Q-Ball
Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002 From: Chicago, Illinois Status: offline
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A very very very bad day for the Empire. Almost too ugly to watch; I am surprised Cuttlefish sent the turn back so quick. But he took it well...... Combat Report, June 27, 1943: Battle of Sulu Sea, Day 2: This was a decisive Allied victory. So decisive, it is bordering on sheer ugly. I don't know if all later-war CV engagements work this way; hope not, as I usually play the Empire. Avert the children's gaze, because if you like Carrier Carnage, pull up a chair: First, the IJN AM Stirke: Morning Air attack on TF, near Puerto Princesa at 73,84 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 41 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 46 A6M3a Zero x 10 B5N2 Kate x 43 B6N1 Jill x 26 D3A1 Val x 9 D4Y1 Judy x 19 Allied aircraft Martlet IV x 12 F4U-1 Corsair x 2 F6F-3 Hellcat x 87 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 12 destroyed A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed B5N2 Kate: 12 destroyed, 23 damaged B6N1 Jill: 5 destroyed, 11 damaged D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged D4Y1 Judy: 6 destroyed, 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships CV Lexington CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 1 BB Massachusetts, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damageSANK CV Saratoga, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage CV Victorious CV Essex CV Wasp CLAA Atlanta, Torpedo hits 1 97 Strike planes and 56 fighters ran into a buzzsaw of over 100 fighters, mostly Hellcats. (NOTE: The Corsairs were NOT on the CVs; they were flying LRCAP from Sandakan). MASSACHUSETTS sank; SARATOGA has 65 Float Damage; she will make it, unless she runs into a sub, in which case it's bye bye. USN AM Strike: Morning Air attack on TF, near Busuanga at 76,78 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 52 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 41 A6M3a Zero x 14 Allied aircraft Martlet IV x 2 F6F-3 Hellcat x 56 SB2C-1C Helldiver x 33 SBD-3 Dauntless x 108 TBF-1 Avenger x 73 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Martlet IV: 1 destroyed F6F-3 Hellcat: 11 destroyed SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged SBD-3 Dauntless: 6 destroyed, 28 damaged TBF-1 Avenger: 10 destroyed, 49 damaged Japanese Ships CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 4, on fire CA Haguro, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires DD Oyashio CV Junyo, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage CVL Zuiho, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1, on fire DD Kuroshio CV Kaga, Bomb hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage CV Akagi, Bomb hits 1, on fire DD Natsushio, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Susuzuki, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CA Myoko, Bomb hits 2, on fire CL Agano DD Kiyonami DD Makinami DD Oshio, Bomb hits 2, on fire OUCH! It gets even worse though in the PM Phase. AM strike had only 56 Zeros on CAP, not near enough for over 200 strike planes. Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Busuanga at 76,78 Weather in hex: Light rain Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 52 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Allied aircraft Martlet IV x 6 F6F-3 Hellcat x 14 SB2C-1C Helldiver x 27 SBD-3 Dauntless x 30 TBF-1 Avenger x 17 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed SB2C-1C Helldiver: 5 damaged SBD-3 Dauntless: 6 damaged TBF-1 Avenger: 17 damaged Japanese Ships CV Akagi, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Myoko, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CA Haguro, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Kiyonami DD Kuroshio, Bomb hits 2, on fire DD Oshio, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Makinami I didn't even show the IJN PM Strike, which was 15 Zeros, 13 kates, and 2 Jills, and was completely wiped out by my CAP. Over KB, only 9 Zeros on CAP; clearly, huge losses. I had only 50+ stike planes, but with the AA magazines emptied, and no CAP, we scored alot of hits. Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Busuanga at 76,78 Weather in hex: Light rain Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 57 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 3 Allied aircraft SBD-3 Dauntless x 13 TBF-1 Avenger x 6 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged TBF-1 Avenger: 6 damaged Japanese Ships CVL Ryujo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Hagikaze CA Nachi That's it. HEAVY SMOKE was reported obscuring every Japanese Carrier. Based on the disappearance of CVs from successive combat reports, the HEAVY FIRES reported, and smoke, I am pretty sure this is a complete wipeout: Every Japanese Carrier in the Pacific is sunk. I didn't see TAIHO which may have been accelerated into July, but that's it. Kido Butai is gone, toast, kaput. My losses? 100 planes, MASSACHUSETTS, and SARATOGA is pretty banged up. I will wonder if Cuttlefish wants to continue after this disaster. He is a gracious opponent, so I would leave it up to him. THAT was CARNAGE!!!!!!!
< Message edited by Q-Ball -- 5/11/2010 10:50:00 PM >
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