Rookie AAR

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

A day w/ heavy IJ air losses is a good day! Mind you, keep an eye on your Fighter airgroups - continuous work increases Fatigue & decreases Morale. A day or two Training will bring a lightly-damaged airgroup back up to speed, but if you overwork an airgroup, it'll become 'combat ineffective' & require a week or more recover. In your situation, I'd judge an airgroup w/ Fatigue in the 20s & Morale in the mid-80s to be due for a break, preferably at a base that's not under pressure.

It's a difficult balancing act but this is a part of the game I think works very well.

Fred

[Leandros]

January 8th 1942.

Stubborn defense in Rabaul. 2 landing vessels damaged by CD artillery.

CA Minneapolis TF hits upon a 7-AK convoy in the Sulu Sea heading SE. Withdraws. Another lost opportunity!

The Dutch does it better! CL de Ruyter and 4 Dutch DD’s destroy 3 enemy vessels outside Ternate, TB Chidori, PB Aso Maru no. 3 and AP Palau Maru. All by shelling.

Minneapolis misses its chance for a second time when they again encounter the 7-AK convoy. No escorts have been sighted!

Hah! Lt. Bulkeley’s PT boats are finally of some use! PT’s 31, 32 and 33 are sent into Davao Gulf to look for a reported enemy convoy. They find DMS W-7, AG Mamiya
and AK Sasako Maru with others. The force composition indicates they are planning to stay for a while! AK Nichibi Maru is hit by torpedo, others are damaged by
machine gun fire. 141 enemy casualties.

AK Montgomery City has incredible luck again. Meets the same enemy CV TF SW of Cotabato. Gets away again. They must have taken her for a friendly transport. Not
so strange, really.

TK Seierstad torpedoed by SS I-164 near Horn Island, Torres Strait. Sinks.

SS I-4 makes a try at PC Reliance on ASW duty near PH. Misses, evades.

6 Bettys bomb Menado airfield during the night. 2 Hudsons damaged, 1 destroyed on ground. 4 of Enterprise’s SBD’s damaged.

CA Pensacola sinks in Zamboanga Harbor due to previous damage. First USN CA lost in the area. Probaby won’t be the last.

SS Seawolf, one of 6 boats hurriedly sent into the Davao Gulf from their close patrolling area, reports having hit the damaged AK Nichibi Maru with 1 torpedo.
21 casualties.

2 consecutive nightly naval bombardments of Ternate. Not much of a break, though. They are taking up the landings again before dawn.

Pre-invasion barrages have started outside Davao. The defense has been reinforced but probably not enough. We shall see how it goes.

The enemy is landing at Finchhagen, New Guinea.

What’s the matter with the USN today? CL Phoenix and DD’s Benham and Cummings withdraws from a meeting with a 7-AK convoy.

DD’s Patterson and Jarvis save the USN honor! Following the PT’s into the Davao Gulf they hit on the same enemy force. 2 support vessels and an AKL is sunk by
gunfire. AK Sasako Maru receive 12 shell and 1 torpedo hit. Heavy damage! 193 enemy casualties.

Minneapolis with CL’s Raleigh and Adelaide does it again! Withdraws from the 7-AK enemy convoy. They have at least kept the convoy away from landing its load
somewhere. Maybe the flotilla commander really is smart? To sink the 7 AK’s would undoubtedly have burnt off much of the flotilla’s ammo.

SS Seal in the Davao Gulf Approaches report a hit on AG Mamiya with 1 torpedo. Valuable vessel!

Morning bombing of Bataan by 15 Betttys and 4 Nells. 38 runway, 5 airbase and 3 airbase supply hits. Pretty good bombing.

2 Do-24K’s attack AK Sakido Maru near Cam Ranh Bay, bombing from 6.000 feet. Gallant try but no luck.

12 B-17E’s flying from Kendari bomb Ternate airfield from 10.000 feet. Intercepted by 14 Zeros. 1 B-17 destroyed, 11 damaged. 1 runway hit.

The Japanese are getting their revenge! The CV TF has moved east and launches an attack against the allied vessels loitering near Ternate. 22 Kates, 22 Vals
escorted by 23 Zeros. CL Phoenix receive 6 bomb and 2 torpedo hits. DD’s Cummings and Benham are let off the hook.

CL Leander sinks.

Another CV bombing raid against the allied ships outside Ternate. 15 Kates, 11 Vals escorted by 25 Zeros. DD Benham is hit by 1 bomb. Cummings goes scot-free.

5 B-17’s destroyed this day, mainly in the Ternate raid. Wasn’t aware the enemy had been able to position so many Zeros there. Obviously have to change tactics.

Even if the number of sunk enemy ships, 7, is satisfactory, the enemy manages to turn the tables by finally getting Pensacola and Phoenix under. They also sank
a tanker and an AK.

Hope their CV TF is leaving the Celebes Sea now. They have had some aircraft losses.

However, the crux isn’t to sink enemy ships but to get forces forward to secure the bases along the Relief Route. Fighter reinforcements are going relatively well.

Fred

[HansBolter]

Although you did have success with them I would council against coupling the Adelaide with other cruisers.

The Adelaide is a slow pig at something like 26 knot maximum speed IIRRC. Coupling it with other cruisers slows the entire TF.

They go from a maximum full speed run distance of 9 for ships with over 30 knot top speed down to 8 or possibly even 7.

I'm pretty sure the fast BBs at 28 knots can make 8 hexes at top speed but 26 knots may have a top speed distance as low as 7 hexes (working from memory here).

This makes a big difference on how far out you can start a bombardment run from and how far out you will run before morning.

If you are operating from bases with close proximity to the targets such as in the DEI this may not be a big factor, but elsewhere it could well be.

I tend to resign the slow Adelaide to escort for slow BB bombardment groups rather than allowing to slow down the fast cruiser groups.

I'm sure others can chime in on the drawbacks of operating slow ships in TFs with faster ships.

Just thought I would share my experience and offer some advice.

[BBfanboy]

Adelaide is good to embed in a Transport TF for protection from AMC raiders or in an Amphib TF for gunfire support.

[wdolson]

The Minneapolis may not be engaging because it's low on ammunition. It would be worth checking. She may need to return to port and rearm.

Bill

[Leandros]

January 9th 1942.

Enemy Rabaul, Sambas, Tarakan and Davao landings are proceeding unrelenting. He has some problems with Jolo and Ternate but with his CV forces scouring the Celebes
Sea it is difficult to do anything without excessive losses in naval vessels.

DD Cummings finds a 7-AK convoy in the dark outside Ternate. Withdraws.

DD McCall achieves a shell hit on SS I-174 near Horn Island, Torres Strait. Nothing decisive.

DD’s John d. Edwards and Whipple bumps into 3 AK’s between Ternate and Mindanao. Withdraws.

DD Balch SS hits I-174 10 times near Horn Island, on fire.

DD’s Pillsbury and John D. Edwards bombard 146th IR near Davao but find no enemy vessels. CL Leander is right behind them.

DD’s John d. Edwards and Whipple have a little luck on their morning home run. They meet an enemy CV force consisting of 14 enemy vessels and get away.

British MTB’s 11, 26 and 27 clashes with CL Yura and DD’s Tanikaze and Arare. Inconclusive.

BB Haruna, CL Naka and DD’s Fumizuki and Minekaze pop up near Ternate. Obviously to cover the ongoing landings. DD Cummings, in the vicinity, is sunk by gunfire.

DD’s Tucker and Downes meet the same BB force. Both are heavily hit and on fire.

SS Tuna reports a hit on AK Tone Maru near Ternate.

Morning attack on Singkawang by 6 Nells. 4 Nells destroyed by Dutch Buffalos.

The enemy CV force in the Celebes Sea launches an attack on DD’s John D. Edwards and Whipple in the north. 9 Vals escorted by 18 Zeros. No hits this time.

It was only to be expected. An assembly of fighting ships in Dadjangas preparing for the night’s incursion into Davao Gulf is raided by Kates and Vals from the
large CV force in the south. Should have known better than to assemble so many ships in a port with no fighter protection. CL Achilles is hit by 3 bombs. The
others go free, for the time being.

In a second bombing raid against DD John D. Edwards and Whipple, Whipple is hit and set afire.

SS I-17 (Phantom of the Straits) is shelling AKL Dervel. Is it possibly out of torpedoes?

Several PA regiments cut off from withdrawing to Bataan surrenders on Luzon.

SS-174 is confirmed sunk near Horn Island.

The irksome CV force seems to have left the Celebes Sea for Palau. A BB force is reported to arrive from the east.

Parts of the 110th, 114th and115th USAAF Base forces are now disembarking in Zamboanga. 61st and 81st PA regiments are already there.

Fred

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

The Minneapolis may not be engaging because it's low on ammunition. It would be worth checking. She may need to return to port and rearm.

Bill

Thank you, guys, for all pertinent comments. I'm erring as fast as I can...[&:]

But, as the President likes to put it: In this difficult period "Time is of the Essence". I just have to use what I have available at the time and place. I'm
working on the getting support vessels forward. Actually, I don't have an AE available in the area. It's somewhere east of Brisbane, heading for Darwin. I shall
probably change its destination to Ambon. Useful experience!

Working on establishing an assembly station for planes in Darwin, rather than in Brisbane. The ferry stretch between between Brisbane and Darwin is a drag. Too
many small airfields with too little support along that route. Getting them forward from Darwin is much more practical.

Fred

[Leandros]

January 10th 1942

The problems in the Torres Strait continue. AK Chios hit by torpedo fired from SS I-164 near Horn Island. Heavy damage. Sinks.

CL deRuyter TF with 5 DD’s hits upon a 6-AK convoy near Ternate. It escapes.

After that BB Haruna with cohorts show up. 3 dutch DD’s damaged in the process.

AK Syozui Maru shelled by SS Snapper near Kagi.

Bingo! DD’s Smith and Preston do their job! They surprise the 6-AK landing force near Ternate. All 6 are sunk with gunfire and torpedoes. 99 shell hits, 4 torpedo
hits. Way to go!

DD John D. Edwards meets 2 enemy DD’s escorting an oiler east of Mindanao. Evades combat.

CV Sorya with strong escort suddenly turns up north of Menado. AK Lillian Luckenbach barely evades.

CL Yura and 2 DD’s sink PG Asheville near Busuanga. She’s been patrolling there for a while.

3 British MTB’s sunk by CL Yura and her 2 DD’s near Tablas.

A 14-SBD raid from Enterprise (flying from Ambon) against Ternate is met by 14 Zeros. 1 P-36 escort is not able to avoid 8 SBD’s being destroyed. 9 Aussie Hudsons
follow the SBD’s in. Breaks off the attack when intercepted. 1 Hudson lost.

The CV TF in the Celebes Sea launches an attack on Dadjangas. AO Pecos is hit 7 times. Sinks.

A second attack against 2 MTB’s near Davao fails.

A Dutch 139-type bombing raid against enemy ground forces near Tarakan yields 112 enemy casualties. 15 139’s and 4 L-212’s participated in the raid.

The enemy CV force launches 3 Kates escorted by 5 Zeros against ships in Zamboanga harbor. 1 P-35, 11 P-36, 1 P-40B and 2 P-40E’s intercept. 1 Kate destroyed,
1 P-36 lost. No damage on ships.

Enemy landing crafts approach Jolo. They have casualties.

Rabaul defenders are withdrawing inland.

The Japanese are landing at Morotai, east of Ternate.

CV Saratoga has arrived in Brisbane. She flies off her TBD’s to make space for AAC fighters and dive bombers. Part of her cruiser and DD escort has been released
to continue ahead to operational area.

Fred

[Leandros]

obvert wrote: Huh. So why the working torpedoes then if that 's a factor that wouldn't have been able to be changed regardless of political direction during
that period? Just curious.

jmalter wrote: 'Reliable USN torps' ON is an 'orrid advantage to the US, I would've thought that this pref-choice is not justified by the stated context of
this game. 'Allied Damage Control Advantage' ON is far more acceptable, when playing in 'historic' context. Reliable USN torps? I don't think so. One might as
well turn FOW OFF as well, ain't the intel working even better than the torps are?

Note to Leandros, pref-settings can be changed 'mid-game', hotkey 'P'.

It beggars belief that one of Adm. Hart's submarine captains had the torp prob 'solved' in 12/41. The USN Mk14 torps were screwed up 3 ways:

- unreliable depth control
- unreliable contact fuse
- unreliable magnetic fuse

These problems did not affect the Mk10 torps used by USN S-boats.

Relax, guys, I’m still only playing with the game to learn how it works. I wouldn’t dream of using “reliable USN torpedoes” when I start in earnest. Well, I might,
but first I need to study a little more this allegation by obvert:

“Torpedoes just didn't work no matter what the political situation was in 41-42 or how aggressive the commanders were.”

Such a statement is worthy of a thread in itself. For all I know it may have been discussed on the Forum. In a way it implies that (fighting) “morale” does not
influence on combat performance. The USN Asiatic Fleet submarine problem is usually described as a dual one, that of the torpedoes proper, and that of the crews,
mainly the boat commanders. To that could be added doctrine, as mentioned here.

That said, if the mk.10 torpedoes were reliable (they weren’t) there is little in the game that show this (my game, anyway) as the S-boats perform no better than
the others – on the contrary (I’ve tried both adjustments). Yes, I know, they were fewer.

This question arose when I remarked on the better than real performance of the USN boats in general. I was asked whether I’d tinkered with the submarine commanders.
I replied I hadn’t, but I have used the boats in a way that is equally unrealistic (as opposed to RL), with higher than normal concentrations – wolfpack-like. I
suspect this has yielded as good results as “reliable torpedoes”. However, operating like that would be change of “doctrine”. Leaders change doctrine.

OTH, the game does not seem to follow Japanese doctrine, at least I do not perceive it as it does, that of prioritizing naval vessels and not squander their
torpedoes on transports. Strange that there is no adjustment for this….That particular I-17 commander in the Torres Strait is a real PITA. He only goes after the
unescorted transports – and succeeds wholesale….

A question: The “December 8: The Full Campaign” – does it start up with the exact RL losses of both parties on 7/8 December?

Fred

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Adelaide is good to embed in a Transport TF for protection from AMC raiders or in an Amphib TF for gunfire support.

Two more great uses. Any slow ship with decent firepower is always a good choice to embed in an amhip TF for fire support.

The Sorebaja is a very good choice for this. It's as slow as most transports at 16 knots IIRRC and carries 11" guns.

I always make a point of getting that ship out of the DEI alive to serve as a future amphib bombardment vessel.


Ambon seems a little too far forward for an AE to me. Very exposed.

[Leandros]

January 11th 1942

DD’s Patterson and Jarvis intercept TB’s Hiydori and Kiji, and AK Haruna Maru in the Davao Gulf. Both parties evade.

MTB’s 7, 8 and 9 bumps into PB Chosei Maru with 2 AK’s. All three MTB’s are sunk.

CL Leander with 3 DD’s meet the same enemy TF. Both forces evade but not until heavy damage has been inflicted on AK Meiyo Maru, 54 casualties.

Jolo defense force fights back but new enemy forces are landing all the time.

18 Dutch 139 and 5 L-212-bombers attack ground forces near Tarakan, 81 casualties.

2 Aussie Hudsons flying from Menado are destroyed over Ternate.

9 Kates, 22 Vals and 10 Zeros attack port of Butuan flying from CV TF in the Celebes Sea. Intercepted by 2 P-35 and 7 P-40E’s. Bomb hits on CA Australia, DD John
D. Edwards and AKL Sochow. Sochow sinks.

In a similar attack on Dadjangas DD Pillsbury is hit by 3 bombs.

11 Kates attack Cagayan. 1 Kate destroyed. AKL Sagoland, 1 torpedo hit.

Flying from a CV force in the northern part of the Macassar Strait, 16 Vals escorted by 5 Zeros attack AP’s Monterey and Matsonia carrying parts of the 161st and
34th infantry regiments. Monterey is hit by 10 bombs. 93 casualties onboard.

What a day! In a second attack on Dadjangas by 19 Kates, 12 Vals and 5 Zeros DD Pillsbury is hit by 1 bomb. AKL Paz sinks.

West of Dadjangas CL Leander and DD John D. Ford are attacked by 32 Kates and 5 Zeros. 3 P-36 and 1 P-35 from Cotabato intercepts. Leander receive 1 bomb and 1
torpedo hit. On fire.

Another raid on Cagayan by enemy CV planes. 19 Vals and 5 Zeros. AM Penguin is hit 5 times. Sinks.

More enemy forces landing from 4 vessels near Tarakan. They have losses by CD artillery. 25 casualties.

Enemy forces capture Jolo! That was quick! 61st and 81st PA regiments surrender. Well, they were rather under-manned. 13 grounded planes destroyed on the airfield.
Bad!

In all, 39 allied a/c of various types lost on this day. 9 ships sunk, among them 2 damaged DD’s, and AP Monterey with part of 34th Infantry onboard. 936 troops
saved by other ships.

CV Saratoga is embarking two A-24 squadrons – 27 planes – in Brisbane to take them close enough to Ambon to be flown off. An agreement has been made with the Navy
to have the carrier technicians look the A-24’s over and repair eventual malfunctions. This agreement was actually made before Saratoga arrived in Brisbane. An
idea brought forth by a young naval aide in the Sydney Embassy when he heard about the problems in assembling the A-24’s in Brisbane. His suggestion stemmed from
the fact that the carrier SBD’s is an almost similar aircraft type. The problems applied particularly to worn-out tires, missing machine gun trigger solenoids and
the fragile rear machine gun mounts.

In the meantime a squadron of P-39’s, off-loaded in Brisbane, have flown north to Townsville for onward transfer to Port Moresby.

It shall take 5-6 days for the carrier to return to take onboard her planes again or transport another batch of AAC planes north.

The main parts of 131st and 148th FA Bn are now ashore in Zamboanga. That should shore up the defense considerably. The more so as the 114th and 115th Base Forces
have arrived, too.

AK Montgomery City, with 105 vehicles, ordnance supplies, bombs, general stores and supplies, is unloading in Cotabato.

The 56th CD AA regt., on 3 AP/AK’s, is loitering in the Moluccans, waiting for a chance to get through scot-free to Menado.

193rd Tank Bn is 2 days out of Darwin. That shall be the first unit made ready for the amphibious Reaction Force in Darwin.

Fred

[BBfanboy]

Torres strait is an obvious danger point for transit given IJNs very effective sub patrols.
I would not risk troop convoys or major combatants like Saratoga making that transit. Going up the west coast from Perth is much safer.

However since you already seem to be committed to the Torres Strait transit to launch planes to Ambon, make sure the strait portion of the trip is done at flank speed to give the best chance of avoiding the subs.

You might also try to calculate whether there are any bases in range of the A-24s with drop tanks if they were to be launched just before Saratoga reaches the Torres Strait. If you still hold Horn Island, that may be in range for a transfer onward to Saumlaki and then Ambon. Be careful that drop tanks are available (enough supply) at bases that need them to send the planes on a leg requiring them.

[Leandros]

January 12th 1942

Tarakan CD artillery hits AK’s Enju Maru and Ayato Maru near Ternate. Ayato Maru on fire.

DD John D. Ford with 2 others bump into enemy BB force, BB’s Nagato and Fuso, 3 carriers and 4 DD’s. DD’s Jupiter and Namikaze on fire. Shell hits on BB Fuso, CA’s
Chokai and Fusutaka.

In a second encounter with the same TF DD Pope is set afire. 2 hits on Nagato. Both parties break off.

CA Minneapolis with 2 cruisers and 3 DD’s meet CL Yura with 2 DD’s north of Jolo. 1 shell hit each on Minneapolis and CL Raleigh. Both forces break off.

AM Townsville is chasing SS I-162 near Cairns. No results.

BB Nagato’s TF hits upon 2 AK’s trying to escape from Dadjangas. Both are sunk.

Nagato meets CL Achilles in the Celebes Sea. Achilles escapes.

TK British Sailor meets a Soryo TF in the Macassar Strait. She escapes in the unstable weather.

Nagato TF catches up with the DD John D. Ford TF. DD’s Pope and Jupiter are sunk.

12 B-17B’s and 2 B-10B’s flying out of Cagayan bomb 146th IR in Davao. Unknown results.

TK Mindanao is attacked by 16 Vals and 5 Zeros flying from a CV TF in the southern Macassar Strait. Intercepted by 17 Dutch Buffalos flying out of Samarinda,
Borneo. 1 Zero, 4 Vals destroyed, 2 damaged. 2 Buffalos lost. 2 bomb hits on the tanker.

A second attack on AVD Childs by 13 Kates. No bomb hits. 3 Kates destroyed, 2 damaged by 4 intercepting Buffalos.

A major bombing raid launched by a CV TF just outside Zamboanga – 51 Vals, 14 Kates and 15 Zeros intercepted by 9 P-36, 1 P-40B and 14 P-40E’s. 13 hits on
TK Falkefjell, 2 on AP Chaumont. Falkefjell sinks. 1 Zero, 2 Vals destroyed, 7 Vals damaged. 1 P-36 and 1 P-40E lost.

16 Kates attack shipping in Cotabato harbor. 1 bomb hit on AK Capillo. 1 Kate destroyed, 4 damaged by 2 P-35’s and 1 P-36.

SS I-19 is reported hit by a Catalina flying out of Port Moresby.

TK British Sailor is attacked by 8 Vals and 2 Zeros in the southern part of Macassar Strait. The raid is intercepted by 7 Dutch Hawk 75’s flying out of
Bandjarmasin. 5 Vals damaged, 2 Hawks lost. 4 bomb hits on British Sailor.

In a second attack on AVD Childs by 9 Kates near Balikpapan, 7 are destroyed by 12 Dutch Buffalos.

A second attack on shipping in Zamboanga harbor: 25 Vals, 14 Kates, 15 Zeros. Intercepted by 5 P-36, 1 P-40B and 6 P-40E’s. DD John D. Ford is sunk, AP’s
Republic, Bloemenfontein and Chaumont damaged. Bloemenfontein sinks within the day. As does British Sailor.

What a day! The enemy lost 21 Kates, 20 Vals and 6 Zeros but he has 2 large CV TF’s running around the Moluccans at will, one in the south and one in the
north.

11 allied ships sunk, among them 3 DD’s. Fortunately, few were transporting troops.

CV Yorktown with 5 DD’s is just a half day’s journey behind the Saratoga TF. They shall join up and travel together.

Fred

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Two more great uses. Any slow ship with decent firepower is always a good choice to embed in an amhip TF for fire support.

The Sorebaja is a very good choice for this. It's as slow as most transports at 16 knots IIRRC and carries 11" guns.

I always make a point of getting that ship out of the DEI alive to serve as a future amphib bombardment vessel.


Ambon seems a little too far forward for an AE to me. Very exposed.

Thank you, Hans - good Points.

Another Point - in the first game I ran I tried to exctricate some Dutch land forces when the going got bad. It seemed they were restricted in a way that made it
impossible to even "buy them off".

When the business gets serious I may consider transferring the three "oldies" on the West Coast for bombardment purposes. But, that shall be in another Life.

You may be right in that Ambon is a little too far forward for the AE. However, I was planning to have total air superiority over that base before risking it.

Imagine the fireworks if it goes up....[;)]..

Hang in there.

Fred

[Leandros]

January 13th 1942.

An enemy landing vessel is set afire by Tarakan CD artillery.

RN MTB 7 hits AK Celebes Maru with 1 torpedo near Davao – distance 1.000 yards. Nice going! That’s the Navy Cross for the commander. If it can be issued to
foreigners?

AG Sirius hit by torpedo fired from SS I-24 near San Diego.

Dutch CL de Ruyter shell AK Kirisan Maru near Obi. 23 hits, 377 casualties.

AK Glasgow Maru escapes the Minneapolis TF.

De Ruyter finds Kirisan Maru again, 2 more hits, 19 additional casualties.

AK Steel Navigator is sunk by BB Yamashiro with CL Yubari and 2 DD’s near Rossel Island. What’s Yamashiro doing down there?

AK Glasgow Maru is hit by 1 torpedo fired from S-36 near Jolo. SS Seadragon puts another torpedo in it.

AP William W. Burrows hit by torpedo from SS I-7. Sinks.

AK Celebes Maru is reported hit by B-17’s flying out of Cagayan.

Morning air attack on enemy ground forces near Tarakan. 6 casualties.

Carrier bombers flying from TF on the north-eastern tip of Borneo, and one south of Jolo, attack the Minneapolis TF. 9 Kates, 13 Zeros. 1 bomb hit on CL Adelaide.

Another raid on Zamboanga airfield results in 4 runway hits. Losses on both sides. 1 intercepting P-40E lost.

2 Do-24K’s attack enemy shipping near Tarakan. 1 bomb hit on AK Kuriosho Maru. On fire.

A Japanese infantry attack on Tarakan fails. 81 enemy casualties.

The Japanese are quite perky! Now they are landing on Namlea, in the middle of the “Hornet’s nest”, so to speak, they are using destroyer transports. They must be
sort of desperate to do this or have very inferior intelligence. Ashore on Namlea are most of the 111th Base Force and the main part of the 161st IR. Just
down the road is the 1st Aussie Medium Regiment, amphibiously loaded on 3 ships. They shall start landing on Namlea in the morning. With them are light cruisers
Hobart and Colombo.

Even so, this enemy initiative is most irksome. Knowing the fighting spirit of the enemy there most certainly must be diverted important resources for some time
to have that beachhead eradicated – and fast!

CA’s Northampton and Chester have been instructed to hurry up from Darwin.

Fred

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Torres strait is an obvious danger point for transit given IJNs very effective sub patrols.
I would not risk troop convoys or major combatants like Saratoga making that transit. Going up the west coast from Perth is much safer.

However since you already seem to be committed to the Torres Strait transit to launch planes to Ambon, make sure the strait portion of the trip is done at flank
speed to give the best chance of avoiding the subs.

You might also try to calculate whether there are any bases in range of the A-24s with drop tanks if they were to be launched just before Saratoga reaches the
Torres Strait. If you still hold Horn Island, that may be in range for a transfer onward to Saumlaki and then Ambon. Be careful that drop tanks are available
(enough supply) at bases that need them to send the planes on a leg requiring them.

You are of course correct in your evaluation but as everything else in this scenario - "Time is of the Essence". Good Point, the flank speed item.

That I-17 Commander is driving me crazy. I think I have to peep in on the Japanese side to see who that is. Can't be for real....[;)]

Funny enough, as I remember the story, the Japanese weren't overly active in the Torres Strait in RL.

As for drop tanks I'm a little careful with that. I believe it took some time before they had that sorted out with the P-40's. The P-39's, however, I think
had that facility quite early. That said, history shows that the mechanics in the area were quite clever at adapting to such conditions.

Unfortunately, the airfield at Saumlaki isn't operational yet, and won't be for a couple of weeks, I'm afraid. They're working hard at it but got off to a
late start. Can ferry via Timor, though, but that has to be done via Darwin.

Fred

[wdolson]

I believe A-24s and SBDs should be able to be transferred via land bases. Send them up to Alice Springs, then to Darwin. I'm know some planes can make the Alice Springs to Darwin hop, I can't remember if the SBD-3/A-24 is one of them. I'm pretty sure the SBD-5 can make it, but that doesn't help you now.

Transferring planes via land hops is much safer than putting carriers at risk in sub infested waters.

Bill

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Leandros

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Two more great uses. Any slow ship with decent firepower is always a good choice to embed in an amhip TF for fire support.

The Sorebaja is a very good choice for this. It's as slow as most transports at 16 knots IIRRC and carries 11" guns.

I always make a point of getting that ship out of the DEI alive to serve as a future amphib bombardment vessel.


Ambon seems a little too far forward for an AE to me. Very exposed.

Thank you, Hans - good Points.

Another Point - in the first game I ran I tried to exctricate some Dutch land forces when the going got bad. It seemed they were restricted in a way that made it
impossible to even "buy them off".

When the business gets serious I may consider transferring the three "oldies" on the West Coast for bombardment purposes. But, that shall be in another Life.

You may be right in that Ambon is a little too far forward for the AE. However, I was planning to have total air superiority over that base before risking it.

Imagine the fireworks if it goes up....[;)]..

Hang in there.

Fred

IIRC in stock games only the Dutch Marine unit and the base forces can be bought out.

The permanently restricted LCUs can be moved around by airlift as long as the base they transferred is also under the same command.

The flying boats are great for this so you can make adjustments in their deployment within their controlled territory.

You can even change a base in Australia to the Dutch command and airlift them to there.

There are some creative things you can do with them within the restrictions.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

I believe A-24s and SBDs should be able to be transferred via land bases. Send them up to Alice Springs, then to Darwin. I'm know some planes can make the Alice Springs to Darwin hop, I can't remember if the SBD-3/A-24 is one of them. I'm pretty sure the SBD-5 can make it, but that doesn't help you now.

Transferring planes via land hops is much safer than putting carriers at risk in sub infested waters.

Bill

Even if they can't almost any plane can make the transfer by adding a stop at Katherine.

[Leandros]

January 14th 1942

The Dutch 12 cm. CD guns in Tarakan are still damaging the enemy landing forces. AK Hokuriku Maru receive 8 shell hits this morning and is on fire.

AKL Fukeni Maru is reported hit by SS Seal near Dadjangas. 9 casualties.

AK Ruth Alexander fired on by SS I-7 near Horn Island. 2 hits.

TF CL de Ruyter hit upon a 4-APD TF south of Namlea. Probably intending to land forces at there. AG Irako receive 5 shell hits. Evades.

SS Tuna meets the same TF on its way north. Hit 3 times.

SS Sargo reports a torpedo hit on AK Chicago Maru near Davao.

SS Sargo is further damaged. SS Tuna sinks.

DD’s Preston and Ellet firing at Yokosuka 3rd SNLF near Namlea.

The Japanese are preparing to land in Cotabato.

SS Seawolf report hit on AK Sansko Maru near Davao.

AK Almaack is hit by torpedo from SS I-24 near San Diego.

4 more torpedo hits on Almaack. It sinks.

SS Stingray report hit on AP Morioko Maru, SS Searaven report hit on AK Sansho Maru, both near Davao.

CL’s Colombo and Hobart bombard the enemy landing force on Namlea.

The Japanese are landing in Cotabato.

The Japanese are landing on Ocean Island.

AG Irako is confirmed sunk by the Dutch flotilla near Ternate.

Fred