Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

Ideas for helping the lads at Port Blair.

1) Send in 2-3 LST's with suppries

2) Send in a couple of LST to pick up 44th Indian. Nothing but cooks and RAMF's left.

3) Send in the remainder of 29th Brigade at Trincomalee. We will need an APA for that.

4) We have great recon over Port Blair. Send in the heavies and mediums from Chittamono...err..Chittagoonapatti...err..oh forget it.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Speaking of things blowing up..watched a tremendous Nova special on the Ruhr dams raid.

Crazy engineering prof from Trinity College recreates the entire process from an engineering standpoint, they build a replica bomb and drop if rom a bush plane in Canada...and...well you have to watch it.


Nova: Bombing Hitler's Dams

It sounds like some History Channel childish, unhistorical treatment but it is very good. They found a Canadian bush pilot with 13,000 hrs. Crazy old guy.

+1

Saw it a year or two back. Excellent.

[sprior]

The Andrew finally sends a skimmer to Vietnam for a visit. This from http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20131213-british-destroyer-to-visit-central-vietnam.aspx The last paragraph is great!

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Ideas for helping the lads at Port Blair.

1) Send in 2-3 LST's with suppries

2) Send in a couple of LST to pick up 44th Indian. Nothing but cooks and RAMF's left.

3) Send in the remainder of 29th Brigade at Trincomalee. We will need an APA for that.

4) We have great recon over Port Blair. Send in the heavies and mediums from Chittamono...err..Chittagoonapatti...err..oh forget it.

Probably all 4, 4,1,3 then 2.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

******************June 12 & 13, 1943(c)***************


Burma: On the 12th, RAF and Tenth Air Force heavy and medium bombers attack Rangoon, losing 2 bombers but driving runway damage rises to 73%
On the 13th, they switch to Pegu. Neither field puts up any fighters on the 13th.

Bay of Bengal: On the 12th, we try to sneak up on the LYB's at Port Blair. Many squaws cry in teepee that night.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6197 troops, 45 guns, 82 vehicles, Assault Value = 295

Defending force 14415 troops, 144 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 395

Allied adjusted assault: 83

Japanese adjusted defense: 2075

Allied assault odds: 1 to 25 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3004 casualties reported
Squads: 222 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 108 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 25 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (8 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 40 (31 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
45th Indian Brigade
44th Indian Brigade
29th British Brigade
173 Wing
13th Indian Light AA Regiment
120th RAF Base Force

Defending units:
56th Infantry Regiment
10th Garrison Unit
55th Infantry Regiment
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Provisional Base Force


WJD counterattack on the 13th. Utoh. Time for some bombers to help.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 14312 troops, 144 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 386

Defending force 6399 troops, 87 guns, 92 vehicles, Assault Value = 121

Japanese adjusted assault: 282

Allied adjusted defense: 131

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
768 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 78 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
529 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Assaulting units:
55th Infantry Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
10th Garrison Unit
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Provisional Base Force

Defending units:
29th British Brigade
173 Wing
13th Indian Light AA Regiment
44th Indian Brigade
120th RAF Base Force

Bit of a cock-up there.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

The Andrew finally sends a skimmer to Vietnam for a visit. This from http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20131213-british-destroyer-to-visit-central-vietnam.aspx The last paragraph is great!

Peacekeeping is new for Britain, which has violently invaded more countries than any other nation in the history of the world.

They left out racist jokes. [:D]

Who, or what is "The Andrew"? Andrew the Duke of Ipswitch?

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Who, or what is "The Andrew"? Andrew the Duke of Ipswitch?

I refer you to the 4th rotor. Or this http://www.rmg.co.uk/explore/sea-and-sh ... s-nickname

[Cap Mandrake]

Ah, most interesting. 4th rotor is at FOB San Miguel. I am out gathering resources right now.

Speaking of being invaded and the like. It is a truism that if one must live in a current or former colony. It is generally best to be in a current or former British colony. Former Spanish colony...not so much. Former Ottoman colony..definitely not.

[sprior]

And former Belgian colonies are right out.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Turns out Phoenix just stopped to fish for squid or something on the 6th. Evidentry, they did not see us coming.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Brunei at 65,87, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
TK Nitiei Maru, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
TK Rikko Maru, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
PB Tatsumi Maru, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
TK Chiyoda Maru, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
TK Ayazono Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Manei Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Yamahagi Maru #3, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
PB Okiyu Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
SC Ch 32, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
SC Ch 37, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Phoenix
DD Lansdowne
DD Gridley

I realize this was a ways back, but I just wanted to point out my favorite tin can was part of the tanker shoot. USS Phoenix shouldn't get all the credit.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

I realize this was a ways back, but I just wanted to point out my favorite tin can was part of the tanker shoot. USS Phoenix shouldn't get all the credit.

At last, a fan of the Lansdowne. Cap said we'd never find one.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

I realize this was a ways back, but I just wanted to point out my favorite tin can was part of the tanker shoot. USS Phoenix shouldn't get all the credit.

At last, a fan of the Lansdowne. Cap said we'd never find one.

Well, she did pick up 12 battle stars.

Edit to add: and how could I have forgotten? She sank a carrier!

OK, it was the USS Wasp, but still...

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Speaking of things blowing up..watched a tremendous Nova special on the Ruhr dams raid.

Crazy engineering prof from Trinity College recreates the entire process from an engineering standpoint, they build a replica bomb and drop if rom a bush plane in Canada...and...well you have to watch it.


Nova: Bombing Hitler's Dams

It sounds like some History Channel childish, unhistorical treatment but it is very good. They found a Canadian bush pilot with 13,000 hrs. Crazy old guy.

Just watched it. Very interesting but a waste of tax dollars.

And its 33,000 hours.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Speaking of things blowing up..watched a tremendous Nova special on the Ruhr dams raid.

Crazy engineering prof from Trinity College recreates the entire process from an engineering standpoint, they build a replica bomb and drop if rom a bush plane in Canada...and...well you have to watch it.


Nova: Bombing Hitler's Dams

It sounds like some History Channel childish, unhistorical treatment but it is very good. They found a Canadian bush pilot with 13,000 hrs. Crazy old guy.

Just watched it. Very interesting but a waste of tax dollars.

And its 33,000 hours.

Seems more likely that Nova funded it...oh...I see what you mean. Partly government funded.

[Cap Mandrake]

************Border checkpoint, Crown Colony of Laoag, 00:49 Zulu**************

<a small radio plays in the guardhouse. A very curiously read report of some sort can be heard>


...Lamon, Paillio Strait, Lopes, Southwest, veering South, 4 or 5, later 3, Insipidly rainy, later wet rain, poor to fair

Hagay, Tayabes, Verde Islan Passage, South, staying South, 7, staying 7, mostly, medium fog, becoming fair to midland fog, fair or medium fair

Manila Bay, South Channel, North Northeast veering sort of East Northeast, 3 and a half, consistently, tepid mist becoming more aggressive later, horrid...



Pvt. Thistlethwait: <Snoring heavily>

[sprior]

Now that was funny.

[sprior]

Just in case anyone is interested

[Cap Mandrake]

************June 14, 1943(c)*************


Luzon: Pvt Thisthlethwaite falls asleep listening to the Crown Colony of Laoag Shipping Report.


Port Blair: A bombing raid over Andaman gets scrubbed...either weather or union work rules..not sure. JJ's achieves 4:1 but the lads hold.
One wonders how long they can hold on. At least they are well incentivized.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13792 troops, 144 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 329

Defending force 6003 troops, 85 guns, 92 vehicles, Assault Value = 63

Japanese adjusted assault: 373

Allied adjusted defense: 91

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
430 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
292 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
55th Infantry Regiment
10th Garrison Unit
56th Infantry Regiment
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Provisional Base Force

Defending units:
29th British Brigade
13th Indian Light AA Regiment
173 Wing
44th Indian Brigade

[Cap Mandrake]

Shipping Forecast inspired music. Careful, don't read any other stories. It's National People's Radio.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =252006914

[Cap Mandrake]

[:D]