The Campaign for Rabaul
December 7-22, 1941
An interesting feature of Reluctant Admiral is the possible early clash of medium-to-light surface units around the Solomons, New Britain, and New Guinea area. Opposing Forces at start:
1. The Japanese start with the South Seas Force, several large Base Force, and a few Construction units added to the normal ground forces at Truk. To Cover them are the 4 older CA of the Aoba and Furutaka Classes as well as as a few CL and DD.
2. The Allies start with the ANZAC Cruisers already operating together about 3 days from Port Moresby where they are escorting a convoy carrying two Inf Bat, 2 Base Force, and 3 Aircraft Squadrons. These troops, if sent to Port Moresby, can form into a Brigade. If the Allied Player choses to not send them there then they have the real choice of looking at New Caledonia or other possible locations.
The 'regular' American convoys start in their normal places on December 7th.
Knowing Lew's aggressive mentality I set to grab Kavieng within the first couple of days by using a FTF of my CA--CL--DD. Once taken on the 10th these warships headed back to Truk to form the escort for the Rabaul and Lae Invasion forces. Two smaller Invasion of several AKL form up with SNLF and head for Manus (taken on the 11th) and Shortland (falls on the 13th).
I split my escorts into two TF of 2 CA, 1 CL, and 3 DD to Cover each of the main convoys. SHOULD have been plenty had it not been for a highly creative move by my opponent!
The 12th of December found my TF moving past Manus Islands and heading for their respective targets when they run into all sorts of single ship TF of either CL or CA composition:
CL Leander runs into the Lae IF and sinks 3 PB and one AK. My STF does not engage!
CA Louisville enters the fray at Kavieng and sinks 3 PB, 2 AMc, and an AK.
Rather rude surprise since my STF do nothing. Oh, well... I recheck my orders and make sure everyone is still on course with Cover and send the turn.
13th December sees CA Pensacola appear and sink two AKL moving away from Shortland and--to my surprise--CL Boise appears at Manus and sinks 5 AKL nearly destroying a Construction Battalion! BOISE??!! Wow...
The Japanese cancel the Lae Landing at this point and CONCENTRATE everything for the Rabaul Landing of the 14th. At Rabaul the Japanese are hit by CA Houston (!!!), then CL Leander, then the ANZAC Cruisers of CA Canberra, CLs Achilles and Perth and, finally, CL Boise. YIKES! To fight these warships I've got CAs Kako, Furutaka, CL Abukuma, and 3 DD.
The result is two night fights and two Daylight engagements. The Japanese see DD Oboro sunk and the three cruisers all damaged. CA Houston takes 3 Shells is set On Fire, CL Leander gets 3 Shells and a Torp and is probably sunk, CA Canberra receives 6 Shells and a Torp (On Fire), Achilles isn't hit, Perth is set On Fire with 2 Shells, and Boise is hit with 4 Shells. The Japanese did better but the Escort is certainly banged up.
I order that STF home and replace it with the other STF that missed entering the fight by only two hexes. Should note that CA Pensacola sinks another PB and AK just east of Shortland.
The Landing at Rabaul continues on the 15th when another round of surface combat occurs. I am certain that Lew was disagreeably surprised when he found fresh escorts protecting the Invasion! This day finds finds FIVE individual ship STF try to make it past the Japanese defenses. In come CA Pensacola, CL Perth, CA Houston, CL Achilles, and CA Louisville the Japanese field Aoba, Kinugasa, a CL and 3 DD.
As can be expected the results decisively favor the Japanese: Pensacola takes 3 Shells and retires On Fire, Perth is driven off with 3 Shells as well, Houston is sunk by 18 Shells and 2 TT, Achilles sinks after 16 Shells and a TT, and, lastly, Louisville is crippled by 10 Shells.
Japanese ammo is used up in these fights and the warships retire. To be safe I pull the Invasion Force as well. The Landing has been been thoroughly disrupted so I wait to attack with South Seas Force, an Air Flotilla, a Large Base Force, and a Construction unit.
The first attack occurs on the 19th and the result is a 1-1 that lowers Rabaul's Forts to Zero. Rabaul then falls on the 20th with a second attack getting a 10-1 result.
I immediately move a large Daitai of Betty (36 planes) and 18 Zero to the base and set for Naval Attack on the 20th. This moves happens as a Allied STF hits Kavieng. This time CA Australia, CL Boise (AGAIN!), and DD Voyager catch 5 unloaded AK there and sink them. The warships then have the luck-of-ancestors with them as a Raid of 9 Zero and 19 Betty MISS in the morning and then an afternoon strike of 9 Zero and 17 Betty MISS AGAIN in the afternoon. The TF gets away....grrrr....
Net results from a wild-and-crazy first couple of weeks around New Britain, the Solomons, and New Guinea are:
Japanese Losses: DD Oboro, 6 PB, 2 AMc, 8 AK, and 7 AKL.
Allied Losses: CA Houston, CLs Leander and Achilles
Summary:
Don't like all the AK/AKL losses I took, however, only one warships was sunk so that is good. I'll have to send 2 CA and a CL back to the Home Islands for repairs so that isn't good, however, now that Rabaul is operating things should rapidly improve.
The most important result here is that I will have to be move cautious as I expand in this region. Am nearly certain that an American CV or two just might appear in this area.
The decision to shoot Houston and Boise from the Philippines to Rabaul is OUTSTANDING! Little could they do in the DEI but here these two fine warship's power is keenly felt.
This being said, I think Lew acted with WAY too much haste. He fielded a total of 5 CA, 4 CL and a DD. If he had waited just a day or two and combined them into stronger TF then he might have completely stopped my offensive in this region before it truly started. I will consider myself lucky that his aggressiveness outweighed everything else...
.. I think the game has a mods ( just like subs) like 
