Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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2/26/42 This was as good a day as I've ever experienced early in the war. Everything came together. It was marvelous.... Western DEI: The day got off to a great start when a Dutch CL/DD force tangled with two juicy IJ transport TFs at Mersing. By my count, the Japanese suffered heavy damage or sinking to 5 SC, 2 PB, 21 xAK, 5 xAKL, 1 AK, and 4 xAP. It was a brutal whipping. My estimate is that at least ten of these ships went under including xAK Brisbane Maru and AK Kaga Maru. The Japanese ships, though at the front lines, were unescorted. Eastern DEI: It turns out that the Japanese force sighted southeast of Java yesterday was an invasion bound for Dem Pasar. There was a Mini KB to the north, a combat TF at Dem Pasar, and the previously sighted Mini KB to the south. The latter included BBs Fuso and Ise and CVLs Zuiho and Ryujo. The Allied carrier fleet ended up seven hexes to the southwest and got off large strikes in both the morning and evening phases. Both CVLs suffered "massive fuel explosions" with both showing "heavy fires, heavy damage." Ryujo wasn't listed in some of the PM strikes, so she might have gone under immediately. Since the Japanese carriers didn't launch any strikes, and since the aircraft loss table for the day showed 51 Kates destroyed on the ground, I have high hopes that both went under. Also damaged were both BBs (each took many 1,000 lb. bombs and were on fire, with Fuso reported heavy fires, though my guess would be light/moderate damage), CA Myoko (reporting "heavy fires/heavy damage" and surely crippled), CL Nagara (on fire after taking a 1k bomb), and DD Oyashio (took a 1k bomb and sank immediately). Immediate Impact: This Mini KB is crippled and will limp away. I am assuming the enemy will recall all his forces - including the invasion transports and other Mini KB, though there is a chance he will stay and try to fight, hoping that his LBA might get in some licks. An Allied combat TF flagged by CAs Indianapolis and Canberra (and including the intrepid Boise) will raid Dempasar. The Allied carriers will move north to a point four hexes south of Soerabaja, where I've tried to arrange some supplementary land-based CAP. I'd like to strike at anything that remains in the area and then vacate the premises (though some combat ships are likely to pay a visit to Soerabaja to refuel). Long-Range Impact: Thus far, this is a stunning victory for the Allies. Throughout the DEI, a strong blow has been delivered, some of which will have an impact throughout the war. If Zuiho, Ryujo, and Myoko go under, Japan will suffer for the rest of the war. Japan will have to reevaluate any offensive plans in the region until it will be able to negate the threat of the Allied carriers. In the short term, I think the Allies need to strike while Japan is reeling - primarily by using surface combat assets to hit any exposed shipping. The Allies may also increase use of bombardment TFs and bombing raids. Japan will probably have to counter by calling in the KB. KB: Currently, two IJ TFs reported south of Fiji with another to the west. No carriers reported, but they have to be there. No way Steve would send big assets into Indian country unprotected. Steve may elect to continue with whatever invasion he's undertaking (probably Fiji), so the Battle of Dempasar may have been just a little late to save Fiji, but I bet the KB is called to the DEI immediately thereafter. China: The IJA stack late of Changsha is marching across a forested hexside to reach the hexes to the south of Changsha. This is an inefficient maneuver, as it would have been much easier to leave them at Changsha, move a unit already to the south into Changsha to open the hexside, and then easily march south. But...okay...they went the long and hard way. He's going to position this stack to attack Henyang or Siangtan, but I can shift troops around to meet that threat. I have about 8,800 AV present in the three hexes now; I think the enemy has perhaps 7,000 AV. Henyang and Changsha have five forts; Siangtan has three but will increase quicily to four once I increase it's garrison (which is currently 1600 AV). Luzon: The enemy shock attacks at Clark Field, achieving 1:2 odds but inflicting greater casualties on the Allies. Japan is getting close, but I don't think they'll take the hex if Steve tries another attack in two days. I think the next attack will come off at no better than 1:1 odds since his troops were pretty badly disrupted. He needs to wait until early March, but he's acting desperate.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 4/26/2011 11:47:46 PM >
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