-------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: This is meant to give everyone a bit on insight. A preview, if you will, of what is going on behind the curtain. WE ARE IN BETA. Whatever dynamics, trends, paradigms you detect or disagree with are subject to change. Let's not ruin this for everyone. This is not intended to foster debate or support anyone's agenda. Mostly just enjoy and take the time to learn about what is in store with AE.
-------------------------------------------
I am using the Coral Sea Scenario as a base, but intend to test the Lae Wing vs. 75 & 76 Sqdns of the RAAF. I have added the 8th PG (P-39s and P-400s) to the scenario as a potential relief. I am running several turns to allow FAT, MOR, and A/C Availability rates adjust for normal Ops, rather than testing one turn at a time in a vacuum. This is as real as it gets. This is an historical scenario and I am running “Dirty” with all the extras that the Scenario provides, including CARDIV 5 IVO Truk and Lady Lex and Yorktown IVO New Hebrides.
I set 75 & 76 Sqdn up per what I consider to be typical for them at this time (May 42) ~ 60-65 EXP & ~ 60-70 MOR. But obviously something went awry since 76 Sqdn is at 39 EXP! No matter, it will be a good comparison. Let's see what happens.
I’ve also staged the 8th PG at Townsville as a relief should the Aussies become exhausted, as they did IRL. Replacement rates for Aircraft look fine, and I should be able to sustain this test for at least a week or two.
Here are the units to watch and their settings for Day 1:
IJNAF
Tainan Ku K-1 (Saburo Sakai’s unit at Lae)
LCDR Kawai LDR: 59 Insp: 83 Air: 65 Aggr:80
40% CAP 60% SWEEP @ 20k’
Tainan Ku K-2 [/b] (A6M2-21 @ Rabaul)
LCDR Kusumoto LDR: 85 INSP: 85 AIR: 47* AGG: 55*
Unit EXP: 84 MOR: 88 FAT: 12
40% CAP 60% SWEEP @ 16k’
Genzan Ku K-1 (G3M2 Nell at Rabaul)
LDR is LTJG Ogawa ---- LDR: 82 INSP: 82 AIR: 28^ AGG: 23 (Not good…)
Unit EXP: 79 MOR: 87 FAT: 8
AF Attack @ PM 16k’
Three HQs are present at Rabaul
25th Air Flotilla, RADM Yanagihara LDR: 58 Insp: 54 AIR: 62 AGG: 63
11th Air Fleet, VADM Tsukahara LDR: 54 Insp: 62 AIR: 76 AGG: 52
Southeast Fleet, VADM Kusaka LDR: 69 Insp: 67 AIR: 72 AGG: 59
All three have staffs that are EXP 70 MOR 50
RAAF at Port Moresby
No 75 Sqdn (Kittyhawk IA)
FLT Jackson ---- LDR: 66 Insp: 78 AIR: 66 AGG: 58 (Promising/Careful)
Unit EXP: 68 MOR: 59 FAT: 7 Kills: 0
CAP 40% ESCORT 60% @ 17k’
No 76 Sqdn (Kittyhawk IA)
SLDR Drake ---- LDR: 45 Insp: 42 AIR: 36 AGG: 29 (Promising/Cautious) soon to be replaced! Not sure what happened here. I set EXP to ~ 60 in the editor…
Unit EXP: 34 MOR: 39 FAT: 7 Kills: 1
CAP 40% ESCORT 60% @ 20k’
No HQs in support. 1 x SCR-270 in place at PM. Plenty AV and supply.
First some messages to help explain what happens on Day 1...
Escort of 16 x A6M2-21 Zero from Tainan Ku S-1 unable to locate raid
proceeding onto target Port Moresby
Escort of 10 x Kittyhawk IA from No.75 Sqd RAAF unable to locate raid
proceeding onto target 82nd
Escort of 8 x Kittyhawk IA from No.76 Sqd RAAF unable to locate raid
returning to base
Combat begins. You'll note no PM Air attacks...
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/01/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
The Sweep out of Lae Goes in First as planned. Initially only 4 Kittys and 1 CAC are up they are repeatedly reinforced in 2s and 3s. The combat wasn’t as one sided as it appears. The Kittyhawks are at two different altitudes, but I think they suffered from a piecemeal defense against a numerically superior foe. I am surprised that 76 Sqdn fared better than 75 Sqdn, but they were on high cover.Combat lasted longer than I expected...
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-21 Zero x 16
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 12
Wirraway x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-21 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
Wirraway: 3 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x A6M2-21 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet (Tainan Ku S-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
4 x A6M2-21 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet (Tainan Ku S-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
4 x A6M2-21 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet (Tainan Ku S-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 82nd Naval Guard Unit, at 98,127
I wasn't expecting this. These guys were attempting to escort the CACs I had on ground attack to Buna...I wanted the Wirraways out of the way...oh well next time. I think the Lae Wing steals one here as they are 90+ EXP and are probably facing 76 Sqdn @ 39 EXP. No radar is present, but they also have a 3k' Altitude advantage over the Sweep. I did not want to conduct Offensive ops out the gate, but what can I say. I still learned somethign from this.
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-21 Zero x 3
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-21 Zero: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Kittyhawk IA sweeping at 17000 feet (No.76 Sqd RAAF / Australia Command)
4 x Kittyhawk IA sweeping at 17000 feet (No.76 Sqd RAAF / Australia Command)
3 x Kittyhawk IA sweeping at 17000 feet (No.76 Sqd RAAF / Australia Command)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
The attack comes off. After the messages I thought they would not make an appearance. They Catch the CAP on the ground after the Sweep stirs them up!
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-21 Zero x 16
G3M2 Nell x 24
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 1
Wirraway x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
Wirraway: 1 damaged
Fortunately for the Aussies, LTJG Ogawa ---- LDR: 82 INSP: 82 AIR: 28^ AGG: 23^ is incompetent and the payload lands harmlessly in the bay...
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 16000 feet (Genzan Ku K-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg AP Bomb
9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 16000 feet (Genzan Ku K-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg AP Bomb
9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 16000 feet (Genzan Ku K-1 / 25th Air Flotilla)
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg AP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 82nd Naval Guard Unit, at 98,127
The Allies manage to retaliate...sort of
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-21 Zero x 5
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 8
Wirraway x 8
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-21 Zero: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
Here is a breakdown of the units involved, these Stats follow the action of Day 1:
IJNAF
Tainan Ku K-1 (Saburo Sakai’s unit at Lae)
LCDR Kawai LDR: 59 Insp: 83 Air: 65 Aggr:80
Unit EXP: 90 MOR: 99 FAT: 11 Kills: 10 (all after the first day)
40% CAP 60% SWEEP @ 20k’ (they missed coordinating with the raid from Rabaul and went in first) 1 AC and 1 pilot lost as a result of action
Tainan Ku K-2 (A6M2-21 @ Rabaul)
LCDR Kusumoto LDR: 85 INSP: 85 AIR: 47* AGG: 55*
Unit EXP: 84 MOR: 88 FAT: 12 Kills: 1 (after first day)
40% CAP 60% SWEEP @ 16k’ (they coordinate with the raid from Rabaul and went in after Tainan Ku K-1 Sweeped) No losses on Day one.
Genzan Ku K-1 (G3M2 Nell at Rabaul)
LDR is LTJG Ogawa ---- LDR: 82 INSP: 82 AIR: 28^ AGG: 23 (Not good…)
Unit EXP: 79 MOR: 87 FAT: 8
AF Attack @ PM 16k’ ( they coordinate and miss the Target, bomb acc = 0%!) 1 write off possibly due to the 10% NAV search. I have secured that for tomorrow…
4th Ku K-1 (G4M2 Betty at Truk) ferried to Rabaul on duty tomorrow for AF attack…more to follow.
Three HQs are present at Rabaul
25th Air Flotilla, RADM Yanagihara LDR: 58 Insp: 54 AIR: 62 AGG: 63
11th Air Fleet, VADM Tsukahara LDR: 54 Insp: 62 AIR: 76 AGG: 52
Southeast Fleet, VADM Kusaka LDR: 69 Insp: 67 AIR: 72 AGG: 59
All three have staffs that are EXP 70 MOR 50
RAAF at Port Moresby
No 75 Sqdn
No 75 Sqdn (Kittyhawk IA)
FLT Jackson ---- LDR: 66 Insp: 78 AIR: 66 AGG: 58 (Promising/Careful)
Unit EXP: 68 MOR: 59 FAT: 7 Kills: 0
CAP 40% ESCORT 60% @ 17k’
Losses DAY 1 = 5 a/c 3 pilots WIA, 1 KIA (one crashed post combat)
Day two readiness --- 21 ready pilots ---- 16 serv. 4 Dmg’d
No 76 Sqdn
No 76 Sqdn (Kittyhawk IA)
SLDR Drake ---- LDR: 45 Insp: 42 AIR: 36 AGG: 29 (Promising/Cautious) soon to be replaced! Not sure what happened here. I set EXP to ~ 60 in the editor…
Unit EXP: 34 MOR: 39 FAT: 7 Kills: 1
CAP 40% ESCORT 60% @ 20k’
Losses DAY 1 = 3 a/c, 1 KIA
Day two readiness --- 22 ready pilots ---- 16 serv./ 2 Maint / 2 Dmg’d / 1 Res.
No HQs in support. 1 x SCR-270 in place at PM. Plenty AV and supply.
More tomorrow...Join me as I execute LTJG Ogawa and find a new LDR who can take the might of the Empire to the allies at PM...and I introduce the 4th Ku to the Kittyhawk IA. Oh and there are two CV TFs out there dying to get to know each other...
Also I'll be using more Screens as I get more proficient with this...bear with me.
