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

[AmiralLaurent]

18 February 1943

Northern Pacific

The two minelayer submarines that were busy laying mines off Attu and Kiska for some weeks had been damaged by ice in these inhospitable waters and were both recalled to Japan for some repairs. Both will be sent to Pacific once repairs will be complete.

New Caledonia

Dawn found the Japanese fleets badly scattered between Noumea and Suva but they were not attacked during the day. La Foa was also closed by bad weather and there was no raid here either. Just two PBY were shot down by Japanese CAP.
Off Koumac the SS USS Permit tried in the afternoon to attack the DD TF patrolling here but was unable to find a firing position. She wasn’t detected by the Japanese ships.
In Noumea both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 190 men, 5 guns and 1 vehicle, Japanese ones 410 men, 17 guns and 1 tank. In the evening 7 Japanese divisions were already near Noumea and only two were lacking.
In the evening 9 Emilies flew from Nandi to Norfolk Island. They will fly naval patrol, searching especially for any ships sent from Australia to Noumea.

Tomorrow the Japanese fleet won’t try to reorganise but each TF will sail independently to Suva. La Foa airmen will again try to raid Noumea.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

The only raid was a training sortie from PM to Goodenough Island with 10 Beaufort V-IX and 20 P-40E.

Southern Resource Area

The AK mined off Bataan was finally saved. She was slowly sinking in Manila port but putting her in a TF docked off Manila worked, the FLT damage decreased and has now reached 0.
Two AK loaded 6k resources in Lamon Bay, Luzon, for Japan.

Burma

During the night, 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal attacked Rangoon but did no damage.

China

120 miles W of Sian, the Chinese troops blocking the road to Chungking (73rd, 74th and 98th Corps, 1st Temp Div) were attacked by 3 Japanese divisions (3rd Tk, 37th and 58th) supported by 16 Ki-49, 10 Ki-48 and 8 Ki-21 from Kungchang and were defeated at 27 to 1. They retreated to the SW, joining the 9 units holding the cross-roads between Sian, Ichang and Chungking. Japanese losses were 125 men and 5 guns while the Chinese lost 1109 killed and wounded, 3 guns and more than 2000 POWs.
More Japanese troops had reached this area during the day and 4 Div will pursue the Chinese to the SW led by the HQ North China Army, while 2 Rgts will march to the NW to occupy the mountains and finish to surround the Chinese Army NW of Sian.
To help reduce this pocket, Kungchang will be transformed into a bomber nest. Today arrived 88 Ki-48 and 30 Ki-21 from other Chinese bases, and 25 Ki-51 left Shanghai but stopped at Peking for the night.

From Wuhan, 129 aircraft flew training missions against Chinese troops NW of Changsha. They hit 18 men but lost an Oscar II and a Val in crashes.

Japan

A convoy loaded 21k supplies in Takamatsu and will bring them to Tugueragao, Luzon, to repair the resources centers of this base (20 of the 100 were damaged).

Map of the day: both interesting theaters, China and New Caledonia

[AmiralLaurent]

19-21 February 1943

Central Pacific

SIGINT reported an Allied TF 1000 miles S of California but Japanese submarines and Glens saw nothing.

New Caledonia

On the ground, the Southern Area Army waited for the last division, the 48th, to join it before attacking. This troop arrived on the 21st, bringing the total strength of the Army to 8 Div, 1 Tk Div, 1 Bde, 2 Tk Rgt, 2 Eng Rgt (4 other in reserve), 5 ART units and 3 HQ. They will launch the first deliberate attack on the base tomorrow.
During these 3 days both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 818 men and 12 guns, Japanese ones 432 men.

Clear weather on the 19th allowed the raid on Noumea to be launched from La Foa with 23 Ki-49 escorted by 33 Ki-61, 19 A6M3a and 6 A6M3. But the Allied CAP was stronger than expected (24 P-38G and 12 F4F-4) and shot down 12 Ki-61, 4 A6M3a, 4 Ki-49, a Ki-46-III and later a patrolling Betty while losing 10 F4F-4 and 7 P-38G. AA fire then shot down 2 more Ki-49 and the other bombed the airfield, scoring 3 runway hits and destroying a Wildcat on the ground. Another F4F-4 and an A6M3a were lost in crashes. After this failure, all Japanese bombers left New Caledonia and fighters were ordered to fly CAP or LRCAP over Koumac.
This day also saw a PBM Mariner being shot down by the Japanese CAP over Koumac, and the last troops of the 5th Eng Rgt being brought to La Foa by Tinas from Suva (one was lost in a crash) that were then grounded for some rest. Japanese engineers expanded Koumac airfield to 3 and were then ordered to only work on the port here, to help saving damaged ships anchored off it.

On the 20th, 20 B-25J, 15 B-25C and 11 A-20G from Noumea escorted by 9 P-38G and 2 F4F-4 attacked the 2nd Japanese Div near their base and hit 113 men, 2 guns and 1 tank, while the 307th BG sent 9 B-24D from Luganville to attack ships off Koumac. They were intercepted by 30 A6M2 and 8 A6M3a, but only one B-24D was shot down and the other heavily damaged an AK with 3 bombs. A B-24D and an A6M2 were lost in accidents, while during the day another Betty was shot down by CAP over Noumea.
This day Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of La Foa to size 5 (maximum) and will now expand the port of the base.

The next day, an Irving and a Dinah III were shot down by Allied CAP and in the evening all naval patrol were stopped from La Foa, only recon will be flown. The naval patrol will be flown only from Norfolk Island.
Noumea airmen launched two raids on troops besieging their base. First 6 A-20G, 3 B-25C and 3 B-25J attacked the 20th Div, easily evaded 6 A6M3 on LRCAP from La Foa, and hit 64 men and 5 guns. Then 27 B-25C, 19 B-25J and 10 A-20G escorted by 12 P-38G and 3 F4F-4 attacked the 56th Div. The Japanese LRCAP had been reinforced by 11 Ki-61 that were supposed to be over Koumac and in the air battle 4 Ki-61, 2 F4F-4, 1 P-38G and 1 A-20G were shot down. The bombers hit this time 116 men, 6 guns and 1 tank. 2 B-25J and 1 A-20G were lost in accidents during these raids.
At the same time the Japanese fleet off Koumac was attacked by 5 B-25J and 4 B-24D from Luganville. 29 A6M2 were defending it but were unable to shot down any while return fire from B-24Ds destroyed two Zeroes. The DD Minazuki was heavily damaged by two bombs dropped by B-25J of the 42nd BG, while a B-25J was shot down by AA fire. In the afternoon 3 B-24D attacked again, evaded the CAP (20 A6M2 and 2 A6M3) and missed another DD. To end a bad day another A6M2 was lost with its pilot in an accident.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

Two of the 3 Japanese CV TF reached Suva and refuelled and completed air units here. The third will arrive tomorrow and some days later all will sail back to New Caledonia with all available surface ships.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

The only raids flown were the daily training missions from PM to Goodenough Island with a total of 39 Beaufort V-IX and 63 P-40E, without loss.

In the morning of the 21st a solitary AK returning from Rabaul to Truk saw an Allied submarine 240 miles N of Kavieng and escaped.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The two damaged barges left off Lautem were sunk on the 19th and 20th by Brewster 339D from Darwin (total of 14 sorties, 7 bomb hits but one operational loss).

After a quiet day on the 19th, both Koepang and Lautem were bombed on the 20th and 21st. The first reported a total of 26 B-25C, 66 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase and 14 on the runway, and claimed a B-25C shot down by AA fire. Lautem was attacked by a total of 60 B-25C scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 7 on the runway and doing 25 casualties.

Japanese engineers expanded the port of Amboina to size 3, and will continue to its maximal size (4). Two AK laden each with 7k supplies left Palau for Amboina and Sorong to repair the oilfields of these two bases.
Three MLs left Soerabaja to lay another minefield off Koepang, another laid mines off Menado (where a MLE was based).

Southern Resource Area

Convoys loaded 25k oil in Soerabaja for Singapore, 25k oil in Brunei for Japan and 14k resources in Toboali for Singapore.

Burma

Rangoon was attacked by 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal on the night of the 18th-19th and 19th-20th. One was shot down by AA fire in the latter.

There was no Allied raid, while on the 21st 37 Betties and 26 Nells from Rangoon bombed again the Indian city of Jamshedpur and disabled 79 resource centers. Only 188 of the 360 centers of the town were still usable after this raid.

On the 19th, a Dinah was shot down over India by an Allied fighter.

In Akyab the 4th Eng Rgt will finish building fortifications in 15 days (current level 8, 25%, +5% each day) and received orders to move to Mandalay trough the jungle.

China

While troops slowly moved forward (none changed of hex in these 3 days), Kungchang airmen started to pound Chinese units in the mountains 120 miles NW of Sian, to slow their move until Japanese units reached them and pinned them down. In three days, 246 sorties (48 Ki-44, 91 Ki-48, 39 Ki-49 and 68 Ki-21) hit 227 men for the loss of a Ki-48 in a crash.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Lanchow to size 6.

Japan

The damaged CV Junyo (SYS 32) arrived in Osaka on the 19th and was docked there for repairs and upgrade (in March). The four DD escorting her will all be upgraded here (all Kagero class, for the 1/43 upgrade).

An Allied submarine was seen by an aircraft on the 19th 60 miles SW of Tokyo and 6 MSW were sent to chase her and searched her the next night but with no success. It was then seen sailing NE to Aleutians.

On the 21st the CL Oyodo was commissioned in Tokyo.

[AmiralLaurent]

22 February 1943

New Caledonia

Noumea airmen continued to attack Japanese troops near their base. The 38th Div was bombed by 7 B-25C, 6 B-25J and 6 A-20G and lost 41 men and 1 gun. Then 12 B-25C, 10 A-20G and 10 B-25J escorted by 10 P-38G and 3 F4F-4 attacked the 56th Div but this time 10 A6M2 and 6 Ki-61 came from their patrol area over Koumac to intercept the raid and shot down a P-38G and an A-20G, while a Tony was lost in a crash. Allied bombs hit 44 men and 2 guns.
These Japanese fighters should have remained over Koumac as when 15 B-25J and 3 B-24D from Luganville attacked at the same time they were intercepted only by 11 A6M2, 6 A6M3 and 3 A6M3a that were only able to shot down a B-25J. The Liberators then attacked the damaged CL Kiso and sank her with 3 bombs, while the B-25J set on fire a new AK.
In the afternoon, 4 B-24D from Luganville attacked again. The CAP (17 Ki-61, 17 A6M2, 4 A6M3a and 3 A6M3) was unable to even hit one and lost an A6M2 to return fire. The bombers missed a DD that put a tremendous AA fire, damaging all. One of these damaged B-24D ditched on return.

In the evening, the Japanese forces (227775 troops, 2472 guns, 983 vehicles, Assault Value = 4799) launched the first deliberate attack against Noumea (57032 troops, 666 guns, 130 vehicles, Assault Value = 870). Japanese engineers reduced the forts to level 8 before the attack, but it failed at 0 to 1 (adjusted ASS value: Japan 4526, Allied 5037). Japanese losses were 4153 men, 108 guns and 23 tanks, Allied ones 1892 men, 35 guns and 3 vehicles. The Japanese troops will rest for two days before launching another attack, and will only bombard Allied positions in the mean time.

In the evening, 38 Betties and 27 Ki-21 arrived in LA Foa. They will rest one day and then raid Luganville airfield to stop or reduce the raids targeting Japanese ships.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

The last CV TF and the AO TF reached Suva too and both refuelled.

31 Tinas flew from Suva to Tarawa. After the usual rest, they will fly an IJNAF BF from there to La Foa.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

22 B-25C from Derby attacked Koepang (56 men and 2 guns hit, 6 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 11 on the runway), and 24 from Darwin raided Lautem, scoring only 2 runway hits.

Burma

No raid was flown today. In the evening, Rangoon airmen received orders to attack the resources centers of Dacca. Zeroes will escort the raid, hoping to catch in the air some Spitfires leaking from nearby Allied bases (as reported by the daily recon flights).

China

Kungchang airmen attacked Chinese troops in the mountains NW of Sian with 75 Ki-48, 31 Ki-21 and 12 Ki-49 and hit 159 men while losing a Ki-48 in a crash.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sian to level 2 and 51 Ki-51 arrived from several bases. They will also bomb Chinese troops NW of this base.

26 A6M2 ended their training in Wuhan and left for New Caledonia, via Palau and Kavieng.

[AmiralLaurent]

23-24 February 1943

New Caledonia

On the 23rd, 16 B-25J, 10 A-20G and 9 B-25 from Noumea escorted by 11 P-38G and 3 F4F-4 attacked Japanese troops near their base and hit 77 men and 2 guns.
They met no Japanese fighter because this time all (23 A6M3, 19 Ki-61, 6 A6M3a and 3 A6M3) were covering Japanese ships off Koumac and intercepted this morning 6 B-25J and 6 B-24D from Luganville. 3 B-24D, 2 B-25J, 1 Ki-61 and 1 A6M2 were lost in the battle, and the bombers reached their target and damaged an AK with a bomb it. In the afternoon 3 B-24D attacked again meeting this time 15 Ki-61, 14 A6M2, 8 A6M3a and 5 A6M3 that shot down two of them, the last missing its target. A Ki-61 was also lost in an accident while flying this LRCAP mission, while a Japanese fighter shot down a PBM Mariner coming too close from Koumac.

The next day, after a day of rest, 36 Betties and 27 Ki-21 from La Foa escorted by 15 A6M3a, 12 A6M2 and 6 A6M3 attacked Luganville that was defended by 17 P-40E of the 55th FG. 5 P-40, 1 A6M3, 1 Betty, 1 Ki-21 and 1 Irving were lost in the air battle. The bombers destroyed 7 Allied aircraft on the ground (4 B-25J, 1 P-40E, 1 B-24D and 1 PBM) and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 11 on the runways.
CAP over Koumac was so restricted to Ki-61 and one of the two A6M2 Daitai. In the morning 8 Ki-61 flew to Noumea to defend Japanese troops against a raid by 24 B-25J, 19 A-20G and 14 B-25C escorted by 6 P-38G and 4 F4F-4. Two Tonies were lost in the battle but they shot down 5 A-20G and a P-38G. The attack hit 45 Japanese men and 3 guns.
There was no raid on Koumac in the morning but in the afternoon 6 B-25J and 3 B-24D from Luganville attacked, escaping without damaged the 13 A6M2 flying CAP and setting on fire another AK with 3 bomb hits.

Activity on the ground at Noumea was restricted to artillery exchanges for both days: Allied losses were 292 men, 6 guns and 1 vehicle, Japanese ones 227 men and 1 gun.

Japanese engineers expanded the port of La Foa to size 2.

In the evening of the 24th the Betties left La Foa to evade a possible reprisal raid, and the Ki-21 moved to Koumac to fly local ASW patrols, while all fighters will defend Koumac and La Foa bases tomorrow. On the ground a shock attack on Noumea was ordered.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

Suva was almost out of fuel on the 23rd and the emergency reserve (5 full TK docked with 80k fuel aboard) was ordered to unload its cargo here. The same day three damaged warships (CA Kinugasa, CL Tama and 1 DD) left Suva under escort by 5 PG to go to Japan for repairs.

On the 24th the critically damaged SS I-168 reached Auckland but sank in the port. She had been hit by a B-26 off Noumea a week ago.

This day, the Kido Butai left Suva to come back to the vicinity of Noumea and support the battle here. The 3 CV TF will be supported by 3 BB TF (each 1 BB, 1 CA, 2-3 CL and 6 DD) and a scout TF (1 CL, 10 DD).

Tinas now based in Tarawa received orders to ferry an IJNAF BF from here to La Foa.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

26 A6M2 from China arrived in Truk and will fly in some days to New Caledonia.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The usual raids hit on both afternoons Koepang (29 B-25C, 48 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 23 on the runway in two days) and Lautem (44 B-25C, 6 casualties, 2 hits on supplies and 4 on the runway in two days) for the loss of a B-25C shot down by AA fire on the 23rd and 3 lost in crashes. In two days and 14 sorties the Brewster 339D of Darwin sank a barge and damaged another off Lautem.
Despite these raids Koepang was fully repaired in the evening of the 23rd and fortification building slowly continued between raids.

On the 23rd, 63 Ki-21 left Amboina and Kendari for Hollandia, on their way to New Caledonia.

Southern Resource Area

Two convoys loaded respectively 96k oil in Palembang and 63k oil in Balikpapan. Both will carry them to Japan.

Burma

On the 23rd, a Dinah II was shot down by the Allied CAP over Ledo while 47 Betties and 21 Nells escorted by 13 Oscar II and 8 A6M2 attacked Dacca and disabled 61 resource centers for the loss of a Betty and a Nell to AA fire and another Betty lost in a crash. After this raid 362 resources centers were disabled in eastern India.
The same day the Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Rangoon to size 9, and two Const Bns left the city for Moulmein to help finish the fortifications here (currently level 7).

The next night 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal raided Rangoon, doing no damage, as ever. This day the 64 Sentai upgraded from Oscar I to Oscar II in Rangoon, and Mandalay was ordered to repair again the resource centers of the city, using the 55k supplies available here.

China

On the 23rd, Chinese troops in the mountains NW of Sian were attacked by 76 Ki-48, 41 Ki-21 and 20 Ki-49 from Kungchang and lost 66 men and 1 gun while a Ki-48 was lost in a crash. There was no raid on the 24th due to bad weather.

Recon reported on the 23rd that only one Chinese units remained in Ichang, and more recons found the other units moving north to the cross-roads of the Sian-Chungking road the next day. This day 5 Chinese units also left this cross-roads to march west, probably to Chungking (see the map below for more details). This will be good news and allow the Japanese forces more freedom to crush the isolated troops more north.



Japan

A convoy loaded 49k fuel in Osaka for Suva.

The Oscar II of the 63 Sentai and 9 A6M2 left Japan for operationnal training in China.

[AmiralLaurent]

25-26 February 1943

Central Pacific

A Betty Daitai reduced to 6 aircraft and crew returned to Pearl Harbor from Southern Pacific and was completed with new AC and crew, that will be trained here.

New Caledonia

For two days the Japanese forces launched an all-out attack on Noumea. On the 25th, these troops were attacked by 15 A-20G and 9 B-25J escorted by 9 P-38G and 3 F4F-4 that fought a CAP of 9 Ki-61. A Tony, a Wildcat and a P-38G were shot down, and the bombs hit 76 men, 2 guns and 1 tank. The Japanese shock attack achieved a ratio of 1 to 1 (adjusted ASS 4927 to 4213) and reduced the fortifications to 7. Japanese losses were heavy (7811 men, 117 guns, 23 tanks) but in percentage Allied losses (2039 men, 18 guns and 6 vehicles) were heavier so Japanese troops received orders to continue the assault.
The next day, Japanese troops were bombed by 18 A-20G and 10 B-25J escorted by 9 P-38G and 4 F4F-4 and lost 77 men and 1 gun. The shock attack of the day failed (at 0 to 1, adjusted ASS 3263 to 3837) and Japanese losses were 7329 men, 252 guns and 19 tanks against Allied losses of 751 men, 35 guns and 2 vehicles. Japanese troops were ordered to rest some days and wait for the return of the KB and more LBA support to continue the offensive.

During both days Luganville airmen continue to attack ships off Koumac. In the morning of the 25th, 6 B-24D attacked in two waves, the first escorted by 6 P-38G. The CAP (28 A6M2) shot down 2 P-38G and 1 B-24D but lost 3 fighters shot down by the P-38. The bombers missed a DD and the CA Chikuma. The next morning, 3 B-24D and 2 B-25J escorted by 3 P-38G attacked again. A B-24D was shot down by the CAP (18 A6M2, 7 Ki-61) and another lost in a crash, but the Allied bombers heavily damaged the DD Shirakumo with two bombs and scored a bouncing hit on the Chikuma.
In the afternoon, for the fist time an Allied raid targeted a Japanese airfield in New Caledonia. In fact only 2 B-24D and 3 P-38G flew this raid and the CAP (13 A6M3a, 8 Ki-61, 4 A6M3) shot down 2 P-38G and 1 B-24D without loss. The bombs of the surviving bomber did no damage.

Recons flight continued and reported that the CAP over Luganville was reinforced by some P-38G. A Ki-46-III was shot down by an Allied fighter over Noumea on the 25th.

The Noumea offensive will be launched again if the Japanese BB and LBA and CV airmen managed to reduce the power of the garrison. The first step will be to try to eliminate the PT off the base, and tonight two small DD TF (4 and 3 DD) will sweep Noumea waters to hit them.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

Both bases of the Southern Island of New Zealand were running out of supplies and 3 AK laden with fuel sailed from Auckland to Wellington, where there was supplies but no ship and no fuel. From there they will supply both Dunedin and Christchurch.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

Only activity was the Allied training raids from PM to Goodenough Island (total of 22 Beaufort V-IX and 36 P-40E sorties without loss).

This area was important for the Japanese as a transit area for air units going to New Caledonia. On the 26th, 26 A6M2 flew from Truk to Lunga (one crashed) while 61 Ki-21 arrived in Rabaul from Hollandia (two other were lost on the way) and will fly here 50% naval search to not be caught on the ground by an Allied raid.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The usual raids hit on both afternoons Koepang (31 B-25C, 62 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 21 on the runway in two days) and Lautem (52 B-25C, 5 hits on the runway in two days) for the loss of two B-25C shot down by AA fire (one each day) and 1 lost in a crash on the 26th. In two days and 14 sorties the Brewster 339D of Darwin sank an abandoned barge off Lautem.

In the evening of the 26th, 12 Ki-61 left Kendari for Lautem to defend this base tomorrow, while a small AK loaded supplies in Balikpapan for Koepang.

Southern Resource Area

Convoys loaded 9k oil and 7k resources in Rangoon for Singapore, 10k resources in Batavia for Singapore, 21k resources in Singapore for Japan, 35k resources in Palembang for Japan and 26k resources in Kendari for Japan.

A Nell Daitai converted to Betty in Singapore and was completed by some new crews that will be trained here.

Burma

On the 25th, 5 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal did another ineffective night raid on Rangoon and one was lost in a crash, while a Ki-46-II was shot down by the Allied CAP over Ledo during the day.
In the evening, the units planned to raid Ledo from China (49 Betties, 22 Nells, 38 A6M2 and 26 A6M3a) left Rangoon for Kungchang. A Nell and an A6M2 were lost in crashes.

On the 26th, Allied airmen flew again in daylight over Burma. The 1st Tk Rgt holding an outpost on the trail 120 miles SE of Imphal was attacked by 27 Beaufighter from this base (18 VIC and 9 Mk 21) escorted by 40 P-40B and lost 52 men and 4 tanks.

China

Chinese troops in the mountains NW of Sian were bombed on both days by airmen of Sian (51 Ki-51 sorties) and Kungchang (142 Ki-48, 71 Ki-21, 27 Ki-49 sorties) that hit 338 men and 1 gun while losing 1 Ki-48 in an accident.
But despite these raids a Chinese unit managed to leave the mountains before Japanese troops reached them. And to my surprise it didn’t march SW towards Chungking but SE (see the map below) cutting the supply path between Sian and the main Japanese force more W. Another effect of this move is that troops going to the mountains were in this hex and they lost all their advance (45-55 miles…).
So the surrounding plan was modified to include both the mountain hex and the road hex reached by the Chinese unit (that will only be bombarded tomorrow). Two Div will leave the main body of the army to move NE to the mountains, while a Rgt was ordered to march SE to close the ring around the Chinese forces.
A problem with this situation was that there was no more supply path from Sian to the army but the troops attacking Ichang will then move north and link with this army near the cross-roads. Before this will be achieved, the supply situation of the Japanese forces won’t be worse than the Chinese one in the area.



More west, 3 Japanese divisions reached on the 25th the cross-roads Sian-Ichang-Chungking and bombarded the next day the 9 Chinese units holding it (6 Corps, 1 Cav Corps and 2 HQ), hitting 134 men. A 4th Div arrived this day but these troops will wait for the arrival of the 3rd Tk Div and 15th Tk Rgt that were ordered to move there on the evening of the 25th and should arrive tomorrow.

More south, a Bde left Hsinyang and a Div and the HQ 11th Army Wuhan to go to Ichang and take the city that was now only held by a Chinese unit.

Training missions from Wuhan were flown on both days against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, a total of 217 sorties being flown without loss and hitting 153 Chinese men.

The Ledo raid preparations started in earnest. Added to the units arriving from Burma (see above), 35 Nells and 8 Betties arrived from Kendari and Japan.

Japan

A Nell Daitai reduced to 4 aircraft and crew returned to Tokyo from Southern Pacific and was converted to Betty, completed with new crews, and will train here before going overseas again.

The F1/Sasebo Daitai was reformed in Osaka after being disbanded 3 months ago. As the last units it returned with experienced pilots (exp 65) and will be kept in “training” in Japan for 3 months.

Convoys loaded 49k in Osaka for Rangoon (AK will stop on the way back in Singapore to load resources), 21k in Kitakyushu for Canton, China (still for the repairs of the resource centers of Wuchow) and 7k in Sapporo for Shikha (that was lacking supplies).

[AmiralLaurent]

27 February 1943

New Caledonia

During the night, two DD TF (4 and 3 DD) swept Noumea waters. The DD Yuzuki was fatally damaged by a VH2 mine and sank later during the day west off Noumea but both TFs engaged 8 PT boats and sank four without loss or damage.

In the morning the Kido Butai arrived 360 miles east of Noumea. The SS USS Permit tried to attack it but was chased by 6 DD and lightly damaged by 5 near misses. Vals reported 4 Allied submarines in the area. The CAP shot down during the day 4 Allied patrol aircraft (2 A-20G and 2 Mariners).

Japanese troops in Noumea were bombed by 12 A-20G, 3 B-25J and 3 B-25C escorted by 12 P-38G and 9 F4F-4, lost 26 men and shot down a B-25C with AA fire. In the afternoon the Allied CAP shot down a Ki-46-III over the city. Artillery fire hit 214 Allied and 160 Allied men.

In the morning, 3 B-24D from Luganville attacked ships off Koumac under escort by 3 P-38G and were intercepted by 22 A6M2 and 9 A6M3a. An A6M2 and a B-24D were shot down, another Liberator and a P-38G were lost in accidents, but the bombers heavily damaged an AK with two bombs.

Japanese transport aircraft continued to ferry troops from Auckland and Tarawa to La Foa but two Tinas were lost today.

In the evening, 61 Ki-21 arrived in La Foa from Rabaul. Both DD TF that had sailed to La Foa received orders to sweep again Noumea waters and the big escort TF off Koumac received orders to sail to La Foa, where fighters will be more able to protect it.
The Kido Butai will sail NW and bombard Luganville tomorrow afternoon.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

Japanese engineers opened an airfield on Funafuti Island. It will be a welcome stop to fly reinforcements to Suva and other southern bases.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

A Betty flying recon over Port Moresby was shot down by the CAP (45 P-40E).

Timor-Amboina-Australia

There was no raid today against Lautem, and the dozen Ki-61 sent here were unable to intercept 5 Brewster 339D that missed a damaged barge off the base, this base being sunk later by a patrolling Mariner. The Tonies all returned to Kendari in the evening.

In the afternoon 12 B-25C from Derby bombed Koepang, doing 20 casualties and scoring 1 hit on supplies and 12 on the runway, but losing one of their number to engine failure.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 14k supplies in Kuala Lumpur for Rangoon.

Burma

The 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of Imphal was again attacked by 27 Beaufighter from this base (18 VIC and 9 Mk 21) escorted by 40 P-40B and lost 46 men and 2 tanks. A Beaufighter Mk 21 was lost in a crash.

In the evening the last 27 A6M3a in Rangoon left this base and flew also to Kungchang, China, for the raid on Ledo in the next days.

China

Chinese troops in the mountains NW of Sian were bombed by 49 Ki-51 from Sian and 71 Ki-48, 43 Ki-21 and 10 Ki-49 from Kungchang and lost 311 men but 1 Ki-51, 1 Ki-48 and 1 Ki-21 were lost in accidents.
West of Sian the 1st New Chinese Corps that cut the road was bombarded by 2 Div and a Bde and lost 64 men and 1 gun.
More west, at the Chungking-Sian-Ichang cross-roads, 4 Div bombarded the Chinese troops facing them and hit 67 men. The 3rd Tk Div reached this spot and all troops will attack the Chinese tomorrow to take the cross-roads.

111 aircraft from Wuhan flew a training mission against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 77 men.

More IJNAF aircraft arrived in Kungchang, that all IJAAF bombers left to allow the Ledo raid to proceed with maximal efficiency. 1 Ki-48 and 1 Ki-44 were lost in crashes during these transit flights. 97 Betties and Nells and 99 Zeroes were in Kungchang in the evening and will raid Ledo the day after tomorrow.

Japan

A convoy loaded 28k supplies in Nagasaki for Canton, China, still for repairs of the resource centers of Wuchow.

[AmiralLaurent]

28 February 1943

New Caledonia

Both DD TF (now 3 DD each) returned to Noumea during the night and evaded this time the minefields, destroying a dozen mines. They then engage the 4 remaining PT and sank 3, but with a cost. The DD Kiji was sunk by a torpedo and another was heavily damaged by a strafing PT (SYS 25). Anyway only one PT was then reported off Noumea during the day.

The same night the Kido Butai sailing NW towards Luganville met the Dutch submarine O24 120 miles SW of Efate. This submarine tried four times to attack the fleet and missed a DD with torpedoes, but was only depth charged once and suffered no damage.

After dawn, all Japanese ships off New Caledonia were anchored near La Foa. 2 B-24D from Luganville attacked them in the morning and missed an AP, while the Cap (20 A6M2, 12 Ki-61, 7 A6M3a and 3 A6M3) fought their escort (3 P-38G) and shot down one.

The Kido Butai was 180 miles S of Luganville and patrolling Vals reported 10+ PT off this base. In the afternoon, a raid by 124 Vals, 120 Kates and 41 A6M3a was launched by Japanese CV against Luganville. The Allied CAP (17 P-40E and 9 P-38G) shot down 9 A6M3a, 8 Vals and 5 Kates at the cost of 8 P-40 and 5 P-38G shot down by Zeroes. The airfield was then pounded (23 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 93 on runways, 13 casualties) and 33 aircraft were destroyed on the ground: 22 B-24D, 6 B-25J, 2 P-40E, 2 PBY and 1 PB4Y. Five Japanese aircraft (2 Vals, 2 Kates and 1 A6M3a) were lost in accidents during these operations. KB CAP also shot down during the day 1 B-24D, 1 PBY, 1 B-25C, 1 A-20G and 1 Mariner.

At Noumea Japanese troops were bombed by 11 A-20G and 3 B-25C escorted by 16 P-38G and 5 F4F-4 and lost 53 men. Both sides exchanged artillery fire and 93 Allied and 196 Japanese men were hit.

Tomorrow, Luganville will again be attacked. Twice raids will be launched during the morning, first by the three Kido Butai CV TF that will follow a DD TF 60 miles SW of Luganville and attack it. CAP will be reduced to 50% to allow more escort over the target and protect Vals and Kates more efficiently. Then 87 Ki-21 from La Foa will attack under escort by 5 A6M3 (in case some CAP remained after the first raid).

But the main action will take place in Noumea. The 3 BB TF sailing with the KB (each a BB, a CA, 2-3 CL and 6 DD) and the scout TF (a CL, 6 DD) will leave the fleet and sail to Noumea. They should arrive there during the day, together with 2 pairs of DD from La Foa, engage the remaining PT boat and eventually new ones launched during the night and then all three BB TF will bombard the base. 27 A6M2 will fly LRCAP over two BB TF, while 14 Ki-61 and 14 A6M3a will fly LRCAP over Noumea hex. All should so fly over Noumea tomorrow and intercept raids on troops and on ships. 25 A6M2 arrived in La Foa from Lunga this evening and will be the only unit to fly CAP over La Foa tomorrow.



Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

After a long “truce”, 60 B-24D from PM attacked again Rabaul, scoring 5 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 54 on runways. Japanese losses were 131 men and 3 guns. AA fire damaged 17 Liberators, one of them crashing on the way back.

12 Beaufort V-IX and 20 P-40 flew the usual training mission from PM to Goodenough Island.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Lunga to size 2.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

There was no raid on Timor today.

Southern Resource Area

Japanese engineers expanded the port of Bankha (an oil center in Sumatra) to size 4 (maximum) and will now build fortifications here.

The ML squadron based in Singapore will lay mines in Medan and then sail to Kuala Lumpur, where a MLE was based. Mines will be laid in the next weeks off all Sumatra bases from Bankha to Sabang.

A convoy loaded 14k resources in Manila for Japan.

Burma

Nothing to report.

China

Japanese troops (3rd Tk Div, 26th, 34th, 35th and 37th Div) took the Chungking-Sian-Ichang cross-roads, defeating (7 to 1 ratio) 9 Chinese units (19th and 30th Group Armies, 1st Cav Corps, 20th, 53rd, 54th, 58th, 74th and 87th Corps) that retreated west towards Chungking. Japanese losses were 691 men, 19 guns and 6 tanks, while Chinese lost 600 killed and wounded and more than 3500 POWs. Tomorrow the 3rd Tk Div and the 26th Div will continue SE to stop the 3 Chinese units coming from Ichang, while two Div will march westwards to reach the Chinese positions in the mountains 120 miles NE of Chungking. They won’t attack them but will pin down these units.

West of Sian, Japanese troops continue to bombard the Corps cutting the road and hit 13 men and 1 gun.

The 12th Bde reached Ichang and reported that the base was probably held by a Chinese Corps (13k troops reported). It will bombard it tomorrow, while waiting for the arrival of the 11th Army and a Div from Wuhan.

139 aircraft from Wuhan flew a training mission against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 20 men. Tomorrow these airmen will bomb the Chinese unit in Ichang.

Tomorrow Kungchang airmen (61 Nells and 36 Betties escorted by 52 A6M3a and 46 A6M2) will raid Ledo. Recons today reported the CAP as a maximum of 24 Spitfire Vb and 13 P-40B (probably respectively 2 and 1 squadron) and counted 228 aircraft (41/52/135) on this base.

Japan

A new Rufe unit (exp 70) was created in Hiroshima. Now, I wonder what to do with Rufes at this stage of the war. I will probably send this unit to Paramushiro Jima to provide some CAP here.

Nine large AP and 5 escorts left Tokyo for Shanghai where a Burma Army Div will be created in 14 days. It will then be shipped immediately to Rangoon.

[witpqs]

Amiral,

Given how much territory and air cover you have, just how is he getting supplies to Luganville and New Caledonia?

[Ron Saueracker]

Hey Admiral. So you have basically conquered the entire map aside from India, Oz and North America, and still have 5,000,000 supplies. Impressive job. So, what is your take on the supply abundance front lately? Given the all out level of operations you are maintaining you still manage to increase your supply and fuel stocks.

[witpqs]

Bear in mind he's using stock scenario.

[AmiralLaurent]

To reply to both questions,

I guess my opponent dropped a big dump of supplies in Noumea with the 1st USMC and Americal Division. And this supply will probably last before the end of the battle, as it did in PH, Suva and Auckland. Japan has no heavy bomber to destroy huge pile of supplies.

By the way Australia is not cut from the West Coast. Any convoy sailing along the southern limit of the map is off limits for Japanese attacks. It is just far longer to go there, and an attack is possible in SE Pacific if the convoy tries to take a shortcut from California to the southern limit.

As for the supplies in the stock scenario, we all know there is something wrong with it. Japan has too much supplies in the conquered areas, Allied has too much in India and Australia. The fact that most of my resource centers are intact, that my opponent is using almost only his SS on the frontline (sinking/damaging a ship a day off New Caledonia lately, but still a bad idea IMOO) and that I was very conservative in my industry changes also explains why I have no supply and fuel shortage.

Ron, I have said it before: WITP is not a WWII in the Pacific simulation, but a game that should be enjoyed by both sides. The game engine has too much problems (uber CAP engaging everybody, heavy bombers able to crush everything at 6k feet, Betties finding tropedoes everywhere, infinite number of ships being able to load/unload/dock in port, conversion of an air unit to another AC in some day without any training, ground model, resource centers producing supplies, magic supply transforming into B-17, tanks or torpedoes, training mode useless compared to ground attack, night bombing) to manage to have an acurate simulation by modifying the map/OOB, even if I agree that the CHS tend to go in this way, but they don't treat the bigger problems, because they are related to the game engine.
So as far as my opponent and I both enjoyed the game, I have no problems with it.

[AmiralLaurent]

Monthly report February 1943



Japanese score: 47 807 (+ 1 419)
Bases 13 591 (+ 422)
Aircraft 8 285 (+ 777)
Army 17 983 (+ 176)
Ship 7 230 (+ 44) 431 ships sunk (+ 39: 38 PT, 1 SS)
Scuttled ships 0 (+ 0)
Strategic 718 (+ 0)

Allied score: 8 981 (+ 528)
Bases 3 144 (+ 0)
Aircraft 3 882 (+ 371)
Army 845 (+ 64)
Ship 1110 (+ 93) 118 ships sunk (+ 13: 1 CL, several DD)
Strategic 0

Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 4 598 000 (bases) + around 198 000 (TFs) = around 4 796 000 (+ 36 000)
Fuel : 4 411 000 (bases) + around 116 000 (TFs) = around 4 527 000 (+ 72 000)
Ressource centers : 18 722 (+ 126)
Ressources : 1 242 000 (bases) + 102 000 (TFs) = 1 344 000 (+ 10 000)
Oil centers : 2 796 (+ 44)
Oil: 1 820 000 (bases) + 120 000 (TFs) = 1 940 000 (+ 59 000)
Manpower centers : 817 (+ 2)
Manpower pool : 835 000 (+ 71 000)
Heavy industry: 13 818 (+ 30)
Heavy industry pool: 253 000 (+ 26 000)
Naval shipyard: 1278 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 905 (+ 0)
Armament industry: 683 (+ 0)
Armament stock: 149 000 (+ 14 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 2 300 (- 3 400) (reconstruction of a Tk Rgt in China ?)
Aircraft engine factories: 1567 (+ 0)
Aircraft frames factories: 1159 (- 32) (Hickory converted to Judy research)
Aircraft research: 116 (+ 39) (both versions of A6M5, Judy and Jill)

Aircraft production:
241 A6M3a Zero (capacity 246), 150 Ki-43-IIa (159), 60 Ki-44-IIb Tojo (57), 42 Ki-45 KAIa Nick (43), 26 Ki-54 Hickory (0, factory closed this month and converted), 23 Ki-45 KAIb Nick (25, new model), 16 Ki-49 Helen (23), 15 Ki-46-III Dinah (48), 7 Ki-61 KAIc Tony (123, stopped), 7 Ki-57 Topsy (10), 7 L3Y Tina (5), 5 J1N1-R Irving (16), 1 H6K2-L Mavis (4), 0 A6M3 Zero (72, suspended), 0 G4M1 Betty (46, stopped), 0 Ki-51 Sonia (45, stopped), 0 D3A Val (41, stopped), 0 Ki-48 (capacity 40, stopped), 0 B5N Kate (40, stopped), 0 H8K Emily (32, suspended), 0 Ki-21 Sally (20, suspended), 0 E13A1 Jake (20, suspended), 0 A6M-2 Rufe (14, suspended), 0 L2D2 Tabby (10, suspended), 0 MC-21 Sally (5, suspended), 0 E7K2 Alf (5, suspended), 0 E14Y1 Glen (4, suspended)

Total: 782 aircraft (458 fighters, 42 night-fighters, 41 transport, 23 fighter-bombers, 20 recon, 16 level bombers, 0 divebombers, 0 torpedo bombers)

As Ron said above, the Japanese economy is running fast forward, with almost every output exceding needs (except vehicle industry this month).
Next month will see an increase of the HI production to use the extra resources produced by the last conquests in China, and an increase of the aircraft production, with more research and several suspended factories being restarted as pools are falling under 200 (Betties and Sallies for example).

Now a little strategic analysis. The main Japanese offensive right now is targeting Noumea, and is not running as well as was planned. The surprise to find 2 US Div here rather than one as I thought was a bad one and the battle has cost until now a lot of troops, aircraft and ships while the success seems still far out of reach. In fact I have started considering withdrawing from New Caledonia before wrecking more ships and troops. Finally I decided to do a "last effort" with maximal support of the KB and all available LBA. They will first crush the airfields of Luganville and Noumea, and then a new shock attack will be launched on Noumea while LBA and KB bombard Allied troops. It is hoped that both US divisions will be hit by aerial bombardments the same turn allowing a significant success by attacking Japanese troops. If this new offensive fails, troops will be withdrawn. That will be a sad end for the last Japanese offensive in the Pacific.

In China, the reduction of the Chinese pocket NW of Sian will probably take two months. Then the main body of the China Army will go to the Canton area via the coastal road and sometimes during the summer will advance to Kweiyang from Wuchow, then advancing to Kunming and Yunan.

All other areas will remain totally defensive. Japanese Pacific possesions have almost no AC and ship to defend themselves, as most of them are involved in the New Caledonia battles. The Allied fleet may well attack here before the Kido Butai will have finished its job in SW Pacific and then be refitted in Japan (disponibility of the new KB planned for June 1943). Right now the Allied CV fleet should be the following: USS Hornet, USS Essex, HMS Victorious, HMS Indomitable, HMS Hermes, 3-6 CVE.

[rudbeck47]

Dear Forum,

Just curious - does anyone know whether the opponent of this game (the Bloody Pacific) is publishing his AAR as well somewhere in the AAR Forum?

Kindest

rudbeck47

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: rudbeck47

Dear Forum,

Just curious - does anyone know whether the opponent of this game (the Bloody Pacific) is publishing his AAR as well somewhere in the AAR Forum?

Kindest

rudbeck47

No, my opponent isn't doing an AAR and doesn't want to.

[goodboyladdie]

It must be pretty hard to type through the tears! Hat's off to him. His resilience is almost as incredible as your skill as the Jap player.[&o]

[aztez]

Awesome job playing the Japanese! [&o] 
 
Allthough I do feel sorry for your opponent! [:(] ...He has been through some very bad times in this PBEM.

[AmiralLaurent]

My opponent had enough and resigned on 1st January 1943, but when I said I wanted to continue, and to search somebody to replace him, agreed to continue himself. Until now he had been a model of resistance, and he had been again since. By the way I think he is suffering for the last time, and may even defeat me in New Caledonia.

1 March 1943

Air losses were serious for both sides today. 174 Allied aircraft (130 on the ground, 39 A2A and 5 ops) and 68 Japanese (59 A2A, 5 ops and 4 AA) were destroyed. It’s a nice result for the score, but the crew losses were far higher for Japan and are a real problem. The main losses are shown in the table below:



Northern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Amchitka Island to size 3.

New Caledonia

During the night, the TF led by the BB Hiei arrived off Noumea, sooner than planned. The DD Hokaze was damaged by a VH2 mine but the TF surprised and eliminated the last PT boat off the base and then bombarded it (with Hiei, CA Furutaka and CL Oi), destroying on the ground 3 B-25J, 2 B-25C and 1 P-38G, hitting two damaged TK in the port, disabling 1776 men, 19 guns and 18 vehicles, scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies, 4 on runways and 3 on the port.

After dawn the other Japanese TFs arrived off Noumea and destroyed 6 mines, hitting none, but the PT boats seen the day before off Luganville were also there.

In the morning the KB was 60 miles SW of Luganville and attacked again this airfield with 115 Kates and 113 Vals escorted by 113 A6M3a. They met over the target 8 P-40E and 4 P-38G and the escort shot down 7 P-40 and 3 P-38G for the loss of 7 Zeroes. The bombers were not intercepted and blasted the base, destroying 69 aircraft on the ground (39 B-24D, 19 B-25J, 8 P-40E, 2 PBY and 1 P-38G), scoring 16 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 163 on the runways, and doing 7 casualties for only one loss, a Val shot down by AA fire. The same target was then attacked by 35 Ki-21 from La Foa (21 other didn’t find the target) that easily escaped the few fighters remaining on CAP and destroyed 7 more B-24D and 7 B-25J on the ground, scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 19 on the runways. Two Ki-21 were lost in accidents.

At Noumea, the Allied airmen launched two attacks against Japanese troops but they were covered by a CAP of 21 A6M2, 9 Ki-61 and 8 A6M3a. The first raid was flown by 6 A-20G escorted by 2 P-38G. 3 A-20G, 1 P-38G and 1 A6M3a were lost in the air battle. The second raid was flown by 8 A-20G and 3 B-25C escorted by 20 P-38G and 5 F4F-4 and this time 6 A6M2 and 1 Ki-61 were lost against 5 P-38G, 2 F4F-4 and 2 A-20G. Both raids hit a total of 39 Japanese infantrymen. On the ground both sides exchanged shells during the day and 100 Allied and 42 Japanese men were hit.

Also during the day the Noumea CAP shot down a Alf and an A-20G was shot down by the CAP of the KB.

There was no raid in the afternoon by any side, but a succession of battles between the Hiei TF (now a surface TF) and the 12 PTs that came back from Luganville. In four distinct clashes, this TF sank 8 PT while two of its DD were damaged. The Sazanami was torpedoed (damage 34/24/10) while the Asanagi was hit by two burst of .5in machine gun and was almost as badly damaged (20/4/15)….
Anyway the PT were so unable to intercept the two other bombardment TF that pounded Noumea. The BB Musashi and Ise, the CA Chokai and Maya, the CL Agano, Kitakami, Kumo and Sendai bombarded the base but only hit 335 men and 1 gun… It was a great disappointment for the Japanese High Command. The airfield of Noumea was still fully operational.
So all three BB TF were ordered to bombard again the base tonight, and then to sail back to Suva to replenish ammunitions. The surface TF covering them will remain with them at night and then sail to La Foa. Both damaged DDs of the Hiei TF were ordered to sail immediately to Suva for repairs, and were replaced by a pair of DD of an anti-PT surface TF.

The Kido Butai will sail tomorrow towards New Caledonia and the airmen will be given a day of rest (in fact, CAP 70% and naval attack for Vals and Kates). Noumea airfield will be attacked by the 87 Ki-21 from La Foa, escorted by 70% of the fighters based in this base.
The last small base force remaining in Koumac was ordered to march to La Foa.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

The Tina Daitai based in Tarawa returned to Suva. It will rest for two days, and then will ferry to La Foa the 25th Aviation Unit that arrived some days ago from Japan.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, Rabaul was again bombed by 58 B-24D from PM that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 45 on runways, and disabled 50 men and 1 gun. At the same time 15 Beaufort V-IX and 20 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island. A B-24D and a P-40 were lost during these operations.

Ten barges were launched in Lunga and will bring back here the two SNLG holding Munda and Russel Islands. A convoy loaded 14k fuel in Truk to bring them to Lunga.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the morning, 127 B-17E from Darwin attacked Amboina and pounded the oilfields, leaving only 5 able oil centers. 3 B-17 were lost in accidents during this raid.

In the afternoon, 18 B-25C from Derby attacked Koepang, did 24 casualties, and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 9 on the runway.

Southern Resource Area

One of the reasons of the failure of the Noumea naval bombardment was the scattering of the Japanese main warships, divided between Singapore, Soerabaja, Japan, New Caledonia and Pearl Harbor. The ships based in Singapore (BB Kongo and Hyuga, CA Mikuma and Nachi, CL Yubari and 4 DD) where they will join the 4 CA based here and sail with them towards the Southern Pacific.

Convoys loaded 27k oil in Brunei for Hong Kong, 18k oil in Miri for Haiphong (and Hanoi), and 14k resources in Soerabaja for Singapore. Small convoys were also created to bring supplies to bases lacking them, 7k supplies from Singapore to Victoria Point, 14k to Brunei and 7k from Soerabaja to Maumere. These three bases were in pink/red status.

Burma

During the night, as usual the 5 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal that raided Rangoon hit nothing.

In the morning, Allied radar detected a raid coming from China towards Ledo. 26 Spitfire Vb and 13 P-40B intercepted the raid, 59 Nells and 36 Betties from Kungchang escorted by 51 A6M3a and 46 A6M2, and decimated it, shooting down 20 A6M3a, 17 A6M2, 4 Nells and 2 Betties for the loss of 11 Spitfire and 4 P-40. The bombers destroyed 41 aircraft on the ground (19 C-47, 14 Dakota I, 7 B-25J and 1 C-60A Lodestar), scored 7 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 54 on the runways and did 37 casualties, but lost 2 more Betties and 1 Nell to AA fire. The loss of a Nell and an A6M2 to operational causes brought the total losses of the raid to 48 Japanese aircraft, most of them with their crew, to destroy 56 Allied aircraft and eliminate less than a dozen of Allied pilots. Japan can’t afford such kind of raids. By the way all units involved had experience above 70.
Kungchang airmen were in a very bad mood in the evening. An A6M2 Zero was reduced to 1 aircraft and 2 pilots and was sent to Singapore to be reformed with new pilots. Other fighters were ordered to fly CAP 90% and all bombers left the base in case Allied heavy bombers came in reprisals and 1 more Betty was lost in a crash.

The 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of Imphal was again attacked by 27 Beaufighter from this base (18 VIC and 9 Mk 21) escorted by 40 P-40B and lost 67 men and 4 tanks.

In the evening the 21 Sentai arrived in Rangoon from Bangkok with 36 Nick nightfighters to reinforce the day CAP. At the same time the Burma Naval squadron (2 CA, 1 CL, 6 DD) left Rangoon for Singapore and will upgrade and do small repairs here.

China

There was no activity in China except Japanese artillery fire west of Sian (37 Chinese casualties) and in Ichang (no casualty).

The 13th Div joined the 12th Bde in Ichang and both will attack tomorrow the 49th Chinese Corps holding the town with the support of Wuhan airmen, that were reinforced for this operation by 25 Ki-48s from Canton.

One of the 3 Chinese units retreating from Ichang and being SE of the cross-roads with the Chungking-Sian road advanced to the cross-roads, blocking the move of the Japanese units here (4 Div, 1 Tk Div, 1 Tk Rgt that arrived today). The Japanese troops will attack tomorrow to chase this unit to be able to resume their advance W and SE.

Tomorrow will be the first day of good weather over China since two weeks and an operation designed to intercept Allied transports with Oscar II will at least be launched. One Sentai will LRCAP Chengtu, another Chungking and two Chutais from Hanoi will patrol over Yunan and Kunming.

Japan

Two big convoys left Japan, one with 56k supplies and 25k fuel sailing from Tokyo to Truk and the other carrying 70k supplies from Nagoya to Singapore. Other convoys were formed in Japan to bring supplies to “starving bases” and will bring 7k supplies from Kitakyushu to Taan (Hainan Island), Swatow (China) and Sakashima (near Formosa).

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Finally I decided to do a "last effort" with maximal support of the KB and all available LBA. They will first crush the airfields of Luganville and Noumea, and then a new shock attack will be launched on Noumea while LBA and KB bombard Allied troops. It is hoped that both US divisions will be hit by aerial bombardments the same turn allowing a significant success by attacking Japanese troops. If this new offensive fails, troops will be withdrawn. That will be a sad end for the last Japanese offensive in the Pacific.

Even if you fail in New Caledonia, it's very impressive that you can even attempt a major offensive this late in the game. [&o] As an allied player I have to say you have the scariest AAR on the board! [;)]

Good luck with the rest of the game!

[veji1]

For the Morale of the Japanese troops you really need to destroy New Caledonia, Efate and Luganville... It will deprive the allies of the equivalent of at least 3 Divs, and it is the last time you can play a battle of annihilation against Allies without being on the annihilated side...

I really hope you can win it, an than prepare for your defense..

How is Burma by the way, the lack of Carriers probably prevents him from launching any amphibious operation there, but it is still the most dangerous front imo...

I hope the last push goes well... There is a big difference between going on the defensive after a last success rather than after your first defeat...

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

My opponent had enough and resigned on 1st January 1943, but when I said I wanted to continue, and to search somebody to replace him, agreed to continue himself. Until now he had been a model of resistance, and he had been again since. By the way I think he is suffering for the last time, and may even defeat me in New Caledonia.

I don't think that you can be defeated in New Caledonia... it might take longer than before but the outcome is out of the question - the Japanese will be victorus there (same as they were in all battles so far)!

BANZAI!!!


Leo "Apollo11"