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Campaign Overview
After Action Report: Solomon Islands…
(Text in Italics is from the Japanese player side, regular Text is from the US player side)
Day 2
Well, this should teach me to assume anything. As I stare at the map in disbelief, I wonder what I’m going to do now. Instead of defending against the Japanese as I guessed I would be, I’m tasked with going on the offensive again. While my fighters are in excellent shape, they can’t gain any points on their own. My bombers can get the points, but the aircrew are tired and weakened. Dan’s defending fighters will be fatigued also though, so maybe with a decent escort the bombers might be able to destroy their targets today.
Looking at the targets, I see I have a lot of choices. With 3 rested fighter elements I can attack 3 targets with escorts, so I choose to hit Rabaul with the B-17’s, Munda with the B-25’s and Bougainville with the least tired of the SBD crews. I’ve chosen these areas not only for the points I can gain, but to also keep Dan from getting the points by default. Sending tired aircrew is quite risky though, due to the increased chance of having them killed, and could spoil my chance of mounting another offence. Oh well, no risk, no gain…
Clicking the Execute button once more, the battles are revealed…
I was hoping for more Japanese bombing missions. He gets to do all the bombing and my fighters are getting tired.
I’m going to make a token effort in a couple key areas where I can pick up some points, and hope he doesn’t send too much, like Rabaul, Bougainville, and Munda. These are good areas to get me some cheap points. He’ll probably send 17s back to Rabaul for the big port target. If they don’t have escort, I’ll engage, otherwise, I’ll just go after the escorts. When it is this early in a campaign it is sometimes better to reduce the enemy escorts than just attack the bombers.
I’m also trying to let some of the guys rest for next turn. Oh well, at least my bombers will be rested!
Well, Dan was thinking just as I was, and has defended everything I decided to attack. And horror of horrors, I see an unescorted B-17 icon over Rabaul! Somehow, from being distracted, rushing, or both, I’ve neglected to send an escort with my B-17’s. This will most likely be disastrous, as they’re tired and weak from having to fly the previous turn, and they’re up against the A6M5’s once again. Oh well, Clauswiz said friction in war is unavoidable….and, at least now I have an excuse if I lose. ?
Battle 1 – Munda – 2x B-25, 2x Corsair vs 2x Oscar
It was a very fast fight, with Dan’s Oscars succumbing to the F4U’s in just a few minutes. They managed to damage one B-25, but the airfield was damaged extensively. Both of his pilots bailed out, so I’m sure I haven’t seen the last of them. Finally though, some points for our side, and more proof that escorts are essential.
Battle 2 – 2x SBD, 2x Corsair vs 2x Tony
Right away I’m in trouble by not being able to fully engage the Tony’s and they damage a bomber. My Corsairs almost did their job, but one Tony was able to finish off the wounded bomber and make his escape. Yet again neither side receives any points.
Battle 3 – 2x B17 vs 2x A6M5
This is where the game could be won or lost, as the 8 points for this target can make a huge difference. The good news is my B-17’s are at High altitude, where his fighters are less effective. The bad news is that this doesn’t seem to matter, and one bomber is shot down with the loss of all aboard and the Japanese fly away without a scratch. If only I had allocated those escorts, I might actually be ahead in points for once. No point in crying over spilled milk though…even if there is a whole lot of it.
The end of Turn 2 shows us to be tied at 4 points apiece. Not getting 8 points for destroying the target at Rabaul might prove to be my undoing, but at least I haven’t lost ground this turn.
Bad news, he allocated to where I did, and in force. I did okay, lost a few points but nothing serious. I wonder why the 17s went in again without escort? If I had another element of fighters there, they both would have come down in their fatigued state.
Overall, I did better than I expected when I saw the match-ups. Wonder what his Fatigue Points are like? His bombers are looking tired.
