Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
|
6/16/42 Gulf of Alaska: Indeed the KB charged and closed to within striking distance of the fleeing Allied convoy. The Allied ships withstood three waves of attacks, suffered some losses, but inflicted terrible damage to Japanese aircraft. Despite the Allied losses, it would have been a glorious victory but for two things that always plague me in these games - the US CVs didn't launch bombers, and two of my CVs reacted, separating from the main convoy. So here's what happened: US CVs and Convoys: Fleeing east, the ships end the turn 120 miles west of Prince Rupert, allowing a handful of Kittyhawks and P38s to augument the CAP provided by three squadrons of F4Fs. KB: The KB closes to a point 300 miles west of the US ships and launches three strikes. Strike 1: 21 Kates, 21 Vals, and 10 Zeros face 68 F4Fs, 6 Khawks, and 4 P38s. The Japs lose 9 Z, 20 V, and 20 K while the Allies lose 1 F4F, 1 K, and 2 P38. No ships are damaged. Strike 2: Here comes the overwhelming surge that I figure will finish off my CVs, but I'm wrong (hurray): 141 K, 91 V, and 56 Z face 67 F4F, 5 K, and 4 P38. The Japs see 40 Z, 30 V, and 52 K go down in flames. The Allies lose 3 F4Fs, 16 K, and 3 P38. The vampires that get through put 1 TT into Hornet, doing light damage, and 4 TT into BB Idaho, sending the latter to the bottom. Idaho deserves a ship version of the Medal of Honor. Strike 3: 33 K, 22 V, and 4 Z come in against 4 K, 64 F4F, and 4 P38. The Japs lose 2 Z, 4 V, and 9 K and the survivors flee the scene. No Allied craft are lost. Total Aircraft Losses for the Day: Japs 209, Allies 34. Tomorrow: Recon reports the Jap TFs are still heading east. Will John continue the attack despite the devastating losses taken by the KB? I think I would welcome it had my two undamaged CVs not "reacted" and moved a hex west (despite orders not to react and orders to follow a merchant convoy). This poses a real problem, because now my CVs are separated and who knows what they'll do. Man, I wish CVs would obey orders. Anyhow, I've sent non-CV convoys south toward Port Alice and issued orders for the two CV TFs to follow suit. Who knows whether they will comply. So, tomorrow, John may retreat, he may advance and get bloodied again if my ships hang together, or he may clobber me in detail if my CVs remain dispersed. I have no idea which of the three will occur. Impact: IF - and this is a big if at this point - the US CVs make it back to Seattle, then this has been a great victory. While I haven't touched a Jap ship, and despite the loss of a BB, the KB will have been markedly weakened by the loss of pilots and aircraft. Cen- and SoPac: With the KB to the north, the Allies continue to push supplies and troops to distant points. An AK carrying half a field artillery regiment arrived in NZ with another about a week behind. An AP carrying another Americal detachment is just a couple of days from Wellington. A second such AP was torpedoed twice south of Papaete - it has a chance of making it home. A third such AP sailed north of Papaete and between Raratonga and Tongatapu and may make it to NZ. Australia: Status quo, but I'm a bit less apprehensive about a massive invasion with the KB in Alaska. But John can mount an invasion without a KB since I have nothing with which to oppose him. India/Burma: Quiet. China: Quiet.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 12/21/2007 6:37:21 PM >
|