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The Mersing gambit is what it is, but hitting a port so many time zones away from Pearl is IMO gamey unless discussed beforehand. The thing is that the game engine gives full surprise, so there is no ramp up of defenses for ports hit hours after the first one. I've had an opponent forgo hitting Pearl and instead hit several ports in the orient that are all close time-wise to each other, and that seemed reasonable.

YMMV

Any form of the Mersing Gambit takes you into cloud cuckoo land. It doesn't matter that the attacker may have limited his landings to the Far East. Mersing is just up the coast from the biggest naval base in a large part of the world. It's taking unrealistic advantage of an space-like boundary to the game world.

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

If someone goes for Mersing, they really ought to let you give orders for Sir 5'3"s task force.

Napolean?[&:]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The Mersing gambit is what it is, but hitting a port so many time zones away from Pearl is IMO gamey unless discussed beforehand. The thing is that the game engine gives full surprise, so there is no ramp up of defenses for ports hit hours after the first one. I've had an opponent forgo hitting Pearl and instead hit several ports in the orient that are all close time-wise to each other, and that seemed reasonable.

YMMV

+1

ORIGINAL: herwin

Any form of the Mersing Gambit takes you into cloud cuckoo land. It doesn't matter that the attacker may have limited his landings to the Far East. Mersing is just up the coast from the biggest naval base in a large part of the world. It's taking unrealistic advantage of an space-like boundary to the game world.

+1

Harry I didn't mean to be unclear my mixing comments. I was referring solely to keeping port attacks to areas that experience dawn close enough in time to each other to be reasonably realistic.

The Mersing gambit is different. I see what you are saying, but if the Allied player had Force Z heading north in patrol mode with a reaction setting then it would probably simulate real life better. Most of us Allied players choose to do something else with Force Z because of the unlikelihood of the Mersing gambit.

And also because you get sunk by Betties.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

If someone goes for Mersing, they really ought to let you give orders for Sir 5'3"s task force.

Napolean?[&:]

Tom Thumb, aka Sir Tom Philips, who really was a short arse.

This is not some kinf od LotR forced perspective...

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

If someone goes for Mersing, they really ought to let you give orders for Sir 5'3"s task force.

Napolean?[&:]

Tom Thumb, aka Sir Tom Philips, who really was a short arse.

One of those kids who joined the RN before their growth spurt and--due to the diet--never had it? It happened in the IJN, too.

Day 2.

I made a complete toes up of turn1 and forgot to sortie the boast from Manilla. Now I don't have to.

At least I'm not the only one who gets things wrong:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
B5N2 Kate x 140



Allied aircraft
P-26A x 1
P-36A Mohawk x 32
P-40B Warhawk x 47
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 27 destroyed, 21 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 5, on fire
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 3, on fire
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 5, on fire
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 3
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 6, on fire
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 6, on fire
AR Vestal, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB California, Bomb hits 2
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
SS Cachalot, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CA Minneapolis, Bomb hits 1

These are the troops ashore at Singkawang:

Assaulting units:
Sasebo 8th SNLF
1st Tank Regiment
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
Yokosuka 4th SNLF
39th Road Const Co
6th Naval Construction Battalion
84th JAAF AF Bn
38th Road Const Co
6th Shipping Engineer Regiment
1st Base Force
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
11th JAAF Base Force
28th JAAF AF Bn
40th JAAF AF Bn
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
18th JAAF Base Force
21st JAAF AF Bn
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
3rd Fleet
4th Field AF Construction Battalion
5th Naval Construction Battalion
24th JAAF AF Bn
37th Const Co
53rd Const Co
56th Const Co
36th Const Co
54th Const Co
55th Const Co
5th JAAF AF Coy

I think he means to build it up.

And at Manado:


8th Tank Regiment
Bandasan SNLF
Kure 2nd SNLF
Kure 1st SNLF
Sasebo 2nd SNLF
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Naval Construction Battalion
44th Road Const Co
3rd Base Force

There is a TF to the south of Singers, I think they're headed to Palembang. Anyway the stringbags put some torpedogs into2 or 3 of them. There's also a couple of CLs waiting there for them. With more on the way.

Day 3 highlights:

The defence of Palembang:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 13,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
DD Fubuki
DD Usugumo
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
APD Shimakaze
APD Nadakaze
TB Chidori
TB Manazuru
PB Aso Maru #3
PB Kiso Maru
PB Nanpo Maru
AV Sanuki Maru
xAK Sydney Maru #2
xAK Hiyama Maru
xAKL Buyo Maru
xAKL Hakuyo Maru
xAKL Hanakawa Maru
xAKL Kamishima Maru
xAKL Taiyo Maru
xAKL Suez Maru
xAKL Gyokurei Maru
xAKL Tientsin Maru
xAKL Shun Yuan, Shell hits 1
xAP Kokuryu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Dragon, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Durban, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

I have no idea who these poor sods were:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Muntok at 50,90, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Tachikaze, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tarayasu Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 14, heavy fires
BC Repulse, Shell hits 5
CL Danae, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Mauritius
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Tenedos
DD Electra, Shell hits 1
DD Express

Japanese ground losses:
3571 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 60 destroyed, 215 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Dec 11th.

Palembang fell. Looks like Op Black Knight is a wash. Ghurka Brigade diverted to Chittagong, 44th Indian Brigade diverted to Calcutta, 56th Div diverted to Perth. Transports on way to Darwin to pick up Aussie troops to send to Ambom.

ORIGINAL: sprior

These are the troops ashore at Singkawang:

Assaulting units:
Sasebo 8th SNLF
1st Tank Regiment
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
Yokosuka 4th SNLF
39th Road Const Co
6th Naval Construction Battalion
84th JAAF AF Bn
38th Road Const Co
6th Shipping Engineer Regiment
1st Base Force
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
11th JAAF Base Force
28th JAAF AF Bn
40th JAAF AF Bn
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
18th JAAF Base Force
21st JAAF AF Bn
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
3rd Fleet
4th Field AF Construction Battalion
5th Naval Construction Battalion
24th JAAF AF Bn
37th Const Co
53rd Const Co
56th Const Co
36th Const Co
54th Const Co
55th Const Co
5th JAAF AF Coy

I think he means to build it up.

And at Manado:


8th Tank Regiment
Bandasan SNLF
Kure 2nd SNLF
Kure 1st SNLF
Sasebo 2nd SNLF
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Naval Construction Battalion
44th Road Const Co
3rd Base Force

There is a TF to the south of Singers, I think they're headed to Palembang. Anyway the stringbags put some torpedogs into2 or 3 of them. There's also a couple of CLs waiting there for them. With more on the way.

Yes. It appears that he means to build it up. I'm surprised to NOT see an Air HQ in that lot.

I would be so bold as to say that perhaps this is to be his distribution hub for singleton engineer types throughout the Sumatra / N. Java adventure. Looks to me like an ideal place to patrol with subs, being as Sinkgawang has a small harbor size especially...

Yep, Dutch boats on their way up there to patrl off the port.

Today's (12/12/41) (only) success:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tandjoengpinang at 51,85

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Vildebeest III x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Isonami, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

ORIGINAL: sprior

Yep, Dutch boats on their way up there to patrl off the port.

Today's (12/12/41) (only) success:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tandjoengpinang at 51,85

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Vildebeest III x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Isonami, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Surely a typo? 3/3 hits with torpedoes against a DD? Find out what they had for breakfast and issue it to all airmen!

Snorkers?

Dec 15th:

Air raids on Singers go wrong:

Things go mostly right:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Shinonome
DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Fuji
xAK Syoka Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAK Rokko Maru
xAK Igasa Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 3

Still no landing on the PI though. And none in sight.