ReDDoN45
Posts: 135
Joined: 2/25/2002 Status: offline
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OK I decided to write own "history" and will write down my actions and things happening as CinC Combined fleet and 8th Area Army/17th. I started this PBEM game against my opponent already 2 weeks ago, but we didnīt came that far yet. It is scen. Nr. 19! Uhh la la :D I decided to start this as I found Robs AAR very interesting to read. I propably wonīt be able to write it that well and interesting (sorry for my English... its only acceptable, not more), but the things going on will be interesting enough, (I hope). After Doolitle raid on Tokio we had a discussion in in Tokio, of where to strike next: We had definetly 3 options. Central Pacific - decisive battle India - completed after the Trincomalee raid... also our troops became bogged down in Burma. South Pacifc - Isolating Australia and drawing the USN on OUR battlefield. After a long discussion (also with thos IJA fools) we managed to convince them that an all out drive south was fruitful! FOllowing that I ordered cancel of Operation MO - the conquest of Port Moresby. I relocated my HQ to Truk and ordered a big part of my fleet as soon repairs maintenance after Trincomalee and Java operations finished to join me down here! 1st CV Air fleet still in docks. I decided not to dare anything to big until Iīve got a big part of my fleet collected, so I can beat the US with quantity and qualtiy. In the meantime my 5th CV Div has orders to move to Kavieng and wait there for further orders. Their primary task was to cover the landings of our SNLF guys on Guadalcanal... we want to build up a forward base there (for our decisive battle). Send Toko NAG to Shortland to provide additional eyes for my CVs. Donīt want them ti operate to blind. We donīt have reports from any US TFs down here, we expect them to be occupied elsewhere. TH eonly ships possibly available are FLetchers speical Task Force (which already raided our invasion LAe :mad: Secondary objective of 5th CV Div is to raid possibel US attempts to resupply PM. BUT WITH Caution. donīt want to loose some of them (or even getting damaged) before main fleet arives. - SO makeshift Opeations. Moreover I ordered Shouth Seas Army Det. to go on higher readiness. They propably are going to be needed. The things went ahead. Invasion of Lunga went unmoslested. Moved in properly. Landed 5th Sasebo SLNF Rgt and Constrction Bn. A pilot form Yokohama NAG (Mavis), rebased to Lae, sighted light escorted AP transporters heading North, speed 10 kn. - May 8th My sub cocoon wasnīt fully deployed and my CVs still were watching the situation near Lunga. I decided to leave Lunga with what they had. Transports retiring prematurely and CVs first moving NW to west of Shortland and then West to engage transports in PM harbour :D Moreover I decided to order RADM Sakamaki to be cautious. We donīt know whether this AP fleet has CV escort. MY CVs remained unsported in their wide hook like move... weather supported us. Sakamakis TF was 100 miles S of Rabaul on May 10th. May 11th, the day of the planned Ambush! My CVs moved south to a location, well selected by Sakamaki. - 230 miles NE of PM. Weather favoured us - Lae flew special recon to update us with newest info. My CVs still unspoted. But then... nothing. THe Transports were gone... one day earlier they were still in port. Now a sighting from Toko NAG at Shortland reported a transport fleet 300 miles S of PM. Is this another transport fleet.. or did the previously spotted flee like hell??? Another message of concern arrived me that day. 2 US CVs spotted in a small port in the New Hebrides, think it was calles Luganville. Ordered my CVs to retreat again, no need for a fight with PM yet, they didnīt attack me that day - better for them. I had more than 60 planes flying Cap and LR cap. May-12th: Sakamakis 5th CV Div almost arrived at Rabaul, when my Long range recons spotted 2 CAs and one CL as well as some other APs 150 miles S of Milne Bay, the SE tip of NEw Guinea. I thought I could risk it! His CVs are still believed to be in the New Caledonia area. He propably wanted to ambush my transports at Lunga Base (thatīs how we named our base on Guadlacanal), but htey retired with my CVs on May 8th. I guess SoPAC is waiting for something to react to, or even wants to raid Lunga and see whatīs up there. May-13th: Our Ambush agaisnt the Allied fleet trying to unload troops at Gili Gili was a great success. LBAs from Rabaul struck the small invasion fleet (only 2 APs), which was intending to unload an engeneedr det. there, the propably wanted to evaluate base construction there. Hmmmm My CV AGs attacked from a posit 150 miles N of Milne Bay and reported several hits on the HMAS Australia and HMAS Hobart - they were doomed. But a third cruiser, pilot report Northampton class, as well as one DD remained unscratched. I lost 6 planes (and pilots) to inflict that massacre When he wants to reinforce New Guinea - I will allow him, just inflct losses in his attempts. The more men he sends to New Guinea, the more will be lost, after we won our decisve battle and begin isolating New Guinea. Our plan to occupy New Guinea is already getting drawed - dubbed operation "KO". May 14th: Sakamikis Fleet ordered back to Shortland - long awaited replensihment of planes (esp. fighters). We lost track of the US CVs :( News from Japan: Junyo finally combat ready and sent south. Bad news followed promptly: While 1st CV Div (Kaga, Akagi) are scheduled to leave Yokohama on May 20th, 2nd CV Div has to make some badly needed repairs and Soryu and Hiryu are delayed until beginning of June. I ordered 6th Daitai, currently in Japan, to begin Carrier training. Plan to do something with them. I-22 torpedoes a Northampton CA S of PM this evening. It is believed that this was the one which got out unscratched yesterday. Set my Subs loose. 4 of them are ordered to prowl AUS East coast, two of them remain near PM. May 15th: My Transport fleet which retired from Lunga on May 8th joined up with another TR fleet coming from Rabaul. They are ordered to reinforce Lunga Base. On board: SSF det., 17th SBF, another constr. Bn, and plenty of supplies. Rendezvous point 150 miles NEE of Buka. My LBA from Rabaul spotted plenty of subs. The biggest part of them is on ASW and long range naval recon. They are my "wide seeing eyes". Ordered APs from Truk south to pick up Kure SNLF Rgt from Kavieng and ship them to Shortland... I propably will need them there. Advised Captain, leading AP TF to cooparted with ASW aircraft to move around known sub locations. Sakamikis covering fleet ordered to leave Shortland on May 18th. Hope I will spot US CVs again, as I donīt like sending my guys, even escorted, out into the "unknown". I-29 shot another sprad of torpdoes on an oil licking cruises 240 miles S of PM. It was IDed as Chicago. He reported that he saw one torpedo hit. COntact lost so far. Fate of Chicage unsure (2 torpedo hits so far) Perahps on of my subs now patrolling entrances to AUS east coast picks her up. May 16th - Work began on Operation KO. It will be devided in 3 phases. But before that can take plave Operation MI, the destrcuion of large assets of the US Fleet msut go ahead. Engeneers finished construction of a small fighter strip on Lunga Base. Shortland base has also been expanded. Ordered Yokohama NAG to Shortland as well as det. of 14th Chutai, flying the new Emilys. ---> more eyes! In the past time SWPAC has flown 3 missions agaisn tour base at Lae. Often 15 Hudsons with some P-39 escort. THey didnīt do much damage and FlaK shot them up a bit. I decided to use the oprtunity and ordered F2/Tainan and F1/2nd Daitai from Rabaul to Lae during this rainy day. On next clear turn I guess he tries another strike - He will meet 54 Zeros! :D Rabaul anyway doensīt need them for now. Orderd Rabaul Air fleet commander NOT to attack PM ------> not effective enough. My plane losses up to know have been fairly low. No fighting ---> No Attrition, but that can change fast. May 17th: weather still rainy. Recon planes were spotted the past days, photgraphing many of our bases in New Guinea - SWPAC doesnīt seem to be very well informed by now. RADM Konoīs TR fleet is 145 miles NNW of Lunga - unspotted so far. Still plenty of sub spottings 300 miles around Rabaul. Decided to relocate F1/2nd Daitai to Lunga, as soon as the Lae ambush has been finished. Same for Yokohama float planes. Propably the US CVs come out to play... I must be ready to give them a hearty welcome. Sakamaki is leaving Shortland at 22:00. Heīs got 62 fighters aboard. He can count on LR Cap support in about 2 days. Planning for OP - "KO" continues.
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