RE: The little ship that could. (Full Version)

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1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:34:22 AM)

They all feel it on Zuiho............and not a mind does not think Torpedo!, and many are moving even before the alarm rings.
They will close her up in under two minutes, a record for her.

Even as they race to stations, Zuiho is slewing to Port, slowing, and now her safety valves are shrieking, adding to the belam of noise..
fear will grip many.
But all will do their duty.

There is no torpedo

This a wound self inflicted.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:37:21 AM)

Hirate slams the telegraphs to the stop, rings the bells three times.

Eons, absolutely eans of time passes as the shrieking madness continues, eaons, nearly two seconds pass, before they match his...........YES, we know, yes, you may shut down!

Shut down

he can feel his skin heating, his face drying, the air superheating about him
There is time only to slam the throttles shut, to gather his men, and to get the hell out...............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:43:09 AM)

Two boilers steaming forward, coming down from full power

Now with nowhere to go........

Zuiho lifts all three safties on each of those boilers before they pull the fires.
The whole world, it seems, belongs to the shriek of escaping steam...............



Nagumo takes the message
"Zuiho falling out sir, some problems below."
A mere grunt.

Zuiho does not worry him, she will sort it out, that little ship always does.
its the message recieved less than an hour ago, that fills him with darkness.
Yamamoto is dead. So it is true.
The emperor has , heavens, spoken to the people.
Unheard off..........

"We will fight!"
And he Nagumo, apparently, will now lead it.

Alright. So be it.
His first command then. " captain, this is done. The cruisers have escaped. make course for home"



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:52:09 AM)

24/7/43

Shortlands has fallen

Zuiho steams again, again back in units

It has been a long night.

One simple nut, one simple bloody plain nut, that should have been a high tensile nut, has failed on the main steam guard gland follower.
It has failed, carooming across the space, the packing exploding out behind it, the tongues of hell chasing

Hirate, Lurch, the third hand, have done well, shutting down most of the equipment, critically the generator is undamged.
But the main condensate pump has run dry, or something.
Charge examines its smoking ruins, the poor beast stinks of melted metal, of burnt gizzards.
it even looks a little bent
Tan raises an eyebrow........and?

"Dockyard job, whole bloody thing will have to come out.Need a crane .............."
Tan, surprisingly smiles. It could have been worse. Dockyard job..........
Singapore then.

"Tell you what Charge, you can buy me one of those Singapore Chilli crabs ney? I hear they are THE thing..........."
'A dozen beers would be better"
'Both then?"
'Done"

(Zuiho, in one turn goes to 2 ENG damage, 3 system)




1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:55:53 AM)

24/7/43

Japanese crusers again pound Merauke
55th division contnue North

Hoshos fears of being pounded daily by bombers has not eventuated.
Every day, they try, but every day, the snarl of Tojos and oscars eminate from the skies above.

The bombs fall, but few come anywhere near the great snake of 15th army
Japans airforce is bleeding.
But so is the allied one .

And as long as this continues, there is always hope.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (5/31/2012 8:58:59 AM)

Oh, thank you for kind comments

sorry for the fright!

above disaster happened to myself in the south china sea actually. (but we were drinking coffee [;)])



On purely game not, today south of Lunga, spotted a task force containing at least 2 fleet carriers, 3 CVL.........cantona gains strength every day. Good thing he did not quit after Tarawa defeat ney>?)[:'(]



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/2/2012 9:14:54 AM)

27/7/43

Zuiho lies along side Singapore.
She has not yet recieved a docking, the mad dash around the Indian ocean has not left her alone in self inflicted damage.
The destroyers, in particular, are screaming for a rest.

The crews, confined to the ships this day, recieved little rest, there is storing ship, fuelling ship.
maintenance, paper wark, the million and one tasks to be done.

That is the easy bit
For once, its the Command who has the hardest task.

herbiesan has flown in.
An angry, wild, dangerous man.

Nagumo regards him nervously across the room.
It matters not, that this room once was British HQ.
What matters, what is THE pressing topic, are those dead men of 4th division.

"Twice Nagumo. Twice you bloody sailors have drowned my men at Port Blair!"
Sir..........

"Shut UP!. I will hear no excuses this time! Get 38th Division to Rangoon, or die!
And then, get what remains of the 4th here!
Do this, or don't come back!"



the silence, as Herbiesan leaves, is deep,

Ngumo turns to his staff officer, pale, trembling.
"Where is the Yamato?"
"Approaching Sabang sir"
'Direct her and her sister to Port Blair."


Let the enemy try to intercept them..............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/2/2012 9:17:27 AM)

Over Burma, for the fifth day straight, the fighters snarl and fight.
Like dogs, they go for the throats.
And like many dog fights, abruptly, one breaks.


'From 3rd air div
to
all KI 43 units

Withdraw to Bangkok"


The blood is flowing.
Too fast to staunch and fight at once.



Gridley380 -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/4/2012 8:00:05 PM)

Whew! I thought we were going to lose our favorite CVL!

I'm curious about the bit with Yamamoto dying; I figured you were building him up in case you decided to do a negotiated surrender. I'm curious as to why you so abruptly killed him off?



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/5/2012 10:38:22 AM)

Hi gridley!

3 reasons

a/ herbiesan is an evil barsted
b/ Yamamoto only man who could have bought a peace, that ain't happening here, this is to the bitter end.............
c/ any one can die..........



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/5/2012 10:54:09 AM)

28/7/43


Executions must feel like this............
The thought rabbits through Hoshos mind, as he forces his quaking legs, straining muscles into yet another frantic effort

His lungs burn, and the pack feels heavir than ever, the machine gun a great wieght in his left hand.
behind him, the distance still a mere 25 yards, the small bridge, the insignificant creek, the group of huts, the clearing, are receeding behind him as fast as his legs can carry him .

Ahead, jungle.
But that is not important, what is, what is surely now a matter of life or death, is to get as far away from that bridge as he possibly can.
Hosho knows nothing about bombers, and bombing, but even an idiot can tell, that that bridge is the only real landmark in 40 miles of here.
A landmark the rapidly growing louder drone of the bombers drawing like flies to a carcass.

There is no cover. No where to hide.
The blade must fall, and soon.


he runs, they all run , in silence, just the grunts, the pants, the thud of 100's of pairs of boots.
The tropical stillness, the sweat, the strain, the gasp for air

The growing drone

There are no fighters aloft, none today, none yesterday.
The drone is now a deep , deep growl,............and the bombs fall.

They run faster, the shrieks, growing, growing.........close, far too close to the bridge, they fling themselves down.
Odly, Hosho finds himself praying for allied accuracy...........
KAHBANG!!, KAHBANG!!! KAHBANG!!!
The earth bucks, slams into his face, shaking , shuddering as giants pound it.
The blasts slam into them, over them

A man screams, and screams
is it him?
it may well be
Dust, flames, the bombs shriek down, and he grinds into Mother earth, praying, begging, sobbing.
Dirt crashes over him, a tree lands near him, more screams, KAHBANG!< BANG!< BANG!< KA< BANG!


Japan has lost the control of the air "temporarily" over Burma

55th division, begins to pay the blood price.





Smoky Stoker -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/5/2012 10:54:59 AM)

There, you fooled me. I thought that you killed Yamamoto off in the story because he got killed in the game.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/5/2012 10:56:59 AM)

Zuiho slides into the dock

There is nothing subtle about this today.
No defuelling, no de ammunitioning. as soon as the dock begins to lower , as soon as her bum touches, settles onto the blocks, the work begins
She has been given 24 hours
24 hrs, and then back to the war.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/6/2012 9:36:57 AM)

And now, less than 24 hrs after going into dock, Zuiho is sliding out again.

Four fat and very ugly tugs take her in hand, and move her down the roads, where she anchors
There is still much to do.
There is some time however, for much has changed in the last 24 hrs.



Kato takes in the harbour roads, and contemplates what is no longer here.
The fleet carriers are gone, Nagumo has re fuelled, and sped out again. His last words still circulate in katos mind.
They stir excitement, and not a little apprehension.

"Sorry Kato, one last mission. Pull it off, and you can meet Taiho in Truk. She is nearly ready......"
One last mission.
One last mission, but not today.
Nagumo has left but six destroyers in Singapore, and three are still in dock. Six is barely enough. To sail with only three, suicide. By last reports, some seven Bukas lurk below the surface of the straights.
With luck, they can remain there, they will make the Indian oceon via batavia this time.
But they must go soon.


Below decks, Hidaka scowls. The memorandum in his hand speaks volumes for all that is wrong with this war.
'Due to unforseen circumstances, your expected Conversion to the new TBD, has been delayed..........."

Unforseen circumstances.........
Why, with this bloody nation, is it always unforseen circumstances............


In the ready room, Ogawa, Diogawa and Uto are deep in conversation.
"Is it true Uto?"
"From the mouth of 22nd Flotilla himself"

Silence.
"Surely not a dozen a day?" Diogawa, plainly, does not believe the news
Uto grimaces "On some days, many more"
Ogawa's voice is hard. "Alright then. If the Army airforce is "broken' as you suggest in Burma, more the reason for us being here. Either our pilots are no good, or their planes are too many, or too good. I, for one, think this might finally do some good"

"Good?"
"yes good. sorry to say this Uto, but your father, our 'beloved' herbiesan, is an idiot for not advancing new fighters. How old is the KI 43 anyway?!"
All nod heads in agreement "too old"

'yes, too old, but like everything it seems, Bushido will carry us through............"


"And Bushido is bull............."






Charges gang, as usual, work.
there is a shiny new Condensate pump to fit, to set to work
There are boilers to light, systems to flash
New plate work to paint
Few care today, for most hearts are light.
Zuiho has recieved mail.



"To Father

I have no idea where you are, or when you will get this.
But it does not matter, for at the moment, I am safe.
I am in Japan, in training command, whipping stupid boys into shape.
They are going to return me to my old squadron at some point, but not just yet!

I think I saw your ship a few months ago, you were making far too much smoke!
So, I am good, here is the news from home.......................




...............your son
Fuchida






1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/7/2012 10:35:28 AM)

30/7/43


It is a well worn routine now.

Kato is busy with paperwork in his cabin. It is still a sparse room, reflecting the man. Yet , this evening, it is a pleasant place. The cabin is just aft and Port of the bridge, the door is open, only a curtain protecting his privacy. His porthole is open, and a sweet breeze is entering. The sun is beginning to set, and the singapore haze is thickening nicely.
200 yards away, battle ship Heie slowly slips past, he light flashing.
Kato does not need to read it, he has the guts of the message in front of him now.

Captain Nishida Masao (a right aggressive pug of a man) will lead this little thrust.
Hiei, Shoho, themselves, cl Tatsuta , but a mere 4 destroyers, will sail via Batavia, and enter the Indian ocean.

Four destroyers. Not nearly enough.
The Musashi TF has been attacked three times now, sinking two ss, the waters around and to Port Blair are crawling........

But orders are orders..........


For now, even from here, Kato can feel and follow his ship preparing.
The No smoking pipes, the stink of fuel oil,
Tan with his fuel barge..
The final calls for last mail
The sound of the elevators, the gentle rumble of birds being spotted.
Hidaka getting ready........

Other noises.
The increased traffic outside his door, the constant clatter of the signal lamps, the orders drifting from the bridge....

And now, as darkness claims zuiho, below him, the rise of the blower screams, and later still, the gentle movements.
Tan testing main engines..........

The final calls for the boat parties, bringing the last of the children home.
"Do you hear there...........action stations will be called for 2200 hrs'......

The pile of paper is finished with.
2150 hrs.

Only four destroyers............

Carefully, Kato dons his uniform, ensures its immaculate look remains.
'maybe this time, my friends, we will strike'

He carefully closes the porthole.
An action that always has designated to his mind, the bridge between safety, and the peril of the open sea.
He strides out, and enters the bridge.
All are in position, all, it is immediately clear, are correct.
The XO salutes
"Zuiho ready for sea sir"

Kato nods. This he already knew. This , after all, is Zuiho. When has she not be ready?

"very good, inform Hiei. Standby the windlass. Slow ahead both, port ten"

And so, as per routine, zuiho again goes to war.

Only four destroyers.
Only four.




kaleun -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/7/2012 3:24:00 PM)

Cue in the theme from Victory at Sea.



John 3rd -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/7/2012 4:26:12 PM)

How many Allied SS have been sunk? It certainly appears that your opponent concentrates them at certain chokepoints...



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/8/2012 9:29:10 AM)

Have to get back on ss kills

cantona is simply brilliant at ss warfare, its his speciality.
I count ten ss around singapore, the straight, palembang area, the rest in solomon area

he specialises in reading intell, and picking of AKs unloading, especially those single, or little ship convoys you have to use to keep small bases going.

Weeezzz hates him, we duzz,




31/7/43
Nagumo reads the signal, and for the first time in a long time, feels a sense of satisfaction.
'38div unloading rangoon'

So far, so good.
Light carriers, and two battle wagons, swanning about Port blair, while KB races back towards New Britain.
If they can arrive undetected...............


There is a massive force, the largest the Americans have ever gathered, south of Milne bay.
Its intentions?
Impossible to tell

But whether it was targeted to Lae, or even Rabual, he needed to be North of new Britain when they did.
Not for anything has he resisted upgrading to new fighters .
They have the range
And if luck goes with them, he intends to strike, with out the allies being able to hit back.

The tide may have turned. the Americans may be attacking.
Let them
let them.
They Call him cautious. they say he is too old.
They say he still does not know carrier warfare.
To hell with them all.
Let them come.
And let he, Nagumo, show them how to fight.,



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/8/2012 9:39:37 AM)

Zuiho steams due south, Hiei leading, the four paltry destroyers fanned out ahead of the small column.
The sea is that deep, deep blue, calm, mirror calm, and the ships wakes cream in long, long trails across it.
The heat, once again , is stifling,, that oppressive tropical humidity that bears you down, saps your energy.

Her flight deck shimmers in the heat.

Three kates, 6 zeros are working from her decks today, the kates departing for the south west, searching the Batavia straight, the zeros working CAP.
There is no chance of an enemy air attack.........or is there?
Hidaka has been surprised too many times in this war.
It would not surprise him to find the Essex itself at batavia, the way this war has been fought.
So, aloft his pilots go.
They are better behaved after a period in the air anyway.

Hiei provides the ASW patrol, the little pete circling, circling.
His task is easier today, no submarine will remain undetected for long in these conditions.

It is the night ahead that fills all with unease.
But so far, so good.

Charge has got his pump going, fuel and water are good.
No enemy contacts, a clear sky, calm seas.

Hard to believe there's a war on.




1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/9/2012 4:24:34 AM)

1/8/43

Zuiho arribes batavia at dusk.
A large ugly plank of a vessel is shepererd alongside by an equally ugly tug.
Soon the stink of fuel oil fills the air.

Zuiho does not even reduce her machinery state, she maintains her watches, continues her routines.
Before dawn, the small task force has re fuelled, and once again, she bites into the Indian swells.

Things instantly improve (for most) onboard, the breeze is brisk, the swells, moderate as they are, cream and whip refreshing spray down her decks. As many doors as can be are opened, and temperatures become more tolerable.
It makes the work easier.

The work, of course, is getting birds into the air.

As dawn breaks, the search planes go out.
Anticipation, excitement even, stalls her decks.
What will they find?
Easy prey, or something more vicious.

It doesn't matter. From Kato down, all feel this: its way past time for meaningful action.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/9/2012 4:37:11 AM)

Extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production


...........as the twin thrusts advanced slowly towards Akyab, and west from Myitinka, the japanese air force returns over burma

It is another typical day.
As dry as the figures are, one cannot be struck by the variety of the actions, the differences in the battles
But one common theme remains. the desperation of the fighting, and the brutal fatality for so many of the men involved.

The day begins before dawn, with 42 Oscars sweeping across Myitinka, surprising a dozen P40's taking off.
3 dead men
9 hurricanes come south, and run smack into 40 plus Tojos over the river, the furball is large, and lethal
5 men dead
11 P38 bounce some of the tojos gliding home.
4 more dead
12 oscars and 12 sonias go into action near Akyab, and run into P 40's
1 dead
38 sallies escorted by 13 Oscars attack ground forces. A P40 collides with the bomber it attacks
6 dead
16 vengence bombers are bounced, and loose a dozen to the Tojos......
it goes on, a lot longer than this, thrust, counter thrust, ambush, face to face battle.
And the dead pile up.

Yes, many bail out, to drift down, down, into the jungles.
And how many ever re emerge?
Not many
Dead.

33 allied planes go down today, Japan loses 28.

But its no longer about the planes to japan
Its now all about replacing the dead.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/9/2012 4:37:38 AM)

Japan has sunk 56 ss so far..........



John 3rd -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/9/2012 2:06:44 PM)

Wow. 56?? YOu are a very efficient SS killer yourself it appears...



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 10:25:56 AM)

55th division lies along the length of the Irrawady river.
On the far side, Hosho can see the jungle, no different to the jungle they lie hidden in.
The steep banks, exposed here, tree roots danglinging above the clear swiftly moving waters.
The Irrawady is a lot different here to the great brown serpent of downstream, here it is alive, shallow in places, the ripples denoting the sand bars, the hidden rocks.

But for the steepbanks on each side, this is river is no real impediment to the Army somewhere to the North.
And some Army it must be, he muses. At least two armoured regiments, and now positevly identified, the 9th, 7th and 6th Aussie divisions.
But for now, the jungle is silent, of the enemy, there is no sign.
There is just the quiet jungle, the oppressive heat, the tinkling of the waters.
His long time friend, Bando crawls into the bush with him, he is grinning.
It is never good news when he is grinning.

"And what, if I may ask, are you so happy about?"
'Oh nothing"
"Nothing,...........Oh hang on, you've just come from Company HQ, haven't you?"
"yes" bandos grin grows. It is not a happy grin, make no mistake about this. Its the sort of grin you see from those in the trumble, the Gillotine approaching. " You know how you said our beloved Prince was such a clown, well.........."

Hosho turns to him
"Alright , let me have it"
'Apparently the enemy are moving due West, theres been a battle east of Katha"
"And?" This, thinks Hosho, is not looking good
"We are going to move west too, cross the river somewhere to the west of here, and catch them in the flank"

Hosho stares at his friend.

So, our happy clown has consulted the map, and thinks he sees a chance. How simple it must be, a quick move to the west, over the unguarded river..........

Except, of course.........
"Does he really know what lies to the west of us?. Pure Jungle, untouched by man since the bloody dinosours!, he wants to move an entire army through that?
'Apparently......................yes"

Hosho emits a single curse.

Clowns.
Bloody clowns.




1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 10:33:34 AM)

Zuiho has a quiet day

There is a AA shoot at 0800, another one at 1300.
A fire drill at 0900 ( yet again, a hanger fire, and yet again, brought swiftly under control)
Captains table at 1000 hrs
A head of department meeting at 1100

Bottom blows on all 4 boilers during the day, a set of soot blows.
The lathe breaks.

The emergency DG's are run for 20 minutes.
Fire pumps swung

Switchboard drills occur at 1300 hours

27 zero sorties go off, as do 21 kate sorties. All are recovered safely
One fighter has a complete engine change, and torpedo loading drill occur at 1400 hrs

The crew is fed three times today, and 600 loads of laundry are washed.
No signals go out, but 168 flashing messages are sent and recieved
238 engine revolution changes take place, mostly to bring her into the wind for each launch

And at dusk, a destroyer comes astern, and recieves 200 plus tons of fuel oil.

yes, zuiho has a quiet day, as she steams deeper north west into the Indian ocean



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 10:56:18 AM)

Over Burma, after the thunder in the skies over the front..............Nothing.
an eerie silence.

east of katha, the 254th british armoured brigade attacks.
6th tank regiment defends

It is no place to fight armour

Night will fall, and niether side will know who won, who lost.
But the battle will continue.


18th division rattles north on the trains. it should, gods willing, arrive tomorrow.



Gridley380 -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 4:37:45 PM)

56 CLAIMED SS kills, anyway. Who knows how many actual kills?



Crackaces -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 5:01:41 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

56 CLAIMED SS kills, anyway. Who knows how many actual kills?


I am not of the Robert McNamara school of thought but rather the measurement of success should be the rates of subamrine attacks. If in fact submarine forces are reduced .. then one would expect less coverage and number of attacks.

I have shot down 4000K IJ planes .. allegedly .. but the IJ bombers keep coming over the skies of Malay and the fighter forces still interdict my extension of airpower into teh battle space .. thus .. it does not matter how many for real I have shot down but in fact I have to find a way of countering IJ air power at this time ..



Gridley380 -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 5:17:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Crackaces


quote:

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

56 CLAIMED SS kills, anyway. Who knows how many actual kills?


I am not of the Robert McNamara school of thought but rather the measurement of success should be the rates of subamrine attacks. If in fact submarine forces are reduced .. then one would expect less coverage and number of attacks.

I have shot down 4000K IJ planes .. allegedly .. but the IJ bombers keep coming over the skies of Malay and the fighter forces still interdict my extension of airpower into teh battle space .. thus .. it does not matter how many for real I have shot down but in fact I have to find a way of countering IJ air power at this time ..


A fair point, though how far into the game are you? If it is spring of 1942 then that 4,000 would indeed represent a serious chunk of Japanese air power. If it is spring of 1944... not so much.

The USN operated a little over 300 SS during the war (in all theaters), even including several dozen "O" and "R" class boats which were used almost exclusively for training. Another hundred or so weren't commissioned until 1944 or later. Toss in the Brits and Dutch and 56 losses is still probably over 25% of the total Allied sub force at this point. Also don't forget that the US must slowly withdraw its "S" boats and some other early designs.



PaxMondo -> RE: The little ship that could. (6/10/2012 5:34:02 PM)

I suspect a lot of FOW in that number (56).  My experience with allied subs is less than 50% are actually sunk when claimed.  They are very tough and have really good damage control.



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