Dive Bomber1
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Joined: 10/30/2006
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November 16, 1942 – The night phase started out with more minesweeping at Ndini, followed by the expected Naval Bombardment by the Brits at Akyab. But then two new reports came in: minesweeping at Koepang by many Allied MSWs and reports of ships at Lautem. What was particularly surprising was that my Surface Combat TF at Koepang reacted to a report of an enemy Task Force, but didn't engage any ships during the night phase.
The day phase then brought plenty of Air Recon all over the map, but the only air attacks were my LBA striking at and missing an MSW at Koepang, and then striking and hitting an Allied DD with a bomb at Lautem. And just when it appeared that the Allied ships at Koepang might get away with whatever they were doing, a late-day naval engagement started between my Surface Combat TF and an Allied TF consisting of eight DDs.
I had 2 CAs, 1 CL and 5 DDs in my TF. My ships got off the first shots at long distance and started to hit the Allied DDs immediately. Multiple engagements ensued at varying distances. Finally, after several fairly one-sided engagements one of the Allied DDs sank. But the Allied DD TF didn't break off and instead started to finally fire back. More engagements followed with a second Allied DD finally being sunk. Then there were yet more engagements followed by a third Allied DD being sunk. This went on and on until all eight Allied DDs were sunk one-by-one. The battle felt like it was taking forever because my ships missed with their torpedoes and had to sink the enemy ships with gunfire.
Then my now damaged SC TF, which was also low on ammunition, engaged the Allied transport TF which was escorted by 4 AVDs, 12 MSWs and 3 SCs. Another set of firefights started, with my ships emptying out their magazines. Before the Allied transport TF finally broke off my ships had sunk 3 AVDs and 2 SCs, and had damaged a number of other of the escorts. My ships had stopped the invasion at Koepang but four out of five of my destroyers were heavily damaged.
Then the unmolested Allied transports at Lautem started to land their troops. I had another Surface Combat TF in the neighbourhood which could have reached Lautem in time this turn, but I didn't think that AuTiger would try two simultaneous invasions so I had the second Surface Combat TF heading towards Koepang to back up my first TF.
So now I have ordered the second SC TF to head to Lautem. It will arrive too late to stop the invasion, but it ought to be in a position to hit some of the Allied ships. We will see if the commander of the second TF is as good as the commander of my SC TF at Koepang. I also replenished my first TF at Koepang, split off the four badly damaged DDs and sent them home, and set the three cruisers and the remaining DD to Patrol the waters at Koepang.
BTW – I also have two BB-lead surface combat TFs that were sailing leisurely down either side of the Celebes. I have given them orders to now move at flank speed into the region around Timor and they ought to be in position to join the fray in two day's time. In addition, The "KB West" is just outside of Menado, so I ordered it to steam at full speed towards Timor too. Unfortunately, the Game AI has decided that the CVs must steam a long and circuitous route instead of the direct route, likely due to the unintentional, but totally idiotic, effect of the "coastal avoidance" rules for CV TFs.
I also sent more planes into the region. The air fields at Kendari are still closed, but I've got other nearby bases where I can base planes. I set fighters to fly LR CAP over both Koepang and Lautem. The weather is still bad in the region, which ought to inhibit Allied air attacks from Australia, but I don't like to take chances. And I brought in more LBA too, just in case they get lucky; but LBA never stops an invasion, surface combat ships are needed for that.
Which brings up the question: why did AuTiger attempt such an important and complex operation without strong Naval Combat forces present? Did he think that I still had my combat ships up in the Aleutians/Kuriles? When my BBs and the KB West come in "to play" this ought to really make AuTiger think.
In any event, unless I get a truly fortunate "blessing from the Gods", AuTiger's forces ought to capture Lautem next turn since I only have a base force there. But that is actually the best case scenario for me, because Lautem is still only a Level 1 airfield, and I will be able to keep it closed with Naval and Air Bombardments. Maybe for once I will get an opportunity to "train" my forces on some Allied troops that are stuck out in the open, instead of the other way around. I also have a fully rested Division sitting back at Soerabaja, just in case for some reason I decide to try to retake Lautem, but I can't see a good reason to do that in the near future.
BTW II – back in Burma, my surface combat TFs missed their opportunity to catch the Brits at Akyab, and as usual, my LBA didn't fly. However, my two SC TFs were only a couple of hexes away from Akyab, so I decided to "experiment" and I set both TFs to do Bombardment attacks on the Allied troops up the coast from Akyab. I have no idea if this will work since I've never seen any mention of Naval Bombardments of LCUs outside of base hexes, but it seems worth a try for little risk. And won't AuTiger be surprised if this does work! 
Finally, for those folks who want to see the Combat Results for the naval battles at Koepang, I'll past the relevant sections from the Combat Report below. What the Report doesn't show is that this was the result of many, many consecutive naval engagements. What the Report does show you is that some of those Allied DDs were very tough and very hard to sink!
Day Time Surface Combat, near Koepang at 28, 77
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
CA Kumano, Shell hits 4
CL Kuma, Shell hits 3
DD Isonami, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Manazuru, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tomozuru, Shell hits 1
DD Kiji, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamo, Shell hits 3, on fire
Allied Ships
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Peary, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
DD Whipple, Shell hits 33, and is sunk
DD Stuart, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
DD Vendetta, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
DD Nepal, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
Day Time Surface Combat, near Koepang at 28, 77
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Kuma
DD Isonami, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Manazuru, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tomozuru
DD Kiji, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamo, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
AVD Hulbert, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
AVD Williamson, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
AVD William B. Preston, Shell hits 6, on fire
AVD Heron, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
MSW Junee, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Kapunda, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Katoomba, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Latrobe, Shell hits 1
MSW Rockhampton, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Shepparton
MSW Stawell
MSW Wallaroo, Shell hits 1, on fire
MSW Warrnambool
MSW Bobolink
MSW Agra
MSW Rampur
SC SC-699, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
SC SC-700, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
SC SC-701
AP William Ward Burrows
AP President Monroe
AP Manoora
AP Katoomba
AP Westralia
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A Nice Surprise - 
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I like your turn reports combined with plans. That's when I can learn from other's experience. 
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