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Remington700 -> RE: Japan: June 20th 1943 (6/25/2021 8:41:52 PM)
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Battle of New Hebrides Islands
Round 1
Offshore of Espiritu Santo scout planes locate a large enemy CV taskforce. The Kido Butai launches everything they have but did not gain surprise. They are met with heavy CAP losing 6 air SPs, but their formations hold. Flak was very thick causing a seven SP loss. Two carriers are targeted resulting in the sinking of the Yorktown and the Lexington taking heavy damage. One of the screening battleships is hit in the process but takes only minor damage.
The US carriers had launched a simultaneous air strike arriving at much the same time as the fight to the south. Japanese CAP was effective shooting down four SPs but flak from the Haruna was ineffective only shooting down two SPs in the process. The Haruna takes multiple hits and is set ablaze. The CV Akagi is set upon by SBDs lighting up her flight deck and TBFs hit her with multiple torpedoes. The carrier is lost.
Round 2
A second wave of US carrier-based planes hit the 2nd Air Fleet but do little damage. The battleship Ise puts up heavy flak destroying three SPs and CAP downs four more. Enemy air losses are starting to add up. Fresh Vals and Kates that launched before the attack on Japanese carriers spot the US fleet and engage the battleship screen. The Tennessee is immediately hit by combined attacks and is sunk. The already damaged Washington is easily finished off. Air losses are six SPs in total and start to stack up.
Round 3
Sensing the US CV fleet must be in a bad way, the Japanese push the attack. Bombers and torpedo planes from the Kido Butai are again sent out to hammer the enemy fleet. Air losses are light, and the CV Wasp is spotted and attacked. While taking a hit, the US carrier is still combat functional. The Maryland suffers heavy damage and is set afire. While the attack is successful it is noticeably weaker than earlier attacks. But the enemy taskforce is further weakened.
Round 4
Planes from the Japanese 2nd Air Fleet find the US CV group reeling from the recent attack of the Kido Butai and attack with with surprise. Enemy CAP is weak and lose four SPs and all but disappear from the sky. Unabated, Kates and Vals attack the US carriers. The damaged Wasp is hit again and burns. The Lexington and Essex take multiple hits and soon sink. This is a major victory for the Japan!
Round 5
Knowing the US CV fleet is shot up and out of aircraft Bettys from Namuga airbase sortie to finish the job. However the rain hampers the attack and the US carriers shoot down 6 SPs before escaping.
Other
The Japanese submarine RO-67 is sent in to finish off the CV Wasp. However it is intercepted and immediately sunk. The 1st MTB slips into resupply the 14th Division at Prot Vila. It is easily sunk by carrier-based planes from a second US CV taskforce off New Caledonia. The cutoff army units at Espiritu Santo and Noumea are resupplied by air.
Tactically this battle is a big win for the Japanese. Strategically nothing has changed. Of note, the US carriers with the anti-air specialty distinguished themselves doing more air damage than normal. Something to think about. The heavy loss in planes will be a problem for both sides if the battle continues. I need to figure out how to use a sub to sink a damaged carrier. And to stop wasting single ships in fruitless efforts to resupply.
[image]local://upfiles/80250/7EC7B2BA11804E9CBED8630F3D436879.png[/image]
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