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[W. Clark]

We are currently running TSC using ODGW rules. The Allies started off with a bang at Savo sinking the Chokai and Kinugasa and damaging Kako, Furutaka and Yunagi while losing Quincy and Helm in return with Wilson crippled. Astoria, Vincennes and Ralph Talbot also suffered minor damage and were not used in other missions during August. So far, so good, but an Allied CG and Patrol both failed to contact any Japanese forces at all. So, both Allied supply missions got through safely so did the Japanese supply missions and the Japanese bombardment was hugely successfull leaving the index at -3.

The Allies used most of their command decision in September to get all the reinforcements they could and while their recon did as much as it could it did not begin to offset the Japanese effort that brought the index to -24.

The Allies knew they were behind the eight ball at this point and rejoiced when Halsey's arrival gave them extra command decisions. The Allies in the mistaken belief that the Japanese were limited to 2 carriers per sortie put only one carrier sortie while sending out 2 patrols, 2 supply runs and taking yet another reinforcement.

The October turn started with a carrier fight. The Allies received a strike advantage and started to lick their chops at the chance of putting the Shokaku and Zuikaku out of action before they could strike back. Imagine how stunned the Allies were when their strikes from Sara and the Enterprise arrived to find three light carrieres waiting for them. The Allies damaged all three light carriers and got a torpedo into Taiyo but the Japanese withdrew and a second strike failed to find them.

That is when the Allies learned that the Japanese had sortied a second CG with their fleet carriers and at least one light carrier. The Japanese wanted to strike at the Allied carrier group but it appears the rules don't allow that (The Allies would have liked that instead of what happened next). The Allies had not sortied a bombardment group so the Japanese struck at the Allied supply run instead. The Japanese sunk all four transports aborting both Allied supply missions and any Allied chance this month to effect the index towards a positive number.

Now its up to the Allied patrols to stop any Japanese bombarment or supply missions cold or it is probably curtins for the Allied effort.