obvert
Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011 From: PDX (and now) London, UK Status: offline
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5 July 1942 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SUBS: The subs catch nothing in spite of 7-8 patrolling the area. BURMA: The phase of this battle I had hoped to engineer did in fact take place on July 5th. After the CV exchange the Allies were only 3-4 hexes from the IJN SAGs. I sent in everything, and the battles raged throughout the night. At one point a SAG of BBs engaged the US CVs, but couldn't get good hits for inexplicable reasons. Still there was some success. First an IJN SAG with 4 CA 4 DD met the Repulse and 4 CA 3 DD. The IJN left two CA in poor condition without serious damage to any ships. Then the part that angers me, when Kongo, Haruna, Hiei and Kirishima plus Haguro and Nachi met the US CVs and didn't sink ANY of them. The Lex did get another fish in her belly, which proved important, but this should have been a massacre, especially when it got to 5k yards at 53% moon!! Of course the BBs didn't even fire their secondary batteries which is a bunch of BS considering they had the chance to even the CV score in one fell swoop. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I'll include the entire combat report to hopefully give an idea of the close range and length of this battle that should have gone much more our way. How does that battle even break off when it does at 8k yards (!!!) when visibility is listed to 11k??? I then had DDs AVOID combat with the Brit CVs. The BBs then shot up the two wounded Allied cruisers further, so there was some good ammo left that could have been used on the CVs, apparently. Then the BBs find the Lex detached from the CV TF and give her a little push before the CLs come in and put another fish in. RESULT: The attack I wanted materialized, and one US CV was taken down. It should have been a lot more. Those fast BBs caught the US fleet and had them at point blank range. This game simply doesn't allow for extreme circumstances to over-ride it's usual method of playing out those battles. Every piece of ammo in the Japanese fleet would have been unleashed on those CVs in any scenario approaching reality, and at least 3-4 should have been heavily damaged or sunk. Instead, after two days of battling, the IJN comes out the supreme loser in this engagement. It's too bad it's not possible to over-ride certain functions like CV reaction, to say NEVER DO IT. In effect creating doctrine and drilling it into commanders that they have to stick to the plan. (I know not all did, but it sucks to lose everything because of this one small feature that is speculative at best in it's relevance to the game. Too much is at stake with CVs to let that much chance play a part). It's also too bad there is no special condition during which a ship will expend ALL of it's ammo, as in a surface engagement with CVs, rather than saving some for later. Even damaging those others could have let them be caught by other TFs and a few TT throne in to pile on. I took a risk, set up a trap, and failed miserably. Of course I could have been more careful, played the game to not lose as quickly, let the Allies slowly grind me down, but this seemed a golden opportunity, and it turned out in that respect I was right. Whether it would work if run numerous times over and over taking chance differences into account is up to speculation. We'll never be able to control CV reaction, which is too bad. It leaves too much to chance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 5, 42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships CA Atago, Shell hits 1 CA Ashigara, Shell hits 3 CA Aoba, Shell hits 4, heavy fires CA Kinugasa DD Nowaki DD Shigure, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Murasame DD Harusame, Shell hits 3, heavy fires Allied Ships BC Repulse, Shell hits 3 CA Portland, Shell hits 4, heavy fires CA Northampton, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire CA Houston, Shell hits 1 CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 2 DD Patterson, Shell hits 2 DD Jarvis, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Maury DD Tjerk Hiddes Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 20,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards Range closes to 14,000 yards... Range closes to 8,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards CA Salt Lake City engages CA Kinugasa at 8,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna, Shell hits 1 BB Hiei BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1 CA Haguro CA Nachi, Shell hits 3, on fire DD Arare DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 1 DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1 DD Isonami DD Shirayuki, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CV Yorktown CV Enterprise CV Hornet, Shell hits 1 CA Astoria, Shell hits 1 CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 3, on fire DD Scout DD Tenedos DD Thanet DD Express, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Nestor DD Nizam DD Norman, Shell hits 1 Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 21,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 21,000 yards Range closes to 19,000 yards... Range closes to 17,000 yards... Range closes to 15,000 yards... Range closes to 13,000 yards... Range closes to 11,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards BB Kirishima engages CV Hornet at 11,000 yards BB Haruna engages CV Enterprise at 11,000 yards BB Kongo engages CA Minneapolis at 11,000 yards BB Kongo engages CA Astoria at 11,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages CV Hornet at 11,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Nizam at 11,000 yards DD Inazuma engages CV Enterprise at 11,000 yards DD Express engages DD Akatsuki at 11,000 yards DD Nizam engages DD Arare at 11,000 yards DD Arare engages DD Tenedos at 11,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages DD Scout at 11,000 yards Range closes to 9,000 yards BB Haruna engages CV Enterprise at 9,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages CV Yorktown at 9,000 yards CA Nachi engages CA Minneapolis at 9,000 yards CA Haguro engages CA Minneapolis at 9,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Tenedos at 9,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Nizam at 9,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Nizam at 9,000 yards DD Arare engages DD Express at 9,000 yards DD Arare engages DD Tenedos at 9,000 yards DD Tenedos engages DD Inazuma at 9,000 yards DD Arare engages DD Scout at 9,000 yards Range closes to 7,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages CV Hornet at 7,000 yards BB Kongo engages CV Enterprise at 7,000 yards BB Haruna engages CV Yorktown at 7,000 yards BB Kongo engages CA Astoria at 7,000 yards CA Minneapolis engages CA Nachi at 7,000 yards CA Haguro engages CA Astoria at 7,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Norman at 7,000 yards DD Nizam engages DD Inazuma at 7,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Tenedos at 7,000 yards DD Express engages DD Akatsuki at 7,000 yards DD Scout engages DD Arare at 7,000 yards DD Tenedos engages DD Inazuma at 7,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Scout at 7,000 yards Range closes to 5,000 yards BB Kirishima engages CA Astoria at 5,000 yards BB Hiei engages CA Astoria at 5,000 yards BB Haruna engages CV Yorktown at 5,000 yards Fuel storage explosion on CV Lexington DD Arare engages CV Lexington at 5,000 yards CA Nachi engages CA Minneapolis at 5,000 yards CA Astoria engages CA Nachi at 5,000 yards DD Norman engages DD Inazuma at 5,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Nizam at 5,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Nestor at 5,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Express at 5,000 yards DD Express engages DD Arare at 5,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages DD Scout at 5,000 yards Range increases to 8,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages CV Hornet at 8,000 yards BB Hiei engages DD Tenedos at 8,000 yards BB Haruna engages CA Minneapolis at 8,000 yards DD Arare engages CV Lexington at 8,000 yards CA Minneapolis engages CA Haguro at 8,000 yards CA Nachi engages CA Astoria at 8,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Scout at 8,000 yards DD Shirayuki engages DD Nizam at 8,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Express at 8,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages DD Express at 8,000 yards DD Thanet engages DD Inazuma at 8,000 yards Allied Task Force Manages to Escape Task forces break off... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 26,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Yugumo DD Akigumo DD Natsugumo DD Shinonome DD Usugumo Allied Ships CV Indomitable CV Illustrious CV Formidable CA Louisville CA Pensacola CLAA Van Heemskerck DD Craven DD Gridley DD McCall DD Benham DD Dunlap DD Balch DD Stuart DD Vendetta Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range increases to 26,000 yards... Range increases to 26,000 yards... Both Task Forces evade combat???? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Natori CL Yura, Shell hits 1 CL Kinu, Shell hits 3, on fire CL Abukuma DD Yudachi DD Umikaze, Shell hits 1 DD Nenohi Allied Ships CV Indomitable CV Illustrious, Shell hits 1 CV Formidable CA Louisville, Shell hits 1 CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1 CLAA Van Heemskerck DD Craven DD Gridley DD McCall DD Benham DD Dunlap DD Balch DD Stuart DD Vendetta Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 24,000 yards... Range closes to 22,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 22,000 yards Range closes to 20,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards Range closes to 18,000 yards... Range closes to 16,000 yards... Range closes to 14,000 yards... Range closes to 12,000 yards... Range closes to 11,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards CL Kinu engages CV Formidable at 11,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna BB Hiei BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1 CA Haguro CA Nachi, on fire DD Arare DD Akatsuki DD Inazuma DD Isonami, Shell hits 1 DD Shirayuki Allied Ships CA Portland, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Northampton, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Maury DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 2 Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 42% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 24,000 yards... Range closes to 22,000 yards... Range closes to 20,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards Range closes to 18,000 yards... Range closes to 16,000 yards... Range closes to 14,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards Range closes to 12,000 yards... Range closes to 11,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards BB Kirishima engages CA Portland at 11,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna BB Hiei BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1 CA Haguro CA Nachi, on fire DD Arare DD Akatsuki DD Inazuma DD Isonami DD Shirayuki Allied Ships CA Portland, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Northampton, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Maury, Shell hits 1 DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 1 Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 42% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 24,000 yards... Range closes to 22,000 yards... Range closes to 20,000 yards... Range closes to 18,000 yards... Range closes to 16,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 16,000 yards Range closes to 14,000 yards... Range closes to 12,000 yards... Range closes to 11,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards Kamiyama, T. crosses the 'T' BB Kirishima engages CA Portland at 11,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 2 destroyed Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Haguro DD Arare DD Akatsuki DD Inazuma DD Isonami Allied Ships CA Portland, Shell hits 22, and is sunk CA Northampton, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Maury DD Tjerk Hiddes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Haguro DD Arare DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Inazuma DD Isonami, Shell hits 1, on fire Allied Ships CV Lexington, Shell hits 3, heavy damage DD Norman Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 42% moonlight: 11,000 yards Range closes to 21,000 yards... Range closes to 19,000 yards... Range closes to 17,000 yards... CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards Range closes to 15,000 yards... Range closes to 13,000 yards... Range closes to 11,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards BB Kirishima engages CV Lexington at 11,000 yards BB Kongo engages CV Lexington at 11,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages DD Norman at 11,000 yards Kamiyama, T. orders Japanese TF to disengage Range closes to 9,000 yards DD Norman engages DD Isonami at 9,000 yards DD Akatsuki engages DD Norman at 9,000 yards Range increases to 12,000 yards BB Hiei engages CV Lexington at 12,000 yards DD Inazuma engages DD Norman at 12,000 yards DD Norman engages DD Akatsuki at 12,000 yards DD Norman engages DD Akatsuki at 12,000 yards Task forces break off... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 43,59, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Nagara, Shell hits 1 CL Isuzu DD Hayashio DD Oshio DD Arashio DD Kasumi Allied Ships CV Lexington, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Norman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Imagine 4 BB, 2 CA at 5k yards from a CV TF at night. Boom! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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< Message edited by obvert -- 5/16/2013 3:08:28 PM >
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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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