1-3 September 1942
Some more quiet turns, but the hot action will restart tomorrow in China and Hawaii. Also the logistical preparation of the New Zealand operation has started.
Northern Pacific
An Eng Rgt was “bought” in Korea and will be sent to Paramushiro Jima to build fort here. This unit is prepared at 100% for Anchorage, but will very very probably never see this town.
Central Pacific
Pearl Harbor airmen bombed Hilo all three days, flying a total of 239 sorties (115 Ki-21, 61 Ki-49, 63 A6M2). There raids destroyed on the ground a SBD and a PBY, disabled 689 men and 5 guns and scored 11 hits on the base, 5 on supplies and 121 on the runways. Allied AA fire shot down two Ki-21s (on the 1st and 3rd) and one Ki-49 (on the 3rd).
On the 1st, the damaged BB Fuso (SYS 48) left PH for Japan under strong ASW escort. On the 3rd two CL and 7 DD, all new/upgraded ships, arrived in PH from Japan.
In the evening of the 3rd the Japanese troops marching from Kona (HQ 16th Army, 5 divisions, 3 Naval Gd units, 1 Eng Rgt and 2 artillery units) reached Hilo. They will bombard it tomorrow and rest a little before attacking the base, where fortifications should be near to level 0 as the base was almost pounded not-stop since its capture by the Allied. Also 3 BB, 6 CA and 6 DD will bombard Hilo during the night.
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfields of Ponape and Suva respectively to size 4 and 6. Both bases will now build fortifications to level 9.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The only activity was two raids by Darwin-based Brewster, each time seven of them, against barges on the 1st (13 Japanese hit by strafing near Kai Island) and the 3rd (one Brewster lost to engine failure near Lautem).
After days of repair, Japanese engineers at least reopened the airfield of Koepang (base was still damaged at 100%, but runways was now under 50%) and the Ki-46 based here flew again to Derby, fining only a Kittyhawk squadron on CAP (there were between 30 and 50 Allied fighters everyday on CAP there in July).
The lull here is allowing the local Japanese air commander to plan again some raids on Australia, the main target being the resource centers of Derby to score again strategic points. Koepang would be used to base Zeroes for a sweep, while bombers will then arrive unescorted from Kendari. So Koepang needs to receive supplies to be used and they will be carried by one-ship TF.
Burma
The only big raid was on the 1st when 63 Blenheim IV, 30 B-17E, 13 Il-4c and 9 Wellington III from Dacca, escorted by 31 P-40B, attacked Myitkyina airfield, disabling 40 men and 2 guns and scoring 9 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 53 on the runways. One B-17E was lost in a crash.
On the 1st and 2nd Japanese troops in the jungle north of the raiway were bombed by Imphal airmen (total 99 Hurricane bombing sorties and 37 P-40B escort sorties) and lost 82 men and 3 guns, while one Hurricane was lost in a crash. The first part of these troops got out of the jungle and marched back to the railway. Only a SNLF will remain in the jungle to keep an eye on Allied moves.
China
On the 3rd, the Flt Lt U Chadwick of 136 Sqn RAF scored his 5th victory by shooting down a Ki-46 over Sining. It was the highlight of these three days that saw airmen from Sining and Lanchow continue to bomb Japanese troops near Lanchow, flying 175 sorties (157 Hurricanes and 18 P-40B) to hit 125 men and 4 guns of the 35th division for the loss of a Hurricane in an accident.
In the south the Vals of Canton flew two training sorties (16 and 14 AC) against Chinese troops NW of Wuchow and hit 18 men and 1 gun.
The ground fighting was reduced to artillery fire (175 Chinese hit in Kungchang, 211 and 1 gun in Wuchow and 49 Japanese, 1 gun and 1 tank in Lanchow) but these days saw the final stages of the preparation of the next offensive in Northern China.
It will open with a paradrop on Sining, and the three para Yokusaka SNLF now are in Yenen, with 36 Tabies, 25 Tinas (1 crashed at arrival on the 3rd) and 12 MC-21 to carry them. They will be launched tomorrow on the Chinese airfield, that is held by a Chinese Base Force only. The main defence are the Hurricanes based here (at least 50 of them) and a raid by 56 Ki-49 and 25 Ki-21 escorted by 75 Zeroes will be tasked with neutralizing them before the arrival of the transports.
On the ground, Japanese forces are advancing on two axis. First the 6th Div arrived at Lanchow on the evening of the 3rd, joining the 35th Div and the other troops stranded there for weeks (and now out of supply). Now 65 000 Japanese are facing 10 000 Chinese here, but they will wait for the fall of Sining to attack. It is thought that the 6th Div will draw much of the Allied AC in the area tomorrow, allowing for an easier run to Sining for Japanese AC.
More north a regiment of the 59th Div is marching westward to cut the road between Sining and Lanchow, that is defended by a Chinese Corps. Japanese troops have marched 50 miles and will arrive in 4 to 7 days.
On the 1st the Ki-44 test unit, the 47 Sentai, flew from Yenen to Peking and received finally new planes and pilots. It should be at full OOB in the middle of the month.
Japan
A convoy left Nagoya on the 3rd to bring 93 000 tons of fuel to Suva, to prepare for the New Zealand operation.
The conversion of one more 7000-ton AK to AR began on the 2nd.
Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
4-7 September 1942: Hilo fell, China resists
4-7 September 1942
Hawaii is now Japanese again and more Allied troops were destroyed. Now four US divisions, 2 RCT, 1 Cav Rgt and 1 NZ Bde have been destroyed in the Pacific, not counting the minor units (Tk, CD, Base Forces) and added to the 2-4 Allied brigades surrounded and eliminated during the Burma campaign, that will probably allow Japan to enjoy a numerical superiority of mobile elements on the map until the spring of 1943.
The offensive in northern China has not gone as planned, but the paratroops are winning the war alone. If Sining fell tomorrow as expected, the whole Chinese position will then collapse.
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the port of Dutch Harbor to size 5. Troops, fuel and supplies continued to sail to Paramushiro Jima (and were the cause of the 3rd redone turn of this game. Fiest was when 60 000 Japanese landed in the ocean west of PH, second was when one of my TF attacked a convoy on the edge of the map and the whole convoy fell off the map, this one was not a bug: the Soviet are activated to allow them to move and my opponent has forgotten to change the orders of a new Il-2 unit. So they flew 100 sorties to destroy a small convoy sailing south of Vladivostok, sank 4 AP and 1 PG and destroyed the Eng Rgt being carried from Korea to Paramushiro…. We redid the turn without the Il-2 attack).
Central Pacific
During the night of the 3-4, Hilo was bombarded by 3 BB, 6 CA and 6 DD that disabled 783 men, 40 guns and 1 vehicle and scored 20 hits on the runway, 2 on the port, 6 on port supplies and 3 on fuel dumps without loss or damage, as there was no return fire. The Allied base was then bombed in the morning by PH airmen (40 Ki-21s and 23 Ki-49 escorted by 22 A6M2) who destroyed 1 PBY on the ground, hit 42 men and 1 gun and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 43 on the runways, and then bombarded by the guns of the 5 reinforced Japanese divisions that reached it the day before. 261 more men and 2 guns were hit by these shells, while American return fire hit 14 men, 1 gun and 1 tank. 103 000 able Japanese were facing 38 000 American and the situation seemed very good in Japan’s favor so an attack was ordered for the next day.
The night was quiet but on the morning of the 5th, the main Allied unit, the 40th US Div, was bombed by 62 Betties, 36 Ki-21, 28 Ki-51, 24 Ki-49, 16 Kates and 1 Nell from PH, escorted by 21 Zeroes, and lost 153 men and 8 guns, while one Betty was lost in a crash. In the afternoon the same TF as the day before, 3 BB, 6 CA and 6 DD, that had resplenished the evening before in PH, returned to Hilo and plastered the base. Allied losses were 3659 men, 38 guns and 3 vehicles, and 49 hits were scored on all parts of the base. Then the Japanese troops attacked and easily took the base (at 17 to 1) with minimal losses: 467 men, 22 guns and 5 tanks. The whole American expeditionary force (40th US Div, 26th and 102nd RCT, 112th Cav Rgt, 30th USA FA Rgt, HQ US I Corps and two Base Forces) surrendered. Allied losses were 56 276 men, 262 guns and 1 vehicle (+ 1250 troop points for Japanese score), and also two unserviceable aircraft (a P-39D and a B-26B) captured on the field. The base was totally wrecked (damage 100/100/36) but Japanese engineers began at once to repair it.
The days after the victory, Japanese MSW swept the Allied minefield off the base, some transports went to Lahaina to load a Const Bn and bring it to Hilo and Japanese troops received new orders. Two divisions (4th and 16th) will remain in Hawaii, mostly in Pearl, while the three other (2nd, 48th and 56th) all began to prepare for Auckland, New Zealand. The other troops (3 Naval Guard units, two ART units and two BF) will garrison Hilo, Kona and Lahaina. Tens of transport ships left PH on the 7 to move troops from Hilo to other islands in the archipelago.
More east, three of the five Japanese submarines patrolling off California were recalled to PH to refuel and do some repairs, while four other submarines with SYS damage 0 sailed from this base to replace them.
Southern Pacific
The aera was quiet, but things began to move on the 7th as the preparation of the New Zealand operation was started. Auxiliary ships (a MLE, an AR, an AS and an AD) in Pago-Pago left this base to sail to Suva. Twleve fast APs (3000- and 4500-ton) left the base for PH and 3 TK, 7 AK, 3 AP and 3 PC sailed to Japan to load fuel and supplies.
Solomons-New Guinea
Nothing to report
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The usual barge activity took place. Patrolling B-17E sank a barge off Lautem on the 4th and another off Aru Island on the 7th. Darwin Brewster 339D flew 18 sorties in 3 days against barges but without result.
On the 5th, the Allied airmen from Darwin restarted their attacks on Japanese bases after a pause of more than one week. 101 B-17E and 41 LB-30 attacked Amboina airfield, met no CAP, destroyed 2 Ki-46 on the ground, disabled 168 men and 5 guns and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 86 on the runways. The local Ki-46 Chutai left in the evening for Truk. One-ship TF continued to sail to and from Amboina and a small AK was bombed and hit on the 7th by a patrolling B-17E.
Given the lack of Allied activity, the Japanese local air commander began to plan a new attack on Australia, targeting the resources of Derby. Japanese engineers continued to work during these days and finished to repair the runways of Koepang. A fast transport TF of 3 CA, 2 CL and 2 DD left Kendari in the evening of the 5th and unloaded a new BF in Koepang during the night of the 6th-7th. The base now had 3200 supplies and 90 AS. Daily recon of Derby have shown that only 10-13 Kittyhawk (probably a single squadron) were flying CAP over the city.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Soerabaja to size 9 on the 7th. The base will be used as a ML hub, and the first two MLs already there immediately began to lay minefields in the area (first will be off Bali). Another ML will arrive in some days from Balikpapan, and more from Japan in some weeks. Also the same days five submarines, one of them carrying a Glen, left Soerabaja to patrol off NW Australia (between Perth and India).
Another submarine, the RO-34, refuelled in Sorong and sailed to patrol off Thursday Island. A lonely 7000-ton AK was ordered to sail from Palau to Sorong with supplies to repair a part of the damaged oilfields there.
On the Allied side, engineers expanded the airfield of the Australian base of Wyndham to size 8.
Southern Ressource Area
The convoy leaving the area for Japan carried the following cargoes: 14 000 ressources from Batavia, 36 000 oil and 7 000 ressources from Soerabaja and 24 000 ressources from Kendari.
Burma
On the 4th, 48th Hurricanes from Imphal escorted by 19 P-40B attacked the 14th Tk Rgt in the jungle north of the railway and hit 29 men and 6 tanks. The same unit was attacked the next day by 22 Hurricanes escorted by 19 P-40B and lost 21 men and 1 gun but a Hurricane and a P-40 were lost in crashes. Then the last Japanese troops marched out of the jungle, except the 81st Naval Guard unit that will remain on the mountain SE of Imphal and keep an eye on Allied moves, and the raids stopped. The 21st Bde will march to Myitkyina, the 23rd to Mandalay and the three Tk Rgts will patrol the railway line.
Catalina I began to fly patrols reaching Rangoon and one was shot down on the 5th by an A6M2 ace.
On the 7th, Mandalay airfield was bombed by 30 Blenheim IV, 26 B-17E, 8 Wellington III and 7 Il-4c from Dacca, escorted by 38 P-40B. They only scored 20 hits (6 on airbase, 5 on supplies and 9 on runways) and missed all men and aircraft. Two P-40B collided and crashed in the target area.
The new Ki-44 Sentai arrived by train in Hanoi and began to reassemble its fighters. It will protect the base against Allied heavy bombers.
Allied engineers expanded the Imphal airfield to size 6.
Japanese recons reported on the 6th that there was no more CAP over Ledo (the Spitfire based here probably went to China) and 93 transport aircraft were counted on the airfield. This was confirmed the next day and in the evening of the 7th 27 A6M3 flew from Rangoon to Myitkyina and were ordered to sweep Ledo skies the next morning. The 56 Nells available in Rangoon will then bomb the airfield at 10 000 feet and blast as much as possible of the Allied transports.
Philippines
Troops continued to rest and recover in Manila.
China
On the morning of the 4th 39 Hurricanes from Sining and 26 Hurricanes and 10 P-40B from Lanchow were attacking the 6th and 35th Div near Lanchow, hitting 31 men and 5 guns, while Chinese artillery fire hit 29 men, 1 gun and 1 tank. But at the same time the new Japanese offensive in Northen China began, when 34 Ki-49 and 23 Ki-21 took off from Yenen to bomb Sining. They were joined by an escort of 48 Zeroes. During the flight 9 Ki-21s get lost and turned back. The rest of the formation reached the target and found 14 Hurricanes of 3 squadrons flying CAP. The Zeroes shot down 8 of them for two losses but were unable to stop them from reaching the bombers and two Ki-49s were also shot down. The other Japanese bombers bombed the airfield but only scored 2 runway hits. But the attack confused enough the Allied defenders that the transport aircraft arriving later suffered no loss and dropped more than 1000 men of the Yokosuka 1st, 2nd and 3rd SNLF on the airfield. They assaulted the Chinese Base Force holding the base and managed to achieve a 1 to 1 ratio, reducing the fort level from 6 to 5. 36 Japanese and 8 Chinese fell in the battle.
The Japanese Command was rather pleased with the result of the day and ordered for the next day the continuation of the air assault on Sining and a land offensive in Lanchow. There were two divisions (both with prep 60), 2 regiments of another Div, 2 Eng Rgt (with prep 100) and 2 Tk Rgt. But the day was not good.
In the morning, Yenen was closed by clouds and the ordered LRCAP over Sining was not flown, allowing 13 Hurricanes and 4 P-40B of Lanchow to bomb the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF there, hitting 7 men. In the afternoon 49 Ki-49 and 55 Zeroes flew from Yenen to attack the airfield of Sining. The goal of the operation was to open the way for the second wave of Japanese paratroopers. They met 18 Hurricane II and 14 P-40B flying CAP over the Chinese base and lost the battle. The Hurricanes shot down 12 Zeroes for 8 losses, the P-40B of the B squadron of the AVG destroyed 12 Zeroes and 2 Ki-49 for 4 losses. The bombers only scored one hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on runways. Two more Zeroes were lost in operational accidents. And this time when the transports arrived Allied fighters attacked. 9 Zeroes were on LRCAP but were overwhelmed and the Allied pilots shot down 2 Zeroes, 2 MC-21, 1 Tina and 1 Tabby without loss. The Japanese transported anyway dropped 500-600 more men over the base and the shock attacks of the day reduced the fort level from 5 to 3 at the cost of 130 Japanese casualties, while the Chinese lost 13 men and 1 gun.
More south the Japanese troops attacking Lanchow had no air support and were bombed in the morning by 13 Hurricanes from the local airfield and lost 4 men and 1 gun. Their main problem was the lack of supplies, as they were too far away from Yenen to receive any, and their shock attack failed at 0 to 1. Even if 63 000 Japanese attacked 13 000 Chinese, the supply situation and the fort level of 7 were enough to repulse the assault. Casualties were 2094 men, 45 guns and 6 tanks on the Japanese side, and 252 men and 11 guns on the Chinese side.
In the evening a Zero Daitai was disbanded in Yenen due to the day’s losses. They were higher than planned but not unexpected. The failure in Lanchow was unexpected and left the Japanese Command in a bad situation. The main problem here was the lack of supply and the only way to get supply there was to take control of the northern road from Yenen to Sining but (given the home rule that each hex used to carry supplies should be held by at least 20 ASS points in China) that would need a lot of troops, that were not available immediately. The first troops (2 BF and 6 Const Bns) were ordered to march north from Yenen this evening and will be followed by other troops coming from other Chinese bases. As the air support in Yenen was reduced (another home rule: I ignore the 250 limit for AS), a Ki-21 Sentai and two transport units were transferred to Wuhan.
The offensive was stopped in Lanchow and now concentrated on Sining. Apparently Japanese paratroops should be able to take the airfield in some days and then reinforcements and supplies may be flown in. But Allied reinforcements should be stopped. A Chinese Corps was on the road between Sining and Lanchow and all available bombers in Yenen were ordered to bomb it to slow its march. The paradrop was stopped for one day.
On the 6th, the Allied CAP over Sining had been reinforced and recon reported 22 Hurricanes and 15 P-40B. This base was not attacked, but in the morning Yenen sent 112 unescorted bombers (71 Ki-48s, that had not the range to reach Sining and were not used before, and 41 Ki-49) to bomb the 69th Chinese Corps south of Sining. Two Hurricanes of 242 and 136 Sqn were in the target area and shot down 3 Lilies. The other bombers hit 67 men and 1 gun.
On the ground, the paratroops continue to launch shock attacks in Sining and again managed a 2 to 1 ratio, reducing forts to level 1. 54 Japanese and 47 Chinese fell. In Lanchow 127 Japanese men and 5 guns were hit by the Chinese artillery.
On the 7th, the Sining CAP was reinforced by 10 Spitfire Vb. The last part of a Yokosuka SNLF was paradropped on Sining by 12 Tabbies and 8 MC-21. They flew without escort and the CAP shot down 3 MC-21 and 1 Tabby. These reinforcements allowed the attack to continue and to reduce the fort to 0 (at 2 to 1). The Japanese lost 148 men and 4 guns, the Chinese 8 men and 1 gun. In Lanchow the Chinese artillery had another good day and hit 149 men, 8 guns and 1 tank.
During these four days, the frontline didn’t move in the nearby town of Kungchang, even if the Japanese command hesitated to launch a probe attack there. Japanese guns hit 132 men and 4 days.
In the south, the activity was reduced to Japanese artillery fire in Wuchow (142 men hit in 4 days) and to training missions from Canton against Chinese troops (45 Val sorties in 3 days, hitting 16 men). On the evening of the 6th, 18 Zeroes arrived from Japan to begin operational training here.
Tomorrow the Japanese paratroops will launch the final attack on Sining, hoping to strike before Chinese reinforcement arrive. Japanese airmen will continue to recover and won’t fly. The Allied air force has aerial superiority over the battlefield, for the first time of the war.
Japan
Several small convoys left Japan during these four days. One will bring 28 000 supplies to Suva, another 10 000 to PH, another 24 000 to SE Asia and the last and biggest one will bring 70 000 supplies to Suva too. Also 4 ML left Japanese ports and will sail to Java.
Two small Base Forces were formed in Tokyo and received orders to train for Wake Island and Luang Prabang. The idea of the last order is to provide a garrison to all bases in Indochina that may be reached by Allied paratroops from Burma or China.
Hawaii is now Japanese again and more Allied troops were destroyed. Now four US divisions, 2 RCT, 1 Cav Rgt and 1 NZ Bde have been destroyed in the Pacific, not counting the minor units (Tk, CD, Base Forces) and added to the 2-4 Allied brigades surrounded and eliminated during the Burma campaign, that will probably allow Japan to enjoy a numerical superiority of mobile elements on the map until the spring of 1943.
The offensive in northern China has not gone as planned, but the paratroops are winning the war alone. If Sining fell tomorrow as expected, the whole Chinese position will then collapse.
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the port of Dutch Harbor to size 5. Troops, fuel and supplies continued to sail to Paramushiro Jima (and were the cause of the 3rd redone turn of this game. Fiest was when 60 000 Japanese landed in the ocean west of PH, second was when one of my TF attacked a convoy on the edge of the map and the whole convoy fell off the map, this one was not a bug: the Soviet are activated to allow them to move and my opponent has forgotten to change the orders of a new Il-2 unit. So they flew 100 sorties to destroy a small convoy sailing south of Vladivostok, sank 4 AP and 1 PG and destroyed the Eng Rgt being carried from Korea to Paramushiro…. We redid the turn without the Il-2 attack).
Central Pacific
During the night of the 3-4, Hilo was bombarded by 3 BB, 6 CA and 6 DD that disabled 783 men, 40 guns and 1 vehicle and scored 20 hits on the runway, 2 on the port, 6 on port supplies and 3 on fuel dumps without loss or damage, as there was no return fire. The Allied base was then bombed in the morning by PH airmen (40 Ki-21s and 23 Ki-49 escorted by 22 A6M2) who destroyed 1 PBY on the ground, hit 42 men and 1 gun and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 43 on the runways, and then bombarded by the guns of the 5 reinforced Japanese divisions that reached it the day before. 261 more men and 2 guns were hit by these shells, while American return fire hit 14 men, 1 gun and 1 tank. 103 000 able Japanese were facing 38 000 American and the situation seemed very good in Japan’s favor so an attack was ordered for the next day.
The night was quiet but on the morning of the 5th, the main Allied unit, the 40th US Div, was bombed by 62 Betties, 36 Ki-21, 28 Ki-51, 24 Ki-49, 16 Kates and 1 Nell from PH, escorted by 21 Zeroes, and lost 153 men and 8 guns, while one Betty was lost in a crash. In the afternoon the same TF as the day before, 3 BB, 6 CA and 6 DD, that had resplenished the evening before in PH, returned to Hilo and plastered the base. Allied losses were 3659 men, 38 guns and 3 vehicles, and 49 hits were scored on all parts of the base. Then the Japanese troops attacked and easily took the base (at 17 to 1) with minimal losses: 467 men, 22 guns and 5 tanks. The whole American expeditionary force (40th US Div, 26th and 102nd RCT, 112th Cav Rgt, 30th USA FA Rgt, HQ US I Corps and two Base Forces) surrendered. Allied losses were 56 276 men, 262 guns and 1 vehicle (+ 1250 troop points for Japanese score), and also two unserviceable aircraft (a P-39D and a B-26B) captured on the field. The base was totally wrecked (damage 100/100/36) but Japanese engineers began at once to repair it.
The days after the victory, Japanese MSW swept the Allied minefield off the base, some transports went to Lahaina to load a Const Bn and bring it to Hilo and Japanese troops received new orders. Two divisions (4th and 16th) will remain in Hawaii, mostly in Pearl, while the three other (2nd, 48th and 56th) all began to prepare for Auckland, New Zealand. The other troops (3 Naval Guard units, two ART units and two BF) will garrison Hilo, Kona and Lahaina. Tens of transport ships left PH on the 7 to move troops from Hilo to other islands in the archipelago.
More east, three of the five Japanese submarines patrolling off California were recalled to PH to refuel and do some repairs, while four other submarines with SYS damage 0 sailed from this base to replace them.
Southern Pacific
The aera was quiet, but things began to move on the 7th as the preparation of the New Zealand operation was started. Auxiliary ships (a MLE, an AR, an AS and an AD) in Pago-Pago left this base to sail to Suva. Twleve fast APs (3000- and 4500-ton) left the base for PH and 3 TK, 7 AK, 3 AP and 3 PC sailed to Japan to load fuel and supplies.
Solomons-New Guinea
Nothing to report
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The usual barge activity took place. Patrolling B-17E sank a barge off Lautem on the 4th and another off Aru Island on the 7th. Darwin Brewster 339D flew 18 sorties in 3 days against barges but without result.
On the 5th, the Allied airmen from Darwin restarted their attacks on Japanese bases after a pause of more than one week. 101 B-17E and 41 LB-30 attacked Amboina airfield, met no CAP, destroyed 2 Ki-46 on the ground, disabled 168 men and 5 guns and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 86 on the runways. The local Ki-46 Chutai left in the evening for Truk. One-ship TF continued to sail to and from Amboina and a small AK was bombed and hit on the 7th by a patrolling B-17E.
Given the lack of Allied activity, the Japanese local air commander began to plan a new attack on Australia, targeting the resources of Derby. Japanese engineers continued to work during these days and finished to repair the runways of Koepang. A fast transport TF of 3 CA, 2 CL and 2 DD left Kendari in the evening of the 5th and unloaded a new BF in Koepang during the night of the 6th-7th. The base now had 3200 supplies and 90 AS. Daily recon of Derby have shown that only 10-13 Kittyhawk (probably a single squadron) were flying CAP over the city.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Soerabaja to size 9 on the 7th. The base will be used as a ML hub, and the first two MLs already there immediately began to lay minefields in the area (first will be off Bali). Another ML will arrive in some days from Balikpapan, and more from Japan in some weeks. Also the same days five submarines, one of them carrying a Glen, left Soerabaja to patrol off NW Australia (between Perth and India).
Another submarine, the RO-34, refuelled in Sorong and sailed to patrol off Thursday Island. A lonely 7000-ton AK was ordered to sail from Palau to Sorong with supplies to repair a part of the damaged oilfields there.
On the Allied side, engineers expanded the airfield of the Australian base of Wyndham to size 8.
Southern Ressource Area
The convoy leaving the area for Japan carried the following cargoes: 14 000 ressources from Batavia, 36 000 oil and 7 000 ressources from Soerabaja and 24 000 ressources from Kendari.
Burma
On the 4th, 48th Hurricanes from Imphal escorted by 19 P-40B attacked the 14th Tk Rgt in the jungle north of the railway and hit 29 men and 6 tanks. The same unit was attacked the next day by 22 Hurricanes escorted by 19 P-40B and lost 21 men and 1 gun but a Hurricane and a P-40 were lost in crashes. Then the last Japanese troops marched out of the jungle, except the 81st Naval Guard unit that will remain on the mountain SE of Imphal and keep an eye on Allied moves, and the raids stopped. The 21st Bde will march to Myitkyina, the 23rd to Mandalay and the three Tk Rgts will patrol the railway line.
Catalina I began to fly patrols reaching Rangoon and one was shot down on the 5th by an A6M2 ace.
On the 7th, Mandalay airfield was bombed by 30 Blenheim IV, 26 B-17E, 8 Wellington III and 7 Il-4c from Dacca, escorted by 38 P-40B. They only scored 20 hits (6 on airbase, 5 on supplies and 9 on runways) and missed all men and aircraft. Two P-40B collided and crashed in the target area.
The new Ki-44 Sentai arrived by train in Hanoi and began to reassemble its fighters. It will protect the base against Allied heavy bombers.
Allied engineers expanded the Imphal airfield to size 6.
Japanese recons reported on the 6th that there was no more CAP over Ledo (the Spitfire based here probably went to China) and 93 transport aircraft were counted on the airfield. This was confirmed the next day and in the evening of the 7th 27 A6M3 flew from Rangoon to Myitkyina and were ordered to sweep Ledo skies the next morning. The 56 Nells available in Rangoon will then bomb the airfield at 10 000 feet and blast as much as possible of the Allied transports.
Philippines
Troops continued to rest and recover in Manila.
China
On the morning of the 4th 39 Hurricanes from Sining and 26 Hurricanes and 10 P-40B from Lanchow were attacking the 6th and 35th Div near Lanchow, hitting 31 men and 5 guns, while Chinese artillery fire hit 29 men, 1 gun and 1 tank. But at the same time the new Japanese offensive in Northen China began, when 34 Ki-49 and 23 Ki-21 took off from Yenen to bomb Sining. They were joined by an escort of 48 Zeroes. During the flight 9 Ki-21s get lost and turned back. The rest of the formation reached the target and found 14 Hurricanes of 3 squadrons flying CAP. The Zeroes shot down 8 of them for two losses but were unable to stop them from reaching the bombers and two Ki-49s were also shot down. The other Japanese bombers bombed the airfield but only scored 2 runway hits. But the attack confused enough the Allied defenders that the transport aircraft arriving later suffered no loss and dropped more than 1000 men of the Yokosuka 1st, 2nd and 3rd SNLF on the airfield. They assaulted the Chinese Base Force holding the base and managed to achieve a 1 to 1 ratio, reducing the fort level from 6 to 5. 36 Japanese and 8 Chinese fell in the battle.
The Japanese Command was rather pleased with the result of the day and ordered for the next day the continuation of the air assault on Sining and a land offensive in Lanchow. There were two divisions (both with prep 60), 2 regiments of another Div, 2 Eng Rgt (with prep 100) and 2 Tk Rgt. But the day was not good.
In the morning, Yenen was closed by clouds and the ordered LRCAP over Sining was not flown, allowing 13 Hurricanes and 4 P-40B of Lanchow to bomb the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF there, hitting 7 men. In the afternoon 49 Ki-49 and 55 Zeroes flew from Yenen to attack the airfield of Sining. The goal of the operation was to open the way for the second wave of Japanese paratroopers. They met 18 Hurricane II and 14 P-40B flying CAP over the Chinese base and lost the battle. The Hurricanes shot down 12 Zeroes for 8 losses, the P-40B of the B squadron of the AVG destroyed 12 Zeroes and 2 Ki-49 for 4 losses. The bombers only scored one hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on runways. Two more Zeroes were lost in operational accidents. And this time when the transports arrived Allied fighters attacked. 9 Zeroes were on LRCAP but were overwhelmed and the Allied pilots shot down 2 Zeroes, 2 MC-21, 1 Tina and 1 Tabby without loss. The Japanese transported anyway dropped 500-600 more men over the base and the shock attacks of the day reduced the fort level from 5 to 3 at the cost of 130 Japanese casualties, while the Chinese lost 13 men and 1 gun.
More south the Japanese troops attacking Lanchow had no air support and were bombed in the morning by 13 Hurricanes from the local airfield and lost 4 men and 1 gun. Their main problem was the lack of supplies, as they were too far away from Yenen to receive any, and their shock attack failed at 0 to 1. Even if 63 000 Japanese attacked 13 000 Chinese, the supply situation and the fort level of 7 were enough to repulse the assault. Casualties were 2094 men, 45 guns and 6 tanks on the Japanese side, and 252 men and 11 guns on the Chinese side.
In the evening a Zero Daitai was disbanded in Yenen due to the day’s losses. They were higher than planned but not unexpected. The failure in Lanchow was unexpected and left the Japanese Command in a bad situation. The main problem here was the lack of supply and the only way to get supply there was to take control of the northern road from Yenen to Sining but (given the home rule that each hex used to carry supplies should be held by at least 20 ASS points in China) that would need a lot of troops, that were not available immediately. The first troops (2 BF and 6 Const Bns) were ordered to march north from Yenen this evening and will be followed by other troops coming from other Chinese bases. As the air support in Yenen was reduced (another home rule: I ignore the 250 limit for AS), a Ki-21 Sentai and two transport units were transferred to Wuhan.
The offensive was stopped in Lanchow and now concentrated on Sining. Apparently Japanese paratroops should be able to take the airfield in some days and then reinforcements and supplies may be flown in. But Allied reinforcements should be stopped. A Chinese Corps was on the road between Sining and Lanchow and all available bombers in Yenen were ordered to bomb it to slow its march. The paradrop was stopped for one day.
On the 6th, the Allied CAP over Sining had been reinforced and recon reported 22 Hurricanes and 15 P-40B. This base was not attacked, but in the morning Yenen sent 112 unescorted bombers (71 Ki-48s, that had not the range to reach Sining and were not used before, and 41 Ki-49) to bomb the 69th Chinese Corps south of Sining. Two Hurricanes of 242 and 136 Sqn were in the target area and shot down 3 Lilies. The other bombers hit 67 men and 1 gun.
On the ground, the paratroops continue to launch shock attacks in Sining and again managed a 2 to 1 ratio, reducing forts to level 1. 54 Japanese and 47 Chinese fell. In Lanchow 127 Japanese men and 5 guns were hit by the Chinese artillery.
On the 7th, the Sining CAP was reinforced by 10 Spitfire Vb. The last part of a Yokosuka SNLF was paradropped on Sining by 12 Tabbies and 8 MC-21. They flew without escort and the CAP shot down 3 MC-21 and 1 Tabby. These reinforcements allowed the attack to continue and to reduce the fort to 0 (at 2 to 1). The Japanese lost 148 men and 4 guns, the Chinese 8 men and 1 gun. In Lanchow the Chinese artillery had another good day and hit 149 men, 8 guns and 1 tank.
During these four days, the frontline didn’t move in the nearby town of Kungchang, even if the Japanese command hesitated to launch a probe attack there. Japanese guns hit 132 men and 4 days.
In the south, the activity was reduced to Japanese artillery fire in Wuchow (142 men hit in 4 days) and to training missions from Canton against Chinese troops (45 Val sorties in 3 days, hitting 16 men). On the evening of the 6th, 18 Zeroes arrived from Japan to begin operational training here.
Tomorrow the Japanese paratroops will launch the final attack on Sining, hoping to strike before Chinese reinforcement arrive. Japanese airmen will continue to recover and won’t fly. The Allied air force has aerial superiority over the battlefield, for the first time of the war.
Japan
Several small convoys left Japan during these four days. One will bring 28 000 supplies to Suva, another 10 000 to PH, another 24 000 to SE Asia and the last and biggest one will bring 70 000 supplies to Suva too. Also 4 ML left Japanese ports and will sail to Java.
Two small Base Forces were formed in Tokyo and received orders to train for Wake Island and Luang Prabang. The idea of the last order is to provide a garrison to all bases in Indochina that may be reached by Allied paratroops from Burma or China.
RE: 4-7 September 1942: Hilo fell, China resists
Hi all,
Congrats on great victory!
Emperor will be pleased - BANZAI !!!
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S.
Will you guys upgrade to v1.8 now?
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
4-7 September 1942
Hawaii is now Japanese again and more Allied troops were destroyed. Now four US divisions, 2 RCT, 1 Cav Rgt and 1 NZ Bde have been destroyed in the Pacific, not counting the minor units (Tk, CD, Base Forces) and added to the 2-4 Allied brigades surrounded and eliminated during the Burma campaign, that will probably allow Japan to enjoy a numerical superiority of mobile elements on the map until the spring of 1943.
Congrats on great victory!
Emperor will be pleased - BANZAI !!!
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S.
Will you guys upgrade to v1.8 now?
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
8-14 September 1942
Hello, well the game is still going on, just I didn't find the time to update the AAR. We upgraded to v1.8 on 12 September 1942.
I lack of time to do long organisationnal turns, so I rather managed the daily work while preparing slowly the next main operation: New Zealand. The result is that the operation is now delayed to the beginning of November.
On the other hand, the good effect of the delay is that Japanese units, air units and ships will be in better shape.
8-14 September 1942
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the port and the airfield of Anchorage both to size 8.
Central Pacific
On the 8th, transports loaded the 4th and 16th Div in Hilo to bring them to PH for R&R. 15 A6M3 and 22 A6M2 left Hawaii for the Southern Pacific (and arrived in Truk one week later).
Japanese intelligence confirmed two more Allied ship losses during the August battles: the AR Vincent sunk by Japanese AC east of Hilo and the AK Lipscomb Lykes sunk by warships off California. Both were scuttled by their crews. Japanese SIGINT reported on the 12th 185 Allied ships in San Francisco (including 8 APD and 1 AP).
Southern Pacific
Some activity of Allied submarines was reported and the CS Mizuho left on the 10th Pago-Pago with 22 experienced Jake crews to chase them. Two days later a submarine was reported off Pago-Pago and laid a minefield here, that a Japanese MSW started to sweep on the 13th.
Allied engineers expanded Efate airfield to size 2.
The invasion of New Zealand is scheduled for the first week of November.
Solomons-New Guinea
Not much to report. Six AP left Truk for Palau, where they will load a Special Base Force preparing for Kavieng.
Rabaul will be invaded in October, with the support of the KB (minus the CV that won’t be ready yet). This may be opposed by the Allied airforce based in Australia and also by Allied navies. SIGINT reported on the 11th 284 Allied ships in Brisbane ! This included 3 SS and 6 AP.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The well-rested Allied airforce launched a new attack on Kendari on the 8th with 87 B-17E and 30 LB-30 from Darwin. They were intercepted by 44 A6M2, 24 Oscars, 23 Nates and 6 A6M3. 73 B-17E and 29 LB-30 reached the target and bombed the airfield at 7000 feet. Losses of both sides were heavy. 25 B-17E and 5 LB-30 were shot down by fighters, and 2 B-17E and 1 LB-30 by AA fire, these numbers including those crashing on the return leg. But they destroyed 15 aircraft in the air (9 A6M2, 3 Oscars, 2 Nates and 1 A6M3) and 17 on the ground (8 A6M2, 7 Ki-43, 2 A6M3), also hitting 169 men and 2 guns and scoring 16 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 44 on runways. In the evening a Zero Daitai reduced to 5 A6M2 and 11 pilots left Kendari northward (it will be disbanded to reinforce a KB unit) and both Ki-44 Sentais in China and Hanoi received orders to move to Kendari as fast as possible.
The Allied bombers came back the next day twice. In the morning, 12 LB-30 tried to attack ships off Kendari but were repulsed by the CAP (35 Nates, 16 A6M2, 13 Oscars and 6 A6M3). 6 LB-30 and 2 Nates were shot down. In the afternoon the airfield was the target of 44 B-17E and 16 LB-30, that met over the target 31 Nates, 18 A6M2, 12 Oscars and 5 A6M3. The air battle was a draw, with 6 B-17E and 1 LB-30 falling against 4 A6M2 and 3 Nates. 31 B-17E reached the target. AA fire shot down two but they destroyed on the ground 5 A6M2, 2 Nates and 1 Oscar, hit 47 men and 1 gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase and 17 on the runways.
A third raid was launched in the afternoon of the 10th by 22 LB-30 that turned back when attacked by 29 Nates, 21 A6M2, 13 Ki-43 and 6 A6M3. They shot down 2 Oscars and escaped without loss.
In the following days, the Allied bombers didn’t come back and the airbase of Kendari was repaired. Ki-44s arrived from the Asian mainland, while a Ki-27 Sentai was converted to Ki-61 in Davao and will also come to defend Kendari, so allowing IJNAF units to be used only in offensive missions. The A6M3 Daitai of Kendari, reduced to 6 fighters and 14 pilots, left the base for Truk.
The raid on Derby was of course heavily delayed by this offensive, but preparation continued, with barges and a lonely AK bringing supplies to Koepang. The airfield of Maumere, NW of Timor, was expanded to size 2. The Ki-46 based in Koepang was shot down on the 10th over Derby by an Allied fighter and had not been replaced yet.
Japanese barges continued to pick up troop in Aru Island and were attacked on the 10th, 11th and 13th by Brewster 339D from Darwin (7 each time). The second attack was against full barges and did 64 casualties among evacuated troops. Patrolling B-17E were more efficient and sank two barges off Aru on the 14th. Only 200 men remained on Aru at the end of the week.
On the 10th, Allied airmen from Darwin used again Aru port as a training target. They came back on the 11th, 13th and 14th, flying a total of 440 sorties (287 B-25C and 58 Beaufort V-IX escorted by 48 Kittyhawk I and 47 P-40E), suffering 4 operational losses (2 Kittyhawk, 1 P-40E and 1 B-25C) and scoring 8 hits on the port and 14 on supplies.
On the Japanese side, seven APs loaded the 1st and 2nd Parachute Rgt in Kendari on the 13th and sailed for Truk and later for the Pacific. These troops will be used in New Zealand or in Australia. The same day a convoy left Soerabaja to bring the 4th Bde to Kendari for garrison duties.
Southern Ressource Area
Convoys continue to sail without any Allied interference in this area. A convoy left Balikpapan with 41 000 oil for Japan, followed two days later by another from the same port with 57 000 oil and 18 000 ressources, another left Miri with 63 000 oil for the same destination, another will carry 9 000 oil from Brunei to Hong Kong.
Burma
On the 8th, 42 Nells from Rangoon raided Ledo. The A6M3 unit based in Myitkyina and that was supposed to sweep the target area before the raid was grounded by bad weather, but only one Hurricane of 17 Sqn in transit was on this base and even if the pilot scrambled he didn’t manage to intercept the raiders that littered the bases with bombs, destroying 28 transport aircraft (17 C-47, 8 Dakota I and 3 C-60A Lodestar) on the ground, killing and wounding 43 men and scoring 9 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 28 on the runways. The only Japanese loss was a Nell that crashed due to engine failure.
The two next days saw Japanese recon aircraft searching a target for a sweep from Myitkyina. They didn’t find any target with a light CAP, but reported 247 aircraft (and also 24 units) in Asansol and no CAP. This airfield was attacked on the 11th. First 27 A6M3 from Myitkyina flew a sweep but met no target, then 38 Nells from Rangoon bombed the base. Most of these Allied aircraft should fly training missions, as only one I-153c was destroyed on the ground, while 102 men were killed or wounded and 6 hits scored on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 29 on the runways. In the evening the A6M3 left Myitkyina and returned to Rangoon.
The next day, I forgot to ground the Nells and 37 of them returned to Asansol. By chance there was still no CAP and they destroyed on the ground two Hurricanes, hit 44 men and 1 gun and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 14 on the runways. Two Nells were lost in a collision during this raid.
On the 14th, the Allied airmen attacked the oilfields of Mandalay, that I started to repair roughly a month ago. 46 Blenheim IV, 39 B-17E, 12 Il-4c and 10 Wellington III from Dacca, escorted by 34 P-40B, scored 14 hits and disabled 11 of the 25 repaired oil centers without loss.
The CAP of Rangoon had been reinforced this week by the arrival of a second Ki-61 Sentai, and has been able to shot down a PBY on the 8th, a F-5A Lightning on the 9th and another on the 11th. This evening the Japanese Command decided to do something he has never dared to since the start of the war: intercept a heavy raid escorted by the AVG over Burma. 69 Ki-61, 27 A6M3 and 26 A6M2 flew from Rangoon to Mandalay (where there was an Air HQ and far enough air support) to ambush the Allied bombers and their escort the next day.
There was no troop movement on the “frontline”. Just SE of Imphal the 81st Naval Guard Unit continued to keep watch and was bombed on the 9th and 14th, each time by 22 Hurricanes escorted by 19 P-40B, and lost a total of 96 men and 2 guns.
Daily recon of Trincomalee, Ceylon, by Mavis based in Andaman Islands have shown two ships (1 SS and 1 APD) anchored there, no CAP and only one Allied unit. Tomorrow Rangoon-based Nells will bomb this port at low alt.
Japanese engineers continued to build fortifications all over Burma and expanded Myitkyina airfield to size 3 (the base has already forts level 9).
Japanese recon revealed that the Salween front is empty of any Allied troops. The first Allied position was seen in Yunan. I considered sending units there to occupy ground up to the hex northwest of Yunan, and then forgot about this idea as I like better having as much troops as possible in central Burma to be able to react to Allied moves.
Philippines
The troops there were reorganized to occupy their garrison towns. The main Army that took Manila is still there, recovering before sailing for New Zealand.
China
The final attack was launched by Japanese paratroops at Sining on the 8th… and met the newly-arrived 69th Chinese Corps and rebuilt level 1 fortifications. 642 Japanese fell for no loss on the Chinese side and the three units were wrecked. The next day, after a failed bombing by 30 Hurricanes, the Chinese attacked (at 17 to 1) and destroyed the Yokosuka 1st SNLF, that lost 533 men and 5 guns while Chinese losses were reduced to 2 men and 1 gun. But this same day a regiment of the 59th Div finally marched out of the forest and cut the Lanchow-Sining road. This enabled the two surviving Para units to retreat there the next day, when they were first bombed by 68 Hurricanes, losing 25 men, and then attacked at 309 to 1, losing 74 men vs 6 Chinese casualties.
That marked the end of the September offensive in China. Without supplies, neither Lanchow nor Sining would be taken. The Japanese air force was not able to bring enough to the frontline, so they would have to be brought by land. That left two possibilities: take Kungchang, or occupy the northern road from Yenen to Lanchow.
The first was judged too difficult and bloody, so in the evening of the 9th orders were given for the second. With the end of the offensive, IJAAF bomber units left Yenen, enabling to send five more small Base Forces (each with 25-30 ASS point may guard a hex). The road should be under total Japanese control in one month.
About twenty transport aircraft remained in Yenen and paradropped supplies to the Japanese troops between Sining and Lanchow, losing a MC-21 and a Tabby in crashes in four days. On the 11th and 12th, these troops were attacked by airmen from these two bases (a total of 125 Hurricane bombing sorties and 13 Spitfire escort sorties, 1 Hurricane lost in a crash) and lost 105 men and 1 gun. But the next day, all Zeroes available in Yenen flew LRCAP over these troops.
23 of them intercepted 73 Hurricane II escorted by 5 Spitfires Vc. Zeroes won their first battle vs Spitfires (1 shot down for no loss) and then decimated the Hurricanes, shooting down 21 for 2 losses. The survivors bombed a regiment of the 59th Div and hit 38 men and 2 guns. Also 3 Zeroes and 1 Spitfire were lost in crashes this day, while the Allied CAP shot down a Ki-46 over Sining.
So the next day (14th), it was the 6th Div at Lanchow that was bombed by 50 Hurricane from Sining and Lanchow, losing 106 men and 3 guns.
The usual artillery fire continued in Kungchang (396 Chinese hit), Wuchow (375 Chinese men and 1 gun hit) and Lanchow (53 Japanese and 4 guns hit). The only troop move was by a Chinese unit that left Sian northward toward the Japanese positions south of Kungchang.
In the south, Japanese airmen from Canton continued to train by bombing Chinese Div NW of Wuchow. They flew 142 training sorties (78 by Vals and 64 by Zeroes) and 19 escort ones (by Oscars) and hit 83 men and 2 guns for the loss of one Oscar.
Wuchow is probably now the place in China where Japanese forces have the biggest superiority and an offensive will be attempted here. 110 000 Japanese, all prepared 100% for the target, are besieging 60 000 Chinese that are probably lacking supplies. All bombers that were committed in the north will fly to Canton. Two IJA Base Forces boarded ships in Manila and will arrive in a week in Canton. For the time being most of Japanese bombers are in Wuhan and they will bombard Changsha tomorrow.
Japan
The preparation of the invasion of the New Zealand reached a new step. Several convoys left Japan for Suva and Pago-Pago, bringing 64 000 supplies, 89 000 fuel and 2 small base forces. More important the 1st Tank Div was transferred to Southern Area and boarded AKs in Inch’on, Korea, on the 12th, then sailing for Pago-Pago (the concentration point of the invasion fleet). The next day, the 53rd Div was also transferred to Southern Area and boarded APs in Osaka, that also sailed to Pago-Pago.
The stock of A6M2 and A6M3 was deemed big enough to stop both Zero factories of Okayama (monthly output of 72 A6M3 and 39 A6M2).
I lack of time to do long organisationnal turns, so I rather managed the daily work while preparing slowly the next main operation: New Zealand. The result is that the operation is now delayed to the beginning of November.
On the other hand, the good effect of the delay is that Japanese units, air units and ships will be in better shape.
8-14 September 1942
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the port and the airfield of Anchorage both to size 8.
Central Pacific
On the 8th, transports loaded the 4th and 16th Div in Hilo to bring them to PH for R&R. 15 A6M3 and 22 A6M2 left Hawaii for the Southern Pacific (and arrived in Truk one week later).
Japanese intelligence confirmed two more Allied ship losses during the August battles: the AR Vincent sunk by Japanese AC east of Hilo and the AK Lipscomb Lykes sunk by warships off California. Both were scuttled by their crews. Japanese SIGINT reported on the 12th 185 Allied ships in San Francisco (including 8 APD and 1 AP).
Southern Pacific
Some activity of Allied submarines was reported and the CS Mizuho left on the 10th Pago-Pago with 22 experienced Jake crews to chase them. Two days later a submarine was reported off Pago-Pago and laid a minefield here, that a Japanese MSW started to sweep on the 13th.
Allied engineers expanded Efate airfield to size 2.
The invasion of New Zealand is scheduled for the first week of November.
Solomons-New Guinea
Not much to report. Six AP left Truk for Palau, where they will load a Special Base Force preparing for Kavieng.
Rabaul will be invaded in October, with the support of the KB (minus the CV that won’t be ready yet). This may be opposed by the Allied airforce based in Australia and also by Allied navies. SIGINT reported on the 11th 284 Allied ships in Brisbane ! This included 3 SS and 6 AP.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The well-rested Allied airforce launched a new attack on Kendari on the 8th with 87 B-17E and 30 LB-30 from Darwin. They were intercepted by 44 A6M2, 24 Oscars, 23 Nates and 6 A6M3. 73 B-17E and 29 LB-30 reached the target and bombed the airfield at 7000 feet. Losses of both sides were heavy. 25 B-17E and 5 LB-30 were shot down by fighters, and 2 B-17E and 1 LB-30 by AA fire, these numbers including those crashing on the return leg. But they destroyed 15 aircraft in the air (9 A6M2, 3 Oscars, 2 Nates and 1 A6M3) and 17 on the ground (8 A6M2, 7 Ki-43, 2 A6M3), also hitting 169 men and 2 guns and scoring 16 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 44 on runways. In the evening a Zero Daitai reduced to 5 A6M2 and 11 pilots left Kendari northward (it will be disbanded to reinforce a KB unit) and both Ki-44 Sentais in China and Hanoi received orders to move to Kendari as fast as possible.
The Allied bombers came back the next day twice. In the morning, 12 LB-30 tried to attack ships off Kendari but were repulsed by the CAP (35 Nates, 16 A6M2, 13 Oscars and 6 A6M3). 6 LB-30 and 2 Nates were shot down. In the afternoon the airfield was the target of 44 B-17E and 16 LB-30, that met over the target 31 Nates, 18 A6M2, 12 Oscars and 5 A6M3. The air battle was a draw, with 6 B-17E and 1 LB-30 falling against 4 A6M2 and 3 Nates. 31 B-17E reached the target. AA fire shot down two but they destroyed on the ground 5 A6M2, 2 Nates and 1 Oscar, hit 47 men and 1 gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase and 17 on the runways.
A third raid was launched in the afternoon of the 10th by 22 LB-30 that turned back when attacked by 29 Nates, 21 A6M2, 13 Ki-43 and 6 A6M3. They shot down 2 Oscars and escaped without loss.
In the following days, the Allied bombers didn’t come back and the airbase of Kendari was repaired. Ki-44s arrived from the Asian mainland, while a Ki-27 Sentai was converted to Ki-61 in Davao and will also come to defend Kendari, so allowing IJNAF units to be used only in offensive missions. The A6M3 Daitai of Kendari, reduced to 6 fighters and 14 pilots, left the base for Truk.
The raid on Derby was of course heavily delayed by this offensive, but preparation continued, with barges and a lonely AK bringing supplies to Koepang. The airfield of Maumere, NW of Timor, was expanded to size 2. The Ki-46 based in Koepang was shot down on the 10th over Derby by an Allied fighter and had not been replaced yet.
Japanese barges continued to pick up troop in Aru Island and were attacked on the 10th, 11th and 13th by Brewster 339D from Darwin (7 each time). The second attack was against full barges and did 64 casualties among evacuated troops. Patrolling B-17E were more efficient and sank two barges off Aru on the 14th. Only 200 men remained on Aru at the end of the week.
On the 10th, Allied airmen from Darwin used again Aru port as a training target. They came back on the 11th, 13th and 14th, flying a total of 440 sorties (287 B-25C and 58 Beaufort V-IX escorted by 48 Kittyhawk I and 47 P-40E), suffering 4 operational losses (2 Kittyhawk, 1 P-40E and 1 B-25C) and scoring 8 hits on the port and 14 on supplies.
On the Japanese side, seven APs loaded the 1st and 2nd Parachute Rgt in Kendari on the 13th and sailed for Truk and later for the Pacific. These troops will be used in New Zealand or in Australia. The same day a convoy left Soerabaja to bring the 4th Bde to Kendari for garrison duties.
Southern Ressource Area
Convoys continue to sail without any Allied interference in this area. A convoy left Balikpapan with 41 000 oil for Japan, followed two days later by another from the same port with 57 000 oil and 18 000 ressources, another left Miri with 63 000 oil for the same destination, another will carry 9 000 oil from Brunei to Hong Kong.
Burma
On the 8th, 42 Nells from Rangoon raided Ledo. The A6M3 unit based in Myitkyina and that was supposed to sweep the target area before the raid was grounded by bad weather, but only one Hurricane of 17 Sqn in transit was on this base and even if the pilot scrambled he didn’t manage to intercept the raiders that littered the bases with bombs, destroying 28 transport aircraft (17 C-47, 8 Dakota I and 3 C-60A Lodestar) on the ground, killing and wounding 43 men and scoring 9 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 28 on the runways. The only Japanese loss was a Nell that crashed due to engine failure.
The two next days saw Japanese recon aircraft searching a target for a sweep from Myitkyina. They didn’t find any target with a light CAP, but reported 247 aircraft (and also 24 units) in Asansol and no CAP. This airfield was attacked on the 11th. First 27 A6M3 from Myitkyina flew a sweep but met no target, then 38 Nells from Rangoon bombed the base. Most of these Allied aircraft should fly training missions, as only one I-153c was destroyed on the ground, while 102 men were killed or wounded and 6 hits scored on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 29 on the runways. In the evening the A6M3 left Myitkyina and returned to Rangoon.
The next day, I forgot to ground the Nells and 37 of them returned to Asansol. By chance there was still no CAP and they destroyed on the ground two Hurricanes, hit 44 men and 1 gun and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 14 on the runways. Two Nells were lost in a collision during this raid.
On the 14th, the Allied airmen attacked the oilfields of Mandalay, that I started to repair roughly a month ago. 46 Blenheim IV, 39 B-17E, 12 Il-4c and 10 Wellington III from Dacca, escorted by 34 P-40B, scored 14 hits and disabled 11 of the 25 repaired oil centers without loss.
The CAP of Rangoon had been reinforced this week by the arrival of a second Ki-61 Sentai, and has been able to shot down a PBY on the 8th, a F-5A Lightning on the 9th and another on the 11th. This evening the Japanese Command decided to do something he has never dared to since the start of the war: intercept a heavy raid escorted by the AVG over Burma. 69 Ki-61, 27 A6M3 and 26 A6M2 flew from Rangoon to Mandalay (where there was an Air HQ and far enough air support) to ambush the Allied bombers and their escort the next day.
There was no troop movement on the “frontline”. Just SE of Imphal the 81st Naval Guard Unit continued to keep watch and was bombed on the 9th and 14th, each time by 22 Hurricanes escorted by 19 P-40B, and lost a total of 96 men and 2 guns.
Daily recon of Trincomalee, Ceylon, by Mavis based in Andaman Islands have shown two ships (1 SS and 1 APD) anchored there, no CAP and only one Allied unit. Tomorrow Rangoon-based Nells will bomb this port at low alt.
Japanese engineers continued to build fortifications all over Burma and expanded Myitkyina airfield to size 3 (the base has already forts level 9).
Japanese recon revealed that the Salween front is empty of any Allied troops. The first Allied position was seen in Yunan. I considered sending units there to occupy ground up to the hex northwest of Yunan, and then forgot about this idea as I like better having as much troops as possible in central Burma to be able to react to Allied moves.
Philippines
The troops there were reorganized to occupy their garrison towns. The main Army that took Manila is still there, recovering before sailing for New Zealand.
China
The final attack was launched by Japanese paratroops at Sining on the 8th… and met the newly-arrived 69th Chinese Corps and rebuilt level 1 fortifications. 642 Japanese fell for no loss on the Chinese side and the three units were wrecked. The next day, after a failed bombing by 30 Hurricanes, the Chinese attacked (at 17 to 1) and destroyed the Yokosuka 1st SNLF, that lost 533 men and 5 guns while Chinese losses were reduced to 2 men and 1 gun. But this same day a regiment of the 59th Div finally marched out of the forest and cut the Lanchow-Sining road. This enabled the two surviving Para units to retreat there the next day, when they were first bombed by 68 Hurricanes, losing 25 men, and then attacked at 309 to 1, losing 74 men vs 6 Chinese casualties.
That marked the end of the September offensive in China. Without supplies, neither Lanchow nor Sining would be taken. The Japanese air force was not able to bring enough to the frontline, so they would have to be brought by land. That left two possibilities: take Kungchang, or occupy the northern road from Yenen to Lanchow.
The first was judged too difficult and bloody, so in the evening of the 9th orders were given for the second. With the end of the offensive, IJAAF bomber units left Yenen, enabling to send five more small Base Forces (each with 25-30 ASS point may guard a hex). The road should be under total Japanese control in one month.
About twenty transport aircraft remained in Yenen and paradropped supplies to the Japanese troops between Sining and Lanchow, losing a MC-21 and a Tabby in crashes in four days. On the 11th and 12th, these troops were attacked by airmen from these two bases (a total of 125 Hurricane bombing sorties and 13 Spitfire escort sorties, 1 Hurricane lost in a crash) and lost 105 men and 1 gun. But the next day, all Zeroes available in Yenen flew LRCAP over these troops.
23 of them intercepted 73 Hurricane II escorted by 5 Spitfires Vc. Zeroes won their first battle vs Spitfires (1 shot down for no loss) and then decimated the Hurricanes, shooting down 21 for 2 losses. The survivors bombed a regiment of the 59th Div and hit 38 men and 2 guns. Also 3 Zeroes and 1 Spitfire were lost in crashes this day, while the Allied CAP shot down a Ki-46 over Sining.
So the next day (14th), it was the 6th Div at Lanchow that was bombed by 50 Hurricane from Sining and Lanchow, losing 106 men and 3 guns.
The usual artillery fire continued in Kungchang (396 Chinese hit), Wuchow (375 Chinese men and 1 gun hit) and Lanchow (53 Japanese and 4 guns hit). The only troop move was by a Chinese unit that left Sian northward toward the Japanese positions south of Kungchang.
In the south, Japanese airmen from Canton continued to train by bombing Chinese Div NW of Wuchow. They flew 142 training sorties (78 by Vals and 64 by Zeroes) and 19 escort ones (by Oscars) and hit 83 men and 2 guns for the loss of one Oscar.
Wuchow is probably now the place in China where Japanese forces have the biggest superiority and an offensive will be attempted here. 110 000 Japanese, all prepared 100% for the target, are besieging 60 000 Chinese that are probably lacking supplies. All bombers that were committed in the north will fly to Canton. Two IJA Base Forces boarded ships in Manila and will arrive in a week in Canton. For the time being most of Japanese bombers are in Wuhan and they will bombard Changsha tomorrow.
Japan
The preparation of the invasion of the New Zealand reached a new step. Several convoys left Japan for Suva and Pago-Pago, bringing 64 000 supplies, 89 000 fuel and 2 small base forces. More important the 1st Tank Div was transferred to Southern Area and boarded AKs in Inch’on, Korea, on the 12th, then sailing for Pago-Pago (the concentration point of the invasion fleet). The next day, the 53rd Div was also transferred to Southern Area and boarded APs in Osaka, that also sailed to Pago-Pago.
The stock of A6M2 and A6M3 was deemed big enough to stop both Zero factories of Okayama (monthly output of 72 A6M3 and 39 A6M2).
RE: 8-14 September 1942
I can't wait for the next showdown !!!!![:'(]
How do you plan on using your airforce when it becomes more balanced, I guess this ambush in Burma is a one-shot thing, you'll probably try to avoid attrition on these theaters, and just bet on how long your bases can resist with level 9 forts and stacks of supply right ?
Once NZ is done, if you manage to accomplish it, you will go on defensive mode right ? Where do you think he'll strike ? I guess he won't go for PH before mid 1944 now, before it is dangerous to say the least... So you are probably looking at northern route and Burma as his main attacking axis, Oz being a big flat-top from which he'll hassle the SRA...
How do you plan on resisting a very ambitious and massive northern route approach ? Will you let him take the whole aleutians and wait for him on your ground ( paramishiro jima and so ) or will you try to fight for the chain, risking a Fabertong like guadalcanal ?
IF he commits all his forces in Burma, you might find Malaya, ans Vietnam in danger quite quickly... how to you plan on dealing with that ?
SO many questions and so little time for you to answer...
Great AAR anyway.
edit : Stupid question of mine, from the August 12 map, it looks like the aleutians are pretty secure for the allies and probably being built up big time ( like the Anchorga build up leads to think )... Northern route is quite probable than...
What do you plan for NG, Solomons, Hebrides ?
How do you plan on using your airforce when it becomes more balanced, I guess this ambush in Burma is a one-shot thing, you'll probably try to avoid attrition on these theaters, and just bet on how long your bases can resist with level 9 forts and stacks of supply right ?
Once NZ is done, if you manage to accomplish it, you will go on defensive mode right ? Where do you think he'll strike ? I guess he won't go for PH before mid 1944 now, before it is dangerous to say the least... So you are probably looking at northern route and Burma as his main attacking axis, Oz being a big flat-top from which he'll hassle the SRA...
How do you plan on resisting a very ambitious and massive northern route approach ? Will you let him take the whole aleutians and wait for him on your ground ( paramishiro jima and so ) or will you try to fight for the chain, risking a Fabertong like guadalcanal ?
IF he commits all his forces in Burma, you might find Malaya, ans Vietnam in danger quite quickly... how to you plan on dealing with that ?
SO many questions and so little time for you to answer...
Great AAR anyway.
edit : Stupid question of mine, from the August 12 map, it looks like the aleutians are pretty secure for the allies and probably being built up big time ( like the Anchorga build up leads to think )... Northern route is quite probable than...
What do you plan for NG, Solomons, Hebrides ?
Adieu Ô Dieu odieux... signé Adam
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Veji, thanks. I have no time to answer your questions now but will do it tomorrow.
15 September 1942
Central Pacific
In the afternoon a patrolling Alf bombed and hit the submarine USS Whale north of PH. It was deemed probable that she left mines in the Hawaii Islands and 6 MSW were ordered out of PH to check it.
Southern Pacific
The MSW W15 continued to sweep Allied mines off Pago-Pago.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
83 B-17E from Darwin raided Bulla, disabling 35 of the 60 ressource centers here, while 25 LB-30 hit Sorong oirlfields, disabling 9 of the 14 working centers. Two LB-30 and a B-17 were lost in operational accidents.
The reprisals would be the Derby operation. Exploiting the good weather 64 Nells flew from Hollandia, Malang and Singapore to Macassar and Kendari, to be ready for the attack in some days.
Burma
The ambush worked! In the morning, 56 Blenheim IV, 36 B-17E, 14 Il-4c and 10 Wellington III took off from Dacca under escort by 41 P-40B of the 23rd FG to raid Mandalay. They were welcomed by 45 Ki-61, 24 A6M3 and 23 A6M2, that shot down 76 Allied aircraft (28 Blenheim IV, 24 P-40E, 9 Il-4c, 9 Wellington III and 6 B-17E) for 12 losses (7 Tonies and 5 A6M3). 31 B-17E, 30 Blenheim IV and 1 Wellington get trough and bomb… the town (20 manpower hits, no damaged done) due to bad orders given by their command. A Ki-61 and a P-40B were also lost in accidents. The day was a triumph for the A6M2 ace unit, the F1/3rd Daitai, that scored 28 victories for no loss. Its best pilot, and the best of the Empire, Ensign Sugio S., scored a kill in this battle, his 27th. Twelve other pilots of the unit were aces at the end of the day. Also the IJAAF had its first ace of the war, 2nd Lt Hirabayashi H. of the 78 Sentai, with 6 kills.
At the same time 16 Nells from Rangoon raided Trincomalee port at 5000 feet. AA fire hit several and two crashed on the way back but they scored two bomb hits on the SS HMS Truant and one on the port.
SE of Imphal the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed by 26 Hurricane and 19 P-40B from Imphal and lost 55 men and 1 gun.
The only problem of the day was that Allied recons shown that Rangoon had only 25 Oscars and 30 Nates as CAP. But in the evening the Japanese commander was convinced to have won local air superiority over Burma. The original plan was to retire to Rangoon in the evening but about 15 fighters were unserviceable and the plans were changed to try to save them. The A6M2 and A6M3 and a Tony Sentai were ordered to remain there and intercept a possible weaker Allied raid, while the other Tony Sentai flew back to Rangoon to intercept a possible B-17E raid here.
China
In central China, 57 Ki-21, 44 Ki-48 and 16 Betties from Wuhan bombed Changsha and disabled 14 of the 145 remaining resource centers.
In the north, a regiment of the 27th Div was bombed near Lanchow by 54 Hurricanes from Lanchow and Sining, escorted by 3 Spitfire and 2 P-40B, and lost 64 men and 1 gun. Chinese guns then hit 27 Japanese and 2 guns there. Japanese guns hit 60 Chinese in Kungchang.
The 3rd Ind Bde arrived in Yenen from Homan and was ordered to join the troops occupying the northern road.
South of Kungchang the Chinese unit that was north of Sian marched more north and reached the Japanese positions, held by the 40th and 41st Div and hald of a Bde. These troops were ordered to attack the Chinese tomorrow and chase them.
In the south, 16 Zeroes and 15 Vals flew a training bombing missions against the 28th New Chinese Div and hit 15 men, but a Ki-43 of the escort was lost in a crash. Japanese guns hit 169 Chinese in Wuchow.
In the evening, all training units left Canton, the Vals for Japan to integrate the KB, the Zeroes to Luzon to continue training by bombing troops in PI.
Japan
Another convoy left Japan with 41 000 tons of fuel for Suva.
15 September 1942
Central Pacific
In the afternoon a patrolling Alf bombed and hit the submarine USS Whale north of PH. It was deemed probable that she left mines in the Hawaii Islands and 6 MSW were ordered out of PH to check it.
Southern Pacific
The MSW W15 continued to sweep Allied mines off Pago-Pago.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
83 B-17E from Darwin raided Bulla, disabling 35 of the 60 ressource centers here, while 25 LB-30 hit Sorong oirlfields, disabling 9 of the 14 working centers. Two LB-30 and a B-17 were lost in operational accidents.
The reprisals would be the Derby operation. Exploiting the good weather 64 Nells flew from Hollandia, Malang and Singapore to Macassar and Kendari, to be ready for the attack in some days.
Burma
The ambush worked! In the morning, 56 Blenheim IV, 36 B-17E, 14 Il-4c and 10 Wellington III took off from Dacca under escort by 41 P-40B of the 23rd FG to raid Mandalay. They were welcomed by 45 Ki-61, 24 A6M3 and 23 A6M2, that shot down 76 Allied aircraft (28 Blenheim IV, 24 P-40E, 9 Il-4c, 9 Wellington III and 6 B-17E) for 12 losses (7 Tonies and 5 A6M3). 31 B-17E, 30 Blenheim IV and 1 Wellington get trough and bomb… the town (20 manpower hits, no damaged done) due to bad orders given by their command. A Ki-61 and a P-40B were also lost in accidents. The day was a triumph for the A6M2 ace unit, the F1/3rd Daitai, that scored 28 victories for no loss. Its best pilot, and the best of the Empire, Ensign Sugio S., scored a kill in this battle, his 27th. Twelve other pilots of the unit were aces at the end of the day. Also the IJAAF had its first ace of the war, 2nd Lt Hirabayashi H. of the 78 Sentai, with 6 kills.
At the same time 16 Nells from Rangoon raided Trincomalee port at 5000 feet. AA fire hit several and two crashed on the way back but they scored two bomb hits on the SS HMS Truant and one on the port.
SE of Imphal the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed by 26 Hurricane and 19 P-40B from Imphal and lost 55 men and 1 gun.
The only problem of the day was that Allied recons shown that Rangoon had only 25 Oscars and 30 Nates as CAP. But in the evening the Japanese commander was convinced to have won local air superiority over Burma. The original plan was to retire to Rangoon in the evening but about 15 fighters were unserviceable and the plans were changed to try to save them. The A6M2 and A6M3 and a Tony Sentai were ordered to remain there and intercept a possible weaker Allied raid, while the other Tony Sentai flew back to Rangoon to intercept a possible B-17E raid here.
China
In central China, 57 Ki-21, 44 Ki-48 and 16 Betties from Wuhan bombed Changsha and disabled 14 of the 145 remaining resource centers.
In the north, a regiment of the 27th Div was bombed near Lanchow by 54 Hurricanes from Lanchow and Sining, escorted by 3 Spitfire and 2 P-40B, and lost 64 men and 1 gun. Chinese guns then hit 27 Japanese and 2 guns there. Japanese guns hit 60 Chinese in Kungchang.
The 3rd Ind Bde arrived in Yenen from Homan and was ordered to join the troops occupying the northern road.
South of Kungchang the Chinese unit that was north of Sian marched more north and reached the Japanese positions, held by the 40th and 41st Div and hald of a Bde. These troops were ordered to attack the Chinese tomorrow and chase them.
In the south, 16 Zeroes and 15 Vals flew a training bombing missions against the 28th New Chinese Div and hit 15 men, but a Ki-43 of the escort was lost in a crash. Japanese guns hit 169 Chinese in Wuchow.
In the evening, all training units left Canton, the Vals for Japan to integrate the KB, the Zeroes to Luzon to continue training by bombing troops in PI.
Japan
Another convoy left Japan with 41 000 tons of fuel for Suva.
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Hi all,
Again "All Quiet on Pacific"? [8D]
Leo "Apollo11"
Again "All Quiet on Pacific"? [8D]
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
I am having withdrawal symptoms.... argh...
Adieu Ô Dieu odieux... signé Adam
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Pompack had been out of the country for about 10 days - he is just now getting back into the swing of things (fighting off jet lag!)
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Hi - Pompack informs me he sent a turn to Amiral Laurent several days ago but has heard no reply...
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Hi all,
Thanks for info!
Leo "Apollo11"
Thanks for info!
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
16-20 September 1942: bad ideas
16-20 September 1942
Well, I apologize for the delay... Holidays and busy schedule in non-WITP life have reduced even more the pace of this game, but it should now resume a normal speed of 5-10 turns a week.
Northern Pacific
The convoy bringing the 22nd Eng Rgt and several AKs carrying fuel and supply arrived in Paramushiro Jima, that will be build as the main base in the area.
Central Pacific
Nothing to report.
Southern Pacific
For one reason, the Allied Command decided was Pago-Pago was an important place to mine. During these five days, the MSW W15 had swept an Allied minefield here and then discovered two new ones.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Efate to size 3. The SS I-122 left Suva to lay a minefield off this island.
Solomons-New Guinea
A convly left on the 16th Palau to bring a NLF and a Special Base Force to Kavieng. 22 A6M2 and 22 A6M3 arrived in Truk from Kendari and PH to assist the next Japanese operation, the capture of Rabaul, that will take place in the first part of October.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
Darwin-based Allied airmen continued their raids against resource and oil centers in the area. Bulla was bombed by 82 B-17E on the 16th and 68 on the 17th, while Sorong was bombed by 20 Lb-30 on the 16th, 28 on the 17th and 89 B-17E and 37 LB-30 on the 19th. The first was reduced to 4 usable resource centers, the second saw all oil center disabled but they began to repair one a day from the evening of the 19th. These raids costed the Allied 4 B-17E lost in crashes and 1 LB-30 shot down by AA fire.
More south tactical airmen also flying from Darwin continued to fly “training” missions against the near-empty Aru Island on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 20th (342 sorties: 214 B-25C, 47 P-40E, 43 Beaufort I, 39 Kittyhawk I, only one P-40E lost to engine failure), but also against Lautem that was bombed on the 20th by 7 T.IVa that scored one hit on the runway and lost one of their number to AA fire. They also operated against some barges evacuating the last Japanese troops of Aru Island: one was sunk on the 17th by patrol aircraft, another strafed on the 18th by 7 Brewster 339D (17 casualties).
The Japanese command was not totally inactive in this area. An AK was sent to Bulla to load the resources produced here, and twelve barges loaded in Sorong the 23rd NLF that landed in Babo, New Guina, on the 18th (72 landing casualties) and occupied the empty base the next day, before reboarding barges and sail again to Sorong.
But the main activity was the preparation of an air and sea raid against Derby. As more IJAAF fighters (36 Ki-61 and the last Ki-44 of the units already there) arrived in Kendari, brining the CAP here to 67 Ki-44, 63 Ki-27, 36 Ki-61 and 22 Ki-43, the IJNAF units became available for offensive missions. Koepang was now repaired and had enough supplies and air support to allow raids from there. The recon aircraft based on Koepang broke on the 18th and so delayed the raid but 52 A6M2 Zeroes flew from Kendari to Koepand this same day, while the naval part of the operation, 3 CA and 2 DD, left the same base to sail west of Timor. The Allied saw nothing during the two next days, while Japanese recon showed that the CAP over Derby was still reduced to 10 Kittyhawk.
In the evening of the 20th, with good weather forecast for the next day, the attack orders were given. 52 Zeroes from Koepang will sweep Derby skies before 64 Nells and 9 Betties from Kendari arrived to bombard the resource centers of the city (245 still usable). At the same time Mavis and Emilies will recon Broome and Wyndham, and the naval squadron will sail to 360 miles north of Derby. From there it will bombard the next day either Derby or Broome, or may turn back if the opposition is too strong.
Southern Ressource Area
The following cargoes left the area during the last five days: 16k oil from Bankha to Saigon, 46k oil from Palembang to Japan, 18k oil from Batavia to Japan, 21k fuel from Batavia to Kendari, 87k oil from Palembang to Japan, 28k resources from Toboali to Japan, 7k resource from Naga to Japan and 21k resources from Kuala Lumpur to Japan.
Burma
When this AAR stopped, I was thinking I could win air superiority over Burma. Well that didn’t last long. In the morning of the 16th the Allied bombers came back to Mandalay, reinforced by a full B-25C group and two squadrons of the AVG. 61 B-25C, 26 Blenheim IV, 16 B-17E, 5 Il-4c and 3 Wellington III escorted by 54 P-40B met over the target 16 Ki-61, 15 A6M2 and 9 A6M3. The P-40B shot down 2 Japanese fighters of each type while losing 10 of their number and then the Japanese pilots shot down 6 Blenheim, 3 B-25C and 1 B-17E at the cost of 2 more A6M2 and 1 A6M3. Then one more Blenheim was shot down by AA fire, but the airfield was pounded and 12 Japanese aircraft (6 Ki-61, 5 A6M3 and 1 Ki-46) were destroyed on the ground, 148 men hurt and 10 hits scored on the base, 5 on the supply dumps and 89 on the runways.
In the evening all flyable aircraft left Mandalay for Rangoon, one A6M3 being lost in a take-off accident with its pilot. 25 unserviceable fighters remained behind (10 A6M2, 9 Ki-61 and 6 A6M3). All Nells based in Rangoon received orders to fly to Bangkok in case the Allied airmen changed of targets, and one Nell crashed during the flight but the crew was saved.
The next morning, 49 B-25C, 27 Blenheim IV, 17 B-17E, 6 Il-4c and 3 Wellington III escorted by 46 P-40B flew again from Dacca to Mandalay and destroyed all 25 remaining Japanese aircraft here. 77 men were hurt and 14 hits scored on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 88 on the runways. There was no CAP and AA was inefficient but one B-25C was lost in an accident.
After the destruction of their aircraft, the last Japanese fighter pilots left Mandalay for Rangoon. That was the good news of the day. In three days, 61 Japanese aircraft had been lost in Burma but only 12-15 pilots. Among the top Japanese aces, only one had been wounded. On the other hand the Allied airforces lost 99 aircraft, 96 of them shot down by Japanese fighters. This evening the A6M2 of F1/3rd Daitai flew from Rangoon to Bangkok to receive replacement aircraft and rest here.
On the 18th, Mandalay was again bombed by 46 B-25C, 32 Blenheim IV, 19 B-17E, 9 Il-4c and 6 Wellington III escorted by 39 P-40B. There found no aircraft here but hit 96 men and 1 gun and scored 11 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 126 on the runways.
The next day, the Allied airmen changed of target and 41 B-25C, 35 Blenheim IV, 21 B-17E, 8 Il-4c and 4 Wellington III escorted by 43 P-40B raided Myitkyina. The hurt 33 men and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 54 on runways but AA shot down a B-17E and a B-25C.
On the 20th, Mandalay was again bombed but this time in the afternoon by 48 Beauforts (25 V-IX and 23 I) from Chandpur. They scored 2 hits on the airbase and 24 on runways, doing 20 casualties, but again AA was accurate and shot done one Beaufort of each type.
More north, the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed daily by 9 Hurricane from nearby Imphal and lost 78 men and 3 guns in five day. The Allied Cap shot down a Ki-15 recon aircraft on the 18th in this area.
Philippines
Japanese troops continued to R&R here, while Japanese engineers expanded Manila airfield to size 5.
China
The period began well when the 30th Chinese Corps was repulsed on the 16th by the 40th and 41st Div south of Kungchang and retreated towards Sian, having lost more than 1000 killed, wounded and prisoners against 310 Japanese losses (attack at 132 to 1). The same day, Japanese troops in Lanchow were bombed by 38 Hurricanes and lost 81 men and 1 gun, while all Japanese bombers left Yenen for South China.
The next day 25 Zeroes from Yenen flew CAP over the area, losing two of their number to engine failure, but the Allied airmen (62 Hurricanes escorted by 4 Spitfire) were bombing the Japanese troops between Sining and Lanchow. This day the 69th Chinese Corps marched south from Sining to pursue Japanese troops, leaving again only a BF in Sining, and the Japanese Command hesitated to launch another para attack on Sining, with the remains of the units rebuilding in Yenen.
On the 18th, 46 Hurricanes bombed the troops facing the 69th Chinese Corps between Sining and Lanchow and hit 13 of them. The bombing was repeated the next day with 18 Hurricanes from Sining that hit 10 men and then the 69th Corps launched an attack against the Japanese troops (a regiment of the 59th Div and parts of the 2nd and 3rd Yokosuka SNLF). I thought the Japanese will held but the lack of supplies didn’t allow that. The Chinese attack succeeded at 124 to 1 and repulsed eastward the Japanese that lost more than 500 men against Chinese losses of 50 men and 2 guns.
The next day, the Japanese troops near Lanchow were again the Allied target, 69 Hurricanes from Sining and Lanchow hitting 80 men against one loss in an accident.
The main problem in the area for the Japanese forces is to bring supply to the Sining-Lanchow area. Troops still advanced to occupy the northern road but it won’t be totally controlled until several weeks. 25-30 transport aircraft have returned to Yenen to fly supplies to the Japanese troops NE of Lanchow.
The usual pounding took place at the 3 Chinese besieged cities with the following losses: 270 Chinese men and 1 gun in Kungchang, 174 Chinese in Wuchow and 69 Japanese and 5 guns in Lanchow.
Elsewhere, all Japanese rear bases in China received orders to expand fortifications with the engineers locally available.
Japan
Several convoys left Japan, all sailing to Pago-Pago or Suva to prepare the NZ operation, bringing 5 base forces, 55k fuel and 42k supplies. Another left Tokyo for Kendari with 25k supplies.
Well, I apologize for the delay... Holidays and busy schedule in non-WITP life have reduced even more the pace of this game, but it should now resume a normal speed of 5-10 turns a week.
Northern Pacific
The convoy bringing the 22nd Eng Rgt and several AKs carrying fuel and supply arrived in Paramushiro Jima, that will be build as the main base in the area.
Central Pacific
Nothing to report.
Southern Pacific
For one reason, the Allied Command decided was Pago-Pago was an important place to mine. During these five days, the MSW W15 had swept an Allied minefield here and then discovered two new ones.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Efate to size 3. The SS I-122 left Suva to lay a minefield off this island.
Solomons-New Guinea
A convly left on the 16th Palau to bring a NLF and a Special Base Force to Kavieng. 22 A6M2 and 22 A6M3 arrived in Truk from Kendari and PH to assist the next Japanese operation, the capture of Rabaul, that will take place in the first part of October.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
Darwin-based Allied airmen continued their raids against resource and oil centers in the area. Bulla was bombed by 82 B-17E on the 16th and 68 on the 17th, while Sorong was bombed by 20 Lb-30 on the 16th, 28 on the 17th and 89 B-17E and 37 LB-30 on the 19th. The first was reduced to 4 usable resource centers, the second saw all oil center disabled but they began to repair one a day from the evening of the 19th. These raids costed the Allied 4 B-17E lost in crashes and 1 LB-30 shot down by AA fire.
More south tactical airmen also flying from Darwin continued to fly “training” missions against the near-empty Aru Island on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 20th (342 sorties: 214 B-25C, 47 P-40E, 43 Beaufort I, 39 Kittyhawk I, only one P-40E lost to engine failure), but also against Lautem that was bombed on the 20th by 7 T.IVa that scored one hit on the runway and lost one of their number to AA fire. They also operated against some barges evacuating the last Japanese troops of Aru Island: one was sunk on the 17th by patrol aircraft, another strafed on the 18th by 7 Brewster 339D (17 casualties).
The Japanese command was not totally inactive in this area. An AK was sent to Bulla to load the resources produced here, and twelve barges loaded in Sorong the 23rd NLF that landed in Babo, New Guina, on the 18th (72 landing casualties) and occupied the empty base the next day, before reboarding barges and sail again to Sorong.
But the main activity was the preparation of an air and sea raid against Derby. As more IJAAF fighters (36 Ki-61 and the last Ki-44 of the units already there) arrived in Kendari, brining the CAP here to 67 Ki-44, 63 Ki-27, 36 Ki-61 and 22 Ki-43, the IJNAF units became available for offensive missions. Koepang was now repaired and had enough supplies and air support to allow raids from there. The recon aircraft based on Koepang broke on the 18th and so delayed the raid but 52 A6M2 Zeroes flew from Kendari to Koepand this same day, while the naval part of the operation, 3 CA and 2 DD, left the same base to sail west of Timor. The Allied saw nothing during the two next days, while Japanese recon showed that the CAP over Derby was still reduced to 10 Kittyhawk.
In the evening of the 20th, with good weather forecast for the next day, the attack orders were given. 52 Zeroes from Koepang will sweep Derby skies before 64 Nells and 9 Betties from Kendari arrived to bombard the resource centers of the city (245 still usable). At the same time Mavis and Emilies will recon Broome and Wyndham, and the naval squadron will sail to 360 miles north of Derby. From there it will bombard the next day either Derby or Broome, or may turn back if the opposition is too strong.
Southern Ressource Area
The following cargoes left the area during the last five days: 16k oil from Bankha to Saigon, 46k oil from Palembang to Japan, 18k oil from Batavia to Japan, 21k fuel from Batavia to Kendari, 87k oil from Palembang to Japan, 28k resources from Toboali to Japan, 7k resource from Naga to Japan and 21k resources from Kuala Lumpur to Japan.
Burma
When this AAR stopped, I was thinking I could win air superiority over Burma. Well that didn’t last long. In the morning of the 16th the Allied bombers came back to Mandalay, reinforced by a full B-25C group and two squadrons of the AVG. 61 B-25C, 26 Blenheim IV, 16 B-17E, 5 Il-4c and 3 Wellington III escorted by 54 P-40B met over the target 16 Ki-61, 15 A6M2 and 9 A6M3. The P-40B shot down 2 Japanese fighters of each type while losing 10 of their number and then the Japanese pilots shot down 6 Blenheim, 3 B-25C and 1 B-17E at the cost of 2 more A6M2 and 1 A6M3. Then one more Blenheim was shot down by AA fire, but the airfield was pounded and 12 Japanese aircraft (6 Ki-61, 5 A6M3 and 1 Ki-46) were destroyed on the ground, 148 men hurt and 10 hits scored on the base, 5 on the supply dumps and 89 on the runways.
In the evening all flyable aircraft left Mandalay for Rangoon, one A6M3 being lost in a take-off accident with its pilot. 25 unserviceable fighters remained behind (10 A6M2, 9 Ki-61 and 6 A6M3). All Nells based in Rangoon received orders to fly to Bangkok in case the Allied airmen changed of targets, and one Nell crashed during the flight but the crew was saved.
The next morning, 49 B-25C, 27 Blenheim IV, 17 B-17E, 6 Il-4c and 3 Wellington III escorted by 46 P-40B flew again from Dacca to Mandalay and destroyed all 25 remaining Japanese aircraft here. 77 men were hurt and 14 hits scored on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 88 on the runways. There was no CAP and AA was inefficient but one B-25C was lost in an accident.
After the destruction of their aircraft, the last Japanese fighter pilots left Mandalay for Rangoon. That was the good news of the day. In three days, 61 Japanese aircraft had been lost in Burma but only 12-15 pilots. Among the top Japanese aces, only one had been wounded. On the other hand the Allied airforces lost 99 aircraft, 96 of them shot down by Japanese fighters. This evening the A6M2 of F1/3rd Daitai flew from Rangoon to Bangkok to receive replacement aircraft and rest here.
On the 18th, Mandalay was again bombed by 46 B-25C, 32 Blenheim IV, 19 B-17E, 9 Il-4c and 6 Wellington III escorted by 39 P-40B. There found no aircraft here but hit 96 men and 1 gun and scored 11 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 126 on the runways.
The next day, the Allied airmen changed of target and 41 B-25C, 35 Blenheim IV, 21 B-17E, 8 Il-4c and 4 Wellington III escorted by 43 P-40B raided Myitkyina. The hurt 33 men and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 54 on runways but AA shot down a B-17E and a B-25C.
On the 20th, Mandalay was again bombed but this time in the afternoon by 48 Beauforts (25 V-IX and 23 I) from Chandpur. They scored 2 hits on the airbase and 24 on runways, doing 20 casualties, but again AA was accurate and shot done one Beaufort of each type.
More north, the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed daily by 9 Hurricane from nearby Imphal and lost 78 men and 3 guns in five day. The Allied Cap shot down a Ki-15 recon aircraft on the 18th in this area.
Philippines
Japanese troops continued to R&R here, while Japanese engineers expanded Manila airfield to size 5.
China
The period began well when the 30th Chinese Corps was repulsed on the 16th by the 40th and 41st Div south of Kungchang and retreated towards Sian, having lost more than 1000 killed, wounded and prisoners against 310 Japanese losses (attack at 132 to 1). The same day, Japanese troops in Lanchow were bombed by 38 Hurricanes and lost 81 men and 1 gun, while all Japanese bombers left Yenen for South China.
The next day 25 Zeroes from Yenen flew CAP over the area, losing two of their number to engine failure, but the Allied airmen (62 Hurricanes escorted by 4 Spitfire) were bombing the Japanese troops between Sining and Lanchow. This day the 69th Chinese Corps marched south from Sining to pursue Japanese troops, leaving again only a BF in Sining, and the Japanese Command hesitated to launch another para attack on Sining, with the remains of the units rebuilding in Yenen.
On the 18th, 46 Hurricanes bombed the troops facing the 69th Chinese Corps between Sining and Lanchow and hit 13 of them. The bombing was repeated the next day with 18 Hurricanes from Sining that hit 10 men and then the 69th Corps launched an attack against the Japanese troops (a regiment of the 59th Div and parts of the 2nd and 3rd Yokosuka SNLF). I thought the Japanese will held but the lack of supplies didn’t allow that. The Chinese attack succeeded at 124 to 1 and repulsed eastward the Japanese that lost more than 500 men against Chinese losses of 50 men and 2 guns.
The next day, the Japanese troops near Lanchow were again the Allied target, 69 Hurricanes from Sining and Lanchow hitting 80 men against one loss in an accident.
The main problem in the area for the Japanese forces is to bring supply to the Sining-Lanchow area. Troops still advanced to occupy the northern road but it won’t be totally controlled until several weeks. 25-30 transport aircraft have returned to Yenen to fly supplies to the Japanese troops NE of Lanchow.
The usual pounding took place at the 3 Chinese besieged cities with the following losses: 270 Chinese men and 1 gun in Kungchang, 174 Chinese in Wuchow and 69 Japanese and 5 guns in Lanchow.
Elsewhere, all Japanese rear bases in China received orders to expand fortifications with the engineers locally available.
Japan
Several convoys left Japan, all sailing to Pago-Pago or Suva to prepare the NZ operation, bringing 5 base forces, 55k fuel and 42k supplies. Another left Tokyo for Kendari with 25k supplies.
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Great game AmiralLaurent [&o][&o]
I´m enjyoing to follow your AAR a lot. And it´s great to see your dogs of war are released again..
I wish you luck!!!
I´m enjyoing to follow your AAR a lot. And it´s great to see your dogs of war are released again..
I wish you luck!!!
RE: 15 September 1942: carnage over Mandalay
Glad to see it back on track....[:)]
Adieu Ô Dieu odieux... signé Adam
RE: 16-20 September 1942: bad ideas
Hi all,
Great to see you back!
Leo "Apollo11"
Great to see you back!
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
21-22 September 1942: Derby raided
Thanks to all for the kind words, sadly it seems that now that I have both time and will to play WITP, I have connexion problems at home. I was planning to do a turn this morning but was unable to download it.... Hope it will be OK tonight (I'm at work now).
21-22 September 1942
At least this week-end I had enough time to really plan the NZ operation, and start the concentration for it. Until now I did the turns rather quickly, telling me that all my troops, ships and air units really needed a break. Now most of them are OK, so it’s time to move on again.
The troops earmarked for the operations are the HQ Southern Army, 3 Army HQ, 8 Inf Div, 1 Tk Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts, 6 Eng Rgt, 6 artillery units, 1 Naval Guard unit, a big Base Force and three small ones. Two divisions were already sailing from Korea (1st Tk Div) and Japan (53rd Div), all other troops boarded ships on the 22nd in Hilo and Manila (see below for details). All ships used for carrying these troops are 3000- and 4500-ton ships.
New Zealand being far away from any Japanese base, the Kido Butai will be used to support the invasion. For the same reason the Japanese High Command plans to meet few fighters defending the island, but rather bombers, especially heavy ones. Land-based Navy aircraft will be concentrated in Suva and ready to jump to NZ once a base will be taken.
Before the NZ operation, the Kido Butai will be used to support the invasion of Rabaul by the 5th Div, currently in Truk. Japan has now 8 CV, 4 CVL and 2 CVE. The CV Kaga and Hiryu and CVL Shoho have still some SYS damage between 5 and 8, and the Kaga has not yet been upgraded so they will remain in PH and sail next month to join the NZ operation. All other CVs have been upgraded and have 0 SYS damage. There ships left on the 22nd Tokyo and PH to gather at Kwajalein. Again more details below.
Sadly not all of their air groups are not in the same good shape, and a part of them were left on PH to take part in the battle, so the meeting in Kwajalein will be used to dispatch the air groups once again aboard their respective ships.
Central Pacific
The Hawaii Islands became active again on the 22nd. Two CV, 3 CVL, 1 CVE, 1 BB, 8 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD left PH to go to Kwajalein and reform the Kido Butai here. Four submarines also sailed in the same direction and will refuel in Suva before taking part in the NZ operation. And 5 CL and 18 DD left the port to sail to Hilo, where transports escorted by 12 APD, PG and PC began to load the 2nd, 48th and 56th Div, all west rested after the battle of Hilo and preparing for attacking Auckland.
Southern Pacific
Still more minesweeping off Pago-Pago… The place was planned to be the refuelling place for all my fleet, but I may have to change this if Allied submarines continued to mine the hell of the place…
The Japanese Navy MLs started to be used from Truk and Suva on the 22nd and will lay defensive minefields on surrounding islands.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The raid against Derby went as planned on the 21st and was a limited success. First 52 Zeroes from Koepang swept the skies and met 14 Kittyhawk I of 76 Sqn RAAF. The day of the “uber Zero” are over, 5 Zeroes were shot down against 5 Kittyhawks, and one more Zero was lost operationally. The 9 remaining Australian pilots then intercepted the 63 Nells and 8 Betties arriving from Kendari and shot down 5 Nells, but lost one of their number to return fire. All surviving bombers dropped their load on Derby’s resource centers from 10000 feet and disabled 17 resource centers. One bomber of each type ditched during the return leg due to AA damage.
All serviceable fighters left Koepang for Maumere and Kendari in the evening, leaving only the local Ki-46 unit and 7 damaged Zeroes there. Also most bombers left Kendari for Macassar. The next day heavy reprisal raids were feared by only 44 B-25s were sent from Derby against Koepang in the afternoon, and 20 get lost. The other met no Cap and destroyed a Zero on the ground, and scored 3 hits on supplies and 19 on the runways. At the same time a barge was bombed and damaged off the Japanese base by another B-25. This evening a small Japanese AK slipped into Koepang harbour and loaded the 6 remaining Zeroes.
The other aspect of this operation were recon by Japanese patrol aircraft of Broome (1 unit, no CAP) and Wyndham (5 units, 35 Hurricane/P-40E on CAP) and a raid by a small surface force. The latter was late in the evening of the 21st and couldn’t reach Broome or Derby during the next night. As one transport had been reported off Broome, it moved west to be ready to raid this port the next night. But recon on the 22nd failed to see any ship there anymore, and the numerous B-25 of Derby were too threatening to remain there, even if the TF had gone unnoticed so far, so the ships sailed north to Soerabaja in the evening of the 21st.
Tomorrow 21 Zeroes from Maumere will LRCAP Koepang to intercept any new Allied raid.
Southern Resource Area
It was decided to use the supplies produced in Toboali to repair the resource centers in Batavia. An AK convoy began to load them to ship them to Java.
Burma
The two quiet days saw only a raid on the 22nd by 9 Hurricane from Imphal against the Japanese unit SE of the city, that hit 27 men.
Philippines
The loading of the troops for the NZ operation started in Manila on the 22nd. Each unit boarded a separate convoy, the various TF will then be aggregated at sea. Four Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts, 4 Eng Rgt, 6 ART units, 3 Army HQ and the Southern Army HQ boarded ships here.
China
The usual bombing took place in Kungchang (183 Chinese and 2 guns hit) and Wuchow (79 men and 2 guns) while for some reason Chinese stopped to pound the starving Japanese in Lanchow….
The only air activity in two days was recon flights by Japanese and 18 Hurricane from Sining hitting Japanese troops NE of Lanchow on the 22nd and missing them.
Supplies level in China seemed to have decreased recently and two convoys were created in Osaka to bring 35 000 supplies to Shangai, and the same amount to Tientsin, hoping they will then reach the places they are needed, Wuhan, Homan and Yenen…
Japan
Four fleet CVs and 1 CVE escorted by 7 DDs left Tokyo for Kwajalein on the 22nd.
21-22 September 1942
At least this week-end I had enough time to really plan the NZ operation, and start the concentration for it. Until now I did the turns rather quickly, telling me that all my troops, ships and air units really needed a break. Now most of them are OK, so it’s time to move on again.
The troops earmarked for the operations are the HQ Southern Army, 3 Army HQ, 8 Inf Div, 1 Tk Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts, 6 Eng Rgt, 6 artillery units, 1 Naval Guard unit, a big Base Force and three small ones. Two divisions were already sailing from Korea (1st Tk Div) and Japan (53rd Div), all other troops boarded ships on the 22nd in Hilo and Manila (see below for details). All ships used for carrying these troops are 3000- and 4500-ton ships.
New Zealand being far away from any Japanese base, the Kido Butai will be used to support the invasion. For the same reason the Japanese High Command plans to meet few fighters defending the island, but rather bombers, especially heavy ones. Land-based Navy aircraft will be concentrated in Suva and ready to jump to NZ once a base will be taken.
Before the NZ operation, the Kido Butai will be used to support the invasion of Rabaul by the 5th Div, currently in Truk. Japan has now 8 CV, 4 CVL and 2 CVE. The CV Kaga and Hiryu and CVL Shoho have still some SYS damage between 5 and 8, and the Kaga has not yet been upgraded so they will remain in PH and sail next month to join the NZ operation. All other CVs have been upgraded and have 0 SYS damage. There ships left on the 22nd Tokyo and PH to gather at Kwajalein. Again more details below.
Sadly not all of their air groups are not in the same good shape, and a part of them were left on PH to take part in the battle, so the meeting in Kwajalein will be used to dispatch the air groups once again aboard their respective ships.
Central Pacific
The Hawaii Islands became active again on the 22nd. Two CV, 3 CVL, 1 CVE, 1 BB, 8 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD left PH to go to Kwajalein and reform the Kido Butai here. Four submarines also sailed in the same direction and will refuel in Suva before taking part in the NZ operation. And 5 CL and 18 DD left the port to sail to Hilo, where transports escorted by 12 APD, PG and PC began to load the 2nd, 48th and 56th Div, all west rested after the battle of Hilo and preparing for attacking Auckland.
Southern Pacific
Still more minesweeping off Pago-Pago… The place was planned to be the refuelling place for all my fleet, but I may have to change this if Allied submarines continued to mine the hell of the place…
The Japanese Navy MLs started to be used from Truk and Suva on the 22nd and will lay defensive minefields on surrounding islands.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The raid against Derby went as planned on the 21st and was a limited success. First 52 Zeroes from Koepang swept the skies and met 14 Kittyhawk I of 76 Sqn RAAF. The day of the “uber Zero” are over, 5 Zeroes were shot down against 5 Kittyhawks, and one more Zero was lost operationally. The 9 remaining Australian pilots then intercepted the 63 Nells and 8 Betties arriving from Kendari and shot down 5 Nells, but lost one of their number to return fire. All surviving bombers dropped their load on Derby’s resource centers from 10000 feet and disabled 17 resource centers. One bomber of each type ditched during the return leg due to AA damage.
All serviceable fighters left Koepang for Maumere and Kendari in the evening, leaving only the local Ki-46 unit and 7 damaged Zeroes there. Also most bombers left Kendari for Macassar. The next day heavy reprisal raids were feared by only 44 B-25s were sent from Derby against Koepang in the afternoon, and 20 get lost. The other met no Cap and destroyed a Zero on the ground, and scored 3 hits on supplies and 19 on the runways. At the same time a barge was bombed and damaged off the Japanese base by another B-25. This evening a small Japanese AK slipped into Koepang harbour and loaded the 6 remaining Zeroes.
The other aspect of this operation were recon by Japanese patrol aircraft of Broome (1 unit, no CAP) and Wyndham (5 units, 35 Hurricane/P-40E on CAP) and a raid by a small surface force. The latter was late in the evening of the 21st and couldn’t reach Broome or Derby during the next night. As one transport had been reported off Broome, it moved west to be ready to raid this port the next night. But recon on the 22nd failed to see any ship there anymore, and the numerous B-25 of Derby were too threatening to remain there, even if the TF had gone unnoticed so far, so the ships sailed north to Soerabaja in the evening of the 21st.
Tomorrow 21 Zeroes from Maumere will LRCAP Koepang to intercept any new Allied raid.
Southern Resource Area
It was decided to use the supplies produced in Toboali to repair the resource centers in Batavia. An AK convoy began to load them to ship them to Java.
Burma
The two quiet days saw only a raid on the 22nd by 9 Hurricane from Imphal against the Japanese unit SE of the city, that hit 27 men.
Philippines
The loading of the troops for the NZ operation started in Manila on the 22nd. Each unit boarded a separate convoy, the various TF will then be aggregated at sea. Four Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts, 4 Eng Rgt, 6 ART units, 3 Army HQ and the Southern Army HQ boarded ships here.
China
The usual bombing took place in Kungchang (183 Chinese and 2 guns hit) and Wuchow (79 men and 2 guns) while for some reason Chinese stopped to pound the starving Japanese in Lanchow….
The only air activity in two days was recon flights by Japanese and 18 Hurricane from Sining hitting Japanese troops NE of Lanchow on the 22nd and missing them.
Supplies level in China seemed to have decreased recently and two convoys were created in Osaka to bring 35 000 supplies to Shangai, and the same amount to Tientsin, hoping they will then reach the places they are needed, Wuhan, Homan and Yenen…
Japan
Four fleet CVs and 1 CVE escorted by 7 DDs left Tokyo for Kwajalein on the 22nd.
RE: 21-22 September 1942: Derby raided
Hi all,
Are you trying to kill production in Australia and thus starve it (because without influx of supply from abroad, which you cutt off, the only thing left for Australia is its internal production)?
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S.
Keep up the great work!
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
All surviving bombers dropped their load on Derby’s resource centers from 10000 feet and disabled 17 resource centers
Are you trying to kill production in Australia and thus starve it (because without influx of supply from abroad, which you cutt off, the only thing left for Australia is its internal production)?
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S.
Keep up the great work!
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
RE: 21-22 September 1942: Derby raided
ORIGINAL: Apollo11
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
All surviving bombers dropped their load on Derby’s resource centers from 10000 feet and disabled 17 resource centers
Are you trying to kill production in Australia and thus starve it (because without influx of supply from abroad, which you cutt off, the only thing left for Australia is its internal production)?
No, I am only trying to score points (in this case, I scored 34 for the factories + 6 for the Kittyhawks downed, vs 10 losses A2A, 2 to AA, 1 to ops and 1 on thr ground = 40 points scored vs 14 lost, a not to bad ratio).
I don't think starving Australia is possible with such raids. Once NZ is gone, I will raid Australia with KB and will do bigger damage but once again the idea is to score points, not starve it the way China is starving.
By the way Derby had still 238 of its 300 center, and Darwin, like all other Australian cities, is intact.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
RE: 8-14 September 1942
I said long ago I will answer this post [8|]
ORIGINAL: veji1
I can't wait for the next showdown !!!!![:'(]
I'm afraid I had you wait longer than expected...[>:]
ORIGINAL: veji1
How do you plan on using your airforce when it becomes more balanced, I guess this ambush in Burma is a one-shot thing, you'll probably try to avoid attrition on these theaters, and just bet on how long your bases can resist with level 9 forts and stacks of supply right ?
Well, in this case I went too greedy and was handed my a... on a plate the next day. But I originaly planned to be a one-day ambush. Things became bad when I decided to divide my fighter force between Rangoon and Mandalay. [:-] I have enough fighters to defend one base, not two...
On the other hand, Rangoon there and Kendari in the south are both able to sustain any Allied heavy bomber offensive. Losses for both sides are heavy, but fighting over my own base reduces the pilot losses and they are my main problem. On both theaters I plan to do occasional ambushes and raids when I think it safe... but I may be wrong [;)]. The Mandalay ambush and the Derby raid above being perfect examples of what I said.
ORIGINAL: veji1
Once NZ is done, if you manage to accomplish it, you will go on defensive mode right ? Where do you think he'll strike ? I guess he won't go for PH before mid 1944 now, before it is dangerous to say the least... So you are probably looking at northern route and Burma as his main attacking axis, Oz being a big flat-top from which he'll hassle the SRA...
One NZ is done (I'm quite sure of achieving it, I'm throwing 9 divisions there), I will raid Australia with CVs and if the SE of Australia is not well defended I will land here. The goal being to score points by killing troops and destroying factories, but also to reduce by half all factories in the area, and then redivide them when my opponent will retake them. That will reduce the ability of Australia to launch attacks.
After his defeat off Hawaii, I don't except any major move in the Pacific before mid-43 from my opponent. PH is now held by two divisions. And the Japanese LBA proved she may win the battle alone against US CVs.
So you are right, that leaves the Aleutians and Burma as his main attack axis.
ORIGINAL: veji1
How do you plan on resisting a very ambitious and massive northern route approach ? Will you let him take the whole aleutians and wait for him on your ground ( paramishiro jima and so ) or will you try to fight for the chain, risking a Fabertong like guadalcanal ?
I have units (Garnison units) training for Attu, Kiska and even Adak, but they will be sent to Paramushiro Jima. Had my opponent not attacked so early, I would have kept my CV around PH after the NZ operation and so they may have supported operations there. Now that is not in my plans and I will be totally defensive. But if Paramushiro Jima or any place in the area is invaded it will be another matter. I will immediatly stop any Australian plan.
ORIGINAL: veji1
IF he commits all his forces in Burma, you might find Malaya, ans Vietnam in danger quite quickly... how to you plan on dealing with that ?
Fort, fort, fort... Currently I'm buidling forts in Burma where they are not level 9 allready, and I am also buidling forts on the second line (Tavoy, Moulmein, Rahaeng) and putting BF with 40 INF squads in all bases in the area to avoid a successfull paradrop on my rear area.
I have 2 full Div, 3 Bdes, 4 Tk Rgt and a dozen of other units holding Burma. On the other hand hald a dozne of British Brigades and Chinese divisions were destroyed during the invasion of Burma and more were defeated, with a sizable part of the British Army repulsed into starving China. So I'm not afraid of any Allied offensive there... yet. By the way I have small units in the jungle to see the Allied coming. That will allow me two months to prepare a hot reception.
ORIGINAL: veji1
SO many questions and so little time for you to answer...
Great AAR anyway.
Thanks
ORIGINAL: veji1
edit : Stupid question of mine, from the August 12 map, it looks like the aleutians are pretty secure for the allies and probably being built up big time ( like the Anchorga build up leads to think )... Northern route is quite probable than...
What do you plan for NG, Solomons, Hebrides ?
About the Northern route, my opponent hadn't gone west of Adak yet, Attu and Kiska are empty.
As for NG, Solomons and Hebrides, well I plan nothing except taking Rabaul with one reinforced division in October and then occupying the Solomons if they are empty, as they probably are. If Australia is too well defended, or the NZ campain lasts longer than planned, I may use the 9 divisions of the NZ Invasion Army to take New Caledonia and the Hebrides instead of invading Australia. But it will need a major operation, there is at least an US Div in Noumea and another in Luganville.
Before evaluating where my opponent may attack, you have to remimber that he lost in Suva and Hawaii (both battles) 4 US Div (2nd Marine, 24th, 25th, 40th Inf), 3 RCT and a NZ Bde. [8D] I don't doubt he saved fragments but they will take a long time before being usable. More important are the score or supporting units he lost here and there, he should be especially short of US Tk Bns and CD units. [:'(]
Right now I would say that the only place where my opponent may attack is around Timor. My forward positions are weak, and even if I have kept Navy troops and an Army Reserve (Imp Guard Div, 35th Bde and 4th Rgt) and a strong surface squadron with BBs, CAs and so on, he may retake some bases under aerial cover from Australia. That is if these units are not sent to PM or NZ to battle vs the KB, in this case I hope I will win the battle as I did the other times. The main problem my opponent has here is probably a lack of shipping.
RE: 21-22 September 1942: Derby raided
Hi all,
Thanks for info!
BTW, we all can't wait to hear good news from "Down Under" when majestic imperial troops would crush those ANZAC mates... [;)]
Leo "Apollo11"
Thanks for info!
BTW, we all can't wait to hear good news from "Down Under" when majestic imperial troops would crush those ANZAC mates... [;)]
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE