Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

MIA

[:(]


Leo "Apollo11"

[Redd]

Going through withdrawls myself [:(]. I have to nominate this AAR as the most detailed of any that I have read so far. I actually have to limit myself to not reading it when tired and or intoxicated. Hope everything is O.K.

[Ron Saueracker]

Maybe the Allies sued for peace!

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Maybe the Allies sued for peace!

I most certainly hope not! [&:]

This AAR was so interesting that, I am sure, war would end in 1946 with invasion of Japan...


Leo "Apollo11"

[Speedysteve]

Hi guys,

Highly unlikely that Pompack has surrendered. I'm playing aginst him as is. He's no quitter I can assure you.

It's likely that Laurent is just busy IRL.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Thanks for info!


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Sorry for the long break, but as someone said I have been busy IRL, first heavy work schedule and family (my sister broke her leg and I cared for her daughter for some evenings) and then four days skiing in French Alps. Now I'm back at work, but not in the right mood for it. I am just lacking the sun and the snow.

We have done three turns before I left for the mountains, but I have had no time to write the AAR here. I should have some today or tomorrow.

[aztez]

Good to see this AAR continued [:)]

[AmiralLaurent]

23 August 1942

Northern Pacific

One Eng Rgt from the Kwantung Army was ordered to march to Korea and prepare for Paramushiro Jima. Most bases in Mandchoukuo have now fort size 9 and their max size.

Central Pacific

Three Japanese divisions (4th, 16th and 48th), 3 Naval Guard Units and 2 IJA Base Forces, 64 000 able men) launched an attack in Kona against Allied forces (27 000 able men) that had been reinforced with the under strength 40th US Div. The other American units were the 26th and 102nd RCT, the 112th Cav Rgt, the 30th USA FA Rgt and the HQ US I Corps. The Japanese managed to defeat them at 2 to 1. 1463 Japanese men, 28 guns and 7 tanks were lost in the battle against 224 Allied men and 3 guns, but more than 3000 Allied men were taken captured during the retreat to Hilo.

Japanese troops were then ordered to rest and wait for the two other divisions (2nd and 38th) to land in Kona. Also a convoy loaded in PH the HQ 16th Army and two ART units and will bring them to Kona. Then all these gathered troops will march to Hilo.

Southern Pacific

Six MSW swept the last Allied mines off Nandi (until another Allied submarine came).

Solomons-New Guinea


Timor-Amboina-Australia

As usual seven Brewster 339D from Darwin were sent to chase Japanese barges in Banda Sea. They attacked east of Kai Island a small group returning from Aru Island and missed with bombs but strafed them and hit 23 men and 1 gun. In the afternoon a patrolling LB-30 attacked this convoy and sank a barge.

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Derby to size 7.

As my opponent didn’t react yet to the oilfield repairs in Mandalay, I decided to send AKs with supplies to Amboina and Sorong to repair the fields here too.

Southern Ressource Area

24 500 tons of resources were loaded in Soerabaja for Japan.

Burma

During the night 15 Nells from Rangoon tried to find industry targets in Dacca but were unable to hit any, not even being able to hit the town (= scoring manpower hits) and one was shot down by AA fire.

In the morning 21 B-17E from Dacca flew the other way to attack Rangoon but were intercepted by 32 Tonies, 32 Nates and 13 Oscars, while 36 A6M2 and 18 A6M3 also flew CAP but didn’t take part to the battle. It was the baptism of fire of the Tony and the 78th Sentai shot down 5 B-17E for no loss. The other bombers shot down 2 Nates but all turned back with some kind of damage and one crashed during the return leg and was credited to a Nate pilot.
At the same time 66 Blenheim IV, 14 Il-4c and 12 Wellington III escorted by 48 P-40B from Dacca bombed the airfield of Mandalay, hitting 123 men and 1 gun and scoring 6 hits on the base, 7 on supplies and 41 on runways, at the cost of two P-40B lost to engine failure. And the troops north of the railway were bombed by 52 Hurricane II, 26 Beaufort I and 19 Beaufort V-IX from Imphal and Chandpur, under escort by 17 P-40B, and lost 144 men, 3 guns and 2 tanks but 1 Beaufort I, 1 V-IX and 1 Hurricane were lost in accidents.

In the afternoon the Allied CAP shot down a Ki-46 Dinah over Chandpur.

Philippines

Japanese troops launched another attack against Manila, supported by 170 aircraft (51 Ki-48, 43 A6M2, 26 Kates, 23 Vals, 18 Ki-21 and 9 Ki-49) from Clark Field and Legaspi, that bombed two PA Div and hit 142 men and 3 guns. And then 144 000 Japanese men stormed the city and overwhelmed the remaining 52 000 able defenders at 3 to 1. The Allied commander ordered a ceasefire in the evening and surrendered. The last day of the street fighting cost the Japanese Army 3593 men, 19 guns and 4 tanks, but this was the price to pay to eliminate the Luzon Army. Allied losses were 92 323 men, 269 guns and 113 tanks. Not counting HQs, the following Allied units surrendered: 1st, 2nd, 11th, 21st, 31st, 41st, 51st, 91st PA Div, 31st USA RCT, 4th USMC Rgt, 43rd, 45th and 57th PS RCT, 26th PS Cav Rgt, 88th USA FA Rgt, 192nd and 194th USA Tk Bn, 14th PS Eng Rgt, 803rd EAB, 200th USA Cst AA Rgt, 1st USMC AA Bn, Corregidor M Fort, PAF Aviation, 118th USN BF, 103rd, 104th, 105th, 106th, 107th, 109th, 111th and 112th USAAF BF.

This victory really marked the end of the first phase of the Japanese war plan (originally scheduled for the first half of July). It is symbolic that it took place the same day as the victory in Kona, that will probably doom the first Allied counter-offensive (and destroy enough Allied troops to delay the next ones a lot). By the way, I scored 1307 troop points this turn, and the score went over the 5 to 1 ratio with 35 138 to 6 813 in Japan favor.

I had concentrated 94 transports and 33 escorts in Hong Kong and Tainan ports and all these received orders to sail to Manila, and will bring troops from here to new theatres, after they will have recovered. Air units began immediately to move, Zeroes and IJAAF bombers flying to China while Kates and Vals returned to Japan to reinforce the Kido Butai units.

Ground troops received orders to prepare for new targets:
_ the most badly hit division received orders to finish the last Allied pockets in Philippines (Iloilo and Cebu) and will prepare for Iloilo.
_ 3 Div, 2 Eng Rgt and 5 artillery units will prepare for Auckland.
_ 1 Div, 1 Bde, 1 Tk Rgt, 1 Eng Rgt and 1 ART unit will prepare for Christchurch, another New Zealand city.
_ 1 Bde, 1 Tk Rgt and 1 Army HQ will prepare for Noumea (mostly as a diversion).
_ 1 Naval unit and 1 Army HQ will prepare for Luganville.
_ and 2 Naval units will prepare for Efate.
As you can see, the White Plan is still underway and New Zealand will be my next major target in the fall, but then I may take Noumea and the nearby islands rather than land in Australia. The latter may be invaded in the fist half of 1943

China

Kunming resources were bombed by 27 Ki-21 from Hanoi and 15 Betties from Wuhan but they did no new damage. They were grounded in the evening.

In the north, 28 Hurricane II of Sining attacked the 8th Eng Rgt near Lanchow and hit 48 men, while 23 Hurricane and 9 P-40B from Lanchow hit a regiment of the 27th Div near their base and hit 46 men. Japanese men hit 27 men in Kungchang, Chinese guns hit nothing in Lanchow.
Two Japanese divisions coming from Homan (6th and 35th) were now east of Lanchow and were ordered to march to this town and take it.

In the south, 16 Vals from Canton bombed the 28th New Chinese Div NW of Wuchow and hit 23 men. Japanes guns hit 82 men in Wuchow.

Japan

One new MLE was launched and was sent to the Kuriles. A convoy loaded 49 000 supplies in Tokyo to bring them to Manila to restore the troops here.

[veji1]

ça fait plaisir que tu continues ton AAR, on sais que ça prends du temps, mais c'est vraiment très intéressant...

Thanks for getting back to it, it is really one of the most interesting AAR, and a much needed jap success story so far, after PZB's shocking defeat...

[Redd]

Wouldn't necessarilly call it a defeat, more of a set back. But more importantly, glad to see alls (mostly) well with the Admiral. Carry on Admiral, great job so far![:D]

[AmiralLaurent]

Thanks to all for your support. I was shocked to read that PzB was planning to stop playing, and I am glad he is finally continuing for the moment. As he said, WITP can be very addictive and at times you have just to step back and pause. So do I now for one week. Skiing made me much good.

By the way, the next months will probably be rather boring for you, with siege war in Hilo and China and air skirmishes over Burma and Banda Sea as the main activities. I am even thinking of cancelling Rabaul invasion. The next main Japanese offensive will be in October.

24-25 August 1942

Central Pacific

During the night of the 23-24, the BB Yamashiro, 2 CL and 5 DD attacked Hilo. The submarine SS Peto tried to attack this fleet but was chased by the escort and the Japanese ships then pounded the American base, disabling 914 men, 6 guns and 1 vehicle and scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies, 25 on runways and 1 on fuel. This Japanese TF then returned to Pearl Harbor and was disbanded there in the evening.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

On the 24th, a barge was attacked off Aru Island by 5 Brewster in the morning and then sunk in the afternoon by two Allied patrolling bombers, a B-25C and a Beaufort.

Southern Ressource Area

Another 24 500 tons of resources were loaded in Soerabaja for Japan.

Burma

On the 24th, 47 Hurricane II from Imphal attacked under escort by 19 P-40B the 21st Mixed Bde in the jungle and hit 36 men and 1 gun but lost one Hurricane and one P-40B in crashes.

The next day 46 Blenheim IV, 10 Wellington III and 5 Il-4c escorted by 35 P-40B from Dacca attacked Mandalay and destroyed 4 Ki-46 on the ground, did 97 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 26 on the runways. One Blenheim and one P-40B were lost in accidents. 48 Hurricane escorted by 19 P-40B from Imphal attacked the 23rd Bde in the jungle and hit 21 men for the loss of a Hurricane in a crash.
In the afternoon the Nates flying CAP over Hanoi shot down a F-5A Lightning.

Extensive recon of southern India and Ceylon will begin tomorrow. The goal is to divert Allied troops and fighters from the Burma front, and to make my opponent think that the troops freed by the fall of Manila may be used there.

China

On the 24th, Japanese troops near Lanchow were attacked by 20 Hurricane II from Sining and 23 Hurricane and 9 P-40B from Lanchow and lost 32 men and 1 gun. Artillery fire hit 32 Chinese in Kungchang and 20 in Wuchow, and 5 Japanese in Lanchow.

On the 25th the 28th New Chinese Div was bombed NW of Wuchow by 16 Vals from canton and lost 7 men, while 29 Hurricane from Sining bombed a regiment of the 27th Div near Lanchow and hit 21 men. Artillery fire hit 36 Chinese in Kungchang and 51 in Wuchow, and 6 Japanese men and 1 tank in Lanchow.

Japan

The 7th Eng Rgt was “bought” in Inchon, Korea, and boarded ships for Truk. It is prepared at 100% for Rabaul (and has been forgotten in Korea for some months…)

[veji1]

Could you detail your plans a bit for future Months ?

If you are going for NZ, why skip Rabaul ? Are you going for NZ in order to cut Oz or really just to kill troops ? Why wait till October ? Why besiege Hilo and immobilise precious divisions there. If you bring Manila's troops, you could maybe take it in 2 weeks time, and them you'd have 8 divisions for next attack...

Many questions as you see...

In terms of Cvs,battlewagons and Subs destroyed, where do you and your opponent stand...Can't you put KB to use for some seek and destroy mission ?

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Thanks to all for your support.

Great to see you back!


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: veji1
Could you detail your plans a bit for future Months ?

In some time I will...

ORIGINAL: veji1
If you are going for NZ, why skip Rabaul ?

Because it will only provide a bombing range for Port Moresby bombers... NZ will be invaded from Suva

ORIGINAL: veji1
Are you going for NZ in order to cut Oz or really just to kill troops ?

In WITP it is not possible to "cut Oz". Oz is self sufficient. No the prime objective of taking NZ is to kill troops, and to provide a base to invade Southern Oz.

ORIGINAL: veji1
Why wait till October ?

Because my ground, air and sea forces need at least one full rest/training month and then will need another to move in position.

ORIGINAL: veji1
Why besiege Hilo and immobilise precious divisions there. If you bring Manila's troops, you could maybe take it in 2 weeks time, and them you'd have 8 divisions for next attack...

I used the wrong word here. I don't want to besiege Hilo and I probably don't need too. In fact I have 5+ divisions in Kona marching to Hilo, that is held by roughly 1.5 US Div. Hilo will probably fall before a convoy will have enough time to arrive from Manila....
Manila troops will move directly to Suva and be joined later by 3 of the divisions currently in Hawaii. Then I will have effectifely 8-9 Div to invade NZ.

ORIGINAL: veji1
In terms of Cvs,battlewagons and Subs destroyed, where do you and your opponent stand...

I sank 5 US CV and the Formidable, 8 BB (Prince of Wales and 7 old ones), 7 CA, 10 CL, 33 DD and 31 SS, while losing 2 CVE, 1 BB (to a single mine), 1 CA, a dozen DD and a dozen SS (edited, I found a file with the list of Allied losses, but not the Japanese ones)

ORIGINAL: veji1
Can't you put KB to use for some seek and destroy mission ?

No, KB is scattered for repairs from Osaka to PH and Val and Kates units are badly understrength. During the battle off Hawaii, the LBA won the battle, while Japanese CV forces were inferior to Allied ones.
Also there is probably nothing to seek and destroy at sea now... most of the mobile Allied troops are either allready in SWPAC, or in Hawaii.

[veji1]

thanks for all the explanations...[:)]

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

AAR witdrawal crisis is a bitch... darn... first you hook us up and then... [8D]

But it is 100% understendable - my hat down to you for writting all those extensive and interesting texts for us!


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Hi guys, I'm awfully busy these days but this evening I managed to find some time to continue a little this AAR.

The game is advancing slowly, about 2 turns for 3 days. Not much is happening, as the Imperial forces are recovering almost everywhere, or slowly marching to their objectives.

Next weeks should see the fall of Hilo, Lanchow and Sining and the start of the Japanese concentration in Suva before the invasion of New Zealand in October.

26-31 August 1942

Northern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded the port of Adak Island to size 4.

Central Pacific

All Japanese forces in Kona received on the evening of the 26th the order to march to Kona and to crush the Allied beachhead here. They strated to march slowly and will arrive in the first days of September. PH airmen bombed Hilo every day of good weather, ie on the 27, 28, 29 and 31 (158 Ki-21 and 84 Ki-49 bombing sorties, 77 A6M2 escort sorties), destroying on the ground 4 PBYs, hitting 810 men, 5 guns and 1 vehicle, and scoring 6 hits on the base, 3 on supplies and 117 on the runways while losing 1 Zero in an accident and 1 Ki-21 to AA fire.

The airfield of Marcus Island, used for the Pacific air ferry roue, was expanded to level 2 by Japanese engineers.

Southern Pacific

A patrol reported two APs off Efate on the 28 and the Nell Daitai in Suva was ordered to fly long-range attack rather than naval patrol but no target was seen the following days.

Allied engineers expanded Luganville airfield to size 5.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Activity here was reduced to Japanese barges bringing supplies to advance bases and evacuating troops. If some hundred of men of the Imperial Guard Div are still on Aru Island, the last shock troops that invaded Timor months ago (parts of the 56th Div and the 2nd Para Rgt) were picked up in Dili and Lautem on the 29th by barges. Timor bases are now held by reinforced base forces, plus a CD unit in Koepang. Patrolling Allied bombers sank 4 barges, while Darwin-based Brewster 339D flew every day, once twice, to attack barges but scored only one bomb hit. Four more baregs were launched by an AK in Sorong to replace losses, but the number of barges (between 20 and 30) remained too low there (and in the game, but that is another matter).

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Kendari to size 6. They will finish to build fortifications here to size 9 and will then move to other bases in the area.

Southern Ressource Area

Four AKs laden with 28 000 ressources left Palembang for Japan.

Japanese engineers expanded the port of Bankha to size 2 (to load faster the local oil) and wil lcontinue to expand the port to size 4.

Burma

This theater was the most active for the period, but only in the air. Allied air forces started on the 27 to bombard Burmese airfields and were for some days successfull in destroying on the ground Japanese recon aircraft (that were the only one based here). On the 27 67 Blenheim IV, 30 B-17E, 16 Il-4c and 12 Wellington III from Dacca escorted by 37 P-40B raided Lashio and destroyed 4 Ki-46, hit 4 men and 1 gun and scored 5 hits on teh base, 2 on supplies and 28 on the runways while losing a P-40B to engine failure. The next day the same Allied aircraft attacked Lashio and destoryed there two more Ki-46, did 29 casualties and scored 13 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 28 on the runways, while losing this time 1 B-17E and 1 P-40B in crashes. On the 29 the B-17E remained grounded and Lashio was again attacked by 63 Blenheim IV, 13 Il-4c and 12 Wellington III, escorted by 35 P-40B. Another Ki-46 was left burning, 26 men were hit and 3 hits scored on the base, 1 on supplies and 62 on runways while 1 Blenheim IV was lost operationnaly. After a day of rest the Allied airmen (67 Blenheim IV, 33 B-17E, 15 Il-4c and 12 Wellington III from Dacca escorted by 39 P-40B) raided Myitkyina on the 31 and did 32 casualties, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 16 on runways. But they had to fly in tropical storms and 2 Il-4c, 2 Wellington III, 1 P-40B and 1 Blenheim IV were lost to the bad weather. Japanese air units didn't move back in reaction of these raids and continued to fly recon over India, a Ki-46 being shot down by the Allied CAP over Ledo on the 29.

The Japanese troops in the jungle north of the railway were attacked by Imphal airmen on the 26, 27, 28 and 29 (194 Hurricanes bombing sorties, 74 P-40B escort sorties) and lost 164 men and 2 guns while 1 P-40B and 1 Hurricane were lost in accidents.

The only Japanese raid was launched against Calcutta on the 28. 23 Nells were sent, for some reason without escort, but by chance there was no CAP either. Only 4 ressource centers were disabled by this raid, slowing only a little the Allied repairs here.

From the 26 to the 28 Madras, Trincomalee, Bangalore and Colombo were reconned by Mavis and Nells. Some Sea Gladiator were seen over the latter.

Japanese engineers finished to build Myitkyina fortifications (level 9) and will now work on the airfield (now size 2, target size 4) before moving to elsewhere. Allied engineers expanded Kohima airfield to size 3.

A Ki-43 group converted to Ki-61 in Tavoy on the 28th.

The British Admiralty is preparing the landing in North Africa and asked the Allied commander to send back a CV and two DDs.

Philippines

The troops that took Manila after months of battle continued to recover in the city.

China

Japanese troops continued to move slowly in northern China toward their objectives. The 35th Japanese Div reached Lanchow on the 30th and will be followed by the 6th in some days. The three Para SNLFs will also all be in 2 days in Yenen, where Japanese aircraft (Zeroes, bombers, transports) arrived from Japan, Burma and Luzon for the future operations against Sining (that is only held by a Chinese base force and will be attacked by the paras) and Lanchow.

Outside the usual daily artillery fire that hit in 6 days 339 Chinese and 2 guns in Kungchang, 300 Chinese in Wuchow and 75 Japanese and 1 tank in Lanchow, the main activity was in the air. From the 27th to the 29th, Allied fighters from Lanchow and Sining 104 flew Hurricane and 17 P-40B sorties against Japanese troops in Lanchow, hitting 145 men and 1 gun, and shot down a Ki-46 over Sining. Yenen fighters tried to help Japanese soldiers on the 30 and flew LRCAP over Kungchang (seeing nothing here) and over Lanchow. There 13 Zeroes first intercepted 22 Hurricanes and 6 P-40B from the local base, shooting down 3 Hurricanes and 1 P-40B for 2 losses, and then attacked 28 Hurricanes from Sining, shooting down 3 more for one loss in combat. Bombs hit 36 Japanese soliders and 1 gu nduring this attack and 3 Zeroes were lost in crashes (but two pilots were unhurt). On the 31 the Japanese fighters remained over their base and the Japanese troops at Lanchow were again attacked by 35 Hurricanes and 6 P-40B and lost 34 men and 2 guns.

Japanese enginners expanded the airfield of Hsinyang (NE of Wuhan) to size 4, just in case it will be needed one day, and to score some more base points.

In the south the Vals of Canton were mostly grounded by bad weather and only flew a mission on the 26 with 16 aircraft, hitting 7 men of a Chinese div NW of Wuchow.

Japan

There were finally enough Ki-44 available on the 28th to form the 29 Sentai in Japan.

[goodboyladdie]

Fantastic to see you back. Thanks very much to you and your opponent. I look forward to learning more from your fantastic AAR.

[AmiralLaurent]

Edited on 16 June, two months late... sorry guys

Monthly report August 1942

Japanese score: 35 212 (+ 4 214)
Bases 9 188 (+ 152)
Aircraft 5 347 (+ 778)
Army 13 602 (+ 1 536)
Ship 6 854 (+ 1 714) 375 ships sunk (+ 68)
Scuttled ships 47 (+ 34)
Strategic 174 (+ 0)

Allied score: 6 863 (+ 155)
Bases 2 880 (+ -275)
Aircraft 2 402 (+ 302)
Army 576 (+ 91)
Ship 1005 (+ 37) 103 ships sunk (+ 4)
Strategic 0

Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 3 780 000 (bases) + around 228 000 (TFs) = around 4 008 000 (+ 148 000)
Fuel : 4 270 000 (bases) + around 281 000 (TFs) = around 4 551 000 (+ 85 000)
Ressource centers : 17 955 (+ 37)
Ressources : 1 243 000 (bases) + 138 000 (TFs) = 1 381 000 (+ 18 000)
Oil centers : 2 618 (+ 15)
Oil: 1 267 000 (bases) + 334 000 (TFs) = 1 601 000 (+ 45 000)
Manpower centers : 813 (+ 2)
Manpower pool : 493 000 (+ 60 000)
Heavy industry: 13 637 (+ 26)
Heavy industry pool: 160 000 (- 9 000) (some industry centers were out of oil for some times)
Naval shipyard: 1278 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 898 (+ 0)
Armament industry: 669 (+ 31)
Armament stock: 79 000 (+ 12 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 4 400 (- 9 800) (a Tk Div was created...)
Aircraft engine factories: 1567 (+ 29)
Aircraft frames factories: 953 (+ 12)
Aircraft research: 156 (+ 17)

Aircraft production:
166 A6M2 Zero (capacity 247, partly suspended), 71 A6M3 Zero (capacity 72), 63 Ki-61 KAIc Tony (123), 42 G4M1 Betty (46), 42 B5N Kate (40), 42 Ki-48 (40), 41 D3A Val (41),
40 Ki-44-IIb Tojo (38), 32 Ki-46 Dinah (31), 25 Ki-49 Helen (23), 6 MC-21 Sally (5), 6 L3Y Tina (5), 4 H6K2-L Mavis (4), 2 C5M Babs (4), 0 Ki-51 Sonia (45, stopped), 0 H8K Emily (32, suspended), 0 E13A1 Jake (28, suspended), 0 Ki-21 Sally (20, suspended), 0 A6M-2 Rufe (14, suspended), 0 Ki-57 Topsy (10, suspended), 0 L2D2 Tabby (10, suspended), 0 E7K2 Alf (5, suspended), 0 E14Y1 Glen (4, suspended)

Total: 582 aircraft (340 fighters, 109 level bombers, 42 torpedo bombers, 41 divebombers, 34 recon, 16 transport)