Historical AE. Cantona2 (A) vs Fletcher (J)

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 25th August 1942

A few quiet days in the war other than some sporradic submarine attacks, a small Japanese transport ship was sunk to the east of Ternate for example, and IJAAF attacks in China. However off the coast of Australia troop laden transports have started on the first leg of their voyage to Horn Island.

[traskott]

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 27th August 1942

SUBCOMMPAC received an urgent message from the USS Drum patrolling the approaches to Truk from New Britain. Her commander reported an attack upon an enemy carrier of the Junyo class. One hit was reported but, as is becoming increasingly common, no explosion was heard. A large dossier was being prepared to be passed on to the Armaments Board in order to rectify this situation post haste.



CV's Enterprise, Wasp and Yorktown have left Pearl Harbour for the Southern Seas. They are accompanied by the CVE Copahee, a brand new escort carrier. They will provide naval air cover for Operation Sword Thrust due to start loading in a week's time.

Developments as well in the area of Operation Fellow. Recon of Akyab spotted a number of small craft appearing to unload supplies. DD,s Nizam and Norman have been deatched from escorting the Kainalu, unloading at Cox's Bazzar and have been ordered to carry out a full speed night raid on Akyab. AMC Pansy will also leave Chittagong in their wake to sweep up any ships the destroyers miss.



Operation Fosters was already on. The first and second landing waves had made their rendezvous to the east of Townsville and they were awaiting the cruisers and destroyers allocated as their escorts. 31st Bomber Squadron had also redeployed from Noumea to Charter Towers. She had recently upgraded to the B-17F model and was attached to 7th USAAF to support the operations around Horn Island. Her first op, a daylight raid by 50 heavies on Port Moresby.


Heavy aerial battles were also fought above the Chinese capital of Chungking. CAF and USAAF fighters tussled all day long with IJAAF planes shooting down 18 enemy planes.

[traskott]

xDD Those dud torpedos are really one of the main JAPANESE assets on 1942....

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: traskott

xDD Those dud torpedos are really one of the main JAPANESE assets on 1942....

I know. That makes Shoho, Akagi and Junyo all hit by duds in this game!

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 28th August 1942

Heavies once again pound Port Morseby once again braving the CAP and hitting several planes on the ground. A new unit, flying A6M2's was seen augmenting the usual CAP of Ki-43s and A6M3s. Naval search patrols later discovered the presence of Japanese carriers hugging the New Guinea coast near Buna. Submarines near the area have been given new orders to move onto an intercept route immediately near Buna and near Milne Bay should the carriers move into the Coral Sea. CAP squadrons on the Australian coast have been put on a full alert standing. It may well be that the enemy has caught wind of Operation Fosters and has moved his pieces to intercept, or these carriers (mayhaps the Junyo hot near Truk by a dud) are on a mission to suppress Townsville and Charter Towers. The main carrier fleet is still in the Indian Ocean so I doubt that the Hiyo, Junyo, Shoho and maybe one more CVL have the firepower to suppress fields adequately covered by fighters.



Developments as well in China. The Japanese units attacking Kweiyang are in danger of being cut off. Two Chinese divisions are approaching Tuyun, that appears to have been left ungarrisoned. Taking the city will cut off the Japanese units to the north from their supply depots.

[cantona2]

The main Horn Island transports are just to the south of the screenie of the above. So far the operation is a go but it will all depend on the movements of the Japanese carrier force. He will taking a large risk if he brings them within range of my LBA assets in Australia. The next two turns will be very interesting!

[traskott]

Yeah...the first allied counterstrike is about to arrive !!!

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 29th August 1942
Part One: The Indian Ocean

'Mayday, mayday, mayday!' came the frantic and nervous calls from ML No 189 just to the North West of Bombay. She was radioing for help after coming under attack from Japanese carrier planes. In a move that mirrors their attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7th, Japanese fleet carriers had steamed through the expanse of the Indian Ocean, avoiding search planes flying from the West Indian seaboard to be able to position themselves in a prime attack position just off Bombay. Indeed this Indian city would be another target on the Kido Butai's long list of Allied ports and cities. Unlike Colombo however, flak was light! Damage to berthed ships was moderate.



Yet the worst was to come. HMS Valiant and her attending cruisers and destroyers were spotted mid morning near Surat. By late afternoon the Dorsetshire and Devonshire along with the destroyer Fortune had been sunk while the Valiant herself had taken four torpedoes and was heavily damaged, but still afloat.



The bulk of the Eastern Fleet was just 40 NMs further to the North of the Valiant's position. All ships were ordered to head towards the Arabian coast at full speed while the HMS Hermes docked at Karachi was given orders for a full speed dash towards Abadan. Though these moves did not sit well with Royal Navy tradition the rules at sea had changed and big guns were now subject to aerial bombs and torpedoes!!!!

[SoliInvictus202]

just a short question - I really like the new updates with more than one pic per post - how do you do that? - I tried photobucket today - however I had 4 choices of "adresses" I was offered to copy... - none worked....

do you use imageshack? -
would be great to know...thx in advance!

[cantona2]

Part Two: The Coral Sea

Meanwhile frantic clashes were being fought on the periphery of Operation Fosters. The CA Houston once again led USN cruisers into Port Moresby, this time joined by the RNZN Leander and Achilles (the Chicago and Astoria back at Sydney under repair). Their mission was to carry out a night time bombardment of Port Moresby and once again devastate Japanese planes on the ground there. The detection of Japanese carriers on the far side of New Guinea was not expected to be a hindrance as by daybreak the Allied ships would be within the protective umbrella of fighters based at Cooktown. Surprise was total, but it was the Allied ships that were surprised when their onboard radars detected a number of enemy vessels unloading at Port Moresby. Several large transports escorted by a number of destroyers reacted instantly as the shells from the cruiser's main batteries started to land among them. However the Japanese had been caught on the hop and as the Allied ships waded in one enemy vessel, the 6825 ton Yamasimo Maru was quickly hit by several salvos, caught fire and quickly sunk. She was soon joined by a destroyer of the Kamikaze class. Light damage was suffered by the destroyer Flusser. More serious was damage to the ship's systems on the Porter, but it still didnt stop her from making 29 knots of full speed!!!

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 98,130, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Kamikaze, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
DD Oite, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Yunagi, Shell hits 2
AK Awazisan Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Azumasan Maru
AK Yamasimo Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Houston
CA Louisville
CL Leander
CL Achilles, Shell hits 1
DD Flusser
DD Porter, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Stuart, Shell hits 3



Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Yunagi at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oite at 8,000 yards
CA Portland engages DD Kamikaze at 8,000 yards
CL Leander engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Porter engages DD Oite at 8,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Flusser at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CA Louisville engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 9,000 yards
CA Portland engages DD Kamikaze at 9,000 yards
DD Porter engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 9,000 yards
CL Leander engages DD Oite at 9,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oite at 9,000 yards
DD Porter engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Flusser engages DD Oite at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Yunagi engages DD Stuart at 7,000 yards
CA Houston engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Stuart at 7,000 yards
CL Leander engages DD Yunagi at 7,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Porter at 7,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Flusser at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
CA Louisville engages AK Yamasimo Maru at 4,000 yards
CA Houston engages DD Kamikaze at 4,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Yunagi at 4,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Yunagi at 4,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Porter at 4,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Flusser at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Porter engages DD Yunagi at 2,000 yards
CA Houston engages DD Oite at 2,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Porter at 2,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Kamikaze at 2,000 yards
DD Yunagi engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Porter engages DD Oite at 2,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Flusser at 2,000 yards
DD Yunagi engages DD Porter at 2,000 yards
CA Houston engages DD Kamikaze at 2,000 yards
CA Portland engages DD Kamikaze at 2,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Kamikaze at 2,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Porter at 2,000 yards
DD Flusser engages DD Kamikaze at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CA Louisville engages DD Kamikaze at 5,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Porter at 5,000 yards
DD Porter engages DD Kamikaze at 5,000 yards
DD Flusser engages AK Azumasan Maru at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages AK Awazisan Maru at 5,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oite at 5,000 yards
DD Porter engages DD Kamikaze at 5,000 yards
DD Flusser engages DD Kamikaze at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
CA Louisville engages DD Kamikaze at 7,000 yards
DD Kamikaze sunk by CA Houston at 7,000 yards
DD Flusser engages DD Yunagi at 7,000 yards
DD Oite engages DD Stuart at 7,000 yards
CA Portland engages DD Yunagi at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages AK Awazisan Maru at 7,000 yards
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

As the Japanese ships broke off and started to set a course for the south east, the Allied ships proceeded with their original mission and once again SOC-1's acted as spotters for the main batteries on the cruisers. A massive fusillade was delivered at point blank range and recon photos collected later in the day by F-4's suggest a vertiable amount of damage was inflicted.

Night Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 6 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CA Louisville
CA Houston
CA Portland
CL Achilles
CL Leander

Japanese ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)



Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 49

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Louisville
CA Louisville firing at 4th Division
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Houston
CA Houston firing at Port Moresby
CA Portland firing at 4th Division
CL Achilles firing at Port Moresby
CL Leander firing at Port Moresby

Further damage on the airfield was inflicted by a raid carried out by 23rd and 26th Bomber Squadrons (B-17E) from Townsville, and 31st Bomber Squadron (B-17F) and 436th Bomber Squadron (B-24D) from Charter Towers. Ploughing on through an aggressive CAP, the 'heavies', proved to be more than a match for the Japanese pilots and all bombers delivered a devastating payload onto Port Moresby, still reeling from the naval bombardment of the previous night. The USAAF only suffered the loss of a single B-17F that crash landed a few miles shy of her home base, the crew was able to walk away!

Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
A6M3 Zero x 10
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 24



Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 22
B-17F Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 10


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 10 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 4 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged



Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 38

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 10000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

This might prove to be a good distraction from our moves on Horn Island, the main invasion forces have made Cooktown and are about to enter the most dangerous part of the approach as they need to leave the protection of the coast due to the Great Barrier Reef. They are due to hit the open sea off Cooktown and then set a course towards Portland Roads before setting a direct course to Horn Island in the Torres Strait.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: SoliInvictus202

just a short question - I really like the new updates with more than one pic per post - how do you do that? - I tried photobucket today - however I had 4 choices of "adresses" I was offered to copy... - none worked....

do you use imageshack? -
would be great to know...thx in advance!

Thanks Soli

Yes I use imageshack using the tags. You now need to register with imageshack to be able to get the direct link to host the pic, the one highlighted below:

[traskott]

AMazing outcome at P.M., but on India...Britannia rule the retreats !!!

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 29th August 1942
Part Three: Post Script

Developments in China continue and as expected Tuyun was ungarrisoned and will be attacked on the morrow thus cutting off Japanese units at Kweiyang from their supply heads.



Meanwhile here is the Butcher's Bill for a hard days fighting!


In further news from the theatre:

'L' Force has started to board their attack transports in Noumea and Suva, the presence of the main enemy carriers in the Indian Ocean has made High Command move the invasion date forward. Likewise the development of an air strip on Utupa in the Santa Cruz's means an extra asset in our favour. Supporting carriers are approaching Canton Island and are heading towards the Coral Sea.

Commander Rochefort's Intell was also able to interdict several Japanese orders of interest to the High Command:

26th Field Artillery Regiment is planning for an attack on Arorae.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: traskott

AMazing outcome at P.M., but on India...Britannia rule the retreats !!!

yes pretty much [:(] but his carriers are far, far away from Guadalcanal!

[SoliInvictus202]

thanks a lot for posting the screenshots and for explaining everything - much appreciated!

[cantona2]

You're welcome

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 30th August 1942

The battleship Valiant is living up to her name and is fighting the flood waters as she ploughs NE away from Japanese carriers that once again pounded the docks at Bombay. Only one high value target has been sunk at Bombay so far, a Dutch AS. The rest of the RN battle strength is making its way into the far reaches of the Indian Ocean.

Tuyun was occupied as expected, despite a last minute paradrop by the Japanese. The brave paratroopers were greatly outnumbered and summarily slaughtered by the vengeful Chinese infantry. The units at Kweiyang were immediately ordered to carry out several bombardment attacks along Japanese positions to determine any weak point and possible avenue of attack.

[Sly]

Hello Cantona,
great AAR. I see that you are using  night spotters with great success. Ha ha let them serve you well. It seems that Kido is far but keep an eye on Japanese submarines during your counteroffensive.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Sly

Hello Cantona,
great AAR. I see that you are using  night spotters with great success. Ha ha let them serve you well. It seems that Kido is far but keep an eye on Japanese submarines during your counteroffensive.

Thanks Sly. That tip of the spotter planes has worked a treat!!