Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Argos

Cap Mandrake - where did the screen background shot come from (looks like Battle of Savo Island)? If I may inquire....

Yes..that is a trace map from one of the battles of Ironbottom Sound. I cooked up a dummy combat resolution screen and pasted the intel screen on top of that..

[zuluhour]

May I inquire as to the software you are using Capt'n? Something cheaper than photo shop I hope.

[Chickenboy]

I see you're throwing Horatio Hornblower himself at JJ. Jolly good. Jolly, jolly good.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

It looks like the SNLF that was at Corunna is gone.

Well, that's interesting...what's there then? Paradrop bait perhaps?

[frank1970]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Finally the medium bombers attack PH, going after the ground troops. There is no Jap CAP over PH.

Morning Air attack on 6th Guards Division, at 57,129 (Port Hedland)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 3
Mitchell II x 3
Bolingbroke IV x 4
B-24D Liberator x 6
B-25C Mitchell x 34
B-26 Marauder x 10
B-26B Marauder x 15


Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-26 Marauder: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
157 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Is this intentional? Or has some unit just upgraded by herself?

[sprior]

Yesterday's air losses, lots of dead Japany pilots planes.

[sprior]

More bully beef arrives at PH:

[sprior]

The reception committee at Akyab for JJ's armoured div:

[sprior]

The vice is closing on Darwin.

[BBfanboy]

Which vice would that be - alcohol? drugs?
Oh wait, I know - hussys! [;)] [with apologies to CanoeRebel for the plagiarism...]
Oddly enough being squeezed in a vise also describes the situation...[:'(]

Edit - to properly attribute to CanoeRebel the third vice ...

[sprior]

hussys!

We prefer "moistened bints"

And for your viewing delectation a vice:

[sprior]

Pongoes enjoying bully beef:

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Pongoes enjoying bully beef:

Looks like that one has also been enjoying the coconut jungle juice and the "special mushroom" salad ...

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Pongoes enjoying bully beef:

I also notice that his alleged 'enjoyment' of bully beef is devoid of the substance in his mouth. Perhaps the best way to enjoy bully beef is to hold it at arm's length?

[Cap Mandrake]

****************Dec 4, 1942**************


Oz: The same Allied surface group (minus one DD and most of their torps but with 80% main gun ammo) is sent back to PH to guard the transports and are driven off after a rough draw in combat damage.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 57,129, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Haguro, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Akizuki
DD Makinami
DD Oshio, Shell hits 1
DD Arashio
DD Natsugumo
DD Murasame
DD Yamakaze
DD Isonami
DD Fuyo, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA San Francisco, Shell hits 2
CL Durban
CL Ceres, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Caradoc, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Foxhound
DD Hotspur, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Isis

But then there is this bit. [:)]

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 57,129, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, on fire
CA Haguro, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akizuki
DD Makinami
DD Oshio
DD Arashio
DD Natsugumo
DD Murasame
DD Yamakaze
DD Isonami
DD Fuyo

Allied Ships
PT-153
PT-158

JJ also finds two SC's on ASW patrol.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 57,129, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, on fire
CA Haguro
DD Akizuki
DD Makinami
DD Oshio
DD Arashio
DD Natsugumo
DD Murasame
DD Yamakaze
DD Isonami
DD Fuyo

Allied Ships
SC-519, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
SC-738, Shell hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

When the sun comes up, the AK's are still unloading at PH and are attacked by Nells. It looks like Broome and PH airfields are shut down.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 56,128

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 9



Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses

The B-17's hit Broome in two raids:

Morning Air attack on Broome , at 62,127

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 9
B-17F Fortress x 8


Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed on ground
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 2 damaged



Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 14

and



Morning Air attack on Broome , at 62,127

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-17F Fortress x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged



Runway hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Ground and airfield attacks at PH. Evidently, the B-25's and B-26's from Carnarvon stayed home.

The B-24's at Geraldton are suffering maint. issues even though it is a massive airfield. Some have been moved to Meekathara. The limiting factor is aviation support at Geraldton as assets have been moved to Exmouth.



Morning Air attack on Port Hedland , at 57,129

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 3
Bolingbroke IV x 9
B-17E Fortress x 5
B-24D Liberator x 19
P-40K Warhawk x 12


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed on ground
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
Bolingbroke IV: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
82 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 9

[Cap Mandrake]

Then there is this. They are not dead yet.[X(] 3:1 with nearly even casualties and we take lost of infantry KIA's. That would have to be 2nd British Div.

Ground combat at Port Hedland (57,129)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39945 troops, 445 guns, 211 vehicles, Assault Value = 757

Defending force 18534 troops, 524 guns, 394 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Japanese adjusted assault: 678

Allied adjusted defense: 221

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1049 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 90 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 28 (21 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
830 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 29 (18 destroyed, 11 disabled)


Assaulting units:
4th Infantry Regiment
6th Guards Division
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Division
56th Recon Regiment
65th Brigade
24th Infantry Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
77th Infantry Regiment
66th Infantry Group
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /2
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
22nd Air Flotilla
30th Fld AA Gun Co
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
16th Army
51st JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
32nd Infantry Division
22nd (East African) Brigade
2nd British Division
34th Aviation Base Force
10th USN Naval Construction Battalion
14th USN Naval Construction Battalion
7th RAN Base Force
2nd Medium Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

At Dobo, the Japs send in a small cruiser force on short order and catch USS Salem with her decks already awash from the Bettys the day before. The surface group and amphib group have already bugged out. Salem will likely be the only casulaty from the initial Dobo landing. Most of a SeaBee group is already ashore but supply is an issue. Some will be sent by APD and airdrop until the field is ready.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Dobo at 83,116, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CL Sendai
DD Asagumo
DD Shirakumo
DD Tadeyame

Allied Ships
CM Salem, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[Itdepends]

Unfortunately taking even losses with the enemy at a 3:1 advantage is a losing proposition. It won't be long now before the allied forces are expelled from PH.