The Sun in My Eyes Mk IV, EOS from the Allied Perspective

[goodboyladdie]

I have sent half of the fleet at PH out on Op Exodus so far. I haven't decided whether or not to send the rest, but it will probably be late this evening before I end turn so there is time to make up my mind. At Tarawa USS Pensacloa was sunk in action with the two Destroyers covering Mike's invasion task force. DD Akatsuki only took one hit, but DD Hibiki took two hits and is on fire. Long Lance torpedoes did the major damage.

That ambush did not work but a little to the west Lady Lex hit a group of four MLs. Okinshima took 5 bombs and 2 torps over two attacks, Aikoku Maru took 17 bombs over two attacks, Hokoku Maru took four bombs and Gokoku Maru took 1 bomb and 2 torps. Lady Lex is heading west and the CA that di not engage at Tarawa has orders to follow her and join her escorts once she slows down (planned west of Canton Island).

[goodboyladdie]

A Jap sub sank the PG Mindanao. The AVD Childs is on scene and hunting the sub. 3 Dutch patrol boats have sailed from Balikpapan to join the hunt and any ASW vessels due to cross the hex will also join.

[Mistmatz]

I dont understand why your opponent lets the PI shipping slip away with mini-KB in the north?
Is this a trap an dwill he come back with a sprint?

Also regarding PH exodus why would you want to do that already with KB so close? Do you want to sacrifice all those boards just to deplete his aviation capabilities fast? If so for what gain?

[goodboyladdie]

With regard to the PH exodus, the KB cannot attack every tf, especially when they are spread out and all travelling at full speed in different directions. If you wait until there have been no ops points used and undock it is possible for most of the warships to travel 12 hexes in one day which quickly puts some distance between them and the KB. There will be some slow task forces to take the pain and allow the others to get away. Dispersal is the main defence. If I wait until he establishes Betty and Nell nests on his new conquests nothing will get out. It will only be safe to have major units based there if I can gain and maintain air superiroty at some future point.

In the PI he has brought the CVE KB in close to Puerto Princessa and air units hit the TK Mei An which was forced to dock. On the way in the CVE KB had a surface encounter with an RN MTB tf and sank it before their aircraft finished off the ML Redstart the next morning. The AS Canopus has also been hit, but not seriously. The CVEs do not have a lot of aircraft or sorties. His main carrier strength is messing about off Hawaii, so once clear of Luzon, it is only a limited number of planes and a few subs I have to worry about. I cancelled the SAG attack on Legaspi and the tf is returning to Tarakan.

It's time to withdraw my fighters from Manila. I had another 12 knocked down by his Zekes last turn and now the ships are away their continued sacrifice serves no purpose. I forgot to mention that last turn S-39 torpedoed a transport off Legaspi.

[goodboyladdie]

18 Buffs got knocked down at Singapore last turn and as I write this I realise in my haste to finish I forgot to move the AVG in this turn.

His subs are making a pain of themselves and I have my current weak ASW forces out trying to disperse the threat. HMS Indomitable arrived and is sailing for Colombo.

[goodboyladdie]

This fourth start is so different to what we have had before. Mike is commited to ops at Hawaii, whereas previously it has been easy for me to split his focus and get away with no casualties. The KB moved North East of Hawaii and ate up anything that could not do at least 5/5. This was expected, which is why I sent out some slow KB magnets, but it was still not pleasant to watch because first time round you do not know when the carnage will end!

CA San Franciso (7 bombs 6 torpedoes), BB Arizona (15 bombs 5 torpedoes), DD Bagley (1 bomb 2 torps), AK (8 bombs 3 torps), AK (8 bombs 1 torp) - Morning.

CL Detroit (8 bombs), DD Mugford (2 bombs), AR Vestal (4 torps), AS Pelias (4 bombs) - Afternoon.

An AK and a DM were hit at PH, but the Zekes went with the open water anti-shipping strikes, so the CAP at PH had a field day.

Here is the ships sunk list:

[goodboyladdie]

There were also two big raids on PH which resulted in AF damage being kept at 76/100. Many ships were hit again, but it cost Mike a lot of planes as there were no Zekes.

Here is the air losses screen for today.

[goodboyladdie]

Here is the damaged ships list from PH. At some point I will have to make a decision on running away with the rest or scuttling because as predicted Lahaina is filling up with aircraft. This time out I will lose the entire Pac Flt battle line at PH. Curse the restarts!

[goodboyladdie]

The last raid of the day was 16 unescorted Kates. 1LT S. Jackson of the 73rd Pursuit Squadron got 6 kills (obviously knew exactly where the fuel tanks are and is a good shot) to give him a total of 7 and make him the first US Ace of the Pacific War. When Mike has Zekes over PH everyday, I do not expect it will be as nice a place for my fighter pilots as it was today...

[goodboyladdie]

This is the tactical situation off PH. The KB is shown heading North East. I will have to starburst anything that is slower and which might be in range. Anything with about a twelve hex headstart that can make 4/4 should make the air cover of the West Coast before they are intercepted. I do not know what his fuel state is, but I'd imagine the KB will play about to the East of Hawaii while the bombers and fighters on Lahaina continue to suppress PH. In our previous games I had always managed to get the AF at PH operational before he took Lahaina. This time I do not hold out great hopes for keeping PH. My only hope is that the demands of his economy force him to shift his focus to the DEI.

The A-20s I move to Palmyra last turn hit an AK at Johnston Island.

[goodboyladdie]

S-39 at Legaspi took 7 hits and is on fire and S-36 was attacked at Aparri and I forgot to check them. I should be able to concentrate tomorrow as I'll have time to myself in the afternoon, so let's hope Mike gets me a turn.

Clark and Manila were both hit with big raids and more damage was done. The CVE KB fought off two Dutch air attacks and then launched a long range air strike at the SAG as it arrived back at Tarakan. Mike has stated that hitting the Boise almost gave him a boner! It is a blow because I was planning to send my Cruisers back to the US as I am critically short of Cruisers to escort my CVs after Mike's effective PH attacks and the loss of Pensacola off Tarawa. Houston took four bombs, Boise took one and Marblehead took two.

They are now disbanded in Tarakan. They will be heading Stateside for repairs as soon as they are able. The Destroyers will move to Australia or India to be ready to upgrade as I desperately need to stamp on the menace of his subs.

[goodboyladdie]

The tf of one ship off Tarakan is a sub I think. I do not think he would have been able to sneak his CVLs past Cagayan and Manado without me seeing. Everything is running to port to get away from his CVEs, but I am hoping they have almost expended their available sorties.

[goodboyladdie]

Bettys started to attack my ships at Cagayan last turn and I wondered where they were coming from. Legaspi is the nest in question. I have two squadrons of B-17Ds from Cagayan hitting Legaspi to suppress his bombers this turn. I have the other B-17s on Naval Attack hoping to hit the CVEs. I have also moved Hudsons to Samarinda and Dutch Bombers and the Vildebeests from Hong Kong to Brunei. Last turn the B-17s from Cagayan hit 2 AKs, 2 APs and a DD at Legaspi.

Aparri fell but the btn defending it retreated North instead of South so will probably be lost.

[goodboyladdie]

I evacuated Hong Kong because forts fell to 4 last turn and Mike has been sending over two small Ki-48 raids everyday that are starting to rack up some damage to the AF.

Swordfish from Kuantan had been getting hits on Mike's ships off Kota Bharu, but I have had to withdraw them this turn because of the fall of Kota Bharu. If Mike gets down the railroad quickly he will cut off everything in the North so I am withdrawing down the peninsula. I may look to hold him up at some point , but I know how hard it is to hold Singapore with low morale units. The first convoys carrying the Australians away left today. The 27th Brigade is going to Colombo, the 22nd to Trincomalee. The CL Tokiwa at Kota Bharu was hit three times by bombers out of Singapore and is reported on fire.
There were no raids on Singapore and the first AVG reinforcements are now providing high CAP over the Buffs.

Japanese forces have entered Tavoy. As soon as possible bombers will be inserted into Rangoon and Moulmein to slow his advance. I may be forced to redeploy Chinese bomber units (transferred to SE Asia command) if I cannot find any in India. Chinese Infantry units attached to SE Asia command are already proceeding to secure the Burma Road, but more will have to be sent next turn.

[goodboyladdie]

Here's a little taster from quite an interesting movie while I await the turn. It might be a while as Mike is busy at work. I have no idea what my PTs were doing off Lahaina in daylight when his covering force returned. They were given orders to retire so what went on is anyone's guess. I have lost them all, which is a big blow, but at least they went expensive...

[Yava]

A very nice score they made[:)]

[goodboyladdie]

Hey Admiral Yava!

Two torps and 3 deadly .50 calibre hits and Ise is only on fire. Damn JFBs manage to fix everything. [:D] When I get to work through the turn I'll have a little treat for the AFBs...

[goodboyladdie]

The PT situation was described above. Other casualties near PH today were CL Detroit (11 bombs 3 torpedoes), AO Ramapo (8 bombs 3 torps), DD Mugford (6 bombs 2 torps), AS Pelias (8 bombs 2 torps) and AVD Avocet (4 bombs, scuttled). All were already damaged except for USS Avocet, which was just slow and unlucky. The AF at PH is now 76/87 and I have managed to get some DBs to Molokai, so hopefully they'll hit some of his transports. Apologies for the messy Paint work, if somebody could PM some tips I'd be grateful...

Edit: AK Shunko Maru hit a mine at Lahaina and USS Dolphin missed the damaged Jap DD Kuroshio.

[goodboyladdie]

Here are the fleeing ships still potentially in danger. I have routed the transport heading down the eastern border through the San Diego to Panama channel just in case Mike send the KB further East than I'd like...

[goodboyladdie]

All of my early CVs are turning up without any escorts so my Cruiser crisis is a real (and growing) problem. I cannot afford to lose any Destroyers either. We are not playing with variable reinforcements so this must be deliberate. Does anyone have any idea why Cid would set it up like this? With no escorts and no prospect of any early arrivals, PH looks doomed, because there is no way I can fight a supply convoy through with early war AAA and no ships.