Mike Solli
Posts: 15792
Joined: 10/18/2000 From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku Status: offline
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9 Aug 43 Sub War The RO-38 attempted to close on some of the damaged Allied CVs but was caught by the DD Dunlap and hit by a couple of DCs. She got the dreaded “massive explosion” (never saw that in a sub before), so I thought she was a goner. Well, she survived but she’s hurting pretty bad: 37-83(34)-4-0. She’s headed for Truk. The RO-111 found the remnants of the CVE TF and put two more torpedoes into the battered BB New Mexico (making 7 total torpedo hits!). Immediately afterward, I heard sinking sounds. The intel report showed her as being sunk and the Allied sunk ship total/points reflects it as well so I count her as a fish apartment now. In the retaliatory depth charge attack, the sub ate a DC and took enough damage to head for the barn for repairs. As a response to all those who claim RO subs aren’t worth building, I respectfully disagree. Every weapon in the Japanese arsenal is useful, if used properly. 5 Fleet Nothing to report. 4 Fleet More quiet here. KB reached Truk and refueled and rearmed with replacement aircraft added. They’ll sit in port for a day because they have enough OP points to move only 1 hex. I don’t want them stopped surrounded by Allied subs. Tomorrow, they’re heading south again (minus Hosho because of speed considerations) to a location within 7 hexes of all the damaged Allied ships. The idea is to put them out of their misery. I haven’t seen the CVs since the battle, but they’re out there. Well at least some of them are out there. Wasp and Yorktown both had fuel storage explosions and Saratoga took 2 torpedoes and 5x 500kg bombs. All 3 of them have to be in bad shape. Another torpedo or 2 will definitely take them down. SE Fleet Rabaul’s airfield got beat up again. The secondary target was Kavieng. Here’s the current damage: Manus: 100-17-0 Kavieng: 100-75-0 Rabaul: 44-100-96 Talasea: 0-52-0 SRA Nothing to report. Burma The tank regiment will reach Warazup tomorrow. About 400 Chindits landed there on 4 Aug. They’ll try to push them out the day after. China I bombarded again today. I’ve noticed their AV increased to about 15k while mine is still at 6k. I’ll let the supply replenish and then try a deliberate attack to see what I’m really up against. In the mean-time, I bomb daily with 130 or so Sallies. Other Stuff Ok, I’m doing the math with carrier capacity once again. My main carrier capacity will be only KB. Between now and the end of September, it’ll include Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku and Ryujo. Hosho is going back to MKB. Currently, the numbers are: Fighters: 201 Dive Bombers: 90 Torpedo Bombers: 117 Regardless of whether the 3 US CVs were sunk or damaged, they’re out of commission for a good long time. That leaves 6 CVs and 3 CVLs available, some of which are damaged. Assuming the damaged ones are repaired, that gives them: Fighters: 240 Dive Bombers: 216 Torpedo Bombers: 144 The good news is that I get CVLs Chitose and Chiyoda (21 F and 9 TB each) at the end of August and the CVs Katsuragi, Amagi and Unryu (36 F, 18 DB, 9 TB each) and CVLs Mizuho and Nisshin (21 F and 9 TB each) at the end of September. Add Shoho (21 F and 9 TB) in 18 days and that’ll bring my numbers to: Fighters: 414 Dive Bombers: 144 Torpedo Bombers: 189 By the end of September, the Allies will get the following: CV Bunker Hill (36 F, 36 DB, 18 TB) CVL Cowpens (12 F, 18 TB) CVLMonterey (12F, 18 TB) That brings their totals to: Fighters: 300 Dive Bombers: 252 Torpedo Bombers: 198 I’m not counting MKB or the US CVEs, because we know what will happen to them when they come across real carriers. I’m going to increase fighter strength on some of my carriers and give more of the carriers the A6M5c. (Currently, only Soryu has that model.)
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