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herwin (playing Japan) versus blitzk (playing the Allies)

RHSRAO (latest version)

House rules posted to Opponents Wanted board.

After months of steadily worsening relations and the recent American Government decision to confiscate the assets of people of Japanese ancestry, the Japanese Government has taken the step of declaring war on the United States and the British Commonwealth.

Hostilities began in a tragi-comic fashion with a gun duel between the American Navy oiler Brazos and the armed Japanese freighter Akagi Maru at Dutch Harbor.

During the first day, there were Japanese airstrikes on Singapore, Davao, Angeles/Clark, Wake Is., and Hong Kong, naval bombardments of Kota Bharu and Guam, and troop landings on Wake Is., Guam, Davao, Kota Bharu, Aparri, Laong, Legaspi, the Batan Is., Kuching, Brunei, Tay-Tay, Rabaul, Kavieng, and Nauru in support of local separatists. Hong Kong was invested by forces based at Canton supporting the local rebels. There was a surprise attack by B-17s on a Japanese carrier TF that did no damage and was seen off rapidly by defending fighters. The results of the airstrike on Angeles/Clark were made much worse by the decision by Field Marshal Macarthur to ground and concentrate the aircraft to protect them from attacks by the Filipino rebels active in the area. The Japanese Government has announced its support for the rebel Governments of Malaya and the Filipinas and is landing troops in their support.

8 December 1941

Wake, Laong, and Legaspi surrender to the Japanese.

Boise, Force Z, Louisville, and Marblehead play 'whack a mole' with IJN mini-invasions.

No sign of the fast strike force?

ORIGINAL: String

No sign of the fast strike force?

Does that bother you?

It's running in stealth mode.

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: String

No sign of the fast strike force?

Does that bother you?

It's running in stealth mode.

Interesting. Severely limits what the allies can do right now.

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: String

No sign of the fast strike force?

Does that bother you?

It's running in stealth mode.

Interesting. Severely limits what the allies can do right now.

Look at our house rules. Hitting Pearl Harbor with the KB meant that the Allies knew exactly where the KB was for about two weeks.

You're aware that the original plan for the Pearl Harbor strike envisioned scuttling the Hiryu and Soryu afterwards?... Eventually they figured out how to get them home.

ORIGINAL: herwin

You're aware that the original plan for the Pearl Harbor strike envisioned scuttling the Hiryu and Soryu afterwards?... Eventually they figured out how to get them home.

I am stunned at that. I had heard they had a fuel problem that required working out. That they would seriously consider scuttling to front line carriers is simply mind numbing. Was that a serious 'plan' or somebody's way of saying to certain staff members "You bozos better figure this out!"?

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: herwin

You're aware that the original plan for the Pearl Harbor strike envisioned scuttling the Hiryu and Soryu afterwards?... Eventually they figured out how to get them home.

I am stunned at that. I had heard they had a fuel problem that required working out. That they would seriously consider scuttling to front line carriers is simply mind numbing. Was that a serious 'plan' or somebody's way of saying to certain staff members "You bozos better figure this out!"?

It was a serious first cut at the plan.

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: herwin




Does that bother you?

It's running in stealth mode.

Interesting. Severely limits what the allies can do right now.

Look at our house rules. Hitting Pearl Harbor with the KB meant that the Allies knew exactly where the KB was for about two weeks.

You're aware that the original plan for the Pearl Harbor strike envisioned scuttling the Hiryu and Soryu afterwards?... Eventually they figured out how to get them home.

Yeap, i'm familiar with the house rules, or atleast I skimmed them. I was kinda surprised that you didn't decide to whack Manila or Singapore instead, but keeping the allies guessing is probably worth it.

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: String




Interesting. Severely limits what the allies can do right now.

Look at our house rules. Hitting Pearl Harbor with the KB meant that the Allies knew exactly where the KB was for about two weeks.

You're aware that the original plan for the Pearl Harbor strike envisioned scuttling the Hiryu and Soryu afterwards?... Eventually they figured out how to get them home.

Yeap, i'm familiar with the house rules, or atleast I skimmed them. I was kinda surprised that you didn't decide to whack Manila or Singapore instead, but keeping the allies guessing is probably worth it.

I probably would have, but I don't know how. I suspect I have to edit the position of TF 1 in the scenario files. I didn't want to mod it, so I simply ordered it to where I needed it.

The other thing I did was make it less visible--when I played you, the KB remained visible halfway across the Pacific-its DL was sky-high. That's why I was able to evade you.

December 9th 1941

Operations underway continue...

Guam surrenders
Assault on Hong Kong
Kota Bharu captured by the Japanese
Taytay and Makin surrender

ASW operations off Malaya, the Philippines, and Hawaii result in damage to both sides

B-17s spot Ryujo TF and hit the CVL with a light bomb. Ship underway at full speed later in the day.

Air attack on the Kongo results in a hit. No apparent damage.

Two allied AKs sailing in company between the Philippines and Guam disappear. Final radio message reports a coordinated airstrike by hundreds of carrier aircraft.

Carrier strikes on Tacloban and on merchant vessels sailing near Jolo.

Dec 10 operations
Landings at Aparri continue. Smothering operations continue against Angeles/Clark, Alor Star, Cagayan, and Tacloban. Barge groups arrive on the map with heavy damage (some sinking immediately).

11 Dec 1941

A furball develops during the night as Force Z sorties to protect against Japanese reinforcement of the landing at Kuching. Force Z avoids interception by two destroyer squadrons and closes with the small reinforcement convoy, which is escorted by Isuzu, Chokai, and a destroyer. Isuzu is sunk and Chokai is superficially damaged, but the escorts put their fish in the water, and both Prince of Wales and Repulse are hit. After the two sides lose contact, the convoy continues to Kuching while an IJN battleship task force smothers the base with shore bombardment. In the morning, the sailors of Force Z hear the engines of a large G3M/G4M strike hunting for them, but only five of the torpedo bombers contact two ships in the screen and no torpedoes hit.

Smothering air attacks on Angeles/Clark, Davao, and Cebu during the day.

Dutch Harbor is bombarded.

12 Dec 41

A night-time naval duel takes place off Dutch Harbor between the Akagi Maru and the Prince Robert, the AM getting the better of the exchange.

More barge groups sink spontaneously.

Smothering operations against Kuching (naval), Aparri (naval), Tarakan (air), and Cagayan (air). Airstrikes against AK Anshun and ML Redstart.

Survivors rescued from CL Marblehead.

Aparri captured.

Hm, barge groups arriving with damage? Sounds like mistyped values or something like that. what has the creator of the mod said about them?

ORIGINAL: String

Hm, barge groups arriving with damage? Sounds like mistyped values or something like that. what has the creator of the mod said about them?

El Cid says it's WAD--working as designed.

The only way that comes to mind where that makes sense is if it is meant to simulate damage to captured vessels. Is that the deal?

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: String

Hm, barge groups arriving with damage? Sounds like mistyped values or something like that. what has the creator of the mod said about them?

El Cid says it's WAD--working as designed.

I really don't understand this one... did the Japanese build barges out of marston mat?

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The only way that comes to mind where that makes sense is if it is meant to simulate damage to captured vessels. Is that the deal?

No, he wrote about it in the message announcing the latest update on the scenario design board. It's intended to increase the realism of the Japanese industry model...

13 Dec 1941

The Japanese Government announced that due to active support by the NEI of enemy operations in Borneo, Japan is sorry to have to consider itself in a state of war with the NEI as of 12 December 1941. This unfortunate outcome is fully the responsibility of the Netherlands Exile Government based in Java. Japan announced its political and military support for the Indonesian Provisional Government.

Submarine offensive operations off Hawaii resulted in a torpedo hit on the large American carrier, Saratoga. This is the third enemy capital vessel torpedoed in the last three days, demonstrating the technical superiority of Japanese industry.

Smothering operations continued against Balikpapan, Tarakan, and Jolo.

Alor Star captured.