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December 18
Allied aircraft from a TF based around CV Ark Royal strike Japanese transport unloading at Singora - a surprise attack indeed sinking several transport ships heavily laden with equipment and supplies.


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Singora at 51,72

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
Swordfish II x 18
Albacore I x 14
Fulmar II x 7
Swordfish I x 12
Blackburn Skua x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish II: 1 destroyed
Fulmar II: 2 destroyed
Blackburn Skua: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAK Sanuki Maru
xAK Nissen Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Junpo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Tonegawa Maru
xAK Yamagata Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Shingetsu Maru
xAK Ryugi Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Tatsuho Maru
xAK Ume Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Yagi Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Azuchisan Maru

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 15 (7 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 43 (25 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
12 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
18 x Swordfish II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo

CAP engaged:
11th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 17000.
Raid is overhead

Ark Royal TF

21st December - Hong Kong falls after a good fight.

You gotta love the Ark Royal with a airplane capacity of 60.

Apparently when she was first designed she was intended to operate 72 aircraft. But in the 1930s these intended aircraft were biplanes. The actual operating capacity seemed to be between 50 and 60. Of course in the game you can stretch that to 66.

30th Dec

The perils of letting the KB lose in the DEI. Well actually as the allied CV forces are so weak they have split. two dutch subs took out kaga with 4TT. Also all those top level pilots (higher exp and skill the stock or RA)

Interesting in this mod Japan can build potentially 4 of the AP conversions/Junyo class ( arriving mid/ late 42) if they think this is an real emergency as other CV really only arrive in 43.

Principle surface loses - we think Soho may have gone as well to 2 sub TT a couple of days before.

Trading punches in the Timor sea.

The Japanese are making deep lunges past allied bases just now, both sides seem to be in some confusion in these actions in the Timor sea 1/2/42 - 6/2/42.

BB Howe takes two TT from Kates but two days later allied CA and supporting destroyers miss a big opportunity but the Jap CS and CVL collide and all three CV take some damage - shame 2 x 8 inch shells hit the damn Akagi belt armour

Surface action - shame Repulse TF narowley missed the CV action - Jap BC performed badly , seems like embedding in CV TF was not a good idea unless for AAA