Ground Unit Trap

[G2B]

I'm patrolling along Sunda Strait Feb 26/27 42 Lots of RN ships in Merak decide to patrol around the little Island in the middle of the Strait's (TC 512) Suddenly Bam!!!!! were under attack. Go to GC, manning the bridge looking for any sign of enemy ships. All I see is the smoke from a RN destroyer.

Go to periscope depth. No contacts on the phones. Stay submerged as we round the Island to the South East, nothing. Surface the boat and Bam were getting hammered :stare: Finally Ground Unit spotted, a lone shore battery :nope:

Who in the world set this little nasty trap up? :shifty:

[Webster]

when near land you must expect shore guns at likely areas

safest thing is to always assume they are there

also they are usually as accurate as sniper rifles :yep:

[G2B]

I know :oops: but this one was within range of a friendly port. on a spit of land. Very sobering event.

[Armistead]

If you're using RSRD, there is a JP invasion force in the harbor next to Merak..Not in the Sundra Strait, but the harbor just right of the Merak label..Fairly large invasion force...Trying to remember the day. I may have put a SS of it up in the convoy thread. Should be late Feb to first week in March.

Yep, theres a few guns left and right that will blast you there Feb on, after they take Java..as stated, they seldom miss.

What port are you near...Surabaya? That's still a fair distance, but right before you lose Surabaya, the large invasion force will sit about 50 nm's north of Semarang..think that's how it's spelled. There's another one that comes closer to shore. Fun area along the coast of Java in Feb. to mid March. I will attack the Java force and hurry and refit before Surabaya falls and head to Merak and talk on that force. There's 3 or 4 convoys in the area. Sometimes I run into the large allied TF traveling the Java coast, but they turn back before they run into the Java force. I got the JP DD's to come at me and chase me over and over until they got close enough to the allied TF which blew them out of the water. I'm like, cmon boys there's 50 merchants 20nms west, lets go get it, but they turn back.

Found the SS...I'm a little North or Merak. I think I finally attacked when they came out of the harbor, but you can easily find them with this shot. If you look at the ships sunk Feb 28, that's where the large Java force was. What I did was a quick refit after attacking the Java force, probably on the 29 and hurried to Merak. I remember the battle well. If you look at the shot, I sunk two from long range. It was shallow and I didn't want to get close, but foggy. I shot from about 7000 yards and ran. You can see how far I was away when the torps hit...I later battled them all night...fun fun. http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-12-17_225118_890.jpg

Foggy day, but this is some of the convoy.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-12-17_213624_109.jpg

[G2B]

Yep I was lurking about waiting for that invasion force :D Bantam Bay I think its called, good bit of a read on the battle.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sunda_Strait


Nice intel thanks Armistead. :salute:

[Armistead]

Great info. I really never thought of the battle of Sundra Strait. I wonder if it's in the game. I bet that allied TF I saw was the TF that would attack, sounds like the right make up. It turned back when it got near Semarang, but highly possible it came back, because I didn't follow it.
I'll have to check it out. The 50 ship convoy doesn't get near Bantam in the game, just stays near Semarang. The convoy in the harbor near Merak was probably 30 ships.

Is the harbor beside Merak to the east side Bantam. I coundn't find a good map. That harbor has no markings in the game, but I can't find Bantam listed in the game. I'll study up, but I want to get those marked on my map labels.

I think for the heck of it I may use map labels and mark dates on the map where I find things.....so I can cheat later

[Armistead]

Yep, that's Bantan, think we were calling it Bantam..lol. Thanks for the info. Really didn't think of that battle. I knew the Houston was sunk near Java, but just didn't put it together. Next career I'll check the Sundra for the battle. I'll add all those map labels for sure.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/Sunda_strait_map_v3.png

[G2B]

The whole Java campaign makes the area allot of fun in early 42, I find myself getting sidetracked reading up on the different battles, then reading up on the individual ships. A somewhat detailed map of the area is a must when trying to narrow down the locations. Some of the names seem to change over time like the Banten Bay or Bantam Bay :oops:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_Bay


This is the one that got me started digging :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Makassar_Strait

never knew about the USS Marblehead.


As far as that land unit, its on that spit of an island right in the middle of the strait on the southeast corner that legs down, they were firing at me over the small hill and trees so I was never able to spot it till rounding the island.

[Armistead]

Good read. I'll do my best to see what I can find. Don't worry, I'll save the day.......next career...lol

[G2B]

Using the chart you provided I did not find the invasion force north of Semarang. Instead I found the ABDA force steaming NNW out of Surabaya. To the east of the invasion force I found the Japanese TF heading SSE. The end result was amazing. I managed to sink the 2 Takoa heavy cruisers in short order then I got aggressive with the escorts. I think the Kuma light cruiser ran into the ABDA force alone, never saw him again.

I managed to lure one escort towards the ABDA force as they were heading back south. Actually I was trying to save my butt cause there were three of them. Just after sunset the gunfire started, poor escort did not stand a chance. I crossed through the ABDA force and surfaced just as the other two escorts ran into the hail of gunfire. (the old sound card got a good workout) I let my gunners loose as well trying to get credit for them. Hit Surabaya for more fish cause we was all out. Heading toward Bantam (?) to help Houston and Perth if possible.

http://i974.photobucket.com/albums/ae228/g2banything/SH4Img2010-02-04_200117_312.jpg

Note the response I got after reporting TF

[Krauter]

:damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn:

Stupid Fog.. is all I have to say.. following this thread, I headed near Semarang on Feb 27 42.. Sonar reports a huge thunder of noise to the NW. Closing closing.. finally hear three seperate groups.. two of warships and one huge merchant jumble. I close to the northern most group (of warships) hoping for cruisers or any heavy military hardware.. However #&!@ing fog wont let me I.D targets till their ****ting on me.. So took a few sonar shots.. managed to kill 3 shiratsuyus.. Meanwhile I can't tell where the hell the damn cruisers are..

#@!%ing fog is a pain in the arse

[Armistead]

OK, G2B, I'm in the Sundra day before batte. The 2 allied CA's are are...waiting for the JPs to show up...Then I'll go attack the Java invasion force...

I've run into that TF many a time, but always out of torps from attacking the Java force...try to beat them to Surabaya, cause it falls soon after they show.

[G2B]

Shame about Surabaya, there are just so many targets around Java and not nearly enough fish, I was going to look for the invasion force but the Takoa's were to tempting. I also had ABDA on my sonar so I could keep track of where they were :D

I think a few days prior to the battle you can find the 2 Takoa's and a single escort NNE of Jakarta around that good size Island. I don't have the coordinates though.

Found these 2 running along the coast East of Bantam

http://i974.photobucket.com/albums/ae228/g2banything/SH4Img2010-02-07_214749_203.jpg

http://i974.photobucket.com/albums/ae228/g2banything/SH4Img2010-02-07_215635_515.jpg

[Armistead]

I learned the same lesson you did at Sundra. I was sitting away watching all the Allied ships, waiting for the JP TF and the shore guns opened up.
I'm not sure what day the JP's get the shore guns, but days before they didn't have them. I think they get control of them Feb 17. Course they sunk all the US ships...I ran.

It was funny, the ships even shot back at the ground guns, but they do no damage.

Never did see the battle of Sundra..The Two Allied CA's got sunk by shore guns. I did find the invasion force again...but will fight that later.