of the paras halving AV.

One question GJ, may I link this aar at my blog at http://bytesanddice.wordpress.com/

I think it makes for riveting reading and it seems we are now at the key point in the game. it also shows the progression of a new player and how things are oicked up during the game quite qucikly.

No kill more Japs man!

Sure you can Cantona!

Thanks, done!

ORIGINAL: String

I count 8.7k troops sunk! [:D]

Yes, indeed a lot...even if i think most of those were base forces and engeneers...very few combat squad and lots of support tropps...maybe some HQs...

Intel says Rader is sending 2 Mix Bde and 1 Guard Division, along with 2 artillery units to Manado...mmmmmm...fortifying the DEI eh!?

ORIGINAL: jmalter

what w/ the 2 successful ops & reaching page 99 in the AAR, this rap from last weekend's rally is appropriate:

We're gonna occupy [Auki & Port Moresby], we the 99!

now that the secret's been revealed, it's a comfort to know that GJ's situation wrt assault shipping inventory ain't quite as gloomy as he was painting it awhile back.

woot!

That isn't exactly true mate.
I have APA/AKA only for 3 divisions. And they are already very strecthed.
I have 22 of them. not exactly confortable...
This number would be double if i hadn't lost all those APs during the former invasion of PM in dec 42...[:o]
In the last 2 invasions i used a lot of normal xAKs and xAPs...plus obviously the AKs and the LSTs...

However...99! Good Lord![:D][&o]

We're gonna slow down now for a couple of days...probably only a couple of turns till next monday cause Rader is away for business

The sharks feed well this day. To them, it is manna falling from the sky. They must be getting quite large by now.

Reek, nice job interdicting the troop withdrawal. You lose one very old CA and one old CL.....stop wailing.

Hummmmm, Bolton looks at a map while Reek cowers in a corner. Bolton turns slowly and grimaces. Reek, what do you say we have a bit more fun say in about a week. Reek moans and wails, No Thank you, Master. Bolton smiles even larger. Why not program those paras of yours for a drop at Gasmata or some other empty IJ base and really scare the bejabbers out of the LYBs? It would take him awhile to mount any kind of reaction to Gasmata and you could pull in reinforcements/supply via air from PM and Tulagi. If this rush to abandon Thousand Ships was percipitated by the PM attack, just think of what would happen if you landed even deeper in his rear. I dare say Preparation H would not be sufficient to stem the burn. You might win the Solomons in their entirity without further adieu. Hummmm. Bolton, turns away from Reek to allow him time to think about this dastardly plan.

GJ,

A good time to ask. Did you mix your APA and xAP in the same TF and did you find that the APA greatly helped the xAPs unload? I have yet to try this.

well i did say your inventory wasn't "quite as gloomy", meaning i thought you were down to a rough dozen APAs used for HHammer, then discovered you'd got another secret dozen in HAnvil. so in combo w/ your existing LSI(L) and xAP, you're in much better shape w/ assault transports than i feared. and aren't you well-provided-for in terms of new stuff coming into play (LSV, LSD, LST, LCM, support LCM) ?

nice to see that as a result, rader went for a full-scale evac of 1000 and Russell in your PTboat water. those 2 bases are now low-hanging fruit. you've traded 2 cruisers & 6 DD for roughly half their garrisons (incl. 240 engr squads, ouch) & add'l fearsome losses to his troop-shipping. w/ no damage at all to your LCUs!

Well, I am certainly glad to see that my prediction of disaster for your paratroopers proved correct, thus burnishing my reptutation as an "expert" who knows exactly what's going on....

...errrrr, on second thought....



On a more serious note: Dang, GreyJoy, talk about a player who has gone from the ultimate in Green Newb to a very confident and capable player in a remarkably short time! Well done!

[&o]

CR....... Oh do stop with the gushing compliments. You'll have Reek dancing about and getting the big head. Next, he'll start scheming to escape Dreadfort. You do know the consequences of an "escape", right? Well, let's just call them digital, shall we? I do let him out of the dungeon from time to time, so it's not like he has no fun.

princep Bolton

princep, I have held my tongue figuring that I am just one ignoramous in a crowd of brainiacs, but since you brought it up...I have absolutely no idea what the "Reek" line of discussion is about. That's not your fault, and you shouldn't change anything or bother to explain. It's just that I am completely ignorant of this. Kind of like if I got into some line of thought totally beyond your interest perimeter. For example, if you're not a botanist, you might not know what I was talking about if me an GreyJoy engaged in a conversation that went something like this:

CR: "Nice move, GreyJoy, but you left some of your DEs out in the cold, like lenticels on an Aralia spinosa."

GY: "True, CR, but would you stagger the lineup, like the leaflets arrayed on the petiole of Juglans nigra, or staggered ala Fraxinus Americana?

CR: "Ah, my young disciple of Michaux! I might switch up and employ them palmately, ala Aesculus pavia!"

GJ: "Then you must think Frazer knew what he was talking about, my friend."

ORIGINAL: crsutton

GJ,

A good time to ask. Did you mix your APA and xAP in the same TF and did you find that the APA greatly helped the xAPs unload? I have yet to try this.

I used my APA/AKA not in a mixed TF, because i wanted them to exit from the dangerous area asap...so i cannot tell...but i used the barges and LCIs and LSTs with normal xAPs, AKs and xAKs...and as far as i can tell they really speed up the unload ratio...in 6 phases all my ships were unloaded and already on their way back!

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

On a more serious note: Dang, GreyJoy, talk about a player who has gone from the ultimate in Green Newb to a very confident and capable player in a remarkably short time! Well done!

[&o]

+2

Especially playing scenario #2. I am in the midst of scenrio #1 and find the experince very challenging. Grey Joy is kicking butt at a much higher level. His perseverance and patience is explemplary. Now it looks like it is paying off in terms of reversing roles ...[;)] The lessons learned are transferable to the rest of us upcoming newbies ..

No problem, CR. Of course, my chiding you was really a shot at the Greyjoy. All in good fun. I apologize if it caused you any discomfort.

Obviously, should Greyjoy take umbrage, I will instantly desist.

It is a bit of an inside thing for those of us that have read George R R Martin's, 5 book series, The Song of Fire and Ice. The first of these books is currently playing on HBO as the excellent, Game of Thrones.

But, you see, the name Greyjoy derives from the books (a character also called Reek). So, the person to "blame" is Greyjoy for choosing the odious name:). (See how I lawyered myself out of the culpability?)

I hope that helps for you and for all the many other readers that have not read the series.

princep (and Bolton is the name of the Lord that torments Greyjoy incessantly).

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Well, I am certainly glad to see that my prediction of disaster for your paratroopers proved correct, thus burnishing my reptutation as an "expert" who knows exactly what's going on....

...errrrr, on second thought....



On a more serious note: Dang, GreyJoy, talk about a player who has gone from the ultimate in Green Newb to a very confident and capable player in a remarkably short time! Well done!

[&o]

Thanks CR...you know it was a close call...if the weather had been bad and my bombers hadn't attacked his naval guard unit the whole operation would have been a possible disaster...

However i think it's better to think WHY Rader hasn't garrisoned PM and left it unbuilt and without a decent level fort...it's not something Rader does normally...

I ended my PPs last turn...i've spent the last of them to convert an AUS Division...now for the New Guinea i have at hand 4 NZ Bde, 2 AUS Division and the 27th US Division...i need to save more PPs now cause i need a motorized Bde that costs 550 PPs... hate this whole PP system...[:D] i already fear the future advances in CENTPAC...Rader has an almost unlimited number of free divisions by now...

Luckly enough my LCUs, in the last two operation, haven't been touched at all! They are all at 100%[8D]

It's especially odd since he went to such great lengths to take PM. Player distraction due to heavy fighting is the logical explanation, I suppose.