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

[cantona2]

27th September 1942

LCDR Friedrichsen reports heavy damage to his boat after successfully attacking an enemy oiler at Ambon, Ceram. He reacted to reports from VP-101 operating out of Darwin that had spotted a number of enemy fuel carrying vessels off the former Dutch holding yesterday. Using the last of the night hours as cover, the SS Sealion (Seadragon Class), was able to sneak its way to its target, fire two torpedoes at it and have one explode on impact. Night instantly turned to day as what ever petroleum the ship carried ignited. The immediate area was immediately lit up and Friedrichsen could see another pair of oilers through his scope. He was about to reorder the tubes flooded when he saw the speeding prow of an enemy destroyer approach his ship from the stern of his burning target. He quickly ordered an emergency dive but was caught in relatively shallow water. Depth charges soon followed and his ship was hit by one and bracketed by several close hits for nearly four hours. The enemy destroyer either run out of depth charges or presumed the Sealion sunk as once the explosions ceased the sonar man could detect the sound of propellers getting distant and distant. Immediate emergency repairs were carried out and Friedrichsen steered his crippled boat south towards Darwin.

Sub attack near Ambon at 76,109

Japanese Ships
AO Manju Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AO Shiretoko
AO Notoro
DD Umikaze

Allied Ships
SS Sealion, hits 8



SS Sealion launches 2 torpedoes at AO Manju Maru

Further to the south east, Hudson III's operating from Coen reported sighting 3 enemy vessels just off Mornington Island in the Bay of Carpentaria. Further patrols could not verify this sighting but Australia Command could not immediately discount it. No. 18 RAAF Sqaudron, a Dutch refugee flying American B-25's, was immediately ordered to rebase to Normanton from Horn Island and to aggressively patrol the area around Mornington Island an attack and enemy vessels spotted. It may well be that nervous spotters on the Hudsons had seen an enemy submarine or nothing at all but no chances were to be taken.



Deep in the Andaman Sea three RN raiders try to emulate the USN's Charleston by infiltrating enemy shipping lanes between Sabang, Port Blair and Rangoon. So far they have dodges in and out of enemy air patrol sectors but have sighted or engaged no enemy convoys.

[cantona2]

Ongoing recon of Ocean Island by 4th RNZAF Squadron shows it is empty. Plans are underfoot to para drop the 1st USMC Parachute Battalion from Tarawa. The unit is currently at Johnston Island where it unloaded after the Battle of Tarawa, its original destination had been Makin where it would reinforce its garrison until a US Army Regiment arrived from the mainland. As such it is now needed to be airdropped into an enemy base. The 20th USN SeeBees are already standing by just off Ocean Island to unload as soon as the paras secure it (oh for the SeeBees having some rifle squads as they had in CHS)

[cantona2]

Due to these new developments the elements of 1st Marine Division that had been earmarked for the Ocean Island operation are now approaching the area with little to do. I have been thinking of using these units to attack Maleolap which recon shows is lightly garrisoned. It has its static fortress and one naval battalion and a support unit. Bereft of carriers my planes at Makin and Mili will have to act as 'floating carriers'

[cantona2]

1st October 1942

RAF and USAAF Squadrons carried out a successful ambush on IJAAF planes over Chittagong today. The base had been subject to several air raids during previous days and several aircraft had been destroyed on the ground. 67, 261 and 607 Squadrons along with 7th Fighter Squadron of the USAAF put up a strong CAP and waited for the Japanese. The Allied fighter arm in India was about to show its teeth.

The first enemy planes were a sweep by Ki-43's that tussled with the mass of Allied fighters in the air. Several planes on both sides were lost but it has steeled the British and American pilots resolve to protect their airbase below.

Morning Air attack on Chittagong , at 55,41

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 35



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 12
Hurricane IIc Trop x 17
P-40K Warhawk x 25


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 3 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

The next set of enemy planes were a wave of unescorted G3M2's of which a large number were seen to jettison their bombs harmlessly over the jungle and turn back after seeing the Allied fighters over the base. 9 brave pilots proceeded to their attack run but all of them lost their lives miles short of their target.

Morning Air attack on Chittagong , at 55,41

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 31



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 11
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 7 destroyed

A second, larger wave soon followed. Confident in the combined defensive firepower of their formation they ploughed on into the Allied fighters and many Ki-21's and Ki-49's joined the many burning Japanese wrecks on the ground. Several sections did get through however but ack-ack batteries shot down two more enemy aircraft.

Morning Air attack on Chittagong , at 55,41

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 20
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 20



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 10
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 11 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed on ground

Meanwhile around Roi-Namur, B-24's returning back to Wake Island after bombing Roi-Namur spotted enemy ships heading south-east...

[cantona2]

October 2nd 1942

Those Japanese ships spotted yesterday, the main Japanese Battle Line as it turned out, hammered Mili to the ground.

However...

[SoliInvictus202]

always nice to see that! - I only had this luck once as an allied player - Zuikaku has a long way to the next repair shipyard - and you could send subs to most of these approaches....

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: SoliInvictus202

always nice to see that! - I only had this luck once as an allied player - Zuikaku has a long way to the next repair shipyard - and you could send subs to most of these approaches....

Thanks and that is exactly what is happening

[cantona2]

3rd October 1942

Further shipping movements towards Mili were detected by our patrolling submarines. They vectored onto the oncoming Japanese vessels like sharks falling on hapless prey. The Mk 14 torpedo also chose a great time to start working as well. Intercepted signals confirmed the sinking of the Sumatra Maru and several high priority messages also requested further orders of the death of a certain General aboard the ship. It may well be that Japanese plans for Mili may be thrown into disarray if the commanding officer was killed on the Sumatra Maru.

[cantona2]

Apologies for screenie, Gremlins in the system. Should have shown the Salmon also sinking a Mk 14 into the Sumatra Maru

[cantona2]

5th October 1942

[cantona2]

9th October 1942

The 1st USMC Battalion has been issued orders to carry out its second combat jump in as many weeks as Nauru Island becomes the next target for invasion. With Ocean Island secured and a Naval Construction Battalion landed, Nauru is the next outpost on Nimitz's list. Japanese moves on Mili have not materialised and Allied HQ is beginning to think that it was just a ruse. Commander Rochefort's intell service is intercepting a lot of naval signals about ships moving into and around the Singapore area. This may be as a result of the efforts of RN and RAN auxiliary cruisers in the Andaman Sea. In the past four days, three enemy ships have been sunk as two convoys have been successfully intercepted.

Over the skies of Burma Oscars and Hurricanes carry out their own private war. Sweep follows sweep and an intensive air-air battle is playing out over Bhamo as both sides keep their units supplied there via a slim aerial bridge. B-17 heavy bombers and b-25 medium bombers have paid several damaging raids to airfields in the Shwebo-Mandalay area. The former being hit particularly head on the 8th October.

Similar heavy raids have also started over Port Moresby. V Bomber Command, based at Charter Towers, has five B-17 squadrons under its command and they have been tasked with closing this most important Japanese base. P-38's from Horn Island have been tasked with sweeping the base, currently defended by Ki-45's. Four more B-17 and two B-24 squadrons are targetting bases in the southern Solomons to make sure Japanese fighter defence is as stretched as it possibly can.

[cantona2]

11th October 1942

Port Moresby and Lunga are being subjected to an intensive daily aerial bombardment. Longer legged B-24s are hitting Lae and so far nearly 50 enemy aircraft have been reported destroyed on the ground. The building up of a good infrastructure of command and control and facilities is making coordination of raids easy to maintain.

Nauru Island was also occupied by the 1st Paras and at the moment they wait for relief that is coming form units released from Noumea.



US Submarines have started a concentrated effort to attack enemy cargo and fuel carrying vessels in the South China Sea, the straits by Formosa and its approaches the initial areas of patrol. Likewise the Ceram Sea and its surrounding islands.



CV Wasp's current state of disrepair in the caring hands of the AR Vestal.


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[cantona2]

October 23rd 1942

Admiralty sources confirmed a successful raid over Port Blair in the Bay of Bengal, carried out by the Illustrious and HMS Hermes. Scouting submarines had spotted large number of ships unloading at Port Blair over the past few days. Indeed SS Salmon had been engaged by ASW elements escorting the ships. HMS Illustrious had sortied along with the Hermes from Colombo a few days ago and arrived at an optimum attack position 186 NMS to the North West of Port Blair. Swordfish spotters from the Hermes located the targets and the first wave, comprised of Illustrious's Albacores and Hermes's Swordfish planes, escorted by Martlets hit the enemy ships with total surprise and meeting no opposition whatsoever. The first strike hit two large enemy transport ships that were awaiting their turn to unload. Two were hit with several torpedoes and a number of escort vessels were also identified.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Blair at 46,58

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes


Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 18
Martlet II x 4
Swordfish I x 10


Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 damaged
Swordfish I: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAP Suwa Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Rakuyo Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CM Tokiwa, Torpedo hits 1
PB Bisan Maru #3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
6935 casualties reported
Squads: 125 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 64 destroyed, 87 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 24 (20 destroyed, 4 disabled)



Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
18 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo

A second strike took off just after noon and once again headed into Port Blair meeting no opposition in the air. A plethora of escort and small vessels were repeatedly hit and several were seen to sink. Light flak was put up by several of the enemy ships, slightly damaging one Albacore. Observers on our planes also reported a large amount of bodies floating in the sea amid the wreckage of burning ships.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Blair at 46,58

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 17
Martlet II x 4
Swordfish I x 2


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Kashii
E Saga, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CM Tokiwa, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PB Kibi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Taijin Maru
PB Seki Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
2293 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 164 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 40 (37 destroyed, 3 disabled)

In sadder news, the Auxiliary cruiser Cornwallis was sunk by a flight of G3M2's, probably based out of Rangoon. Our carriers have been ordered back to Trincomalee at full speed.

[cantona2]

Start of November 1942

A lull has fallen over the Pacific battlefields as the IJN retires to repair battle damage and the Allies consolidate their positions.

However three plans are begining to germinate. The planned operation against Maleolap will go ahead before the end of the month. Elements of 1st Marine Division, supported by the 503rd PIR and an Army regiment will land at Maleolap supported by the guns of four old battleships. HMS Warspite and the RAN/RNZN cruisers will provide cover while LBA from Mili, Tarwa and Makin will cover the forces.

The Americal Division has finished its training at Sydeny and will soon embark for Merauke.

Port Moresby seems to have been abandoned by the Japanese as a forward air base with aerial support for New Guinea coming from their base at Lae. Allied high command is casting its eyes over a quick assault against Port Moresby and Milne Bay, the latter being very thinly held and the former well within range of well established Australian air bases.

[cantona2]

6th November 1942

Listening Stations and intelligence units from Bombay to San Diego were alive with a vast amount of Japanese signals detailing the movement of many. many ships. It was clear that the Japanese fleet had sailed and was about to sally out in force. Where? Many options. The Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal were the obvious answers as having rattled its sabre at Port Blair, the Royal Navy had the only operational carriers in the Pacific theatre of war. Likewise, a heavy presence of Japanese recon planes had been observed over the movements of British and Indian troops in and around the Cox's Bazaar area. Raids into the main shipping lanes from the US to Australia cannot be discounted, neither an attack on our new and developed bases in the Gilberts and Santa Cruz Islands. Whatever the case, the attack on Maleolap has entered its final phase with all ships and attack transports rendevousing at a position 120 miles to the west of Majuro.

Japanese merchants have also been spotted reinforcing Akyab in the Arakan. Hurricanes IIc's intially swept the skies clear of enemy fighters, which declined the offer of combat...



...while a much maligned plane sunk its third ship in as many days of attacks!

[cantona2]

7th November 1942

***URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL COMMANDS***ENEMY CARRIER PLANES ATTACK MILI***ABORT ALL OPERATIONS DIRECTION OF MALEOLAP AND PROCEED TO PREDETERMINED POINT EAST OF MAJURO***

[cantona2]

11th November 1942

***MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY***UNDER HEAVY ATTACK FROM ENEMY TORPEDO PLANES***NEED IMMEDIATE ASSIST...

Signal received at listening station at Johnston Island from one of the ships of 'M Force'. The bulk of the 113th Combat Engineer Battalion has been lost when the ship carrying it was sunk by three torpedo hits borne by B5N2 bombers. Fortunately the bulk of 'M Force', that carrying the 1st Marines was 46 nms due east of the position of the 113th Engineers. Full speed ahead due East orders were given across the fleet. Later on in the day the West Virginia also reported being attacked by Kates and was hit by 4 bombs that bounced off her armoured carapace. Nimitz toyed with the idea of repeating the attack that sunk the Junyo near Tarawa but the chances of intercepting the enemy carriers in open waters were smaller than in the confines around the Marshalls. To sum up the Maleolap operation was cancelled indefinitely and all ships ordered back to Pearl Harbour at flank speed. The crippled Wasp, just off Palmyra was also alerted to the presence of enemy carriers.

[cantona2]

12th November 1942

American and New Zealand units on Nauru Island, at present no combat troops just construction and engineer units, began to report the presence of enemy vessels off their tiny atoll at first light. It seemed that the intell recorded earlier in the week was correct and that the Japanese were indeed mounting at attempt to counter attack at Nauru Island. These signals were received by Marine Corps Forward Air HQ at Tarawa. Upon receipt of the news 321st and 400th (B-24 D) Heavy Bomber Squadrons were immediately prepped for a naval strike. Leaving Tarawa at first light, they were over Nauru Island by midday. Several Japanese transport ships were lying offshore while a plethora of small boats sped towards Nauru, trailing snaking, white swells in their wake. The Liberators carried out a text book level attack from 12,000 feet, wary of any fighter cover the Japanese may have brought along. A large LSD was targetted and bracketed by a stick of bombs that missed. A smaller transport ship, however was seen to blossom into flame after being hit by a 500lb bomb from the stick of 'Who Me?' flown by Captain Smith. Further raids in the afternoon resulted in no further hits but also no fighter cover either.




Observers onshore began to see small enemy craft approaching the shore just after 1pm. Small calibre guns mounted on the prow of the enemy vessels began to suppress the basic beach defences setup. They had little effect but still distracted the defender's presence from the approaching landing craft. Return fire from mortars was totally ineffective.

Pre-Invasion action off Nauru Island
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

51 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Uruboko Maru
PB Aso Maru #7
PB Saishu Maru
PB Isshin Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru

Japanese ground losses:
166 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

The first Japanese infantry to hit the beach seemed to be full of martial zeal and immediately launched into an uncoordinated attack that was easily held by the construction and engineer soldiers! Someone in the Japanese High Command had highly misjudged the capacity of the SeeBees to defend an attack!

Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2417 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 85

Defending force 2018 troops, 24 guns, 107 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 24

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1081 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 79 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)



Assaulting units:

Guards Mixed Bde /1


PS I also noticed a LOT of Japanese disabled squads over the duration of the landings at Nauru. I found this quite unusual considering the presence of the LSD in the Japanese OOB.

[cantona2]

The Allied Response.

USMC Forward Air HQ also began to coordinate the response to the Japanese counter attack at Nauru. Immediate orders were dispatched to Canton Island to get 19th TCS and VMJ-252 as well as VP-62 to relocate to Tarawa. The USAAF's 404th Bomber Squadron (B-24D) was moved to Tabiteuea while the 77th Bomber Squadron (B-25C) relocated to Makin, coming within striking range of the Japanese ships. Both squadrons of C-47's were ordered to airlift the 1st Marine Paras directly into Nauru, while the Catalina's of VP-62 would do the same with the 1 Marine Raider Battalion. Slightly to the south of Nauru, DESRON 35 (Monssen, Litchfield, Chew and Ward) and DESRON 17 (Dewey, Hull and MacDonough) were in prime position to carry out a high speed night attack on the Japanese ships off Nauru. They had been in position since the Intell intercept detailing Japanese movements. As of yet no enemy heavy surface units had been seen, indeed a number of cruisers had bombarded Mili, nor any carriers or carrier planes spotted in the Nauru Island area of operations. It was hoped that the Japanese had been disrupted enough after their botched landing to allow enough time to get sufficient strength into Nauru by air to bolster the defenders already in situ. Admiral Nimitz also had high hopes in his destroyer captains. Would the wolves run havoc among the sheep?

[cantona2]

13th November 1942

Victory at Nauru Island. Japanese troops on Nauru Island have all been destroyed after several futile and suicidal attacks against the American defence lines, now reinforced with elements of Marine para and Marine Raider battalions. Though our destroyers found no targets to engage, it seemed that the Japanese caught wind of their impending approach and lifted anchor before we got there, their soldiers on land lived up to their country's martial tradition and stormed our lines. It may well be that the ships fleeing Nauru had their stores of ammunition aboard as many of the bodies inspected had fixed bayonets and empty cartridge pouches. Gathered papers suggest that the Mixed Guards Brigade was the unit annihilated. Both DESRON's will hold station for a number of days should the enemy fleet return and the USMC Paras and Raiders will be fully transported over to stiffen up the garrison.