Srange Encounter

[Armistead]

Finally docked at Sura and decided to cut the large JP TF that makes the raid into the Indian Ocean. Attacked it before and recall sitting there a few weeks in Feb 42 waiting for it and finally showed up. Guess I should check my patrol dates, but so far hasn't come through, but think it will.

Why waiting I get sonar contacts dived in my S boat. I'm at the strait at Timor where the carriers will come through, can't miss them in this strait.
Anyway, a large group of DD's comes through with a bunch of ships behind them, but a few miles apart . Just when I think I have them dodged, the last sucker pings me, but thinking the carrier TF was behind it, I come up for a look and it's a large invasion force. about 20 different merchants.

Anyway I've hit two of them, not sunk yet, but got more sonar contacts coming up and some planes...maybe the carrier TF yet behind this group.

Anyone attack this Invasion fleet yet.. They're headed into the indian ocean and the invasion of Java is coming. I've studied RSRD and don't recall this one and don't know how I missed it last time. I know of no invasion fleet headed this way.

I'll let ya know how it pans out, hate being stuck in a S boat.

Edit, I checked my battle map, this is the invasion force that leaves Ambrom and invases the SW of Timor...Carriers should be coming through about a week from now, I'll save my torps. Great Ambush spot for both groups strait north of Timor.. Just be there around mid Feb....don't want to make it too easy.

[NorthBeach]

Thanks for the tip! Count on that to be my next scenario! :salute:

[Armistead]

If you go here and look at the two black and white maps in this thread,
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=178515

one map is TF, one is invasion groups. You can see the invasion force I'm talking about leave Ambrom Feb 16 and heads to Timor Feb 17-20. Timor is WNW or Darwin. See the strait between Timor and the island north, that's where you want to sit. Another convoy comes back north later. I thought it was the same group, but is a different one, just a few DD's and bunch of merchants. May want to ignore these and save your torps for the carriers or go for a few of the Nagaras.

Also lot's of friendly ships, so don't let em spook ya.

If you look at the TF map at the very bottom left it reads carrier attack force that leaves Kendari. If you look at it's course it come through the same Timor pass, so be in the same spot. This is a biggie, 5 carriers, 3 BB's, many CAs, lots of DD's, about 20 of them. You see carrier planes come through first, so that's the clue. Just be careful, they sense you you'll have a hornets nest of planes and DD's on ya.. I think it comes through Feb 25. It goes all the way around Sumatra to Singy and leaves in April, another good time to catch it.
Course all the courses on these map are about identifcal to RSRD plot, so you can really choose where you want to attack, just easier at straits so you don't miss them.

After attacking this group, you can hurry back to Java to Sura, but got to hurry before it falls, think the 29th, but if you have torps, there are several invasion groups and TF off Java, including the large 50 ship Java invasion group.

[NorthBeach]

I've used that strait before. But, just as a transit route. How much water is underneath your keel?

And isn't there a shore battery around there somewhere?

[Armistead]

Deep water, no shore guns there in TMO RSRD.