RE: Small Ship, Big War

RE: Small Ship, Big War (Full Version)

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Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/28/2007 8:49:48 PM)
April 15, 1943 Location: 110 miles East-southeast of Gasmata Course: South Attached to: TF 8 Mission: Bombardment System Damage: 2 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 441 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- The Japanese ships round the tip of New Britain and head south towards Gili Gili. In the lead is the screening force, consisting of four cruisers and six destroyers. Behind them comes Captain Nishida’s bombardment force. This consists of battleships Hiei, Kongo, and Haruna, heavy cruisers Maya and Mogami, and six more destroyers, including Hibiki. The night passes without incident. The sun rises on a cloudy morning, though the cloud cover is higher and patchier than had been hoped. There is a mild westerly blowing at about 5 knots. Around mid-morning a large, stubby enemy PB2Y reconnaissance plane is spotted on the horizon to the east. It turns towards the ships, and there is no doubt that the Japanese force has been seen. It continues to shadow the Japanese for another two hours. As noon approaches more enemy aircraft are seen approaching. Combat stations are ordered and the Japanese ships spread out in anticipation of air attack. The attackers, a dozen twin-engine bombers of the Hudson type, come in over 3000 meters above the ships. They are chased by anti-aircraft fire as they release their bombs, but the Japanese score no hits. Neither do the bombers. They focus their attention on the big targets, but none of their bombs come even close to the accelerating, turning battleships. The bombers depart and the Japanese resume their formation. The rest of the day is without incident, and by nightfall the Japanese are in position to increase speed and begin their run in towards Gili Gili.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/28/2007 10:25:43 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish As noon approaches more enemy aircraft are seen approaching. Combat stations are ordered and the Japanese ships spread out in anticipation of air attack. The attackers, a dozen twin-engine bombers of the Hudson type, come in over 3000 meters above the ships. They are chased by anti-aircraft fire as they release their bombs, but the Japanese score no hits. Neither do the bombers. They focus their attention on the big targets, but none of their bombs come even close to the accelerating, turning battleships. Hudsons?? In April 1943? Clearly the second stringers; no wonder they scored no hits, especially at 10,000 feet. (A wise move to use the speedier Kongo-class BB's.) I trust the IJN crews have kept the breech-blocks well lubed -- I have a feeling they'll be getting some excercise soon!

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/29/2007 12:35:20 AM)
April 16, 1943 Location: 40 miles southeast of Gasmata Course: North Attached to: TF 8 Mission: Bombardment System Damage: 2 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 283 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- “Sir, possible submarine contact,” the sonar operator tells Lieutenant Miharu. “Bearing 60 degrees to starboard, range 6000 meters.” “Take us in that direction,” directs the lieutenant. “Slow to 15 knots. Load the depth charge thrower.” Hibiki slows and turns out of the column of warships, nosing towards the possible enemy. On the darkened bridge the sonar operator hunches over his instruments, face tight with concentration. A few tense moments pass. “Definite submarine contact,” says the sonar operator. “Range now 2000 meters, 10 degrees to port.” Lieutenant Miharu orders the course correction as Captain Ishii steps onto the bridge. “Set depth charges to 60 meters,” orders the Lieutenant. “Boost to 21 knots. Flash signal ABX to the rest of the fleet.” This is the Japanese navy signal for “releasing depth charges.” Hibiki’s deck plates vibrate as she picks up speed again. In a moment she is over the submarine’s estimated position. “Release depth charges!’ orders the lieutenant. The order is relayed to the Y-guns at the stern of the ship, and Ensign Handa and his crew fling two depth charges into the water on either side of the ship. A moment passes, and in the darkness water boils explosively to the surface on either side of Hibiki’s wake. “Bring us around 230 degrees,” says Miharu. Hibiki comes around in a tight turn. Just before she crosses back over her own wake he orders four more depth charges released. “We’re still right on top of him, sir,” says the sonar operator after the second pass. Lieutenant Miharu acknowledges him and orders two more passes. Again and again the sea boils as Hibiki flings depth charges into the water. After the last pass he orders the ship to slow and cruise over the area. “Sir,” calls a lookout, “we have a lot of air bubbles bursting to port. Oil on the surface too, I think.” Lieutenant Miharu orders searchlights. The beams play over the darkened water to port. The water is indeed covered with a thick and growing layer of oil. As the bridge crew watches the oil is churned by large bubbles rising from below and bursting on the surface. They bring with them bits of debris. “Congratulations, Lieutenant,” says Captain Ishii. “That’s a kill.” A rousing cheer bursts out from everyone in earshot. Hibiki has been tormented by enemy submarines almost since the beginning of the war and has never even managed to damage one in return. Now they have at last struck back. But there is no time to rest on their laurels. They will be at Gili Gili in less than two hours. Hibiki hurries to rejoin the rest of the task force. --- Hibiki and the other Japanese ships approach the enemy base at the tip of New Guinea. Already they can see the shape of hills against the night sky. The enemy knows they are coming. Whatever reception they have planned for the Japanese will be encountered soon. The screening force pulls ahead. Suddenly through the darkness Hibiki’s crew can hear the sound of gunfire. The radio operator reports that enemy torpedo boats have been encountered. Captain Nishida leaves the pesky little craft to the screening force and orders a course change to port. Unmolested, his ships swing into line and begin to parallel the New Guinea coast. On Captain Nishida’s order the battleships and cruisers begin to open fire. They steam majestically back and forth, firing shell after shell towards Gili Gili. Aboard Hibiki they can see explosions and fires in the night, and a red glow begins to tinge the underside of the clouds hanging over the base. Radio reports indicate the enemy force has been routed. Five of the small enemy ships have been sunk at the cost of only minor damage to one Japanese destroyer. The enemy is not quite done, however. From somewhere ashore guns begin to return fire, and suddenly Haruna is straddled. The Japanese ships quickly locate the enemy battery and return fire. A short but furious exchange of shells follows. Haruna takes several hits, though none of them penetrate the battleship’s armor. The enemy guns are soon silenced and the Japanese barrage resumes with renewed fury. Captain Nishida finally orders his cruisers and battleships to cease fire. They send one last broadside inland and then turn and head back north. The enemy airfield has with any luck sustained heavy damage, but Nishida still wants to make sure he is out of enemy torpedo range by daybreak. --- When day comes it is quickly apparent that the airfield at Gili Gili is still in operation. Some 30 enemy single-engine torpedo bombers appear, though at this range they are able to carry only 250 lb. bombs. They overtake the Japanese ships hurrying north and make a much more determined attack than the one the task force sustained yesterday. Haruna is again the enemy’s main target. The big ship twists and turns through the attack and manages to evade every bomb, and the Japanese put up a fierce barrage of flak that brings down two of the attackers. The enemy departs, thwarted, and the Japanese ships continue on their way north. There is no sign of enemy activity for the rest of the day.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/29/2007 12:36:32 AM)
I have unfortunately lost or misplaced the screen shots from the action related above, showing the attack against the sub and Hibiki’s status at the end of the day. As a result of this turn the destroyer’s day/night experience rating has increased from 75/66 to 77/66. While welcome this seems a little odd since most of the turn’s action occurred at night.

kaleun -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/29/2007 12:56:51 AM)
Good show!

Terminus -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/29/2007 12:57:13 AM)
I hate to pick nits, but there's no such thing as a "Y-rack". It's a "Y-gun". Your AAR is such a wonderful example of how to write with huge attention to detail, so it would be great if that little one would also make it in.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/29/2007 1:08:18 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Terminus I hate to pick nits, but there's no such thing as a "Y-rack". It's a "Y-gun". Your AAR is such a wonderful example of how to write with huge attention to detail, so it would be great if that little one would also make it in. Right you are! I will make that correction. Here is a picture of the device in question, the Type 94 Y-gun Depth Charge Thrower (taken from Mechanisms of Imperial Japanese Warships): [image]local://upfiles/23804/28D60D694A3144E39C432775E0FB9B1C.jpg[/image]

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/30/2007 7:24:51 AM)
April 17, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 8 Mission: Bombardment System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- By the time the sun rises over Gili Gili the next morning E7K float planes from Lae and Ki. 46-II reconnaissance planes from Gasmata are already over the enemy base. They snap numerous photos of the damage inflicted by the Japanese shells, all the while playing a dangerous game of hide and seek among the clouds with enemy fighters. When these planes return to their bases a few hours later the negatives are immediately flown to Rabual. There they are developed, and by mid afternoon the photos are in the hands of Southeast Fleet commander Vice Admiral Kusaka and his staff. By the time the Japanese ships return to Rabaul late in the day the photographs have been analyzed. They show both good and bad results from the bombardment. On the negative side the primary target, the airfield, was largely missed. Only a few shell craters are in evidence, along with a handful of destroyed planes. The enemy engineers, who with their machines build and repair things with a speed the Japanese find almost supernatural, have already almost fixed the runways. The positive side is that most of the fury of the bombardment seems to have fallen squarely on the camps of a pair of infantry divisions. The photos show a heartening amount of damage, and it seems certain that casualties among enemy troops must have been heavy. It is some consolation for the fact that the raid will have to be repeated. The airbase there must be put out of action to guarantee the safety of Port Moresby and the other Japanese strongholds in the area.

bradfordkay -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/30/2007 9:10:18 PM)
I was out of town most of last week, so forgive my late comment (and my tendendy to pick nits), but a reference work I have indicates that saki is best served not cold, but near body temperature. Okay, you busted me; my reference work is "You Only Live Twice." [8\|]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/30/2007 9:15:35 PM)
quote: Haruna is again the enemy’s main target. The big ship twists and turns through the attack and manages to evade every bomb, and the Japanese put up a fierce barrage of flak that brings down two of the attackers. The enemy departs, thwarted, and the Japanese ships continue on their way north. A blow well struck, indeed. Air strikes, submarine attacks, torpedo boats, and coastal defense guns, and the IJN gets away with only a few dents and dings. (Let's hope Wolffpack doesn't have mine-laying units in the area.)

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/30/2007 9:51:08 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: bradfordkay I was out of town most of last week, so forgive my late comment (and my tendendy to pick nits), but a reference work I have indicates that saki is best served not cold, but near body temperature. Okay, you busted me; my reference work is "You Only Live Twice." [8\|] Sake is a pretty flexible drink; when the weather is hot (as it is at Rabaul) the Japanese often drink it cold, while if the weather is cold it is often served warm. You are correct, many feel it is best at body temperature, but I think this is more a Western thing than it is a Japanese practice. Sailors of the time probably preferred the more traditional ways of serving it. Or however they could get it, being sailors.

bradfordkay -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (9/30/2007 11:18:18 PM)
Thanks for the info... You're never sure if what Hollywood says is correct.

kaleun -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/1/2007 12:10:40 AM)
I often find that premium sake is served chilled at Japanese restaurants. They tend to serve the house sake warm.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/1/2007 5:35:36 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kaleun I often find that premium sake is served chilled at Japanese restaurants. They tend to serve the house sake warm. That could be because warming the sake hides the rough edges in lower-end brands. As good ingredients became hard to find in Japan late in the war serving it warm became a more common practice because it made the sake more drinkable.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/1/2007 5:38:00 AM)
April 18, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- “There they go,” comments Shiro. He and Riku are standing on Hibiki’s deck watching Haruna, Hiei, and half a dozen smaller ships leave the harbor. They are heading for Japan. None of the ships is badly damaged, but all need enough work that no one wants to risk them on the next run to Gili Gili. “While we stay behind,” says Riku wryly. “I have no interest in being bombed, torpedoed, or strafed, but is it too much to hope for a malfunction of some kind? Maybe a boiler could need to be replaced or something.” “Patience,” laughs Shiro. “We will get home again some day. Meanwhile they say we will have a few more days of peace and quiet here at Rabaul before more battleships arrive. That isn’t so bad.” “No, it isn’t” admits Riku. “I have grown very fond of those hot springs. But it still isn’t the same as seeing home again.” “That’s true,” says Shiro wistfully. He and Riku watch the departing battleships and their escorts until they are out of sight to the north. --- With the departure of Haruna and Hiei the task force is broken up. Hibiki is assigned along with Kongo to Captain Koyanaji’s task force. This is the screening task force that cleared the way for Nishida’s ship in the raid two days ago, and this will be their mission again on the next sortie against Gili Gili.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/1/2007 10:29:31 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish “Patience,” laughs Shiro. “We will get home again some day. Meanwhile they say we will have a few more days of peace and quiet here at Rabaul before more battleships arrive. That isn’t so bad.” --- With the departure of Haruna and Hiei the task force is broken up. Hibiki is assigned along with Kongo to Captain Koyanaji’s task force. Now the question is which Japanese battleships have the speed for this mission? (The slower the ship, the closer they have to get to Gili Gili during daylight hours.) Dare we hope that Hibiki will be escorting the Yamato?

Terminus -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 12:24:38 AM)
I'd certainly like to see what Cuttlefish would do with the Yamato as a plot device...

mdiehl -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 12:52:08 AM)
Uh, I suppose that'll depend on what happens to Yamato? I'm hoping for something like historical. Fires 30, sys 50, floods 40 + progressing followed by a sudden fires 100 floods 100 sys 100 entropy 100.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 1:07:05 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: mdiehl Uh, I suppose that'll depend on what happens to Yamato? I'm hoping for something like historical. Fires 30, sys 50, floods 40 + progressing followed by a sudden fires 100 floods 100 sys 100 entropy 100. Can I wait until the Allied invasion of Okinawa for that? We have a long ways to go before that happens, and I'd like to try and do something useful with the big ship before then - like maybe try to sink the eastern tip of New Guinea.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 1:09:56 AM)
April 19, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- Lieutenant JG Nakagawa, Hibiki’s medical officer, has treated many kinds of illnesses and injuries since being assigned to the ship two years ago. Even when people aren’t actively trying to sink you operating a destroyer can be a dangerous business, and Nakagawa has seen his share of cuts, gashes, contusions, burns, and broken bones. Illness and disease can be a problem, too, especially in the southern waters where Hibiki has spent most of the war. Even quiet times in port bring their own problems, as sailors on shore leave seem to have a knack for finding new and creative ways to do themselves harm. His current patient, however, is the most baffling case he has seen yet during the war. Seaman First Class Hikaru Shoji was half carried into his dispensary a short while ago by two other men. Shoji had been complaining of pain and numbness in his limbs just before he convulsed and collapsed face first into a bowl of rice during mess. Shoji is half conscious, but he is now suffering from partial paralysis and cannot speak except in mumbles. His pulse is thready and weak, and Nakagawa is becoming concerned. He questions the men who brought Shoji in. They tell him that Shoji had just returned from shore leave but that they don’t know if anyone was with him or what he did ashore. Nakagawa gets no smell of alcohol at all from the sailor, who is clad in the informal tropical uniform of shorts and light shirt. “You,” says Nakagawa, pointing to one of the men, “go and see if you can find anyone who was ashore with him. I need to know what he was doing and what he might have had to eat or drink.” He turns to the other sailor. “Find where he bunks and look around. Bring me anything he might have brought back aboard ship, bottles, food, anything. Be swift, both of you.” The two sailors salute and depart. Nakagawa rigs a saline drip solution for his patient and checks his breathing. Shoji’s respiration is strong, though he seems to be having trouble swallowing. The two sailors are indeed prompt, and both soon return. The first tells him that the officer of the deck reports that Shoji went out and came back alone. The second brings with him a small canvas bag filled with shells. The bag is still damp with seawater. “I found this next to his hammock,” he says. Nakagawa peers into the bag, his eyes narrowing in sudden suspicion. He steps over to Shoji’s pallet, kneels, and begins to examine the sailor’s hands and feet. At the base of Shoji’s left thumb he finds what he is looking for, a small puncture mark. The flesh around it is swollen, and the thumbnail has a bluish tinge. “Baka!” he mutters, berating himself. He should have spotted this before. He carefully takes up the bag of shells and spreads the colorful and glistening contents across a counter. He quickly finds what he is looking for, a large white and orange cone shaped shell. He picks it up using a pair of forceps. “Here is our culprit,” he tells the other two sailors. “A cone snail. Very pretty, very dangerous.” “It is poisonous?” asks one, peering at the mollusk with wide eyes. “Oh yes,” says Nakagawa. “I have heard of them, but I have never seen one before.” He prods the shell and a surprisingly long and sharp needle-like stinger stabs out of the narrow end. The two sailors step back, and even Nakagawa is surprised by the speed and ferocity of the response. “Will Shoji be all right?” asks the other sailor, his gaze sliding from the shell to the man on the pallet. “I think so,” says Nakagawa. “He is young and strong, but I don’t think he will be collecting any more shells for a day or two. I thank you both for your help.” The two men salute and leave. Nakagawa carefully puts the cone snail in a jar, scoops the rest of the shells back into the bag, and then pulls out one of his few reference books. He flips to the section on toxins and starts to read.

Terminus -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 1:20:36 AM)
Well, let's hope it wasn't a Conus Geographus... and Shoji isn't a smoker...

Onime No Kyo -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 1:50:24 AM)
Hibiki's own Stephen Maturin. [:D]

tocaff -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 2:01:21 AM)
Snakes, malaria, booze and snails....what a tale you weave CF.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 2:54:45 AM)
April 20, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- Rain pounds down on the town of Rabaul and the hills and peaks nearby. It falls in curtains across Hibiki, obscuring even the nearby volcanoes from view. There is obviously no danger of enemy air attack on a day such as this, and even the inevitable enemy reconnaissance planes fail to put in an appearance. It is another day in the South Pacific, another day in the long war. Aboard Hibiki routine maintenance proceeds below decks, while on deck drenched lookouts huddle in their rain garb, peering in vain through the downpour for an enemy that will not appear. Sailors ashore sit and drink and watch the rain turn the streets into quagmires. Hibiki and her crew will soon enough face fire and death once again. For now, however, there is only boredom and the warm, persistent rain.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 2:56:08 AM)
April 21, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- Riku is moving along a companionway when he meets Hikaru Shoji coming from the other direction. Shoji is walking slowly and carefully, like an old man. “Hey, Shoji!” says Riku. “Good to see you on your feet again. How are you?” Shoji shrugs. “Not bad,” he says. He raises his left hand. “This is still a bit numb and I’m a little shaky, but Lieutenant Nakagawa says that will pass in another day or two.” “That’s good,” says Riku. “Hey, any chance you’ll get a medal out of this?” “Why would I get a medal?” says Shoji. “Do they give them out for being stupid now?” “Of course not,” says Riku. He grins suddenly. “But you were wounded by an enemy shell, after all.” --- Note: Yes, yes, I know the pun probably wouldn’t translate. But I couldn’t resist.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 2:57:34 AM)
April 22, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- The rain has ended and the sun shines down on a powerful task force arriving from Kwajalein, a force based around battleships Yamato, Musashi, and Kirishima. The big ships and their smaller escorts sail in past the gently steaming cone of Tavurvur and drop anchor in Simpson Bay. These vessels, along with Hibiki’s task force 36, give the Japanese a powerful punch to throw at Gili Gili. When the rains return the ships will sortie and once again attempt to destroy the enemy airfield there.

marky -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 5:27:58 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish April 21, 1943 Location: Rabaul Course: Docked Attached to: TF 36 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 3 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Attack enemy positions in and around Gili Gili --- Riku is moving along a companionway when he meets Hikaru Shoji coming from the other direction. Shoji is walking slowly and carefully, like an old man. “Hey, Shoji!” says Riku. “Good to see you on your feet again. How are you?” Shoji shrugs. “Not bad,” he says. He raises his left hand. “This is still a bit numb and I’m a little shaky, but Lieutenant Nakagawa says that will pass in another day or two.” “That’s good,” says Riku. “Hey, any chance you’ll get a medal out of this?” “Why would I get a medal?” says Shoji. “Do they give them out for being stupid now?” “Of course not,” says Riku. He grins suddenly. “But you were wounded by an enemy shell, after all.” --- Note: Yes, yes, I know the pun probably wouldn’t translate. But I couldn’t resist. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]nice 1 fishy!

Yakface -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 10:59:06 AM)
What happens to this thread if the Hibiki is sunk?

1275psi -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 12:07:52 PM)
We all go into mourning -thats what -and poor Cuttlefish will be sick with grief Measure of how good WITP is -when we all forget its a game.............

veji1 -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (10/2/2007 12:11:40 PM)
Hibiki will never sink, it is as simple as that.

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