The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
That was a great set of posts. You put us right there and kept us in it. Thanks for the extra info at the end as well. [&o]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
RE: The little ship that could.
[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o] Thank God Zuiho is still undamaged...but man, it was thrilling and scary!
Losses remain severe but the combined fleet showed those imperialist bastards that she still has nails and fangs to bite back!
Love this AAR!!!!
Losses remain severe but the combined fleet showed those imperialist bastards that she still has nails and fangs to bite back!
Love this AAR!!!!
RE: The little ship that could.
Well done.
Losses look pretty darned good for 1944!
1 CV and 2 CVL in exchange for a pair of CVL? Not great but not horrible either. Nice work.
Why didn't the Japanese get an afternoon strike off? That must have been...disappointing...
Losses look pretty darned good for 1944!
1 CV and 2 CVL in exchange for a pair of CVL? Not great but not horrible either. Nice work.
Why didn't the Japanese get an afternoon strike off? That must have been...disappointing...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: The little ship that could.
Are you at a desk, this fine day?
We joke, chained to the desk, chained to our work.
Most of us, have no idea, really.
Action stations. Continous action stations. Means stay at your station(your desck) for as long as it takes.
And for Zuiho, once again, this means a great many hours.
Hours merging into days now.
You are at your desk.
Your station. Are you thirsty?. Are you hungry? Do you need to take a dump?
Can you sleep?. or is sleep going to be so lethal to everyone on the ship, that to do so is an offence punishable by death?
Zuiho is entering day three now. Tonight she will go to relaxed action............one man at a time can go to do the essentials, one man at a time may sleep, at the station.
But they remain chained to their stations, their desks.
But if your life depends on it, you can endure almost anything.
Some, of course, will not sleep.
All night the hangers ring to the sound of repairs, to re arming.
Tonight the fish are coming up, its Zuihos turn to become the strike, shokaku's magazines are empty, as are several others.
But first the fighters
2 will remain damaged. 13 are good.
Our pilots are the lucky ones, they sleep for 3 hours, most of them.
But as dawn threatens the horizon, it is still a small group of haggard men who gather around Hidaka.
"It appears men, that it takes but a single hit to kill a ship like this. lets not allow that to happen ney?'
There is nothing else needed
The engines roar again.
The eagles rise
The enemy will come today.
The most hated ones. The 4 engined bukas
We joke, chained to the desk, chained to our work.
Most of us, have no idea, really.
Action stations. Continous action stations. Means stay at your station(your desck) for as long as it takes.
And for Zuiho, once again, this means a great many hours.
Hours merging into days now.
You are at your desk.
Your station. Are you thirsty?. Are you hungry? Do you need to take a dump?
Can you sleep?. or is sleep going to be so lethal to everyone on the ship, that to do so is an offence punishable by death?
Zuiho is entering day three now. Tonight she will go to relaxed action............one man at a time can go to do the essentials, one man at a time may sleep, at the station.
But they remain chained to their stations, their desks.
But if your life depends on it, you can endure almost anything.
Some, of course, will not sleep.
All night the hangers ring to the sound of repairs, to re arming.
Tonight the fish are coming up, its Zuihos turn to become the strike, shokaku's magazines are empty, as are several others.
But first the fighters
2 will remain damaged. 13 are good.
Our pilots are the lucky ones, they sleep for 3 hours, most of them.
But as dawn threatens the horizon, it is still a small group of haggard men who gather around Hidaka.
"It appears men, that it takes but a single hit to kill a ship like this. lets not allow that to happen ney?'
There is nothing else needed
The engines roar again.
The eagles rise
The enemy will come today.
The most hated ones. The 4 engined bukas
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
A quick note of thanks for the kind comments, they really are encouraging
Hope the suspense worked.
More story tomorrow, exhausted from work here
Roll on the weekend, and some real time to write
Oh one last one to come tonight
Hope the suspense worked.
More story tomorrow, exhausted from work here
Roll on the weekend, and some real time to write
Oh one last one to come tonight
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Northen Burma
Pilot officer Graham wearily, almost angrily climbs from his mozzie
What a cow of a mission. Heavy rain, a navigation error, lost for an hour, and an engine failure.
Bloody miricle he's got down at all.
But things are getting worse..............its the squadron commander.
"Ah, long pig my friend......."
Pilot officer Graham is a large man. He's warned all and sundry a million times.............the next man who mentions that name............
Its not pretty
postings.
Pilot officer Graham is posted to squadron #$% immediately...
Squadrom #$@$^ is flying the elderly vengence bomber..still
squadron #$@#@, commonly called the 'one way trip unit..........."
Pilot officer Graham wearily, almost angrily climbs from his mozzie
What a cow of a mission. Heavy rain, a navigation error, lost for an hour, and an engine failure.
Bloody miricle he's got down at all.
But things are getting worse..............its the squadron commander.
"Ah, long pig my friend......."
Pilot officer Graham is a large man. He's warned all and sundry a million times.............the next man who mentions that name............
Its not pretty
postings.
Pilot officer Graham is posted to squadron #$% immediately...
Squadrom #$@$^ is flying the elderly vengence bomber..still
squadron #$@#@, commonly called the 'one way trip unit..........."
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Oh no!
Poor Graham, I knew him ...
Reading and enjoying.
Borys
Poor Graham, I knew him ...
Reading and enjoying.
Borys
-
british exil
- Posts: 1686
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 6:26 pm
- Location: Lower Saxony Germany
RE: The little ship that could.
Will that be the end of Long Pig Graham??
Mat
Mat
"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
RE: The little ship that could.
Will Graham come to a ... GULP ... succulent end?
I am oinksiosly awaiting news of his fate ...
Borys
I am oinksiosly awaiting news of his fate ...
Borys
RE: The little ship that could.
2/2/44
Takeji guides Zuiho into her new position in the now smaller Mobile fleet
How many of his men , he wonders, have made the connection he has.........Yesterday there were 4 CVL in their task force, sisters all. Now they are one.
And how horribly vulnerable CVLs appear to be.
The fleet crawls north towards Ambon, Japans age old problem-fuel, bites at her heels again. Right now, the destroyers are lining up to suck from the battle wagons, battle wagons periously low on fuel themselves.
If the enemy keep coming, there is going to be little fuel available to use trying to avoid them.
Exhaustion sucks him dry. he needs to rest, must rest. Cannot.
The enemy are still attacking
'Hiyo reports liberators approaching from the south sir!"
'Numbers?!"
3 only sir
Three. A CAP of 60 fighters, including Hidaka and his men. Surely enough?
He is almost right. Two of the beasts will go down, a third however comes right on, and CV Amagi is narrowly missed.
Three against 60
What does it take to kill these buka's?
Takeji guides Zuiho into her new position in the now smaller Mobile fleet
How many of his men , he wonders, have made the connection he has.........Yesterday there were 4 CVL in their task force, sisters all. Now they are one.
And how horribly vulnerable CVLs appear to be.
The fleet crawls north towards Ambon, Japans age old problem-fuel, bites at her heels again. Right now, the destroyers are lining up to suck from the battle wagons, battle wagons periously low on fuel themselves.
If the enemy keep coming, there is going to be little fuel available to use trying to avoid them.
Exhaustion sucks him dry. he needs to rest, must rest. Cannot.
The enemy are still attacking
'Hiyo reports liberators approaching from the south sir!"
'Numbers?!"
3 only sir
Three. A CAP of 60 fighters, including Hidaka and his men. Surely enough?
He is almost right. Two of the beasts will go down, a third however comes right on, and CV Amagi is narrowly missed.
Three against 60
What does it take to kill these buka's?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
What does it take to kill these Bukas!!!
Hidaka's guns hiss empty.
Three passes, three bursts of cannon fire, of machine guns, three passes of smashing, sparkling hits along the beast.and it still keeps flying!
Damnation!
He has, at least, been able to get in........the fire from these bombers has been murderous.
There is something distinctly disconcerting to be fired upon at ranges you cannot fire back at.
Something almost akin to panic, knowing you can hit him, and he won't be hurt, yet a single hit on you can be devastating......
The fleets CAP has flung itself at this attack with almost suicidal desperation, a taril of zeros falling away, burning, spinning, smoking, marking the passage of the battle.
They have chased this second raid right into the heart of the fleet, braving the flak, the enemy guns.
And still the bukas bomb.................
Damnation to hell!!
Hidaka peels away, seeking home, seeking more fuel, more ammunition
Damnation to hell!!
Hidaka's guns hiss empty.
Three passes, three bursts of cannon fire, of machine guns, three passes of smashing, sparkling hits along the beast.and it still keeps flying!
Damnation!
He has, at least, been able to get in........the fire from these bombers has been murderous.
There is something distinctly disconcerting to be fired upon at ranges you cannot fire back at.
Something almost akin to panic, knowing you can hit him, and he won't be hurt, yet a single hit on you can be devastating......
The fleets CAP has flung itself at this attack with almost suicidal desperation, a taril of zeros falling away, burning, spinning, smoking, marking the passage of the battle.
They have chased this second raid right into the heart of the fleet, braving the flak, the enemy guns.
And still the bukas bomb.................
Damnation to hell!!
Hidaka peels away, seeking home, seeking more fuel, more ammunition
Damnation to hell!!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Zuikaku launches a strike
CVL Independence has been sighted in the Arafura sea, dead in the water
Other than her, and her escorts, the sea is empty
Incredibly, it seems, the enemy retire..........
Thee strike is good, two torpedoes finish the job. and two destroyers escorting her join her on the bottom
CL Concord also takes two hits
But the bukas keep coming, the great Liberators barrelling over the fleet at 8000 feet, the CAP swarming around them
No ships are hurt, but the CAP is sorely pressed indeed.
Zuiho ends today with but 7 servicable fighters, five are heavily damaged.
Her pilots stagger to the ready room, utterly spent.
They are not alone. Admiral Abe considers the battle complete. The enemy have been turned back for now.
He orders the fleet north, seeking fuel, ammunition, and sleep.
Of the three, sleep is the priority.
CVL Independence has been sighted in the Arafura sea, dead in the water
Other than her, and her escorts, the sea is empty
Incredibly, it seems, the enemy retire..........
Thee strike is good, two torpedoes finish the job. and two destroyers escorting her join her on the bottom
CL Concord also takes two hits
But the bukas keep coming, the great Liberators barrelling over the fleet at 8000 feet, the CAP swarming around them
No ships are hurt, but the CAP is sorely pressed indeed.
Zuiho ends today with but 7 servicable fighters, five are heavily damaged.
Her pilots stagger to the ready room, utterly spent.
They are not alone. Admiral Abe considers the battle complete. The enemy have been turned back for now.
He orders the fleet north, seeking fuel, ammunition, and sleep.
Of the three, sleep is the priority.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
A CV and two CVL for two CVL. Not good but not horrible either. Will the 3rd CVL make it? Hmmm...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: The little ship that could.
3/2/44
Two heavy cruisers bombard Hollandia, and damage 80 allied planes
The fleet spends a quiet day action wise, crawling slowly north towards Ambon.
She gains a few aircraft repaired, her fighter pilots gain even more fatigue flying CAP.
Shoho (17 system, 49 flood) and Mizuho(29 system) are dispatched in a seperate force. If the SS do not get them, they should live
Tajeji watches bowless Shoho fade into the evening...........he personally thinks she has a good chance. Travelling backwards surely might confuse any Buka taking aim at her.
At dusk, Zuiho returns to state 2. Her fighter pilots fall out, her Jills take on the ASW patrol mantle in the morning. The battle, it appears, is over. Large numbers of ships have been sighted travelling East through the Horn island gap..
Kaga, 3 CVL have arrived palua.
Combined fleet will be re invigorated there.
The enemy have been checked, time has been bought.
But even a blind man could see this, Victory, a chance of a real victory, has slipped away.
Very well then.
Lets bleed him until Victory for him becomes too expensive to win.
Yes. Japan can do that.
Make them bleed.
Two heavy cruisers bombard Hollandia, and damage 80 allied planes
The fleet spends a quiet day action wise, crawling slowly north towards Ambon.
She gains a few aircraft repaired, her fighter pilots gain even more fatigue flying CAP.
Shoho (17 system, 49 flood) and Mizuho(29 system) are dispatched in a seperate force. If the SS do not get them, they should live
Tajeji watches bowless Shoho fade into the evening...........he personally thinks she has a good chance. Travelling backwards surely might confuse any Buka taking aim at her.
At dusk, Zuiho returns to state 2. Her fighter pilots fall out, her Jills take on the ASW patrol mantle in the morning. The battle, it appears, is over. Large numbers of ships have been sighted travelling East through the Horn island gap..
Kaga, 3 CVL have arrived palua.
Combined fleet will be re invigorated there.
The enemy have been checked, time has been bought.
But even a blind man could see this, Victory, a chance of a real victory, has slipped away.
Very well then.
Lets bleed him until Victory for him becomes too expensive to win.
Yes. Japan can do that.
Make them bleed.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Early '44 and you get an even trade? BRAVO!!! Until A7M arrive, you are fighting any carrier battle at a real handicap. Congrats!!!
Pax
RE: The little ship that could.
4/2/44
3 am
Focastle
Zuiho
Refuelling
The tanker rides low and fat in the water, its crude blunt bow shovelling the black sea away.
Zuiho rides 50, maybe 60 measly feet away, connected by the fat snaking fuelling hose.
Black seas, black night. rain, heavy, heavy rain, whipped into the faces of the men huddled about the fuelling point, on Zuiho's bridge wing, on the tankers oil deck.
60 feet....or 600........in this inky darkness it could almost be anything.
Takeji stands, statue like, on his bridge wing, the water pouring of him.
A steady stream of orders, of steering and revolution changes flow from him.........and his voice holds more than an edge of anger.
It is not going well.........the Tanker is not, damnation to hell, not holding a steady course. And this bloody wind, whipping in on his forward quarter, keeps pushing his bow into her bloody path......
"Port 5 degrees helmsman!", down 2 revolutions!..........
damnation to hell.this is not going well.
In the Port engine room, it is not going well...........
The steady stream of revolution changes , those tiny, inconsequential changes........
'he's chasing his bloody tail" thinks the charge.
The bells ring again
Up two..........
He reaches across to the ahead throttle, and grabs it hard.
The throttle watch keeper looks startled..........
"Just wait a moment.........I see the problem"
Charge bends to his voice pipe......... "Starboard engine, Charge..........if you do not match my revolutions exactly in the next 30 seconds, you will be able to pass pineapples by the time I am finished with you............"
It is not going well down stairs
On the fuelling point, it is not going very well, very well at all.
Hindered by the darkness, deafened by the whipping wind, the pounding rain, the hissing sea, and drowned to boot, communications are breaking down.
Minobe stands behind the fuelling party, trying to shelter the fuelling board -the small board marked with the tank capacities and the valve/pipe layouts.
The rain runs across it, , and what ever marks he tries to make on it are blurring away, running away.........as his temper
The chippee is cursing...mixed in the rain, a small, but potent jet of the black oil is pissing from the coupling.
A steady stream of curses issues from him as he hammers at the spanner, the clanging swallowed by the canalopy of noise about them.
It is not going well.
"Say again 99?"
Lurch places both hands to his head phones.."say again99?
"Thirteen feet 4 inches in 99 sir!'
'Minobe looks up sharply........'ARE YOU SURE!?"
Fear flashes across Lurches face '"repeat level 99 please"
Minobe glowers
"Repeat please!"
With a growl, Minobe advances on Lurch.
The blow he aims should have taken his head of........but for the slick deck of water, of oil.
With a smack, he slams arse first onto the deck.
The men stand still
In a rage, he stands, oil stained.......
'"Give me those TRUKING Head phones!"
It is not going well on Zuiho tonight.
3 am
Focastle
Zuiho
Refuelling
The tanker rides low and fat in the water, its crude blunt bow shovelling the black sea away.
Zuiho rides 50, maybe 60 measly feet away, connected by the fat snaking fuelling hose.
Black seas, black night. rain, heavy, heavy rain, whipped into the faces of the men huddled about the fuelling point, on Zuiho's bridge wing, on the tankers oil deck.
60 feet....or 600........in this inky darkness it could almost be anything.
Takeji stands, statue like, on his bridge wing, the water pouring of him.
A steady stream of orders, of steering and revolution changes flow from him.........and his voice holds more than an edge of anger.
It is not going well.........the Tanker is not, damnation to hell, not holding a steady course. And this bloody wind, whipping in on his forward quarter, keeps pushing his bow into her bloody path......
"Port 5 degrees helmsman!", down 2 revolutions!..........
damnation to hell.this is not going well.
In the Port engine room, it is not going well...........
The steady stream of revolution changes , those tiny, inconsequential changes........
'he's chasing his bloody tail" thinks the charge.
The bells ring again
Up two..........
He reaches across to the ahead throttle, and grabs it hard.
The throttle watch keeper looks startled..........
"Just wait a moment.........I see the problem"
Charge bends to his voice pipe......... "Starboard engine, Charge..........if you do not match my revolutions exactly in the next 30 seconds, you will be able to pass pineapples by the time I am finished with you............"
It is not going well down stairs
On the fuelling point, it is not going very well, very well at all.
Hindered by the darkness, deafened by the whipping wind, the pounding rain, the hissing sea, and drowned to boot, communications are breaking down.
Minobe stands behind the fuelling party, trying to shelter the fuelling board -the small board marked with the tank capacities and the valve/pipe layouts.
The rain runs across it, , and what ever marks he tries to make on it are blurring away, running away.........as his temper
The chippee is cursing...mixed in the rain, a small, but potent jet of the black oil is pissing from the coupling.
A steady stream of curses issues from him as he hammers at the spanner, the clanging swallowed by the canalopy of noise about them.
It is not going well.
"Say again 99?"
Lurch places both hands to his head phones.."say again99?
"Thirteen feet 4 inches in 99 sir!'
'Minobe looks up sharply........'ARE YOU SURE!?"
Fear flashes across Lurches face '"repeat level 99 please"
Minobe glowers
"Repeat please!"
With a growl, Minobe advances on Lurch.
The blow he aims should have taken his head of........but for the slick deck of water, of oil.
With a smack, he slams arse first onto the deck.
The men stand still
In a rage, he stands, oil stained.......
'"Give me those TRUKING Head phones!"
It is not going well on Zuiho tonight.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Japanese forces re position.
The fuel position for the fleet begins to ease with the arrival of the tankers.
But for the empire, fuel and oil shortages are beginning to bite again.
Three japanes carriers are completing in the docks, all available within 70 days. After that, japn must make some very hard choices.
But one is obvious.
Tankers.
Build more tankers!
(remain so impressed how as japan I am consistantly facing the problems that japan faced IRL..the modelling in scene one (for this game at least) holds true.
To the developers:this is a masterpiece of a game)
The fuel position for the fleet begins to ease with the arrival of the tankers.
But for the empire, fuel and oil shortages are beginning to bite again.
Three japanes carriers are completing in the docks, all available within 70 days. After that, japn must make some very hard choices.
But one is obvious.
Tankers.
Build more tankers!
(remain so impressed how as japan I am consistantly facing the problems that japan faced IRL..the modelling in scene one (for this game at least) holds true.
To the developers:this is a masterpiece of a game)
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
-
Gridley380
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:24 pm
RE: The little ship that could.
Great battle report!
-
british exil
- Posts: 1686
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 6:26 pm
- Location: Lower Saxony Germany
RE: The little ship that could.
Can the Japanese navy hang on long enough till the tankers are built? Will they still hold the DEI to fill up the newly built tankers? Will the tankers have any "customers" that need filling?
So many questions. What will the great leader say and how will he react?
MAt
So many questions. What will the great leader say and how will he react?
MAt
"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
RE: The little ship that could.
5/2/44
Tanks full, Combined fleet increases speed and makes for palua
The four Kongo's peel away, they will remain at Kendari
This battle is finished, but the brutal war continues
For the second time in this war, Zuiho has refuelled from a tanker, and heard of her killing mere hours later
The Bukas remain on the prowl.
Another brutal war also continues. Keeping Zuiho going. And today it begins a particularily dangerous phase.
Big things begin often with very small events.
Hirate, triumphant from fixing the aft diesel, finds the Charge buried under paperwark in damage control central. The little office is a humid stinking hell, his desk a disaster area.
Planned maintenace routines books lie piled up, one atop the other. The refit log, the defect log, the urdef log.
Quick eyes of Hirate's however pick out the only one that matters..........the refit log..........and a new date seems to have been penned into it..............
So the rumours may be true!
But Charge sweeps it away, dragging out a Planned maintenance card.
"Overspeeds Petty officer........1 A boiler blowers........we have a window of a few hours........"
Overspeeds.
Simple really, open the throttle wide on the blower, then the overload nozzle, check she holds at max revs, then hit the overspeed trip...........note the speed she actually does trip at.
Easy.
30 minutes later, in consternation, Hirate approaches Damage central again
"Done PO?"
"She did'nt trip Chief"
A long silence
'Truk"
The books are closed. Charge heads to the boiler room. What wonder has the little lady got for him now?
Tanks full, Combined fleet increases speed and makes for palua
The four Kongo's peel away, they will remain at Kendari
This battle is finished, but the brutal war continues
For the second time in this war, Zuiho has refuelled from a tanker, and heard of her killing mere hours later
The Bukas remain on the prowl.
Another brutal war also continues. Keeping Zuiho going. And today it begins a particularily dangerous phase.
Big things begin often with very small events.
Hirate, triumphant from fixing the aft diesel, finds the Charge buried under paperwark in damage control central. The little office is a humid stinking hell, his desk a disaster area.
Planned maintenace routines books lie piled up, one atop the other. The refit log, the defect log, the urdef log.
Quick eyes of Hirate's however pick out the only one that matters..........the refit log..........and a new date seems to have been penned into it..............
So the rumours may be true!
But Charge sweeps it away, dragging out a Planned maintenance card.
"Overspeeds Petty officer........1 A boiler blowers........we have a window of a few hours........"
Overspeeds.
Simple really, open the throttle wide on the blower, then the overload nozzle, check she holds at max revs, then hit the overspeed trip...........note the speed she actually does trip at.
Easy.
30 minutes later, in consternation, Hirate approaches Damage central again
"Done PO?"
"She did'nt trip Chief"
A long silence
'Truk"
The books are closed. Charge heads to the boiler room. What wonder has the little lady got for him now?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt