I'll take that

[Chris21wen]

It.s 3 Jan 42, suddenly a Japanese TF of 4 ships is sited 1 hex from Canton Is. Canton itself was recently reinforced with the have the best part of a USMC Def Bn so they may be able to repluse any invasion. The only navel unit anywhere near is a Repl TF consisting of 4 x AO and 1 x DD. The TF leader decides to leave pronto but does leave his only escort (DD Perkins) behind to hopefully deter or stop what is probably an invasion of Canton Is.

This is what happened.










Night Time Surface Combat, near Canton Island at 153,143, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
SC Ch 8, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Belgium Maru, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Perkins

Japanese ground losses:
1237 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)



Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
Ford, W. crosses the 'T'
DD Tanikaze engages DD Perkins at 1,000 yards
DD Perkins engages SC Ch 8 at 1,000 yards
DD Perkins engages xAK Belgium Maru at 1,000 yards
Range increases to 2,000 yards
DD Tanikaze engages DD Perkins at 2,000 yards
DD Perkins engages xAK Belgium Maru at 2,000 yards
DD Perkins engages DD Tanikaze at 2,000 yards
SC Ch 8 sunk by DD Perkins at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
DD Perkins engages DD Tanikaze at 3,000 yards
DD Perkins engages xAK Belgium Maru at 3,000 yards
Ford, W. orders Allied TF to disengage
DD Tanikaze sunk by DD Perkins at 3,000 yards
xAK Belgium Maru sunk by DD Perkins at 3,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...

[khyberbill]

This happened without any input from you? Interesting. You must have an extremely aggressive TF leader. What is his name? I need him in charge in the two PBEMs I am playing.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: khyberbill

This happened without any input from you? Interesting. You must have an extremely aggressive TF leader. What is his name? I need him in charge in the two PBEMs I am playing.

I created the the SCTF with the DD skipper as TF leader.

[John Lansford]

I did the same thing with a TF escort, sent one DD into Canton after an invasion to shoot up the convoy.  There were 9 ships (8 plus a PB), the DD sank 4 AK's plus the PB and left when he ran out of ammo.  The other 4 AK's were burning fiercely too.
 
When I told this story to my wife, she said had this happened IRL the DD captain would have never been allowed back at sea; he would have been too valuable for PR and propaganda value, what with the CMoH he no doubt received...