speedy vs swift - who gets there faster

[wernerpruckner]

03/21/42
more landings at Wake, more bombardments and some long range bombing by Bettys.
Heavy ground losses - no ready A/C to transfer back to Midway !!

03/22/42
This night two of my TFs attacked the enemy fleets at Wake - I know it was a suicide mission and I lost nearly all ships, but I am surprised how well they did:
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull: 5 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 3
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 17
CA Takao, Shell hits 7, on fire
CA Maya, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Mikazuki
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
CA Portland, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Chester, Shell hits 16
DD Balch, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Hull, Shell hits 17, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 2
CA Takao, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Maya, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, on fire
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 1
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville, Shell hits 4
DD Anderson, Shell hits 4
DD Mustin, Shell hits 18, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 1
CA Takao, on fire
CA Maya
CL Sendai, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
DD Bagley, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Gridley, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Perkins
DD Flusser, Shell hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 4
BB Yamashiro
CA Takao, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Maya, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Sendai, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mikazuki, on fire
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Shell hits 32, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
CA Takao, on fire
CA Maya, on fire
CL Sendai, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Satsuki, on fire
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mikazuki, on fire
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville
DD Anderson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 1
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 1
CA Takao, on fire, heavy damage
CA Maya, on fire
CL Sendai, on fire
CL Natori
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Satsuki, on fire
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mikazuki, on fire
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
DD Perkins, Shell hits 36, and is sunk
DD Flusser, Shell hits 22, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull: 10 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 3
CA Myoko
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CL Oi
DD Kuroshio
DD Oyashio
DD Natsushio
DD Yamakaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
CA Louisville, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Anderson, Shell hits 18, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
several enemy ships seem do be on fire - I expect some of them to be either scuttled or sunk!!

During the daylight one of my Carrier TFs made the first attack against enemy shipping and scored a few hits on the CV Soryu and the CVL Zuiho - but my own losses were also very high !!
The next airstrike was against his transport fleet - virtually no air cover by Japanese fighters here and so my boys had a happy bombing time:
Day Air attack on TF, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10
SBD Dauntless x 51

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Heimei Maru, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bengal Maru
TK Juko Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Awata Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
TK Mirii Maru
PC Ch 22, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Akatuki Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK Atlas Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Akita Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 20
TK Amatsu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire


But now the Japanese started to counterattack - 6 heavy attacks on the Lexington and the Saratoga, each of them took 40+ bombs and 5+ torpedoes before they sunk [:(]

After the defenders heard that the rescue mission failed they lost every hope and surrendered after another big ground attack to the Japanese forces.

A bad day for the Allied forces !!
30k troops lost, 200+ A/C lost, 2 CVs, 4 Cruisers and several escorts lost during the action on this day.

I can only hope that my strikes damaged many of the Japanese ships so hard that they may sink or be scuttled in near future !!

[wernerpruckner]

03/23/42
first day after Wake - my TFs are moving back into the airscreen of Midway.

Two Japanese APs did sink during the day at Wake harbour [:)] - I hope more will follow soon !!

The overall situation is looking not so bad at the moment - except CV-wise, only 2 American CVs left.

here my ships ( damaged ships [:(] ) at the moment:

[wernerpruckner]

here my few CVs:
I Think I will move my two British CVs to Australia, just in case that he will start something funny here.
The CV at Noumea will stay in that area and the other CV will move north to Alaska - I will probably try to take one Japanese island there !!

[wernerpruckner]

and now my BBs - you can see that there are many at Alaska to continue some bombardments !!

[wernerpruckner]

and here the Cruiser situation:

[wernerpruckner]

03/24/42:
moving my forces back to PH, CV TF is moving to Alaska.
A few more Japanese ships sunk at Wake [:D]
Japanese forces CAPTURE Bandoeng base !

03/25/42:
to most silent day so far, only minor battles in China

03/26/42:
Steven started a very intense ASW campaign around Wake - four of my subs were damaged !!
An enemy PG was damaged by a mine at Batavia.

03/27/42:
Steven started a air campaign against PM - is this the future battle area ??
I do not have enough forces done here to stop any bigger attack !
The only thing I did so far is heavy mining - GiliGili (500+), PM (500+) and some mines at some monor islands.
The problem is that I have always move back to Sydney for recharging - I need MLEs !!


Werner

[wernerpruckner]

03/28/42:
Heavy air attacks on PM - 11 Wirraways lost [:(]
SS Tresher sunk on its way back to PH
A Japanese DD makes a new future diving site at Wake [:'(]

03/29/42:
a sneaky Japanese sub sunk the AK Timber Rush right under the nose of 3 escorting DDs
Steven found a nice present at Murcus Island:
TF 55 encounters mine field at Marcus Island (75,56)

Japanese Ships
TK Juko Maru, and is sunk
MSW Toroshima Maru
DD Yayoi [:'(]
Lots of combats on Java and more air strikes against PM.

03/30/42:
quiet day - only minor combats in China and Java

03/31/42:
quiet - the usual in China and Java, but here he captures Tjilitjap.

04/01/42:
Stevieboy is forced to make lots of mine sweeping ( Wake, Murcus Island... and someplaces he does not know yet)

04/02/42:
more or less a resting day

04/03/42:
Steven is back with attacking PM - 7 more Wirraways lost
Several attacks in China, buut nothing big

04/04/42:
SS Grayback lost near Tori Shima after mining something there.
Steven is closing to my defence line in the north of Burma - we will see if my forces can make a stand here.


All in all very quiet turns. In nearly all of them something sunk at Wake [:D] - but nothing big, only MSWs, PGs, AKs,APs...

[wernerpruckner]

04/05/42:
Steven finds a minefield the hard way at Merak - a DD damaged
the usual attacks in China, Java and PM

04/06/42:
first Japanese air attack against my defense line, but my Hurricanes did well:
Day Air attack on Ledo , at 36,25

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 16
Ki-21 Sally x 60
Ki-48 Lily x 6

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 1 damaged

04/07/42:
Steven founds more minefields [:D] :
TF 43 encounters mine field at Wake Island (82,63)

Japanese Ships
MSW Wa 2
DD Hatsukaze
AP Kaifuku Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

04/08/42:
ones more a Jap sub damages one of my TKs only 6 hexes away from SF - enemy sub is also damaged ( I-21 )


It is very quiet at the moment - maybe I should try a fast attack run against Wake, just to see what is still there ??

[wernerpruckner]

I am licking my wounds and Stevieboy seems to rest
every turn the usual in China and DEI

04/09/42:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Djokjakarta base

04/10/42:
8 Wirraways lost above PM

04/11/42:
SS O19 damaged near Batavia and will move back to Ceylon
Japanese forces CAPTURE Wuchow base

04/12/42:
the shortest combat report of the whole game:
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 199298 troops, 2401 guns, 22 vehicles

Defending force 119769 troops, 800 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported

and nothing else on this day !!

I try to move more forces to Noumea and the bases on the way there. At the moment 3 convoys with 40k troops are on the way down there.
In India I will wait till Steven tries something - either a breakthrough my lines or a kind of invasion somewhere ( which could be interesting, because the only base on the coast with less than 20k troops is Karachi )


Werner

[wernerpruckner]

04/13/42:
Stevens ships still find mines around Wake:
AP Tenzan Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
[:'(]

Steven tried to attack Yunan by air this turn - without any escorts [:D]

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 17
Ki-48 Lily x 9

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 11 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 8 damaged

04/14/42:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Madioen base !

04/15/42:
nothing to report

04/16/42:
Anchorage is now a lvl 8 port and A/F [:)]
Steven is mine sweeping around Wake ( with a rather larger group ) and at Merak ( with DDs only ??? maybe some lucky mine hits one of those)

04/17/42:
SS I-9 is a real pain in the a$$ !! two damaged TKs this turn and my escorts ( 6 DDs) did not counter-attack.

04/18/42:
Soon there will be no more Dutch forces left on Java [:(]


These turns were really quiet ones ( again !!).
The question now is: where will Steven attack ??

- going to India ??
here I have enough groundforces and a strong enough RAF ( at least I hope so ) and only a weak fleet. The two MLs in this area are working in triple shifts just to put some mines in all ports.

- going to Australia (via PM) ??
would be a tough battle for both of us - many ports are mined

- going to Noumea (maybe NZ) via Guadalcanal ??
I do not have enough troops here - yet !!
only Esprito and Nomea have troops, but more are on the way ( 40k troops and 300 A/C).
I try to mine the major bases here, but the ways are long ( next high lvl port is Sydney ! )

- going against the supplylines between Noumea and PH ??
would be very interesting to see.
only two of the bases on this route can be called a real base - all others still have only the starting forces (+A/Cs sometimes ) on them ??

I think the near future ( 10 turns or so ) will show where Steven will attack.

[wernerpruckner]

04/20/42:
the usual attacks in China
I-3 tried to attack a convoy but was forced away.

04/21/42:
more Japanese anti mining missions at Wake [:'(]
the usual in China

04/22/42:
the battle at Soerabaja begins - I would wonder if the could hold longer than a week. ( lots of air attacks and the first ground combat)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kweilin base [:(]

04/23/42:
more attacks at Soerabaja

04/24/42:
SS Pickerel was able to attack the DD Natsugumo during a mission near Merak. The DD was reported to be on fire [:)]
Soerabaja battle is a lost cause for me - my ground losses are trice as high as Stevens,

04/25/42:
the fortifications around Soerabaja are now reduced to 3 - I think it will fall soon

04/26/42:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Soerabaja base !!!
In Burma the 55th Japanese Division is bombed daily for the last ten turns - each day they take 10 to 20 ground losses. I usually on let one squadron bomb this annoying unit.


As you can see it is still very quiet in the Pacific. A big supply convoy is 3 days out of Noumea ( 50k+ fuel, 100k+ supply, 20k troops and 250 A/C !!! )

[wernerpruckner]

04/27/42:
Steven finds some mines at Victoria point ( AP Heiyo Maru damaged and a few men lost ) [:D]
SS I-10 hits TK Montebello - the TK is heavy damaged and will probably not make it !! And what did my escorts do - nothing !! aargh!!

04/28/42:
next of my convoys is being hit, and once again my escorts did not be on their best [:(] ! AK San Simeon hit ( carrying some support troops for an ART unit ), and the damn sub I-8 was only scratched by one lousy deep charge.


It seems that Speedy does not want me do reinforce my troops in the South pacific !! But what he does not yet know is that I also moved 4 Commonwealth divisions do NZ and Noumea, and also some A/C.
I will try to build up New Caledonia and Espritu Santo ( the Americal Division is based here ) as my main bases here. Many of the smaller Islands are mined as fast as possible - it is annoying that the next large enough ports are in Australia !!

[wernerpruckner]

04/29/42:
several sightings of Japs subs, but non damaged [:(]
SS KXIV got hit hard near Batavia by 3 DDs
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kragen base
a real shitty turn for me

04/30/42:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Malang base !

05/01/42:
SS I-10 attacks the poor TK Montebello once again near PagoPago ( three torpedos hit the ship )

05/02/42:
SS I-3 torpedoes TK Deroche. The escorts were unable to find the sub !!
Naval bombardment of Sabang by medium Japanese forces ( 3 cruisers and 6 DDs )

05/03/42:
Once again one of Stevens ships finds a mine a Wake ( AP Keisho Maru on fire [:)] )
This time my escorts were on duty - SS I-20 hit hard, no Allied ship damaged

05/04/42:
heavy Naval bombardment of Bali ( BB Kongo and 6 cruisers ), but only little damage done


I still do not know were Steven will attack next, but I guess it will be either vs India or vs Australia and Noumea.
India would be bad - no real chance do defend it vs a full scale of land/sea attacks.
Australia could be defended, but Steven will be able to take some of the northern ports.
Against Noumea - here he could be surprised
In the next 10 turns the actual strenght of 75k troops at the bases around here will rise up to 350k troops and 250 A/C.
My convoys from the US did empty the West coast of all South and South West assigned units.
The only thing that is weak here are my ships: one CV and CVE, no BBs, 6 cruisers and many many DDs

[wernerpruckner]

05/05/42:
nothing to report

05/06/42:
Naval bombardments an landings at Bali and Sabang

05/07/42:
More naval bombardments an landings at Bali and Sabang
Sabang LOST

05/08/42:
more bombardments and landings at Bali - Bali LOST !!
Steven also captured Akyab base this turn - it was empty for a long time now ( I moved my forces out because most of the main defence line of India is now in working order ( most sites are LVL9 fortified [:)] )

05/09/42:
nothing to report

05/10/42:
SS I-28 torpedoes TK Gulfcoast
A Japs convoy sighted 2 hexes away from Gili-Gili ( 6 ships ?? - speed 10 ) - Is the target Gili-Gili ??

Steven will see soon why some convoys are not properly escorted.
The build up in Southern Australia, NZ and New Caledonia is impressive - but only if he attacks somewhere in this area.
PM has three INF battalions, one ART and two base forces with a good mined port. But I am sure he can take it if he wants to.

India has a well build up defence line.
China is quiet at the moment ( he only attacks Homan each turn - Homan is a LVL9 fortress [:D] )

Alaska - I do not think he will move here, but I still expand all the bases on which I have troops.

[wernerpruckner]

05/11/42:
SS Sculpin sunk near Gili Gli after the captain tried to attack the BB Ise.
SS-I28 damages the TK Golfcoast
Lots of TFs are seen at Gili Gili.
Japanese landings at Gili Gili, Nias Island and Lombok

05/12/42:
SS Seadragon sunk after investigating a large fleet closing to PM.
more landings at Gili Gili, the 200+ mines do not stop him [:(] - only very few mine hits
Also landings at Buna, Lombok and Mias Island.
The Japanese forces capture Gili Gili and Nias Island.

05/13/42:
more landings at Lombok but my forces still hold the lines.
Steven captures Buna.

05/14/42:
Bombardment of PM
Landing at PM
Several Japanese ships damaged during those operations due to mines and coastal counter fire ( at least a CA, a CL, four DDs, a PG and several APs)
the Japanese landing force had heavy losses (5000+ men)
Lombok is lost.

05/15/42
several heavy bombardments of PM
more landings [:(], more mine hits [:)]

The SS Growler ( on a patrol mission in the Kuriles ) encounters the AK Alaska Maru - my captain hit it with one torpede and several shells.
I have ordered the sub to move away ( closer to the Soviet coast).


I hope that PM will hold for several days ! I need more time to prepare and alert the Australian homeguard and the troops at Noumea.

[wernerpruckner]

05/16/42:
PM is under siege - my boys there are doomed !! [:(]
only good thing is that some of his ships hit mines or get hit by counter fire.
Japanese troops take the undefended Dobodura base.

05/17/42:
more heavy bombardments and attacks against PM - on the end of the day my troops surrendered ! [:(]

05/18/42
Japanese troops land at Mentawi Island
[:D]
05/19/42
more landings at Mentawi Island and at Raba
Japanese forces CAPTURE Mentawi Island base

05/20/42
Japanese forces CAPTURE Raba base !

05/21/42
nothing to report

05/22/42
Japanese landings on Pagai Island

05/23/42:
some of my mines have been found [X(]
TF 43 encounters mine field at Kwajalein
PG Takunan Maru #8, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
TF 59 encounters mine field at Bonin
AK Ushio Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
[:D]
Japanese forces CAPTURE Pagai Island base !!!



Now to the overall situation:
it is looking bad in China !!!
my score is really bad
and CV Wasp is still out 2 months !!

[wernerpruckner]

They seem not to look so bad

[wernerpruckner]

NO attack plans at the moment - the fleet units here are only a skeleton force now.
But I am building up the bases!!

[wernerpruckner]

If Speedy attacks via land [:D] he will be kicked hard.
Nearly all of the defence line is fortified at LVL9 now !!

[wernerpruckner]

A few more weeks and my boys are diged in really deep [:)]