Hunting the Hibiki: Q-Ball (Allies) v Cuttlefish (Japan)

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Dec 30th, 1941

Just a short report and a Map of Japanese Operations in Borneo.

PTs: Cuttlefish has figured out how to deal with PTs, and even worse, I have the last few UK/USN PT's basically stuck in the Phillipines. Suicide attacks will follow, but we're pretty much spent for PTs.

ABDA Naval Forces: PoW made it to port at Soerbaya. I think I can get her pumped out and moved to safety.

I'm pretty much down to Boise, 3 D-Class RN CLs, the Dutch Navy, and various old DDs. After the bloodbath of the opening weeks, I plan to keep this as a "fleet in being", and force CF to cover all his invasion fleets.

Ent/Lex will soon be joining the ABDA fleet. I have to admit I got this idea from Canoerebel recently, though I've seen it before. I will loiter south of Java, until I am SURE KB is somewhere else, then hit something and run. I don't know where KB is at the moment, I am guessing not the DEI, if I had to guess either Truk or lurking around the Rabaul landings.

SW Pacific: CF opens the Solomons Campaign by landings all over the place simultaneously, at Manus, Wewak, Kaveing, Rabaul. Rabaul will fall tommorow, as I have withdrawn the Lark Bn.

Attached is a map of Japanese incursions into DEI. Only other base you can't see here is Ternate. Cuttlefish is taking a methodical approach, I personally prefer to go deep and backfill later. The respite is allowing me to send all my tankers back to Java for a 2nd and 3rd load.

[Mynok]

Deep thrusts through the Makassar straight are a good way to get your xAKs holed by aircraft. [:D]

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Deep thrusts through the Makassar straight are a good way to get your xAKs holed by aircraft. [:D]

Well, as Mao said, if you want to make an omelet you have to break a few eggs!

Seriously, not sure that's as true anymore; the Dutch Martins can't hit anything without training. I have only seen the UK Torp planes do any real damage. I think the ABDA Surface forces are much more of a factor.

I still think it is wiser for the Japanese player to just move quickly and aggressively toward Java, planes be damned, and just accept some losses.

[Mynok]

Probably true about the planes, but the margin for cargo ship losses is hugely narrower now. Every one hurts.

[ny59giants]

PoW made it to port at Soerbaya. I think I can get her pumped out and moved to safety.

Brad,

Make sure you hang a sticky note somewhere obvious that tells you to have PoW "follow" a strong ASW TF when she heads for further repairs. [;)]

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report 12/31/41

Big event today, other than a number of unoccupied bases falling, was my Chinese armies getting Spanked at Ichang. I had gathered quite a few forces there mostly to scare Cuttlefish into not attacking me elsewhere, and we were completely pummelled. I have read enough AARs to know this is pretty much par for the course.

Our strategy in China now is to fall back to a MLR, and have several units resting in the rear to build experience. It's going to take awhile to get the Chinese into fighting trim.

Ground combat at Ichang (83,48)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40105 troops, 276 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 1237

Defending force 63941 troops, 350 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1543

Japanese adjusted assault: 757

Allied adjusted defense: 332

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1642 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 76 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
18882 casualties reported
Squads: 696 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 911 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 10


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:...
3rd Division...
20th Ind.Mixed Brigade...
13th Tank Regiment...
34th Division...
13th RGC Temp. Division...
...
Defending units:...
32nd Chinese Corps...
39th Chinese Corps...
45th Chinese Corps...
59th Chinese Corps...
68th Chinese Corps...
2nd Chinese Corps...
67th Chinese Corps...
75th Chinese Corps...
26th Group Army...
33rd Group Army...

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, 1/1/42 through 1/4/42

Sorry my dear readers for not updating for a few days. This period has been punctuated mostly by a raid of KB against helpless Australian shipping. First, updates elsewhere.

DEI
Japanese landed and took Tarakan. Bettys based somewhere (I think Jolo), took a shot at my Dutch cruiser TF at Balikpapan. They missed, but that means it's probably not safe there anymore, when CF gets some torps on those ships. Menado also fell.

Java is still a "safe" zone, I have tankers loading up again at Soerbaya for another trip to Perth.

Malaya and PI
Nothing much to report in these zones; the Australians will reach Sinapore on the 5th, that's the last troops from Malaya. We got everyone out except for a couple base forces, and the FMSV Bde. We will have about 1300 AV in Singapore, let's see if this was the right strategy. Japanese will probably invest around the 15th.

No movement toward Clark at all.

Kido Butai's Rain of Terror
Kido Butai suddenly appeared on the 2nd off Townsville. I had a forwardly deployed cruiser TF there, along with transports. KB attacked and destroyed several transports there, but didn't touch the cruisers. I definitely deserved to lose a couple for deploying them in such an exposed positions, but I counted my blessings and fled south at flank speed.

On the 3rd, KB raided Townsville Port, sinking more AKLs. On the 4th, KB raided Brisbane Port. Allied shipping is fleeing south toward Melbourne, so he is catching mostly coastal shippping. All large AKs and APs were sent to US to haul things, so the ships left are pretty much small coastal AKs and AKLs. This raid could have been alot more expensive for the Allies.

USN CVs
USN CVs are off Soerbaya. My plan is to lurk off Java, and seek the next opportunity to hit an invasion TF. The Makassar Strait isn't necessarily safe for CVs.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, January 5, 1942

We are launching OPERATION RETRIBUTION, a counterattack on the Japanese. We have an opportunity to strike (below). The Japanese are landing at Kuching, and we can launch against that from a position safely out of range of any Nells from Saigon. It will take a couple days to get into position. Hopefully this works, I am certain Cuttlefish is not expecting Dauntlesses over Kuching!

There is little to report otherwise. S-39 took down a PB off Cam Ranh Bay, and KB disappeared from the Australian Coast. The KB raid sank about a dozen coastal AKs, but more importantly, allows me to launch Retribution; I know they can't intervene with significant CVs (well, only the CVLs, but I think I can handle those pretty well).

[aprezto]

With BBs being there, they will very likely be your target... 1000lbers still seem to cause paint chips.

[Swenslim]

If he is clever you will not get in time. He will quickly unload troops at Kuching (it took 2 turn max) and will depart.
 
But if he is not cautious you can deliver him very painfull blow ! As Japan player I learned one importnt thing, do not do any landings if you dont have air cover at hand.
 
And there is possibility that he has already deployed 54 Bettys and  27 Nells at Khota Baru or Kuala Lampur with Air HQ.

[Q-Ball]

aprezto: You are likely right. I am intentionally launching within TBD range, so we should have at least 30 torps bombers in there as well. Even if we don't sink anything, the primary objective is to make him bring carriers to the DEI. If that happens, this is successful. The appearance of the CVs will force him to assume that there are CVs around Java, when in fact we'll be long gone.

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

If he is clever you will not get in time. He will quickly unload troops at Kuching (it took 2 turn max) and will depart.

But if he is not cautious you can deliver him very painfull blow ! As Japan player I learned one importnt thing, do not do any landings if you dont have air cover at hand.

And there is possibility that he has already deployed 54 Bettys and 27 Nells at Khota Baru or Kuala Lampur with Air HQ.

Svenslim: He won't move; the transports will stay to unload supplies, because he has plenty of surface ship coverage, and I am certain not expecting CV air at all. For the same reason, I don't think he has alot of aircover; the only way he could would be from a CVL or two. My LBA air is minimal anyway.

He probably has Nells at Khota, but they are bomb-equipped; yesterday they bombed HDMLs in Singapore, and didn't get a hit. I still "hold" Kuala Lumpur (not for long, it falls tommorow; we have no defenders there).

My expectation is that we will sink a warship or two, but most important, freak him out. THAT is the main objective.

[Capt. Harlock]

For the same reason, I don't think he has alot of aircover; the only way he could would be from a CVL or two.

Big question: does he have anything at Miri or Brunei yet?

[Chickenboy]

Q-ball,

How's Java and Timor shaping up for you?

[british exil]

Sat in front of pc, waiting for the results of OPERATION RETRIBUTION.

Will it pay off or fail? I hope the gamble will pay off.

Looking at my watch counting the hours,min, secs.

[Swenslim]

If Japan player had subscreen there he could new above presence of CV's....

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Jan 6,7 1942

Operation Retribution
I have to imagine the captain of the Sendai dropped his teacup when reports of Dauntlesses overhead came in! And I am sure Cuttlefish had a bit of a surprise, or he certainly said he did from the turn e-mail. Although we didn't get the carnage we expected, I am happy to say that OPERATION RETRIBUTION was a success. We launched against the Japanese invasion fleet, and there was no aircover. All planes made it back to carrier except 1 SBD. The results:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 57,87

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 13
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7
SBD-2 Dauntless x 39
TBD-1 Devastator x 15


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami
CL Sendai, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shikinami, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isonami



Aircraft Attacking:
15 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
9 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
15 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Sendai...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Shikinami...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That should give Cuttlefish something to think about as he gets closer to Java. As for our CVs, we're not going to hang around and find out if this brings out KB; we are getting out of here. We will top off fuel and Soerbaya, and move the CVs back to Perth. Well done boys!

DEI: Aside from retribution, Kuching did fall to an attack by 2 Japanese units. A large invasion fleet is approaching Ambon, there isn't much I can do about it though.

Chickenboy: Regarding Java and Timor, on Java, I have all units resting. I airlifted the Barisan Regt from Pamakasan to beef up Soerbaya. Additionally, all Dutch bombers and B-17s are training for Nav Bomb; most are in the 30s now, which means they might actually hit something once the Japanese make a move. I won't commit the KNIL air though until Java is under attack. As for Timor, I haven't reinforced or anything; it's his for the taking at this point. Might change that though if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Capt. Harlock: Good question. Obviously nothing that would mess with my CVs. He has both bases, but I haven't seen a Netty attack from either yet. At this point, his Nettys are all at Jolo, Khota Bharu, Bangkok, but that's probably about to change.

british exil: Thanks for checking in....this operation was a success. Although we probably only sank a CL and DD, the point was to make Cuttlefish move slower in the DEI. He now has to account for CVs around Java; that means he either needs to bring over KB, or move methodically. Either would be fine with me.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Jan 8 1942

Ack! Unfortunately the Japs got a little revenge on the USN CVs, putting a torp into Enterprise. She will make Soerbaya and pump out, and should live, but that will mean a trip to the shipyard. I suppose it's just as well, as I shouldn't be taking on KB anyway until April or May, and she'll be out until then. As you can see, pretty serious damage from a single torp, though in AE torps hit less often...and hurt more. Just like RL.

Elsewhere, AMBON will fall tommorow, as the Japanese are ashore.

[Chickenboy]

Q-ball,

WTF? Was the insult to Enterprise a dastardly sneak sub attack or a Netty-ization?

[Swenslim]

Common !!!! I cant belive you made such mistake ! Did you set altitude only 2000-6000 feet to your dive bombers ??? It is always must be at 10000-15000 for them to effectivly attack with dive ! Or it just something gone wrong ?

[Swenslim]

And I was right about subscreen ! So now I have much more respect to your japan opponent !