herbie goes bananas again

[1275psi]

The fight does continue

7/6/43
The invasion of woodlark continues
Crap -gassmatta recieves a naval pounding, 7 a/c lost on the ground

despite a massive minesweeping effort, a sc , a APD, and a AK hit mines at the beaches.
15 sally attack, escorted by 21 oscar -36 wild cats
SURPRISE! -down go many wildcats, sallies attack!

Mitchells and P 38s attack rabual, oscars defenfd
The heavies hit gasmatta, more planes lost

A huge CV strike against Woodlark, the sea is green all about the place
Undetired -the surface task force moves to a position to bombard Munda
KB is getting closer -with the convoy in tow.

[1275psi]

Woodlark continues

A horrid , horrid turn, as KB decides to throw some of its strength away in long range strikes -curses!!!!

We naval bombard Munda! -23 lousy hits
18 lillies attack russell island -few survive

a series of raids on woodlark -a terrible day -but as we will see, the fatigue helps.
12 zero, 9 sally, 7 helen -25 wildcats
lost 2 zeros, 3 bombers

then a whole series of attacks
oscars and sallies
Then KB -15 zero, 24 val vs 105 wildcats.
lost 13 zero, 14 val -he lost 11 wildcats
then 50 vals attacked -alone --ouch!!!![:@]
A disaster -i turn KB and the convoy north again -scrubbing the mission, KB will be off kavieng tomorrow -the target for the convoy now, its too hot around here!!!

[1275psi]

It took until now, a year of dodging, fencing and hiding.
The stand up fight finally occurs

The enmy CVs race to the area between Rabual and buka island -just 1 hex from the convoy

KB is but 2, maybe 3 hexes away
the battle unfolds as thus:
and what a battle!
Port moresby is hammered
sallies, helens hit woodlark -no CAP
Mitchells attack rabual shipping -miss
Liberators attack kavieng -miss the DDs there

25 w/c -50 db, 17 avengers attack KB -56 zeros CAP
CVL Ryuho -miss
Cv shokaka -miss
CV kaga -miss
CVL Ryuho- miss, 1000lb hit, another hit
CV soryu -3 1000 lb hits
Zuikaka -miss
Ryujo -1000lb hit, 1000lb hit
Cv Akagi -miss
Lost 2 zeros,s/d 2w/c, 17 DB,4 AV

15w/c 17 db attack -54 zero CAP
The attack turns away!!!

10 w/c,14db,14 avenger -44 zero
Ryuho -takes a torp
shokaka miss
soryu miss
ryujo -miss
Zuikaka -miss
Shokaka -1000 lb hit
1w/c, 5db,5 avengers shot down

My attack went in
(did not hold great expectations)
58 wildcats vs 59 kate,49val,10 judy
CV Essex takes 2 bombs
CVL independence 2 bombs
Ca chester a torpedoe
Cv lexigton a torp!, and a bomb
losses terrible -flak claims 57 kate!

Another attack-
11 zero, 26 val -49 wildcats
Essex 2 more bombs
saratoga -a bomb

planes attack (almost a sideshow)shipping at woodlark -an AO is hit

Then comes the 2nd phase

32 DB,21 avengers break the 31 zero CAP
Akagi -torp, torp
Shok-torp
kaga -a dud

the next attack goes in -the action so fast
akagi wears 4 bombs
shokaka 2 more
Zuikaka -a torp and another and another.


My return wave goes out
just 16 kate break through, 13 vals, 13 zeros
And totally extract revenge
CVl independence -a torp
CV essex -2 torps
CV wasp -2 torps!!

The end of the day
I lost 146 a/c
him, 173
Akagi -98/97/49 -sinking
shok -68/21/49 -sinking
zuikaka -65/51/32 -sinking
soryu 32/16/28 -hopeful
ryujo -33/0/32 -will live
ryuho -34/42/34 -doubtful
kaga -untouched -and fleeing

Cv essex -out of the war
CV wasp -out of the war
CV saratoga -damaged
CV lexington -damaged
CVL independence -sinking
a CA -heavy damage

The war losing moment

last effort -every plane is raced to the front -on naval attack -dds race to the scene, thunderstorms tomorrow, the convoy flees for kavieng.

Will he retire?
And can i now take advantage of this at woodlark -where a titanic battle looms?
Stay tuned -this war is white hot!

[1275psi]

10/6/43 - thunderstorms
The Akagi sinks --bye bye big girl
A naval bombardment of shortlands takes place -its light -2 tony destroyed
Shortlands is open, rabual is open - most other places clouded in

A pack of lillies attack russell island -become corsair fodder[8|]
6 B17 and 6 liberators attack rabual -man this is long range stuff -they come from Australia. 20 zeros fail to hit anything, and 1 AP is hit

Then comes a good bit[:D][:D][:D][:D]
4 kate,6 nell,12 betty and 4 helen attack the bold BB Idaho at shortlands
2 torps -critical hits[:'(]. the flak tore most planes out of the sky

little groups of 3 or 4 betties and sallies attack woodlark, APD waters is hit

The liberators return to rabual -3 APs hit

More attacks launch against woodlark - 8 zero,13 val, 5 betty,7 sally, 3 kate
NO CAP
2 AK hit hard
more attacks -the bbs washington and Mass. are attacked but missed
Another AK is hit by the stream of attacks

Then vals -just 6 attack the CVL independence -another 250kg hit (she sinks I am sure)

Shok and zuik are not going to make it
Soryu is 35/22/2, Ryujo 43/0/3,ryuho 42/45/12 make it to kavieg -they should live
the convoy makes it to kavieg -SAFE!!!
the battle force of CAs is aboutto enter Kavieg
A force of DDs -sent out in hope of sistracting his airpower, will attack Munda -lots of exposed shipping there.
All planes continue the attack!!!!!

[1275psi]

His climb up the ladder continues to cost , he breaks the back of the imperial fleet.

11/6/43
5 DDs race into munda -encounter APD waters -and sink her
The 5 DDs then meet the burning BB Idaho!!!
2 torps tear into her!!!
her, and her single DD escort shoot back with light 5 inch guns -tearing one attacking DD aprt, but for a BB I will pay the price[:'(]

57 B17s and 15 liberators pound rabual -35 zero, 37 oscar, 16 AM3 try to stop them -107 hits!!!
Lots of A/C lost -but the field is functional by the next day

he still has Lexington and Sara operational -they remain north -huge strikes slam the shok and zuik -the burning hulks still perform a good job, shipping elswhere and in range (kavieg!!!!) are saved

Big attacks from rabual are launched against the CVs -they miss.
My zekes still hold their own, as do most planes.

The crippled CVs are ordered to flee kavieg!

[1275psi]

12/6/43
This war is insane now!!!
CV Lexington is torped by I-165[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

A big naval bombardment of woodlark, and a mass of LBA attacks the troops there as well
In reply again handfuls of my bombers attack woodlark shipping
all up2 AP, 2 AK are torpedoed, and a LCI is sunk

Plink, plink, plink, we are costing him

Wobbly reports ESSEX sunk!!!![:D][:D][:D]
allies shock at woodlark-reduce forts to 6, suffer 1028 casos to my 242

The war so far -Ive lost 5 CVs, 2 cvl, a cve,2bbs
he has lost 3 CV, a cvl and 2 cve, and 3bbs
also Wasp is out of the war, saratogo has a hole in her, and now so does the lex

we are smashing each other to bits

I pull most planes back to truk
wierd stuff, most betty units have 5 or 6 planes, one has 54 pilots, exp level84!
all others have 30 or 40 or even 60 pilots and exp levels are in the 80s for all of them
Pools are empty thogh

Fighters, espec zeros -still have a big pool, and many have lots of pilots.
Still many, many crack pilots mixed in with the cannon fodder -just trying to form units is so tricky.
What happens to pilots when a SQ is withdrawn -do they go into a pool

recieved a full VAL unit today -experience level 87[:'(][:D][X(][X(][X(]
so who knows whats going on pilots wise -my units are so mixed up, scattered and disbanded ect its pointless worrying about it -as soon as a unit nears full strength at truk -it will go to rabual -attack, be expended, and return the dregs

My surface group heads towards Sag, sag, the cvs go home.

BBs enroute from tokyo[:'(]
the war is being lost quickly, but I fight on, and continue to enjoy this immensly!

[1275psi]

I make a terrible mistake
I send kaga home -thinking well 1 CV only cannot do much.

and then wobbly tells me he has NO CVs left functional as well!!!!

So woodlark is going to be a good old surface donny brooke

13/6/42
Allies shock at woodlark -forts to 5, only his engineers attacked, losses both sides light

I move my best Vals to gasmatta
My surface ships reach sag, sag
Its tokyo express time.

[1275psi]

14/6/43
its real quiet.
I order a bombardment of woodlark, and load 2 CAs at Kavieg with troops for shortlands
The inevitable pause between brutal rounds I feel.

15/6/43
he gets in 1st -thunderstorms everywhere -woodlark is pounded by a big naval attack -my turn tomorrow.

I get more troops in 10 days -Oh goody!

[1275psi]

16/6/43
I naval bombard woodlark

He LBA's it -very heavily
His troops shock attack -1 to 1 -forts to 4
I have mangaed to get half a regiment into shortlands - 2 trains now running on the tokyo express to shortlands from kavieg -1 carriage got a torp from a sub last night -but did not de rail me
Will also start putting troops into buin

Im not afraid of an attack on shortlands yet -not until woodlark falls.
My bombardment retires -will go again as soon as refuelled at sag, sag.

if this was WITP I would be very pleased.

[1275psi]

we have been still at it a bit here and there[:D]
17/6/43
The Tone is torped by a sub near Kavieg, and a DD hits a mine
These ships are tokyo expressing troops to shortlands and buin
I-162 sinks a sc at tulgia -he has a crippled CV there and Im trying to get it

Woodlark is lightly bombed, I hit harder

he shocks - forts to 3.

Im going to lose, I will fight on.


18/6/43
Thunderstorms
Another DD hit by the same sub at kavieg - grrrrr
I-162 survives[X(][X(] a ASW attack
A big naval bombardment takes place on woodlark -a great pity - my naval bombardment decided to wait until tomorrow.

No allied attack today
The tokyo express sails back and forth -2 trains, a third of a regiment each trip.

I have 120 barges I must activate soon - Im saving them for operation infestation


19/6/43
More thunderstorms
I-172 sinks an enemy DD near tulgia

He loses 1000 more men attacking at woodlark -forts to 2 though


20/6/43
My airforces are getting stronger again -many rebuilt squadrons
I attack woodlark with about 40 bombers
CL agano is hit by 2 bombs near woodlark - i took a punt and stayed, hoping to meet a naval bombardment -the weather was wrong this time.
He heavily bombs Port Moresby, and attacks at woodlark again, Forts to 1 now.

It won't be long, but I hope I have wrecked his marines.
2 days and the navy gets some new battle wagons to play with -nice fast ones.

[Ursa MAior]

Amazing, carry on!

[1275psi]

21/6/43

The further we go, the further i am amazed how well this game just keeps on dishing up the excitement!

today the allies deliberate at woodlark - 0 to 1, forts to 1
I move lots of A/C into woodlark - a real risk -but I know he must get more forces and supplies in
I position a surface group to react to woodlark - its a rag tag tattered mess -but its all i have -and send in 1 dd and a pg to guard the beach

22/6/43
cA chikuma has a narror scrape against a sub .
B17s from Australia hit gassmatta - how does he do this!!!
Big air battles over woodlark -72 B26 , liberators and corsairs come in from everywhere
The tonies do the best they can - only 8 hits occur.
I bomb him in turn
Regrettfully CA chikuma and a dd trying to sneak supplies into Woodlark are caught - the DD is sunk, Chikuma will crawl home

And Wobbly does have some carrier air -probably only the little CVEs -they are coming north - Dbs attack woodlark

I fill Woodlark with more planes.


23/6/43
The fleets collide again!!!!
1 Ca and a CL , with 8 DDs launch a massive torp attack against BB washington and Massach. -with 5 dd and 4 dms
Washington just shrugs her 3rd torp of the war -wobb tells me she is only system 9
Think about that - 3 torps - system 9 -hit yammato with one and you know it will be out of the war[:@]
Both sides hit each other - i sink a DD, Im going to lose CL Agano and 3 DDs
The enemy sweeps into woodlark -but has to deal with the full back of 1 dd and pg 1st

No naval Bombardment is delivered!!!
He retires
The air war is big - gassmatta is hit -again, big B26 raid woodlark -big fighter battles over woodlark - he bombs the troops -so the field is still open
In return I hit an AO way down at Russell using Nells

Cl agano and 2 dds -are finished off by his CVE planes.

Another load of men make it into Shortlands
More planes enter the fray.
How I am enjoying this[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Thanks matrix[&o]

The cripples will all go home - but another BB is enroute to sag, sag.

[1275psi]

24/6/43
DMS enter shortlands
then the naval bombardment - light damage
CV lexington is sighted south of woodlark - curses!

70 odd b26 hit woodlark - poor troops there.
15 liberators unload as well
he bombs lunga

17 oscar, 12 helen attack -23 wildcats on lrcap over woodlark
the helens turn away

40 zeros and 56 vals attack!!!
23 wildcats fail to stop the vals totally
lose 9 to flak, 3 enemy DDs are hit hard.

18 zero, 10 oscar escort 3 betty and 13 nell into the battle
3 betties miss

some nells attack russell island -a zillion corsairs stop that silly idea[:-]
score today -10721 to his 13938

[1275psi]

25/6/43
some B17s pepper gassmatta

more B26 raids on woodlark

Again the Vals have a go at shipping at woodlark
55 zeros, 56 vals - 11 wildcats only on CAP

1sc, 1 AK are hit - the Val shooting was terrible!!!
Another go in the arvo sees a LST hit and sunk _I hope!

he shocks at woodlark -2 to 1, forts to 0

Tomorrow the BB will attack -here is hoping!

[1275psi]

26/6/43
I-157 escapes a ASW action!
Shortlands is naval bombarded again
His CVs are still 2 hexes south of woodlark -his wildcats must be getting very, very tired!

24 corsairs sweep shortlands - i lose 13 tonies
55 mitchell bomb woodlark - they must be tired too!
My BB is unspotted- it hesitates -tomorrow apparently

And woodlark falls - 3 regiments are driven to the island edge

A new division arrives truk - but shipping is so tight!!!

[1275psi]

27/6/43

BB haruna , CA Chikuma Ashigara ,yubari and 4 DD cover themselves in glory today[:D][:)][:)][:)]
a big convoy is surprised at woodlark

3 sc are sunk - a LSD wears 14" hits

then 2AK, 1LST are sunk as well
enemy casualties are reported.
The BB and his boys gets away untouched[:)]

68 zeros -experince low 30's sweep woodlark at max altitude - 20 Wildcats - and 6 wildcats are shot down!!!!!
man they must have been tired.
another 40 low experince planes sweep -another 2 wildcats are shot down
Ever seen a 33 experience pilot with kills
Now i have[:D][:D][:D][:D]

13 nick, 18 lilly, 8 tony attack Vila shipping - 3 APD hit!!!

A very, very good day for the empire considering the date!!!!

[1275psi]

27/6/43

a enemy sub is sunk at kavieg

lae is visited today - some planes damaged on the ground
buggar

he keeps bombing woodlark, and another regiment is destroyed

its pretty easy to plot a turn now -very little to play with![8|]

[1275psi]

29/6/43
A convoy spawns a million barges at kavieg -nearly 100 odd of them!!!!
let see him deal with that!

His CVs still sit south of woodlark - i have a TF of 1 Cl and 5dd
i order all fighters at rabual to LRCAP it - and it sails south to a launch point
Im going to try for a mid ocean intercept on the CVS -they are fixed in position

Lae is hammered, grrrr
The Bb is approaching Sag Sag to refuel again

[1275psi]

30/6/43

a million cockies are headed south from rabual - hidden amongst them is the small surface ship group.

A huge tally of B26s hit shortlands today -I wear it
A single Pg draws a zillion planes upon it north of woodlark
A sacrifice for the TF

Tomorrow the BB heads south -the washington awaits at woodlark -will the the 1CL and 5 DDs intercept the lex - he's still there!!!

Roll on the next turn

[1275psi]

1/7/43

If this was WITP - now that woodlark is gone -I would abandon all of the solomons, falling back to the paluas - but this is UV, so we fight on!

he has lots and lots of convoys scurrying around down south, and at Woodlark, iether shipping in new men, or pulling his marines out.

Today a naval bombardment of shortlands - its still OK

The intercept missed, the CL group is told to go to shortlands -and to fight to the death there
He spends the day barge busting -his mitchell drivers get no rest - 13 barges sunk -about 70 to go!!![8|]

18 betty and 14 oscar attack woodlark - already corsairs and now Thunderbolts are basing there - recon shows about 100 A/c!!!
The betties avoid the CAP well - and 2 enemy DDs are sunk.
Nice

Tomorrow thunderstorms
lets see - he will Naval bombard iether shortlands or gasmatta
A lot of ships near Gilli, gilli - hopefully just a convoy enroute to woodlark

As woodlark will dominate the map very shortly, its time to expend whats left.
Rabual recieves some 400 planes from truk , shortlands some 100, gasmatta has 100.
Attack tomorrow!!!
(weather permitting[8|] - if not play will be moved to the indoor concorse[;)])
The CL will wait at shortlands
The BB will bombard woodlark -or probably encounter the washington and be blasted to bits.
What score does Wobbly need to win???