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Old 08-18-21, 11:21 AM   #156
Molon Labe
Silent Hunter
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Along the Watchtower
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13 March 1942

Java
A lone heavy cruiser bombarded Surabaya, but it was enough to disable 22 planes at the crowded airfield.

After his heavy losses yesterday, the bombers took a break and he focused on dealing with my fighters. The change in tactics was effective, especially in combination with the main airfield being shelled; at Surabaya he got 7 fighters for 2 Zeroes; and at Koepang (Timor) he got 6 with no losses (2 of which were Fulmars from the nearby Hermes, which tried to help).

We got a little lucky as one of his task forces ran out of fuel in the Java sea, my torpedo bombers scored a hit on the drifting cruiser Yubari (which was carrying troops) and probably sank it. In isolation, I wouldn't read too much into this, but it's possible that he's supporting ops in this area from fuel from Balikpapan and Tarakan, which aren't especially big. I'm fairly sure the production of these bases is insufficient to maintain the level of naval activity here, especially with the KB around, but I'm not sure about the stockpile status or how much fuel is being shipped in.

A third of an enemy battalion outpaced the rest of its force and attacked a far superior force in Semarang; we wiped it out.

Luzon Strait
USS Snapper sank a cargo ship in a surface attack. I'm surprised unescorted merchants still pass through here.

Malaya
It appearing that troops are abandoning the siege of Singapore to relieve Bangkok, I ordered my Singapore bombers to attack at Johore...it didn't go well, we lost at least 2 bombers to flak and didn't do much damage.
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