IN HARM'S WAY: Benway vs Spruance

[racndoc]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."

COMMODORE JOHN PAUL JONES
November 16th, 1778


Benway and I played a couple of the scenarios but thought we would try our hand at a campaign game once v1.5 was released. We are especially interested in testing the player defined aircraft upgrades.


Scenario 15
Historical 1st turn off
Sub Doctrine off
Allied damage control on
December 7th surprise on
Reinforcements fixed
Player defined upgrades on
FOW on
Advanced weather on

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT 12-8-42


The Empire of Japan got off a pretty effective surprise attack yesterday. Landings were conducted at Vigan, Aparri, Lingayen, Legaspi, Davao, Brunei, Miri, Kuching, Khota Bharu and Guam. Japan captured Batan, Wake, Nauru, Tarawqa and Apamama.

The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was especially effective. Allied intelligence was amazed at how many torpedoes were used in the port attacks. BB Tennesee, BB Maryland and BB Oklahoma sink immediately. CL Honolulu gets a one hit magazine explosion and blows up.

[racndoc]

12-8-42 continued......


Ive attached a map showing Japanese attacks in the northern, central and southern PI and also attacks all across the north coast of Borneo. Baby KB is 120 mi east of Mindanao. The Japanese seem to have spread themselves pretty thin with so many amphibious operations. The weather forecast is for thunderstorms across the South China Sea so the Allies may be able to sneak in for a few surface attacks today.

[benway9]

as was predicted, a small Dutch surface group pounced on the transports anchored off Kuching. the screening vessels were no where to be found. this being a premier campaign by the japanese commander (me) this will surely be the first of my oversights. i have a general overall plan for this, but with such little experience as japan, it is bound to be riddled with such mistakes. we shall see, as we move forward

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: 12-9-42


CENTPAC:

KB sailed slowly to the west towards the Mandates sinking Allied shipping along the way....2 MSWs and a PC to be exact.

SEAC:

IJA puts 40,000 troops ashore at Khota Bharu. Their 1st major assault there could go at any time.

All Allied bombers in Malasia go looking for naval targets at Khota Bharu. The Blenheims, Swordfish and Hudsons all miss but 2 Vildabeest IV score with torpedo hits on BB Kongo and a PG.

100+ Japanese planes attack Singapore shooting down 7 of the Buffalo CAP but caused minor damage to the airfield.


PI:

Japan captures Lingayen, Vigan, Aparri and farther to the east Guam. Allies launch a deliberate attack at Davao but but force minimal casualties.

After leveling Clark airfield on the 7th, the Japanese came back and pummeled Manilla after shooting down 10 of 11 P-40E CAP.

Allied shipping attempted to flee south from the PI but Baby KB relocated to 120 miles SE of Davao and sank an AV and an AK.


ABDA:

All aircraft and available ships are sent to interdict the Japanese amphibious attacks on the northern coast of Borneo.

Two Martin bombers each score 1 hit on APs at Kuching.

SS-O19 sails on the surface into Kuching and puts 4 shells and 2 torpedoes into AP Mexico Maru sinking her.

SS -O20 sails on the surface into Miri putting 1 shell and 2 torpedoes into AP Haguro Maru.

British "D" Class CLs sail into Kuching to disrupt the invasion:

CL Danae and DD Express: Daytime surface combat...

MSW shell hits 3..........sunk
AP shell hits 2, torpedo hits 1 on fire heavy damage
AP shell hits 6, torpedo hits 2 ..........sunk
AP shell hits 8 on fire heavy damage
AP shell hits 5 on fire heavy damage
AP shell hits 9 on fire heavy damage

CL Durban and CL Dragon: Daytime surface combat....

AK shell hits 8 on fire heavy damage
AK shell hits 9 on fire heavy damage
AK shell hits 6, torpedo hits 1 on fire heavy damage
AK shell hits 16 on fire heavy damage
AK shell hits 19 on fire heavy damage.

Despite their valiant efforts, Japanese troops waded ashore all across northern Borneo and by night Kuching, Miri and Brunei had all capitulated.

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: 12-10-42


SEAC:

100+ IJA planes hit Khota Bharu to soften it up for impending attack.

100+ Japanese planes again blow through the Buffalo CAP over Singapore to bomb the port and sink 2 MSWs.

All the Allied bombers miss except for 1 Swordfish putting a torpedo in in an AP at Khota Bharu.

54,000 IJA troops assault 7400 defenders at Khota Bharu. 672 IJA are casualties vs 291 Allied and the Allies are forced to retreat.


CHINA:

Japanese shock attack Canton with 20,000 to 69,000 Chinese. IJA suffers 3424 casualties vs 44 Chinese.

Chinese deliberate attack at Nanning with 15, 000 to 12,000 IJA and lose 307 to 60 IJA.

Chinese deliberate attack at Changsha with 50,000 to 85,000 IJA and lose 3526 to 496 IJA.


DEI/PI:

Japanese lose 1 AP and 2 AK off Kuching.

SS-019 attacks invasion force at Kuching putting a fish in an AP.

100+ Japanese planes plow up Manilla airfield.

50+ Allied aircraft attack Baby KB south of Mindanao. All the strikes go in piecemeal except for one: 15 P-40E, 6 Martin 139 and 5 B-17C. They shoot down a Claude but but no hits are scored by any aircraft.

Legaspi is captured by IJA.


CENTPAC:

Surface raider CA Loiusville intercepts an invasion TF at Tarawa and puts 15 shells into a PG sinking it.

KB comes back to Pearl for a 2nd strike. All 8 BBs sink in addition to a DM and another 10-15 surface ships are floating hulks( this seems to be much more effective than v1.4... especially the number of torpedoes).

[benway9]

yes, after two strikes, it appears the damage to the US Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor is complete. All 8 BB's sunk in the mud. several cruisers hit. This was by far the most effective PH attack i have ever seen. It might buy me some more time than i had hoped for.