Turn 21: Aggressivenes cost

16 - 22 September 1932

8 boats on patrol
4 boats in transit
11 boats returning to base
6 boats in bases
2 boats in repair

   Another black week with two submarines lost. This week losses rised Our total to 6 submarines buried underwater. Lack of submarine fleet effectiveness and high losses, really put My actions in doubt.
   S-27 earlier discovered by enemy, was attacked on surface and sunk on way home from South China Sea patrol.
   Narwhal was badly depth charged, after attacking huge task force. After sinking Jintsu, a 5000 tons light cruiser, escort tracked and deadly damaged Narwhal. Emergency surfaced, abandoned and destroyed by enemy gunfire. She sunk first warship in campaign.
   Meantime her sister ship, Nautilus sunk another huge 16000 tons fleet oiler Erimo. Also S-47 scored medium 3000 tons maru.
 
This week total: 3 ships sunk, 24000 tons

Turn 20: Big hit

8 - 15 September 1932

8 boats on patrol
4 boats in transit
11 boats returning to base
6 boats in bases
2 boats in repair

   Crew of Bass submarine, rapported stunning success this week. Boat durning her patrol in Carolines area, spotted small fast group. This important task force, included heavy and two light cruisers, was attacked at dusk. Aiming in the biggest ship in middle column, Bass fired full salvo. Explosions ablaze the night sky, when target was hitted. Slowly sinking ship silhouette was recognized in fire light, from burning on water surface oil, as 16000 tons fleet oil tanker Notoro. This attack is a biggest success of entire Pacific Submarine Fleet, hitting directly into Imperial Japanese Navy.

This week total: 1 ship sunk, 16000 tons

Turn 19: Stagnation

1 - 7 September 1932

12 boats on patrol
5 boats in transit
8 boats returning to base
3 boats in bases
3 boats in repair

   This week bring no any hits. All of 12 boats on patrol missed or was unable to attack. Dolphin is a last boat arrived to Pearl Harbour, to reinforce Pacific Submarine Fleet.

This week total: no ships sunk

Turn 18: No success - big hope

24 - 31 August 1932

13 boats on patrol
5 boats in transit
8 boats returning to base
2 boats in bases
2 boats in repair

   This week bring no successes yet, but many boats encountered many capital ships and large auxiliaries. New aggressive tactic have also a second side, vunerable submarines exposed to escort threat are forced to abort patrol damaged. In addition, slow Japanese advance on Luzon toward Manila, affected the base safety. Damaged boats are diverted to Pearl Harbour, to avoid being sized by enemy in docks, which created extra weeks in route to and from base.
   S-35 avoided the escort entered the convoy and attacked aircraft carrier Hosho. Hosho in last moment spotted the marks on water and evaded from accurate shotted salvo.
   Meantime during searching for fat targets, Leviathan and S-31 sunk 3000 tons merchant each.

This week total: 2 ships sunk, 6000 tons

Turn 17: New tactic implemented

16 - 23 August 1932

7 boats on patrol
12 boats in transit
4 boats returning to base
4 boats in bases
3 boats in repair

   With new plan, all submarines are forced to more aggressive attacks. Instead of firing torpedos from safe distance, boats needed to close distance to convoy and attack big ships hiding in the middle. This task also expose submarine to escort detection and counterattack, and give boats only short moment for attack. Another problem is a lack of underwater maneuverability, which force the skippers to plan forward the attack, took the position in front of convoy just for one chance shoot into fat target.
   As expected, this week most boats was unable to overtake the fast convoys, having no chance for attack. Only Narwhal was close to sunk big 9000 tons auxiliary ship, but this chance was wasted after hitting her with dud torpedo.

This week total: no ships sunk

Turn 16: Commerce riding failure

9 - 15 August 1932

7 boats on patrol
5 boats in transit
3 boats returning to base
12 boats in bases
3 boats in repair

   This week score, single 5000 tons sunk by S-44, left Me with no more hope into commerce riding tactic. Submarine fleet total is 66000 tons sunk in 16 weeks time,  in almost half of the campaign time. If I keep this sunk level in to the end of the year, I should finish with about 130000 tons, which is catastrophic defeat. To reach more then 200000 tons, I need sunk twice so many ships, which is impposible in My opinion. In conclusion our submarines are technologically unprepared to real combat, even to commerce riding, and required futher development. They are too slow (on surface and submarged), with too short range, too vulnerable in combat and lack of  torpedos. In addition torpedo problem rised our bar even higher, quickly depleted of  missed torpedos ship, need to aboart patrol too quickly gaining nothing.
   Unable to seriously reduce enemy merchant fleet, and with this war materials and natural resources import to Japan, I only see the way to victory in eliminating Japanese Navy units. Damaging or eliminating big naval units can be vital point to gaining advantage in Decisive Battle of the Pacific. With new orders, S-1 class  submarines starting to concentrate on very large enemy ships, like tankers or auxiliary units. For the rest of the boats, new task is to attack important capital ships, including aircraft carriers and battleships. This new tactic will last for August and September, then I reconsider the outcomes.

This week total: 1 ship sunk, 5000 tons

Turn 15: Nautilus to help

1 - 8 August 1932

4 boats on patrol
6 boats in transit
9 boats returning to base
6 boats in bases
5 boats in repair

   With many submarines returning or in bases, this week only seen four boats on patrol. Barracuda was spotted on approach to convoy and kept underwater for hours. Meantime other three boats made bunch of fruitless attacks, scoring no hits.
   This week our Pacific Submarine Fleet recieved new Nautilus another of Narwhal class boat.
   S-32 left the repair dock after month. She is a only boat which sunk three ships on one patrol.

This week total: no ships sunk

Turn 14: Another bad score

24 - 31 July 1932

10 boats on patrol
3 boats in transit
8 boats returning to base
3 boats in bases
5 boats in repair

   End of July was very poor for submarines performance. Bass, S-43 and S-45 did not made a contact with enemy, three other boats coudn't take a good attack position and left with nothing. So six of ten boats did not fire even one torpedo this week.
   Four other boats, also achieved nothing. S-23, S-19 missed all targets, S-30 badly damaged one, and only S-28 sunk single 2000 tons freighter.

This week total: 1 ships sunk, 2000 tons

Turn 13: Leviathan damaged

16 - 23 July 1932

11 boats on patrol
7 boats in transit
4 boats returning to base
2 boats in bases
5 boats in repair

   Mighty Leviathan broke off from deadly trap. After sinking 1000 tons gunboat in large task force, she being hunted by two Japanese destroyers. When she was trying to escape, third escort joined and detect her. During the next few hours she was depth charged, causing many damages. Luckly the ship survived, surfaced and heading to Manila. Other boat in the same area near Bonin Islands, also being suppriced by aggresive destroyer. Argonaut after targeting big 20000 tons ship, was forced to crash dive and stay there till convoy was safe way away.
    S-40 after detecting fast task group is able to sink 3000 tons maru. In the same group she rapported Kongo class battleship.
   In Carolines area, S-46 spotted three ship steaming alone, and sink the bigest of them 5000 tons cargo.

This week total: 3 ships sunk, 7000 tons

Turn 12: Investigation in progress

9 - 15 July 1932

6 boats on patrol
10 boats in transit
3 boats returning to base
5 boats in bases
5 boats in repair

   Torpedo investigation shown drastic numbers: 70% of all torpedo attacks, missed the target!
This numbers showing definitely problem with torpedos. Bad attack position, wrong calculation, wrong torpedo setting and malfunction, without doubt have some procentage in this calculation, but there must be a other, concealed problem. Raport was send to High Navy Command, with request to re-test torpedo effectiveness.
    Single score this week, belong to S-47. Patrolling South Chine Sea, she sunk medium 3000 tons merchant, from small convoy.
   After more then two months in repair, S-28 return to service. She was damaged and forced to dive by destroyer, when gun attacked big 9000 tons supply ship.

This week total: 1 ships sunk, 3000 tons

Turn 11: Four boats - two kills

1 - 8 July 1932

4 boats on patrol
7 boats in transit
7 boats returning to base
6 boats in bases
5 boats in repair

   With only four submarines on patrol this week, two made a score. S-44 during quick hit-and-run attack, sunk medium 3000 tons ship. Near Marianas S-34 sunk big 5000 tons merchant, in first salvo.
   This week also S-19, moderate damaged on patrol and S-48 with lightly damaged, left the docks. Fully repaired, both returned active service.
   Another three boats moored in Pearl Harbour this week, to reinforce our submarine fleet on Pacific. Argonaut, S-45 and S-46 after refuelling,  are reassigned to Philippines base in Manila.

This week total: 2 ships sunk, 8000 tons

Turn 10: Torpedo problem observed

24 - 30 June 1932

10 boats on patrol
1 boat in transit
9 boats returning to base
0 boats in bases
6 boats in repair

    Angry captain of S-44, as a first, rapported torpedos problem. On his patrol he took perfect attack position on huge 16000 tons tanker. Torpedo salvo missed, a too long ship to be missed,attacked  from just 500 meters. Stunned captain, ordered second salvo into another closest massive 9000 tons supply ship, to unbeliveable missed again. Frustreated, he radioed the complains. Many of other boats captains confirmed the problem. I ordered more rapports from captains.
   Meantime S-1 on South China Sea spotted small convoy. During the night attack, medium merchant appeared from nowhere and crossed the torpedos path. Burning 3000 tons ship, helped to hit another maru. Both damaged ships sunk shortly after for total 8000 tons.
   Another success belong to S-39. After chasing the small convoy, she sunk big 5000 tons merchant on Philippine Sea.
   I am really pleased from this week performance, 13000 tons sunk this week is a big success. Till this week our total was 27000 tons, so in one week we sunk half of 10 weeks work total. I only hope that week was not a last one.

This week total: 3 ships sunk, 13000 tons

Turn 9: Bombardment of Okinawa

16 - 23 June 1932

9 boats on patrol
10 boats in transit
3 boats returning to base
1 boat in bases
4 boats  in repair

    Due to bad results in last few weeks, US Navy Command started to consider different way to employ the submarines in war. One of the first ideas was to use them to bombard the port facilities. During the night two submarines should surface near the Okinawa port and start gun fire, then escape unseen. To this job were designated Narwhal and S-36. On night, sunday 17th of June, passing the dangerous approach to port Narwhal surfaced in randezvous point. At midnight she started her bombardment of Okinawa port facilities, firing her two 6" guns. After expended 127 shells, she slip back to open sea. Unfortunately S-36 never appeared in randezvous point, she was lost on the way. She is a fourth lost boat in War.
   Other boats on patrol hit two ships. S-47 small 1000 tons maru, and Bonita medium 3000 tons merchant.

This week total: 2 ships sunk, 4000 tons

Turn 8: New engaging rules

8 - 15 June 1932

4 boats on patrol
9 boats in transit
6 boats returning to base
6 boats in bases
2 boats  in repair

   After sixth in the row dry week, I started to doubt in My tactic. Rapports shown the only one ship was destroyed in reattack on the same convoy, but 6 submarines was damaged and one sunk. That gived Me a conclusion that reattack is too dangerous for now. Boats in repair wasting time, which could be productive on patrol. With so many returning submarines with damage, I decided to allow to reattack only if the situation is really safe or important.
   I also started to worry about sunk tonnage. With only 23000 tons after 8 weeks, what gives average 2875 tons per week. In this tempo I should only reach less then 100000 tons to the end of the year, which is extremely low. I will wait to the end of the month, and then rethink this problem.

This week total: no ships sunk

Turn 7: Reinforcements

1 - 7 June 1932

9 boats on patrol
4 boats in transit
7 boats returning to base
5 boats in bases
2 boats  in repair

   This week five new submarines arrived from East Coast to Pearl Harbour, with massive Leviathan - submarine cruiser. This heavy armoured ship, equiped with four 8" guns, hopefully can change the bad name of submarine force.
   S-34 sunk small 1000 tons maru. Last patrol hero, S-32, wasn't so lucky this time. Her attack hitted two ships, but only damaging 3000 tons merchant, and dud torpedo refused to explode on impact with another 3000 tons maru.
   Spotted by enemy before, S-31 patrol area was avoided by enemy. She only damaged in gun attack lone 1000 tons ship. S-18 heavy damaged by plane, aborted to base.

This week total: 1 ship sunk, 1000 tons

Turn 6: High Command urge to press on

16 - 23 May 1932

7 boats on patrol
9 boats in transit
4 boats returning to base
0 boats in bases
2 boats  in repair


   After another fruitless week of hunting, High Command urge to rise the campaign outcomes. The results are very unsatisfactory, with only 9 ships sunk for 22000 tons after 6 weeks. In reality about 3/4 attack are unsuccessful due to bad position, high escort, submarine technical limitation and skippers mistakes.
   Worth of noticing was a fast large task force quickly moved south detected firstly by S-31 on Philippine Sea. Too late detection left S-31 unable to intercept fast group. She only identified large cruiser and troopship among the group. S-36 was a next boat on the task force course. She quicky took position, and attacked with on effect.  Two days later, part of this force was rediscovered by S-1. Lighter escorted group, was easier to attack, S-1 was able only to damage and later sunk small 1000 tons maru.
 
This week total: 1 ship sunk, 1000 tons

Turn 5: Another submarine lost at sea

16 - 23 May 1932

3 boats on patrol
8 boats in transit
9 boats returning to base
1 boat in bases
2 boats  in repair

    This was another really bad week. During return to Manila, S-42 was setected at surface by enemy. and being hunted until sunk.Effect of this hunting also felt S-23 patrolling Mariana Islands, when she became target of sudden aircraft attack, seriously damaging her.
   S-30 also luckly avoided aircraft when on surface on Phillipine Sea. In the same time S-39 was damaged on South China Sea by destroyer.
   None of all three boats sunk anything.

This week total: no ships sunk

Turn 4: 5000 tons is better then nothing

8 - 15 May 1932

9 boats on patrol
2 boats in transit
7 boats returning to base
4 boats in bases
1 boat  in repair

   After losing two boats last week, the submarine skippers became very cauitious. Despite of nine submarines on patrol only S-33 achieved success. She was patroling good hunting ground on the north part of China Sea, when noted smoke on the horizont. She attacked after dusk, hitting two targets. Big 5000 tons maru sunk quickly, but another small vessel refuse to sink, despite of heavy damages and fire.  

This week total: 1 ship sunk, 5000 tons

Turn 3: Black week

1 - 7 May 1932

13 boats on patrol
5 boats in transit
6 boats returning to base
1 boat in bases
0 boats  in repair

   Really bad mood hit entire submarine force this week, when message about two boats lost at sea spread around. S-41 responded on ULTRA in Lingayen Gulf where she was patroling. Unaware of her oil leak, she became easy prey for patroling planes when she tried to find second wave of landing force. Planes belong to aircraft carrier Hosho, stationed in gulf for air cover. Hosho increase air cover, after being unsuccessful attacked by S-40 earlier. Same day S-40 also missed, due to dense escort in area, light cruiser Yubari, and rapported battleship Ise and cruiser Kiso in gulf.
   Second sinked boat S-38, detected fat convoy mostly consist big oil tankers on Philippine Sea. She attacked 16000 tons tanker, hitting her with dud torpedo. Alarmed air cover, spotted S-38 easily, when she launched second attack. Heavy bombarded S-38 crash dived to never surface again.

   Only successes this week belongs to S-1, small merchant 2000 tons, and S-26 also one 2000 tons merchant.


This week total: 2 ships, 4000 tons

Turn 2: Japanese landing on Luzon

23 - 30 April 1932

10 boats on patrol
9 boats in transit
1 boat returning to base
2 boats in bases
1 boat in repair


   As expected Japan quickly looked at Luzon side. One of patrol aircraft detected large landing force heading to Lingayen Gulf in the night of 23rd April. Immediately four closest submarines are send to intercept enemy units. First boat in area was S-41, which attacked and sunk small gunboat. Enemy escort forced her to crash dive, and depth charging for next hour inflicting serious damages to boat. Other responding boats have no luck. S-36 found fat juicy 12000 tons troopship, unfortunately dense escort didn't give him any chance to take attack position. S-40 and S-30 to avoid detection from aircraft sail too far north and did not spot enemy ships. In one word the submarine force failed to preventing landing in Luzon or even seriously hurt a landing enemy.

   S-32 on South China Sea spotted large convoy heading south-west. After taking good attack position boat made a salvo at big closest merchant. Suddenly small patrol boat crossed the one of torpedos path, explosion  throwed water and debris around. Rest of salvo hit the target creating another explosion. Repositioned boat attack again hitting 3000 tons cargo ship, sinking in total 3 ships with 9000 tons, before safe retreat.
   Next day S-35 encounter same convoy more on south-west, but was not so lucky.  Two destroyers quickly reacted on fruitless attack, seriously damaging her.

   On east side of Luzon S-39 only detect fast task force before, with big flat-top and battleship in the middle of formation, they disappear behind the horizont. More lucky S-39 sunk 2000 tons maru from other convoy. Other boats attacks give no ships sunk.

This week total: 5 ships, 12000 tons

Turn 1: Plan Orange executed

16 - 22 April 1932

1 boat on patrol
19 boats in transit
1 boat returning to base
1 boat in bases
1 boat in repair

   In response for Japanese aggression, all available submarine boats left bases. Pearl Harbour boats sailed west to join West Pacific submarine fleet, and all of Manila boats where spread around Luzon to prevent invasion. Alone on patrol, S-37 found no activity of landing force in Lingayen Gulf, also no other contacts with enemy durning this week.
   S-33 fully repaired in Manila.

Prologue

   Imperial Japan reached her limits. Highly progressive Japanese economy, start to felt the shortage of natural resources. Only option to avoid the Great Depression is a aggressive expansion. As a reaction on Manchuria invasion, United States set a many restriction on oil export to Japan. USA goverment create pression on US Navy to once more recheck the Plan Orange. Japan attacked Philippines and Indonesia few days later, starting the Pacific War in April'32. After Japanese aggression US forces started to execute Plan Orange. Long and slow mobilization of entire fleet, is expected around end of the year, when main fleet will sail to decisive battle with Japanese Navy. Meantime submarine forces have to prevent operations and reduce the enemy forces.

Me and the blog

   After playing sporadically a few patrol games many times before (in few years period), I decide to try a campaign game. With little campaign game experience (not reached the tonnage in Feb'42) I wanted to start a short campaign, not related to the main campaign, to remind rules. East Wind Early was a answer for My requirements. This campaign is a hypothetical, small in scale of conflict (easy to manage) and good for "beginners", but I don't say easy to win. So I sorted the counters, set up the board, made a blog and found time needed to play.

Let the war begin!