Lunacy or Shrewdness?

[Rob Brennan UK]

Now THIS I don't get. Yesterday I got 2:1 odds here with a combat power of about 1500 vs 600something Allied combat power. Today the Allies can muster 1030 AV and my forces muster only 243... I find it difficult to imagine where the 80%+ reduction in my combat power from one day to the next came from. There were no ground attacks, supply shortages or support shortages. The ground combat model gains another layer of confusion with which to guard its secrets.

Wecome to war in the pacific [:D]

im guessing your badly fatigued 2 days attacking .. and if he dropped off supply and was originally short some .. THEN the odd will favour him a lot .. going from out of supply to in supply is a 4x effect.

Homan looks very very weak .. his troops look badly depleted and out of supply .. surround the base and finish it off.

good luck .. and your one prolific writer ! .. where do you find the time ? [;)]

[Nemo121]

Rob,

I'm on hols this week so the weekend was Girlfriend Mk I's time and yesterday was free to write up the AAR etc. As to China, I'm going for Hengchow, the Homan pocket, the holdouts south of Kweiyang and the holdouts east of Chungking in that order. I know I wanted to take Chungking before the Chinese could respawn but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that now...


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/06/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 30,47

Japanese Ships
APD APD-46
APD APD-39
APD APD-38
APD APD-37
APD APD-36
APD APD-35
APD APD-34
APD APD-33
APD APD-31
APD APD-2
APD APD-1

Allied Ships
SS KXIII, hits 16, on fire, heavy damage

Excellent! K XIII looks like it is finally out of business.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 54,40

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 13
PC Ch 3
PC Ch 2
PC Ch 1

Allied Ships
SS Saury, hits 5, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 71
Ki-30 Ann x 27
Ki-51 Sonia x 39
Ki-15 Babs x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 53


It looks to me like the damage at Hengchow is no longer being repaired at all.

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Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 77
Ki-49 Helen x 121

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 1
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 16 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 5 destroyed, 12 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 8 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 11 destroyed
Blenheim IF: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 64

It looks like 8 Allied transports + a few DDs and CLs have shown up outside of Rangoon. It looks like it is supply being dropped off. Consewuently I've decided to accept the aerial engagement offered by the CAP covering this convoy in order to decisively attrition the AVG. Losses are, obviously, very high but I believe that attriting the AVG is extremely important. I imagine that the AVG has been almost wiped out and won't be able to intervene decisively in the invasion of India.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
PB2Y Coronado x 4
B-17E Fortress x 43
LB-30 Liberator x 41


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
542 casualties reported
Guns lost 22

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 41

These losses are acceptable. Every time he flies against Johnson he is losing an average of 2 B17 or LB-30s. This is resulting in an asymetric attrition which is tending to limit the expansion of the Allied four-engined bomber force.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 120th IJA Base Force, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 11
IL-4c x 3
SB-2c x 6


Allied aircraft losses
IL-4c: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-32 Mary x 3

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-32 Mary: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied Ships
DD Paladin


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 68156 troops, 854 guns, 1 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1347

Defending force 57193 troops, 205 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1248


Allied ground losses:
460 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 102331 troops, 1158 guns, 8 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1863

Defending force 60861 troops, 389 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1546



Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 53783 troops, 645 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 957

Defending force 87500 troops, 256 guns, 52 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2267



Allied ground losses:
270 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 47,32

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13004 troops, 164 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 254

Defending force 2920 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 0

Japanese max assault: 254 - adjusted assault: 254

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 9

Japanese assault odds: 28 to 1


It would appear that an entire Japanese Infantry brigade is no match for a Chinese HQ unit with no food, bullets or guns. I am confidently expecting Trey to stand down all other Allied forces and concentrate the Chinese HQ units into an unstoppable Blitzkrieg which will roll into Tokyo sometime before the end of 1942.

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While the odds in ground combat heavily favour the Japanese forces in China loss rates definitely favour the Chinese. My plan is to simply continue attacking in the hopes that disruption and fatigue will wear the Chinese down and increase the odds in my favour more than the losses hurt me. If it works out I should clear all of China except the northern rump by the end of February.

Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19776 troops, 231 guns, 6 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 427

Defending force 14090 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 428

Japanese max assault: 420 - adjusted assault: 170

Allied max defense: 398 - adjusted defense: 23

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
103 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100860 troops, 1018 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1866

Defending force 21804 troops, 79 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 552

Japanese max assault: 1802 - adjusted assault: 1083

Allied max defense: 540 - adjusted defense: 87

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
627 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

Allied ground losses:
741 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33098 troops, 393 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 646

Defending force 18899 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 524



Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10436 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3990 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 92

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1


Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 10308 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1413

Defending force 10817 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 198

Allied max assault: 220 - adjusted assault: 19

Japanese max defense: 193 - adjusted defense: 237

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 50,25

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6409 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 145

Defending force 30134 troops, 243 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 950


Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


In other news my reorganisation of KB's air component has been completed. I'm glad to say that over 150 fighters and 150 Vals/Kates are available in a forward depot to replace future losses and the fighter defence of KB has been greatly bolstered. I still haven't decided where to make the spoiling raid. I think that all 4 US CVs are in or around Pearl so while it would be more effective to get in behind Pearl and hit some convoys there it would also, potentially, be more costly. I've read that operations in the north are more difficult but there is far more chance of hitting quickly and getting away before Trey can react. I'll give it till the 10th and then decide.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/07/42

This will be the last of the very quiet turns for a while. Activity will gradually ramp up until the 12th to 14th ( when I anticipate my carriers being among the chickens and my landing at Canton to occur) and maintain a nice steady pace until the beginning of March when my troops will land in India.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 25,54

Japanese Ships
PG Shinko Maru #1

Allied Ships
SS Trusty, hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 114,61

Japanese Ships
SS I-22

Allied Ships
DD Gridley

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 118,65

Japanese Ships
SS I-172, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Blue
DD Bagley
DD Russell
DD Hughes
DD Sims

Just the usual sub attacks. The submarine campaign in our game has been just tremendous. It is a lot more active than I've seen in other AARs at this time... I am really missing all of those submarines I've had to stop in order to accelerate all my CVs but, in the fullness of time, my expansion of shipyards will allow me to have a glut of submarines in 1943 and create a massive sub cordon east of Pearl to attrit any counter-invasion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 73
Ki-30 Ann x 27
Ki-51 Sonia x 36
Ki-15 Babs x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-30 Ann: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 41

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Day Air attack on Yokosuka 3rd SNLF, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 11
IL-4c x 5
SB-2c x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported

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Day Air attack on 1st Tank Regiment, at 37,26


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 9


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 53,41

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 13
PC Ch 3
PC Ch 2
PC Ch 1
PC Kyo Maru #13
PC Kyo Maru #12
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Sargo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 82887 troops, 862 guns, 1 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1359

Defending force 56578 troops, 199 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1249

Japanese max assault: 1352 - adjusted assault: 865

Allied max defense: 1267 - adjusted defense: 625

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
2247 casualties reported
Guns lost 31
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
889 casualties reported
Guns lost 32

Bloody but acceptable. The nice thing with the Chinese is that since they lack engineers they are highly unlikely to rebuild fortification levels during a period of rest between assaults... unlike those damned defenders at Rangoon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 102792 troops, 1166 guns, 8 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1895

Defending force 61143 troops, 396 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1548


Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 54016 troops, 652 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 965

Defending force 87454 troops, 254 guns, 52 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2279


Allied ground losses:
203 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 47,32

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13040 troops, 167 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 255

Defending force 2920 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 0

Japanese max assault: 514 - adjusted assault: 514

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 9

Japanese assault odds: 57 to 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 53955 troops, 626 guns, 7 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1085

Defending force 26700 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 423

Japanese max assault: 1028 - adjusted assault: 513

Allied max defense: 422 - adjusted defense: 151

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
921 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
143 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Again, costly but very much acceptable given that I have decided to completely disregard casualties over the next fortnight in order to clear my rear of Chinese holdouts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19721 troops, 231 guns, 5 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 421

Defending force 14055 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 429


Allied ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100563 troops, 1006 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1856

Defending force 20024 troops, 65 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 540

Japanese max assault: 1806 - adjusted assault: 1516

Allied max defense: 528 - adjusted defense: 139

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
802 casualties reported
Guns lost 12

Allied ground losses:
1598 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

An army HQ surrendered to my forces here this turn. Hmm it seems the surrender model in out-of-base hexes is not an all or nothing model either and support troops are the first to go. Interesting.

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Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33212 troops, 395 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 649

Defending force 18848 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 523


Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported

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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10416 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3990 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 84

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1


Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported

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Ground combat at 50,25

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6407 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 145

Defending force 30243 troops, 242 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 953


Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Akyab

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1049 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 28

Defending force 926 troops, 8 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1

Japanese max assault: 36 - adjusted assault: 16

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 3

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Akyab base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

I had reconned Akyab about 2 weeks ago and then poured all my recon into south-eastern India in order to mask my interest in Akyab. It appears to have paid dividends insofar as Akyab was not reinforced. Trey tells me that he was moving the Base Force from Akyab anyway and wasn't interested in holding it. That's as may be but it definitely, IMO, makes a threat towards Dacca and Diamond Harbour more believable.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/08/42

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ASW attack at 30,47

Japanese Ships
DD Sagiri
DD Asagiri
DD Ayanami
DD Uranami
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Shirayuki
DD Isonami
DD Inazuma
DD Wakaba

Allied Ships
SS KXIII, hits 2, heavy damage

Fixated, moi? Definitely.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 42,52

Japanese Ships
PG Eifuku Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-39

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TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Kiska Island, 92,35


Japanese ground losses:
411 casualties reported

Two base forces land at Kiska. I've been building all of my Base Forces up to full infantry strength ( 40 squads) so they pack a not inconsiderable punch.

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Sub attack at 114,61

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
DD Aylwin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 114,61

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
DD McCall

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 63
Ki-30 Ann x 27
Ki-51 Sonia x 29
Ki-15 Babs x 3

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 62

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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 7


No Allied losses

Runway hits 2

*chuckle* Trey switches from bombing the Tank Regiment on the Ledo trail to bombing Akyab. I think he cares more about its capture than he was willing to admit. If he wants it badly he can have it. Tying down an Indian brigade in garrison duty is a major victory for me. Consequently I'm pulling out the 2nd Parachute Regiment and replacing it with an air-transported Base Force.

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Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 337
Ki-49 Helen x 26
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
382 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 23
Runway hits 216

23 Supply hits. That has got to hurt... The Singaporean defenders must be almost out of supply by now. Once my FlAK losses begin to fall to nothing I will transfer most of the bombers out for use elsewhere ( possibly Chungking).

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Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 38


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 1

VERY interesting. 40 B-17Es are basing out of Auckland. I will definitely have to look into holding the invasion of New Zealand until after the Indian invasion is completed and I can commit KB to cover the NZ invasion fleet.

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Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 20
LB-30 Liberator x 42


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 10 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
399 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 21

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Day Air attack on 120th IJA Base Force, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 8
IL-4c x 5
SB-2c x 6


Allied aircraft losses
IL-4c: 1 damaged
SB-2c: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Day Air attack on TF at 21,53


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Natori

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Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 4
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

The Oscar Sentais needed a break. I've amalgamated the survivors of the 3 Sentais present into 2 full-strength Sentais. The other 2 Zero Daitais of 1st Fighter Division are only a day out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 114,61

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 114,61

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
DD Craven
DD Mugford


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 103278 troops, 1171 guns, 8 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1928

Defending force 61263 troops, 399 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1553


Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 54265 troops, 657 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 976

Defending force 87284 troops, 252 guns, 50 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2279


Allied ground losses:
275 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 47,32

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13075 troops, 168 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 258

Defending force 2920 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 0

Japanese max assault: 520 - adjusted assault: 520

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 74 to 1


Allied ground losses:
4857 casualties reported

Finally the "phantom" unit is revealed as a Chinese Army HQ. It is destroyed in its entirety and the threat to the Ichang/Chungking road is now fully removed. The Brigade which did the job is going to help clear the rest of the road and then help in tieing down the 20 Chinese units north of the river flowing through Chungking. By my estimation this would leave only 10 units for the defence of Chungking itself + respawns and that's a much easier nut to crack than 30+ respawns.

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Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19763 troops, 232 guns, 5 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 508

Defending force 13889 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 420


Allied ground losses:
65 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100143 troops, 995 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1834

Defending force 17671 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 509

Japanese max assault: 1785 - adjusted assault: 1330

Allied max defense: 492 - adjusted defense: 71

Japanese assault odds: 18 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
940 casualties reported
Guns lost 20

Allied ground losses:
500 casualties reported
Guns lost 8


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33264 troops, 399 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 649

Defending force 18906 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 521


Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported

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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10411 troops, 181 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3970 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 93

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1


Allied ground losses:
44 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 47437 troops, 237 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1416

Defending force 13029 troops, 52 guns, 144 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 272

Allied max assault: 884 - adjusted assault: 276

Japanese max defense: 265 - adjusted defense: 239

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
530 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
410 casualties reported
Guns lost 20


Ooh, VERY dangerous!!! [X(] [X(] [X(] While the tank regiment has bolstered the defenders it appears that the a combination of:
a) The Infantry Brigade not arriving yet and
b) the reduction in available supply caused by the road not yet being clear and my allocation of transports to flying out parachute regiments instead of flying in supply

has caused a bit of a crisis. Fortunately the Brigade is only 15 miles away and should make it before tomorrow. When it does Japanese combat power should jump into the high 300s to low 400s and Kweiyang should be safe for the forseeable future. Tomorrow's turn will dictate the fate of the holdouts in the south. To be honest even if they are rescued I will be happy as it will enable me to get a war of movement going again and that favours me far more than it favours the Chinese.

The main job of the Kweiyang drop, namely forcing Trey to spread his garrison in India to cover as many points as possible, has been achieved. Trey is, unfortunately for him, an excellent operational thinker and far too good to fail to draw this lesson. Why unfortunately? Simply because a lesser player wouldn't see the ramifications so clearly and think he might get away without this garrisoning. Trey's linking of refusals of combat and acceptances of combat has, whenever he's had a choice in the matter, been of the highest operational calibre and I've got to admit I'm impressed.

I don't think he has ANY good options in India though... except a deathride by the Royal Navy's BBs and BCs into the bowels of my invasion transport fleet. This would cripple my attempt to take India. Anything less has been foreseen and provided for in the Indian Invasion Decision Points document.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/09/42

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Sub attack at 55,40

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 13
PC Ch 3
PC Ch 2
PC Ch 1
PC Kyo Maru #13
PC Kyo Maru #12
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish, hits 2

I've been thinking how much the submariners on both sides must HATE their high commands. Trey's sub losses have to be more than 20 subs and I've lost about 8 with half of the survivors in port repairing damage.

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Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 71
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12
Ki-49 Helen x 125

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 1
P-40B Tomahawk x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 12 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 9 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported

Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 55

The presence of Oscars in the raid was due to an error on my part in forgetting to rest a fragment left over after the consolidation of the Sentais. Still, I think this battle shows the back of the aerial defence of Rangoon has been broken.

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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 10


No Allied losses

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Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 20


No Allied losses

Runway hits 1

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Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 damaged


My transports are due on the 12th. I have no ability to bombard prior to their landing so losses will probably be heavy. I am going to task my bombers at Palmyra with prepping the target a little.
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Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 30
LB-30 Liberator x 22


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 7 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
317 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 11th Tank Regiment, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 2
IL-4c x 3
SB-2c x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 24
Ki-32 Mary x 3

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
AK Empire Wildebeeste, Bomb hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 4
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

1 P40E out of nil defenders killed. FOW strikes again

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 76171 troops, 806 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1258

Defending force 54881 troops, 155 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1204

Japanese max assault: 1205 - adjusted assault: 399

Allied max defense: 1217 - adjusted defense: 286

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
1955 casualties reported
Guns lost 32

Allied ground losses:
1061 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

The forces at Hengchow now officially hate me too . When I said losses were irrelevant during this operation I obviously meant it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 66381 troops, 768 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1952

Defending force 61613 troops, 404 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1563


Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported

For some weird reason I can't seem to move ANY of my units in the mountains 120 miles north-east of Chungking out of that hex. I have friendly hexes to the east and south-east but every movement order I give is cancelled the next turn. They have supply, a friendly hex to move into and on occasion I've stopped the bombardments for a couple of turns in order to see if this helps. it doesn't. I had the same problem when I had a tank unit there a few weeks ago and I ended up Shock Attacking with it to get the Chinese to Shock Attack me back to push it out of the hex. Is this a known bug or is there something else going on here that I am missing?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 45824 troops, 519 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 987

Defending force 87006 troops, 246 guns, 50 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2283


Allied ground losses:
261 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25870 troops, 233 guns, 72 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 511

Defending force 13791 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 416

Japanese max assault: 493 - adjusted assault: 400

Allied max defense: 381 - adjusted defense: 8

Japanese assault odds: 50 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
226 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
533 casualties reported
Guns lost 12


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 99835 troops, 970 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1812

Defending force 16917 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 481

Japanese max assault: 3538 - adjusted assault: 3536

Allied max defense: 458 - adjusted defense: 49

Japanese assault odds: 72 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1036 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Allied ground losses:
6682 casualties reported
Guns lost 19

A Chinese Corps surrenders to my forces.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33393 troops, 400 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 655

Defending force 18979 troops, 112 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 520


Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10411 troops, 181 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3920 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 45 - adjusted assault: 176

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 50237 troops, 223 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1482

Defending force 21840 troops, 214 guns, 145 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 439

Allied max assault: 1015 - adjusted assault: 119

Japanese max defense: 434 - adjusted defense: 471

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
640 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
650 casualties reported
Guns lost 26

Good, the Infantry Brigade arrived just in time and turned the expected Shock Attack into an expensive stalemate. I am sending another Tank Regiment to bolster Kweiyang. That should be enough to help it hold until Hengchow and the Kweilin/Kweiyang road are cleared.

[Rob Brennan UK]

If your in a contested hex you have to give a city as the destination or a movement order .. wierd i know.

once your in friendly territory its ok to plot normal movement.

That P40 casualty i put down to a failed scramble and one plane went down a crater calling off the launch [:D]

[Nemo121]

Thanks Rob that's really helpful. I have 100s of AV I couldn't move before now. This will speed things up.

And in other news:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/10/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 73
Ki-30 Ann x 27
Ki-51 Sonia x 39
Ki-15 Babs x 3

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 68

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 306
Ki-49 Helen x 21
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 15 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 131

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 26


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 23
G4M1 Betty x 78

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Gees, talk about a pathetic performance. The flight leaders have been thrown from their planes. Their replacements are "eager to do better".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
PB2Y Coronado x 2
B-17E Fortress x 27
LB-30 Liberator x 26


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
188 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th Ind. Brigade, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 11
IL-4c x 4
SB-2c x 6


Allied aircraft losses
SB-2c: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 1
P-40B Tomahawk x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 1
P-40B Tomahawk x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Ah good, a little payback on the AKs at Rangoon. It isn't nearly enough and I have a suspicion that Try is loading troops from Rangoon onto these transports to bring them back to India to aid the resistance there. The battleline has been delayed for several days at it needed to detour to Palembang to refuel but should arrive tomorrow night.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 20,59

Japanese Ships
MSW Toshi Maru #2
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Choun Maru #21
MSW Choun Maru #7
MSW Choun Maru #6
MSW Banshu Maru #56
MSW Banshu Maru #52

Allied Ships
SS O20, hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 74196 troops, 752 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1162

Defending force 53150 troops, 127 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1166

Japanese max assault: 856 - adjusted assault: 236

Allied max defense: 1177 - adjusted defense: 192

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1


Japanese ground losses:
676 casualties reported
Guns lost 25

Allied ground losses:
1365 casualties reported
Guns lost 17

Soon, very soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 66782 troops, 770 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1993

Defending force 61966 troops, 408 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1573



Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 45996 troops, 521 guns, 4 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1000

Defending force 86925 troops, 245 guns, 49 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2287



Allied ground losses:
113 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 53058 troops, 601 guns, 6 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1043

Defending force 26389 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 418

Japanese max assault: 2008 - adjusted assault: 269

Allied max defense: 428 - adjusted defense: 197

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1015 casualties reported
Guns lost 33
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
88 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25654 troops, 230 guns, 73 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 498

Defending force 12936 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 370

Japanese max assault: 968 - adjusted assault: 720

Allied max defense: 278 - adjusted defense: 6

Japanese assault odds: 120 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
150 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
185 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

And still they hold out. The Shock Attack at such high odds didn't really disrupt my troops much though so Shock Attacks will continue until the Chinese surrender.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 99571 troops, 982 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1789

Defending force 13795 troops, 34 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 405

Japanese max assault: 3478 - adjusted assault: 2801

Allied max defense: 392 - adjusted defense: 119

Japanese assault odds: 23 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
321 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

Allied ground losses:
132 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33556 troops, 401 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 661

Defending force 19012 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 523



Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10381 troops, 180 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3891 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 3

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 93

Allied max defense: 1 - adjusted defense: 19

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1


Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 48725 troops, 171 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1368

Defending force 21565 troops, 197 guns, 143 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 434

Allied max assault: 454 - adjusted assault: 76

Japanese max defense: 404 - adjusted defense: 731

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
182 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
592 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

Chinese forces again lose heavily in their attempts to retake Kweiyang.


The really big news here is that KB has left Midway on its way through the gap in Allied recon between Dutch Harbour and Midway. I intend to strike behind Pearl Harbour at the ASW TFs there but if I see anything in Alaska I will divert there instead, the rewards will be less but so will the risks and with my goal being to make the Americans cautious at minimal cost to myself I must choose the lesser risk if it presents itself. I also think Trey is up to something in Alaska. When we were chatting about stuff in the game he made a comment about me taking an Aleutian Island I hadn't even bothered to garrison which makes me think he is keeping a close eye on developments there.

The other thing which makes me think something is happening is that I haven't seen a convoy , a surface raid or EVEN air recon of Amchitka. I think this might be Trey's version of my studied indifference to Akyab. If I strike north and find a lot of shipping it'll confirm my belief that Trey is far, far trickier than most but I won't risk a wasted strike if I amn't 100% positive there is something there.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/11/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Kiska Island, 92,35


Japanese ground losses:
251 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 21,58

Japanese Ships
MSW Toshi Maru #2
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Choun Maru #21
MSW Choun Maru #7
MSW Choun Maru #6
MSW Banshu Maru #56
MSW Banshu Maru #52

Allied Ships
SS KXVII, hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 21,58

Japanese Ships
MSW Toshi Maru #2
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Choun Maru #21
MSW Choun Maru #7
MSW Choun Maru #6
MSW Banshu Maru #52

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Kiska Island, 92,35


Japanese ground losses:
292 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 116,62

Japanese Ships
SS I-8

Allied Ships
DD Case
DD Ellet
DD Benham
DD Maury

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 42,52

Japanese Ships
APD APD-46
APD APD-39
APD APD-38
APD APD-37
APD APD-36
APD APD-35
APD APD-34
APD APD-33
APD APD-31
APD APD-2
APD APD-1

Allied Ships
SS S-39, hits 5

The ASW war continues apace... Over 20 Allied subs are now confirmed sunk with a similar number limping to port with serious damage. I just got confirmation that S-40 sank several days after being damaged by one of my attacks. It appears that Trey is using Singapore to refuel and re-arm his subs in the DEI... Since he has stopped basing airplanes out of Singapore I am switching to Port Attacks. I may be able to catch one in port.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 72
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-49 Helen x 124

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 88

Good, the AVGs back has been broken. I have gained air supremacy over Rangoon and with it will continue the task of attriting the defenders. With the massive amount of supplies those transports must have brought in Rangoon will receive quite a boost. On the other hand I think the transports might be taking the Armoured Brigade out of Rangoon... That will rob me of their destruction but, paradoxically, may aid me even more as its removal will seriously weaken the Rangoon defences possibly allowing me to clear Burma of Allied troops and add the 3 Infantry Divisions and 2nd Provisional Tank Division to the invasion of India. That would increase my combat power by over 25% and would really be a decisive advantage. With Akyab taken I am contemplating a paraborne invasion of South-Eastern India to coincide with the amphibious landings further east. If my recon shows this to be possible I will take the base and then air-transport a division in. I've used a LOT of resources to build up my Tina production to about 50 aircraft per month and it is starting to pay dividends as the number of Tinas available has doubled in the past month. I should have just a little short of 100 Tinas in Burma by month's end. Combined with the Tabby and Topsy production increases that will provide me with a decisive medium and long-range vertical envelopment capability which, if used correctly, should justify the rather massive supply diversion to my transport airplane production programme.

That's the nice thing about this game... Logistics shape production which shapes operational capabilities which shapes the scope, nature and extent of operations. All of the above plays a part in determining what is feasible, when and in what timeframe. I've gambled VERY heavily on a strategy of massive expansion in the first few months with a view to maximising my pre-June 42 gains. If my massive alterations to production don't provide me with a decisive advantage in operational capabilities I can parlay into a series of operations which are not only succesful but strategically decisive then the whole house of cards will come crashing down starting in mid-42. By the end of this month my supply levels will be significantly below 2,000,000 and my HI below 20,000. If I can, as planned, eliminate India, China, Malaysia and the DEI by June 42 the gains in HI, Oil and Resource production will give me a more than 25% boost to my war production, an almost 50% boost to my rate of supply creation and more than 1000 manpower points per day. That will allow me to sustain the size of war economy my ambitious production plans will have created by then.

Taking the Soviet Union plus or minus Australia will function to give my HI and resources a useful surplus. Not essential but nice to have.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 9


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 330
Ki-49 Helen x 25
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 15 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
132 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 220

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 23
G4M1 Betty x 68

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder: 3 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
139 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 62


It turned out this raid had actually destroyed 6 B-26s when I checked later in the day. Unfortunately damage to Allied ground units was minimal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
PB2Y Coronado x 2
B-17E Fortress x 21
LB-30 Liberator x 17


Allied aircraft losses
PB2Y Coronado: 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 5 damaged

Port hits 1

25% of bombers involved in the attack are damaged or destroyed. This is excellent work and is, hopefully, doing a good job of asmetrical attrition due to ops losses on the way back to Pearl.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th Ind. Brigade, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 11
IL-4c x 4
SB-2c x 6


Allied aircraft losses
IL-4c: 3 damaged
SB-2c: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported

Some may wonder why I'm not opposing these strikes with my own aircraft. The reasons are as follows:
a. They are neither operationally or strategically decisive. Therefore allowing them to attrit my pilots (which, in the right planes, can be operationally decisive and greatly aid strategically decisive operations) would be unwise.

b. In the initial stages of the airdrops into Kweiyang I had fighters present because of the fragility of the air bridge. The air bridge is no longer required in order to bring in new troops or supply therefore the absolute need to protect it has disappeared. In short I viewed protection of the air bridge as being an operationally significant usage of my air power in support of an operation with, hopefully, strategically decisive ramifications. I think this has been borne out by events. Over 300,000 Chinese troops either have been or soon will be removed from the field as a direct result of the Kweiyang airdrop and the Chungking river crossing.

c. Once sufficient troops were in Kweiyang to ensure it could hold out against the initial Chinese response it became clear that the presence of my fighters was massively increasing the supply needs of the Kweiyang pocket. This lack of supply was now a greater danger to the pocket than a lack of actual fighting infantry. Removal of the fighters caused an increase in absolute losses in the short term but so reduced supply requirements that within a couple of days the dire lack of supplies had been turned around into a major surplus.

d. It is wearing down Chinese supply. Admittedly a lot of Chinese troops can no longer draw down Chinese supply levels so while absolute supply production might be low the lack of troops in the field to draw on that supply might mean Trey is now running a surplus. Nowithstanding that possibility the time will come when Chungking and Chengtu are the only Chinese bases remaining and their supply will prove insufficient to their needs. Even minor supply wastage at this point will hasten the arrival of that time. So long as the Chinese airplanes do no significant damage to my ground troops I will let them roam as they wish.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 89th Chinese Corps, at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 65
Ki-30 Ann x 24
Ki-51 Sonia x 34
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
146 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 27,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 28
Ki-32 Mary x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 26,31

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied Ships
AK Empire Wildebeeste, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported

The day before my battleline arrives the Allied convoy leaves Rangoon. Typical! [8|] Still, this strike helps confirm that the convoy has loaded some men and material from Rangoon. My bet is that the Indian Tank Brigade has been evacuated. It will be a priceless aid in the fighting in India. In a couple of days when I attack again I can confirm or find the lie in this estimation.

I've got to admit this was a very nice operation on Trey's part. It should rescue a major tank formation for future fighting and bolster the supply levels of the defenders of Rangoon... Of course now that I've decided to commit the battleline that shouldn't matter worth a damn since the battleline seems to have a good habit of blowing supply dumps to hell and back. If I had to guess I would say that in about a week's time Rangoon will be mine. It only held out because of the presence of the Tank Brigade and with the battleline to pound supplies and support troops and 3 divisions to launch deliberate attack after deliberate attack I can't see Rangoon holding out for long. I wonder if Trey will try to sink a few of my BBs with a Royal Navy carrier raid? It would be worth trying IMO but the presence of about 100 Helens at Moulmein might put him off.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 53,41

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 13
PC Ch 3
PC Ch 2
PC Ch 1
PC Kyo Maru #13
PC Kyo Maru #12
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Sargo, hits 8


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 77599 troops, 704 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1207

Defending force 50761 troops, 97 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1116

Japanese max assault: 687 - adjusted assault: 402

Allied max defense: 1066 - adjusted defense: 225

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
801 casualties reported
Guns lost 21

Allied ground losses:
596 casualties reported
Guns lost 12

Tomorrow Hengchow should be mine. Good, this will help my concentrate on the Kunming axis and really complete the isolation of Chungking. Once Hengchow falls things should begin moving pretty quickly again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 67193 troops, 773 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2019

Defending force 62131 troops, 419 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1580


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 46172 troops, 528 guns, 3 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1004

Defending force 86901 troops, 245 guns, 49 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2306



Allied ground losses:
248 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 30833 troops, 339 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 912

Defending force 26201 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 418

Japanese max assault: 72 - adjusted assault: 27

Allied max defense: 428 - adjusted defense: 251

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported

Oops! I'm learning to be a lot less cavalier about shock attacks than I was when I started this game but every so often the offence a l'outrance spirit gets the better of me.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25245 troops, 224 guns, 72 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 475

Defending force 12651 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 357

Japanese max assault: 908 - adjusted assault: 785

Allied max defense: 249 - adjusted defense: 8

Japanese assault odds: 98 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
120 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 99446 troops, 964 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1786

Defending force 13481 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 397

Japanese max assault: 1746 - adjusted assault: 1547

Allied max defense: 380 - adjusted defense: 62

Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
214 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
196 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33660 troops, 401 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 666

Defending force 18987 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 524


Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10408 troops, 182 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3811 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 3

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 46

Allied max defense: 1 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1


Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported


Strategic Summary:

Operations in China are going well. The holdouts are being destroyed and while I don't like that they will respawn in Chungking before I can take it I am resigned to this reality and plan to simply ensure they are starved and bombarded into submission. Once I reduce the Chinese to Chengtu, Chungking and Nanning I won't really have any major need to rush. I can ensure Chungking is completely out of supply, launch air attacks against any units of my choice and slowly but surely take it apart with a massive preponderance of ground, artillery and armour units.

Burma... I expect Rangoon to fall soon. I've been wrong about this before but I just don't see the extra supply making much of a difference now that the Tank Brigade appears to have been withdrawn. It was the iron which gave the defence its strength and with it removed from the scene I think Rangoon will be easy pickings for my divisions ( especially since two of them are now at 100% prep for Rangoon and I have both Corps and Army HQs also prepped to 100%).

Singapore: Operationally and strategically neutralised by my intensive bombing campaign.

Soviet Union... I've been looking at it and I think I have a plan which will ensure its fall within 3 months (possibly 2) when I do get around to attacking it.

Australia and New Zealand. Given the massive buildup he can see at Noumea Trey must be reinforcing New Zealand like mad. He has to have figured out that I want to cut off Australia by now and that New Zealand is the easiest way I can do so. I know I was planning to invade it at the same time as India but I must admit to being a bit reluctant to do so now. I may just build up my strength and invade it after I conduct my drive-by mauling of Northern Australia in June 1942. I have a couple of CVEs, several CS and a whole hord of AVs as well as a Level 4 airfield and 2 Betty Daitais operating out of Noumea supported by 5 CL-led DD TFs, a few submarines and an underway replenishment fleet ( to help keep my seaplane carriers and CVEs out at sea longer).

India. Just over 250,000 men are now on their way to India. Once the opposition in Burma is eliminated I plan to commit at least two of these divisions amphibiously and the other in a vertical envelopement. In short I'll be going into India with 11 Infantry Divisions, 3 Provisional Tank Divisions, 5 Parachute Regiments and 3 Engineer Regiments as well as a bit over 100 Zeroes, 150+ Bettys and the entire Army bomber and fighter force ( if required). 200+ transports are already at sea with cover provided by over 50 light units ( DDs, CLs, MSWs and PGs) while the battleline and 4 CVs & 2 CVLs are refueling in the DEI. In addition I have 60,000+ tons of fuel in a major replenishment TF and another 60,000 available in a tanker TF for unloading at whichever Indian port I decided to base out of. 40,000 tons of supplies will be landed in the first wave after which my men will have to live off what they capture. I am holding 6 Independent Regiments and Brigades in reserve 2 weeks sailing from India should things go sour.

Pacific: The bases I seek to attrit Trey at all have a divisional-equivalent in combat infantry, a minimum of 2 x CDs, several AAA and between 3 and 6,000 mines. It should be enough to attrit him unless he brings more than two divisions with him and I consider a 3-division invasion unlikely as it would mean weakening Pearl Harbour too much IMO. I should be landing at Palmyra tomorrow. I have 5 SNLFs on a few AKs. This is an opportunistic invasion and so they aren't prepped for Palmyra, neither is Palmyra bombarded much so the CDs should do well. I expect that losses will be very, very heavy but I am willing to accept them in order to see just how bad a "worst case" invasion is. I am toying with a rush invasion of some of the Hawaiian islands in a couple of months and want to test out just how much mass I would need to overcome losses due to CD guns, not being prepped etc. Even if only 1/4 of the force is combat-capable once it is ashore Canton should easily fall.

[Sneer]

short comment
any manpower center captured is reduced to 10%
after taking east insia you will have sth like 830 - after reaching east india and china sth like 850
manpower is not a problem in first year or too - i have 600k manpower unused in dec 42

2mil supplies - looks like many of your bases are low on supply
any level below 2.5 mil is consider by me as critical

i used 250k in Feb 42 for similar target and it was not easy to take east india - it is high time for such trip as later it becomes too difficult

thumbs up

[veji1]

Well I guess you are actually playing the way japan should have try to do it : uberblitzkrieg, and if it fails, by mid 1942 you will be left with hundreds of facturies unable to run due to lack of supply...

[Sneer]

supply is not needed to run factories
only to retool them and repair
but below 2 mil supply means there is a lot of bases that are in a pink and some in the red with supply
campaign in east india is profitable one but needs to be invested in it - ap 100-150k supply in minor version + china + other operations
i dropped to sth like 2.2 in the bottom of supply graph and found that it limits me with troops building up in Home island and air operations in some places - also LCU were supplied slightly below optimum
maybe we should ask Nemo what changes to industry are made

as far as your plans for Russia ... well i will gladly see this as I reached all objectives in very similar dates as you and found myself in position where i did not choose Russia option

[Nemo121]

Hi Sneer and Veji,

Thanks for the comments. Its a real motivation for me when people post to the AAR with questions or comments. I'll always try to respond too, work permitting.

Ok so let's look at the supply situation...

Basically in the entire DEI/Malaysia/China/Korea region only 3 of my bases are in any way short of supply. These are the Andaman Island and Sabang which cannot be supplied overland and which, until recently, could not be resupplied by ship for fear of recon operating out of Rangoon ot Singapore spotting them and allowing Trey to make a strike with his carriers in order to gain a little experience. The other is Pakhoi which has been cut off by the Chinese for some time and is consuming massive amounts of supply in repairing disabled squads and building fortifications. I have been unable to evacuate the Bde there by sea because of design decisions and so am left with the need to continue flying supplies in. It is good training for a couple of my Thora groups and since I've started it the supply levels have been increasing a little. I am consciously not over-supplying it since I don't want the Chinese to get a large amount of supplies if they take Pakhoi.

In China alone my forward bases have over 75,000 tons of supply between them with a couple of the larger rear area bases having 20,000+ tons each. Not a single base is in the red or even yellow. Same goes for Korea.

In the DEI all bases have more than sufficient supply with a couple of the bases with damaged oil facilities having had 20000 tons of supply brought in to help hasten repair... At least it is my understanding that 20,000 tons of supply is required in-base to begin facility repair which then costs 1,000 tons of supply per HI/Manpower/Oil or Resource point repaired. It seems to be working as my oil production has increased by 22 points in the last 18 days. 18 HI and 27 resources have also been repaired.


Japan... After a start in which I robbed Japan blind of all its supply in order to aid my main forward bases in building up quickly I have stabilised the situation in Japan with most of the important productive cities having more than 20,000 tons of supply. As my other sources of supply have come online I have stopped shipping as much from Japan and begun shipping more from Formosa, the Phillipines and DEI.


Pacific. A single island is in the yellow and that is only because a supply convoy is only a few days out. Most islands ( even those in rear areas with only a BF garrisoning them) have a minimum of 10,000 supply ( so that they can expand airfields, forts and ports in that order). My major bases have supply north of 20,000 and fuel reserves of more then 50,000. A few bases from which I am planning to launch offensives in the next 3 to 4 months have been supplied with in excess of 50,000 tons of supply and 200,000 tons of fuel ( some of this is still a week away in some cases but nothing much will change in the next week) and my engineers on all bases are busy building forts, ports and fields.


So, in essence, apart from 4 bases which are short of supply because of the local tactical situation or a supply convoy just not having arrived yet all my bases are doing fine with stockpiling of fuel and supplies for the next phase of offensives coming along nicely.


Sneer,
Since you asked about production I looked into that as well.
Basically in the last half month (16 days) my supply levels have fallen from 2,010,000 to 1,970,000. That's a total drop of 80,000 tons of supply.

My repairs of damaged facilities account for 68,000 tons of supply usage. My expansion of production ( naval shipyard, aircraft engine, airframes etc) has consumed another 200,000 tons of supply as I have added 83 naval shipyard points, 31 shipyard repair points, 23 armament points, 1 vehicle point, 21 aircraft engines and 40 airframe points to my production in the past two weeks.


So, my repairs to resources, oil, HI and manpower have expended 68,000 tons of supply while my expansion of existing factories has consumed an additional 200,000 tons of supply in the past 16 days. So in 16 days I have used 270,000 tons of supply to improve my means of production. My net fall in supply has been only 80,000 tons of supply in the same period. This means that excepting the resource and factory improvements I was actually running a surplus of 190,000 tons whilst maintaining a massive operational tempo and keeping all my forward bases, excepting the 3 which couldn't be well-supplied for tactical and operational reasons, well-supplied.

My industrial expansion is about half-way complete and with the upcoming capture of HI in India and China I will be able to match my HI to the requirements on it again. Risky? Yes but the strategic/economic situation which will result if the Indian invasion prodeeds according to plan will be extensive. It should also be noted that my plan has been drawn up with 3 things in mind. These are, in order of importance:

1. Capturing Indian resources intact, even if this means more casualties in the short term.
2. The road and rail network.
3. Destruction of the Allied naval forces in India.


Again, perhaps I am miscalculating badly since this is only the 2nd game of WiTP I played and I surrendered in the first after a crazy combat result under NikMod... which I feel exposed a major flaw in NikMod... I tested this and confirmed it to my own satisfaction. In any case the point is that I never played more then 4 days vs the AI and about 10 days in my first PBEM so I am now about 6 times farther than I've ever been before in a WiTP game.

Still, while the results of my initial analysis seemed to go against all of the production model advice I've seen on the forum ( and I did definitely make a mistake in convering Ki-21 production to Ki-49s which cost me over 100,000 tons of supply) I think that things are proceeding on track. To be honest I expected to hit the sub-2,000,000 supply moment at the beginning of February and not in the middle of it but I robbed the Home Islands of too much supply in early January and this slowed the industrial expansion programme down for about 10 days until I let supply levels recover sufficiently for industrial expansion to recommence.


My fuel levels are actually doing quite well with there being a drop in fuel levels of only 1,860 tons over the past 16 days . I think my forces can survive this .


Oh and so as to underline the extent to which I've shunted supplies into production expansion the total cost to my economy of the changes in production which have been accomplished so far is 1,190,000 tons of supply. The total difference between supply levels on December 7th and today (almost exactly 9 weeks later) is 1,042,000 so, excepting the changes to production I would have actually conducted the operations with a net gain in supply of 148,000 tons.

So, the way I see it is that while I will be running supplies down to a level close to 1.6 million before I'm through this will quickly repair itself once my major expansions in production are completely finished at the end of June 1942... just in time to build up the stockpile necessary for operations against Pearl.


HI levels are below requirements and that will worsen as productive capacity increases. On the other hand I am close to capturing significant HI areas in China and India and much of my shortage in HI can explained by my over-production of Mitsubishis. I have over 1,000 in the pool now and a monthly need for only 616 so production will be halted for a month in order to give me a small reserve to work with while India is taken.

[mogami]

Hi, Of course in the period where Japan has concentrated her forces and the enemy is unable to reach the scattered Japanese bases that will comprise the japanese defense ring supply requirments are low.

But consider every base that is not fully built will consume supply.

If Japan has 200 bases then keeping 10k supply at each requires 2,000,000 supply.
10k supply is enough to keep units in basic supply but not conduct combat operations.

1 Sentai of fighters flying CAP 60 percent consumes 1320 supply per month
1 Patrol Chuatai consumes 540 supply per month
1 ASW Chuatai consumes 540 supply per month
so a basic air defense for a base is 2400 supply per month without combat.

1 IJN baseforce with 30 aviation support and 100 percent TOE is around 200 supply.
1 Bde of combat troops 1000
If the base is not in range of another air HQ it will require a HQ 200 supply
If the base is not in range of land HQ it will require a HQ 200 supply

So now we have a base that is self supporting against an enemy force composed of less then 2 divisions. we have ASW and Patrol and limited CAP
4000 supply.

How many bases will Japan require for just the basic shell of a defense ring?

Level bombers require 2x basic supply to fly combat missions.
Replacements for Air and Land units require at least 20k be present
Any TF/Submarine the reloads there will require supply.

By late 42 Japan will be attempting to maintain over 100 bases either on the frontier or part of the chain of communication.

Japanese supply requirments rise with every new unit/air group.

The Japanese player has to look months down the road when considering expending or moving supply.

Consider the supply stockpile that will be required should the enemy cut off the Home Islands or any portion of the area under Japanese control (Burma can produce it's own supply and SRA can produce supply if it can be moved between bases all is well if not Japanese units must exist with what they have stockpiled in their base)

I'm interested in seeing how the supply situation resolves. If you can capture enemy stockpiles then your problems are solved. But keep in mind you plan to starve the enemy
in several areas where he could just as likely starve you. (If you don't get air control over PH the line Islands. If you get cut off in Oz or India)

The Japanese supply situation dictates much of what Japan can accomplish. If can change rapidly and takes months to recover prior levels. Fuel has never been an issue (having it in the locations required is where effort there is used but it's always somewhere on map in quanity enough while Japan is shipping oil)

[jeffs]

BTW, What was the crazy result in the Nikmod?
I am using it in a game I just started.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/12/42

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TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Kiska Island, 92,35


Japanese ground losses:
76 casualties reported

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TF 44 encounters mine field at Rangoon (29,34)

Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri
DD Arashi

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Sub attack at 136,50

Japanese Ships
SS I-7

Allied Ships
AK Sage Brush, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

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Naval bombardment of Rangoon, at 29,34 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Chokai
CA Maya
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Haruna
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
2927 casualties reported
Guns lost 52
Vehicles lost 9

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 24
Port hits 22
Port fuel hits 6
Port supply hits 3

As befits my luck the battleline got there the day after the transports left. It looks like Trey is going to have that extra Tank Brigade for India after all.


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Coastal Guns at Canton Island, 98,99, firing at TF 12
TF 12 troops unloading over beach at Canton Island, 98,99


2778 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AK Shanghai Maru, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kiso, Shell hits 7
AK Sansei Maru, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Numakaze, Shell hits 1
AK Natisan Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
AK Naniwa Maru, Shell hits 44, on fire, heavy damage
DD Okikaze, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
AK Muko Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nokaze, Shell hits 1
AK Kiso Maru, Shell hits 48, on fire, heavy damage
AK Isin Maru, Shell hits 35, on fire, heavy damage
AK Indus Maru, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
AK Heimei Maru
AK Ganges Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
AK Cheribon Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
3606 casualties reported
Guns lost 29

Well, this was extremely interesting. It looks like an invasion of an atoll guarded by a couple of CD units can be expected to suffer intense damage. It is costly confirmation but I'm glad I did this as it gives me a yardstick for calculating how strong I need to make my defensive dispositions. The troops which have landed are almost completely combat incapable. Instead of the 300 AV they should muster they can barely muster 10. This is most encouraging as my defensive dispositions in the Pacific are significantly stronger than Canton.... OTOH it is a bit of a tragedy for these individual units. I will leave them on the island for a little while to let Trey bombard himself out of supply. Once they have recovered their disruption and fatigue and have gained sufficient combat power I will begin some probing attacks. In the meantime I will form a bombardment TF from their escorting CL-led DD TF and send one of my Brigades to mount an invasion ( I have had this Brigade prepping for some time as I wanted to be ready in case the invasion failed... I thought it should succeed as I felt I'd put sufficient mass into the force where quantity would have a quality all of its own but it seems that people weren't exaggerating when they spoke of the massacres possible in Atoll invasions. I will use this next invasion to see what the effect of moderate softening up prior to a landing is. If that fails then I will commit battleline units and definitely take the base.

I know it may seem crazy to knowingly commit a division and a half of troops whilst knowlingly under-prepping them and knowingly insufficiently bombarding their target but I'm completely new and it is essential I gain operational experience and insight under the various different conditions possible. As such I'm going to continue these little side-shows on the cheap in order to continue gauging the necessary force committments for a given result whilst keeping the sledgehammer of the battleline concentrated in support of my strategically decisive operations.

The lesson here seems to be that either long-term softening up or a battleline bombardment is essential when facing off against an atoll. It also underlines just how devastating CD guns can be if insufficiently softened up. Unfortunately there were no mines present to allow me to gauge the effect of a minefield on invasion transports. This is unfortunate as I really wanted to see the effect of minefields on my transports. If Fiji or anything in the Aleutians/Alaska has some mines I may send a few unescorted APs and AKs there with a sacrificial NLF in order to gain some experience vs minefields. I know Pearl has mines but I don't think any APs or AKs will survive to impale themselves on the mines so the test would not achieve the required results.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 45

No Japanese losses

Unsurprisingly, after the battleline worked over Rangoon no enemy fighters rose to oppose my fighter sweep. Still, I wasn't going to take a chance.

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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 12


No Allied losses

Runway hits 3

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Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 318
Ki-49 Helen x 25
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 24 damaged


Allied ground losses:
132 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Port hits 27
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 5

The 1 supply/fuel hit per 100 sorties ratio seems to be being exceeded in Singapore recently. Perhaps a sign that disruption is lessening due to less intense FlAK opposition? I'll have to remember to ask Trey when supply in Singapore got into the orange.

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Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 24


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Possible softening up operations? I hope so. I have an invasion fleet and a Brigade at Noumea fueled and ready to load and sail for Norfolk at a moment's notice. If Trey tries a pinprick raid he is going to lose whatever force he commits . In the meantime I have good eyes on transport movements along the Australian east coast.

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Day Air attack on 12th Ind. Brigade, at 41,35


Allied aircraft
I-153c x 11
IL-4c x 3
SB-2c x 6


Allied aircraft losses
SB-2c: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Day Air attack on 44th Chinese Corps, at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 63
Ki-30 Ann x 24
Ki-51 Sonia x 34
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
119 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Day Air attack on TF at 25,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 24
Ki-49 Helen x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage

Ah, nice work. Seems to me that the level bombers are getting more hits than the more experienced Nells and Bettys would. This would fit with the reports of Allied four-engined bombers performing heroically in the anti-shipping role. And don't mention the Bismarck Sea battle to me. If you examine it and extrapolate numbers of sorties per airplane type ( twin-engined bombers, four-engined, fighter-bombers etc) and then correlate that with the height at time of release and claims made vs actual losses you'll see that even this battle which I've seen used to support the contention that level bombers were highly effective in the anti-shipping role when not skip-bombing does not actually do so. Still what's good for the goose is good for the gander and since it isn't a bug exploit both Trey and I will adapt and overcome.

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Day Air attack on TF at 26,29

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-49 Helen x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Wildebeeste, heavy damage

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Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Mexican, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet

The two APs and DD I spotted yesterday while my CVL-KB was threading the recon gap between Midway and Dutch Harbour and which I decided to attack have turned into 2 major TFs comprising a minimum of 20 APs and AKs, a half-dozen DDs and a few CAs. WOW!!! [X(] [X(] [X(] It looks like I've either stumbled into a major reinforcement of Dutch Harbour OR the preparations for an invasion of Amchitka.

Gees, Trey is going to think I have spies everywhere at this rate. He tries to reinforce Canton and, on the way to an entirely different operation, KB stumbles over his APs and AKs only 120 miles away and takes out a Regimental Combat Team and some artillery units. Now he is mounting a major operation ( either defensive or offensive, not sure which yet) and, again, purely by chance I spot it while CVL-KB is on its first mission of the war and do a bit of damage. My sub cordon has also torpedoed and sunk 2 APs carrying the 2nd USMC and 40th US Infantry Division into Pearl and an AK carrying an entire squadron of 31 F4-F4s. He has been exceedingly unlucky.

Unfortunately the weather in the north is Blizzard and that seems to have cut my sortie rate to nothing. The 280 planes in CVL KB manage only 10 sorties and score a single hit.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Mount McKinley

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 108,35

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Stuart

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 53,41

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 13
PC Ch 3
PC Ch 2
PC Ch 1
PC Kyo Maru #13
PC Kyo Maru #12
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Sargo, hits 5, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 116,63

Japanese Ships
SS I-19

Allied Ships
DD Case
DD Ellet
DD Benham
DD Maury


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 80117 troops, 687 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1158

Defending force 48765 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1079

Japanese max assault: 679 - adjusted assault: 443

Allied max defense: 956 - adjusted defense: 128

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hengchow base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
1090 casualties reported
Guns lost 38

Allied ground losses:
76957 casualties reported
Guns lost 85

Hengchow falls. Only Nanning is left blocking my rail lines of communication with Thailand. I won't take it yet though. I'll concentrate on decisive operations in the north. I may detach a couple of divisions once the route to Chungking is fully cleared to prevent the Chinese making trouble in my rear.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,30

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 67390 troops, 779 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2041

Defending force 62341 troops, 426 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1595


Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36545 troops, 552 guns, 3 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1017

Defending force 86357 troops, 243 guns, 47 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2291


Allied ground losses:
309 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 46350 troops, 551 guns, 2 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 908

Defending force 26073 troops, 64 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 418


Allied ground losses:
45 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25187 troops, 226 guns, 75 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 471

Defending force 12324 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 346

Japanese max assault: 924 - adjusted assault: 1339

Allied max defense: 240 - adjusted defense: 8

Japanese assault odds: 167 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
9216 casualties reported
Guns lost 15

Another Corps and HQ surrender. Things should proceed quite quickly from this point forward.

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Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 99625 troops, 956 guns, 11 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1800

Defending force 12910 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 355

Japanese max assault: 1767 - adjusted assault: 2004

Allied max defense: 306 - adjusted defense: 19

Japanese assault odds: 105 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
478 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
1521 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

Another HQ surrenders to Japanese forces. This definitely seems to be the pattern, HQ units surrender first and once they do the little resistance offered quickly ceases as the out of supply Chinese troops become doubly disabled by a massive loss of support personnel.

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Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33709 troops, 402 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 671

Defending force 18958 troops, 111 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 525


Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10376 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3800 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 46

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1


Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported

These deliberate attacks are building up the experience of the engineer unit assigned to this operation quite nicely. I am planning to task it and a couple of other highly-experienced Engineer Regiments with the task of supporting the Pearl Harbour invasion in August/September and am thus consciously building up their experience with attacks on isolated Allied troops. I want them at 99/99 when it is time to invade Pearl.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton Island

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3323 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 102

Defending force 8347 troops, 156 guns, 21 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 6

Japanese max assault: 128 - adjusted assault: 12

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 23

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
858 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Allied ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 2

LOL! Not a smart move guys... I had forgotten about the obligatory Shock Attack when landing at an atoll. Excellent. This will help further debilitate American troops when they re-invade my holdings during the Indian invasion. I had forgotten about this and am happy to be reminded of it as it is an important factor in calculating my ability to withstand invasion in the Pacific.

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Ground combat at Canton Island

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4154 troops, 101 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 6

Defending force 2221 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 22


The most important point here is shown in the picture below... Note the lack of any actual infantry units. There are 2 x CD, 1 x AAA, 2 x Engineer and 1 x artillery units there. Insufficient to do more than bombard my forces once they are ashore. I therefore plan to keep my SNLFs ashore, push another 10,000 tons of supply onto the island ( so as to keep a steady stream of recoveries from disablements going... I don't want to take the risk of a bombardment attack going in against 0 AV. I don't know what would happen in that case but it might risk surrender of the unit involved and I don't care to test THAT particular hypothesis at this point in time. The Infantry Brigade is en route from Noumea and will invade before the end of the month. It is well-prepped so should have a very different experience than the SNLFs.


In other news, the ground combat points score is edging closer to the 20 : 1 ratio I've been traying to keep. It is currently about 350 vs 6500. The losses sustained by the Chinese have helped significantly. While points are meaningless in this game I am keeping an eye on the ground combat score as keeping a 20:1 ratio there until the invasion of New Zealand will help me keep my combat units as combat-ready as possible. In other words the ratio is unimportant except insofar as it acts to remind me to keep the pace of operations low enough that my casualty rates aren't excessive.

[Nemo121]

Mogami,

A brilliant post. The information on supply usage is something I didn't have and will help me tremendously in forward-calculating needs. At present I have been guesstimating requirements for the next two months, doubling that guesstimate and then shipping that amount of supplies. Your information will help me to improve my supply efficiency greatly.


As to how many bases Japan needs in its defensive shell.... In the period in which it is still attacking it requires 5 bases of note: Amchitka, Midway, Johnson, Palmyra, Christmas Island and Noumea. Strong forces need to be kept in the DEI, Kendari, Port Moresby, Rabaul and a couple of nodal points around Fiji and Canton Island but these don't require the basic garrison of the MLR. I've been fiddling with requirements and after seeing the results at Canton I think that a minimum basic garrison requirement of 400 AV, 2 x CD, 2 x AAA, 5000 mines and a fort level of 6 is reasonable. Of the 6 bases mentioned 5 meet almost all of those requirements already with only one being significantly weaker... and troops are on the way there as we speak. I expect that the force outlined above would require a 3 division committment and I don't think Trey can afford that level of committment at this time without weakening Pearl more than he wants. IF he does make that committment then his forces will be so banged up in taking the base that they should be unable to exploit deeply before KB returns from India. It isn't certain but one must take risks in war. This is a calculated risk I am taking.

As to lines of communication bases etc. Most of these already have the garrisons and supplies required at this time. I don't expect to have to reinforce/resupply them until sometime in May. Again, this could prove a miscalculation but I think it should hold up well enough. Again though I admit that I don't have the depth of operational experience with the game you have so this is very useful advice, thanks.

BTW do Sentai/Daitais in training ( conducting training flights and not just ground training) use the same amount of supply as Sentais/Daitais flying CAP or conducting ground attacks? I want to minimise my supply expenditure on training up my new pilots and this would be useful information to have to decide on the most efficient path.



Jeffs,
Well I know that Nikademus disagrees with me on this but when I've raised it with him he has never put up hard figures just decried my points as "speculation" etc etc so take his disagreement into account.

The basic finding is that high-experience early-war Japanese pilots flying against high-AAA value US TFs do tend to get through CAP BUT are so disrupted by the AAA of the TF that they tend to perform extremely poorly relative to historical norms for the time period. My initial experience was of 170 Vals and Kates which got through CAP with little disruption scoring 7 strikes against a single US CV TF while lower experience US pilots appeared to be 5 to 6 times more likely to hit per sortie which got through Japanese CAP.

I ran a few more tests in head to head play with no US CAP or IJN CAP and while it would seem I was a little unlucky in the initial engagement and, on occasion, saw a hit rate of 0.1 per sortie ( so 10 hits per 100 sorties) I never saw anything approaching the 0.2 hit rate per through-CAP sortie which seems to have been more the norm in Japanese strikes at the time... These strikes went in against US TFs formatted along Midway and Coral Sea lines so that I could compare like with like in the historical records. In addition the 0.2 hit rate per sortie was achieved in the presence of CAP and the losses and disruption that added so I think that NikMod, due to unanticipated ripple effects on disruption from shipboard AAA, tends to reduce Japanese strike effectiveness by a factor of at least 50%, probably more when taking CAP effects into account.

In the PBEM which was abandoned the Allies were something like 5-6 times more likely to get a hit for every plane which got through my CAP, something which, historically, simply was not the case. This ratio was lessened in tests when Allied planes launched against unCAPed Japanese carriers but was still largely preserved.


So, I drew the conclusion that, provisionally, it looked like NikMod was penalising Japanese DBs and TBs which got through US CAP by something around 50% and that it looked like it was tripling Allied post-CAP DB and TB effectiveness in the early war.

Having thought about it a little I think that the reason people may not be seeing this so much is that most of the time few Allied DBs and TBs get through early-war Japanese CAP and so the higher likelihood of them scoring a hit isn't as noticeable. In much the same manner the excessive effectiveness of Allied AAA against Japanese DBs and TBs in NikMod seems to be obscured by the fact that, on the whole, more Japanese TBs and DBs tend to get through Allied CAP and so their reduced hit rate per attacking sortie isn't quite so evident most of the time in-game. When compared to Midway and Coral Sea the differences are, however, apparent.

From my understanding of the upgrade system in-game I believe that the effects of these findings will become more and more apparent the stronger Allied AAA becomes and the less experienced Japanese pilots become to the point where late-war strikes will, while achieving a number of leakers, achieve almost nothing in the face of excessive AAA disruption effects. I also believe, although I couldn't test this entirely accurately as I couldn't figure out how to conduct tests in 1945 with NikMod, that even with experienced pilots in 1945 leakers would achieve very little as in one small series of tests ( I only ran this series 6 times as I was only doing it for personal interest) in which I ran experienced pilots into massive AAA, akin to what one would find in 1945, they achieved absolutely nothing of note. When I ran a similar series with low-experience pilots against a 1942 US CV TF ( with 1942-era AAA strengths) the low-experience pilots still managed to score a couple of hits. So it seems that the effect of AAA disruption scales far more quickly than experience does. I believe that the lack of reports on this effect may be due to the fact that so few games with NikMod are reaching 1944/45.

I didn't do sufficient testing to confirm these findings to a P of less than 0.05 which is the statistical standard I would work towards but I did sufficient to confirm that further testing would result in substantially unchanged findings with a P <0.05. Given the lack of willingness to engage in a factual discussion of these points when I raised them... the last time the only response was a verbal blast about my baseless speculation... I don't think it is worth the diversion of my time to conduct the testing necessary to prove the findings to a P of <0.05 as I don't believe presentation of such findings would be met with an openness to and willingness to change the model at this time.


P.s. Oh and I willingly admit that the extrapolation of 1945 conditions was not accurate as I could only create 1945-strength TFs by grouping large numbers of 1942-era US ships into massive TFs which approximated the strengths of 1945-era TFs for which I had figures. So there is a confounder in there as these TFs comprised roughly the same amount of AAA power but contained MANY TIMES the number of ships. I tried to get around this by making up the AAA power by adding lots of DDs which the airstrikes largely ignored so that I could approximate the 1945 strikes ( in which x planes went after y carriers/BBs) as closely as possible. It was, however , an imperfect solution. I think though that the lack of success the Japanese had in even my poor approximation of a 1945-era TF with no CAP bodes poorly for 1944/45 era Japanese strikes under NikMod.


P.p.s. Please note that I am responding to a question and amn't going into a NikMod thread trashing it. If people want to use NikMod then that's fine by me. I wish them luck and hope they enjoy it. I hope Nikademus continues his fine work in improving it and I think his achievements are extensive, especially since he is one person and not a production company. I certainly wouldn't have the time to create such an extensive mod. I amn't looking for confrontation but neither will I suggest a mod is working in a given manner when my observations and tests show to my satisfaction that there have been unanticipated ripple effects which there doesn't seem to be a willingness to address.

[Sneer]

deja vu - i had it in my game as well as most of action seen there and main philosophy - i keep fingers crossed for you to success

[Rob Brennan UK]

Word of caution Nemo .. CL + DD bombardment groups vs known CD guns will result in sunk DD's ! .. almost guaranteed. you'll need CA's or bigger to make it work.

the AA guns will have hit the invasion force badly too. lots of artillery there but no depth what-so-ever. After resting you might be able to take it with just your initial troops ( make sure they are supplied ). did you unload them all in one turn ? if not expect another shock attack while you unload again tomorrow.

for someone who had played 2 games before ,, im astounded [&o]

[Nemo121]

Rob,

Yes, they all unloaded in 1 turn. I read somewhere that if I had 210% of the required capacity then I could pretty much guarantee the unit would unload in a single 12 hour phase. It seems to have worked.

This is good because that is the ratio I've also tried to achieve when loading the troops of the first wave. The first and second waves are already on their way to India. The third wave is loading and in a few days I'll send ships out from Manilla for the troops in Burma.

As to number of games... This is the 2nd game. First one lasted only about 10 days. That's why I'm doing so much on the job learning ( expensive on the job learning in some cases ).


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/13/42

A VERY interesting turn indeed. It looks like what looked like 2 to 3 APs with a couple of DDs in defence actually turned out to be 20+ APs organised in two convoys with a fairly strong DD escort.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1109 encounters mine field at Johnston Island (102,74) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

71 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
MSW Oriole, Shell hits 27, on fire, heavy damage

Trey tells me this was a sacrificial recon. I think he wanted to see just how badly it would hurt to try to invade Johnston. Answer, very badly. MSW Oriole sinks without doing much to the minefields around Johnston Island.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 114,60

Japanese Ships
SS RO-66

Allied Ships
DD Mugford

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma
DD Hamakaze
DD Arare

Allied Ships
AK Asphalion
AK Carolinian, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Mexican
AK Missourian
AK Challenger
AK William Luckenbach, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK West Shipper
AK Wallingford
AK American Leader
AK City of Dalhart

That's not really the sort of performance I'd expect from 2 BBs. They only sank two empty AKs. Still, better than nothing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 4
BB Kirishima
CL Abukuma
DD Hamakaze
DD Arare

Allied Ships
DMS Lamberton, Shell hits 3
DMS Dorsey, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
AP Barnett
AP Crescent City
AP President Adams
AP Harris, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mount McKinley


Allied ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Now THIS is an excellent result. I have identified the DMS class of ships as being of strategic importance. In my eyes they are at least as important to Allied forces over the course of the war as BBs and CVs. In fact they are probably more important to attrit than CVs as they do not respawn in the same way as any CVs I sink at this stage will. With these two DMS almost certainly sunk I think I have accounted for the entire American DMS fleet. This will greatly lessen the American ability to send fast bombardment TFs against my holdings and will require him to rely more on LBA and CVs for suppression of my defences. It limits his tactical options and that is important.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Maya
CA Chokai
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka

Allied Ships
PT PT-38
PT PT-40, Shell hits 12, and is sunk

*chuckle* It was certainly worth taking a chance with these PTs but I don't think they were ever going to achieve much against the battleline.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Dutch Harbor, at 103,36

Japanese Ships
DD Arare
DD Hamakaze
CL Abukuma
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 117,63

Japanese Ships
SS I-174

Allied Ships
TK Axtell J Byles

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 42,52

Japanese Ships
APD APD-46
APD APD-39
APD APD-38
APD APD-37
APD APD-36
APD APD-35
APD APD-34
APD APD-33
APD APD-31
APD APD-2
APD APD-1

Allied Ships
SS S-39, hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 135,49

Japanese Ships
SS I-21, hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Downes
DD Clark
DD Patterson
DD Henley
DD O'Brien

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 9


No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 307
Ki-49 Helen x 27
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 20 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
67 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

If I could just reduce the losses a little this would provide good training. As it is the attrition outweighs the gains in experience.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 34


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported

Runway hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Canton Island , at 98,99

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 24
G4M1 Betty x 75

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged


Allied ground losses:
333 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Port hits 4
Port supply hits 6

This should help the troops at Canton Island. I doubt I will be able to bomb more than 1 day in 2 or 3 but while I can it should help the SNLFs on canton. I am continuing to pour supplies into them in the hope that I can simply ensure that excess supplies let them outlast the American ability to bombard them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Johnston Island , at 102,74


Allied aircraft
PB2Y Coronado x 2
B-17E Fortress x 27
LB-30 Liberator x 22


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
128 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Port supply hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 5th Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 62
Ki-30 Ann x 24
Ki-51 Sonia x 34
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
54 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 98,99


Allied aircraft
B-26B Marauder x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso

It looks like 6 B-26s are still operating out of Canton. It isn't essential to reduce them at this stage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 25,34

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 3
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Activity, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

This strike puts paid to the Empire Activity. Unfortunately it appears no troops or vehicles were loaded on board.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
D3A Val x 29
B5N Kate x 11
E7K2 Alf x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 damaged
E7K2 Alf: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK American Leader, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Challenger, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK City of Dalhart, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Wallingford, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Asphalion
AK Missourian, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK West Shipper, Bomb hits 1

A fairly successful strike but, unfortunately, it hit empty AKs instead of loaded APs. Still, two should sink.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
PT PT-38

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 104,37

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Stuart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Umnak Island at 102,36

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP President Adams

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Anderson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 54,44

Japanese Ships
TK Moji Maru
PC Ch 8
MSW W.1

Allied Ships
SS Sargo, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Maya
CA Chokai
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka

Allied Ships
PT PT-38

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 118,64

Japanese Ships
SS I-18

Allied Ships
TK La Brea, Torpedo hits 1, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36619 troops, 555 guns, 3 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1023

Defending force 85870 troops, 235 guns, 47 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2280

Allied ground losses:
156 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 46551 troops, 555 guns, 2 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 918

Defending force 26112 troops, 65 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 423


Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25099 troops, 222 guns, 74 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 465

Defending force 5699 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 130

Japanese max assault: 914 - adjusted assault: 1594

Allied max defense: 78 - adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 227 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
123 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 99817 troops, 948 guns, 10 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1813

Defending force 11040 troops, 22 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 306

Japanese max assault: 1778 - adjusted assault: 1536

Allied max defense: 270 - adjusted defense: 15

Japanese assault odds: 102 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
366 casualties reported
Guns lost 15

Allied ground losses:
5556 casualties reported
Guns lost 22

Another Chinese Corps surrenders.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33831 troops, 402 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 675

Defending force 18951 troops, 110 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 524


Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 60878 troops, 424 guns, 158 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1153

Defending force 22506 troops, 170 guns, 8 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 462

Japanese max assault: 1111 - adjusted assault: 1418

Allied max defense: 392 - adjusted defense: 886

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 5)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4


Japanese ground losses:
937 casualties reported
Guns lost 26
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
476 casualties reported
Guns lost 15

Well, well. No vehicles. It looks like it was the Armoured Brigade which was evacuated. I can't honestly remember if there was a fifth infantry brigade there also. There are only four now. That's quite a good piece of work for Trey. It won't make a difference to India though but it would have been nice for them to have remained trapped in Rangoon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10396 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 55

Defending force 3763 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 5

Japanese max assault: 46 - adjusted assault: 86

Allied max defense: 3 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1


Allied ground losses:
85 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kiska Island

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1234 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 11

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 0

Japanese max assault: 8 - adjusted assault: 10

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kiska Island base !!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 48073 troops, 164 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 1307

Defending force 20353 troops, 199 guns, 146 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 446

Allied max assault: 836 - adjusted assault: 109

Japanese max defense: 451 - adjusted defense: 461

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
381 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
1093 casualties reported
Guns lost 27


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton Island

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3902 troops, 94 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 6

Defending force 2310 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 26

Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


In the main news of the day I have spotted what looks like a CV TF 6 hexes from my CVL TF. I am assuming that the American carriers will move 4 hexes over the next 24 hours in order to preserve ops points so they can launch the strongest possible strikes. This would let them close to within 2 hexes and launch their Devastators etc. Consequently I am going to move 3 hexes west. If the American carriers advance cautiously I can engage them at a range of 5 hexes, beyond their ability to respond. If they advance aggressively their ops points will be depleted and while both sides will be able to launch strikes my strikes should be heavier. If they run I will still be well within range of Dutch Harbour and can pound the forces there for another day.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/15/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Attu Island, 92,34


Japanese ground losses:
118 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 115,61

Japanese Ships
SS I-162

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
CL Abukuma
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Arare

Allied Ships
DMS Lamberton, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
AP Barnett, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Crescent City
AP President Adams, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
AP Harris, heavy damage
AP Mount McKinley


Allied ground losses:
67 casualties reported

Excellent. The Lamberton is sunk. I'm very happy about this. I think that is all the current American DMS accounted for. The American APs which go down appear to take quite a few men with them as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, on fire
CL Abukuma
DD Hamakaze, on fire
DD Arare

Allied Ships
DD Mustin, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, on fire
CL Abukuma
DD Hamakaze, on fire
DD Arare

Allied Ships
DD Anderson, Shell hits 11, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Dutch Harbor, at 103,36

Japanese Ships
DD Hamakaze, on fire
CL Abukuma
BB Hiei

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 18 troops unloading over beach at Attu Island, 92,34


Japanese ground losses:
67 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 71,119

Japanese Ships
AV Kiyokawa Maru
DD Amatsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Perch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 71
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 35
Ki-49 Helen x 123

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 147

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 10


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 334
Ki-49 Helen x 26
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8
Ki-15 Babs x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 15 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
207 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 1

Port hits 24
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Norfolk Island , at 60,119


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 31


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Sydney Island at 100,102


Allied aircraft
B-26B Marauder x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Indus Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sansei Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

These were ships crippled in the landings at Canton. It was unlikely they would survive in any case. The bombings merely made certain of their sinking.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
D3A Val x 12

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 18
F4F-3 Wildcat x 44

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
D3A Val: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise
CV Saratoga

The American CV TF ended up 5 hexes from my forces. So, a cautious advance was decided upon. Good, this is to my advantage. The size of the strike packages is frustratingly tiny and my forgetting to change my fighter CAP level from 90% to 70% or so proves disadvantageous. None of the Vals was destroyed in A2A combat. All were destroyed by enemy AAA.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
D3A Val x 12

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 16
F4F-3 Wildcat x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed
D3A Val: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 9 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Lexington
CL Phoenix, Bomb hits 1

Several of the Vals in this strike were destroyed by Allied fighters but, again, most of the damage came by way of Allied AAA.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,37

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
D3A Val x 15
B5N Kate x 10

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 5 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 2, on fire

One of the bombs destroyed a AAA mount but did little else. The other penetrated the flight deck but caused little further damage. I doubt the Lexington will be greatly discomfitted by these strikes and will certainly be able to continue fighting if required.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,37

Japanese aircraft
E7K2 Alf x 2

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 4
F4F-3 Wildcat x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 2 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,37

Japanese aircraft
E7K2 Alf x 6

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 4
F4F-3 Wildcat x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 6 destroyed

Ouch, the Alfs had a bad day .

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ASW attack at 21,58

Japanese Ships
MSW Toshi Maru #2
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Choun Maru #21
MSW Choun Maru #7
MSW Choun Maru #6
MSW Banshu Maru #52

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

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ASW attack at 116,65

Japanese Ships
SS I-9, hits 12, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD King
DD Brooks
DD Kilty
DD Crane
DD Kennison
DD Crosby
DD Dent

And sunk.

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Sub attack at 71,119

Japanese Ships
DD Hayashio

Allied Ships
SS Perch, hits 1


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Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36897 troops, 559 guns, 3 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 623

Defending force 85575 troops, 228 guns, 46 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2287



Allied ground losses:
324 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


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Ground combat at 42,37

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 46882 troops, 555 guns, 2 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 934

Defending force 26077 troops, 62 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 419



Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported


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Ground combat at 45,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25097 troops, 221 guns, 76 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 465

Defending force 5147 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 98

Japanese max assault: 922 - adjusted assault: 1532

Allied max defense: 59 - adjusted defense: 6

Japanese assault odds: 255 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
11024 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

The last two Corps surrender. This route is now almost clear.

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Ground combat at 48,30

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100432 troops, 944 guns, 9 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2297

Defending force 5070 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 111

Japanese max assault: 1816 - adjusted assault: 2297

Allied max defense: 67 - adjusted defense: 2

Japanese assault odds: 1148 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
11359 casualties reported
Guns lost 43

Only Homan itself remains to be taken. In a couple of days it should fall and then I can concentrate on Chungking. With the aid of Rob's advice I am pulling troops out of the line north-east of Chungking in order to move them 60 miles south and block the retreat of the 20 Chinese units north-east of Chungking.

With the retreat of these units blocked I will be left facing only 10 Chinese units in Chungking itself and a coup de main becomes possible. I have 3 weeks to achieve this and my estimate is it will take three weeks to move my forces to Chungking... I will think about this and see if I pass up the Kweiyang/Yunan axis in order to try for a speedy coup de main or go for something more conservative.

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Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 34007 troops, 400 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 686

Defending force 18911 troops, 104 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 520



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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10308 troops, 182 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 54

Defending force 3600 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 45 - adjusted assault: 20

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1


Allied ground losses:
67 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Canton Island

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4123 troops, 98 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 6

Defending force 2333 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Beginning Assault Value = 38

Japanese ground losses:
573 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Bloody, very bloody.


The major decision today is whether or not to advance on the Americans or not. Given that I have identified not 2 CVs but 4 I think it becomes imperative to put force preservation uppermost in my mind. I have delivered a far greater pinprick than I had intended and lost little so I will accept this limited tactical victory and retire to Tokyo for replenishment and replacement of aircraft groups. My forces will run out of fuel some 600 miles west of Amchitka but I can get the replenishment TF I dedicated to this operation there in time to refuel them.

It will be interesting to see whether or not the Americans give chase. If they do I should still get away but may lose the Kirishima which has now suffered about 30 sys damage due to the fires which have been raging for the last two days. If no airstrikes are launched at Kirishima then it will survive, although it will be in port for a few months . If the Americans folllow then Kirishima will sink. Such is war.