Guad Mod - AE Scenario 4 - AAR - No Nik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
Wow, that is a horrific one-day loss! Why so bad? It appeared the CAP was mostly Kittys and P-39s

Have a look at Nik's side of the AAR for the combat reports, it was a series of battles with incremental losses that added up.

[ny59giants]

How many subs will you be using to carry supplies??
What class are the subs and how much supply can each of them carry??
 
Thanks!

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

How many subs will you be using to carry supplies??
What class are the subs and how much supply can each of them carry??

Thanks!

At work so can't look up exact numbers now - but I am using some of several classes including r-boats and i-boats. IIRC the r-boats carry like 24 each - whereas the larger I boats I think carry 48 each - but there are some classes in between as well.

Up to now I have about 24 submarines total in the scenario - and about 10 of them are carrying supply and 8 are on forward patrols. Two have been sunk and 4 have been damaged to the extent that they are out of the scenario.

[jwilkerson]

28-29 August 1942

Solomons
Supply convoy almost finished unloading at Shortlands - we now have over 5000 supply at shortlands. Another convoy from Truk carrying the second construction engineer for shortlands will arrive next turn.

Papua
We have now flown 30 naval support from Truk to Finschhaven - we hope this will speed up the fast transport unloading time at Finschahhaven and allow the single APD we send in there to clear the harbor before daylight. We are now flying some naval support to Gasmata to speed up unloading there. For "dot" bases - about 30 naval support can make a big difference in helping loading/unloading operations. In this scenario most of our naval HQs are "locked down" (made to be static units) but we have one - the SE HQ - which is mobile and we can distribute its naval support squads around the map by using our mavis and emily. We have been using the mavis for this. One Mavis unit withdraws 23 Sept 42 - so we might as well run it into the ground carrying troops to the forward bases.

Plans
The carriers are back at Truk - and Truk is down to zero fuel. We will wait at least a week for fuel reserves to build up before heading out again. In the mean time the 4xSNLF continue to plan for Milne Bay.

[jwilkerson]

30-31 August 1942

Solomons
First B-17 raid on Tass - destroyed about half the supply we had [:(] 300 points on the ground as well as about 50% of the supply inside the units. This is several turns of delivery - though we have increased submarines allocated to this route rececntly. But the forecast is not good - especially once bombers start operating from Lunga.

The second construction engineer has unloaded as Shortlands and airbase construction is now at 12%. As small air HQ arrived at Rekata Bay, though I am not sure whether this is more of a liability than an asset - fortunately there are 500 supply points there also for this HQ to eat. So for now we can leave that unit and its hex alone.

New Britain
A USN submarine lurking off the Southern Coast attacked our fast transports bringing supply to Gasmata - but all torpedoes missed and the mission was completed successfully. The Gasmata airbase is now 1% complete.

Papua
Air attacks on our Army troops in the mountains are increasing in effectiveness - one strike this turn caused over 100 casualties.

Planning
Fuel level at Truk remains low - 1100 - due to need to refuel convoys and submarines - it make actually take a couple of weeks to build up enough fuel to again sortie the carriers.

We set the newly arrived 2nd Division to plan to Milne Bay as well.

Here is a pic of the map with our supply shown (second number is fuel where any exists)

[jwilkerson]

01 September 1942

Here is a pic of our landbased air units.

[jwilkerson]

01 September 1942

And the sea based air units

[jwilkerson]

01 September 1942

We have had a Val unit at Truk training on ASW since the first week of the game - here is a current shot for comparision with the initial screen shot made earlier.

[pad152]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

01 September 1942

We have had a Val unit at Truk training on ASW since the first week of the game - here is a current shot for comparision with the initial screen shot made earlier.

It seems the same four pilots that have not only not increased but, show no fatigue like they haven't flown in the last month? They started with zero fatigue and still show zero unlike other pilots? Is the air group short 4 planes?

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: pad152

It seems the same four pilots that have not only not increased but, show no fatigue like they haven't flown in the last month? They started with zero fatigue and still show zero unlike other pilots? Is the air group short 4 planes?

Nope 16 planes and 16 pilots. I do have the group set to 70% training. In this case it seems the pilot selection routine is selecting the same sub-set of pilots - at least quite consistently. I will keep training the unit and see what happens.

[Barb]

Well in training the worst ones should be selected for training primarily... and add some randomization so not to have all pilots at the same experience 

[jwilkerson]

01-02 September 1942

Solomons
B-17s again struck Tass - our supply on the ground after the attack is 400 - we had a submarine delivery this turn. Supply in the LCU is holding at about 50%.
Shortlands airfield is 15% towards the level-1.

New Britain
Four B-26s tried to attack Rabaul but ran into our CAP of A6M3 and lost all four of the attacking planes. We made another supply run to Gasmata which now has over 1000 supply

Papua
The movement via APD of a SNLF from Finschhaven to Rabaul ( to concentrate for the Milne Bay landing) continues.

Truk
Fuel is now at 4700.

Planning
If we allow accumulation of 16000 fuel to be loaded aboard the AO to support the Milne Bay operation then it will take about another week to get ready.



Here are the B-26s attacking Rabaul this turn.

[jwilkerson]

03-04 September 1942

Solomons
More B-17 attacks on Tass. Supply 400 on the ground - about 40% in the units. Four resupply submarines dispatched from Truk per turn now on average. We had about 6 airgroups worth of float planes show up this turn at Shortlands. We will fly the Petes to Rabaul and them ship them back to Truk so they will not eat precious forward supply. We will keep the Jakes and Rufes forward - we might be able to use them. The airbase at Shortlands is now 17% complete.

New Britain
Gasmata airbase now 4% complete.

Papua
About 3-4 more turns will see the SNLF at Finschhaven completely relocated to Rabaul - then we will resume supply deliveries to Finschhaven from Rabaul.

Truk
We are starting to load up a pair of AOs - there is 8000 fuel at Truk now.

Planning
We cannot sortie major fleet units until some more fuel builds up - so we are waiting patiently for that event. We will try to fly some naval support to Tass to facilitate supply unloading there. We will move the 2nd Division engineer to Buka to start on a level-2 airbase there. We still do not see any sign of airunits aboard Lunga - but it is just a matter of time.

[jwilkerson]

05-06 Septemmber 1942

Solomons
B-17 attacks continue - supply on ground still holding at 400. Supply in the units still roughly 40%. Another 4 submarines dispatched from Truk with supply. We flew 36 Naval Support into Tass this turn. That should help the unloading.
Shortlands - airbase is 20%. Supply is 7500.

New Britain
Gasmata is 5% towards airbase. Supply is 1500.

Papua
Need probably 2 more APD runs to finish pulling the SNLF out of Finschhaven. Buna supply is 2000.

Truk
Two AOs have 8000 fuel aboard - 4000 in the port.

Planning
Should be about two more turns before fuel is loaded. Counting the 2 AO and Truk and the 2 AO North of Green Island we can then have 29000 fuel at Sea to support the fleet. As a diversion we are considered doing a surface attack on Lunga before the carrier sortie. If we do this - that would delay things a couple of turns. These turns would buy more time for the SNLF to prepare and we can make sure we have all the shipping we need in to right places to carry them.

No clear sign of the American carriers - but we do have intel on two groups of warships between New Caledonia and Lunga - so there is something out there.

[jwilkerson]

07-08 September 1942

Solomons
The American carriers are NE of Lunga in the "Santa Cruz" position. Except for pounding Tass we don't offer them much of a target over that way. The B-17s paid us their usual visit at Tass. We now have 495 supply on the ground but supply in the units has dropped to about 20%. Airbase at Shortlands is 22% completed. I'd estimate another 78 days prior to completion or about late November.

New Britain
The airfield at Gasmata is now 7% - we will need another engineer in order to complete this field before the end of the scenario.

Papua
One more run and we should have all of the 2nd Maizuru SNLF back at Rabaul - then all four SNFLs planning for the Milne Bay operation will be concentrated at Rabaul.

Truk
The AO have 13000 fuel so hopefully one more turn and they will be full and heading South. The second pair of "Kongos" arrived - so we now have 6xBBs. The 2nd Div engineer will load up and head to Buka - it will ride in our second AMC which will then head to Rabaul to join the first AMC and several other large AK which will act as the transport force for Milne Bay.


Planning
Well instead of sending a second construction engineer (the 3rd Construction Engineer Bn) to Finschhaven - maybe we will send it to Gasmata instead. Finschhaven already has a port - and building an airbase there will not do us as much good as one at Gasmata - because one at Gasmata will give us a jumping off point to project some APD runs into Buna directly - not sure we can supply Buna any other way - and worst case this also gives us some protection if we evacuate.

Since the American carriers are out - we probably will hold off on the surface attack on Lunga and shift our energy all towards the Milne Bay operation. But the biggest problem with doing Milne Bay now is that several of the SNFL are still not up to 50 planning points yet - and doing a landing with less than 50 planning points is a poort idea.

The other idea might be to try to build up some naval support at Rekata Bay and then eventually try some small AKL runs into Tass - problem with that is by the time it is set up there will certainly be aircraft at Lunga.


So that leaves us the option of staying put in port with the fleet and building up a bigger reserve of fuel - we can't have too much fuel in this scenario - and Rabaul will actually need some more soon. So ok that will be the plan - do a tanker run to Rabaul and then wait another week for the Milne Bay troops to get some more planning points and build up so more fuel. We have 2 more AO sitting empty so we will try to fill them up before the op. This will give us 6 total AO loaded with fuel for the OP. Also if we out wait the American carriers maybe we can do the Op with them back in port.




Oh a few B-26 attacked our fast transports unloading supply at Gasmata this turn - but the planes missed and we delivered the supply Here is a pic.

[cantona2]

'TF 19 spots Allied recon at...' does this mean that recon flights flying over a TF will be spotted?

[jwilkerson]

Yes - this is another way of saying "You have been spotted" - though sometimes you will get type information which can give clues about where the spotting plane is comming from.

[Alikchi2]

I wonder how much supply it costs for him to maintain the B-17 raids - close to as much as you're losing?

[jwilkerson]

Could be - but bombing supply at Tass is an action very closely tied to the scenario victory conditions - this protects Lunga - the primiary source of VP for both sides. So in terms of victory - spending supply on B-17 runs to bomb supply at Tass is efficient - this is also true since it is far easier for him to supply the B-17s than it is for me to get supply to Tass. Getting supply to Tass is about the hardest thing there is for me to do - since I cannot sustain airpower anywhere near there - his B-17s are flying from Espiritu Santos which I cannot reach.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

Yes - this is another way of saying "You have been spotted" - though sometimes you will get type information which can give clues about where the spotting plane is comming from.

Thanks Joe. Even more immersion, excellent!