Matrix Games Forums

So now that we have got over 10,000 hits who at Matrixgames should Luskan and I send our mailing address to for our prize?:D

Have just spoken to the Matrix team - they've promised a new copy of WITP to both of us if we can undermine a very vocal complaining element of the forum community that maintains that due to game innaccuracies and poor historical modeling, it is impossible for the IJN to win.

Obviously the fastest way to undermine their argument is to *ahem* sail your CVs (with all squadrons standing down) up to Rabaul/shortlands/Truk.

But seriously folks, Raver is STILL packing troops into Lae Lae (and my bombers won't launch to bomb them for some reason). He is also barging supplies and troops to Taivu - probably supplies. I don't mind - I'll be taking that particular dot hex back in short order.

My IDIOT AVs decided that fast transport still means "loiter until you're sunk". They didn't even unload.

To prevent Raver's continuous barge missions to Taivu (at least 50 enemy barges - sure, 2 or 3 have hit mines at Irau, and 1 at Taivu and sunk - obvious the undersized minefields aren't going to give me any love, so I have called RADM Tanaka back from the 2 month vacation he's had and put him in charge of the newly designated Ninja-that-hides-in-plain-sight-force, which has been created from the surface combat ships just off the repair line.

While repairs are basically my top priority at the moment (what else is there to do other than get bombed?) I would like to take the opportunity to point out that at the rate these ships are repairing, the Takeo will be ready for duty in about 1956, while Yamato hasn't repaired a point of sys damage all game (months of sitting in port hoping that one day the sys damage will actually decrease a little!).

Raver has a weak go at Lunga - bombing the empty airfield, for very few losses. he also has a big go at port moresby, but since he has extermined the engineers there (lost 2600 troops in one 250 medium-bomber raid) losses there are right down to realistic, manageble numbers.

Hey wow! I passed 600 posts! Who would have thought that I had that many pearls of wisdom to impart

Am pleased with my zero pilot training program - there are several squadrons of aces that don't need training, but there are two squadrons of half aces of exp 75+, and half noobs of exp 40-. Most of the noobs have hit 50 now with only a couple of losses. I did loose 8 out of 9 jakes to operational losses last thunderstorms however. That stung - I don't mind admitting.

Luskan's carriers sighted West-southwest of Rennell Island ! My CV TF has been ordered to engage...it is time settle this once and for all ! The question is will Luskan stand and fight like a man? or will he run like a girl?

Well unfortunately it only took one ill considered move to loose the game.

Raver will post the results of this turns much anticipated CV battle, but the short version is that all my CVs launched (both combat rounds) at Raver's BBs sitting at Irau, under 70 corsairs, 50 lightnings and 50 thunderbolts on full cap, and not a single one of my planes launched at Raver's CVs, which had been spotted several times, and were much, much closer and more lightly defended.

So while my planes went off to die I just sat looking at the screen in digust - at least if they'd died over Raver's CVs I could have said that they'd given it a good shot. :rolleyes:

Fog of war is very decieving this turn. I watched the combat replay and knew i'd lost the game, but thought that i'd still have some left over CVs to hide at Rabaul for a last ditch heroic stand.
However the truth of the combat report is much much worse. Ships that weren't even shown to be attacked by the americans are crippled. Much more damage than was visible, and next turn Raver is going to close in an do the inevitable (although thunderstorms are likely to steal much of his fun when the weather sinks the cripples rather than him).

If ONLY I'd kept to the plan - keep myt CVs in the background as an unrealised threat, and make the bastard bleed his way past all my troops and mines (plenty of minelayers left) and wahtever my LBA can manage and all of my surface fleet and THEN use my CVs when they might stand a snowflakes chance in hell of winning.

Of course, even this plan assumed that my CV pilots would launch at Raver's CVs and not ignore them completely. Tsk Tsk. Will be starting a poll over at the WITP forum to try and drum up enough opinion to ensure this doesn't happen in that huge game!

Just in case Raver keeps you all waiting, here is the wildly inaccurate combat report - if this was accurate I'd still be able to retreat with most of my ships above the water.

UNfortunately for me, Raver's pilots did a much better job than they think.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/11/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on TF, near Irau at 42,43 - Fuckety **** ****! Launch at the CVs you bloody morons!

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
A6M3 Zero x 12
D3A Val x 38
B5N Kate x 15

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 53
P-38G Lightning x 12
P-47C Thunderbolt x 46

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 28 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 12 destroyed
D3A Val x 25 destroyed
D3A Val x 10 damaged
B5N Kate x 11 destroyed
B5N Kate x 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Not even a damage. Pathetic.

ENS B. Harwood of VF-8 is credited with kill number 7

LCDR B.Kumagaya of BII-1 Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED

Allied Ships
CA Portland, Bomb hits 2
BB Washington
BB Colorado, Bomb hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Irau at 42,43 Double Fuckety **** **** ****! $#^% @$*&^% @($#Y(^$!!!!!! THE CVS ARE 4 hexes away and both CV tfs have reacted towards each other! What is the BLOODY problem with these nuts?

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 80
A6M3 Zero x 30
D3A Val x 40
B5N Kate x 49

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 53
P-38G Lightning x 12
P-47C Thunderbolt x 46

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 81 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 26 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged
D3A Val x 10 destroyed
D3A Val x 13 damaged
B5N Kate x 36 destroyed
B5N Kate x 16 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair x 5 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair x 2 damaged
P-38G Lightning x 1 destroyed
P-38G Lightning x 1 damaged
P-47C Thunderbolt x 1 destroyed
P-47C Thunderbolt x 1 damaged

2LT E. Shaw of VMF-213 is credited with kill number 12

2LT E. Shaw of VMF-213 bails out WOUNDED and is RESCUED

Allied Ships
DD Hudson
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 3 -not even a dent.
CA Wichita, Torpedo hits 1
DD Flusser
BB Pennsylvania
CL Columbia, Bomb hits 2
CL Santa Fe, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Eaton, Bomb hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Irau at 42,43

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
D3A Val x 17
B5N Kate x 16

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 49
P-38G Lightning x 11
P-47C Thunderbolt x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 5 destroyed
D3A Val x 11 destroyed
D3A Val x 6 damaged
B5N Kate x 11 destroyed
B5N Kate x 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair x 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair x 1 damaged

ENS B. Harwood of VF-8 is credited with kill number 10

2LT J. Morgan of VMF-213 is KILLED

Allied Ships
DD Dyson, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Calahan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 42,46

Japanese aircraft - the 60% cap? Only half of them flew!
A6M2 Zero x 56
A6M3 Zero x 18

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22
F6F Hellcat x 15
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
SBD Dauntless x 51
TBF Avenger x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 16 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 damaged
F6F Hellcat x 3 destroyed
F6F Hellcat x 1 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair x 2 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair x 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless x 13 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 43 damaged
TBF Avenger x 12 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 22 damaged

LTJG S.Shibata of BI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 4

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Kaga, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Unyo, Torpedo hits 1
CV Junyo, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CVL Zuiho, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Kawakaze
CV Zuikaku
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiryu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 42,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
A6M3 Zero x 5

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
SBD Dauntless x 17
TBF Avenger x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 9 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 2 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 2 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 6 damaged
TBF Avenger x 3 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 29 damaged

1LT R.Farley of VMF-214 is credited with kill number 4

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, on fire
CV Hiryu
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Unyo
CVL Shoho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Shokaku, on fire
CVL Ryuho


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 42,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
A6M3 Zero x 5

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
F6F Hellcat x 11
SBD Dauntless x 17
TBF Avenger x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged
F6F Hellcat x 2 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 4 damaged
TBF Avenger x 17 damaged

LTJG A.Matsuki of AI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CVL Hosho
CV Kaga, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Shokaku, on fire
CVE Unyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Soryu
CS Chiyoda


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 42,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
A6M3 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
F6F Hellcat x 5
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
SBD Dauntless x 15
TBF Avenger x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 7 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 destroyed
F6F Hellcat x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 6 damaged
TBF Avenger x 4 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 10 damaged

1LT V.Lee of VMF-124 is credited with kill number 3

LT K. Notomi of EIII-1 Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED

Japanese Ships
CVL Shoho, on fire, heavy damage
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Junyo, on fire
CV Kaga, on fire
CVL Ryujo, on fire, heavy damage
CS Chiyoda
CV Soryu
CVL Zuiho, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 42,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
A6M3 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 7
SBD Dauntless x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 4 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 11 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 15 damaged

LT S. Hidaka of CI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 6

LT M. Kobayashi of DI-1 Daitai is KILLED

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Akagi
CV Hiryu


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Irau at 42,43

Why don't we just throw our lives away in a final grand gesutre of stupidity??? Half the CVs flight decks are inoperable by this stage anyway (1 1000lbs is usually more than enough to knock an IJN CV out of the flight ops game)

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 63
A6M3 Zero x 14
D3A Val x 44
B5N Kate x 58

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 45
P-38G Lightning x 11
P-47C Thunderbolt x 47

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 59 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 9 destroyed
D3A Val x 19 destroyed
D3A Val x 6 damaged
B5N Kate x 24 destroyed
B5N Kate x 31 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair x 2 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair x 2 damaged
P-38G Lightning x 2 destroyed
P-47C Thunderbolt x 9 destroyed - I'll be sure to tell the emperor.
P-47C Thunderbolt x 2 damaged

ENS B. Harwood of VF-8 is credited with kill number 11

LCDR E.Okano of DII-1 Daitai is KILLED, along with all of my finest pilots (who I think should have fared a little better against the allied fighters - experience is worth more than that!). In good news, a total of 7 Vals and 2 Kates AND 1 zero managed to survive to make it all the way to Lunga alive. They're rearming for next turn's counter attack!!!!!!!! . . . uh, not.

Allied Ships
CL Mobile
BB Pennsylvania
CL Santa Fe, on fire
DD Dunlap
DD Hudson
BB Mississippi
DD Eaton, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Wichita


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


Next time I play Raver, I'm going to be the USN again.

I am in a serious state of shock:eek: I cannot believe how successful that last turn was:eek: Over 406 of Luskan's mighty naval aviators were snuffed out in a puff of geasy black smoke, or simply blew up under the guns of my fighters. Each and everyone of the fighter squadrons that were involved were rate with an exp level of between 70 to 75. The P-47s just carved through that Japanese fighters. I am still in shock. I think that I have just witnessed the winning turn of the game.
After all these long months of being behind the 8-ball.....watching helplessly as Luskan time and time again sank my ships left right and center, over 300 of them infact, watching the failed invasions at PM and the stranded troops slowly starving to death. Sending ships to places that I knew would put them in harms way, and even not see them return. The months spent watching his "uber" CV fighter pilots sweep all before them, and knowing that even though I did have the spare fighters at Noumea, they should not be committed until the exp level was just right. Sweating bullets that I had made my move too late to swing the balance back.........and now here we are the 11th of August 1943, and I have just seen what will now be known as the "Great Irau Turkey Shoot". I feel humbled to have such brave men under my command.

OH double POO, saving IJN CVs is a waste of time.
herbie orders his CVs to attack, now.......

Kind of a shame to see UV's naval tragetting ruin this epic:(

Originally posted by Luskan
Next time I play Raver, I'm going to be the USN again.

Er....... we already did that remember? You handed my head to me on a plate. My entire IJN force was smashed and sunk off the east coast of Australia.....and it was all played out in a AAR...Oh the shame of it all.

Well, my confidence is shaken - that is the first time I've lost a win or die CV vs CV confrontation - and BOY! did I loose it!
Thunderstorms grounded Raver's CV planes, which was just as well since they were only 2 hexes away. The spotted planes reported that my uber CV tf in now about 7 little tfs, all spotted seperately in the same 2 hexes. Joy.

As for me being the USN - either we'll try a different scenario next time, or depending on when WITP comes out - we'll try that

However, my generals are smirking at my admirals (the army has done a better job at repulsing Raver than the navy so far). The defences are manned, and we'll see what Raver cooks up for them. There is one thing that Raver can do during this game that will provoke my instant surrender (loosing my CVs wasn't one of them) and for security reasons, I can't tell you what that one thing is.

All credit to Raver, he's a bloody fine opponent that I thoroughly enjoy matching wits against. Even if my planes had targetted his CVs, I have a sinking feeling that the result would have been the same. I should not have gone out so far and should not have gone head to head with him and I have paid the price. I only had another six months to wait, to use my uber CVs to menace his transports for another few weeks. My strategy was based on the threat of force - that he wouldn't come forward untli he was so sure he could beat me that it wouldn't matter - do wait that long would have meant that he was out of time.

As it stands, I've lost 500 aircraft, more to go with the sinking CVs, so my 5550 point lead just became a 5000 point lead. I have probably lost 3000 points of CVs, and that leaves 2000 points that Raver must take in base points.

Hwoever, he doesn't have to take 2000 points worth - to take Lunga gives him 200 points and takes 700 from me - so that is half the job. Pm, GG, and Shortlands, vila and russell and he'll be so far ahead it will be all over. Let me see how many troops I can shove into those bases!

The questions remaining are these:
1. Does Raver have the transport capacity to successfully invade enough bases to win in six months - I'm betting that he already knows the answer to this.

2. Am I going to finally get reinforcements now that my tonnage in theatre is halved.

3. How long is it before I must relinquish Rabaul and Shortlands and Kavieng as the bases for my ships and send them all back to Truk - surrendering any tactical advantage I gained being the "defender".

It is now just a case of mopping up all of Luskan's damaged CVs....I have my CV TF racing north to try and sink as much of his ships as I can before fuel forces me to retire.

I am being held back in other areas of operations due to my continuing lack of transports....which until my victory over Luskans CV I have not wanted to be made known here. Luskan's super mines fields at both PM and Irau, have been a major coarse of damage and losses. Combine this with my serious lack of MSW ships, and I am in a load of trouble. I still have three very weak divisons in PNG which are suffering from lack of supplies, and are too weak to launch any type of offensive. But if I fail to supply them than they will simply die....far too many men to be left to a fate like that.

All along the coast of Australia, I am struggling to suppy my bases, again due to the lack of transports. I have had to press surface units into acting as transports, but this simply increases that sys damage to them.

If Luskan's Sub force was still intact then he could do some really serious harm to me, but as it is, they were all sunk some time ago.......if only I could hunt down his minelayers!

This game is far from over, indeed it is now in the balance.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/14/43

Weather: Rain

Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 24
F6F Hellcat x 19
F4U-1 Corsair x 18
SBD Dauntless x 24
TBF Avenger x 28


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 damaged
TBF Avenger x 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Hosho, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Hiyo
CV Soryu
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CS Chiyoda
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 23
SBD Dauntless x 16
TBF Avenger x 13


Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Hosho, on fire
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Ryuho
CV Hiryu
CV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage
CV Soryu


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 9
TBF Avenger x 9


Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Hosho, on fire
CS Chitose
CV Hiyo, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 19
SBD Dauntless x 13
TBF Avenger x 17


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CVL Hosho, on fire
CVL Ryuho
CV Akagi
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiryu, Torpedo hits 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
F6F Hellcat x 14
SBD Dauntless x 9
TBF Avenger x 9


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiyo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 34,30


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 18
TBF Avenger x 6


no losses

Japanese Ships
CVL Hosho, on fire
CVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 38,42


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 28
SBD Dauntless x 26
P-38G Lightning x 4
P-47C Thunderbolt x 21


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage


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

Anothe 4 CVs sunk.......three to go (I think).

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/15/43

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Air attack on 228th Regiment, at 10,40


Allied aircraft
Hudson x 41
P-38G Lightning x 27
B-25J Mitchell x 158


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 225

Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
6 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
7 x Hudson at 1000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
9 x Hudson at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
6 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet
3 x Hudson at 1000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 1000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
F6F Hellcat x 25
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
SBD Dauntless x 23
TBF Avenger x 6


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Hosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Soryu, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Akagi


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
F6F Hellcat x 9
SBD Dauntless x 20
TBF Avenger x 5


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiryu
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 2, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12
F6F Hellcat x 5
F4U-1 Corsair x 9
SBD Dauntless x 9
TBF Avenger x 21


no losses

Japanese Ships
CVL Hosho, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 4
TBF Avenger x 8


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 16
SBD Dauntless x 13
TBF Avenger x 15


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 9
TBF Avenger x 7


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 33,28


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 21
TBF Avenger x 21


no losses

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 12
TBF Avenger x 5


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu, Torpedo hits 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 45
F6F Hellcat x 34
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
SBD Dauntless x 70
TBF Avenger x 60


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 31,25


Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 25
TBF Avenger x 13


no losses

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu, on fire, heavy damage
CV Akagi, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Hosho, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 33,28


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 16


no losses

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage


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

Well, Raver has offered me turns and I have surrendered - my secret was 1 turn away from outting. This turn saw the end of all the IJN CVs - every single last one save the Chunyo and the Unyo in Tokyo. The destruction of all my CVs hasn't prompted any reinforcements - which is the real reason this game to an end, rather than my sunk CVs.

The turn after this Raver's CVs are bound to discover my LAST transport tf of 25 transports. As you will all know that it is impossible for an INJ player to continue to supply the troops in the field - and the sad truth is that shortlands and Rabaul are down to 10,000 each and there is about half that at Lunga, PM, GG and Russel and Vila. Basically my troops have been starving for months and All Raver would have to do is sit back and watch them starve - regardless of whether my rtansports supply or not.

My mistake was simple - all the damaged transports I had, went straight back to Tokyo to try and flush some more ships my way. I was so stupid I even sent those with sys damage of only 20.


I had 75 APs at one stage, and it worked fine - Raver's subs and bombers and gradual sys damage put 20 of those into the orange, so I sent them all back - and NOTHING came back down the line.

Possibly the best thing Raver could possibly have done was invade and save me some transport issues. I knew I'd lost the game about 3 months ago when his mitchells out of Cooktown plastered twelve of my APs and sent them to the bottom, and crippled another 12 (which are all sitting in truk, like my 2 CA, 8 DD, 1 BB and 3 CLs, all abot 50 sys damage, repairing so slowly.

As you would all know, Luskan has accepted my terms for his surrender. He has asked that w now play Scen #19, with me as the IJN. I must admit to being somewhat uncomfortable with this as I have only played the IJN once before....and we all know how that ended. But I'll give it a shot. A new AAR will start soon!

You may want to run this one out a bit. You will eventually get Tokyo to release more ships but it might take a couple of weeks to happen. You need to send back enough to get your level up to moderate. Losing the CVs must have done this. The other ships that are worth a fair amount are the TK/AOs - if you don't have much Navy you won't need much fuel.....

Too late! The surrender document has been signed!:D

Thanks guys for a truely excellent ride. I went back and re-read the whole thing during the weekend.
If there was any IJN game I have seen that could have been won it was this one. Shows you should never give up til the end.

But I have to agree that the loosing of the game was completely due to targetting. Why the hell would your AC TFs react towards an enemy Air TF and then not launch against it because you couldn't find it!!!

Originally posted by fcooke
You may want to run this one out a bit. You will eventually get Tokyo to release more ships but it might take a couple of weeks to happen. You need to send back enough to get your level up to moderate. Losing the CVs must have done this. The other ships that are worth a fair amount are the TK/AOs - if you don't have much Navy you won't need much fuel.....

I didn't get a single reinforcement from Tokyo in the last 245 turns of this game. That is about 8 months of game time. Although I didn't send back any CVs - loosing all my CVs did not change my reinforcement level.

However I sent back about half the entire IJN OOB to tyr and flush some transports out and got nada. 50 transports, ALL the PC boats in the game (minus the 3 raver sunk), all the PG boats, all the MSWs bar 1, had all the subs sunk or sent back (so no subs for 8 months save one I decided to repair myself), 8-10 CAs were sent back, 25 or 30 destroyers, 3 battleships and 4 CLs, not to mention 4 APDs hell - I only had 5 operational barges (let them get sunk without replacing them) to try and drag some reinforcements up the line. I had 23 tankers or so - I sent 20 of them back undamaged. I got nothing, zip, nada.

The entire IJN fleet was as follows:
The following were under 20 sys damage.
6 dds, 1 ca, 10 transports, 8 minelayers, 1 MSW. 5 barges. 3 tankers.

The following were under 40 sys damage.
Yamato, 1 CL, 3 dds, 12 transports, 1 sub.

The following were all way over 40 sys damage but being repaired in game because I refused to send them back because I'd never see replacements for them.
Takeo, Chokai, 12 dds, 3 cls, 3 AVs, 1 APD.

Simply put you can't fight a war with that - you can't even delay a war while reinforcements arrive (not that they were coming). I checked all of my damaged ships - my entire IJN fleet - into Rabaul and Shortlands and checked their repair progress every, single turn. Very depressing when Raver's got 6 or 8 allied BBs - so many he's bumping them into mines, and laughing the damage off.

No - this time the shoe is on the other hand!!!!!! A new AAR, with different sides, and scn 19 to solve the IJN reinforcement prob!

Well if you can win as the IJN in scen 17, then you are doing extremely well in my opinion, scen 19 is another matter though.