A real "operation shoestring"

[el cid again]

During my preliminary test of the invasion of Hawaii scenario - I have run minimal offensives in other parts of the SRA to insure the forces are adequate. In addition to traditional invasions of Malaya, Philippines, Burma and NEI - I have added a tiny invasion of the SW Pacific area. Siezing Rabaul and nearby locations - I decided to follow up with inadequate forces (the 144th Regimental Combat Team is the big boy on the block) and attack Port Moresby. The 144th marched overland from Buna - defeating a unit at Kakota en route. Before it could arrive, I landed a Combined SNLF on Kappa Kappa - just in time for an Aussie Brigade to march there (drat) - and it was horribly mauled (only a dozen squads of line troops making the beach, although most of the artillery and support landed). A two CA cruiser support force bombarded, and a tiny airforce did as well - barely able to operate out of advance airfields not yet built up much at Buna/Dobradura.
British cruisers and destroyers reacted out of Port Moresby - and lost - and then the undamaged CA counter raided PM the day after. Everything naval at PM then ran - and a gauntlet of 3 submarines and the damaged surface action group sank virtually the lot. PM based US bombers (a whole squadron) covered by Aussie "pretend fighters" caused significant damage to a few ships - about 2 per day - but in the end the position at Kappa Kappa had to be abandoned. A second force moved over the Kappa Kappa trail - a reserve regiment landed behind the CSNLF - and it is clear that PM has problems. It has moderate suppy - two US artillery regiments - two Aussie Brigades - the New Guinea militia may make it in from the North in time for the siege - but there is no way to get more supply in by sea - although one C-47 unit in theater is flying them in. Air attacks from Rabaul and Dobradura and Gasmata may doom the defense - and there is not much to send. All but one effective Allied naval unit (a USN CA) in the area is out of action.