Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: ctangus

Nae, lad. The Firth of Forth. Her family has roots nearby.

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ORIGINAL: geofflambert

I shall never forget the day when I confronted a Spanish ship-of-the-line in the Fifth of Froth. They claimed they were simply transporting some Haggis, but my keen senses told me their cargo was much worse than that. I did what had to be done, that ship went down with all hands.

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ORIGINAL: ctangus

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ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

Aaaaaaaaaaw cuteness overload O.O

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ORIGINAL: ctangus

Java

The Japanese have basically isolated Java now & seem to be preparing for an offensive against the Batavia area. I don't expect landings against Java 'til Singapore falls & major LCUs are freed up. But my opponent has surprised me before. We'll see...

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ORIGINAL: geofflambert

I think the usual tactic is to starve them. They don't need a lot to do that at Singapore, but they have to begin sometime in Java, the sooner the better.

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I'm sure you've distributed the available supply in Java, it's too late to deliver any to Singapore except by sub, and they have better things to do. Depending on how agressive he is in this theater, you may still be able to deliver supplies there(Java) (preferably from India), and you should have been taking every opportunity available to ship fuel from Java to Perth. Oz can go a long time with that fuel before they start getting some from California. Don't forget Tjilijap, you can usually take some fuel from there (and it may be replaced by rail from Soerbaja) and also deliver supplies there until Batavia and Soerbaja are cut off.

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ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Java, bomb the troops in the open.  The Jap paratroopers look like some easy targets.  But watch out he might be LRCAPing from Makassar or somewhere else.

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ORIGINAL: ctangus

1/18/42

Java
...
And then Force Z encounters those destroyers. I'm thinking if this is all that's covering the transports then I'm golden! However the engagement starts with a long lance slamming into Repulse. And another long lance. And another... Repulse ate 6 torps in all. Glug! DD Scout was also hit by a torpedo and sank. DD Thanet was hit by 5 shells and left burning heavily. The 4 IJN DDs each took one small shell hit apiece.

Oof!

With the IJN screen out of position mauling Force Z the Houston TF does manage to get through to some transports. First a small TF (1 PB & 3xAK) is encountered and after multiple shell hits two xAKs are left heavily on fire. 445 dead troops were reported floating in the water. The USN then encounters 3 IJN DMS and promptly sinks all 3. Another small transport TF is encountered the 1 PB is sunk and the one xAK is lit on fire (38 casualties). A third larger transport TF is briefly engaged. Of 3 escorts & 13 transports there is only one shell hit on one xAK.

As dawn breaks the Destroyer Division of Doom finally catches up with the Houston & company:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Banjoewangi at 57,107, Range 14,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Natsushio
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Michishio
DD Umikaze

Allied Ships
CA Houston
DD Edsall, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage SINKS
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 17, heavy fires, heavy damage SINKS
DD Parrott, Shell hits 6
DD Whipple, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage SINKS

Those !@#^%$*@ destroyers weren't done yet. They caught one Force Z's cripples & her escort:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Pamekasan at 58,106, Range 14,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Natsushio
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Umikaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage SINKS
DD Express, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage SINKS

Bunch of sub/ASW attacks in the area too but nothing conclusive.

Known ships sunk from the battle:

Allies:
1 BC (Repulse)
3 RN DDs
3 USN DDs (4-stackers)

IJN:
1 PB
3 DMS

...

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ORIGINAL: guytipton41

Results like this are enough to drive you to drink. In fact I'll drink a beer right now start the process.

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Was the Houston out of ammo?

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ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

One 8" hit to do in a DD? Maybe some of the smaller ones but not the Kageros [10 VP value]. I had CAs Australia and Canberra surprise four Kageros at night and lay on heavy broadsides on two or them before they could respond. It took three 8" hull piercing hits each before the DDs reached the "On Fire" level of damage [heavy smoke but dull flame in the replay]. Five or six hits got them up to Heavy Fires [bright flame/heavy smoke] and 13-14 hits to sink them outright. They may have sunk after a time with just the five or six hits because of poor damage control, but it shows just how tough they are to start with!
As for Houston, Allied gunnery in the early part of the game is often quite poor and DDs are very agile. OTOH, four-stacker DDs are very fragile - I have lost several to fires from single 5" hits!