All CICs and Squadron Commanders note changes. Expect objectives later this afternoon.
Fall 1943:
Japan
IJAAF
Despite extreme effort on the part of Imperial Japan's Air Forces the weight of America's Industrial might is steadily wearing away at the Empire's early war gains.
IJAAF units are being beefed up for the final showdown in the Southwest Pacific. The war weary Ki-43Is and early model Ki-43IIs that have survived the campaign thus far
are no more than useless hulks posing a bigger danger to their own pilots than they are to the Allies. The Imperial Japanese Army High Command has rushed as many Ki-43 IIbs and Ki-43 KAIs (A6M3s)to New Guinea and Western New Britain as can be spared to back up the surviving Ki-61s.
IJN
The Japanese Carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku managed to fly off two squadrons of the newest model Zero fighter the A6M5 to Truk island. These fighters were then ferried South to Rabual and
assigned to area commanders to bolster defenses in both the Solomons and New Britain.
Frame 3 changes for Axis:
Service Percentage IJN 50% of Axis Pilots IJAAF 50% of Axis Pilots
IJAAF Fighter Percentage= Ki-61 50% Ki-43IIB/KAI (A6M3) 50%
IJN Fighter Percentage= A6M3 50% A6M5 50%
Allies:
USAAF
The excellent P-38 Lightning has had a huge impact on the Southwest Pacific Theater. However other theater commanders are doing everything they can to grab the P-38
for their own forces and new models of the fighter are still months away from reaching the front lines. We will have to soldier on with the current number of P-38s. The newest model
of the P-40 is now operational in this area. The P-40F will be replacing all USAAF P-40E squadrons and the E models will be handed over to the Australian Air Force. All P-39D squadrons have been pulled from the frontline and sent to Australia until they can be reequipped with the P-38 or newer model P-39s. USAAF B-25Cs have now been modified to carry 10 nose mounted 50 caliber Browning M2s in the nose. Although very lethal these kind of attacks done at low level are very dangerous and require multiple passes by the attackers. Area Commanders must weigh the options over the merit of this type of attack verses the standard level bombing attack.
USMC
The F4F Wildcat has seen it's last days of service in the Solomons. All remaining USMC and USN F4F squadrons have been sent stateside for rest and reequipping. The Navy has pulled all USN/USMC TBM and SBD squadrons saving them for a future operation elsewhere. The Navy is building for something big in the near future and currently the USMC is forced to operate at a smaller capacity then previous months. Newer versions of the Corsair as well as USN and USMC PBJ-1 Squadrons will be reinforcing us at the first of the new year. However at the moment Marine airpower in the Solomons will be represented by F4U1s. One bright note to this news is we will be reinforced in the Solomons by RAAF Fighter and Medium Bomber units immediately.
RAAF
The USAAF has transferred many flyable P-40Es to RAAF control. These planes will reinforce our fighter squadrons and allow us to start basing units in the Solomons. 79th Sqn has sent half of its Spitfire MK Vs back to Darwin to start reequipping with the newer Spitfire MK VIII. So our Spitfire V strength is down to 12 aircraft for immediate operations. The remaining 12 Spits will still be based at Kirwina Island V-27 or Goodenough Island V-28. Boston III Bomber units along with P-40E units will soon be departing area bases to assist in USMC operations in the Solomons as mentioned above.
Frame 3 changes for Allies:
Service Percentage: USAAF 50% of Allied Pilots USMC 25% of Allied Pilots RAAF 25% of Allied Pilots.
USAAF Fighter percentage 50% P-38 50% P-40F
USMC Fighter percentage 50% of all fighters operating in the Solomons area can be F4U1s.
RAAF Fighter percentages the RAAF is allowed 12 Spit MKVs but they can be based at A-27 and A-28 only. All of the rest of the RAAF will be based in the Solomons with a maximum of 25 Boston IIIs and 50% of all fighters operating in the Solomons must be RAAF P-40Es.
ALL NOTE:
Japanese and USAAF bomber numbers have not changed. The only bomber changes are that now there are 25 BostonIIIs operating from the USMC and RAAF bases in the Solomons on the extreme Eastern section of the map.
