The little ship that could.

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

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1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

October 3 1945

Manilla is given up, with out a fight.


CV Unryu returns to duty

"so" observes Hirate, "the Warrant officer is a drunk. The engineer some kid straight from university."
"The Commanding officer has a reputation though..........something about being a destroyer captain, the Shigure, I think"
Hirate Grins. "Come on Okano, you are better than that, Destroyer Captains never know what gets them through the water"
"I would not be so sure of that Chief"
The two men leap to their feet, as 5 feet nothing of sheer personality enters the cabin, his presence seemingly filling the room to bursting point.
Captain Taimeichi Hara..."The unsinkable man" removes his hat.."At ease Chief Petty officers"

It is, of course, impossible for that, but the men try
"Hirate, Okano, I have heard about you........."
The men exchange glances."Relax, nothing too bad..................in a Navy shrinking like ours one does hear things you know.....
The Captains smile, so easy, so free, suddenly vanishes
"Men, whether we want it or not, this is my command, and now very much OUR problem.........'They call us strike boat squadron one.I call it a bloody fiasco. Men. Men.........I need your help."
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
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Smoky Stoker
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Smoky Stoker »

HOLY $#!+!

Historical character, and even the virtual Hara has the luck to survive! [:)]
"Leveling large cities has a tendency to alienate the affections of the inhabitants and does not create an atmosphere of international good will after the war." -Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery
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BBfanboy
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by BBfanboy »

ORIGINAL: Smoky Stoker

HOLY $#!+!

Historical character, and even the virtual Hara has the luck to survive! [:)]

Survived or revived! Several Japanese commanders can die and then reappear in the officer pool for a new assignment. I know Raizio Tanaka died at least twice in my game and is back on duty again! I think Tameichi Hara is another who is reincarnated when he dies.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

bump
no turns, none likely for days yet................
seriously suffering turn withdrawals
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

A turn

October 5th

Musashi..........53 days until return to service
Kaga, 63

Ogowa and Diogowa walk around the aircraft, admiring the new paint, the sheer look of a new , damn it to hell, a new aircraft.
"N1K5- J model my friend, a little faster, a little heavier, a little stronger, they promise me that the undercart won't collapse on this babay........."
Diogowa snorts......."I am not convinced, I likd my old crate, now you have given them all away, for just three of these new ones"
He looks accusingly at Ogowa......"I reckon you have been had , 3 for 36."
Ogowa rests a gentle hand on his friends shoulder, then climbs up the wing, clambers into the cockpit. Diogowa follows, leans over the cockpit. It looks as familiar as the old crate at least...
Ogowa fiddles with the flap lever, swings the rudder, circles the stick......."I will let you in on a secret"
"A secret?, I like secrets"

"This is just a step to something better.......we are slated, you and I, to fly something special. Next month, with luck, a twin engined reverse canard beauty. They call it the Shinden." He looks up at Diogowa, and briefly, briefly 4 years of war rolls away from his face, and that youthful enthusiasm that has so long since vanished glows again " Its going to like flying with the Angels"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

"MTB 846". Okano consults the list...........Midshipman Tan in command"
"Another schoolboy then?"
"For sure"
Hirate sighs........"OK, lets see what disasters await here"

The two men descend the rickity gangway. MTB 846 rocks beneath them. The boat looks, well bedraggled.
"Your leading stoker please"
The Quartermaster's eyes widen........"OH, that would be myself Chief Petty Officer"
"And you keep deck watches?..how many?"
The Leading seaman glances around........"Too many Chief"

Hirate does not answer.
For a few minutes he wanders the upper deck, inspects the tiny cockpit that acts as a bridge.
"Show me your Engines Leader"

846 proves to be typical, if not a little worse than some of the other boats
The bilges are full, the engine filthy
The start reveals the port engine missing on a cylinder, the stbd does not start at all
The stern tube is leaking, badly
'Oil tests?"- a look of bewilderment
"Running log?"- another
"last injector pull?"--------"I have never done one CPO"

Hirate knows the answer to the next question
"How much training have you had Leader?"
"None CPO, I have been drafted directly from Fleet reserve, I, I was a cook 2 weeks ago..........."

The Two CPos leave 846, there are many boats to inspect, but the picture is already clear after just 5 visits
Maintenance is a joke on these "special attack craft"


Later that evening, in the mouldy mess on the AKE, the two men discuss the problems, and how, maybe they can tackle them

It will be difficult, but it could be done...


It is not until late that night, as Sleep avoids Okano that the thought occurs to him
If they were successful, then inadvertantly they would condemn men like that cook to death, death in suicide runs against a fleet in wooden craft at 16 knots, if they were lucky.............


Maybe that was the problem. Not a lack of maintenance, or training, or parts.
What possible motivation could these crews really have?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

October 6th

Another 16000 tons of palembang oil arrives Japan

Not much, in the grand scheme of things, But Japan has all but closed all of its factories. Only a few selected fighters are being made.
Nearly every last hope is being pinned on the George, the Frank, and soon, the Shinden.........

Ogowa's eagles recieve 2 new fighters, making it 5


Hirate and Okano finish their survey of their small charges
Now, how, in the best japanese manner, do they tell Taimeichi Hara, that they are a mess?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

i have not heard from cantona for a week, and have had 3 turns this month
I think we are about to fizzle out

I am about to declare a game end

Buggar
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Mike McCreery
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Mike McCreery »

It has been quite the enjoyable read.

Maybe our friends can return in a groundhog day repeat? ;]
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by pws1225 »

If the game does end here, I think you can declare yourself as the victor. It appears you could easily last until '46 which is my benchmark of success for a JFB.


And I declare that the other winners of your game have been your readers of this AAR. You have given us suspense, surprise, and humor for quite a while now. Thank you Sir. It has been one hell of a ride! [&o]
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Smoky Stoker
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Smoky Stoker »

I am certainly a winner! I learned more about steam plants in this AAR than I did in two successive sea tours in 1969-71.
"Leveling large cities has a tendency to alienate the affections of the inhabitants and does not create an atmosphere of international good will after the war." -Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery
Long pig
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Long pig »

Herbisan it has been a hell of a good ride, thankyou my friend.
F4F
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by F4F »

I would love the details on cantona's sub operations. Absolutely lethal.

1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

and then, I get a reply..........

been away, going away again. (for a week or more)

So, what I intend to do is now suspend this AAR, and play the turns as they dribble in, then I can write to the finish and keep a story line flowing up to the finish.
Thankyou for kind comments. I really want to tie up a few story ideas, but need a good bank of turns first.

It has been a good ride

II will be advertising very shortly for a new game I think!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
pws1225
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by pws1225 »

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british exil
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by british exil »

Herbisan I thank you for letting join your tour.
I am not a WitP or a WitP AE player, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Very hard to think that it is "only" a game.

Glad that you are going to try to end the story, I feel you are doing this more for the forum than for yourself, I may be wrong here.


Looking very much forward to the next episodes of our heroes and friends.

Thanks gain for all the time and effort you have put into this.


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

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AllenK
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by AllenK »

Very sorry to see this AAR dribbling to a close. It has been such a great read. I'm pretty sure if instead of writing an AAR you had collated all the posts together it would have made a book equal to some of the other great naval fiction writers. Could you yet do this to bring some closure to the terrific plots you have created?

Good luck in finding a new opponent and look forward to a new story.
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

Hi everyone
talk about frustrating
After a very long break of turns, they are flowing again

So, lets take a punt, and carry on............
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

October 7
It is well before dawn when Mioko rises. The air is cold, from the feel of it, the first snows cannot be far away.
The house is silent, in the room beside hers, the baby sleeps, as does Miori.
The first snows.............
It will make the fishing even harder, she thinks, as she dons her weather proofs. But, strangly enough, she welcomes the colder weather, the soon to follow winter gales and storms.
Thanks to Ogowa, Diogowa, and their conversations, she knows that the chances of an enemy invasion slips away now with every day.

The war must end soon, but maybe Japan will be spared destruction after all...........

Father greets here silently in the kitchen, they share tea.
"She's back" he murmers
Mioko's stomach falls.
"Yamato?"
"Yes, last night...........I spoke to some sailors, Musashi is in dock, apparently a real mess............"

But who really cares, ney?. The fish must be caught. They must eat.

And we must pray that she is gone before the bombers find her..........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

Singapore

An army lies trapped in singapore. Across the straights another waits.

Both are hurt, both lick many wounds.

The British one, bled almost white, needs to cross those straights, needs to finish the job.
But dares not the attack.
So it sits, feeding and recovering, waiting for starvation and bombing to weaken the dragon i its lair.


Complacency has set in..............



There are just 5 of them, rusting, decrepit. Tramp steamers.
Value less, almost
But they have now, again, delivered from palembang 20000 tons of supplies


And got away, undetected

The British wait for Japanese troops to starve
But every one , every last one, tonight will eat their fill.








[:D]

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
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