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RE: Double Diamond? - 3/2/2007 5:48:18 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		Beware the curse of victory disease, Hibiki-san, nee Cuttlefish. While Japanese_Spirit is certainly correct that the Battle of Syndey Is. was an excellent victory, overextension can be a fatal bane for the Japanese. Be they applied to land or sea, the maxims of war still hold. As you get further from your supply and repair sources, the enemy becomes stronger as he is forced closer to his sources.

Good luck to your little ship and its valiant crew.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Japanese_Spirit

Indeed an excellent and victorious update! Hopefully, it will give the Hibiki a little bit more breathing space and the rest of the Kido Butai before 44/45.

Looking forward, as always, to the next update!


(in reply to Japanese_Spirit)
Post #: 211
RE: Double Diamond? - 3/2/2007 6:27:59 PM   
TIMJOT

 

Posts: 1822
Joined: 4/30/2001
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Vetamur

Cherry blossoms open in April in Japan, not March. Man. Get it right! (just teasing. good AAR)




He did get it right. I can say categorically that cherry blossoms open in late March most years, in Tokyo at least, but of course it depends on the weather in a given year.

(in reply to Vetamur)
Post #: 212
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 11:29:27 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 6, 1942

Location: 190 miles north of Wallis Island
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 427

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai away from the Phoenix Islands region.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 213
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 11:32:12 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 7, 1942

Location: 200 miles east-southeast of Nanomea
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 403

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: Sir, our friend is back.

Captain Ishii: Ah? *he raises his binoculars and looks where Sugiyura is pointing* Oh yes, I see.

Dodging in and out of the clouds a few miles from the task force is a Catalina. The Zeros chase it, as usual, but as usual it fades into the clouds and escapes.

Captain Ishii: No matter. We are out of range of their bombers, and soon we will be out of the range of their patrol aircraft as well.

Sugiyura: We are heading back to Kwajalein, sir?

Captain Ishii: Yes.

Sugiyura: Do you think we will continue to escort the carriers, sir?

Captain Ishii: I have no idea what our orders will be. It is possible.

Sugiyura: Ah.

Captain Ishii: You sound disappointed, Lieutenant.

Sugiyura: Well sir, I admit that with Kido Butai around we are as safe as if we were in the Inland Sea. It's just that...

Captain Ishii: I understand. You want to test your mettle against some enemy warships.

Sugiyura: Yes. Though to do that first I must have some torpedoes. I feel as useless right now as a fan in winter.

Captain Ishii: Do not worry. We will find you some torpedoes. Somewhere.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 214
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 11:35:13 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 8, 1942

Location: 180 miles north-northeast of Nanomea
Course: North by northwest
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 379

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

In a bunkroom aboard the Hibiki. Several of the sailors are discussing the war.

Shiro: But how can you say that? We have been out of touch for twelve days now, we don't know what is happening!

Tatsumi: Because the last we heard our forces had yet to meet with defeat anywhere! And since then we know that two American carriers have been sunk. The Americans cannot stomach such defeat, soon they must surely admit they are beaten and ask for peace.

Riku: They understand money and comfort, but they do not understand bushido. How can they stand against us?

Taiki: *slowly* I am not so sure...

Shiro: What do you mean, Taiki?

Taiki: That they know nothing of bushido. Do you remember that gunboat we fought at Wake?

Shiro: Of course!

Taiki: How big would you say that ship was? Maybe fifty meters long?

Riku: More like forty meters.

Taiki: We were at least three times their size. Yet they carried out their duty to try and protect the transports without wavering, in the face of certain death.

Shiro: True. And do not forget the big carrier battle. Remember the last group of American planes? All of them fell to our Zero-sen fighters, yet they attacked to the last, even knowing the battle was already lost and their carriers were gone.

Tatsumi: All right, so they do not lack courage. I will admit that. But I still say they will soon see their cause is hopeless.

Taiki: *laughs* I hope so. But if they continue to resist we can unleash Riku's feet upon them. What a smell!

Riku: It is not my fault we are out of water for bathing!

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 215
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 4:08:06 PM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		I live in Tokyo. I have lived hear for 11 years.  I live 10 minutes from Ueno Park, the most famous park for cherry blossom viewing. Its generally at the beginning of April. The beginning of April is the beginning of the school year hear and when new employees start at their jobs. New employees first duty is often to save a space in a park for HANAMI parties for their company. The blossoms are a national obsession and starting in mid March on the news when they show the weather they also show a map of when cherry blossoms will open.

LAST YEAR they opened in late March because..well..the weather is getting all messed up quickly in Japan...

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 216
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 6:22:02 PM   
TIMJOT

 

Posts: 1822
Joined: 4/30/2001
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Vetamur

I live in Tokyo. I have lived hear for 11 years.  I live 10 minutes from Ueno Park, the most famous park for cherry blossom viewing. Its generally at the beginning of April. The beginning of April is the beginning of the school year hear and when new employees start at their jobs. New employees first duty is often to save a space in a park for HANAMI parties for their company. The blossoms are a national obsession and starting in mid March on the news when they show the weather they also show a map of when cherry blossoms will open.

LAST YEAR they opened in late March because..well..the weather is getting all messed up quickly in Japan...


Hello Vetamur, well I lived in Tokyo for about 6 years, right next to Aoyama Cemetary another prime Hanami location and as far as I can recollect everyone of our Hanami parties were in Late March. But truely we are splitting hairs since all he said " that SOON the cherry blossoms will open", whether its the last week in March or the first week in April the statement is nevertheless true. Anyhow I would be interested when they open this year please let me know. Aoyama is on a high ground so maybe they open sooner there than Ueno.

Regards

(in reply to Vetamur)
Post #: 217
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/3/2007 6:30:28 PM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		Well..yes..no point in arguing over weather. Lol.  Ive never been to Aoyama Cemetary... I wonder why.

They will probably be early this year..It never snowed this year, I never took out my heavy coat... the most I ever needed was a sweater under my leather jacket.  This "heat island" things SUCKS.

(in reply to TIMJOT)
Post #: 218
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:22:46 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 9, 1942

Location: 245 miles southeast of Tarawa
Course: North by northwest
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 345

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 219
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:25:12 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 10, 1942

Location: Off Apamama
Course: North
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 331

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

Excerpt from a letter from Lieutenant Miharu to his wife:

I wish I had the words to describe what we felt as we saw the carrier battle. Well, we saw our end of it, anyway. We only heard the reports from our planes on the other end. If I am spared in this war it is a tale I will be able to tell our children, how our forces met the Americans in the first battle of its kind and were triumphant.

I have been pondering what it means that no ship on either side saw an enemy ship during the battle. Most sailors, certainly most of my classmates at the Naval Academy, have until now hoped to be posted aboard a battleship. But I think that may change. It is our carriers, our mighty Kido Butai, that the enemy now fears.

I do not worry that destroyers are going to become unnecessary, though. In fact from what I have seen our destroyers are becoming more and more essential. We battle the enemies ships, his planes, his bases, and his submarines. We are sent when larger ships cannot be spared, or risked. It is not glamorous duty, perhaps, but it is important duty. If we are victorious in this war the historians will write about the battleships and the aircraft carriers, but it is destroyers and hundreds of other small ships who will have formed the backbone of our triumph.

Forgive me, you know I have a tendency to philosophize at times. I will turn my thoughts instead to you and our children. I hope that you are all well, and...

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 220
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:26:55 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 11, 1942

Location: 50 miles west of Makin
Course: North
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 307

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

Radio operator, via speaker tube: Captain, we are picking up a broadcast from Noumea.

Captain Ishii: Yes? What is it?

Radio Operator: Sir, they report they are under heavy attack by American carrier planes. They report many warships and transports approaching the island.

Captain Ishii: What? Carrier planes? Are you sure?

Radio Operator: Yes sir.

Lieutenant Miharu: Sir, it must be true. Noumea is too far from Fiji for it to be anything else.

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: But we found and sank their carriers!

Captain Ishii: *slowly* Perhaps not, Lieutenant. Or rather, perhaps we did not sink the carriers we went looking for.

Lieutenant Miharu: That explains a great deal. I wondered why we found their carriers so far to the east of where they had been reported, and heading west at that.

Captain Ishii: That makes sense, Exec. We did not sink the carriers at Fiji, we sank the carriers coming to join them.

Lieutenant Sugiyura: Will we then turn to strike at this new attack?

Captain Ishii: We will soon find out. Admiral Nagumo and Admiral Goto have no doubt already reached the same conclusion we have. We must await their orders.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 221
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:29:37 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 12, 1942

Location: 16 miles southwest of Jaluit
Course: North
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 283

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki. Captain Ishii returns from the radio room, where he has been hovering over the shouder of the radio operator for much of the morning.

Lieutenant Miharu: Captain, sir. What is the news?

Captain Ishii: Not much, Lieutenant. Radio reports are spotty. It is obvious that a large battle is taking place. Our bombers report they have struck an American carrier and sunk or damaged it, but nothing is clear.

Lieutenant Miharu: And yet we are still heading north.

Captain Ishii: Noumea is well defended. The reason for not hurrying to the battle has not been explained to me, but I can guess well enough. *he gestures out at the aircraft carriers not too far distant* They had to leave Kwajalein before being fully refueled. They may now be too low on fuel to reach Noumea. And two of the carriers are hurt, and they are no doubt low on bombs, torpedoes, and aviation fuel.

We may not like it, but I agree with it. When we face the Americans we can afford no mistakes. It must be on our terms, not theirs. Noumea is well defended. They must hold without us this time, if they can.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 222
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:37:43 AM   
AU Tiger_MatrixForum


Posts: 1606
Joined: 10/9/2006
From: Deepest Dixie
Status: offline 		Excellent storytelling. I was excited to see my subscription notice in my e-mail.
Keep up the good work!


_____________________________

"Never take counsel of your fears."

Tho. Jackson

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 223
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:39:15 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 13, 1942

Location: 173 miles southeast of Kwajalien
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 259

Orders: Accompany Kido Butai back to Kwajalein.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

Radio Operator, via speaker tube: Captain! Sir, a signal from Admiral Goto. He has received word that the American landing has been repulsed! They are pulling out!

Captain Ishii: Great news! Is there any more?

Radio Operator: No sir. He says details will have to wait until we reach Kwajalein tomorrow.

Lieutenant Miharu: I wonder what happened?

Captain Ishii: I wonder indeed.

---

Excerpt from "Naval Battles of the Pacific, Volume 1: Steel Sunrise" by Morris Elliot Samuelson; Harper, Row, and Fujimori, New York, 1965

Following the disaster off Sydney Island Nimitz telegraphed Admiral King and recommended that the Noumea operation be postponed. King refused. The Japanese carriers, he said, were in no shape for another fight so soon and in any event appeared to be withdrawing to the north. By the time they could react Noumea would be back in American hands. It would be Wake Island all over again. Nimitz reluctanty agreed.

Neither man knew that their plan was based on badly flawed intelligence. Instead of a few float planes and some special landing force troops the Americans were sailing against the dug in Japanese 4th division and over 100 aircraft.

Despite this the operation began well. Two light cruisers were damaged by air attack during the initial bombardment on March 11, neither seriously. The 2nd Marine Division began landing on schedule. Though opposition was light at first it stiffened quickly, and by mid-morning the marines found themselves on the defensive as the Japanese high command slowly awoke to the fact that this was no minor raid.

The carrier strikes and naval bombardment that were supposed to knock out the airfield caused only superficial damage. This allowed more Japanese "Nell" and "Betty" bombers flew in from Port Moresby during the day, and these began harrasing the Enterprise and Yorktown on March 12. Enterprise suffered minor damage from a bomb hit in the morning, but it was an afternoon attack against Yorktown that effectively ended the operation.

Late in the afternoon three Nells dropped out of the clouds near Yorktown, having successfully evaded the combat air patrol. Two near misses rattled the carrier, but the third bomber placed its bomb in the center of the flight deck just forward of the island. The bomb penetrated to a crowded hanger; the initial explosion was followed by several others as a number of aircraft burned, and for a time Yorktown was in serious trouble. Heroic efforts put out the fires, however, and by nightfall the carrier was able to steam out the area under her own power.

As darkness fell the Marine advance was stalled less than a mile from the beaches. Nimitz realized that with Enterprise and Yorktown forced to leave the area the transports would be massacred by air attacks once the sun rose, leaving the marines ashore in serious danger. He gave the order to withdraw.

The subsequent evacuation of an entire division under the noses of the Japanese was a remarkable accomplishment. The Japanese awoke on the morning of the 13th to find the waters around Noumea clear of ships. The Marine positions, held until the last moment by a small rear guard that kept up a convincing appearance that the division was still in place, were deserted.

Marine casualties during the battle were...


(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 224
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 9:44:37 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 14, 1942

Location: Kwajalien
Course: None
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: None as yet.

---

It is midafternoon at Kwajalein. Less than an hour earlier Hibiki had slipped through one of the passages and anchored within the sheltered waters of the lagoon. Now the door of the naval quartermasters shack bursts open and Captain Ishii strides in. The clerk behind the desk tries not to flinch as the captain strides up to him.

Captain Ishii: Well?

Quartermaster: Sir, um, welcome back. May I make known to you Commander Kanzaki, sir? *he indicates a naval officer standing off to one side*

Captain Ishii turns and looks the man over. The Commander salutes Captain Ishii. Captain Ishii automatically returns the salute.

Commander Kanzaki: I am pleased to make your acquantiance, Captain. Specifically, I am captain of torpedo tender AD-3161. We arrived from Ominato just a few days ago.

Captain Ishii: *smiles broadly* I am most pleased to make your acquaintance as well, sir.

Commander Kanzaki: With your permission we will tie up alongside this afternoon. We have eighteen Type 93 torpedoes for you to deliver to the Americans.

Captain Ishii: Permission granted!

---

It is an hour later. Captain Ishii has arrived at 6th Fleet headquarters, and is now speaking with Vice Admiral Shimizu.

Admiral Shimizu: Captain, I need to detach two more destroyers to escort Shokaku and Kaga back to Japan. How would you feel about going?

Captain Ishii: Sir, Hibiki is ready to do whatever is asked of her.

Admiral Shimizu: I do not doubt it, Ishii. But that is not what I asked. You may speak your mind freely.

Captain Ishii: Thank you, sir. It is my feeling, if I may be bold, that Hibiki has already done her share of playing nursemaid to stricken aircraft carriers so far this war. The Americans are not going away, sir. The men and I want to be out here fighting them.

Admiral Shimizu: *nods* I thought you might feel that way. Very well. You will remain under Admiral Goto's command. Get your ship ready quickly, Ishii, you depart in the morning.

Captain Ishii: Yes sir. Thank you. What is our mission?

Admiral Shimizu: You are needed at Wake. We have been shuttling task forces between here and Wake, raiding the island and intercepting shipping. So far we have caught and sunk something like five destroyers or destroyer transports and maybe seven or eight frieghters. Our submarines and planes have been active as well, so it hard to get an accurate count. *he chuckles* The men are calling the run "the Kwajalein Express".

Admiral Goto has already been fully briefed, of course, and will give you further details. Be careful! American bombers are active in the area once the sun rises, so you need to be well clear of the island by then. So far we have been lucky, the only ship hit was Ise, and the damage was minor.

Captain Ishii: Very good, sir. We will be ready to sail.

Admiral Shimizu: Good hunting, Captain.

---

On the docks at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein. Two sailors face each other for a moment, not speaking. One is a sailor, one an ensign. The sailor begins a salute, but is wrapped in a fiece bear hug by the ensign.

Noburo: None of that! I wish for now to torment you as an elder brother, not as an officer.

Taiki: Yes sir...I mean Noburo...

Noburo releases his brother and laughs.

Noburo: You look well, Taiki! I hear you and your ship have been busy!

Taiki: We have! And how about you? It is so good to see you safe!

Noburo: We have been riding the Kwajalein Express. Your turn tomorrow, I hear.

Taiki: Yes, we sail tomorrow. And you?

Noburo: The same. Not to Wake this time, though. The Mutsu has other orders. But come, we have much to talk about and little time. Walk with me. I hear you saw mother and father! How are they?

The two men fall into step, the war forgotten as they talk. For a short while they are not just two sailors on a bit of coral a very long ways from home. They are family again, and neither man could ask for a greater gift.

< Message edited by Cuttlefish -- 5/29/2007 8:48:49 PM >

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 225
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 10:02:44 AM   
marky


Posts: 5780
Joined: 3/8/2004
From: Wisconsin
Status: offline




I declare all ye WITPers to bow to the master of creative writing!


_____________________________


(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 226
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 10:35:49 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the compliment. I'll have to show my wife the impressive armada of smileys, maybe then she'll understand that running 15 turns of WitP this weekend against two opponents and getting the 7 latest AAR entries written was worth not getting the garage cleared out...

(in reply to marky)
Post #: 227
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 4:18:41 PM   
rtrapasso


Posts: 22653
Joined: 9/3/2002
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

Thanks for the compliment. I'll have to show my wife the impressive armada of smileys, maybe then she'll understand that running 15 turns of WitP this weekend against two opponents and getting the 7 latest AAR entries written was worth not getting the garage cleared out...



And yet... i somehow think she'll fail to grasp the point...

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 228
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 4:32:17 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

Thanks for the compliment. I'll have to show my wife the impressive armada of smileys, maybe then she'll understand that running 15 turns of WitP this weekend against two opponents and getting the 7 latest AAR entries written was worth not getting the garage cleared out...



Chocolats, maybe flowers, and a surprise trip to the spa for the Fuhrer and Cuttlefish is home free! And, as a bonus, he clears another two free hours for playing his games and writing his great AAR. The masses are pleased, Mama is happy, Cuttlefish is not in the dusty garage. Hey, I may be older, but wisdom often comes with the experience of age.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 229
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 4:33:57 PM   
Ron Saueracker


Posts: 12121
Joined: 1/28/2002
From: Ottawa, Canada OR Zakynthos Island, Greece
Status: offline 		Perhaps the wife would enjoy cleaning the garage herself....maybe she is bored with giving orders?

_____________________________





Yammas from The Apo-Tiki Lounge. Future site of WITP AE benders! And then the s--t hit the fan

(in reply to princep01)
Post #: 230
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/5/2007 5:02:24 PM   
goodboyladdie


Posts: 3469
Joined: 11/18/2005
From: Rendlesham, Suffolk
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Perhaps the wife would enjoy cleaning the garage herself....maybe she is bored with giving orders?



Jeez Ron. I though bartenders were supposed to be good at stopping fights, not starting them...

(in reply to Ron Saueracker)
Post #: 231
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/6/2007 4:44:28 PM   
Japanese_Spirit

 

Posts: 108
Joined: 9/6/2005
From: United Kingdom
Status: offline 		Excellent update my good sir!

A very nice touch you added in there with both Taiki and Natsumi. Let us hope that both brothers survive the war.....and live to tell the tale to future generations.

(in reply to goodboyladdie)
Post #: 232
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/6/2007 8:31:24 PM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		(can we change Natsumis name? Its a girls name.... Summer Beauty)....

(in reply to Japanese_Spirit)
Post #: 233
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/6/2007 8:58:33 PM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		There's an interesting story behind that. Natsumi was the Takahashi's firstborn child, and before he was born his mother had a dream that he would be a girl and that she should name her after her own grandmother. The old lady, then nearly 90, was quite pleased by this.

It was thus a shock when a healthy baby boy was born instead. His mother knew that her grandmother had been clinging to life so that she could see her namesake born, and feared that the disappointment of giving birth to a boy instead would kill her. So they kept the name as Natsumi and pretended to the old lady that the baby was in fact a little girl. The father was so pleased to have a son that he went along with the plan, on the condition that his name be changed to Akemi once the grandmother died.

The grandmother, however, lived another several years. Natsumi's name was then duly changed to Akemi, but by this time everyone in the family was so used to calling him Natsumi that the name stuck. So his actual name is Akemi to everyone outside the immediate family, but that is not what Taiki calls him.

---

Edit 5/29/07: Natsumi's name has since been changed to Noburo throughout the AAR.

< Message edited by Cuttlefish -- 5/29/2007 8:50:44 PM >

(in reply to Vetamur)
Post #: 234
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 2:02:04 AM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		(Akemi is also a girls name.. the "mi" means beautiful. But I will play a long. I will be helpful..mens first names often end with "ru", "ro", "hiro", and "hiko" and "kazu". Girls names often end with "-ko". I will give you some names to play with since those are difficult: Takahiro, Teppei, Toshikazu, Akira, Hiro, Jun, Junichiro, Taisuke, Daisuke, Motohiro, Masaharu, Masayuki, Ryuji, Ryu, Fumihiro, Naosuke, Ryuichi, Gen, Yuu, Hideki, Hideo, Masao, Toshi, Takao.  Hope that helps. Keep up the work!)

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 235
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 2:34:40 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		Ah, thank you Vetamur. In this case I will blame faulty reference material that specified Akemi as a male name. It does point up the perils of doing an AAR like this, though. First there is the danger of "over-Americanizing" the crew; I try to keep their outlook at least somewhat Japanese in nature, but this is not always easy. There is a lot of cultural background information that I simply do not have. I try and do my research, but my own cultural background is 65 years and an ocean apart and I am sure there are questions I don't even think to ask.

Then there are some of the other details. I have no problem at all finding information about what kind of weapons the ship carried, details on her engines and boilers, and things like that. What is maddeningly hard to come by are more commonplace things about life aboard a Japanese warship in WWII. What did they eat? What were the sailor's sleeping accomodations like? What kind of funeral services did they hold aboard ship for fallen shipmates?

So far my best reference has been Hara's "Japanese Destroyer Captain", and the things I find most useful in the book are the occasional details he drops in passing about day to day life aboard ship. I have found and ordered an old Tamiya 1/700 Waterline series model of the Hibiki and a set of model building plans for sister ship Inazuma and should have those shortly. If anyone has any references they can suggest it would be appreciated.

Anyway, apologies in advance for any other factual errors that may creep into the AAR. I do try and get everything right, but my materials and to some extent my time are limited. In a way what I am telling here is a story, and I am sure that most people here have had the experience of having an otherwise good WWII novel or movie marred by glaring factual errors. I will try and avoid that as much as possible as we go along.

(in reply to Vetamur)
Post #: 236
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 1:13:30 PM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		Youre doing a great job. Im not trying to nit pick. I live the AAR thats why I thought I would sort of help you along. If you like I can give you a few tidbits here and there and whatever insight I might have. For example, the IJN is famous for its Japanese style curry. That would be one of their main foods. Berths (since you mentioned sleeping) were an afterthought in ship design in Japan most of the time. They will be crammed in even more than on US ships.  I dont know anything about funeral services but can probably easily find out if you would like. Remember they are Buddhist, so they will probably burn incense and say a prayer to a picture of the deceased or (failing that) a personal item.

If you want more tidbits, feel free to PM me. I would love to add in a bit of detail to your excellent AAR.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 237
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 6:10:01 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Vetamur

Youre doing a great job. Im not trying to nit pick. I live the AAR thats why I thought I would sort of help you along. If you like I can give you a few tidbits here and there and whatever insight I might have. For example, the IJN is famous for its Japanese style curry. That would be one of their main foods. Berths (since you mentioned sleeping) were an afterthought in ship design in Japan most of the time. They will be crammed in even more than on US ships.  I dont know anything about funeral services but can probably easily find out if you would like. Remember they are Buddhist, so they will probably burn incense and say a prayer to a picture of the deceased or (failing that) a personal item.

If you want more tidbits, feel free to PM me. I would love to add in a bit of detail to your excellent AAR.


Not to hijack your wonderful AAR, Cuttlefish, but it is a delightful surprise to this newbie poster to find such a breadth of knowledge and skills demonstrated in this Forum. The international gaming community adds such a wide prespective on play, as well as tidbits like, the meaning of Japanese names and when the cherry trees blossom in Toyko. Very nice added touches to a really well written AAR. Thanks to all that contribute.

And Marky, the guy with the sword should know that it is very dangerous to bring a knife to a gunfight. Super scene....LOL!

(in reply to Vetamur)
Post #: 238
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 8:08:48 PM   
Vetamur

 

Posts: 191
Joined: 10/16/2006
Status: offline 		Cuttlefish..on my way back home tonight in my taxi (caught a midnight showing of Gladiator... Tokyo is so random..) I had a couple of thoughts.

1) The name thing. Japanese men never use first names with each other. Even dear, close friends refer to each other by the family name. I dont even know the first name of my 2nd best friend in Japan...(the initial is "I", Ive seen it on the post box..). To show familiarity they might add a different suffix (the famous one, "-san", being formal is replaced with "-kun").  So maybe go with last names. Obviously your call.

2) How about introducing us to a pilot as well. When the Hibiki is sort of "in between" stuff.. we could switch to a scene from a fighter pilot sentai.  I would think it would have a wealth of material and would let us go through a career of early mastery of the sky, to watching the Allies "catch up", his frustration as he meets new types but is kept on flying the same machine, the sadness of the increasing death rate of his fellow pilots.. if your game goes long enough even the emotions when he starts to wonder if his sentai will be designated a "tokko" group (kamikaze). 

just my ideas.

(in reply to princep01)
Post #: 239
RE: Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki - 3/7/2007 9:34:45 PM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		March 15, 1942

Location: Rongelap
Course: North-northeast
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 5
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 451

Orders: Proceed to Wake Island. Engage enemy ships there. If no ships are present proceed with bombardment of enemy positions and installations.

(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 240
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