26th Dec 41
Juha sent the combat replay to me. Interesting turn.
Celebes sea
Force Z gets to flex it's muscles.
Quote:
Night Time Surface Combat, near Donggala at 70,96, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
TB Otori
TB Kasasagi, Shell hits 1
TB Hiyodori, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
TB Hayabusa, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
TB Kari, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 1
BC Repulse, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Houston
CL Danae
CL Mauritius
CL Marblehead
CL Boise
DD Alden
DD Barker
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 1
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott
DD Whipple
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11 000yards
|
In two following engagements Force Z sinks the last two Torpedo boats. I'm pleased but wish it had been something more than Tbs which are pretty much small corvettes, I think. Certainly smaller than destroyers so maybe destroyer escorts is a better fit.
I don't know how badly
Repulse is damaged. She took three more shells after this battle so I may have to send her to Sydney a little earlier than I hoped. If she sinks I'll put this down as a tactical defeat as they weren't worth the cost.
Juha has used his screening forces well so far. They've stopped PT attacks from reaching invasion fleets on a couple of occasions, and a couple of sub attacks too. If they hadn't been there, Force Z might have been able to close and attack something more valuable - like troop ships. Still, a victory is a victory. I won't be able to see how bad or good things are until I get the turn back. Once I check how Force Z is for ammo I'll decide what I'm going to do. He knows I'm there though, and I wouldn't be surprised if he vectors that cruiser force onto my escape routes.
Borneo
Landings at Tarakan are partially disrupted by dutch aircraft sinking one xAK and damaging two more. The port is mined so I hope to get lucky.
PI
San Fernando falls.
HK
Another attack fails to achieve much other than to grind down my forces.
CenPac
Forts at Wake are up to 3. It's going to be pretty bad for him if he lands now. He's going to have to bring a lot of supply. I may move a Marine defence unit in.
An interesting snippet of information from an air patrol:
Quote:
|
PBY-5 Catalina sighting report: 7 Japanese ships at 150,136 near Baker Island, speed 16, Moving Southwest
|
Might be nothing. Then again.....
Sub Wars
I-123 sinks a fleeing tanker in the straits of Makassar. I don't like losing tankers...
Well, it looks like I came out ahead. we'll see what state
Repulse is in when I get the turn back.