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

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Okinawa:

So when does strategic bombing start? It looks like you are in range.

[CaptDave]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: CaptDave

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I am saddened nobody tried to break the code. [:(]

Thought about it but brain wasn't working at midnight.
LANDING KURILES 6 DAYS

Splendid! You should get a job at Bletchley Park.

A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1149.txt


(It's hexadecimal to ASCII) [;)]

Heck, this one was easy. In former lives I was able to read octal core dumps as well as paper tapes! Now I just have to unravel the Internal Revenue Code.

[sprior]

July 7th 1943

JJ is getting serious now about Moulmein; there's one Wee Jap Dobber who's no so wee:


Day Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 55,55, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Shell hits 26, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Susuzuki, Shell hits 4
DD Yugure, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isonami, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 1
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 4
DD Kosugiri, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 2, on fire
BB Ramillies, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Resolution, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Suffolk, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CL Ceres, Shell hits 1
CL Kenya
DD Aulick, Shell hits 4
DD Buchanan, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Kalk, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Stack, Shell hits 2
DD Shaw, Shell hits 4

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 17,000 yards

[sprior]

JJ's fly boys send in a couple of token raids:


Raid detected at 118 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 4
G4M1 Betty x 5
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 1
Beaufighter VIc x 4
P-38G Lightning x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAP Garmula

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-51 Sonia x 10
Ki-61-Ib Tony x 8

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 1
Beaufighter VIc x 2
P-38G Lightning x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4U-1 Corsair x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 destroyed
Ki-61-Ib Tony: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter VIc: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

[sprior]

Then the boys go in. Either they were too damaged to fly or JJ's management is getting sloppy:


Ground combat at Moulmein (55,55)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 13714 troops, 266 guns, 202 vehicles, Assault Value = 645

Defending force 1898 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Allied adjusted assault: 867

Japanese adjusted defense: 9

Allied assault odds: 96 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Moulmein !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 4 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-), morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1509 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 14 (7 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
315 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
11th (East African) Division
5th Indian Division

Defending units:
2nd RTA/A Division
41st Guard Bn /1
85th JAAF AF Coy


Surprisingly their prep was worse than ours and they've been there 18 months. I'm hoping the state of their supply is an indicator of their whole position in southern Burma.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Then the boys go in. Either they were too damaged to fly or JJ's management is getting sloppy:
....


Surprisingly their prep was worse than ours and they've been there 18 months. I'm hoping the state of their supply is an indicator of their whole position in southern Burma.

I think you're on to something there in terms of JJ's management, Lord Admiral.

[Cap Mandrake]

That may have been the last big BB v BB battle. We knew Musashi had to show up again sometime.

Kirishima still lives as well. As I recall, Ramilles was reduced to a hulk in the 16th Battle of Port Hedrand. Or was it the 17th?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

July 7th 1943

JJ is getting serious now about Moulmein; there's one Wee Jap Dobber who's no so wee:


Day Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 55,55, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Shell hits 26, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Susuzuki, Shell hits 4
DD Yugure, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isonami, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 1
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 4
DD Kosugiri, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 2, on fire
BB Ramillies, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Resolution, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Suffolk, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CL Ceres, Shell hits 1
CL Kenya
DD Aulick, Shell hits 4
DD Buchanan, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Kalk, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Stack, Shell hits 2
DD Shaw, Shell hits 4

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 17,000 yards

Lord admiral: Will either of the R classes survive? It looks as though they (and Mushashi) may be in extremis.

[Cap Mandrake]

Here is the actual fight. JJ had their MVP, Tanaka. Musashi must be wrecked because he called off the fight. The IJN DD's don't fire unitl 12,000 yds. Musashi opens up at 11,000 yds. SHorter engagment ranges partially offset the superior armor of Musashi. PoW picked a very, very bad time to cleaning her guns. She misses most of the fight. RN TF CO is Leach.


Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 17,000 yards
BB Ramillies fires at BB Musashi at 17,000 yards
BB Ramillies fires at BB Musashi at 17,000 yards
BB Ramillies fires at DD Mikazuki at 17,000 yards
CA Suffolk fires at DD Mikazuki at 17,000 yards
CL Ceres fires at BB Musashi at 17,000 yards
DD Shaw fires at DD Hibiki at 17,000 yards
DD Stack fires at DD Mikazuki at 17,000 yards
DD Buchanan fires at DD Hibiki at 17,000 yards
DD Aulick fires at DD Mikazuki at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 12,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 12,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Mikazuki at 12,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages CA Cornwall at 12,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Stack at 12,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Hibiki at 12,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Buchanan at 12,000 yards
DD Shaw engages DD Susuzuki at 12,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Kalk at 12,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Buchanan at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
BB Resolution engages BB Musashi at 11,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Ramillies at 11,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages CA Cornwall at 11,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Stack at 11,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Aulick at 11,000 yards
CL Ceres engages DD Hatsuyuki at 11,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Shaw at 11,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Susuzuki at 11,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages DD Buchanan at 11,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Aulick at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Resolution at 10,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages BB Ramillies at 10,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Hatsuyuki at 10,000 yards
CA Suffolk engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Shaw at 10,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Isonami at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 8,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages DD Stack at 8,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Prince of Wales at 8,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Yugure at 8,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Kalk at 8,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Yugure at 8,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Kalk at 8,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Shaw at 8,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Isonami at 8,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages DD Kalk at 8,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Hibiki at 8,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages DD Aulick at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
BB Resolution engages BB Musashi at 10,000 yards
DD Shaw engages DD Kosugiri at 10,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Mikazuki at 10,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages CA Cornwall at 10,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Shaw at 10,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Shaw at 10,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Mikazuki at 10,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Aulick at 10,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages BB Musashi at 10,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Kosugiri at 10,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Hatsuyuki at 10,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Shaw at 10,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Susuzuki at 10,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Hibiki at 10,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 9,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 9,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Mikazuki at 9,000 yards
DD Hatsuyuki engages DD Buchanan at 9,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Kalk at 9,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Mikazuki at 9,000 yards
CL Ceres engages DD Isonami at 9,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Susuzuki at 9,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Stack at 9,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Kalk at 9,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Yugure at 9,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Aulick at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Resolution at 12,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Kosugiri at 12,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Aulick at 12,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Kosugiri at 12,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages CA Suffolk at 12,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Susuzuki at 12,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Buchanan at 12,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages DD Shaw at 12,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Kalk at 12,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Buchanan at 12,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Mikazuki at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 11,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages DD Shaw at 11,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Prince of Wales at 11,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Hatsuyuki at 11,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Aulick at 11,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Kosugiri at 11,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Buchanan at 11,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Shaw at 11,000 yards
DD Hibiki engages DD Stack at 11,000 yards
DD Buchanan engages DD Susuzuki at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
BB Resolution engages BB Musashi at 12,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 12,000 yards
DD Shaw engages DD Mikazuki at 12,000 yards
DD Hatsuyuki engages DD Stack at 12,000 yards
BB Resolution engages DD Isonami at 12,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages CL Kenya at 12,000 yards
CL Ceres engages DD Isonami at 12,000 yards
DD Shaw engages DD Susuzuki at 12,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Isonami at 12,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages DD Kalk at 12,000 yards
DD Hatsuyuki engages DD Buchanan at 12,000 yards
Leach, J.C. orders Allied TF to disengage
Tanaka, Raizo orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range closes to 10,000 yards
BB Resolution engages BB Musashi at 10,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 10,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Prince of Wales at 10,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Hatsuyuki at 10,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
DD Susuzuki engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Kalk at 10,000 yards
DD Hatsuyuki engages DD Buchanan at 10,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 15,000 yards
BB Resolution engages BB Musashi at 15,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages DD Kosugiri at 15,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Mikazuki at 15,000 yards
DD Hatsuyuki engages DD Stack at 15,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Shaw at 15,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Hibiki at 15,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Yugure at 15,000 yards
DD Mikazuki engages DD Shaw at 15,000 yards
DD Stack engages DD Mikazuki at 15,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Susuzuki at 15,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Mikazuki at 15,000 yards
Range increases to 19,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages BB Musashi at 19,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Mikazuki at 19,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages DD Isonami at 19,000 yards
CA Suffolk engages DD Susuzuki at 19,000 yards
CL Kenya engages DD Yugure at 19,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Kalk at 19,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Stack at 19,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Isonami at 19,000 yards
DD Isonami engages DD Buchanan at 19,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages DD Aulick at 19,000 yards
Range increases to 24,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages DD Kosugiri at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages CA Cornwall at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages CA Suffolk at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages CL Ceres at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Stack at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Kalk at 24,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Aulick at 24,000 yards
Range increases to 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Resolution at 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages BB Ramillies at 27,000 yards
BB Ramillies engages DD Mikazuki at 27,000 yards
BB Resolution engages DD Hatsuyuki at 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages CL Kenya at 27,000 yards
BB Resolution engages DD Yugure at 27,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Susuzuki at 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Stack at 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Kalk at 27,000 yards
BB Musashi engages DD Buchanan at 27,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[zuluhour]

Might be the Leach whom commanded the Prince of Wales, looked good in uniform on wiki.

[sprior]

The state of the BBs

[sprior]

The situation in Burma, JJ has pulled out of Lashio.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Might be the Leach whom commanded the Prince of Wales, looked good in uniform on wiki.

Wrong Leach.



"Make our speed 22 kts! Gunnery officer, you may make your target that big ship over there. Would someone please put these champagne flutes away?

[Cap Mandrake]

***********************July 8, 1943(c)****************


Moulmein: True to form, Rord Admirar Fabertong has a fresh follow-up SCTF. They get in among the sheep. Fortunately, the weather is terrible and we get off pretty light, although Hunter-Ligget is a big boy, as I recall. The RN DD's have almost no ammo because of their amphibious bombardment duties.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 54,55, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Aoba
DD Mochizuki
DD Yukaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
DD Redoubt, Shell hits 6
DD Relentless, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Rotherham, Shell hits 3
AP Hunter Liggett, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Maui
xAP Santa Barbara
xAP Durban Castle
xAP Dunnatar Castle
xAK Tanda
xAK Ascot
xAK City of Hankow
xAK Martand
xAK Shirala
xAK Ariadne Moller
xAP Glenstrae
xAP Glenorchy
xAP Denbighshire
xAK Somelsdijk
xAK Marpessa

[Cap Mandrake]

Another TF. Visibility is 2000 yds. We see them coming on radar.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 54,55, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Aoba
DD Mochizuki
DD Yukaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
CL Durban
DD Isis
DD Napier
DD Racehorse
AP President Adams
xAP Athlone Castle
xAP Empress ' Scotland
xAP Empress ' Asia
xAK Maldive
xAK Matiana
xAP Governor
xAP Hadleigh
xAP Kohistan
xAK San Alvaro
xAK Umtali
xAP Glenartney
xAK Ima
xAK Tricolor

[Cap Mandrake]

Another TF, I think this is newly arrived and full of troops but at least the escorts have ammo. RNN apparently has damage control training to do. Voyager must be a complete hulk if she has not sunk. At least one of the IJN DD's burning.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 54,55, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Aoba, Shell hits 4
DD Mochizuki
DD Yukaze, Shell hits 3
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Dale
DD Voyager, Shell hits 20, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Van Galen, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
DD Encounter, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAP Durenda
xAP Gandara
xAP Garmula
xAP Hosang
xAK Ikauna
xAP Jalagopal
xAP Jalaratna, Shell hits 1
xAK Pellicula
xAK Silverteak
xAK Silverwillow
xAP Sirsa
xAP Taiping
xAP Tak Sang
xAP Wo Sang
xAP City of Durban
xAP Clan Macpherson
xAP Varela
LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe, Shell hits 11, heavy fires
xAP Slemmestad

Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

[Cap Mandrake]

HMS Trusty misses a chance to be a big hero.

Sub attack near Tavoy at 53,58

Japanese Ships
DD Isonami
BB Musashi, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kosugiri
DD Yugure
DD Susuzuki
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
SS Trusty, hits 7

[Cap Mandrake]

RN force detached from the BB's with about half-empty magazines and mostly no torps heads back to Moulmein to contest control. We cross their T at point blank ranges. We lose marginally (unless you are aboard Ceres, then it might be seen differently)


Night Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 55,55, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 3
CA Aoba, Shell hits 1
DD Mochizuki
DD Yukaze
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Suffolk, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Ceres, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Kenya
DD Stack

[Cap Mandrake]

Both sides are still around for a daylight battle. Ceres is detached. You would have to say we won this one.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Moulmein at 54,55, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 6, on fire
CA Aoba, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Mochizuki

Allied Ships
CA Suffolk, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Kenya, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Stack

[Cap Mandrake]

Triton lines up for a shot on Myoko. [:(]

Sub attack near Tavoy at 53,57

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, on fire
DD Mochizuki

Allied Ships
SS Triton, hits 3