wobbly
Posts: 1095
Joined: 10/16/2002
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Status: offline
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Terrible turn for my surface forces again! My bombardment group going into Munda hits 2 mines - one for the South Dakota and one for the DD Balch, more about this later.
Buna TF retires and heads for Townsville.
A recon mission finds many CAs and DDs up at Los Negros. This could be a long range attack - most of my shipping is getting ready to retire form them. Subs huddle around the Finschafen straits.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/18/42
Weather: Thunderstorms
Night Time Surface Combat, near Munda at 31,37
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 1
DD Yugure, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Ariake, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
BB Washington, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 2
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Duncan
DD Lansdowne
DD McCalla, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Benham
DD Drayton
DD Selfridge
DD Balch, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Aylwin, Shell hits 1, on fire
The Japs get surprise!
Both BBs are at early teens in damage. The Washington has a small fire as well so is likely to get worse. I may be able to keep the South Dakota around but the Washington probably has to retire. My poor old CAs - Indianapolis is likely to sink - she is in dire straits and trying to head for GG.
On the positive side the Ariake and one other DD sunk.
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Naval bombardment of Munda, at 31,37
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 6 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 15 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 61
Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 36
No bombers into the bag :(
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Ground combat at Buna
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 11325 troops, 116 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 29888 troops, 299 guns, 52 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 4
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 17
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Ground combat at Buna
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 27552 troops, 299 guns, 52 vehicles
Defending force 11321 troops, 116 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 704
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 79
Continuing attacks against the infantry brigades at Buna - they stubbornly hold on.
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As seems to be the theme of my tenure I am again short of surface units of any size. The most important TFs being a fuel transport TF and my 3000 type AP group at GG. Judging by it's size the surface unit that I saw at Los Negros is aiming to disrupt happenings In New Guinea. With the remaining DDs from the Bombardment group retiring from Munda I will have to make a later judgement call as to how I handle the enemy.
All Northern bomber groups - especially the 1 dauntless and 1 Avenger sqd - are put on naval attack and secondary airfield attack orders (the airfields targeted are Lae and Gasmata).
A small FT TF picks up 500 men of the 14th Aus Brigade and head them at Lae Lae to attempt to cut off PM retreating units. Another small transport TF of supplies only heads to PM also. F4Fs LRCAPing here shoot down a topsy flying into the base.
The Wasp, having unloaded it's proper F4F group has loaded a marine unit (of 24) and is heading to townsville to join up with the Enterprise and Saratoga. It looks like they may be needed soon - it is a worry about the way my fighter boys on the carriers are at the moment.
Both Hudson sqds move back to GG having restored most of the morale and all of their numbers.
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