Battle of Laroc Sea - Saabia's counterblows

The Ra'esharn air attacks upon the Saabian Task Force 1 having badly wounded the cruiser SNS Cockatrice, it was the turn of Saabia to mount their own attacks. Minus the fighter squadron, the entire bomber complement of SNS Bahamut took off to attack the enemy Carrier Striking Force. A hot reception awaited them.

Attack on the Carrier Strike Force

Having held back their fighters, Ra'esharn were able to match two-thirds of the incoming bombers. One squadron of bombers went after SNS Achlys (11). Half the Ra'esharn fighter intercepted them.
Fighters' attack roll: 2,2,4 => no effect
Bombers' defence roll: 2,4,5 => no effect
The bombers are neutralised.
Now came the flak: 
Destroyer: 1, 6 => 1 hit
Battleship: 2,3,4,6 => 1 hit
Carrier: 1,1,1,5 => no hits.
The bombers lose 2FP

Right here it is starting to become plain that the flak ought not to have been directed at a bomber squadron that had, in effect, been driven off. At the time the thought didn't cross my mind - and worse was to happen!

Attack on Carrier Strike Force

Two squadrons directed their attentions upon SNS Azi Dahak (14). One was intercepted by the fighters:
Fighters' roll: 4,5,6 => two hits on the bombers
Bombers' roll: 1,3,3 => no hits on the fighters
So, one bomber squadron neutralised: 
Now for the flak:
Destroyer: 3,6 => 1 hit
Cruiser: 2,3,4,6 => 1 hit
Carrier: 1,3,6,6 => 2 hits!
Four hits on the surviving bombers. That would have wiped out the last of the bomber squadrons, and the total force lost 8 out of 9 FPs (or, if you like, 32 out of 36 aircraft).

As it happened, I wrote down, I discovered later, a careless note that suggested the whole bomber force was wiped out. 

Attack on Carrier Strike Force

This was phenomenal shooting by the Striking Force, but I think the effect was somewhat overkill. The first two squadrons having been intercepted, they would have been driven off, jettisoning their bomb loads into the ocean and returning to their Task Force. The third squadron having made it through to the ships would have been shot out of the sky. Note that the battleship, Carrier 11 and the larboard column destroyer would have been out of range of their AA weaponry. 

So, according to the combats above, the Saabian bombers would certainly have lost more than half their complement (4FP remaining out of 9FP). The Task Force would still have had a bomber strike force in being.

At about the same time, Task Force 7 was conducting it own air attack, this one against the invasion convoy. The whole aircraft complement of SNS Bake-kujira struck at the troopships and the light carrier RNS Angra Mainyu. 

Attack on Invasion Convoy

As the carrier was the top priority target, the fighters escorted the squadron to which that target was assigned. Sure enough, the carrier launched its fighter squadron, the escort engaged it, neither side lost aircraft. That gave the bombers a free run - give or take the flak. The results were as follow:

Attack on MS Mangla (rear of larboard column). As it happened, I gave the transports no air defence of their own. Probably they ought to have at least 1AA point, possibly 2, per ship. 
Versus MS Mangla: 

    Bomber rolled: 2,3,5 => all missed, no effect
Versus RNS Angra Mainyu: 
    Flak rolls: 1,2,4,5 => no hits.
    Bombing run: 2,2,6 => 1 hit, 6FP of damage!
Versus MS Barracuda:

    Flak from overflown cruiser Charonzon: 2,4,4,4 => no hits
    Bombing run: 1,2,4 => no hits.

Attack on Invasion Convoy

Well, that was moderately disappointing for the attackers - just the one hit on the carrier. Following my previous posting Martin Rapier remarked on the desirability of striking carriers that were in the process of refueling and rearming aircraft that have returned from their own sorties. During this action, the thought did cross my mind that aircraft in a damaged ship might have taken some hurt, but that one I let go for examination later. Had the carrier taken further damage, the aircraft would certainly have remained out of the battle, unable to have been launched.

As it happened, these aircraft were soon to mount a strike of their own...

Battle of Lindisfarne Strait - Invasion fleet escorts take on
the Kiivar Task Force 34.

Shortly after this air attack, the Kiivar ships of Task Force 34 were approaching the other end of the Lindisfarne Strait through which the invasion convoy was about to pass. The starboard escort column, R21 and the cruiser, RNS Charun burst through the strait, just as the larboard column swung off to pass around the Petosi Point. This effected something of a surprise, as upon sighting the opposing forces were already in fairly close range. 

Two destroyers and two cruisers were hardly a match for battleship cruiser and destroyer, but two bomber squadrons (unescorted) from RNS Angra Mainyu were already on their way. Better yet, realising it had the range, however long, R21 launched its single forward torpedo - a hopeless gesture...

To be continued: a building surface fleet action