SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - War in the Pacific AAR Thread

Molon Labe · 07-07-21, 12:15 AM

18 January 1942
Port Moresby in the crosshairs

Hawaii
The KB and land based bombers resumed attacks on Pearl as the BB bombardments continued. They sank a minesweeper, a general tender, an oiler, a troop ship, and a destroyer.

The SAG hit Palmyra one more time and made a run for it, so they were out of range of my SBDs by morning. My SBDs bombed their troops instead, causing heavy casualties.

Dutch East Indies
A dutch sub sank a Lima class cargo ship in between islands in the Ceram Sea. Another dutch sub, the O21, started doing the surface attack without attacking thing. It took two hits without causing damage.

A SAG consisting of the BB Kongo and 4 DD attacked two ASW squadrons outside Surabaya, sinking one DD and crippling another. Two other DD were lightly damaged. We dealt insignificant damage back on them. Force Y was not able to retaliate. I lost track of both these guys and the CVLBG.

Oscars from Malaya swept Palembang, Sumatra; I had Buffalos on CAP. Only a few damaged planes on each side.

SouthPAC
The Argonaut made up for a bit of bad luck lately with two attacks on tankers between Rabaul and Shortlands, one of which was finally successful. The tanker was fuel-laden and will almost certainly go down.

The two enemy task forces near Milne went right by the fledgling base and headed for Port Moresby. Banshee and Hudson bombers attacked. The Hudsons came up empty, but the Banshees did quite well considering their low experience levels: two transports hit with major damage, and two cruisers hit for moderate damage. I note with pleasure that Rabaul did not provide a long-range CAP for them, but P-39s were escorting just in case.

This is a curious move. Having bypassed Milne, his ships have only two ways to go. Further west towards Java, in which case his transports can't outrun my carriers, or back east, through my carriers. Seems like a lot of ships to sacrifice for an attack on PM that has no guarantee of success, especially without BB support and where bomber support is going to be contested by fighters. Is he just that confident that Rabaul's bombers can get through and sink me?

Japan
USS Sailfish attempted a surface attack on a cargo ship between Okinawa and Kyushu. It inflicted moderate damage before deciding it used up enough ammo and broke off. This sub is out of torpedoes too, I manually ordered it to return to rearm.

07-07-21, 12:15 AM	#93
Molon Labe Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Along the Watchtower Posts: 3,810 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 5	18 January 1942 Port Moresby in the crosshairs Hawaii The KB and land based bombers resumed attacks on Pearl as the BB bombardments continued. They sank a minesweeper, a general tender, an oiler, a troop ship, and a destroyer. The SAG hit Palmyra one more time and made a run for it, so they were out of range of my SBDs by morning. My SBDs bombed their troops instead, causing heavy casualties. Dutch East Indies A dutch sub sank a Lima class cargo ship in between islands in the Ceram Sea. Another dutch sub, the O21, started doing the surface attack without attacking thing. It took two hits without causing damage. A SAG consisting of the BB Kongo and 4 DD attacked two ASW squadrons outside Surabaya, sinking one DD and crippling another. Two other DD were lightly damaged. We dealt insignificant damage back on them. Force Y was not able to retaliate. I lost track of both these guys and the CVLBG. Oscars from Malaya swept Palembang, Sumatra; I had Buffalos on CAP. Only a few damaged planes on each side. SouthPAC The Argonaut made up for a bit of bad luck lately with two attacks on tankers between Rabaul and Shortlands, one of which was finally successful. The tanker was fuel-laden and will almost certainly go down. The two enemy task forces near Milne went right by the fledgling base and headed for Port Moresby. Banshee and Hudson bombers attacked. The Hudsons came up empty, but the Banshees did quite well considering their low experience levels: two transports hit with major damage, and two cruisers hit for moderate damage. I note with pleasure that Rabaul did not provide a long-range CAP for them, but P-39s were escorting just in case. This is a curious move. Having bypassed Milne, his ships have only two ways to go. Further west towards Java, in which case his transports can't outrun my carriers, or back east, through my carriers. Seems like a lot of ships to sacrifice for an attack on PM that has no guarantee of success, especially without BB support and where bomber support is going to be contested by fighters. Is he just that confident that Rabaul's bombers can get through and sink me? Japan USS Sailfish attempted a surface attack on a cargo ship between Okinawa and Kyushu. It inflicted moderate damage before deciding it used up enough ammo and broke off. This sub is out of torpedoes too, I manually ordered it to return to rearm. __________________ Last edited by Molon Labe; 07-07-21 at 09:20 AM.