The little ship that could.

[1275psi]

Charge tries to look past the storeman, still unbeleiving, yet actually knowing that what he says is true...........
'None?, there were none?"

"I am sorry Charge......we put it as piority, they just are not available"

Charge turns away from the counter.
A coupling, his kingdom for a coupling.
Too many stores ordered, too many "not availables"
he can make almost anything, but some things, some things not even Zuiho can replace, castings especially.

Zuiho is of British heritage, of old british design, her tanker keel always designed about clive built machinery, or copies of.
What idiot goes to war against those that provided your bloody weapons?


Dejectedly he climbs the gangway again, mind already trying to work out what deals he can do with the other ships about him.


Live with something long enough, work with it long enough, and that things faults disapear.
Charge climbs the steep gangway from the ships boat. He does not see anymore the rusting flanks, nor once inside the fading paint, rust patches, the dark areas.
The war is catching up now with Zuiho, as it is with many of the ships about her.

The men remain strong. But steel can , and will, eventually fail.

[1275psi]

For those who might know better

Score is Japan 38627, allied 34543............ in game turns, do I have a chance of winning this?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

For those who might know better

Score is Japan 38627, allied 34543............ in game turns, do I have a chance of winning this?

So few games have gone to 1945 that it is hard to say for sure, but you have exacted a steady toll of naval and landing ships, so his pace will not be historic. Kamikazes may make ship losses offset the points of his further conquests. If winning means being ahead on points in late 1945, you have a chance.
The big thing is to kill off that crazy Herbisan character ... Oh, wait ....[;)]

[1275psi]

Midnight, 25/5/44

Final preparations to sail.
I have read this sentence in Oh so many books.
the sentence does no justice to what is involved.

Ships are broken into departments, each with their own particular role to play. The executive department has mail (and note that is THE most important task to complete) to get ashore, and to recieve, lines to single up, anchors to place at immediate readiness, ships boats to secure, decks to secure, lights to check...................the list is long.
The gangway will remain until 15 minutes before sail, woe to any sailor left on the wharf when that is removed........

Gunnery will man Zuihos guns, already in this war the 25 mm, so useless in its air role, has proven more than adequate for a Submarine, her 5.4 inch guns too will be loaded and ready.
Final stores are coming aboard, and what a mix they are, from toilet paper, to stacks of forms, from boiler spares to gun spares, right now 6 men are struggling up the gangway with a replacement rice cooker for the galley.

Shore water is already disconnected, the stern of Zuiho has boiled briefly -main engine tests complete.
Four boilers connected again, shafts turning again slowly under steam.
That little miracle -ready to sail in all respects, has been achieved yet again.

Zuiho will sail at midnight exactly, an evil time.
At quarter to the hour, the gangway rattles ashore, and the alarm bells ring. 'hands to action stations, assume damage control state one, set condition zulu"
The next journey begins.


Takeji, assumes command. The anchorage is crowded, a great many ships will sail tonight. Zuiho must wait her turn.
For nearly an hour they wait, 800 plus men, sweating below or at their stations doing what sailors have done forever , waiting.
Yamato out in the roads, is having anchor cable troubles, the massive chain is not sliding down its tube into the cable locker neatly, instead it is bunching up, threatening to jam.
With links nearly a foot long, this is no little problem............

When the word comes at last, Zuiho will burst into action.
Sharp, quick orders, ropes splashing into the water, the telegraphs ring, the propellers churn.
Takeji can drive, getting away will not be an issue today.

Getting away, into the channel, may be...........the buka's have been hammered yes, but out there they remain.

At 3 am, the expected orders............"full ahead all"

Combined fleet shakes itself into shape, enters the straights, and begins the race North
Zuiho is one of the leading ships......................

[1275psi]

Minobe is descending the ladder from the bridge, headed towards damage control central.
Two men are coming up through the little manhole hatch that forms part of the larger hatch. He waits patiently as they clamber out, then begins the labourious process of squeezing his body down the hatch, locating the ladder below with his feet.

A shadow, barely registered, above him.

The shattering blow...........as the wrench slams him into darkness.

[obvert]

This is feeling very dramatic and full of dread, again. Lets hope the Zuiho again shines in the face of superior odds!

[1275psi]

"The enemy fleet?"

"has retired from babar sir......undoubtably the 1st and 2nd marines have been withdrawn.......'

herbiesan breaks into a smile.
This can only be good news. If the marines have only been with drawn now, how long before they can be used offensively again, rebuilt after starving on babar?

Good news indeed.

he stares at the map, at his empire, still so large, boundries still so far from Japan,.

These allies are still so slow in coming...........

There is a pretty little thing waiting fearfully for him down in his quarters..........
"I am not to be disturbed for tonight staff officer...........no matter what you hear, understand?'
'Sir!'

A full night, and nothing to disturb him.......especially from the allies it would seem.

[1275psi]

An interlude:


Zuiho, the little ship.
Its been two years since we last toured her, time, I think, for a recap.
Flightdeck, two elevators, fore and aft, ugly gun bays hanging on for grim life along its length. A ridicoulous little box, flight control tower some call it perched on its starboard flank.

Next deck down. Bridge, still that hidden dark cave, overlooking the long focastle. behind it, captains cabin, the comms centre, fwd damage locker, and the fwd emergency diesel.
The hanger deck, stretching down her length, the ready room on the starboard side, a hundred wierd shapes along the flanks, vent rooms, fan rooms, overhead gantry cranes, scattered about the trollies, fuel hoses, spares, especially the propellers.

Aft of the hanger, the chippies workshop, the aft emergency diesel, both looking out onto the quarterdeck.

The next deck down, starting forward. The bosuns store and cells, gunroom, wardroom, seniors messdecks, the ships officers.
Then the lower hanger deck, aft of this, the aviation machine shop, the stokers mess, the executives mess, the gunnery mess. And right aft, the steering machinery room

Now we descend deeper, stores, the sickbay, the galley, and the fwd boiler room.
Aft boiler room, and a break, damage control central, the lab, the switchboard rooms, then the port and stbd engine rooms. Auxiliary machinery room, a pump room, and steering

And finally, the last "deck', fuel, feed, potable water tanks, the avgas tanks, more fuel tanks, and the bilge areas of the main machinery.
Essentally just five decks, 10 main watertight baulkheads.
800 plus men, and barely a spare inch of space

A jury rig design, but one that has worked. She flies her planes, she has killed. Now she steams at full speed again, seeking the dawn, still seeking glory, still doing her duty.
The little ship that could
The little ship that still can

[ny59giants]

I can 'somewhat' feel your pain when it comes to dealing with Allied subs. I'm a couple of months behind you and if I go a turn without a ship getting torpedoed, I'm happy. I have not had anywhere near the number of hits on warships as you have, but my merchant fleet is dying from 1000 paper cuts. [:D] I know I'll be doing some testing on this before I start another game as Japan.

You recount the war from the hot and almost unbearable heat of the engine and boiler rooms. I spend my time afloat in the very cool radio room as an Electronics Technician. [8D]

[1275psi]

NY59 giants!

And undoubtably drinking coffee , wearing jumpers becuase the airconditioning was too cold, poor sods.....

[1275psi]

27/5/44

"he will live". Konuii, the Medical officer looks up from his pad, " he has a hard head our Minobe has"
Takeji nods..........hard and thick and stubborn, and from all accounts, lucky this time as well......."I heard he says he fell down the ladder......"
"And I was in washington only last week".Konuii shakes his head " Somebody does not like our Engineer very much, it seems"
"There are a lot who don't, it comes with the job..........."

yes, it comes with the job, it is not the role of the Japanese officer to be liked, yes?.........not our job at all. Ours is to install discipline, to do our duty, to see that the men do theres.... but to have one of your Officers almost killed.........unthinkable.
And disturbing.
Very.

Very disturbing
'Should we put him ashore Medical Officer?'
"Can you do with out him for two day, maybe three?'
'We can manage............"
"Then let me keep him for a couple of days, I am sure engineers are not growing on trees at the moment"

[1275psi]

"Some body has assualted Minobe!"
The news flashes across the stokers mess, instantly igniting a hundred heated arguments and discussions.
Who in the hell would dare assualt a Japanese Officer?, no matter who it was?

"Who do you think it was Lurch?".......and Okano stares closely at the big man........."you have a score or two ney?"
Lurch grins..spreads his hands......"Once you know, it might have been me, not this time though..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!, I was on watch you know, fwd Boiler room, trying to catch your bloody throttles remember?"

"Aaah yes!..........how can I forget that sweat sound of the safety valves lifting. You owe me a bottle of beer you know for that!"

Lurch scowls.........he is sure Okano slammed the throttles shut deliberately..........
"But it still doesn't answer the big question, who did it?' Hirate joins them.........
Okano scratches his nose, thinks......."Look, there is not a man amongst us who has not felt the fist, Minobe deals it no different to any other........so when you think of it, thats not a reason to try to kill the man, if it was, there would hardly be a Japanese officer alive........no, we have to look deeper"

he turns to Hirate, to that burn scarred face............
"What was that carrier he was on before the war, the one with the fire?, the one where all those men died?............".
'"Now that might be a reason enough............" Hirate finishes the thought for him.

[1275psi]

Penang harbour

The fleet rests, gathering its strength again, the mad dash North has succeeded. Ironically, the tankers, plodding along, have also arrived unmolested.
The E boats have done well, it seems.

Refuelling commences, a day long process.

Small boats shuttle everywhere across the muddy waters, the white uniforms contrasting to the brown. The Flagship is busy, Abe gathering the opinions of his captains, the plans for the weeks ahead solidifying.

Takeji and Hidaka sit in the stern of Zuihos captains ships boat as it skips across the chop. The wind is cool, beating back the turgid humidity, the diesel chugging noisily, drowning out the conversation for the sailors about them.

"Do you think it can work?" Takeji asks
"'It worked at darwin, and there they had a lot more fighters.........."
"Which the LBA dealt with remember..this time we will be doing it on our own"
Hidaka does not answer.
For his captain is right.......

Abe believes only a dozen bombers at Colombo, but over 70 fighters! . a tough nut to crack indeed.
Takeji continues........"if the battleships don't close the field, its going to be bloody.."
"If we get into range undetected.."

The two men lapse into silence......... The plan , as relayed is ..........well it has to be described as bold........strike Colombo....

Why not wait, just by being here Port Blair is secure, why not just wait?

Because, thinks Hidaka, we Japanese must attack, must take the fight to them.......

The boat pauses, bounces in the wake..., CVE Unyo glides past at 100 yards, Cl Yuguri and 5 destroyers leading her out into the sea mist.

"The bait is cast I see"

Yes, yes it is...........but what will it catch?

[1275psi]

There are no sniper on sniper battles today, hosho never emerges from his hole.
two many bombers, too many fighter bombers, too many bombers, bullets and shells , all seemingly aimed at his little company.

It is raining bombs today on 55th divisions front.

[1275psi]

South Of Ichang, China

The Chinese front snoozes on..........barely a shot has been fired for months now. Today, however, there has been a skirmish, some prisoners taken.

The Chinese soldiers are inspected by the veteran leader of this Japanese company.

There have been changes, he notes

New, brand new American rifles..........new uniforms.........and soldiers fit and healthy, obviously better fed than themselves.

Yes, things are definately changing since the burma road was opened.

[ny59giants]

I went to "C" school to work on three of the four cryptography machines a sub and fast frigate use. Yes, I did spend lots of time in a nice warm jacket in the radio room as it was too cold without it. [:D]

[1275psi]

28/5/44

Georgetown (Penang).

OOW log, Battleship Yamato

0430 hrs.
AXL XXXX maru (convoy decoy force) reports being torpedoed enroute to port blair, 120 miles south east Nicobar island.

0520 hrs
Messaage received CVE Unyo, 200 miles south east of Port Blair. 5 enemy warships , speed 20 knots, 100 miles due north Nicobar island
Admiral informed.

0530 hrs
Enemy task force "may contain a carrier'

0600hrs
"Expediate refuelling, final preperations' signalled to all units

0713hrs
Sabang recon reports 5 ships, destroyers, speed 21 knots, course due east, Nicobar island

0810hrs
24th air flottilla put on full alert

0830 hrs
All ships ordered, raise steam

10000 hours
60 superforts bombing Port Blair

1111 hrs
CVE Unyo reports shadowing aircraft, Sunderland flying boat

1300 hrs
Yamato ready for sea, turning all engines, single cable.

1423 hrs

Patrol craft reported sunk 40 miles West of yamato by submarine

1500 hrs
All units ready to sail

1530 hrs
First force, Zuiho, Shoho, Chitose Chiyoda, 3 battleships depart

1600 hours
Furrther report from CVE Unyo
"Heavy weather over enemy task force, am continuing due north'
1630 Hours
Yamato task force sail, course due north, speed 16 knots. Carrier Taiho, Shokaku, Kaga, Ryuho 2 battleships

1700 hours
Soryu task force (5CV) reports clearing harbour successfully.

1900 hours, roads cleared. speed 21 knots ordered.

[1275psi]

On Zuiho all is ready.
As malaya begins to fade over the horizon, the sun sinking into the ocean, the last plane is brought aloft.
Tomorrow, before dawn, her twelve Jills will launch and seek the enemy prowling, and her fighters will spring aloft.

Tension fills the ready room again.
Death again stands outside the door, waiting. Who will he invite to the dance this time?

Zuiho has carried these men halfway around the world for months now, serving them, succouring them.

Now it is their turn.

They are ready to take it.

[1275psi]

29 May 44
"commence launching"

It sounds a glamourous life this, working on the decks of a carrier.
I'd prefer to be a stoker myself.

Today, with the sun yet to rise, Zuihos flight deck is a miserable place indeed..........the Indian ocean swell is being pushed by a good 20 knot breeze, and with every shuddering burying of her bow into the marching swells, icold miserable stinging spray sweeps down the decks.

If the blazing sun does not get you, then the water will.

Only the stiff breeze is good today, everything else is difficult, the swells are just that perfect length to prevent zuiho getting into any sort of rythm, she crashes, she shudders, she bounces, her helmsman curses,and fights the wheel

"Commence launching"
THE order that must be obeyed.

It is beginning to rain, adding to the misery, as the first fighters clear the decks, thankfully with out incident.
The second last Jill does not, she lurches ever so slightly as the roll gathers pace, and the wing tip strikes that crappy little tower witha horriffic bang.

Somehow, with a foot of wing missing, and quite a bit of aluminium aiming into the sky like a third fin, the pilot gets her into the air, around and back down again.

Nobody believes him when he says that "fins should all be added to wing tips, she felt fine". he will not be smiling though when, (if, there is always if) Hidaka returns.
Action pending, a bird broken.
Never a good thing in any Commanders eyes.

The cap will clear the grey muck at 2000 feet, and by 9 am, most of it will have risen to 9000 feet, grey bottomed clouds , thick , where a thousand bombers could easily hide.

And there are bombers today, to the North, CVE Unyos dozen odd zeros will spend a busy day over port blair, kiling four wellingtons for 1 loss.

The Jills will spot no enemy surface ships, but 4 British SS are in the area, the trick will be to dodge them of course..........
The day is an anti climax, it seems.
Tomorrow, due west, then , all going well, Colombo.

[1275psi]

The clouds don't need to hide a thousand bombers, just one will do.

Unseen by Zuihos, or any one elses zeros it would seem, the Sunderland flying boat shadows Zuihos task force.

By dusk, the allies have an accurate picture..........Combined fleet is at sea, right there, right bloody there.