Ocean of (Allied) Blood.

[bigred]

Just as I figured...looks like those BBs still are floating.  Bomb sponge...I am concerned that since FatR now knows my CV location.

[bigred]

Eastcoast of Shortlands:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jun 26, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Shortlands at 110,131

Japanese Ships
CA Maya

Allied Ships
SS Peto

CA Maya is sighted by SS Peto
SS Peto launches 4 torpedoes

NO REPORTED HITS IN SHALLOW WATER...3 HEXES NORTHWEST OF MONDA. MUST HAVE A SPEED OF 3/3.

[bigred]

Saw a large plane buildup at munda so decided to send in my CL/DD SAG to disrupt operations. Recon failed to show the BB in port. CL Detroit did a very fine job....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Munda at 111,134 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
     no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
     A6M5b Zero: 16 damaged
     Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 17 damaged
     G4M2 Betty: 41 damaged
     G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground
     Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 38 damaged
     Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed on ground
     A6M4 Zero: 23 damaged
     A6M4 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
     Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 24 damaged
     Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground

30 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
     BB Hiei, Shell hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage

Allied Ships
     CL Detroit
     DD Downes
     DD Shaw
     DD Lamson
     DD Strong
     DD Renshaw

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



Airbase hits 29
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 64

[bigred]

43-7-1:  Intel from previous turn report ship buildups at Rangoon and Rabaul.  

[bigred]

and Rabaul.

[bigred]

So I set 2x Hurricane/1x P38/1x F6Fsqn to max sweep Rangoon to pull the defensive fighters to High altitude...which did seem to happen.  Then I sent in about 5 sqns of allied DBs plus 40xb24s at 14000ft to let FatR know Rangoon is not a safe port.
Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 6
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 41
SBD-3 Dauntless x 30


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 3 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Koryu Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Yamazato Maru
AK Nitiran Maru
APD Shimakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Yamazuki Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Tsingtao Maru
AK Nichiyu Maru
AK Tamagawa Maru
AK Hitati Maru
AK Momokawa Maru
DD Minegumo
AK Keisyo Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Seia Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Tamon Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Kenyo Maru
xAP Ukishima Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Okiyu Maru, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

[bigred]

Over in SoPac I sweeped Shortlands w/ 2x F6F sqns and set 2x LowN trained b25 Sqns to 1000ft range 13(one short of the massive cap at Rabaul) and we catch some CAs headed SE. Lost 6 pilots. I would bet Fatr CAP was too high.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Buka at 109,128

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M4 Zero x 10
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 3



Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 28


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 5 destroyed, 13 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Mogami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Chokai
DD Arashi
DD Hibiki
DD Shikinami



Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
11 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
1 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 1 plane(s) with no ordnance

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1 with A6M4 Zero (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
24th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 36740
Raid is overhead

[bigred]

43-7-2: Today we landed at PM.  Probably brought too much Armor. I sense I dont have the experience to judge the correct amount to invade w/.

[bigred]

In other news, the meruke base brought me a surprising result.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hollandia at 93,116

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 28
SBD-3 Dauntless x 11


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAP Takatiho Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAP Huzi Maru, Bomb hits 1
E Ishigaki, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
199 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled



Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Takatiho Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring E Ishigaki

[bigred]

SoPac grind continues w/ this daylight port attack at Rabaul.  Private email from Fatr indicates he is not a happy camper w/ game engine failure to have ftr intercept at 67 miles. I suggested weather might have effect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 67 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M4 Zero x 21



Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 37


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M4 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 15 damaged

Japanese Ships
AS Jingei, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CM Hirashima, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Choun Maru #18, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS RO-62, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
DMS W-15, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
ACM Heijo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire



Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 16000 feet *
Port Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 16000 feet *
Port Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 16000 feet *
Port Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
253 Ku S-1 with A6M4 Zero (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 12 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 17000 and 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes

[bigred]

On the 4th of July 43 Port Morsby is retaken by the allies. I did not realize the total power of my attack....this could have been done w/ less AV. Note this amphib was dropped in one turn, everything offloaded except my motorized trans.

This caused me to move the entire fleet 2 hexes off the invasion site because I suspected an air counterattack and did not want to get caught in shallow water.

A Betty sqn penetrated CAP and sank one xAK. Attack was made on the CVEs w/ land based judies from Milne but no hits...both FatR and I suspect the increased AAA is starting to effect the game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 13314 troops, 143 guns, 821 vehicles, Assault Value = 748

Defending force 2892 troops, 95 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 71

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 720

Japanese adjusted defense: 11

Allied assault odds: 65 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Port Moresby !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1568 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 68 (57 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4


Allied ground losses:
150 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled


Assaulting units:
2/6th Armoured Regiment
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
2/4th Armoured Regiment
4th Armoured Brigade
1st Motor Brigade
2/8th Armoured Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
Kanga Force Bn /2
168th Field Artillery Regiment
II Australian Corps
F Det USN Port Svc
53rd Australian Lt AA Regiment
5th USN Naval Construction Battalion
257th USAAF Base Force
8th RAAF Base Force /1

Defending units:
Sasebo 8th SNLF
3rd Mortar Battalion
35th Field AA Battalion
24th JAAF AF Bn

[bigred]

Intel keeps recieving reports of BBs located in Munda port.  Must be maybe a damaged CA.

[bigred]

The situation for FatR may be getting out of his hand.  I note the arrival of an IJN CV TF northeast of Wewak. Oh shit...May be time to run like hell..

[bigred]

I tried to run a night search w/ PBY specific arc.  I believe i did find the KB at night but my skip bombers did not fly in response.   I have read in the past that arc search does not work.

FatR and I have agreed to a 3/4 day break from the action. I must admit the focus required to stay competitive against FatR has made me feel like I need a vacation.(for example, I have to change my sqn commands every day or they grt butched by the enemy)

[bigred]

Picked this up off tracker intel page.  confirmation Kaga is operating north of Lea.

[bigred]

This could be a real bad situation.  I have a 50 ship amphib fleet operating just north of Townsville.  Looks like the KB is going in for the kill and i dont think I can outrun the fast carriers. My LSTs move 5 hexes a turn and the KB will move 10...looks like I have 2 days before he carves up my fleet.

[pat.casey]

ORIGINAL: bigred

This could be a real bad situation.  I have a 50 ship amphib fleet operating just north of Townsville.  Looks like the KB is going in for the kill and i dont think I can outrun the fast carriers. My LSTs move 5 hexes a turn and the KB will move 10...looks like I have 2 days before he carves up my fleet.

Run for a friendly port and unload?
May as well not lose the ground units as well.

[bigred]

Thanks Pat.  I split the fleet into many parts in many directions. Rebased my CV air to land. If FatR really wants this CV strike force he will have to move deep into indian country.

[bigred]

KB turned north to Rabaul...

[bigred]

Today FatR sank one of my CVEs and damaged another off Cooktown..  My fault as I thought the marine F4U would fly cap.  That Sqn was not carrier capable.  so a major mistake on my part.
Cost me 93 VPs.

The KB was last seen moving in the direction of TRuk. My recon shows it is safe to restart offensive operations in the SWPAC area.

It is time to pick up the troops at PM for redeployment and the CVEs where covering the trans TFs..I will push on w/ LBA.



Also it seems I have finally got a good footing on how to bomb the burma valley into submission....Should take about 7 more days.
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on groundKi-45
KAIa Nick: 1 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground

I have placed three Indian Army Corps around Katha.. Should be able to push the japs off mandaley soon.

Also finally nailed a IJN AO off truk as my sub fleet was tracking the KB.