Unit Descriptions: Air, Naval, Land

[warspite1]

No comments on Operation Catapult I see - that`s good, I hoped there would be no problem with what is a sensitive subject. That wording is now in agreed form.

In the meantime I have completed the Polish Navy [&o].

[5063 Destroyer Flotilla - by Robert Jenkins]
.B Engine(s) output: 54,500 hp
.B Top Speed: 39 knots
.B Main armament: 7 x 4.7-inch (120mm), 4 x 40mm guns
.B Displacement (full load): 3,383 tons
.B Thickest armour: Not applicable
.P The Polish Navy in World In Flames is represented by a destroyer flotilla
counter. In reality, this flotilla was made up of four relatively modern
destroyers: Burza and Wicher of the Wicher-class and Blyskawica and Grom of the
Grom-class. It is for the Grom-class that the technical details above are given.
.P Of the two destroyer classes, the Wicher`s were the earliest, having been
built in the late twenties in France to a design based upon the Bourrasque-class.
These ships were not entirely satisfactory and were earmarked for modernisation
during the early forties; although this work was never started. The Grom-class
were a different proposition, and provided two fast, well-armed and modern
destroyers for the Polish Navy. In addition to these four vessels, were five
submarines, six minesweepers, a minelayer and other sundry units.
.P Unfortunately, against an enemy like the Kriegsmarine, the small Polish Navy
were never going to be able to put up much of a fight in defence of their
country. As a result, in early 1939, the Polish and British Governments agreed on
a plan for getting some of the Polish naval units to Britain, where they would be
of greater use to the Polish cause, acting under the command of the Royal Navy
(RN). Three destroyers were chosen to sail for Britain in late August, once war
with Germany became imminent. These were Grom, Burza and Blyskawica and they
arrived in the UK on the 1st September, the same day that the Germans launched
their invasion of Poland. In addition to these three vessels, two submarines were
also able to make it to the UK; the Wilk and the Orzel and they joined the RN`s
2nd Submarine Flotilla.
.P The sense in the Anglo-Polish plan had been proved within days of the German
invasion; Whicher and most of the other ships of the Polish Navy were soon sunk.
.P In November 1939, the Polish Government-in-exile and the British Government
signed the Anglo-Polish Naval Agreement, under which Polish Navy ships were to be
operated in every way as Polish Navy vessels, with the exception that they were
under the operational control of the Admiralty.
.P Both the Polish Navy and their merchant equivalent suffered a number of losses
in 1940 (for details of the later see Commonwealth Transport Counter 4724. This
pays tribute to the sailors of the Polish merchant fleet, as there is no World In
Flames counter of their own). Grom took part in the ill-fated Norwegian Campaign
and in early May, while she was in Rombaksfjord providing shore bombardment
against German positions around Narvik, she was sunk in an air attack. In
addition the submarine Orzel was lost with all hands just a month later; it is
believed she fell victim to a mine. It had been Orzel that had sunk the German
freighter Rio de Janeiro at the start of the German invasion of Norway and it was
the presence of the freighter that had convinced the British that the German
fleet movements were not an attempt to break-out into the Atlantic.
.P The RN agreed to transfer ships to replace the losses and to build-up the
Polish Navy during the course of the war. The transfers included the destroyers
Garland (name remained the same), Nerissa (Piorun), Myrmidon (Orkan) and three
Hunt-class escort destroyers: Silverton (Krakowiak), Oakley (Kujawiak) and Bedale
(Slazak). In addition the RN transferred the destroyer Ouragon (name remained the
same) that they had seized from the French Navy after the French surrender in
June 1940, three submarines and a host of smaller vessels.
.P The largest ships transferred to Poland were the two D-class cruisers, Dragon
(which retained her name) and Danae (Conrad), the later being transferred after
the loss of the former in July 1944.
.P The Polish Navy fought alongside the RN in all the main battlegrounds of the
European threatre including Dunkirk, the Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union, the
Mediterranean and the Battle of the Atlantic. Piorun was involved in the hunt for
the battleship Bismarck in May 1941.
.P The losses did not end in 1940 however; the submarine Jastrzab was lost in a
friendly fire incident while on patrol in the Arctic, screening convoy PQ-15; the
Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief
operation, Harpoon a month later; Orkan was torpedoed and sunk with heavy loss of
life in October 1943 whilst on convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic and in
July 1944 the cruiser Dragon was so badly damaged by a torpedo while off the
beaches of Normandy, that she was scuttled to help form part of one of the
artifical mulberry harbours.
.P The story of Poland in World War II is one of the great many that tug at the
heartstrings. The country over which the European war started was quickly overrun
by both German and Soviet foes. However, many of her soldiers, sailors and airmen
fled the country in order to fight on with the Allies to try and help restore
Polish independence. Sadly, despite the gallant, heroic efforts of her servicemen
and women, this was not to be; one totalitarian regime was simply swapped for
another. They deserved better.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

'later' should be 'latter'.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

'later' should be 'latter'.

Warspite1

Thanks Steve - I`ve done a search through the master list - and this was not a one-off mistake [&:]

[paulderynck]

Really minor but in the second last paragraph: "the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon a month later;" the comma should be after Harpoon, not before.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Really minor but in the second last paragraph: "the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon a month later;" the comma should be after Harpoon, not before.

Warspite1

Is that right? I am not saying Operation Harpoon, but operation, Harpoon i.e. I think you would be right if I was saying:

the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief mission, Operation Harpoon, a month later;"

I am no expert on comma`s but I think what I`ve said is right.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Really minor but in the second last paragraph: "the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon a month later;" the comma should be after Harpoon, not before.

Warspite1

Is that right? I am not saying Operation Harpoon, but operation, Harpoon i.e. I think you would be right if I was saying:

the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief mission, Operation Harpoon, a month later;"

I am no expert on comma`s but I think what I`ve said is right.

It read strangely to me. I'm no expert. I focused on the clause: "Harpoon a month later". Maybe a comma before and after would be right, but that's just my opinion. It was during Operation Harpoon wasn't it? How about: "a month later, the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon;"?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Really minor but in the second last paragraph: "the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon a month later;" the comma should be after Harpoon, not before.

Warspite1

Is that right? I am not saying Operation Harpoon, but operation, Harpoon i.e. I think you would be right if I was saying:

the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief mission, Operation Harpoon, a month later;"

I am no expert on comma`s but I think what I`ve said is right.

It read strangely to me. I'm no expert. I focused on the clause: "Harpoon a month later". Maybe a comma before and after would be right, but that's just my opinion. It was during Operation Harpoon wasn't it? How about: "a month later, the Kujawiak was sunk by a mine while off Malta during the important Malta relief operation, Harpoon;"?

Warspite1

Agreed - write up duly amended [:)]

[warspite1]

Please see below the first of the Italian ASW counters.

[5024 ASW Italian - by Robert Jenkins]
.P The date on the back of these ASW and ASW Carrier counters do not relate in
any meaningful way to actual build dates for the ships that undertook the
convoy escort role during World War II. The counter date should therefore be
ignored.
.P These counters do not represent an individual convoy or any specific ships,
but are designed to represent convoy escort groups. They have mixed values
reflecting the fact that the make-up of an escort group could differ from one
convoy to the next.
.P In declaring war, Mussolini had greatly mis-judged the Italian situation. For
one thing, he had given insufficient notice to his merchant fleet captains that
war was about to be declared. As a result, a great many ships were outside of the
Mediterranean on the 10th June 1940 and not all made it back to Italy or to a
neutral port. the Italians had effectively lost over a third of their merchant
fleet before a shot was fired. This simply exacerbated another problem; how to
supply Italian (and later, German) troops in North Africa. One of the little
known stories of World War II is the bravery and sacrifice of the Italian
merchant navy and their escorts in their efforts to supply North Africa.
.P This write-up looks at the Turbine-class destroyers. These were a class of
eight ships that were built for the Regia Marina (RM) in the late twenties. They
were an "improved" Sauro-class, built slightly longer and with a slightly
increased speed.
.P The technical details below are post the outbreak of the Second World War as
the class were originally fitted with two 40mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns.
.B
.B Name: Espero
.B Engine(s) output: 40,000 hp
.B Top Speed: 36 knots
.B Main armament: 4 x 4.7-inch (120mm), 8 x 20mm guns
.B Displacement (full load): 1,670 tons
.B Thickest Armour: n/a
.P The story for this ASW Escort counter is slightly unusual in that the
escorts for this particular battle were also the cargo carriers. However, it is a
story worth telling to honour the bravery of the Italian destroyer captain who
sacrificed his ship to ensure the remaining ships under his command reached their
destination.
.P The engagement that became known as the Battle of the Espero Convoy was fought
south-west of the island of Crete on the 28th June 1940, just over two weeks
after Italy declared war on the French and British.
.P The Italians needed to reinforce their garrison at Tobruk with an anti-tank
unit. Because of the need for speed and to ensure the reinforcements reached
their destination, the RM decided to use three fast destroyers to carry the 162
troops and their equipment. The ships chosen were three Turbine-class destroyers:
Espero (the Flagship of Captain Baroni), Ostro and Zeffiro.
.P At the same time, the Royal Navy (RN) were seeking to safely deliver three
Alexandria-bound convoys of their own in the Eastern Mediterranean. For this,
seven cruisers and sixteen destroyers were deployed, including five cruisers of
Vice-Admiral Tovey`s 7th Cruiser Squadron; Liverpool, Orion, HMAS Sydney,
Gloucester and Neptune. When the Italian ships were spotted by British
reconnaissance aircraft, Tovey detached his squadron to intercept.
.P The first shots were fired at 1830hrs, taking the Italian ships completely by
surprise. The destroyers were faster but the 6-inch gun RN cruisers could out-
range Baroni`s ships. Baroni ordered smoke to be made and used his speed
advantage as he bravely manoeuvred his ship so as to allow the escape of the
other two destroyers.
.P Espero managed to hit Liverpool with one shell, although this caused little
damage. Even so, the RN cruisers found difficulty hitting their target and they
expended an enormous amount of ammunition in finally silencing the plucky little
Italian vessel.
.P There were only 53 survivors from the Espero and Baroni was not one of them.
For his actions that day Captain Baroni was posthumously awarded the highest
honour possible; the Medaglia d´oro al valor militare. Thanks to his actions the
Zeffiro and Ostro both ultimately reached Tobruk.

[Extraneous]

[font="times new roman"]Lets start with...[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]USS Neosho (AO), an oilier, describing a transport? [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some Translations:[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Pong Ho - Along the riverside[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Hai Yin - Hai; Sea. Yîn; literally "flourishing" and "blood red [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet counter in Cruisers in Flames called Volga (please note Soviet idea of a Heavy Cruiser is not the same as ours in the 2nd link ):[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]http://www.steelnavy.com/KomBrigSverdlov.htm[/font][font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Sverdlov class, Project 68-bis, of light cruisers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]SISTERSHIPS: Zhdanov, Aleksandr Suverov, Admiral Senyavin, Dmitrii Pojarskii, Kronshtadt (not completed), Tallin (not completed), Varyag (not completed), Admiral Ushakov, Aleksandr Nevskii, Admiral Lazarev, Ordjonikidze, Shcherbakov (not completed), Kozima Minin (not completed), Dmitrii Donskoi (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya ("un-named" not completed), Molotovsk (renamed Oktyabriskaya Revolutsiya in 1957), Murmansk, Dzerzhinskii, Admiral Nahkimov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Admiral Kornilov (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya (II) ("un-named" not completed, Thanks to Gordon Hogg for clarification of the two hulls listed as "Bez Nazvaniya", meaning un-named).[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet Navy at the Outbreak and During the Great Patriotic War [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]

Warspite1 post # 1145 [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Does anyone know where I can get details of US troopships and important convoys - in the Pacific in particular? For example in January 1942 there were 14 ships that sailed from the US for various destinations e.g. Bora Bora, Noumea etc. They were escorted by TF11 and ANZAC forces but I can find nothing about the transports [/font]
[font="times new roman"]

[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]No they were not.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some history:[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 6, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Second Marine Brigade (Brigadier General Henry L. Larsen, USMC) embarked in troop transports (former Matson Line passenger liners) SS Lurline, SS Monterey, SS Matsonia, cargo ship USS Jupiter, and ammunition ship USS Lassen sails from San Diego, California, for Pago Pago, American Samoa. The initial escort is provided by Task Force 17 comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, the heavy cruiser USS Louisville, the light cruiser USS St. Louis and three destroyers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 23, 1942 [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Task Force 6814 departs New York for New Zealand and then to New Caledonia. This unit with other additions will become the Americal Division. New Caledonia was a Free French, French colony. With the Japanese war machine rolling, the French asked on 12-15-41 for military assistance on (protection).[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]TF 6814 was built around 2 regiments, the 132nd (Illinois) and the 182nd. These had been declared surplus when the federalized NG 33rd and 26th Divisions had been reorganized into triangular divisions. The 164th Regiment (North Dakota) was later added and thus the units were in place for the creation of the Americal Division. Ameri
(cans in New) Cal(edonia) gives you the name.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]]TASK FORCE 6814, US Army in Australia During WW2[/b] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Argentina [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Barry [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Cristobel [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Erickson [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS McAndrew [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Elena [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Rosa [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Island Mail [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 27, 1942 almost 5,000 U.S. Army troops sail from Charleston, South Carolina and arrive on February 17, 1942 at Bora Bora in the Society Islands, which located in the western portion of French Polynesia. This force consists of the 102nd Infantry regiment (less one Battalion), an AA Regiment, and 296 men of the Bobcat Detachment (Bobcat was the code name for Bora Bora) of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion. This is the first operational deployment of the Seabees. Bora Bora is to be used as a refueling base to support the Southern Lifeline to Australi[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I cannot find any information on this group. This is possibly be cause it was hurriedly put together and poorly organized.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]But here is a List of ships of the United States Army.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]February 13, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Chartered U.S. passenger ship SS President Taylor, transporting 900 Army troops to occupy Canton Island, runs aground on a reef off her destination, and becomes stranded.[/font]
 
[font="times new roman"]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

[font="times new roman"]Lets start with...[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]USS Neosho (AO), an oilier, describing a transport? [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some Translations:[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Pong Ho - Along the riverside[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Hai Yin - Hai; Sea. Yîn; literally "flourishing" and "blood red [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet counter in Cruisers in Flames called Volga (please note Soviet idea of a Heavy Cruiser is not the same as ours in the 2nd link ):[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]http://www.steelnavy.com/KomBrigSverdlov.htm[/font][font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Sverdlov class, Project 68-bis, of light cruisers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]SISTERSHIPS: Zhdanov, Aleksandr Suverov, Admiral Senyavin, Dmitrii Pojarskii, Kronshtadt (not completed), Tallin (not completed), Varyag (not completed), Admiral Ushakov, Aleksandr Nevskii, Admiral Lazarev, Ordjonikidze, Shcherbakov (not completed), Kozima Minin (not completed), Dmitrii Donskoi (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya ("un-named" not completed), Molotovsk (renamed Oktyabriskaya Revolutsiya in 1957), Murmansk, Dzerzhinskii, Admiral Nahkimov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Admiral Kornilov (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya (II) ("un-named" not completed, Thanks to Gordon Hogg for clarification of the two hulls listed as "Bez Nazvaniya", meaning un-named).[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet Navy at the Outbreak and During the Great Patriotic War [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]

Warspite1 post # 1145 [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Does anyone know where I can get details of US troopships and important convoys - in the Pacific in particular? For example in January 1942 there were 14 ships that sailed from the US for various destinations e.g. Bora Bora, Noumea etc. They were escorted by TF11 and ANZAC forces but I can find nothing about the transports [/font]
[font="times new roman"]

[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]No they were not.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some history:[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 6, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Second Marine Brigade (Brigadier General Henry L. Larsen, USMC) embarked in troop transports (former Matson Line passenger liners) SS Lurline, SS Monterey, SS Matsonia, cargo ship USS Jupiter, and ammunition ship USS Lassen sails from San Diego, California, for Pago Pago, American Samoa. The initial escort is provided by Task Force 17 comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, the heavy cruiser USS Louisville, the light cruiser USS St. Louis and three destroyers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 23, 1942 [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Task Force 6814 departs New York for New Zealand and then to New Caledonia. This unit with other additions will become the Americal Division. New Caledonia was a Free French, French colony. With the Japanese war machine rolling, the French asked on 12-15-41 for military assistance on (protection).[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]TF 6814 was built around 2 regiments, the 132nd (Illinois) and the 182nd. These had been declared surplus when the federalized NG 33rd and 26th Divisions had been reorganized into triangular divisions. The 164th Regiment (North Dakota) was later added and thus the units were in place for the creation of the Americal Division. Ameri
(cans in New) Cal(edonia) gives you the name.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]]TASK FORCE 6814, US Army in Australia During WW2[/b] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Argentina [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Barry [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Cristobel [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Erickson [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS McAndrew [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Elena [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Rosa [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Island Mail [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 27, 1942 almost 5,000 U.S. Army troops sail from Charleston, South Carolina and arrive on February 17, 1942 at Bora Bora in the Society Islands, which located in the western portion of French Polynesia. This force consists of the 102nd Infantry regiment (less one Battalion), an AA Regiment, and 296 men of the Bobcat Detachment (Bobcat was the code name for Bora Bora) of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion. This is the first operational deployment of the Seabees. Bora Bora is to be used as a refueling base to support the Southern Lifeline to Australi[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I cannot find any information on this group. This is possibly be cause it was hurriedly put together and poorly organized.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]But here is a List of ships of the United States Army.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]February 13, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Chartered U.S. passenger ship SS President Taylor, transporting 900 Army troops to occupy Canton Island, runs aground on a reef off her destination, and becomes stranded.[/font]

[font="times new roman"]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

Welcome to the forum.[:)]

Rob (Warspite1) is going to be delighted, I am sure.[&o]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

[font="times new roman"]Lets start with...[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]USS Neosho (AO), an oilier, describing a transport? [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some Translations:[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Pong Ho - Along the riverside[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Hai Yin - Hai; Sea. Yîn; literally "flourishing" and "blood red [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet counter in Cruisers in Flames called Volga (please note Soviet idea of a Heavy Cruiser is not the same as ours in the 2nd link ):[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]http://www.steelnavy.com/KomBrigSverdlov.htm[/font][font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Sverdlov class, Project 68-bis, of light cruisers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]SISTERSHIPS: Zhdanov, Aleksandr Suverov, Admiral Senyavin, Dmitrii Pojarskii, Kronshtadt (not completed), Tallin (not completed), Varyag (not completed), Admiral Ushakov, Aleksandr Nevskii, Admiral Lazarev, Ordjonikidze, Shcherbakov (not completed), Kozima Minin (not completed), Dmitrii Donskoi (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya ("un-named" not completed), Molotovsk (renamed Oktyabriskaya Revolutsiya in 1957), Murmansk, Dzerzhinskii, Admiral Nahkimov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Admiral Kornilov (not completed), Bez Nazvaniya (II) ("un-named" not completed, Thanks to Gordon Hogg for clarification of the two hulls listed as "Bez Nazvaniya", meaning un-named).[/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]The Soviet Navy at the Outbreak and During the Great Patriotic War [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font="times new roman"]

Warspite1 post # 1145 [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Does anyone know where I can get details of US troopships and important convoys - in the Pacific in particular? For example in January 1942 there were 14 ships that sailed from the US for various destinations e.g. Bora Bora, Noumea etc. They were escorted by TF11 and ANZAC forces but I can find nothing about the transports [/font]
[font="times new roman"]

[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]No they were not.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Some history:[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 6, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Second Marine Brigade (Brigadier General Henry L. Larsen, USMC) embarked in troop transports (former Matson Line passenger liners) SS Lurline, SS Monterey, SS Matsonia, cargo ship USS Jupiter, and ammunition ship USS Lassen sails from San Diego, California, for Pago Pago, American Samoa. The initial escort is provided by Task Force 17 comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, the heavy cruiser USS Louisville, the light cruiser USS St. Louis and three destroyers.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 23, 1942 [/font]
[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Task Force 6814 departs New York for New Zealand and then to New Caledonia. This unit with other additions will become the Americal Division. New Caledonia was a Free French, French colony. With the Japanese war machine rolling, the French asked on 12-15-41 for military assistance on (protection).[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]TF 6814 was built around 2 regiments, the 132nd (Illinois) and the 182nd. These had been declared surplus when the federalized NG 33rd and 26th Divisions had been reorganized into triangular divisions. The 164th Regiment (North Dakota) was later added and thus the units were in place for the creation of the Americal Division. Ameri
(cans in New) Cal(edonia) gives you the name.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]]TASK FORCE 6814, US Army in Australia During WW2[/b] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Argentina [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Barry [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Cristobel [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Erickson [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS McAndrew [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Elena [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Santa Rosa [/font]
[font="times new roman"]SS Island Mail [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]January 27, 1942 almost 5,000 U.S. Army troops sail from Charleston, South Carolina and arrive on February 17, 1942 at Bora Bora in the Society Islands, which located in the western portion of French Polynesia. This force consists of the 102nd Infantry regiment (less one Battalion), an AA Regiment, and 296 men of the Bobcat Detachment (Bobcat was the code name for Bora Bora) of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion. This is the first operational deployment of the Seabees. Bora Bora is to be used as a refueling base to support the Southern Lifeline to Australi[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I cannot find any information on this group. This is possibly be cause it was hurriedly put together and poorly organized.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]But here is a List of ships of the United States Army.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]February 13, 1942[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Chartered U.S. passenger ship SS President Taylor, transporting 900 Army troops to occupy Canton Island, runs aground on a reef off her destination, and becomes stranded.[/font]

[font="times new roman"]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

Warspite1

Thank-you for taking the time to post. A few things:

1. Yes, a fleet oiler on a transport counter. World In Flames is not on a scale that deals with fleet trains - or indeed supply ships used by the Kriegsmarine. Therefore I have taken the liberty to use one US and one German transport counter for the story of USS Neosho and the Altmark/Westerwald. I have taken a similar liberty with the CW, where I have told the story of Lt Wilkinson V.C and the Li-Wo (Li-Wo was a patrol vessel) on an ASW counter and the Italian Espero convoy (again an ASW counter even though the "transports" were destroyers - not merchant vessels being escorted).

I feel these "liberties" are justified where a story deserves telling but the counters do not quite fit.

2. Translations - thank-you.

3. Sorry - its late and its been a long weekend but I could not see Volga in the Sverdlov`s? What am I missing?

4. Convoys - I am not writing about the early Jan convoy with TF17, but the two at the end of that month. Its interesting - I have double checked my two sources and they both state that TF11 covered these convoys - and that was how Lexington and her escorts came to be in the SW Pacific.

If you are interested (and I hope you are) please watch this space in the next day or so.

Rgds

[Extraneous]

[font="times new roman"]Bez Nazvaniya - "un-named" not completed, Thanks to Gordon Hogg for clarification of the two hulls listed as "Bez Nazvaniya", meaning un-named.[/font]





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TF11

TF 11 was originally formed around Lexington (CV-2), then Saratoga (CV-3) until she was disabled by a Japanese torpedo in January 1942.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Lexington_(CV-2)

Lexington patrolled to block enemy raids in the Ohau-Johnston Island-Palmyra Atoll triangle until January 11, 1942, when she sailed from Pearl Harbor as flagship for Vice Admiral Wilson Brown commanding Task Force 11.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saratoga_(CV-3)

Saratoga continued operations in the Hawaiian Island region, but on January 11, 1942, when heading towards a rendezvous with Enterprise 500 miles (800 km) south-west of Oahu, she was hit without warning by a deep-running torpedo fired by I-6.

USS Neches (AO-5) Sunk by enemy action January 23, 1942 by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-72. Neches was to refuel Task Force 11.

January 1942 - Kingman - Christmas Island offensive patrol. TF 11 has not enough fuel to conduct planned raids and sails back to Oahu. Arrived Pearl Harbor January 24,1942.

January 31, 1942 TF11 departed from Pearl Harbor for Fiji to cover TF 8 and TF 17 retirement from Marshalls and Gilberts and escort a convoy for Bora Bora.

http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/index.htm

The 3 big convoys in January 1942 were:

January 6, 1942 The 2nd Marine Brigade left San Diego, California, for Pago Pago, American Samoa.
January 23, 1942 Task Force 6814 left New York Harbour for New Zealand and New Caledonia.
January 27, 1942 The 102nd Infantry regiment with the Seabees left from Charleston, South Carolina for Bora Bora.

[kirk23_MatrixForum]

Sorry for long delay in reply about what post I was talking about, it was post number 3 from way back that lists Gneisenau & Scharnhorst as Pocket battleships,I think this game is going to be fantastic when released and that the write ups are superb.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

She went boom!

I have been distracted from this game by whats happening at the WITP AE forums sorry for any missunderstandings regarding the above.

[warspite1]

As you all know, the write-ups are “chrome” that have been added, to give the counters we push around the board (or more accurately now, drag and drop across the computer screen) added historical flavour and value; for those of us who are interested in that sort of thing.

The write-ups in no way speed up or slow down the MWIF release date, however it would be nice to get these as complete as possible come the game`s release.

To that end I need some serious help! There are some counters that are important in the context of WWII history and so would be nice to have written up. The problem is the time taken for research and planning the counters as much as the actual write ups.

There are two distinct problems:

Submarines

As much as I love the naval aspect, submarine warfare has never been a favourite of mine and as a result, I know next to nothing. This means I have to do a ton of reading to plan out the counters before I can even begin the write-ups. All the German, French, Italian and US subs are yet to be started.

Required

Would anybody be interested in a) doing some research and planning what each counter would be used for (i.e. split by class, variant or whatever), b) what sub(s) would be written about in each counter.

In order of priority I would say Germans followed by US, Italian then French. The Japanese and all other navies except the CW need to be started, or the small number that have been done, needs reviewing.

For example, see CW counter below. There were enough counters to do one or more examples of all the main classes of RN sub. Each write up contains a brief history of the RN subs, the particular class and then the boat itself.

[4742 Submarine - by Robert Jenkins]
.B Engine(s) output: 800 hp (Surfaced) 760 hp (Submerged)
.B Top Speed: 12.75 knots (Surfaced), 9 knots (Submerged)
.B Main armament: 4 x 21-inch torpedo tubes and 1 x 12-pdr gun
.B Displacement (Fully Submerged): 740 tons
.B Diving Depth: 300 ft
.P These World In Flames counters represent a number of submarines rather
than any specific individual submarine. The dates printed on the back of the
counters do not tie up in any meaningful way with build dates for the various
classes of Royal Navy (RN) submarine class and therefore the counter date in
most cases should be ignored. These Commonwealth submarine write-ups contain the
usual technical data, followed by a brief history of one or more submarines from
each of the main classes that saw action during the Second World War.
.P The British initially tried to get the submarine outlawed during the inter-
war years. When this policy failed, Britain tried through treaty to limit the
number of submarines that would be available to any potential enemy. When Hitler
ordered the expansion of the Kriegsmarine in the mid-thirties, U-boat building
was allowed at up to 100% of the RN submarine tonnage (although in theory, this
meant tonnage being taken from surface ship allowances). At the start of the
Second World War, the RN had fifty-nine submarines, of which all but twelve
could be considered modern vessels.
.P This write-up looks at the U-class submarines. This class of submarine was
designed originally as an unarmed training vessel, with the first group of three
boats being ordered in 1936. However, the coming of war changed these plans and
their design was altered to allow six forward mounted torpedo tubes, including
two external tubes. The external tubes were not a success however and they were
removed in later models.
.P The boats were small at 191 feet long, of a single, riveted hull design. They
featured a diesel-electric drive system, which used electric motors to turn the
propellers, relegating the diesel engines to charging of the batteries and
generating electricity for the motors; this was a first for the RN. They proved
manoeuvrable vessels that were quick to dive.
.P Some of the later boats began with the letter V as the RN found difficulty in
finding enough appropriate words beginning with the letter U!
.P The group III boats, also known as the V-class, were built to a slightly
larger design, with a length of 205 feet, and were slightly faster on the
surface. They used a welded hull and could dive an additional 100 feet. The data
above reflects these changes.
.P Although there were numerous problems with the initial design, these were
soon ironed out and this class became one of the most successful submarine
classes of the Second World War. Seventy of these submarines were built, serving
with the Free French, Dutch, Norwegian, Russian, Polish, Danish and Greek
navies.
.P
.P HMS Venturer
.P HMS Venturer was from group III or the V-class. She was completed in August
1943 and after work-up she joined the 9th Submarine Flotilla then based in
Scotland.
.P She had a number of victories to her name; she sank the German merchant ship
Thor in March 1944 off Stadlandet, Norway and the Friedrichshafen the following
month. In September, she disposed of the Norwegian vessel Vang and was then
lucky to escape from an attack by enemy shore batteries two days later whilst
trying to attack a convoy.
.P Then in November, she sank the first of two German submarines. Her first
victim was the U-771 which she engaged on the 11th November, again off the
Norwegian coast. There were no survivors from the German vessel.
.P Her second U-boat success gave Venturer a unique place in World War II
history; she is believed to be the only submarine of any nationality to have
sunk a submerged enemy submarine while submerged herself. The incident took
place in February 1945 west of Bergen, when Venturer, commanded by Lt Jimmy
Landers, took on U-864, commanded by Kapitan Ralf-Reimar Wolfram.
.P The British were aware from intelligence reports that the Germans were going
to attempt to send vital materials and plans to Japan in order that she could
continue the war; Operation Caesar. U-864`s cargo included jet fighter parts
and missile guidance systems. In addition, she carried around seventy tons of
mercury.
.P The operation got off to a bad start in late 1944 as U-864 ran aground in the
Kiel canal. However, she was able to get to Bergen, where she underwent repairs.
It was only at the start of February 1945 that she was able to sail once more.
.P Venturer was ordered to intercept her, but the German vessel had already
passed the patrol area that Venturer had been assigned. However, the bad luck
that U-864 had already encountered on its ill-fated mission continued. She was
struck by mechanical problems and so had no choice but to return for further
repair. This meant her passing back through Venturer`s patrol area. The Germans
sent an escort to meet U-864 and in order to avoid detection, Landers decided to
turn off his sonar system, and use his more basic hydrophone equipment. This
decision would make the search for the German U-boat more difficult but would
also make detection by the German escorts more difficult.
.P On the 9th February, Venturer made contact, and after confirming sight of
the U-boat`s periscope through his own periscope, Landers decided to follow the
U-boat and attack when she surfaced. Unfortunately for Landers, Wolfram soon
realised he was being followed and tried to shake off the pursuing RN vessel.
.P For Landers it was decision time. With each minute, U-864 would get closer to
the safety of Bergen and the escorts waiting to accompany it to the Norwegian
port. He decided to strike, even though U-864 was still submerged. The German
vessel was zig-zagging and so Landers had to decide how best to launch his four
torpedoes. With no computers to assist his calculations, he came up with a
firing solution. He ordered all four torpedoes be fired at precise times and at
various depths and courses.
.P Wolfram and the crew of U-864 heard the torpedoes and took evasive action. He
managed to avoid the first three torpedoes but not the fourth. This hit the
U-boat, causing her sinking with all 73 crew.
.P In March, Venturer sank the German merchant Sirius. After the war ended, she
was transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy, whereupon her name was changed to
Utstein.
.P HMS Venturer/Utstein was scrapped in 1965.


Transports / Amphibious / ASW

Again few of these have been done (CW excepted) and the US in particular must have a ton of stories – especially in the Pacific. I have posted examples of CW counters for all of these unit types on this thread previously. The only critical country here is the US.

Any assistance would be extremely gratefully received – but be warned – it’s a lot of work!!

[Extraneous]

Depending on the number of AMPH's in the game you could use the Amphibious Command ships as write ups.

NavSource Naval History Photographic History Of The U.S. Navy

This site lists Civil War through current U.S. Navy ships. 

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

Depending on the number of AMPH's in the game you could use the Amphibious Command ships as write ups.

NavSource Naval History Photographic History Of The U.S. Navy

This site lists Civil War through current U.S. Navy ships. 

Warspite1

Well done Mr Extraneous - this is really helpful [:)]

I have used the Amphibious Command Ship for one of the Royal Navy counters (HMS Bulolo) so one - possibly two (Pacific and European?) of these will be perfect for the US transports.

[kirk23_MatrixForum]

While reading the CASE WHITE AAR, I noticed 2 obvious stand out points of interest concerning the German ship counters.

1 = The heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper has her full name,while the Admiral Graf Spee is just Graf Spee.

2 = Regarding both ships defence strenght Vulnerability Admiral Hipper is (6) while Admiral Graf Spee is (7) surely they should be the same value or Admiral Graf Spee should be (5) as she was the heavier armoured of the 2 classes of ships.

I know that the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper is the larger ship lenght and tonnage wise + 4 knots faster,but in all other aspects she is weaker than the Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee ?[;)]

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: hellfirejet

While reading the CASE WHITE AAR, I noticed 2 obvious stand out points of interest concerning the German ship counters.

1 = The heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper has her full name,while the Admiral Graf Spee is just Graf Spee.

2 = Regarding both ships defence strenght Vulnerability Admiral Hipper is (6) while Admiral Graf Spee is (7) surely they should be the same value or Graf Spee should be (5) as she was the heavier armoured of the 2 classes of ships.

I know that the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper is the larger ship lenght and tonnage wise,but in all other aspects she is weaker than the Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee ?[;)]

From what I know, ADG used the data for the 1945 refit for the Hipper.
After this refit, the Hipper had a thicker max belt and turret armor than the Graf Spee.
Also, the Hipper was 4.5 knots quicker than the Graf Spee, which is a factor that is considered in the defense factor.
After all calculations, the Hipper had a defense factor of 6.28, and the Graf Spee 6.75. The rounding make it a 1 point difference, but they were closer in reality.

Anyway, in MWiF you'll be able to change the values of all ships to what you prefer. You'll just need to find people that share the same views, so that they use your CSV files and you can have a game.

[kirk23_MatrixForum]

Regarding Admiral Hipper refit I will need to check to see if that was ever done as she was scuttled in May 1945.At time of launch of both ships Admiral Graf Spee was the better armoured,I asked about the ability to use an editor in another thread I posted and was told no,so glad to here that I will be able to tweak values on the counters,I will be changing quite alot,won't matter much in respect of playing the game as I play against the AI.[:)]

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: hellfirejet

Regarding Admiral Hipper refit I will need to check to see if that was ever done as she was scuttled in May 1945.At time of launch of both ships Admiral Graf Spee was the better armoured,I asked about the ability to use an editor in another thread I posted and was told no,so glad to here that I will be able to tweak values on the counters,I will be changing quite alot,won't matter much in respect of playing the game as I play against the AI.[:)]

There is no editor, but all the counters factors and all the map datas are contained in a dozen of CSV files. Editing CSV files is pretty easy, once you know the meaning of each field, and the MWiF documentation will have an appendix where all those fields are described. And if iit is not sufficient, I've worked enougth on the counters and the map to give directions to anyone who would have problems editing the counters.