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Ursa MAior -> Resurrection: csatahajos (A) vs Ursa Maior (J) (1/16/2008 3:45:52 PM)
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After one year absence I could not resist anymore the call of the hexes so we agreed on a friendly introductory campaign. Although originally I wanted a smaller scenarios but finally decided to play CHS + NikMod grand campaign. Since we agreed on having a complete AAR is beyond our capabilities we decided to write unusual or interesting events in short stories first of which comes below.
The demise of Big E
20/12/1941
The garrison of Wake has repulsed the third wave of landings on the tiny island. After the good news reached the HQ of the CinCPac, Adm. Nimitz has finally given permission to his most creative yet, hardly obeying subordinate who was threatening to swim all the way to the island, by himself if he has to if not given permission to do something, to reinforce the adamant defenders. Under the cover of the Pacific Fleet’s 3 carrier task forces, commanded by Adm Halsey, a small but quick transport task force was summoned to transport the 3rd Coast Defence Battallion to the beleaguered garrison.
After the bombardment and the airstrike of the three full flightdecks the japanese invaders offered no resistance so transports have succesfully completed their mission with no opposition at all. In addition a fleeing japanese transport force consisting of two large APs and 3 escorts were quickly sent to the bottom.
Soon thereafter the US ships, alerted by SS Triton’s signal, raised steam back towards PH, avoiding any likely battle offered by the enemy.
But things were about to change. Suddenly an alarm broke the silence of the night. One of the DDs in the outer screen had a sub contact and a lookout have spotted the white trails of the dreaded torpedoes. USS Enterprise with her massive 20,000 tons has started to take evasive maneuvers at once. The ship rolled to port and then to starboard, when one little part of the stressed rudder mechanics broke and its debris blocked the gearing .With the rudder jammed at 5 degrees to port the skipper had no chance than balance it with the screws, thus decreasing the ship’s speed to a mere 18 knots. After a VP-11 PBY operating from Wake have positively identified the Kido Butai (at least Sory and Hiryu) racing in at full speed to catch the retreating US forces Halsey faced a tough choice but decided not to leave his flagship behind. He also contemplated that in a daring move he would strike back at the japanese force with all 3 of his CVs, hoping to knock out as many enemy flight decks as possible. However Adm. Nimitz quickly overruled him and ordered Halsey to proceed at best speed to the relative safety of Hawaiian waters.
The next day the Jakes of heavy cruiser Tone have found the US carriers operating in 3 separate task forces and either by chance or by the skill of the -from the appendicitis fully recovered- Genda the wrath of the six carriers fell on the disabled carrier and its escorting task force from a 360 miles distnace! The Wildcats were seriously outnumbered and even they scored almost a dozen shot down Kates and Vals; the VF-6 have lost 21 of its 27 planes.
Attackers have bursted through the flak relentlessly –after all they were the very best that the IJN could offer- and scored uncountable number of bomb hits – even the Kates lugged a 250kg bombs due to the extreme range. Adm. Halsey (only called Bull by ignorant civilians) was among the first victims when in the first wave a well placed 250 kg AP bomb have hit the bridge of his beloved flagship. The escorting ships also took a couple of bomb hits, but the seasoned pilots of the attack squadrons have concentrated on the carrier.
Due to the innumerable near misses and direct hits the mighty ship has sunk within 25 minutes. Only a handful of survivor could be saved by the screen while this was the first time a capital ship had been sunk by bombs entirely.
Adm.Brown in command of the remaining two task forces saw it better to continue to Pearl and did not turn back for a counterstrike – his TFs were even farther from the Japanese forces then Halsey (who could not strike back because of the extreme range).
[image]local://upfiles/16340/D51C1020474B42B9989DABCD03F43B92.jpg[/image]
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