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RE: Disaster strikes again

 
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RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/17/2013 8:00:17 PM   
BBfanboy


Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline 		Lexington and Saratoga are in danger, disbanded at Sydney in Jan 42. Don't forget to off-load their air groups so that they can help defend if KB comes calling!

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Post #: 61
RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/17/2013 10:14:44 PM   
kaleun

 

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Joined: 5/29/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline 		KB was severely damaged off Pearl early in the game. Only one of the carriers was confirmed sunk though.

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Post #: 62
RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/18/2013 9:09:06 PM   
kaleun

 

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Joined: 5/29/2002
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Status: offline 		Jan 30th 1942
Waiting. Patience. The distances are so vast in the Pacific that everything takes time, lots of time and lots of fuel. The French garrison at Noumea, angry and reluctant, is ordered to Koumac at the northern tip of the island. It is unlikely that the Japanese will try to invade this far south, but it is not impossible. Anyway, the French local garrison, always happy to pick up a fight with the Americans, is better off away from Noumea, so they get sent off.

Umboi island falls to Japanese paratroop assault.

BB Idaho arrives at San Francisco.

And the month ends, with the allies holding hope for February. Hope that they get a blow, or two in.





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Post #: 63
RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/18/2013 9:09:50 PM   
kaleun

 

Posts: 5145
Joined: 5/29/2002
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Status: offline 		And the shiptards at Pearl.




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Post #: 64
RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/25/2013 10:41:25 PM   
kaleun

 

Posts: 5145
Joined: 5/29/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline 		Alex L will be dropping by to visit for a while.

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Sun Tzu

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Post #: 65
RE: Disaster strikes again - 2/26/2013 12:08:03 AM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		February 1st 1942

At Sidney, Lexington, major flotation damage repaired only needs some of her systems to be functional again to be ready for transfer. That, and to get some of those pesky enemy submarines to clear off Sidney waters also. Malaybalay in Mindanao was captured by the Japanese who also seized Cape Gloucester via paradrop.

The date for operation Counterpunch is set for March 1st.

February 4th

The seventh Marine Defense Detachment is unloading at Koumac.

At Sidney, Saratoga is 14 days away from completing her repairs.


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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 66
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/1/2013 7:14:28 PM   
kaleun

 

Posts: 5145
Joined: 5/29/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline 		This is again and Alex L free zone.

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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 #: 67
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/1/2013 7:15:18 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		February 5th

Buka (SE of Tulagi) is taken by air assault by the Japanese. This is not considered a reason to abort or delay operation Counterpunch.

At Perth, the 27th Australian Brigade (rescued from Singapore) begins prepping for Koepang as part of operation Rampart.

February 6th

Leading pilot for VB 3 on Saratoga is now eligible for transfer to TRACOM. The transfer will be delayed until after completion of operation Counterpunch.

Assets assemble slowly on the South Pacific. The 8th Marine Regiment and the 34th Infantry regiment are at Noumea already. The 110th USA Base force, 2nd Marine Defense battalion, 2 USMC Parachute battalion and 2nd USMC Tank battalion are unloading at Noumea. These assets begin to prepare for their targets. Wild rumors begin to spread but the general impression is that a counteroffensive is planned for the Solomon Islands.

February 7th.

Operation Cold Comfort is complete. All survivors from the Rabaul garrison have been evacuated to Port Moresby.


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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 68
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/5/2013 7:56:08 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		February 10th

Enemy submarines swarm around the entrance and approaches to Sidney harbor. It is clear the enemy knows of the presence of Lexington and Saratoga and is ready to stalk the carriers when they, as they must, exit. ASW task forces, made up with whatever will float and carry a depth charge, sortie from the harbor while, in the air, any and all bombers patrol at low altitude over the waves.

CV Lexington, with 6 system damage and 33 flotation is ordered to make steam. It is time to get the ship out of the harbor, and to get her to a port where her damage can be properly repaired.

At Noumea, the 2nd Marine defense battalion and the 2nd USMC tank battalion unload.

February 11th

Japanese forces land in Shortland, Lashio is captured.

Saratoga still has 8 days to go before repairs are complete.


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Post #: 69
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/8/2013 1:03:15 AM   
kaleun

 

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Lexington departs for Pearl Harbor. 4 destroyers and one light cruiser will escort the carrier. One ASW task force with 4 destroyers will accompany the task force until well into the Pacific Ocean. Despite all efforts to clear the Sidney area waters, using anything that will float, the waters teem with enemy submarines. They know that the carriers are in port and that the shipyard is not big enough to accommodate Lex. They are waiting.
At Perth, the 26th Australian division begins to load, its destination Koepang. Timor is to be reinforced, and fortified. The Australian command would much rather fight in Timor than in North Australia.

The best laid plans of mice and men.

Allied transport task forces, after the enemy cruiser raids of late January, are now escorted by heavy cruisers at least or even a battleship.

The Japanese must have guessed right, or their intelligence is better than expected.

160 NM from Baker Island, a flight of 22 B5N2 Kate torpedo bombers and 36 AGM2 Zero fighters attack a transport task force. Missisipi is hit by a bomb and a torpedo. BB Warspite is not so lucky. Hit by three torpedoes, the old warrior sinks.

120 NM to the North of Vaitapu, a second raid hits New Mexico with two bombs and Colorado with 4.
Only Kate bombers are seen to attack. The allied estimate is that this task force is composed of CVL and CVE, with perhaps one full sized carrier.

The good news is that CV Zuikaku and BB Nagato are confirmed sunk.



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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 70
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/8/2013 3:09:57 AM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		February 14th

In Sidney harbor, Saratoga interrupts her repairs and is ordered to readiness. It will take two days for the ship to be ready to sail. Lexington changes course and steers ENE to San Diego, giving the enemy carrier forces a wide berth. The ASW task force escorting her, unneeded now, returns to Sidney.

One of the enemy carriers is identified, it is CV Soryu. Her Kates attack Colorado and score a torpedo hit on the battleship. A second raid sinks New Mexico and Colorado.

It now appears that all Australia convoys must be escorted against submarine, surface and air attack both ways. There are not enough escorts to do so.

As a temporizing measure, all convoys are routed east of Palmyra. All patrol aircraft from Baker and Canton are to provide early warning and perhaps allow the transports to escape.

Ramilles, Resolution and Revenge arrive at Capetown. The obsolete and slow battleships, practically useless in naval battle will take their place as convoy escorts.



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Post #: 71
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/9/2013 7:10:55 PM   
kaleun

 

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Enemy carrier aircraft continue to attack task forces around Baker Island. The enemy aircraft consist of B5N2 Kate attacking with torpedoes and bombs as well as AGM2 Zero fighters used as bombers. Halsey takes Yorktown out of Sidney to intercept Soryu. Saratoga will follow as soon as possible.

Feb 16th
Soryu’s airplanes attack east of Baker Island. Among other casualties, CA Northampton is sunk. No dive bombers are seen, except for the Zero fighters.

It appears that there are two carrier forces breaking havoc around Baker Island. Best estimate is that there is a mix of CVE and CVL with one or two CVs, all equipped with Kate bombers.
Air 1 (Halsey) and Yorktown, heading north, with Air 2 (Spruance) and Saratoga following and will meet and merge west of Espiritu Santo.

Feb 17th

SS Trusty torpedoes SS I-165 at Malacca straits.

A slew of Kate and Zero fighter bombers attack a transport task force in Suva! One of the airplanes is reported to be from Shokaku.

Feb 19th

After five days of raiding, the enemy carriers disappear. Intelligence estimates them to be withdrawing towards Kwajalein. At Espiritu Santo, Noumea and Suva, the invasion forces for operation counterpunch begin to load. The 8th Marine Regiment will invade the enemy held island of Tulagi. Lunga will be occupied by the 112 USA base force, the 34th Infantry regiment and the 2nd Marine defense battalion.

Time is of the essence. The enemy carriers are withdrawing towards Kwajalein. Air 1 and Air 2 have been giving chase but might not be able to engage them before coming into range of the deadly land based torpedo bombers out of Kwajalein.



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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 72
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/11/2013 8:51:55 AM   
Sangeli


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Status: offline 		That's quite bold to try a counterattack this early. What's the preparedness of your Marine units landing? What sort of cover do you have? To be honest I think that counter landings when the Japanese still have their amphibious assault bonus is pretty risky. Especially since you are splitting your invasion force into two landings of regimental size as a single Japanese division can take the out one at a time. Good luck.

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Post #: 73
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/11/2013 4:01:03 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		Thought I saw an opportunity, especially as Lunga had not been occupied, and the damage on the enemy carriers had to be significant, so he can not have them all.

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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 74
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/19/2013 6:49:02 PM   
kaleun

 

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Air one, low on fuel, ordered to refuel and merge with Air 2 West of Espiritu Santo. There is a window of opportunity while the enemy carriers rearm and refuel in Kwajalein (we believe) to launch Counterpunch. It would take too long for our carriers to return to Sidney.

At Timor Island, in the harbor of Koepang, the Task force bringing in the 27th Australian brigade is attacked by enemy heavy carriers Chikuma, Takano, Chokai and Maya. The escorts, CA Camberra, CL Sumatra, Perth and Destroyers Fox, Porter, and Tucker mount a spirited defense. In the running battle, Fox and Perth fall to enemy torpedoes, followed later by Canberra, Sumatra. One of the troop transports sinks too. Fortunately, most of the brigade had unloaded already. The 27th Australian brigade is definitely not a favorite of Fortune as far as naval transport is concerned.

Feb 22
Air one and two merge into a single task force. Air one is now composed of Saratoga and Yorktown with RAdm Spruance in command.




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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 #: 75
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/19/2013 6:59:39 PM   
kaleun

 

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Mississippi (S 5 Flt 33 Eng 1) leaves Pearl Harbor for the West Coast.
Feb 25
Recon reports unidentified enemy shipping at Tulagi. Submarines? Stewart Island seized.
Feb 26
D Day.
Allied forces land and occupy Lunga. 15 Enemy Betty bombers attack the landing force but are intercepted by 18 F4F. 22 Zero fighters escort the bombers. 1 Zero and 3 F4F lost.
Hornet is 12 days away from arrival at Balboa and Formidable will arrive at Cape Town in 16.
As night falls, an enemy force is reported approaching from the North West. The American carriers prepare.





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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 #: 76
RE: Disaster strikes again - 3/21/2013 9:29:58 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		Feb 27th 1942. Battle of the Solomon Is.

The best laid plans of mice and men. The carrier task forces, advised by the naval search aircraft, react to each other. Only some react better than others. 84 Kate bombers with 80 Zero escorts appear over the allied task force. 38 F4F fighters scramble to defend the fleet. The results are predictable. All Kate bombers get through. Saratoga sinks after 4 torpedo hits, Yorktown takes 5. For some unknown reason, the allied strike comprised only 11 SBD3 and 14 F4F fighters. Met by 36 AGM2 fighters, no bombers get through.

As night falls, the escorts conduct rescue operations. The Tulagi invasion force turns back. The task force carrying the 34th Infantry regiment continues to Lunga; it is too close to the carriers to escape. Most of the men may be able to unload at Lunga instead of being lost at sea.

Feb 28th 1942. Aftermath.

Betty and Kate bombers have a field day savaging the task force carrying the 34th Infantry. Most of the men have unloaded, but the equipment and supplies will be sorely missed. The Marine defense battalion has dug in and the beach now boasts size one fortifications.

The enemy captures Munda on the Solomon Island chain.

CV Hornet will arrive in 10 days at Balboa, Formidable in 14 at Cape Town, Illustrious in 58 days. Wasp is expected at Balboa on June 10th


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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 #: 77
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/3/2013 8:36:51 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		March 1st 42.
SS S-39 torpedoes AO Tsurimi.

Japanese cruisers attack the empty transports that carried 34th infantry. At the same time the oilers come under air attack near Koumac and the 2n Marine regiment transports are attacked near Espiritu Santo.
Lexington switches destination to Pearl Harbor. In the shipyards, PA 78SD/45FD/25ED has 529 days to go and MD 88/25/19 has 467 days.

March 2nd and 3rd.
Enemy surface forces and naval air attack targets all over the Coral Sea as the allied transports rush for the relative safety of harbor and LBA. Interestingly enough, all the enemy bombers are Kate type with no dive bombers seen anywhere. This despite the only carriers identified are Hiryu, Soryu, and Shokaku.

It is interesting to speculate on what the Vals are doing.


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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 78
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/4/2013 1:11:00 AM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		March 5th 42.
Alex-san’s carriers continue to attack shipping at Luganville. We could consider his tendency to linger with his carriers risky, but reality is that the allies can do nothing about it.

Enemy lands forces at Tassafaronga.

March 6th.
Butuan and Rennell Island captured.

March 7th
Enemy G4M1s assumed to be based at Rabaul attack a task force near Port Moresby. AM Wollogong sunk by torpedo.
At least one of the enemy carrier task forces continues to operate between Noumea and Espiritu Santo.

Enemy parachute forces capture Tagula Island.

March 8th 42
CV Lexington ordered to full speed to arrive at Pearl Harbor in one day. The extra wear and tear on engines and systems is considered acceptable to decrease the danger of lurking submarines (always a threat around Pearl) and the remote, but distinct chance of enemy carrier forces intercepting if they got wind of her destination.

SS-S27 misses on xAK Borneo Maru off Toyohara.

SS Sealion duds on APD Yomogi off Toboali.

March 9th 42

Upon arrival at Pearl, Lexington enters dry dock. At the same time, work priority on Pennsylvania drops to low and Maryland is moved out of the shipyard to increase speed on Lex. Estimates are of 90 day turn around on the big carrier.

Hornet is expected tomorrow at Balboa. CV Indomitable ordered to Perth from Colombo. Plan is for Hornet and Indomitable to operate together in hit and run raids.




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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 #: 79
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/5/2013 7:47:38 PM   
kaleun

 

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Japanese submarines, operating off Australia sink xAK Iron Warrior and xAK Akaba.

Over Noumea, 36 AGM2 fighters are met by 17 P40E 7 P40 and 1 Zero were destroyed before the enemy fighters returned to their carriers East of Efate.

A second enemy carrier force spotted in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Rossel Island captured.

CV Hornet arrives at Balboa. Her air groups are incomplete. The carrier is ordered to San Diego where it will fill out (we hope) her air groups.

March 11th

A task force of small cargo transports was intercepted by CA Tone and her escorts. The transports were returning from Dili where an Australian Machine Gun battalion had been delivered. Fortunately, the transports, on their way back to Darwin were empty.

At Noumea, the enemy fighters were met by only 5 P40s After the sweep, 42 Kates savaged the ships in harbor.



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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 #: 80
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/5/2013 8:16:35 PM   
kaleun

 

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40 Kates with 28 Zeroes attack Noumea yet again. This time, the allies retaliate. 7 P40E escort 13 A24 Banshees to the vicinity of the enemy carrier task force. After punching through the enemy CAP 3 Banshees get through and miss CV Akagi. Later in the day 11 Banshees, unescorted, attempt to attack the carriers and are wiped out.

Darwin also comes under carrier borne air attack. 27 Kate bombers and 9 Zero fighters.

Milne Bay is captured by the enemy.





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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 81
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/25/2013 3:38:10 AM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		March 21, 1942
News, all of them bad.

Lunga, bombarded and invaded on March 16th falls on the 18th. The 34th Infantry Regiment and the 2nd USMC engineer regiment surrender.

SS Pompano, SE of Truk duds on DD Kasaragi on the 16th. SS Grayback duds on xAK Ikushima Maru near Lunga and SS Seawolf, NE of Billiton duds on xAP Hussimi Maru on the 19th. S of Koggala, SSI-164 misses on BB Resolution and takes two depth charge hits in return.

On the 20th, SS RO34 torpedoes and sinks DD Gilmer 120 nautical miles East of Sidney. SS Pompano duds on SC ch3. Samarinda invaded. The base will fall the next day.

March 22, 1942.

It gets worse. CV Indomitable, approaching Perth is hit by a torpedo. The enemy submarine escapes in the confusion. The carrier enters Perth with 19 SD and 20 flotation damage. The shipyard at the harbor cannot handle a ship of that size; neither can any shipyard in Australia. Emergency repairs begin, but the ship will have to withdraw to Cape Town for final repairs. To make matters worse, the Admiralty requires that she be returned to the United Kingdom by July the 21st.



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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 #: 82
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/25/2013 3:56:27 AM   
kaleun

 

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SS Cachalot misses CVL Shoho E of Nauru. OTOH the torpedo would probably be a dud anyway since, later in the day, she duds on DD Yamakaze. Nearby, SS Cuttlefish duds on DD Shirami.

An enemy fleet is seen approaching Attu Island.

The flotation damage on Indomitable drops to 9, but system remains at 18. No further repairs possible with the limited resources available. The ship will make steam and attempt to crawl to Cape Town at reduced speed.

March 27th
Not a good month.

SS KXIV scores on xAK Zazan Maru, then duds on her. In the Ceram Sea, SS Seal duds on Yamashiro, and then duds again on PB Tyoya Maru.

Feverishly, engineers and soldiers complete the first level of fortifications on the windswept, desolate island. The enemy invasion fleet continues to approach.

Malang and Zamboanga invaded.

A large enemy fleet was detected East of Efate.



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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 #: 83
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/25/2013 3:57:07 AM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		A few words need to be said about the Aleutians.

The Aleutian Islands, as everyone knows, extend from mainland Alaska, like a chain of rosary beads, extending towards the Japanese held Kuriles. Early in the war, the Navy decided to expand the facilities at Dutch Harbor and create a submarine base there. A sub tender, and other support ships were dispatched, as well as engineering, coastal defense and other support crews. US submarines could reach the Japanese home islands easily from this base, instead of the long, wasteful ocean crossing from Midway where, by the way, a second advanced submarine base will be constructed as soon as the harbor is expanded enough to allow for adequate fuel storage.

The S class submarines, the pig boats, could reach the Japanese island of Sakhalin, and the oil port of Shikuka and Toyohara. They lacked the range to reach the other, larger islands.

No problem.

Dispatch engineers to Attu and create a submarine base there.

Easier said than done. The engineers and support troops have been struggling to build a harbor for more than a month. There is now a small harbor, and a seaplane tender in the island. But as yet, not much more.

Now, for reasons of his own, Alex-san wants the island, it seems.


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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 84
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/30/2013 7:16:07 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		March 28th 42
Attu invaded.

Near Malang, in Java, 9 Bllenheim bombers, escorted by 7 Hurricanes score, at last, on an enemy ship. xAKL Hachirogata Maru takes two, 250 Lbs bombs and is left on fire.

Near Nadi, on 25 B26 Marauders with 18 P40E escorts attack the enemy carrier fleet. 65 Zeros on CAP destroy 5 bombers and damage another 9, 6 P40 also fail to return. 17 Marauders drop their 500 lb bombs targeting CV Shokaku and CV Soryu, but all the bombs miss. 48 Zero and 22 Kate bombers retaliate on Suva. Only 4 fighters remain to meet them, the balance escorting the Marauders. Two P40 are destroyed, for 1 Kate bomber. One further Kate falls to AA guns. AMc South Sea and AMc Futurist both sink.

Zamboanga is captured.

At Pearl, CV Hornet sits at anchor. Her instructions are to wait for the enemy carriers to withdraw before proceeding south to help defend Suva and Noumea.

March 29th
Luganville, Attu, and Nadi (Suva) continue to come under enemy bombardment. After the failure of the B26 to score on the enemy carriers, the islands are defenseless. CV Hornet cannot, of course, intervene against such odds. Yet there are no carriers in the Aleutinas. Perhaps there, she could strike.





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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 #: 85
RE: Disaster strikes again - 4/30/2013 7:26:26 PM   
kaleun

 

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Status: offline 		March 30th

Off Sidney, enemy submarines swarm like sardines. Perhaps more as a tripwire against any sortie than anything else. Not that there is much to sortie with.

At Suva, the Marauders score on two invasion ships: Kushima Maru and xAP Kasado Maru.

A shock attack in Bataan reduces the fortifications to level 3.

At Attu Island, the enemy attack against 1:3 odds.

The enemy drops parachute forces at LaFoa where they encounter a warm reception by the New Caledonia detachment.
Darwin boasts a level 5 airfield now.

March 31st
Nadi, Ambon and Toboali are captured by the enemy.

The enemy attack at La Foa collapses. The enemy parachute unit is destroyed.

A cruiser force attempts to intercept the invasion fleet at La Foa. Instead it meets a BB force encompassing Haruna and Kongo. In the ensuing battle, DD Lawson sinks to torpedo hits. The cruisers wi Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
DD Yukikaze
DD Hayashio, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Amatsukaze
DD Urakaze
DD Shigure
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
CA Louisville, Shell hits 1
CL Tromp, Shell hits 1
CL Enterprise
DD Lamson, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Monaghan, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Barker, Shell hits 2thdraw to Sidney.







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Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
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Post #: 86
RE: Disaster strikes again - 5/2/2013 2:42:13 AM   
kaleun

 

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Enemy forces continue to land at La Foa, just north of Noumea, with heavy support from Battleships Haruna and Kongo.

An attack at Tassafaronga was repelled by the Marines. Langsa (In Sumatra) captured by the Japanese.
The enemy task forces have abandoned the Attu Island area. The Surface combat task force that had been dispatched from Pearl Harbor, as well as the Hornet task force are recalled to Pearl.

April 2nd.
La Foa falls. The attacking forces give us a small peek at the intentions of the enemy. There is a Naval fleet headquarters deployed here, the 4th, as well as an Army headquarters, the 21st. The 6th Guards Division, 5th Amphib. Brigade and more are part of the invasion force. These are, of course not meant to stay at La Foa. The enemy intends to establish a major base at Noumea.

North of Noumea, Vanikoro falls to the enemy. Would that captain Nemo still roamed these waters, and was on our side of course. Maybe Nautilus would succeed where the US Navy failed.

April 3rd.
It gets worse. The Gibraltar of the East fell today. So did Balikpapan.

Enemy shipping abandons Koepang so CV Formidable, dispatched to raid the surface forces is ordered to return to Perth.

April 4th.
SS Triton duds on CV Soryu near Nadi!

An enemy Battleship spotted near Timor. CV Formidable turns around yet again in pursuit of this target. She might yet launch her torpedo laden biplanes against a worthy target.

At Pearl, Hornet disbands in port. While waiting for Lex, she might as well upgrade her air defenses.






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by kaleun -- 5/2/2013 2:43:16 AM >

_____________________________

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

(in reply to kaleun)
Post #: 87
RE: Disaster strikes again - 5/3/2013 2:23:27 AM   
kaleun

 

Posts: 5145
Joined: 5/29/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline 		April 5th.
After evaluating the enemy strength at Noumea, the estimates are sobering. Nothing less than 1 or 2 Divisions are needed to defend Noumea. Those two divisions are not available anywhere near the South Pacific. In addition, in order for those two divisions to be able to land and defend Noumea, air and naval superiority must be established for the time it would take the transports to transit from the embarkation point (Possibly Aukland) and disembark at Noumea. There are, of course, no assets to provide such superiority. The LBA is little more than useless when attempting to hit naval targets as proven by the radical inability of the B26s from Suva to hit anything.

CV Hornet is refitting and will rejoin service in 6 days. For at least that time, the temptation to use the carrier is removed. Lexington is 74 days away from leaving the dry dock and Wasp is expected in 65 days at Balboa.

Things are not good.

Attu expands its fortifications to level 3. The base should hold until reinforcements arrive.

April 6th
CV Formidable, off the NW shore of Australia ran out of fuel! An oiler sets out from Perth to help her back.


_____________________________

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

(in reply to kaleun)
Post #: 88
RE: Disaster strikes again - 5/3/2013 6:53:42 AM   
BBfanboy


Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline 		You sound anxious to bring the enemy to battle, but you are not running the IJN right now! By your post count and join date it is clear you are not a newbie, but perhaps you have been playing the IJN side most of the time? The Allies don't yet have the stuff they need to defend their empires, let alone invade anywhere.

Now is the time to take a step back from "doing things" and make some long range plans for the next six to eighteen months. Figure out what you want to hold against his attacks, where you want to be ready to attack, and what bases you want to build up to launch an attack.

Then figure out what forces you might need to do the attack and start the land units preparing. Assign HQs to support the units and have them prep too. Look at your fragment units such as Marine Regiments that are part of a division. If the other fragments are arriving later, you can still start them prepping for a target by clicking on the existing unit and then clicking on the OOB button for the division near the bottom left of the unit screen. Select the future arriving unit and set the target to prep for. Click the back button and repeat as required.

Move out the engineers and AA and CD/Marine Defence Bns you need to secure and build your launch bases. It's too early to launch amphib assaults on islands that he has or likely wants.

Don't do a "Good Sir Robin" with your carriers but don't challenge KB yet either. The Wildcats, Devastators, AA and crew/pilot experience are not up to the job. Use the carriers to raid places where it will hurt him, but only after you get a firm fix on KBs location and it is over 20 hexes away. Take on much weaker carrier forces if you find them and KNOW that KB is not nearby.

Raid with the smaller CLs and DDS [British, Dutch, US Omaha class] but use your CAs and Brooklyn CLs to escort your carriers. You will have enough of them doing refits that you will need most of the rest for escort.

This is just an off-the cuff suggestion about planning a strategy. There are much more detailed discussions in the War Room section of the forum and in many AARs.

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to kaleun)
Post #: 89
RE: Disaster strikes again - 5/4/2013 12:09:57 AM   
kaleun

 

Posts: 5145
Joined: 5/29/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline 		Thanks for reading and commenting BB.
Actually, I am not anxious to bring the enemy to battle. I think my Russian friend Alex-san is trying to get me to bring my remaining assets to battle, and I am trying to avoid it. At the same time, I like to play the game within the political constraints that applied in real life. The smart move is to husband your resources and avoid battle until a large carrier fleet can be assembled to fight KB. This would be boring for both sides, and politically unpalatable for the US so, despite the odds, the US Navy must find a way to fight back, or at least make a lot of noise and keep the press boys happy.
Right now, I have channeled FDR and I can tell he is worried about the upcoming (November 1942) mid term elections.
A victory, even a small one is needed to beef up the home front. Unfortunately I cannot fly B25s off Hornet, otherwise, that would do the trick.



_____________________________

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

(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 90
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