BACK IN BUSINESS - PzB goes East again(st) Andy Mac

[2ndACR]

 Totally understandable. Run like the wind!!!!

Disruption is not too bad at least. I was expecting 75-80 on those guys.

[Mynok]

Who are you? [:D]

[pauk]

Geeee.. PzB.. i have a lot of stuff to catch up!

(and you will be responsible for next edition - Ultimate AE edition - 100 % historically correct! )

good work -- banzai!

[PzB74]

This is actually quite interesting; dangerous but not without opportunities!
Andy got more warships than we do and probably 5? US carriers - odds are quite even unless one side manage to drop the hammer.

Need some support here Pauk, maybe we can hire your as an Imperial Advisor - free sake and unlimited access to Geisha house ofcourse [;)]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 26, 42

Surface Combat

Picket meets advance guard of the enemy!

Night Time Surface Combat, near Esperance at 62,158, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Nire, Shell hits 14, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Drayton
DD Allen
DD Ward
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

KB attack advance guard; ship reported dead in the water - but not hit [&:]
Multiple search planes report these ships as hit though.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Esperance at 56,158

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
B5N2 Kate x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 6 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Ward
DD Drayton
DD Allen

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Allen dead in the water ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Andy didn't want to loose Alice Springs so this was a morale booster!-)
All support units surrender, remnants of LCUs retreated.

Ground combat at Alice Springs (74,143)
Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 9688 troops, 121 guns, 382 vehicles, Assault Value = 381
Defending force 3015 troops, 37 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 80

Japanese adjusted assault: 241
Allied adjusted defense: 49

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Alice Springs !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
67 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 32 (2 destroyed, 30 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2661 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 288 destroyed, 111 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (7 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 66 (66 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 6

Assaulting units:
8th Tank Regiment
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /14
9th Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
48th Recon Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
2nd Raiding Rgt /18
3rd Mortar Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion

Defending units:
3rd Australian Brigade
2nd Recce Battalion
138th(Sep) Infantry Rgt /19
10th Patl RAAF Wing
NW Aus Aviation Rgt /15
1st Fgtr RAAF Wing /15
Tennant Creek RAAF Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
107th RN Base Force /16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our derelicts are trying to take Ceduna...

Ground combat at Ceduna (71,156)
Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 992 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20
Defending force 313 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 13
Allied adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
11th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
Katherine RAAF Base Force
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dot base east of Geraldton;

Ground combat at Cue (53,141)
Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 19 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 4
Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Cue !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I stay or Should I go?

That's probably what Andy is asking himself.
Brought a mighty big armada there, but does he got fuel?
- Will have to set flank speed to catch up and we got much more eyes out there than he does and the
KB will strike from 9 hexes!

[PzB74]

Central Pacific Perimeter

Is it worth consolidating here?

[bbbf]

I think he will pursue - I would.

Your forces are a long way from anywhere friendly, if his luck holds, he can cripple KB and then pick your forces off all the way up the west coast.

If the dice roll against him, Allied production will eventually make up for anyway.

[PzB74]

Possible but our fast transports will get away; at full speed they cover 5/4 hexes each turn.
Andy will have to put flank speed ahead to gain on the KB and he will have to gamble as he won't know how close he will end up.
So it's actually up to Andy to gamble, usually I'm the one in that position so it'll be interesting [:)]

Several sightings report battleships and since all US battleships are sunk or severly damaged this means the ones he has brough are British. We observed the Warspite down south a week ago. These ships are not very fast but it's possible that there are British carriers in the area to.

[WITPPL]

You are far away from home.

Your only chance is to get him as far away as You can before the battle.

He can win this one and Your Empire will be in shambles.

However:

Theres plenty of targets for his planes. I would rather use transports as a screen for a KB than vice versa.
You can replace troops and transports but not carriers.

Good luck.

[PzB74]

Fighting the odds is something we're used to, just makes victory so much sweeter!-)

But I'm indeed putting the slower transports between the KB and Allied carriers.
My calculation is that they will end up 8 or 9 hexes behind the KB at flank speed and then we may get a free shot in.
- If enemy strikes are launched against TF's in Esperance they will also have to deal with our 50 fighters in Esperance and the Zero's are good.

If things go awry we can always cut loose the rearguard and speed home.
Still don't have to bad a feel about this, so let's hope the gut feeling is correct this time.

PS! Just checked and enemy force has moved 12 hexes in 2 turns, that's a rather slow 3/3 hexes per turn.
They can move faster but then they have to leave the heavies behind and burn a lot of fuel.

Pretty sure our Scot is musing over this one and a mug of Scotch [:D]

[WITPPL]

Indeed.

First thing I have noticed is that he is moving too close to a shore line (Esperance landing).

I just can not believe that You have mounted for this venture without confirmed kills of his carriers.


Luck favors the bold?

[:D]

btw: What a pity that we can not set air strikes like we do with a Naval search.

[Cribtop]

Wow. Just wow.

I think this is one of those perilous moments when the broader war and initiative hang in the balance. In those situations, go with your gut, don't play against character. Remember, one of the reasons the Combined Fleet was defeated at Trafalgar was that Villeneuve lost his nerve and tried to run for Cadiz, losing the weather gage. If the Allies could designate a nav strike target this could be trouble but under the circumstances he is likely to fritter away strikes on transports while you hammer his TF. Only thing he has going for him is that his BBs will absorb some of your strike package.

On the whole, Andy has gained a strategic success by saving SE Australia and is probably feeling good. However, if he presses too much, he may turn strategic success into operational disaster. Either way, PzB, continue to withdraw. This has the effect of both maximizing the chances your LCUs live to take Perth AND perversely maximizes the odds you will have a CV battle with a favorable exchange rate. The decision is really in your opponent's hands for now.

[PzB74]

Much truth in that Cribtop, it will be interesting to see how Andy handles this!
Lots of difficult choices and mine are truly easier. My main goal is not to loose all my transports and supply train, but on the other hand I would like to win a decisive victory over the Allied carriers; that would make life easier. A hard task in this situation but not impossible, depends a lot on how things develop. - My goal is to get a clear shot at them from 8-9 hexes without a retaliation strike.
Will stick with that for now.

If I feel the situation getting out of hand I can cut loose the rear supply train and run for it with the warships and fast troop ships - should be out of it in 3-4 days with losses that would be painful but not critical.

[PzB74]

As expected Andy hasn't initiated a party - yet!
Manouvering and a few pawns in action.

- In the years I played Andy in our last game I never experienced that he pushed for a decisive battle without having
a clear advantage and upper hand. If he don't feel he got this now he will fall back.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 27, 42

Surface Combat

This was almost expected; been taking way to long to unload supplies at Xmas island and
the surface group has had to withdraw, out of ammo and fuel. The loss of the LSD is unfortunate, should
have moved her out but forgot. - Need search planes and dive bombers in place asap.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Christmas Island at 174,141, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Yachiyo Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK San Francisco Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
xAK Madras Maru, Shell hits 9
PB Ogashima, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
LSD Nigitsu Maru, Shell hits 33, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Sims
DD Hughes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I expected this; 2 enemy destroyers moving into Esperance. Our 2 old destroyers win the engagement
and sinks the Sands with a torpedo hit early in the battle.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Esperance at 56,153, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
DD Maury, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Sands, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

LBA from Perth swarm over a few TF's that are fairly close to land but are quite incompetent
at hitting targets at sea.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Albany at 50,154

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
Hudson III (LR) x 3
B-26 Marauder x 9
P-38E Lightning x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Nissen Maru #3
xAK Toei Maru
xAK Nitiryu Maru
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Esperance can manage on its own for now!

Morning Air attack on TF, near Esperance at 56,153

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-26 Marauder: 2 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Albany at 50,154

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 6
P-38E Lightning x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Nihonka Maru
xAK Anzan Maru
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Busselton at 46,154

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1 - leaky CAP from KB

Allied aircraft
Hudson III (LR) x 6
P-38E Lightning x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AO Tsurumi
xAK Nittei Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson III (LR) bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
4 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 12000 feet *
3 x Hudson III (LR) bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Akagi-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Albany at 50,154

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
P-38E Lightning x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Toei Maru
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Esperance at 56,153

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Sanae
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Attempted an attack at Geraldton; Andy has moved 2 regiments out and we have the edge but need supplies and to lower
forts! How can we get some supplies in....

Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)
Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10233 troops, 126 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 380
Defending force 4833 troops, 79 guns, 178 vehicles, Assault Value = 178

Japanese adjusted assault: 136
Allied adjusted defense: 197

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
390 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 39 (3 destroyed, 36 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (6 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd Tank Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
65th Brigade
1st Engineer Co
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
18th Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
276th Coastal Artillery Battalion
Geraldton Fortress
10th Light Horse Battalion
27th Infantry/C Division
1st RAN Base Force
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kicked out the enemy paras!

Ground combat at Oodnadatta (74,149)
Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1083 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58
Defending force 166 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 14

Japanese adjusted assault: 51
Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 51 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
119 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
147 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Regiment
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /15

Defending units:
2/7th Ind Coy
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would like to capture this base but it's adequately defended against paras.

Ground combat at Kalgoorlie (56,147)

Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 133 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Defending force 1522 troops, 0 guns, 102 vehicles, Assault Value = 96
Japanese adjusted assault: 5

Allied adjusted defense: 103
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 20 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /21

Defending units:
2/11th Armoured Car Battalion
44th Australian Battalion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Situation Map

[PzB74]

Planning Map

[Grfin Zeppelin]

Minor and Major Railways.The Grey one is a major.

[witpqs]

I am sure that not all of those 'white' lines coming out of Kalgoorlie are railway.

When I use the R key the roads and rails are color-coded; are you using the color-blind startup switch or something?

This is what I see (beginning of scenario 1, not my current PBM game):






EDIT: Just looked up the hot keys - didn't know about the Y key!

[Texas D]

R is for roads and Y is for railroads Witpqs.

[PzB74]

Yeah, the Y button is a must [:)]
- a secondary railway is less efficient then I guess; move troops at a slower rate?

Still no sign of enemy carriers - there is a 11 ship CA - CL TF spotted in Perth.
Maybe Andy want to snipe at us, placing the KB in a position to interdict.

In all we have some 22k troops between Princeton and Geraldton.
A bit messy and I need to decide what to do; if I don't get Perth these troops will be stuck.
My first thought is to see what we can do with Geraldton as I've mentioned.
Tomorrow we cut the last rail line to Perth from Port Augusta; then we have a few weeks when Andy will
have to manage with the troops he got.

Also considering whether it's worth to invest Rockhampton; no further advances are planned in Oz.
I want to consolidate our gains, reorganize reserves and bring up supplies.

2/3 of the troops returning from their southern cruise will go to Java, Sumatra and Malaya.
Some more will end up in Oz and the remaining go to the Solomons, Central Pacific.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 28, 42

Sub - Surface Attacks

Lucky escape for one of our tenders!

Submarine attack near Albany at 50,161

Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru

Allied Ships
SS KX

AV Kamikawa Maru is sighted by SS KX
SS KX launches 2 torpedoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Bombay at 35,23

Japanese Ships
SS I-27

Allied Ships
xAK Montanan, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

xAK Montanan is sighted by SS I-27
SS I-27 launches 6 torpedoes at xAK Montanan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These ships are spotted SW of Adelaide, could be heading back south.

ASW attack near Adelaide at 73,167

Japanese Ships
SS I-9, hits 1

Allied Ships
DD O'Brien
DD Bagley
DD Hatfield
DD Gilmer
DD John D. Edwards
DD Edsall

SS I-9 launches 6 torpedoes at DD O'Brien
I-9 diving deep ....
DD Hatfield fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Gilmer fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD John D. Edwards fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Edsall fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hatfield fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Gilmer fails to find sub and abandons search
DD John D. Edwards attacking submerged sub ....
DD John D. Edwards cannot reach attack position over SS I-9
DD John D. Edwards cannot establish contact with SS I-9
DD John D. Edwards attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-9 eludes DD John D. Edwards by diving deep
DD John D. Edwards fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD John D. Edwards fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD John D. Edwards attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Bombay at 35,23

Japanese Ships
SS I-27

Allied Ships
xAK Chilka, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

xAK Chilka is sighted by SS I-27
SS I-27 launches 6 torpedoes at xAK Chilka
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

One of our slower TF's get to close to Perth and is spotted and attacked.
This time the weather breaks and the bombers hit their mark!
Some of our support units will be at half strength when they get back home.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Busselton at 45,152
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
Hudson III (LR) x 6
B-26 Marauder x 18
P-38E Lightning x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Anzan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Toei Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nitiryu Maru, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
429 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 16 (9 destroyed, 7 disabled)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ground combat at Kalgoorlie (56,147)

Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 816 troops, 5 guns, 100 vehicles, Assault Value = 97

Defending force 109 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7
Allied adjusted assault: 17

Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 17 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker: op mode(-), shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
44th Australian Battalion
2/11th Armoured Car Battalion
C/D Battery Heavy Coastal Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese Unit(s) Wiped Out at Kalgoorlie by attrition!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[PzB74]

Absolutely no sign of enemy ships outside Perth. Looks like things are cooling down again.
Will stay on guard for a while longer, but this is pretty much as I expected.

Changing research from the A6M3 Zero to the George fighter a few days before it converts to production.
One efficient way of increasing the number of factories that research one type of ac.

The engine for the George / Rex fighter will be ready in 4/43 while the fighter itself is scheduled for 7/43.
Will try to bring them even... This is my first attempt at changing research rates.

In the meanwhile we're unloading troops in Rabaul to flesh out the outer perimeter defenses.
That's what Oz is really all about, give me peace and quiet to build defenses and buy time.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 29, 42

Sub Attacks

Sub attack near Nauru Island at 127,127

Japanese Ships
PB Narita Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Kuraido Maru
xAK Kirisima Maru
xAKL Tamaki Maru
xAKL Malacca Maru
xAKL Kitahuku Maru
xAKL Ganges Maru
PB Bisaku Maru

Allied Ships
SS Thresher
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Put an LR CAP over Charleville today; can't allow Andy to hammer away with his LBA without fighter escort.
He got 15 less of them now!

Morning Air attack on 148th Infantry Regiment, at 88,154 (Charleville)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 11

Allied aircraft
Hudson III (LR) x 12
B-18A Bolo x 3
B-17E Fortress x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson III (LR): 7 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 5th Recon Regiment, at 88,154 (Charleville)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 11

Allied aircraft
B-18A Bolo x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 148th Infantry Regiment, at 88,154 (Charleville)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 11

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 6 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Andy is checking what I got at Rockhampton - and vice versa.
An advanced recon regiment moved a hex to far and ended up in the city.
- Not sure I want to assault this place, encirclement maybe. Got 2000 AV getting closer.

Ground combat at Rockhampton (95,152)
Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 9276 troops, 90 guns, 146 vehicles, Assault Value = 418
Defending force 600 troops, 0 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2/4 MG Battalion
1st Australian Division
2nd Aus Cav Brigade
2/15 Punjab Battalion
Horn Isl Det.
15th RAAF Base Force

Defending units:
7th Tank Regiment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pilot training

[jwilkerson]

Train your pilots up on the missions you want them to fly - then send them in to combat!