huda0816
Posts: 75
Joined: 8/7/2021 From: Austria Status: offline
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It's been five nerve-wracking days since Force Z managed to sink some Japanese troop transports. Fortunately, the BBs were not going to hunt Force Z down but support a landing in Kuantan. The battle I mentioned in my previous post was fought between Force Z without Prince of Wales and without any large-caliber ammunition for Repulse. Yet I managed to damage Chokai heavily and she probably sunk. quote:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Balabac at 70,83, Range 25,000 Yards Japanese Ships CA Chokai, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage DD Fubuki DD Usugumo DD Shirayuki, Shell hits 1, heavy fires DD Hatsuyuki DD Sagiri Allied Ships BC Repulse CL Danae, Shell hits 2, on fire CL Mauritius DD Vampire DD Tenedos, Shell hits 2 DD Electra DD Express There were two more battles with the Japanese taskforce. The first was fought by Forze Z and the second was fought by CA Houston's TF. quote:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Balabac at 70,84, Range 23,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Naka, Shell hits 3 DD Asagumo DD Murasame, Shell hits 1 DD Harusame DD Yudachi, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Samidare Allied Ships BC Repulse CL Danae, heavy fires CL Mauritius DD Vampire DD Tenedos DD Electra DD Express, Shell hits 2, on fire quote:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Balabac at 71,86, Range 15,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Naka, Shell hits 7, heavy fires DD Asagumo, Shell hits 1 DD Murasame, Shell hits 2 DD Harusame, Shell hits 3 DD Yudachi, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Samidare, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships CA Houston, Shell hits 2 DD John D. Ford DD Peary, Shell hits 1 DD Pillsbury DD Pope, Shell hits 3 Although I ordered Forze Z to merge with Prince of Wales, it ended up north of Borneo while Prince of Wales went to Tarakan as planned. Unfortunately, another threat appeared from the east. My scout planes identified a carrier racing towards the exposed and worn-out SCTFs. I was lucky that I had a lot of subs, who were supposed to go to Java, close and I sent them to intercept the taskforce. Houstons Taskforce was ordered to go to Brunei to refuel there and escape on the northern coast of Borneo to Java. Force Z had the same orders but was heading for Miri for refueling. Prince of Wales was ordered to retreat through Makassar Strait. The next night the CVTF was engaged by SS Sculpin but it did not manage to spot the Carrier only BB Mutso and a couple of destroyers. I was asking myself why Mutso and friends were hanging around east of the Philippines in the first place? I was really happy that my ships were not engaged this day and made some progress to leave the vicinity of the enemy carrier(s). Somewhat related SS I-154 sunk CM Rigel on this day which was on its way to lay mines at Singkawang. On the next day, the Japanese CVTF suddenly appeared in strike range of Malaya where it thankfully attacked some Minelyers and not the escaping SCTFs south of it. When I realized that all my TFs managed to evade the enemy carrier but Houstons TF was out of full and stranded East of Borneo my joy was limited. I was thinking about two options and one worse than the other and I chose wrong. One option was disbanding the TF in Ketapang and moving some tankers there. The other option was to merge the taskforce with the Dutch destroyers in the area. I chose to merge Houstons TF with the destroyers as an SCTF and the CVTF were heading south. In hindsight, this was probably the wrong decision as CA Houston was sunk this night by a sub and the DDs did not manage to merge with Houston's TF. The SCTF and the CVTF are supporting a landing at Singkawang but will be free to crush the remaining ships tomorrow. RIP
< Message edited by huda0816 -- 12/20/2021 10:17:32 PM >
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