Defending the Malay Barrier: End of Turn 4, 1st - 14th February, 1942.

 

A summary of movements and actions at the end of turn 4.

The final possible actions at the end of the turn are the possibility of air attacks on crippled and disabled ships.

3 attacks are launched. WAF and EAF Land Based Air and a Carrier based attack from Ryojo.

Only the WAF are successful in locating their target, and not a particularly impressive one at that! The crippled Dutch destroyer Kortenaer escorted by another destroyer, Van Nes, are attacked by bombers. Aircraft availability proved to be poor with only 8 x Nell and 3 x Betty bombers available for the strike using medium bombs on a high level bombing run.

4 x bombers targeted the lead vessel, Van Nes, with 7 on the Kortenaer.

Continued - 

Most of the previous damage to the Kortenaer had been to it's superstructure and with most of its guns out of action its AA ability is extremely limited. What they did have failed to score any hits on the bombers. A near miss damaged its hull but otherwise survived the bombing run.

Van Nes had the benefit of all its AA fire ability but nevertheless failed to score any hits. The 4 bombers targeting it though dropped a medium bomb plumb onto 'Y' turret detonating in the hull. It already had a hull box of damage from the previous action and now lost 3 more leaving just 2 intact reducing its speed to 11 knots, along with the loss of 'Y' turret. 

A successful final action by the Japanese but miss out on 2 failed air attacks. They gained an extra victory point and now both Dutch destroyers are out of the campaign for repairs.

Japanese objectives completed at the end of turn 4.

Singapore has fallen! Despite this success, the Eastern Attack Force is struggling to maintain its schedule. With just 2 turns left they have to hope that they have sufficient command actions to experience success. They cannot afford any further setbacks from allied intervention.

HMS Encounter and HMS Electra undergoing repairs in Singapore are scuttled = 2VP's for Japan.

A tally of Victory Points at the end of turn 4. 

Allies: 92.75 + 51 this turn = 143.75

Japan: 57.75 + 27 this turn = 84.75

I will take a break from all things nautical here and return to land based actions for the next AAR. The allies have delivered significant bloody noses to the Japanese but their own dwindling resources mean that the final turns could prove desperate stuff!