RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude

RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude (Full Version)

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Capt. Harlock -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude (5/18/2008 12:39:58 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ChezDaJez quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish Lieutenant Miharu smiles faintly. “I imagine Lieutenant Sugiyura would enjoy the chance to torpedo an aircraft carrier,” he says. “If that happens, and we live to tell the tale,” says Captain Ishii, “I will build a shrine for Seaman Oizuma’s python with my own hands.” I sure hope this is a foretelling of the future! Chez Not likely. The only time IRL an IJN surface ship torpedoed an Allied CV was when they hit the burning hulk of Hornet after she'd been abandoned.

Feinder -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude (5/18/2008 5:31:19 AM)
I was gone at a conference all week, and have finally gotten the chance to get caught up. Excellent. Curious CF, how is it that you seem to know/understand so much about Japanese culture? You've probably said as much in earlier posts, but I'm lazy and don't feel like combing thru 95 pages of previous posts (almost to 100 pages!). -F-

John 3rd -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude (5/18/2008 6:33:36 AM)
"Damn the Helldivers--Full Speed Ahead!"

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Interlude (5/18/2008 7:58:53 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Feinder I was gone at a conference all week, and have finally gotten the chance to get caught up. Excellent. Curious CF, how is it that you seem to know/understand so much about Japanese culture? You've probably said as much in earlier posts, but I'm lazy and don't feel like combing thru 95 pages of previous posts (almost to 100 pages!). -F- I could be forgetting something, but I don't think I've been asked this before. I know a heck of a lot more now than I did when I started. Mostly it's been a lot of research; books, the internet, and some helpful friends who have spent time in Japan and have been willing to help me out. I have to say that, while I am glad that it has a realistic feel, I do not do Japanese culture full justice. Some of it is ignorance on my part and some of it is a concious decision. Humor is a good example of the latter; Hibiki's crewmen tend to display a rather Western sense of humor. The Japanese sense of humor is a little opaque to most westerners. Writing it realistically might leave most readers going "huh?" rather than smiling. So the AAR is a bit of a comprimise between accessibility and realism - and the amount of time I actually have available to do research.

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/18/2008 7:59:04 AM)
February 20, 1944 Location: 60 miles northeast of Pagan Course: South Attached to: TF 33 Mission: Surface Combat System Damage: 0 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 346 Orders: Proceed to Saipan --- A very heavy rain envelops the Japanese ships, though the temperature grows warmer as they continue to make good speed to the south. Lieutenant Kuwaki peers ahead through the rain-streaked glass on the bridge. “I hate this,” he comments to no one in particular. “A submarine could get very close before we would see them.” Captain Ishii looks up. “Of course, their visibility is also restricted,” he says. “I know,” says Kuwaki, “but if the stories that their submarines have radar are true…” He breaks off and peers intently ahead. “Engines ahead one quarter!” he suddenly shouts. Ahead, through the curtains of rain, the stern of destroyer Akigumo is suddenly visible drawing rapidly closer. The vibration of the engines diminishes almost immediately and Hibiki slows, now within about 150 meters of Akigumo, the ship ahead of them in the column. The distance continues to narrow for a moment and then the other destroyer begins to pull a little ahead again. “The entire column has slowed,” Ishii observes with a frown. A signal light begins to flash from Akigumo. “Why the hell…” begins Kuwaki angrily, then a lookout speaks. “Signal from Akigumo,” he calls. “All ships slow to ten knots.” “How did we miss the original signal?” Kuwaki demands. Ishii says nothing. Kuwaki has the bridge, this is his mess to handle. The lieutenant turns to the lookout tasked with keeping on eye on Isuzu to watch for such orders. “Sir,” says the lookout with an almost audible gulp, “I thought I saw Isuzu’s signal light but couldn’t make it out through this rain. I was hoping they would repeat…” “And meanwhile we almost collide with another ship!” says Kuwaki. “Bakayaro! You are on report!” The chastened seaman hangs his head in shame. Lieutenant Kuwaki turns to Captain Ishii. “Why do you think we have slowed, sir? At this speed a submarine could practically surface right next to us and we wouldn’t see them until it was too late.” At this precise moment a submarine rises out of the sea less than 300 meters ahead and to starboard. Water cascades off its hull as it rises into view. Several lookouts cry out in unison and Kuwaki’s jaw drops. He closes it abruptly. “Forward turret, prepare to…” he calls, then feels the captain’s hand on his arm. “Stand down,” says Ishii. He gestures towards Akigumo. The submarine is almost beside the other ship and yet the destroyer is taking no action at all. “Let this be a lesson, Lieutenant,” says Ishii quietly. “Chew out the lookouts after they are off duty. We missed another signal.” Several men have come out on the deck of what is now obviously a Japanese submarine. A boat is dispatched from Isuzu, where it collects one of the men from the sub and returns. It’s mission accomplished, the submarine once again submerges and the Japanese ships return to cruising speed. The visibility is too poor for anyone to make out the rank insignia, let alone the face, of the man from the submarine.

Durbik -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/18/2008 9:14:19 AM)
shot down airman, escaping general, or a spy ;)

Terminus -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/18/2008 2:02:12 PM)
Oooh, sneakiness afoot...

BrucePowers -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/18/2008 2:27:55 PM)
I like sneakiness[:)] This going to get good.

Feinder -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/18/2008 5:58:31 PM)
A flash of "The Hunt for Red October" come to mind... [;)] Oh goody-goody... -F-

princep01 -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/19/2008 4:44:21 AM)
A mysterious person, probably an officer, picked up from a SUBMARINE in mid-ocean while wrapped in a driving rain......gentleman, please, a moment's reflection, and each all will know who this man must be. It can only be him.

kaleun -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/19/2008 7:34:13 AM)
M&M enterprises showing up again?[;)]

gladiatt -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 1:32:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish quote: ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish “Hey, did you guys hear? I heard from an ensign that we’re getting some fancy new radar gear, better than anything the enemy has. We’ll be able to see a torpedo boat coming from twenty miles away.” Classic scuttlebutt. (but wouldn't the crew of the Hibiki be talking in terms of kilometers?)[;)] Yeah, but...you see...well, yeah. For those readers who demand verisimilitude, or who live in a country not burdened with a completely illogical system of weights and measures, feel free to read the line in question as "we'll be able to see a torpedo boat coming from thirty-two point one eight six eight eight kilometers away." [:D][:D][:D] I do live in a country using metric system and kilometrics range, and reading this post is funny . "we'll be able to see a torpedo boat coming from thirty-two kilometers and one hundred heighty meters and 68 centimeters" [:D][:D][:D]. Nice job !!!! More seriously, your AAR is really really GOOD. I'll ask you for the Goncourt Price ! (even if writing in english, theses guys are not going to mind, no??).

rtrapasso -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 1:37:41 PM)
Actually, i thought the Japanese navy, being modelled after the British navy, talked in terms of knots and nautical miles, not kilometers, kph, etc. (at least when at sea)... [&:]

Terminus -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 2:33:14 PM)
They would have.

kaleun -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 5:50:42 PM)
Actually I thought all navies measured speed in knots and distances in nautical miles because a nautical mile is an exact submultiple of a minute of latitude (A minute of latitude is 60 nm, I believe)

BrucePowers -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 6:40:55 PM)
I thought so too.

mdiehl -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 8:09:30 PM)
quote: A mysterious person, probably an officer, picked up from a SUBMARINE in mid-ocean while wrapped in a driving rain......gentleman, please, a moment's reflection, and each all will know who this man must be. It can only be him. Ohmigod! Like, MacArthur has switched sides! [;)]

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 8:12:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: rtrapasso Actually, i thought the Japanese navy, being modelled after the British navy, talked in terms of knots and nautical miles, not kilometers, kph, etc. (at least when at sea)... [&:] Well yeah, but it was a colloquial phrase, see, and not a naval... Oh, never mind. They would have been able to see a torpedo boat coming from (choose one): -20 statute miles -32. 18688 kilometers -17.38 nautical miles -5.7 leagues -16.09 kellicams

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/19/2008 9:03:59 PM)
February 21, 1944 Location: Saipan Course: Southwest Attached to: TF 33 Mission: Surface Combat System Damage: 0 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: ? --- The rain has diminished but not completely stopped as the task force anchors off Saipan. Most of the crew have never been here before and gaze curiously at the long green island. The closest anyone gets to going ashore, however, is a look at the naval pier when Hibiki takes her turn to refuel. While the destroyers refuel the captains of the various ships are summoned to a meeting aboard Isuzu. Captain Ishii is gone for about two hours. When he comes back aboard there is a grim set to his jaw. Lieutenant Miharu eyes him curiously but a curt shake of the captain’s head indicates that he cannot talk about it, and the executive officer doesn’t press the point. Captain Ishii goes straight to his cabin. When he emerges a short while later he advises his officers that the task force will get underway again as soon as night falls. The course will be to the southwest.

Admiral DadMan -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 9:24:54 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish quote: ORIGINAL: rtrapasso Actually, i thought the Japanese navy, being modelled after the British navy, talked in terms of knots and nautical miles, not kilometers, kph, etc. (at least when at sea)... [&:] Well yeah, but it was a colloquial phrase, see, and not a naval... Oh, never mind. They would have been able to see a torpedo boat coming from (choose one): -20 statute miles -32. 18688 kilometers -17.38 nautical miles -5.7 leagues -16.09 kellicams kellicams? Isn't that a Klingon form of measure?

Durbik -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 9:46:47 PM)
quote: Well yeah, but it was a colloquial phrase, see, and not a naval... Oh, never mind. Cuttlefish, now you're facing a thing that is common to face for every popular writer: MEDDLING FANS WHO JUST KNOW BETTER! just get used to it [:'(] [edit]is it the suicide "watch me, I'm a bait" mission I smell for Hibiki? [/edit]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 10:32:26 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish They would have been able to see a torpedo boat coming from (choose one): -20 statute miles -32. 18688 kilometers -17.38 nautical miles -5.7 leagues -16.09 kellicams And 17,600 fathoms 160 furlongs Just to stir up more trouble, I assume those are nautical leagues rather than land leagues?[:D][:D]

bradfordkay -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/19/2008 10:50:43 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish quote: ORIGINAL: rtrapasso Actually, i thought the Japanese navy, being modelled after the British navy, talked in terms of knots and nautical miles, not kilometers, kph, etc. (at least when at sea)... [&:] Well yeah, but it was a colloquial phrase, see, and not a naval... Oh, never mind. They would have been able to see a torpedo boat coming from (choose one): -20 statute miles -32. 18688 kilometers -17.38 nautical miles -5.7 leagues -16.09 kellicams How far is that in Parsecs?

BrucePowers -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 4:23:51 AM)
A very small number.

BrucePowers -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 4:32:28 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: BrucePowers A very small number. By my calculation it should be 32.18688 km / 30.8568 x 10 to the 12 km per parsec = 1.04310 x 10 to the -12 parsecs[:D][:D]

AcePylut -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 5:12:54 AM)
Or, half the length of AP's wang. Sry, I had to go there.

gladiatt -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 12:07:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish September 16, 1943 Location: 350 miles northwest of Eniwetok Course: Southeast Attached to: TF 48 Mission: Air Combat System Damage: 0 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 249 Orders: Escort Akagi to rendezvous with other Japanese carriers --- From the personal diary of Petty Officer Second Class Taiki Takahashi: I don’t know what the wretched Americans are up to, but couldn’t they have waited three more days? Or even two? The hardest part is that I have no idea what is happening back home. What is Sayumi doing, and how does she feel? Did she meet my parents? I worry about how that might go without me there. I know there is no point in dwelling on it, but I can’t help it. I suppose if I die out here now at least this way I will not make Sayumi a widow for a second time. On the other hand I think I would prefer to die having been married, even if only for a day. I have never felt so alone out here. I hope Sayumi isn’t feeling the same way. --- Taiki’s mother slides aside a door, revealing a small but very clean bedroom. “And you will sleep here,” she says. Behind her Sayumi peers into the room. It looks very nice. Taiki’s father comes bustling up behind them and sets down her suitcases. Sayumi is feeling a little overwhelmed. Taiki’s parents have refused to listen to her protests and are gently but firmly moving her into their home. Sayumi, who is uncommonly tall for a woman, looks down at Taiki’s mother and tries one more time. “Mother Takahashi,” she says, “I appreciate what you are doing very much, but I simply can’t be this kind of burden to you.” Taiki’s mother turns and looks up at her. She is a short, slender woman in a kimono, with a lined and kindly face. “Enough of that” she says. “You are going to marry my son, and as far as I’m concerned that means you are part of the family already. Besides, you will be helping my husband with his business.” Sayumi looks at her in surprise. “Oh, I know, I’m supposed to be offended by that,” she says with a smile. “But this is not the Japan it was when I was younger, I know that. Women are working in the factories, women are working in the fields. And it has been hard, with both Taiki and Noboru gone. We will help each other.” Sayumi smiles. It is good not to be alone again. This one almost make me cry. It's so much of real life. You MUST think about an author carrier ! you're really making it good. Every one here is saying so, and it's not just for fun. The war story is good, the life aboard a small ship is nicely tell, the character are deep and well-defined, the "romance" are not clumsy or silly, and it sound really like a Best-seller. Or even better: it is not about selling, but about poetry and quality of writing ! Keep on !

gladiatt -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 2:48:57 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Fishbed quote: when the Tricoleur was replaced by the Rising Sun. Hey Boss! Sorry to mess this beautiful AAR with my remark [&o], but I just wanted to point that the right word for the French flag would be tricolore rather than tricouleur which, while being semantically understandable for a Frenchman, doesn't lexically exist [;)] Btw French people indeed have such a name for their flag, but would use drapeau tricolore (three colours flag) rather than tricolore alone, as this is an adjective. Actually, it can sometimes be referred to as the bleu - blanc - rouge (blue-white-red). The day you'll go for publication, I'd hate to see some Frog of ours come after you, so here it is ^^ Thanks for the fantastic work! Thanks for the Frogs, we are not always complaining....ahhhhh goshhh, i'me just complaining ......[;)]

maikarant -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (5/20/2008 6:00:46 PM)
I'm only on page 76 of your epic story... But that means I still have about 20 pages to catch up! I really wouldn't call it an AAR. There must be a more fitting name... like 'epic'! :D Honestly, you are doing groundbreaking work here. When the bookshops are awash with mediocre storytelling, one needs to turn to the WitP forums for AAR enjoyment! I've been doing my own AARs - although more along the lines of Silent Hunter 4 or Medieval 2 - but man, your effort here makes me wonder if anyone would want to read any of mine. ;) Please keep up the good work, and belated gratulations on your grandpa'ship! :) Maikarant P.S. It's all Grotius' evildoing that brought me here. Thanks to you mate. :)

Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War - Poor visibility (5/20/2008 10:12:17 PM)
February 22, 1944 Location: 180 miles west of Guam Course: West Attached to: TF 33 Mission: Surface Combat System Damage: 0 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 439 Orders: ? --- It is evening. The day’s cruising has been uneventful, but there is tension throughout the ship. The task force has swiftly moved to within striking distance of Woleai, but that is a blade that cuts two ways. Radio intercepts indicate that not only is the atoll already firmly in enemy hands but that enemy carriers have just departed the waters around Palau after a destructive raid against Japanese airfields and shipping there. The forward crew’s mess is more crowded than usual, though there are few of the usual games going on. Most of the men are involved in yet another round of speculation about their current mission and the mysterious figure transferred from the submarine. “I tell you, he has to be a spy,” says Chuyo. “I think our mission is to place him ashore at night at some enemy base.” “I heard he looked American,” says Konno. “Who said that?” asks Oizuma. “I heard it from a guy in engineering who helped with the refueling,” Konno says. “He got it from someone at the dock.” “That’s a neat trick, considering that I don’t think Isuzu refueled,” says Riku. Konno shrugs. “It’s just what I heard,” he says. “But a spy doesn’t make any sense,” says Oizuma. “Why wouldn’t the submarine put him ashore? They’d have a lot better chance of pulling off a secret mission like that than we would.” “That’s right,” says Yoshitake. “That’s why it has to be an admiral or something, someone with secret orders.” “But why meet us in mid-ocean? Why wouldn’t the sub have just taken him to Saipan and have him meet us there? Or why wouldn't he just fly there?” someone asks. “Secrecy!” says Yoshitake. “It has to be someone high-up. They didn’t want to take a chance of an enemy spy on Saipan spotting him.” “Maybe it was just a pilot who had to ditch,” says Shiro, “and we took him back to his unit.” “That’s likely,” Riku tells him, “but probably too dull for this crowd.” “Hey, I know!” says Kinsei. “They’re all true! It was a high-ranking officer with secret orders on a spy mission whose plane crashed at sea.” There is general laughter and agreement, and others add embellishments to the idea. Not everyone seems to think the speculation is completely outlandish, though. The conversation continues for a while longer and then breaks up as the men head off to their hammocks. What is really going on is still anyone’s guess.

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