Beware the Dorniers! Scen 17 Tier 3 (Lowpe vs AI (Spoilers))

[Lowpe]

I moved up 4 Rufe factories to the A6M5, and will move a fifth when it fully repairs. 1 Factory will remain making the excellent Rufe.

A6M3a will arrive normally.

I boosted my naval shipyards a bit, and now I am running a slight surplus. I shut down all merchant shipping, but will turn it back on to keep up with builds. No ships are accelerated, stopped, or cancelled. Building them all. Yamato due in 73 days.

35 sized Nate factory is closed.

[Lowpe]

March 9, 1942

The old Texas Task Force continues to take a beating as they are stuck around Luzon and unwilling to retreat from the area just yet. This force could really have done some damage, but we avoided surface engagements, sought to no avail sub ambushes, and now with Manila conquered, it has no fighter cover...and Nells are whittling it down. Vals will arrive tomorrow if they stick around.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Iba at 78,75

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 67 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 15 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Boise
CA Swayback, Torpedo hits 1
DD Aaron Ward
DM J. William Ditter
DD Duncan

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
17 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Iba at 78,75

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 105 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Boise
CA Swayback, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Aaron Ward
DD King

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

[Lowpe]

Island Hopping in the SRA...

[Lowpe]

Afternoon sub attack...another handpicked ASW group. Shallow water only patrol...SC CHa-17 has an ASW rating of 8, Zosen Maru 3.
Submarine attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 63,74

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-17
PB Zosen Maru
PB Akitsui Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXX, hits 13, heavy damage

SS KXX is sighted by escort
KXX bottoming out ....
PB Zosen Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Zosen Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Zosen Maru attacking submerged sub ....
SS KXX forced to surface!
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Zosen Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Zosen Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Zosen Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Zosen Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Akitsui Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of March, 1942

Continue to destroy subs off Formosa...this time a 2 ship ASW TF#4 sinks Seadragon.

[Lowpe]

KB catches some shipping, Makassar taken, Kendari has only 1 unit (2/3 DL) so we will move to take it next. Ambon probably will be tough.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kendari at 70,106

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
B5N2 Kate x 21
D3A1 Val x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Niobe, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
ML No. 311
xAP Morinda, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Kedah, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
12 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
13 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Niobe

[Lowpe]

The CA Swayback takes two more torpedoes today, but is still around in the afternoon...

SS Finback sinks a 3 VP PB off Honshu...

Minesweepers arriving at Singapore...

BristolBrigands make an appearance.

Morning Air attack on Tavoy , at 54,60

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
Bristol Brigand x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
Bristol Brigand: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged

Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 33

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Bristol Brigand bombing and strafing from low level
Airfield Attack: 1 plane(s) with no ordnance
Airfield Attack: 12 x 3" Rockets, 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
11 x Bristol Brigand bombing and strafing from low level
Airfield Attack: 12 x 3" Rockets, 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x Bristol Brigand bombing and strafing from low level
Airfield Attack: 2 plane(s) with no ordnance
Airfield Attack: 12 x 3" Rockets, 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[Lowpe]

Looking at the Brigand, that is a nasty little plane.

[Andy Mac]

lol I didn't even remember that one fortunately there aren't many of them....I doubt an A10 could get of the ground with all that ordnance....

[Andy Mac]

Note its probably a bit to fast with a little too much ordnance even for an Ironman Scenario - may have went too far on that one....oh well my bad...

Wont help Lowpe but the .50 cals are doubled up for some reason....

[PaxMondo]

forget the 50 cal, 4x20mm CL? that's the equivalent of 16x50 cal on the wing. Ouch.

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of March 1942

SAGs that were escorting troop ships to Singapore, break and sortie to the south...

Swayback has now been hit by 7 torpedoes and refuses to sink.

Sub attack near Iloilo at 78,82

Japanese Ships
SS I-165

Allied Ships
CA Swayback, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
DD King

SS I-165 launches 4 torpedoes at CA Swayback
I-165 diving deep ....

[Lowpe]

Dutch Sub!

In other ASW news ...

Sub attack near Tablas at 79,81

Japanese Ships
SS I-158

Allied Ships
AS Holland, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

AS Holland is sighted by SS I-158
SS I-158 launches 8 torpedoes

ASW attack near Hong Kong at 75,63

Japanese Ships
PB Chitose Maru

Allied Ships
SS Talent, hits 4

SS Talent is sighted by escort
Talent bottoming out ....
PB Chitose Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Chitose Maru attacking submerged sub ....

[Lowpe]

Rabaul

My bad for not sending the HQ here initially.

[Lowpe]

March 13, 1942

KB steams in to the wind...and finds more refugees from the Philippines.

[Lowpe]

An afternoon alpha strike...finds the Boise![:)]

[Lowpe]

Our sub screen east of the Marshalls continue to find Allied shipping...not sure where they are going.

Submarine attack near Maloelap at 145,117

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
TK British Unity, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires

TK British Unity is sighted by SS RO-63
SS RO-63 launches 4 torpedoes at TK British Unity


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Maloelap at 145,117

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
TK Connecticut, Torpedo hits 1

SS RO-63 launches 2 torpedoes

[Lowpe]

March 15, 1942

Task Force Mikuma hits a well defended convoy and the Nenohi is sunk...

The stricken Boise is torpedoed by a Rboat...3 times. Last seen listing heavily near Gorong...

Rabaul achieves a 2-1 assault, but the plucky Australians refuse to retreat.

Kendari forts reduced to 1...

Palembang invasion force loading...

[Lowpe]

Japanese AMCs' with decent Captains, are now patrolling this gap, and run into some more Philippine refugees headed east. Going to have to put some more forces here...would have been nice to sink the support ships.

Kiyosumi Maru has 35% system damage...such fragile ships.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Do you have recon over Palembang?

I wonder what kind of opposition you will find there... swamp terrain