From Here to Eternity 1275psi (J) vs Cantona2 (A)

[traskott]

Never had noticed an AR in the escort TF makes some diference...

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: traskott

Never had noticed an AR in the escort TF makes some diference...

It doesn't. In a TF at sea, other ships can help with fire fighting but that is it. That AR should have remained at PH contributing points to pierside repairs or taking in ships with a few points of major damage to avoid a shipyard assignment.

[cantona2]

Advice at one point was to try and have an AR in an escort TF to increase survivability of ships.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Advice at one point was to try and have an AR in an escort TF to increase survivability of ships.

Yeah, but Alfred is the guy who clarified in one of his ship repair tutorials that firefighting is the only thing happening at sea between ships. Disbanded in port, the AR would definitely contribute points if no other ship was occupying attention. If the damaged ship goes into shipyard the AR does not contribute ports on top of the SY points - they don't seem to get along! [:'(]

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Advice at one point was to try and have an AR in an escort TF to increase survivability of ships.

Yeah, but Alfred is the guy who clarified in one of his ship repair tutorials that firefighting is the only thing happening at sea between ships. Disbanded in port, the AR would definitely contribute points if no other ship was occupying attention. If the damaged ship goes into shipyard the AR does not contribute ports on top of the SY points - they don't seem to get along! [:'(]

Thanks for the clarification

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: cantona2

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Advice at one point was to try and have an AR in an escort TF to increase survivability of ships.

Yeah, but Alfred is the guy who clarified in one of his ship repair tutorials that firefighting is the only thing happening at sea between ships. Disbanded in port, the AR would definitely contribute points if no other ship was occupying attention. If the damaged ship goes into shipyard the AR does not contribute ports on top of the SY points - they don't seem to get along! [:'(]

Thanks for the clarification

Yes, but have the escort TF disband at each small port along the way and the AR can help with any emergency repairs needed.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: cantona2

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



Yeah, but Alfred is the guy who clarified in one of his ship repair tutorials that firefighting is the only thing happening at sea between ships. Disbanded in port, the AR would definitely contribute points if no other ship was occupying attention. If the damaged ship goes into shipyard the AR does not contribute ports on top of the SY points - they don't seem to get along! [:'(]

Thanks for the clarification

Yes, but have the escort TF disband at each small port along the way and the AR can help with any emergency repairs needed.

Agreed for those instances it is a good idea. But not many ports between PH and SFO! Maybe we could get the Chinese to build some islands for us in the game!

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: cantona2



Thanks for the clarification

Yes, but have the escort TF disband at each small port along the way and the AR can help with any emergency repairs needed.

Agreed for those instances it is a good idea. But not many ports between PH and SFO! Maybe we could get the Chinese to build some islands for us in the game!

I was thinking from the Japanese side. But it would also work when getting Allied units back to the rear areas later in the game. Especially there should be a lot of ports to hide in.

[cantona2]

TF 286 had been given the task to confirm what CINCPAC had suspected; the Japanese had all but abandonded their forward bases in the Marshall Islands. USS Enteprise and USS Lexington had spent the better part of a week cruising off the Marshalls without even a sniff of a plane or ship. Low on fuel Rear Admiral Sherman ordered one last push east coming as close to Truk as he dared. As he steamed past Namorik Atoll a message from SS Triton was received that she had engaged enemy transport vessels heading towards Ponape. After a short conference with his captains, Sherman ordered a flank speed run to a position 90 miles to the east of Kusaie Island and his decks were spotted for a naval strike. Both sailors and airmen chaffing at the neck to engage the enemy after chasing seagulls and swells for the past week. Several variables, however, occupied the admiral's mind. The main enemy carrier force had last been sighted 48 hours ago off the small island of Misool in the Moluccas. Truk's airfields could come into play if long range bombers were based there nut Sherman had calculated a launch position at the extreme range of the enemy bombers and any incoming planes would be bereft of escort. Thirdly, he could not discount that the enemy had flown reinforcements into Kwajalein and Roi.

[cantona2]

22nd January 1942

The invasion of Java has begun

[cantona2]

Invasion of Java D-Day

Landfall made at Merak by the 4th and 21st Infantry Divisions redeployed from Sumatra.
Dutch and RAF air strikes shredded over Merak losing 30 planes to a Zero LRCAP. Bombers do get through but no hits on ships.
PT boats unable to penetrate the protective screen by destroyers.

Plans for D-Day +1

3 destroyers sallied from Tjilitjap to engage enemy vessels blockading Merak from the Indian Ocean.
Air force will stand down as submarines converge on area and PTs will go in two seperate waves.
Remnant of No. 100 RAF Squadron will be evacuated to Australia after being decimated over Merak.

[cantona2]

Invasion of Java D-Day +1

A day marked by actions at sea and little to no air action by both sides. The weather played havoc over the aerodromes of both Sumatra and Java with a tremendoues tropical storm driving winds and heavy rains meaning only individual recon flights were able to take off. There was no question of any large formations taking off, though the Japanese did manage one 30+ raid over Batavia that caused no damage. On sea, however, it was another matter with actions taking place either side of the Sunda Strait.

1) 3 boat PT Squadron attacks transports unloading at Merak
2) ABDA destroyers attack blockading force in the Indian Ocean.
3) Merak falls to the direct assault by the 4th and 21st Infantry Divisions.

[cantona2]

PT Boats

Keen to amend their failure the day before a second wave of PT boats were directed to attack the transports unloading at Merak. The prize target was a headquarters landing ship that seemed to be directing operations. An effort was to be made to coordinate with the ABDA destroyers that had sallied from Tjilitjap to engage enemy surface vessels to the West of the mainland.

The weather played its part as dark clouds and heavy seas hid the sleek torpedo boats until almost 3000 yards from their targets. It also allowed the Dutch ships to avoid the covering forces the Japanese had deployed, though it may well be that they were responding to the action to the west. Indeed their efficiency in the air yesterday had made the Japanese complacent and confident their landings were safe. Dutch mariners, eager to avenge their fallen airmenm, thought otherwise.

The 3 boats sped into the anchorage and announced their arrival with bursts from their forward machine guns and it was clear that surprised had been achieved judging by the disjointed reaction of the Japanese. Scores of enemy vessels seemed to fill the sea, caught in the beam of the PT's searchlights as torpedoes sped into the water heading to their targets like lances. One, two then a third exlposion bracekted the nice as bright flashes lit up the night sky. They had missed their intended targets but at least two transports were aflame and listing. Machine guns raked the decks of the massed ships as the PTs turned home, shells from belated firing from the escorts missing wildly.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 48,97, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DMS W-1
DMS W-4
DMS W-6
DMS W-16
SC Ch 8
SC Ch 21
SC Ch 22
SC Ch 23
AK Sado Maru
AK Kyushu Maru
xAK Kansai Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kashii Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Aobasan Maru
xAK Asosan Maru
xAK Atutasan Maru
xAK Nako Maru
xAK Gosei Maru
xAK Meiten Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
xAP Asama Maru
xAP Kamakura Maru
xAP Brazil Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hakozaki Maru
xAP Hakusan Maru
xAP Katori Maru
xAP Husimi Maru
xAP Huzi Maru
xAP Mizuho Maru, Shell hits 2
xAP Kitano Maru
xAP Kamo Maru
xAP Kobe Maru

Allied Ships
PT TM-10
PT TM-11
PT TM-12

[cantona2]

ABDA Destroyers

USS John D.Ford, HNMS Van Nes and HNMS Evertsen had only called into Tjilitjap to top on fuel before heading into the Indian Ocean and then north to rebase at Ceylon. The Japanese invasion of Java caught them in port and in receipt of new orders. Japanese destroyers had been spotted blockading the western end of the Sunda Strait and acted as far cover for the invading transports. LCDR Lagay was instructed to lead the 3 destroyers north west and engage the enemy.

He was to coordinate his action with Dutch PT's attacking from the East. He was to use the inclement weather to hide his approach and try to catch the Japanese unawares. He departed Tijilitjap on the 24th January and steamed north west into some heavy clouds he hoped would hide his ships from Japanese planes.

Contact was made with 4 Japanese destroyers steaming north at 02:35 hours. Action stations was immediately called and it appeared that the Japanese had also sighted his ships as they began to change course to a south westerly heading. The first shots of the action (HMNS Van Nes) were recorded at 02:46 hours with the Japanese ships responding a few minutes later.

What followed was a quick disjointed action fought in pitch blackness that was punctuated by search light beams, explosions and the occasional fork of lighting on the horizon. First blood was drawn by the IJN that struck the Ford with a shot that was almost spent. Both task forces sped to each other at flank speed with all armaments on both sides opening up as they came into effective range. Gunnery on both sides was poor, the weather no doubt having an adverse effect.

The small nimble ships maneouvered to gain a good firing solution for their torpedo officers and it was the Eversten that scored. She struck the Murakumo with a 21inch torpedo some 20 minutes into the action which resulted in the Japanese ship breaking in two and sinking in as many minutes. As the range closed both the Yugiri and Okikaze took solid hits but so did the Eversten that was hit by two 120mm shells that caused a small fire in her fo'castle. The John D.Ford, however, suffered a worse fate when a long lance launched by the Yugiri meant that she would lay in eternal rest next to the Murakumo at the bottom of the Sunda Straits. With one ship down each and the Dutch ships showing superior gunnery skills, two Japanese destroyers now aflame, the Japanese commander began to disengage. The ABDA ships also began to make smoke and hugged the Java coast as they too disengaged and headed south by south west.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Oosthaven at 47,97, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Murakumo, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Asagiri
DD Yugiri, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Okikaze, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Van Nes, Shell hits 2
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 2, on fire

[RangerJoe]

PT boats would not use search lights. They would like to sneak up to the targets silhouetted by the moon. Submarines like to do this as well.

But a couple of nice attacks.

[Bif1961]

I believe the searchlight comment was when the destroyers engaged each other, probably the Japanese, and not when the Dutch PT Boats attacked.

[RangerJoe]

The 3 boats sped into the anchorage and announced their arrival with bursts from their forward machine guns and it was clear that surprised had been achieved judging by the disjointed reaction of the Japanese. Scores of enemy vessels seemed to fill the sea, caught in the beam of the PT's searchlights . . .

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I believe the searchlight comment was when the destroyers engaged each other, probably the Japanese, and not when the Dutch PT Boats attacked.

The italics are mine, but shows the PTs searchlights.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I believe the searchlight comment was when the destroyers engaged each other, probably the Japanese, and not when the Dutch PT Boats attacked.

The game is silent about searchlight usage IME, so any mention of their use is colour commentary by the author. That's good stuff.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I believe the searchlight comment was when the destroyers engaged each other, probably the Japanese, and not when the Dutch PT Boats attacked.

The game is silent about searchlight usage IME, so any mention of their use is colour commentary by the author. That's good stuff.

True but the PT boats want stealth. The Japanese would be going something like "Oh CHITA! What is going on! Turn on the searchlights to see who is attacking us!"

But it is good colour.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I believe the searchlight comment was when the destroyers engaged each other, probably the Japanese, and not when the Dutch PT Boats attacked.

The game is silent about searchlight usage IME, so any mention of their use is colour commentary by the author. That's good stuff.

True but the PT boats want stealth. The Japanese would be going something like "Oh CHITA! What is going on! Turn on the searchlights to see who is attacking us!"

But it is good colour.

At Cape Esperance, the Japanese commander initially assumed his attackers were Japanese. Same with the US Northern Force cruisers at Savo Island. But I guess the low origination point of a searchlight on a PT would be a giveaway.