Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Fishbed]

In any case, if a forum newbie can join your fan club, count me in [:D]
You're definitely hosting with Hawker one of the most thrilling games of the moment. Everyday I come at the office, first thing I watch is your two threads, hoping that finally something happened on either side during my sleep - but for days now, every morning the suspense gets more and more unbearable, you are going to kill me. [:D]

I guess next update will be the good one - read the armageddon one [;)]

AJ

[Gen.Hoepner]

In any case, if a forum newbie can join your fan club, count me in
You're definitely hosting with Hawker one of the most thrilling games of the moment. Everyday I come at the office, first thing I watch is your two threads, hoping that finally something happened on either side during my sleep - but for days now, every morning the suspense gets more and more unbearable, you are going to kill me.

I guess next update will be the good one - read the armageddon one

AJ

Wow! Thanks a lot![:D]

However i fear when the armageddon will arrive it will be upon the allies...[:o] Japan in early 42 is almost invincible....almost i said[8D]
But...if japan loses one of its major assets now...( a CV or a pair of CVLs),...well...things may change very fast![;)]
I don't mind loosing Java with all those Tommies if i manage to damage the KB or to delay for another month the japanese advance.
Soon...very soon...i'll open the Darwin bombing campaign...and there won't be easy times for the Japs in DEI-SRA[;)]

[Fishbed]

Soon...very soon...i'll open the Darwin bombing campaign...and there won't be easy times for the Japs in DEI-SRA

Sure, it's gonna be very hot around there soon - but about the Darwin bombing campaing, retain your wrath, don't be too bad neither as the Allied boy... I hope Hawker will not pay for all the pain Mc's gave you with his vicious overwhelming 4Es in the other game [:D][;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/01/42

Merak fell today. Japanese paras landed unopposed and took the base. Bandoeng was badly hit again, both from Palembang and from Carriers.( he lost 6 precious Kates[:D] in the process). Tomorrow the enemy will land at Merak without losses and distruption. Everything previewed. My PTs will try to enegage his CVs at night, while 25 allied subs are closing in. I will throw everything i have.
Catalinas on night naval attack, using subs as spotters.
100 4Es on naval attack with secondary mission Merak AF attack.
1 surface TF and one bombardment TF ( they are both small, under 10 ships each), composed by CAs,CLs and DDs ( no slow BBs for the moment) are leaving Sosarbaja. Weather should remain bad at least for tomorrow. Let's see what i can do.
50 Wildcats on LRCAP over Bandoeng from Jakarta...looking to get the AF open again within the next 2 days.
Nothing more i can do.
2 Divisions are marching towards Batava. need to slow him down a bit.
Not that confident now...[:D]
But happy[;)] It's amazing how much different is to play allies...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bandoeng , at 19,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
B5N Kate x 90

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 6 destroyed, 11 damaged


Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 20

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
20 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
23 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
23 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bandoeng , at 19,61

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 30
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 58
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-49 Helen x 23
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 20

Aircraft Attacking:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Merak

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1723 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Merak base !!!

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

I hope Hawker will not pay for all the pain Mc's gave you with his vicious overwhelming 4Es in the other game [:D][;)]

Hey YOU!!! [:@]

Who's vicious?!? [:o] [:-]







[:D][:D][:D] ... well, maybe a little [:D][:D][:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/02/42

Well...hawker is really breaking my ass[:D]
My subs didn't manage to get a single torp fired, while few japanese DCs got some hits.
My Cats do not move at night.
My 4Es managed to get some hits on the japanese CVs but Hawker told me the maximum damage they took was a sys 7[:(]
My PTs didn't engage...
Well...tomorrow i'll give my last try....few kamikaze CAs will arrive at Merak tomorrow..let's see what they can do.
He played well..till now...no mistakes nor bad luck.


However the chronicle of the day is pretty easy: 2 allied naval bombing raids from Sosarbaja. Took pretty high losses and scored some useless hits. He came back with betties and zeros from Balikapan. Scored 3 torp hits but lost a huge number of planes. 102 vs 40 in his favour the air losses...so, actually is an allied victory. Many crack zero pilots lost...and maybe..i say maybe the zeros on carriers are a bit fatigued...let's see what happens tomorrow.
Anyway...already 11 units at Merak[X(]...32000 men....will be impossible to stop him once he gets to Batavia...i need to hurt him now....if not the operation EAGLE would be called a disaster[:D]

Let's see let's see...i still got a card to play.
Need some luck however and some mistakes on his side...asking too much?[:)]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 51

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 15
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
B-17E Fortress x 59
LB-30 Liberator x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed, 28 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 9 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 10 destroyed, 31 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 1
CA Maya
DD Akigumo
CL Oi

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Hudson I bombing at 16000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson I bombing at 16000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Hudson I bombing at 16000 feet
3 x Hudson I bombing at 16000 feet
1 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 42

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 6
P-40B Tomahawk x 7
B-17E Fortress x 22
LB-30 Liberator x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 6 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 6 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Martin 139: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 1
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 21,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G4M1 Betty x 3
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 41
Ki-21 Sally x 11
Ki-49 Helen x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Durban, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Dorsetshire
CA Canberra
CA Cornwall


VERY LUCKY! The Surface group survived and can fight tomorrow!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 63
G4M1 Betty x 13

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 8
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10
Hawk 75A x 4
CW-21B Demon x 4
Hurricane II x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 21 destroyed, 1 damaged[:D]
G4M1 Betty: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 6 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
Hawk 75A: 4 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 4 destroyed
Hurricane II: 30 destroyed

Allied Ships
PG Nigella
TK Empire Norse, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
TK Empire Onyx, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

[Gen.Hoepner]

Sure, it's gonna be very hot around there soon - but about the Darwin bombing campaing, retain your wrath, don't be too bad neither as the Allied boy... I hope Hawker will not pay for all the pain Mc's gave you with his vicious overwhelming 4Es in the other game

Well, consider that i sent for months 400 Sallies/Helens over China's skies, so we're just playing the same rules. The difference is that a Liberator counts as 8/9 sallies probably[:D]
But hey! MC's paying time hasn't ended, not yet[8D]

I'm not upgrading medium to heavy bombers. I'll try to use PDUs with some...costraint( sp???), just to see if i can challenge the Japs when using PDUs in a "historical" way

[Fishbed]

[:)]

Too bad anyway the planes did go after the two only armored freaks.... Does it mean there were only the Sho and the Zui in the TF, or is everyone here and you're just painfully unlucky?

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/03/42

Odin, the God of War doesn't listen to my prayers[:)].
We've been beaten so hard today that i'm really starting to think a curse is upon us[:@]
It was a day so full of action that i'll need to use the combat reports to get a bit of order...so please excuse me

Ok, the turn starts with my 2 Surface assets trying to get some hits on his Invasion Ships. The whole combined fleet was waiting for us...no way of passing through

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna, Shell hits 4
BB Hiei, Shell hits 3
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
BB Fuso, Shell hits 1
BB Ise, Shell hits 3
BB Hyuga
CA Takao, Shell hits 2
CA Atago, Shell hits 1
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Kashii, Shell hits 1
CL Jintsu
CL Natori
CL Kuma
DD Nowaki
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 3
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Danae, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Blue, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Helm, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
DD Jarvis, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Ellet, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Allen, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Hiei
BB Nagato
BB Fuso
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Takao, Shell hits 9, on fire
CA Atago
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Kashii
CL Jintsu
CL Natori
CL Kuma, Shell hits 10
DD Nowaki
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 30, on fire, heavy damage
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Danae, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Blue, and is sunk
DD Helm, and is sunk
DD Jarvis, on fire
DD Ellet, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
BB Hiei
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
BB Fuso
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 2
CA Takao, on fire
CA Atago
CA Mogami, Shell hits 1
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Kashii
CL Jintsu
CL Natori
CL Kuma
DD Nowaki
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 1
CA New Orleans, Shell hits 1
CL Perth
CL Hobart, Shell hits 3
DD Balch
DD Le Triomphant
DD Nestor, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Paladin, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Panther, Shell hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
BB Hiei
BB Nagato
BB Fuso
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Takao, on fire
CA Atago
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Kashii
CL Jintsu
CL Natori
CL Kuma
DD Nowaki
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Chester, on fire, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 19, on fire
CA New Orleans, Shell hits 1
CL Perth
CL Hobart
DD Balch
DD Le Triomphant
DD Nestor, on fire, heavy damage
DD Paladin, on fire
DD Panther, on fire



As you can see both my SCTFs have been beaten without any excuse. Not even a challenge for the Japanese sailors.
My ships left Merak's waters and try to get back to Sosarbaja

Then i hoped to get a bit of luck...my PTs engage his CVs....3 torps shot towards Hyryu...nothing[:o]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu
CA Chikuma
CL Sendai
CL Isuzu
CL Kitakami
DD Hamakaze
DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 2
DD Arashio
DD Arare
DD Kasumi
DD Kawakaze
DD Yukaze

Allied Ships
PT PT-59, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
PT PT-60
PT PT-61, Shell hits 22, and is sunk

....but i knew my ships were inferior...so i really did not count on them.
My hopes were upon my USN planes at Bandoleng...the AF was almost repaired ( runaway at 30 damage)...but bad weather prevented any mission[:(]

My 4Es tried to close down Merak AF...but morale was too low and at the first sight of zeros most of my coward pilots got back and went home[:-]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Merak , at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 57

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 57
LB-30 Liberator x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 destroyed, 13 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 10 damaged

Airbase hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 21000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Then it starts the massacre. Those poor bastards who survived the night surface engagements, got found by KB and LB planes ...their fate was already written


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 20,60

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 11
Ki-49 Helen x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CA Chester, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 10000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 10000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
D3A Val x 47
B5N Kate x 52

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 3 destroyed, 7 damaged
B5N Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
DD Paladin, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Le Triomphant, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Perth, Bomb hits 7, on fire
DD Panther, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Balch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
D3A Val x 17
B5N Kate x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Le Triomphant, on fire
DD Balch, Bomb hits 1
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
CL Perth, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
D3A Val x 11
B5N Kate x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 3 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CL Perth, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Panther, on fire


Then, again...from Balikapan, like yesterday...a strong Japanese Raid against Sosarbaja Harbour...again a fierce air battle.
Lost a lot of planes, but he's losing zeros in a great number!....i must admit that while P-40s generally well perform, the hurricanes are really useless...[:-][:o]
However...there raids against my cargos are really expensive for the japs..do not understand why he just doesn't sweep the base...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 52
G3M Nell x 13
G4M1 Betty x 11

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 9
Hawk 75A x 4
CW-21B Demon x 6
Hurricane II x 29
P-40B Tomahawk x 15
P-40E Warhawk x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 20 destroyed, 1 damaged
G3M Nell: 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 5 destroyed
Hawk 75A: 3 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 6 destroyed
Hurricane II: 18 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 10 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Edgar Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Coquina
AK Selma City
AK Edward Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Kanimba

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,62

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Hobart
CA Salt Lake City, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 10000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 10000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 10000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,62

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
G4M1 Betty x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Hobart, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Salt Lake City, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet


Now finally ends the sad part of the tale.

Many miles eastwards, another day of Glory in the PI.... the brave defenders of Manila managed to repulse another shock attack!!![8D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 181740 troops, 1107 guns, 519 vehicles

Defending force 65030 troops, 261 guns, 148 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
6907 casualties reported
Guns lost 47
Vehicles lost 12

Allied ground losses:
2399 casualties reported
Guns lost 25
Vehicles lost 3





The situation is far from being acceptable. Luck isn't with me in this operation. I had to evacuate again Bandoleng AF...and i'm quite sure there won't be more chances of using it...now he understood for sure the trick and will close it down again.
Batavia is still closed and won't be opened.
In these conditions my Devastators and SDBs are useless...the enemy fleet is too far away and soon Batavia will be full of enemy planes...At Merak there are already 50+40 planes....
I'll probably try some more gambles with my BBs...but the results of today are so definitive that it's quite hard even to hope in a draw during a Surface engagement.
I have an evacuation plan for Java...but i really do not want to evacuate it. Probably i'll only evacuate the Carrier Trained units in the next few days ( CVs are already on route to pick them up). I'd like to fight till last man here. 2000 APs with forts and plenty of supplies should require quite a huge time, even for the mighty japanese Army....And 700 Aviation support landed today At Sydney with Bombers and fighters came from the US....[8D].... so who knows....
However tomorrow i'll try to use my PTs again ....my subs are useless...17 out of 25 being used in these days have been hit by his Vals[:@][:@][:@][:@].....I'll stick again on the defence, being ready to use my BBs for a last attempt...

Guys...i need some of your allied fanboyism here[:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

...

[Fishbed]

I can try to cry with you but I don't know if it will help that much... [:D]

Keep confident, nobody knows...

[Gen.Hoepner]

Keep confident, nobody knows...

I'm always confident[:)]

Think i got a nightmare about hawker tonight....i woke up at 5 o'clock a.m......[:(] without any reason...just thinking about what would have happened in this turn...[:@]
Now it's 6:40 a.m.....ok, i need a coffea[;)]

[mc3744]

My dear nemesis [;)]

See what happens being too cocky with the Allies early on. [:'(]
You only stand a chance if Japan makes a mistake. If he doesn't you are toast. But luck is blind, hence you never know.

Btw, I won't be able to send you the turn very early. I'm having another hell of a day [:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

My dear nemesis

See what happens being too cocky with the Allies early on.
You only stand a chance if Japan makes a mistake. If he doesn't you are toast. But luck is blind, hence you never know.

It happens that i have fun[;)]
Hawker is playing greatly, but he's living on the edge. One of his CVs is already out of order and one is still burning( so some more sys damage). He got lucky again today...but luck doesn't last forever[8D]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/04/42


Another day of bloody fights.
My PTs tried to engage at night but again they lost contact too early...and the target faded away.
He now has already 135,000 men at Merak. Batavia will be overan soon ( in 2 days i'd say). Nothing i can do to save here...but at least i'll try to close it down asap when captured with a combo Heaviests-BBs.
some 20 betties coming from Kunching tried to sneak my damaged CAs coming back from the disaster of Merak...they arrived unescorted and they all got clobbered by my fighters on LRCAP[8D] Japan lost 24 planes today, against my 5[;)]
Tomorrow night we'll send again the PTs.
The point is that i don't stand a chance during night-time naval engagements. I need to try to get there during daylights.
Tomorrow another fast SCTF will sail from Sosarbaja...trying to get to Merak by midday...it's risky, but i can efford to lose some naval assets.

Almost 2000 APs are ready at Sosarbaja. 200,000 supplies and 90,000 fuel points. 370 between Fighters and fighter bombers plus some 500 bombers/torp bombers....not a soft nut to crack anyway[;)]

Japan lost 3 subs today. We lost 3 more subs and 8 more got damaged by his damned Vals near Merak...[:@]

More BREAKING NEWS

Attu Island is invaded. I have there 2 Base forces and one Eng unit....no way to repulse 10,000 japs...luckly i have 5 APs there and fragments of these 3 units are already aboard, ready to be shipped back. He's very aggressive![:D]

At Mouleim the 33rd and the 55th Divs got mauled by my defensive positions. I don't think he'll manage to get through here...he simply doesn't have the divisions needed to defeat 50,000 men, well fortified and supplied. For the moment i'm safe. However a strong surface group is being moved to Diamond, in order to be ready to repulse any jap attempt to jump these blockades using a amphibious landing.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku
CV Zuikaku
CA Tone
CA Maya
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1
CL Oi
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Isokaze
DD Shiranuhi
DD Oshio
DD Yamakaze

Allied Ships
PT PT-60
PT TM-4
PT TM-5
PT TM-6
PT TM-7
PT TM-8
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-14, Shell hits 70, and is sunk
PT TM-15

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Attu Island, 91,35, firing at TF 57
TF 57 troops unloading over beach at Attu Island, 91,35


171 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AP Reiyo Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Ryuosan Maru, Shell hits 2
PG Fukui Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
MSW Atsu Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
AP Suwa Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Fukkai Maru
AP Heizan Maru
AP Nikki Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Nagaragawa Maru
AP Nanrei Maru
AP Seiwa Maru

Japanese ground losses:
456 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Attu Island, 91,35, firing at TF 57
TF 57 troops unloading over beach at Attu Island, 91,35


80 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AP Reiyo Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
MSW Wa 1
AP Ryuosan Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Shinai Maru
AP Nagaragawa Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
264 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 23,65

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 20

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 19
Hawk 75A x 2
CW-21B Demon x 3
Hurricane II x 8
P-40E Warhawk x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 20 destroyed[:D][;)]

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 damaged
Hurricane II: 3 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Moulmein

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44932 troops, 507 guns, 34 vehicles

Defending force 52219 troops, 456 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4) [:D]


Japanese ground losses:
1891 casualties reported
Guns lost 58
Vehicles lost 9

Allied ground losses:
665 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

[Fishbed]

If you can keep the burman pass safe longer and avoid a naval action and a japanese landing behind your lines, I don't see how he may manage to get over Moulmein. With luck, if you're fortified enough, Java may still hold for weeks...

You have nothing to take Attu back? If the whole Kaigun is somewhere between Borneo and Java, you may have a cruiser raid if there is still something worth a gunning mission in Pearl?
I suppose he keeps his precious Betties for the SRA where's that's really hot...

Do you believe you can take the risk of striking the main body now with your BBs without simultaneous air assault?
Shouldn't you rather try something like a Balikpapan raid with the BBs in order to get the CVs closer to your naval bombers?

AJ

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/06/42

Ok, it's official: Hawker is blessed by Odin![:@]
It's been a real heart-breaking turn. A lot of suspance....let's try to analize it with order

At night my Catalinas managed to take off from Sosarbaja and spot the Jap CVs....
No hits bbut i bet Hawker's heart had an attack[:D]

Night Air attack on TF, near Merak at 19,59


Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 11


Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu
CV Hiryu



Then my SCTF that slipped unseen to Merak avoided any contact with his BBs and engaged a death match with his CVs ( Shokaku was still burning so pretty easy to spot at night)....
Here comes Haweker's luck! Just few hits...then a deep fog covers enemy CVs that flee away...covered by the action of his DDs...


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku
CV Zuikaku, Shell hits 1
CA Tone
CA Maya
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 4
CL Oi
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Oyashio
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Shiranuhi
DD Oshio
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Enterprise
CL Detroit, Shell hits 1
CL Marblehead
DD Henley
DD Maury, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Edsall
DD Stuart
DD Voyager
DD Vampire, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Evertsen
DD Pakenham

Then again...my Flag Ship CA Australia, spotted and engaged a fight with the other CVTF....again few hits but nothing serious... Again mainly the DDs fought each other...

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu, Shell hits 1
CV Soryu, Shell hits 1
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai
CL Isuzu
CL Kitakami, Torpedo hits 1
DD Hamakaze
DD Tanikaze
DD Arashio
DD Arare
DD Kasumi
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Yukaze

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Enterprise
CL Detroit
CL Marblehead
DD Henley, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Maury, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Edsall, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Stuart
DD Voyager, Shell hits 1
DD Vampire, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Evertsen
DD Pakenham

While my PTs kept the BBs busy[:D]

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 19,59

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Hiei
BB Nagato
BB Fuso
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Atago
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CL Jintsu
CL Natori
CL Kuma
DD Nowaki
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
PT PT-60, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT TM-4
PT TM-5
PT TM-6
PT TM-7
PT TM-8
PT TM-12
PT TM-15



My Main ships managed to get back to safe waters untouched[:'(]...while his CVs should not be in the best fit after 10 days of harsh battles...


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Day Air attack on TF at 21,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
D3A Val x 11
B5N Kate x 12
Ki-27 Nate x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Henley, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Edsall, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Vampire, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage




The wounded DDs got clobbered triyin to get back to Sosarbaja....but my CAs/CLs are safe[:D]
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Now i've decided to send another SCTF....in 2 days his CVs will be engaged again[;)]...sooner or later his luck will end!

However Batavia will probably fall tomorrow. Tonight my PTs will come out again

A NZ Bde is one week far from Sosarbaja[;)] while more 27 wildcats are being transfered to Java.



For what concerns a BB mission at Balikapan....too risky. I consider Balikapan even more risky than Merak. At least at Merak i'll get a chance of engage and damage his major naval assets...while at Balikapan i'll only catch on the ground his planes...and I'll have no air cover there, while i can LRCAP easily from Sosarbaja a surface mission towards Batavia.


Sosarbaja Supplies: 240,000
Fuel 100,000
Not bad[8D]

[Sneer]

unfortunately if you intercept carriers with SCTF you can aim CVs only in first round of battle - which is usually short at night
I managed to do this 2-3 times and never scored hits on CV - alvays escort did its job

[Gen.Hoepner]

unfortunately if you intercept carriers with SCTF you can aim CVs only in first round of battle - which is usually short at night
I managed to do this 2-3 times and never scored hits on CV - alvays escort did its job

MC once was able with a damaged CA to engage my CVs at night and badly damage the Shokaku[:@] with a penetrating hit...i think you only need some luck

[String]

ask Pauk [:D]

[Tom Hunter]

Hoepner,

Nice work, Hawker should not be steaming around without strong escort, I guess he may have figured that out by now.

Since you only get one round of fire on the CVs the best ships for CV hunting are probably the British Town Class CLs. There are two reasons for this, rate of fire and crew quality. The rate of fire on a 12 gun ship with 6" is quite a bit higher than on an 8 gun ship with 8" and the game gives each shot a chance to hit so in a similar fight HMS Glasgow has a much better chance of hitting the target than HMAS Australia, and a better chance of hitting more than once.

The second reason is crew quality, the British ships are good at night fighting which further increases thier chance of scoring hits.

I'm aware that you don't have Glasgow on map yet, and Mauritius starts the game at 10 sys or more, just pointing out that if you can pull this off again with those ships you might get a better result than you did this time.

That said shell hits on CVs is not shabby, especially if you cruisers live through the next day. This ought to either chase off the CVs or get Hawker to put some of his bombardment ships into the escort group, either of these things is good for you.