Rook749 vs Lam0ttePicquet (DBB028-C)

[rook749]

Air Losses for the Turn

[rook749]

The Only Ships Reported Lost by either side so far.....

[rook749]

The Map......

[Anachro]

A nice victory for what really was an overextended and fatigued KB. It's not impervious in '42, especially mid-'42; and using it in the way he had was callous. This should allow you to certainly speed up offensive operations within the year.

[BBfanboy]

Awesome result - but no secondary explosions on those CVs?? Very unusual for that number of hits.

What was that night engagement by the DD about? Did you send it out intentionally to find the KB or was that just serendipity?

In your Tracker results I suspect some FOW - I would guess Shokaku instead of Zuikaku and Soryu instead of Hiryu (unless there were secondary explosions that really added to the damage to Zuikaku and Shokaku.

I think you should chase him and engage tomorrow unless he has strong SCTFs nearby.

BTW - you chose your intercept position perfectly - well done!

[Crackaces]

That picture will completely come into view tomorrow in game terms as the movements during the night will break away the different escort TF's created ..

I suspect at least 2 .. be prepared that you engage those targets and any faster ships make haste ...

I hope this one lasts for you given this level of decisive victory ... now it gets really interesting .

[Crackaces]

It looks like he is headed to NZ and at normal speed will cover 9 hexes in that direction next turn. If you use normal speed you will also go about 9 hexes and still be at the magic 9 hex distance that favours the IJN strike.

The farthest strike is 8 hexes I believe .. but the problem is 9 hexes away and one reacts forward one hex and free strike ..

[rook749]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Awesome result - but no secondary explosions on those CVs?? Very unusual for that number of hits.

I agree on the secondary explosions, but so far I have seen none.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
What was that night engagement by the DD about? Did you send it out intentionally to find the KB or was that just serendipity?

It was deliberate, I pulled a DD out of the replenishment task force he just hit and sent him at Flank Speed to slow down/locate the KB while his friends ran at full speed away. At best I was hoping to find the KB at night but never expected to get a torpedo off at a the Akagi.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
In your Tracker results I suspect some FOW - I would guess Shokaku instead of Zuikaku and Soryu instead of Hiryu (unless there were secondary explosions that really added to the damage to Zuikaku and Shokaku.

I think you should chase him and engage tomorrow unless he has strong SCTFs nearby.

All ships are set to engage the enemy. I don't have much fuel but the question is how much speed does he have left? And does he cut the carrier lose if they are slowing him down?

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
BTW - you chose your intercept position perfectly - well done!

Thanks, it worked out far better than planned.

[rook749]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

That picture will completely come into view tomorrow in game terms as the movements during the night will break away the different escort TF's created ..

I suspect at least 2 .. be prepared that you engage those targets and any faster ships make haste ...

I hope this one lasts for you given this level of decisive victory ... now it gets really interesting .

All ships set to engage, now comes the interesting part what does he do?

[Bif1961]

You pulled off a Midway 3 weeks early and against the entire KB. I would suspect 1 Sunk out right and 3 others is serious trouble. He will have to cut and run so expect a sacrificed surface TF to charge your expected carrier location and him to split off into several small groups to disperse your next day strikes. He will maximize his fighters on his good carriers in and effort to save them and hope the rest can get away. He has a long way to go and his damage control is not up to the quality of the U.S. carriers. Again a great job against an opponent who was worn out and over confident.

[rook749]

Full Speed Run to Catch the Least Damaged Portion of the KB, Lets see What We Can Catch on Day 3.....
The Task Force on the Map ran North East faster then the other two Task Forces that My Forces Caught on Day 2. The other Two Task Forces no longer appear on the map after Surface and Air Actions.

[rook749]

Day Two Starts off with Two Night Actions
Night Time Surface Combat, near Eua at 135,175, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Hiei, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
CA Houston
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Perth
CL Glasgow
DD Stuart
DD Vampire
DD Napier
DD Nizam
DD Scout
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Electra
DD Encounter
DD Express, Shell hits 1, on fire

----------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Eua at 135,174, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 18, on fire
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isokaze, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shiranui, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall
CL Leander, Shell hits 1
CL Achilles, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
CL Perth, Shell hits 1
CL Glasgow
DD Stuart
DD Vampire
DD Napier
DD Nizam
DD Scout
DD Tenedos, on fire
DD Electra
DD Encounter
DD Express, Shell hits 1, on fire

[rook749]

Air Actions Versus Task Force "A" on Day 2

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kandavu Island at 132,168

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 14
Martlet II x 9
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isokaze, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Akigumo

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Kirishima
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Isokaze

---------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kandavu Island at 132,168

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
DD Isokaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kagero, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Akigumo

Kirishima dead in the water ...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Kirishima
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Isokaze
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kagero

---------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kandavu Island at 132,168

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 16
F4F-3A Wildcat x 11
F4F-3 Wildcat x 20
SBD-3 Dauntless x 31

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Akigumo, Bomb hits 9, and is sunk
DD Kagero, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Japanese CL
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kagero

---------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kandavu Island at 132,168

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 12

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Kagero, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kagero

[rook749]

Air Actions Versus Task Force "B" on Day 2

Morning Air attack on TF, near Raoul Island at 133,172

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 15
F4F-3A Wildcat x 10
F4F-3 Wildcat x 32
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
SBD-2 Dauntless x 26
SBD-3 Dauntless x 78

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 31, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 9, and is sunk
DD Tanikaze, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
DD Hamakaze
DD Kasumi, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Japanese CV
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Hiei
Tanikaze dead in the water ...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Tanikaze
Magazine explodes on DD Kasumi
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kasumi

---------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Raoul Island at 133,172

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 17
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Hamakaze, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hamakaze

[rook749]

Ship Losses as Reported On Day 1 and Day 2

[BBfanboy]

Another awesome day! Never saw Allied forces do so well in night actions in 1942! I wonder if damage or lack of fuel/ammo set up those IJN ships as sitting ducks?

Some FOW in the ship sunk list - Abukuma took only a single shell hit in the combat reports so I don't see why she would be on the sunk list.

[rook749]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Another awesome day! Never saw Allied forces do so well in night actions in 1942! I wonder if damage or lack of fuel/ammo set up those IJN ships as sitting ducks?

I have done much better with night actions in my two games then it seems most people, as in the last game I caught the KB at night with the Slow BB's and had a field day. I expect it is a combination of factors:

(1) Ships with at least 55/45 -- day/night xp.
(2) Being undetected.
(3) All ships having radar.
(4) Replacing Leaders
(5) Fire on some ships from battle damage
(6) Good Rolls.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Some FOW in the ship sunk list - Abukuma took only a single shell hit in the combat reports so I don't see why she would be on the sunk list.

I agree. I expect it will take weeks/months to have a good idea of how big of a victory the battle really was as his nearest safe port is the Guadalcanal area as New Caledonia and New Hebrides are pretty much closed by my B-17's.

[rook749]

Question for the Group what is my best option to get the CV fixed before she withdraws?
I think I need the combined damage to be less than 50 and I have only 66 days and counting?

[Crackaces]

I think I need the combined damage to be less than 50 and I have only 66 days and counting?

I did not know this if true .... somebody might comment .. but sailing the CV to Sydney and trying to withdraw might
be the first option ... [8D] 67 days is not going to fix much major floatation [;)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

I think I need the combined damage to be less than 50 and I have only 66 days and counting?

I did not know this if true .... somebody might comment .. but sailing the CV to Sydney and trying to withdraw might
be the first option ... [8D] 67 days is not going to fix much major floatation [;)]

I agree that 67 days is not enough. It usually takes two days for a big SY to repair one point of major floatation damage on a CV or BB.
I would not tie up Sydney's shipyard for this - you need it badly to turnaround ships that are not withdrawing.
Send her to PH or Seattle and see how it goes, or sail her to Tokyo and clear some mines.