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Disaster at the Coral Sea: Riva Ridge vs. Hunchback77

 
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Disaster at the Coral Sea: Riva Ridge vs. Hunchback77 - 12/31/2009 7:54:59 PM   
Riva Ridge

 

Posts: 116
Joined: 9/17/2006
Status: offline 		The Battle of the Coral Sea - 05-15 May 42

(-or- I suck and I got my butt kick like a Narc at a Biker Rally.)

My initial strategy was an attempt to get defeat the Japs transports and decline engagement with the Jap carriers. I kept my carrier TFs seperate. On 06 May, the Yorktown TF was spotted by Sub Based Float Planes so I decided to make a high speed dash northward in order to get close to Port Moseby reasoning that the carriers were further east and there might have been an opportunity to hit the transports. The combat initially started on 08 May with TF18 (1 Aussie CA, AV, CL and DD) getting engaged by Japanese Carrier Air and getting sunk in it's entirety at point 1. Simulatenously, the Lexington TF was unexpectedly engaged by a combined attack of Nells and Betties at Point 2 with one CA damaged and the Lexington taking moderate floatation damage from three torpedo hits. 1/3rd of the Lexington's Airgroups diverted to Port Moseby and both the Yorktown TF (unspotted) and the Lexington TF turned south.

At this point, I had a reasonably good idea of the Jap positions as the invasion force was spotted off Port Moseby and the Carriers were southeast of Milne Bay. I decided to turn back north on 10 May with the Yorktown TF closing on the Carriers in order to fix the Jap Carrier TF while the Lexington TF closed with the Invasion TF to cause as much damage as possible. The Yorktown TF was spotted on it's approach and traded airstrikes with the Jap Carriers at Point 2. The Yorktown was overwelmed by Japanese Carrier Based Air and Land Based Bombers and was sunk along with a Heavy Cruiser. The Yorktown Strike was less effective with 2 1000 bomb strikes on the Zukikaku and one hit on the Mogami leaving both burning but in the fight. The Lexington TF was spotted on it's approach and heavy weather hampered it's ability to launch it's strike against the invasion force at Point 3. With the Yorktown TF being decimated further east, the Lexington turned back south and fled the battle at best possible speed.

The denoucement of the battle occured on 11-12 May with the Lexington TF detaching the New Orleans (CA) and one Destroyer. They took at a high speed run at Port Moseby and engaging in a night surface battle with the invasion force's surface escort. The New Orleans took minimal damage but managed to land two shell hits (8' and 5') on the CL Yubari, setting it on fire at point 4 before retreating south to Cooktown at high speed. This minor triumph was short lived as the Japanese Carrier Air, flushed with their success against the Yorktown TF made an unexpected appearance further west and sunk the New Orleans and it's lone escort off Cooktown at point 5 on 12 May. With the Allied conceding the field to the victorious Japanese, the Japanese forces landed under heavy shore fire (suprisingly effective with a small number of cargo vessels taking heavy damage) and their forces quickly engaging the now isolated and doomed garrison with overwelming force.




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< Message edited by Riva Ridge -- 12/31/2009 8:07:49 PM >
Post #: 1
RE: Disaster at the Coral Sea: Riva Ridge vs. Hunchback77 - 12/31/2009 8:05:07 PM   
Riva Ridge

 

Posts: 116
Joined: 9/17/2006
Status: offline 		Author Notes

After a year away from WITP, glad to see how much more complex and accurate AE is and how the old way of doing things is not going to carry the day. My lessons learned...

1. I ignored one of the cardinal rules of WITP and moved my carriers in range of land based bombers. I did not look at the Jap dispositions prior to starting the scenario and failed to take into account the possibility of Nells and Betties operating out of Rabaul. Really stupid of me given that I was a Japanese PBM player previously and should have known better. I got off lightly with the Lexington luckily being combat effective but it reduced my effectiveness and gave away my position earlier than I wanted.

2. The new naval search function is more accurate and realistic and I will have to pay more attention to it. I should have spotted the Jap TFs earlier than what I did. That being said, my opponent came at a wider angle around the edge of Milne Bay than I expected and I was looking north to north east rather than due east like I probably should have been.

The Jap Player was good and did not make any errors that I could see. His plan and execution was tactically sound and better than my plan that was based more on luck and hoping things went my way.

Final note: My opponent, Hunchback77, was gracious and quick with turns. I recommend him to others.

(in reply to Riva Ridge)
Post #: 2
RE: Disaster at the Coral Sea: Riva Ridge vs. Hunchback77 - 1/1/2010 1:59:25 AM   
hunchback77

 

Posts: 189
Joined: 5/13/2002
From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Status: offline 		Thank you Riva Ridge for the Compliments. Below is a picture of the damage you did to CV Zuikaku. It is now at Rabual under Pierside repair.






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< Message edited by hunchback77 -- 1/1/2010 2:00:39 AM >

(in reply to Riva Ridge)
Post #: 3
RE: Disaster at the Coral Sea: Riva Ridge vs. Hunchback77 - 1/1/2010 2:09:58 AM   
Riva Ridge

 

Posts: 116
Joined: 9/17/2006
Status: offline 		I figured that I did a fair amount of damage to her given two 1000 pound bombs. I think if we were to re-fight the same scenario, I would have hugged the Australian Coast after combining the two Carrier TFs and tried to attack the Invasion force from due west. In a campaign game, I would not have left Milne Bay uncovered either. I would have had a USN base force and a squadron of Catalinas watching the approaches.

(in reply to hunchback77)
Post #: 4
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