Xargun
Posts: 3690
Joined: 2/14/2004 From: Near Columbus, Ohio Status: offline
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Another day in the war against the Imperialists.. Kind of a mixed bag I guess. Lots of ASW and sub action this turn - I'll start with the bad news... Allied DDs locate and damage I-19 off the west coast. The sub has moderate damage but has high flt damage (66) and I doubt she will make it safely home, although I will try. A large TF consisting of 8 DDs run over I-24 and sink her in the central pacific. Since the allies have nothing in the area to start, I'm assuming its one of the CV TFs heading south. I'm sure they have a lot of DDs escorting them - if only I would have got off a shot Off the coast of Soerbaja a small allied TF managed to locate and sink I-155 without her getting off a shot. I sent a PG dominated ASW TF off the coast of Malaya where I spotted a sub on turn 1. The dutch sub was still there and I managed to sink it without it getting off a shot in return. IJN SS I-154 adds another kill to its list by hitting and sinking an allied AP as it passed near Palembang. SS I-164 entered the war by hitting and sinking another allied AP off the coast of Muntok. On the surface a Tf of 6 PTs showed up at Legaspi and attack one of my invasion TFs - somehow they manage to pick the TF with minor escort - a couple PCs - and not the one with numerous DD escorts. In a one-sided battle, the PTs sink a PC and cripple an AP and PC. The PC was scuttled due to 90+ flt damage and nowhere to run to. One of my invasion escort TFs reacted and encountered a lone allied AK and blew it apart. Nagumo got his head out of the clouds and launch a massive 2nd attack on PH this turn - over 300 planes were involved. 17 Allied fighters made it into the sky in defense but they were ineffectual in attacking the bombers and were shot out of the sky by my zeros. As the zeros flew CAP my Vals hit the airfields and repair yards and the Kates ran along battleship row again. Mostly bombs were used on the port attack, but a few torps found their way into the sides of BBs and a CL. BB Nevada took 4 torp hits while the West Virginia took 2 - California and Maryland each took 1 torp. Several cruisers were hit with 800 kg bombs as well. Despite nothing being sunk, I believe this wave had a devastating affect on the status of the BBs - they should all be highly damaged now. My Vals managed to hit the repair yards quite hard as well, reporting 10 hits - which is 22 points of repair yards damaged (Checked Intel report for Strategic Losses). I am planning another day of attacking PH - airfield, repair yards and port once more. Depending on how well the port attacks go, I will probably withdraw after this last wave. I plan on sending 2 CVs around behind PH to intercept allied TFs heading between PH and the west coast - just not sure of the timing to show them... In bad news, RAF bombers from Singapore attacked and hit several IJN TFs along the coast of Malaya damaging 1 AP and causing a scorch mark on a BB. I need to hit Singapore airfields hard and soon, but all of my long-range bombers are highly fatigued and have low morale - they get one more day of rest then they get pressed into combat whether they want too or not. Fighters from Manilla strafe several IJN TFs off the coast of Luzon causing minor damage to some APs. One of my Baby CVs located and attacked an allied cruiser. 5 Torps reportedly hit the heavy cruiser Houston, splitting her apart and sinking her. My baby CVs launched many other Kates are various targets but nothing else was hit Rob launched another air raid on Bangkok and was met with a score of Nates. In the end the British air attack was driven off before any bombs were dropped and a pair of Buffalos and a Blenheim were shot down with no losses amongst my Nates. Now the good news.. On the ground the IJA really got it done this turn capturing 9 bases including: Legaspi (1200 POWs), Kendari, Belikpapin, Kuching, Changsha (resources fully intact), San Marcelino, Davao, Guam and Laoag. I am already moving fighters and long range bombers to Kendari and Balikpapin as well as a chutai of Nells to Kuching to try to hit the fleeing allied ships. Hong Kong and Yenen still hold on, but attacks will continue there. In not such a surprise move, Rob has moved 4 chinese units into Nanning. It is probably an even fight and will come down to the first attack - how much damage he takes... I have a full Bde and a BF there and they sit behind 2 or 3 forts. I have no units to rush there larger than SNLFs and I have a couple on the way, but they are 3-4 days away at best so hopefully the base can hold. Not much else is happening yet. I want to make some moves in the South Pacific from Truk, but don't have the air or naval power there to support any real offensives, so I must wait. After a couple more days of bombing Manilla and Clark Field, I will transfer the long-range bombers from Formosa down to Truk to provide protection against any allied attacks. Until then Truk is kinda exposed - especially against air attacks - but luckily the US CVs are 4-5 days away at best speed - unless they want to cut past Kwajalein and take the hits from the bombers based there... In all I sunk 8 allied ships this turn (1 Sub, 3 APs, 2 AKs, 1 MSW and a CA) while losing 2 PCs (1 sunk, 1 scuttled) and 2 Subs. Not a bad trade, but I'd rather have not lost the subs.. Xargun
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