Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (5/3/2012 2:56:09 PM)
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1/7/43 BB Valliant may have earned the MVP of the War award, and Japan may have suffered a mortal blow. Battle of Singkep: BB Valiant leads a TF that manages to intercept the massive and depleted IJ combat TF retiring from the previous day's enagements. The resulting battles are devastating to the Japanese warships and probably to whatever hopes Steve had of remaining competitive at sea: Roune One Night Time Surface Combat, near Tandjoengpinang at 50,86, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Hiei, Shell hits 40, and is sunk BB Musashi, Shell hits 84, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 5 CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage CL Agano, Shell hits 6, and is sunk CL Kiso, Shell hits 5, and is sunk CL Tenryu, Shell hits 8, and is sunk DD Yugumo, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Akigumo DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 2 DD Makigumo, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage DD Kagero, Shell hits 1, heavy damage DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 3 DD Hayashio, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Samidare DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Nenohi, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk DD Hatsushima, Shell hits 6, and is sunk DD Uranami, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships BB Valiant, Shell hits 46, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 7, heavy fires CL Helena DD Meredith DD Gwin, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Grayson, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Monssen, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DMS Long Japanese aircraft losses E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed F1M2 Pete: 4 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Walrus II: 1 destroyed [The Following information is excerpted:] CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 23,000 yards Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 8,000 yards CA Dorsetshire launches Torpedoes at BB Musashi at 8,000 yards DD Monssen launches Torpedoes at BB Musashi at 8,000 yards CL Kiso sunk by BB Valiant at 8,000 yards Range closes to 4,000 yards CL Tenryu sunk by BB Valiant at 4,000 yards CL Agano sunk by BB Valiant at 4,000 yards DD Monssen sunk by DD Uranami at 4,000 yards DD Hatsushima sunk by DD Grayson at 2,000 yards DD Yugumo sunk by DD Gwin at 2,000 yards DD Nenohi sunk by DD Grayson at 2,000 yards DD Kazegumo collides with DD Yamakaze at 50 , 86 DD Grayson sunk by DD Kawakaze at 2,000 yards Round Two -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tandjoengpinang at 50,86, Range 2,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 28, heavy fires CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 5, and is sunk DD Akigumo, Shell hits 1 DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Makigumo, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Kagero, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Hayashio, and is sunk DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 7, and is sunk DD Samidare DD Yamakaze, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Kawakaze, heavy fires DD Uranami, Shell hits 4, and is sunk Allied Ships CA Pensacola, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage CL Detroit, Shell hits 1 Japanese aircraft losses E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed [The Following information is excerpted:] Lee, Willis "Ching" crosses the 'T' DD Amatsukaze sunk by CA Pensacola at 2,000 yards DD Uranami sunk by CA Pensacola at 4,000 yards Capital Ship Losses: By my count Japan lost two BB, one CA, three CL and 5 DD and the Allies one BB and two DD. In the war to date, Japan has only four BBs remaining (Yamashiro and Yamato are in the yards for awhile; Hyuga and Kongo should be available). Japan has, at most, seven CA and two CS remaining. Impact: I think we've reached the point where the Japanese navy is too weak and spread too thin to be effective. Steve will have a hard time countering Allied operations in the DEI and it will be very difficult for him to mount any kind of amphibious operation against Paramushiro and Onnekotan. The KB remains strong (missing two fleet CV and three CVL), but escorts are few. Japan was already in a strategically impossible situation, but now operationally and even tactically Steve has reached the point where it will be tough to offer serious operation to Allied advances in the DEI. He can still fight, but he'll often be outnumbered and can't afford to lose anything. He's got to be thinking about whether he can continue to play the game. Sumatra: The Allies are victorious at Sibolga, taking this important "bridge" airfield. Now the Allies can move RAF fighters from India to Sumatra by air. This will be a big help. Burma: The Allies are also victorious at Moulmein, throwing back a weak enemy force. The attack at Magwe destroys a Japanese unit, but still isn't able to vanquish that besieged army.
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