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Molon Labe · 07-24-22, 11:17 AM

19 March 1943

Maldives/Indian Ocean
A near disaster as an enemy sub located our main force and tried to penetrate it. A destroyers spotted it and drove it off before it was within visual range of the carriers... but he still knows I have a large fleet up here now.

Solomons and New Britain
Another B-17 down over Guadalcanal. At least it looks like we're wearing this base down.

I sent a few B-25s to Rabaul to try to get that damaged destroyer that passed by the Shortlands, and sure enough we found a destroyer in port there and hit it with a 500-pounder.
---------------

20 March 1943
Major naval engagement at Colombo; massive British air losses, IJN Yamato and HMS Ramillies sunk.

Sri Lanka
Japan was apparently determined not to let my bombardment detachment get away, and sent a heavy task force backed up by the full KB (no, it didn't leave with just Shokaku left to stand watch). The surface force was the Yamato, the Hiei, Haruna, and Kirishima, along with 3 heavy cruisers and 5 destroyers.

They approached the port of Columbo in daytime but in a thunderstorm, maximum visibility just 6,000 yards. They unzipped their fly when the ran into and sank the motor launches on ASW patrol. My task force (battleship Ramilies, heavy cruisers Exeter and Devonshire, 2 destroyers) then caught the enemy on radar and closed range, attacking with surprise from just 3,000 yards. They picked the biggest target, the Yamato, and hit her with 4 shells from Ramilies' main batteries and 4 torpedoes...and that was pretty much it for her. What followed was astonishingly accurate fire from Ramillies along with a surprising lack of response from the 2 remaining enemy battleships. Ramilies managed to spread main battery hits around the enemy fleet. The heavy cruiser Kumano was sunk for sure, but the other two also appeared mortally wounded, as was the Hiei. The Ramilies' luck eventually ran out, and although most of the rounds that hit her were secondary battery hits that her armor resisted, she eventually started taking rounds from either the enemy battleships, followed by torpedoes, dooming her. The Exeter also took a pounding and went down. One of our destroyers went down and the other appears mortally wounded. The Devonshire survived with moderate damage, for now. But, the damage sustained by the enemy was enough to get them to turn around, so we did manage to protect the Royal Soverign (in port for repairs), for now.

Although completely outgunned, we inflicted disproportionate losses on the enemy: Very likely 2 BB sunk along with 3 CA, vs 1 BB and 1 CA, and probably 2 DD for me.

To add a little more insult to this USS Hoe approached occupied Diego Garcia and torpedoed a troop-carrying cargo ship twice.

He would get some revenge in the air, though. Our efforts were poorly coordinated, and we were up against greater numbers and their best pilots. By day's end, Colombo's air forces (48 Hurricanes, 16 Sea Hurricanes, 37 Martlets (Wildcats), 32 Beaufighters, 32 Vengeances, 12 Albacores, and 10 Beauforts) were only able to shoot down 4 Zeroes, and score 1 hit on Zuikaku with a little 250-pound bomb (from a Beaufighter). Our losses: 7 Martlets, 12 Hurricanes, 3 Beaufighters, 31 Vengeances, and 10 Albacores. The worst part of this raid was that one of the Vengeance squadrons got separated from the main group. Only one bomber from the main group got through, so I'd expect had that separation not happened, we'd have had 17 dive bombers attacking instead of 1, more than enough to score devastating hits on multiple flattops.

He had over 100 Zeroes on CAP, and didn't launch any airstrikes of his own. It appears that he intentionally baited this strike, confident he could parry it, and now that my offensive power is essentially depleted he can strike at me without much fear of retaliation.

The silver lining for me in this massive aerial defeat is that I now know for sure the KB is committed to this theatre. I backed away from Java when the KB disappeared on me during his Maldives operation. That operation is now going forward, and I'm not turning away this time without more than losing contact.

Solomons and New Britain
We hit Rabaul with B-25s again, and hit another destroyer. This time troop casualties are being reported. So, it looks like he's actually using destroyers to try to get unit fragments out from Rabaul and Guadalcanal now that my new airbases are making these Waters very Dangerous for his ships.

China
I picked a fight with a pair of enemy divisions moving between Chusein and Foochow, thinking I had the upper hand. I outnumbered them 2 to 1. Casualties were 1400 to 900 in their favor. Oops.

07-24-22, 11:17 AM	#609
Molon Labe Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Along the Watchtower Posts: 3,810 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 5	19 March 1943 Maldives/Indian Ocean A near disaster as an enemy sub located our main force and tried to penetrate it. A destroyers spotted it and drove it off before it was within visual range of the carriers... but he still knows I have a large fleet up here now. Solomons and New Britain Another B-17 down over Guadalcanal. At least it looks like we're wearing this base down. I sent a few B-25s to Rabaul to try to get that damaged destroyer that passed by the Shortlands, and sure enough we found a destroyer in port there and hit it with a 500-pounder. --------------- 20 March 1943 Major naval engagement at Colombo; massive British air losses, IJN Yamato and HMS Ramillies sunk. Sri Lanka Japan was apparently determined not to let my bombardment detachment get away, and sent a heavy task force backed up by the full KB (no, it didn't leave with just Shokaku left to stand watch). The surface force was the Yamato, the Hiei, Haruna, and Kirishima, along with 3 heavy cruisers and 5 destroyers. They approached the port of Columbo in daytime but in a thunderstorm, maximum visibility just 6,000 yards. They unzipped their fly when the ran into and sank the motor launches on ASW patrol. My task force (battleship Ramilies, heavy cruisers Exeter and Devonshire, 2 destroyers) then caught the enemy on radar and closed range, attacking with surprise from just 3,000 yards. They picked the biggest target, the Yamato, and hit her with 4 shells from Ramilies' main batteries and 4 torpedoes...and that was pretty much it for her. What followed was astonishingly accurate fire from Ramillies along with a surprising lack of response from the 2 remaining enemy battleships. Ramilies managed to spread main battery hits around the enemy fleet. The heavy cruiser Kumano was sunk for sure, but the other two also appeared mortally wounded, as was the Hiei. The Ramilies' luck eventually ran out, and although most of the rounds that hit her were secondary battery hits that her armor resisted, she eventually started taking rounds from either the enemy battleships, followed by torpedoes, dooming her. The Exeter also took a pounding and went down. One of our destroyers went down and the other appears mortally wounded. The Devonshire survived with moderate damage, for now. But, the damage sustained by the enemy was enough to get them to turn around, so we did manage to protect the Royal Soverign (in port for repairs), for now. Although completely outgunned, we inflicted disproportionate losses on the enemy: Very likely 2 BB sunk along with 3 CA, vs 1 BB and 1 CA, and probably 2 DD for me. To add a little more insult to this USS Hoe approached occupied Diego Garcia and torpedoed a troop-carrying cargo ship twice. He would get some revenge in the air, though. Our efforts were poorly coordinated, and we were up against greater numbers and their best pilots. By day's end, Colombo's air forces (48 Hurricanes, 16 Sea Hurricanes, 37 Martlets (Wildcats), 32 Beaufighters, 32 Vengeances, 12 Albacores, and 10 Beauforts) were only able to shoot down 4 Zeroes, and score 1 hit on Zuikaku with a little 250-pound bomb (from a Beaufighter). Our losses: 7 Martlets, 12 Hurricanes, 3 Beaufighters, 31 Vengeances, and 10 Albacores. The worst part of this raid was that one of the Vengeance squadrons got separated from the main group. Only one bomber from the main group got through, so I'd expect had that separation not happened, we'd have had 17 dive bombers attacking instead of 1, more than enough to score devastating hits on multiple flattops. He had over 100 Zeroes on CAP, and didn't launch any airstrikes of his own. It appears that he intentionally baited this strike, confident he could parry it, and now that my offensive power is essentially depleted he can strike at me without much fear of retaliation. The silver lining for me in this massive aerial defeat is that I now know for sure the KB is committed to this theatre. I backed away from Java when the KB disappeared on me during his Maldives operation. That operation is now going forward, and I'm not turning away this time without more than losing contact. Solomons and New Britain We hit Rabaul with B-25s again, and hit another destroyer. This time troop casualties are being reported. So, it looks like he's actually using destroyers to try to get unit fragments out from Rabaul and Guadalcanal now that my new airbases are making these Waters very Dangerous for his ships. China I picked a fight with a pair of enemy divisions moving between Chusein and Foochow, thinking I had the upper hand. I outnumbered them 2 to 1. Casualties were 1400 to 900 in their favor. Oops. __________________