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SoulBlazer -> (1/4/2003 2:51:24 AM)
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This may be a little old, but I played through this last night as the Allies and have some tips.
First, I did this with the AI. Hard setting. Jap sub doctrine was off. Version 2.20. Variable reinforcements.
I agree that the first game week is critical. Mess this up and then Japs can walk all over you. Here's some things I did or tried in my game which seemed to work really well.
1) Load up troops with your transports at Noumea and Luganville, give them a few DD or smaller escorts, and run them into Lunga. Due to the small time frame, you can only do this ONCE, so load them up good. And take base forces with you -- the extra aviation support is a MUST for Lunga.
2) Send your carriers and battleships in the same fleet just south of Lunga. Don't bother heading them to Luganville first.
3) Load up Lunga as much as you can. Watch the airbase size -- it starts at 4 but expand to 5 during the game. That means, provided you have the AV support (see #1), you can have 200 to 250 planes there. First load the base up with fighters, then Dauntless's, and finally the fighter/bombers. Watch your losses and keep about 10-15 slots free before the max number of planes.
4) Have the fighters all on Long Range CAP and the bombers on Naval Strike and then Rest.
5) Organize your PT boats, and leave one fleet at Lunga and send another off the Japanese base (I think Tassafoga) to stop supply there.
6) Put all your planes not on Lunga at Lungaville. Have your level bombers set on Naval Attack and your Dakotas flying in supplies.
7) Don't bother attacking with your ground troops on Guadalcanal until ALL your troops have landed. Then attack hard, defeat the Japanese, march to the Japanese base, and take it.
Now......having said all that, you get a couple days before all hell breaks loose. The Japanese are going to send two fleets of two battleships and cruisers each in to take turns bombarding Lunga. The carriers, meanwhile, will move into the Slot. Those are your major threat. Yes, Shortland and the bases around there do have Japanese planes but not many attack planes.
What I choice to do was break my fleet up. The battleships and cruisers headed to Lunga to engage in surface battles. I left the carriers, with the CLAA's and two DD's, south of Lunga. I threw up FULL CAP and grounded the attack planes.
The Japanese did'nt send all their planes to hit my carriers. Some went about my surface ships and other targets. As a result, I was able to blunt the Japanese strikes on the first day. On the next day, move the carriers into range, adjust your CAP settings, and launch your strikes.
You have advantages -- American ships are much tougher then Japanese. Damage control is great, fire control is good, and your carriers carry more planes. If you can cripple Japanese ships in the Slot, either due to surface or air action, your planes from Lunga can pick off the cripples the next day. After a few days of hard fighting, I had the Japanese in full retreat, and they never tried anything major for the rest of the sec.
Some other advice --
1) Let the AI handle your Subs. It does a good job posting subs on the major lanes. In fact, I was able to finish off the Junyo AND the CVL with my subs.
2) Japanese subs will attack hard. Keep moving your fleets, especily your carriers, and ALWAYS escort them.
3) If you see a crippled Japanese battleship or carrier, follow it! Have your carriers stay in range and pound the SOB till you're sure she's finished. Like I said, Japanese land based power is not that great. By the end of the sec, you'll only have a dozen or so strike planes left on your carriers, but it's worth it. I finished off a Japanese carrier AND a battleship by doing this.
4) Put damaged ships you think can see action, even if badly hurt, into port in Tulagi to repair float damge.
5) You WILL take losses. Just make sure you inflict more on the Japanese.
So in short, play defensive at first, and then switch over to carefull attack.
When the sec ended for me, I had crippled the Japanese. The Shokaku and Junyo as well as the CVL had sunk. Then Zuikaku was crippled and sitting in Truk. Kongo had been destroyed in a surface battle and Kirashima was crippled in another one and sunk by Lunga based planes the next day. Haruna has also been damaged in a surface battle and I chased her with my carriers till she was sunk. Hiei was also hiding in Truk (and curiously, so was the Yamato. I never saw her being used). I also sank a number of Japanese cruisers and even got one of their subs. My losses? Six destroyers, a sub, some PT boats, and several other ships damaged.
Posted below is a combat report from one of the critical days, as a example of what I was writing:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/27/42
Weather: Clear
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
BB Haruna, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Takao, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
CA Atago, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
CA Maya, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akitsuki, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Terusuki, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 12, on fire
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 1
DD Makigumo
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 7
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 2
DD Urakaze
Allied Ships
BB Washington, Shell hits 2
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 5, on fire
CA Portland
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
CA San Francisco
CL Hobart
DD Fletcher, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nicholas, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Grayson
DD Monssen, Shell hits 1
DD Aaron Ward, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Laffey, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Buchanan, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Lardner
DD McCalla, Shell hits 24, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Barton, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bagley
DD Helm
DD Ellet
DD Sterett
DD Wilson, Shell hits 1
DD Selfridge
DD Phelps
DD Balch
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Takao, on fire, heavy damage
CA Atago, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CA Maya, on fire
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akitsuki, on fire
DD Terusuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akigumo
DD Makigumo
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 1
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze
DD Urakaze
Allied Ships
BB Washington
BB South Dakota, on fire
CA Portland
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CA San Francisco
CL Hobart
DD Fletcher, on fire, heavy damage
DD Grayson
DD Monssen
DD Laffey, on fire, heavy damage
DD Lardner
DD Barton, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bagley
DD Helm
DD Ellet
DD Sterett
DD Wilson
DD Selfridge
DD Phelps
DD Balch
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Takao, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
CA Atago, on fire, heavy damage
CA Maya, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Tatsuta, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akitsuki, on fire
DD Terusuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yugumo, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akigumo
DD Makigumo
DD Kuroshio
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze
DD Urakaze
Allied Ships
PT 36
PT 37
PT 38
PT 39, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PT 40
PT 43, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
PT 44
PT 46
PT 48
PT 45
PT 61
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Sub attack near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
SS RO-34
Allied Ships
SC 637
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Sub attack at 38,37
Japanese Ships
AP Hirokawa Maru
Allied Ships
SS Sculpin
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Sub attack near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
SS RO-34
Allied Ships
SC 637, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF at 35,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
SBD Dauntless x 14
TBF Avenger x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 4 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 12 damaged
TBF Avenger x 1 damaged
LT M. Hidaka of CII-1 Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED
Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CV Shokaku
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Air attack on TF at 35,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
SBD Dauntless x 34
TBF Avenger x 12
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 7 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 15 damaged
TBF Avenger x 2 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 10 damaged
PO2 P.Hamano of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CVL Zuiho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 1
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
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Air attack on TF at 38,37
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 5
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Kashiwa Maru
AP Keizan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
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Air attack on TF at 38,36
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 3
no losses
Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF, near Tassafaronga at 37,39
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3
no losses
Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
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Air attack on TF at 34,33
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
SBD Dauntless x 4
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF at 35,38
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
D3A Val x 18
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 9 destroyed
D3A Val x 14 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 destroyed
PO2 K.Aihara of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2
Allied Ships
CV Enterprise
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 2
CLAA San Juan
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Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 5
G4M1 Betty x 7
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 6 damaged
G4M1 Betty x 8 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Selfridge
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CL Hobart
Attacking Level Bombers:
1 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
G4M1 Betty x 3
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged
CPT K. Walsh of VMF-121 is credited with kill number 2
Allied Ships
SC 646
Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
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Air attack on 7th Marine Regiment, at 38,40
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
B5N Kate x 13
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate x 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 destroyed
ENS K. Okabe of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 5
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 28
Attacking Level Bombers:
8 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
4 x B5N Kate at 5000 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Shortland Island at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 6
A6M2 Zero x 3
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12
SBD Dauntless x 11
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 1 damaged
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Air attack on TF at 35,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Allied aircraft
TBF Avenger x 3
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 2 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 1 damaged
LTJG S. Komachi of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 5
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Air attack on TF at 33,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 5
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
DD Tokitsukaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
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Air attack on TF at 34,33
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 4
no losses
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Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G4M1 Betty x 10
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 10 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
BB South Dakota, on fire
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CL Hobart
Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 3
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 2 damaged
Allied Ships
SC 643
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
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Sub attack at 38,37
Japanese Ships
AP Keizan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS Sculpin
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Sub attack at 38,37
Japanese Ships
AP Akibasan Maru
Allied Ships
SS Sculpin
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Sub attack at 35,32
Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CL Nagara
DD Takanami
DD Kagero
Allied Ships
SS Peto
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Ground combat at Lunga
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1051 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 25405 troops, 223 guns, 125 vehicles
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Now I want to try it as Japan. :D
Good luck and, of course, use your best commanders!
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