[font="Times New Roman"]March 15, 1942[/font]
The 15th may end up being a decisive turn for this campaign. This is the turn the Allies begin to work at shutting down Palembang.
The night starts with some of the smallest ships ni the game doing some critical work. Two Dutch AMc clear a minefield at Toboali just before several TFs move through on the way to Palembang.
The Royal Sovereign TF moves through and into the narrow straits toward Palembang and runs into four IJN DDs in 3% moonlight, a sure recipe for long lance mayhem! Luckily all salvoes miss, and RS plants a big shell on little DD Karii, setting fires and leaving her with heavy damage before the IJN withdraws.
Another IJN 2 DD TF shows up in the same hex and this time starts the battle at 1k yards. After avoiding a hail of lances moments before the RS isn't so lucky this time, eating one torpedo from DD Fuyo. [:(] No damage messages though.
Next the Natsugumo and Yanagi reappear (while DD Samidare apparently escorts DD Karii back to port) and surprise the RS TF. The Allies still manage to avoid all salvoes and land two smaller caliber shots on the IJN DDs.
After this the USN CAs arrive to engage Fuyo and Kuretake at 1k yards again. Only 1 hit this engagement.
At Palembang the minesweepers engage a DD and TB, with Stuart taking a smaller old torpedo. She might even make it after this one. The Minesweepers fail in their mission though, which give me the jitters about upcoming actions. This same little TF then engages both the RN and USN CAs, with both ships eventually being sunk.
Finally the cruisers hit Palembang, and both do the Allies proud. They plan a good shot on the airfields but also take a chunk out of the ground troops there, likely giving the support troops, engineers and AS low morale and high fatigue and disruption. All good!!
They also find CL Natori with one 8inch shell, which is positive. [:)] The cruisers then sink 3 xAK in hex.
After this the MTBs arrive and hit the minefield, which is good! They also run into three more xAK, big ones, and plant one TT on them before taking shots themselves. All are eventually sunk by the many DD still wandering the area.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR March 15, 42, 42
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TF 102 encounters mine field at Toboali (50,93)
Allied Ships
AMc Holland
AMc Ciska
7 mines cleared
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Muntok at 50,91, Range 7,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
DD Samidare
DD Karii,
Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yanagi
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign,
Shell hits 3
DD Cassin
DM Breese
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 7,000 yards
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Muntok at 50,91, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Kuretake,
Shell hits 1
DD Fuyo
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign,
Torpedo hits 1
DD Cassin
DM Breese
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 1,000 yards
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 49,91, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo,
Shell hits 1
DD Yanagi,
Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign
DD Cassin
DM Breese
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 11,000 yards
DD Yanagi fires at BB Royal Sovereign at 11,000 yards
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 49,91, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Kuretake, Shell hits 1
DD Fuyo
Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Chicago
DD McCall
DD Dewey
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 1,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
CA Portland engages DD Fuyo at 1,000 yards
Range increases to 2,000 yards
CA Portland engages DD Kuretake at 2,000 yards
Task forces break off...
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Tsuga,
Shell hits 1
TB Kari
Allied Ships
DD Downes
DD Stuart,
Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Chandler
DMS Wasmuth
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 1,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
Matsubara R. crosses the 'T'
DD Tsuga engages DD Stuart at 1,000 yards
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Tsuga, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
TB Kari
Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
DD Decoy
DD Griffin
Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 1,000 yards
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
TB Kari engages CA Dorsetshire at 1,000 yards
DD Griffin engages DD Tsuga at 1,000 yards
Range increases to 2,000 yards
DD Tsuga engages CA Cornwall at 2,000 yards
DD Tsuga sunk by CA Dorsetshire at 2,000 yards
Task forces break off...
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
TB Kari, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CA Portland, Shell hits 2
CA Chicago
DD McCall
DD Dewey
Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 0% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
CA Portland engages TB Kari at 2,000 yards
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Night Naval bombardment of Palembang at 48,91
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27b Nate: 17 damaged
Ki-27b Nate: 3 destroyed on ground
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 39 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 2 destroyed on ground
H8K1 Emily: 5 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 22 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
MC-21 Sally: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CL Natori,
Shell hits 1, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CA Portland
Japanese ground losses:
742 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 28
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Chicago
CA Chicago firing at Palembang
CA Portland firing at Palembang
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Night Naval bombardment of Palembang at 48,91
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 16 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 42 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-27b Nate: 39 damaged
Ki-27b Nate: 5 destroyed on ground
MC-21 Sally: 1 damaged
H8K1 Emily: 2 damaged
Ki-44 Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CA Cornwall
CA Dorsetshire
Japanese ground losses:
491 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 30
Port fuel hits 1
CA Cornwall firing at Palembang
CA Dorsetshire firing at Palembang
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TF 102 encounters mine field at Toboali (50,93)
Allied Ships
AMc Holland
AMc Ciska
14 mines cleared
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ASW attack near Palembang at 49,90
Japanese Ships
SS I-121
Allied Ships
DD Cassin
SS I-121 is sighted by escort
DD Cassin fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 49,90, Range 25,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Koto Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
xAK Mikasa Maru, Shell hits 29, and is sunk
xAK Aso Maru, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Chicago
DD McCall
DD Dewey,
Shell hits 2, on fire
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 24,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...
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ASW attack near Palembang at 49,90
Japanese Ships
SS I-122
Allied Ships
DD Griffin
SS I-122 is sighted by escort
I-122 bottoming out ....
DD Griffin fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Griffin fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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ASW attack near Palembang at 49,90
Japanese Ships
SS I-121
Allied Ships
DD Griffin,
Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Decoy
SS I-121 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Griffin
DD Decoy fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Decoy fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Decoy fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Decoy fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Decoy fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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ASW attack near Muntok at 50,90
Japanese Ships
SS I-121
Allied Ships
DD Dewey, on fire
SS I-121 is sighted by escort
I-121 bottoming out ....
DD Dewey fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Dewey fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Dewey fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Dewey fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Dewey fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 49,90, Range 24,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo,
Shell hits 1
DD Yanagi,
Shell hits 1, on fire
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign,
Shell hits 7
DD Cassin
DM Breese
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 24,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages DD Natsugumo at 19,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages DM Breese at 14,000 yards
Task forces break off...
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 49,90, Range 23,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Kuretake,
Shell hits 2
DD Fuyo,
Shell hits 1, heavy fires
Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
DD Decoy,
Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Griffin, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 22,000 yards
Range increases to 26,000 yards
Task forces break off...
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Brisbane Maru
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Zuisyo Maru
, Torpedo hits 1
Allied Ships
MTB 7
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 10, Shell hits 2
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 19,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
MTB 9 engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 11,000 yards
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TF 372 encounters mine field at Palembang (48,91)
Allied Ships
MTB 10, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 10,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Brisbane Maru
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Zuisyo Maru, on fire
Allied Ships
MTB 11, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 12
MTB 26
MTB 27,
Shell hits 1, on fire
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 21,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Palembang at 48,91, Range 19,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Samidare
DD Karii,
heavy damage
Allied Ships
MTB 7, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 8, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 9, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 10, and is sunk
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 19,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Murray V. gains tactical advantage
DD Samidare engages MTB 8 at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
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