PzB74
Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000 From: No(r)way Status: offline
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Al, I managed to speed up Oscar II delivery date by one month: from 01/43 to 12/42! There's a chance of accelerating production pr 100 research ac allotted. I'm trying not to empty the sink in Manchuko Who Cares - when the Russian bear wakes up I'm planning to move quite a few reinforcements from China proper. Shouldn't be a problem if I pacify the chinks properly now Got good news for all you Jap fanboys today! Three brand new enemy escort carriers were surprised by the KB of Irau and sunk! Well two of them sank outright while the third was hit by 2 torps and 3 bombs. Doubt she'll make it... Two days ago I wrote that I would sorty the KB against the US tf that was intercepted by one of my subs. Nagumo raced south at flank speed with a powerful TF made up by the following ships: Taiho Shokaku Zuikaku Akagi Kaga 2 cvl 2 bb 3 ca 2 cl 9 dd The Junyo's are such slow ships that I exchanged them for 2 quick cvl's! I ordered Nagumo to position himself 4 hexes NNE of Lunga (4 hexes) and put my fighters on 60% CAP and my bombers on a max range of 4 hexes. Thunderstorms were reported so I knew that luck would be an important factor. I assumed that no Corsairs would be at Lunga since Ken has moved most of them to the front During the AM phase weather was appalling and the KB was grounded - together with all enemy ships and bases within range. By a miracle the skies turned clear by the afternoon! PARTY TIME By another stroke of luck Ken had 3 escort carriers in a TF at Lunga (the original target had reached Lunga but was ignored as a more important target was spotted!) The enemy TF reacted a couple of times (I find that my cv's do this all the time even though I put react on 0) and found themselves just of Irau when the strikes came in. A heavy CAP of 60 Wildcats cost me over 60 a2a losses while 30 defending fighters were shot down. The strikes were divided into several waves but all of them were escorted. Two escort carriers were reported sunk and took 10 Avengers with them into the deep. These ships are worth 92 points each. An anti aircraft cruiser was also damaged by 2 bomb hits. So aggression and luck yet again walked hand in hand and gave Ken a good scare. I will continue to use the KB as a steam piston that hammers all and everything in its path until Ken runs out of ships or I run out of luck. Gawd knows what comes first Sunk CVE Chenango CVE Suwannee Damaged CVE Sangamon, 2 torpedo hits, 3 bomb hits - on fire, heavy damage (should be enough to sink a flimsy cve?) CLAA San Juan, Bomb hits 2, on fire (one penetrating deck hit, radar + 1 5" gun mount destroyed) 30 bombers were shot down by flak, bringing total KB losses to 94 ac. 2 A6M5s, 2 Judy and 1 Jill were the first of their type to be lost. In all 102 Jap ac were destroyed today to 82 Allied ones. Since not a single enemy air strike was launched against the KB it must be assumed that the enemy was caught completely of guard. There are still many targets left in the area, but the deed is done and the KB retires to protect the convoys heading for the Solomons. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/06/43 Surface Combat Ken is sweeping some mines at Jaluit. I put some torpedo bombers on naval strike at Kwajalein - range 7 - within my own turf. I've had enough of sending my lambs to the slaughter unescorted....... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 1157 encounters mine field at Jaluit (81,84) Allied Ships DMS Chandler DMS Long DMS Zane DMS Hopkins -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Combat We hit Yunan and Chungking today and destroyed ca 30 ac on the ground - not bad Day Air attack on Yunan , at 38,32 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 33 Ki-21 Sally x 72 Ki-46-II Dinah x 4 Allied aircraft I-16c x 2 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 1 destroyed Blenheim IV: 4 destroyed Allied ground losses: 31 casualties reported Airbase hits 7 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 15 Aircraft Attacking: All Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 11 Ki-21 Sally x 26 Ki-48 Lily x 78 Allied aircraft I-16c x 3 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged SB-2c: 9 destroyed IL-4c: 2 destroyed Allied ground losses: 62 casualties reported Airbase hits 16 Runway hits 51 Aircraft Attacking: All bombers bombing at 15000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32 - the heavy industry also got visitors Japanese aircraft Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 32 Ki-21 Sally x 79 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 1 destroyed Heavy Industry hits 9 Aircraft Attacking: All Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Merauke , at 47,87 - got some transport ac here ferrying troops back home! Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 8 Avenger I x 6 PBY Catalina x 1 Boomerang II x 9 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-57-II Topsy: 2 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 20 casualties reported Runway hits 3 Aircraft Attacking: 6 x Avenger I bombing at 5000 feet 8 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 82,81 - my replenishment tf is now withdrawing. The cost: 4 damaged transports, they should all make it home. Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 31 Allied aircraft F4U-1 Corsair x 2 SBD Dauntless x 8 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed Japanese Ships AP Hayo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire MSW Takashima Maru Aircraft Attacking: 3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet 4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here comes the KB strikes! Day Air attack on TF at 68,99 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 25 A6M5 Zeke x 6 D3A Val x 32 B5N Kate x 41 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 61 - ouch! Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 12 destroyed, 1 damaged A6M5 Zeke: 2 destroyed D3A Val: 13 destroyed, 4 damaged B5N Kate: 16 destroyed, 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 16 destroyed, 6 damaged Allied Ships CVE Suwannee, Bomb hits 3, on fire CVE Sangamon, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Aircraft Attacking: 3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 1 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 7 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 1 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 68,99 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 11 B5N Kate x 28 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 20 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed B5N Kate: 6 destroyed, 16 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships CVE Suwannee, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CLAA Atlanta CVE Sangamon, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 68,99 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 8 A6M5 Zeke x 5 D3A Val x 74 D4Y Judy x 25 B5N Kate x 17 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 20 Japanese aircraft losses A6M5 Zeke: 1 destroyed D3A Val: 14 destroyed, 10 damaged D4Y Judy: 2 destroyed B5N Kate: 3 destroyed, 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships CVE Chenango, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CVE Suwannee, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage CLAA San Juan, Bomb hits 2, on fire CVE Sangamon, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Aircraft Attacking: 2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 2 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 5 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 5 x D4Y Judy bombing at 2000 feet 8 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 7 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D4Y Judy bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D4Y Judy bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground Combat Ground combat at Myitkyina Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 54873 troops, 676 guns, 151 vehicles Defending force 15577 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied ground losses: 41 casualties reported ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Killer Butai This is what it looked like!
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< Message edited by PzB -- 8/29/2005 11:58:34 AM >
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"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without" - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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