User blog:SydneyFFG03/2nd Battle of Malaya event theories

DISCLAIMER - THIS IS A PERSONAL GUESS, AND MAY NOT BE ACCURATE AT ALL TO WHAT THE COMING EVENT MAY BE

Given the current hints, such as '2nd Battle of Malaya as the event name (subject to change), and other hints such as LBAS being of use, and a Transport map.

I have reasoned that the following could be possible. (This is in no particular order and written as I am able to remember).

To start with, the event is set to have one map that revolves around the sinking of the Royal Navy's Eastern Fleet ships HMS Prince of Wales (a King George V class battleship), and the World War One era HMS Repulse (a Renown class battlecruiser). They were escorted by HMAS Vampire I68 (I), HMS Electra H27, HMS Express H61 and HMS Tenedos H04. Both capital ships were sunk by Japanese land based bombers (LBAS will likely be the active mechanic during that map).

Also I speculate that this event will be heavily focused on surface engagements, as carriers were little invovled in this battle/s.

After PoW (Prince of Wales) and Repulse were sunk, their escorting destroyers rescued what crew they could before retiring to Singapore. After this, HMAS Vampire was escorting convoys to and from Malaya, and guarding mine laying operations in the South China Sea. There was a report that mines will become part of gameplay, and this bit of history makes me believe that mines will be an obstacle to us, the players. While we do not have minesweepers ingame to counter such threats, I think that the devs wil lcreate some kind of stop gap mechanic to cover this, such as ships equipped with sonar can help avoid 'mined nodes' or if a fleet gets routed through such a node, damage is reduced.

A month later, a Japanese transport convoy was reported to be at Endau, and the WWI era destroyers Vampire and HMS Thanet H29 were the only ships the British command in Singapore could spare, and ordered them to attack this Japanese force on the 26th of Janurary.

The Japanese escorts for the transports were the light cruiser Sendai, and the destroyers Fubuki, Shirayuuki, Hatsuyuuki, Yoigiri, Asagiri and Amagiri. (Though by the time Vampire and Thanet reached the position, a misinformed report from an RAF crew reported only two Japanese destroyers, while the Japanese believed 2 British cruisers were in the area). Vampire's history page had the following:

"They had arrived that day and comprised in fact two transports escorted by the light cruiser  Sendai, destroyers of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron and some smaller craft."

" Vampire and  Thanet sailed in the afternoon of 26 January and arrived off Endau after moonset shortly before 2:00 am the following morning. The two ships steamed in,  Vampire leading at 15 knots into what was a veritable hornet's nest."

This was the Battle of Endau.

If we indeed do get a Transport Map, I feel that Sendai, Fubuki, Shirayuuki and Hatsuyuuki may be needed for Historical routing rules. I also think that the map may be mostly Night Battle nodes, as this battle took action at night. The Boss of this map, if added, should be HMAS Vampire. In Abbyssal form, I believe we will see the creation of Ancient Destroyer Hime Flagship Kai. (Vampire was built as a Leader type, meaning she could act as the flagship of destroyer flotilla's, a role she served as in the Mediterranean when her leader HMAS Stuart I00 was removed from service for maintenance). HMS Thanet 'may' appear with her as a regular Ancient DD Hime. I chose Ancient becauee both ships, as said, are World War One vintage. (Vampire was completed 1917, Thanet completed 1919).

An extra thought is that Vampire as an Abyssal boss will have high evasion, as during the battle, the Japanese ships all told fired over 400 rounds at her, mostly by Shirayuuki, and none ever hit Vampire, though Vampire never scored a hit on the Japanese ships, either. Thanet being slow and old was caught out and sunk after being surrounded. Vampire used a smoke screen to foul Sendai's gunners, and when a shape appeared through the smoke, Sendai fired on it, though the target turned out to be one of her ships. Vampire escaped and returned to Singapore 10:00 that morning.

Now some believe that there will be a 'Singapore Hime', which may very well be possible. Some thoughts of mine regarding her are still hazy, but lots of planes, and Artillery Imps (As at the time there weren't many combat capable ships, but there was a stack of Coastal Artillery). There may also be another Ancient Destroyer Hime as escort. (The bulk of the British external fleets at the time were still of WWI design). Vampire's sister, HMAS Vendetta I69, was dry docked in Singapore's King Dock under going a rebuild after just arriving from Alexanderia (Egypt).

At this time, the Japanese air force was bombing Singapore frequently, and AA defences around Vendetta's dock were light, so the crew took it upon themselves to improve the defence using abandoned weapons and also their own light arms, with AA gun nests set up around their ship, including a 12 pounder gun. During one air raid, three Japanese bombers were flying almost wing tip to tip, and bomb bays open. Vendetta's crew fired the 12pdr gun and scored a direct hit into the centre planes bomb bay, causing it to explode and took the planes either side of it out. For the rest of the time Vendetta was in Sginapore, bombers treated the area around Kings Dock with respect and flew wide to avoid the area.

So I do think the extra Ancient DD will give Singapore hime a decent boost to AA just to mess with us.

So in short:

-Prince of Wales and Repulse portion will be LBAS map, as no carriers were around at the time.

-Transport Map will be Yasen mostly, with Ancient Destroyer Hime Flagship Kai, and possibly a second Ancient Destroyer Hime as escort. (Of course other vessels will make it a full 6).

-Naval mines in nodes, and sonar equipped destroyers may be of help to avoid these nodes / reduce damage taken from nodes.

Let be be clear one more time: THIS IS ENTIRELY PERSONAL THOUGHTS, AND LIKELY WON'T BE ACCURATE.

Further reading for more detailed information to draw your own conclusions:

HMAS Vampire (navy.gov.au) : HMAS Vampire (I) Royal Australian Navy history page

HMS Thanet (naval-history.net) : HMS Thanet

Battle of Endau (wikipedia) : Battle of Endau