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NJP makes a 2nd direct assault on Chungking. He already is up to 1-2 odds and dropped the forts down to level 5 but took a major amount of disablement for the attack.

NJP has decided to try to take out the mines at Horn Island. Maybe he is planning an amphibious invasion or maybe he just wants clear passage through the strait. It is going to cost him....

NJP decided not to follow me around to the pacific side of the map, rather keep most of his carriers up east of Darwin.

Time to make that a strategic advantage for me. Troops that were scheduled to land at Ndeni are re-routed to KiraKira.

He has at least 1 unit there. The only identification I have gotten so far is the 14th Naval Construction Battalion.

If that is all the troops he has then the base will fall easily next turn.

I also bombarded the Reef Islands so my back was protected.

NJP must have had Nick's on cap from Tulagi. They took out 4 mitchells.. Boo... I use mitchells for rear service and cleanup because they are so fragile compared to the B-24's.

NJP seems absent from the Solomon Sea. Time to take advantage. I smack Tulagi with a bombardment and am rewarded with damaged Nick's. Next turn troops will be landing at Ontong Java and also at Shortlands. I believe the Shortlands are undefended, otherwise the advance air base will be hurting.

When the troops landed at Nikunau in the morning there were still 8 vehicles of questionable condition on the island. By the time it came to rush the island the tanks were not an issue.

Looks like the Chinese stole the British plans for inflatable dummy vehicles!

April 1943 is ending on a good note.

A destroyer escort in a Battleship TF takes 2 torpedoes in 2 separate attacks and sinks.

An amphibious assault takes down the Reef Islands.

5 US Naval Construction Battalions land and take out Kuria

May 6, 1943

The battle of Solomon Sea...

General MacArthur is landing on Guadalcanal and the presence of Japanese carriers southwest of Rabaul and many small surface forces prompts the navy to send a few light cruiser task forces to probe the west coast off of Torokina.

What happens next will result in medals for lots of pixellated sailors, possibly on both sides.

The task forces leave Munda sailing west and almost immediately the Trenton takes a torpedo in the side. Not an auspicious start to the festivities...

Here is a submarine miss and a shot of how crowded it is in the sea.

The leander and Phoenix take care of the patrol boat at Buin.

In the third combat the Trenton takes on 3 patrol boats off Torokina

Then Scott Walker tangles with 3 sub chasers.

Then the Trenton and Richmond take out 2 more patrol boats... With the torpedo hole still smoking in the side of the Trenton.

and then 2 more patrol boats...

And after dark runs out the Trenton (no longer on fire) manages to track down the one sub chaser that managed to slip away into the night.

May 8, 1943

The day after I shaved the fuzz off the peach by eliminating 80-90% of the small craft Japan had in the area, NJP's position started moving northwest in retreat rather than forward. Yesterday his CV fleets were off Kavieng and they were now moving west to Manus.