The Brink Of Disaster 3X3 AAR

[scott64]

As of 12/14/41 I am shipping out resources and oil to Darwin. Redirecting Nomad's TF to DEI to pick up more and delivery them safely to OZ. Reorganized 93rd BS on Clark Field, now up to 14 planes as to 5 before. [8D]. Supplies and units are on their way to PM, Gili Gili, and Lunga. In the near future I plan to spend some PP on getting planes from NZ to Noumea and Lugaville. The 8th NZ Bde is scheduleed to reinforce Noumea from Nandi. But first a toast to the sub Karl XII , she scored a few hits on a Jap invasion TF. [:-][:'(][8D]. News at 11.

[GaryChildress]

A peak at the latest internal gossip at HQ....

[GaryChildress]

Where oh where can KB be?

[GaryChildress]

OK, so maybe it wasn't exactly 30 destroyers...28 at least and "a heavily armed sampan..."

[scott64]

unfortunately she is limping back to DEI, beat up very bad[X(]

[GaryChildress]

Meanwhile, on the lighter side of things, a letter home from our troops.....

[GaryChildress]

Things are starting to get interesting in the Eastern Pacific....



[center]Continued in the next post - SEE BELOW....[/center]

[GaryChildress]

....continued from the post above....

[GaryChildress]

A moment which would change the course of World History...



Do you think the man in this picture could have known what shape the world would take in the next 20 years and on, just by signing this document? He's just a man and that's just a piece of paper, but it set fourth a chain of events leading to America's rise for the first time in history from a second rate power to a world power. Ever since Pearl Harbor we've been one hell of a mobilized country. No more isolationism for us!

[GaryChildress]

Major transport shortage on West Coast! Calling all young men, join up now for the merchant marine! We need you!




[center]edit: This ought to bring 'em in! [/center]

[GaryChildress]

The strategic situation 12/17/41. Supply convoys headed toward Australia are gathering just south of San Diego in order to avoid enemy subs and other threats a more direct route would entail.

Meanwhile my own subs are gathered in three places on the map, around Wake, around Johnson Island and between Midway and Dutch Harbor. I haven't decided what to do with the ones around Johnson Island yet. They may head toward Kwajalein in hopes of finding some targets of opportunity. In the meantime they are ready to respond if KB surfaces somewhere West of Pearl.

I've already taken casualties in my convoys to Pearl and to Midway. Two ships limping toward Pearl are also pointed out on the map. An ASW TF of DMSs is on its way to meet them and guide them in if they can make the distance. [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

Very nice crumpled paper thingy [:)] Cool arrows too. I wont make any references to our 3x3 game as, if I am not mistaken, one on your team (Scott) is on the Jap team in our game. [8D] Have fun gents.

[scott64]

I wish I had the patience do that stuff [:'(][8|]

[GaryChildress]

The Marines on Wake Island woke up this morning to the sounds of the surf gently rolling up the beach, however upon further inspection there was no sign of the Japanese invaders who had been hammering them for over a week. Apparently the survivors of the week long ordeal had tucked their tails between their legs and made off on transports in the night!

Major T. H. Stockard of 1st USMC Defense Bn reports situation under control and awaiting further orders for the defense of Wake Island!

A toast to the marines on Wake!!!!

[:)]

Gary

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Very nice crumpled paper thingy [:)] Cool arrows too. I wont make any references to our 3x3 game as, if I am not mistaken, one on your team (Scott) is on the Jap team in our game. [8D] Have fun gents.

Thanks Cap Mandrake! I just printed the letter on a piece of paper, crumpled it and scanned it. Very easy to do and sort of neat looking! Might be a possible idea for a future post in your own AAR. [:)]


Gary

[GaryChildress]

On a down note, however, on this day 12/18/41 the Japanese took Nauru, Tarawa, Makin and Apamama Islands in one fell swoop.


============================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 98 troops unloading over beach at Apamama, 86,92


Japanese ground losses:
86 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 146 troops unloading over beach at Nauru Island, 79,91


Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 152 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 85,91


Japanese ground losses:
82 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 153 troops unloading over beach at Makin, 85,89


Japanese ground losses:
101 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 98 troops unloading over beach at Apamama, 86,92


Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 146 troops unloading over beach at Nauru Island, 79,91


Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 152 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 85,91


Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

============================================

I must give my esteemed opponents credit for pulling that one off, all at the same time. Plus you'll notice Tarawa has planes on it already--patrol planes no doubt--though I'm not sure how they got there in the same turn the island was captured.

[Nomad]

12/19/1941

My opponent launched an attack, probably from a CVE or CVL.
He got a bit of damage from the AA fire.

Day Air attack on Hong Kong , at 43,42

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 5

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
5 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
If he comes back he will find AVG/C there to greet him. I also put a
CAF level bomber group there. I do not think they will launch but they
have Naval Attack as their mission.

I am still concerned about Changsa, as you can see it looks like the Japanese are trying to surround
it. I have moved my troops that were in Canton to the North. I can not afford to get large
numbers of troops cut off. I need to at least do a fighting retreat, not a set of last stands. [:)]







In Burma, the movement of troops to northern area defense postions continues. I am establishing
a line from Akyab to Mandalay, to Lashio as the first large scale defense line.

Malaya is still draining my aircraft. I just do not have much to fight with. Sort of like the RL people
there. I do have 3 small supply convoys going to help. Next turn I will start 3 more small supply
convoys. I will move no troops to Malaya, they will have to fight with what they have. [:(]

I also sent off more AKs to Perth, some with supplies, and some with fuel. Need to keep Australia in the war.

[scott64]

My theather of the war is seeing limited fighting. Landing on Burnei, and nothing much else. I am shipping oil, resources, and fuel to Oz. Most will end up in Darwin for the time being, with some going to Melbourne area. I am also shuffling my forces in NZ and Noumea. Building up my outer perimeter. Auckland,Noumea, Luganville, Lunga, Gili Gili, PM, and Cooktown/Cairnes, and Brisbane will the defensive line. Supplies and troops are on their way from Sydney, Auckland, and Brisbane, also some troops from SF are on their way via a top secret route. [:)][8|][X(][:'(]

[GaryChildress]

12/19/41

Baker Island has fallen to the Japanese. I'm hoping they don't go for Canton Island as well. I had planned on using Canton as a PBY base for patrolling the approaches to my Southern shipping lanes to Scott's zone.

And for those reading Scott's post about the secret convoy route, don't mention anything about a convoy to the Emporer's Champions 3x3 AAR! Remember, "Loose lips sink ships"!

Well I'm kind of leading up to a cool poster I found at Northwestern Library on the net http://www.library.northwestern.edu/gov ... index.html I remember this one from the Time-Life series "This Fabulous Century"...one of the classics from the period circa 1942...







Edit: Can you imagine your first day as a dock worker in the--now booming-- loading docks of the big city? I can sort of imagine the docks around San Francisco or New York harbor and seeing this poster plastered on every vantage point reminding dock workers not to go out Saturday night and start chatting about the ships they've seen leaving port over a couple beers with a stranger or even with each other, and risk being over heard by a stranger. Then you go to the local bar to blow off some steam and talk about your first day and there's this poster again on the wall of the bar! So this is, no doubt, a little of what it was to be a dock worker in 1942-45!

[:)]

Gary

[scott64]