The Battle of the Java Sea: IJN revealed [Middle Counter]

The left Japanese screening force cuts down the left flank of the ABDA force. HMS Electra responds by laying shielding smoke to hide the remaining ABDA counters (one dummy and one representing the ABDA cruisers and American destroyers) from direct IJN line-of-sight.

The IJN right flotilla is now in line astern formation of:

• IJNS Jintsu (Light Cruiser) chasing HMS Electra
• IJNS Hatsukaze (Destroyer)
• IJNS Oshio (Destroyer)
• IJNS Yukikaze (Destroyer)
• IJNS Shiratsuyu (Destroyer)
• IJNS Asashio (Destroyer)
• IJNS Shigure (Destroyer) lagging at reduced speed due to a GQII "critical boiler hit"

To Doorman's (ABDA's Commander) surprise the Japanese central counter moves relatively closer to the ABDA forces. The tactical tabletop units can go up to their speed, but non-revealed hidden counters can only move 6" at best. Two turns and they should be in eye-to-eye contact with the invasion convoy? All ABDA has to do is continue on its course and fend off the close escort an be amongst the transports. The ABDA commanders senses an opportunity.

The leading RN/Dutch destroyers report (incredibly) that they are under torpedo attack. The secret "Long Lance" torpedoes from the IJN destroyers (fired the turn before). This is rather unnerving to the ABDA player who was subconsciously thinking of combat only in terms of what his weapons could do. Calculations reveal that the ABDA destroyers are travelling too fast and outrun or dodge the fish (without even the need to roll the dice). A salient lesson for the IJN player in the use of is wonder weapon, pity he "only" used half of the left flotilla's complement to learn it.

Meanwhile the leading Dutch destroyer moves into view of the IJN middle counter to reveal, two rather heavily armed Japanese er, non-transports:

These are Japanese "heavies", 8" cruisers in fact. Ulp! Not the slow fat merchantmen Doorman was hoping to see. The IJN heavy cruiser scout planes now overhead are in perfect spotting spotting position of the ABDA destroyer screen and next turn they will be able to clearly see the ABDA cruisers too. The way the Japanese left (ABDA right) hand side counter is also converging to the battle area suggests more "non-transports".