(8)___________
-- Day 02, 1803hours --Foster: "Foster here - hard copy, will get it done."Travis: "You got it! Shells, up!"Akizuki and Mutsuki sweep across the front of the fleet, warming up their smoke generators in preparation to mask the fleet's movements.
Takao initiates second salvo, scoring a single hit against the already damaged Furutaka from 10 miles. The american destroyers follow up with surprisingly accurate gunfire, scoring a total of seven hits with their 5 inch guns, easily sinking the Furutaka.
Atago, Tenryu and Tatsuta engage with their hard-hitting 203mm guns, and the Mutsuki-class destroyers engage the second Furutaka with all of their main guns. The onslaught of 203mm and 120mm shells nets four hits - three with 203mm shells and one with a single 120mm shell from a very lucky Satsuki. This severely damages the Furutaka, and it barely stays afloat.
As the entire fleet disappears into the smoke, the hostile ships turn their attention to the incoming air strike. At a range of only 3 miles, the first air squadron receives 4 effective hits, downing two planes while damaging another. The second air squadron receives 5 effective hits, downing two planes and also damaging another.
Akizuki finally arrives at the scene of the doomed Fuso, and to everyone's relief, Verlaine clambers out of the lopsided command room and dives into the water, swimming towards the Akizuki who is stopped right beside the wrecked ship. On the deck of Akizuki, Foster gives Verlaine his hand, and she is hoisted back up into safety. Akizuki immediately accelerates to avoid damage from any further secondary explosions as Fuso finally capsizes completely onto her port side.
Verlaine: "...sorry. Let's get them good.
Reassuming command of the skies - we have them within striking range for the planes within the next minute. How should we spread the air attacks, admiral?"Takao confirms that the planes have a primitive but functional visual sensor suite, capable of detecting surface vessels at up to 5 miles in ideal conditions. However, unlike scout planes, they completely lack vision capabilities at night and will only be useful if targets are detected for them prior to their attack in those conditions.
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[Furutaka (1) - Western cluster] 10, bow angled [SUNK]
Takao (15x155mm): (16.59%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=12% (1/15)
Benham (4x127mm): (13.19%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (1/4)
Ellet (4x127mm): (13.19%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (0/4)
Somers (8x127mm): (13.19%)x(0.81)x(0.86)x(1.2)=11% (4/8)
Warrington (8x127mm): (13.19%)x(0.81)x(0.86)x(1.2)=11% (2/8)
[Furutaka (2) - Western cluster] 10, bow angled [368/3063]
Atago (10x203mm): (22.63%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=16% (1/10)
Tenryu (3x203mm, 2x120mm): (22.63%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=16% (1/3); (12.36%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (0/2)
Tatsuta (3x203mm, 2x120mm): (22.63%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=16% (1/3); (12.36%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (0/2)
Mutsuki (4x120mm): (12.36%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (0/4)
Nagatsuki (4x120mm): (12.36%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (0/4)
Satsuki (4x120mm): (12.36%)x(0.81)x(0.86)=9% (1/4)
[Air Squadron 1]
5 HE bombers (1 damaged)
9 torpedo bombers
[Air Squadron 2]
5 HE bombers (1 damaged)
9 torpedo bombers