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[Zrk2]

This should be good.

[Erkki]

Jan 11th.

Kido Butai moves in range... and launches!

400 sorties + 40 sorties by Rabaul's G4M1s get 11 confirmed kills. A US heavy cruiser Pensacole gets hit by 4 torpedoes and blows up, the rest of the confirmed sunk being 8 transports, a mine layer and an old destroyer. 4 more ships are hit very well: a huge armed merchantman, a very large passenger liner and a smaller one, plus a transport. At least 1 of the liners and the transports almost for sure sink within next 12h, if they haven't already. This victory comes at the cost of 2 Zeroes(lost at landing), a D3A (landing) and 2 B5N(one by AAA).

However looking at Kido Butai's torpedo situation, there are now 31 left. In the whole force... Might have been a good idea to let only, say, 3 out of the 6 B5N units use the torpedoes. If the American CVs are going to park themselves North to Rabaul, I'm going to screw the plan.. And do some damage. Heavy Sweep will sail up the southern coast of New Guinea, KB will move directly West and park itself between Port Moresby and Aussies. It'll be in strike range of anything in the area that hasnt died yet.

Also, 2 B-17s from Port Moresby, apparently, bombed Rabaul. They didnt hit a thing, but as reconnaissance says there are almost 30 planes there, G4Ms will visit the airfield tomorrow.

KB will lurk in the area as long as there are targets, in then egress WEST and kill more while sailing up the Celebes, and link up with CVL Zuiho at Bedeloab(Palau islands). Replenishment force has been given new orders already.

[Erkki]

My email with the turns: "Turn 37, Say hello to KB" 

edit: Make it 13 confirmed, floatplane recce had one confirmed after the strikes I hadnt noticed.

[Deadmeat1471]

Heh nice going.

[Knave]

My email with the turns: "Turn 37, Say hello to KB" 

edit: Make it 13 confirmed, floatplane recce had one confirmed after the strikes I hadnt noticed.

Man that must've hurt to read that e-mail, ouch!

[Deadmeat1471]

How did he manage to get American ships caught up in Port Moresby? If I was him I would have retreated south east not north west.

*I looked back at the posts, looks to me like he jammed a whole fleet up behind KB stuck between New Guinea and Australia. A very bad move at this point i'd say. He flanked himself 

[Erkki]

Maybe he didnt know someone was coming for a visit? 

Even if there was a ship that could do 30 knots and hasnt yet taken hits, they're not going to escape. If they cant dive.

I think that cruiser was escorting a convoy to Port Moresby, and the ships were empty. At least they didnt explode right away or catch fire like they usually do when they're carrying ammo or especially fuel... It was a mix of British, US and Australian ships, too. Possibly/probably some of them had fled the Dutch East Indies and/or Philippines earlier.

[Deadmeat1471]

It was a mix of British, US and Australian ships, too. Possibly/probably some of them had fled the Dutch East Indies and/or Philippines earlier.

Oh that sounds more reasonable. I thought it was an American fleet, not mixed. Looks like he got caught with his knickers down  but if they already unloaded, not a total loss on his part.

[Deadmeat1471]

*Posted in wrong thread.

[Erkki]

Pretty much. Now just need to keep fingers crossed that he cant pull everything he has in the area out of KB's way... Ordnance situation is 94%, 13% torpedoes and 80% fuel for escorts, 60% for KB. It can hang out for a few more days, over a week but that means using the oilers and 7-8 hours at a snail's pace.

[Deadmeat1471]

Pretty much. Now just need to keep fingers crossed that he cant pull everything he has in the area out of KB's way... Ordnance situation is 94%, 13% torpedoes and 80% fuel for escorts, 60% for KB. It can hang out for a few more days, over a week but that means using the oilers and 7-8 hours at a snail's pace.

Got any more tankers to rendezvous with? You might be able to withdraw to Truk area to replenish and attack again. Seems to me at that point you could basicly pick any juicy target and wipe it out. Say Sydney harbor or something.

[Erkki]

Truk isnt big enough to rearm torpedoes, and since I'm going to use it in some future operations I rather use the oilers. I'll have to bring the fuel down there anyways. Tankers are now off Guam, they have the same distance to Bedeldoab as to Truk. Rabaul will be out of cover for a couple of days but I think western route is safer and it will more likely have targets. At least they cant just flee all in different directions.

The US CVs are now probably somewhere around Fiji or between Fiji and Pearl. If hes going to use them, they have to be there.

[Deadmeat1471]

Ah yes, you're running out of time, it's probably best to fight him for the last few days and withdraw before YOU get cornered by the carriers.

[Erkki]

Trying to keep the situation under control... before losing the balance. 

[Deadmeat1471]

Trying to keep the situation under control... before losing the balance. 

Enjoy it while you can, it wont be long before its YOU who are on the run 

and watch out for Saipan.