Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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1/20/42 Oops, a Mini-KB somehow evaded patrols and penetrated into the Java Sea from the South China Sea, where it got in some licks and took a few. Western DEI: While passing near Billiton Island, the Mini-KB (Ryujo and Zuiho) tangled with KXII, which put three TT into CL Tama. Kates sortied in numbers against Allied shipping in and near Batavia. The enemy lost at least 12 Kates to CAP while sinking five small Dutch xAP, one xAK, AO Tan 1, and a PC. All Allied bombers have been put on alert, including 24 A-26 that just arrived at Makassar from Darwin. The Mini-KB may turn around due to attrition to its strike aircraft, or Steve may elect to continue through the Java Sea and on towards Manado or Kendari. If he does, the Allies may have some chances to strike. There's a very small chance the Mini-KB could go through the Sunda Straits into the Indian Ocean, so I've issued orders to most of my shipping to move away or hold (including most of the transports carrying the Indian brigade nearing Benkolen. Japan has stepped up bombing of the port facility at Singers, so base-building has been halted. Eastern DEI: O-24 put a TT into a APD north of Kendari. A small IJN CL/DD force sank a picket xAKL near the island chain NW of Darwin. Luzon: Japan has stepped up bombing at Clark Field, too, so base-building is halted at level four. Allied Carriers: I wish I had a couple of fleet carriers south of Java, because I could spring a surprise on Steve's occasional forays into the Java Sea. One RN CV is on the way from Aden to Colombo. CVL Hermes is in the IO south of Padang, but I think I will recall her to Ceylon as I don't want to tip off Steve to the possibilities. But the American carriers are weeks away from the theater. SigInt: More reports that 33rd Div. is bound for Iba and 4th Div. is prepping for Auckiland. Comparing Progress: Steve is approaching things much differently than did Q-Ball. The question is whether he's found another route to victory, or is just not nearly as aggressive and ambitious. I mean him no slight in saying that I'm leaning toward the latter, though still considering the former. In my game with Q-Ball, Singers was on the ropes by now, Japan already had most of the DEI in hand, and had landed in NE and NW Oz. Within a week of the 20th, Brad was taking Exmouth and landing at New Caledonia. In other words, he was already wrapping up operations in the DEI and vicinity in preparation for moving on India by early March. Unless Steve's plan involves leaping forward somewhere before he has the DEI in hand, he'll be way behind. Even if he ignores eatern Sumatra while focusing on the other areas, he's still got weeks of work ahead of him.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 4/4/2011 4:08:19 PM >
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