Grudge Match

[John B.]

Here is the sitrep near Wyndam. The American CVs are off in the lower left hand corner with a new patrol target near Broome. From there they can sprint up to Dili where the mini KB has been for a couple of weeks. There is a IJN task force headed to Wyndam (I presume) probably for shore bombardment and to bring resupply. I've set my aircraft on the CVs to NOT intercept these. The allied task force near the IJN bombardment fleet is a single DD that I sent out to test how far his air search went. Alas, it was spotted by air so it's a gamble that the new CV location will leave me undetected.

[John B.]

And so we are on the dawn of battle. Yesterday, he sent in a bombardment task force (as expected)into Wyndam which did not do too much damage. I had Banshees on Anti-ship and, rather than go after the bombardment task force they went after a IJN carrier task force north of Darwin (surprise to me). My Banshee's got shredded as did their escort without shooting down any IJN planes. Intel shows that this task force is the Akagi and either the Riujyo or the Shoho. Ah, but the American carriers are off to the Southwest near Broome (see below). The rain has cleared and with the dawn my American carriers will be north of Darwin in range of the current IJN carrier task force and the gaggle of ships (which appear to contain a light carrier) near Dili. Let's just hope that the KB does not have the same idea as it is still MIA.

Nothing of note on the other fronts. The British carrier task force is trying to sneak up on Osthaven and I have a large level bomber strike plus some wildebeests set to try and take out some IJN transports that have just landed the imperial guards division there. China has settled down and I think I'll bash an infantry regiment north of Changsha this turn. Anything to get my VPs up as I still have to stomach the large surrenders in the Philippines and on Java.

[John B.]

As you can see, the IJN bombardment task force is north west of Darwin and heading away. the Akagi task force is North east of Darwin and seems to be heading in my direction. I don't think he'll keep coming this way and I expect him to move away, but who knows. He shot down a bunch of planes yesterday so maybe he thinks he'll get lucky. The American carrier TF (west of Darwin) are set to sprint to a patrol area just near the words Timor Sea. That puts me within 5 of the nest of IJN ships at Dili and leaves me in range of land based air at Darwin (which has two P-40E squadrons set at 100% LCAP over the carrier task force, it may not help but it sure won't hurt). If that Akagi sticks around it may go under an air avalanche. If I take losses they are close to Darwin if they can limp in there. If the KB shows up? Well, I hope we take some of them with us! I'm staying in shallow water to lessen the chance of running into subs and to make it more likely I'll take any bastards with me! My next report may have the battle of Timor Sea.

[John B.]

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT. MASSIVE CARRIER BATTLE NORTH OF DARWIN. TOJO FLUMMOXED! CARRIERS IN FLAMES!! NEWS REPORTS STILL COMING IN.

After two longs months of getting slapped around my plan came to fruition last night with my 4 American CVs springing what appears to be an totally unexpected trap on Scott.[:D] The final battle reports show the Akagi with 7 bomb hits and burning, the Shoho with 7 hits and engulfed in flames, the Ryujo with 4 hits and burning with similar results on the Zuiho. Ammunition bunkers are reported to have exploded on both the Zuiho and the Shoho reported sunk. The other carriers are still afloat (according to my best guess) as there are no losses in operational aircraft that would show a carrier under the waves but I do know the Akagi is badly damaged since it's CAP relocated to Dili and took place in defense from the afternoon airstrikes. There was also heavy damage reported to 5 CAs, 2 CLs, and 2 DDs. Post battle reports have two CAs, two CLs, 4 DDs and various support ships sunk. There was one attack on my carriers and there were no hits! God Bless the CAP.[&o]

If the Akagi does go down then we'll be on nearly even terms carrier wise (he lost the Hosho earlier in a surface battle near Borneo. Now, of course, I need to get away. See the sit rep. below.

In a roundup of other action. More reinforcement convoys are forming in San Francisco (to keep my mind straight I use San Fran for reinforcement convoys, LA for fuel convoys, and San Diego for resupply convoys). Just ASW outside of Pearl and things are quiet in the Bismark/Port Morsbey area. At Darwin he did take Wyndam but the loss of the carriers (even if damaged they are likely to be out for a long time) probably pushes back his Darwin offensive for quite some time unless he puts the KB over there which would relieve pressure on Australia's LOC with the US.

He has a large convoy off Osthaven unloading troops. The second part of the one two carrier ambush is steaming there from Colombo with the Illustrious and Hermes. They will be in torpedo plane range at dawn. Let's just hope that Scott has not set up land based air that can get them. He has taken Medan and is sweeping the mines there (losing a DMS there yesterday to a mine). I tired a 30,000 foot bombing raid with b-17s and lost about 10 of them. I won't try that again.

Things seem stable in China. But, as we know, that will change. He seems to be having some supply shortages there but he keeps bombarding so he must have more than I think. I will let you all know if my carriers get away unscathed.

[John B.]

Here is the battle report from the first air strike. His pilots are good, but there were too many planes! And, the bomb hits on Akagi must mean it's in serious danger of going under the waves. Even so, it's far away from any ship yard that can repair it so it's out of the war for at least a year if not more.

[John B.]

As you can see Halsey reacted one hex into the deep water. Two IJN task forces (one with the Akagi) are off to the south west. The Zuiho was up in Dili. I don't want to stick this far north since his bettys are deadly and it's more than a year before my carrier force really gets beefed up. So, I'm heading down to the coast of Australia to the west heading back to Perth. I don't want to find the KB! I have set my planes to a 5 hex radius so they can hopefully pick off any straggling carriers trying to limp home but we may be too far apart depending on how far he can move. One potential worry is that we may pass through each other. I don't want a surface action with my CVs. I did seem to do damage to his escorts but a couple of long lances could change the entire equation. There is not much moonlight and my carriers have radar so my hope would be that I could avoid combat.

[Capt. Harlock]

Tangling with the IJN carriers while you still had Buffaloes and Devastators!

[John B.]

As Lenin said "Quantity has a quality all it's own!" [:)]

[John B.]

It's the morning after and the IJN has fled from the Timor sea. Additional post battle reports (along with the sound of sinking ships) puts the Taiyo down as well as one more CA. My search, alas, turned up the Akagi just south of Makassar. It seems to have taken a pounding (with seven reported hits) but it's engines must be fine if it could sprint that far! Nevertheless, anything that can carry a bomb is on naval strike to see if I can get it again and perhaps send it down (the search planes did report a hit on the ship). There are also three IJN ships in Wyndam. My guess is these are survivors who were near sinking. In any event, as my KB heads back to Perth it has a port strike set for Wyndam and the Banshees out of Darwin are set to do the same.

The second round of the 1-2 punch was not as dramatic. But, the brits did put two torpedoes into the Harauna (see below). Then, in the afternoon second wave they hit it with a 500lb bomb (which basically bounced) but also sank an AK and put torpedoes into two APs one of which was reported on fire. The intel reports the Harauna as sunk but I don't believe it. It was not on fire and I've seen BBs take way more torpedo hits (I put five into the Yamato in my last game and it lived to fight another day). Even so, there is yard time on its horizon.

Not much else to report. He is pounding the Dutch on Sumatra and the Chinese from the air. The one big concern is that the KB has now been gone for quite some time. It's not near Dili (otherwise he would not have run away). I'm afraid it may show up on the US LOC with Australia. Time will tell.

[John B.]

As you can see, the British carrier task force put some holes in the Haruana. I do like to use Sumatra as a shield and launch air strikes over the land at ships in the straits. I'm taking a bit of a gamble and sending the brits to Soerebaja in part because I don't think that the KB is near here.

[John B.]

Man the Akagi is tough to sink! My PBY's found it south of Makassar. It was dead in the water and took three more bomb hits which included a fuel explosion. It is reported with heavy fires and heavy damage so this may be the end. But a tough ship all the way. It also appears that the Harauna is in trouble. It took two British torpedoes and, as it fled the scene it ran into the SS-37 (on it's way home to replenish) which put two more torpedos into it. It is also reported to be on fire and with heavy damage.

So, now I think that the American carriers retire to refit in the March/April upgrade cycle and try to stay out of harms way. That way they can upgrade planes and continue to train pilots. I hate to take them out of action but I think they've dented scott's plans for northern Australia. They are small enough to upgrade in Sydney which also keeps them close in case of emergency. I think that Scott's next target at sea in Port Morseby as he is closing the noose up there. I've got another convoy heading that way with supplies and some air support forces. I want to make it a tough fight and it should last longer than Rabaul. Speaking of which, the NZ brigade is still one hex south of Rabaul. I've been airlifting supplies to it and it's even got a fortification level. So, it's tying down two IJA regiments and that's a good thing. He is cleaning up Sumatra and the SSVF brigade, flown out of Singapore, just surrendered in its first battle. What a waste! things are quiet in China. Any turn that things are quiet in China is a good thing for the allies. [:)]

I'm not sure what to do about Burma. I have a lot of troops there (and just sent in a British division). But supply is a worry. I have sent several resupply convoys but the supply dumps still melt away. I think that some of the Singapore forces went to Sumatra so I'm not sure if he'll push there or not. On Java I just keep digging in deeper and deeper and shipping fuel out of Soerebja so he can't capture it.

So, it seems with the Darwin thrust blunted I face a question of what to do. Frankly, he can have the Aleutian islands, I have put very little effort up there since they are worth so few VPs. And, if he wants to advance down to take Suva and Pago Pago that's fine too. Those islands are so far away from Japan that he won't be able to hold them and I have resupply convoys for fuel that are on a regular route out of
south africa. The carriers will be out for a couple of months barring a real emergency.

So, what do people think? Bide my time? also, should I attempt to mess with American air production at all? I think we have some control over the on map factories but I'm not sure what good it does. I am producing lots of HI points since I have my HI factories turned on for the supply but I think those are pointless. Also, despite the Harauna, the subs are basically useless in the commerce war. I suspect they turn it up a notch after they get radar in April but I've only hit one AK this month.

[John B.]

As you can see, the Akagi survived the battle. But, it's dead in the water and is now being pounded without CAP. Given that it currently can't move I'm surprised it made it almost all the way to Makassar but my search reported a hit on hit yesterday so maybe that was the last straw. If it goes down, it basically means Scott only has the KB left and I don't have to worry about a mini-KB.

[Capt. Harlock]

As you can see, the Akagi survived the battle. But, it's dead in the water and is now being pounded without CAP.

Ships with "heavy fires, heavy damage" never survive unless they can quickly enter a port.

[John B.]

Sorry for the delay, but there have been no dramatic developments that required instant posting. It is now the last turn of February 1942. Scott launched a carrier raid on Port Morseby and sank several AKs and APs but he missed the combat ships by one turn and all of the on board troops had already landed. So, Morseby has 53,000 supply and is in good shape for now. Scott has pushed into the Santa Cruz islands taking several of them in one turn, but, I find myself not caring at all. There are no developed installations and the further he moves from Japan the harder it will be to both build these up and maintain them. He is still at Wyndam near Darwin but it's a big POW camp for now. He is clearing out Sumatra with little opposition but so far no sign of a move on Java. I've been sucking oil out of Seorabaja and the Ducth have started to produce Hurricanes and in a turn they are likely to start B-25 and P-40 production.

My big mistake was in Burma. I went over the river back into Moulmein the same turn that two IJA divisions showed up to bolster the Thais who were there. So, first I broke my teeth on his wall with my shock attack and then the next turn he removed any remaining teeth by kicking me back over the river. Some fanatic shore bombardment by two CLs in Rangoon who had to wade through a mine field managed to slow him up enough that my army escaped to Pegu just one step ahead of him (where reinforcements await). He has also, finally, run into an air force that can go up against him. The RAF has managed to trade losses with him and I even got into the bomber stream one time. It's touch and go right now, but I have reinforcements on the way and he has not yet shut off Rangoon from the resupply convoys. And, my bombardment fleet has grown to include a CA and two BBs are on the way.

China we are trading blows but he has not yet broken through anyplace. This turn I am about to jump his death star of heavy artillery. He only has some non IJN divisions guarding a number of battalions of artillery and I've moved up several corps to attack them.

Not much in the sub war. The last day of February saw two small TKs go down to the submarine warfare but this was not a good month for the subs overall with only a few contacts. The American carriers are in Sydney for their early 1942 refits so they may not see much action over the next several months (although I'm tempted to send them to support Java since I know he is without carriers over there). We shall see.

[John B.]

Well, Scot and I have now made it to March 20th and there have been no major developments. In China he has made some attempts to push on Sian that have not gotten far. He has cut off the road to Kukong but there is still a supply line (albeit through the mountains) and it looks like he's getting set for a major push to take that town. But, I have about 15 Chinese corps (the Ever Victorious Army) bearing down on the division that sits on the supply line and once I get there it is likely to be pushed back and the supply line reopened. I have moved most of the AVG out of China (see below) so his airforce bombs at will.

DEI/Philippines. He launched an assault on Clark Field last turn but was repulsed with bloody losses. I won't hold out too much longer since I'm down to 3,500 supply but at least I'm taking some with me and holding up about three IJA divisions that would be bashing me someplace else. He seems to be sending naval feelers out towards Port Morseby but I can't figure out what he's doing. Perhaps trying to lure me into a naval ambush? Having taken the Santa Cruz islands he appears to have stopped pushing south. Java continues to be left alone (except for him sinking some patrol boats). The Dutch airforce has started to convert to better planes including b-25s and they've been training so he may have a hot reception waiting for him when he decides to invade.

I hold Pegu with a three level fort and a British division. He has about three divisions against me but he's trying to shut off Rangoon as a port. We've had some vicious air battles with part of the AVG and the Hurricanes. I think he's shot down more than I have but he has to keep a lot of fighters there. And, I did get through to his bomber stream once and chopped some Betty's out of the sky which is fun to watch. I've moved my fighters back to Chittagong to train but another supply convoy is heading to Rangoon so there will be more fighting there very soon (with another squadron from the AVG to reinforce). He has sunk a number of AKs but I think it's worth it to hang onto Burma.

The merchant war goes ok. A few hits with subs. But, I did get a good mine field at Palembang. In one turn it took down two large TKs and then also sank the DMS that was sweeping it. The subs do ok with bad torpedos and no radar but the radar upgrades, at least, are coming soon. The big mystery for me is the KB. It has been gone for nearly three weeks. I have no idea if he's doing a deep raid somewhere or where it might be. Perhaps up in the Aleutians? I really don't know. The CVs are not due any upgrades yet so I wonder what sneaky trick he has planned. My carriers are in their own upgrade cycle right now and nothing for them to do so lots of shore leave in Sydney.

[John B.]

As you can see, the Japanese assault on Clark Field failed. I'm doomed, and sooner rather than later, but it's nice to have a few VPs to set against the large number of PoWs he's going to take.

[John B.]

Sorry, here' s the picture.

[Capt. Harlock]

Bravo to the Clark garrison! Has there been any further confirmation or denial of Akagi's fate?

[John B.]

C.H. the combat reports now show that the Akagi did indeed slip beneath the waves. So, one down and 5 to go.

A quick update, at least a portion of the KB has been spotted just southeast of Port Moresby along with scads of other ships so it looks like a tussle is developing there and very soon. I took my planes out of moresby (I figure a BB bombardment is nigh) and the garrison is not as strong as it should be since, despite more than a month of rest they are almost all at less than 60% morale). But, it is what it is. Several AA batteries are there to keep him at high altitude and there is plenty of supply. Let's hope those boys can give a good account of themselves. On a note of good news, Scott launched a series of attacks in China in the last turn each of which failed, some rather miserably. I have a new supply convoy heading into Rangoon and some long range CAP over it. fingers crossed it gets through without losing too many ships. there are only low value AKLs in it but still, I hate to lose VPs.

[John B.]

The battle is on at Moresby! Scott has landed a full division, two regiments, and a base force. On the first turn he pounded it with the KB and at least three BBs. I had put four AA units there and, after what appears to be heavy Val losses he did not use the KB on a ground attack role again. He's been onshore for about 5 days now and my shore batteries have finally woken up and he's starting to take some heavy hits on his transports from shore fire. His first assault did not work and he's regrouping while he reinforces. He also seems to be marching a division over the Owen Stanley mountains as a reinforcement. He is too strong at sea for me to land reinforcements right now but I've figured out I can fly in the independent companies and some battalions so those are starting to go in from Cairns and Townsville (now why didn't I think of this before). Not enough transports so PBYs are helping out. I'm not sure if I can hold, but I think I can wear him down for quite a bit and make him take up lots of time. My subs stink and finally put a torpedo into an AK last turn after missing the Shokaku and other ships in and near Moresby for about a week.

At sea, Scott caught me trying to sneak a CA taskforce and the KB smashed it near Cairns. Fortunatly he was not set at torpedo altitude and, as a consequence, I "only" lost a CL and two CAs but two CAs and a CL got away so it could have been worse. And, he appears to have withdrawn the KB to Truk to refuel. I'm sneaking up the Enterprise and Yorktown near Townsville, if the KB stays gone in two days I should be able to get in a sneak raid on his large amphibious force. Wish me luck on that one.

In China, he is still stalemated and, every turn of a stalemate in China is a victory. He is still leaving Java alone. So, since the Dutch have now basically converted to B-25s it's time for a little strategic raid on Palembang. Also, the Brits have two CVs and the Hermes hovering off of Sumatra. I can either hit a tanker fleet that shows up at Palembang or any invasion force that goes into Java.

Rangoon is a problem. I lost more small AKs getting the supply level up to 100,000 but the attrition is bad. I'll leave it for now and try to build my airforce back up to make another shipping run into there. But, I think I can stay away for a month or so.