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By the time Yamato& friends found the carriers, they were an spent force, already trying to leave the battle zone

And he probably used everything he had available in the vicinity; he saw the fleet supporting Dili's invasion and he knew I was going to be in that same spot the next turn, he seized the opportunity.

This is how things look the day after:

I am not sure the older Japanese CLs like Tama even carry a FP. Atago and Takao might carry 4 FPs. I am quite surprised that Yamato is still afloat unless there was FOW in those torpedo hits or she got some very good die rolls on the damage from the torps. At any rate, she will be slowed down enough that your subs should be able to finish her off.
Good luck with going after the remnants - but be wary of any reinforcements he might have coming - search well!

Tama carries one FP. Still my best guess is that Mutsu remains afloat. Yamato's rolls were probably good, I even remember one of the torpedoes not even breaking the armor deck

You are right with regards to the risk of reinforcements:

A few turns ago, he sent this TF to Medan (probably Singapore's entire surface force); definitively more than enough ships to break through my diminished cover. What I need desperately are AKEs, so that my forces can rearm

Day Time Surface Combat, near Medan at 46,76, Range 21,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 1
BB Ise
CA Ashigara
CA Mikuma
CA Furutaka
CL Sendai
CL Naka
CL Jintsu
CL Isuzu
CL Natori
DD Yugumo
DD Urakaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Oshio
DD Suzukaze
DD Nenohi, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Shirayuki
DD Shikinami

Allied Ships
CA Shropshire, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Van Galen, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

A quiet turn, not happy about the enemy's escape


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Larantoeka at 67,112

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 33
J2M2 Jack x 17
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 30
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 8 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 3 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Concord
DD Lansdowne
CL Richmond
DD Morris
CL Raleigh
DD Dunlap

Aircraft Attacking:
29 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Larantoeka at 68,111

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 36
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
18 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Ikazuchi


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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Dili at 71,114

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 19
J2M2 Jack x 4
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 18

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 18
F6F-3 Hellcat x 72

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 6 destroyed
J2M2 Jack: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 24 on standby, 0 scrambling)
12 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
16 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 24 on standby, 0 scrambling)
12 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 32370.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
20 planes vectored on to bombers
No.882 Sqn FAA with Martlet IV (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 7000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
No.896 Sqn FAA with Martlet IV (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 5000 , scrambling fighters to 7000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
No.898 Sqn FAA with Martlet IV (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 9000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes

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Ground combat at Dili (71,115)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9334 troops, 195 guns, 92 vehicles, Assault Value = 366

Defending force 2273 troops, 17 guns, 52 vehicles, Assault Value = 62

Allied adjusted assault: 201

Japanese adjusted defense: 65

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
498 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Australian Brigade
16th Australian Brigade
18th Australian Brigade
32nd Aus Lt AA Regiment

Defending units:
1st Engineer Co
56th Recon Regiment
Bandasan SNLF
30th Fld AA Gun Co
5th JNAF Coy