Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice)

[Mark VII]

Well, that's a surface TF worth of ships that you will not have to worry about for a long time. Nice

[Lovejoy]

Oomph...Nice Raid

I wonder how the Nagato's doing after 29 bomb hits and heavy fires.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lovejoy

Oomph...Nice Raid

I wonder how the Nagato's doing after 29 bomb hits and heavy fires.

At sea that would be enough to overcome any damage control efforts, but with a high level port to help with firefighting she might just survive. The insurance company will probably refuse to cover it though, what with the negligence clause and all.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lovejoy

Oomph...Nice Raid

I wonder how the Nagato's doing after 29 bomb hits and heavy fires.

At sea that would be enough to overcome any damage control efforts, but with a high level port to help with firefighting she might just survive. The insurance company will probably refuse to cover it though, what with the negligence clause and all.

[:D][:D] Channeling a different AAR there, I think.

A very nice damage ratio - lots of ship damage for one damaged B29. Sad not to see more sinkings, but maybe you'll get lucky on the DC rolls and some of them will burn despite the port effect.

Edit to add: Nagato won't sink. She proved IRL even an A-bomb couldn't sink her!

[jwolf]

Wow that was a great raid on Singapore! Kudos to the Allied Supreme Commander for making the right call. And I would love to hear BBfanboy's conversation with the insurance agent. [:D]

[JohnDillworth]

Those damaged CA's, CL's and DD's are going to really take the teeth out of any surface threat at a time when they will be most needed. Good shooting

[Canoerebel]

It's likely that was part of his Bay of Bengal defense force. Prior to the raid, I knew there were combat ships there and hoped there might be some small carriers.

[Canoerebel]

6/14/44 and 6/15/44

Singapore: Figuring Dave would send fighters to Singers (he did - roughly 75 the next turn), I set the B-29s to nighttime. They didn't encounter fighters and scored a few more hits on a couple of CAs and DDs. Sinking sounds were heard, I think for a hard-hit DD. The next two turns, the Superforts rested (a rare instance of forced moderation).

DEI: On the 14th, CV Franklin and two CVLs (the latter had been damaged in the Battle of Timor Sea and went to Pearl for repairs) neared Darwin. Dave's ships continued landing troops at Ternate, so I ordered DS & The Herd to sortie. The armada moved out on the 15th, making six hexes. They're now about 17 hexes shy of Ternate.

Dave's army is beat up by landing and hasn't tried an attack. If I can get supply ashore, that would probably be enough to secure the base. But reinforcements are aboard ship, too. There are also TFs with troops for other bases, like friendly Boela and unfriendly Namlea. And over at Koepang, troop ships are loading for possibly forays to Bima, Denpassar and even Celebes (just in case things go remarkably well).

While I have to allow and assume that Dave is fully apprised of where my ships are and their intentions, it seems like there's at least one other possibility. For some reason, he subs flooded the area near Ambon, as though he expected any relief effort to come solely from Koepang. Perhaps he's unaware DS was at Darwin? None of the TFs were picked up by NavSearch today. If that continues tomorrow (unlikely) there may be a shot at an ambush at Ternate (his carriers are there) the day after.

I wanted to wait longer to seek battle, but a battle should be worthwhile if, in so doing, Ternate is saved. I had hoped to wait 30 days for some of the triage carriers to return, but Dave moved too soon. Yet it's great that Franklin and the CVLs arrived just as the Essex Class carriers finished upgrading.

[Squamry]

Are there any bases that C-87s could resupply Ternate from, Dobo or Taberfane perhaps? the little they can transfer may make a difference.

[Canoerebel]

Air transport of supply is underway but enemy CAP is interdicting. Sub supply is also underway. But they really aren't going to make a difference. To hold the base for more than a couple of days, the supply ships have to make it. So an all-out battle for Ternate make be developing.

[Gridley380]

Ternate: the Guadalcanal of the DEI.

[Canoerebel]

Yeah, that's apt. The fleet dropped off a bunch of soldiers without enough supply, barbed wire, heavy guns, etc. Then the fleet vamoosed, leaving the army to its fate.

[Gridley380]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Yeah, that's apt. The fleet dropped off a bunch of soldiers without enough supply, barbed wire, heavy guns, etc. Then the fleet vamoosed, leaving the army to its fate.

So does that make you Fletcher?

[Canoerebel]

Yeah. Only, my carriers really did get attacked.

[USSAmerica]

Just finished catching up after about 3 weeks away from being able to read AAR's. Very exciting times and a very fun read, Dan!

P.S. You're crushing his subs! [8D]

[Canoerebel]

Thanks, Mike. It's good to have you back. Stay tuned, as more sub warfare appears imminent. [:)]

[Canoerebel]

DS will play aggressively tomorrow, entering tight waters to close on Ternate. There are lots of escorting ASW and DD TFs to help with security against subs and MTBs. One good USN DD TF will use flank speed to patrol Ternate, where KB is currently posted.

I wonder if Dave is aware that fleet carriers in base hexes have flight ops halved? He got caught once before, with his carriers at Koepang.

I think he'll pull his carriers and combat ships back. There is, of course, the chance of a chance 8-hex strike.

The aggressive moves by the Allies are to get into a position to relieve Ternate. If things go well tomorrow, that'll take place the day after. If Dave pulls back, it should work. If he stays, there should be a big carrier battle. His big LBA bases have been shut down, except Manado and Kendari. The B-29s are ordered to hit Manado tonight, some 2EB will strike Kendari. Waigeo, Sorong and Ambon are completely shut down.

Allied fighters will sweep Ternate. If KB remains there, that might help a bit.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

DS will play aggressively tomorrow, entering tight waters to close on Ternate. There are lots of escorting ASW and DD TFs to help with security against subs and MTBs. One good USN DD TF will use flank speed to patrol Ternate, where KB is currently posted.

I wonder if Dave is aware that fleet carriers in base hexes have flight ops halved? He got caught once before, with his carriers at Koepang.

I think he'll pull his carriers and combat ships back. There is, of course, the chance of a chance 8-hex strike.

The aggressive moves by the Allies are to get into a position to relieve Ternate. If things go well tomorrow, that'll take place the day after. If Dave pulls back, it should work. If he stays, there should be a big carrier battle. His big LBA bases have been shut down, except Manado and Kendari. The B-29s are ordered to hit Manado tonight, some 2EB will strike Kendari. Waigeo, Sorong and Ambon are completely shut down.

Allied fighters will sweep Ternate. If KB remains there, that might help a bit.

Love the idea of DDs going into Ternate to spook KB. I wonder if anyone ever had KB carriers collide with each other during the panic? [:D]

Your comment about KB being in a base hex reminds me of your unintended foray with DS into Kendari hex- I bet that had him wondering ...

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

DS has been ordered to steam NW, from east of Boela to south of Ternate. It will be moving into confined waters with lots of enemy subs vectoring in from one side, MTBs from the other, and KB to the front. You can imagine the level of excitement when I find the new turn in the inbox. And so it begins.

Battle of Ternate: The night opens with a big USN DD TF encountering and dispatching an enemy sub. The position of the battle confirms that DS is underway, beginning to move NW.

Then, the USN DD TF moving at flank speed arrives at Ternate to do battle. KB was here yesterday. Is it here tonight? The USN is victor in this sharp clash.

[Canoerebel]

6/17/44

Battle of Ternate: A DE TF tangles with a small enemy DD TF. I have a lot of DE/SC/PF TFs, some embedded with DS and some moving independently, some configured for ASW and some for combat (mainly to deal with MTB threat).