ORIGINAL: Message sent via British Embassy in Tokyo
[font="Courier New"]11th June 1922
It is with great outrage that the Japanese government is reporting the illegal actions of the American Navy in the current Phillipnes Emergency. Contrary to current international law an unidentified American submarine did, without warning torpedo an unescorted Japanese merchant vessel. No effort was made to inform the ship, or ensure the safety of her crew the crew were only saved by the arrival of a nearby destroyer which managed to drive off the American vessel. The piratical actions of the American military in their use of unrestricted submarine warfare will be met with in kind. Effective immediatly the Imperial Japanese Navy reserves the right to engage all merchant vessels of the USA without prior warning.
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The responses:
US:
The United States would regret non combatant casuaties but is unable to comment on this specific incident at this time. The Empire of Japan launched an unprovoked attack on the United States without a formal declaration of war. US territory has been seized unlawfully and the blood of US servicemen and civilians and that of those under our protection has been spilled. The state of war that exists between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan will end only with the return of US territory with an appropriate level of reparation and the reduction of the Japanese Fleet.
UK and Commonwealth:
The Royal Navy will protect the right to freedom of passage for all seafarers. All combatants are hereby warned that any attack on a British vessel will be considered a potential Act of War and appropriate action will be taken.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lingayen at 44,50
Japanese Ships
CL Kuma, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Tama, Shell hits 1
DD Asakaze, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Wakaba, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Nenohi, Shell hits 18, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shigure, Shell hits 1
DD Hatsuharu, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
AP Achou Maru
AP Africa Maru
AP Aikoku Maru
AP Aiyo Maru
AK Akagi Maru
AP Akashisan Maru
AP Aki Maru
AK Akiura Maru
AK Akita Maru
AP Amakasu Maru #1
AK Amagisan Maru
AP Baikal Maru
AK Bandoeng Maru
AK Bangkok Maru
AP Banshu Maru #21
AP Batavia Maru
AK Belgium Maru
AK Bengal Maru
AK Calcutta Maru
AK Canberra Maru
AK Celebes Maru
AP Ceylon Maru
AK Cheribon Maru
AP Chicago Maru
AP Chichibu Maru
AP Chihaya Maru
AK Chile Maru
AK China Maru
AP Chojun Maru
AP Hino Maru #3
AK Hirokawa Maru
AK Nansin Maru
AK Momoyama Maru
AP Tatuta Maru
AP Tatuwa Maru
AP Tazan Maru
AK Tazima Maru
AK Gyoku Maru
AK Kurogane Maru
AP Rozan Maru
AK Tsukubasan Maru
AK Shun Yuan
AK Kyokuzan Maru
TK Okigawa Maru
AK Hachirogata Maru
AK Gyoun Maru
AK Shinshu Maru
AP Nanrei Maru
AK Bunzan Maru
AP Kikuryu Maru
TK Jinei
TK Itsukushima Maru
Allied Ships
CA Rochester, Shell hits 1
CL New Orleans, Shell hits 18, on fire
DD Zane, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Dorsey, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD William B. Preston, Shell hits 2
I was quite lucky in this encounter as my task force had bombardment orders. I will post details of damage a little later today (Mk1 permitting...)
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Sub attack at 47,48
Japanese Ships
AK Yamayuri Maru
AK Yosida Maru #3
AK Yamahuku Maru
AK Unyo Maru #2
DD Kuwa
DD Tsubaki
DD Nara
DD Enoki
Allied Ships
SS S-4
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Sub attack near Vigan at 44,49
Japanese Ships
AK Arimasan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Kamogawa Maru
DD Nashi
DD Nire
DD Shimakaze
DD Nadakaze
DD Yakaze
Allied Ships
SS S-14, hits 1
This must be what all the diplomatic fuss was about. That AK was a bit heavily escorted for a civilian cargo...
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Sub attack near Lingayen at 44,50
Japanese Ships
AK Nansin Maru
Allied Ships
SS S-15
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Ground combat at Davao
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 540 troops, 25 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 194
Defending force 7004 troops, 37 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 191
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
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Ground combat at Davao
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 6099 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 190
Defending force 11599 troops, 145 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 194
Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
The brave warriors are nearly home, but the US Navy Force in the PI is nearly spent. The Japanese DD Nenohi sank shortly after the battle. Huron is still in danger - her flotation damage went back up to 71 this turn.
The West Coast shipyards have been working all hours. I should have upgraded DDs ready to send to PH within seven days from the four yards that are doing the work. This is another Cruiser ready for guard ship duties while we build up our bases... (More Dixie art)
This is the current state of my defences at Clark. I would imagine it will be a couple of turns before Dixie recovers from the assault crossing of the river North of Clark.
Dixie has units approaching Manila from the South. Clark is pretty well supplied so I am going to resist the temptation to pull everything back into Manila from Clark before he gets there. My forces might be split, but so are his and I have the in hex supply and am on the defensive.
The situation for the Navy is grim. I am almost out of combat worthy ships. Huron now has 74 float damage. I do not think she will make Hong Kong, but I am tempted to try to move her. Next turn she will have over 75 float damage, so I may have left it too late!
My forces at Tsingtao have moved 46 miles, so they might arrive next turn.
In Northern China, Dixie has more forces arriving. I am going to concentrate my forces to try to overwhelm him at Mukden rather than spread myself out to slow him down.
This is just a quick post to explain how I feel things are going.
Having not played WPO before, and seeing as I haven't read any AARs on this game, I have no idea how I 'should' be doing. I am pleased with the progress being made in the Philippines, except for the damn shock attacks at Clark Field that someone seems to be commiting my troops to. I am hoping that there are enough forces ashore in the Southern Phillipines to complete the job there.
The campaign out in the Central Pacific also went well, netting some nice real estate from the Americans, but will I be able to hold onto it?
The lack of airpower is a strange thing to get used to. Having played WitP for so long, it almost seems like the IJN is blind now [:(] Plus I don't have the fantastic KB in 1920 either...[:D]
The only real negative point is the perfomance of GBL's American pirates with their unlawful unrestricted submarine warfare [:@] which has damaged several ships.
I am trying to keep the game realistic, so attacks on the world's largest navy won't be happening yet (if at all). I couldn't realistically hope to beat the two word superpowers of the 1920's at the same time, so for now the Dragon will be taking on the Eagle rather than the Lion.
I have another Light Cruiser ready to join the Pacific Fleet scouting/screening force (at last). I have bought a National Guard Regiment and they are on their way to SF to be shipped to Dutch Harbor. I need them at Canton Island and Pago Pago too, but want the Northern Flank secured against a cheap flanking attack.
Attachments
Reinforcem..acFleet.jpg (147.02 KiB) Viewed 610 times
I have this Cruiser ready. She is sailing to provide a guard ship at Dutch Harbor. Her sister will join her when she is finally ready (sys damage 2 still). I am tempted to have them join the Pacific Fleet Battle Line as cannon fodder due to their 21 knot speed. What do you think?
Attachments
Guardship..thfleet.jpg (174.56 KiB) Viewed 610 times
This is the current poor state of Midway. I have a CL and a pre-Dreadnaught offshore. More units and supplies are on the way and the Pac Flt will be here in a couple of days. I also have the first wave of subs arriving at PH next turn and they will be deployed at Wake and Midway straight away.
I have a supply ship on the way to try to sneak into Guam. The Marine Fighter Squadron there has Naval Attack orders, but they never attack. I have two subs on the way to try to drive off his patrolling Surface TF. In the PI I have decided after all to retreat to Manila from Clark. I hope it is not too late. The Port at Manila is far more important to me than the airfield at Clark for now and I get the urban bonus at Manila.
USS Huron is now 99/83. It is too late to try for HK. I am hoping for a miracle...