undercovergeek
Posts: 1526
Joined: 11/21/2006 From: UK Status: offline
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Pacific The BB bombardment TF arrives off Pearl in the night and fires at the garrison - no casualties are inflicted , the CL Kuma takes 2 hits in return. 39 Zeros escort 74 Nells and Bettys and 91 Sallys over Pearls airfield - 44 runway hits occur and minor damage to the airbase. 54 Sallys are upgraded to Helens and put on training while the refit takes place. The bombing run from 20k feet is far less arduous on the aircraft and morale and fatigue are all good here. AV is still steadily climbing at Pearl and the fatigue and disruption is dropping nicely except in the bombarding units - they may be ordered to rest, i dont want any negative modifiers for the next attack to evaluate whether its worth continuing here. I have enough PP points for the 7th Div from Sapporro and this maybe brought down to Pearl also. The IJA bombardment increases as the 2 divisions come on line - 119 casualties are inflicted. Fortifications are increasing across the SoPac and the mini-KB is approaching Pago Pago - after this it will head for Truk and then rendevous with the KB to go hunt for the Allied CVs and help with the landings at Rabaul. Phillipines/Formosa/South China Sea/Borneo Off Borneo's west coast transport TFs heading towards Kuantan are attacked again by 139WH-3s, one is hit. The larger of the 2 TFs here head back to Manado - not as much shipping as first thought is required at Kuantan as the forces here will march. Recon from Ambon starts to investigate all the small islands near Timor and the north of New Guinea, this turn 8 SNLFs arrive in Japan and they will be immediately dispatched to this area to take the islands en masse. Timor Im not sure who would be most surprised at the sight in their binoculars this morning between Darwin and Koepang - the Allied commander sailing nochalantly east towards Darwin who is suddenly confronted with the whole of the KB and its escorts at 13k yards, or Nagumo who on a path to attack the Allied force finds them at 13k yards and not 120 miles which he expected!! Needless to say the Allies get in amongst the carriers and its an awful 10 minutes to watch as the naval battle plays out. At the end of the replay the Kaga (2 shells), Soryu (1 shell), Zuikaku (1 shell) and Shoho (4 shells) are on fire as well as the CL Kiso - various DDs took single hits. In reply the CA Canberra is crippled after 18 hits, the CA Pensacola takes 1, CL Perth takes 2 and the DD Triomphant takes 3 shells, the CAs Australia, Leander and Achilles escape unhurt. It will be an awful long wait to see if anything takes off from the decks as an indication as to the damage received from this 'incident'. 95 Lilys attack the garrison at Koepang to soften up the ground forces for the Guards brigade and the 90th regiment - still no KB launch. At last!!! Some decks are still open - 31 Kates and 21 Vals attack the cruiser force - Pensacola takes a bomb hit, Australia takes a torp, Achilles takes one each and La Triomphant takes a bomb. 11 Vals attack the Canberra that looks to be in a seperate TF heading north west, presumably towards Soerbaja - she takes 6 bombs. 11 more Vals attack the main cruiser force and plant another bomb on CA Australia. 21 Kates and 21 Vals then attack the main force again Leander is bombed once, La Triomphant takes a torpedo and sinks - no more attacks occur - in the end the Shoho is the only deck unable to launch aircraft, the Soryu has a system damage of 26 but nothing else, all the other CVs have their fires out and have damage from 2-7 - a very lucky escape. I transfer Soryus wings amongst the rest of the KB who have just enough room, and with her the Shoho and a small escort head towards Kendari for repairs - there is no major damage so i will rest them at Kendari to get the very minor float damage down and then assess whether they need to go to Japan or just Truk for repairs. A TF is seen heading out of Darwin eastbound but this is my only info - the KB sails on further south to catch the retreating cruisers and hopefully catch whatevers leaving Darwin. Lautem falls and the garrison surrenders, AV support troops from Makassar and Kendari are immediately made ready to sail to this most southerly of airbases - when the dust settles Koepang will be expanded to allow the Bettys and Nells that will be based here to reach Darwin - im desperately short of garrison troops, i need to decide what needs guarding and what doesnt and move forces round accordingly. Malaya & Burma The 5th is still loading, and the rest are now heading back west and made 16 miles in one day - everyone else caught the train and is now waiting in Johore Bharu only want to carry out 1 crossing into Singapore so will wait for everyone to cross at once. In the north Rangoon falls as the 1st raiders drop from the sky and evict the RM Vipers from the base - the 141st regiment is still westbound to reinforce here. China The encirclement of Loyang is almost complete, for now a mass bombardment is ordered.
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