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Luskan seems to be fixated on the cult of the Aces....this is the same thing that happened in both the Luftwaffe and the IJN.

History repeats eh?

Ha! I wouldn't be quoting any history if I was you!

Yes, cult of aces, ok, fair comment. But Mr I-accidentally-landed-paratroops-on-the-northern-end-of-PNG-about-250miles-of-mountainous-jungle-from-my-beachhead?????????

Market Garden was a brilliant success compared to your paratroop!

How about the fact that your SCs and PT boat crews are about to mutiny because you've sacrificed mercilessly and thoughtlessly!!!!

MY men will do whatever is asked of them to do in the stuggle to free the peace loving peoples of the South Pacifc from your Imperialist yoke!

My all powerful army continues towards its goal of relieving besieged Port Moresby, taking another hex along the kokoda trail and killing off 300 or so of Raver's fleeing troops (and pushing the rest out of the hex).

One more hex to go and I've joined PM back to the supply bases at Buna and Dobadura. That is unstoppable - I've got 3 extremely large regiments and 2 3/4 strength regiments about to descend on it. The question is a: can raver get troops to Lae Lae faster than I can? (he wouldn't have left any there to protect that beach head - he considered it "his").

Once Lae Lae falls, I will have joined PM up to the second big supply pile at Lae, but I wil lhave in turn severed raver's air supply to his PM beachhead.

Raver's CVs are probably halfway up the Oz coast by now - with transports in tow most likely. All will be discovered in 5 or 6 turns.

Looks like I caught Luskan napping at Lugna.......only 8 Zeros were on CAP when my LRBs come over.......put some nice holes in the runways.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/19/43

Weather: Overcast

Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
A6M3 Zero x 2

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 43
B-17E Fortress x 6
PB4Y Liberator x 22
B-24D Liberator x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 3 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 9 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 26 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged
PB4Y Liberator x 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator x 2 damaged

1LT D. Meuten of 8th FS is credited with kill number 3

ENS S.Minegishi of F2/253rd Daitai is KILLED

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 319
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 79

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
10 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
8 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
10 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Wunpuko at 51,51

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 6 damaged


Allied Ships
LST 456
LST 463
LST 461

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
1 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Cairns at 7,56

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 17 damaged

Allied Ships
APD Gregory, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD Little
APD Manley
APD Waters

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet

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Well, Raver has finally managed to close Lunga. Planes are still rising to fly CAP, but I can't transfer planes out. He's got 60 nicks, with exp 60 pilots (crap) 80 zeroesm a small betty unit, some vals and Irvings all trapped and unable to transfer out.

Op losses were high - and it isn't like there is anything to bomb at Irau atm so I suppose it wouldn't be as bad as if he'd managed to do it during his invasion, but still.

He caught me with no CAP up - during a pilot rotation. I will continue the rotation, and move the tony squadrons and the zeke squadron into Lunga to do some fighting while my veterans rest.

Insane nell squadron launches at Cairns for the second time, this time hitting a tanker and an APD, but wasting torps on bloody SC ships again. What is with that? Also my betties launched at Wupenko and I think Raver is leaving his CAP down on purpose. If there was a cap, my level bombers nells wouldn't fly. Since there isn't one, they fly in in groups of 3 to get hammered by the allied flak - which has now wiped out all my level bomber squadrons south of shortlands.

Raver's subs are trying to blockade my San cristobal evac barges, and have scored a few hits -nothing major. dauntlesses on recon over Irau - I can only hope they're from Nevea. Otherwise Raver's CVs are in the area and my primary fighter base in offline. Not that there is much left for him to sink there anyhow.

Raver's fast transport ships at Irau hit more mines, since they didn't bring any minesweepers with them (too slow). Idaho has now hit 2 mines, i'm hoping the damage is showing. Soon Raver will try to evac comabt troops and bump his supplies up high enough to buld that level 4 airbase - generally needs to be about the 20 or 30k mark to construct and support engineers etc.

For all you IJN players running out of supply, once a base is built, REMOVE the eng units and you'll find that since no one repairs the port or airbase when they're bombed, the supply stockpile doesn't go down enarly as much.

VERY glad that Lunga had the biggest supply stock of all time prior to the invasion attempts. I have not had to resupply it once since the invasions began - and won't need to for probably another two weeks (I try to keep the 4X required minimum etc). Which has freed my transports up for other missions - the transporting of troops south, and supplies to places like Lae and Rennell (and a smaller tf to Momote, and a 2 AP tf to Kavieng) to keep things churning over there.

The only supply "problem" on hand so far (Pm still in the black) is Gili Gili, which has now entered the "pink" stage. I will not risk transports so close to the front, and my APDs are busy shuffling troops around (vila needed a better garrison, AA to Russell Islands, eng to lae etc.) and I don't have any dds to put onto ft to supply it. Topsies are all busy keeping my kokoda trail effort alive, so GG will just have to rot for a while (before Raver ends the misery there). I've got plenty of barges moving ni and out of PM and GG - dumping a few supplies in, but more importantly, rescuing HQ units, AA and CD units and taking them to the northern PNG bases.

I have saved 800 load points of HQ units from Irau, which although in bad shape, are very happy to be at Tulagi and Lunga - and are slowly recouperating (Raver is still bombing airfields - he hasn't bothered bombing the actual troops yet). I am hoping to rescue 50 assault points worth of my large inf regiment that fought so well at Irau (driving that first invasion into the sea) with barges in a similar manner. They won't be any real use at Tulagi, but at least they won't be wasted.

Raver's troops at Rennell continue to build without any interference from me. They're going to build a fighter strip to work with Irau and Nevea vs Lunga. I am mostly winning vs lightnings from nevea because they fly so far to fight with my CAP at extreme range, and then have to fly home again. That luxury will disappear pretty quick I think.

Originally posted by Luskan

VERY glad that Lunga had the biggest supply stock of all time prior to the invasion attempts. I have not had to resupply it once since the invasions began - and won't need to for probably another two weeks (I try to keep the 4X required minimum etc).

Don't you find supply hits (airfield or port) do far more damage with more supplies (it is a percentage is it not). I found bases with large amounts were reduced to a low level very quickly - I suppose it gives you a few extra hits but not multitudes of them.

That Luskan is one very lucky S.O.B. My LRB boys are now dead on their feet from flying so many missions day after day after day, so I am going to have to rest them for a few days:mad: This means that Lugna will be open again very soon.

Actually Wobbly - Raver's LRB hasn't been managing very many supply hits. The big source of disappearing supplies is engineer units sucking them down to repair everything so quickly. Yes - Raver has blown up plenty of supplies, but I have a few other ingenious ideas - like stacking 100k of supplies at Tassafaronga (now empty unfortunately) - be he didn't bomb it once It is empty

I screwed up this turn. Yamato, a couple of cruisers, a few destroyers - all lightly damaged, and tried to use them as a fast transport group to fast dump an inf unit back on Irau (Raver moved all his troops to Bia to eliminate my retreating troops as they were evacuated. Didn't look like he left any behind at Irau save engineers . . . however either the troops loaded and unloaded, or I never loaded them onto the fast transport group and these damaged ships went into Irau, hit a bunch of mines and limped back towards Lunga over a bunch of USN subs. All in all, it was pretty depressing.

More thunderstorms allowing Lunga to repair and my fighters to some rest. A few squadrons on rotation here and there, nothing dramatic. More worried about Raver's ships at PM.

.......................and the BEST thing about all of this is that they were in all likely hood Luskans' old mines!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/23/43

Weather: Thunderstorms

Sub attack near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese Ships
APD 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Scamp

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 25


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Sub attack near Gili Gili at 17,42

Japanese Ships
APD 31, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
APD 35

Allied Ships
SS Scamp, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 25


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Irau at 42,43

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato
CA Maya
CL Natori
DD Sazanami
DD Fumizuki, on fire
DD Asakaze
DD Hakaze, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
PT 178, Shell hits 19, and is sunk


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Sub attack at 40,41

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-39


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Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 570 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 38345 troops, 526 guns, 56 vehicles



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Things are looking very fragile at PM

The bad news:
Raver used the storms to APD another division to PM.

Yamato was torpedoed for the 2nd or 3rd time this game off Lunga.

Raver hit one of my APDs with a sub at gili gili

The good news:
My Nicks finally found form and pounded half a dozen barges under the waves at Irau, and then my vals added 8 LSTs and an AK to the list of ships Raver is missing.

I have now sunk 364 enemy ships.

Yamato only took 1 sys point in damage from a crappy torpedo hit and has now survived half a dozen bomb hits and 2 or three torps. Not to mention some of my own mines.

The Yamato's escorts hammered one of Raver's subs, and my escorts sank one after the hit on the APD. Finally, another USN sub bites the dust - will be time to update the sunk ship list soon!

Raver has probably got PM - with CVs hanging around no doubt. However I'll be making sure that aside from troops (Raver doesn't bomb them anyway) there won't be anything for him to bomb on PNG.

And the news keeps getting better..Irau airfield is up and running, and now two Corsair Squadrons are calling it home! I have invited Luskan over for a look...I hope that he takes me up on the offer! I have another 6 F4-U squadrons lined up and ready to roost at Irau as soon as the field is enlarged. There are going to be a lot of meatballs getting painted on the side of some aircraft very soon!:D

P-47s arrived today as well.......and 3 more CVs are on their way from Pearl!

And to top this all off PM is likely to fall.....as Luskan posted above, I used the storm front to ship in another Division of troops, so things look to be well in hand. For some strange reason Luskan didn't use his CVs to interupt the transports Had he done this and prevented those extra troops getting ashore than PM would have been lost. Well I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth!

Obviously I can't expose my CVs to danger before we get 10,000 views on our thread now can I??????????

This turn my two remaining subs both launched attacks at PM. One put three torps into the Louisville and was depth charged to her depth for the effort. The other hit an AK and got away to strike again another day.

Besides - it is all part of a master plan that you don't yet comprehend.

However Raver is probably right. in spite of many reinforcements flown in, and now marching in, PM will probably fall, and i'll just have to sit back and watch as he takes GG - sends the lightnings and the medium bombers in and goes for Lunga, Shortlands and Rabaul in that order.

Irau is a tough nut to crack, obviously, but if it was just my huge Lunga vs his little Irau - I'd be smiling. But it is huge Lunga, small Russell Islands, Vs, Irau AND Rennell. Once Raver has both locations up and running there will be no stopping him. Even if it does take a while to construct those bases. Raver will sweep Irau's mines, bring in one really big transport tf with escorts and cover it with corsairs, unload 50k of supplies and in a month he'll be pounding Lunga bloody. In the meantime I'm expecting him to snatch a pretty helpless GG, and then maybe try for some slighty tougher, better guarded objectives like Dobadura, Buna etc.

However - the war is far from over, there is another 5 months for me to wait for the perfect moment to use my CVs - and for Tokyo to send me A BLOODY SHIP!!!!!!!!! ANYTHING FOR CHRIST'S SAKE@!!#!@#!!

Surely it is a bug?????? There are SO many ships in Tokyo. I have lost under 100 ships to Raver's 366!!!! (So what if half of those are PT boats, sub chasers and barges/landing craft!).

Word of advice to all IJN players: NEVER EVER send ships back to Tokyo. Damaged or undamaged. You'll never see them or any replacements. I've made the mistake of flushing the system with my damaged ships. Nothing has come back.

OK, here is a list of all the sunk ships, and some totals from the USN OOB for you to examine. I might be about to start loosing this game, but before you all judge me harshly, I'd like you to think about whether or not you'd want to join a navy under Admiral Raver

You'll notice that I've lost 1 more destroyer, 1 more sub and 1 more APD since the last time I posted a list. Raver on the other hand has lost a few more (I seperated barges and LCIs for interest).

IJN Lost/USN Lost/USN OOB:
AO 1 9 16
TK 0 4 11 -- Raver has plenty of tankers
AP 18 38 54
AK - 75 105 -- plenty of transports
APD 4 13 17
AG/LC ? 14? 49 -- loads of these

PT - 48 51 -- not so many pts
SC - 36 43 -- Good thing I'm out of subs.
PC 6 - -
PG 0 5 6 -- 83% of these sunk
MSW 3 16 20

SS 7 3! 48 -- Surely IJN ASW isn't this shite?

DM/ML 1 4 6 -- Raver doesn't need them.
DMS - 7 8 --
DD 35 55 127 -- Lots of FT room.
CL 6 5 16
CLAA - - 6
CA 9 8 20
BB 3 2 14 -- Raver has lots of firepower left.

AV 0 1 5 - Useless
CV 0 2 9 - He's got 1 damaged one.
CVE 0 0 7 (Victorious included)
CVL 0 0 7
CS 0 - -

LST - 27 33
LCI - 14 17

Raver's lack of MSWs and DMS doesn't matter. The two really, really, really big minefields (working on them all game) were at PM and Irau - he has already spend a zillion turns with DMS and MSWs and DDs sweeping them clear. I've got a small one at Lae Lae, another small one at GG (which I'm going to try and enlarge). However my MLs worked for about 100 turns straight at Irau and another 100 turns straight at PM, back and forth, back and forth, rain, hail or shine. So they were all 40+ sys damage after a few big storms and I sent them back to tokyo . . .

The best result is at the bottom, with Raver running short on landing ships, especially the LSTs which can really make an invasion work fast.

I'm predicting the following:
PM falls - Raver builds, supplies, readies for his next move.
GG invaded - probably before I can evac the tons of AA, and useful HQ units there (like I managed to save from Irau)

PM, GG, Rennell and Irau form a new aerial front line, and crush Irau, Rabaul, Russell, Lae, Dobadura, Buna Shortlands, Vila, Efate, kavieng, Momote, Wewak, Finscchafen, Buin, Buka, Gasmata and Hopkins.

During this process, Raver will send his CVs forward to escort an invasion, or maybe to sink some of my transports. The bases on PNG I can abandon, and around PNG to Hopkins, kavieng Rabaul area will be the most dangerous for his CVs (amount of planes I can launch from there etc. long way from his fuel supply etc.) But with Irau as a fuel dump at the bottom of the solomons, Raver's cvs are going to maraud up and down the slot, above and below and probably spend a few turns just sinking barges (the only ships I'm going to be able to send to Lunga).

That sort of a stranglehold wont get broken easily. However, the trick is to let his CVs come forward - hope for another LBA miracle (better than the torp hit on the lady lex) and when I can combine my LBA and my CVs against Raver's CVs - maybe I can come out on top.

This will mark a new era of Army/Navy aerial co operation. Seperately, the corsairs are going to eat them alive.

Together on the other hand, well, together they pose a threat to Raver (since he doesn't have 7 big CVs, only 5 - one of them damaged enough to keep it at home for a while).

Originally posted by Luskan
I might be about to start loosing this game, but before you all judge me harshly,

Never judge this guy harshly.....he is a tenacious fighter and will make you bleed for every inch of dirt that you take.....I doubt that he that even knows that the word "Surrender" is in the dictionary. All in all one very tough bugger, who makes playing this game a real joy!

Well, things at PM are getting grimmer. Raver bombarded for three turns and it was a big joke. Then he's pushed in more arty or more supply or something and the bombardments just started inflicting losses - but more importantly the organisation of my troops just dropped very very much. Four or five more turns of those bombardments and raver will only need one deliberate attack and my boys will fold. Not a lot I can do except cry a little.

Corsairs over Lunga, with lightnings from Nevea and liberators from luganville have now done two raids in two days. Of course, my fighters were waiting for them - in Truk.

I have left two squadrons of nicks to contest the air over Lunga - and they've kept the airfield open, haven't lost too badly vs the allies and have even shot down two or three (as well as causing 7-10 op losses both raids). more than I expected. I will be packing the AA into Lunga, and evacuating the last of the fighters and last base force when some thunderstorms close the place for a while.

I was pleased to see that Raver was so enraptured with bombing Lunga that he forgot about his two AKs at Rennell - and my betties at Russell decided to take matters into their own hands.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/28/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Sub attack near Tassafaronga at 37,39

Japanese Ships
AP Asahisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
SS Raton, heavy damage


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Sub attack near Tassafaronga at 37,39

Japanese Ships
AP Asahisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Raton, heavy damage


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese Ships
AG 110
AG 354
AG 361
AG 364
AG 369
AG 375
AG 5030
AG 5050
AG 2049
AG 2055
AG 2059
AG 2061
AG 2066
AG 2067
AG 2068
AG 2081
AG 2082

Allied Ships
SC 518
SC 520


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Sub attack at 10,44

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
AK Electra, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
Men lost 51


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Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 33

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
P-38G Lightning x 39
PB4Y Liberator x 19
B-24D Liberator x 46

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 3 destroyed
Ki-46 Dinah x 3 destroyed
Ki-46 Dinah x 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning x 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator x 6 damaged

1LT H.Horner of VMF-224 is credited with kill number 4

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 392

Airbase hits 14
Runway hits 88

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Rennell Island at 38,45

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 7
G4M1 Betty x 48

no losses

Allied Ships
AK Centarus, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Livingston, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Rennell Island at 38,45

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 8
G4M1 Betty x 32

no losses

Allied Ships
AK Centarus, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC 982

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
1 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet

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Ground combat at Port Moresby - nasty.

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 26257 troops, 327 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 41647 troops, 571 guns, 56 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 13

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 10


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Got to say that I am getting really frustrated....I can see Luskan loading (or unloading?) at Lugna, and yet I have nothing that wants to hit him! I have spotted at least 6 fat TKs still there for at least two turns........Grrrr. I would love to be able to hurt him in the transport area a bit harder, because the more Islands I win the easier it is for him to supply what he has left.....hence the desire to really knock his AP/AK/TKs for six !

Launched an attack at PM which did not go my way too well...just have to keep shelling him for a while longer.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/29/43

Weather: Clear

Sub attack at 36,39

Japanese Ships
DD Akigumo, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-39


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Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 31430 troops, 328 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 41753 troops, 559 guns, 56 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 263

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 722
Guns lost 1


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Ah some hits at last! Feels good....knew that it would now!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/01/43

Weather: Rain

Sub attack at 36,39

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-39


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Sub attack near Sepi at 38,38

Japanese Ships
AP Argentina Maru, Torpedo hits 1

Allied Ships
SS Ray


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Sub attack near Cairns at 7,56

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
TK Cossatot, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


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Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40


Allied aircraft
PB4Y Liberator x 18
B-24D Liberator x 42


Allied aircraft losses
PB4Y Liberator x 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Uzuki, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Oboro, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 264
Guns lost 2

Port hits 6
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 2

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Tulagi at 38,39


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 26
SBD Dauntless x 46


no losses

Japanese Ships
TK Akebono Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
TK Toa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Shinkoku Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage


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Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25712 troops, 326 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 42466 troops, 558 guns, 56 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 13

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 9


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Well, time for a quick update on what has been going on in the alst few turns. I was an idiot to ahve those shattered ships Raver bombed at Lunga - but they were too damaged to move elsewhere. Oh well - Raver will get at least one of them and that will be 100 ships lost.

Raver's CVs are at Cairns (though he denies it) - I am sure since there are plenty of clues that the game shouldn't give me - and plenty of circumstantial evidence.

1. Tankers at Cairns. Sure, to supply FT groups, but also to supply CVs.

2. Cairns close enough port to dash out in case I decide to use my CVs at Moresby - or try to resupply with transport or FT.

3. Townesville and Luganville too far from the front line (now Raver's got Irau, he doesn't need CVs over there anyway).

4. Dauntlesses on ASW at Cairns. All the dauntlesses in the game are in SOPAC, not SWPAC. If I'd sunk one of your CVs near Oz and the dauntlesses had offloaded I wouldn't be so sure - but your 2 CVs went down off Efate Dauntlesses can't transfer from noumea or luagnville to Oz on their own so etiher you carted marine planes over with your CVs (although they don't ahve the range for moresby) or your CVs are at Cairns.

In a good and bad turn this turn, the I-28 continues on her warpath of destruction as the only IJN sub left in the game. A quick history - her crew is 72/73 day night experience, and her commander is a retarded 36/40 - go figure. Early on she put a torp into one of Raver's sub chasers, and later smacked up a destroyer - but seeing as both were in Noumea harbour, only the SC sank. She then moved to mine laying duties which did very little. There are several little minefields around Luganville that Raver still hasn't managed to hit. looks like I put them in the wrong spot.

Anyhow, then I-28 wet on active defence at PM, and for some reason, was unable to intercept any ships until about 10 turns ago. She has sunk about 5 ships in that time. TK Cossatot, AK Electra (both in the posted results) all hit multiple times. Also she hit a different tanker and an APD (I think?) but probably didn't sink them. She probably did sink the destroyer this turn however, in Cairns harbour, laying siege to Raver's CVs and flaunting Allied ASW to try and sink her (a hit reported, but no damage). She's being awarded lots of medals - and I think maybe a lower rating for the commander is better for subs ?

On the down side I ahve an unlucky AP off Lunga is the most bloody unlucky ship ever. Was torpedoed by one of Raver's subs months ago and did an in port refit. She goes to lunga, gets torpedoed befre she arrives, turns around (without delivering supplies) gets torpedoed again (although to little avail - the S boat warhead didn't do much damage at all) and then retires to Russell to repair a bit and she hits a mark 10 mine. She'll sink - good riddance I think. No room for unlucky commanders in my navy!

No room for brave commanders in Raver's navy however. He's now lost 375 ships - although his endless supply doesn't even seem to be thinning out at all. I get reports and sightings of massive numbers of ships left right and centre - and I know he's got more BBs active than I have undamaged destroyers!

Another important turn for the G2 Mihoro (pretty sure that is their designation) squadron of nells. They are my only squadron of nells. Average experience is above 80, their leader, as I've mentioned in a previous post is 78/90, and they are LETHAL Although they list no kills, those 24 nells have sunk all of the ships Raver has lost at PM - now that is a LOT of ships. This turn, you'll see they added 2 MSWs and an AP to the sunk ship list. You will also notice my betties, which are now getting down to 70 exp points are flying at the extreme edge of their range and missing left right and centre.

They have been recalled to Truk for some badly needed R+R (having issues keeping them supplied anyway) and will be replaced by a squadron of newer bombers, with lower experience. I have plenty of unused bombers to choose from, Judy's, lilys, some inneffectual Helens and Sallys. Maybe if I move the Zekes in they can hit Raver's ships at Lae Lae?

Anyhow they've earned a helluva rest, like my fighters and will be enjoying theirs one. I'll need them back at Rabaul for when Raver begins to menace GG and things north of GG.



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/02/43

Weather: Overcast

Sub attack near Cairns at 7,56

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
DD Spence, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


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Air attack on Buna , at 12,38


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 18


no losses

Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 1 destroyed
G3M Nell x 12 damaged

Allied Ships
AP J. Franklin Bell, Torpedo hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
7 out of the first 9 torpedoes launched and then subsequent wings couldn't find her (she'd sunk)

MSW Toowoomba, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
2 out of the first 4 torps launched, then the others couldn't find her.

Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 43

no losses

Allied Ships
AP J. Franklin Bell, on fire, heavy damage - sunk
SC 519 - dropped 40 bombs on this bastard and he got away.
MSW Cairns
MSW Toowoomba, on fire, heavy damage -sunk
SC 521

Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 3 damaged

Allied Ships
MSW Cairns, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP J. Franklin Bell, on fire, heavy damage (already sunk)
SC 521

Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell at 200 feet

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Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25745 troops, 326 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 42968 troops, 558 guns, 56 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 49 - looking pretty bad - I've lost 70 troops to a bombardment and still held out the next turn, but I've also lost 100 troops in a bombardment behind a size 7 fort and lsot the whole lot the next day. Raver will keep pounding away for six or eight turns - he won't make the mistake of moving too early again - and then it will be over. Although, Lae Lae looks deserted, save for a single eng unit. If I could take it (3 tired kokoda regiments arriving in 2 turns) . . .


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Well looks like the IJ Empire and the Allied giant are both exhausted for the time being - locked in a deadly grip.

My barges continue to sail past friendly allied warships in PM harbour to deliver supplies to my troops. Raver should be putting his warships on surface combat or something - that lifeline is all that holds PM up.

At Lunga my Nick squadron launched to good effect - 36 Nicks flew over to Irau, easily evaded the 4 warhawks on CAP (what happened to all the corsairs that were here a minute ago??) and then put 4 bombs through the DD Stevens, which lost a 5 inch gun mount, a 20mm oerlikon AA mount, and was heavily damaged. They also put asmall bomb into an AP there but I'm not certain that it sunk. The Nicks actually got 5 hits out of the first 9 aircraft, but the subsequent bombs all missed.

Then in the afternoon pulse, 30 of them flew off to Rennel to Pound the AK Adhara with 5 bombs, probably sinking her as well. These guys are finally starting to earn their keep!

Raver's bombardments at PM are having some nasty effect on the fatigue of my troops - I've been trying to fly in fresh ones, but a: my topsies are exhausted, and b: there just isn't the supply to allow more troops in PM.

Recon of Lae Lae shows Raver has shoved two more infantry units in there. Unlikely I'll be able to take it back now.

In less exciting news my CVs are going to do a complete rotation and refit to eliminate all the sys damage that is slowing them down. I have heaps of shattered ships trying to recoup and repair for the haul back to Truk where they can sit and refit in safety, but haven't sent any since the Musashi went home.

I think my lack of real reinforcements is due to the 40 barges I have in theatre. I should send them all back to Truk and see if sending them back to tokyo doesn't spur them into releasing the billion ships I need to turn this war around!