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[Erkki]

Do you have much use for float-Zero? I don't remember hearing about any units of those.

Not much... The primary use is on islands and atolls with no developed airfields. They dont need airfields(but still need aviation support, be it from a ship or land support unit) but they also suck as fighters, the float weights a lot and induces drag. Firepower is still good and I get some 5-6 squadron size units(that can also fly search planes and at least 2 can upgrade to proper fighters too) so I will probably send those to Paramushiro-Jima in the Kuriles others to Solomons, Andamans etc. mainly to support land-based aircraft, definitely not going to use them in any offensive role except maybe close range naval strike escort. They also cant be destroyed by level bombing as far as I know, by strafing maybe...

[Erkki]

April 1st and 2nd


SigInt: In a very rare event the Japanese intelligence corps manages to get some real info available: Pearl Harbor has 124 ships, including 4 CVs that just sailed in today! That means its all 4 USN CVs (Saratoga, Lexington, Hornet and Enterprise) there or 3 USN CVs and 1 British. Their appearance at Pearl means the upcoming Timor invasion will no longer need the support of the full CV fleet, and so Carrier Division 1 with Akagi, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Soryu and Hiryu is ordered to relocate to Truk where CVL Shoho joins them.

Carrier Division 2: sets sail tonight to support Timor Invasion(D-day in 10 days). It will not support the invasion directly, but will instead raid the Cape Town - Perth route and then sweep North the Australian western coast. CarDiv2 is supported by a replenishment TF of 3 oilers and CS Nisshin, as well as a surface action squadron that includes CAs Atago and Chikuma.

East Indies: The end is nearing the defenders of Bandoeng. In the last attack they already suffered twice as many losses as the Japanese despite of the terrain that heavily favors the defender. Once we have them completely cut off with no retreat path we will shock attack and get them all.

South Pacific: Due to my mistakes we lose an Aden class xAK near Tulagi to an American submarine, and an oiler sets sail alone from Rabaul and gets shot up by another submarine that attacks on the surface using both deck gun and torpedoes. That oiler is still afloat and now accompanied by a transport that helps putting out the fires, I give it 20-80% chance to survive... My mistake, when I detached the AO from its task force to dock it and speed up unloading fuel I didnt remember that the home port of the original TF(which was Bedeloab...) is retained and retirement will be ON. Damnit.

[Erkki]

April 3rd


East Indies: The Dutchmen finally fly: Hurricanes and B-339s meet Ki-43s over Soerebaja. We lose 3 Ki-43s and 1 pilot (1 as writeoff), enemy loses at least 6 and more as damaged on the ground by Ki-21s. Izumida P. scores his 8th kill. Bandoeng deliberate attack tomorrow, the Dutch shouldn't retreat quite yet and I'm hoping for a good ratio in troop losses... Timor Invasion ETA 9 days, Carriers enter Indian Ocean tomorrow.

I changed my mind about the feasibility of invading Koepang, Timor, with no air support other than Makassar: enemy still holds Manado and Ambon where they can base dive bombers or 139WHs and have the potential to ruin the day. Tomorrow I'll detach Hosho and Taiyo with a close-cover of a 2-CA surface combat squadron(Atago, Chikuma and 8 DDs)  to directly protect the invasion. But first, they'll go see if they find any enemy in the Timor Sea. Hosho & Taiyo dont exactly make a powerful force but we're not expecting to meet enemy CVs or even massed land based air so they will have to do.

South Pacific: The AO survives to another day but is now sys 54 float 74 but still afire. Disbanded at Kavieng...

Hawaii: An E14Y spotted 7-ship TF with 2 cruisers and 5 DDs merrily sails past 3 submarines to the NE without getting attacked.

[Erkki]

April 4th


East Indies:

Bandoeng deliberate assault achieves 1:1 odds and over 100 Dutch squads are destroyed with 150+ disabled. We will attack and force the Dutch to surrender as soon as we have their retreat route blocked.

Japanese Ki-43s tangle with Brewsters and Hurricanes over Soerebaja. Despite of the 4:1 superiority in numbers and better pilots we lose 3 Ki-43s and 3 pilots, 2 KIA 1 MIA. 22 Ki-21s fail to hit a single plane on the ground.

South Pacific: An xAK carrying elements of a JNAF AF Bn sunk by an American submarine. At Kavieng, the AO hit 3 days ago burns to waterline: yesterday fires were only 8 but today they were 89 and system damage had gone from 40 to 87 and flotation from 74 to 85. Scuttled. Bah.

Hawaii: Another 5-ship tanker+AMC convoy slips past the submarine screen unattacked, although this one only sailed past 2 subs.

Genzan Ku S-1/PO2 Yamazaki I. (Hanzoku): the unit transferred from Tokyo to Pagan, Marianas. One of the rookie pilots of the squad crashes his plane at landing, but is unhurt. 2 planes require maintenance before they can fly again, and as soon as they are ready to go(probably tomorrow) the unit will transfer to Truk.

[Hanzoku]

*cough* Someone failed his flight exams at the landing section, I see. At least he walked away and (hopefully) has a better idea how to land next time!

[Anvilfolk]

These submarines are annoying! Isn't there anything you can do about them?

[timferius]

Ohhhh LANDING gear, I get it now!

[Erkki]

These submarines are annoying! Isn't there anything you can do about them?

Not much. All escorts are already occupied so about 1/3 of transport convoys will have to sail without. However I still rather have the USN and other Allied subs where they are now, near Java and South Pacific, than torpedoing Japanese tankers on the Sumatra-Kyushu route. Maybe they don't yet have a base that can reload torpedoes or one that has fuel close enough.

[Anvilfolk]

Aw man :\ It just seemed like there were a couple of newly fledged task forces with CVE/CVL's that could be put on ASW duty...

[Erkki]

Aw man :\ It just seemed like there were a couple of newly fledged task forces with CVE/CVL's that could be put on ASW duty...

Using carriers to ASW is waste of resources imho... Unless you're the Allies and own the seas already. Using CVs and torpedo/naval bombing trained pilots against submarines(at best they'll get maybe 2 subs or so a year) is pretty much throwing them away. Even if ASW-trained pilots are put on those CVs. It also means having that CV at a risk of getting torpedoed itself.


April 5th

Not much happened... We lost another xAK near Rabaul to whole wolfpack of 3 subs. That one was carrying elements of an aviation support company to Ndeni.

Genzan Ku S-1 transferred to Truk.

CA Atago and CA Chikuma with their DD-minions turn towards Timor, followed by CVL Zuiho and CVEs Hosho and Taiyo. CV Kaga and CVL Ryujo continue towards Perth-Cape Town route.

[Anvilfolk]

Yeah, I figured that would be the case...

But damn, those things are getting on my nerves! I suppose your own subs won't be doing too much until the USA starts crossing the Pacific and retaking islands?

[Erkki]

Yeah, I figured that would be the case...

But damn, those things are getting on my nerves! I suppose your own subs won't be doing too much until the USA starts crossing the Pacific and retaking islands?

Well they did get Royal Sovereign and Yorktown... Lots of boats are camping Hawaii out of Catalina range but that screen is proving to be extremely leaky: they spot allied convoys every other day directly or with search E14Ys but have failed to engage them for over a month.

[Anvilfolk]

Sorry, it seems I keep forgetting important parts of the AAR

I guess it's better to have lost a few xAK and AK than a carrier!

[Erkki]

Sorry, it seems I keep forgetting important parts of the AAR

I guess it's better to have lost a few xAK and AK than a carrier!

Yes and not sighting any allied convoys might also mean theres less of them. Cant sink them if they don't leave the port... Not sure how long the Allies can afford to not moving fuel, supplies and their fleet around.


April 6th


East Indies: CVs advance undetected. Koepang(Timor) invasion D-day minus 6. Surface action units ready in 2 days, CV raiders at station in 3, Perth - Cape Town raiders at station in 4.

CV Kaga and CVL Ryujo go raid near Perth

CVL Zuiho and CVEs Taiyo and Hosho will raid Timor Sea(between Timor and Darwin). Tomorrow they are in strike range from northern coast of Australia, effectively blocking the escape route(Makassar's G4M1s and Zeroes have the northern route blocked).

Invasion fleet now on the coast of Mindanao, Philippines. 80 nm behind it is the Carrier Division 5 with sister carriers CV Shokaku and  CV Zuikaku. Japanese fleet is forming up at and near Makassar under the protection of Zero-CAP and the deterrent of long range torpedo bombers, naval air search and behind a submarine screen.


South Pacific: Submarine problems again. A Dutch sub boldly attacks Port Moresby's port directly and sinks a small, empty xAK. ASW TF of 4 escort PBs fails to engage. Wau falls to the Japanese, whats left of 2 the defending Australian rifle companies after 4 battles retreat towards the Owen Stanleys.

IJN Submarines: The West Coast lurker I-26 sights and attacks a convoy with big troop transports but is chased away by 2 escorting destroyers. Progress!

[Jerick]

Am I still on station at Makassar?