Matrix Games Forums

8th of February
In the last 2 days, Mini KB tried to strike Royal Sovereign in PB. They got no hits, but lost 15 Kates and 30 Zeros in total, for 4 Hurricanes and 2 P39. Except for anti-shipping, he abandoned day attacks on PB since a few turns, as 120 fighters (with most pilots being over 60 experience by now, with around 30 70+ and 5-6 80+ guys) based there are too much for him. One hurry squad proved to be effective in the night, downing already 3 enemy bombers, which caused no damage yet - fighters and very heavy AA fire are devastating, last turn from 7 sallies which came, 1 was downed by hurricanes, 2 went down to AA, all remaining were badly damaged, and no hits scored. As no damage is to repair, expanding forts and airfield goes rapidly, 1 more turn till airbase size 3, and forts are by 4.5 now. When I get enough airfield capacity to place more planes and squads there, I would most likely get in a group of Vindicators and some low level trained Marauders, which are prepared on Ceylon. Lots of additional US materiel is flowing to Ceylon and India, around a dozen of P39 and P40 squadrons, and a dozen Marauder/Mitchell groups are underways.

Fulmars on recon mission spotted a japanese cavalry regiment moving on the coastal road towards akyab. I started a movement of the 7th armored brigade and an indian brigade from Chittagong to Akyab, their place in Chittagong being taken by one of the reserve brigades, to counter it. All my 4E bombers from Dacca would start low level mauling the japs at once, with some Marauders, Blenheims and Hudsons from other bases doing the same. 2 P39 squadrons and a P40 one move to Chittagong, to provide the escort and air cover. Not too skilled but would suffice.

Several ambush patrols in DEI and China downed a large number of Sallys and Lilys (total of approx. 20 in 2 turns) for no losses.

In DEI, the KB moves near Surabaya. I am trying to converge a dozen subs on them, both amerian S-boats, british T boats and different dutch ones. Hopefully, some of them would bang a carrier. Quite interesting is, what they want to do. Would they go to Port Blair or indian ocean generally? Or is it just a visit to Singapore dockyard? Or some other escort duty? If they really want to go to IO, I would probably risk a raid to Hokkaido or Marianas with my CVs.

Else, not much new. Badly beaten US and british units from Philippines and Singapore (one each of P40B, Lancer, Buffalo, Mohawk, plus Kingfishers, Cats, Hudsons, Blenheims and Wirraways), which were defending Soerabaya recently, all retired to Oz. Some would be shipped to Cocos after a recovery in Perth, while others would go to Port Moresby.

I flew out most of 6th marine regiment from Clark/Bataan to south philippines, and got several smaller transports there. Next turn, I would start getting the marines out to Oz, by air and by ship.

After making an inventory of recon capable planes, I found out that in addition to usual Lysanders, rare Hurricanes PR, Buffalo PR, Beaufort PR and F4 lightnings you can use Fulmars and also Texans as recon, as these are camera equipped. With 2 sections of Texans present in Hawaii and California, that is not too bad. Fulmars are abundant in India, 3 squadrons of these present, divided into 3 sections each, giving me better recon capability due to their range then Lysanders.

9th of February - a BAD turn

A massive surface action near Port Blair costed me BB Royal Sovereign, CA Dorsetshire, and CL Dauntless, plus an AM and 3 xAKs of a supply convoy. Despite radar, my squadron was crossed-T. In the first action, Dorsetshire ate several torps early, and went down. Royal Sovereign and CLs put some fight, BB Kongo received 2 15" shells and was not seen later, except when it ran on a mine later in turn... My BB was badly hit by 8" gunfire however. Later in the night, second clash was with a significantly smaller jap force, but 2 their CAs put 48 shells and 4 torps in Royal Sovereign, sinking it. Dauntless was gunned down in the same action. Enterprise and Ceres managed to damage several japanese CLs and DDs in a surprise attack later, but too little too late.... At least, their bombardment was spoiled...
In addition, he probably got some elite Zeros there, as 2 sweeps of 36 Zeros each caused bad damage to my defenders, 25 mine lost to his 16...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Blair at 46,58, Range 5,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Myoko, Shell hits 2
CA Kumano
CL Sendai
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 1
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
CL Tenryu, Shell hits 1
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nowaki
DD Oshio
DD Arashio
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 4, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 12, heavy fires
CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Emerald, Shell hits 2
CL Dauntless, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Ceres, Shell hits 4
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Napier, Shell hits 1
DD Nestor, Shell hits 1
DD Nizam



Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 5
CA Kumano
CL Sendai
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara
CL Tenryu
DD Nowaki
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 48, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Dauntless, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Nestor
DD Nizam, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage



Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Blair at 46,58, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, on fire
CA Kumano
CL Sendai
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara
CL Tenryu
DD Nowaki
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
xAK Hoihow, Shell hits 34, and is sunk
xAK Hupeh, Shell hits 7, on fire
xAK Marion Moller, Shell hits 32, and is sunk
xAK Woolgar, Shell hits 33, and is sunk
AM Cromer, Shell hits 19, and is sunk

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 7
CA Kumano, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai, Shell hits 3
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara, Shell hits 2
CL Tenryu, Shell hits 2
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Oshio, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CL Emerald, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Ceres
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Evertsen
DD Napier

Tom Lynch got wounded once more - he shot down 2 Zeros just before, but yet another one sent his P40 down, with Tom just barely managing to bail out.

Well, at least your transports appear to have been empty? Or at least no troops on board.

The Royal Sovereign, being so old, is no great loss... If those were good hits with 15" shells on Kongo, and then a mine hit, she's going to be out for some months. Any chance you can vector a nearby sub onto her route home? Typically a ship is split off into an Escort TF when Sys or Flt damage goes above 30% or 35% (they also are unable to conduct flight operations at around the same level), so if you didn't see Kongo then it means she had at least that level of damage. Add in the mine hit, depending on the type of mine, and she may have some serious damage to fix.

Turn after that, there was an unidentified sinking sound, and 2 Jakes and a Dave listed as op losses for the japs.... With some luck, it was the Kongo. From visible contacts, the turn after battle, a BB+DD tf was seen, day after - a DD only TF straggling behind a big CA/CL contact....

Royal Sovereign is not a too bad loss, as I already have Revenge on the way to replace it, with another R-Class scheduled to arrive in a few days. I miss both cruisers actually more, but so far, I have a parity in cruiser losses, with 3 japanese CAs and 2 CLs listed lost for the same amount of my ships. Japs get much less cruisers in total, so its a good deal. I have several older cruisers under repair in Colombo, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, and would probably move them to IO. Destroyers are more of a problem, lost too many of them by now... However, in a few months, I would start getting enough new ones.

I also got Indomitable operational with 18 Albacores, 18 Wildcats and 12 Sea Hurricanes now. She would probably move to join the US carriers. My first impression is that the no retirement really benefits the allies ALOT, as I can keep all those ships and squads and troops...


The transports had some supply remaining, but most of it was unloaded already. I still cant boost the PB to over 20k supply however, and tranport losses are bad.

Feb 10th, 42

Another R-class BB arrived, Ramillies. Moving it from Aden to Colombo, too.
Heavy Zero sweeps over PB, probably some quite elite guys. My planes downed more then lost (27 to 19), but now most of my fighter units are rather depleted, with many planes damaged (only 30 out of 79 flyable). I made all my fighter units to stand down now for repairs for a turn. Allowed replacements there too.

Lex is nearly in Seattle. Would dock there for repairs next turn.

Else, he slowly advances towards Soerabaya, while I am frantically evacuating it. 2 transports picked up 4th marine regiment, which was flown out of Clark/Bataan, and I hope they would make it to Perth.

A cavalry unit spotted south of Akyab is under heavy rain of bombs, but the terrain is not optimal, giving them some cover. Hopefully, it would delay it, so 7th armored brigade would reach Akyab first. As enemy Zeros are coming from Rangoon, I toy with an idea to make a low level night strike on Rangoon to blast the airfield and kill some Zeros on the ground.