Battle of Darwin begins.....kinda surprised about this, as you would think Miller would've wanted his forces prepped to 100 before undertaking this type of invasion. Considering we are in day 75 of the game....he could've just waited 3 more weeks and gotten that 100 prep point advantage.....oh well...here we go
July 6th - In the daylight morning hours a Hudson bomber spotted a Japanese Bombardment TF fast approaching Darwin. Two separate strikes from Darwin were then launched at the target, totalling 15 Hudson's, 2 Beauforts, and 42 B-25's. All planes failed to score any hits, and 1 Hudson and 1 Beaufort were shot down. Then my 2 brave PT boats engaged the enemy task force comprising of 3 BB's, 2 CA's, and 4 CL's. Unfortunately the DD Umikaze got an early bead on PT-42 hitting it with two 5in shells in succession, sinking the small boat instantly. The other PT boat wisely retreated. Undetered the bombardment task force then hit Darwin. However, the Japanese didn't have an easy time of it with two 9.2in CD guns and twelve 6in CD guns defending the base. These guns were able to keep the big capital ships way offshore, thereby causing little damage (only lost two 6in CD guns). Also my guns managed to seriously damage the DD Umikaze and set the CL Kiso on fire.
Elsewhere in China i had a great day. My LRCAP over my troops near Changsha worked, as first the Japanese launched an attack comprising of 16 Oscars and 38 Helens. They were met in the air by 31 P40B's, 30 P40E's, and 33 I-16's. It was a massacre as i managed to shoot down 1 Oscar and 15 Helens, losing only 3 chinese fighter planes in the process. Then!...another jap strike went in..this one comprising of 2 Oscars and 29 Helens, once again my planes ate the Japanese for lunch, as they managed to shoot down another 2 Oscars, 8 Helens, and even a Babs!. No planes were lost this time. Finally to put end this great day in China, the Japanese launched an assualt with 150,000 troops on my 65,000 troops near the city of Wuchow, and were repulsed!
One last thing, my LB-30 bomber raid on Andaman Is. was a success as 1 Nate was shot down, and moderate damage to the airfield was done
July 7th - During the night my lone PT boat, managed to sneak up on the Japanese BB TF sitting offshore undected. It lined up a torpedo shot on the CA Kako, but missed. Then snuck away before the Japanese even knew she was there. In the morning, a different Bombardment TF showed up off the shores of Darwin. This one comprised of the BB Hiei, 7 CA's and 1 CL. Aware now of the presence of Darwin's CD-units, the Japanese were able to put the hurt on my airfield there, destroying 7 planes on the ground, and even managed to score a hit on the AS Holland sitting in harbor. Around noon time, the SS Seal spotted a convoy congregating near Lautem. She managed to close in on an AP, but all here torps missed. She escaped unharmed. In the afternoon more air attacks from Darwin were launched on the japanese BB TF's, but still no hits were scored.
Back in China, my success streak continued. As the Japanese launched another raid on my troops near Changsha (here's the sucky part of 2 day turns). Once again my LR CAP massacred the incoming raid, as i managed to shoot down 11 Oscars, 6 Helens, and 1 Bab's to no loss of my own.
Plan - defense of Darwin is gonna be tough. The only planes in my arsenal that are capable of causing major damage to japanese ships are my Beuforts. Unfortunately most of my Beauforts were on the east coast of Australia, and the only way to get to Darwin is by rail, which means the squadrens have to be disbanded and reformed at that destination, leaving the planes open to navel bombardment. The only planes i can move to Darwin are Hudson's (useless), B-26's (moved 64 of them to Darwin this turn), and B-25's (moved them out of Darwin as there were barely any servicable at this time and morale was low). I kept the remaining the beauforts in Darwin in hopes of them hitting something, and i moved another squadren to Whydam, so the planes can repair itself before being moved to Darwin. Another bad thing about the defense of Darwin, is i have no mines there, and all the subs in the area are fleet subs with those useless torpedos. Therefore i'm moving 4-5 S-boats from the Coral Sea to the Darwin area.
Elsewhere in China, i'm standing down my fighters for needed rest, as i believe Miller has no intention in conducting any air raids until he moves in some Zero's.
Otherwise...heres a screen shot of the Battle of Darwin...
