AE Historical Game Project. Cantona2 (allied) vs Fletcher (Jap)

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. TSUKAHARA, 11ST AIR FLEET CINC. RABAUL.
TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS AIR REPORT.
DATE: JUNE 5TH, 1942

With total air supremacy got over Santa Cruz Island after the Kido Butai strikes, our 25th Air Flotilla assets have bombed enemy air facilities with absolute impunity. No enemy were flying over our targets. Our strikes, like bellow:

- 59 A6M2 flying a sweep mission over Ndeni reported no enemy on CAP.
- 43 A6M2 escorted 60 G4M1 to bomb enemy air facilities reporting 1 airbase and 25 runway hits.
- 7 A6M2 escorting 31 G4M1 bombed Ndeni to report 2 airbase supply and 7 runway hits.
- 21 A6M2 swept Ndeni skies.
- 18 A6M2 swept Ndeni skies.

Our C5M2 recon flights reported severe damages over enemy air and port facilities after be bombed by naval heavy fire from Mobile Force.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END //

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM CHUICHI NAGUMO, KIDO BUTAI CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI.
TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS RAID
DATE: JUNE 5TH, 1942

Our LRCAP over Ndeni reported two enemy A29 Hudsons were intercepted and downed by our Type 0 Naval Fighters.

Our strikes over enemy like bellow:

- 17 A6M2 and 23 B5N2 strike Ndeni reporting 4 runway hits.
- 19 A6M2, 44 D3A1 and 43 B5N2 from CARDIV2 met with 9 Wildcats F4F-3A over Vanikoro. 1 A6M2 and 1 B5N2 were downed with 3 F4F destroyed. 6 airbase, 5 airbase supply and 33 runway hits were reported from Vanikoro Striking Group.
- 47 A6M2, 46 D3A1 and 48 B5N2 from CARDIV1 (Reserve Striking Group) reported 7 casualties, 1 airbase, 1 airbase supply and 30 runway hits.

We are awaiting to decode a HIGH PRIORITY MESSAGE from 4th Fleet CINC.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. S.INOUYE, 4TH FLEET CINC. TRUK
TO: VADM. CHUICHI NAGUMO. KIDO BUTAI CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI.
SUBJECT: ENEMY CARRIERS IN SIGHT !!
DATE: JUNE 5TH, 1942

After enemy TG was spotted yesterday by a flyingboat in naval search mission at south Gilberts group, with an enemy AO identified, I ordered to increase our patrols in this area. Today a H6K4 flying a long range naval search mission reporte have been intercepted by CARRIER BASED FIGHTERS !. Our flying boat cut out radio contact with us and cannot return. Several groups of enemy transport have been spotted in the little islands south of Tarawa.

With KIDO BUTAI Carriers in the area should be a good chance to strike enemy forces when landing. We are pretty sure that you can reach an attack position in 48 hours, erasing all enemies with a heavy push from your carrier based torpedo planes.

This request have been sent to COMBFLEET CINC at Kure.

Long Live to the Emperor !!
END//

[Fletcher]

ORIGINAL: traskott

Congratulations for your raid !!! Another blow for the allied morale, as Tokio Rose use to say....[:D]

Traskott,

Thank you very much ! I should await to end the mission to be congratulated for it . I need to destroy all enemy nest nearby Salomon, and I will need some days to complete it ... BUT, ENEMY CARRIERS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED south Gilberts !! Now, I must to take a decission, like Nagumo at Midway [8|]. We are on June 5th, 1942!!

Thanks a lot for your message.
Ramón

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. HOSOGAYA. 5TH FLEET CINC. OMINATO.
TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: AIR STRIKE OVER ADAK ISLAND.
DATE: JUNE 5TH, 1942


HIJMS RYUJO AIR GROUP HAVE SWEPT ADAK ISLAND TO DESTROY ENEMY FIGHTERS IN DOGFIGHT. AT EARLY MORNING THEY TAKE OFF FROM CARDIV 4 WITH 24 A6M2. ENEMY WAS ON CAP WITH 8 P40B AND 6 KITTYHAWKS. 2 A6M2 WERE DOWNED BY ENEMY, WITH 1 KITTYHAWK AND 5 P-40 DESTROYED BY OUR AIRCRAFTS.

MORE AIR STRIKES WILL FOLLOW IF NEEDED.

WE CAN CONFIRM ENEMY HAVE RAISED AN ADVANCED SUBMARINE BASE IN THIS ISLAND. OUR LONG RANGE RECON FLIGHTS REPORTED TWO SUBMARINES AND 1 AS DOCKED AT YARD.

LONG LIVE TO THE EMPEROR !
END//

[traskott]

I'll send all the full KB against the enemy carriers, but...u know, young people is so impetuous...

[Fletcher]

FROM: LTGEN. H.OBATA, 5TH AIR DIVISION CINC. SAIPAN.
TO: GEN. SADOMU SHIMOMURA, SOUTHERN AREA ARMY CINC. MANDALAY.
SUBJECT: AIR RAID, PORTLAND ROADS.
DATE: JUNE 5TH, 1942

33 Ki-43Ic take off this morning to escort 13 Ki-48IIa to bomb enemy advanced air facilities at PortLand Roads in the eastern coast of Australia, nearby to New Guinea. Our bombers reported 1 runway hits. NO enemy were reported on CAP. Probably they are withdrawing to reinforce South Seas after enemy have been mauled there by our Navy.

11 Ki-48IIa have reached Port Moresby like reemplacements for our attack Daitai.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END//

[Fletcher]

ORIGINAL: traskott

I'll send all the full KB against the enemy carriers, but...u know, young people is so impetuous...

That´s the question...I am not a young.. [:D]

I have a massive force in the South with 6 fleet carriers and 3 light carrier supported by battleships and heavy cruisers, but I would like to end with the preplanned mission (one month to start it with cares and avoiding enemy contact to get a total surprise). Supress enemy facilities at Santa Cruz is a must to gain as much time as possible until the inevitable counterstrike in Salomons, but Jonathan can be thinking in a "easy" counterstrike at Marshalls to gain time while he can not counterstrike under risks in other areas.

Best wishes,
Ramón

[Fletcher]

FROM: RADM. ARITAMA GOTO, CRUDIV 6, 1ST FLEET.
TO: VADM. CHUICHI NAGUMO, KB CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI.
SUBJECT: VANIKORO BOMBARDMENT.
DATE: JUNE 6TH, 1942

HIJMS AOBA, HIJMS KINUGASA, HIJMS KAKO and HIJMS FURUTAKA HAVE BOMBED ENEMY GROUND POSITIONS AT VANIKORO ISLAND. 189 ENEMY CASUALTIES, 8 AIRBASE HITS, 2 AIRBASE SUPPLY HITS, 62 RUNWAY HITS WERE REPORTED AT ENEMY AIR FACILITIES. 02 PORT HITS WERE REPORTED TOO.

FLOAT PLANE RECON FLIGHT FROM HIJMS AOBA (FLAG) REPORTED MODERATE DAMAGES ON ENEMY AIR FACILITIES. A SECOND STRIKE BY YOUR AIR ASSETS WOULD BE NECCESARY TO SUPRESS ENEMY AIR CAPABILITY.

WE ARE STEAMING NORTH TO AVOID ENEMY AIR CONTACTS, SPEED 18 KNOTS, BEAMING 010.

LONG LIVE TO THE EMPEROR !!
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. CHUICHI NAGUMO, KB CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI.
TO: ADM ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: KIDO BUTAI AFTER ACTION REPORT
DATE: JUNE 6TH, 1942

After our recon flights over enemy base at Luganville reported numerous ships docked our striking force have launched a massive strike against enemy port and airfield, like bellow:

- 51 A6M2 escorted 137 D3A1 and 134 B5N2 from our CARDIV 1 and CARDIV 2 carriers to strike Luganville. 25 P-40E were reported on CAP. 1 A6M2 and 1 B5N2 were downed by enemy. A great number of P-40 have been reported downed (7 by our pilots, 20!! by our intel). 1 B-17E and 1 PBY5 have been destroyed on ground (Then, a B-17 unit could be based there...). The following ships were surprised docked on enemy yard and struck by our bombs:

XAK HOWELL LYKES, 1 bomb hit
XAP VAN OVERSTRATEN, 2 bomb hits.
XAK CLAN MACTAGGART, 1 bomb hit.
AV POCOMOKE, 2 bomb hits

23 enemy casualties, 14 airbase, 1 airbase supply, 50 runway and 1 port supply hit were reported.

At morning, general quarters sounds aboard all 5th CARDIV ships, when several heavy bombers were spotted at high altitude (13,000 feet). With 86 A6M2 ready or flying over our CARDIV 5 carriers, enemy was severely disturbed. All of them were damaged, with 1 A6M2 downed by enemy defensive machineguns. All bombs were dropped over HIJMS SHOKAKU, HIJMS ZUIKAKU and HIJMS SHOHO. NO near misses or hits were reported and all our ships steaming EAST under a moderate rain.

Naval search float planes reported two enemy Destroyers at south, and our Naval Attack Group take off from HIJMS SHOHO with 9 B5N2 lightly escorted by A6M2s Type-0 Fighters. 3 torpedoes were reported on DM RAMSAY and 1 torpedo more on DM MONTGOMERY. Both ships were sunk quickly.

Another Naval attack group with 9 B5N2 from HIJMS ZUIHO escorted by 3 A6M2 attacked one dutch destroyer (PIET HEIN), but enemy ship get underway without damages.

Another dutch destroyer was unsuccesfully attacked by 6 B5N2.

Another strike take off to attack two enemy large APs. Two torpedo hits were reported on AP GEORGE F. ELLIOT. 7 vehicles were reported destroyed. This attack was nearby Luganville under partial clouds.

Our ships will steam to east to intercept enemy if available.

Long Live to the Emperor !!!
END//

[Fletcher]

DM RAMSEY and DM MONTGOMERY sunk by SHOHO AIR GROUP.
June 6th, 1942

[Fletcher]

Heavy bombers from Luganville strike CARDIV5 ships.
June 6th, 1942

[Fletcher]

Enemy Large AP engaged by KB torpedo-bombers
June 6th, 1942

[Fletcher]

FROM: RADM. R. TOSA, 23RD AIR FLOTILLA, KOEPANG. TIMOR
TO: VADM. TSUKAHARA, 11ST AIR FLEET CINC. RABAUL.
SUBJECT: AIR STRIKE OVER DARWIN
DATE: JUNE 6TH, 1942

Southern Fleet CINC confirms war supply convoy in route from Singapore to Koepang to ressupply our bomb pools. We have more than 11,000 tons of bombs ready to be dropped over enemy targets if needed.

Our recon flights reported enemy is withdrawing from Darwin. Probably will be a open city and our forces can take it easily if needed.

Our naval bombers strike today enemy port after a enemy submarine was reported at anchor yesterday...

25 A6M2 escorted 42 G4M1 and 28 G3M2 to strike Port Darwin, reporting 11 casualties, 4 port, 2 port fuel, 1 port supply hit.

Another 15 G4M1 reported another port supply hit.
32 IJAAF KI-21-IIa reported 34 casualties from Emery Point Fortress.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: LTGEN. SUGAWARA, 3RD AIR DIVISION CINC. MANDALAY.
TO: GEN. SADOMU SHIMOMURA, SOUTHERN AREA ARMY CINC. MANDALAY.
SUBJECT: AIR WAR OVER BURMA.
DATE: JUNE 6TH, 1942

84 UNESCORTED KI-21-IIA TAKE OFF FROM CENTRAL BURMA AIRFIELDS TO STRIKE 22ND NEW DIVISION IN THE PAOSHAN-TSUYUNG ROAD. 38 ENEMY CASUALTIES WERE REPORTE, ENEMY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. OUR GROUND FORCES MARCHING TO TSUYUNG WITHOUT ENEMY RESISTANCE.

30 KI-43-IC ESCORTED 27 KI-48IIA AND 12 KI-48IB STRIKE IMPHAL DOGFIGHTING WITH 6 ENEMY HURRICANES ON CAP. 1 KI-43 AND 2 HURRIS WERE DOWNED. 5 AIRBASE, 2 AIRBASE SUPPLY AND 23 RUNWAY HITS WERE REPORTED OVER THIS ENEMY FACILITIES.

11ST DAITAI (IJAAF) HAVE RELEAVED IJNAF AIR DETACHMENT AT AKYAB FOR AIR SUPREMACY MISSIONS.

AIR TRANSPORT ASSETS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYET YET FOR THE NEW SPECIAL PARACHUTE OPS IN THIS AREA WHEN NEEDED. RAIDING REGIMENTS 1ST AND 2ND READY FOR ACTION.

LONG LIVE TO THE EMPEROR !
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: GEN. SHUNROKU HATA, CHINA EXP ARMY CINC. NEAR SIAN.
TO: GEN. HAJIME SUGIYAMA, IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY CINC. TOKYO.
SUBJECT: WAR ON CHINA, REPORT
DATE: JUNE 6TH, 1942

Sian frontline, air attacks from our 1st Air Division assets:

- 37 IJA level bombers were escorted by 37 fighters to strike 27th enemy cops. 07 casualties reported.
- 36 IJA level bombers escorted by 9 fighters strike 93rd Chinese coprs reporting 15 casualties.
- 10 KI-48Ib attacked 80th Chinese corps.
- 11 Ki-21-Ic attacked 85th Chinese corps.
- 11 Ki-21-Ic attacked 36th Chinese corps, reportgin 10 casualties.
- 14 IJA level bombers attacked 96th Chinese Corps.

Our ground forces (Arty Units), reported 55 enemy casualties from our heavy arty fire.

At Liüchow, 11 Ki-27 escorted 32 Ki-51 to strike 55th Prov Division reporting 5 casualties.

05 Tank Regiments have reached their jstorm positions to strike northern flank.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: LTCDR. S.ENDO, I-121 C.O., SUBDIV13, GILBERT WATERS.
TO: CAPT T. MIYAZAKI. SUBDIV 13, SUBRON 6, 6TH FLEET. KWAJALEIN ISLAND.
SUBJECT: ENEMY TROOP TRANSPORT ENGAGED
DATE: JUNE 7TH, 1942

After be alerted by 6th Fleet CINC from enemy carriers in the area, I headed south-southeast to take to intercept enemy fleet or disturb enemy landings. Our offensive mine mission have been cancelled until new order.

Early morning enemy troops transports were spotted and at surface xAP ALOE engaged. 2 deck gun shell hits were enough to stop her and after two torpedoes enemy ship was sunk with troops on board (22 casualties reported). The sinking of enemy troop transport off Tabiteuea at South Gilberts.

A second contac was reported at afternoon, with xAK IDAHO landing troops at Tabituea too. After 2 torpedoes enemy ship was sent to bottom with enemy troops onboard (24 casualties reported).

After this big success, officers and sailors were congratulated in the name of our Highness the Emperor !.. Sake was provided for all of them.

Our boat will return for action tomorrow searching enemy carrier/s.

Long Live to the Emperor !!
END//

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. S.INOUYE, 4TH FLEET CINC. TRUK.
TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO . COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: ENEMY CARRIERS STRIKE TARAWA.
DATE: JUNE 7TH, 1942

After be alerted of enemy landings at south Gilberts, our flying boats launched an air attack over enemy troop transports landing at Tabituea. 2 courageous H6K4 flying boat take off from Tarawa with volunteer crew to attack enemy ships. They were surprised by 10 F4F4 flying over enemy ships. 1 H6K4 was downed with another returning back severely damaged.

No damages or hits were reported from our pilots.

At morning, after our flying boats take off from Tarawa, general quarters sounds in the island. Without air cover to defend, 42 enemy dive bombers escorted by 13 F4F Wildcats strike our air facilities and supply dumps. Severe damages were reported after 2 airbase, 2 airbase supply and 16 runway hits (16 Airfield service damages and 26 runway damages too). 12 casualties were reported in the IJNAF Base unit, and our supplies were dropped to 132!! (from more than 1.000 tons.)

With this air complement and another fighters spotted over Tabituea island (10), enemy must have more than 01 carrier in the area to launch this strike. It´s mandatory to take meassures to avoid this kind or raids...

Our submarines in the area reported many surface contacts and we will try to intercept them as quickly as possible.

Long Live to the EMperor !
END//

[Fletcher]

USN AIR STRIKE OVER TARAWA
JUNE 7TH, 1942

[Fletcher]

FROM: VADM. CHUICHI NAGUMO, KB CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI.
TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE.
SUBJECT: KIDO BUTAI, COMBAT REPORT
DATE: JUNE 7TH, 1942

Third day of air strikes over enemy targets at South Seas.

23 A6M2 with 87 B5N2 and 88 D3A1 take off from our carrier to end the job started yesterday. With several ships damaged in our former strike, and dismished air defense over their facilities, our air officer requested a second strike to smash enemy runways and sink the ships.

Our fighters were atonished with enemy met us with 26 P-40E and 22 P-39D on C.A.P. In the dogfight 3 A6M2 were downed with 1 B5N2 destroyed by enemy flak fire. 3 P-39D and 1 P-40E were reported downed. Only one ship was reported docked with 1 bomb hit struck her (XAK CLAN MACTAGGERT). 5 casualties, 3 airbase, 1 airbase supply, 29 runway and 2 port hits were reported by our striking wave.

CARDIV3 Naval Strike Group reported enemy destroyers steaming fast at south and a first wave take off from HIJMS ZUIHO. In the striking group 12 D3A1 and 12 B5N2 were escorted by 9 A6M2. Over enemy ships flying 15 P-39D on CAP. 1 A6M2, 3 D3A1 and 4 B5N2 were downed without hits over enemy ships. A dismnissed attack!.

Second wave with veterans from CARDIV1 with 22 B5n2 escorted by 6 A6M2 from HIJMS AKAGI reported 2 torpedoes on each of USS PREBLE and USS SICARD. Both ships were sunk quickly, in spite of 10 P-39D were on CAP over them. 1 A6M2 was downed by enemy fighters.

02 PB5Y were downed by CAP fighters over KB ships.

03 B-17 unsuccesfully strike HIJMS HAGURO. 77 A6M2 were on CAP over CombFleet and 1 B17 was downed (with 1 A6M2 destroyed by defensive fire from this air monsters!).

Tomorrow our fleet will head east trying to engage enemy carriers or enemy landing forces at south Gilberts.

Long Live to the Emperor !
END//