::Felix, Ferdinand and FRUPAC:: obvert (A) v Greyjoy (J)

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Dec 20, 1941[/font]
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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font]The Tarpon sinks an xAKL near Swatow on the surface. It had troops on it but was moving without escort. Interesting.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Pacific: [/font]More movement South a Luganville is invaded. He's really going for it here. Is this an indication of a second tier objective in OZ?

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] Our forces should barely squeek into Kahnsien before the Japanese. This will let 1kAV get through and move to the relative safety of Kukong, where they can be railed out. With SL though I may just try to hold that base, at least until the IJA attempt to flank behind to cut the rail. We'll see. It's good territory.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]PI:[/font] The IJA continues to bombard at Clark. They lose three guns today. The forts are moving above level 1 again tomorrow.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BurmaI:[/font] Betty flying with bombs hit one of the small supply ships heading back from a drop at Rangoon. Others are on the way, but will have some support.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Everything is moving into place. Now just a mad dash into Palembang.

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Whose torpedoes will prove decisive? Will the IJN long lance reach it's potential, or will the USN Mk 15 overcome early war difficulties, not to mention the Mk 14s of the subs that have already cause a lot of frustration? Maybe the RN and Dutch wil show their quality? It should be an interesting few days. [/font]
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[BBfanboy]

Between the IJA division moving to HK and the one planning for Chihkiang, it looks to me like he might try to by-pass
Changsha on the west side and head up the good road straight for Chungking before you can reinforce the area or build
much in the way of forts.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: obvert


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Did someone really paint a Yin/Yang symbol on the hub of the landing gear or is that just a trick of the light and shadow?
A little early for Feng Shui, isn't it?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Between the IJA division moving to HK and the one planning for Chihkiang, it looks to me like he might try to by-pass
Changsha on the west side and head up the good road straight for Chungking before you can reinforce the area or build
much in the way of forts.

This is exactly why I'm so intent on getting the Kahnsien army to Kukong and around by rail to the Liuchow area. I's bad territory there and not too many troops to start out. If he really is moving there though it would have been better to com into Haiphong and/or Pakhoi.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: obvert

Did someone really paint a Yin/Yang symbol on the hub of the landing gear or is that just a trick of the light and shadow?
A little early for Feng Shui, isn't it?

It's tricolored. I've seen models of Chuck Older's #68 of Hell's Angels as well with the red, white and blue wheels. Not all AVG planes had this feature though.

[cantona2]

Great narrative and some great pics Ive never seen before. Keep 'em coming

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Great narrative and some great pics Ive never seen before. Keep 'em coming

Thanks! Glad you're finding it interesting. A whole new way of looking at the game for me this time, in so many ways.

[obvert]

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[font="Times New Roman"]December 21, 1941

Off the Sumatra coast

The RN patrol boats coordinated the stalking of the Japanese fleet by working in pairs. They’d found the ships moving sedately toward the south just off the coast of Sumatra in a channel between the islands, and had been reporting their movements since. Surface forces were moving up from the South incorporating Dutch, American and the remaining RN units in the area. LT Clark and his boats were meant to be the eyes, the larger ships moving directly at flank to Palembang would be the fist. He still had other ideas.

“Lay off, ahead one third, course one nine five.” LT Clark was looking for an opportunity. The moon was in its first quarter ad it was nearly pitch dark over the water. They could make out the bigger Japanese ships by their bow waves and wakes, but they were virtually invisible at more than 2,000 yards, low and slow against the water.

“Ship bearing zero two zero, sir. She’s moving fast.” LT Clark grabbed the glasses and they were nearly filled with the prow of a sleek Japanese destroyer moving toward them from 3,000 yards.

“All ahead full. Right full rudder. Change course to two four zero and make for the lee of the island.” This was not a positive development. They’d been shadowing several heavily loaded transports and were nearly in position to move on them when the patrol was sighted.

“She put on flank speed, sir.”

Both ML-311 and 310 with LT Maklin in command were running at flank speed for the cover of land. If they could make it to the islands they were small enough to get lost there, but the Japanese were coming fast.

Suddenly a flash lit the night sky followed by the dull report of a distant gun, and almost immediately after a surge of water showered the boat.

“Take evasive action, left full and then right and ahead again on two four zero.” They swerved in an arc and then came back to the course for the islands. Several more flashes were followed by spouts of water all around them, and then tracers lit the sky to their starboard as well, and they watched in horror as the arc of them angled down just onto the ML-310. The boat was ripped by explosions and men and objects were thrown into the sky. ML-310 was dead in the water behind them fading quickly.

“Right full rud- …” LT Clark started before being cut off by a massive explosion from a 12.7cm shell hitting the boat directly on the port bow, flipping it nearly vertical before it twisted in the air and came down fully flat and capsized. LT Clark felt his body being lifted into the air and thrown toward the water, and knew no more.

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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Dec 21, 1941[/font]
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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font]The fifteen subs slicing through 5 hexes of water on the approaches to Palembang manage to do a bit of damage, but nothing serious yet. KXIII hits Tarushima Maru with one, and there are troops on board which is nice.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] The main event today is the Japanese fleet off of Palembang. Three small TB flank in to the base at night, the Kiji hitting a mine, the Kari blown away by the USN cruisers, and the Kamo dodging around with the PTs. The Netties are being very liberally used from Singkawang. Both the Bettys and Nells suffer around 6-8 losses heading for shipping here, hitting nothing. The Tromp was hit by Kates with one TT. All of the Allied TFs make it in and also get refueled, which is nice after a full speed dash.

Tomorrow I'll hold at Palembang and see if subs an get lucky. The makeshift CAP will do it's best again. Even though the Zeros had their way at 3:1 today, the bombers shot down give the Allies the day by a ways, so our pilots are improving with the kills and living over our base. Tomorrow there should be fewer zeros and Kates, and he'll run out of torps soon too. Hopefully we can outlast him on this round.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Pacific: [/font] Vaitupu falls, and Ndeni and Luganville as well. So. Do I worry about Pago Pago, Fiji, and New Caledonia? Nic knows that NC in particular has no early defense, so I'd put good odds that base will be on the menu soon. Pago Pago and Fiji have some troops, but not enough yet. The CVs will move via a very southerly route to Auckland, then to unknown destinations.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] The Corps at Kahnsien holds, allowing the majority of other troops to arrive in the hex tomorrow.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SIGINT:[/font] KB toping up the tanks?[;)]

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Heavy Volume of Radio transmissions detected at Truk (112,108).[/font]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR December 21, 41
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Palembang at 48,91

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 53 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 25

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 2
Buffalo I x 8
B-339D x 11
CW-21B Demon x 5
75A-7 Hawk x 6
P-40B Warhawk x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-Ia Oscar: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Houston

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Palembang at 48,91

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
B5N1 Kate x 11
B5N2 Kate x 25

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 2
Buffalo I x 2
B-339D x 3
CW-21B Demon x 2
75A-7 Hawk x 1
P-40B Warhawk x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 1 destroyed
B-339D: 1 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 1 destroyed
75A-7 Hawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Mauritius
CL Tromp, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Scout

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
9 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

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Ground combat at Kanhsien (81,57)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6767 troops, 45 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 212

Defending force 5404 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 161

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 112

Allied adjusted defense: 53

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
355 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
51st Recon Regiment
102nd Infantry Regiment
51st Engineer Regiment

Defending units:
49th Chinese Corps

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Ground combat at Adak Island (162,52)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2648 troops, 68 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 132

Defending force 1010 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Allied adjusted assault: 33

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 33 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
596 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 129 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
37th (Sep) Infantry Rgt /1
34th Infantry Rgt /1
56th Coastal Artillery Regiment
7th Base Group

Defending units:
7th Base Force

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Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of ML No. 310 on Dec 21, 1941 is admitted
Loss of ML No. 311 on Dec 21, 1941 is admitted
Loss of HDML Pennigat on Dec 21, 1941 is admitted
Loss of HDML Panji on Dec 21, 1941 is admitted
Loss of HDML 1062 on Dec 21, 1941 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]TB Tomozuru is reported to have been sunk near Toboali on Dec 21, 1941
TB Kari is reported to have been sunk near Palembang on Dec 21, 1941[/font]
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]The Oscars got the Bettys through, but at some cost today. [/font]
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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Air Losses[/font]
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Not bad for the day. I can't imagine the Netties will stay on for tomorrow with those losses. The morale will not be good for them or for the Oscars.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert
LT Clark felt his body being lifted into the air and thrown toward the water, and knew no more.

You'd think that GreyJoy would be a little more sensitive in his treatment of you characters. [:D]

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]SW DEI[/font]
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Now comes the dicey turn. What will he do? All out into PB, or another day of air strikes and maybe some surface action? There are two surface TFs out there plus the CVs.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]CHINA[/font]
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Here is the first idea for an LR, although the term is loosely used and applied. Lots of these areas are meant to stall the IJA and make them lose a few battles in good terrain while rear units improve and fill out.

[BBfanboy]

Looks like he will land at Djambi and march to Pb.

[EHansen]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Looks like he will land at Djambi and march to Pb.

Hard to land at an inland base.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: EHansen

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Looks like he will land at Djambi and march to Pb.

Hard to land at an inland base.

D'oh! So it is!
My excuse (and I'm sticking to it) is that the estuary looked navigable to my old eyes ...

[Barb]

Actually the SIGINT report about 38th Division at Hong Kong comes from loading the said unit on ships, not unloading. 38th Div starts the war by attacking Hong Kong, then its three regiments went to Ambon, Koepang and Java.

Anyway a good job at Palembang. Japan is moving very quickly, but you are making him pay for the speed - with enough ships sunk/in repair yards and number of pilots downed, Greyjoy will be much limited in their 2nd phase objectives...

[obvert]

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[font="Times New Roman"]December 22, 1941

Near Bangka Island

They cruised all day in a small ten mile patrol zone back and forth between the entrance to the Musi River and Bangka Island. The Japanese fleet hugged the coast of Sumatra just over a hundred miles away. Several carriers had sent strikes in the day before, hitting the Dutch cruiser Tromp, which had moved up river to dock and repair. The entire strait was filled with ships in constant patrol. They would only file out occasionally to refuel at the docks along the Musi. This was oil country which was why the Japanese had come. The most productive well and refinery site in the Dutch East Indies was located just upriver, and rumour had it the engineers were beginning to rig it with explosives to deny them even if they made it past this blockade.

Even without the oil the airfields of Southern Sumatra would give the Japanese a Strategic foothold, cutting the defenses between Malaya and Java. Both the Dutch and British had moved their fighters in, and even some of the US Army air forces previously at Manila were now here. They constantly circled overhead as well, covering this force from the may Japanese strikes that had come so far. The Boise had already downed several of the big two engined naval bombers, or Bettys.

Last night a Japanese force had moved within range briefly, and Houston dueled it out with a Japanese cruiser, hitting her enough to light up the sky. The Japanese retreated without getting a major hit on Houston, but one destroyer, the Edsall, took a direct hit and was on fire for a few minutes. She looked alright now though steaming behind them.

“What’s the view like up here?” Hank joined him offering a coffee, which was strangely calming even in this heat.

“Same old so far. Nothing after last night.”

“Heard a mine got one. That whole area between the island and the mainland’s covered with ‘em I hear. Hope we don’t stray out there in the night.”

As they looked out over the white beaches of Bangka Island another Japanese patrol flew just over the top of one of the volcanoes and down low over the island attempting to elude discovery.

Oliver slapped the comm, “Floatplane bearing zero three zero. Looks like a Pete.” The ships over that way, the British Mauritius and destroyers started banging away with their bigger flak guns and as they looked up two Dutch Hawk fighters peeled off and dove into the area. The Pete, a small maneuverable Japanese plane turned back and climbed over a ridge to disappear. The fighters followed.

“Bet they get that one. Bold bastards, aren’t they!” Hank climbed back down and Oliver enjoyed the coffee. One thing they knew now. This would not be the quick and easy war everyone had imagined a months ago.

"Planes bearing three two zero!" The day was just beginning to get interesting.

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[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Barb

Actually the SIGINT report about 38th Division at Hong Kong comes from loading the said unit on ships, not unloading. 38th Div starts the war by attacking Hong Kong, then its three regiments went to Ambon, Koepang and Java.

Anyway a good job at Palembang. Japan is moving very quickly, but you are making him pay for the speed - with enough ships sunk/in repair yards and number of pilots downed, Greyjoy will be much limited in their 2nd phase objectives...

Good catch Barb! Thanks.

[obvert]

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[font="Times New Roman"]December 23, 1941

Near Bangka Island

The air strikes during the day were terrifying, the Japanese bombers gliding in low over the circling fleet like dark, giant gulls, but they were nothing like the terror to come. Oliver had been on watch for three hours of another night in low moon, with slight overcast. The sea was clam though, and the air refreshing after another hot day off the coast of Sumatra. He'd gotten in the habit of sleeping when he could, but the stifling heat below decks had frustrated his attempt to sleep in until noon to make up for his night shift on the watch.

Oliver scanned with glasses, then looked. Scanned and looked. The constant iteration of the same pattern over the same dark water. At times in the night he thought he saw shapes move, then disappear. It always gave him a start, but so far the only real movement he'd seen this night was a small local boat heading between islands on some mysterious late night mission. That was about to change. As he glanced out to the edge of Bangka island he jumped. Something was different there.

“Contact, bearing three one zero.” Oliver hit the comm after seeing the side of the island move and realizing it was a Japanese cruiser rounding the point. Two more followed and then a long string of destroyers came on as almost immediately the first flashes of their big guns lit the straits. “Three cruisers and eight destroyers.” The lead was a big heavy cruiser. Everyone in the US navy had a healthy respect for these ships. They were built to outmatch a US ship of the same size, and so far in the war nothing had proved the Japanese estimates wrong.

It was suddenly like the Fourth of July around him as the Japanese ships opened up followed shortly by Houston, then the Boise, then the rest of the USN. The Dutch and British were farther to the south and currently out of range. The Houston put a direct hit on the lead cruiser early on, but soon after Oliver spotted the telltale tracks of torpedoes. “Torpedoes in the water, bearing two nine zero.” The Japanese were still about 10,000 yards from Boise, and must have launched mush further out. Luckily their aim wasn’t good from so far, but still that was farther than their own torpedoes would reach, and at night it was a good tactic. The fish passed harmlessly to the stern as Boise closed the distance, but the line had maneuvered into some confusion avoiding the silver streaks of the torpedoes. Both fleets wanted to get in close, and the chaos of gunfire and water spouts made it impossible for Oliver to see anything most of the time.

Just behind them he saw the Marblehead had been hit aft of the bridge but continued on, and Alden had peeled out of the line and was on fire and dead in the water. The fleets narrowed the distance to 8,000 yards and a massive explosion tore into the area around Y turret. Another hit amidships soon after, but seemed a smaller caliber. Boise shuddered under the blows but stayed on, five and six inch shells cracking like popcorn in an uneven but persistent rhythm. They’d rounded the point and were away from the shelter of the island now, and as they ran past the Japanese in opposing lines, their destroyers launched fish again and ruined the Whipple and Pillsbury with a more accurate attack. The Pillsbury’s back broke immediately and she began to go down.

They broke clear into the semi-open water off Bangka, the three cruisers and two remaining destroyers, and began to make a long slow circle to let damage control do their work and get the ships into fighting condition again. The fires were still burning aft on Boise, and all of the ships had been hit a few times. He could see the Dutch and British getting into it behind now, and felt confident that in spite of the losses, they and their Allies would come away better from this one again.

Moments later his heart sank. Close in to the island dark shapes passed behind them and into the straits. Four big heavy cruisers and another six destroyers moved into the fray and tore into the Dutch task force. The Java was hit numerous times and then suffered a massive explosion from a torpedo hit amidship. She was still firing but had slowed and fell out of line. Another from the same salvo hit a Dutch destroyer that blew apart and sank immediately.

The Boise picked up speed and went in after them again. While the Japanese were still preoccupied with the Dutch the Houston hit one of the heavies and started a fire in the area near her arched funnel. Then they turned, the turrets trained toward them and blinding flashes lit the Japanese battle line. It was only in the light of their own guns firing that he realized how imposing the heavy cruisers were. Spouts and flashes erupted all around them, and Boise again was hit, this time along the waterline with a large caliber shell. She lurched and slowed like a bull elk hit hard in the flank, the hit opening a hole along the port side of the ship. Another slammed into A turret, throwing shrapnel up around Oliver’s position that bounced off of the rail and guard in front of him like metallic hail, miraculously missing his exposed face. Two more shots slammed into the ship aft and Boise leaned over to a twenty degree list and slowed to around five knots.

The fires were not bad, but the ship was obviously stricken and taking on water. Men yelled along the length of the ship, either shouting instructions or calling out in agony. It was hard to tell which. Soon after another shot ripped through the bow, twisting the deck of the port side of the ship up over the starboard edge. The call came moments later. “All hands abandon ship!”

Oliver took a last look out and ran down the stairs. He had no idea of the state of the other ships at this point. It had happened too fast, and now all he could think about was getting into the water. The ship was stopped and he could feel the list increase slightly as he hit the main deck. Boats were being lowered and men were untying rafts and throwing them down, leaping in after. He jumped.

He hit the water and went under for a moment before his vest pulled him up. As he hit the surface his face was coated in a thin layer of bunker oil spreading out over the sea. It stung and stank and he had to spit it out of his mouth to get in another breath. A raft was nearby to the left with one man climbing in already. He swam through the debris and oil and was pulled up. It was Furgussen, a gunner from Montana. He’d been on the starboard side 1.1 inch guns.

“Get up here Wilson.” He wiped his eyes clean and lifted Oliver the rest of the way up. “Good night for a boat ride, eh?” Furgussen’s teeth were a brilliant white against his oil blackened face.

“S***, Furgie, 'thought we were going to get through that one until the last four big bastards showed up.” They had room for two more and several men were angling through the water toward them. Boats were filling up and men were still jumping. Boise creaked and took a steep lean farther over to 35 degrees. “We’ve got to clear the area before she goes. God I can't believe this.” The ship burned beside them, leaning precariously as more men and boats were put in the water. he thought about those working lower decks in the engine rooms, magazines and other vital areas. He knew some had already succumbed to the damage, but hoped the quick decision to abandon would save the majority of them.

They took out the oars and started paddling. Two more men were pulled in, Seamen Tom Blythe from Florida and Dave Parson from California. Neither were injured but both had been similarly blackened by the oil.

The battle still raged to the south. They could see fire coming from ships on both sides, but it certainly looked like the Japanese were getting the better of this one. The spouts and explosions rising around the Dutch and British ships were strangely orchestrated, like a ballet where dancers were lifted up by their partners at regular intervals, up and down in succession. At a distance it was almost beautiful, which made him shudder as he thought of the men on those ships endured that barrage.

“What now fellas,” Tom was cool but obviously worried.

“Lets get to the Sumatra side. Make for Palembang. Looks like that’s where the boats are heading.” Mark Furgussen bent to the oar and pulled them around.

“Might not be a Palembang by time we get there the way this is going.” Oliver joined in on his side after they'd spun around toward the Sumatra coast. They took three more sailors up out of the water. As they pulled away the noise of men and equipment lessened behind them but the shots of the battle still boomed in the distance. After a few more minutes Boise leaned further, finally turning over fully capsized in the water. As he looked back, peering through the night he could see the smooth flanks of her glistening hull rock slowly back and forth in light of flashes from the battle still raging to the south.
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