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December 28th 1941

SS I-122 torpedoes AKL Silindoeng. Heavy damage.

SS Swordfish damaged by gunfire in Davao Gulf.

AKL Kidokawa Maru torpedoed by SS Salmon near Talaud-eilanden, Celebes Sea.

SS Lurline nearly hit by 2 torps fired by SS I-21 near Nadi.

SS Porpoise torpedoes AKL Kaika Maru near Takao. Heavy damage.

AKL Kwangtung sunk by enemy CA TF south of Tarakan – CA Haguro, CL Abukuma, 2 DD’s.

3 PT boats stumbles into CA TF west of Zamboanga. PT’s evade to Zamboanga.

Carrier plane attack on shipping in Zamboanga Harbor from max. range in the Celebes Sea. 13 Kates, 9 Vals escorted by 10 Zeros. CL Perth, 3 bomb hits. 8 Kates
and Vals damaged or destroyed by CAP – 2 P-35’s, 11 P-40B’s and 24 P-40E’s. 1 P-35, 1 P-40B, 2 P-40E destroyed.

Zamboanga Harbor is emptied as long as the CV TF stays.

Japanese forces advancing from Vigan have captured Lingayen. III/12th PA regiment surrenders.

BB Kongo is confirmed sunk in Davao Gulf.

Total: 17 Kates destroyed in air-to-air. 16 Sonias destroyed – reason unknown. Probably in China.

CV Saratoga left PH this evening with 4 cruisers and 8 DD’s. Destination unknown.


December 29th 1941

AV Langley is hit by 1 of 8 torpedoes fired by SS I-120 near Rockhampton. Langley is on its way to pick up assembled planes in Brisbane.

AK Missourian is hit by 1 of 2 torpedoes near Rockhampton.

The Haguro TF returns to Jolo Island. AK President Madison escapes with 7 shell hits. On fire.

PC Tiger on ASW patrol near PH hit by torpedo from SS I-4. Sinks.

AD Black Hawk surprised by CV TF in Macassar Strait. Sunk by Vals.

2 PBY’s flying out of Cotabato hit AKL Matsutan Maru near Gorontalo.

Fred

December 29th 1941

AV Langley is hit by 1 of 8 torpedoes fired by SS I-120 near Rockhampton.

AK Missourian is hit by 1 of 2 torpedoes near Rockhampton.

The Haguro TF returns to Jolo Island. AK President Madison escapes with 7 shell hits. On fire.

PC Tiger on ASW patrol near PH hit by torpedo from SS I-4. Sinks.

AD Black Hawk surprised by CV TF in Macassar Strait. Sunk by Vals.

2 PBY’s flying out of Cotabato hit AKL Matsutan Maru near Gorontalo.


December 30th 1941

Crisis! AKL Malama is intercepted in the dark by surfaced SS I-17 in the Torres Strait. 26 shell hits, sinks. AKL Marama carried 7 mobile SCR-270 radar sets for
The Philippines.

CL Ceres approach the Kuching landing force in the dark and surprise PB Seki Maru and troop transport AK Hokusin Maru. Both are sunk by gunfire and torpedoes.
3200 casualties.

In a second approach the same night Ceres is hit once but sinks AK Okko Maru with 17 shell hits. 433 casualties.

A 4-DD RN force bombards Kuching. 11 r/w hits. Encounters a PB escorting 6 AK’s. PB Chitose Maru sunk. In all, 66 shell and 1 torpedo hits on all enemy transports.
All damaged with multiple shell hits. ACM Muro Maru escapes.

Returning to Singapore the RN DD force bumps into the enemy covering force, BB Kirishima, CL Kimugara and 2 DD’s. They escape to Singapore with only light damage.

AKL Oriskany, surface attack by SS I-122 near Kangean. 12 hits. Sinks.

Morning air attack on Wake. 1 Wildcat destroyed on ground, 1 damaged.

4 Wirraways flying out of Singapore attack ACM Muro Maru near Teremba. No damage.

A 3-AKL allied convoy is attacked in Eastern Java Sea by 15 Vals from a CV force. All are sunk.

SS Sturgeon hit by bomb in Manila Harbor.

First enemy CV attack on Java. 24 Vals attack Madioen airfield. 4 L-18 and 3 CW21B damaged.

Bettys flying from Hainan bomb Clark Field.

The Japanese are landing on Wake.

The Japanese are landing at Madang, New Guinea.

Wake Island is captured.

Several CV/CVL TF’s are now operating around The Philippines.

More landing forces are reported near Kuching, heading SW.

Large enemy transport convoy east of Tarakan.

The Pensacola convoy is 3 days south of Menado, 5 days south of Zamboanga.

During the night the Visaya divisions are ordered to each prepare 2 of their 3 regiments for transfer to Mindanao. The divisions shall be rebuilt with provisional,
local units. Brig.Gen Sharp is appointed CO Mindanao Force. Colonel Cynoweth to command the new Visaya Sector.

Withdrawal to Bataan has started in earnest. The last fighter units on Bataan are transferred to Mindanao.

Manila is declared open city.

Fred

Hi Fred,

Sorry that AV Langley ate a torp, but I think you'd've found that unlike RL, she doesn't function as a flight deck (CVE) in the game - she is treated as a seaplane tender w/ a 4-plane capacity & 28 Air Support. While she can be added to an AirTransportTF, she's unable to load an airgroup even as 'crated' cargo, not 'assembled' as w/ an AKV.

I just looked at Scenario 1, it starts w/ 1 AKV (Athene), 2 more arrive at Balboa in 15 days. There's at least 1 at-start xAK (Doryssa) than can convert to AKV immediately (takes 21 days, no shipyard req'd). Several more convertable xAKs arrive early in the game. I needn't tell you how much you need these AKVs!

AEs, and xAKs that convert to the heavy 5400-capacity AEs, are also valuable. If you plan to be messing about w/ your BBs, having reload 14/15" ammo available from a loaded AE in an advance base is happier than having to steam back to a lvl 8/9 port. 'Course, you'll need fuel as well.

The divisions shall be rebuilt with provisional, local units.

The game won't allow this, the Rgt/Div assignments are hard-coded, & only the listed units (Unit Organization button) can be re-combined to form that Div, and only if they share the same land location, op mode & upgrade level. Once combined, the Rgt loses its identity. When a Div is divided, it becomes Div/A, /B & /C.

A small correction jmalter - the 14" and 16"/45 guns can be rearmed at a Level 7 port and by AE/AKEs down to (I think) 4200 size. It is the Iowa class 16"/50 guns that need the Level 8 port or 5400 capacity AE. The Iowa doesn't show up until mid 1943.

AKVs are great if you want to have serviceable aircraft right after they are off-loaded, but if you have lots of air support troops and a bit of time you can use an xAK in Air Transport mode. The aircraft will not be crated, but are partially disassembled and can be reassembled in fairly short order (a day or two). Air units can also be transported by xAKs and xAKLs in Transport TFs but these are crated and take about three days to make serviceable after unloading.

Thanks for providing the exact info, BBf.

December 31st 1941

In the morning CA Australia and CA Adelaide hits on an enemy convoy outside Iloilo. PB Shotoku Maru sunk after 14 shell and 1 torpedo hit. 890 casualties.

SS I-174 is chased by DD’s Preston and Smith escorting AP Monterey near Horn Island, Torres Strait. SS I-17 is sighted by same DD force. Chased away. DD Cummings
later joins in the search.

The Tarakan landings have started. Defending Tarakan are: VII KNIL Bn, Tarakan CD Bn and a Base force. Landing is: Yokosuka SNLF.

Otherwise, little air and sea activities on this day.


January 1st, 1942


CL Tromp is stranded in Balikpapan with serious hull damage.

Damaged AKV Langley made Brisbane and is repairing there.

Nightly landings at Tarakan. AP Kobe Maru hit by CD batteries.

AK Eldorado is hit by 3 torps near Astoria. Sinks.

SS I-17 is still active in the Torres Strait. Misses AK Aloe.

An enemy amphibious force has penetrated into the Visayas. CL Kashii with several support ships and landing vessels. Intercepted by 4 RN MTB’s. MTB 12 sunk.

More damage on landing vessels in Tarakan.

AO TAN 1 torpedoed by SS I-121 near Balikpapan. Sinks.

A Dutch flotilla, CL de Ruyter with 4 DD’s, attack the invasion convoy outside Tarakan. PB Fuji Maru and 2 AK’s sunk.

Dutch sub SS 020 torpedo AK Shinyubaru Maru near Miri.

CV’s Akagi and Kaga attacked by 3 139’s near Merak. 24 Zeros intercept. 2 139’s destroyed. No damage on ships.

24 Sallys bombing CL Ceres and DD encounter from 10.000 feet. No damage on ships.

AP Suwa Maru torpedoed twice by Dutch SS KVIII near Kuching.

The Japanese are landing at Batangas, south-western Luzon.

Fred

Sorry that AV Langley ate a torp, but I think you'd've found that unlike RL, she doesn't function as a flight deck (CVE) in the game - she is treated as a
seaplane tender w/ a 4-plane capacity & 28 Air Support. While she can be added to an AirTransportTF, she's unable to load an airgroup even as 'crated' cargo, not
'assembled' as w/ an AKV.

Thank you for your inputs – I saw that in the first game. Had to cheat a little by making a convoy out of it to carry a proper number of planes. Assembly time of
planes are a little too quick, I believe, so, all in all, it’s not too unrealistic even if they carry crated planes. Time-wise, that is.

I just looked at Scenario 1, it starts w/ 1 AKV (Athene), 2 more arrive at Balboa in 15 days. There's at least 1 at-start xAK (Doryssa) than can convert to
AKV immediately (takes 21 days, no shipyard req'd). Several more convertable xAKs arrive early in the game. I needn't tell you how much you need these AKVs!

Yes, I’ve seen those but haven’t made use of them. A blunder on my side – the learning-process…..

The game won't allow this, the Rgt/Div assignments are hard-coded, & only the listed units (Unit Organization button) can be re-combined to form that Div,
and only if they share the same land location, op mode & upgrade level. Once combined, the Rgt loses its identity. When a Div is divided, it becomes Div/A, /B & /C.

Well, this remark was more like a reference to RL. But, I suppose the units could be copied in the Editor with a somewhat similar name. In RL these had just added
“provisional” to their names – if I remember correctly. Same went for squadrons. Not sure yet how I shall do this. Thank you, anyway!

Fred

P.S.: BBF - that info on the difference between AK’s in Transport and Air Transport role was very useful!

January 2nd, 1942

2nd Marine regiment, 2nd USMC Tank Bn and 2nd USM Para Bn have started embarking ships in San Diego. CV Yorktown is ready to leave.

Jesselton, Borneo is invaded.

SS I-17 is at it again! AP Mariposa torpedoed in Torres Strait.

SS Stingray torpedoes AK Meisan Maru near San Fernando.

A TF led by CL Ceres hits on SC Cha-7 near Kuching.

3 separate allied TF’s bombard the enemy invasion forces in Tarakan.

Dutch SS O20 torpedoes AK Hakubasan Maru near Miri.

Kate torpedo planes and Val dive bombers from a CV force in the Java Sea attack a Dutch convoy south of Denpasar. 4 ships are sunk. One more sinks in a
follow-up attack.

2 Do-24’s attack Mansei Maru near Sambas. On fire. 138 casualties.

Attack on Bataan from a CV force in the South China Sea. 39 hits on runways.

Japanese capture Jesselton, Borneo.

An effort to improve upon the ASW forces in Torres Strait is under way.

Fred

January 3rd 1942

CL Ceres TF perform a night attack on Sambas landing force. AK Mansei Maru on fire.

AP President Madison sinks in Cotabato Harbor where it escaped after being hit outside Jolo Island.

Three CA and DD flotillas bombard the Japanese landing forces in in Tarakan.

The Japanese are landing at Ternate. I was too late to fortify it!

5 B-17E’s bomb the invasion landing force at Batangas. Hits on port and fuel tanks.

A B-18 reports a bomb hit on a submarine north Oahu.

36 Kates and 39 Vals from a CV force in Macassar Strait attack allied CA-force in Tarakan Harbor. 13 bomb hits on 5 ships. 11 planes destroyed or damaged by FLAK.

The Japanese are ashore at Ternate. Not good!

The convoy carrying 161st and 34 th IR’s stops to refuel ships in Ambon. Arrives tonight to continue for the Philippines tomorrow.
31st PG has arrived in Brisbane with 75 P-39D’s. Assembly has started.

The 18 P-40E’s that arrived with the Pensacola convoy are nearly assembled. Test flying and training of pilots is going well.

There has been problems with the assembly of the A-24’s in Brisbane, some spares for the machine gun system are missing. Duplicates are shipped with B-17 from the
West Coast. That plane, together with several others, is presently grounded on Pago Pago due to lack of aviation fuel on the base.

CV Enterprise has launched her guests – 22 P-36 army fighters – destination Ambon. Part of the squadron shall immediately continue to Menado. Presently there is no
fighter cover there. She has also flown off her SBD Scout squadron to Darwin to make more space for planes she is to pick up in Brisbane. She is now on her way to Brisbane.

The Enterprise flight mechanics stumbled over themselves to cater for the needs of the AAC pilots now entering the fray. The P-36’s have been thoroughly overhauled
and checked during the journey. As a special gift they have installed 70-lbs armor plates behind the pilot seats. The P-36 has the same engine as the Wildcat so no
lack of spares or technical knowledge.

The Aussie DD Stuart, just passing through the Torres Strait, has been assigned ASW duties in The Strait.

Fred

Happily leafing through the manual I suddenly came upon a part I hadn’t seen, or read only scantily: “This type of missions cannot be flown from Grade 1 airfields”!
Well, that explained a lot….! Here I’ve happily put up multi-group missions from said airfields and nothing happened. So, that’s why? I thought it was weather, bad
morale or temporary inferior support that caused it. Which puts even more importance on Base Forces and the development of airfields. Anyway, that is what I
suppose.

I am a little behind in posting the AAR’s - a couple of weeks, actually, so I’ll just indicate here that the remorseless blooding of anything with wings in the
States is starting to yield results. Still there has been space for reinforcing the Hawaiis so the Navy has been convinced by the President, and the Army, of
course, to let go of their carriers for the purpose of relieving the Philippines. In a gentle manner, that is. What the p*****-off carrier TF commanders do when
they get there is another matter. Their a/c transport effort seems to make a difference. Saratoga is soon coming into play, too. Lexington and Yorktown to follow.

There is talk of a “PR” mission against Japan with B-25’s flying from carriers but with the premises, as represented to the President, he has refused it flatly.
The planes, and the carriers in question, because they need to use two for that show, should, in his opinion, rather be used for some more concrete purposes with
relevance to supporting the Philippines. As we know, the President’s opinion matters. After all, he has been Secretary of the Navy at some point. Or was it
Assistant Secretary?

As you may have understood from the posted AAR’s, the reasonably good performance of the US submarine force stems from Admiral Hart pushing his commanders
remorselessly. He has turned out to be a virtual American Dönitz, not to recognize from the previous tuned-down, and somewhat elderly, gentleman. War does such
things to men….It undoubtedly has something to do with the same firm attitude by the leadership at home, too. They’re really showing that they mean business with
their support.

Admiral Hart has also used the somewhat sly trick of conveying to his boats a report whenever the Dutch boats score. Which is quite often. Just to inspire his
officers and men.

Fred

prob'ly wise that FDR nixes the Doolittle Raid, since it can't be done in WitP!

wrt base size, there are some few Dutch baseforces, dispersed around many outlying islands, that can be re-combined into substantial units. Might cost some PP, re-assign them to ABDA to free them from restriction at low PP cost. Getting your chosen bases built up quickly is essential. Look at the base-size ratings, such as airbase ratings 1(0) or 1(4). Both have the same initial capacity, and can be built up to 3 more than the parenthesized number. But the game doesn't treat them equally for construction - the 1(0) base can't build as quickly as the 1(4) base, it's very limited to the number of engr points that can actively build on the site. See this thread:
tm.asp?m=2885601&mpage=1&key=&#2885601

While your narrative is important to how you're developing your ideas, it doesn't give much info - in the game, politics are expressed by the use of PPs. Your story about Adm. Hart doesn't tell me much about about your PP expenditure, it merely hints that you've been buying better submarine captains. Are you buying captains for the less-effective USN fleet boats, or only for the S-boats & Dutch subs?

ORIGINAL: jmalter

prob'ly wise that FDR nixes the Doolittle Raid, since it can't be done in WitP!

wrt base size, there are some few Dutch baseforces, dispersed around many outlying islands, that can be re-combined into substantial units. Might cost some PP,
re-assign them to ABDA to free them from restriction at low PP cost. Getting your chosen bases built up quickly is essential. Look at the base-size ratings,
such as airbase ratings 1(0) or 1(4). Both have the same initial capacity, and can be built up to 3 more than the parenthesized number. But the game doesn't treat
them equally for construction - the 1(0) base can't build as quickly as the 1(4) base, it's very limited to the number of engr points that can actively build on
the site. See this thread:

Thak you - good info!

While your narrative is important to how you're developing your ideas, it doesn't give much info - in the game, politics are expressed by the use of PPs.
Your story about Adm. Hart doesn't tell me much about about your PP expenditure, it merely hints that you've been buying better submarine captains. Are you buying
captains for the less-effective USN fleet boats, or only for the S-boats & Dutch subs?

Not really. Actually, it's because i have the game on "no US torpedo duds" (or what the game adjustment is called)....yes, it's a sort of cheating but then I haven't
really started...Even then there are quite a few missed sub attacks so this is just to illustrate more aggressive sub commanders, a point often referred to in the
history of the war. Come to think of it, in my story I shall eventually add some lines on Hart referring to the initiative, and findings, of one of his sub
commanders that had the torpedo problem sorted out before the war. Don't remember his name now. Include that in Hart's pep talk. In reality, I don't Think Hart held
anything like a pep talk for his submarine men. His instructions to his commanders at the outbreak of war was only a very short note referring to the SOP.

As we know, the Dutch boats performed better than the USN in the initial stages of the war. Haven't touched those.

As for PP expenditure I haven't used much, which is shown by the fact that I have a healthy reserve. A couple of Aussie units and fighter Groups for transferral.
Apart from that I'm moving units west as soon as they are available. I also needed to buy off the local PA units in the Visayas for inter-Island transfer. Something
I find is a flaw in the game as this was done in RL. Regiments were moved to Mindanao from the other sectors in the beginning of January.

Fred

January 4th 1942

AK Lena Luckenbach is attacked by SS I-17 in the Torres Strait. 1 torpedo hit. She sinks.

Dutch SS KVIII torpedoes AK Zuynyo Maru. Heavy damage.

SS I-8 attack AKL Darvel near Bundaberg. 19 shell hits. I-8 hit twice. Darvel sinks.

Minneapolis TF surprise Ternate landing transports. CM Itsushima and AK Nanrei Maru are sunk.

An enemy CV force suddenly appear in the middle of the Celebes Sea. 12 Kates and 22 Vals attack the Pensacola TF. Bomb hits on Pensacola, Achilles, Leander and Perth.

6 P-40B and 8 P-35 intercept from Jolo. 2 P-35 destroyed, 8 Japanese planes destroyed or damaged by FLAK and air-to-air.

In a second attack on Zamboanga 2 Kates are destroyed by 1 P-40B and 10 P-40E’s. No damage on ships.

SS I-17 in Torres Strait is reported hit by a Wirraway flying out of Horn Island. A relief if correct! It has created a lot problems.

Dutch SS KVIII torpedoes AK Mexico Maru near Kuching.

Ternate is captured! 10 PBY’s and 2 Do-24’s destroyed at the base.


January 5th 1942

Minneapolis TF bombard Ternate. PB Kyo Maru and AP Yoshino Maru damaged. Minneapolis receive 2 shell hits.

MTB units outside Jolo meets enemy CA TF, 6 ships. MTB 10 is sunk.

5 AP’s sighted outside Kuching by CL Teres TF. Both parties evade. Lost opportunity!

CA Minneapolis with CL Raleigh and DD’s Bagley and Blue meets CV force NE Menado – CV’s Kaga and Akagi, CA’s Tone and Chikuma, DD’s Uzuki, Kikuzuki and Yuzuki.
CV Kaga receive 3 hits, Minneapolis 5. Both parties break off.

CL Phoenix bombard Ternate airfield. 6 Zeros damaged. 155 casualties.

SS I-17 is still active in Torres Strait.

Tarakan defense is stubborn. PB Yamahagi Maru on fire after 13 gun hits.

Kuala Lumpur is captured.

Manila is captured.

Fred

ORIGINAL: Leandros

Not really. Actually, it's because i have the game on "no US torpedo duds" (or what the game adjustment is called)....yes, it's a sort of cheating but then I haven't
really started...Even then there are quite a few missed sub attacks so this is just to illustrate more aggressive sub commanders, a point often referred to in the
history of the war. Come to think of it, in my story I shall eventually add some lines on Hart referring to the initiative, and findings, of one of his sub
commanders that had the torpedo problem sorted out before the war. Don't remember his name now. Include that in Hart's pep talk. In reality, I don't Think Hart held anything like a pep talk for his submarine men. His instructions to his commanders at the outbreak of war was only a very short note referring to the SOP.

As we know, the Dutch boats performed better than the USN in the initial stages of the war. Haven't touched those.

As for PP expenditure I haven't used much, which is shown by the fact that I have a healthy reserve. A couple of Aussie units and fighter Groups for transferral.
Apart from that I'm moving units west as soon as they are available. I also needed to buy off the local PA units in the Visayas for inter-Island transfer. Something I find is a flaw in the game as this was done in RL. Regiments were moved to Mindanao from the other sectors in the beginning of January.

Fred

I get that you're just having fun with the game now. Earlier I thought you were using it to aide your research.

Torpedoes just didn't work no matter what the political situation was in 41-42 or how aggressive the commanders were. They also needed to work out actual tactics and begin to change pre-war sub doctrine. Very few early war commanders were able to find success simply from how they were trained and that wouldn't change for years until a new crop of academy graduates arrived.

ORIGINAL: obvert

I get that you're just having fun with the game now. Earlier I thought you were using it to aide your research.

Not "just"- I need to learn the game better before I can make full use of it for my purpose.

Fred

ORIGINAL: Leandros

ORIGINAL: obvert

I get that you're just having fun with the game now. Earlier I thought you were using it to aide your research.

Not "just"- I need to learn the game better before I can make full use of it for my purpose.

Fred

Huh. So why the working torpedoes then if that 's a factor that wouldn't have been able to be changed regardless of political direction during that period? Just curious.

'Reliable USN torps' ON is an 'orrid advantage to the US, I would've thought that this pref-choice is not justified by the stated context of this game. 'Allied Damage Control Advantage' ON is far more acceptable, when playing in 'historic' context. Reliable USN torps? I don't think so. One might as well turn FOW OFF as well, ain't the intel working even better than the torps are?

Note to Leandros, pref-settings can be changed 'mid-game', hotkey 'P'.

It beggars belief that one of Adm. Hart's submarine captains had the torp prob 'solved' in 12/41. The USN Mk14 torps were screwed up 3 ways:
- unreliable depth control
- unreliable contact fuse
- unreliable magnetic fuse
These problems did not affect the Mk10 torps used by USN S-boats.

January 6th 1942

The Phoenix TF finds some of the Ternate invasion force astride Ternate. AP Palau Maru on fire. TB Chidori and PB Aso Maru receive 5 shell its, 29 casualties.

CL Ceres and 3 DD’s intercept a Kuching supply convoy. Both parties withdraw.

A 4-DD (fours-stackers) TF hits an invasion convoy near Ternate. A PB and AK are sunk by shellfire. 627 casualties.

The Minneapolis TF, CL Raleigh and DD’s Bagley and Blue, finds Kashima TF just south of Jolo Island. CM Hatsutaka is sunk, heavy damage on an AK. Several hits on
US ships, DD blue is on fire. Both parties break off.

Bombarding Ternate airfield. 1 Zero destroyed, 7 damaged on ground.

AP Mariposa sinks in Saumlaki Harbor caused by previous damage.

A Japanese landing force is approaching Rabaul.

DD John D. Ford and her 3 partners approach Ternate in the dark again. Hits TB Chidori, a PB and an AK. More hits on AP Palau Maru.

SS Tautog reports hit on AK Kuikai Maru near Bikini. Evades the escorting PB.

SS I-165 hits AK Munlock near Busuanga with 1 torpedo. Sinks.

Bad luck for a PB Kenkon Maru and AK Atlantic Maru. Meet CA Australia and CL Adelaide near Panay. Both Japanese ships are sunk. 2138 casualties.

The Japanese CV TF covering the Jolo landings launch 16 Vals escorted by 5 Zeros to attack CL’s Leander and Achilles north of Jolo Island. 1 P-40B flying from Jolo
intercepts. 1 bomb hit on Achilles, 4 Vals damaged. The same CV TF attacks CA Australia and CL Adelaide with 9 Kates escorted by 9 Zeros. 2 torpedo hits on
CA Australia. Heavy damage.

A third raid is directed at CL Perth in Zamboanga Harbor. 13 Vals and 5 Zeros are intercepted by 4 P-35’s and 10 P-40E’s. 1 Zero, 5 Vals destroyed. 1 P-35
destroyed. No hits on Perth.

In a follow-up bombing raid on Zamboanga Harbor CL Perth receive 4 bomb hits. 1 Zero, 2 Kates and 3 Vals are destroyed by 1 P-40B and 10 P-40E’s. 4 P-40E destroyed,
1 damaged. 1 SOC-1 destroyed on ground. 8 runway, 2 airbase hits.

Dammit! I can’t believe it! SS I-17 does it again! AP US Grant is hit by 2 torps south of Torres Strait. That’s the second time on this journey she is torpedoed.
She carries an FA Battalion.

Japanese forces are ashore at Tarakan. They immediately make a suicide attack against heavy odds. Out of 191 attackers, 94 become casualties.

If the recce report is to be believed an enemy CV force in the Sulu Sea contains no less than 9 CV’s!

Not a good day for the enemy. He lost 22 Vals, 5 Kates, 4 Anns and 4 Zeros. Our side lost 8 P-40E’s and 2 P-35’s.

Fred

A day w/ heavy IJ air losses is a good day! Mind you, keep an eye on your Fighter airgroups - continuous work increases Fatigue & decreases Morale. A day or two Training will bring a lightly-damaged airgroup back up to speed, but if you overwork an airgroup, it'll become 'combat ineffective' & require a week or more recover. In your situation, I'd judge an airgroup w/ Fatigue in the 20s & Morale in the mid-80s to be due for a break, preferably at a base that's not under pressure.

January 7th 1942

The war has lasted a month and the enemy has Luzon in his grip. He is aggressive around Mindanao, too. The taking of Ternate was a blowback to my strategy. With
both Menado and Ternate intact the Relief Route would have been largely intact. Now I need to suppress Ternate constantly so that the airfield is not expanded for
bomber use until that time I can retake it. Have to ensure that something similar doesn’t happen to Namlea, just opposite Ambon. Ambon and Menado are the central
points in the Relief Route. Problem is that due to the port facilities unloading of ships is extremely slow everywhere.

The ADA partners have fulfilled their part of the December 22nd agreement fully, if not more. The Aussies have confirmed the decision to use their units returning
from the Middle East/North Africa to bolster the home front. That means supporting the Relief Route, too. The Dutch have used their 139-bomber squadrons liberally
along the edges of the Relief Route. Not that they have achieved much but that can change. The Dutch Moluccan communications and basing system has been a great
advantage this far. Soerebaja is supplying much of the operational area with fuel and foodstuffs. A CMF brigade has been released to bolster Timor. It shall take
a couple of weeks before it’s there.

It shall also take a month or two before a proper counter-attack force is assembled. It needs to be amphibious. Ships for this purpose are being anchored in a bay
east of Darwin port.

The enemy submarine effort in the Torres Strait has been a sort of shocker. Problem is the Aussies have very little SC vessels in the area. Escorts must be peeled
off the various convoys passing the Strait and stay behind there to secure future convoys. Takes some time to arrange for.

The Rabaul defenders are fighting back but they are on their own.

A 4 DD-force on a nightly bombardment mission to Ternate bumps into an enemy BB-force, Huyuga, CA Takao and 2 DD’s, between Ternate and Menado. Both parties break
off.

A little later the Phoenix TF, on its way north to bombard Ternate, meets the same enemy force. Hits on Huyuga and Takao. Phoenix is hit twice. Both parties break
off.

The CL Ceres TF meet a BB-force in the dark outside Kuching. Ceres is hit twice, on fire. Both parties break off.

The Japanese are landing in Sambas, Borneo.

The Ceres TF bumps into the enemy BB force again in the morning. Ceres receive 8 hits. DD’s Stronghold, Encounter and Isis are all damaged by shell hits.

CL’s Leander, Achilles and a DD find a 7-AK convoy in the Sulu Sea. Both forces evade.

AK Mauna Loa sights an enemy CV TF SW Davao Gulf Approaches, heading west. CV’s Hiryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku with BB Hiei, CL’s Nagara, Kiso, Tatsuta with 6 DD’s.
Mauna Loa escapes in a rain squall.

AK Montgomery City, enroute to Zamboanga, sights the same enemy force. She too escapes in a rain squall.

Morning attack on Singkawang. Air defense there has been strengthened. 4 Nells destroyed, 1 damaged. 3 Nells damaged in a follow-up attack.

The enemy CV TF in the Celebes Sea launches a raid against Menado, 10 Vals escorted by 5 Zeros. 4 P-36 intercept. In the harbor CL Detroit receive 4 bomb hits and
is set afire.

A second raid against shipping in Menado Harbor with 36 Kates and 5 Zeros damage 3 AK’s in the harbor.

AK Mauna Loa is attacked by 13 Vals, 9 bomb hits. It sinks within the day. As do W. A. Holbrook and Coast Farmer, too. Luckily all ships only carry freight, no
troops. US Grant, however, sinks in the Torres Strait with an FA Bn onboard. Many soldiers are rescued by the many ASW vessels on duty in the strait.

Fred