October 23rd-24th, 1944

[Park Kraken]

Ambush in the Palawan Passage:

Starting Forces OOB:

Allies:
Submarine U.S.S. Dace
Submarine U.S.S. Darter

Axis:
Battleship Yamato
Battleship Musashi
Battleship Nagato
Battleship Kongo
Battleship Haruna

Heavy Cruiser Takao
Heavy Cruiser Atago (F)
Heavy Cruiser Maya
Heavy Cruiser Chokai
Heavy Cruiser Myoko
Heavy Cruiser Haguro
Heavy Cruiser Kumano
Heavy Cruiser Suzuya
Heavy Cruiser Tone
Heavy Cruiser Chikuma

Light Cruiser Noshiro
Light Cruiser Yahagi

+15 Destroyers

Battle Description:

This the opening battle for Leyte Gulf, the Allied campaign to sieze the Philippines from the grasp of the Axis. The Japanese Central Force, commanded by Adm. Kurita, was transiting through the Palawan Passage, a hazardous waterway filled with many dangerous reefs, when he was ambushed by a pair of American submarines. After his flagship was sunk, he transferred command to the Battleship Yamato, although the incident badly shook his morale.

Losses:

Allies:
None

Axis:
Heavy Cruiser Atago sunk
Heavy Cruiser Maya sunk
Heavy Cruiser Takao heavily damaged

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Battle of Sibuyan Sea:

OOB:
Axis:
Battleship Yamato (F)
Battleship Musashi
Battleship Nagato
Battleship Kongo
Battleship Haruna

Heavy Cruiser Chokai
Heavy Cruiser Myoko
Heavy Cruiser Haguro
Heavy Cruiser Kumano
Heavy Cruiser Suzuya
Heavy Cruiser Tone
Heavy Cruiser Chikuma

Light Cruiser Noshiro
Light Cruiser Yahagi

+13 Destroyers

Allied OOB:
260xAmerican Carrier-based aircraft

Battle Description:

After transiting from the passage into the Sibuyan sea, Adm. Kurita's force next was hit by waves of American carrier aircraft for most of the following day. This further impacted his morale, and after losing several ships, started to withdraw. After nightfall however, he turned back and continued heading torwards the American invasion fleet.

Losses:
Axis:
Battleship Yamato moderatly damaged
Battleship Musashi sunk
Battleship Nagato lightly damaged

Heavy Cruiser Myoko heavily damaged
Heavy Cruiser Tone lightly damaged

Allies:
Roughly two dozen planes shot down

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And that's it for today's history lesson. More to come tomorrow. :D

[Peter McCoy]

I noticed the Japanese flagship Yamato - that must be where Blizzard got the name for the Battlecruisers uber cannon in Starcraft. Cool.

[AmazonBabe]

What? History buffs at Blizzard?! NEVER! :p

[Khendon Sevon]

You never knew about the Yamato before this thread?!?!

It was another one of those silly super battleships deployed in WWII like the Bismark.

Yar.

[Park Kraken]

Ok, rather than start a new thread for these battles, since they are a part of the same campaign:

October 25th, 1944

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Battle of Surigao Strait:

OOB:

Axis:
Battleship Fuso
Battleship Yamashiro (F)

Heavy Cruiser Nachi
Heavy Cruiser Ashigara
Heavy Cruiser Mogami

Light Cruiser Abukuma

11xDestroyers


Allies:
Battleship Mississippi
Battleship Maryland
Battleship West Virginia
Battleship Tennessee
Battleship California
Battleship Pennsylvania

Heavy Cruiser Louisville
Heavy Cruiser Portland
Heavy Cruiser Minneapolis
Heavy Cruiser Australia

Light Cruiser Denver
Light Cruiser Columbia
Light Cruiser Phoenix
Light Cruiser Boise

28xDestroyers
39xPT-Boats

Battle Description:

This battle started when the Southern Force, under Adm. Nishimura, began to transit the Suriago Strait, a narrow strip of water in between two of the islands in the Philippines. Adm. Oldenorf, fully aware of the enemy's approach, laid a trap for his adversary. As the Axis forces entered into the strait, first PT-boats, then Destroyers made torpedo attacks on the enemy forces. Then, Oldernorf, crossing the 'T' with his battleships, opened fire on the Japanese force. This should be noted as the last engagement between captial ships, and resulted in the crushing of the Southern Force. Adm. Nishimura did not survive the battle.

Losses:

Axis:
Battleship Fuso sunk
Battleship Yamashiro sunk

Heavy Cruiser Nachi heavily damaged
Heavy Cruiser Mogami sunk

Light Cruiser Abukuma sunk

5xDestroyers sunk

Allies:
1xDestroyer heavily damaged
1xPT-boat sunk
2xPT-boats damaged

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[Park Kraken]

October 25th, 1944:

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Battle off Cape Engano:

OOB:

Axis:
Fleet Carrier Zuikaku
Light Carrier Zuiho
Light Carrier Chitose
Light Carrier Chiyoda

116xAircraft embarked total

Battleship Ise
Battleship Hyuga

Light Cruiser Oyodo
Light Cruiser Tama
Light Cruiser Isuzu

8xDestroyers


Allies:
Fleet Carrier Wasp
Fleet Carrier Hornet
Fleet Carrier Hancock
Light Carrier Monterey
Light Carrier Cowpens
Fleet Carrier Intrepid
Fleet Carrier Bunker Hill
Light Carrier Cabot
Light Carrier Independence
Fleet Carrier Essex
Fleet Carrier Lexington
Light Carrier Princeton
Light Carrier Langley
Fleet Carrier Franklin
Fleet Carrier Enterprise
Light Carrier San Jacinto

1,065xAircraft embarked total

Battleship Iowa
Battleship New Jersey
Battleship South Dakota
Battleship Massachusettes
Battleship Alabama
Battleship Washington

Heavy Cruiser Wichita
Heavy Cruiser Boston
Heavy Cruiser Canberra
Heavy Cruiser Pensacola
Heavy Cruiser Salt Lake City
Heavy Cruiser Chester
Heavy Cruiser New Orleans

Light Cruiser Houston
Light Cruiser San Diego
Light Cruiser Oakland
Light Cruiser Vincennes
Light Cruiser Miami
Light Cruiser Santa Fe
Light Cruiser Mobile
Light Cruiser Birmingham
Light Cruiser Reno
Light Cruiser Biloxi

64xDestroyers

-----------------------

Battle Description:

Adm. Ozawa of the Northern Force had been tasked with decoying Adm. Halsey's fleet up and away from the beacheads so that Kurita and Nishimura could have a chance of slipping in to attack the transports with their battleships. To say the least, he was successful, as Halsey brought every ship he could spare in an effort to crush the Japanese carrier fleet.

----------------------


Losses:

Axis:

Fleet Carrier Zuikaku sunk
Light Carrier Zuiho sunk
Light Carrier Chitose sunk
Light Carrier Chiyoda sunk

Light Cruiser Tama sunk

2xDestroyers sunk


Allies:
Light Carrier Princeton sunk