WesWorld

I'm not really happy with the way it turned out, but I honestly don't have the time to dress it up, so here it is:
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SATSUMA Exercise Report

Day 1 (21 October)
Red Force entered the Sulu Sea through Sugbai Pass at 0500 hours. At dawn the fleet was spotted by a Blue Force 2MR1 reconnassiance plane.

At 0800 a flight of ten land-based bombers attempted a strike on the fleet. Eight of the bombers were shot down, and they scored no hits.

At 0845 a Blue Force air strike comprising 25 B1M bombers and 14 1MF fighters arrived over the Red Force, which launched its own 1MFs and Marut fighter aircraft. Eight of the attackers were "shot down" but they still scored several hits on Red Force.

The gunboat Yodo was hit by three bombs and ruled as being immediately sunk. The destroyer K-31 took down two attackers before receiving a 'near-miss' that the referees judged to have been close enough to have dished in the hull plates, putting her out of action for the exercise. Finally, the oiler Ramree Island was targeted for a strafing attack by three of the fighters, which started a small fire that was quickly 'extinguished'.

Red Force than launched its own strike of 30 B1M and 8 Dhairya-A bombers, escorted by 4 Marut and 12 1MF fighters at 0940, arriving overhead Blue Force at 1025. The defenders "downed" nine planes but received several hits.

The minelayer L-20 took two 100kg bombs and had her cache of mines ignited, sinking her. Fernando took a torpedo aft, reducing her speed to 14 knots. Kasuga and Pondicherry each had near-misses that were ruled as causing slight damage.

Bambú took a single hit and at first appeared to be safe, despite a small fire, but two hours later the referees ruled that her damage control efforts had failed and she was declared as having blown up.

At 1400, a Red Force scout cruiser encountered the Blue Force cruiser screen. Action then followed until 1630, when Blue Force retired to the SE to avoid a battleship action.

Results of first fleet engagement:
Red Force:
CL Nagara, DD Pelícano - sunk
AC Kasuga - "mauled beyond recognition", out of action

Blue Force:
AC Aso, CL Pondicherry, CL Tone - sunk
DD Impavido, DD Ariake - severe damage

The Blue Force CL Kalyan was reassigned to Flagship, Second Destroyer Group, in place of the "sunk" Tone

At 1800, Red Force launched a second air strike (10 B1M, 8 Marut) which "sank" the "crippled" DDImpavido for the "loss" of one B1M.

Overnight, the Blue Force SS Tiburón put two torpedoes into the Red Force PD Mikasa, sinking her. CE Panay is now flag for the Red Force First Amphibious Group.


Day 2 (22 October)
At 0700, Red Force began a bombardment of positions on Palawan Island. At 0930, the bombardment ceased and the two Go-Ni Mk.1 assault transports beached themselves under air cover and began offloading the Filipino Marine Brigade.

At 1000, the first Blue Force air strike of the day arrived.

Results of Blue Force air strike No.2:
Minesweeper M-14 sunk
Battleship Nagato hit by one bomb, minor damage

At 1200, a Red Force air strike arrived over Blue Force's fleet.

Results of Red Force air strike No.3:
DD G-135, TB T-3 - sunk
PC Chitose - heavy damage

At 1430, a squadron of Blue Force seaplanes (S.55)s attempted an attack. Otta received two near-misses, and Shoho had a torpedo explode in her wake. Two of the ten attacking planes were brought down.

At dusk, a Blue Force destroyer squadron attempted an attack on the Red Force landing force.

Results:
Blue Force:
DD Ariake, DD Arara - sunk
CL Kalyan - moderate damage

Red Force:
AT Go-Ni I-2, SC S-29, SC S-31 - sunk
GB G100-1, MS MSC-9 - heavy damage
CE Panay - light damage


Overnight Day 2/3 (22-23 October)
At 2315, five Blue Force MAS-type torpedo boats attacked the Red Force battle squadron, ignoring the hail of fire directed at them and deliberatly targeting the battleships. It should be noted that each TB was carrying twelve 18-inch torpedoes - and fired them all.

Results:
Blue Force:
One torpedo boat sunk, two crippled, one heavily damaged, one moderatly damaged.

Launched 60 torpedoes, in crossfire.

Red Force:
BB Nagato - three torpedo hits. Out of action for 8 hours.
AC Luzon - two torpedo hits, on fire
CL Tenryu - two torpedo hits, broke in half
BB Mutsu - one torpedo hit, aft. Speed reduced to 19 knots.

As it turned out, this was a deliberate - and sucessful - attempt to put the only ships capable of hurting a battlecruiser out of play. The battleships were detached and the carriers sent ahead at full speed, as it was assumed that further torpedo boat attacks were likely.

They were right...and wrong.

At 0010, the Blue Force destroyer Martinete fired starshell to starboard of the Red Force carrier group. Assuming another torpedo attack was imminent, Red Force begain a turn to port.

At 0013, the Blue Force battlecruiser Presidente Malvar opened fire from the port side of the carrier group, targeting the CV Shoho. Instead of ranging she fired for effect immediately, and rapidly began scoring 'hits' on the carrier, while out of range of the latter's main battery. Meanwhile the Martinete and DD G-138 occupied the Red Force destroyers on the other side of the group.

At 0022, Malvar switched fire from the mauled Shoho to the AC Tokiwa, which quickly proved (yet again) that armoured cruisers are no match for battlecruisers.

At 0030, Presidente Malvar ceased fire and broke off the engagement, as the Red Force destroyers had finally began preparations for a torpedo attack.

Results:
Blue Force
DD Martinete - heavy damage
DD G-138 - moderate damage
BC Presidente Malvar - slight damage

Red Force
AC Tokiwa - sunk
CV Shoho - crippled, on fire, out of action

At 0035, five more Blue Force MAS boats, led by the "large" TB T-1, approached the battered Red Force 'battle group' and fired 64 torpedoes.

Results
Blue Force
One torpedo boat sunk, one heavily damaged
T-1 moderatly damaged.

Launched 64 torpedoes.

Red Force
CV Shoho - three hits. Sunk.
PC Tsugaru - two hits, exploded
DD Minekaze, DDE K-32 - one hit each, sunk
CVE Otta - one hit. Speed reduced to 4 knots

Day 3 (23 October)
The orginial exercise plan called for this day to feature the Big Battleship Action. But with Red Force's battle group beat to a bloody pulp the night before, this was 'mop-up day'.

At 0800, the Blue Force battle squadron arrived at the scene of the previous night's battles, and dispatched the cripples.

Results
Red Force
AC Luzon - sunk

At 0930, Blue Force launched an air strike which caught up with the Red Force 'Cripple Squadron' at 1015. Six of the 'planes were shot down, but with Red Force's remaining carrier uncapable of operating aircraft, it was relativly easy for them.

Results of Blue Force air strike No.3:
BB Nagato - one torpedo hit. Speed reduced to 6 knots
CVE Otta - major damage, survival questionable

At this point, given the 'damage' inflicted on Red Force, the referees decided to terminate the exercise a day early.

Shortly afterwards, the only accident of the exercise occured, as the Japanese destroyer escort K-33 ran aground on Tubbataha Reef.

The next SATSUMA exercise will be hosted by India, next fall.

ooc: K-33 is rated at 78% after her grounding.

What were you worried about? Your style's pretty good, and it's an interesting read.

It might help non-SATSUMA members if the OOB was posted - I got it by PM but don't recall seeing it on the board. Folks will probably have some difficulty keeping track on which vessels were assigned to which fleet, and which ones remain active at a given time.

The night action is interesting and fertile ground for second guessing. I'm half inclined to think the MAS boats got off a little easy, but in darkness and with surprise, it's probably open for debate. And since Mutsu was still faster, damaged, than Otta was, undamaged, it would've been interesting for Presidente Malvar if Mutsu had stuck with the carriers. As it was, the distance between the two groups couldn't have been that great after ~45 minutes, so Malvar was probably smart to make it a short engagement.

All interesting stuff for the Indians to ponder on the trip home. Well done.

Quoted

The next SATSUMA exercise will be hosted by India, next fall

Ah, crap. I know what that means...

I meant to post that first, but forgot - thanks for the reminder.

Glad you liked it - I wanted to add some more detail, but ran out of time and brainpower.

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By Nationality:

Philippines
- BC Presidente Malvar
- PD Fernando
- CA Luzon
- CE Panay
- DD Impavido
- DD Cormorán
- DD Martinete
- DD Rabihorcado
- DD Alcatraz
- DD Pelícano
- TB T-1
- TB T-3
- TB T-M1 to T-M10
- SS Tiburón
- PB Abejorro
- SC E-1
- GB G100-1
- GB G100-3
- AO Bambú
India
- BB Babur
- CV Otta
- CA Bangalore
- CL Pondicherry
- CL Columbo
- CL Kalyan
- DD G-124
- DD G-125
- DD G-126
- DD G-135
- DD G-136
- DD G-137
- DD G-138
- AO Ramree Island
Japan
- BB Nagato
- BB Mutsu
- PD Mikasa
- CV Shoho
- CV Zuiho
- AC Tokiwa
- AC Kasuga
- CL Tenryu
- CL Nagara
- CL Oi
- DD Minekaze
- DD Shiokaze
- DD Yukaze
- DDE K-31
- DDE K-32
- DDE K-33
- SC S-29
- SC S-30
- SC S-31
- SC S-32
- GB G-17
- GB G-18
- AT Go-ni I-1
- AT Go-ni I-2
- ML L-19
- ML L-20
- MS M-13
- MS M-14
Chosen
- AC Nisshin
- AC Aso
- PC Chitose
- DD Arara
- DD Ariake
- GB Yodo
Formosa
- AC Kasuga
- PC Tsugaru
- CL Tone
- DD Asakase, Asatsuyu

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By Fleet:

Red Force (Vice-Admiral Naoe, IJN)

First Battle Group
- First Battle Squadron: BB Nagato (FF), BB Mutsu
- First Carrier Squadron: CV Shoho (F), CVE Otta
- First Cruiser Squadron: AC Luzon (F), AC Tokiwa, AC Kasuga-J
- Second Cruiser Squadron: CL Tenryu (F), CL Nagara

First Destroyer Group
- CL Oi (F)
- DesRon 1: DD Minekaze, DD Shiokaze, DD Yukaze
- DesRon 2: DDE K-31, DDE K-32, DDE K-33
- DesRon 3: DD Asakase, Asatsuyu, DD Pelícano

First Amphibious Group
- PD Mikasa (F)
- CE Panay
- DesRon 4: DD G-124, DD G-125, DD G-126
- DesRon 5: SC S-29, SC S-30, SC S-31, SC S-32
- PhibRon 1: AT Go-ni I-1, AT Go-ni I-2

First Light Craft Group
- PC Tsugaru (F)
- PB Abejorro
- GunRon 1: GB Yodo, GB G100-1
- MineRon 1: MS M-13, MS M-14
- MineRon 2: MS MSC-8, MS MSC-9, MS MSC-10
- AO Ramree Island

Blue Force (Rear-Admiral Sen, IND)

Second Battle Group
- Second Battle Squadron: BB Babur (FF), PD Fernando (FF)
- Second Carrier Squadron: CV Zuiho (F), CA Bangalore
- Third Cruiser Squadron: AC Nisshin (F), AC Aso, AC Kasuga-F
- Fourth Cruiser Squadron: CL Pondicherry, CL Columbo, CL Kalyan

Second Destroyer Group
- CL Tone (F)
- DesRon 6: DD Impavido, DD Cormorán, DD Rabihorcado
- DesRon 7: DD Alcatraz, DD Arara, DD G-135
- DesRon 8: DD Ariake, DD G-136, DD G-137

Second Light Craft Group
- PC Chitose (F)
- SS Tiburón
- GunRon 3: GB G-17, GB G-18, TB T-3
- MineRon 3: ML ML-3, ML L-19, ML L-20, SC E-1
- AO Bambú

Special Strike Force
- BC Presidente Malvar (F)
- DD Martinete
- DD G-138
- TB T-1
- FTB T-M1 to T-M10

Quoted

Fernando took a torpedo aft, reducing her speed to 14 knots.

I think that just about any torpedo hitting Fernando would sink her. Her report says 1.9 20" hits to sink, and as you guys are using 24" torpedoes...

Interesting read, with lots of air forces involved.

For the MAS boats, they are fairly easy prey for destroyers once spotted. Heavier losses would be more likely.

Quoted

as you guys are using 24" torpedoes...

Not yet, I'm building in provision for 610mm fish but the installed tubes are either 18" or 21" depending on the ship - and she was hit by an aerial torpedo, so that's 18".

As for the MAS losses or lack therof, remember that the referees were Filipinos.

My reasoning for detaching Mutsu from the carriers was so that she could stand by Nagato which was "dead in the water" and a sitting duck otherwise.

Good read, and it reminds me that we (FAR) never did write out the details of our first set of FAR fleet excirsizes. Perhaps in the new year.

Guess you as Canadian will be very busy with Christmas right about now.

Fairly, I just completed my Christmas shopping, all thats left is to wrap em and head out to my relatives house tomorrow.

Thanks for the SATSUMA Exercise Report. Interesting read that is. One wonders what people will learn from both the SAINT and SATSUMA exercises. I expected a discussion regarding "lessons learned" but there is none... uh? Why is this?

One sidenote: I think there are too many planes involved and they are way to effective. This I also said regarding SAINT and the Doc downscaled the used of planes somewhat but when I read the SATSUMA report which is more or less about a carrier war I can´t help but think it is 10 years too early.... One should at least expect more accidents and technical problems as the planes of the era were fragile and not very reliable.

That's partly because I ran out of time (accidents) and partly over-optimism on the part of the referees (effectiveness).

When 1928 (or 1930, need to talk to Walter about that) rolls around, I'll rachet up the realism factor a tad.

Quoted

When 1928 (or 1930, need to talk to Walter about that) rolls around, I'll rachet up the realism factor a tad.

With Manzo around, I fear it can only go one way and that is downhill!!

Blue force losses: all ships sunk by Oonishi Manzo.
Red force losses: all ships sunk by Oonishi Manzo.
Not sure yet what Manzo's rank will be by then.

Manzo will be a Sergeant by then. My pet theory is that he started with the rank of General and is working his way downward.

Having participated in both exercises, I intend to do a "compare and contrast" either late in my Q4 news or in my Q1/26 news. Some of the points are fairly self-evident ("We need better battleships!" & "We need a faster aircraft carrier!") and are being acted on anyway. Others not so much...

One also has to wonder about how Rear-Admiral Sen's apparent decisive victory is viewed by himself and his peers...

Quoted

"We need better battleships!" & "We need a faster aircraft carrier!"

Your ally has got a reasonable BB design as well as a resonable CV design, but it'll take a couple of years before they will lay down the keels of those vessels.

Quoted

One also has to wonder about how Rear-Admiral Sen's apparent decisive victory is viewed by himself and his peers...

Could be that the admiral thinks that the referees were too enthusiastic regarding certain situations and fears that this will give the SATSUMA navies the wrong ideas.

Quoted

Originally posted by Rooijen10

Quoted

"We need better battleships!" & "We need a faster aircraft carrier!"

Your ally has got a reasonable BB design as well as a resonable CV design, but it'll take a couple of years before they will lay down the keels of those vessels.

Huh? Which ally are you talking about? Is there something I should know?!

The ally that is also building giant Mecha and that mini Death Star just beyond the moon. :-)

One conclusion the Filipinos have drawn is the same one the Italians and Austrians learned in WW1 - the use of capital ships in restricted, torpedo-boat-infested waters isn't conducive to the continued health of said capital ships.

Quoted

Manzo will be a Sergeant by then. My pet theory is that he started with the rank of General and is working his way downward.

You sure he didn't start as a Marshal?

I think the Japanese may have a nice (read: nasty) surprise ready for the motor torpedo boats for the next excercise...

Quoted

You sure he didn't start as a Marshal?

Nah, not likely. I think he probably started out as "Ruler of the Universe." :-)

Quoted

the use of capital ships in restricted, torpedo-boat-infested waters isn't conducive to the continued health of said capital ships.

This confirms Russia's experience in Great War. Add in mines, and total stasis results. This is why you will find very few, small Russian capital ships in Baltic Sea as time goes on.

Quoted

the SATSUMA report which is more or less about a carrier war

That was the point. The focus of the exercise was "Naval Aviation" so it was naturally skewed in that direction.

Quoted

One also has to wonder about how Rear-Admiral Sen's apparent decisive victory is viewed by himself and his peers...

Reading the Manila papers, you'd ask "Rear-Admiral Who?" - according to them the battle was won by Captain Cain of the Malvar, who sent Red Force packing with one hand tied behind his back.