A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere

[Cap Mandrake]

This-ah rike try to hit baskebarr hoop from top row of stadium.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Niue at 144,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia
CA New Orleans

[Cap Mandrake]

Hye, rook! Someone do it!

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Niue at 144,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Japan-mens drop bombs on Vaav'u but just hit pig farm of chief.

[Cap Mandrake]

************August 1, 1942(d)***********

Japan-mens randing forces approach Eua. Search airpranes at Tongatapu not-ah see anything on Jury 31. Perhaps crappy weather or something.

SURPRISE!

[Cap Mandrake]

Mutuarh simurtaneous sphinctah tightening.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Tongatapu at 137,167, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Nenohi
PB Nagata Maru
xAK Tamagawa Maru
xAK Sinsei Maru
xAK Yamahagi Maru
xAK Chicago Maru
xAK Africa Maru
xAK Kirikawa Maru
xAK Kazan Maru

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
CV Enterprise
CV Hornet
BB Prince of Wales
CA Northampton
CA Louisville
DD Caldwell
DD Gridley
DD McCall
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Cummings
DD Case

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 26,000 yards
Both TF attempt to withdraw!
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Japan-mens drop bombs on Vaav'u but just hit pig farm of chief.

Big hole make Chief HOA angry. Major violation of code. Must fill hole in pronto.

In other news, Google has refused to add Mandrake to languages it translates automatically. Something about regional pidgin dialect.

[Cap Mandrake]

The word goes out. Scrum starts now.
Good performance by the IJN DD's stripping away Arried-mens escorts

Day Time Surface Combat, near Tongatapu at 137,167, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Makigumo, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Yamagumo

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CL Detroit
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Drayton, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Lamson
DD Litchfield, Shell hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Dream intahcept. Bettah at night but sun arready come up.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Tongatapu at 136,167, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 12, heavy fires
CL Tatsuta
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shiranui
DD Amatsukaze
DD Hatsushima, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Wakaba, Shell hits 1
DD Yugure

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Shell hits 2
CV Enterprise, Shell hits 1
CV Hornet, Shell hits 2, on fire
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 3
CA Northampton
CA Louisville, Shell hits 1
DD Caldwell, Shell hits 2
DD Gridley, Shell hits 1
DD McCall, Shell hits 1
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Cummings
DD Case

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 26,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 26,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Enterprise at 26,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages BB Yamashiro at 26,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Enterprise at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages BB Prince of Wales at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Louisville at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Mahan at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD McCall at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Gridley at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages CV Yorktown at 21,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Northampton at 21,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Mahan at 21,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Gridley at 21,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Caldwell at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 18,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages CV Yorktown at 18,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 18,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages BB Prince of Wales at 18,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Gridley at 18,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Caldwell at 18,000 yards
DD Caldwell engages DD Shiranui at 18,000 yards
DD Caldwell engages DD Natsushio at 18,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Maury at 18,000 yards
DD McCall engages DD Natsushio at 18,000 yards
DD Gridley engages DD Hatsushima at 18,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Caldwell at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 14,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages CV Yorktown at 14,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Mahan at 14,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Mahan at 14,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Louisville at 14,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Northampton at 14,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Case at 14,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Mahan at 14,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Maury at 14,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Gridley at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Hornet at 11,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages CV Yorktown at 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 11,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages BB Yamashiro at 11,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Caldwell at 11,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Maury at 11,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Case at 11,000 yards
DD Maury engages DD Natsushio at 11,000 yards
DD Mahan engages DD Wakaba at 11,000 yards
DD Maury engages DD Natsushio at 11,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD McCall at 11,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Gridley at 11,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Caldwell at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Hornet at 8,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages CV Yorktown at 8,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages BB Yamashiro at 8,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Maury at 8,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Gridley at 8,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Mahan at 8,000 yards
DD Caldwell engages DD Natsushio at 8,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD McCall at 8,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Gridley at 8,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Caldwell at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Yorktown at 11,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Case at 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Louisville at 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CA Northampton at 11,000 yards
DD Case engages DD Wakaba at 11,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Cummings at 11,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Mahan at 11,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD McCall at 11,000 yards
DD Gridley engages DD Amatsukaze at 11,000 yards
DD Caldwell engages DD Yugure at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 19,000 yards
DD Case collides with CA Northampton at 136 , 167
BB Yamashiro engages CV Hornet at 19,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CV Enterprise at 19,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD McCall at 19,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages BB Yamashiro at 19,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Caldwell at 19,000 yards
DD Case engages DD Wakaba at 19,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages DD Mahan at 19,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Maury at 19,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD McCall at 19,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Gridley at 19,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[Cap Mandrake]

PoW drives off Yamashiro. One carrier burning.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

PoW drives off Yamashiro. One carrier burning.

Will Hornet's 20% flooding put out the fires?

Even Halsey never surface attacked with CVs.

[Cap Mandrake]

No no the CARRIERS.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Lifuka at 141,169

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 62 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
G4M1 Betty x 12

Allied aircraft
SOC-1 Seagull x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Detroit
CA Vincennes
CL St. Louis, on fire

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

PoW drives off Yamashiro. One carrier burning.

Will Hornet's 20% flooding put out the fires?

Even Halsey never surface attacked with CVs.

No this OTHAH wah. Zorch-san terribry confused.

[Cap Mandrake]

Our main strike. Not enough Zekes..not even close.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Eua at 139,168

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 37
B5N2 Kate x 48
D3A1 Val x 78

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 124

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 18 destroyed, 8 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 21 destroyed, 12 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Wasp, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 1
BB North Carolina, Bomb hits 1
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CV Yorktown, on fire
CA Quincy
CV Hornet, on fire
CLAA San Juan

Too much scatter on the attack. We wasted sorties on North Carolina. Hornet and Yorktown still on fire from the surface engagement.

[Cap Mandrake]

It begin to rook rike no counterstrike aftah many attacks around Co-prosperity sphere go
in ...but no such ruck..

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tongatapu at 136,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 58
A6M2-N Rufe x 18

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 54
SBD-2 Dauntless x 17
SBD-3 Dauntless x 90
TBF-1 Avenger x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 8 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 7 destroyed, 20 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2
CA Ashigara
AMC Aikoku Maru
CVL Zuiho
CA Nachi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Kozan Maru
DD Ushio
CL Jintsu
CA Myoko

Shoho sunk. Her remaining air comprment fry off to Suva.

Hiyo with smarr fire..not operationurh. Shokaku undamaged oddry.

[Cap Mandrake]

Haha...some Arried-mens get-ah rost..

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tongatapu at 136,166

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta

[Cap Mandrake]

Not-ah so easy without broody F4F...eh?

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tongatapu at 136,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
A6M2-N Rufe x 8

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 8 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

No harm, no fourh

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tongatapu at 136,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 10 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
A6M2-N Rufe x 5

Allied aircraft
SBD-2 Dauntless x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Hiyo, heavy fires
CV Shokaku
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 1

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

PoW drives off Yamashiro. One carrier burning.

Will Hornet's 20% flooding put out the fires?

Even Halsey never surface attacked with CVs.

No this OTHAH wah. Zorch-san terribry confused.

Zorch-san think Mandrake schizophrenic and play himself in dual AAR.

[Cap Mandrake]

Bettah CA than CV.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tongatapu at 136,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 42 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M2-N Rufe x 3

Allied aircraft
SBD-2 Dauntless x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, on fire
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
CA Myoko

[Cap Mandrake]

Japan-mens waste strike on cruisers in aftahnoon.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lifuka at 141,169

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
B5N2 Kate x 9
D3A1 Val x 29

Allied aircraft
SOC-1 Seagull x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 11 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CL St. Louis
CA Vincennes, Bomb hits 2