Board Thread:Game Updates/@comment-25730832-20151013050733/@comment-749631-20151104091632

Some related info.

First, idea come from http://kancolle.aemedia.org/thread-24743-1-1.html

And note that original tweet: 南方の島への戦闘艦艇を用いた「輸送作戦」, i think it can be liberally understand as transport operation using combat ships over southern islands

In Oct 1944, Battleof Leyte Gulf happened, Ise miracally survived, it and remain of Ozawa's force return to Kure and removed catapult.

On Nov 9 1944, Carrier Division 4 which include Ise and Hyuuga were send from Japan to the South with munitions to help defend Manila. Failed to reach Maila due to heavy air raid, they unloaded those munitions to transports in the Spratly Islands and then went to Lingga near Singapore. They went to Cam Ranh Bay during December and returned on Jan 11, 1945.

On the other hand, on Nov 15, 1944, Training Cruiser Kashii have been appointed as flagship for Escort Group 101, together with a few other Escorts Ships.

On Jan 7/8, 1945, US Task force 3/38 enter South China Sea as they think Ise/Hyuuga/etc. gathering over Cam Ranh Bay was for take back Luzon. US Task force 38 alone consist of 8CL+3CVL carrying 800+ planes.

Escort Group 101 escorting Hi-86 convoy leave Cap Saint Jacques of Vietnam in Jan 9, then on Jan 12 the US Task Force found the convoy off Vietnam coast, the training cruiser Kashii get sunk, and 13/16 of all transport ships in the fleet have been sunk there too, which is the worst case for all the Hi-convoys.

US Task Force unable to find Ise/Hyuuga at the end.

As a result of the record-breaking lost from Hi-86, IJN think sealane from south to mainland would eventually be cut off, so they initiated Operation Kita, to get whatever they have back to Japan.

Then on Feb 4, 1945, IGH assigned order for all ships remain over Singapore side. They told Carrier Division 4 which include Ise, Hyuuga, and also added Ooyodo at the time to carry people and resources back to Japan, and ask Torpedo Squadron 2 which include Kasumi, Asashimo, and Hatsushimoto escort them back. The official order were given in Feb 10 and they start sortie that day, and they name the whole task force as Task Force Kan (Completion Force).

Headquarters back then think at least half of all those ships would lost and it is possible for all of them being destroyed, however some of them think the operation would have a chance to success given the strong luck of Ise, Hyuuga and Ooyodo. There were no fighter/liaison planes to help them, and flight deck of Ise/Hyuuga were full of drums that contain extremely flammable gasoline which even a very slight attack can cause extreme dangerous situation.

US decrypted their communication and arranged 26 allied submarines along the path and there're numerous encounters between them but each time they were able to be safe.

Finally, all of them successfully went back to Kure on Feb 20. Despite what the 6 ships have shipped were not even as much as a middle-sized cargo ship, people in IJN already crazily happy about it, and these are last bit of fuel shipped from Overseas to Japan. Those fuel remain in Ise/Hyuuga were later moved onto Yamato, fueling its last sortie to Operation Kikusui.