Post by Toyama on Apr 10, 2017 18:53:39 GMT
Battle of the Komandorski Islands
March 26, 1943
Historical background:
American intelligence had intercepted a Japanese radio message notifying Japanese forces on Attu that supplies were en route from Japan. Once the message was decrypted in Hawaii, Rear Admiral Charles McMorris was ordered to intercept and destroy the Japanese convoy with heavy cruiser Salt Lake City, accompanied by the light cruiser Richmond and four destroyers. USS Salt Lake City had just spent more than four months at Pearl Harbor, undergoing repairs from damage suffered during a battle with a Japanese force near Guadalcanal. It carried a new crew, almost half of them fresh from boot camp, and had had but a week of intensive firing practice.
It was estimated that the Japanese escort consisted of one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and four destroyers. Unbeknownst to the Americans however, the escort of the Japanese convoy had been reinforced to no less than eight warships, including two heavy and two light cruisers.
Without a cloud in the sky, the morning of 26 March was cold and calm, unusual friendly circumstances in the Aleutian area. The first Japanese ships were sighted by the American picket line some 100 miles south of the Komandorski islands and 180 west of Kiska, just to the west of the International Date Line. The Japanese convoy was headed northward to rendezvous with a slow freighter that had been sent ahead with a destroyer escort.
By the time the U.S. task force concentrated into battle formation, the Japanese spotted the Americans. Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya, the Japanese convoy commander, turned his warships to the southeast to engage. The two groups of warships were now headed directly for one another, and the distance between them was rapidly getting shorter.
In the growing light, the prospects of easy pickings among lightly escorted transports evaporated as the crewmen in Richmond‘s foretop identified the approaching Japanese warships. "Jesus Christ, there's two battleships out there and they ain't canoes!" an excited gunnery officer on one of the American destroyers declared.
Battle Report
A normal game of WaS was played. Historically, the Japanese ships outnumbered and outgunned the Americans almost 2 to 1. Translated to WaS, the Japanese forces added up to 96 points, while the Americans scored a measly 56 points.
To bring some balance in this asymmetrical game and to reflect the cautious approach of Vice Admiral Hosogaya, the Japanese sailed under this rule: “when crippled, a Japanese ship must leave the playing field through its home edge. Victory points are rewarded to the Americans as if this ship was destroyed”.
Victory condition: the first player to score 56 VPs or more wins the battle.
Order of battle:
United States Navy:
Salt Lake City, Richmond, Coghlan (card: Hoel), Bailey (card: Hoel), Dale (card Monaghan), Monaghan.
Imperial Japanese Navy:
Nachi, Maya, Tama (card: Oi), Wakaba (card: Matsu), Abukuma (card: Nagara), Ikazuchi (card: Fubuke), Inazuma, Hatsushimo (card: Matsu).
Note: the destroyer Usugumo was left out of the game, as it didn't participate in the battle (in 1943).
During our previous game of WaS, the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the Americans were slayed by a superior host of Japanese warships, played by my eldest son. This time it was agreed that he would direct the US into battle, and that I would get to command the Imperial Navy. My son always wins our games, mind you.
(setuo)
After setting up and moving our ships for 2 turns, in turn 3 ships from both sides came within shooting and torping range. The Bailey quickly set up a smoke screen, hoping to enable the Richmond to damage the Tama and Wakaba, without getting hit themselves. Things went differently, though. Richmonds salvo missed the Wakaba, while the Wakaba torped the USS Bailey – or so it seemed. The Bailey passed its concealment roll and survived for the time being. Which was not very long, as the torpedoes released by Tama hit home and sunk the unfortunate destroyer.
(destroyer destroyed)
In the next turn, in which the US won initiative, combined gunnery from Wakaba and Tama sunk the USS Cochlan, eliminating all smoke capacity from the US fleet. In return, USS Salt Lake City hit the Tama, but the Richmond failed to consequently send the Tama home.
(end of turn 4)
During the final turn of the game (turn 5!), Japan gained the initiative and maneuvered in for the kill, although the Americans were first to take their opponent under fire. Dale crippled Inazuma, which would leave combat under this scenario's rules. The same happened to Richmond's target ship, the Wakaba, and to Salt Lake City's target, Tama. If America would survive this round, a fairly large part of the Japanese fleet would return to Tokyo.
Alas, the Japanese return fire appeared to be extremely accurate. Before leaving combat, Tama long-lance-torped and sunk USS Salt Lake City. Wakeba repeated this trick with USS Richmond, while the remaning US destroyers were all sunk by combined Japanese gunnery fire. There were no American ships left...
(...and only three Japanese ships needed repairs)
After the final salvo, we both felt this game ended quicker than should be. Japan got some very lucky torp rolls and with that little bit more smoke, America might just have a chance at winning the scenario. We decided to play this scenario a second time, just to see if indeed America was doomed from the start, facing the superior Japanese fleet.
Setup for this second game was just the same. Again, in turn 3 both forces were in firing range. This time, missing initiative, the Americans retreated behind a large smoke screen, preparing to regain initiative next turn.
(setting up the wall of smoke)
This they did. Unfortunately, Salt Lake City missed her main gunnery attack against Maya, and got torped and destroyed by Hatzushimo. Richmond was sunk by long lance torpedoes as well, which left only destroyers to fight America's war in turn 6. Needless to say that America didn't survive this round.
(sad result of our second game)
So, as t appeared, during this second game, America fared even worse. Even though the US ships managed to survive for one more round, they scored less victory points compared to the first game.
With two clear victories in our 2 games, do you think Japan to be unbeatable in this scenario? It would be nice to see more games being played, just to see if America is really without a chance...
An axis victory! (again)
Epilogue
Because of the remote location of the battle and chance encounter on open ocean, neither fleet had air or submarine assistance, making this one of the few engagements exclusively between surface ships in the Pacific Theater and one of the last pure gunnery duels between fleets in naval history.
Nachi's guns boomed across the serene sea at the Americans some 20,000 yards distant. The first shells fell well short of Richmond, but the Japanese gunners soon found the range and within a few minutes had Richmond bracketed. It seemed as if the skilled enemy gunners would begin to score hits within minutes.
Then a mistake aboard Nachi kept her gunners from getting off a killing blow. After Nachi had fired her opening salvos, a crew member inadvertently switched the generator that supplied electrical power to the big guns to the wrong boiler. The turrets lost power. The Japanese engineers corrected the problem within a minute, but in the meantime Nachi had lost a golden opportunity.
Then a shell from Salt Lake City struck Nachi on a corner of the bridge. It started a fire, but Admiral Hosogaya and his staff escaped injury. Other shells hit the mainmast and the torpedo tube compartment. Destroyer Baily closed in and fired on Nachi as well, causing ammunition explosions.
Although Salt Lake City drew first blood against Nachi, she was in turn hit by six 8” shells. Finally one engine room flooded, and the steering gear failed, severely restricting her maneuverability. Only a quick smokescreen laid by US destroyers Bailey and Coghlan saved her from further harm.
The Japanese task force fired torpedoes, set at a slow speed and maximum range, but they all missed.
All in all, the two sides exchanged gunfire for more than four hours. In the end, with the Japanese fleet on the edge of victory, Admiral Hosogaya — low on ammunition and fuel, not realizing the heavy damage his ships had inflicted and fearing American war planes would appear — broke off the attack, and retired to rejoin the two transports who had been detached at the beginning of the fight.
No ships were lost on either side, and less than sixty casualties were suffered on both sides, but the damage done to the Japanese was much greater than the sum of damaged ships and wounded men. The battle effectively sealed off the northern supply route to the Aleutian Islands. After March 1943, Japanese forces in the Aleutians were only supplied by submarines, which were incapable of providing the amount of material needed for the Japanese force to hang on.
The Japanese commander, Boshiro Hosogaya, was retired from naval service shortly after the battle as a result of his rather under-aggressive performance. Colonel Yasuyo Yamazaki, who was supposed to arrive at Attu Island to take command of the garrison by means of this Japanese convoy, was subsequently delivered to Attu by submarine in April 1943.
March 26, 1943
Historical background:
American intelligence had intercepted a Japanese radio message notifying Japanese forces on Attu that supplies were en route from Japan. Once the message was decrypted in Hawaii, Rear Admiral Charles McMorris was ordered to intercept and destroy the Japanese convoy with heavy cruiser Salt Lake City, accompanied by the light cruiser Richmond and four destroyers. USS Salt Lake City had just spent more than four months at Pearl Harbor, undergoing repairs from damage suffered during a battle with a Japanese force near Guadalcanal. It carried a new crew, almost half of them fresh from boot camp, and had had but a week of intensive firing practice.
It was estimated that the Japanese escort consisted of one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and four destroyers. Unbeknownst to the Americans however, the escort of the Japanese convoy had been reinforced to no less than eight warships, including two heavy and two light cruisers.
Without a cloud in the sky, the morning of 26 March was cold and calm, unusual friendly circumstances in the Aleutian area. The first Japanese ships were sighted by the American picket line some 100 miles south of the Komandorski islands and 180 west of Kiska, just to the west of the International Date Line. The Japanese convoy was headed northward to rendezvous with a slow freighter that had been sent ahead with a destroyer escort.
By the time the U.S. task force concentrated into battle formation, the Japanese spotted the Americans. Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya, the Japanese convoy commander, turned his warships to the southeast to engage. The two groups of warships were now headed directly for one another, and the distance between them was rapidly getting shorter.
In the growing light, the prospects of easy pickings among lightly escorted transports evaporated as the crewmen in Richmond‘s foretop identified the approaching Japanese warships. "Jesus Christ, there's two battleships out there and they ain't canoes!" an excited gunnery officer on one of the American destroyers declared.
Battle Report
A normal game of WaS was played. Historically, the Japanese ships outnumbered and outgunned the Americans almost 2 to 1. Translated to WaS, the Japanese forces added up to 96 points, while the Americans scored a measly 56 points.
To bring some balance in this asymmetrical game and to reflect the cautious approach of Vice Admiral Hosogaya, the Japanese sailed under this rule: “when crippled, a Japanese ship must leave the playing field through its home edge. Victory points are rewarded to the Americans as if this ship was destroyed”.
Victory condition: the first player to score 56 VPs or more wins the battle.
Order of battle:
United States Navy:
Salt Lake City, Richmond, Coghlan (card: Hoel), Bailey (card: Hoel), Dale (card Monaghan), Monaghan.
Imperial Japanese Navy:
Nachi, Maya, Tama (card: Oi), Wakaba (card: Matsu), Abukuma (card: Nagara), Ikazuchi (card: Fubuke), Inazuma, Hatsushimo (card: Matsu).
Note: the destroyer Usugumo was left out of the game, as it didn't participate in the battle (in 1943).
During our previous game of WaS, the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the Americans were slayed by a superior host of Japanese warships, played by my eldest son. This time it was agreed that he would direct the US into battle, and that I would get to command the Imperial Navy. My son always wins our games, mind you.
(setuo)
After setting up and moving our ships for 2 turns, in turn 3 ships from both sides came within shooting and torping range. The Bailey quickly set up a smoke screen, hoping to enable the Richmond to damage the Tama and Wakaba, without getting hit themselves. Things went differently, though. Richmonds salvo missed the Wakaba, while the Wakaba torped the USS Bailey – or so it seemed. The Bailey passed its concealment roll and survived for the time being. Which was not very long, as the torpedoes released by Tama hit home and sunk the unfortunate destroyer.
(destroyer destroyed)
In the next turn, in which the US won initiative, combined gunnery from Wakaba and Tama sunk the USS Cochlan, eliminating all smoke capacity from the US fleet. In return, USS Salt Lake City hit the Tama, but the Richmond failed to consequently send the Tama home.
(end of turn 4)
During the final turn of the game (turn 5!), Japan gained the initiative and maneuvered in for the kill, although the Americans were first to take their opponent under fire. Dale crippled Inazuma, which would leave combat under this scenario's rules. The same happened to Richmond's target ship, the Wakaba, and to Salt Lake City's target, Tama. If America would survive this round, a fairly large part of the Japanese fleet would return to Tokyo.
Alas, the Japanese return fire appeared to be extremely accurate. Before leaving combat, Tama long-lance-torped and sunk USS Salt Lake City. Wakeba repeated this trick with USS Richmond, while the remaning US destroyers were all sunk by combined Japanese gunnery fire. There were no American ships left...
(...and only three Japanese ships needed repairs)
After the final salvo, we both felt this game ended quicker than should be. Japan got some very lucky torp rolls and with that little bit more smoke, America might just have a chance at winning the scenario. We decided to play this scenario a second time, just to see if indeed America was doomed from the start, facing the superior Japanese fleet.
Setup for this second game was just the same. Again, in turn 3 both forces were in firing range. This time, missing initiative, the Americans retreated behind a large smoke screen, preparing to regain initiative next turn.
(setting up the wall of smoke)
This they did. Unfortunately, Salt Lake City missed her main gunnery attack against Maya, and got torped and destroyed by Hatzushimo. Richmond was sunk by long lance torpedoes as well, which left only destroyers to fight America's war in turn 6. Needless to say that America didn't survive this round.
(sad result of our second game)
So, as t appeared, during this second game, America fared even worse. Even though the US ships managed to survive for one more round, they scored less victory points compared to the first game.
With two clear victories in our 2 games, do you think Japan to be unbeatable in this scenario? It would be nice to see more games being played, just to see if America is really without a chance...
An axis victory! (again)
Epilogue
Because of the remote location of the battle and chance encounter on open ocean, neither fleet had air or submarine assistance, making this one of the few engagements exclusively between surface ships in the Pacific Theater and one of the last pure gunnery duels between fleets in naval history.
Nachi's guns boomed across the serene sea at the Americans some 20,000 yards distant. The first shells fell well short of Richmond, but the Japanese gunners soon found the range and within a few minutes had Richmond bracketed. It seemed as if the skilled enemy gunners would begin to score hits within minutes.
Then a mistake aboard Nachi kept her gunners from getting off a killing blow. After Nachi had fired her opening salvos, a crew member inadvertently switched the generator that supplied electrical power to the big guns to the wrong boiler. The turrets lost power. The Japanese engineers corrected the problem within a minute, but in the meantime Nachi had lost a golden opportunity.
Then a shell from Salt Lake City struck Nachi on a corner of the bridge. It started a fire, but Admiral Hosogaya and his staff escaped injury. Other shells hit the mainmast and the torpedo tube compartment. Destroyer Baily closed in and fired on Nachi as well, causing ammunition explosions.
Although Salt Lake City drew first blood against Nachi, she was in turn hit by six 8” shells. Finally one engine room flooded, and the steering gear failed, severely restricting her maneuverability. Only a quick smokescreen laid by US destroyers Bailey and Coghlan saved her from further harm.
The Japanese task force fired torpedoes, set at a slow speed and maximum range, but they all missed.
All in all, the two sides exchanged gunfire for more than four hours. In the end, with the Japanese fleet on the edge of victory, Admiral Hosogaya — low on ammunition and fuel, not realizing the heavy damage his ships had inflicted and fearing American war planes would appear — broke off the attack, and retired to rejoin the two transports who had been detached at the beginning of the fight.
No ships were lost on either side, and less than sixty casualties were suffered on both sides, but the damage done to the Japanese was much greater than the sum of damaged ships and wounded men. The battle effectively sealed off the northern supply route to the Aleutian Islands. After March 1943, Japanese forces in the Aleutians were only supplied by submarines, which were incapable of providing the amount of material needed for the Japanese force to hang on.
The Japanese commander, Boshiro Hosogaya, was retired from naval service shortly after the battle as a result of his rather under-aggressive performance. Colonel Yasuyo Yamazaki, who was supposed to arrive at Attu Island to take command of the garrison by means of this Japanese convoy, was subsequently delivered to Attu by submarine in April 1943.