Yamamoto's Diary #16

[Sergeant]

In middle of my move the storm knocked out power on me. Tired -- I'll do it over again in the morning.



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ACTION REPORT: 8 Aug 42
NIGHT

* Greenling may have a new commander. It surfaced at Woodlark and used a full spread of 4 torpedoes and deck guns to attack and sink one of our APs.

* Enemy battle group shelled Nevea inflicting 24 casualties.

DAY

* Greenling fires remaining torpedoes at a mine sweeper but missed.
* Enemy sub spotted South of Port Morseby.
* Recon on Port Morseby was followed by Betty attack. BDA= 9 hits and about 13 casualties.
* Enemy recon flight over Gili-Gili was followed by bomber attack. Ships at anchor were hit 4 times.
the port engineers also took a beating with 118 casualties. BDA= 29%
* Air strfike on Nevea again by 62 enemy bombers caused 45 casualties.
* Our I-boat (I-1) sank in port
* Port Morseby aircraft appear to have been evacuated to Australia. [&:]
* Enemy BB sighted at Luganville, South of Santa Cruz islands
* Three CV sighted at Port Efate Villa. Also 2 CV spotted at Townsville.
* Aviation support at Gili-Gili has been killed. [:@]

[SlowHand]

Highly entertaining AAR so far. I hope the action resumes soon?

[Sergeant]

ORIGINAL: SlowHand

Highly entertaining AAR so far. I hope the action resumes soon?

THANKS,
I'm about to have a huge battle and I'm on pins & needles waiting for my opponent's return move. I'll do an update soo (this week).
[&o]

[Sergeant]

9 Aug 42 [ Report Pending ]

Sorry for the delay, my server has been down for a few hours! [:@]

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Action Report for 9 Aug 42

--- Night ---
*9 NELL bombers hit Port Morseby
*BETTY bombers hit Cairns
(no BDA on night missions)
*BETTY attack on Efate Port Villa

--- clear Day ---
*Recon flight over Port Morseby
*Enemy LBA strike on NEVEA. CAP fighters intercepted so they released bombs early - no damage. [:D]
*Enemy Carrier air strike on NEVEA 130 planes. CAP intercept shot down 5 Wildcats and 1 Dauntless. BDA = 66 Japanese casualties. [X(]
*Second LBA strike with 56 bombers on NEVEA intercepted by CAP. BDA = 29 casualties.
* British sub S-43 enters Buna harbor and fired at AP but missed. [:-]
*Operation Red Light started
*Enemy troop buildup detected on Luganville where an enemy Task Force of 14 ships was sighted.
>>> Weather forcast = Stormy weather

END REPORT

[Sergeant]

10 August 1942 Daily Staff Call:

* Sir, last night S-43 fired a torpedo in Buna harbor but missed its' target.

* Day-break brings with it a devestating enemy air raid. Carrier strike from 2 CV at grid 10-43 on shipping at Buna (no CAP). 5 ships hit by over 100 planes. Two ships sink right away.

* After air raid S-43 fires again.

* Kirakira Atoll captured.

* Ocili Island captured.... BANZAII.

> Heavy rain begins to fall.
========================================

11 August 1942 STAFF CALL: [Rainy]

NIGHT REPORT:

Sir a new sub detected. SS DRUM torpedoed an oiler at grid 38-37.

"Hunt it down and dispose of it."

DAY REPORT:

* Sir one of our Nells sighted the CV WASP South of Port Morseby at grid 12-46.

"How many bombs were dropped on it?" ZIP, sir.

* Sir, while we were doing recon on Port Morseby the enemy was flying a recon on NEVEA. They probably want to know troop stregnth. I don't think they like having a Japanese base there!

* Sir, that carrier South of PM launched several air raids. It sent planes to BUNA and our CAP chased one group away. The rest bombed a convoy. 1 SBD and 2 F4Fs were shot down. The second raid went to Gili-Gili and RUFF put up a fight but it was a lame effort. TBFs torpedoed an AP leaving port 3 times. Finally a third strike hit a Fast Transport headed for Lea Lea and sank it. Additionally 3 APs at BUNA sank.

"The YAWAZA DET will soon arrive, submit recommendations on where the Detachment should be posted. Also, place the air marshall under arrest. That carrier should have been attacked." Yes Sir

[Sergeant]

[>:] I'm roughly three months behind in this AAR. I'm rather peeved at the moment over several instances where planes failed to fly in good weather, with good morale, and low fatigue for a short distance. [:@]
These instances have become so unreal that I am quickly losing my enjoyment of the game. You put a lot of time and effort to plan your strategy only to have the game engine defeat your every dream. I'm experienced enough to recognize when something just isn't right. [:-]
The lack of combat control and execusion is beginning to grate on Me nerves.
[:(]

[Wirraway_Ace]

Sergeant,
sorry to hear of the issues. It has been a very entertaining AAR, though it did not appear to be going smoothly for Yamamoto...

No matter how frustrated I get with the game, I still have to marvel at how far these game engines have come since I first tried moving cardboard chits around on a hex sheet.

Though, to be fair, I have also always enjoyed games with a heavy dose of fog of war. Maybe because I don't mind losing.

[radar]

Yamamoto is certainly hampered by "fog"; but perhaps the Allies are as well. Hope things get back on track.

[Sergeant]

ORIGINAL: Wirraway_Ace

Sergeant,
sorry to hear of the issues. It has been a very entertaining AAR, though it did not appear to be going smoothly for Yamamoto...

No matter how frustrated I get with the game, I still have to marvel at how far these game engines have come since I first tried moving cardboard chits around on a hex sheet.

Though, to be fair, I have also always enjoyed games with a heavy dose of fog of war. Maybe because I don't mind losing.

Thanks Ace,

I don't mind losing either, but when a surface group attacks a landing convoy with destroyer escort and the AP's put up more fight than the DD's -- that's unrealistic. [:@] It becomes Arcadish and ceases to be a simulation when unrealistic events occur.
I'll try to get back in here tonight and do another update because I have plenty of notes stored up to continue the AAR. Right now I'm gonna soak in a hot tub for a while and think about my exit strategy from a bad situation on NEVEA Island.
I sometimes miss those days of moving the little counters around on a map. As I recall an unrealist event used to happen there too, whenever somebody sneezed! [:D]

[8D] Me-------*

[Sergeant]

ORIGINAL: radar

Yamamoto is certainly hampered by "fog"; but perhaps the Allies are as well. Hope things get back on track.

Thanks for the note RADAR,

I'll see what I can do later tonight. [;)]

Yamamoto settles back to read an American novel entitled "The FOG". [X(]

[Sergeant]

12 August 1942

Sir, weather forcast Thunderstorms.

"Inform all commanders to follow Thunderstorm SOP. Advise my staff there will not be a staff call today, instead they should submit their reports to me in writing tonight at dinner."

Yes Sir, the orderly turned to leave...

"Orderly, take this message to radio room and transmit it."

The orderly took the message and left.

An hour later several commanders read their special instructions.
--------------------------------

14 August 1942

Narative Pending...

Hey -- where's the 13th of August??? [:-]

[Sergeant]

15 August 1942

No narrative report -- I'm go'n back ta bed! [>:]

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16 Aug 42 -Night Report- (Clear)

* Our bombers hit Port Morseby and Cairnes. No BDA avail.

* S-39 sighted at grid 11-33.

-Day Report- (Clear)

* S-47 chased away by one of our DDs at Gili-Gili.
* P-39 air attack missed twice at grid 49-43, but hit an AP and DD on 3d strike. 33 men lost at sea.
* Nevea bombed - No casulaty report.
* AG115 sunk by a patroling Hudson.
* Siodjura Atoll captured (no value) as part of Operation Red Light.
* Weatherman predicts Thunderstorms.

[Sergeant]

This is out of sequence since it doesn't happen until mid November 1942; but I couldn't resist posting it NOW. [:D]

RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, THE GREENLING HAS BEEN PUT TO SLEEP! RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, YAMAMOTO'S MONEY THE CREW OF ARASHIO GET TO KEEP. RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, HOW MUCH YOU WANNA BET, THAT GRENADIER IS NEXT? RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, Run Silent Run Deep.


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18 Nov 42 RADIO TOKYO
(Tokyo Rose Speaking) Hello GI...

Silent Night... Hmmmmm Aint dat a song or someth'n?

Aint dat jest frustrat'n when yer mine sweepers done gone ahead to clear a path fur yer follow-on supply ship, and then BOOOM it hits a mine anyway!

Dat must have been a loose one dat rolled off da deck of our minelayer when ya sunk it in da harbor. Next time wait till it ties da mine up and leaves port before ya start shoot'n everythang up -- they aint stop signs ya know.

Whatsa matta... you don't like POEMMMs ? We call it "Ode ta Greenling" and dey ran it in da Tokyo Reader's Digest.

Now for some music, how about Bobbie Vinton's "Mr. Lonely". This is Tokyo Rose saying -- Good Night, sleep tight, don't let da IRAU bugs bite. [:-]

[Sergeant]

17 Aug 42

WISSOONER,

Had an enjoyable experience today. I went to an Army mess hall for lunch [:'(]. I haven't been in one in over 10 years. Made me home-sick for the uniform. [:(]

Sergeant------*
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18 Aug 42

Sorry it took so long -- have been busy trying to swat a wasp!



*65th Brigade Command TOC... Urgent radio transmissions comeing in about an enemy carrier group attacking our convoys. Gun flashes were seen off shore last night -- enemy attacked Lea Lea landing area with cruisers and destroyers.

*Meanwhile back at South Seas Det HQ -- Sir, one of the bomber crews thinks they hit the Saratoga tied up at the docks in Port LeFate Villa last night.

[Sergeant]

Wissooner,

I once again I saved and tried to open the game file -- but it said it was your turn and wouldn't let me in. So, guess you'll have to re-transmit your move (unless of course, you wish to surrender to Imperial Japanese Might). Your troops will be treated well. Nagumo is on leave in Japan so VADM Ozawa will accept your sword. You Marines do carry swords, don't you? I humbly await your decision aboard the Yamato. [&o]

Yamamoto

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Try this…

Ok, try this one, I tested it and ‘player 1’ came up…

Wissooner

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I figured out what was wrong. For some odd reason I have a duplicated save file and the path was sending them to the wrong file. I manually went in and copied it to the correct file and now it is working. I'll have my turn ready for you in about hour and half - two hours. Guess I better put on a pot of coffee. It really had me confused because I thought the save path was correct - but I guess not. Any way -- I'll git to it now. Lets see water on face fresh pot coffee tuna sandwich -- OK I'm ready to start working on it.
Me--------(confused)*

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19 Aug 42

I think that was a back-up file that my save path was sending your moves to. Sorry about that -- will keep a closer watch on it.

Looks like that Wasp I waz try'n ta swat flew away. Will have to find its' nest! [:D]

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20 Aug 42 Surface slug-fest begins....

Sir, ADM Nagumo iz missing. He waz supposed ta be on leave in Japan. He'z not there! We think he went to Disneyland.

Hmmmm... he's just pouting because I gave da Shokaku command to OZAWA.

We have an agent at Disneyland -- contact Goofey advise him to tell Nagumo to git hiz hind quaters back here... oh and tell him to bring me a picture of Anette Funichello. [:'(]

Yamamoto--------*

[Sergeant]

------- Delayed Report --------

---- ACTION REPORT for: 11/12 Aug 42 -----

---- Partly Cloudy NIGHT ---

* Port Morseby bombed scoring 6 hits.
* Efate Port Villa bombed (No BDA)

* Enemy surface group shelled Gili-Gili scoring 7 base hits and destroying a MAVIS patrol plane on ground. A light cruiser in port took 2 hits and estimated 69 port workers wounded or killed.

---- Partly Cloudy DAY -----

* One of our Kate pilots attacked an unidentified enemy sub. Intell believes it got away.
* Enemy flew a RECON over Gili-Gili, and WE flew recon over COOKTOWN.
* Masive 89 plane enemy strike from two locations on our APD#36 while it was transporting 3d SNLF to Ocili Atoll resulted in 141 of our troops being lost at sea. The 2d strike belived to have consisted of 66 planes from a nearby carrier group.
* One of our Irving ptrl planes attacked an unidentified enemy sub.
* Enemy flew onther recon over Gili-Gili while we flew recon over Cooktown again.
* Enemy flew 3, 4, and 5 more strikes with 68 planes on APD#36 and sank it. The Carrier group belived to have 3 CV located at grid 49-49.

END REPORT

[Sergeant]

21 Aug 42

Fishermen sitting on a pier before sunrise watching gun flashes inside Gili-Gili harbor....

"Yup, ever since we started mounting deck guns on them supply ships, it aint like shoot'n duck no more for dem Yanky submariners." "Yup, Jeb guess youz right about dat -- but ya better pay attention to yer line or dat shark'll pull you in wid it. Hand me some'or dat coastwatcher bait."



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WISSOONER,

Don't wait up for my move -- too depressed to do it tonight - will work on it in the morning. Don't know if you already witnessed battle of Gavigamana - if not you'll see it when I send my move. Talk about an ass whipping -- my ass, your whip!



If the Admiral of that TF survived -- I'm gonna stick him onto a sinking ship and feed'm to the sharks.

SERGEANT--------*

[Sergeant]

--------- Yamamoto SURRENDERs ----------------
I have not been in here for a LONG time ! [:-]

I guess I should end this AAR officially now. To make an otherwise long story short - after seven months of slugging it out with my opponent I (Yamamoto) surrendered. I made a bid for Nomea and captured all bases on New Caladonia except one - Nomea.

My opponent soon regrouped and took it back. During this grab for Nomea I think a lost a few carriers and in the end I concluded I could not win the game so I simply surrendered. [&o]

THUS CLOSES THE DIARY of Yamamoto. [>:]