Notes from a Small Island

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Renown TF misses the Yamato TF and bombards to modest effect. The Richelieu TF retired without bombardment, due to ammo expenditure.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Interesting - Erik had at least one bombardment TF. I am pleased to report he did not manage to achieve a nuclear bombardment here. And an Allied CD unit even managed to engage the enemy.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: USN subs are properly placed to interdict retiring enemy combat vessels, and Erik is working to address that threat.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: I think this is the balance of a Marine CD force landing in the key hex south of Wakkanai.

I'm anxious to see if the reinforcing infantry division began landing there today. During the confusion of this turn, lots of messages are being generated that various TFs are retiring due to threat from enemy air or ships.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: The daytime phase opens with this sharp and encouraging engagement. The score now stands at Allies losing 1 CA and 7 DDs, Japanese losing 1 CA and 4 DDs. It doesn't seem quite so one-sided, at the moment.

The end of the nighttime phases included lots of messages of TFs unloading at the vacant hex, but I think they were all supply TFs. The troop TF pulled back, which may be a good thing if Erik has more ships to commit.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: There seems to be a decent amount of enemy combat shipping at Wakkanai. I wonder how much LRCAP Erik has posted here, and at the various retreat hexes to the south. I bet he has a lot at Wakkanai, but probably the coverage is spotty elsewhere.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Both sides are incurring substantial damage and losses. How will this impact Erik's ability to attack and fend off attacks, and my ability to created a layered defense that allows me to simultaneously engage in other missions?

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: This enemy BB is steaming without escort, prior combat having scattered her escorts.

Until now, Erik had only lost about three (maybe four?) BBs in the game.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: The several Allied ASW TFs at Wakkanai would be defenseless against the combat ships coming in but thus far have managed to evade action.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Death Star was in this hex yesterday.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: A long series of messages like this one finally tip me off that DS isn't where I think it is. It remained in place rather than moving a hex to the SW to cover the landings at the wooded hex.

This is bad for many reasons. For instance, the BB Missouri TF is inbound from Shikuka to rendezvous with DS at the wooded hex...but DS (and its CAP) isn't there.

Also, various merchantmen TFs - including the huge troop transport TF - is at this hex or supposed to be (some may have retired due to various threats, as mentioned earlier).

Uh oh.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: A think this is a combination of enemy LRCAP and sweep engaging Allied LRCAP.

[BillBrown]

Did you see any message about DS reacting towards KB?

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Allied LRCAP is going to wear out soon, leaving shipping vulnerable.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

Did you see any message about DS reacting towards KB?

No reaction messages, Bill. No sign of KB. I have no idea where it is, at the moment.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Round three over the wooded hex.

[Canoerebel]

12/26/44

L+5: Round 4.