Fabertong vs Speedy - a taste of things to come

[fabertong]

Steven and I are undertaking a Guad. Scenario in preparation for our Grand Camp......re-match........I will, as usual be playing the Empire of Japan......Speedy, the other lot (what are they called again?).........

All I know about this scenario is the AARs in the build up to release......enough to know it's a hard road for the Japanese....to keep the levels of FOW as high as possible......I haven't had a peek at the Allied OOB......so apart from historical knowledge ....I'm blissfully unaware of the forces against me.....so recon will be paramount.


The 'Master Plan'......to be frank......I don't have one........

Turn one......I'm sending supply via Fast Trans to Lae and Buna.....flying some to Lunga....and slower boats from Truk are bringing fuel/supply and a Const. Bat. to Rabual.

I'm using my Betty's at R. to bomb the Kokoda Trail......for my troops to follow up with a shock attack......some Zero's from Lea will sweep ahead(I hope).

Val's at R. flying ASW.......with a couple of ASW TF's to search the sea's around Truk/R/Lea.

I'll gather my CA's at R........and await developments....I must not let down Penguin-kind........again.

[Mike Solli]

 Looking forward to this.  Are you going to have an AAR for your campaign?

[fabertong]

Hi Mike.......nice to see you around.......yes, this will be my AAR on this game.........and then again I'll run one for the big game in a couple of months time.

I will post maps as, and when the game moves on.....

Day one

The sweep over Kokoda killed a couple of Kittyhawks...but the ground troops failed to attack....due to me probably forgetting to tell them to.......the allies also lost a P-39 to CAP over one of my Fast Transport groups......I lost a couple of floatplanes due to Ops.

Allied Carrier groups attacked Tulagi....

Also spotted a sub south west of R.......moving ASW groups in........10 new subs arrived and are moving out now.....with new commanders in charge.

[davidjruss]

Nice to see the Penguin flying again.[:)]

DavidR

[Capt. Harlock]

Speedy, the other lot (what are they called again?)

The Cannon Fodder? [:D]

[scott64]

[:'(]

[fabertong]

Thanks David.......yes, Capt.....that was the phrase I was searching for..........Hi Scott......nice to see you AE-ing as well.......

Day 2.........Aug. 7th 1942.....

USS Greenling attacked my unescorted Madang resupply TF......hitting with a dud torpedo....and then surfacing to damage on of the 3 AKLs in the group....the damaged ship will return to Truk....the rest will carry on.....Greenling did recieve a V. minor hit.

My fast transport groups to Lae were once again attacked by Bombers out of PM......the Allies lost 1 Kittyhawk and 1 P-39 to CAP.....no hits on my ships.....

The allied Invasion forces for the 'canal'......have been spotted and attacked by floatpanes flying from Tulagi......one 60kg bomb hit and bounced off an Allied CA.......another 2 60 kg-ers hit an AP....causing some fire damage.......

Large carrier based air-raids hit Tulagi/Lunga.......

I've decided to hold back the CAs at Rabual for now....and have stood down the Betty's....as my Zero's lack drop tanks...due to lack of supply at R......and for that matter....across the map.......send me supply.

[fabertong]

Day 3 .......Aug. 8th 1942.....

Both Greenling and Gudgeon attacked transport TF's this turn......no hits...but I created another 2 ASW TF's.......

Speedy hit Lae with B-17 and escorts.......not much airfield damage......but pretty much gutted the 2 Zero groups based there in damage terms...lost 1 Zero...and 15 damaged....I've reinforced with my last Zero group......so all my eggs in one basket........risky.

Also bad news for me at Tulagi....I left the Rufe group and the Mavis's in place and lost 5 Rufe's to A2A...and 3 Mavis's to Airfield attacks from the US Carrier groups.......should have pulled them out last turn.........

Forgot to mention that my troops on the Kokoda trail have pushed back the Aussies......and are moving on PM..

[scott64]

Currently I am Wienie Roasting. [:D]

[Q-Ball]

I am subscribed! Who won the WITP game anyway, I can't remember?[&:]

[fabertong]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

I am subscribed! Who won the WITP game anyway, I can't remember?[&:]

Steven won last time.........by mid March 1945.......after a fine 3 front campeign moving through the CenPac......around the west coast of Borneo....and Burma.........and his crippling use of subs....which contniues in AE.....

Aug 9th and 10th 1942......


Lunga and Tulagi fall........

SS-38 hit and destroyed one of my PBs escorting supply to Lae........and Greenling hit and badly damaged an AK with some of a Naval Const. Bat. on.....she will sink.....

Speedy's B-17 raid on Lae 2 turns ago has seemingly achieved his objective....as I'm holding back my Fighters to protect the aifield and the TFs unloading.....giving his P-39 the chance to Hit the Kokoda trail unopposed.......

His carrier groups have pulled back.....seemingly.......

[fabertong]

Aug 11th-14th 1942.......

A large raid over Lae on the 13th failed to do the damage of the earlier.......but I lost 2 Zero's 2 A2A......Speedy's Kittyhawks getting the best of this...and my Val air-raid at PM....which badly damaged 2 allied AK's....but at some cost......with another 2 Zero's lost....

Speedy sent a SAG of several CA escorted by DDs.....to kill my lone AK I'd snuck into Tass.........then my Betty's....unleashed for the first time......50 of them attacked the shipping around Lunga......my Zero's swept aside his Seagulls.......but the Betty's hit one AK.....and ignored the CA's......

I've sunk SS-38........but lost another AK to subs.......need more supply......3 days until CVs arrive.....then we shall see.....

[fabertong]

August 15th 1942...........

My Val group attacked a single AK unloading at PM......my escorting Zero's had the best of it on the way in.....killing one kittyhawk.......the Vals then hit the AK 4 times ...leaving her badly damaged.....but on the way out....due to low ammo for my Zero's and new CAP joing I lost 8 Vals!.......this group has been withdrawn to Rabual......to re-group/re-train/and replace........

30 Betty's attacked Steven's Ca group at Lunga.......I lost 3 to Flak.....but hit Astoria with one Torpedo...she was not badly damaged.......the Betty's will now stand down for a turn or 2 to recover morale.......

[fabertong]

August 16-17th 1942

Two good turn for Steven.........

On the 16th an unescorted B-17 strike once more hit Lae.......and although I lost no Zero's in combat......most of the two groups based there were damaged.....this meant that there is still no air cover for the troops slogging over the Kokoda trail........

On the 17th ......I took a chance and sent one of my Betty groups......unescorted, due to lack of usable Zero's.....to hit allied shipping around Lunga.....a Wildcat group of 18 aircraft were on station......and I lost 15 Betty's!...12 to A2A, 3 to flak.....for no hits.......it was a gamble.....and now I know better....the group in question is due to withdraw in 30 days......so they have been sent to Truk on ASW duty........

A huge number of ships arrived today.....including a carrier group......these will move to Rabual....and await developments.....my two big headaches are supply......and Fighters.......

[d0mbo]

Are you planning on trying to hold TASS? if so, i want to advice you to have a group of fast transports (read CL's and DD's) running from your shortlands base to TASS on a fast transport mission.
They can make the round trip in one day so his Carrier aircraft wont be a concern.
 
And if there are are surface combat TF's around, you have a high chance of evading them as you are at TASS at night.
 
You do have to supply shortlands with supplies and fuel to keep them running though. Might be tricky agains an human opponent.
 
 
 
 
 

[Blind Sniper]

Hi fabertong,

just my thoughts from my game (09/22/1942)

50 of them attacked the shipping around Lunga......my Zero's swept aside his Seagulls.......but the Betty's hit one AK.....and ignored the CA's......

I scored a very few hits with my Betty's, and most of them were 80/90 as crew experience.

30 Betty's attacked Steven's Ca group at Lunga.......I lost 3 to Flak.....but hit Astoria with one Torpedo...

I noticed that American flak is very effective, almost every aircraft is damaged (or downed), sometimes it is frustrating...[:(]

On the 17th ......I took a chance and sent one of my Betty groups......unescorted, due to lack of usable Zero's.....to hit allied shipping around Lunga.....a Wildcat group of 18 aircraft were on station......and I lost 15 Betty's!...12 to A2A, 3 to flak.....for no hits.......it was a gamble.....

Unescorted is like a suicide. I always use my Zero's in escort duty but is pretty useless...I lost 132 Betty's so far: 81 Air-Air, 43 Flak and 8 Ops. Very few operational losses because I wait the best condition. My poor Zero's are depleted as well, lost 91: 70 Air-Air, 1 Flak, 20 Ops, here the operational losses are rather high for the long range escort.

I am a new player and I will follow your AAR hoping to learn how to use this flying Zippo's...

A huge number of ships arrived today.....including a carrier group......these will move to Rabual....and await developments.....my two big headaches are supply......and Fighters.......

For me are fuel and something to hit the Allied ships [:'(]

Are you planning on trying to hold TASS?

I don't think is possible hold Tassafaronga...but of course I can be wrong!

At the moment I'm trying to expand Shortlands and I take Milne Bay to keep my opponent honest, but I lost Lunga, Tulagi and Tassafaronga. Allied ASW TFs are very effective.

[fabertong]

Hi Guys......thanks for youy posts.........a quick answer is ....I don't really have plans to hold Tass at the moment......I'll support it with what supply I can sneak in....but for now......no major effort.......I'm largly toying with the Idea of an All out effort on NG........leaving the Marines on the 'Canal'.....to fester in the malarial climate on their own.

As for Betty's........I sent in the Unescorted ones.....2 turns running.......turn 1 I met only SOC 3s.......and no losses.......to run In a second time was a Big risk......and once Wildcats arrived....I got what I deserved.....a 'bloody nose'.......My thoughts on Betty's so far is that they are behaving historically.......Allied flak....even on their transports ....had been beefed up since the start of the war..........which meant higher losses and fewer hits.......I feel free to risk them at the moment due to having quite a few of them..........but sadly no escorts........

[fabertong]

August 18th 1942........

SS I -162.......made an unsuccessful attack at Lunga.....and paid for it.......Allied DD's gave her a right going over.....she is limping to Rabual....but will sink on the way, I suspect......

Then SAG - 3 (Chokai/Aoba/Kinugasa/Furutaka/Tenryu/Tatsuta) under the Command of R. Tanaka.......Snuck into Lunga with limited moonlight....and encountered a USN screening force...the CAs Astoria/Quincy/Vincennes and the Ds Ellet/ wilson/Dewey/Hull........Tanaka had his 'T-crossed'......but the flagship - Chokai struck first.....hitting Quincy with 2 torps.........but then a close range gun battle ensued......Furataka was hit with moderate damage......and Cl Tatsuta...was struck with 4 penetrating 8-inch gun hits.........and ground to a halt....Quincy sank.....but as the range lengthened the IJN got into the battle.......hitting all the CAs with gunfire....and a trop hit each for the other CA's........the allied DDs closed on Tatsuta and finiushed her off with Torps........before the allies withdrew from Combat....2 USN DDs were badly hit covering the withdraw'l.......

Tanaka then took SAG - 3 in on the Transports......the Allied Escorts did their job holding us off......Speedy lost a DMS.....but only minor damage to a handfull of other ships........

On the way out Tanaka came across the Allied CA cripples.........and finished them off........he retired to the East..........furutaka is still on station.....but she is in deep trouble.....and may have to fall back next turn.......Also an Unidentified USN TF is moving up from Nomea......she will be in range next turn....and if the USN CVs are there .....there will be trouble in deed......

Sorry no piccies......must remember how to do them!

[fabertong]

August 19th and 20th 1942......


Around half my forces on the Kokoda trail have reached PM.........I'm ounumbered by about 20% in AV terms........I have some Eng. and Arty on the way.....with 2 SNLF groups also on the way........I will still lack the strength to take it.......but am looking for a Major push in NG....once the troops arrive in 3-4 weeks time.......

One of Speey's subs took a shot at Chokai.......luckily, for me, it was a Dud........

AAG -1 (Zui,Sho, and a CVL).......hit the shipping around Lunga today ........hitting and sinking 2 APs and a DD......also damaging an AK......the Wildcat CAP killed one Zero....but lost three of their own.......I lost a couple of Vals to Flak....and a Kate to Ops.........the AAG is now withdrawing to the north.....as I still have no Idea where his CVs are.......but am sending esorted Betty's to try their luck next turn....

Lost an AK off Tass to SBDs flying from Henderson......life is going to get tougher now the airfield is Operational........

[Capt. Harlock]

Snuck into Lunga with limited moonlight....and encountered a USN screening force...the CAs Astoria/Quincy/Vincennes and the Ds Ellet/ wilson/Dewey/Hull........Tanaka had his 'T-crossed'

And yet you did about as well as the RL Battle of Savo Island. Only Three Allied CA's sunk, but significant damage to several other ships -- and you only lost a CL instead of a CA in return.