Wild Sheep Chase - obvert (J) vs JocMeister (A)

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]11 December 1942[/font]
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After some negotiations, the game resumes.

Jocke is very down and wonders if it will be worth it to slog through most of 43 without offensive threats. I told him that while the Pacific could be tough, he still will have a strong air and land force in India and Burma. Also, the KB cannot be everywhere at once. He will not back out unless I want to end it here, but I feel he has more chances than he realizes just now.

Especially the way this turn played out!

subs: The night phase begins with the I-171 finding the injured Lexington and putting 2 fish in to finish her off. Banzai!

Then the Kingfish runs into Singapore and hits 3 mines. I'm sure that sub is toast.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Tanna at 122,156

Japanese Ships
SS I-171

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage

CV Lexington is sighted by SS I-171
SS I-171 launches 4 torpedoes

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TF 99 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84)

Allied Ships
SS Kingfish, Mine hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

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So Pac: The fears I had came true to an extent. The Boise indeed did charge North and hit the KB. That was one of the longest battles I've seen. It just kept shooting. I'm still really shocked how poorly escorts react when hit in an Air Combat TF. The BB barely took part in the battle.

Anyway, eventually all ships escaped and the worst off, the Zuiho, only has moderate damage, with system 46, float 16 and engines 12 plus 4 fires still going. The ships will head back to Tulagi heavily escorted and at cruise speed.

During the air combat phase the KB planes plus others from New Caledonia put the Saratoga and the two fast BBs plus Indianapolis down for good at Tanna.

The Boise was hit during the afternoon along with several of the escorting DDs. It took two fish and two 250kg bombs and likely has seen it's last mission. I'll send in BBs to see if it's still above water tomorrow.

It all feels a little bittersweet, but if Jocke keeps finding the game interesting enough to continue, this could mean I will have a better chance of getting to my goal of lasting late into 45 and possibly 46. I want jets!

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Ambrym at 123,151, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Kaga, Shell hits 6
CV Hiryu
CV Hiyo, Shell hits 1
CV Akagi
CVL Ryujo, Shell hits 3, on fire
CVL Shoho, Shell hits 2, on fire
CVL Zuiho, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
CS Chiyoda, Shell hits 1
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
CLAA Tenryu, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
DD Makigumo, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Shigure, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Murasame
DD Samidare
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
CL Boise, Shell hits 4
DD Mugford, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Henley
DD Jarvis, Shell hits 3
DD Gridley, Shell hits 1, on fire



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 26,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo , CV Hiryu ,
CV Kaga , CVL Zuiho , CVL Shoho ,
CVL Ryujo , CS Chiyoda screened from combat
- escorted by DD Samidare , DD Murasame , DD Shiratsuyu
CL Boise engages DD Makigumo at 26,000 yards
Range closes to 22,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 22,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 20,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Hiyo at 20,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Henley at 20,000 yards
DD Suzukaze engages DD Henley at 20,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages DD Jarvis at 20,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Jarvis at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 19,000 yards
DD Henley engages CV Kaga at 19,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Mugford at 19,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 19,000 yards
DD Henley engages DD Suzukaze at 19,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Samidare at 19,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Mugford at 19,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Shigure at 19,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Jarvis at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 17,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Hiyo at 17,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages DD Shiratsuyu at 17,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Ralph Talbot at 17,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Shoho at 17,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 17,000 yards
DD Suzukaze engages DD Jarvis at 17,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Jarvis at 17,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Henley at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 16,000 yards
DD Mugford engages CV Hiyo at 16,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Hiryu at 16,000 yards
DD Henley engages DD Shiratsuyu at 16,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Zuiho at 16,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Shiratsuyu at 16,000 yards
DD Mugford engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 16,000 yards
DD Henley engages DD Suzukaze at 16,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Makigumo at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo , CV Hiryu ,
CV Kaga , CVL Zuiho , CVL Shoho ,
CVL Ryujo screened from combat
- escorted by DD Murasame , DD Shigure , DD Shiratsuyu
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 14,000 yards
DD Mugford engages CS Chiyoda at 14,000 yards
DD Suzukaze engages DD Jarvis at 14,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Ralph Talbot at 14,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Mugford at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Akagi at 10,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Gridley at 10,000 yards
DD Suzukaze engages DD Jarvis at 10,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 10,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Zuiho at 10,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Shoho at 10,000 yards
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 10,000 yards
CL Boise engages CS Chiyoda at 10,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Jarvis at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 7,000 yards
DD Gridley engages DD Makigumo at 7,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Jarvis at 7,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 7,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Ralph Talbot at 7,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Shoho at 7,000 yards
Fuel storage explosion on CVL Ryujo
CL Boise engages CVL Ryujo at 7,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 7,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Samidare at 7,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Gridley at 7,000 yards
DD Gridley engages DD Shigure at 7,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Shiratsuyu at 7,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Gridley at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo , CV Hiryu ,
CV Kaga , CVL Zuiho screened from combat
- escorted by DD Murasame , DD Shiratsuyu
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 10,000 yards
DD Ralph Talbot engages CVL Ryujo at 10,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Jarvis at 10,000 yards
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 10,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Ralph Talbot at 10,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Mugford at 10,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Gridley at 10,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Henley at 10,000 yards
DD Ralph Talbot engages DD Makigumo at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo , CV Hiryu screened from combat
- escorted by DD Suzukaze
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 12,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Jarvis at 12,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Henley at 12,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Ralph Talbot at 12,000 yards
CL Boise engages CLAA Tenryu at 12,000 yards
DD Mugford engages DD Murasame at 12,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Henley at 12,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages DD Jarvis at 12,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Gridley at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 15,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo , CV Hiryu ,
CV Kaga , CVL Zuiho , CVL Shoho ,
CVL Ryujo , CS Chiyoda screened from combat
- escorted by DD Suzukaze , DD Shigure , DD Shiratsuyu
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 15,000 yards
CLAA Tenryu engages CL Boise at 15,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Jarvis at 15,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Henley at 15,000 yards
DD Ralph Talbot engages DD Murasame at 15,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Mugford at 15,000 yards
Range increases to 18,000 yards
CV Akagi , CV Hiyo screened from combat
CL Boise engages CV Hiryu at 18,000 yards
DD Gridley engages DD Samidare at 18,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Jarvis at 18,000 yards
DD Henley engages DD Shiratsuyu at 18,000 yards
DD Ralph Talbot engages DD Suzukaze at 18,000 yards
BB Hiei engages CL Boise at 18,000 yards
DD Suzukaze engages DD Henley at 18,000 yards
DD Ralph Talbot engages DD Samidare at 18,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages DD Gridley at 18,000 yards
DD Makigumo engages DD Henley at 18,000 yards
Range increases to 25,000 yards
DD Gridley engages CV Kaga at 25,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages CV Kaga at 25,000 yards
CL Boise engages CV Kaga at 25,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Shoho at 25,000 yards
CL Boise engages DD Suzukaze at 25,000 yards
CL Boise engages DD Murasame at 25,000 yards
Task forces break off...

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tanna at 120,157

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 51 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 27
B5N2 Kate x 3
G4M1 Betty x 6



Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Washington, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb



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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tanna at 120,157

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 6



Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 2 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Washington, Bomb hits 4, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x E13A1 Jake bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tanna at 120,157

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 72 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
A6M3a Zero x 36
B5N2 Kate x 45
D3A1 Val x 55



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 21 damaged
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 18 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 destroyed
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB North Carolina, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB Washington, Bomb hits 21, and is sunk
CA Indianapolis, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
10 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambrym at 124,151

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
A6M3a Zero x 37
B5N2 Kate x 10
D3A1 Val x 31



Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Boise, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Jarvis, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ralph Talbot, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Henley



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Boise

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Burma: No action.

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Here's to the Boise! And sinking her tomorrow!
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[Historiker]

Jocke is very down and wonders if it will be worth it to slog through most of 43 without offensive threats.

good ol' SCLS appears [:D]

[SqzMyLemon]

Nice!

No PM's to Jocke this time. [:D]

Hopefully, Jocke will continue. A heavy blow, but the Allies will make up the CV losses. What really hurts is losing North Carolina and Washington.

Glad you caught a break. [8D]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Jocke is very down and wonders if it will be worth it to slog through most of 43 without offensive threats.

good ol' SCLS appears [:D]

I'm now immune to this! Thanks for the shot in the arse Torsten! [;)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

Nice!

No PM's to Jocke this time. [:D]

Hopefully, Jocke will continue. A heavy blow, but the Allies will make up the CV losses. What really hurts is losing North Carolina and Washington.

Glad you caught a break. [8D]

I think he would love a PM from you. PLease add support if you want to. It's just hard for him to think that after waiting so long to be able to do something that it's now going to be many more months of waiting.

I was seriously jumping up and down about getting the two fast BBs. I promptly looked through the queue and got depressed again about how many he will eventually get, but that is down the road. I'll enjoy only having I think 3-4 of those monsters around in the near future.

In an email about the recent turn Jocke said he had another risky last attempt to hit me (aside from the Boise dash) that didn't pan out apparently. I wonder if the British CVs are nearby or what that might have been? I know Enterprise should either be growing coral or stuck in Suva for a long time, and the Yorktown shouldn't be much better after only three weeks since an ammo storage explosion. So not sure what might have been sent hunting for me unless it was some combo of a few CVEs and British CVs. Interesting.

I think he has a lot of options. Come March he could take the Aleutians. He can drive into Burma. Oz is a backwater for me, but maybe he doesn't realize any of that. I'm so thin now in the DEI he could waltz into Timor and take it with a division. Luckily now I have time to fill those holes, but he does have options for causing problems even without CVs. Especially with all of the dispensable quick loading ships coming online in 43.

[Historiker]

Well, you mustn't start your offensive too early... Sometimes it is fine to take what you got and leave the rest be. That's why I didn't attack your KB the next day.
There was a chance, but the almost certain outcome was not in my favour. I decided to keep it as a "superior victory" and not turn it into a "good victory"...

Had he backed down after the first battle, it would've been better...

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Well, you mustn't start your offensive too early... Sometimes it is fine to take what you got and leave the rest be. That's why I didn't attack your KB the next day.
There was a chance, but the almost certain outcome was not in my favour. I decided to keep it as a superior and not turn it into a good victory...

Had he backed down after the first battle, it would've been better...

There is something to be said for deception as well, and I've never had any doubt that all of the Allied focus is on the So Pac area.

[PaxMondo]

Hopefully this will continue. Allies have no need to concede at this point as all of their losses will be made good. But it does make for a rather dreary '43 for them.

[Erkki]

Nice one obvert! [;)]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Hopefully this will continue. Allies have no need to concede at this point as all of their losses will be made good. But it does make for a rather dreary '43 for them.

+1 - the Allies can recover from huge losses as some players have demonstrated... Their schedule might be put back a little, but they will still come.

[Historiker]

Well, if he doesn't want to continue, I can take over, Erik!

[GreyJoy]

The losses of those CVs will hurt him, for sure, but not that much as one may think...there are a lot pf approaching routes that don t need the cv support...obviously you won't have to fear a big allied leap for some time, which is damn good for the japs....

Contrats !

[Historiker]

how is the carrier loss score so far anyway?

[ny59giants]

I don't think he spent enough time closing down both Koumac and Noumea before his invasion. Koumac can be reached from Australian bases while Noumea can be reached from Suva. If he had done so, he could have placed his CV to the South and SE of Tanna and placed his transports at risk. I prefer to place extra fighters on my American CVs from the beginning of the war. A Marine fighter group of 18 planes go on each and even with the July '42 re-sizing of the Navy fighters (27 to 36), I still keep the Marines on till the Hellcats come out. 48 fighters per CV is a good number to help ensure survivability.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

how is the carrier loss score so far anyway?

On my side the Soryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku are gone.

The allies have lost Wasp, Hornet, Sara and Lex for certain. Enterprise is likely
Sunk as well, while Yorktown had an ammo storage explosion 3 weeks ago game time
and should be damaged in Suva.

So my best guess is that the allies are down to one CV which may not be operational.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The losses of those CVs will hurt him, for sure, but not that much as one may think...there are a lot pf approaching routes that don t need the cv support...obviously you won't have to fear a big allied leap for some time, which is damn good for the japs....

Contrats !

He has lost all of China, which should make Burma tougher. But I agree. There are options, especially with the LSTs coming online next month. They should enable small quick-unloading operations in places the KB is not.

It's great to win this, but many Allied players have shown that winning a battle or two as Japan means little in the end.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I don't think he spent enough time closing down both Koumac and Noumea before his invasion. Koumac can be reached from Australian bases while Noumea can be reached from Suva. If he had done so, he could have placed his CV to the South and SE of Tanna and placed his transports at risk. I prefer to place extra fighters on my American CVs from the beginning of the war. A Marine fighter group of 18 planes go on each and even with the July '42 re-sizing of the Navy fighters (27 to 36), I still keep the Marines on till the Hellcats come out. 48 fighters per CV is a good number to help ensure survivability.

Yes. I agree. I was able to search, escort and strike from those bases when he could have closed both.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The losses of those CVs will hurt him, for sure, but not that much as one may think...there are a lot pf approaching routes that don t need the cv support...obviously you won't have to fear a big allied leap for some time, which is damn good for the japs....

Contrats !

He has lost all of China, which should make Burma tougher. But I agree. There are options, especially with the LSTs coming online next month. They should enable small quick-unloading operations in places the KB is not.

It's great to win this, but many Allied players have shown that winning a battle or two as Japan means little in the end.

he could always land unexpected in Hokkaido in a year [:D][8D]...ok, sorry, that was a bit selfish[:-]

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]12 December 1942[/font]
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subs: Subs flooded the approaches to Fiji. See map below. They will now resume a blockade of the area to try and hit the Yorktown if she attempts a move out of Suva, assuming she is still there.

So Pac: Mutsu puts an end to Boise's run, finally. She took a torpedo very early in the DEI, and then disappeared for some time, only to reemerge as the scourge of the IJN here in the South Pacific.

The only other action down here today was anti-sub patrols by the Allies and the bombardment of Tanna, hitting a few US ground troops.

Most of the Allied ships involved in the Tanna invasion were seen fleeing to the South, although a good number still remain at Suva.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambrym at 125,152, Range 7,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu
DD Urakaze
DD Satsuki
DD Yuzuki
DD Sawakaze
DD Shiokaze
DD Yakaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Nokaze

Allied Ships
CL Boise, Shell hits 1, and is sunk



Reduced sighting due to 21% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 21% moonlight: 7,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 7,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 7,000 yards
CL Boise sunk by BB Mutsu at 7,000 yards
CL Boise sunk by BB Mutsu at 7,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


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Burma: Nothing happening.

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The thirty odd subs around Fiji will now move back to take up positions on the East and West of the islands.

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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Allied Ship Losses[/font]
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Here are the major losses so far for the Allies as reported by tracker. The Big E should likely appear on the list soon. I'll post the IJN losses tomorrow.

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[Historiker]

That's a lot! [X(]