Today the battle line visited Sydney! Saved the best for last - wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything!-)
Nice to see 16" shells rip into all kinds of ships [8D]
Hopefully the Yorktown will sink, her sisters have managed to escape...
That ships can move 15-16 hexes before they can be attacked makes it very very hard to intercept them.
Today will be the climax of the battle; I'm re-grouping the fleets and will RTB to replenish and repair.
Planning more visits "down the slot" over the next 6 months. Smaller carrier TF's will also be used to keep Andy honest; will be hard for him to know if it's the KB or a Car Div that approaches.
Hopefully we will keep him from using the facilities in Sydney for some time to come [;)]
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jul 08, 42
Surface Combat - Bombardments
First casualty; a mine blows the Hatsuyuki out of the water.
Had to scuttle her - first fleet destroyer lost in this war.
TF 161 encounters mine field at Sydney (90,167)
Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuyuki, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
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1 carrier, 2 cruisers and 12 subs are among todays casualties [8D]
Naval bombardment of Sydney at 90,167
Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
CA Suzuya
CA Myoko
CA Tone
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Achilles, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Iowan, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Grampus, hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Vito, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Cachalot, hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL James Cook, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Raranga, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Gato, hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Stingray, hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Salamaua, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Leander, Shell hits 20, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Pollack, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Canopus, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Snapper, hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Skipjack, hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Narwhal, hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS S-23, hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Pickerel, hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Oorama, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Georgian, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Matthew Flinders, Shell hits 4, on fire
SS Finback, hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Katoomba, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS S-18, hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Mulcra, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAKL Darvel, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc South Sea, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Vichy, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Tongkol, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AM Junee, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Wawa, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Kaiping, Shell hits 3, on fire
AMc Goolgwai, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AMc Futurist, Shell hits 1
AM Punjab, Shell hits 1, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 14 (7 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 110
Port hits 24
Port fuel hits 2
BB Ise firing at Sydney
BB Mutsu firing at Sydney
BB Nagato firing at Sydney
BB Kirishima firing at Sydney
CA Suzuya firing at Sydney
CA Myoko firing at Sydney
CA Tone firing at Sydney
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Air Combat
Some shore based SBD's sortied against our battle line...not a very rewarding target; almost bomb proof and strutting
with AA guns.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Sydney at 92,171
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete x 3
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 11
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 9 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Ise
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
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I've learned and won't move the KB too close to enemy LBA.
So Andy changed tactics; now LRCAP'ing his remaining warships.
Was quite happy to see that our strikes were heavily escorted and a prolonged A2A battle took place and our
Zero's held the upper hand even outnumbered 71 vs 54.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Kembla at 90,169
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
B5N2 Kate x 10
D3A1 Val x 10
Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 24
Kittyhawk I x 7
F4F-3 Wildcat x 20
F4F-4 Wildcat x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 6 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 6 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Allied Ships
DD Mahan, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Craven
DD Gridley, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
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A small payback from Andy as one or two carriers attack our evacuation ships.
The troops belonged to a guards division waiting in Java.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Albany at 48,160
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1
SBD-3 Dauntless x 17
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
xAK Ume Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Keisyo Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
236 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Albany at 48,160
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes
Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
xAK Keisyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ume Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
348 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
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56 Zero's and 4 Kate's....again I won't complain!
The Kate's all got through but were shot down after completing their attack despite a strong remaining
escort.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Kembla at 90,169
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 56
B5N2 Kate x 4
Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 1
Beaufighter Ic x 10
Kittyhawk I x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 11
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
DD Craven, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
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I think there ain't more fuel in Sydney...numerous ships reported dead in the water.
Despite this we missed them.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sydney at 91,167
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
B5N1 Kate x 22
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 9
P-400 Airacobra x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 29
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 3 destroyed, 6 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-400 Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 9 destroyed
Allied Ships
DD Russell
DD Helm
DD Gwin
Gwin dead in the water ...
Russell dead in the water ...
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Newcastle at 93,167
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
D3A1 Val x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
AM Cowra, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Cessnock, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AM Kalgoorlie, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
Cowra dead in the water ...
Cessnock dead in the water ...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AM Cessnock
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AM Kalgoorlie
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Ground Combat
At Geraldton Andy is reinforcing; time to discourage him slightly...
Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 11779 troops, 127 guns, 800 vehicles, Assault Value = 1147
Defending force 27034 troops, 278 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 919
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Assaulting units:
2/9th Armoured Regiment
27th Infantry Division
159th Mot Infantry Regiment
1st Motor Brigade
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
255th Armoured Brigade
2/11th Armoured Car Battalion
10th Light Horse Battalion
7th Armoured Brigade
Defending units:
2nd Tank Regiment
II./124th Infantry Battalion
16th Recon Regiment
2nd Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
65th Brigade
1st Engineer Co
6th Guards Division
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
26th Air Flotilla
21st Army
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Last Day: "Battle of Sydney"
