Austria rules the seas - Castor Troy vs Swift

[wernerpruckner]

dark times are coming.....Chris has found his marbles and put together an APD ASW TF....
and now the SS KXV is heavy damaged....I will try to bring here to a secure port....

Sally bomber hit the AK Steel Traveler during an evacuation run.....lost several Dutch troops

Nell bomber hit the MSW Ballarat at Batavia ( on ASW duty )

And a Japanese sub scored today:
SS I-4 => AVD McFarland, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( at Suva, sunk )

There is still no ASW around Johnston Island:
SS S-18 => AK Satsuki Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
if he does not go for PH....this is the right spot to loose many ships [:D]
more sub laid mines are on their way

enemy landings at Madang

various places lost today:
Hongkong ( with 17k troops )
Balikpapan
Mersing ( 14k troops )

[wernerpruckner]

many sightings and attacks by subs but no exploding torpedo hit......at least not from the Allied side [:(].....SS S-39 tried an attack vs CVE Taiyo...but no luck

SS I-166 => AK Poelau Tello, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( at Batavia )
Sally => AK Steel Traveler, Bomb hits 1, on fire ( 31 casualties reported ) rescue mission with Dutch base force
Nell => MSW Ballarat, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ( Batavia )
Sally => AK Steel Engineer, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage ( at Pagai Island )
SS I-166 => AK Poelau Tello, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( at Batavia )

enemy landings at Rabaul

combats at
Siam ( heavy Allied losses due to Artillery attacks )
Rabaul


Lost Tuguegarao, Madang and Palmyra today

[wernerpruckner]

my subs are not in a good shape.....only 10 are below 5 damage points, most are low on torpedoes or fuel....

heavy bombardment at Rabaul

several air attacks by the Dutch forces with zero results....

I-164 => TK Iris, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( trying to move stuff out of the DEI

I hate ground war in China....the RR movements are a way too fast....Chris is attacking Sian with 40+ units `( and he is the one always complaining about how unrealistic this or that is [8|][8|][8|] )

bases lost:
Rabaul
Moulmein ( defended by troops that retreated inthe wrong direction....)
Benkolen

[wernerpruckner]

Not much I can do at the moment....I am moving Dutch units around at Java....I evacuate cadres from Java....move other Dutch units to Java......

British forces are moving behind rivers....I will move my units away from Rangoo...it is a death trap.....I move lots of troops around in India.....

New Caledonia is and will farther be strengthend with additional troops ( a INF unit -regiment I think from Sydney )

Hawaii: Betties have been sigthed at Johnston Island.... I have to protect my minelayers with air covers as they continue to mine all of Hawaii.

China.....I hate RR blitzkrieg!!!!!


Chris is still demining HK, but he forgets that the new hotspots may also have mines:
DD Murakumo, Mine hits 1, on fire ( at Batavia)

Heavy bombardment of Batavia - duting this action several ships have been sunk:
PT TM-6, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
MSW Burnie, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Van Cloon, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AK Kota Radja, Shell hits 2, on fire

Japanese A/C also find lots of shiping all around the DEI:
Nell => AK Belawan, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( at Macassar )
Nell => AK Sipora, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( near Merak)
Nell => AK Siberoet, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( near Merak )


Dutch Martin bomber only hit a single ship today:
AP Yubae Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire ( near Singapore )

Also on the sub front only little to tell:
SS Triton => AK Kensyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Heavy artillery attacks continue at Sian
Yenen as well as Teloekbetoeng has fallen into enemy hands


So far 52 enemy ships are reported SUNK !!

[wernerpruckner]

90% of my subs or not longer active against enemy shipping......20 subs are damaged 10+......[X(]....my only "real" weapon is now more or less out of order for a few weeks....


On the other hand Japanese subs are camping in various DEI ports:
SS I-156 => AK Sipirok, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

also enemy torpedo bombers continue their attacks:
Nell => AP Van Imhoff, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Chris is continuing his bomber attacks at Clark Field, artillery attacks at Sian ( with extremly high Chinese losses) and he is trying to eliminate the last pockets of resitance of my few British units on the Malaya peninsula.

Many Dutch Martin bomber attacks, but only very few hits:
AP Kasui Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Ayaha Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
both near Belitung with troops on board!!!

My bombing missions at Johnston Island continue.....only light AA fire so far, fighters have been sighted on ground, but not in the air...yet.

[wernerpruckner]

The SS KXI finds several huge TFs, but it was only able to attack at one time:
AK Bujun Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (24 casualties reported, vehicles lost 1 )
Later the KXI was dmaged by a big DD TF.....the sub will retreat to Darwin.


The Dutch Air Force tries several times to attack enemy invasion fleets and as it seems heavy screening or even bombardment TFs, this time there were lots of enemy interceptors over the fleets [:(]
[X(] T.IVa attacked several times but at maximum range she does not carry a torpedo..
Martin 139/T.IVa => BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 1
Martin 139/T.IVa => CA Atago, Bomb hits 1

Japanese bombers finished the AP Van Imhoff with 3 more torpedos...

My bombing offensiv at Johnston [8|] kills several ground personal...

Still huge artillery attacks at Sian.......and my two lost INF units in Malaya still fight....I will try to move them into the wilderness.....

[Rob Brennan UK]

Hi Swift

Nice reading and i think your assessment is right on the money. I'd assume that hes needing KB in the pacific to surround Hawaii so those men in singers will in all likelihood head to the DEI rather than India/Ceylon. Your opponent was very crafty with the PH strike and the 1 port rule for the 1st turn v v sneaky [;)]

Good luck by the way

[wernerpruckner]

Hi Rob,
it is interesting that I have sioghted only one single sub between PH and the US so far....
At the moment three convoys are going back to the US and two towards PH, also a carrier group is moving back to Hawaii, a second one will follew in a few days....


It is too silent on most of the map......



todays turn saw the start of the invasion of Java:
bombardments of Batavia and Kragen ( including one sided night battles between BBs and my Dutch PTs) also a bombardment of Singkawang ( where my "best " Martin bomber unit is stationed - better said was.....)

No sub victories this turn....

More bombing of Johnston island

Landings at Wasile, Christmas Island and a Para drop at Kragen

Kragen and Christmas Island were lost

[wernerpruckner]

landings at Java continue.....and no luck with my subs and Dutch Air Force.....

SS I-165 => AP Speelman, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (sunk with and ENG unit from the evacuation of PI )

Air attack on Manila:
TK Gertrude Kellogg, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AK Princess of Negros, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
also heavy ground losses....


Landings at Buka and a Paradrop on Merak

Wasile and Merak lost.

[wernerpruckner]

I tried to intercept enemy tronsports with the Dutch MTBs - but all they found were superior surface groups - several PTs sunk [:(]

SS I-160 => AK Soerabaja, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ( transporting resources )

no Allied sub attacks, no Allied bombing attacks due to the weather.....

lost Buka today.

[wernerpruckner]

Chris finds a surprise at Midway:
AK Kazan Maru, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( 20 casualties reported)

My heavy bomber force ( 26 B-17 from PH !! ) destroy 2 more Betty bombers at Johnston Island!!

The Dutch Air Force suffers due to Japanese interceptors....but today they also score several hits on the various invasion forces around Java:
AK Akita Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire ( at Kragen )
AP Kamakura Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire ( 59 casualties reported, Guns lost 1) ( near Kragen)

and this time also a single Dutch MTB made a successful raid:
PT TM-1 => MSW Kyo Maru #3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
later this PT was sunk by the other escorts....


Japanese ship losses: 58 !!!!! [:D]

[wernerpruckner]

Chris´s subhunters are getting better [X(][:(]
SS O16, hits 9 ( at Merak)
SS KX, hits 9, on fire ( at Kragen)
both will move back to a secure port.

The last Dutch MTB made a suicide attack against the shipping around Kragen and was sunk...

Japanese Nells intercept resource carrying AK Bengalen ( sunk)
SS-156 does the same with AK Benkalis ( damaged )


SS S-28 made a nice attack between Kwajalein and Wotje and torpedoed the well protected AK Manko Maru ( Torpedo hits 1, on fire )....there were at least 6 escorts around....and they did nothing [:D]

Enemy landing at Luganville [X(].....far to close to Noumea, I will move a B-17 unit from Australia to Noumea...
More landings at Dagua and Kendari ( here the AP Hiyoshi Maru found a single mine )

[wernerpruckner]

dark times.......

the sub ( SS Tautog ) damaged by an ASW group - this time around Kwajalein.The Dutch subs tried hard to hit something today, but they failed....
only 12 subs are at the enemy at the moment.....
3 are mining enemy bases....

The Japanese subs are more lucky:
SS I-154 => AK Lepus, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS I-155 => AK Benkalis, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
both around Java
Nell => AK Liran, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( Macassar )
Sally => PT PT-31, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ( my fleet in being in the PI !! [8|])

Several Dutch pilots sighted the various enemy fleets, but only one attck:
T.IVa => AP Rakuto Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( near Kragen )


Enemy landings at Munda

Bases lost: Luganville & Dagua

10 Fortress arrived at Noumea......they will look for shipping around Luganville....so far only a INF unit is sighted there....

[wernerpruckner]

more Japanese sub victories - why do they attack treansports, they should await for ´CLs or better - no bushido for those captains....
ships were evacuating stuff from DEI:
SS I-160 => AK Beatrice, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS I-155 => AK Beatrice, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

also there seems to be MiniKB around south of Java:
B5N Kate => AK Modjekerto, Bomb hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
B5N Kate => MSW Goulburn, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
B5N Kate => AK Lepus, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

other action:
air raids at Siam, Clark Field and Batavia

only Allied action: the daily Johnston raid destroys one more Betty on ground.

Kendari and Munda were lost today

[wernerpruckner]

Enemy forces prepare the Invasion of Canton Island with a heavy bombardment by Hyuga and Ise.
During the Invasion the base force fought well:
AK Nitiai Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
MSW Takashima Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tama Maru #2, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Clyde Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
MSW Tama Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
MSW Shonan Maru #8, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Takaosan Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire
AK Nitiai Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Usa Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
but on the end of the turn the Nippon flag was on the island [:(]

Lots of mine sweeping missions by the Japanese MSW forces around Batavia,
but they missed a mine:
AK Sydney Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire
they also missed a sub:
SS O21 => MSW Himejima Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

enemy landings at Baker and Russell Island

Heavy combats at Yenen.

Baker Island was aslo lost today

[wernerpruckner]

bad day for the Allied submarine force [:(]
lots of APDs near Merak => SS KXIII, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage (sunk)
also the SS O21 sunk after several bomb hits....also more damaged subs....

Enemy MSWs are minesweeping at Kendari and Batavia.

Heavy bombardment at Batavia.

Big air raid at Manila ( 200+ A/C most of them Sallys )

Mini KB still south of Java:
AK Toendjoek, Bomb hits 20, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese subs are still busy:
SS I-164 => AP Van Neck, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
SS I-9 => AP U.S. Grant, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( this one between US and PH, my 6 DDs in this TF did nothing....)

Dutch A/C still hit sometimes:
Martin 139 => MSW W.14, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ( near Batavia )
Martin 139 => AK Sagami Maru, Bomb hits 1 ( near Macassar )

Daily Fortress attack hit nothing - just showing the flag !!!

Madioen, Russel Island and Tavoy were lost today.
Tavoy was the last stand of the 1st and 2nd Burma Brigade. There are still 4 other units blocking the railroads on the Malaya peninsula.

[wernerpruckner]

SS KXVI finds the damaged MSW W.14 near Teloekbetoeng and sinks it. KXVI will move back to Batavia for more ships....

Today we added a second destination for our daily bomber runs - now not only Johnston Island, but also Luganville will be bombed on a daily bases.
1 Betty was destroyed due to this bombings at Johnston Island.

There seem to be more subs between PH and the US:
SS I-26 => AK Mercury, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
and once again my DDs do nothing....

[wernerpruckner]

same as the last turns.....nothing much to say....cadres from most DEI ENG units were evacuated to Australia or India....I even evacuated some whole units....now I have to move some units via Bali and Timor to Australia.

Actionwise...nothing new...MiniKB hits evacuation transports.....torpedobombers too
lost several bases: Soerabaja & Djokjakarta & Legaspi.

the daily bombing of Johnston Island continues

SS S-39 was able to sink a ship:
AK Heimei Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

I do not know where the KB is !!!
I am sure she will show up for the next big action ( either PH, India, Aussie, Noumea )
As soon as I know the whereabouts, I will strike at Johnston Island....I need this island back.

Here a picture of the BB situation....I moved the damaged PH BBs to Seattle, I have no need for them at the moment.....

[wernerpruckner]

The Japanese MSWs are busy....sweeping mines at Midway...and some are at Batavia, Kragen and Singapore.
SS Truant => MSW W.3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Truant was later attacked twice by this force and will now retreat to India.

Batavia and Mersing are attacked by big bombardment TFs.

Chris is continuing his hunt on the evacuation forces around Java:
SS I-164 => AP Van Rees, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
G3M Nell => AP Pijnacker Hordijk, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
B5N Kate => AP Van Rees, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
B5N Kate => AP Van Riebeek, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

In China the hotspot is at Sian - there are around 50 enemy units around here...he is trying to move around the city....also heavy air raids by Japanese forces....

The B-17 continue their daily visits at Johnston....and sometimes they even hit the island.
The Noumea B-17 squadron tried to intercept shipping at Luganville....it seems that there are now 25+ Zeros stationed on this base [X(]

The Dutch Air Force still attacks enemy shipping around Java:
Martin 139 => AP Kamakura Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Martin 139 => MSW Kyo Maru #5, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


More Japanese landings at Tomini and Kavieng.
Naga was lost today.

Next turn I will try a carrier raid at Johnston........we will see....

[wernerpruckner]

todays focus: Johnston Island!
in the morning the usual B-17 attack ( caused some ground losses and a Betty bomber )
later my carrier raid hit the base....there must be a AA-regiment there; because I lost 6 Dauntless and additional 20 damaged Dauntless and 11 damaged Devastator.
But my forces were able to torch another Betty on the ground; also some groundlosses and some runway hits.
Post recon shows now 150+ A/C at Johnston [X(][X(][X(]

CV TF will move back to PH under full speed.....


Enemy ship-hunting around Java continues:
Sally => AK Tjikandi, Bomb hits 3, on fire ( near Pamakasan )
B5N Kate => AP Rooseboom, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( near Sawu Island )
B5N Kate => AK Senang, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( near Koepang )
E13A1 Jake => AK Bintoehan, Bomb hits 2, on fire ( near Raba )
B5N Kate => AK Sinabang, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( Koepang)
Sally => AK Meroendoeng, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( near Malang)
Sally => AK Siaoe, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage ( near Pamakasan )
Sally => AK Enggano, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage ( 300 miles west of Bali )Sally => AK Tjikarang, Bomb hits 2, on fire ( Tjilitjap )
B5N Kate => AK Ban Ho Guan, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage ( Koepang )
B5N Kate => AK Parigi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( 240 miles west of Sumba )

I think the evacuation of Java will come to an end soon.......only 15 ships left that I put to this task.....

Dutch bombers only hit one ship this turn:
Martin 139 => AP Rozan Maru, Bomb hits 1 ( near Sampit )

Batavia, Tjilitjap, Kavieng and Tomini were lost today