Waiting for 3rd AE patch - bigbaba vs. Castor Troy

Historiker · Post by **Historiker** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:26 am

Now this will be really intersteing! Let's ee how my friend bigbaba will do against you schluchtenscheißer [;)]

Impressive work so far, I'd be interested if you are able to do so without restricting HRs...

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:26 am

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Now this will be really intersteing! Let's ee how my friend bigbaba will do against you schluchtenscheißer [;)]

Impressive work so far, I'd be interested if you are able to do so without restricting HRs...

Without the "restricting" house rules I´ve done even better because in the first 12 months those restricting hrs mostly restrict the Japanese. Afterwards the hr that restricts the Allied the most is the stacking rule about carrier based ac as they can´t put a dozen Essex classes together with two dozen CVEs into one hex. On the other hand, I can´t put 800 aircraft onto an atoll either.

I´ve played at least half a dozen PBEMs with those hrs, also as the Allied and I can asure you that none of the hrs is the reason if you do good or bad. Of course as the Allied you can´t do bad during amphibious invasions when you can have 1500 carrier based ac in one hex as 500 Hellcats on Cap are bulletprove until not a single Japanese aircraft is left.

Historiker · Post by **Historiker** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:47 am

Damit wollte ich Deinen Erfolg nicht schmälern! Mir sind Deine HRs lediglich zu restriktiv.

bigbaba · Post by **bigbaba** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:17 am

ja ja. du möchtest am liebsten 50 torpedoboote in eine basis stationieren und damit meine schlachtflotte aufhalten, gelle?[;)]

HRs sind schon was notwendiges, weil das spiel einige dinge selbst nicht regeln kann.

ich kann chris auch versichern, dass ich meine 4E bomber nicht im "weltraum" fliegen lasse, wo sie trotz immunität gegenüber CAP und flak ganze basen verwüsten. sowas macht keinen spass.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:16 am

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

ja ja. du möchtest am liebsten 50 torpedoboote in eine basis stationieren und damit meine schlachtflotte aufhalten, gelle?[;)]

HRs sind schon was notwendiges, weil das spiel einige dinge selbst nicht regeln kann.

ich kann chris auch versichern, dass ich meine 4E bomber nicht im "weltraum" fliegen lasse, wo sie trotz immunität gegenüber CAP und flak ganze basen verwüsten. sowas macht keinen spass.

The bombers can´t overfly the fighters anyway, only flak fire above 25.000ft. Flak is useless anyway, sorry, Japanese flak is useless anyway. [;)]

Btw, this AAR is OFF LIMITS for you as soon as you will get the turn this evening... [;)]

Miller · Post by **Miller** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:36 am

Just to echo Chris's praise, it has been an entertaining eight months (realtime), just a shame I was on the receiving end most of the time! Its unfortunate we had the disagreement near the end, but we could have worked through it had I decided to continue the game.

Good luck to bigbaba, however he has a very hard job ahead of him. Chris exploited my weakness in ground combat and as a result I had lost many divisions. I managed to land the equivalent of seven fully prepped divs at Makin (the wrong choice of base, one of my many mistakes), but they hardly made a dent.....

Looking at the Allied ground reinforcement schedule, only 15 more full divs arrive before the end of the game, plus roughly as many brigades. IMO not enough to get sustained offensive going, especially when you consider Chris has (I guess) 70-80 divs to play with - 20 alone in Austrailia at the moment!

I will continue to read this AAR with interest.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:16 pm

70-80 divs would be fun Paul! [:D] A rough guess would be that I have 12.000 assault points to play with, means those are Southern Area, Burma Area or from other non restricted commands. Means the equivalent of 30 divs which seems impressive too, but there are lots of nav guard units and smaller sized bgds/rgts too.

But of course the time until mid 44 will be fun for the Japanese and that´s what I need, MORE troops. If the Allied won´t get going (which I doubt anyway after the Makin landings) then I will have a nice defensive perimeter with some good defenses. You can never defend everything and the Allied will always land more troops at one site than there are defenders but I´m quite confident. The Makin invasion failed due to me bringing there more troops than originally planned but after seeing 500 assault points being wiped out on Canton in three days easily I´ve thought that I either DEFEND the place or have nearly anything there at all. The loss of Mutsu was a high price but the damage done wasn´t low either and better to lose a BB after taking out half a dozen heavy cruisers, lots of DDs and damaging a couple of BBs than to lose it in half a year to your carriers while doing no damage at all.

Cribtop · Post by **Cribtop** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:13 pm

Well done! I'm as amazed as you that Miller chose Makin.

One question - not to discourage continuing the fight, but how will you and Bigbaba address the impending Japanese fuel shortage?

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 4:16 am

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Well done! I'm as amazed as you that Miller chose Makin.

One question - not to discourage continuing the fight, but how will you and Bigbaba address the impending Japanese fuel shortage?

hmm, not at all... [:D] I was able to accumulate 100.000 tons of fuel in 2 months, this due to me having KB and all warships in port. So without using any capitol ships I can just keep my merchant fleet running. And I guess in 12 monhts at the latest the merchant fleet will be in trouble of getting wrecked anyway, then there´s no need for fuel for the merchants anymore. I can just hope I will be able to still use the remaining warships.

With the loss of BB Mutsu last turn, we already adressed the fuel issue. [;)]

Historiker · Post by **Historiker** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:46 am

Let's all hope you won't get into fuel trouble... - as AE is released before you face that! [:)]

Xxzard · Post by **Xxzard** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 12:39 am

It's a good thing av fuel doesn't exist in this game as a function of overall fuel. [;)]

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:28 am

It goes on Gentlemen! Again... [;)] bigbaba is the new (old) Allied commander and the next two or three weeks will be really hard for me I guess as bigbaba followed this AAR and pretty much should know everything about me, from tactics to strategy and thoughts what my enemy should or shouldn´t do. Not just that, of course I will now face a different situation with an Allied commander of which I´m not sure yet which tactics he will employ.

This is the first turn under a new Allied command and it was an exciting one.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/23/43

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ASW attack at 81,80

Japanese Ships
DD Kikuzuki
DD Satsuki
DD Sazanami
DD Akebono
DD Oboro
DD Amagiri

Allied Ships
SS Scorpion

one of my ASW TFs that I´ve sent out from Kwajalein to deal with the at least two dozen subs in the Marshalls and Gilberts...

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ASW attack at 81,80

Japanese Ships
DD Kikuzuki
DD Satsuki
DD Sazanami
DD Akebono
DD Oboro
DD Amagiri

Allied Ships
SS Scorpion

another attack run, another time no DCs dropped... until last turn I considered the enemy subs as the biggest threat for my warships as I was quite sure that Miller wouldn´t move further North with his carriers (if he would have I would have let lose my 1000 land based ac and KB a turn later). Now that Bigbaba is in command I don´t know if I have to fear something else in this area than just the subs...

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Sub attack at 89,93

Japanese Ships
SS I-16

Allied Ships
TK Empire Coral, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
TK Empire Gold
TK William H. Berg
TK Chas Kurz
SC SC-1069
SC SC-1063
SC SC-1060
SC SC-741
SC SC-739
SC SC-709
SC SC-631

I don´t know why Miller had a tanker convoy near the invasion site... this TK is fuel loaden so perhaps the fire damage will result in enough flt damage that the ship sinks... but don´t hold your breath as the Japanese if you achieve one torp hit...

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Sub attack near Mili at 84,85

Japanese Ships
DD Tamanami, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Cero

Cero finishes off one of my DDs that has been in sinking condition anyway after the naval engagements near Makin. The loss of 5 Yugumo class DDs hurts as those are the only DDs that carry air search radar at the moment. The 6th DD of my BB TF that attacked the shipping around Makin is moderately damaged. Losses for us were BB Mutsu and 5 Yugumos with Yamato having 25 sys damage. Cero was later hit by aircraft...

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Sub attack near Kwajalein at 79,79

Japanese Ships
CL Oi
DD Wakazuki
DD Niizuki
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Susuzuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Akizuki
CL Kinu
CL Isuzu
CL Naka
CA Takao

Allied Ships
SS Hackleback, hits 4

wow, again we´ve been really lucky. CL Oi was hit but like the torps that hit Musashi earlier, also those torps failed to detonate. Lot of luck for us considering the date... Many Type 2 DCs dropped, only 4 near misses... This is my second CV TF that I had in the area (not KB) that was returning to Kwajalein.

just look at all the enemy subs...

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:30 am

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Sub attack at 87,91

Japanese Ships
SS I-123

Allied Ships
BB California, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage [&o][&o][&o]
DD Case

BANZAI! We´ve spotted many TFs going East or South East from the Gilberts and I was sure that there would be many ships trying to make Canton Island with it´s port big enough to disband the ships into it. There are a dozen Japanese subs operating near the Gilberts and I even decided to use two of my mine laying subs (that were returning from a mine laying mission) in the sub patrol role. Here you can see what I´ve mentioned earlier. The BB only has ONE escort which makes it easy for our sub to attack and score. The two enemy BB/CA TFs that were shot up at Makin nearly lost all their escorts or had them heavily damaged. The damaged capital ships (guess also the undamaged ones) then headed towards Canton in more or less separate TFs (if I can trust my naval search results). And that´s when my subs get into play, resulting in a BB sunk. There should also be BB Tennessee around somewhere which left Makin heavily damaged.

California was confirmed sunk right after this attack. BANZAI! Another Allied capitol ship sunk by a Japanese sub.

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Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3

Allied Ships
DD Roebuck
DD Redoubt
DD Rocket
DD Rotherham
DD Rapid
CA Sussex

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

one of the first things that make it obvious that a new Admiral is in command of the Allied forces...

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ASW attack at 22,45

Japanese Ships
PC Hirado
PC Kanju
PC Wakamiya

Allied Ships
SS Tally Ho, hits 4, heavy damage

We´ve succesfully pursued Tally Ho and another DC2 hit sinks the bugger...

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Sub attack at 91,94

Japanese Ships
SS I-158

Allied Ships
DD O'Brien

O´Brien was able to evade the torps... either this DD is alone on it´s way away from the Gilberts or it´s the only escort of a capital ship...

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ASW attack at 84,82

Japanese Ships
DD Yunagi
DD Asanagi
DD Hayate
DD Oite
DD Hatakaze
DD Matsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Snook

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ASW attack at 88,91

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
DE Gilmore, on fire, heavy damage
DE Levy
DE Jaccard
DD Edsall
DD Aylwin, heavy damage

IIRC those escorts were part of an amphibious TF that landed troops on Makin, also heading SE now...

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Day Air attack on Trivandrum , at 13,21

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 16

Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 7 damaged

Runway hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet

clearly a sign of enthusiams of the new Allied commander. Air attack out of Ceylon...

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Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 47
A6M5 Zeke x 86
D3A Val x 51
A6M5c Zeke x 47
A6M3a Zero x 35
B5N Kate x 152
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 70
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 35
Ki-61 Ic x 47

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 158
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-61 Ic bombing at 2000 feet

we won´t change our so far succesful strategy and will of course try to keep pilot experience within the IJAAF and IJNAF high...

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Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 32
PV-1 Ventura x 70
PB4Y Liberator x 6

Allied aircraft losses
PV-1 Ventura: 5 destroyed, 30 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported

Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 74

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 10000 feet

strike out of Port Moresby, looks like bigbaba wants to put pressure on my everywhere right from the start... I´m not impressed by an attack on Lae, doesn´t mean anything at the moment. I won´t contest any of those strikes if there are follow on ones...

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Day Air attack on 1st Ind. Brigade, at 43,32

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet

While Miller attacked my troops at Kweiyang, bigbaba attacks the units at Chungking with his British fighter bombers...

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Day Air attack on 36th Division, at 43,32

Allied aircraft
P-40N Warhawk x 16
Hurricane IIc x 9

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x P-40N Warhawk bombing at 2000 feet
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Day Air attack on 6th Ind. Brigade, at 21,3

Allied aircraft
Corsair IV x 5
Barracuda x 16
Spitfire Vb x 10
Vengeance I x 16
Liberator VI x 29
P-40E Warhawk x 22
Hurricane IIc x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Barracuda: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Vengeance I: 10 damaged
Liberator VI: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Barracuda bombing at 10000 feet

also ground attacks against my units in Australia...

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Day Air attack on 25th Division, at 69,23

Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 13

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Pe-2 bombing at 11000 feet

and in Russia...
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Day Air attack on 16th AA Regiment, at 46,103

Allied aircraft
Barracuda x 14

Allied aircraft losses
Barracuda: 2 destroyed, 10 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Barracuda bombing at 10000 feet
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 44th Heavy AA Battalion, at 46,103

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 9
Beaufort I x 5
B-25C Mitchell x 69
B-25J Mitchell x 22
F4U-1 Corsair x 5
B-17E Fortress x 6

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 8 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Beaufort I bombing at 11000 feet

I´m not really happy if my AA units get attacked... an attack like this really wrecks an AA btn...

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Day Air attack on 30th Division, at 46,103

Allied aircraft
Beaufort I x 4
B-25C Mitchell x 23
B-25J Mitchell x 24
B-17E Fortress x 2

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 9 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Beaufort I bombing at 11000 feet

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Day Air attack on 47th Division, at 43,32

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 21
Hurricane IIc x 18

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet

perhaps I´m going to take out the airfield once and for all, means destroying the aircraft. I doubt that the Chinese have enough supplies to get replacement aircraft but there´s still Akyab in Allied hands that has a level 1 airfield. I guess that Karachi - Ceylon - Akyab - China is still a possible route for Allied aircraft. Destroying the enemy ac at Chungking probably only makes sense if we also take out Akyab, which I should have done a year ago already...

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Day Air attack on 108th Region Fortress, at 65,32

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 358

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
137 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet

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Sub attack at 88,91

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
AR American Packer, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Morton M. McCarver
AK Lyman Beecher
AK Leslie M. Shaw
MSW Oracle
MSW Swallow
DE Wileman
DE Burden R. Hastings
DD Fox

I wondered during the invasion of Makin why there´s an AR within one of the amphibious TFs. Now it is heading away from the Gilberts and heavily hit by one of our subs...

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Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3

Allied Ships
DD Roebuck
DD Redoubt
DD Rocket
DD Rotherham
DD Rapid
CA Sussex

Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

this TF bombarded during the night and now also during the day... how does this work now...

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ASW attack near Mili at 84,85

Japanese Ships
DD Shinonome
DD Ikazuchi
DD Hibiki
DD Wakaba
DD Hatsushima
DD Kawakaze

Allied Ships
SS Cero, heavy damage

those DDs were sent to Mili to be taken into my BB TF to act as escorts. It was a very dangerous turn for our BBs there as they had only one DD which was damaged... as you can see, Cero shows up heavily damaged after being hit by a bomb during the day...

the really amazing thing was that bigbaba moved his carriers closer to Mili today. We spotted at least two CV TF four hexes South of the base and I was shocked first when we spotted the carriers there as I´ve thought this would mean that the enemy will attack my BBs as four hexes means Hellcat and TBF torp range. No strikes were launched so I guess bigbaba limited the range of his bombers and placed the carriers where they are now to draw in airstrikes (same distance to the enemy carriers and Makin from all my bases). As the invasion failed anyway, I stood down my bombers.

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Ground combat at Irkutsk

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 373536 troops, 4457 guns, 1348 vehicles, Assault Value = 9394

Defending force 145607 troops, 1839 guns, 210 vehicles, Assault Value = 2996

Allied ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

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Ground combat at Blagoveshchensk

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27663 troops, 304 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 2467

Defending force 94077 troops, 1114 guns, 314 vehicles, Assault Value = 1775

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Ground combat at Kweiyang

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22573 troops, 266 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 3524

Defending force 313135 troops, 799 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 8636

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Iman

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41533 troops, 389 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 858

Defending force 52912 troops, 498 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 915

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Ground combat at Townsville

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 7246 troops, 228 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4677

Defending force 125764 troops, 845 guns, 455 vehicles, Assault Value = 2055

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Chungking

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22812 troops, 244 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 1294

Defending force 126995 troops, 219 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 2461

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Ground combat at Blagoveshchensk

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 71869 troops, 974 guns, 312 vehicles, Assault Value = 1775

Defending force 122703 troops, 1361 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 2467

Japanese ground losses:
389 casualties reported
Guns lost 53
Vehicles lost 5

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Ground combat at Irkutsk

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 106487 troops, 1689 guns, 134 vehicles, Assault Value = 2990

Defending force 458992 troops, 4510 guns, 3386 vehicles, Assault Value = 9394

Japanese ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

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Ground combat at Iman

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41839 troops, 455 guns, 174 vehicles, Assault Value = 915

Defending force 41533 troops, 389 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 858

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

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Ground combat at Karachi

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 105076 troops, 883 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 3164

Defending force 98306 troops, 1129 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 2073

Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

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Ground combat at Cairns

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36096 troops, 407 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1011

Defending force 271495 troops, 2123 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 4278

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Townsville

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 60144 troops, 605 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 2055

Defending force 234115 troops, 2372 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 4677

Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

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castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:55 am

And the air losses of today. As you can see, a lot of ship based float planes were shot down, this can only have happened over Mili.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:32 am

Starting with the capital ships that are confirmed sunk during the Allied attempt of taking Makin atoll. There will be probably more to come or have already been sunk but I haven´t got the confirmation for it. For sure sunk up to now are four heavy cruisers and one light cruiser and the US battleship California. I expect to see perhaps one or two more heavy cruisers going down from gunfire damage during the night battles near Makin.

Starting with CA Houston....

USS Houston (CA-30, originally CL-30), 1930-1942

USS Houston, a 9050-ton Northampton class light cruiser, was built at Newport News, Virginia. She was commissioned in June 1930 and reclassified as a heavy cruiser a year later, at which time her hull number was changed from CL-30 to CA-30. After initial operations in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, Houston steamed to the western Pacific in early 1931 to become flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. She served in that role until November 1933, spending considerable time in Chinese waters protecting U.S. interests during the conflict between China and Japan.

Following her Asiatic Station tour, Houston crossed the Pacific to join the Scouting Force. During the rest of the decade, she regularly partcipated in exercises, including the periodic Fleet Problems that tested the Navy's war plans and readiness. She was flagship of the United States Fleet during September-December 1938 and also carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt on a number of occasions in 1934, 1935, 1938 and 1939.

In November 1940, Houston returned to the Philippines for her second deployment as Asiatic Fleet flagship. When Japan escalated its disputes with the U.S. into open warfare in December 1941, the cruiser was sent south to Australian and Netherlands East Indies waters. As the heaviest unit of the Allied naval force in that area, she was actively employed in the desperate struggle against the Japanese East Indies' offensive. A enemy bomb disabled her after gun turret on 4 February 1942, but she remained in the combat zone, fighting off air raids and taking part in the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February.

The next day, with the situation in the East Indies now hopeless, Houston was ordered to leave the area. Steaming in company with the Australian light cruiser Perth, she encountered a strong Japanese navy force supporting an amphibious landing on western Java, near the Sunda Strait. In a valiant night battle against overwhelming odds, Houston and Perth were sunk by enemy gunfire and torpedos.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:38 am

CA Northampton, sunk near Makin. BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

USS Northampton (CA-26, originally CL-26), 1930-1942

USS Northampton, a 9050-ton light cruiser built at Quincy, Massachusetts, was the first of a class of six similar ships. Commissioning in May 1930, she made a shakedown cruise to the Mediterranean and thereafter took part in the United States' Fleet's regular program of operations and exercises. Reclassified as a heavy cruiser in July 1931, she received a change in hull number from CL-26 to CA-26. Northampton primarily served in the Atlantic and Caribbean areas until 1932, then was mainly in the Pacific. In mid-1941, she steamed across that ocean to visit Australia.

On 7 December 1941, Northampton was at sea with the USS Enterprise task force. The next day, she entered Pearl Harbor to witness first hand the devastation caused by Japan's suprise attack. Her early wartime operations were primarily in the Hawaiian area, but in late January 1942 she went to the central Pacific, where on 1 February she bombarded Wotje, in the Marshall Islands. A second bombardment, of Wake Island, was delivered on 24 February. Northampton was unsuccessfully attacked by Japanese aircraft at that time. In March, she operated with the carrier task force that struck Marcus Island and the next month took part in the Doolittle Raid on Japan. She accompanied USS Enterprise to the south Pacific in May 1942 and escorted her through the Battle of Midway in early June.

Northampton returned to the southern Pacific in August 1942 to participate in the Guadalcanal campaign. Serving for the next two months with carrier task forces, she was present when USS Wasp was sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September and accompanied USS Hornet during the 26 October Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. When that carrier was disabled by enemy torpedoes and bombs, Northampton tried to tow her out of danger, but had to abandon Hornet to her fate after another air attack inflicted fatal damage.

During November, Northampton joined a cruiser-destroyer surface action group. On the night of 30 November 1942, her task force intercepted several Japanese destroyers off Guadalcanal. The resulting Battle of Tassafaronga was a shattering experience for the U.S. Navy, which received further proof of the enemy's superiority in night gun and torpedo combat. Northampton was one of four U.S. heavy cruisers hit by Japanese torpedoes. A serious fire amidships prevented damage control parties from controlling her flooding, and she sank stern-first three hours after she was hit.

USS Northampton's wreck was found and examined in 1991-92. Her hull is intact and upright on the bottom of Guadalcanal's "Iron Bottom Sound", some two-thousand feet below the surface. Her guns are still trained out to port, as they were nearly fifty years earlier when she engaged Japanese destroyers in the Battle of Tassafaronga.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:43 am

CA Salt Lake City sunk near Makin. BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

USS Salt Lake City (CA-25, originally CL-25), 1929-1948

USS Salt Lake City, a 9100-ton Pensacola class heavy cruiser built at Camden, New Jersey, was commissioned in December 1929. Her original hull number, CL-25, was changed to CA-25 in July 1931. The ship's first two years of active service were spent in the Atlantic area. She shifted her base to the U.S. west coast in early 1932 and was thereafter generally in the Pacific, with occasional trips through the Panama Canal for brief operations in the Caribbean and Atlantic. In mid-1941, Salt Lake City crossed the Pacific to visit Australia.

On 7 December 1941, when the United States was brought into World War II by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Salt Lake City was operating with the USS Enterprise task group. She remained in the Hawaiian area for the next two months, then participated in her task force's central Pacific raids during February and March 1942. In April, she was part of the force that executed the Doolittle raid on Japan. During August-October 1942, Salt Lake City was in the south Pacific to support the campaign to seize and hold Guadalcanal. She escorted USS Wasp during the landings of 7-8 August and subsequent operations, and was present when Wasp was sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September. On 11-12 October, Salt Lake City helped fight the Battle of Cape Esperance, receiving damage from enemy gunfire.

Following repairs, Salt Lake City was sent to the north Pacific. There, on 26 March 1943 she was the largest U.S. ship present during the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, and was again damaged by Japanese shells. She continued her support of the Aleutian Campaign until September, when she returned to Hawaii to prepare for central Pacific operations. These included the seizure of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943, the invasion of the Marshalls in January and February 1944, and raids on Japanese bases in February-April. The cruiser had a brief north Pacific tour in mid-1944, followed by further central Pacific operations. She took part in carrier operations prior to and during the October 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf.

In 1945, Salt Lake City participated in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns. After the fighting ended in August, she supported the Occupation of Japan and "Magic Carpet" operations to transport American servicemen back to the U.S. The now-elderly cruiser was then placed in relatively inactive status until sent to serve as a target during the July 1946 atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. Left severely damaged by this experience, USS Salt Lake City was decommissioned a month later. She was sunk as a target for conventional weapons in May 1948.

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:53 am

CA Hawkins sunk near Makin. BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

H. M. S. H A W K I N S

"Improved BIRMINGHAM" class cruiser built by HM Dockyard, Chatham and laid down on 3rd June 1916. The HAWKINS fought the Armada. Completed on 19th July 1919 she went to the China Station until 1928 and paid off for major repair. In 1929 this ship re-commissioned for service in the Atlantic Fleet and after refit was re commissioned again for duty in the East Indies. On return to UK in 1935 she paid off into Reserve. During 1939 she was taken in hand for modernisation by H M Dockyard Portsmouth that was completed on 23rd December 1939. After a successful 'WARSHIP WEEK' National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of the Borough of Stockport then in the County of Cheshire.

B a t t l e H o n o u r s

ARMADA 1588 - NORMANDY 1944

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, a demi-Moor Proper, bound and decorated gold,

arising out of wavelets black and silver.

M o t t o

Nil desperandum: 'Never despair'

D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e

1 9 3 9

September Under refit and re-arming at Portsmouth (See General Information).

to Nominated for trade defence in South Atlantic.

November Harbour trials

December Post refit sea trials

23rd On completion of trials and storing too passage to work-up at Portland.

1 9 4 0

January Worked-up at Portland

9th Took passage from Portland to join Squadron for trade defence and interception

of commerce raiders and blockade runners.

14th At Freetown

17th Took passage from Freeetown for duties in South Atlantic

February Under refit at Port Stanley.

On completion deployed on patrol in Plate area.

March Patrol and interception in South Atlantic and West Indies in continuation.

5th Sailed from Montevideo for patrol and took passage on completion to Port Stanley

15th Sailed from Port Stanley to resume Plate area patrol

April South Atlantic patrols in continuation

to

June

July Carried out search for German commerce raider in West Indies area.

August

Patrol and trade defence in continuation.

September Passage to Durban for refit.

October Under refit.

November Post Refit trials.

19th On completion resumed duties in South Atlantic.

December Deployed in South Atlantic.

4th Joined HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE as relief for HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND in Ocean Escort

or military convoy WS5B during passage from Freetown to Durban.

8th Detached to refuel.

10th Rejoined WS5B.

12th Detached on arrival of WS5B at Durban.

Took passage to Freetown for escort of military convoy.

January At Freetown.

8th Provided Ocean Escort for Convoy WS5A with HM Cruiser NORFOLK from Freetown.

9th Detached with HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE.

Took independent passage to Simonstown with HMS FORMIDABLE.

Transferred to East Indies Squadron for convoy defence and interception duties in Indian

Ocean.

21st Escorted ss ANSELM and ss CITY OF CANTERBURY from WS5A into Capetown.

22nd Detached on arrival of ships in Capetown.

27th Escorted ss ANSELM from Capetown for passage to Durban

. 29th Detached on arrival at Durban and joined ships of WS5A for passage to Aden.

Relieved as Ocean Escort for WS5A by HM Cruisers CERES and SHROPSHIRE.

February

1st Took passage from Mombasa to support military operations in Italian Somaliland.

Covered HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE which was diverted during passage in the Indian

Ocean to join Mediterranean Fleet to carry cut air attacks at Mogadishu.

10th Joined HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM Cruisers CAPETOWN, CERES, and

SHROPSHIRE, and HM Destroyer KANDAHAR in Force T on formation for support of

operations and landings by Indian troops in Somaliland.

11th Intercepted 8 Italian and 2 German ships attempting to leave Mogadishu following

sighting by aircraft from HMS HERMES. Five Italian ships scuttled en approach.

17th Detached to join Hunting Group V in search for German battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER

reported in Indian Ocean.

21st Detached to join HM Australian Cruiser AUSTRALIA as escort for military convoy

WS5B off Mombasa on passage in Indian Ocean.

22nd Relieved by HM Cruiser ENTERPRISE and rejoined search for ADMIRAL SCHEER after a

sighting report by an aircraft from HM Cruiser GLASGOW.

. 26th Search abandoned and resumed convoy defence role.

March

3rd Arrived at Aden

12th Rejoined Hunting Group V for Patrol and interception duty in Indian Ocean.

Detached for convoy defence between Durban and Capetown.

April Joined HM Cruisers CORNWALL and LEANDER in search for commerce raider in Indian

Ocean.

On release took passage to Simonstown.

18th Sailed to Capetown for escort of military convoy.

20th Joined military convoy WS7 ships as escort for passage to Durban.

28th Detached from WS7 when relieved by HM Cruisers COLOMBO and GLASGOW in position

O3 32N. 51.12E

May Trade defence and interception duty in continuation.

24th Joined military convoy WS8A during passage from Freetown and relieved HM Cruiser

MAURITIUS as Ocean Escort for passage in Indian Ocean.

31st Sailed from Durban with WS8A.

June

2nd Detached from WS8A for repair.

4th Under repair at Durban.

July On completion took passage to join military convoy W59A.

2nd Relieved HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM as Ocean Escort for WS9A for passage to Durban.

8th Sailed from Durban as Ocean Escort for ships of WS9A during passage to Aden.

21st Detached from WS9A on arrival at Aden.

August Indian Ocean trade defence in continuation.

September

2nd Joined military convoy WS10 as Ocean escort from Capetown to Durban.

8th Detached on arrival of WS10 at Durban.

9th Escorted ss ARONDA from Durban to join military convoy WS10B for onward passage

to Bombay.

On arrival deployed as Ocean Escort for WS10B.

15th Detached from WS10B in position 03.32N 51.12E on relief by HM Cruiser EMERALD.

Resumed trade defence duty in Indian Ocean.

October Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

November Withdrawn from service for refit and took passage to UK.

December Taken in hand for refit at Portsmouth on arrival.

20mm Oerlikon guns and 2 1b Pom Poms fitted.

Aircraft warning radar fitted on both masts with new tripod mainmast.

Surface warning radar Type 271 fitted.

Fire control radar Type 285 installed for 4" AA mountings/

(For details of the development and use of radar in the RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse).

1 9 4 2

January Under refit.

to Nominated for service with 5th Cruiser Squadron. Post refit trials

March

April Harbour trials

May Post refit sea trails and storing

29th On completion took passage to Scapa Flow.

June Worked up with ships of Home Fleet for operational service.

29th Deployed in NW Approaches based on Clyde

July

26th Joined HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK with four destroyers as escort for passage to

Iceland.

Returned to Clyde when detached.

August Passage from Clyde to Freetown.

7th Arrived at Freetown.

15th Joined military convoy WS21 as Ocean Escort during passage from Freetown with HM

Destroyers CATTERICK and PETARD.

27th Detached on arrival of WS21 at Capetown.

30th Rejoined WS21 on departure from Capetown as Ocean Escort for passage in Indian Ocean.

September

5th Arrived at Durban with WS21

10th Remained with ships of WS21 when Aden Section detached.

11th Detached from WS21 Bombay Section on relief by HM Cruiser ENTERPRISE.

Escorted ss VOLENDAM during passage to Mombasa from WS21.

13th Joined Squadron at Kilindini for deployment in Eastern Fleet for convoy defence

and patrol in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

October

11th Joined military convoy WS22B as Ocean Escort for Bombay Section.

17th Detached from WS22B on arrival at Bombay.

November Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

11th Joined military convoy WS23 escorted by H M Armed Merchant Cruiser CARTHAGE as relief for

HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS during passage from Durban.

16th Detached from WS23 as escort for ss EMPRESS OF RUSSIA for passage to Mombasa.

18th Detached from mercantile on arrival at Mombasa.

December Indian Ocean duties in continuation.

1 9 4 3

January Transferred to 4th Cruiser Squadron.

29th Joined Squadron at Bombay.

February Eastern Fleet trade defence and interception duties in continuation.

March

9th Joined military convoy WS26 during passage in Indian Ocean as the relief for HM Cruiser

BIRMINGHAM.

11th Detached from WS26 with Bombay Section redesignated WS26B as escort for passage to Bombay.

17th Detached from WS26B on arrival at Bombay

April Deployed for Squadron duties in Indian Ocean.

to Passage to Simonstown for refit.

May

June Under refit at Simonstown.

July Post refit trials before resuming Indian Ocean duties.

Took passage to Ceylon.

August Indian Ocean Squadron duties in continuation.

28th Joined military convoy WS32 with H M Destroyers NORMAN, QUDEERON and RAPID

for escort during passage to Bombay.

September

3rd Detached from WS32 on relief by HM Cruiser EMERALD.

Embarked CinC Eastern Fleet for passage to Ceylon on transfer of Flag.

October Convoy defence and interception duty in Indian Ocean.

to

November

December Under refit and repair at Simonstown.

1 9 4 4

January Post refit trials and passage to Kilindini to resume duties. Arrived at Kilindini

11th Sailed from Kilindini with Convoy KR8 as escort during passage to Colombo with HM Destroyers

PALADIN and PETARD.

Local Escort was provided by H M Corvette HONESTY HM Cutters SENNEN and LULWORTH.

This convoy comprised the troopships ss KHEDIVE ISMAIL, VARSOVA, EKMA, ELLENGA

and CITY OF PARIS

12th Convoy attacked by Japanese submarine 127 in 1 1/2 Degree Channel, Maldives.

Troopship KHEDIVE ISMAIL was torpedoed and sunk with heavy loss of life.

Remained with convoy because of lack of A/S capability.

(Note: I27 was later sunk by the destroyers (See FIGHTING DESTROYER by G Cornell and

PASSAGE TO DESTINY by B J Crabb.)

13th Arrived at Addu Atoll with the four troopships

Embarked survivors of KHEEDIVE ISMAIL from HMS PETARD and resumed the passage

to Colombo

March

1st Arrived at Colombo with KR8.

Withdrawn from Eastern Fleet duties for service in Hone waters.

19th In collision with Greek destroyer KANARIS in Red Sea during passage to UK.

29th Arrived Clyde for repair.

31st Taken in hand for repair in commercial shipyard.

April Under repair

20th On completion joined 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.

Detached for support duty with Force "U" in Western Task Force during Normandy

landings. (Operation NEPTUNE).

Allocated to Bombarding Force "A" with US battleship USS NEVADA, US cruisers USS

QUINCY and USS TUSCALOOSA, H M Monitor EREBUS and H M Cruisers BLACK PRINCE

and ENTERPRISE.

May Carried out preparation exercises in NW Approaches for NEPTUNE bombardment duty.

25th Assembled with Bombarding Force A at Belfast.

June

4th Operation delayed by 24 hours during passage with Bombardment Force ships.

5th Joined USS BAYFIELD (Flagship of Force "U") and Dutch Gunboat SOEMBA off Isle of

Wight for passage through swept channels.

6th Provided naval gunfire support during assault on UTAH Beach.

(Note: Bombardment targets allocated were Maisy and St. Martin de Varreville batteries.

12th Deployed at GCOSEBERRY4, north of Courselles with Commodore Depot Ships embarked.

Provided support and accommodation for crews of small craft.

Available for bombardment duty if required.

20th After release from NEPTUNE took passage to rejoin Home Fleet.

31st At Rosyth and withdrawn from operational service.

Nominated for service in Training Squadron at Rosyth.

August Passage to Clyde for refit.

September Under refit and conversion prior to relieving HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS.

1 9 4 5

January Under refit

to Future deployment under consideration.

April

May Training requirement cancelled and ship to reduce to Reserve status.

June Reducing to Reserve in Clyde.

doesn´t really look like a heavy cruiser to me, definetely works better in WITP than in real life I guess... really an old ship for WWII action... the single gun mounts alone seem to be strange to me...

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:08 am

CL De Ruyter. Destroyed due to a magazine explosion after two Type 18 aerial launched torpedoes. This is the first major naval loss due to attacks from our new IJNAF torpedo bomber type, the Frances. BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

castor troy · Post by **castor troy** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:15 am

BB California was sunk 120 miles off Makin after being hit by no less than four Type 95 torpedoes from I-123. BANZAI! BANZAI! BANZAI!

USS California (BB-44), 1921-1959

USS California, a 32,300-ton Tennessee class battleship, was built at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, and commissioned in August 1921. During the 1920s and 1930s, she actively participated in the activities of the United States Battle Fleet, often acting as flagship. In 1925, California was one of the ships that conducted a major trans-Pacific cruise to Australia and New Zealand.

With most of the fleet, California deployed to Hawaii in 1940 and was based there as tensions rose in the Pacific over the next year. When Japanese carrier planes raided Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, she was badly damaged by torpedoes and bombs, slowly settling to the harbor bottom over the next few days. Her salvage, repair and modernization represented a major undertaking by the Pearl Harbor and Puget Sound Navy Yards and was not completed until January 1944.

Over two and a half years after she was sunk, California reentered combat, providing heavy gunfire support for the invasions of Saipan, Guam and Tinian during June and July 1944. In October and November, she took part in the Leyte Campaign, including the 25 October 1944 Battle of Surigao Strait, history's last fight between opposing battleships. In January 1945, California participated in the Lingayen Gulf invasion. Damaged by a "Kamikaze" suicide plane on 6 January, she remained in action for more than two weeks before steaming to the U.S. for repairs and an overhaul.

California returned to the Western Pacific in June 1945, in time to take part in the final stages of the Okinawa campaign. She covered occupation activities in the wake of Japan's surrender, then sailed for the Atlantic by way of the Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope. After her arrival at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in December 1945, the battleship was generally inactive until her formal decommissioning in February 1947. After twelve years in the Reserve Fleet, USS California was sold for scrapping in July 1959.

Waiting for 3rd AE patch - bigbaba vs. Castor Troy

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