With war looming large it falls to the fleet to carry the day against the triple axis arrayed against us. Vladivostok must fall!
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Captain of the 1st Company: Treefrog
Veteran Sergeants: 1stplaceonion, LCG Canyon, Welshy, Rui
Sergeants: Jackie, Twitchyknees
Veterans: Telemonian Dan, Sunless Sky Nova, Threadoflength, Darth Vendar.
Battle Siblings: Jacky Chan, nagebenfro, scurvekano, Cpt Graftin, Icd, Iroey, Zadrias, JT Bismarck, Documentleaker.
source
First battle was torpedo mayhem
Great stuff! I'm loving seeing the updates early. 🙂
Day 1 of 👍
GG Japanese BB Aso and five Japanese BBs
It was only a brief flash, but your army is actually succeeding in their invasion of the Russian Far East!!! 1 turn in at 3%
I forgot to tell you this on the vid before but, it's a shame to see the super imposed/superduper imposed secondaries on the baby Yamato not included
43:15
Have we seen a similar result in our timeline somewhere? Oh wait. This is like the time where Japan annihilates Russia's Pacific Squadron. I wonder if the Soviets in this campaign will send a second one over to try to save Vladivostok.🤣
37:05: You could send the screen in and attempt to torpedo the poor things.
19:17: ah, the curse of the Mācrōn.
I think i fucked the game in my campaign, im Japan, 1918 and am at war since 2 years constantly, first china, then britain, then China again, then britain again, and now currently at war with france , USA and china, but i do have a Problem…. USA has over 350 ships, and is building like 30 ships constantly… Also britain is constantly at war with usa ,which saves my ass from USA, but i am japan i have only 60 ships all my battleships are outdated and perform poorly, but i cant refit them now, else i dont have anything armored… Any Tips? I have nearly finished 5 extremly fast and heavy armored and modern BC, i have already 2 of those, but well the problem is, i set it at historical, and i have the entire east of russia, north of China, im allied with korea, canada, sweden and Venezuela, austria hungary has the entire west of russia,the soviet union started at 1902 , china is occupied middle by germany and south by france etc etc. I think i fucked the campaign, because ww1 didnt happen and its all very weird… Overall, the ai has very modern ships, and i cant build much, so any Tips? My technolgy is also only average, im not making negative money or gdp, but i cant build alot of ships at a time and it Takes 10 months just for my destroyer Design…. I think also i should stop using semi-ap
That first battle: the German CL was practically an overweight, overgunned DD.
19:07: I hate to say this but I think Murasame, Nenohi, and Ōnami each ran a torpedo long into Sazanami. It looks like only Ōnami 's was live.
19:57: We don't want or need anything from Germany, but they would love to take our ally's territory. Shouldn't we be pushing for a peace. The Soviet Union is very isolated.
Dam Germans messing with you in africa
23:04: They are also undermanned. Clearly beaten up during the voyage from Europe.
23:39: You squiggled right over Pallada and didn't get her crew shortfall, so NOW I get to say she lost all 1139 killed or taken prisoner, smile/sigh.
32:54: I wish you could tell ships that are damaged but running away not to fall back in division. Maybe just detach and proceed at their best speed. Imperator Aleksandr II lost a lot of headway for no reason.
The Third Battle of Vladivostok
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 22 June 1935
The Soviet Relief Fleet, consisting of two Imperator Aleksandr II class battleships, the Imperator Aleksandr II and the Imperator Nikolai I, surprisingly Imperialist names for the Soviet Navy. The Yaroslavl class battlecruiser Tver accompanies them, and does the Afrika class 1922 refit Pallada, one ship lucky the last war ended early, the Aleksandr Nevskii class armored cruiser Sviataya Natal'ya, and the Gromkiy class destroyer Izyaslav. They had not come all this way unchallenged, and every ship was damaged, short of crew, and low on fuel. Therefore it was a hard fate for them to run right into the Dai-ni Kantai (2nd Fleet); three Sagami class battleships, the Sagami, Aso, and Kasagi, three Tosa class battleships, the Tosa, Fuji, and Hou-Ou, the Tsugaru class light cruiser Ōi, and three Mogami class light cruisers refitted in 1925, the Katori, Yasoshima, and Unebi.
The one factor in their favor, the thunder storm.
The battle line formed on Aso with the Fuji, Sagami, Tosa, Hou-Ou, and Kasagi. The light cruisers formed a screen for the battle line with the veteran Unebi leading the division. The two fleets sighted each other in the rain at the same time, as the Dai-ni Kantai was forming up. Aso led the battleships in a turn to open their broadsides and invite the Soviets to close on them. Then realizing they weren’t going to, Aso turned to come up their flank.
After more maneuvering and trying to engage, the battle line got its first 14” hit through the aft deck of the Imperator Nikolai I. Aso was heading west, as was the Soviet fleet, but they were ahead. Still the battle line had the angle to bring most their guns to bear and the Soviet capital ships were assigned as targets. Aso and Fuji had Imperator Aleksandr II, Sagami and Tosa had Imperator Nikolai I, and Hou-Ou and Kasagi had Tver. But still the battle hardly progressed. It wasn’t until 46 into the battle that regular hits began to be put on the Soviet capital ships. Imperator Aleksandr II lost her aft 13.2” twin turret. As she was ahead and running, this took her out of the fight.
Eighty-five minutes into the battle and the Dai-ni Kantai battle line was 10 kilometers away from the Soviet capital ships. Finally, six minutes later the battlecruiser Tver sank with 1437 of the 1715 men she had on board. Hou-Ou and Kasagi turned their guns on the lighter ships.
Imperator Aleksandr II sank next, going down with 741 of the 857 men on board. The Izyaslav sank from a couple of shells, losing 96 of the 100 men she had on board. Finally the last capital ship, the battleship Imperator Nikolai I, sank with 759 of the 894 men she had on board.
Now, the Nemisis, the Pallada, responsible for the sinking of the light cruiser Yura and the destroyers Harukaze and Asashio in the 3rd Russo-Japanese War. And she was here, running north in a storm with Sviataya Natal'ya, hoping to ground themselves on the coast near Vladivostok. Eventually the battle line closed enough to get consistent hits, and Pallada was sunk with 986 of the 997 crew on board. The chase of Sviataya Natal'ya took longer, and she was sunk with 778 of the 868 crew on board.
Aso took two hits, and six casualties.
Sadly, after this valiant effort to take Vladivostok this season the campaign has to be repeated. The Imperial Japanese Army is attacking out of Manchuria and the Kaigun-Hohei will regroup and attack again, with winter gear prepared for the long campaign.
War in Egypt
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 22 April 1935
Our ally the Republic of Egypt is fighting the Afrika Krops in Upper Egypt, and inflicting serious losses. The Wehrmacht lost 11,587 soldiers this month to the Egyptian’s 6,828.
The Republic of China Raising Insurrection
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 23 April 1935
The government in Exile of the Republic of China has been fighting a low level insurgency in the Weihaiwei peninsula. Losses this month for the British Army were 364 to 329 for the forces of the Republic of Great Britain.
Those BB's were the ones that had the fight around South Africa a bit before. Recognized one of the ship names
Empire of Japan Forms Alliances
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 12 April 1935
The Empire of Japan has forged alliances with the United States of America, the Repubblica Italiana, and now the Republic of Great Britain. Of these only the United States is not formally at war with the Soviet Union.
Battle off Vostochnyy, Part 2
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 14 March 1935
Every destroyer had launched, and no torpedoes had hit, but their distraction had allowed the destroyers to pepper the Arkhangel Rafail. The Flotilla reassessed the condition of each ship, and regrouped. Ōnami, Nenohi, and Murasame reformed Second Division and turned to engage with their guns. Suzukaze was flooded in two compartments an ordered to withdraw. Fuyutsuki led Natsugumo, and Sazanami as First Division. Ariake was ordered to retreat. Arkhangel Rafail tried to stay clear of both divisions but they were widely separated and able to engage with their superior 5” guns. Her bow and stern were shredded, her towers damaged, fifteen fires were uncontrolled, and she wasn’t getting hits. The destroyers closing on her were generally 100% and hounding her like Borzois.
This time Ōnami took Second Division straight in. Arkhangel Rafail’s citadel was battered but not broken, and Ōnami wanted to break it. Fuyutsuki of First Division was the fastest destroyer to reload, and she launched her next four torpedoes, still missing with all of them. She kept coming to put her guns on Arkhangel Rafail. As Arkhangel Rafail turned away from Fuyutsuki’s torpedoes Ōnami swung her division around and got in front of Arkhangel Rafail just as Second Division finished reloading. Ōnami had Arkhangel Rafail’s attention as she launched her second strike of torpedoes. Finally Arkhangel Rafail blundered and steering into the strike, one dud and one live torpedoes hit on the aft belt. Nenohi fired her second strike just as Arkhangel Rafail plastered her, ripping her aft turret and above the waterline stern off the ship. Murasame launched her strike of ten as Nenohi limped off, hoping against hope one of her torpedoes would hit. It was Ōnami which sank however as 5.5” shells filled her hull with holes. Ōnami sank with 238 of her 283 man crew.
However to achieve this Arkhangel Rafail had held a steady course for her gunnery crews, and now she was sailing into Nenohi’s strike, but the one hit was a dud. She then sailed into Murasame’s strike, taking two duds and one live hit on her fore belt, flooding two compartments. The water quickly breached all her bulkheads and Arkhangel Rafail sank with 957 of her 1139 man complement of officers and sailors. 182 Soviet Sailors were pulled out of the Sea of Japan. 45 survivors of Ōnami were also found. Murasame took 37 casualties, Nenohi took 28, Ariake 13, Sazanami 6, and Suzukaze 4.
Battle off Vostochnyy, Part 1
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 14 March 1935
On a patrol skirting the operational zones of the Dai-san Kantai a two division flotilla of destroyers, five Ikazuchi class, the Ariake, Murasame, Nenohi, Ōnami, and Suzukaze, two Okikze class, the Fuyutsuki and Sazanami, and the 1925 refitted Minazuki class Natsugumo, found the Soviet 1922 refit Afrika class heavy cruiser Arkhangel Rafail. A survivor of the last war with Japan, Arkhangel Rafail has not had further refits done in the intervening thirteen years.
Ariake led the first division with Natsugumo, Suzukaze and Sazanami following. Fuyutsuki led the second division with Ōnami, Nenohi, and Murasame following. At twelve kilometers both sides opened fire, and Arkhangel Rafail got the first hit on Ariake. Ariake was ordered to break off from the division and turn North-west, but keep closing. Natsugumo now led first division. Arkhangel Rafail continued to fire on Ariake, even as she disappeared into smoke. As the second division closed it became clear that Arkhangel Rafail was heading away from the destroyers, hoping to string them out rather than engage them on mass. But as Ariake was heading North-west and the divisions headed North-east, they soon should be able to bracket her.
But with enough headway Arkhangel Rafail turned east to open her broadside on the larger target grouping. Natsugumo turned more easterly to bring her torpedo launchers in line, and launched first. She would get no torpedo hits. As each ship in First Division came up and launched she broke off, burned smoke, and retired to reload. Suzukaze took First Division in closer for the last two launches. She sent her two spreads of five out in a slight stagger to get a cross pattern. This still would not get any hits.
While Sazanami was coming up on position Fuyutsuki at the head of Second Division was now ahead of her, and launched her torpedoes. With just the four of an Okikaze class carried and launching further back, she too would miss. Sazanami also launched her four, and missed. Ariake, isolated from the rest of the flotilla, and launched but she too would miss with all ten. Ariake continued on course to cut off Arkhangel Rafail’s escape. But as they closed the destroyers had continued to get 5” hits on the Arkhangel Rafail, wearing her down. One hit took out Arkhangel Rafail’s torpedoes.
Ōnami now took the rest of Second Division forward right behind the wave of Fuyutsuki’s and Sazanami’s torpedoes. However again they didn’t close and fired at range, with overlapping but staggered spreads. Arkhangel Rafail worked hard but managed to avoid all their torpedoes.
Cont’d
Battle of Ponta Delgada
Yomiuri shinbun, Tokyo, 12 February 1935
Strudel Ships.
The Reichsmarine has sent us their lightest and flakiest ships. The Gneisenau class heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee, second ship of that name, and the Arcona class light cruiser Pillau, second ship of that name. They were found in the North Atlantic east of the Azores by the Abukuma class light cruiser Yoshino and the Samidare, a refitted destroyer class lead.
The sea was smooth and the wind to mild to blow away their funnel smoke when Samidare and Yoshino spotted the smoke of ship or ships to the South-east. As they were still communicating by signal lamp and megaphone distance, the Kaigun-chūsa of Yoshino outlined his plan of action for the Kaigun-shōsa of Samidare. They quick sighted two German warships which made not indication that they has sighted the Japanese ships.
Yoshino turned slightly south and Samidare kept closing in with orders not to fire and indicate her position. Yoshino on the other hand got two early hits with her 6” shells on the Pillau including the light cruisers’ main belt. Then she got two hits on the Admiral Graf Spee.
Samidare came under fire and immediately made smoke. There was still no indication that the German cruisers had sighted the Yoshino. But she had sighted them, and began putting hits on the Pillau, which didn’t have the armor to handle 6” shells. Samidare meanwhile turned south to close on Admiral Graf Spee for a torpedo run.
Admiral Graf Spee finally sighted Yoshino but targeted Samidare as she came out of her smoke. With Pillau battered Yoshino turned her guns on the heavy cruiser. Samidare launched her torpedoes in two wave, four from the front launcher first and eight from the rear launchers, then turned away to reload. Samidare’s launch was from too far out and none of them would hit. Yoshino was not getting constant hits on Admiral Graf Spee and finding that she too was under armored. After ten salvos with as much as six hits out of twelve guns fired the Admiral Graf Spee sank with 412 of her 425 man crew.
Yoshino turned to chase down the Pillau, already very battered. And with more salvos from her 6” guns Yoshino sank the German light cruiser with 490 casualties out of a crew of 519.
Yoshino has taken one casualty from a hit by the Pillau during the chase.
Idk if it’s just me, but I feel like the video quality was very nice and clear, the game looked better than it has. The close up on the light gun cruiser right at the beginning was gorgeous
I feel like the best way to roleplay that last battle is as if it was a desperate attempt by the Russians to escape your fleet by fleeing into a storm… apparently forgetting (or not even realizing) that your ships have radar 🙃 Would've been more realistic if the cruisers and destroyer had moved in to try and lob torpedoes at you and at least TRY to cover the escape of the capital ships, but… I guess maybe a 'rout' is a better description of what the Russian fleet was up to… 😅
Oh, and just in case you see this: I was wondering if you might take some potential suggestions regarding your Samidare-class DDs, for next time you refit them…? Admittedly, it's all from someone who's never played the game, mind you, but I'd like to think I have a decent eye for design, at the very least =p
Anywho, maybe during the next refit, is it possible to scrunch both the primary and secondary tower up on that forwardmost, midship 'plateau' (or maybe even the primary tower and the funnel? There's SO MUCH wasted space there 😖) and then you could either have a torpedo launcher in that valley where the funnel was, or another gun on that aft 'plateau' where the secondary tower was. This might also free up enough space for another torpedo launcher or gun turret in back, or maybe you could even use that tiered barbette you like and fit THREE turrets in back 😍
Ummm… none of those ideas for actually adding EXTRA crap take into account any possible extra tonnage requirements and all that… of course… hehe 😅😅😅
Anywho, sorry for the long message, but just thought you might like some ideas on how to maybe make the Samidares a little less… um… eww.
LOL 😆
@BrotherMunro what exactly goes into the decision to run away or stand and fight?
Sometimes I can't tell if the AI wants to preserve a fleet and just tries to escape because the odds are bad or if it tries to achieve some level of distance only to realize it can't hit at said range, and then runs away because it knows it kinda can't win.
It's just weird.
Trying to catch up:
Munro: Is there a way with the AI to prioritize 1. Seaborn provinces with ports and 2. Former "core" states when it comes to nations coming back from dissolution? Because I remember there were…two? Attempts at Russia coming back but failed because of techinically landlocked states (bordered the sea but no ports)
I'm just realizing how much of this mod is attempting to coral the AI to make ships that actually stand some chance. Short of just giving them designs
Our losses:
1 Dreadnought
1 Heavy Cruiser
1 Armored Cruiser
1 Semi-Armored Cruiser
1 Three Masted Light Cruiser
2 Light Cruisers
9 Destroyers.