Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[tocaff]

Industrial capacity and technology went wrong Capt Ishii.  The #s and odds were bound to finally take their toll as the Pacific war of attrition moves on.  A truly fantastic story CF.

[FeurerKrieg]

Well, the good news is (provided Hibiki makes it out this battle alive) we get to witness the long slow contraction of the Japanese empire from the eyes of our favorite destroyer crew. It will be interesting to read of how the morale of the crew changes over the next year as food, fuel and other shortages start to take their toll.

Not to mention what will become a world where there is not place completely safe, and there is no such things as relaxing in port because Allied planes can reach anywhere.

Still a ways off but at least we get to read CF's wonderful tale for a bit longer than if the US had negotiated an end to the war at this battle.

[Capt. Harlock]

The fragmentary reports Hibiki is receiving tell that the Japanese surface forces, groping for the enemy in the darkness, have collided with the powerful enemy battleship group that was covering the Efate landings. The Allies have more battleships, but this is offset in a series of chaotic nighttime engagements by the Japanese proficiency in making torpedo attacks.

In the end the two sides shoot each other to rags and are both forced to retire. Though tactically a draw this action puts an end to the last chance the Japanese have to salvage a win from the battle.

I am amazed beyond words at the output of exciting battle scenes in such a short period of time. BUT -- I'm also hopelessly greedy for more. Can we have an after-action review of the surface action? Did any BB's sink outright? How is Yamato faring?

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Feurer Krieg

Well, the good news is (provided Hibiki makes it out this battle alive) we get to witness the long slow contraction of the Japanese empire from the eyes of our favorite destroyer crew. It will be interesting to read of how the morale of the crew changes over the next year as food, fuel and other shortages start to take their toll.

Not to mention what will become a world where there is not place completely safe, and there is no such things as relaxing in port because Allied planes can reach anywhere.

Still a ways off but at least we get to read CF's wonderful tale for a bit longer than if the US had negotiated an end to the war at this battle.

You know, that's exactly what I told myself when this battle was over: "At least this will make for interesting reading in the AAR." The game is now in March 1944 and Japan is struggling to hold back the rising Allied tide. Stay tuned!

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

The fragmentary reports Hibiki is receiving tell that the Japanese surface forces, groping for the enemy in the darkness, have collided with the powerful enemy battleship group that was covering the Efate landings. The Allies have more battleships, but this is offset in a series of chaotic nighttime engagements by the Japanese proficiency in making torpedo attacks.

In the end the two sides shoot each other to rags and are both forced to retire. Though tactically a draw this action puts an end to the last chance the Japanese have to salvage a win from the battle.

I am amazed beyond words at the output of exciting battle scenes in such a short period of time. BUT -- I'm also hopelessly greedy for more. Can we have an after-action review of the surface action? Did any BB's sink outright? How is Yamato faring?

It was quite a fight, with several task forces involved. No battleships went down on either side during the battle, though the Japanese lost CA Maya. My opponent did say he was surprised at the amount of damage the Japanese inflicted on his two large battleship task forces. I will throw in more details, maybe even a bit of a narrative of the fight, if Hibiki reaches Kwajalein safely to learn of them.

Yamato and Musashi were not involved in this battle.

[ny59giants]

What a contrast to the results of the CV vs. CV battle that ended the game between Honda and Ravendave. Almost the complete opposite. [X(]  So many hours spent playing the game (and writing the AAR) and only a few turns like these can decide the whole course of the war. The possibility of Japan winning the war have taken a turn for the worse. [:(]

[John 3rd]

Cuttlefish--I will drink a bottle of Sake for you, the Empire, and the crew of the IJN Hibiki!
 
Terminus--In my Stock Game with Mandrake and my Big B 1.4 vs. Canoerebel, I will have ALL those carriers by June 1, 1943.  Acceleration is a wonderful thing...another 260+ planes may have made the difference for Japan in Cuttlefish's battle!
 

[Terminus]

Yeah, acceleration... What a wonderful (and desperately artificial) boost to Japan...

Still, this is not the place to discuss that topic.

[FeurerKrieg]

Well, I think it is a topic for this AAR - I'd love to know if any carriers have been accelerated in CF's game. I doubt he'll answer us directly, but maybe we'll see some hints in the narrative soon.

[princep01]

Five CVs for one Br. CV!@!
 
Wow, the long sought "decisive battle" may have been fought and it is an Allied victory.  However, "decisiveness" in a war ranging over the area involved is a very subjective term.  While it is clear that the ability of the Japanese to wage offensive war in the Pacific is over, she is far from defeated.  Given the time of the game, the Allies will have to hurry along to win this war.
 
Oh, but what is that smell?  Burning carriers?  Bunker oil blazing on the surface of the Pacific?  Oh, nope, it is FDR and Churchill simultaneously burning the Japanese peace proposal.
 
A bloody war of attrition will now grind toward the Home Islands.

[histgamer]

John the 3rd dont drink sake... I had some of that the other day and it was reatched stuff... then again my fault for getting the pear flavored (or was it peach flavored) kind... yea.

[BigDuke66]

I really would like to know what is left of Japans CV force.

Does anyone have a clue which CV participated and what size they had?

[histgamer]

The whole fleet from the sound of it, he has listed what sunk also, I belive 4 of them? or was it 5.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

The whole fleet from the sound of it, he has listed what sunk also, I belive 4 of them? or was it 5.

From what Cuttlefish wrote - it sounds like all 12 IJN carriers participated: these 6 weren't attacked, and are apparently getting away without damage:
Junyo, Hiyo, Ryuho, Shoho, Zuiho, and Ryujo

Zuikaku - 1 torp hit

Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku are all sunk.

EDIT: Congrats to Cuttlefish for getting these guys away... i had suspected the US CVs would run them to ground.

[histgamer]

When and if his new CVs come online he will be in far worse shape than he was here but still able to deal the allies blows if they are not carefull... Of course that depends on whats left of his airwings.

[John 3rd]

VERY good point! 
 
I cannot remember and am too lazy to go back to page 1.  Is this a Stock Game?  If it is--no matter what he does, he is done...
 
The Hibiki shall sail on however!
 
 

[John 3rd]

OK.  Wasn't too lazy--it is Nik Mod.  The Japanese MIGHT have a chance to make it interesting as long as they are not GAMEY (Terminus--There is a Thread started for you in the War Room)!  [:D][:D]

[Capt. Harlock]

Yamato and Musashi were not involved in this battle.

Now that I think about it a little more, the battlewagon of most interest to the Hibiki would be the Nagato instead. Was she there?

[HMS Resolution]

Well, with active Royal Navy participation in possibly the most important aeronaval battle of the Pacific War, the post-war political landscape should be very different indeed.

[histgamer]

Hell one could easily aruge that the RN was the deciding factor in this battle.