Part 98: Operational Report: 14/03/42

The new target for today is Denpasar in southern Java, the airbase there comes under attack by enemy planes and takes something of a beating.



We lose a plane on the ground, but get a kill in the air to balance things up.

In their folly, the enemy send a wave of Nell's into Soerabaja without an escort. We teach them the error of their ways.



Just as they teach us the folly of sending up one plane to face a squadron of Zeros.



Djambi comes under attack again today, but there is only some minor runway damage to deal with.



At Batavia, the carrier based planes run into heavy flack, and take several losses trying to bomb the cities airfield



Meanwhile, in our first piece of sub action in a week, the Dutch KXIV fires a torpedo at a Japanese submarine. It misses its target, and then has to hide from the vengeful crew. After a while, the sub and its crew escape unharmed.



The Japanese army pushed on Batavia once more, making some gains but not enough to force the brave defenders into surrender or retreat.








The returning destroyers are not as lucky today, as the Flusser takes a torpedo and sinks without trace into the Pacific Ocean.







The enemy continue to maintain parity in the Sinyang battle – this means that they are now on the way to winning it. I would be more upset, but to be honest, they have bled the enemy much more than I could ever have hoped.



Hankow is now my big hope, and while we do reduce the enemies fortifications today, we are suffering from disruption it seems. I will check these forces later and make sure that they are fit to fight again tomorrow.








I've not much to say about today, other than I'm going to have to let all of the fighters and half of the dive bombers at Port Moresby go – their going to be costing me 140 political points a turn - and I just can't afford that.

I leave myself with 2 squadrons of dive bombers, and two squadrons of fighters that Daddy's not going to take off of me any time soon. (Well, I lose the hurricane on the 10th of April, but that gives me time to plan.)

The troops in Hankow are told to bombard the enemy tomorrow, this seems to be the Japanese way of resting their troops, so lets give it a go.



My last comment for today is that I expect trouble in Burma tomorrow.