4 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

Free French-Costly Sortie

VAdm Godfroy was not a happy camper as he steamed North into the Makassar Strait. When Force X had been sent East, he had visions of Tahiti and its beaches. Instead, he was based in Darwin an unnatural selection to his thinking. But no matter, Aussies were to be preferred as Singapore and the God Damms had been the alternative. It was 2000 hours. Godfroy considered himself too old for the night life.

 

Force X was in a column with Cruiser Division 2 leading except for the destroyer division in line abreast, 3,000 yards ahead as a sub screen. Someone needed to explain to those Sons of Nippon that subs were meant to hunt commerce and not involve themselves with the real navy. Godfroy flew his flag in Suffren and missed the comforts of Lorraine (she was still in the Med.). Duquesne, Tourville and Duguay-Trouin followed. The Aussie light cruisers Perth and Hobart under Commodore Collins came next. Collins had wanted to lead, something about the radar on Perth. Godfroy was too old and too French to put up with that. Admiral Hart had offered him a division of American destroyers with their 4” popguns. He was just fine with his L’Adroits and did not want his Flag Lt. burdened with another set of foreign signals.

 

The wind was a Force 5 from the North at 20 knots. Smoke would not last long in this. The weather seemed strangely neutral. The sky was mostly clear with about 40% coverage. The moon was full, it was a not so dark night. No fog, not with that wind but there were squalls, he could see two ahead. There was a slight break between them, but otherwise they were large enough to extend beyond his vision to the east and to the west.

 

Godfroy ordered his Flag to make turns for 25 knots as he ruefully looked at the cup of coffee being offered to him. He was drawing almost everything from the Americans as far as fuel and food went. Mon Deu he missed Lorraine where his steward would made him an espresso.

 

RAdm Takagi’s convoy escort was steaming at 11 knots on a heading of 135 degrees. DesFlot 4 (RAdm Nishimura) lead the way. Naka (flag) was in the lead by 3,000 yards and centered on his three destroyer divisions, arrayed from west to east; 2^nd (Murasame, Harusame, Samidare & Yudachi), 9^th (Asagumo, Minegumo, Natsugumo & Yamagumo) and the 24^th (Umikaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze & Yamakaze).

The 5th Cruiser Squadron (Myoko flag & Nachi) followed 3,000 yards behind and centered. The 16^th Cruiser Squadron (RAdm Hara) Nagara with the AV Chitose followed. 8 APs in two columns of 4 trailed after.

 

The Japanese had a very sharp-eyed group of lookouts (they rolled 2, 3, 4 and 6 respectively) despite Godfroy’s belief that they were collectively very near sighted. The French on the other hand had leading seaman Hare. Hare while dreaming of Jethro Tull had lost his spectacles and was quite blind (he rolled a 12).

 

The two forces at 2000 hours had been 20,000 yards (40 inches at 1:18,000) apart although neither knew this. The closing speed was 36 knots (or 12 inches a turn). But Naka, DesDivs 2 and 9 picked up on the French destroyers right away. Nishimura relayed the acquisition to Takagi and received the order to engage.

 

2003 hours, DesFlo 4 accelerated to 16 knots and then 35 knots (Naka at 21 knots would fall in astern DesDiv 24) and turned 90 degrees to a heading of 225 degrees. By now DesDiv 24 had also acquired the French destroyers and the rest could now make out the French cruisers.

 

2009 hours, The Japanese were now passing the French to port and fired every TT that would bear. But they got within 8,000 yards of Suffren and she acquired them. At the same time, now that the Japanese had unmasked themselves, Perth picked them up on radar and also visually acquired them.

 

Naka missed Fortune. But Yamakaze hit Forbin twice sinking her. Suzukaze hit Basque twice sinking her. Kawakaze hit Suffren twice causing 6 hull and a fire, sinking her. Umikaze hit Duquesne twice sinking her. Yamagumo missed Tourville. Natsugumo hit Duguay-Trouin once for 4 hull and an engine hit. Minegumo hit Perth once for 3 hull and her forward turrets. Asagumo hit Hobart twice for 3 hull, setting her afire and knocking out her FC. Yudachi hit Tourville twice for 6 hull and a fire sinking her. Samidare hit Duguay-Trouin once for 6 more hull sinking her. Harusame hit Perth thrice for 11 hull sinking her. Murasame hit Hobart once 3 more hull and a fire sinking her.

 

Fortune made smoke and ran for Darwin. Ambon fell.

 

WMC

 

[simanton]

You are on a roll, Bill!  Once again a masterpiece!

[W. Clark]

I don't have to tell you (but I will, LOL) that it's all about who sees who first in a night fight. That is why I prefer the Allies (with SW radar & star shell) to the Axis better night vision (unless it's the RM). In the end it gets down to who rolls better for acquisition.

 

WMC

[healey36]

Once the Americans became proficient with their radar sets, they had a decided advantage over the IJN in a run-up at night. It took a while, though, to learn to love, and trust, radar.

[W. Clark]

All true, but we as gamers don't have to follow their path. I came up with a star shell rule because in my experience the US 5L38 with its 12,000 yard night range (a 2,000 yard advantage over everyone) and star shell that never failed was an unhistorical advantage over anyone. The accounts are replete with tails of star shell duds or other problems (partial detonation or other). So now and based on my interpretation of historical accounts I came up with a rule to represent star shell not always functioning perfectly.

 

I roll a D12 for every star shell I fire. On a 1-9, IJN star shell works. On 1-6 USN and RM star shell works.  Everyone else's star shell works on 1-8. I'll leave you to determine where navies like the Spanish and Argentine fit in.

 

This has forced me to completely change my tactics. I can no longer expect a single DD to illuminate a ship for every pair of guns it has. And doubling the star shell fired does not guarantee illumination across the board. 

 

This means that achieving radar contact and maneuvering into the position you want to illuminate your opponent with your DDs and then engage with your cruisers before they are acquired (adding a 2 range band downshift for illumination and being unengaged) is no longer guaranteed to work perfectly.

 

As an example, a division of Astoria class cruisers at 15,000 yards and unacquired is shooting at a division/squadron of Myoko/Takao/Mogami class cruisers. The US ships get a free fire hitting on 1,2,3 & 10 and penetrating the IJN armor. The next turn they make a two point turn away that takes them beyond 15,000 yards and they shoot again hitting on 1 & 10. They still penetrate the IJN turret armor and the IJN does not penetrate back. 

Now the odds are that USN CAs got at least 1 hit per cruiser in the first fire. But given EDR and the fact that half of their probabilities are for multiple hits they rate do better. And if they get at least two hits then EDR gives them 3 hits. Now every hit is bad for the IJN CAs at 15,000 yards. But over 15,000 yards when the USN CAs are almost immune the Japanese MB and torps are still vulnerable. And given that - SW radar gives you the ability to detect out to 16,000 yards on a 1-8 while the IJN need a 1 with a new moon state. The odds completely favor the US IMHO. Can things go wrong. Yes, but make smoke turn away and then come back at them from a new angle and roll again. If it goes wrong again then its not your night and withdraw to preserve your force.

 

This is why I like the early war (read DTMB) scenarios so much better. The odds are still in the Allies favor but = SW radar tops out at 16,000 yards and breaks a great deal more ( a 6 on a D6 rather than a 9 on a D12). It's a much more even proposition. Not to mention that you don't have 5L38 and your star shell does not shoot farther than the Japanese DDs or cruiser secondaries do.

 

WMC