Island Hopping

[paulr]

Great to see you are enjoying some Naval games Jack

Once we finish our Solomons Campaign we should refight these battles as I have most if not all the ships

We should have done them earlier this year to mark the 75th anniversaries

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good fight guv

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Paul, I appreciate it, and your campaign sounds cool.

Lemmey - Thanks, luv

V/R,
Jack

[pierre the shy]

Two fast and furious games you have played so far Jack.....those Japanese Long Lance torpedoes are pretty nasty!

Great battle reports as usual....I don't know how you find the time to get so much gaming done 

Looking forward to your Marine fighter squadron campaign - are you going to start them on a (reasonably) level playing field by allowing them F4F Wildcats or will they be up against Zeroes in F2A Buffaloes - now that would be a challenge 

Good luck to ABDA in their next fight, hope they can rescue the two Dutch cruiser crews successfully.     

[bigjackmac]

Pierre,

Hey buddy, thanks for commenting, and glad you like the naval fights!  I don't know how I get so much gaming in either; certainly the wife has her (legitimate) complaints   Simple and quick is the name of the game for me, and that does help. 

The Marine fighter squadron's nickname is "The Dirt Divers," and yes, they'll be starting off with Wildcats, not Buffaloes, I'd like some of them to survive the war!  And then they'll be transitioning to Corsairs in 1943. 

The third ABDA fight is coming up, probably Monday morning, hope you like it.

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

It's 0245 on 20 February 1942, and several hours ago American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) surface forces were severely beaten after being dispatched to see off a Japanese convoy landing troops on the island of Bali.  While the ABDA force was able to destroy the two Japanese troopships (and they'd already landed their infantry), two Dutch light cruisers were sunk, and the three accompanying destroyers were damaged heavily enough that they were forced to leave the area without picking up the survivors from the HNLMS Java and HNLMS De Ruyter.  The Japanese had four destroyers escorting the two sunken troopships, two of which were heavily damaged, so the Japanese retired towards Bali, into Benoa Bay, in order to conduct repair of their damaged ships before getting back under way and escaping to the open ocean, ideally before sunrise brought more ABDA bombers.

What the Japanese didn't know was that another surface force had been dispatched by ABDA command, and they were nearing the east coast of Bali.  Their initial mission had been to intercept and destroy the Japanese invasion force of Bali, but the first ABDA surface group informed them the enemy troopships had been taken.  Now the ABDA force entered the battle area with one mission: recover the survivors from the sunken Dutch cruisers Java and De Ruyter.


Overview, north is up.  At left (top left, off camera to left, the two abutments at top center, and bottom left) is the island of Bali, with the point at left center being Cape Tafel and the little island just above it being Serangan.  The big island at far right is Besar (which apparently is now called Penida?), the smaller island to its left is Ceningan, and the mid-size island just above it Lembongan.  The Japanese destroyers are in Benoa Bay (far left), repairing their ships, while the ABDA force is at top right, heading southwest into the battle area.


With the US destroyers in the north already pounding the Michishio (top right), the Tromp's 6" guns are unleashed on the Arashio (top center), getting two solid hits, badly damaging the Japanese division leader.  Please check the blog to see how the fight turned out:
http://oldleadbreed.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-battle-of-badung-strait-ii.html

Wow, that went much better than I expected, and I was really quite concerned that I was about to lose three light cruisers in two fights, against nothing but Japanese destroyers.  I swear I don't have anything against the Dutch!

The fights were a lot of fun, and I think I like it a bit more now that I cut down the movement ranges.  Other than that, the rules are working like a champ, giving a fast and furious game that I hope at least somewhat looks and sounds like a WWII naval surface action.

Thus closes out the three naval games I played on International Naval Wargames Day 2017.  I'm not sure what's up next, I've so many projects in mind, but I promise I'll be gaming this coming weekend, and you'll like it!

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good report Jack!

[paulr]

Another great report Jack

I definitely need to get these scenarios sorted so we can play them after our Solomons campaign

[DFlynSqrl]

Really good stuff!

[fsn]

Really enjoyable.   

Look forward to more.

[ronan]

(...) I've so many projects in mind,

You are what you are ! ( and we like it !)

[bigjackmac]

Hey, thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the kind words, motivation to keep going!

Paul - For what it's worth, the reason I always take photos the way I do at the beginning of the batrep (the overall table, the forces) is so that anyone interested can just lift the scenario and use it themselves.

Ronan - I do what I can, but I need some more inspiration (from you on your blog)!

V/R,
Jack

[ronan]

(...) For what it's worth, the reason I always take photos the way I do at the beginning of the batrep (the overall table, the forces) is so that anyone interested can just lift the scenario and use it themselves.

A good idea I've borrowed from you, I'm trying to do the same.. When I don't forget... 

Ronan - I do what I can, but I need some more inspiration (from you on your blog)!

You're very nice !  I don't have much time to play linked games.. ( I had some 2mm Bloody Big Battles).
I didn't even have time to paint the last minis I bought from Pendraken !   
     I'm thinking about something... WW2, France 1940, with a medic .... it's a secret ( I hope it'll be ready in september )

[bigjackmac]

Ronan,

Well buddy, I hope you find some time soon!  I've seen your BBB reports, and they're cool, but I really miss your old Spanish Civil War and French-German/Soviet-German battles with FoF and CoC.

I can't wait to see you secret project!

V/R,
Jack

[SV52]

An education and an inspiration