A grey mist hangs over the river, thick heavy, dank
rain falls, and the green world is wet, wet, wet.
Hosho stares at the sky, and curses.
Tomorrow then.
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
In this war, japanese carriers seem to have had a horrible tendency to explode, shatter under single torpedo hits. The blow strikes, the column of water rises dead admidships.
Kaga, ex battleship, thanks her heritage, that great belt she still wears
She steams on
"damage very minor, we carry on" (4 flood!)
So do the attacks
Yamato is missed
Her sister sights a scope
Charges are expended recklessly.
The attacks just seem to keep coming
3 hours later, a destroyer is hit, there are two more attacks. 3 of Zuihos Jills return bombless, claiming hits. They might be right, they might be wrong.
It is a long day
Jesselton will slip by as the night falls, and Abe swings due north, desperate to try to slip the pack about them.
Kaga remains with them.........a minor miracle.
To win, Japan will need many more.
Kaga, ex battleship, thanks her heritage, that great belt she still wears
She steams on
"damage very minor, we carry on" (4 flood!)
So do the attacks
Yamato is missed
Her sister sights a scope
Charges are expended recklessly.
The attacks just seem to keep coming
3 hours later, a destroyer is hit, there are two more attacks. 3 of Zuihos Jills return bombless, claiming hits. They might be right, they might be wrong.
It is a long day
Jesselton will slip by as the night falls, and Abe swings due north, desperate to try to slip the pack about them.
Kaga remains with them.........a minor miracle.
To win, Japan will need many more.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Dang, we really need to see what, or how, he manages his subs. I read a lot of AAR's, this one is for the books!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
RE: The little ship that could.
Are you drinking heavily at this point? Lord knows I surely would be...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: The little ship that could.
May 19th
Abe increases speed, and dodges the fleet North. The tactic works. Behind them in their wake a convoy ( in total ignorance of the danger, which of course, in the Japanese way has not been informed of the danger), blunders across the underwater wasps nest. It is not pretty
Zuihos bombers strike at two subs, does it help?
One can but hope.
Takeji and his crew spend a nervous day, a phychologist would have little danger in finding a diagnosis; mild paranoia.
Maybe its a good thing that a certain action to the North, nearer to japan , remains hidden from them:
The Zuiho maru is sunk in a brutal action, the attacking SS killed by the escorts.
Zuiho, and a SS attack..............
Its hard to think of little else
Abe increases speed, and dodges the fleet North. The tactic works. Behind them in their wake a convoy ( in total ignorance of the danger, which of course, in the Japanese way has not been informed of the danger), blunders across the underwater wasps nest. It is not pretty
Zuihos bombers strike at two subs, does it help?
One can but hope.
Takeji and his crew spend a nervous day, a phychologist would have little danger in finding a diagnosis; mild paranoia.
Maybe its a good thing that a certain action to the North, nearer to japan , remains hidden from them:
The Zuiho maru is sunk in a brutal action, the attacking SS killed by the escorts.
Zuiho, and a SS attack..............
Its hard to think of little else
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The tree trunk, lying on the ground, has provided beautiful cover. Greg Butler has carved out a small hollow, Camoflaged it well. Now his sights are quite literally focusing on his latest target, the rifle pointing out into the clear.
The fool across the river has a moustache, he sees. A nice aiming point..............
Several things happen at once
He fires, the puff of discharge floats..........
The head vanishes
a voice calls behind him, "did you get him?"
Startled, he turns, sliding on the wet ground just a little, seeking the idiot behind him
His gun is smacked, shattered, flung from his hands, the enemy shot flinging it away, the shock wrenching up his arm......
Hosho see's the shot, sees his snipers strike............, knows instantly that its missed.
Just
'"play ball, strike one, ball none", he whispers to himself. At least this will distract from the hunger........
The fool across the river has a moustache, he sees. A nice aiming point..............
Several things happen at once
He fires, the puff of discharge floats..........
The head vanishes
a voice calls behind him, "did you get him?"
Startled, he turns, sliding on the wet ground just a little, seeking the idiot behind him
His gun is smacked, shattered, flung from his hands, the enemy shot flinging it away, the shock wrenching up his arm......
Hosho see's the shot, sees his snipers strike............, knows instantly that its missed.
Just
'"play ball, strike one, ball none", he whispers to himself. At least this will distract from the hunger........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The feed pump rotor is out, the new packing shaft sleeve in place. The scraping of the casing gasket faces has begun
Temperature sits at 143 degrees today on the top plates.
Nothing unusual here, carry on.
Temperature sits at 143 degrees today on the top plates.
Nothing unusual here, carry on.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
20 may 44
40 miles south east of Colombo
The final act begins for ss I-23. her fish have cruelly bounced off the flank of the destoyer, and now enraged, the destoyer in turn pounds her with a rain of charges.
Out of control, already flooding, her men dazed and fear crazed, burst onto her upper decks even as the warm Indian ocean waters flow from her flanks.
Detirmined to die as men, fighting they swarm towards the gun, they will take the destroyer with them.....
They will die, that is inevitable, yet another casualty of this war, but they will be remembered by history.
Battleship Queen Elizabeth engages with main guns.................
40 miles south east of Colombo
The final act begins for ss I-23. her fish have cruelly bounced off the flank of the destoyer, and now enraged, the destoyer in turn pounds her with a rain of charges.
Out of control, already flooding, her men dazed and fear crazed, burst onto her upper decks even as the warm Indian ocean waters flow from her flanks.
Detirmined to die as men, fighting they swarm towards the gun, they will take the destroyer with them.....
They will die, that is inevitable, yet another casualty of this war, but they will be remembered by history.
Battleship Queen Elizabeth engages with main guns.................
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The cruel pace continues
Combined fleet approaches the east coast of malaya, waters where japan once opened this war.
Tomorrow it will swing south, hug the coast, and dash towards Singapore
"A warm reception awaits"
Hidaka knows it. His bomber pilots are nearing exhaustion. Two more scopes attacked today. How many of the Bukas were there?
Singapore reports at least 4 lurking in their path, two attacked by ASW vessels, another bombed.
He turns to Uto." Who would have thought being a carrier man meant being hunted instead of hunted hey?............"
Uto laughs.........there is no humour in it......."Not what I imagined no.......ahh, remember when war was carrier combat, pilot on pilot?, plane on plane?, this hunting submarines is wearing thin boss, wearing bloody thin"
Hidaka cannot answer. There is none
Combined fleet approaches the east coast of malaya, waters where japan once opened this war.
Tomorrow it will swing south, hug the coast, and dash towards Singapore
"A warm reception awaits"
Hidaka knows it. His bomber pilots are nearing exhaustion. Two more scopes attacked today. How many of the Bukas were there?
Singapore reports at least 4 lurking in their path, two attacked by ASW vessels, another bombed.
He turns to Uto." Who would have thought being a carrier man meant being hunted instead of hunted hey?............"
Uto laughs.........there is no humour in it......."Not what I imagined no.......ahh, remember when war was carrier combat, pilot on pilot?, plane on plane?, this hunting submarines is wearing thin boss, wearing bloody thin"
Hidaka cannot answer. There is none
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Extract from Shattering the sword, a cantona production.
May 44 edges towards June 44
In Russia, Manstien finally launches his long planned and cherished "backhand counter' against operation Baragaton. The decision to cancel the Kursk offensive of 43 will finally get its reward.
Operation Overlord approaches, now more urgently required than ever with the unfolding Russian cataclysm.
In the pacific, the quiet continues, and continues. The Allied fleet at Wessel island withdraws, Combined fleet has been revealed at last.
The British fleet begins offensive operations in the bay of bengal, sinking pickets to the north of Port headland, her battleships are reported at sea. On land, troops have infiltrated the jungles North of Raheang, threatening the heart of Japans line.
But the great quiet essentially continues. CVL Mizuho rejoins the fleet, airgroups flow south from Japan, as do the troops. 4th fleet is building a reserve in home waters.
The war wanders on.
Surely the Allies must move soon, surely..........time is now very much against them.
May 44 edges towards June 44
In Russia, Manstien finally launches his long planned and cherished "backhand counter' against operation Baragaton. The decision to cancel the Kursk offensive of 43 will finally get its reward.
Operation Overlord approaches, now more urgently required than ever with the unfolding Russian cataclysm.
In the pacific, the quiet continues, and continues. The Allied fleet at Wessel island withdraws, Combined fleet has been revealed at last.
The British fleet begins offensive operations in the bay of bengal, sinking pickets to the north of Port headland, her battleships are reported at sea. On land, troops have infiltrated the jungles North of Raheang, threatening the heart of Japans line.
But the great quiet essentially continues. CVL Mizuho rejoins the fleet, airgroups flow south from Japan, as do the troops. 4th fleet is building a reserve in home waters.
The war wanders on.
Surely the Allies must move soon, surely..........time is now very much against them.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
-
Smoky Stoker
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:34 pm
RE: The little ship that could.
ORIGINAL: 1275psi
Battleship Queen Elizabeth engages with main guns.................
Historical trivia: the only time a submarine has been sunk by a battleship in real history was on 18 March 1915, when HMS Dreadnought sank U-29 by ramming. It was done on purpose, for those who might wonder.
"Leveling large cities has a tendency to alienate the affections of the inhabitants and does not create an atmosphere of international good will after the war." -Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery
RE: The little ship that could.
And in an indirect way - at the Second Battle of Narvik when HMS Warspite's float plane sank a U-boat in one of the arms of the fjord.ORIGINAL: Smoky Stoker
ORIGINAL: 1275psi
Battleship Queen Elizabeth engages with main guns.................
Historical trivia: the only time a submarine has been sunk by a battleship in real history was on 18 March 1915, when HMS Dreadnought sank U-29 by ramming. It was done on purpose, for those who might wonder.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: The little ship that could.
Thanks for the comments, was under impression this was fizzling out.
22/5/44
Takeji's command iin his usual crisp quick voice cuts across the bridge. "Port 20, revolutions 296"
And so it begins, we make our dash across the minefield.................
Below him, he feels Zuiho's vibrations gently increase, behind, the faint but distinct bangs and thuds of extra burners igniting, the noise rising through the funnel uptakes, exploding out her flank in dark broiling clouds.
And above that, the ever, ever present whine of the blowers now climbing the octave.
Revolutions 296, full speed for Singapore
The charge of the bloody light brigade more likely.........
Revolutions 296.......
Instinctively Lurchs grip on the blower throttle tightens, and extra sweat bursts from his brow......
But the Charge is there, right behind him, reaching to his ear......"Steady now, we dont have to get there all at once"
No, we don't...........
"Ship burners five and six!" roars Lurch, and the boiler thuds. Great hands spin the blower throttle above his head like a spinning top, the noise rises, the hands shift to the fuel valve, twist them too like a toy
Air first when going up............the mantra chants in his head, fuel first when going down............
The boiler room is thundering now, both remaining feed pumps screaming overhead, both the fuel pumps thumping away, the observation glasses on the boiler front glowing, casting their lurid glow across pale faces.
Guages flicker, but do not fall back, Okano and Hirate are on watch next door, they will treat the baby steamer gently enough, the throttles winding open at only a steady pace..
Zuiho carves the ocean now at her 27 knots.
Abe speeds combined fleet south at speed, and prays it will be fast enough.
22/5/44
Takeji's command iin his usual crisp quick voice cuts across the bridge. "Port 20, revolutions 296"
And so it begins, we make our dash across the minefield.................
Below him, he feels Zuiho's vibrations gently increase, behind, the faint but distinct bangs and thuds of extra burners igniting, the noise rising through the funnel uptakes, exploding out her flank in dark broiling clouds.
And above that, the ever, ever present whine of the blowers now climbing the octave.
Revolutions 296, full speed for Singapore
The charge of the bloody light brigade more likely.........
Revolutions 296.......
Instinctively Lurchs grip on the blower throttle tightens, and extra sweat bursts from his brow......
But the Charge is there, right behind him, reaching to his ear......"Steady now, we dont have to get there all at once"
No, we don't...........
"Ship burners five and six!" roars Lurch, and the boiler thuds. Great hands spin the blower throttle above his head like a spinning top, the noise rises, the hands shift to the fuel valve, twist them too like a toy
Air first when going up............the mantra chants in his head, fuel first when going down............
The boiler room is thundering now, both remaining feed pumps screaming overhead, both the fuel pumps thumping away, the observation glasses on the boiler front glowing, casting their lurid glow across pale faces.
Guages flicker, but do not fall back, Okano and Hirate are on watch next door, they will treat the baby steamer gently enough, the throttles winding open at only a steady pace..
Zuiho carves the ocean now at her 27 knots.
Abe speeds combined fleet south at speed, and prays it will be fast enough.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
They are dirty waters these, North east of singapore. Palua Tioman, that smalll pimple of an island may boast of being a tropical paradise, I would not believe it. Here the wind seems to blow continously, chopping the waters.........a perfect place for the scope to hide
Closer to malaya, a hundred rivers feed the sea, turning it brown..........a perfect place for a sub to hide
Thousands of fishing nets dot these waters, semi permanent traps, sticks in the water with nets suspended between.......and how many of these look like a scope!?
Far too many. Far too many indeed
Across this great fleet, under ten thousand screwed down hatches deep below waterlines, men avoid each others eyes......
Closer to malaya, a hundred rivers feed the sea, turning it brown..........a perfect place for a sub to hide
Thousands of fishing nets dot these waters, semi permanent traps, sticks in the water with nets suspended between.......and how many of these look like a scope!?
Far too many. Far too many indeed
Across this great fleet, under ten thousand screwed down hatches deep below waterlines, men avoid each others eyes......
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The torpedoes strike
Two of them, deep in the battle wagons guts
Battleship Arizona lurches, slews to port.
Japan too, has subs.
The allied fleet is on the move, babar island swarms with shipping
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
3 am
"All good below Minobe?'
The dark shadow sharing Takeji's bridge continues to stare out into the dark, still, and silent
'Minobe?'
The shadow starts, mind obviously eleswhere....
'All good sir, usual problems, the feed pump repairs are almost done"
"And the idiot who broke it"
'A week of cafe party'
A week of cafe party......how things have changed my Engineering friend. Two years ago you would have half beaten him to death.........I suppose in any other japanese warship that still might have happened. What has changed you?, what has changed us?
An interesting question.......
A red flare rises on the horizon..........
Takeji involunteerly clenches his fist, teeth grind............an attack on the main body..........
Gods.........give me the dawn, give me Singapore.......
There is an attack, 4 fish launched at carrier Kasagi...but speed apparently saves her today, Abes dash succeeds.
The day will be a long one, anchoring, refuelling, recieving last minute supplies, preparing for the next day. Outside the ASW ships hunt, and drop charges, 20 sallies roam and search.
They don't have to search long. Outside the waters swarm with Buka's.
But for today, at least, Combined fleet is safe
"All good below Minobe?'
The dark shadow sharing Takeji's bridge continues to stare out into the dark, still, and silent
'Minobe?'
The shadow starts, mind obviously eleswhere....
'All good sir, usual problems, the feed pump repairs are almost done"
"And the idiot who broke it"
'A week of cafe party'
A week of cafe party......how things have changed my Engineering friend. Two years ago you would have half beaten him to death.........I suppose in any other japanese warship that still might have happened. What has changed you?, what has changed us?
An interesting question.......
A red flare rises on the horizon..........
Takeji involunteerly clenches his fist, teeth grind............an attack on the main body..........
Gods.........give me the dawn, give me Singapore.......
There is an attack, 4 fish launched at carrier Kasagi...but speed apparently saves her today, Abes dash succeeds.
The day will be a long one, anchoring, refuelling, recieving last minute supplies, preparing for the next day. Outside the ASW ships hunt, and drop charges, 20 sallies roam and search.
They don't have to search long. Outside the waters swarm with Buka's.
But for today, at least, Combined fleet is safe
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Port blair, once closed, has been allowed to repair itself.
Dinah 3's now operate from here, flown in for this one special mission.
106 ships columbo harbour............
106 ships
We will attack them.
Dinah 3's now operate from here, flown in for this one special mission.
106 ships columbo harbour............
106 ships
We will attack them.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
23/5/44
Late evening, engineers mess, Zuiho.
The evening meal has been cleared away, the tables are crowded with men writing letters, reading, playing Chess or other games.
The atmosphere is subduebed, there is no leave today, not that many of the men would have the energy to take it, it has been a gruelling day of stores, fuel, oil strike downs, and rushed maintenance jobs.
There is a knock on the door.........
'Permission to enter?'
It is Minobe, dressed in full uniform, a rare and strange sight indeed.
A wave of unease sweeps the mess..........but it is a requeast.
"Certainly sir......." the mess president answers.....
'Remain sitting men, this is informal........, where is our young villian Hirate?"
Hirate , snoozing in the corner, wakens with a start, eyes wide........"ey?"
Okano suddenly appears behind the Engineer, he is grinning from ear to ear.
Something twists in Hirates guts..............
Minobe carefully unfolds the telegram.........'have pleasure to announce marriage of Hirate to Okano's sister, the beautiful Mioko, as of this day, ..........."
The rest is drowned out in the roar of approval.
Minutes later, once the noise has dropped away, Minobe makes another statement.
'No leave tonight boys, but............"
There is a clink and a clatter behind him.
4 cartons of sake, liquid gold...........
""Congratulations Hirate, Okano.............you deserve it"
Arranged marriages are normal of course in Japan.
But Hirate knows, if he gets a chance, this one will flourish in love
Late evening, engineers mess, Zuiho.
The evening meal has been cleared away, the tables are crowded with men writing letters, reading, playing Chess or other games.
The atmosphere is subduebed, there is no leave today, not that many of the men would have the energy to take it, it has been a gruelling day of stores, fuel, oil strike downs, and rushed maintenance jobs.
There is a knock on the door.........
'Permission to enter?'
It is Minobe, dressed in full uniform, a rare and strange sight indeed.
A wave of unease sweeps the mess..........but it is a requeast.
"Certainly sir......." the mess president answers.....
'Remain sitting men, this is informal........, where is our young villian Hirate?"
Hirate , snoozing in the corner, wakens with a start, eyes wide........"ey?"
Okano suddenly appears behind the Engineer, he is grinning from ear to ear.
Something twists in Hirates guts..............
Minobe carefully unfolds the telegram.........'have pleasure to announce marriage of Hirate to Okano's sister, the beautiful Mioko, as of this day, ..........."
The rest is drowned out in the roar of approval.
Minutes later, once the noise has dropped away, Minobe makes another statement.
'No leave tonight boys, but............"
There is a clink and a clatter behind him.
4 cartons of sake, liquid gold...........
""Congratulations Hirate, Okano.............you deserve it"
Arranged marriages are normal of course in Japan.
But Hirate knows, if he gets a chance, this one will flourish in love
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
persistant buggar............
Hosho grimaces as the dummy visibly jerks, the bullet shattering its head, the 'body' rolling back out of the bunkers entrance
persistant, and still a frightening good shot............
The radio crackles............'we think heis near the big tree'
Hosho reaches for the mike....."Are you sure?"
A laugh, "with this buggar............of course not, but its a good guess"
"Ok, let them know"
"'recieved, they are on the way"
They, are 7 small sonias, coaxed from the maw of third air command. Small, obsolete........light, useless usually, but here they may do some good.
Hosho hears them first, coming down the river, noisy, tinnie almost.
he smiles.........even army flyers should be able to plant a pickle or two about that tree..............
But the smile fades as the tinnie sound of the Sonias is drowned by the snarl of the P40s sweeping down upon them.
Its fast, its brutal, only two escape...................
Buggar.............."play ball, strike one, Ball three.............."
Buggar.
Hosho grimaces as the dummy visibly jerks, the bullet shattering its head, the 'body' rolling back out of the bunkers entrance
persistant, and still a frightening good shot............
The radio crackles............'we think heis near the big tree'
Hosho reaches for the mike....."Are you sure?"
A laugh, "with this buggar............of course not, but its a good guess"
"Ok, let them know"
"'recieved, they are on the way"
They, are 7 small sonias, coaxed from the maw of third air command. Small, obsolete........light, useless usually, but here they may do some good.
Hosho hears them first, coming down the river, noisy, tinnie almost.
he smiles.........even army flyers should be able to plant a pickle or two about that tree..............
But the smile fades as the tinnie sound of the Sonias is drowned by the snarl of the P40s sweeping down upon them.
Its fast, its brutal, only two escape...................
Buggar.............."play ball, strike one, Ball three.............."
Buggar.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Abe keeps combined fleet in Singapore.
Outside the waters crawl with SS, drawn here like bears to honey.
And the E class japanese boats go to work..............
They too begin to flood these waters. Too long have the submarines hunted us, let us, for a while, hunt them...........
One sunk today, another crippled, the sallies hit two.
A good days work.
How many, Cantona, are you willing to lose here?
Combined fleet stays. First fleet does not.
3 BBs, 12 destroyers dock Soerabaya, and wait. The allies are loading the marines that remain on Babar island still.
This Sword at soerabaya is old. But its steel still glimmers.
Outside the waters crawl with SS, drawn here like bears to honey.
And the E class japanese boats go to work..............
They too begin to flood these waters. Too long have the submarines hunted us, let us, for a while, hunt them...........
One sunk today, another crippled, the sallies hit two.
A good days work.
How many, Cantona, are you willing to lose here?
Combined fleet stays. First fleet does not.
3 BBs, 12 destroyers dock Soerabaya, and wait. The allies are loading the marines that remain on Babar island still.
This Sword at soerabaya is old. But its steel still glimmers.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt