Scouters
Posts: 75
Joined: 4/1/2002
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Status: offline
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I have been playing scenario 17 as the Allies and have enjoyed excellent success against the Japanese carriers (early on with LBA and later with a large marauding carrier group). In addition to solid bases in Lunga and Port Moresby, I recently skipped past Shortland and Rabaul to establish a base at Kavienga. With Kavienga firmly established with about 60 fighters and 80 level bombers I aimed to strangle the supply line to the rest of the Japanese bases in the theatre.
Prior to this engagement, the Yamato battlegroup had been twice spotted. The first occasion, on 10/25/42, was a surprise night bombardment of Lunga. Luckily there were no important ships in port. Instead, a mine sweeper squadron was ravaged by the big guns and the airfield was bombarded heavily. The enemy ships slipped away under cover of thunderstorms over the next 2 days. About a week later they reappeared, this time spotted north of Shortland by a Catalina. My carrier group gave chase but poor weather again hampered air strikes. Nonetheless, two squadrons of SBDs managed to locate the battleships and inflict minor damage on Musashi and moderate damage to an accompanying cruiser. The battleships once again slipped away. But the cloud cover enjoyed by the raiders would not last forever.
The morning of 11/09/42 was a clear day. Patrol aircraft from Lunga and Kavieng were able to locate much of the Japanese forces in the region. Once again the Yamato and her sister ship were on the prowl. But this time they were spotted well to the north of Lunga, no doubt attempting another nighttime bombardment. Surprisingly, they appeared to have minimal, if any, escort. I know I had taken a toll on enemy destroyers with my bombing of transport groups, but it still seemed like these two giants were coming in nearly alone. The disposition of my forces allowed me to create a trap. My carrier group was north of Shortland, escorting a supply convoy to Kavieng. I diverted the carriers to the northeast but held off airstrikes for fear of only grazing the battleships and scaring them off. Lunga was cleared of transports and a large surface force was created to patrol the port. The group was centered around the battleships North Carolina (my only BB in the theatre) and 8 cruisers. Several of the large ships (including the North Carolina) still bore damage from a surface engagement with another Japanese battleship/cruiser force three weeks prior. Nonetheless, they were in good shape overall.
As expected, the Yamato and Musashi approached Lunga on 11/10/42 and the following night the fireworks began:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/11/42
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Shell hits 29, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Musashi, Shell hits 22, on fire, heavy damage
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB North Carolina, Shell hits 16, on fire
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 1
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria, Shell hits 1
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 6
CA Canberra, Shell hits 4
CL St. Louis
CL Honolulu
DD Hutchins
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD O'Brien, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Walke
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Maury
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Musashi, Shell hits 34, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
BB North Carolina, on fire
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis
CA Canberra
CL St. Louis
CL Honolulu
DD Hutchins
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD O'Brien, on fire
DD Walke
DD Ralph Talbot, on fire, heavy damage
DD Maury
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
BB Musashi, Shell hits 41, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
BB North Carolina, on fire
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis
CA Canberra
CL St. Louis
CL Honolulu
DD Hutchins
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD O'Brien, on fire
DD Walke
DD Ralph Talbot, and is sunk
DD Maury
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 38,40
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Shell hits 71, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
BB North Carolina, on fire
CA Pensacola, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis, on fire
CA Canberra
CL St. Louis
CL Honolulu
DD Hutchins
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD O'Brien, on fire
DD Walke
DD Maury
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In the first air phase of the following morning, aircraft from Lunga followed the muddy plume of smoke leading to the stricken Musashi.
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Air attack on TF, near Tassafaronga at 37,39
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 29
SBD Dauntless x 43
TBF Avenger x 10
P-39D Airacobra x 21
no losses
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 15, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
After the air attack I received the message that the Musashi had sunk. The carrier group I had positioned to strike the enemy group on its egress was unneeded. There were no survivors.
The four battles comprised at least 7 different engagements, at ranges varying from 4,000 to 9,000 yards. North Carolina showed herself a capable fighting ship, inflicting at least 8 16” hits on the Yamato and at least 6 on the Musashi. The American battleship held tough, absorbing at least 4 hits from enemy’s 18” guns. Salt Lake City distinguished herself by scoring several strings of 8” shell hits on Yamato. The dramatic battle included a successful torpedo run by the Ralph Talbot against the Yamato, immediately after which the little ship was immolated by two 18” hits and multiple hits from the battleship’s secondary batteries.
I admit I was a little disappointed that the battleships came in with little escort. Had there been a good supporting cast of cruisers and destroyers I am sure I would have lost many of my own ships (probably including the North Carolina). As it was I lost only the brave little Talbot. The North Carolina and most of my cruisers are in dock at Lunga, putting out fires. They’ll be in Pearl in a few weeks and I doubt I’ll be seeing any of them back in service soon.
-Scouters
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