Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

The boys at Katherine. We might be able to manage one attack even though some are marginally in the red. IIRC the supply need estimate is for one month of consumption at the current rate. Of course, this would eat into there "stockpiles" but I can't see the situation improving much. Tenant is drawing down fast from the air drop effort.

JJ will be hurting after their recent pranging and continued air attacks. It might just work. Even if they are repulsed I don't think 20th can manage a counterattack.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

I just sent my turn to you, concurring with the idea of sending in the surface ships to Darwin.

According the mouse over there are now 24k troops there. Bastards.

I concur with your plan to concur with the idea to send in ships to Darwin.[:)]

I also concur with your characterization of JJ as "bastards" but would hasten to add they are also little and yellow.

[Cap Mandrake]

China used to be rearry, rearry big......

[BBfanboy]

Awright! Move that I-phone deficient group one hex north to cut the rail line and cause him fits.
The supply to his units west of the cut will be greatly reduced.

[Walloc]

Hi Cap M,

From what i read in other AARs, it isnt that difficult/impossible to draw supply over those trails so his supply situasion might not be as bad as u think. I have no idea how many troops he have there, it ofc matters. Just a heads up.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Walloc

Hi Cap M,

From what i read in other AARs, it isnt that difficult/impossible to draw supply over those trails so his supply situasion might not be as bad as u think. I have no idea how many troops he have there, it ofc matters. Just a heads up.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

Probably true. The trails are only bad when WE need them. It's like the "Zero bonus".

We can call it the "donkey bonus".[;)]

[sprior]

So, JJ can draw supplies across trails in Burma and China but we can't in Australia? Sounds about right.

[Cap Mandrake]

******Dec 21, 1942(c)*********

Darwin: The PT boats go in first. It's nearly a full moon. Bad for PT boat attacks. Even so...


Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 76,124, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yugumo
DD Naganami
DD Akebono
xAK Arima Maru
xAK Amagisan Maru
xAK Nitiran Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AMC Nosiro Maru
xAK Hino Maru #3, Shell hits 1
xAK Okuyo Maru
xAP Koronado Maru
xAK Miyatama Maru
xAK Alaska Maru
DD Tadeshiwa
DD Suresushio
DD Kosugiri

Allied Ships
PT-142, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
PT-144, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
PT-146, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-164, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-171

Leander stopped to go striped bass fishing? Subs? Marine rookery precautions? They arrive after daylight. D'oh! We lose this fight.


Day Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 76,124, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Shell hits 2
CL Sendai, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo, Shell hits 1
DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Nicholas
DD Helm
DD Dunlap, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Balch, Shell hits 2

Looks like Takao has orders to remain on station. I guess we forgot to bring the AP ammo.


Day Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 76,124, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Shell hits 9
CL Sendai

Allied Ships
CA Portland, Shell hits 2
CL Trenton, Shell hits 1
DD O'Bannon
DD Sims
DD Henley
DD Preston, Shell hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Darwin (still): The B-24's are getting worn down so we brought over some B-17's from Western Oz. They are flying from Merauke as Alice is too far from Darwin for the 17's.

I think JJ hired Adolf Galand on contract though I can't imagine who might have been able to arrange that.

Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 12
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 30



Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 13
B-17F Fortress x 17
B-24D Liberator x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 7 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Later the bulk of the 24's arrive.

Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 5
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 21



Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 29


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 15 damaged



Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5

Some Nells with Zero escort (from Wyndham perhaps?) find the retreating and already damaged USS Dunlap.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 81,122

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 51 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G3M2 Nell x 5



Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Nicholas
DD Dunlap, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

What did that accomplish?

Leander hurt and out of the fight. Dunlap sunk. Cleared a few mines at Darwin.

One JJ AP sunk, one DD hurt pretty bad. Takao will need some Bondo work but probably not yard time. Probably the Takao group will have to retire so Washington and Indiana can come in.

[Cap Mandrake]

Port Hedrand: Bad weather. No flights. 32nd ID is getting some line infantry and heavy weapons back. We now have two M-10 Bn there. Everyone has supply. A Bn of Br 2nd is about 4-5 days out. Ossie reserve tank unit arrive at Corruna Downs.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Port Hedrand: Bad weather. No flights. 32nd ID is getting some line infantry and heavy weapons back. We now have two M-10 Bn there. Everyone has supply. A Bn of Br 2nd is about 4-5 days out. Ossie reserve tank unit arrive at Corruna Downs.

Just be sure do not shock attack - deliberate attacks only or you risk putting them all back in hospital.

[sprior]

do not shock attack

Would we do that?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

do not shock attack

Would we do that?

yes...at Ypres.

[Cap Mandrake]

By ra way. The amphibous group was discovered to be following a pod of Minke whales off Townsville which they mistook for HMS Prince of "Whales".


This was quite an embarrassing cultural misunderstanding and had caused about 36 hrs of very little forward progress to be made. This will likely push the landing date closer to Christmas again.

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[Gridley380]

I was surprised to see The Count's group understrength on pilots. OK, technically just not OVERstrength on pilots, but I count that as understrength for anyone but the Dutch or Chinese.

[Cap Mandrake]

I had to cut a 22.5K personal check to the source of the "giant sucking sound" in Washington yesterday.[:@]


**********IMPORTANT SACRILEGE ALERT! POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE SPIRITUAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS********






Sweet Baby Jesus;


Please bring us together and help eliminate all violence in the world. And help us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked (unless they work for that underwear maker with all the hot models..I forget what it is called right now). But most of all Baby Jesus, please get rid of the AMT.

Amen.

[sprior]

yes...at Ypres.

I think you'll find it's spelt "Wipers".

[sprior]

Minke whales off Townsville which they mistook for HMS Prince of "Whales".

Must try to reply but............