Matrix Games Forums

18/10/43

I am no medical man
But, as a historian, I can get some incites in the most meagre of clues

Operations report,
47th Sentai - Clarke field

No flying
15 planes available, 30 pilots.
Commander Nakamura temporarily stood down from duty

And elsewhere -in a singlr scrap of paper, a long fading medical record
'Col Nakamura -"nervous collapse"
Confined to rest -14 days.

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

60 miles behind, Nagumo -the original 6 carriers of KB, plus Taiho. Taiho will provide CAP with her NK1 fighters, the rest -will strike -much is expected from her experienced pilots.

Herbie, much enjoying your AAR, which gets better and better - as well as previewing for my game how our mutual opponent may be operating in a few months' time!

On the point I've highlighted, are you sure that those Model 11 Shiden will actually function as carrier fighters? Think I can recall John 3rd trying to use the Raiden as a carrier-borne fighter and being unable to do so - think it never took part in the aerial battles in which the host carrier became involved. It could be disastrous if you end up with one of your carriers' fighter contingents doing nothing!

A carrier-capable Shiden is a highly attractive possibility for a modified game, given that the Japanese did trial this type as a carrier fighter. But that was a development of the later, low wing configuration Model 21 Shiden. Your mid-wing configuration Model 11's have that spindly, over-complex undercarriage, and I doubt it would have stood up well to the forces of flight deck landings.

Hi Local Yokel!
Thanks for the comments. We are fortunate to have such a good opponent. I asked cantona for his opinion on the george before deploying it -he was fine with it.
Of course in this world of the 47th - Mr Iwaya has overseen the production of a superb fighter that has no undercarriage problems.!!

I once -in stock - successfully used this plane on taiho - so here is hoping! Im not aware of the incident you speak of, so now you have filled me with doubt -OH NO!
I will stick with it now - if it does not fly -Ill blame catapult failure or something - war is hell. But I need those planes for sure -this is going to be very, very bloody - I am willing to trade carriers one for one in this coming battle.

19/10/43

Smn Miyazuki is unhappy
He has been re assigned to a new position on the Yamato - gun crew on the forward port type 89 - and he hates it.
from being out in the open, now he finds himself lugging great heavy 5 inch shells up from the handling room below, into the waiting maw of the gun.

With the ship now firmly in the tropics, its a hot, hellish task -and with the heat being applied by the NCO's as they continue to drill, and drill, life is getting miserable again.
Not a man on the ship does not look forward to the battle ahead, tomorrow the drilling stops -and the waiting begins -tomorrow they will be in potential range of the enemy.

1LT Miyazuki, of the 47th -and his brother -is unhappy too.
He has just discovered by how little he has missed getting to see his little Brother, months at anchor here at Hiroshima -and they leave one day before he arrives!
But thats Ok -its inconcievable that anything can happen to the Yamato - he will get to see him again for sure.
He is really unhappy that he has just discovered just how tough the competition for the nurses attention is here -and how strongly they resist his charms.
No doubt about it -he needs to discharge and get the heck out of here!

The Commander of the I-24 is very unhappy - he has missed the CVE Long island by a mile -and now geraldton is a long way to come home from, with a now very badly banged up boat..............

The Commander of the 65th Brigade is extremely unhappy - 2 weeks at sea, Perth only a week away -and now the orders -return home................

ADM Yamamoto remains happy.
Northern Australia heavily reinforced - lots of units dragged away
The enemy fleet definately located at Lunga
His fleet undiscovered

So far, so good.
If they avoid the plague of Submarines reported ahead - he will become extremely happy.

47th sentai remain in Limbo
Nakamura is confined to bed -ill, collapsed?, brought down by something.

Rudderless, the sentai, its companions, the 85th, the 87th, drift aimlessly
The men sit, they think.
Many drink
Nobody flys
In a sense, Nakamura has failed here - for the 47th, for so many, there is no one able, or willing, to fill his shoes.

To the south many planes, pilots remain missing, still slowly coming across the pacific. they, in the light of SHO GO 1, are now of absolutely lowest piority - getting the planes fuelled, ready for flight, is not high on the agenda of the ground crews with so many planes coming in, heading south to where the war is.

So 47th drifts.
The greatest battles of the war becon, and it appears that they are going to miss it.................

Extract from Fighting the tide, by Col Nakamura


I can offer no excuses for that period of time. My wife –bless her-tells me that I should never hold any regrets over the war, over my part in it. I am not to blame, she says, and one , even though you try, one cannot control your health..

Simply put –upon arrival in Clarke –I withdrew from the world, took the cowards way, collapsed.
If Juni had have been there –I think I would have drunk myself into oblivion.
But he wasn’t –and I felt alone, terribly alone, and the responsibility I had so easily carried, for so long, became crushing and overpowering.

The doctor called it something else. Now, looking back –he probably was right –you just cannot live on a few hours sleep a day for weeks, and weeks on end, fly and fight every day –eat little, and expect to emerge unscathed.

But then, at the time, in the dark of the room I had withdrawn too –my mind was full of failure.

3 days I stayed in there –and it could have become more. I don’t recall hearing directly about Majuro –nor even how I became aware of the crime committed there.
I am honest enough to admit –that then, I may have even been indifferent to the crime.
Japan was different then.
But I do remember this.
The Newspaper left by my faithful aid.
The screaming headlines.

‘Halsey swears to remove Japan from the face of the earth!”
He orders –“kill Japs, kill more Japs”
We face a war of genocide.


I no longer knew what was truth, what wasn’t.
But, we knew Halsey
It was either him, or us.
There was work to be done. The fog lifted, and I returned to what I knew –my 47th

20/10/43

To
TF 78

Recon flights over Lunga confirm enemy carrier fleet still located in these waters. Many transports spotted.
Additional transport fleet, possible CVE located 60 miles due east Shortlands, course 300, speed 12 knots. Consider this possible Gasmatta invasion.

No indication thet enemy SS sunk by you today sighted main body.
heavy air attacks gassmatta, rabual today -these fields regretfully remain disabled.
Maximum search effort ordered for tomorrow.

HQ South east Seas Command.



Captain Hara stared over to the Taiho. The Akagi's bridge certaintly had more room now with Admiral now on the new carrier. What would Nagumo do?
Silently he willed thoughts towards the grey shape on the horizon -as if he could influence whatever was going on on her bridge. " The carriers Admiral, don't reveal our strength until we can hit the carriers..............."

21/10/43

47th -still yet to reach full strength, begins training again
There are actually few rookies in 47th - they have some how escaped the carnage at Rabual.
Their compatriots , the 85th, the 87th - however are hollow shells. There are so many pilots who lack even the basics-let alone navigation, tactics, everything else a fighter pilot needs to survive.

The days of nakamura's knife -the inverted diving attack - is now a faint memory.............




Eleswhere, the fleet refuels, and gathers at its rendevou point.
It will soon begin to mark time -and await the enemies next move.

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Hi Local Yokel!
Thanks for the comments. We are fortunate to have such a good opponent. I asked cantona for his opinion on the george before deploying it -he was fine with it.
Of course in this world of the 47th - Mr Iwaya has overseen the production of a superb fighter that has no undercarriage problems.!!

Agreed! But the time is now fast approaching when he gets his own back for all the unpleasantness we have inflicted upon him! [:(][:D]

I once -in stock - successfully used this plane on taiho - so here is hoping! Im not aware of the incident you speak of, so now you have filled me with doubt -OH NO!
I will stick with it now - if it does not fly -Ill blame catapult failure or something - war is hell. But I need those planes for sure -this is going to be very, very bloody - I am willing to trade carriers one for one in this coming battle.

I tracked down the AAR I had been thinking of. John 3rd was persuaded to change plans and take his Raiden off the carriers, so there was no confirmation that they didn't function as shipboard fighters. Your Shiden may yet save the fleet!

SAVE THE FLEET !!!!!!!!! -what negative thoughts my friend - japan here is fully focused on crushing the Imperialists once and for all!

22/10/43

47th Sentai have regretfully faded from the focus of the war for the moment -they train again today, the last parts of the sentai should arrive tomorrow.

All eyes must turn south for the moment -tension is high!

Characters we are following:
Imperial Dictator herbiesan -the shadow over the empire -backed by the Army, and his secret police.
Admiral Yamamoto - who last night transferred his flag to the CV Juno, at sea
Tanaka -on the bridge of the Yamato -still trying to come to grips with the sheer size of his new command
Nagumo -leading KB 1 -at sea
Captain Hara -on the Bridge of the Akagi -and spoiling for another fight
Seamen Agarashi, Shimto -on watch at the moment in a repair base on the Ryujo -at sea
Seaman Miyazuki - at sea in a AA gun on the yamato -catching up on much needed sleep -the ship has ceased drilling -and that is all that matters at the moment to him
Hosho - currently at Guam, his charges have almost finished touring the pacific
Captain Umeya -of the little Hosho - racing to join the fleet -Yamamoto has very unpleasant orders waiting for him..........

And finally, Juni, Miyazuki -about to discharge from Hospital Hiroshima, and of course, Nakamura - slowly regaining strength in Manilla.

The winds of war, fate, it seems, is going to bring many of these to the same blood soaked area of the world........

22/10/43

The fleet finishes refuelling

Tanaka is being toured around the aircraft facilities of his new ship - struggling to comprehend the sheer size of this vessel he has abruptly come to command - when the signal man hands him the latest flimsy.

he studies it, hands it to his executive -"Enemy carriers moving North west of Shortlands, many transports as well"
The XO smiles. "You may get to see the guns fire soon after all"
Tanaka nods in agreement ' yes - but I fear our AA will see too much action first"
The XO snorts in derision "let them try -if ever a ship was unsinkable -this is it"

23/10/43

47th begin training properly -full strength in planes, 29 pilots with experience, 7 raw rookies.
But overall its experience level has sunk to 60 - in AAR terms -no way can Nakamura consider this unit combat worthy.
However -if he fully knew the experience levels of some of his compatriot Sentais -he would be truly horrified.

In this case -ignorance is bliss. In his mind -and Im sure in the minds of many of the higher commands -the planes are stilled manned by elite pilots -pilots quite capable of overcoming the handicap of inferior planes.
It is of course a deadly frame of mind to hold..........

23/10/43

Port bridge wing, DD Hibiki

Smn Shoji raises his glasses again -and there is no doubt
" AIRCRAFT -patrol type! -bearing 270! -I think its a mariner patrol plane"
Captain Ishii makes his way calmly to the bridge wing - a single quick glance confirms the sighting. "Damn -we have been spotted -alert the flagship!"
It is by no accident Hibiki has been placed by Nagumo here at the very point of the spear -she is one of his very best........

24/10/43

Juni stands at the gates of the military hospital. It is raining, raining heavily, and Hiroshima looks very,very cold, uninviting -bleak even.
He has a 14 day pass, and only now it strikes him.
He has no where to go.

For a few minutes he considers the city -he has money enough -if he is careful -but ?
"Lost?"
Miyazuki stands behind him, a small bag in his hand. '"Ive managed to escape too" he offers a weak, nervous smile.
Juni grunts. A very awkward tension fills the air.
Miyazuki considers the city. Hesitantly, shyly almost, he speaks. "Do you have somewhere to go?"
Juni remains silent
"If you don't -well - my parents are at Nagasaki - you could stay with us if you like"

The rain beats down.
Suddenly Juni feels very, very tired. He is sick of fighting, sick of fighting, sick of fighting.
"Can they afford us Miyazuki?"
"My father grows vegatables -there is always enough food if you feel that way inclined"

Juni makes a decision.
'Alright -lead the way"

They desert the shelter of the gates -2 tired men, and disapear into the gathering gloom and rain......

Bridge of the Akagi

Again Captain Hara reads the sighting reports
'The enemy has retired to south of woodlark."
"retired?" The XO spits out the word as if the captain had just announced that the Emperor himself had retired"what the hell are they doing?"

"Truked if I know EX, truked if I know"

The XO smiles, his teeth flash in the early dawn light. "Well one thing for sure Captain - they are not invading anything at the moment -and that must be good surely"
"yes -i suppose you are right"

24/10/43

Extract from Shattering the sword -a cantona production


..................and so the great game of cat and mouse begins....................

25/10/43

47th train.
The skies are beautiful, scattered cloud, the weather, for a change, quite cool and pleasant.
The formations conduct endless formation flying - nakamura herding his charges across the sky -his voice harsh and biting as he shakes them down.

the war, however, has not receeded to far, even here - the partisans are still effective - and tonight marks the first of the sniper attacks -random shots from the jungles dark.
The base commander is ruthlessly fighting the jungle, trying to clear a killing zone around the entire fields perimeter.
He will not win - what he cuts down, Mother nature rabidly replaces seemingly overnight.
There will always be cover enough for the resistance fighters.
Nakamura and his men can only remember to never linger near any lights at night.......

25/10/43

Like leaches seeking blood, the submarines arrow in on the patch of ocean japan sails.
Its a harrowing day -the contact reports come one after another -several seem to be hunted down -but the reports just keep on coming.
By evening, Nagumo has had enough.
The fleet slowly turns north, and retires 120 miles to the north, seeking respite from these incessant mites.

Frustration levels are rising -and many are now eying anxiously fuel levels. The enemy remains stubbornly south of Woodlark.
The ball is firmly -as the british would say - in the allied court.

For both sides, the swords are drawn, and the two combatants are seeking that elusive weak spot.

26/10/43

"from recon Finchesan

"Many transports, carriers, and battleships, 60 miles due north of Woodlark island."

"Speed, direction?"

"Not known sir"

"Damn to hell! -this fencing is killing me!" a long pause. "Signal Yamato - detach as planned. Ok, lets bring the fleet about, new course 190 -12 knots"

Were the Allies coming to fight, or was this a lure, a lure to bring them into the killing LBA range?
Nagumo has suffered from the LBA before. He vows, never again.

The weather is going fowl. Much now, he feels, will depend on fate, and luck.

For the loyal readers -I hope cantona is putting his side to the story - the tension is killing me here -cannot wait to hear his side of the story.
His last E mail - "I will have to be very careful here -i hope you come into P38J range."

Im dreading a heavy bomber naval attack - in this mod -it would get through I think.