S3 Series

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Frame 3

Frame 3 had more of an emphasis on searching for enemy shipping than in previous frames. Japanese and American torpedo bombers targetted static shipping in the slot on either end. US forces sank 7 ships and the Japanese 6 in a tit for tat exchange. Further south Japanese zeros proved effective ship killers taking down a further 7 static ships in the SE. One Allied AI DD was sunk and two Japanese DDs as well. A late frame attack on the Allied CV group in the south was defended fiercely and though several torps and bombs were put in the water no CV was sunk. Heavy losses to IJN strike a/c ruled out any last minute attacks on the well Capped carrier TF. Land-based SBDs continued to pound Japanese positions on the north end of New Georgia hitting 38 and 40 and causing some damage.

Allies claimed 38 e/a to the Japanese 24 but the gap between them is getting closer.
First frame the IJN won - 52 to 45 closing points on the leading allies.

Frame 4

Frame 4 saw all full out effort by the Japanese to locate and sink the American task force in the north. This they did throughout the night bringing their entire airforce into play and causing heavy losses to carrier wildcats. Early in the night an unescorted group of TBDs narrowly missed being located by IJN zero scouts and was able to sink 5 of the static shipping in the north. On their return to TF1 they ran through a developing fight over their ships and landed on the carriers. With more and more Japanese zeros arriving over TF1 the defending wildcats had to stay low in their flak cover looking for the inevitable Kates. When they finally arrived the few remaining wildcats jumped on them, shooting down 8 but not before several torpedos hit the Enterprise sinking her quickly. Damage was reported on the second carrier but this was difficult to prove in all the action. Later in the night several zeros dropped bombs on the sole remaining carrier and eyewitnesse reported that Trigr-san was the final zero to drop successfully sending the blazing Lexington over on her side.
Luckily for the Americans their TBDs had rebased to land from the Lexington but lossing in defending wildcats throughout the night was heavy. 22 wildcats were shot down by zeros and 19 zeros were lost to the US Navy fighters.

But while the entire Japanese air defence was fighting out to the northeast land-based TBDs caused devastating losses to unprotected Japanese shipping. Throughout the night these TBDs searched and sank 4 AI freighters, 3 AI DDs and 19 static ships near Choiseul and the northern New Georgia islands. F37 was also attacked and strafed during the night.

Aircraft claimed was almost even, Allies with 29 and the IJN with 26. Thought successful, sinking the CVs were an expensive attack for the Japanese as they lost their entire strike force and much of their defending fighters there. The allied points advantage was due to the amazing damage during the night the land-based TBDs accomplished on unprotected Japanese shipping.

Allies won frame 4 77.5 to 28 points and go into the final frame with a strong lead 262 to 198.

Frame 5 will see again only CV routes in the north and will be posted on each forum.

NOTES
1. S3 Litany - 1 life, 1 a/c type and no teleporting. If you land a field and dont take off from there that is teleporting.
CVs are like a field and rebasing to a CV means you fly to or from it. Common sense stuff if you remember the Litany.

Broncs – Extended sortie out of 53, landed back at 53, launched from CV/F09.
Billpe - teleported from F53 to CV after an extended 1st sortie.
Vangrd - teleported from F53 to CV after an extended 1st sortie.
-dazed - teleported from F53 to CV after an extended 1st sortie.

All these players will be flying C47 mission to start Frame 5 unless there is something the log is missing from these entries. Log gods are checking into if the sinking of a carrier puts you back to the nearest outpost. Removed the issue of a sinking carrier putting you at an outpost. This still leaves the 4 remaining to be cleared up.

Good Luck in the final frame.

Jabo - can you look at the scoring for Frame 4 again, please.

2xCV = 24 pts.

26 Allied fighters shot down = 4 pts????????????

looking at the PDF, CV point value for each side is 6 pts.

I have been known to mess up my spreadsheets but I think you are looking at the wrong tally Sakai.
As coolon says 2 CVs = 12 pts and 26 e/a = 13 points.

The big difference was the 63 pts the allies scored against Japanese shipping. Some TBD guys are going to score big in the individual awards this time around. If they live

Yes - I did look at it wrong.

Thanks for the clarification.

~S~

More points for E/A needed IMO...Losing a plane/pilot not much in terms of strategic value, but a ton in terms of frame tactical value.

But then again, I'm biased to the difficulty of shooting an object trying to survive, vs bombing static objects:)

Dobs

The tactical value plays itself out during the frame. Loose all your strike a/c early on and you have fighters down low taking on ships as happened in the first couple of frames. Strategic value is the effect on other operations beyond the scope of the frame.

That's exactly what happened because none of our guys landed anywhere that was not approved.

Darryl <S>

So lets see....frame 1 allied loses two carriers to strafing for 12 points. Frame 4 we lose two more because guns ack on allied cv's turned down for what again exactly? So another 12 points.

Leaving out all the other stuff - we then get a gazillion penalty planes for having no where to land and or using a cv to refuel.???

I am not a brain surgeon but something does not add up here!

OK so I guess if you are forced to land at an outpost you should not be able to teleport to the carrier - told you I was not a brain surgeon

I am sure they landed at approved fields, but they are not allowed to teleport to a carrier, they would have to try and up from where they landed.

If your carrier sinks when you are on it, you are done for the night unless your plane can fly underwater