Straight Into the Teeth: A Story of Logistics, Patience, and Firepower

[Sangeli]

And here are the landings:



CVEs will split into two groups to cover each invasion.

[Sangeli]

November 9th 1943

The subs continue to have success. I think this is the 3rd day in a row hitting a Japanese tanker AND a merchantman apeice:

Sub attack near Balikpapan at 65,100

Japanese Ships
xAK Syoryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
PC PB-69

Allied Ships
SS Sturgeon, hits 1


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Sub attack near Madjene at 64,101

Japanese Ships
TK Kyokuho Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
PB Yamahagi Maru #3

Allied Ships
SS Sturgeon

In the Gilberts I continue to pound Tarawa:

Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

29 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico, Shell hits 1
BB Arizona
BB Nevada
DD Kilty
DD Van Ghent
DD Vampire
DD Ward
DD Allen
DD Drayton
DD McCook
DD Harding
DD Thompson
DD Philip
DD Daly

Japanese ground losses:
307 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 4

But this time the Japanese have a surprise waiting for me after:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Abemama at 136,129, Range 28,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
CB Kasuga, Shell hits 1
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Fubuki, Shell hits 1
DD Isonami
DD Asagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Amagiri

Allied Ships
BB Nevada, Shell hits 11, on fire
BB Arizona, Shell hits 9, on fire
BB New Mexico, Shell hits 5, on fire
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 5
DD Daly, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Philip, Shell hits 1
DD Thompson
DD Harding
DD McCook, Shell hits 1
DD Drayton, Shell hits 1
DD Allen
DD Ward, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Vampire
DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kilty, Shell hits 5, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 28,000 yards

Another brilliant display of Allied gunnery here. Time and time again my surface ships fail to live up to even half the effectiveness of the Japanese. At least none of my BBs took torpedoes so they shouldn't be out too long.

In the SoPac the landings go off without a hitch. But despite my best efforts to smash the main air fields, the Japanese managed to get serious CAP over that convoy you see at Luganville:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Vanikoro at 121,145

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 15
N1K1-J George x 67
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 22
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 35
Ki-61-Ia Tony x 40

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 122
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26
SBD-5 Dauntless x 66
TBF-1 Avenger x 47

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 7 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 7 destroyed, 7 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 10 destroyed, 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Wakatu Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
xAK Konzan Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Rasin Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
xAK Genoa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Syunsei Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Nikkai Maru, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
PB Santos Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Sort of a pyrrhic victory here. A handful of cargo ships for a few dozen elite pilots. At least my Hellcats did well on the escort mission dealing out more losses than they took. This CAP also managed to shoot down a few 4E later in the day. But the way I see it, as long its my airplanes attacking his ships and not the other way around I am doing well.

And the landings go smoothly enough:

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 424 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Defending force 5276 troops, 129 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Assaulting units:
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy
1st JNAF Coy

Defending units:
161st Infantry Regiment
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
8th Marine Def Bn /2


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

Ground combat at Efate (120,154)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 424 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Defending force 9656 troops, 116 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 399

Japanese ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
7th Indpt SNLF Coy
2nd JNAF Coy

Defending units:
Fiji Brigade
3rd Motor Brigade
8th NZ Bde /3

Both bases should easily fall.

[Capt. Harlock]

Another brilliant display of Allied gunnery here. Time and time again my surface ships fail to live up to even half the effectiveness of the Japanese.

That is indeed surprisingly poor for November 1943. You should be getting a boost from radar. Come to think of it, how close did the range get? Nobody should shoot as well as the Japanese did, from 28,000 yards.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Another brilliant display of Allied gunnery here. Time and time again my surface ships fail to live up to even half the effectiveness of the Japanese.

That is indeed surprisingly poor for November 1943. You should be getting a boost from radar. Come to think of it, how close did the range get? Nobody should shoot as well as the Japanese did, from 28,000 yards.

Yet it doesn't surprise me at all! This has happened to me over and over this game. Time and time again I have fought surface engagements against the Japanese with close to 2 to 1 edge in firepower only to see my fleets get smacked around. It seemingly does not matter what ships I have or the Japanese have; as long as it's a surface engagement involving the IJN they're going to come out on top or escape unharmed. I have really only had one victory on the seas so for: and old fashioned BB fight of 4 USN BBs against the 2 Ise class BBs back in early 43. Actually let me post that one:

January 23rd 1943

Night Time Surface Combat, near Arorae at 138,137, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 16, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Mutsuki, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Shell hits 4, on fire
BB Nevada, Shell hits 2
BB Oklahoma, Shell hits 5, on fire
BB Washington, Shell hits 16, heavy fires
DD Conyngham
DD Dent
DD Gilmer, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Le Fier
DD L'Agile

Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 92% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 11,000 yards

Even then I still lost the BB Washington despite a 2 to 1 edge in firepower. The other Allied victory at sea was when the two French BCs chased down the CV Shokaku, BB Haruna and a CA just a month or so before this battle. Other than that my surface task forces have had many strings of defeat. Far too often my ships don't use the radars they have. And even when they do sometimes it doesn't seem to help.

And as for how close the IJN got, here is the full battle log:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Abemama at 136,129, Range 28,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
CB Kasuga, Shell hits 1
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Fubuki, Shell hits 1
DD Isonami
DD Asagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Amagiri

Allied Ships
BB Nevada, Shell hits 11, on fire
BB Arizona, Shell hits 9, on fire
BB New Mexico, Shell hits 5, on fire
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 5
DD Daly, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Philip, Shell hits 1
DD Thompson
DD Harding
DD McCook, Shell hits 1
DD Drayton, Shell hits 1
DD Allen
DD Ward, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Vampire
DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kilty, Shell hits 5, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 28,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Mississippi at 28,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Arizona at 28,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Nevada at 28,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Kilty at 28,000 yards
BB Arizona engages DD Asagiri at 28,000 yards
BB Nevada engages DD Isonami at 28,000 yards
BB Nevada engages DD Fubuki at 28,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages DD Daly at 28,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB New Mexico at 25,000 yards
BB Nevada engages BB Hiei at 25,000 yards
BB Hiei engages DD Van Ghent at 25,000 yards
BB Hiei engages DD Vampire at 25,000 yards
BB Nevada engages DD Fubuki at 25,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages DD Daly at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 22,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Mississippi at 22,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Nevada at 22,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Nevada at 22,000 yards
BB New Mexico engages CA Haguro at 22,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Van Ghent at 22,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Van Ghent at 22,000 yards
DD Fubuki engages DD Ward at 22,000 yards
DD Asagiri engages DD Ward at 22,000 yards
DD Van Ghent engages DD Isonami at 22,000 yards
DD Fubuki engages DD Van Ghent at 22,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Asagiri at 22,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Ward at 22,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Daly at 22,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards
BB New Mexico engages BB Hiei at 20,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB New Mexico at 20,000 yards
CA Ashigara engages BB Arizona at 20,000 yards
CA Nachi engages DD Van Ghent at 20,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Van Ghent at 20,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Van Ghent at 20,000 yards
DD Yugiri engages DD Vampire at 20,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Ikazuchi at 20,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Yugiri at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Arizona at 17,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Arizona at 17,000 yards
CA Ashigara engages BB Arizona at 17,000 yards
BB Nevada engages CA Nachi at 17,000 yards
DD Kilty engages DD Amagiri at 17,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Van Ghent at 17,000 yards
DD Vampire engages DD Amagiri at 17,000 yards
DD Van Ghent engages DD Yugiri at 17,000 yards
DD Drayton engages DD Isonami at 17,000 yards
DD McCook engages DD Isonami at 17,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Ikazuchi at 17,000 yards
DD Van Ghent engages DD Akatsuki at 17,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Daly at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Mississippi at 15,000 yards
BB New Mexico engages CB Kasuga at 15,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Arizona at 15,000 yards
BB Nevada engages CB Kasuga at 15,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Kilty at 15,000 yards
CA Myoko engages BB New Mexico at 15,000 yards
DD Vampire engages DD Amagiri at 15,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Akatsuki at 15,000 yards
DD Yugiri engages DD Allen at 15,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Ward at 15,000 yards
DD Allen engages DD Fubuki at 15,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Ward at 15,000 yards
DD Thompson engages DD Ikazuchi at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Arizona at 11,000 yards
BB New Mexico engages CB Kasuga at 11,000 yards
CA Ashigara engages DD Van Ghent at 11,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Nevada at 11,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Kilty at 11,000 yards
DD Yugiri engages DD Van Ghent at 11,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Allen at 11,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Yugiri at 11,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Asagiri at 11,000 yards
DD Drayton engages DD Akatsuki at 11,000 yards
DD McCook engages DD Amagiri at 11,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Kilty at 11,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Harding at 11,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Philip at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Nevada at 9,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Mississippi at 9,000 yards
BB Mississippi engages CA Ashigara at 9,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Nevada at 9,000 yards
DD Kilty engages DD Isonami at 9,000 yards
DD Van Ghent engages DD Akatsuki at 9,000 yards
DD Vampire engages DD Isonami at 9,000 yards
DD Yugiri engages DD Kilty at 9,000 yards
DD Kilty engages DD Asagiri at 9,000 yards
DD Drayton engages DD Isonami at 9,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD McCook at 9,000 yards
DD Kilty engages DD Ikazuchi at 9,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Vampire at 9,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Philip at 9,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Daly at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi collides with CA Myoko at 136 , 129
BB Hiei engages BB Mississippi at 11,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB New Mexico at 11,000 yards
BB Arizona engages BB Hiei at 11,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB Nevada at 11,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Harding at 11,000 yards
DD Van Ghent engages DD Ikazuchi at 11,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Vampire at 11,000 yards
DD McCook engages DD Yugiri at 11,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Asagiri at 11,000 yards
DD Drayton engages DD Fubuki at 11,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Fubuki at 11,000 yards
DD Thompson engages DD Yugiri at 11,000 yards
DD Fubuki engages DD Philip at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Nevada at 14,000 yards
BB Mississippi engages CB Kasuga at 14,000 yards
CA Ashigara engages DD Daly at 14,000 yards
BB Nevada engages BB Hiei at 14,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD McCook at 14,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Ward at 14,000 yards
DD Ward engages DD Amagiri at 14,000 yards
DD Yugiri engages DD Ward at 14,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Asagiri at 14,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Drayton at 14,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD McCook at 14,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Harding at 14,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Akatsuki at 14,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Philip at 14,000 yards
Range increases to 16,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Mississippi at 16,000 yards
BB Arizona engages CB Kasuga at 16,000 yards
BB Arizona engages BB Hiei at 16,000 yards
BB Nevada engages CA Nachi at 16,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Daly at 16,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Daly at 16,000 yards
DD Amagiri engages DD Thompson at 16,000 yards
DD Fubuki engages DD Ward at 16,000 yards
DD Allen engages DD Ikazuchi at 16,000 yards
DD Drayton engages DD Fubuki at 16,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Fubuki at 16,000 yards
DD Harding engages DD Ikazuchi at 16,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD McCook at 16,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Philip at 16,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
BB New Mexico engages BB Hiei at 22,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB New Mexico at 22,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Arizona at 22,000 yards
CA Nachi engages DD Ward at 22,000 yards
BB Mississippi engages CA Haguro at 22,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages DD Drayton at 22,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages DD Philip at 22,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
CB Kasuga engages BB New Mexico at 29,000 yards
CA Nachi engages DD Van Ghent at 29,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Kilty at 29,000 yards
CA Haguro engages DD Allen at 29,000 yards
BB Hiei engages DD Harding at 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Closest was 9,000 yards.

[BBfanboy]

One of my frustrations with the combat routine is that after an initial salvo, the BBs seem to stop firing and the DDs (which have captains with higher aggression) move in and take up most of the combat round while the BB sit it out. Then when the forces are separating the BBs might start firing again but can't get the range right until just before contact is broken (and their shells do not penetrate at that range). I have seen this literally dozens of times - maybe a hundred.
I found an unrealistic way around it in one of my games - I sent 7 old BBs in with no escorts. They did not shoot really well but they got some good penetrating hits and their numbers and bulk soaked up the return fire. I was lucky it was daylight so enemy DDs did not get into short range for torpedoes.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I found an unrealistic way around it in one of my games - I sent 7 old BBs in with no escorts. They did not shoot really well but they got some good penetrating hits and their numbers and bulk soaked up the return fire. I was lucky it was daylight so enemy DDs did not get into short range for torpedoes.

And there are also subs to consider as well. I don't think that is a viable work around. We're not playing HOI3 you know...

My solution is simply to avoid surface combat whenever possible. Can't lose a fight that never happens. Eventually my carriers and subs will sink the IJN. I just need surface ships to bombard enemy bases.

[anarchyintheuk]

Old USN BBs have a rof of 1 vs. rof of 2 for every other BB . . . except maybe the Rodney. It kills them in surface actions.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I found an unrealistic way around it in one of my games - I sent 7 old BBs in with no escorts. They did not shoot really well but they got some good penetrating hits and their numbers and bulk soaked up the return fire. I was lucky it was daylight so enemy DDs did not get into short range for torpedoes.

And there are also subs to consider as well. I don't think that is a viable work around. We're not playing HOI3 you know...

My solution is simply to avoid surface combat whenever possible. Can't lose a fight that never happens. Eventually my carriers and subs will sink the IJN. I just need surface ships to bombard enemy bases.

[:D] I wasn't advocating for unescorted BBs by any means! Thus the word "unrealistic". It was just a frustration influenced move to see what would happen, and I was playing Head to Head at the time so I could scrub and redo afterward.

I did learn that USN BB gunfire penetrates Japanese BB side armour (except the Yamatos) at ranges a couple of thousand yards before the Japanese shells of the same caliber penetrate USN armour. I suppose this is because the USN 14" and 16" guns were more powerful and because the USN didn't skimp on armour to get more speed. If only we had the tactical control to tell the TF admiral to try and keep the range in the magic distance where we can get penetrating hits and they can't!

[tiemanjw]

In this case, too, you were going into a fight Winchester. BBs without ammo can't put up much a a fight. Kudos to your opponent for timing his fleet to come in behind yours.

[Sangeli]

November 12th 1943

Sometimes in a war a commander comes up with a brilliant battle plan and executes it as it was originally conceived. More often than not, however, even good plans don't turn out exactly as conceived. But perhaps the rarest event is when an accident happens and it leads to an amazing result. Today was one of those rare moments. I accidentally left a B-25D1 squadron on low naval attack to interdict convoys to Port Moresby (something that hasn't happened in months I should add) when the KB came in range. Had I remembered about the squadron, I would have changed their orders because I was not planning on testing the KB with my LBA. But I did not. And instead 6 B-25D1s flew unescorted at 1,000 feet against the KB. Here is what happened:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 85,131

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 76

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Ume

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Wow! The bombers were not even touched by the fighters as they made their approach. Tomorrow could get VERY interesting as I decided to follow up this attack by flying dive bombers into Gove to test the KB with my LBA again. Rev Rico thought he had trapped a bunch of my shipping in the Gulf of Carpenteria. Instead the trap could very well turn on him and could end with a few sunk carriers.

[Sangeli]

Well as it happens my strikes went through and did some serious damage to the KB! But Rev Rico had one redo stored up so he used it this turn. The reason he has one is that back in early 43 I took a redo myself so I gave him one to use at his discretion. I had set my CV TF to follow my CVEs against the KB hoping to form a unified Death Start. The manual states that a CV TF set to follow another TF won't react but as it happens it wasn't the case; my CVs left my CVEs to get in range to strike the KB. Since the behavior deviated from the manual I felt justified in asking for a redo on the condition that Rev Rico get one as well. Well he just used it so now we're even.

And since he knows I could order those strikes, I decided not to go through with them. He'll likely have 100% CAP over his CVs and there's no way fragmented LBA strikes will break through.

[traskott]

Wooow. That's strange!! I mean. A redo by a broken engine situation? I will take it everyday. But.. a mistake? [X(]

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: traskott
Wooow. That's strange!! I mean. A redo by a broken engine situation? I will take it everyday. But.. a mistake? [X(]

Well I didn't feel it was fair for me to ask for redo without giving Rev Rico one for himself. I want to win on a level playing field so if I was allowed to do a turn over again then so should Rev Rico.

[Bif1961]

Looks like Dolittle's program of low level bombing paid huge dividends when the KB sailed into view of their well trained bomb sights.

[Lowpe]

Good sportsmanship![&o]

Japanese ships are very vulnerable to the low flying strike this early (bad radar warning). The counter is to of course have a squadron at 3K flying CAP.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961
Looks like Dolittle's program of low level bombing paid huge dividends when the KB sailed into view of their well trained bomb sights.

I haven't flown LowN missions very often but when I do they generally have paid off. But its a high risk mission so if you're not careful you'll burn through pilots very quickly.

[Sangeli]

November 14th 1943

A rare successful Japanese ASW attack sunk a sub:

ASW attack near Tioman Island at 52,84

Japanese Ships
E W-16
E W-15
E Yanagi
E Karii

Allied Ships
SS Amberjack, hits 9, and is sunk

Is this because the IJN has new ASW technology? Do I need to adjust my tactics?

In the Gilberts I flew in a dive bomber squadron to protect against naval bombardment. But first they flew against a merchantman:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Makin at 136,125

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 30

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Kozui Maru, Bomb hits 8, and is sunk
DD Yunagi

Then in the afternoon they sortied against the SCTF that I originally had hoped they would attack:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Mili at 135,123

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 67 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 36
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 5 destroyed
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 11 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 5 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CB Kasuga
BB Hiei
CA Haguro

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
21 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
3 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

25 bombers dropped their bombs and 25 missed. Bummer.

Meanwhile in the South Pacific my landings continued:

Ground combat at Koumac (113,156)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4777 troops, 68 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 201

Defending force 23703 troops, 325 guns, 285 vehicles, Assault Value = 811

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
53rd/A Division
25th Air Flotilla
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
93rd Base Force
17th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
33rd Infantry Div /15
148th USA Base Force /1
XI US Corps /1

Koumac should fall within a couple of days after which the divisions will move south to take Noumea. All in all the SoPac invasion was a total success: nary a bomb, torpedo, or gun fired at an Allied ship. Only action by the Japanese was a CAP trap last week. Guess Rev Rico had no real plans to defend the area. Right now Japan seems to be preoccupied with the eastern DEI/Darwin area to the point of ignoring events elsewhere. That's fine by me: my focus right now is to shorten my lines of communications in the Pacific to make logistics easier for 1944. But I need to start thinking about a global unified strategy in 1944. I have a few ideas bouncing in my head but nothing set in stone (and by that I mean in prepped units).

[Sangeli]

Here's a current map of the world. Red outlines is approximate Japanese zone of control. At this point I consider New Calendonia mine. Blue line are my objectives for the next few months in the Pacific. I believe that pushing back the Solomons could important if I want to make a push from Darwin towards the DEI to keep lines of communications short. I do not expect a big fight near Rabaul, however. By the time I get there I'll probably have bigger fish to fry.

[Sangeli]

I realize I haven't posted any air losses screenshots. Here are some:

[BBfanboy]

1943 is when the Japanese start to get the "Super E" escort vessels. Many Allied players have complained over the years that they are too effective compared to historical, but the game is not a simulator so it may be a balancing feature to have them for Japan.

Interesting about the aircraft losses - the first 10 aircraft types are Japanese. You are doing well in the air war!