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from Ominato the invasion fleet has sailed.
It steams north, grimly

Yamato, Musashi, the remaining carriers, in fact nearly all the remaining ships Japan has wait for them
Okha is the target

On the southern Russian front japanese forces approach the border


The strength of the Russians is utterly unknown..................










(I have deliberately not peeked at the allied OOB for Russia, I truly have NO idea)
(Especially at Okha)


A final point.
Those who wanted to see a game deep into 1945, and with the russians activated, well here it is................

On the 28th, the allied carriers catch the convoy that Okano so desperately awaits.
It is devastated

B-29's attack Formosa.
Another CV strike hits Leyte gulf.

The phillipines are cut off.
Ogowa's eagles move to Aparri.
Its a shambles. Little fuel, dispirited men , hungry dispirited men.

The bubble is bursting. Calls by Ogowa for servicing of the eagles simply are not answered.
In the blazing heat in the centre of the field he holds a quick conference with his squadron commanders.
'This" growls one, hand white on his pistol grip , "is un acceptable"

yes. yes it is.........how quickly it is unravelling.........but is this time for japanese to shed japanese blood?
"can you blame them?...........4 years of fighting machinery, and dust, and now starvation, under this sun. There is no glory in that!"

"they are cowards"
"no, they are just tired men.............i will get us re fuelled............then home. That we will fight for.........that we will die for.........not this stinking paddock."

29th June 45

Susuzuki re joins the main battle fleet, some 100 miles north of Okha
She refuels from the Taiho.


Okano joins Hirate in the messdeck.
Susuzuki is pitching heavily, and both men use each other as braces against the movement, crammed onto the benches about the tables. It is dinner, and the mess is crowded. It smells of sweat, seafood, salt water, and subtly....fear.

Rumours have flooded the destroyer.
A million theories flow through her, almost in competition with the condensation that runs down her baulkheads.

Why the landing party?
Why, why in the world does a Commanding Officer go ashore onto hostle shores?
What madness was that?

And what happened?
Did they really attack the Russians?..........was that the idea all along?
And this Hirate........what was his story?


"How are you brother?" Okano gently breaks the silence
Hirate does not answer, he remains staring at his bowl, silent
he has not spaken since coming back onboard.

deeply troubled, okano stays besides him until the meal is done.
Then, in silence still, they go below again, back on watch.

1 July 1945

Ogowa's eagles return to hiroshima
Deep maintenace, repairs, engine change outs
they will rest for this week



It may be the last they ever get.


Extract from Shattering the Sword, a Cantona production

The Russian declaration of war came at precisely one minute past midnight.
Citing ' unprovoked Japanese aggression", it called on "the herioc armies of the motherland" to immediately crush 'this second facist state'
These were the orders

But for the first 24hrs, at least, the reality was different. The divisions, the ranks upon ranks of artillery and armour, the masses of men are still in lager, the squadrons still at peactime readiness.
The great bear will need some time to emerge from his cave


Japan strikes first

Great drama and as always an excellent read.
It makes me want to do just one more turn before the swath of night becomes pale and dawn awaits.

Thanks heeward
Its been a long journey, but as you say, there is always just one more turn...........................

2 July 1945

Susuzuki steams once again off dark Russian shores.

They do not remain dark for long.
Okha bay, russian oil centre, Sakhalin islands.
Five japanese destroyers lie even closer in shore than Susuzuki, and the bark and boom of their guns beat a regular tattoo.
The beaches and forest flash and sparkle , and the tracer streaks in the growing dawn light.

It is reminescent , for the veterans, of the glory days of 42.
There is no return fire, for now.
16 transports and converted AKs lie off the beaches. Around them the landing boats gather, the scrabbling nets dark with the forms of the soldiers. The boats bob and bounce, then in strings make for the beaches.


remininescent of 42 yes..........and improved upon it not an iota
It does not matter though today, surprise, it seems is complete.



Dawn breaks
They are at action stations (of course) on Susuzuki, have been for hours.
Hirate and Okano are both below. Below again locked down hatches, oblivious to the action above decks, aware that the enemy is near, that death lurks outside thin, thin steel.

They can do the only thing that they have always done, Inwardly brace themselves, and attend to their duty, attend to the never ending glow of the boilers, the whine of the turbines.
They will be down stairs all day.

It will be a long one.

Combined fleet guards the invasion.
She operates a continous combat patrol over the bay. Like riding a bicycle, the deck crews have slipped easily back into the routines, the fighters cycling easily.
No russian fighters or bombers appear today.

But the bear is awake now.
And beyond angry.

Japanese Grace TBD's have a shot and Vladivostock, hoping to catch the Russian fleet asleep.
It is.

Their fighters are not. None return
All over the front, clouds of Russian fighters and bombers attack Japanese positons, and airfields.
They have wonderful formations, wonderful numbers, horrible aim.

Over Shikuka, defending oscars feast heavily on Russian biplanes!, and elderly SB2's
This new war is less than a day old, and already one thing is clear.

General Sugiyama was right. To tackle this gigantic beast, this bear, was madness............

Epic![&o]

Good grief, we're still on!

July 3rd

Dawn

40 miles east of Okha

Yet again the alarm bells ring through out Susuzuki. yet again tired men move to their stations. yet again ammunition is rammed home, the guns raised, eyes placed to the directors.
Yet again, they wait.

It is a cold grey dawn, this one, with grey skies, grey seas, a biting wind. Grey faces, fatigued.
Last night 3 Russian DDs have attacked the invasion fleet, an action observed on the horizon in the dark of the night.

Starshells. Tracer, the crack of the guns.........the incredibly bright flare of Destroyer Amagiri exploding.
Combined fleet has not been drawn in, patiently awaiting the night to fade away.

Now, overhead the eagles circle, the russian destroyers have failed, soon they will die .

Susuzuki however is not at action stations because of them now, nor for the snoopers that are about. It is beneath these grey waters that the most dangerous enemy stalks.
Three periscope sighting this hour alone...............


Combined fleet marks time, providing air caover.
And once again, as it has so many times before, drawing those cursed bukas to her like flies .

manilla harbour

17 AKs

Almost the last of the hunted. They depart manilla harbour, E boats swarming around their flanks. In their rusting holds, the last of manilla's oil, the last of its stored fuel.

The enemy blockade Miri, balikapapan, tarakan.
Their guns fire now on Soerabaya.
Their bombers cruise over palembang

The blockade is complete

17 AKs

The last convoy for Japan, begins for home.

The russians have at least 2 heavy cruisers.
They raid Rashin, manchuria.
2 tankers sunk, 3 escorts sunk


Manchurian army command reports "500 plus bombers operating over this front"
"send help"

Ogowas's eagles are put on notice.

Happy holidays! Still enjoying a great yarn every Monday morning over coffee.

merry Christmas fellow travellers

Your support, from every single one of you, is greatly appreciated

I hope I can make this, the last year of the war, as interesting as I can

herbie

You are not letting us down in the slightest. Great stuff! [:)]

Could you go off tangent for a post or two and explain how you are going to defend Manchuria?? So few players get to the point in the game in which Russia is active. I know some of the Russian LCUs have combat power that makes a US Marine division look inadequate.

ORIGINAL: pws1225

You are not letting us down in the slightest. Great stuff! [:)]

+1! Always tense and realistic!
Characters we can really care about. [&o]

Merry Christmas to you. Wish I had a gift equal to what you have given us.

Merry Christmas to all!

Thanks for a great ride you old dictator...