Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI

[Energisteron]

Day 5 - May 08 (continued)

Then the sun comes up and all hell breaks loose!

Just as the small Air Support and Transport TF arrives at Milne Bay, another massive US air strike arrives overhead, swipes aside a couple of Rufes on CAP, and annihilates the convoy. All 4 vessels are sunk in minutes.

It seems the enemy are disinclined to allow us to set-up a float fighter base there!

On land our platoon of engineers are still immobile seemingly confused about how to occupy a town against no opposition. And now they're not in a good supply position either.

[Energisteron]

Day 5 - May 08 (continued)

Later that morning the US Carriers launch an equally devastating strike (20x Dauntless 9x Wildcat versus 1x Zero 1x Claude) against CVL Shoho as she steams NW towards Port Moresby while herself planning a final sortie against the enemy Carriers.

CVL Shoho evades the first wave of 4x Dauntless, but the second and third strike her with 8 bombs. There is a fuel and then an ammunition explosion and she simply disappears. The remaining bombers struggle to account for the nimble escort, DD Sazanami, but eventually hit her and not surprisingly cause significant damage.

But CVL Shoho already had a strike outward bound. Presumably fighting with fanatical determination knowing their flattop had been destroyed, the raid (3x Kates 3x Kates 3x Zeros) fought their way through the US CAP (11x Wildcats) and deliver one 60kg bomb to CV Yorktown's flightdeck. Three surviving Kates make it back to Lae. The Zeros drop into the sea having fought the US CAP to their last drop of fuel.

Aside: incidentally, 3 of the Kates were surviving transfers from the sinking CV Zuikaku.

[Energisteron]

Day 5 - May 08 (continued)

On the ground at Port Moresby we make our first deliberate attack and meet with some success. Although our casualties (283) are slightly higher than the defenders (237) we reduce their fortifications and their fighting strength and cohesion much more than we damaged our own. The defenders benefitted from the jungle terrain and their fort but were hampered by fatigue and lack of preparation.

Just off the beachhead the detached Cruisers arrive and merge with the Invasion TF. Their guns should greatly assist our landing of supplies, and the wearing down of the defenders.

[Energisteron]

Day 6 - May 09

Planning

It looks like CV Shokaku and her accompanying crippled Cruiser will make good their escape, but with CVL Shoho's demise there is nothing between the enemy Carriers and our TF at Port Moresby. In fact as can be seen from the map, there's nothing to deter them from roaming anywhere on the map by this evening.

We will forego air attacks on Port Moresby again in the hope that we can find and damage one of their Carriers with land-based aircraft from Rabaul. A miscellany of aircraft, many survivors from our Carriers, are now based at Lae and Finschhaven and these can offer CAP over Port Moresby bay.

Our subs will continue to scour the Coal Sea for targets.

A little bit of good news. Our infantry company at Buna did make the advance into town having been topped up with supplies with Mavis Transport aircraft from Lae. So, we have Buna but not yet Milne Bay.

[Energisteron]

Day 6 - May 09

Another dramatic day results!

We permit one last night of unloading at Port Moresby. CA Aoba is duly detached and bombards the defenders with some success. Hits are also achieved on the airfield, port and port supplies. At least it must have kept the defenders awake! Resistance from the shore batteries has lessened yet xAK Aso Maru and xAK Kaga Maru still get hit but damage is minimal.

Then we get the biggest surprise so far!

CV Lexington is located just east of the Solomon chain and only 280 miles from Rabaul. The sighting is speedily followed-up with an air-strike (9x Nells 13x Zeros versus 9x Wildcats) and the Nells get through the CAP and launch their torpedoes, but in moderate rain they miss. Every Nell bomber is damaged in the attack and we lose a Zero. The Allies lose no aircraft and CV Lexington sails on serenely.

CV Lexington already has a strike in the air (20x Dauntless 9x Wildcats versus 6x Zeros), and after flying directly over Rabaul it attacks the Transports returning from Tulagi sinking xAK Azumasan Maru and badly damaging APD Yuzuki.

[Energisteron]

Day 6 - May 09

The afternoon.

The Rabaul bomber groups follow-up their morning air strike against CV Lexington. First, the Nells repeat their attack (11x Nells 9x Zeros versus 7x Wildcats) and again get through the CAP to launch their torpedoes. This time they score one hit.

Almost immediately another raid follows (18x Bettys versus 4x Wildcats) and despite their lack of escorting fighters the bombers get through, finding the damaged Carrier an easier target, scoring 4x torpedo hits. CV Lexington slows to a crawl, is on fire and heavily damaged.

Making the error perhaps of ignoring the land-based bombers based at Rabaul, another strike (8x Dauntless 6x Wildcats versus 4x Zeros) is made against the Transports near Rabaul. This time the CAP prevails and the enemy score no further hits.

[Energisteron]

Day 6 - May 09

Combat at Port Moresby was satisfactory.

[Energisteron]

Day 7 - May 10

Planning

Surely the enemy did not risk their Carriers just to have a stab at Rabaul or to sink a couple of Transports? The objective must have been to locate and destroy the badly damaged CV Shokaku as she headed for Truk. So with that in mind, CV Shokaku will take a detour around the north coast of the Admiralty Islands where she should be safe from attack today. Also, she will get LRCAP from Shifschhaven. Our Tanker fully loaded and heading for Rabaul will also make a slight detour so she can run into port tomorrow night (if I've calculated correctly) and tonight the surviving Freighters will setout from Rabaul in the opposite direction.

Our own primary objective remains the capture of Port Moresby, and we must not lose sight of that, but today we have a real chance of putting out-of-action or even sinking CV Lexington. The current plot (see below) would seem to indicate the Carriers may have split up, presumably with the holed CV Lexington limping back to base and still vulnerable to attack. So all Nells and Bettys at Rabaul will make another sweep to the east side of the Solomons hoping to find and kill their quarry.

If the enemy TF to the west of Munda is indeed CV Yorktown then we have a possible threat developing to Port Moresby again. Our beachhead troops will make another deliberate attack today but tomorrow they must take a rest as our fatigue levels are rising. To maintain the pressure on the defenders we will make some small raids with ex-Carrier aircraft from Lae, and 2xCL will be detached from the Transports and make a bombardment tonight.

Of course, CV Yorktown could attack Shortlands so we will transfer the Rufes currently at Lae (and intended for Milne Bay) to Shortlands. Other dribs and drabs are inconsequential although our Subs will continue to hunt their Oilers in the Coral Sea.

[Energisteron]

Day 7 - May 10

The Outcome.

Overnight CL Tenryu and CL Tatsuta bombard Port Moresby and unloading, in the absence of a significant Carrier threat for the moment, continues. During the night the presence of CAs Furutaka, Kinugasa and Haguro keep the enemy shore guns suppressed but in daylight our Freighters continue to suffer hits. Three Freighters are hit but not critically.

Our deliberate attack stretches our troops to their limits today and we take more casualties than the enemy (304 / 140 troops lost). However we crumble their fortifications again and discover they're in just as bad a shape as we are (the defenders benefit from the terrain, their leadership and our fatigue but are disadvantaged by disruption, their own fatigue, poor morale, inexperience, and unpreparedness. We must take a break tomorrow but equally must keep up the pressure with naval and air bombardment.

Bad weather prevents air strikes from Lae, but not from Rabaul. CV Lexington is spotted in mid-morning only 40 miles SE of its position yesterday. She must be in a really bad way. Soon afterwards 10x Nells attack her and hit her with another torpedo. CV Lexington is seen to wallow and appears to be sinking. The single escort, DD Aylwin, is also struck and is definitely sinking.

Then 13x Bettys arrive to find only debris. It seems to confirm both enemy ships have gone down.

Finally, SS Greenling again manages to get in amongst our Transports and attacks CL Yubari without success. In the subsequent counterattack she was certainly damaged and just may have been sunk.

[Energisteron]

Day 8 - May 11

Here's how it looked to us.

A very quiet day resulted. We bombarded Port Moresby with what was left of our Cruiser ammunition but bad weather again prevented air strikes from Lae. Our ground forces took a break and there was no response from the enemy. No bombardment.

At sea it looks as though CV Yorktown has gone to meet the Oilers and replenish or possibly she is withdrawing altogether.

[Energisteron]

Day 9 - May 12

Except for the crucial fight for Port Moresby, the operation has a very tail end feel to it.

It really seems that CV Yorktown is returning to base, so why the Oilers are still around doesn't make much sense. Our Cruisers, low on ammunition after their bombardment of Port Moresby, take the e opportunity to slip back to Rabaul. A small quantity of supplies is detached and sent to Milne Bay.

More importantly, CV Shokaku, way north of Rabaul on it way to Truk, experiences some secondary flooding and is now at risk again. She will divert to Rabaul and hopefully safety there. Currently she can make just 11 knots.

[Energisteron]

Day 9 - May 12

An uneventful day. We make 2 air strikes on the defenders of Port Moresby and then make a deliberate attack. Our losses are quite heavy. No it really is a matter of which force breaks first - our attackers or the Allies defending.

[Energisteron]

Day 10 - May 13

The penultimate day so we must get a move on at Port Moresby. Hence we'll make a shock attack. If it weren't for the time limit I'd rest but needs must!

Not much else really matters, so here goes.

[Energisteron]

Day 10 - May 13

Other than supplies arriving for our small force at Milne Bay, the only action is at Port Moresby.

The defenders are hit with two air strikes (19x Nells and 22x Bettys) and then our Shock Attack goes in. The defenders finally crumble and surrender. We have taken Port Moresby!

[Energisteron]

Day 11 - May 14

The final day.

Port Moresby is unsurprisingly a total ruin for now. We have rendered both the port and airfield entirely inoperable (port value =1 with 100% damage; airfield value =3 with 96% damage). It seems we rather overdid the bombardment!

So there's no point in flying in any defensive fighters just yet.

Despite having extra supplies our Milne Bay contingent fail to walk into town.

We can report CV Shokaku, badly damaged but afloat reaches the relative safety of Rabaul.

THE RESULT

Well, it was a nail-biting finish but we won! A Marginal Victory since possession of Port Moresby means all. But at what a cost; CV Zuikaku lost, CVL Shoho lost, some good Freighters sunk, and CV Shokaku heavily damaged and out of action for many weeks.

Here's the summary

[BillBrown]

I will make you an offer. I will agree to play two PBEM games of this scenario, once with you as Japan and once with me as Japan.
It is a small short scenario and will give you a taste of playing against a human opponent. It will give you a different perspective.

[Energisteron]

Hi BillBrown

Accepted. I am sure it will be a totally different challenge.

PM me and we can get started. I'd rather play one at a time. I'll let you choose side and set-up.

See you in the Coral Sea!

[BillBrown]

PM is sent, I do need to know what exe version you are using.

[BillBrown]

First turn has been sent.

[Zecke]

ORIGINAL: Energisteron





and in view of the continuous learning process which this game demands, I am about to start a much more ambitious scenario, 'The Coral Sea', against the AI set on Hard difficulty but with an historical reinforcement schedule while I will face a +/-15 day reinforcement variation.

So, here's how the game is set-up:-

Found good options To think start a PBME; looks as WITP General conditions.