Defenseless: Between the Storms Japan

[John 3rd]

Very nice. Very pleasantly stated too. You are a Gentleman and a scholar!

[RangerJoe]

Very nice. Very pleasantly stated too. You are a Gentleman and a scholar!

A gentleman? Definitely not!

A scholar? Yes, I agree with that.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
December 13, 1941

I think I will do a regional update and then post screenshots so there is a bit of flow to the report on activities.

NoPac
Am gathering supplies, fuel and troops at Paramushiro Jima and will then slowly start grabbing all the Isles west of Adak. I have an ID and two Brigades prepping for Umnak and Dutch Harbor.

CenPac
There is A LOT of shipping closing on Midway and Wake. PBY have spotted everything so the enemy clearly sees what is coming. The Kido Butai moves to strike at Wake but bad weather interferes with everything except a small strike of 26 Zero and 15 Val sinking AM Penguin (fleeing from Guam). Am concerned about the Invasion Forces being vulnerable to attack so I detach the 2 CVL and 4 DD to provide direct aircover over the TFs. The 4 CVs will hit Wake tomorrow before bouncing back towards Midway.

SoPac
Gregg wrote me exclaiming his shock at the landings at Luganville and Noumea. I wrote him back saying that it is all legal. TFs loaded on the 7th and then immediately set out for their targets.

OK. Noumea and Luganville fall today. Landings start at Lunga and Koumac. Need ONE more day of no interference and we should be good...

Eastern DEI
First wave done and all ships are back at Babeldoap reloading. Next target will be Ambon and Kendari.

Philippines
Northern Luzon is now mine. There is only a single ID and Brigade here. If the Allies figure this out...life might get a bit FEISTY for the Glory Boys of Nippon.

There are now two ID and two Brigades at Mindanao and everyone is moving to their next target.

Japanese small STF and a Val unit at Cotabato are still bagging shipping left and right. Just this turn saw 6 AKL, 2 TK, and an AP sunk in Philippine waters.

Malaya
The game is now over for the Allies. A full Inf Regiment (with on close behind) reaches Kloung. The 55th ID will cross into Johore Bharu tomorrow or the day after. Two more ID are unloading at Mersing. In the north, 6 TK Regiments are advancing from Alor Star down both sides of the peninsula.

Airpower continues killing Allied planes as well as sink ships trying to flee going up the west coast of Malaya.

Western DEI
The Japanese CVL TF advances to the coast of Sumatra and flies small strikes in every direction. Two AP, 2 TK, and 3 AK are all hit and sunk. My CAV are out of TTs so I move their little 6 plane TB units off and replace them with 8 plane DB units. Gonna take a chance and run the strait tomorrow. If it is mined at Merak, this might be bad. The British carriers are slowly withdrawing towards Australia and I WANT THEM! CVL Ryujo has 13 TT left in its magazine and we will use them (as well as the DB) tomorrow. The carriers are protected by Mutsu, Nagato, Kaga, and Tosa. We'll see what happens. There are five SS in this area as well. Send them after the Brits!

Things will be easier when (in two days) an Air Flotilla and large Base Force lands at Palembang. THEN we will bring Betty/Nell to the party.

China
Ain't mentioned China once so far. Japan is doing well driving the Chinese west. Have captured Chengchow, Kweitah, and Hwaiyin. Am crushing any Chinese unit I can to make the inevitable Chinese build-up take longer.

I
HATE
CHINA
!!!

That covers the developments for the day.

[John 3rd]

Midway Area

12-13-41 Midway.png (243.01 KiB) Viewed 363 times

[John 3rd]

SoPac

12-13-41 SoPac.png (339.16 KiB) Viewed 363 times

[John 3rd]

Western DEI

12-13-41 Western DEI.png (962.28 KiB) Viewed 360 times

[PaxMondo]

I
HATE
CHINA
!!!

Think it is safe to say that all JFB's hate CHI and so we take it out of the game ASAP!

[John 3rd]

Truth to that Kind Sir!

[RangerJoe]

I
HATE
CHINA
!!!

Think it is safe to say that all JFB's hate CHI and so we take it out of the game ASAP!

Then the JFBs can move on to the USSR!

Or move down to India . . .

John, please feel free to pass on my observations about the two saying. If nothing else, he might get a laugh out of it.

[BBfanboy]

Here's a bit of OT promotion for your business John:

Subway Footlongs.jpg (93.81 KiB) Viewed 272 times

[John 3rd]

Truth...baby....TRUTH!

[John 3rd]

December 14, 1941
South of Java

This is a tale of 13 Torpedoes. These deadly missiles are all that are left between CVL Ryujo, CAV Tokachi, and CAV Kushiro. The three flightdecks have 9 Recon Kate, 11 Kate, 12 Elderly Biplane DB, and nearly 60 Zero Fighters. At extraordinary risk, they shoot through the Sunda Strait hoping to bag one or two damaged British carriers. This is dangerous due to not knowing if the strait has been mined? Are there warships protecting the strait??

The TF shifts into a surface configuration with its 12 DDs spread in a large arc directly ahead, the massive Kaga and Tosa move to about 2500 yard off the starboard beam while mighty Nagato and Mutsu do the same on the port side. Two CAs steam directly ahead of the flightdecks by 4,000 yards. Bringing up the reat are the two CAVs with 6 8" guns each followed by the very tender Ryujo. Time passes without challenge or mine explosion. As dawn arrives, contact is made with three CLs and a DD (Durban, Danae, Tromp, and DD Witte de With).

Battle is joined as the Japanese BBs and CAs open fire. In the first few minutes, Witte de With blows apart from a 16" shell hit. Durban and Danae take immediate hits. Gamely the outclassed TF turns up full speed to get at the Japanese decks. A 6" hit prangs off of CAV Kushiro as the two CAV open with their 8" guns. Durban staggers under several heavy shell hits and then a long lance torpedo strikes her from a range of 12,000 Yards. Down Durban goes. The two remaining CLs peel away under their own smoke. A few more shells hit but the brave ships make good their escape.

It doesn't matter. Adm. Minami is hunting far bigger game. The TF shifts back to an AA formation and launches all of its air search aircraft.

This is a cloudy, stormy morning south of Java. While the Japanese are spotted, the British are not. At roughly 1130 hours, one of the DDs begins firing its guns at an approaching British Strike group. Twelve British Carrier fighters escort a small group of 8 Swordfish torpedo planes. They are met by no fewer then 25 Zeros. British bravery cannot be understated as all 12 fighters and 7 of 8 Swordfish are shot down as they desperately bore in on the Japanese carriers. Smoking and on fire, the last Swordfish drops its torpedo and narrowly misses CAV Tokachi. No Japanese fighters are lost for the complete destruction of this attack group.

That strike came from somewhere...

At 1345 hours, a recon Kate finally spots the British running for Australia. Admiral Minami turns his carriers into the wind and launches 27 Zero, 10 DB, and 11 Kates. Just an hour and 18 minutes later, the enemy formation is spotted. It has no CAP! With no harassment, Commander Nomoto divides his aircraft. The slightly damaged Hermes gets 4 DB and 3 TB while the obviously crippled Indomitable gets the remaining 6 DB and 8 Kate.

Hermes
To put it simply, British flak is dangerous and on target. Hermes and her close escorts shoot down 4 of the 7 planes directed at her. The two DB and 1 Kate make their drops but miss.

Indomitable
CV Indomitable rings up full speed (after 3 TT hits earlier) and makes about 16 Knots. Her escorts desperately add to her defense as 8 Kates divide to come in in a classic Hammer-and-Anvil attack. The DB go into their dives and effectively divide their target's AA fire. Two DB are shot down but the remaining 4 make their drops and score 2 hits on the armored flightdeck. Having drawn the attention of the British gunners, the Kate pilots come in at full speed with very little interference. One is shot down but the remaining seven drop their Torps. Comander Nomoto scores with a strike on the starboard side while his exec's planes score TWO more hits on the port side. The carrier slows to a stop and is left burning.

BANZAI!

Of the 13 TT, 8 are dropped and 3 score hits. There are only 2 left in CVL Ryujo for tomorrow...


After recovering his strike, Adm Minami orders full pursuit of the enemy. The Battleships are divided into pairs with 4 DD each and ordered to spread out and move towards the enemy to finish off anything they find. The Flightdecks with 2 CA and 4 DD move ESE to attack anything within range in the morning.

12-14-41 Indomitable.png (847.81 KiB) Viewed 240 times

[PaxMondo]

NICE!!!!

[ny59giants]

Sir John,
On the way back, hit the port of Soerabaja as its the most important port until Java falls in the greater DEI area. Maybe he has the small, but valuable merchants headed for Perth along with some subs there.

[John 3rd]

Thanks and good thoughts right there!

[John 3rd]

Sorry about few posts the last couple of days. Gregg's job has not been very friendly. We should be back on track tomorrow I hope.

[PaxMondo]

NYG: your signature line has gotten messed up ... needs attention there!!!

[John 3rd]

Nice catch Sir.

Still waiting for the new turn...

My poor opponent is being crushed by work.

[PaxMondo]

My poor opponent is being crushed by work.

Ouch. I can still remember those days .... wait, hold it, I STILL have them!!!

[RangerJoe]

My poor opponent is being crushed by work.

Ouch. I can still remember those days .... wait, hold it, I STILL have them!!!

Work is a four letter word that can be quite dirty at times. Just like play . . .

Pax, just remember "Safety FIRST!"