The Solomons Campaign 2017

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good luck

[Ace of Spades]

Just make sure you fire at them as soon as they are in reach and with whatever you can hit them!

Cheers,
Rob

[paulr]

That is broadly the plan

My fellow American commander and I have settled on an aggressive approach, hopefully the Japanese force doesn't include the Yamato 

We'll see tomorrow night

[Ace of Spades]

All the more reason to hit them as soon as you can! Trust your radar; it's really the only advantage you'll have...
Keep us updated please.

Hit 'em where it hurts!
Rob

[paulr]

It is October 1942 so most of the US ships still have fairly rudimentary radar

Hopefully it will be working on those ships that do have good radar

[paulr]

US forces to the southeast of Savo Island detected ships close to Tassafaronga, they were too far away to determine numbers or types as yet. It looks like the Tokyo Express might have arrived.

The US Task Force deployed in two task groups of four destroyers, 3 cruisers and one battleship each. The plan was for TG34.1 to move around the north of the Japanese forces and cut off their escape route. TG34.2 would remain to the east and close with the Japanese once TG34.1 engaged.

The weather was good, too good. The cloudless sky revealed a full moon and visibility was 20,000 yards reducing the Allied radar advantage.

As both task groups headed west at 22 knots initial radar reports indicated three 'large' Japanese ships with more ships further west. TG34.1 began accelerating. The lead destroyers of TG34.2 sighted three cruisers of the Takao class withdrawing to the northwest. Two more 'large' radar contacts were confirmed to behind the Takao class cruisers.

TG34.2 turned north in succession and the two radar contacts came into sight, two battleships of the Nagato class. TG34.1 continued accelerating to the west well placed to cut off the withdrawing Japanese cruisers.



At this point the Japanese could see the destroyers and leading cruiser of TG34.2 and the destroyers and cruisers of TG34.1. The US plan was working and HMAS Australia opened fire at 17,000 yards under radar fire control scoring some hits.



The Japanese cruisers responded with stunningly accurate salvoes slamming into the Australia forcing her to quit the line.



TG34.2 turned west and closed with the Japanese firing in support of the TG34.1. The Washington fired on the rearmost Japanese battleship while the New Orleans fired on the third Japanese cruiser. The three cruisers of TG34.1 engaged the three Japanese cruisers and the North Carolina engaged the leading Japanese battleships all scoring some hits.



The last Japanese battleship was unable to fire its forward turrets at the Washington and so concentrated its whole main battery on the cruisers of TG34.2. The New Orleans was stopped dead in the water as 16" shells slammed into the engine room. The Minneapolis and San Francisco were force to turn to starboard, the Minneapolis narrowly avoiding a collision before being hit herself.



The Japanese fire continued to be stunningly accurate (the Japanese dice were hot all night). One destroyer of TG34.1 was forced to withdraw with all its weapons out of action. All three cruisers and the battleship suffered damage, both Australia and North Carolina were set on fire.



The US destroyers of TG34.1 launched torpedoes at maximum range before the entire TG turned away and the destroyers made smoke. The Japanese cruisers also fired torpedoes.

Much to the Americans surprise one of the torpedoes from the leading US destroyer, Selfridge, struck the leading Japanese cruiser. It failed to explode. As the US withdrew the already badly damaged Phoenix was struck by two torpedoes, the  and sank. Another Japanese torpedo struck and damaged the North Carolina.

TG34.2 also turned away with the destroyers making smoke to cover the slow withdrawal of the cruisers. The Japanese continued their withdrawal to the northwest.

A disastrous night for the US:

• one cruiser sunk
• one battleship damaged
• four cruisers damaged
• four destroyers damaged

All three Japanese cruisers and both battleships were damaged with one of the battleships appearing to be slowed. The Japanese supply ships had withdrawn and had not been engaged.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Ouch! Bad night for the US Navy!

[pierre the shy]

I thought the USN plan was pretty good, but without knowing exactly what Japanese ships were out there they couldn't cover every eventuality.

The Japanese force was pretty powerful as well and their covering operation ultimately meant that their transport group and escorting DD division were able to exit without being spotted.

The game breaker for the Japanese was their gunnery die rolls, which for most part were not far from incredible on several occasions, allowing them to inflict significant damage on multiple USN ships (I wasn't rolling these  ). Though it should be noted that the USN did manage to inflict varying amounts of damage on the Japanese battleships and cruisers.

Now to see what happens in the rest of the October 1942 turn.....

[DFlynSqrl]

Bad night for the USN.  Great looking game though!

[Roy]

nice read. cheers 

[Steve J]

The die Gods seemed to have favoured the Japanese somewhat . Nice looking game BTW.

[Ace of Spades]

A very authentic strategic victory for the USN!
The Japanese supply ships turned tail so no reinforcements or supplies for the troops on Guadalcanal. The US Marines will hold the island and the Japanese ground forces will be weakend further reducing the danger for the unsinkable US carrier 'USS Henderson'. The Japanese will loose in the end, the USN learned another lesson (expensive as it is) while the Japanese wasted a lot of valuable fuel. Damaged ships might be picked off by the Cactus Air Force at first light.
Well done commander!

Cheers,
Rob

[paulr]

If only

The Japanese supply ships will return and continue unloading after a couples of hours interruption 

Henderson Feild is recovering from being recently bombarded and it is unlikely the Cactus Air Force will be able to catch the withdrawing Japanese

We'll find out later in the monthly turn if the Japanese assault Henderson Field
And if the Marines hold

[Ace of Spades]

As long as the Cactus Air Force can put up a show by first light the supply ships wouldn't dare to venture near nor would the Japanse risk their big ships in daylight. The Japanese won't know what damage they did to the airfield so any US demonstration in the air should really put them off.

Cheers,
Rob

[pierre the shy]

As long as the Cactus Air Force can put up a show by first light the supply ships wouldn't dare to venture near nor would the Japanese risk their big ships in daylight. The Japanese won't know what damage they did to the airfield so any US demonstration in the air should really put them off.

Historically quite correct Ace, however we are using ODGW's The Solomons Campaign rules to run the campaign. Each side gets 4 - 5 command decisions per monthly turn that can be - Carriers Sortie, Patrol, bombardment, supply run etc. The mechanics of the campaign mean that the Japanese groups may be attacked by Cactus Air Force SBD's etc  as they retreat back up "The Slot" but only if Henderson was not bombarded successfully by the Japanese in a particular turn.

In the October turn the Japanese did manage to bombard Henderson with a cruiser force so no air strikes took place. In the other direction the USN did manage to bombard Japanese troop concentrations in the northern part of Guadalcanal without encountering any  Japanese opposition.