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RE: Small Ship, Big War

 
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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/11/2007 9:51:21 PM   
princep01

 

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Hibiki, soldiers on.  The technological race leans ever more emphatically toward the Allies.  Quantatitive advantage shifts ever more clearly to the Allies as the aluminun sky begins to show itself.  Lightnings, Corsairs, and soon enough, Hellcats, appear.  The Japanese strive mightily to land a war winning blow, but it alludes them to date.

And the crew of the Hibiki think of home, the painful separation of war time,  the smell of cherry blossoms in a new Spring, the taste of real food, cooked as they like it, and, of course, the exact location of Chief Petty Officr Shun. 

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/11/2007 10:16:06 PM   
cantona2


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No rest for the wiked

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 7:13:40 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: princep01

Hibiki, soldiers on.  The technological race leans ever more emphatically toward the Allies.  Quantatitive advantage shifts ever more clearly to the Allies as the aluminun sky begins to show itself.  Lightnings, Corsairs, and soon enough, Hellcats, appear.  The Japanese strive mightily to land a war winning blow, but it alludes them to date.

And the crew of the Hibiki think of home, the painful separation of war time,  the smell of cherry blossoms in a new Spring, the taste of real food, cooked as they like it, and, of course, the exact location of Chief Petty Officr Shun. 


Nicely put. "The aluminum sky", I like that.

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Post #: 1323
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 7:16:29 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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March 21, 1943

Location: 45 miles south of Merak
Course: West, then north
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 444

Orders: Proceed to Palau

---

The Japanese force moves west along the southern coast of Java during the day. By nightfall they are near the Sunda Strait. They enter the strait cautiously. This is partly due to the danger from enemy submarines. It seems entirely likely that this passage will be watched, and so the ships are all at full alert.

It is not only the submarine danger that enforces caution, however. The strait is treacherous to navigate, shallow in places and dotted with many islands and sandbars. The charts available to Ozawa and his captains are the latest available, but even so they are less than complete. To complicate matters a heavy rain begins to fall before sundown and continues through the night. The downpour might help cloak the ships from enemy eyes, but it certainly doesn’t make the navigation problem any easier.

Several of the Japanese sailors, aware of the history of the area, hope to catch a glimpse of the island of Krakatoa, or at least of what is left of it. In this they are disappointed, however, as the task force passes well south of the island and it remains hidden by rain and darkness.

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 7:20:06 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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March 22, 1943

Location: 60 miles north of Batavia
Course: East
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 414

Orders: Proceed to Palau

---

“Oizuma says they found the last snake today,” says Riku, talking around a mouthful of rice. He is squeezed in between Shiro and another sailor in the forward crew’s mess.

“Damn,” says someone, “I really wanted that extra day of leave. Who found it?”

“Lieutenant Sugiyura,” says Riku. “It was in one of the torpedo tubes, at least that’s what I heard.”

“Fire pythons from the aft torpedo mount!” says Shiro. There is general laughter, and many suggestions follow for using reptiles as weapons. Some of the more ribald ones, while not practical, conjure hilarious images of American and British sailors with snakes and lizards lodged in uncomfortable places.

The laughter and comments finally die down, and the talk turns to Singapore. The men speak wistfully of tales they have heard of the pleasures to be had there.

“Who knows, we may get there yet,” says Shiro, ever the optimist.

“Sure, if the Navy ever runs out of dull, swampy places for us to visit,” someone says. “Where are we now, anyway?”

“The Java Sea,” says Riku. “We should be at Palau in about a week.”

“I’m really surprised we haven’t run into any submarines lately,” comments someone else. “For a while they seemed to be everywhere, but we haven’t seen any in weeks.”

“That’s the thing I hate about submarines,” says Shiro, loading more food onto his plate. “Just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t out there.”


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 1:56:23 PM   
tocaff


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Stealth and choke points are dangerous combinations in the war between surface units and subs.

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 3:43:56 PM   
kaleun

 

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quote:

aluminun sky


In the European front I believe they called it "Aluminium overcast"

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 4:19:38 PM   
princep01

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish


quote:

ORIGINAL: princep01

Hibiki, soldiers on.  The technological race leans ever more emphatically toward the Allies.  Quantatitive advantage shifts ever more clearly to the Allies as the aluminun sky begins to show itself.  Lightnings, Corsairs, and soon enough, Hellcats, appear.  The Japanese strive mightily to land a war winning blow, but it alludes them to date.

And the crew of the Hibiki think of home, the painful separation of war time,  the smell of cherry blossoms in a new Spring, the taste of real food, cooked as they like it, and, of course, the exact location of Chief Petty Officr Shun. 


Nicely put. "The aluminum sky", I like that.


Cuttlefish, I wish I could claim the term as my own, but I must confess that I originally heard it from a game designer working on an Italian theater game. I suspect it was not an original term for him either. As noted by Kaleun, it probably originated during the actual conflict in Europe.

However, it seems a fitting description of what the Axis forces eventually faced in the air war in all theaters.

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Post #: 1328
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/13/2007 10:24:30 PM   
Capt. Harlock


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

“I’m really surprised we haven’t run into any submarines lately,” comments someone else. “For a while they seemed to be everywhere, but we haven’t seen any in weeks.”

“That’s the thing I hate about submarines,” says Shiro, loading more food onto his plate. “Just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t out there.”



As Kit Carson said, it's when you don't see 'em that they're getting ready to ambush you!


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 1:39:32 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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March 23, 1943

Location: 100 miles north of Kragen
Course: East
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 377

Orders: Proceed to Palau

---

One thing every Japanese sailor has learned to fear by this stage of the war is the sudden explosion in the night. The geyser of water rising against the side of a ship, the sea churned to phosphorescence by the violence of the blast. The rolling crash echoing across the water, trailing the sight of the explosion by a few seconds. And then the yells of men and the sound of klaxons, all coming much too late to do any good.

Captain Ishii is awakened in his cabin by the sounds. He can even feel the force of the distant blast as a faint shudder through Hibiki’s hull. He grabs his jacket and is on his way to the bridge even before Hibiki begins to turn, seeking the attacker. The only thing Ishii does not know until he gets to the bridge is which ship has been hit.

The victim is Akagi, struck by a single torpedo on the starboard side. This rather courteously offsets the port hit the big carrier took from an aerial torpedo off Australia. Akagi shudders and slows, but maintains what headway she can and begins to turn, hoping to avoid further torpedoes.

Hibiki and two other destroyers drop behind and look for the attacker. But the enemy submarine has disappeared. Captain Ishii is not reassured, however. The task force has now been slowed to the point where a submarine will have no trouble keeping up with them, and Ishii does not doubt that any sub commander with the guts to penetrate a heavy destroyer screen and attack an aircraft carrier will not be content with merely damaging his target. The enemy sub will be back, seeking to finish off Akagi.

Captain Ishii gazes out at the dark water and tries to put himself in the shoes of the enemy sub commander. Evading the Japanese counter attack will have put the sub well behind the carriers. The enemy commander will now be committed to a stern chase. He will no doubt try to get ahead of the Japanese ships and attack again as they pass by.

It is nearly dawn. Ishii orders Hibiki to rejoin the task force. There may also be other enemy submarines nearby, and they will now be alerted to the presence of a slow, valuable target. The next 24 hours may be long ones indeed.


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 1:45:49 AM   
Terminus


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Oh Dear, Oh Dear... Here we go again...

< Message edited by Terminus -- 9/14/2007 2:06:13 AM >


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 1:49:16 AM   
Onime No Kyo


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Ouch! The KB is quickly running out of carriers.

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Post #: 1332
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 1:50:25 AM   
Onime No Kyo


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Oh Dear, Oh Dear... Hear we go again...


"Hear"...."hear"......did the great Terminus make a grammar mistake?!

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Post #: 1333
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 2:05:13 AM   
Terminus


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No, he made a typo... Like I've observed earlier, my brain isn't as quick as it used to be...

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 2:59:41 AM   
ny59giants


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The big question is now that Akagi has recieved a second torpedo, has it raised the sys damage above 10?? 
Don't like having those DL's increased involuntarily. 

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 8:35:03 PM   
Capt. Harlock


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish


One thing every Japanese sailor has learned to fear by this stage of the war is the sudden explosion in the night. The geyser of water rising against the side of a ship, the sea churned to phosphorescence by the violence of the blast. The rolling crash echoing across the water, trailing the sight of the explosion by a few seconds. And then the yells of men and the sound of klaxons, all coming much too late to do any good.



Great writing! But -- no secondary explosion? (Okay, I'm hopelessly greedy.)

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 1336
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/14/2007 9:27:02 PM   
tocaff


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The shipyards are going to busy repairing all the ships unlucky enough to be around the Hibiki.  I think that when Hibiki finally makes port and the sailors get shore leave they'll be in for a shock at how they're received.  Nothing worse for an escort to lose her charges.

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I never thought that doing an AAR would be so time consuming and difficult.
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Post #: 1337
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/15/2007 12:33:50 AM   
Onime No Kyo


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I think it's Ozawa that's bringing the bad carma.

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Post #: 1338
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/15/2007 12:34:24 AM   
Terminus


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Yeah, and bad karma too...

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/15/2007 12:39:23 AM   
Onime No Kyo


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Oh for Threadsakes.....

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/15/2007 1:06:55 AM   
Terminus


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You can't claim to be surprised...

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/15/2007 2:24:17 AM   
Onime No Kyo


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No sir

< Message edited by Onime No Kyo -- 9/15/2007 2:25:24 AM >


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/16/2007 4:31:55 PM   
BigDuke66


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Spend the last days working thru this great AAR and oh boy what a pleasure it was.
Keep up this fantastic work!

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 2:59:50 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BigDuke66

Spend the last days working thru this great AAR and oh boy what a pleasure it was.
Keep up this fantastic work!


Thanks and welcome aboard, glad you enjoyed wading through all that. Hibiki has been through a lot already, and there is more to come.

Speaking of which, I'm back from vacation and ready to try and catch up with the game, which is now at the end of April. So let's get to it...

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Post #: 1344
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 3:11:27 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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March 24, 1943

Location: 135 miles south-southeast of Balikpapan
Course: Northeast
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 298

Orders: Proceed to Palau

---

The sun begins to set at the end of a long, tense day for the Japanese ships slowly zig zagging eastward across the Java Sea. There have been no attacks, no sightings or sudden alarms. No one aboard Hibiki has said “It’s quiet…too quiet,” but that thought, or something like it, has occurred to several people as the day has worn on.

Certainly Captain Ishii thinks so. He stands on the bridge, binoculars in hand, looking out at the choppy water. The enemy submarine is out there, he feels it in his bones. The commander of the sub, he thinks, is probably waiting for nightfall to make his move.

The six remaining destroyers in the task force have tried to make it difficult for an attacker, avoiding regular patrol patterns and keeping a watchful eye on the cruisers and carriers in their charge. The rain halted around midday, giving good visibility. This advantage, of course, is a knife that cuts both ways.

Ishii steps out onto an observation platform and looks back at the sun, now setting almost directly astern of the ships. The sunlight forms a blinding trail across the water, and Ishii is glad the task force is traveling east. Any other direction would provide excellent cover for a submarine trying to ambush the task force.

He next looks at Akagi, limping along at about 16 knots. The carrier is struggling but in no danger of sinking, provided of course she takes no further damage. She trails Zuikaku, with heavy cruisers fore and aft of the two carriers.

A signal light begins to flash aboard Zuikaku. The signal is for a course change to the northeast, bringing the task force into the Makassar Strait. Ishii has been waiting for this, and passes the order to the helm. Hibiki swings smoothly to port along with the rest of the ships.

Half an hour later, with the sun now just above the horizon, the task force begins to shift course to the north, part of the zig zag maneuvering designed to prevent a submarine from lining up a shot. It suddenly occurs to Ishii that if the enemy submarine was in fact trailing them this maneuver would give them a perfect opportunity. They could hide in the setting sun and line up a perfect shot at Akagi or any other target they cared to shoot at.

“Course change!” snaps Ishii to his helmsman. “Bring us left 90 degrees. Engine room, give me 30 knots!” He whirls around and yells at the sailor on the signal lamp. “Signal Minazuki to follow us!”

Ishii runs out onto the port wing, looking west as the crew responds quickly to his orders and Hibiki begins rumble around in a tight turn, gaining speed. Ishii has just stripped the port flank of the task force of most of its protection without waiting for orders. If something goes wrong now his career is over. Ishii is not thinking of that, however. All of his attention is bent to the west.

“Combat stations!’ he barks. “Pass the word, lookouts concentrate forward. Look near the setting sun!” Behind Hibiki destroyer Minazuki responds to Hibiki’s signal and also comes about, though more slowly.

Ishii’s intuition is not wrong. The submarine that torpedoed Akagi last night is SS Grayling, and she has been patiently stalking the crippled carrier all day. The enemy captain has realized his chance and is even now at periscope depth. Akagi is coming right into his sights, a perfect target and closer than he could normally risk getting.

It is Ensign Izu, the amateur bird watcher and one of the keenest eyed men aboard ship, who spots the periscope. He bawls out the warning. Ishii raises his binoculars. There, yes, there! Eyes watering from the glare, he orders the forward 5” turret to open fire.

The gunnery officer calculates quickly and passes the figures to the forward turret. The twin guns depress slightly, then boom in unison. The destroyer’s aim is slightly high. The shells pass right over the periscope and geyser into the sea beyond.

Aboard Minazuki they have been wondering what the hell Ishii is up to. Now, guided by Hibiki’s shot, they too see the enemy sub. They accelerate towards it, loading depth charges as they go.

The periscope is already descending beneath the surface. Hibiki gets off one more shot. These shells are closer, but there is no immediate sign a hit has been scored. Minazuki charges over the spot, flinging depth charges off her stern. More geysers of waters fountain upwards.

Hibiki and Minazuki seek the enemy submarine for another two hours, dropping the occasional depth charge in hopes of getting lucky. Grayling, though held down by the two destroyers, takes very little damage from the attack. She does, however, lose track of the Japanese carriers, who change course while Grayling is under attack. This time, at least, the enemy has been thwarted.

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Post #: 1345
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 3:41:18 AM   
kaleun

 

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Phew!

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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu

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Post #: 1346
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 2:22:30 PM   
tocaff


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Good one!  I think that we just witnessed an excellent tin can driver in action.  

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I never thought that doing an AAR would be so time consuming and difficult.
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Post #: 1347
RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 5:20:06 PM   
veji1

 

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Whaoo..

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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 5:35:51 PM   
marky


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luckyyy

but how long can Akagi hide from the mighty USN


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RE: Small Ship, Big War - 9/17/2007 7:35:08 PM   
marky


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hehe hey fishy check this out

Day Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 63,93

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 6
A6M2 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 20
SBD Dauntless x 69
TBF Avenger x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 3 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed
TBF Avenger: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
MSW Tama Maru
DD Inazuma
AK Lyons Maru
TK Toei Maru
AK Nissyu Maru, Bomb hits 6,  on fire,  heavy damage
AK Myoko Maru
AK Nankai Maru, Bomb hits 3,  on fire,  heavy damage
AK Muroran Maru
DD Hibiki, Bomb hits 2,  on fire
AK Mito Maru, Bomb hits 1,  on fire
AK Nansin Maru, Bomb hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
PG Sozan Maru, Bomb hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
AK Kunikawa Maru, Bomb hits 3,  on fire
AK Naruto Maru, Bomb hits 2,  on fire
PG Koei Maru, Bomb hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage


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