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Piet Hein strikes again, and again:

Until Val's find the Piet Hein and put a stop to her sorties from Palembang.

A medal for Piet Hein !!!!

April 26, 1942

Sydney

Captain Getting was ready to tear his hair out. Here he was, safe in Sydney while Australia was being invaded at Geraldton and Port Moresby was under siege.

His poor Canberra was in drydock and helpless to intervene. Meanwhile Japanese ships were landing troops left and right at Port Moresby and Geraldton. At least at Geraldton a combined British/Dutch fleet was putting up a stiff fight just like Canberra did early on off New Guinea. You think the Japanese would learn, but perhaps they were wary of sending capital ships close to land based air power.

If the past was any guide the Japanese would soon swarm the area with submarines and air power. Getting wished the Mauritius well, but even more he wished to be back in the fight.

The demise of the Nestor:

April 26, 1942

Palembang

The overhead lights flickered briefly, in time to the regular nighttime explosions from the Japanese bombers. Wavell focused his attention back to the map. Singapore was holding and extracting huge casualties from the over aggressive Japanese, but Java was doomed and Burma didn't look any better.

In Burma, the rainy season would start soon and Wavell had the insight to realize that the rains would hinder ABDA more than the Japanese. This would probably make a bad supply situation impossible.

Wavell had some good units at Prome, but out in the open the Japanese bombers were relentless and he needed to pull them back to better terrain and some measure of safety. But then supply would become even more precarious.

There simply did not exist a good way to supply Burma other than by air at present. Dare he abandon Burma and create a new line of resistance on the border?

Under the light of the full moon, Savige looked north to the Japanese lines. Small patrols were already out probing, and on the morrow the 3rd Division would launch an attack against the Japanese invaders.

Savige felt that he was here for a reason, all his life he had been in action honing him for this moment. Gallipoli, the Western Front, the Caucasus and then in this war North Africa, Greece and Syria had been but lessons teaching him the knowledge for this moment.

Once he was simply an enlisted man, but now he commanded and his plan would lead to victory. The British Navy was on station, isolating Geraldton (and sinking a fair number of ships in the process), Yank bombers were in Perth with fighters for protection and even more troops were on their way to Perth.


His III Corp would sweep past the Japanese and retake Geraldton. The Japanese, lacking a port and supplies would wither on the vine and be defeated in detail.

Some officers voiced concern, worried about the lack of naval search in the area. Worried that it might be a ploy to get the British carriers to sortie and then trap them in a devastating surprise attack. Not Savige. Savige was confident and reasoned and experienced. Come tomorrow he would conquer!

April 30th, 1942

Near Geraldton at sea

Rear Admiral Boyd looked at the horizon hoping to spot the incoming planes. They should be back shortly drawing a conclusion to the first British air strikes in the Pacific Theater. Aboard his flagship, the Indomitable, he felt both strong and fragile at the same time. The paradox of the power of aircraft carriers.

Boyd knew his carriers were no match for the huge Japanese fleet carriers and would run at the first hint of their appearance. Any sign of increased enemy radio messages for instance or even better a sighting from friendly coast watchers near Java or Timor. He was ordered to flee even to Cape Town rather than seek an engagement.

The air strikes had been a rousing success. Not a plane lost according to early radio reports and many ships, including troop ships, left in extremis if he could believe his pilots. The strikes today, in almost perfect weather, would greatly help General Savige on the coast but would also alert the enemy to his presence here.

What would Japan do? Bring her Kido Butai here and challenge him to an aerial battle like none ever seen before or perhaps strike into the Bay of Bengal while he was gone? At best he had only several days leeway to stay safely in the area as the Admiralty wanted naval searches greatly enhanced before risking his task force again.

There, he could spot the first planes returning. No smoke a good sign perhaps nobody was lost. Once they all had landed and the task force safely steaming to the next patrol area he would have time for a cup of tea and a biscuit. Perhaps he would celebrate with two sugars.

Celebrate with two sugars ?? Boy, we are at war.....

Good work defending OZ. There was another invasion at Townsville or I have imagined that?

ORIGINAL: traskott

Celebrate with two sugars ?? Boy, we are at war.....

Good work defending OZ. There was another invasion at Townsville or I have imagined that?

Nothing at Townsville, Japan is still building up troops in PM. However, sigint is coming up with attacks planned for Perth and Auckland...

End of April 1942

Another month done, and Japan has increased the victory point ratio to 1.6 to 1.

Singapore still holds out as Japan is down to usually around 750 AV across 34 units while the defenders have around 1500 AV.

No invasion in Sumatra, but Japan is finishing off the PI and Timor area.

No action at all in Central Pacific, North Pacific.


In China, 4 Japanese units worth 800 AV are surrounded in Liuchow. However, I think when I switch to Very Hard those troops end up getting resupplied. Overall, after the first month's heavy losses, China has built up her strength but supply is stagnant. With better supply China could start launching some limited offensives.

Auckland ?? That's a bit ambitious... What about Noumea, Espiritu Santo and such ??

What makes me intriging is what is Japan doing attacking OZ when he has no Palembang... Damn, nor even Singa !!

I've begun a game with the last patch and able to safely retreat all my units to Singa, and "milked" the game fleeing with the 8th Aussie Div cause with 2 Aussie Bgs plus 2 div ( 9 and 11 indian ), and good amount of Supplies, Singapore would have hold a looong time.

My guess is that Palembang will only happen after either Java falls or Singapore. Perhaps both have to fall.

Auckland does seem really ambitious, but it got those Kiwi's out of rest mode. Perhaps some devious AI misdirection. Given the AI's affinity for lightly escorted troop ships an invasion there would result in a Japanese bloodbath unless the KB showed up. In which case, it would be a great move.

Noumea & Santo are garrisoned and building, tough to take now as compared with just one month ago. In Port Moresby the Allies have a 500 to 450 AV advantage for now.

May 2, 1942

Sydney

Captain Getting had watched the sleek heavy cruiser Chicago leave with the Australia and several destroyers. What a beautiful ship with the latest radars. The small surface group was heading to Perth to defend Australia. Canberra should have been going, but she had at least one more week of repairs.

Canberra couldn't be repaired fast enough for Getting. The Japanese clearly had their strategic focus on conquering Australia what with the invasion in Geraldton, Port Moresby under siege, and Horn Island the latest victim of Japanese aggression.

Three American Carriers and a destroyer group were protecting Noumea, staying well clear of the deadly Japanese land based bombers and the initiative had swung heavily back towards Japan.

Getting aimed to change that, once he could sortie the Canberra out again.

May 2, 1942,

Sydney

The black smoke coiled high into the sky from the stricken ship. Getting couldn't believe it. The Chicago had not made it far on her voyage to Perth before she was a victim of the ubiquitous Japanese submarines.

Despite all the plane patrols and hunter killer groups the enemy submarines were simply just better than any Allied countermeasure.

Soon, the Chicago would be right next to the Canberra in drydock getting her side patched.

May 4, 1942

Sydney, At Sea

The wind braced Captain Getting as he stood once again upon the Canberra as she steamed to sea from Sydney. To starboard Getting saw the destroyer Pope on station. She better do a better job at protecting Canberra from submarines this time he thought darkly.

It was hard to get the dark thoughts out of his mind. The briefing and his instructions looked bleak. Two separate enemy battleship fleets were heading for Australia and in their wake steamed troop transports.

The Canberra was to steam north and meet up with the Yank carriers where she would help screen them from the enemy surface ships. Combined land and naval based air would hopefully cripple the enemy ships, but no plan survived first contact with the enemy.

Already, late yesterday evening, the destroyer group shielding the Yank carriers came under carrier based air attack which meant the Japanese had committed their fleet carriers.

As the Canberra steamed north, Getting wondered if the Canberra could weather this approaching storm.

Enemy carrier planes strike at the destroyer screen of the American Carriers.

May 6, 1942

Port Moresby

Panic gripped the Eastern Coast of Australia as the threat of another Japanese invasion caused Allied forces to be put on high alert. All along the coast the troops dug in determined to throw back the Japanese invaders on the beaches while ships sortied to protect the coastline.

However the Japanese had other plans as their ships turned north west along the New Guinea coast and bombarded Port Moresby while landing more troops and supplies. Australia was spared for now, but the hammer fell heavily upon Port Moresby instead.

Heavy shells from the battleships Kii and Mushashi rained down on the runways and hangers of the airfield while the the Australian defenders kept their heads down.

Joining the bombardment were wave after wave of bombers as Japan seemed determined to punish the defenders of Port Moresby. Kittyhawks and Airacrobras attempted to stop the bombers only to be met by Zeroes and Rufes in an elaborate dance of death over Port Moresby. In the end, their efforts were futile as the bombers savaged both port facilities and the airfields.

Now outnumbered the defenders of Port Moresby looked to be trapped...

The Japanese fleet carriers stayed safely behind a shield of land based air and surface ships. Or so they thought...

May 6, 1942

Perth

Savige studied the Japanese lines north of him. He was close to the front lines, and his junior officers were worried about possible artillery fire. Not Savige. A veteran of a hundred battles, he knew you led from the front.

Several days ago, the Japanese rebuffed his first deliberate attack thanks to the presence of enemy armor. But at least the Japanese advance was now stopped and as each day went by Savige grew stronger while the Japanese weakened.

The latest blow to Japanese desires was the destruction of an invasion task force aimed at Carnarvon. British carrier planes spotted the convoy and quickly their position was given to the Mauritius surface group which steamed to intercept.

The carrier planes attacked three times with only minor damage before the Mauritius group closed and sank the convoy. Japanese troops could be seen attempting to swim to shore where a small element had already landed.

Savige had been elated with the action, and also with news that an American tank destroyer unit had unloaded at Perth and was marching north. Those tank destroyers would prove quite useful against the Japanese tanks.

Savige could hardly wait to attack again.