Matrix Games Forums

Player - Allies vs AI - Japan

Nearly month after the war broke out, the Japanese HQ began operations to seize rabaul, first invasion wave was unsuccesfull so they commited more and more ground units to Rabaul. Japanese convoys began to reinforce their units embarked in Rabaul area to defeat allied forces there. CINCPAC (Comander-in-chief-Pacific=me) strategy in this first month of war was aimed to withdraw crucial forces from endangered area and harrassing japanese shipping by light forces (PTs and Subs).

The only forces available to harras japanese convoys to Rabaul at 4th january 1942 was TF 1138 anchored at Brisbane. TF consisted of CA Canberra, CL Perth, and three DDs. They immediately sail out to intercept convoy heading to Rabaul which consisted of 2x Large AKs, 4x Medium APs and six escort ships (4x PGs, 2x PCs).

6th january at 02:15 Allied lookouts spotted Japanese convoy. Japanese Task force was surprised and comanding officer began to spread out the convoy. Canberra opened fire at 2000 yards and destroyers released their torpedoes. One hit AK and second hit one PG. Both of these ships were also hit by some granades from Canaberra, Perth and destroyers.

Then from the darknes emerged lone shadow and began attacking CA Canberra claiming one hit to armor belt. The brave Capitain K. Ishimura comanding PG Choan Maru #2 tried to cover slower transport ships. All guns of allied task force were aimed at PG Choan Maru #2 and soon the sea around this little ship was boiling in rain of granades fired from all alied ships. With max speed around 15 knots the PG was not abble to withstand this kind of rain. Very soon grenades began to explode everywhere on the deck of a little ship. 8inch granade from Canberra hit the bridge killing all command staff, another exploded in engine room. Parts of steel plates began to fly around as more and more granades from 5 allied ships were sherding the PG to pieces. Guns of the little ship continued to fire even the flames were burning all around the ship and more and more grenades explodes on decks, in the hull or underwater crumbling the hull plates, untill another granade fired from CL Perth destroyed PGs main gun. Around 39 granedes hit this little ship, of which minimaly 1/3 was 8inches fired from Canberra.

Other japanese ships take an advantage that allied task force is crushing PG Choan Maru #2 and succesfully fleed from the battle.
At 04:35 as Allied lookouts cannot spot any other target, the TF 1138 began to withdraw back from waters endangered by Japanese Long range bombers from Truk.
On the surface of the see remained only parts of shipwreck of PG Choan Maru #2 and sailors from AK and another PG sunked at the beggining of battle.

Sailors of allied ships do not spare words of gallantry to Capitain K. Ishimura which sacrificed his ship to rescue convoy.
Later the CINCPAC asked a US foreign minister to deliver words about bravery of crew PG Choan Maru #2 by hidden diplomatic channel to Japan. Capitain K. Ishimura was posthumously promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. [&o]

PS1: How that little can should absorb the huge amount of damage I cannot conceive. [X(][&:]
PS2: Excuse my english )

I see you're new here. I don't know if you've been reading a while or not. Welcome to the mad house. [:)]

Looks like the Allies have a victory to write up in the papers back home.

In the only full campaign I've played so far, I ended up with a number of battled around Rabaul, including a surface battle similar to the one you had.

Bill

Yes Im new here. [:'(]

Allies have many similars victories to write on in my campaign. Force Z operating in Malaya against japs landings is permanently in action and sinked 10-15AKs+APs + some escorts. PTs operating from manila bay is everynight on the see trying to catch any merchant they could
Also dutch Martins 139s are hitting some cargo everyday.

Oftenly I do not remember names of ships i Sunk, but this battle surprised me ) 39 hits is 39 hits. Even BB will be badly damaged after that, but this little PG fighted a way that amazed me

I hope that I will past here more battles and campaigns
Its only 7th jan/1942 so i was mainly working on establishing supply system and evacuating and slowing down Japs

ORIGINAL: Barb

Around 39 granedes hit this little ship, of which minimaly 1/3 was 8inches fired from Canberra.


PS2: Excuse my english )

Not too bad, but you want to use the word "shells" instead of "grenades". (Grenades are fist-sized explosive devices thrown by hand.)

In the real world, the USS Johnston fought similarly in the Battle Off Samar (part fo the Leyte Gulf battles). I believe it was the morning of October 24, 1944. Halsey thought he had driven off the Japanese battleships and charged off to the north to hunt Ozawa's carriers, which were there for bait.

A large Japanese task force led by the Yamato containing a number of other BBs passed through the San Bernardino Strait in the Philippines and happened upon a task group of CVEs guraded by a handfull of destroyers and destroyer escorts. The USS Johnston was closest to the Japanese at the start and charged head first into the fray. She was sunk, but so unnerved the Japanese that they broke off before finishing off the US CVEs. The captain of the Johnston received a posthumus Medal of Honor for pitting a single destroyer against battleships. At one point the Johnston was trading shots with the Kongo. They got so close the Kongo couldn't get their main guns depressed far enough to shoot at them.

Bill

In WITP there is no limit how many shells a given ship may take in one round... I have seen a barge take about twenty 8in and 5in shells before "sinking"... what a waste of ammo...

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
Not too bad, but you want to use the word "shells" instead of "grenades". (Grenades are fist-sized explosive devices thrown by hand.)

Thanks. I will remember that

ORIGINAL: wdolson
In the real world, the USS Johnston fought similarly in the Battle Off Samar (part fo the Leyte Gulf battles)....

another example of bravery in history:
On the morning of 8 April 1940 Glowworm encountered a German naval detachment, led by the Heavy Cruiser Admiral Hipper, on its way to landing invasion troops at Trondheim as part of the German invasion of Norway (Operation Weserübung). Although hopelessly outgunned, Glowworm accepted the fight and, while receiving several heavy hits, fired torpedoes at the German cruiser. They missed, and in a final desperate effort to sink or at least seriously damage her opponent, Glowworm then attempted to ram Admiral Hipper. As the ships collided, Admiral Hipper suffered major damage to her bow. Glowworm was pushed under the cruiser's bow and her entire foreship up to the bridge was sheared off. For several minutes she drifted, on fire, alongside Admiral Hipper, then capsized and sank north-west of Trondheim. Only 31 of her crew survived.
Her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Gerard Broadmead Roope, killed when Glowworm sank, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, thus becoming the first VC recipient of the Second World War. It is noteworthy that he received this honor in part due to the recommendation of his opponent, Captain Hellmuth Heye of the Admiral Hipper, who wrote via the Red Cross to the British authorities giving a statement of the valiant courage LtCdr Roope had shown when engaging a much superior ship in close battle.

PS: in WITP, another night my TF returned to Rabaul bay encountering 2xAP, 4xDD and 6-10PG/PCs... Sum= Canberra heavily damaged (2Torps), one destroyer sunk, Perth damaged (1torp), another destroyer damaged in my side, one PG sunked and one DD lightly damaged on the japs side. ) I hate Long-Lances )

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

In WITP there is no limit how many shells a given ship may take in one round... I have seen a barge take about twenty 8in and 5in shells before "sinking"... what a waste of ammo...

indeed

ORIGINAL: Barb

Yes Im new here. [:'(]

Allies have many similars victories to write on in my campaign. Force Z operating in Malaya against japs landings is permanently in action and sinked 10-15AKs+APs + some escorts. PTs operating from manila bay is everynight on the see trying to catch any merchant they could
Also dutch Martins 139s are hitting some cargo everyday.

Oftenly I do not remember names of ships i Sunk, but this battle surprised me ) 39 hits is 39 hits. Even BB will be badly damaged after that, but this little PG fighted a way that amazed me

I hope that I will past here more battles and campaigns
Its only 7th jan/1942 so i was mainly working on establishing supply system and evacuating and slowing down Japs

when ur ready to test ur skills against a human id look forward to slaughtering, err i mean, teaching u[:D]

marky : later maybe, I have played UV before, but playing first game in WITP )

I have done too many mistakes at the beggining (4brigades enveloped at Khota Baharu-but holding some 25000 japs there, too early evacuation of aircrafts from singapur, degenerating AVG to max squadron size (24planes), retreated too early from PI so now Im defending there with lack of supply, it is 11th/1/1942 and only now my convoy system (CS) is began to run as i wanted, and two days later only I began to evacuating Dutch Air supporting units which are not necessary in DEI...).
I must be a sitting duck for every average JPN player now [:D]

Nah, remember that the Jap player has more to worry about than just his military forces...

Terminus: Yes I know, but I wieved some usefull tips in the war room about production.
The other thing is oil/resources... )

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

In WITP there is no limit how many shells a given ship may take in one round... I have seen a barge take about twenty 8in and 5in shells before "sinking"... what a waste of ammo...

Maybe they used APs(Armour piercing not merchants )) which only penetrated through and do not exploded. but imagine that 20 an 13cm holes in the poor barge It must be like an emental