Jap Carriers?

Jap Carriers? (Full Version)

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cantona2 -> Jap Carriers? (9/21/2008 12:58:07 PM)
Dutch submarine SS KXVII had reported a contact with two B5N2's approximately 180 miles east of Lombok. The information was quickly relayed to Darwin and the submarine was ordered on a new course. [img]http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9563/kxviivp8.jpg[/img] Later on in the day in Pearl Harbour intelligence officers were interpreting the day's intercepts. The nugget of information the Dutch captian had forwarded earlier in the day tallied perfectly with a radio intercept from somewhere to the West of Kendrai. It could be that SS KXVII may have chanced upon Japanese carriers entering the Banda Sea. Another titbit that might indicate that the expected Port Morseby invasion was coming. All units on the northern Australian coast were put on full alert. The next days would be tense. Screenie taken from Bhodi's utility. [img]http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3213/kxvii2in3.jpg[/img]

cantona2 -> RE: Jap Carriers? (9/21/2008 1:30:41 PM)
*Japanese carriers spotted in Kendari*Moving to engage Signal sent by SS KXVII 13/4/1942 [image]local://upfiles/25083/A22FB756CAA04AB9AE5AB3E6D0A8965C.jpg[/image]

cantona2 -> RE: Jap Carriers? (9/21/2008 7:36:01 PM)
FO M.Larson dropped from the clouds and activated the camera mounted on the plane he was flying. The F-4 Lightning, the recon variant of the newly introduced fighter. Bereft of guns and equipped with a drop tank it was capable of great speeds and flying to extreme ranges. His squadron had been flying out of Darwin for a few weeks now but for today the target was Kendari where it was rumoured that enemy carriers had been spotted. The plane dropped below the clould cover and Larson press the button and he could image the whirr and click and shut of the high speed camera his plane carried. He sped above what seemed to be a fully laden harbour. Gery behemoths of the Imperial Japanese Navy were berthed here. He could clearly identify the battleships, their tall towers standing pround. What could only be cruisers were anchored at regular intervals and smaller craft inbetween. "Jesus," he mouthed. He began to turn for another pass when a sudden bang made the aircraft jolt as is if it had been swatted by a giant's hand. That was quickly followed by streaming tracer rounds flashing past his canopy. "Damn it Mike, you got carless," he spoke to no one in particular. 'Time to get home,' he thought. Behind and below him, and thankfully out of his eyesight, an angry swarm of Zeroes rose to eliminate the intruder. These were not army pilots but the elite of the Imperial Navy's aviation, the pilots of the Kido Butai. FO Larson jettisoned his drop tank and throttled up his plane. Like a celestial arrow he once again sought the shelter of the clouds as more tracer and cannon shlles erupted around his plane. He kept a calm composure and confident in the speed of his plane he was soon surrounded by grey cloud, condensation forming on the canopy's windscreen. Confident he had alluded his hunters he directed his plane in a south-easterly direction and back home. He was sure he would earn some extra furlough as the pictures he carried were mana from heaven to the intel boys. The Japanese carriers had been found! Kendari Harbour 14/4/1942 [image]local://upfiles/25083/9943B992F9C942C5ABB66C43AC18BFBD.jpg[/image]

Alfred -> RE: Betty strikes (9/22/2008 8:37:37 AM)
To approach Port Moresby from the west via Torres Strait when Darwin and the Arafura Sea bases remain under Allied control, unnecessarily exposes the KB to early detection. Particularly when the eastern approach is much safer and shorter now that Milne Bay is enemy controlled. The fact that the KB has been positively identified to be in Kendari harbour would suggest to me that Darwin/northern Australia is a more likely target than Port Moresby. Alfred

cantona2 -> RE: Betty strikes (9/22/2008 10:14:35 AM)
Hmm, food for thought Alfred, food for thought!!

cantona2 -> Current Situation (9/24/2008 6:19:52 PM)
Port Moresby is receving a massive amount of attention from Japanese bombers. This, along with Herbs allusions in his emails that hes going for PM (maybe false intell), convince me thats the target. The amount of CAP over Kendari suggests that the KB is still there and im going to try a night Port attack with the heavies stationed in Darwin. The large number of contacts suggest a large number of shipping so maybe ill get a lucky bomb hit. Allied CV's are gathering at Townsville. Hornet is already there, Yorktown is nearby and the Lexington will join her sisters when she refuels at Brisbane. I know that the 3 USN CV's and 1 RN CV (Formidable) are no match for the might of the KB but im thinking of going for his fleet as ill be under the cover of my LBA, then again so will he from his bases on New Guinea. Im currently reading Shattered Sword so this may account for the bullish mood [:D]

cantona2 -> RE: Current Situation (9/24/2008 6:27:39 PM)
Elsewhere in the theatre: Two Japanese ML's hit a freshly relaid minefield at Johore Baru. Theres a very nice feeling when a mine layer hits a mine :). That makes three ML's hitting mines at this location. A RN raid on Port Blair, where his ships are still unloading has been cancelled as the bad weather i was counting on cleared up and the day dawned bright and the prosepct of good weather over the next day means i cannot provide adequate cover with the Indomitable alone. The raiding force was comprised of several fast CL's. Maybe another time. 3rd Fighter Squadron was able to spring an ambush on Nates that had been using Chinese positions on the Indo-China border as target practice. Two more P-40 squadrons have also moved to Changsha to provide cover for infantry occupying the woods to the West after receiving two days of heavy unescorted raids. More worrying is a three division attack that cleared the hex NE Sinyang. The city itself is well garrisoned and supplied but i cannot allow an encircelment of the position there. In Burma the final assault on Myitkyina has begun. A fighting withdrawl up Ledo will hopefully delay him while i use the large bomber force in India to harass and disrupt his forces. We shall see where those 7 Divisions in Burma go after the campaign there is over.

cantona2 -> 48th Fighter Squadron (9/24/2008 6:36:50 PM)
17th April 1942 Aircraft on Patrol 10 Aircraft in Reserve 0 Aircraft Unserviceable 5 Pilots 15 Unit has been stationed in Efate after moving via Auckland and Noumea. After taking two days to recover from the long haul flights we have received our first orders. Flying CAP over a tanker task force carrying fuel to Luganville. Our P-38’s will fly Long Range CAP and then be joined by the P-39’s of the 67th Fighter on Luganville. So far 5 planes have reported mechanical and hydraulic problems and our mechanics are overhauling them. No accidents have been reported and morale is very good. Many of the men are anxious to engage the Japs as they feel they have a score to settle. 1LT Campbell's P-38 flying CAP over TF 1198 [image]local://upfiles/25083/427D7411A54F45258D9F4E64DB5F5D56.jpg[/image]

anarchyintheuk -> RE: Current Situation (9/24/2008 9:52:17 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: cantona2 Im currently reading Shattered Sword so this may account for the bullish mood [:D] Nimitz would have been less bullish had he been aware of the strike penalty, zero bonus and the advantage of waiting for avengers and the expansion of the cv fighter squadrons. [;)]

cantona2 -> RE: Current Situation (9/25/2008 12:04:02 PM)
LOL he would have been! Should i be? [:D]

cantona2 -> RE: Current Situation (9/25/2008 4:28:46 PM)
A good last turn witn an air loss ration of 7-18 in my favour. The P-40's of the 21st and 3rd Fighter Squadrons based in Changsha successfully engaged the Japanese planes they were put there to intercept. 2 Kates and 4 Nates were bagged and the Nate attack was turned back with no bombs being dropped on the Chinese forces. Certainly his training programme was marred this turn. Two allied pilots are now one kill away from being 'Ace'. One of the ML's that hit mines yesterday was reported sunk nearing Singapore but i have lost track of his carriers. Another two subs have left for the Phillipine Sea while a third Catalina squadron is now operating in Northern Australia hoping to keep tabs on the KB. Yorktown has joined Hornet and are awaiting the Lexington and then the wait for the Jpas shall begin. In Burma the 1st Parachute Regiment was dropped into Myitkyina to add its punch to the assault there, which once again was beaten back. It was a costly operation with 6 transports being shot down by flak and many of them were seen winging back to Rangoon trailing smoke.

cantona2 -> RE: Current Situation (9/26/2008 6:21:22 PM)
Once again the fighters of the AVG pounce on Nates in China and down a few of them, this time of Sinyang. What i do not understand is that the P-40B constantly outperforms the P-40E, indeed the E's involved in this particular fight fared really badly as the Nates accounted for 3 of them. Still this is the third day running that allied fighters get the bounce of the IJAAF in the skies of China. Some small retribution for the pounding his bombers can dish out. The positions of the Austrlaian Army at Port Morseby are being bombed daily by a mass of IJAAF planes. So far only types used by the IJAAF have been spotted in the raids and no planes capable of carrying torpedoes have particiapted in these raids. I must assume that these are on patrol for my ships that are meanwhile gathering at Townsville. The night port raid on Kendari produced absolutely nothing and the submarines around the base are spreading out to try and restablish contact with the Japanese carriers. The game has an eerie feeling of anticipation as Herb has pretty much said its PM with the bulk of the Combined Fleet providing his fist. Increased contacts with submarines in the Western Coral Sea have begun and a lot of bombers have been put on ASW patrols. If i am going to committ my carriers i do not want submarines to worry about as well. The plus side is that the Central Pacific shipping lanes have cleared up somewhat with only one sub contact, on Efate, detected recently.

cantona2 -> Jap Carriers found again. (9/27/2008 9:59:49 AM)
Transcript of messgae log 20th RAAF Squadron, Catalina I, Thursday Island 08:15 Good visibility, clear skies. No sightings 09:46 Good visibility, slight sea swell. No sightings. 11:09 Suspected submarine 400 miles north west of Thursday Island. 11:59 Two Japanese ships spotted. Possibly Cruisers, 240 miles north of Merauke. [image]local://upfiles/25083/98FB57EDDF914A8E85B90CD46856FB6A.jpg[/image]

cantona2 -> RE: Jap Carriers found again. (9/27/2008 10:48:52 AM)
As a result of the messages received from the Cat's Thursday Island was put on full alert. Its B-26 squadron was ordered to engage on aggressive naval patrols to the north while its A-24's intensified its anti-submarine effort. A squadron of Kittyhawks flew in to relieve the P-40b's there. Liberators and B-17's in Darwin began an aggressive patrolling to the East and a further B-17 squadron in Katherine was also put on Naval Attack orders. The two carriers in Townsville have also been put on full alert but Japanese subs are still being spotted in the Western Coral Sea.

cantona2 -> Actions in the Bay of Carpentaria (9/27/2008 1:49:42 PM)
The expected Japanese attack on Port Moresby has begun. Following on from yesterdays sightings of Japanese ships a massive carrier supported fleet erupted into action over Thursday Island. The first inkling Australia Command had of this Japanese incursion was a report from SS Grayback that it had fired torpedos against a Japanese Battleship entering the Bay of Carpentaria. [img]http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/5753/mutsuxd5.jpg[/img] Search planes sent out north-west from Thursday Island began to send back a veritable flood of reports of numerous sightings of enemy vessels. As the morning progressed Japanese search planes were also observed. Float planes and carrier borne models were seen overhead and SS Tuna had reported a bomb hit by a carrier borne dive bomber. It was decided that an early strike against the Japanese ships would go in. 436th Bombardment (B-17) and 70th Bombardment (B-26) took off at 9:15 and were soon over the mass of enemy ships that seemed to cover the sea like a grey mantle. They encountered a very strong CAP of Zero fighters that shot down three B-17's flying at 15,000 feet. The B-26s at 5,000 got through but managed no hits. [img]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9586/pm1qk5.jpg[/img] A second Japanese Battleship was the target. [img]http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9007/pm2lf0.jpg[/img] The Japanese carriers then launched an attack over Thursday Island. Dive and torpedo bombers struck the AVD Arend with a devasting attack, she was the only target on their scopes. It was not a full strike as the number of bombers counted was less than the numbers included in earlier strikes in the war by concentrated Jap carriers. Suffice to say the Arend sunk after the punishment it had received. [img]http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7842/pm3mm1.jpg[/img] Undeterred, the brave bombers at Thursday Island launched another attack with the same results. Another 3 B-17's were shot down while the B-26's got through but once again the Japanese Flak deterred the bombers aim. [img]http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7103/pm6ww2.jpg[/img] As the afternoon progressed distress signals were received from TF 1064 that was carrying reinforcements to Thrusday Island. It reported attacks by Japanese bombers. The RAAF's 75th Squadron (Kittyhawk) immediately scrambled and sped to support the beleaguered ships. The attackers were two engined land based bombers of the G3M Model. Their A6M2 escort shot down all the Kittyhawks for no loss and their torpedoes cut into the convoy. [img]http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/2089/pm4sp3.jpg[/img] The final raid of the day was also carried out by land based bombers (G4M1) on TF 1064. They met no CAP and finished off the Irenee Du Pont,and the Sagadahoc. The remaining transports picked up survivours and immediately set a course to Townsville. [img]http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1489/pm5wy8.jpg[/img]

cantona2 -> RE: Actions in the Bay of Carpentaria (9/27/2008 2:01:03 PM)
Menawhile US Cariiers have been ordered to gather near Rockhamtpon to await developments. The size and power of his LBA has made me think twice about engaging his carriers at this Junction. We shall await developments.

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 10:43:06 AM)
Preliminary Actions A day of significant and heavy action in the Bay of Carpentaria. However the main eents were preclueded by several actions that may have a direct impact on the deployment or non deployment of the US Carriers. In a predawn action the escorts of USS Lexington engaged and drove off a Japanese submarine that was prowling around 420 miles to the east of Rockhampton. [img]http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/7320/pm9je1.jpg[/img] This was followed by several reports of Japanese landings on Woodlark and Rossel Islands. Several submarines in the area were diverted there while most of submarines continued on their way to the Torres Straits to challenge the might of the IJN. [img]http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9075/pm7xg1.jpg[/img] As dawn broke SBD Dauntless from Lexington spotted another pair of Japanese submarines and was forced to divert its course. Two replinshment convoys were also diverted and so did her fellow two carriers. The heavy presence of Japanese submarines plus the occupation of the two islands in the Coral Sea will probably mean that USN Carriers will not be engaged in action as the moment float planes are based at Woodlark or Rossel his level of recon in the area will rise substantially. [img]http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2503/pm8xh0.jpg[/img]

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 11:07:01 AM)
The Days Main Action Once again reports came from all quarters of the mass of Japanese ships converging on the Torres Straits. Search planes from Darwin and Thursday Island were able to establish course and number of ships in a very accurate manner and with this information the first strike of the day took off from Thursday Island. 436th Bombardment (B-17), 70th Bombardment (B-26) and 16th Bombardment (A-24) took off with no escort (AF stacking rules means that only the same number of squadrons equal to the AF size, this case 3, can be active the rest have to be stood down). They qucikly came across the Japanese fleet and 130 Zeroes that buzzed above it like angry bees. Yet the brave allied pilots flew into the teeth of the Japanese fighters. It was the 16th Bombardment that took the brunt of the attack. 12 of its planes were shot down as they closed on the Japanese carriers and the remaining 3 turned away, an attack reminiscent of the TBD's at Midway. This meant however, that the B-17's and B-26's shot through the fighter screen and were over the target. The IJN would soon find out that its ships could burn as easily as those of its opponents. [img]http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5822/pm10eu6.jpg[/img] THe B-17's once again ineffectually dropped their bombs from 15,000 feet (HR), their impacts on the water just showering the crews of the CVL Shoho with warm water but other than that had no effect. The B-26's, however, coming in at 6,000 feet were much more accurate. They targetted the Akagi and a flight of three brave and intrepid bombers followed their flight leader, Major Iversen, into the flak that protected the carrier. With engines roaring and Zeroes on their tail, the bomb aimers gave the order for the bomb bay doors to open. These did so slowly. Their eyes glued to their aiming pieces the bombardiers gave the order to release. 500lbs of Uncle Sams payload whistled through the air and headed to the flght deck of the Japanese ship. The first two bombs hit the water very close to the carrier, the ship visibly jolted in the water, a testament to the closeness of the hit. But the bombs of the second plane in line, FO Conroy's, hit the bullseye. The first bomb hit just forward of the aft elevator, piereced the flgiht deck and expolded below decks. A sheet of flame rose from the elevator shaft and several planes on the Akagis deck were thrown over board. The second bomb whistled in and hit the carrier amidships. It blew a hole in the flight deck and covered the island with a wave of flame. FO Conroy pulled hard on his stick and urged his plane to gain altitude. The third Marauder also missed but the flames and smoke rising from the Akagi were plain and clear to see. For the first time in this war the Japanese carriers had been hit and hurt, and from the evidence here, hurt bad! [img]http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5435/pm11ti9.jpg[/img] Day Air attack on TF at 48,88 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 131 Allied aircraft A-24 Dauntless x 15 B-26B Marauder x 6 B-17E Fortress x 3 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 29 damaged Allied aircraft losses A-24 Dauntless: 12 destroyed B-26B Marauder: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged Japanese Ships CV Akagi, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CVL Shoho Aircraft Attacking: 3 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet 3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 15000 feet 2 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet The punishment dealt to the A-24's of the 16th Bombardment was repaid in kind. The sacrifice of those brave pilots was not in vain. Undeterred by the Akagi's misfortune the Japanese continued their operations. Landings began on Merauke. It was at this point that Liberators from the 392nd Bombardment, out of Darwin appeared overhead. They had flown for a few hours and had hoped to strike at the carriers but new orders reached them to strike at the troop ships unloading at Merauke. They dropped their eggs from 15,000 feet but noe hits were recorded. Slowly, they turned around and started the return journey back to Darwin. [img]http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9122/pm12tj5.jpg[/img] The Japanese, for their part, did not put up any retaliatoary strike and the flatops remained silent, otehr than the CAP missions flown by the Zeroes. Day two of the Battle of Carpentaria belonged to the Allies. The question now remained, would the USN engage with its carriers, still outnumbered 5-3 in terms of fleet carriers.

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 11:13:44 AM)
The number of Zeroes on CAP in the afternoon strikes by the Liberators was 90, a substantial reduction on the mornings CAP. That coupled with 19 Japanese ops losses, mostly Kates and Vals, makes me think that the Akagi is definitely out of action for the time being. Im eagerly awaiting Herbs return turn to see what happens but can i read the smaller CAP and those ops losses as a sure sign that Akagi was hit bad?

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 3:40:35 PM)
Day 3 of the Battle The 3rd day of the battle opened with Japanese submarines torpedoing two tnakers enroute to Rockhampton. The California Standard took two torps and she sank later in the day while the Pat Doheny took one torp as well as moderate damage and is sure to make port if she isnt attacked again. The real target of the IJN sub's are the USN Carriers now moving south and west. [img]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7668/pm13yx9.jpg[/img] As shown above a game of cat and mouse on a massive scale is underway. Herb should find that next turn a LOT of aircraft are out to keep his subs suppressed. In the Bay of Carpentaria the IJN has converged its carriers into one area of sea. According to intel and recon i can count 9 carriers, which must mean the total number of flattops he has! If this is so then the rest of the Pacific is IJN Carrier free! Maybe a chance for Saratoga, currently NE of Wake Island to get up to so mischief. [img]http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4364/pm14ay3.jpg[/img]

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 4:01:56 PM)
The Days Action The 436th (B-17) and 16th (A-24) Bombardments had been withdrawn from Thursday Island and been replaced by the 90th Bombardment (B-25). They joined the B-26's of the 70th, the ones that had hit the Akagi yesterday, in the mornings first strike. The Kittyhawks of the 76th RAAF escorted them into a CAP of over 100 Zeroes. To amazement of the pilots they managed to shoot down 5 Zeroes and deliver the bombers to the target and the raid, though not as spectacular as yesterday, did have its measure of success. [img]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7787/pm15yi7.jpg[/img] Numbers eventually told and both the Kittyhawks and Marauders were pushed back. Yet the Mitchells came on coming and braved the flak of the carriers' escorts. The first plane dropped it bombs on the CS Chiyoda but did not it the ship. The rest of the flight centered on the CV Kaga that was right in the middle of their flight path. One B-25 fell to the sea in flames as the ack ack guns of the BB Haruna tore into it. This did stop the remaining planes from making their bombing run. One bomb hit the Kaga amidships and set it on fire. For the second day in succession Japanese carriers were burning, indeed the American pilots could see the Akagi still burning from the hits she had received yesterday. [img]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6039/pm16df5.jpg[/img] Day Air attack on TF at 47,90 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 104 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 10 B-25C Mitchell x 9 B-26B Marauder x 3 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged B-25C Mitchell: 9 damaged B-26B Marauder: 1 damaged Japanese Ships CS Chitose CV Kaga, Bomb hits 1, on fire CVL Shoho Aircraft Attacking: 1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet Further to the West a second B-25 Squadron (13th Bombardment) based at Port Moersby attacked a mine-laying task force at Woodlark Island. The planes made two runs over this TF but achieved no hits. Allied units were certainly being kept busy. The remnants of the 16th Bombardment (A-24) that had sought shelter in Port Moersby bombed the air field at Dobodura scoring a hit on the fuel tanks there. [img]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1294/pm17sp3.jpg[/img] The afternoon begun with Thurday Islands B-25s once again hitting the Japanese Task Forces in the Arafura Sea. This time they unsuccessfully attacked the BB Kirishima that was providing close AA support to the burning Kaga. Once again the Zero CAP was engaged by the Kittyhawks for long enough to get bombs over the target, pity they missed. [img]http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1966/pm18pk2.jpg[/img] At this juncture in the battle Japanese LBA began to make itself felt. First it was a raid out of Dobodura that hit Port Moresby, followed by 67 G4M1's out of Hollandia. Despite the large number of bombers only one allied plane was damaged on the ground. Thursday Island was hit by a raid out of Buna, though hits were scored on the landing strip, no planes were hit. [img]http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/4530/pm19kj2.jpg[/img] The Liberators from Darwin also made their appearance over the battlfield as well as they unsuccessfully engaged the escorts of the Japanses carriers. They also lost 3 of thier number to enemy fighters. [img]http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2029/pm20ep6.jpg[/img] By late afternoon things were beginning to quieten down, but the IJN closed on Thursday Island with its heavy units. Two battleships led a bombardment of the installations there but no extensive damage was recorded despite the heavy hammering the base took. Indeed one particular shore battery engaged a Japanese destroyer on a gunnery duel that left the enemy ship smoking and on fire!!! Thursday Island holds on!!!!!!!!!!!!

Xxzard -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/28/2008 6:56:03 PM)
Wow, fantastic illustration of this campaign, its absolutrly riveting! I'm a fan of Shattered Sword too, and it looks like you have a crucial battle in the making in the Torres Strait. I can't wait to see how this battle, and the war goes! Excellent Work!

Alfred -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/29/2008 12:25:27 PM)
Cantona2, Just caught up after a few days absence. As indicated in my previous post, I don't think the IJN moving on Port Moresby is wise. Remember every Allied LBA attack on his CV reduces the fuel of the KB. Also the need to neutralise the intervening bases (such as Thursday Island) redcues the available sorties for the KB. You should continue your waiting game and not rush to deploy your carriers. Let him first exhaust the KB against LBA before you engage it with Allied sea power. Also there should be some tasty morsel elsewhere ripe for an Allied coup de main. Alfred

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/29/2008 4:26:10 PM)
Many thanks for the comment Xxzard

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/29/2008 4:29:54 PM)
Alfred, Certainly that is an idea that is beginning to germinate. Tarawa seems to be possible target but the debacle in my game vs LY makes me think twice. If Kaga and Akagi are in dry dock for a protracted time, if the bulk of the Japanese air force is in New Guinea, if the i can delay the combined fleet say about a week down there then his eastern flank should be bereft of long range cover! I have two infantry divisons sitting put in PH plus a large amount of the Pacific fleet along with Saratoga and Enterprise. Lady Lex is making her way back to Canton Island. That would mean, two divisions and three carriers at a time when his carrier forces are tied up elsewhere and would either have to come back the long way or run another gauntlet of my LBA to get to the Gilberts via the Solomons.

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/29/2008 4:40:33 PM)
Japan Hits Back The good luck of the Allies had to run out and it did at the end of the guns of the heavy cruisers of the IJN. Led by the Mikuma, they shut down and plastered Thursday Island. Two days too late as the damage to his carriers had already been done, in hindsight the Allied squadrons should have pulled back yesterday but two damaged carriers, one possibly heavily, are worth it. Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed B-26B Marauder: 5 destroyed Catalina I: 1 destroyed A-24 Dauntless: 1 destroyed B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed Japanese Ships CA Mikuma CA Ashigara CA Nachi CA Haguro CA Myoko Allied ground losses: 568 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Vehicles lost 2 Airbase hits 13 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 137 Still it did not stop the allies from trying to hit back. SS Argonaut tried three times to torpedo Japanese ships but three times she failed. In the Solomon Sea, SS S-42 was able to his a minelayer, but this same ship was missed by the Port Moresby B-25's later in the day. Stauts of Thursday Island after being bombarded. [img]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9340/pm22gg6.jpg[/img] It seems that the IJN is pulling its damaged carriers out of the battle zone. Catalinas out of Darwin spotted the damaged ships and their escorts of cruisers and a light carrier hugging the coast of New Guinea. This should put them in range of Darwin's heavies and a Dutch sub is moving to intercept. [img]http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/6181/pm21ur6.jpg[/img] More heavy air attacks followed the naval bombardments and by late afternoon two Naval Landing Units and two assualt engineer units had stormed the beach at Thursday Island.

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/29/2008 6:39:25 PM)
The Genesis of an Idea - Operation Morsel With most, if not all IJN carriers currently in the Arafura Sea, two definitely out of the fight, and the bulk of the Japanese air force concentrated in and around New Guinea, Alfreds suggestion has sparked an idea. With no carriers readily available to react to any move i am toying with Operation Morsel (c) Alfred [;)]. 8th New Zealand Brigade (Suva), 25th Infantry Division (Pearl Harbour), 183rd Field Artillery Regiment (Canton Island) and 71st Base Force (Canton Island) have been given preliminary orders to plan an assault on Tarawa. USS Saratoga and USS Enterprise should be seaworthy and battle ready in a few days and a large transport ship destined to carry the 25th has left Pearl Harbour. The plan is still in its infant stage and the probability is that more forces are added to it, such as an assault engineer unit and a second infantry unit. The go ahead all depends on how long i can delay Herb in the Coral Sea and if any more of his carriers get hit. It may seem like a lightweight assault on an atoll position but intell suggests only 3 units on Tarawa and a destroyer raid on the atoll, designed to intercept barges unloading there but ultimately missed, was able to approach undetected from Baker Island. The possibility is there time will tell if we take it.

Alfred -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (9/30/2008 8:15:21 AM)
Well a move on Tarawa is audacious! If you are certain it is lightly garrisoned and you can capture it on the first assault, then go for it. I doubt that he will be expecting it and your DD raid from Baker suggests that you may achieve complete surprise. If you do capture Tarawa, consider quick moves on the adjacent islands (they are probably not garrisoned or at best only by battalion sized units) which islands once captured need not be garrisoned by you but will provide your LBA on Tarawa an opportunity to inflict losses on the IJN if he tries to recapture the adjacent islands. Alfred

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (10/1/2008 4:30:00 PM)
Alfred Recon of Tarawa has just begun.I'm guessing that i'll be starting to get a good picture of whats there in about a week or so. I hadnt thought of expanding the operation but its a good idea. Only problem is that most of my units are already deployed and theres no many reinforcements due to come online soon.

cantona2 -> RE: The Battle of the Bay of Carpentaria (10/1/2008 4:48:22 PM)
Day 4 of the Battle The Japanese carriers seemed to have disappeared off the scope of Allied search planes.Most of the action in day 4 was between allied submarines and the destroyer escorts of the IJN. No hits were scored by either side in the deadly game of cat and mouse. The Solomon Sea also erupted in a destroyer vs sub war. IJN submarines are still staking the area around Rockhampton searching for my carriers. They will not find any as Hornet and Yorktown are at Sydney while Lexington has left Noumea and is heading for Canton Island in preparation for the Tarawa operation. On Thursday Island the Japanese forces that had made landfall there assaulted the Australians defedning the base. Despite a massive superiority in men and material they first Japanese attacks were repulsed by the defenders. Despite only being two companies strong they gave a very good account of themselves and were soon showing the Japanese soldiers what their German counterparts knew, namely that the Aussie soldier was one hard bastard to pound into the ground!!!!!! [image]local://upfiles/25083/C507395AA80E4C9883DCFAC17B587536.jpg[/image]

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