Shattering the Sword (AE Edition), Cantona 2 (A) vs 1275psi (J)

[cantona2]

[font="Times New Roman"]From:CINCPAC PEARL HARBOUR
TO: VADM HALSEY CO TASK FORCE 406

IN VIEW OF THREAT POSED BY ENEMY AIRCRAFT YOU ARE ORDERED TO HEAD SOUTH WEST DIRECTION TARAWA THEN DESTINATION PEARL HARBOUR, VIA REFUEL CANTON ISLAND

CONGRATULATIONS ON STRIKE

GOD SPEED[/font]

[gladiatt]

Damn, this is now 2 Cantona2 AAR to read ! i hope i won't get confused [:D].
I like your style, and will be reading [:)]

[cantona2]

Thanks galdiatt

[Fletcher]

Hi Cantona2 !
Congratulations for your strike on Marshalls...good allied agressive spirit early.
Best of lucks !
Fletcher
 

[cantona2]

From:SS Triton
To: CINCPAC/AUSTRALIA COMMAND/LOCAL COMMANDER RABAUL
Time: 06:45 23/12/1941

ENEMY SHIPS SIGHTED OFF PONAPE***1 BB 3 CL AND 3 DD***HEADING UNDETERMINED***MOVING TO ENGAGE***

[cantona2]

[font="Times New Roman"]War Diary of Southern Luzon Force Christmas Eve 1941

Enemy fighters (A6M2) sweeps over Manila. 2 P-40e lost, 1 enemy shot down confirmed by Observer Corps Manila Harbour. Heavy air raids on air installations once again. Harbour not targetted.

Harbour Master Report

Estimated return of service of ships in dry dock

SS Porpoise Two Days
SS Stingray Four Days
SS Searaven Five Days
SS Sailfish Five Days

xAKL Joan Moller reports arrival at Busuanga and loading of supplies underway. ETA at Manila AM 27th December.

Orders confirmed, movement of 45th PS Infantry RCT and 4th Marine Rgt to Clarke Field from Bataan.

19thBG/HqSqn reports no aircraft ready for action. B-17D returned with flak damage to wing after recon flight over Aparri. 19th BG reports 8 a/c ready for action, 7 under repair.

Report received from LCDR Coe, c/o S-39. Reported engaged Japanese transport on surface due to malfunctioning torpedo tubes. Report heavy damaged to enemy vessel, received light damage in return. Returning to Manila to repir tubes.

41st PA Infantry Division and 192nd Tank Battalion report Batangas clear of enemy troops. Japanese 16th Recon Regiment identified from intell gathered from enemy dead. 192nd Tank Battalion ordered to Mauban to rendevous with 51st PA Division and assault enemy troops there.[/font]

[cantona2]

Elsewehre in the theatre

SS Triton reports torpedo strike on Yubari class light cruiser at Ponape. SS KVI heading to Singapore after receving heavy damage in ASW attack in approaches to Singkawang.

All contact is lost with Georgetown, base assumed to have fallen to Japanese whose forward units have engaged the Temuloh Line.

45th Indian Brigade completes unloading at Batavia, moving to Tjilitjap to act as Java Strategic Reserve.

2/3rd Ind Company reports completed loading in AP Maori in Sydney and enroute to Noumea.

Meanwhile in the Bangka Straits, snooped by GVT-1...

[cantona2]

'Merry Christmas 1941 to all you boneheads...'

Tokyo Rose's dulcent, traitorous tones wafted across the South China Sea to taunt and tantalize, Commonwealth soldier, Dutch trooper and US soldiers alike. For many their first Christmas at war, for some also their one and only as the asiatic foe knew no compassion on this marked of days.

Yet it could have been very different if luck had sided with the Royal Navy. The 'D' Class crusiers Dragon and Durban had been holed up at Palembang, escorting supply convoys into Singapore when the Kito Butai turned up supporting the Japanese landings on Borneo. The task force under Captain Cazalet had been skulking under the horrible weather that kept Singapre socked in.

Cazalet had had enough. On Christmas Eve he gave orders to break out of port upon reports from GVT-1, based at Palembang, that Japanese surface units were tantalizingly close to the Tambelan Islands. He had gambled on the weather and the speed of his ships to seek, firstly, a night time engagement and secondly a speedy run into Singapore and its fighter protection. As the sun set on Christmas Eve 1941 his ships ploughed eastwards and into the most powerful force afloat in the whole Pacific Ocean.

The first inkling the Cazalet had was the radar contacts the Durban, Dragon and the destroyer Jupiter were receiving and relaying to his position on the Durban's observation deck. Several large contacts to his immediate forward, but to the human eye just sea swell and driving rain. He deployed the radarless Stronghold and Encounter on his flanks while the Jupiter steamed just ahead of his two cruisers.

Then suddenly a radio message, one he would remember for the rest of his days, from the Jupiter....'we have Japanese carriers in our sights...' He could not believe it at first but then as the range between him and his target closed it dawned on him that he had the possiblity to severely hamper the Japanese war effort. He cursed the weather but it was also a boon as at least it meant some sort of level playing field. Radar would be guiding his guns. He was relaying orders to his fire control officers when he caught his breath. There, 10,000 yards distant, lying smack in the middle of his binoculars was the unmistakeable shilouette of a Japanese Kaga class aircraft carrier. The biggest prize one could hope for right under his guns.

Frenetic action gripped the British ship and at 8,000 yards the main 6inch batteries of the Dragon and the Durban opened fire on the surprised Japanese ships that did not react until a sheet of flame erupted from the carrier. Taking immediate evasive action the darker shapes around the Kaga, now revealed to be the main Japanese carrier force, began to turn while other, more menacing shapes built up steam and sped towards the small Royal Navy Squadron. Cazalet's destroyers also joined in as a Japanese cruiser was hit by hte Stronghold.

'Battleship ahead, three destroyers...God damnit thats 6 carriers I can count Sir...' came the voice of his exec, that was quickly followed by a large explosion and a shower of tepid salt water from a near miss launched by the BB Hiei. Much of the encounter was a confusing launching of salvoes as the Japanese destroyers put themselves between their vulnerable cares and the torpedo carrying British ships. The Kaga was observed to be hit twice but due to the intensity of the battle, the worsening weather and the sheer amount of firepower arranged against him, Cazalet gave the order to reitre north westwards an hour and twenty five minutes after contact was made. His ships disappeared into a swell, and lost the radarless Japanese ships. In a calmer environment Cazalet refelcted on the missed opportunity and cursed the absence of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse currently at Sorebaja.



I bet Herb had a fit when he saw this!

The dawn brought the folly of decision to steam to Singapore home to Cazalet. The clouds had thinned considerably and the rain had almost stopped. By mid morning the sun was shinning and it was too much to ask of the Japanese carriers not to at least attempt a strike. It would have been like poking a bee's nest and asking them not to sting. Once again it was radar that provided warning as three different waves of land and carrier based bombers attacked the task force during the day.

The first two waves were easily repulsed with at least two enemy bombers, suspected G4M1 type, were shot down by flak. The carrier planes, which attacked twice during the day, were much more deadly. Divebombers casued the Royal Navy ships to maneouver quite violently as the shower of bombs peppered the armoured hulls of the ships with shrapnel.

The CL Dragon, however run out of luck when it was caught by a flight of 4 torpedo carrying plane carrying out a hammer and anvil attack. The first torpedo sailed harmlessly before the prow of the ship as her captain turned her desperately to port, her flak batteries following the enemy plane as she skimmed above at mast height! Unfortunately as he righted his ship a torpedo launched by the second plane from port side slammed into the Dragon's hull amidships. She immediately slowed down and belched very black smoke that obscured her from from. A second more violent explosion struck her from her staboard side as the third plane delivered the death blow. 3 minutes later she sunk, 17 survivors were picked up before the order was given to now steam southwest to Batavia, perhaps a better decision in hindsight!



Don't Dixie's ship sides look great ingame?

The new course set by Captain Cazalet.

[cantona2]

As dusk fell on Boxing Day 1941 the intell boys at Singapore were desperately trying to construct a picture of Japanese strategy for the morning briefing. Data collected during the day put the bulk of the Japanese carrier force escorting a mass of ships westwards from Singkawang. The only discernable target in that direction was the Dutch oil haven of Palembang, surely the Japs were not stupid enough to attack Singapore from the seaward side?
The Port Blair detachment had radioed in an attack by airborne units. They had held the first assaulk but feared a reinforcement of enemy troops tomorrow. A Buffalo squadron, well the remnant of one, has left Sabang and landed on Port Blair to try and intercept any transport planes tomorrow.

[cantona2]

All communications with Palembang have been lost as of 15:00 yesterday afternoon. The base appears to have fallen to a mass assault after the last garbled message made reference to masses of enemy infantry. All aircraft had been rebased the day before but the previous daily report was encouraging, especially after the reports from the CD units at Palembang that had hit several of the attacking enemy transports. This was tied in with the bad news that all communications had also been lost with Kuala Lumpur!

To the north, Japanese paratroopers had made a surprise landing at Port Balir but two RAF squsdrons, one Buffalo (488 Sqaudron) and one Blenheim IF (27 Squadron), had provided stirling aerial cover with over 25 transports shot down over two days. As such the Japanese airborne soldiers could not assault in strength on the second day. Sqaudron Leader Fowle, 27 Sqaudron, scored his fifth confirmed kill making him the first allied 'ace' of the Pacific War.

On Luzon the enemy has rentered Batangas, this time the same recon regiment was reinforced by an infantry regiment and an engineer detachment. The 192nd Tank Battalion, fresh from its success at Mauban, would spearhead the counter attack of the 41st PA Infantry Division and  an attached battalion of infantry. Of more concern were the reports placing enemy ships unloading at Atimonan. If this was the case the Japanese could reinforce their southern thrust quicker than from Naga.

Signals Intercepts place an engineer battalion at sea with orders to attack Davao in southern Mindanao. The squadron led by the CL Boise, currently in the Celebes Sea off Tarakan, is redploying to be in a prime striking position once these ships are sighted. Search planes from Cagayan, Manado and Ternate are carrying out intensive search patrols to locate these Japanese ships.

[cantona2]

Japanese startegy in China seems to invlove a massive push on Nanyang and Loyang from both south and east.

Yesterday Tsiaotso was captured by a massive assault that literally blew the blocking force out of the way, the 27th Corps in particular taking a beating.



This assault is tied to a move up the Nanyang road by several Japanese Army Corps. A line is being established and Nanyang has been considerably reinforced, as well as being supported by the NCAF Bomber Wing.

[Swenslim]

Absolutly crazy move in my opinion ! Why is he rushing to take Palembang when Singapore is far away to be sieged ? You can bomb it and inflict heavy damage to oil wells.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

Absolutly crazy move in my opinion ! Why is he rushing to take Palembang when Singapore is far away to be sieged ? You can bomb it and inflict heavy damage to oil wells.

The KB was parked near Singapore for a few turns and plastered my airfields. No naval strikes were launched, I'm assuming CAP over KB here.

[cantona2]

Well here is the first scoreboard of the game. The immediate disparity with WitP is the higher rate of Japanese A2A losses in AE. I have never scored so highly in a game before so early in the game, or managed to keep losses to a respectable figure, 88 Buffalos being the highest casualties. The large amount of ships sunks is due to Herb's strike on Manila with a full KB on turn 1 and subsequent slaughter of refugees from the PI's. Palembang, Davao and northern and southern Luzon are in Japanese hands. Jap troops are in the Manila suburbs and Kuala Lumpur has fallen. He has take Port Blair by airborne assault and must be supplying it by air. In the East, I have started to build a chain of bases from the WC to OZ. Likewise a Wake Reinforcement convoy is three days out. The Lexington was refuelled by an oiler and is still standing by, and aill continue to do so until the RCT unloads at Wake to reinforce the Marines there. As of yet no moves on Java, PNG or the Eastern Pacific.

[cantona2]

[font="Times New Roman"]This is the BBC World Service for 2nd January 1942

The Battle for Java has begun. Japanese fighters and bombers carried out their first raid over Batavia, Java this morning. Heavy losses have been inflicted on the Japanese with three Dutch fighters going down. Local commanders are working closely with Singapore HQ and coordinating the defence of Java and Malaya.

In other war news German troops continue their withdrawl from the Moscow Front...[/font]


In a dark radio room in the main CINCPAC building at Pearl Harbour,

The smoky, badly lit interior of the room had that musky smell of unwashed uniforms and mildewy walls. Yet in its walls lay perhaps the most important Allied weapon in this war, the signals intercepts of the Pacific Fleet. There was a constant background noise of shuffling papers, typewriters at work, telex machines and mutued conversation, but all these came to a stop when a garbled, almost broken, official Japanese voice came over the tannoy. The signal was very weak indicating its distance and was one of thousands all ready intercepted. It was its translation that caused jubilation and joy in the nominally austre atmosphere

'static noise...[font="Times New Roman"]Repeat failure of emergency pumps[/font]...static...[font="Times New Roman"]position[/font]..static...[font="Times New Roman"]60miles[/font]....[font="Times New Roman"]Daito Shoto[/font]...static..[font="Times New Roman"]don ship given long live emper[/font]...static...'

The initial decoder had already identified the call sign of the Battleship Yamashiro as the origin of the message. The Yamashiro was reported hit by a torpedo carrying Catalina off Antioman, the Phillipines about a week ago.

[Moondawggie]

ORIGINAL: cantona2


In a dark radio room in the main CINCPAC building at Pearl Harbour,

The smoky, badly lit interior of the room had that musky smell of unwashed uniforms and mildewy walls. Yet in its walls lay perhaps the most important Allied weapon in this war, the signals intercepts of the Pacific Fleet. There was a constant background noise of shuffling papers, typewriters at work, telex machines and mutued conversation, but all these came to a stop when a garbled, almost broken, official Japanese voice came over the tannoy. The signal was very weak indicating its distance and was one of thousands all ready intercepted. It was its translation that caused jubilation and joy in the nominally austre atmosphere

'static noise...[font="Times New Roman"]Repeat failure of emergency pumps[/font]...static...[font="Times New Roman"]position[/font]..static...[font="Times New Roman"]60miles[/font]....[font="Times New Roman"]Daito Shoto[/font]...static..[font="Times New Roman"]don ship given long live emper[/font]...static...'

The initial decoder had already identified the call sign of the Battleship Yamashiro as the origin of the message. The Yamashiro was reported hit by a torpedo carrying Catalina off Antioman, the Phillipines about a week ago.

Somebody needs to buy that PBY crew a round of drinks!

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Moondawggie

ORIGINAL: cantona2


In a dark radio room in the main CINCPAC building at Pearl Harbour,

The smoky, badly lit interior of the room had that musky smell of unwashed uniforms and mildewy walls. Yet in its walls lay perhaps the most important Allied weapon in this war, the signals intercepts of the Pacific Fleet. There was a constant background noise of shuffling papers, typewriters at work, telex machines and mutued conversation, but all these came to a stop when a garbled, almost broken, official Japanese voice came over the tannoy. The signal was very weak indicating its distance and was one of thousands all ready intercepted. It was its translation that caused jubilation and joy in the nominally austre atmosphere

'static noise...[font="Times New Roman"]Repeat failure of emergency pumps[/font]...static...[font="Times New Roman"]position[/font]..static...[font="Times New Roman"]60miles[/font]....[font="Times New Roman"]Daito Shoto[/font]...static..[font="Times New Roman"]don ship given long live emper[/font]...static...'

The initial decoder had already identified the call sign of the Battleship Yamashiro as the origin of the message. The Yamashiro was reported hit by a torpedo carrying Catalina off Antioman, the Phillipines about a week ago.

Somebody needs to buy that PBY crew a round of drinks!

Lol Moondawggie. I'm guessing its FOW but I thought it would be nice to weave it into the AAR narrative.

[cantona2]

FROM: SS PLUNGER
TO: ASIATIC FLEET, MANILA
SUBJECT: TORPEDOES
DATE: JAN 4TH 1942

Report sighting and hitting of a Nagato Class Battleship at Babeldoab. Sonogramme confirms at least two torpedo hits of four launched but no explosion. Second time during this patrol that faulty torpedoes strike enemy ships. Request instructions.

[Fletcher]

FROM: ARMAMENT BUREAU. TORPEDOES SECTION. SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA.
TO: ASIATIC FLEET HQ. CAVITE NAVAL STATION. MANILA. LUZON ISLAND. P.I.
SUBJECT: MK.XIV TORPEDOES
DATE: JAN 4TH 1942.

SUBMARINE SKIPPERS MUST NOT TO CHANGE MK.XIV SHAPES. THIS DESIGN WAS TESTED AT TOP SECRET EXERCISE YEARS AGO AND NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED. EVERY SUBMARINE SKYPPER MUST TO FOLLOW OUR SUBMARINE DOCTRINE, THE PROBLEM MUST BE ON TDT OR HITS REPORTED ARE FALSE. REPEAT, MK.XIV TORPEDOES MUST NOT BE SHAPED UNDER ANY CONDITION. IF ANY SKIPER WOULD TRY, MUST BE RELEAVED FROM COMMAND.

ACKNOWLEDGE /
END //

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Fletcher

FROM: ARMAMENT BUREAU. TORPEDOES SECTION. SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA.
TO: ASIATIC FLEET HQ. CAVITE NAVAL STATION. MANILA. LUZON ISLAND. P.I.
SUBJECT: MK.XIV TORPEDOES
DATE: JAN 4TH 1942.

SUBMARINE SKIPPERS MUST NOT TO CHANGE MK.XIV SHAPES. THIS DESIGN WAS TESTED AT TOP SECRET EXERCISE YEARS AGO AND NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED. EVERY SUBMARINE SKYPPER MUST TO FOLLOW OUR SUBMARINE DOCTRINE, THE PROBLEM MUST BE ON TDT OR HITS REPORTED ARE FALSE. REPEAT, MK.XIV TORPEDOES MUST NOT BE SHAPED UNDER ANY CONDITION. IF ANY SKIPER WOULD TRY, MUST BE RELEAVED FROM COMMAND.

ACKNOWLEDGE /
END //

[:D]

Methinks there is a Japanese spy in the Armaments Bureau!