Post by RNRobert on Feb 9, 2015 20:48:23 GMT -6
In the years prior to WW2, Japan placed special emphasis on nighttime training. They were concerned about the numerical disparity between their battleship fleet and that of the USN (thanks to the 5-5-3 ratio prescribed by the Washington Naval Treaty). They planned on using torpedo attacks by their cruisers and destroyers in nighttime torpedo attacks in an attempt to thin out the US battle line. Of course, the attack on Pearl Harbor meant that the battle they planned to fight would never occur (although their night fighting expertise stood them in good stead in the battles off Guadalcanal).
In this hypothetical battle, the Japanese get to see if their tactics would have worked. They have six battleships to the USN's eight. They have eight CAs armed with the deadly Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo, while the Americans have four CAs and four Omaha class CLs. Both sides have two divisions of destroyers- one of the latest designs and one of WW1/early twenties vintage DDs.
PLAN ORANGE 1939.txt (10.03 KB)
In this hypothetical battle, the Japanese get to see if their tactics would have worked. They have six battleships to the USN's eight. They have eight CAs armed with the deadly Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo, while the Americans have four CAs and four Omaha class CLs. Both sides have two divisions of destroyers- one of the latest designs and one of WW1/early twenties vintage DDs.
PLAN ORANGE 1939.txt (10.03 KB)