Turn 1 Battle Report - Sector 12

Winter 1941 Operational Sector 12

Engagement Report

Kaigun Daisa Fujita

Battleship Kirishima, Operations Staff

Assembled by order of the Emperor, our glorious battle fleet advanced into the border with our weak and decadent British neighbors.  Our large fleet was assembled across the breadth of the area while the smaller Royal Navy fleet deployed into four formations.  With only the main island and just a single squall for weather, we felt confident going in to battle.  There was less than an hour until darkness, where our advantages would increase.

     Except for the two Aircraft Carriers, our force charged to engage the enemy at maximum speed, with some of the heavier units, including our own Kirishima, taking the Northern side of the island with the rest on the South.  The British ships moved forward with a cautiousness that illustrates their lack of Samurai spirit.  With a great cheer, the squadrons from our carriers, supported by some land based formations dive down on the enemy.  The reports on the radio, however, are unfavorable.  Both squadrons of D3A Dive Bombers, the squadron of D1A2 Dive Bombers, and the squadron of B4Y Torpedo Bombers were all knocked down by enemy flak.  Their sacrifice allowed the 2 squadrons of B5N2 Torpedo Bombers to make runs at the HMS Roberts but inexplicably, and despite their advanced training techniques, all of the torpedoes missed the monitor.  As it should be, it falls to the surface units to destroy the enemy, in true Samurai fashion.

     The British formations advance slowly again, keeping the squall formation between them and our heavier units.  Our units advance.  Only defensive air formations are launched as our Airwing commander ponders his options.

     The British continue to use the squall to cover their northern flank but our heavy units advance regardless.  Our lighter units to the South spread out in a flanking maneuver around the island.  Our Airwing commander finally launches again, even committing some fighters to strafe.  A strafing squadron of A6M2 Fighters is downed by flak, but the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth is hit by a torpedo from a B5N2 squadron and the HMS Gurkha is crippled by accurate gunnery from another squadron of A6M2 Fighters.

     With no where else to run, the British are forced to stand and fight as our light units complete their swing around the island and our heavy units advance to be the anvil to their hammer.  The submarine I-19 was supporting our Southern formation and a trio of British destroyers rushed to engage it, despite the proximity of our numerous flanking attack.  Sensing the key moment in the battle, our Airwing commander again sends forth his attack squadrons.  A squadron of A5M fighters cripples the other HMS Gurkha with a strafing attack while the B5N2 squadrons cripple the HMS Queen Elizabeth with torpedoes.  There is a mighty noise as guns and torpedoes fly between the two fleets.  The HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Roberts, both HMS Gurkha's, HMS Naiad, and HMS Mohawk are left burning, sinking wrecks by the exchange.  The I-19, now covered by the squall, effectively uses its cover to avoid the ASW attacks by the destroyers, essentially nullifying their sacrifice.  One of the Maya cruisers and the destroyer Nowake are sunk by enemy guns, and the destroyer, Asakaze, is left crippled. The I-19 rises from below the squall and sinks the HMS Hermione.

     The remaining British Destroyers hide within the squall while their carrier retreats to the corner.  Our forces press closer.  The Airwing commander leaves most of his squadrons on deck, but sends out a few formations.  Of these, a squadron of A5M fighters is downed by enemy fighters and the British Sunderlands are able to land a crippling blow on the I-19.  One of the British destroyers in the carrier's formation lays a protective smoke screen.  The ships exchange fire and the crippled destroyer, Azakaze, is sunk while our forces sink the HMS Kelvin.  The HMS Mohawk simply explodes, having been hit in a vital region by the cruiser, Atago.  We get no hits, unfortunately, on the British carrier, which proceeds to escape with its escorts.

     This was a glorious victory for the Imperial Japanese Navy.   While our air formations took heavy losses, we sunk 2 enemy battleships, 2 cruisers, and 5 destroyers at the cost of only 1 cruiser and 2 destroyers.

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Japanese Forces

Kirishima (Kongo class Battleship)

Shokaku (Shokaku class Carrier)

 - A6M2 'Zeke'

 - D3A 'Val'

 - D1A2 Type 96 'Susie'

Hiryu (Hiryu class Carrier)

 - A6M2 'Zeke'

 - B5N2 'Kate'

 - B4Y 'Jean'

Aoba (Aoba class Cruiser)
Oi (Kuma class Cruiser)

Atago (Takao class Cruiser)

Maya (x2) (Takao class Cruiser)

Akitsuki (Akitsuki class Destroyer)

Asakaze (x2) (Kamikaze class Destroyer)

Nowake (Kagero class Destroyer)

Yamakaze (Shiratsuyu class Destroyer)

I-19

Ki-43 'Oscar' (1 sector distant)

Ki-45 'Nick' (1 sector distant)

B5N2 'Kate' (1 sector distant)

D3A 'Val' (1 sector distant)

A5M 'Claude' (1 sector distant)

A6M2 'Zeke' (1 sector distant)

British Forces

HMS Queen Elizabeth

HMS Roberts

HMS Illustrious

 - Martlet Mk.II

 - Sea Hurricane Mk.IB

HMS Naiad

HMS Hermione

HMS Carlisle

HMS Gurkha (x2)

HMS Kelvin

HMS Mohawk (x2)

HMS Tynedale

Martlet Mk. II (2 sectors distant)

Blenheim Mk.IV (2 sectors distant)

Blackburn Skua (2 sectors distant)

Sunderland Mk.I (4 rearm markers at start)

Japanese Losses

Maya

Asakaze

Nowake

D3A 'Val' (x2)

D1A2 Type 96 'Susie'

B4Y 'Jean'

A6M2 'Zeke'

A5M 'Claude' 

I-19 - crippled

British Losses

HMS Queen Elizabeth

HMS Roberts

HMS Naiad

HMS Hermione

HMS Gurkha (x2)

HMS Kelvin

HMS Mohawk (x2)