wobbly
Posts: 1095
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Christchurch, New Zealand Status: offline
|
On first impressions a Japanese dominated day. Foolishly the commander at Gili Gili rests his fighter pilots on a day that turns on the blue skies from end to end. Only a sqd of Wirraways - pretending to be fighters are the opposition for the approaching attack. The Munda commander of bombers is not as remiss and sends his pilots and navigators off in their Betties and Nells to hit the massed shipping within GG harbour. However, I loose 1 SC and a small AK (the Draco) - he looses 22 Betties and 2 Nells. I don't think (baring other attacks) I will loose any of the surviving injured ships (maybe one PG). It is the injured ships and the loss of carrying power for the next wave of Buna attackers that has really thrown a cat amongst the pigeons. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/08/42 Weather: Clear Air attack on Townsville , at 10,62 Japanese aircraft H6K Mavis x 7 Japanese aircraft losses H6K Mavis x 1 destroyed H6K Mavis x 6 damaged This is the first time I have ever seen this - flying boats attacking, whats more at night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on 29th Regiment, at 12,38 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 12 P-39D Airacobra x 19 B-26B Marauder x 11 A-20B Havoc x 5 no losses Japanese ground losses: Men lost 43 Guns lost 1 Attacking Level Bombers: 6 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 5 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 5 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet Continuing attacks against the troops at Buna. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on 29th Regiment, at 12,38 Allied aircraft Hudson x 19 Beaufighter VIC x 24 Wirraway x 15 B-26B Marauder x 30 Allied aircraft losses Hudson x 1 damaged B-26B Marauder x 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: Men lost 56 Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x Hudson at 6000 feet 4 x Hudson at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x Hudson at 6000 feet 3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet 3 x Hudson at 6000 feet 3 x Hudson at 6000 feet 3 x Hudson at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 13 G4M1 Betty x 30 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell x 1 damaged G4M1 Betty x 1 destroyed G4M1 Betty x 8 damaged Allied Ships AK Asphalion, Torpedo hits 1, on fire MSW Pursuit AK Arided, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AK Neleus AK Alchiba, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (actually not that bad - 50 flt, 9sys) AK Celeno, Torpedo hits 1, on fire SC 517 AK Titania AK Alhena, Torpedo hits 1, on fire PG Tui SC 522, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (sunk) Allied ground losses: Men lost 86 Attacking Level Bombers: 2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 2 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 3 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Basilaki Island at 18,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 7 no losses Allied Ships AP Heywood AP Wharton Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet One of these actually suffers a hit - quite badly damaged. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 11 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 8 damaged Allied Ships AO Tappahannock, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage SC 701 AO Kankakee, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage TK Bishopdale Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 1 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet THese attacks nowhere near as successful as they look - ships empty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 4 damaged Allied Ships AK Mintaka Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on Buna , at 12,38 Allied aircraft TBF Avenger x 12 Wirraway x 12 Allied aircraft losses TBF Avenger x 2 damaged Japanese ground losses: Men lost 3 Attacking Level Bombers: 9 x TBF Avenger at 6000 feet 3 x TBF Avenger at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 1 destroyed G4M1 Betty x 2 damaged Allied Ships DD Monssen Attacking Level Bombers: 2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 9 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Draco, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (sunk) Allied ground losses: Men lost 40 Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 1 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 3 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell x 2 damaged Allied Ships AK Arided, on fire Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x G3M Nell at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 6 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 1 destroyed G4M1 Betty x 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses Wirraway x 1 damaged Allied Ships DD Fletcher CL St. Louis Attacking Level Bombers: 2 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet You can't see any hits - neither could I but the St Louis and Salt Lake city suffer extensive damage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 4 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 5 damaged Allied Ships AV Tangier Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 8 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 11 damaged Allied aircraft losses Wirraway x 1 damaged Allied Ships AO Guadalupe, Torpedo hits 1 AO Kaskaskia AO Brazos, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 1 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Buna Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 16026 troops, 280 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 16604 troops, 128 guns, 52 vehicles Japanese ground losses: Men lost 5 Allied ground losses: Men lost 28 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Buna Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 13928 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 23091 troops, 327 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese ground losses: Men lost 65 More bombardment attacks from both sides -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of the really interesting things of the attacks is no hits against Lee's surface force during the combat reply but on opening the turn I notice the CA Saltlake city is suffering from 50% sys 35% float. Another cruiser suffers from my beligerence. I am in a bit of a quandary - these attacks have seriously hampered my already stretched transport capacity - the attacks against Buna have to be heavily repaired. The lift of men will have to be changed. The transport TF at Cairns starts loading the New Guinea force. They know the hills of the target and may have to go to Buna (or possibly PM....) The Enterprise and Saratoga put to sea - their ACs are still not that happy morale wise but it appears they are needed. They have also hardly seen the repair yards. It is a more bullish Herbie-san that has forced this move - I need to cover my invasions better. At last I acquiess to Herbie-sans night port attack and put some Kittyhawks on night defence duty - I doubt his bombers will be up to an attack but there are targets if he so decides. I also set my 2 hudson sqds to night bomb munda - I need to surpress these bombers! When my 2 BBs are at Noumea that will be their first target. The wasp, now harbouring in Noumea, will provide air support.
_____________________________
|