tc464
Posts: 126
Joined: 2/27/2004 From: Sodom on Potomac Status: offline
|
Now for some details.... Assumptions - Malay is lost. Expect a speed dash to Rabaul and Port Moresby. Objective - a fighting retreat, and delay the PM landings so I can reinforce. First came Operation Buzzkill. The primary objective was to split the RN up into small teams, find the invasion TF's, and maybe knock off a few transports. So, I split Force Z up. I sent Repulse to Mersing, POW to Khota Baru, and split the DD's into two ship teams. The DD's were sent in several directions to scout and harrass (and boy did they ever). Next, I sent the DD's in Hong Kong west towards Saigon. CL Mauritius went to Kuantan. Now I'll post some clips from the reports... 8 Dec 41 ------------------------------------ Night Time Surface Combat, near Kuantan at 52,80, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships CA Chokai, Shell hits 1 DD Fubuki DD Usugumo DD Shirayuki DD Hatsuyuki DD Sagiri Allied Ships CL Mauritius, Shell hits 4 ------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Soc Trang at 58,74, Range 16,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Murakumo DD Asagiri, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Yugiri PB Chosa Maru, Shell hits 1 CM Hatsutaka AK Hirokawa Maru AK Sado Maru AK Sagami Maru AK Kinka Maru, Shell hits 1 AK Kyushu Maru AK Tosan Maru xAK Kansai Maru xAK Kashii Maru, Shell hits 1 xAK Aobasan Maru xAK Asosan Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires xAK Atutasan Maru xAK Kinugawa Maru xAK Nako Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires xAK Osaka Maru xAK Seizan Maru xAK Kyokko Maru xAK Ryujo Maru xAKL Kashi Maru xAKL Nittatsu Maru Allied Ships DD Vampire, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Tenedos, Shell hits 2 Japanese ground losses: 252 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 15 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 29 (16 destroyed, 13 disabled) --------------------------------------- 9 Dec 41 --------------------------------------- Sub attack near Mersing at 51,82 Japanese Ships SS I-121 Allied Ships CL Mauritius, Torpedo hits 1, on fire SS I-121 launches 4 torpedoes Escort abandons search for sub ---------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Saigon at 62,74, Range 16,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Kashii, Shell hits 1 CL Isuzu DD Murakumo DD Yugiri CM Hatsutaka AK Hirokawa Maru AK Sado Maru AK Sagami Maru AK Kinka Maru AK Kyushu Maru AK Tosan Maru xAK Kansai Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires xAK Kashii Maru, Shell hits 1 xAK Aobasan Maru xAK Atutasan Maru xAK Kinugawa Maru xAK Osaka Maru xAK Seizan Maru xAK Kyokko Maru xAK Fusemi Maru xAK Nissen Maru xAK Ryoyo Maru xAK Ryujo Maru xAKL Kashi Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage xAKL Nittatsu Maru, Shell hits 1 PB Fuji Maru #3 Allied Ships DD Scout, Shell hits 5, heavy fires DD Thanet DD Thracian, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 711 casualties reported Squads: 5 destroyed, 19 disabled Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 55 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled ------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Samah at 71,67, Range 7,000 Yards Japanese Ships xAK Hakonesan Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Hakubasan Maru PB Nako Maru #2, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships DD Scout DD Thanet DD Thracian ------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Samah at 70,67, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships xAK Somedono Maru, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Scout DD Thanet DD Thracian ------------------------------------------------- 10 Dec 41 ------------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Mersing at 51,82 Japanese Ships SS I-121 Allied Ships DD Electra, heavy damage ------------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Mersing at 51,81 Japanese Ships SS I-155 Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 1 ------------------------------------------------ Meanwhile, I saw an opportunity near Miri and CA Houston was able to exploit... Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 20,000 Yards Japanese Ships APD Aoi, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage TB Kasasagi, Shell hits 8, and is sunk AMc Wa 19 xAK Hokko Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Zinzan Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk xAK Giyu Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires xAKL Kiko Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk xAKL Anbo Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires Allied Ships CA Houston ----------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Patani at 52,73, Range 20,000 Yards Japanese Ships DMS W-1, Shell hits 1, and is sunk xAK Syoto Maru xAK Nanko Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales ------------------------------------------------ Night Time Surface Combat, near Patani at 51,73, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships xAK Hukuyo Maru, Shell hits 1 xAK Iwashiro Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Jusan Maru, Shell hits 1 xAK Kyokusei Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk Allied Ships DD Express, Shell hits 1, on fire -------------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Saigon at 60,73 Japanese Ships xAK Eiko Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships SS KXVII xAK Eiko Maru #2 is sighted by SS KXVII SS KXVII launches 4 torpedoes --------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Saigon at 60,73 Japanese Ships xAK Eiko Maru #2, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships SS KXVII --------------------------------------------- 11 Dec 41 --------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,86, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships xAKL Anbo Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships CA Houston ---------------------------------------------- CV Kaga was in the area, and the Hong Kong crew found her gas station... Day Time Surface Combat, near Saigon at 60,71, Range 20,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Yomogi, Shell hits 14, and is sunk AO Erimo, Shell hits 32, and is sunk AO Notoro, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk AO Tsurumi, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk Allied Ships DD Vendetta DD Stronghold DD Jupiter ---------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Soc Trang at 60,74, Range 16,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Naka, Shell hits 1 DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Minegumo DD Asagumo DD Murasame DD Harusame DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Samidare DD Ikazuchi DD Inazuma Allied Ships CL Mauritius, Shell hits 6 ------------------------------------------------- 12 Dec 41 ------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Saigon at 60,72, Range 12,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Naka DD Minegumo DD Asagumo DD Murasame DD Harusame, Shell hits 1 DD Samidare DD Ikazuchi DD Inazuma Allied Ships DD Stronghold DD Jupiter ------------------------------------------------- By 13 December, Buzzkill was pretty much complete. Most of the DD's had sunk and there was a lot of Jap firepower floating around, so it was time to go. POW is now sitting in Colombo getting fixed. CA Houston and BC Repulse got away clean. Next up...Operation Welcome Wagon - the Port Moresby campaign.
|