An Aussie Affair: Luskan vs Raverdave

[Luskan]

Has been a while since I posted my first AAR, so now just a nice summary of my newest PBEM match.

Scn 15: I'm the allies, Raver is the IJN, 100% commitment, very variable reinforcement, plenty of beer.

Raver's first move was to misinform me - he told me we were playing scn 17.

July 42 Week 1:

Began with my immediate reorganisation of my new command. Who the hell was doing this job before?? All the bombers are in useless places and 50% of every squadron on the map is damaged (except the Wirraways which are all operational and almost at full strength thank god!).

Piling my troops north from Noumea and North from Brisbane, I set all the long range level bombers in Cooktown (just about the only base within striking range of what used to be PNG (I think Raver might have renamed it in japanese)).

I sent a bunch of cruisers and destroyers, lead by the venerable North Carolina up to Lunga for a bombardment run and they caught 4 CS class ships with an escort of maybe 14 destroyers. In a fairly even brawl my big shell hits sank two of his destroyers and got a few scratches everywhere else, while two long lance hits crippled the Minneapolis and the DD Hull (IIRC). Both damaged DD and CA made port at the end of the week with over 70 system damage and about 60 or 70 flt damage. Lucky not to loose them.

Raver responded by having a light-powered surface TF stand within bombardment range of Cooktown. Naturally my bombers didn't want to get bombarded the following night so they launch and scored a bomb hit on each of 3 cruisers. The tf didn't bombard but retired.

The first four days of the week held a large aerial battle over Cairns and Cooktown as large groups (about 40 or 50) of Bettys and Nells, sometimes with a dozen fighters escorting, sometimes not, would attack my northern airbases. The first three days were costly for both sides as my p-39s would damage a few bombers and splash one or two at best, while he would destroy three or four of my level bombers on the ground with each raid. Then my kittyhawk squadrons arrived and at the end of the 4 day battle they had shot down 15 betties and 13 nells (Top pilot J Perrin RAAF 76 squadron got 3 in one day). Altogether I had half a dozen fighters damaged, eight level bombers destroyed and lost two fighters in the air to air battle. Wisely he stopped sending those bombers.

No sub attacks or carrier sightings to speak of on either side.

My strategy: To lie, cheat, deceive and mislead Raver at every turn. His plan is much the same. However it won't be long until my troops raise the Aussie flag on PNG.

[Raverdave]

Sitting here looking around at PM I have to tell you all that the place is over-rated. The natives are lazy,it is hot and always wet, and my troops are starting to come down with illness that the doctors have never seen before. The sooner that we win this war the better.

[Luskan]

The afore mentioned surface combat group I sent to Lunga was intended to catch enemy transports trying to turn the base into a stronghold. However my tf arrived on the night of the 3rd - and in hindsight I realised this was far too early for anyu transports to have made it from Truk.

So on the night of the 9th, the same surface combat force (minus Minneapolis and Alwin (not Hull) because they were damaged, and North Carolina because she was too slow) returned to Lunga along with a couple of subs and this is the report.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/09/42

Sub attack near Lunga at 38,40

Japanese Ships
AP Enju Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-44


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Sub attack near Lunga at 38,40

Japanese Ships
PG Nikkai Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
SS Gudgeon


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Night Time Surface Combat at 0,0

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsushima, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
DD Fubuki, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
DD Isonami, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
DD Harukaze, Shell hits 21, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Portland, Shell hits 2
CA Chester, Shell hits 1
CA San Francisco
CA Australia, Shell hits 2
CL Hobart
DD Patterson
DD Benham, Shell hits 1
DD Ellet
DD Stack
DD Sterett
DD Maury
DD Balch
DD Hull


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40

Japanese Ships
AP Sasago Maru, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
AP Shinkoku Maru, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
AP Tamashima Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
AP Tarushima Maru, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
AP Unkai Maru #3, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
AP Yamakuni Maru, Shell hits 17, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Chester
CA San Francisco, Shell hits 2
CA Australia
CL Hobart
DD Patterson, Shell hits 1
DD Benham
DD Ellet, Shell hits 1
DD Stack
DD Sterett
DD Maury
DD Balch
DD Hull, Shell hits 1


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40

Japanese Ships
PG Keijo Maru, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
PG Nikkai Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PG Seikai Maru, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Chester
CA San Francisco
CA Australia
CL Hobart
DD Patterson
DD Benham
DD Ellet
DD Stack
DD Sterett
DD Maury
DD Balch
DD Hull

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Sub attack near Lunga at 38,40

Japanese Ships
TK Toho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
SS S-44


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Three cheers for Lee and his CAs!! (although most of the hits were 5inch hits from my DDs . . . )

Raver responded by calling me rude names.

[Raverdave]

Ah the fog of war is a wonderful thing.............the hits reported are not nearly as bad as they seem. And I will allow you to keep believeing that you have sunk as may as you claim.


PM has now been renamed "Cherry Blossom Port".

Long Live the Emporia!

[Luskan]

Of course, you can't trust a word this guy says. So that if he tells you a story about Lee's victorious cruiser/destroyer surface combat group returning to Luganville in "victory parade" formation, where Lee himself is waving to the jubilant crowds from the deck of his flagship Portland when the Portland hits a mine, and is then torpedoed twice by some impertinent Jap sub (who paid for this attempt with his life), while another sub (or possibly the same insane one) sends two torpedoes into the Australia's hull at the same time, you'll know it is all lies.

[Raverdave]

Luskan is acting just like the Italian navy.....refusing to come out of port. You DO know that leaving you CVs in port for too long will result in MORE barniacles on the hull and NOT less?

[Luskan]

For starters, you aren't sure which port my Cvs are in. Second, Wasp and Saratoga are about a month away. Until then I'm quite content for your cvs to sit in the middle of the ocean just south of Lunga in all kinds of weather. Let your crews get some quality fishing time in before they die. :rolleyes:

[Luskan]

besides which we are 11 days into this fight and my navy has already completed two good offensive missions! Yours hasn't sortied further than the bar!

[Raverdave]

Now that I have a those small hic-ups behind me....the campaign rolls on!

[Raverdave]

Well the night action was not as good as I could hope for, but none the less to showed Luskan who is the Deer and who is the Lion. He has a large Surface TF at Luganville, maybe now he will stay further south.





AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/14/42

Night Time Surface Combat, near Wunpuko at 51,51

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu
BB Yamato
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Isokaze
DD Shiranui
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Tanikaze
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Asagumo
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
BB North Carolina
CA Chester, Shell hits 3
CA San Francisco
CL Hobart
DD Aaron Ward
DD Patterson
DD Benham
DD Ellet
DD Stack, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Sterett
DD Maury
DD Balch, Shell hits 1
DD Hull
PG Kiwi
PG Moa
PG Tui


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Air attack on TF at 46,49

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 8
A6M2 Zero x 83

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 2 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 1 damaged

PO2 P.Katsuma of AI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu

Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
D3A Val x 61
B5N Kate x 64

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
P-400 Airacobra x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 6 destroyed
D3A Val x 2 damaged
B5N Kate x 5 destroyed
B5N Kate x 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 1 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra x 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Chester
BB North Carolina
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Hobart
DD Aaron Ward, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Ellet
PG Moa
DD Benham
DD Hull
DD Sterett


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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
D3A Val x 18
B5N Kate x 15

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
P-400 Airacobra x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 destroyed
D3A Val x 7 damaged
B5N Kate x 2 destroyed
B5N Kate x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Maury
DD Stack, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Tui
CA San Francisco, on fire
BB North Carolina


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Air attack on TF at 46,49

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 6
A6M2 Zero x 80

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 2 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged

MAJ V.Ellard of 28th BS is credited with kill number 2

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet

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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39
D3A Val x 18
B5N Kate x 11

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10
P-400 Airacobra x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 2 damaged
D3A Val x 1 destroyed
D3A Val x 1 damaged
B5N Kate x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 2 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra x 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Neville, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP McCawley
AO Sabine
AP Barnett, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AO Kanawha, Bomb hits 1, on fire


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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
B5N Kate x 11

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4
P-400 Airacobra x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate x 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AK Betelgeuse
AP Barnett, on fire, heavy damage
AK Fomalhaut


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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 20
B5N Kate x 17

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
P-400 Airacobra x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 3 destroyed
D3A Val x 4 damaged
B5N Kate x 2 destroyed
B5N Kate x 4 damaged


ENS E. Bassett of VF-42 is credited with kill number 2

Allied Ships
AO Kanawha, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Platte
AP Fuller
AO Cimarron
AO Sabine, Bomb hits 1, on fire

[Pawlock]

Now you sure you had enough BB's in that Tf?

[Raverdave]

Originally posted by Pawlock
Now you sure you had enough BB's in that Tf?

Better safe than sorry.

[Pawlock]

I would say considering the size and composition of your Tf (take it Tanaka in charge?) the USN had one hell of a lucky escape.

[Luskan]

My surface tf had 1 BB and was a 3rd the size of Raver's and they came off ok (although the 16 or 18 inch shell hit on Stack hurt a bit). Stack didn't need to get bombed by those vals to sink (99 sys damage - she's going down - Raver's second kill of the game).

My report was a fair bit different to Raver's - I didn't get any hits on my surface group but copped a lot more in the transport group from one of his smaller waves of bombers. Stack won't be the only ship at the bottom of Luganville harbour.

A big fat thanks-for-nothing to the b17 pilots who could have hit the unescorted BBs . . . but instead decided to try and outfly 80 zeroes . . .

Raver lost lots of aircraft at least (The old "hurt his fist with my face argument").

[Raverdave]

And here is the AAR for the 15th. Yup B-17s are as about useful in the naval attack role as are tits on a bull. Funny thing is his CAP is doing very well........and most of my pilots are exp 80+ while his pilots would be luck to be exp 70+.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/15/42

Air attack on Wunpuko , at 51,51

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13

no losses


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Air attack on TF at 51,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 82
A6M3 Zero x 10

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
B-17E Fortress x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress x 4 destroyed

LTJG J. Adams of VF-42 is credited with kill number 3

Japanese Ships
CVL Shoho

Attacking Level Bombers:
0 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet

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Air attack on TF at 51,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 70
A6M3 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 3 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 16 damaged

LT M. Sato of AII-1 Daitai is KILLED

Japanese Ships
CVL Shoho
CL Nagara
CV Kaga
CV Hiryu

Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet
1 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet

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Air attack on Luganville , at 53,53

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 49
A6M3 Zero x 9
D3A Val x 112
B5N Kate x 121

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 20
P-400 Airacobra x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 2 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged
D3A Val x 4 destroyed
D3A Val x 12 damaged
B5N Kate x 4 destroyed
B5N Kate x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged
P-400 Airacobra x 1 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra x 1 damaged

LTJG J. Adams of VF-42 is credited with kill number 4

LCDR S. Murata of AI-3 Daitai is KILLED

Allied Ships
AO Kaskaskia, Bomb hits 1
CA Portland, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stack, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SC 637, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AO Sabine, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AO Kanawha, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AO Platte, Bomb hits 1, on fire


Allied ground losses:
Men lost 103

Port hits 13
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 2

Attacking Level Bombers:
16 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
12 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
14 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
9 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
18 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
15 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
17 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
16 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet

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Air attack on TF at 51,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 75
A6M3 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 5
B-17E Fortress x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress x 2 destroyed
B-17E Fortress x 1 damaged

LCDR J. Thach of VF-3 bails out WOUNDED and is RESCUED

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi

Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x B-17E Fortress at 1000 feet


I know there are still targets there so what the heck....lets hit'em again!

[Raverdave]

Originally posted by Raverdave


LCDR J. Thach of VF-3 bails out WOUNDED and is RESCUED

D@mn! Nearly got him!

[Luskan]

You just keep those planes coming. And my flak/fighters will keep shooting them down at a ratio of three to one (not counting idiot b17s).

Pity about the Portland - Raver now has the biggest kill of the game so far.

[Luskan]

As the end of the third week of the war draws nigh, things are looking dire for the allies (me).

In a barrage of nasty fights, all the transports/tankers and destroyers in port at Luganville that were too smashed up to escape to Noumea were bombed under the water by relentless air attacks. At the height of the battle over 50 aircraft from both sides were lost in the one day. While Luganville was the subject of relentless aerial bombardment, that massive 7-battlewagon surface group bombarded the place and unloaded enough ammo to turn the whole volcanic rock back into farmland. Sure Raver will post a few combat reports to keep the blood and gore fans happy.

Then at the end of the week, japanese forces landed unseen at Russel Islands, Irau, Nevea and Wupenko (next to Luganville) within 48 hours of each other. While most of these invasion forces was barely 400 men, somehow Raver has got an artillery unit, a HQ and a fat infantry sasebo or something to Wupenko. It is hoped that the engineers and aviation support troops that are the base's sole occupants will be able to hold out while allied reinforcements move to relieve the pressure by attacking elsewhere.

This group of 7 carriers, 7 bbs and a dozen other ships off Luganville has caused quite a stir - and not to worry - the allied aviation crews have not stood by and done nothing - they've managed to cower and void their bowels.

Some good news is on the horizon, with the arrival of more ships, more troops, and most importantly for SOPAC, many more aircraft of all kinds in the next week at Noumea.

In other news Minneapolis and Australia were returned to Noumea, along with a couple of damaged tankers and transports.

[Raverdave]

My CV TFs' have control of the seas, they dominate where ever they sail, Luskan still fears to put his CVs to battle (rightly so) but at what cost? Time will tell.


Having wreaked havoc in the South Pacific, my eyes are now turning to Australia.......Recon flights report that Townsvillie still has no night black-out controls and shines like a babble to be picked off a christmas tree.

[Luskan]

Although nevea and the russell islands are now ijn controlled, the hastily airlifted 182nd RCT arrived at Wupenko in time to easily beat off the japanese attack. The japs on the island face extinction pretty soon in fact.

On the down side, Luganville is still recovering from that bombardment tf, followed by wave after wave of airstrikes that cull my grounded fighters and bombers on the ground. The situation gets more and more grim as Raver bashes three more transports trying to run supplies and engineers in (probably won't last the trip back to noumea so they're staying). The jap super BB tf is on its way in for another pass - at Luganville or Wupenko it is not known. What is known is that without replacements, my b17 bomber wing was massacred to no good purpose and are now impotent and useless. Seems that I am going to have to stop Raver's BBs and Cvs with another tactic.

Sadly I can really only think of one sure fire way to get rid of his CVs and I'm really not ready to do that.

He's even started to draw even in the air battle over northern australia.