The night of the 24th started with a bang!! I detached the escorts from the Dorsetshire and two damaged DDs and decided to send these two, the Alwin and Dale, back toward the visible cruiser TF with the strike Atago in it. I knew the IJN would be short on ammo, and although these DDs were out of torpedoes, they both had 10/16 for all of the 5inch guns left.
The ran in and not only found Atago, but BB Use and a bunch of escorts and support ships united in one TF. Lowpe has a tendency to do this to protect the capitol ships from subs, but against surface threats it means the hens are all in one house and the door is open for the foxes. Alwin and Dale take advantage. I watched this replay carefully, and wanted to see how the shots were landing.
Use took the brunt of 5 x 5inch hits to the superstructure and 2 more glancing blows to the belt armor. She sank after a hit to the superstructure, so I guess the fires that were going were increased and resulted in unsustainable system damage during the fight!! Awesome!! [8D][&o]
I've never seen a BB taken out by 5inch guns like this, but I guess she was in pretty bad shape after 2 torps, 30+ shots from 8inch and 6inch guns, and having to dodge around while burning on day two.
the USN DDs then went for Atago right away, and left her burning more furiously with two superstructure shots. They then hits the AKE extensively and some of the escorts before shooting all of the way back home to Singers and disbanding in port! [&o] (I had trouble finding them the next turn until I looked in port). [:D]
So yes, although Doresetshire did go down during the day, with an IJN BB and a CA most likely sunk along with 3-4 DDs, now this is completely worth it!! [:)]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 24, 1942
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,87, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
E8N2 Dave: 2 destroyed
Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
CA Atago,
Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isokaze
DD Wakatake, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC Ch 22
AKE Tazima Maru,
Shell hits 7
PB Karimo Maru,
Shell hits 1
PB Ichiyu Maru
PB Nichinan Maru
Allied Ships
DD Aylwin,
Shell hits 1
DD Dale
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 67% moonlight: 12,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
BB Ise engages DD Dale at 11,000 yards
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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
