Part 347: Operational Report: 18/11/42

The Greyling is prowling off the Marshall islands, and using up more of our dud torpedo supplies.



Then a few hours later our warships surprise the Japanese fleet, and engage them at 12,000 yards.



Two battleships and two cruisers face our four battleships and seven cruisers. But the Japanese ships have the best of the day in the battle, as their gunners prove to be more accurate than ours.



But we concentrate our fire more, and although we lose the only ship in the battle, the destroyer Lang, the chances of the Haruna and Arashio making it home are slim.

Then it is the turn of the escort carriers, who have taken your mocking with good faith, and like the British carriers, are ready to prove themselves in battle.



Two torpedoes slam into the Kongo, who is seen to counter flood to deal with her list. It even seems that the planes out on Recon missions can't resist making attacks on the Japanese ships.



The Japanese force splits up, and some of our Avengers make an attack on the Haruna, but cannot get any more fish into her – she is reported by one plane to still be burning.








More Japanese troops arrive at Dutch Harbor, it seems that the Japanese are as big a bunch of fans of good crab and TV as we are.







The Japanese raid Port Moresby with unescorted Lily bombers. That works as well as you'd expect.



The Shad makes a surface attack on a freighter, causing some damage to it.



We continue to reduce the Japanese forces at Shortlands, they should only last a few more days at this rate.



I need to send a force to probe that other base they have on the island.





The Japanese continue to try an open supply lines to Sinyang with their large stack, this group has 6 Divisions in it.



Kiangtu sees another day of heavy combat, with two thousand casualties and a hundred and fifty squads destroyed – although the Japanese can still hold out for a long amount of time with their numbers.



Our Sinyang attack takes heavy losses, but we need to keep pushing, the stalemate cannot remain here forever, and we currently have the numbers to try and break through. I will look at improving my Generals in the area though.



We catch up with the 104th Division once more, and cut half their numbers down as we send them retreating once more.









That was a busy day, let no one say that escort carriers are useless, they gave a good showing today.



The official tally is two losses for us, and none for the Japanese – but intelligence think we got the Haruna. I think this may be premature, but will likely be right in a few days.
Out fleet will have another crack tomorrow, as we have plenty of ammo still, and the flyboys have few torpedoes and bombs left to cause damage.



Me, I'm going to get a rest.