Oops I Did it Again - Cantona2 vs Herb (No Britney)

[cantona2]

18th September 1942

SORRY HERB BUT YOU'RE BANNNNNNNNNNNEEEEDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!

I have decided to start an AAR of my ongoing game vs Herb now as I have one remaining carrier left afloat, 6 BB’s and 14 CA’s down. It makes for an interesting game and I hope an interesting read for you guys out there in AARLand. I am sure that a lot of you follow Herb’s excellent AAR on the Zuiho, truly a great masterpiece of writing that I am sure even the forum’s Bard (ie Cuttlefish) would admire and appreciate.

To be terribly honest I thought about, and suggested to Herb to restart after the debacle at Tarawa but after some thinking and email exchanging I decided to continue for a number of reasons. Firstly Herb is a friend, funnily enough one I have never met but a friend nonetheless. Secondly it’s not in my nature to give up on games. Thirdly I like making a rod for my own back. I also suggested upgrading to the latest Beta Patch but we also agreed to wait for the official release of the patch, hopefully soon. Fourthly I have no AAR since my terminated game with Ramon (Fletcher) and I miss AARing!!!!

The Game so far...

Typical initial opening moves with the usual falls of HK, Singers, Luzon and the PI’s and DEI’s. Herb then launched a surprise attack on Perth. I was totally expecting an attack on Northern Australia, after an early capture of Port Hedland, but this was not followed up by any operations. Instead, 4th Infantry Division (could have been 14th) spearheaded a landing on Perth that was totally unexpected. All, however did not go according to IJHQ’s plans. Coastal defence guns wrecked havoc among approaching Japanese transport and warships with several large transports being gutted and sunk by accurate and devastating fire. Nevertheless Perth fell and a tentative move inland was started up to Geraldton and towards Kaloogurlie. Reinforcements were railed in from the Sydney/Melbourne area as well most of the USAAF presence in Australia. Yet battle was not joined as for some unknown reason the Japanese pulled out their troops and Perth soon recaptured and Port Hedland liberated.

This move on Australia allowed the British and Commonwealth troops to make somewhat of a stand in Burma and even now, cut off but aerially supplied troops of the beleaguered Burma Corps are holed up at Bhamo while to the West several Gurkha and Punjabi battalions are defending Ramree Island in the Arakan. Likewise the US moved early on the lower Gilberts taking Tarawa, Makin and Mili in three lightning assaults. Each base has a good strong garrison and good defensive positions but are now bereft of Naval support after Halsey’s over confidence in the Second Battle of Tarawa. The Santa Cruz Islands have also been garrisoned and fortified and the equivalent of two Marine and one Army Division are spread out over Fiji, the Santa Cruz and Espiritu Santo. Currently Australian and New Zealand support troops are relieving US and USMC rear echelon units on Noumea and Suva further to their redeployment.

China has been quiet, both sides acknowledging the status quo despite an early liberation of Ichang by Government forces. A limited offensive however is currently under way by Kuomintang forces designed to clear the approaches to Nanning.

The Indian border has been fortified and heavily manned. Several AIF Divisions and Indian units man all the important bases from Cox’s Bazzar to Ledo, this last base the hub of the aerial bridge to China. In the hinterland 4 Indian Divisions are building up and two Chinese units evacuated from Burma are refitting and training in Bombay. Ceylon is the RN base for Indian Ocean operations and despite being outnumbered the Royal Navy has been able to punch hard against Japanese forced resupplying Akyab, two light cruisers being sunk by Fleet Air Arm planes.

As in all my games my submarine arm plays an immensely important role in carrying the fight to the enemy. The Solomon Sea is awash with them and so are the approaches to Rangoon and the exit of the Straits of Malacca. The Japanese Home Islands are also subjected to a submarine campaign based at Midway Island and Attu Island. A submarine fleet is being put together and will be based out of Townsville and will target the main oil and fuel producing areas of the former Dutch East Indies.

So for now the plan is to hold the line we have established and hope for the best. His carriers will have free reign until mid 43 at least but I know I have damaged a lot of his ships in the recent battles. He has also lost a number of heavy cruisers to Royal Navy carriers off Sabang in early 42 and in a showdown off Ndeni in early August 1942.

Please enjoy the ride.

[cantona2]

My remaining carrier in Pacific waters.



The current state of the frontlines 18-9-1942

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 18th September 1942

Cripples from the Battle of Tarawa are heading to their repair ports. Pearl Harbour already has several in its yards and the Wasp is inching her way to Vanikoro for initial pumping of flood waters. The AR Vestal has departed to rendezvous with her at Suva once the main flooding has been brought under control. Other damaged ships are making fro Suva, Auckland and Sydney.

7 submarines reported contacts with enemy ships across the theatre. 5 called back with malfunctioning torpedoes but LCDR Johnson in the SS Herring reported an exploding hit on a transport off Iwo Jima while CDR Hammond in the SS S-37 off Finschhafen reported hitting and sinking an enemy light cruiser of the Nagara Class. Yet intelligence is skeptical at best as former sunk ships have been encountered alive and well on the high seas!!! SS Snapper also reported spotting and identifying the CVE Hosho near Gorong under heavy escort. She was heading NNW and it seems it was her A6M2's that ambushed RAAF Beauforts over Merauke two days ago.

PG Charleston has reported arriving at its patrol station between Sendai and Iwaki. SS Gato has repeatedly reported numerous contacts with enemy convoys and very little sightings of enemy aircraft on patrol. The Charleston's Captain has orders to cause as much disruption and confusion as possible in shipping lanes the enemy considers safe. On the other side of the Pacific, the AMC Worcestershire in the hands of the very promising LT Valentine has a similar mission in the Port Blair-Victoria Point-Tavoy triangle of shipping lines. She has orders to liaise closely with the submarines Pike, KX and O19 already patrolling the area and who have already successfully attacked and sunk enemy shipping in the area.

[FatR]

I salute your decision to continue the game and will watch this AAR. As I see, besides grievous ship losses, Allies are doing fairly well, by preventing Japanese expansion past the standard Phase 1 perimeter and stabilizing China.

[SoliInvictus202]

ORIGINAL: FatR

I salute your decision to continue the game and will watch this AAR. As I see, besides grievous ship losses, Allies are doing fairly well, by preventing Japanese expansion past the standard Phase 1 perimeter and stabilizing China.

indeed - it seems that China is well defended - and if the Allied built up a strong presence in the Solomons they should be able to advance fairly constantly even without proper CV support!

[cantona2]

@ FatR and SoliInvictus many thanks for the words of encouragement and support!

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 19th September 1942.

CDR Coward reports an exploding torpedo on an enemy cruiser of the Nagara Class that already seemed to be damaged off Cape Gloucester. Intell suggests that this ship is the same one hit and reported as sunk yesterday by the SS S-37. Submarine captains in the Solomon and Bismarck Seas have been ordered to aggressively seek out and engage all manner of enemy shipping.

Sub attack near Cape Gloucester at 101,124

Japanese Ships
CL Natori, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
APD Kikuzuki

Allied Ships
SS Seawolf



SS Seawolf launches 4 torpedoes at CL Natori
Seawolf diving deep ....
APD Kikuzuki attacking submerged sub ....
APD Kikuzuki cannot reach attack position over SS Seawolf
APD Kikuzuki loses contact with SS Seawolf
SS Seawolf eludes ASW attack from APD Kikuzuki
APD Kikuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
APD Kikuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
APD Kikuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
APD Kikuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

LT Ballard of the Charleston also reports a successful action against an enemy convoy off the coast of Iwaki. Several transports were escorted by three gunboats were surprised by the Charleston who put her 6 inchers to excellent use. Though combat range never lessened beyond 7,000 yards two enemy escorts were confirmed sunk and at least two other ships left burning. LT Ballard has now been ordered to steam directly SE at full speed to put as much distance as possible between his ship and any aerial retaliation coming from Japan. Once in her new position she will sail due West to intercept shipping lanes detected around Chichi-jima.

The Tokihime Maru sinks after taking several 6" hits.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Iwaki at 117,60, Range 24,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Midori Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Kinsyu Maru
xAK Taibun Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Sikisan Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Ayo Maru
xAK Nissho Maru
xAK Sangetsu Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Taigen Maru
PB Tenshin, Shell hits 3
PB Tokihime Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
PB Teiko Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
PG Charleston



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 24,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
PG Charleston engages PB Teiko Maru at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 22,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Nissho Maru at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
PG Charleston engages PB Teiko Maru at 12,000 yards
PG Charleston engages PB Tenshin at 12,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Sangetsu Maru at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Taibun Maru at 10,000 yards
PB Tenshin engages PG Charleston at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
PG Charleston engages PB Teiko Maru at 8,000 yards
PG Charleston engages PB Tokihime Maru at 8,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Midori Maru at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
xAK Taigen Maru , xAK Sangetsu Maru , xAK Nissho Maru screened from combat
- escorted by PB Teiko Maru
PB Tokihime Maru sunk by PG Charleston at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
xAK Taigen Maru , xAK Sangetsu Maru , xAK Nissho Maru ,
xAK Ayo Maru , xAK Sikisan Maru screened from combat
PB Teiko Maru sunk by PG Charleston at 11,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Taibun Maru at 11,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Kinsyu Maru at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 15,000 yards
PB Tenshin engages PG Charleston at 15,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Sangetsu Maru at 15,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Sikisan Maru at 22,000 yards
Range increases to 26,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Taibun Maru at 26,000 yards
PG Charleston engages xAK Kinsyu Maru at 26,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Elsewhere CV Wasp inched 40 miles closer to Vanikoro, her damage control parties keeping the flood waters at bay. Though she sits heavy in the water she is making a steady 5 knots and is now under a protective umbrella of USMC Wildcats from Vanikoro and USAAF Airacobras from Utupua.

Naval Construction Battalions also reported the opening of basic air and port facilities on the island of Tabiteuea in the Southern Gilberts. The US now controls a line of mutually supporting bases from Mili-Tabiteuea. An embryonic plan for landings on Maleolap and Wotje using 4 Marine regiments currently in Pearl Harbour and Noumea has been drawn up. The plan will get the green light once the defeat at Tarawa has been fully analysed.

[Lecivius]

Indeed, this will be most interesting to watch unfold.  My salutations on carrying on!

[PaxMondo]

Kudos for keeping it going.  The good news is that the allies can recover and as you say, the IJ has suffered irreplaceable losses already.
 
 

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Kudos for keeping it going.  The good news is that the allies can recover and as you say, the IJ has suffered irreplaceable losses already.

Thanks PaxMondo and Lecivius

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 20th September 1942

CV Wasp made safe haven at Vanikoro and her damage control parties have immediately started to pump out flood waters as one of the emergency bulkheads gave way 20 miles shy of port. All eyes are now on the heavily escorted Vestal approaching Suva.

SS 0-21, patrolling the approaches to Rabaul, reported making contact with the enemy Task Force that has included the Nagara Class cruiser attacked in the previous two days. Another Nagara Class cruiser was seen along with several escorts but no damaged ships seen. It is assumed that after two torpedo hits the damaged ship has been sunk.

Off Iwo-Jima CDR Bledsoe commanding the SS Trigger reported the sinking of a 3,000 ton merchant ship after two attacks in which 2 torpedoes exploded on the enemy ship. Trigger, along with Herring and Cachalot, is part of a small flotilla that is staking out Iwo-Jima after intel intercepted radio messages from Japanese Naval HQ detailing a reinforcement of said island. So far no troops have been bagged but two enemy ships have been sunk.

Sub attack near Iwo-jima at 108,76

Japanese Ships
xAK Sanuki Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Taibun Maru
xAK Chihaya Maru
xAK Iburi Maru
PB Sensan Maru

Allied Ships
SS Trigger
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Iwo-jima at 108,76

Japanese Ships
xAK Sanuki Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (ship reported sunk)

Allied Ships
SS Trigger



xAK Sanuki Maru is sighted by SS Trigger
SS Trigger launches 4 torpedoes

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 22nd September 1942

Two quiet days after the debacle at Tarawa. Pearl Harbour's shipyards are filling up with damaged vessels while refugees from the battle are in docks as far flung as Auckland and Sydney. True to her combative nature the United States is already on its next limited offensive. Sure that Japan will once again try for Tarawa, Ocean Island has been identified as the next target in the Gilberts. A small float plane base will be established there with the purpose of acting as an advance outpost against Japanese raids and incoming vessels from Truk. Nauru Island will also be reconed extensively, and if lightly held will be attacked by the same forces attacking Ocean Island. Elements of 1st Marine Division have been tasked with the mission, these namely being 1st Marine Regiment, Ist USMC FA Battalion and 1st USMC Armoured Battalion. All these units had previously been in Noumea.

[hosho]

thanks for continuing this game! look forward to reading more reports from you and herbs. hope that you won`t win though [;)]

[hosho]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

The good news is that the allies can recover and as you say, the IJ has suffered irreplaceable losses already.

this is just allied propaganda! [:D]

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: hosho

thanks for continuing this game! look forward to reading more reports from you and herbs. hope that you won`t win though [;)]

Damn JFB's [:-][:D]

[cantona2]

edit

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 25th September 1942

IJAAF planes in Burma targeted Cox's Bazaar in the Burma-India region. Over 100 Ki-43c's swept the base before another 20 odd fighters escorted G3M2's in a raid over Cox's airfield. Defensive flak however seems to have done its job as only one Hudson IIIa was destroyed.

More worrying were the reports sent in to Wake Island from the Charleston, now patrolling off the Bonin Islands. She reported numerous sightings throughout the day of carrier borne planes, one definitely identified as a B5N2. Were these carriers returning from the Tarawa battle area or was the source of these planes incoming from the Home Islands into the battle zones? Charleston's last report of the day stated she was steaming NNE at full speed.


Elsewhere defences were being solidified. Tarawa now hosted a PT division and a minelayer with ACM's was enroute from Noumea. Another PT divison was at Ndeni with a third in reserve at Luganville. The Pacific has been quiet these days. The Nagara Class Cruiser engaged in the Solomon Sea was identified as sunk as the CL Natori, some good news at least. Meanwhile in Seattle the 36th Bomber Squadron upgraded its Bolos to LB-30's. The unit will redeploy to Attu Island once its crews familiarise themselves with their new planes.

Finally a snapshot of the submarine war across the Bismarck and Solomon Seas.

[cantona2]

The Charleston's position and new course, 23:59 25-9-42

[cantona2]

Much further to the West, another raider was reporting contact with an enemy aircraft. The AMC Worcestershire reported to Calcutta and Colombo of a Japanese plane droning overhead. A such she was also maneuvering at full speed into the Bay of Bengal and away from search planes, no doubt this one originated in Rangoon.

[cantona2]

26th September 1942

USAAF heavy bombers today remind the Japanese that the US is still well and truly in the war. 4 B-17 Squadrons from Charter Towers hit the Japanese base a Terapo. Moderate damage was inflicted on a small fighter strip there. Much more telling was a raid carried out on Munda by two B-17 units based at Luganville. Munda was a well recconed target and one that these particular units had hit before. As such they were able to cope well with a rather disjointed Japanese fighter attack, one A6M2 was claimed by the rear gunner of Buxom Betty, which failed to down any of our bombers. A clinical bombing run was followed by a devastating attack on the main airfield from 9,000 feet, The runway was heavily crated and two supply dumps hits and left gushing black smoke. Of more value were the rows of parked KI-45's that were obliterated. At least 11 enemy airplanes were left burning. 11 less so called 'bomber killers' the Japanese could count upon in the Solomons.





Sub captains patrolling around Truk report an increase in airplane sightings and attacks. As of yet these have been ineffectual but they are forcing our submarines to keep their heads down under the water. Intell suggests that enemy ships from Tarawa are still returning back to Truk so orders remain unchanged and sub captains are told to maintain positions and patrol areas.