apbarog -> RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) (12/23/2021 6:58:17 AM)
|
12 Nov 42 I set my battleship TF to patrol 7 hexes to the ENE of yesterday's position. I set my 2 carrier TFs to follow the battleship TF, hoping that if an enemy TF is run into, the battleships would engage. First the battleship TF ran into what looked like most of Saratoga's escorts, with Saratoga having detached with South Dakota and 4 destroyers. It began at 26,000 yards with a maximum visibility of 11,000 yards. The range was closed down to 16,000 yards where the Allied radar detected the Japanese. The range continued to close to 12,000 yards where the Allies attempted to evade combat. The range then increased until the Allied TF escaped. Then, during the day, the Japanese battleship TF ran into CV Wasp, BB Washington, cruisers New Orleans and Atlanta, and 9 destroyers. The fight started at 26,000 yards where the Allied TF spotted the Japanese. The Allied TF then attempted to evade combat, and the range increased to 30,000 yards and the Allies escaped. Disappointing. Even worse, the Japanese battleship TF then decided to retire to Wake, where I had set the home port. The decision had to be based on fuel. The ships hadn't fired a shot yet. Since KB was set to follow the battleships they did so. This resulted in the task forces being slightly west of where I intended them to be. That difference turned out to be irrelevant for the air strikes that followed, but it did increase the distance to the enemy when considering what to do for the next turn. In the morning, a relatively small strike, compared to yesterday, went after enemy ships closest to Midway. Morning Air attack on TF, near Midway Island at 155,97 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 30 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 29 B5N2 Kate x 18 D3A1 Val x 45 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 17 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged D3A1 Val: 5 damaged D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed by flak Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed Allied Ships CV Lexington, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage BB North Carolina, Bomb hits 4 CA San Francisco CA Minneapolis CA Houston An oddly fragmented strike followed, with 1 Kate escorted by 11 Zeros, running into 8 Wildcats. Multiple Zeros were shot down. The Kate dropped a torpedo that was scrounged up somewhere, but it missed Lexington, which now was noted to have heavy fires and heavy damage, and with no other ships spotted with it. Another strike was sent out to a closer TF, one with already damaged South Dakota and Saratoga. Morning Air attack on TF, near Kure Island at 152,99 Weather in hex: Light rain Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 30 minutes Japanese aircraft B5N2 Kate x 54 D3A1 Val x 11 D3A2 Val x 2 Japanese aircraft losses B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged D3A1 Val: 2 damaged D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak D3A2 Val: 1 damaged Allied Ships BB South Dakota, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Henley, Bomb hits 1, on fire DD Jarvis, Bomb hits 1 DD Russell DD Selfridge Carrier support unable to supply air cover.. Ammo storage explosion on CV Saratoga Fuel storage explosion on CV Saratoga Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Saratoga Saratoga and South Dakota have to be crippled. I wouldn't be surprised if both sink or are scuttled immediately. 7 more Kates then went after Lexington but ran into 4 Wildcats. Most Kates were shot down. 2 Kates bombed but missed. 13 Vals then arrived over the same TF but ran into 2 Wildcats, and about half of the Vals were shot down. Bombs missed Lexington but a bomb did hit North Carolina. Not all bombers flew today. Total air losses for today were 15 Vals (10 by flak), 11 Zeros and 5 Kates. Just 2 Wildcats were shot down. In the afternoon there were no naval strikes. In summary, in 2 days of battle: Lexington hit by 17 bombs. Saratoga hit by 8 bombs and 2 torpedoes. North Carolina hit by 12 bombs. South Dakota hit by 25 bombs and 7 torpedoes. San Diego hit by 3 bombs. Houston hit by 3 bombs. Washington hit by 5 bombs. Astoria hit by 1 bomb. 3 destroyers hit by multiple bombs. So, I expect Saratoga and South Dakota to sink. Both ship's movement was already restricted before today's hits. Lexington made good speed yesterday, but got hammered today. I can hope that it burns up from so many bomb hits, but it's not a sure thing. All in all, a successful operation. Now we just have to avoid the enemy subs that must be converging on the area. I'll be sending what I'll call mini-KB, which left Japan and is southbound near Marcus Island, to the South Pacific, to show carriers there. It just won't be KB, which will head to Japan. 3 big carriers have an overdue upgrade. Now is a good time for that. Some light cruisers and destroyers are due for an upgrade in December, and they are heading to Japan. [image]local://upfiles/6549/8D3DB1FD8B9B457887B9E9EA47DD1104.gif[/image]
|
|
|
|