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The battle for PM is dragging out far longer than I had hoped, and is putting a serious dent in my time-table. As Luskan has already mentioned, his barges are doing a stirling job in keeping PM re-suppled. My MRBs will not fly to engage that bloody things and aircraft that would normally be good at sinking these pesky little craft just do not have the range to get to them. Another five turns and I should be close to taking PM. I am still considering shipping in another Division to help with that.

Lugna is a pain...I shut the place down and Luskan re-opens it with in a few turns, forcing me to bomb it again, and again, and again!:mad:

Irau is building up well, but I am still suffering shipping losses in supplying it.....this guy never makes taking anything easy. But the construction of the airfield is going ahead unhindered, to is now a size two, and within the next two turns should be a size three.

Pearl is still sending heaps of ships, but mainly AKs and LSTs.....some surface combat ships would be nice, as would some of those CVs sitting in O'ahu with their thumb up their arse! I have four CVs at pearl, and with the ship reinforcements currently set on HIGH (has been for the last month) you'd think that they would send at last two them!:(

Raver's bombardment attack at PM just killed 100 of my troops. Somehow I don't think he needs another division!!!!!!!!

However Raver complaining about reinforcements? That is just sick. I have not had a single ship of any kind in half a year. Making it VERY difficult to fight a war.

Certain it is a bug!

Oh I am not bitching about how many I am getting...it is the type of ship that they are sending me!:p

Bloody hell! Just found Luskan's CVs TF south of Irau, and it looks like it is heading towrds Noumea.......and I have it choc full of vital transport ships and it is wide open! My CVs are supporting the PM operation and there is now way that I can get them to Noumea in time !:( If he does hit Noumea it is going to be painful!:eek:

Originally posted by Raverdave
Bloody hell! Just found Luskan's CVs TF south of Irau, and it looks like it is heading towrds Noumea.......and I have it choc full of vital transport ships and it is wide open! My CVs are supporting the PM operation and there is now way that I can get them to Noumea in time !:( If he does hit Noumea it is going to be painful!:eek:

Take note young PBEMers, this is Raver's attempt to sucker me into attacking Noumea. Any IJN player that atatcks Noumea is asking for it - simply because any ships he does hit there, just go back to pearl with a nod and a wave.

It is going to be much easier to ambush Raver' transports when they're up in my area of the ocean, as another AP at Rennel found out this turn.

On the downside Raver's dauntlesses at Irau put some holes in 4 of my transports at Russell islands. All four transports will sink, however my tony's did an excellent job in shooting down 7 corsairs while loosing only 6 of their own.

Raver continues to unload supplies (more troops would just kill his beachhead I think) for the next big push at PM.

In the meantime I am waiting for more ships to refit so that I can form a surface combat group. Probably 5 destroyers and a CL will be ready for action by next turn. Raver isn't hitting any mines at PM or Irau anymore - I dont think there are any left to hit.

Just some interesting stats that I thought that I would print for aircraft loses so far (7/7/43).

Note that the list below includes operational as well as combat loses. I must admit to being somewhat surprised at the number of fighters that Luskan has lost to date. He must really be hurting in this area.
As expected, my LRB loses are very high, but what has really shocked me is how many PBYs I have lost !

A5M4 Claude 6
A6M2-N Rufe 18
A6M2 Zero 533
A6M3 Zero 189
D3A Val 278
A6M5-B Zeke 2
B5N Kate 222
G3M Nell 119
G4M1 Betty 299
J1N1-R Irving 35
H6K Mavis 42
H8K Emily 42
E8N Dave 12
F1M2 Pete 76
E13A1 Jake 81
E7K2 Alf 37
Ki-43Ib Oscar 3
Ki-43IIaOscar 93
Ki-45 Nick 32
Ki-61 Tony 8
Ki-21 Sally 11
Ki-48 Lilly 1
Ki-46 Dinah 3
Ki-57 Topsy 87
---------------------
TOTAL 2229
---------------------

F4F-3 Wildcat 15
F4F-4 Wildcat 159
F4U-1 Corsair 31
SBD D'less 172
TBD Dev'tor 18
TBF Avenger 44
PBY Cat 126 !!!!!!!
OS2U K'Fisher 23
SOC-3 Seagull 60
Hudson 105
C-47 90
Spitfire 3
Beaufighter 35
Beaufort 9
Wirraway 21
P-400 8
P-39D 90
P-40E 113
P-38G 214
F-5A 46 !!!!!!!
A-20B Boston 3
A-20G Havoc 9
B-25D 68
B-25J 151
B-26 74
B-17E 210
PB4Y 37
B-24D 97
-----------------------
Total 2036
-----------------------

Luskan has lost a total of 842 fighters while I have lost 654, of which 214 of those were P-38s!

The missing stat is how many pilots were lost or survived. As for my zeroes - 9 out of 10 destroyed aircraft were destroyed on the ground by Raver's LBA at PM, GG, Dobadura, Buna and Lunga - in 9 out of 10 cases, my pilots have survived.

Betties on the other hand, it is more like 1 dead pilot for every two lost planes.

I still have over 500 assorted zeroes in the pool - not worried about planes.

Raver will probably be back online to post the results of our last turn and brag and yell about them. I've got some bad news to prepare the emperor for . . .

Well Luskan might think that it is bad news....but I also look upon it as bad news as well..............it cost me over 1500 troops, and he his still sitting in his bunker. No two ways about it, the fight for PM is bloody and very very hard.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/08/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on TF, near Finschhafen at 11,33


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 6


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
ML Takashima

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x Hudson at 1000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Finschhafen at 11,33


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 11


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
ML Hirashima
ML Ikitsushima
ML Yurijima

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x Hudson at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x Hudson at 1000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39395 troops, 398 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 65815 troops, 813 guns, 55 vehicles

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 361

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 1516
Guns lost 6


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

Ok...just launched my second deliberate attack in two days at PM:o OUCH! Think I'll have to shell them again for a few days:rolleyes:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/09/43

Weather: Thunderstorms

Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40

Japanese aircraft

Allied aircraft
PB4Y Liberator x 21
B-24D Liberator x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
no losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator x 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 405
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 11
Runway hits 68

Attacking Level Bombers:
6 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
7 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
6 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
8 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
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 38045 troops, 392 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 65558 troops, 813 guns, 55 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 469
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 1608
Guns lost 5


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

Raver, Luskan has been doing a great job of sucking you into a premature attack at PM.
You gotta know by now to read the exact opposite into everything he says..ie he's really ready for you in PM and wants you to wear your guys out and he's got PLENTY of stuff coming from Tokyo, his Nell's and Betties have crap experience and he's desperately short of good fighter pilots.

Success!!!!! Well, sort of.

If you have been reading this mammoth AAR from the beginning, you'd know that initially I decided on lots of little bases to combat Raver's air power. Well, that didn't quite work out - just gave him easier targets to bomb - he wiped out PM, GG, Buna and Dobadura because of it. I concentrated everything into Lunga, and Lunga held him at arms length, before he took Irau.

Now Russell Is. will be my new big front line base, with betties, 72 tonies, 22 zekes, and a few vals for ASW.

Back when I said i'd build lots of little bases, I also said i'd try to eliminate one branch of Raver's navy, and then exploit his single weakness etc. Well, that actually worked, since this turn - that's right ladies and gentlemen! - I sank the last Sub Chaser.

I'll have to do another sunk ships total list to be sure, but all of my CVs went to Buna, and along with sinking three enemy AKs, they made sure they sank the last bloody sub chaser. Now my lone sub, I-28 (having a few repairs done atm) can roam the seas, raping and pillaging Raver's supply lines etc. etc.

The CV's have a new mission - to eliminate the last PT boat - which has been sighted at Irau!!!!!!!!!

As I suspected, Raver's beachhead at PM is as short on supplies as I am!! Have a look at the result from my deliberate attack. My weary troops, starving, found some spirit and eliminated another 1400 enemy troops.
That is about 4500 enemy troop killed in three turns for a cost of about 350 of my own. PM and Irau have both been very expensive for Raver. The longer I can keep him fighting for Irau, the more troops I force him to bring in, the later it will be before he goes after GG or Lunga.

Raver has another 3 CVLs inbound from Pearl. Lucky dog.

It will tip the scales in a CV battle to about even I'm guessing (very glad of that torp into Lex and the two CVs I sank early in the game). Loosing my CVs would cost me the game at this stage, but hammering the next supply attempt at PM may be worth the risk I think.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/11/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 16

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
P-40E Warhawk x 13
PB4Y Liberator x 14
B-24D Liberator x 32

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator x 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 236

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 47

Attacking Level Bombers:
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x PB4Y 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
0 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
7 x PB4Y Liberator at 6000 feet
7 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62018 troops, 727 guns, 55 vehicles

Defending force 40243 troops, 383 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 170
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 1334
Guns lost 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30143 troops, 380 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 66286 troops, 810 guns, 55 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 24


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

Originally posted by Mike_B20


Raver, Luskan has been doing a great job of sucking you into a premature attack at PM.
You gotta know by now to read the exact opposite into everything he says..ie he's really ready for you in PM and wants you to wear your guys out and he's got PLENTY of stuff coming from Tokyo, his Nell's and Betties have crap experience and he's desperately short of good fighter pilots.

A good liar tells the truth most of the time. I'm not getting anything from Tokyo, I've got great fighter pilots, betties and nells still very good, but as far as premature attack at PM - ok, that was what I wanted.

And what I got. Raver did a brilliant job getting his troops ashore (after the hiccup at Irau that is) and that first wave of the invasion had me reeling. Only since then attrittion has set in and rather doing anything to win at PM, Raver has already decided he's won there (eventually he will). As a result, Raver has been shy of pouring in the divisions because he knows (like he has at irau) that 100 thousand combat troops out there in the middle of nowhere are going to need a big supply effort!

Time to give my poor troops at PM a bit of a moral boost.....and in comes in the form of MRB! I might have only killed 105 japs, but man the disruption has got to be worth at least 15 points for each of Luskan's units!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/13/43

Weather: Overcast

Sub attack at 36,39

Allied Ships
SS S-39


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 78th Regiment, at 10,40


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 33
P-38G Lightning x 29
B-25D Mitchell x 20
B-25J Mitchell x 139


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 damaged
B-25J Mitchell x 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 105

Attacking Level Bombers:
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x Hudson at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
9 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x Hudson at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 78th Regiment, at 10,40


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 16


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 7 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 19

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on 17th Aus Brigade, at 10,40

Japanese aircraft
A6M5-B Zeke x 19

no losses


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Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62872 troops, 725 guns, 55 vehicles

Defending force 41004 troops, 378 guns, 17 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 108
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 602


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30605 troops, 378 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 66003 troops, 808 guns, 55 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 31

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh and guess what I still have a few of????? Thats right, you guessed it SCs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D Along with another 20 PTs sailing for Irau......

VICTORY AT PORT MORESBY

-----------------------------NEWS FLASH-------------------------------------

Bells in temples throughout the Empire are ringing today in celebration of the great victory won by the loyal troops of the empire at Port Moresby today.

Starved, besieged for over a month, bombed and exhausted, the troops of the Imperial Japanese empire have DRIVEN the allied beachhead into the sea. With outstanding courage, finesse and determination they have routed the enemy, killing thousands of enemy troops. Many enemy troops have retreated in a pell mell rush for safety along the coast to Lae Lae, while remnants of an armoured unit, and four ruined australian infantry brigades remain at port moresby - outnumbered at almost 25 to 1.

Mopping up operations will commence, followed by great celebrations and rest and relaxation for the brave defenders of port moresby. Everybody there is going to get medals - everyone!!!!!!!!

The strategic situation in the pacific has suddenly changed. Raver's remaining troops at Lae Lae will never challenge PM again - certainly if they march to PM they'll be exhausted whent he start marching, and easy meat when they arrive. I have more regiments and some engineer units rushing over the mountains from Buna to complete the assault on Lae Lae. I have barges running thousands of supplies to suply the operation and reward the brilliant warriors of port moresby - hereby renamed, Fort Moresby.

The senior officer at PM will be rewarded with a private audience with the emporer (I'll have to find out who this genius is and promote him to my no.2)

Does raver have the transport capacity to mount another attack on PM?? yes - but not for a few weeks, and in that time my troops will go back to a minimal amount of fatigue and disruption. I'm having engineer units moved into PM to rebuild the massive forts that served my troops so well.

Suddenly I think the momentum has shifted back in my favour. It shouldn't be hard for raver to figure out where my triumphant armies are going to be landing.

In other news, the damaged cruiser Tone finally completes her repairs and readies for her next raid - wherever Raver's SCs strike next!!!!!!!




AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/14/43

Weather: Thunderstorms

Air attack on Tulagi , at 38,39


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 22


no losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Buna at 12,38


Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIC x 22


no losses

Japanese Ships
AG 2081, Shell hits 24, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AG 364, Shell hits 4
AG 2061, Shell hits 4
AG 361, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AG 354


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Tulagi , at 38,39


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 22


no losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Lunga , at 38,40

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 9

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 17
SBD Dauntless x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 3 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 17 damaged

1LT R.King of VMF-224 is credited with kill number 5

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 311
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 26


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62776 troops, 724 guns, 55 vehicles

Defending force 40374 troops, 377 guns, 17 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 73
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
Men lost 2662
Guns lost 11
Vehicles lost 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 12072 troops, 160 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 65964 troops, 807 guns, 55 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 10


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

Well bugger me! That has really put a sodding great hole in my bucket !:(

***GLOAT***

Ok - I'm over it.

Mop up operation went well, putting another thousand allied troops 6 feet under, and kicking 3 brigades then the armoured regiment off to Lae Lae. Just one aussie brigade left and they are looking bloody lonely.

If Raver is dumb he'll be packing the troops into Lae Lae.

If he is smart, he'll be doing some fast transport rescues and salvaging some of his army. Or at least removing the parts of it that he can't supply, while he prepares to defend Lae lae. Of course, there is now a possibility of an Irau re-invasion.

What will Raver risk to try and salvage the PM operation?

In the long run - I can't compete with him. The truth of the matter is that he was just about to kick my *** and all my troops were trapped in PM - but then my 4 regiments kicked him out of Dobadura and buna and crossed the owen stanleys - freeing up the supplies from Buna that have saved PM. Those four regiments added up to 600 assault points of very tired troops -which rested in PM for 5 turns before I used them. They made the difference.

In reality I should ahve almost 1500 assault points in PM. However Raver's troops have culled that down to about 971 to be precise. I'll be shipping some of the hammered units back to safety (where they won't use precious supplies), but 900 assault points should remain at PM. That means Raver needs to land 3 divisions to match me, and another three for that all important 2 to 1 advantage needed to beat forst.

The time it takes for Raver to FT/assemble barges and landing ships and transports for 6 divisions, their supplies, their assorted units and their supplies - it is going to give me a few weeks to rotate my troops, resupply PM for the next siege (probably starts with lots of Raver's level bombers) and hopefully get some mines into GG before Raver tries to go there.

Colonel K Yazawa, of the Yazawa HQ detachment has been sent to be congratulated by the emperor himself.

The lonely aussie brigade at Port Moresby was forced out this turn - they lost 890 men. Not only is PM clear of invaders, but the shattered remnants of units are now starving at Lae Lae. I have decided to give all the troops a rest to get them back down to under 20 fatigue, and then I will launch an offensive at Lae Lae. Hopefully units from Buna will cross the Owen stanleys to form a narrow pincer movement.

Raver's ships are racing in and out of Lae Lae, delivering supply and rescuing damaged units (I'm assuming). For Raver to loose about three divisions at Lae Lae isn't a disaster - he's got plenty of troops - but to loose those troops unnecessarily will sting the pool a bit. As soon as I get some firepower I will be trying to oppose the enemy rescue operation at Lae Lae. Could be a while though.

I have a cunning plan m'Lord!

Baldric, the last time you said you had a cunning plan was when your mother said that the roof was too low - so you cut her head off!!!


Besides, I've reinforced my secondary lines at Russel, Vila, Shortlands, Rabaul, Lae, and we all know how strong Dobadura and Buna are. More worried that Raver and his new airfield at Rennell are going to start chewing up the solomons by bypassnig my little strongholds and building their own bases as they go.