CHS - Treespider (IJ) vs Spence (Allies)

[treespider]

Port Blair Continued....

Realizing that the CA's would not be sufficient to properly close the airfield Combined Fleet had ordered a heavier TF to follow up several days later including the BB's Fuso and Yamashiro and the CA Haguro. Unfortunately Fuso struck a mine on her bombardment run and was forced to retire from the engagement....

04/10/42
TF 195 encounters mine field at Port Blair (23,34)
Japanese Ships
DD Yuzuki
DD Satsuki
DD Uzuki
BB Fuso, Mine hits 1
DD Mochizuki
=============================================
04/10/42
Naval bombardment of Port Blair, at 23,34
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Dauntless: 3 destroyed
Swordfish: 1 destroyed
Catalina I: 2 destroyed
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CA Haguro
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
Allied ground losses:
1935 casualties reported
Guns lost 23
Vehicles lost 2
Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 78
Port hits 1

The force and strength of the bombardment closed the airfield for the remainder of the campaign.

04/10/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G3M Nell x 46
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2
Allied aircraft
no flights
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 14

[treespider]

Port Blair continued...


Perhaps sensing that time was running out for Port Blair and that the climax was near at hand the British Admiralty ordered a Task Force including the BB Royal Soverign and Resolution to travel at full speed to Port Blair. Japanese naval units including the yamashiro and CA Haguro had maintained station and once again shelled the Island in the early morning hours of April 11...In addition, minesweepers were dispatched to widen paths through the substantial minefields around the island.

04/11/42
Naval bombardment of Port Blair, at 23,34
Japanese Ships
CA Haguro
BB Yamashiro
Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported
=============================================
04/11/42
TF 197 encounters mine field at Port Blair (23,34)
Japanese Ships
MSW W.18
MSW W.17
=============================================
04/11/42
ASW attack near Port Blair at 23,34
Allied Ships
SS KX

Then in mid-afternoon Japanese Patrol Aircraft sighted the British task force on the approach to Port Blair. Nells flying out of Rangoon were dispatched and located the task force just as the British were nearing the Japanese surface forces. The highly trained Japanese pilots were able to hit both British BB's with multiple torpedoes.

04/11/42
Day Air attack on TF, near Port Blair at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G3M Nell x 21
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 18 damaged
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Torpedo hits 3, on fire
CLAA Jacob Van Heemskerck
BB Resolution, Torpedo hits 2
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
=============================================

While the Nells were attacking the British task force...Japanese aircraft continued attacking the aifield which was still closed...

04/11/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-21-II Sally x 28
Ki-49 Helen x 18
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8
Ki-15 Babs x 1
Allied aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed
A-24 Dauntless: 1 destroyed
Swordfish: 1 destroyed
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 12
=============================================
04/11/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
=============================================

After undergoing the air attack the British admiral pressed home his attack. The outnumbered Japanese now fully alerted to the danger at hand were able to make full use of the delay... although they lost a number of destroyers the Japanese capital ships were able to survive the encounter and were able to inflict some damage as well...

04/11/42
Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Blair at 23,34
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 4
CA Haguro, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
DD Uzuki, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
DD Satsuki
DD Mochizuki
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Resolution, Shell hits 6
CA Cornwall
CL Caledon, Shell hits 1
CL Capetown
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 2
CLAA Jacob Van Heemskerck, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Arrow
DD Isis, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nestor
DD Panther
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Stewart
=============================================
04/11/42
Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Blair at 23,34
Japanese Ships
DD Asakaze, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
DD Harukaze, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DD Hatakaze, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, on fire, heavy damage
BB Resolution, heavy damage
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CL Caledon, Shell hits 1
CL Capetown
CL Glasgow
CLAA Jacob Van Heemskerck, on fire
DD Arrow, Shell hits 1
DD Isis, on fire
DD Nestor
DD Panther
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Stewart

[treespider]

Port Blair continued...

April 12, 1942 would prove to be a sad day for the British Admiralty. Japanese carrier aircraft from the distant cover task force found the wounded Royal Sovereign and delivered the coup de grace....

04/12/42
Day Air attack on TF at 21,33
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
B5N2 Kate x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
=============================================
04/12/42
Day Air attack on TF at 21,33
Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, on fire, heavy damage
=============================================

[treespider]

Port Blair continued...

Even though there would be no further surface action the battle was not over. ..air attacks continued to pound the British garrison.

04/12/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 23
Ki-21-II Sally x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged


On April 13th the main invasion TF arrived. Elements of the 5th ID landed on the island after MSW spent most of the early morning hours clearing paths through the minefield. However their efforts were not entirely successful and a number of Japanese transports struck mines on the approach to the beaches...Even so the Allied coastal guns had been mostly silenced by the sustained bombardment and bombing and the japanese were able to place most of the division ashore by the afternoon.

04/13/42
Ground combat at Port Blair
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 6108 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 197
Defending force 16907 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 378
Japanese ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
=============================================

While the Japanese were unloading the air force continued pounding the defenders....However the Allied engineers at the base performed a herculean effort and reopened the airfield. Members of the AVG exacted a terrible price on the un suspecting Japanese escort...

04/13/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 55
Ki-21-II Sally x 20
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 17
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 14 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged
A-24 Dauntless: 1 destroyed
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6
=============================================

By the afternoon however the Allied effort had just about run its course....

04/13/42
Day Air attack on Port Blair , at 23,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
G3M Nell x 30
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 27
Ki-21-II Sally x 29
Ki-49 Helen x 25
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed
A-24 Dauntless: 6 destroyed
Catalina I: 2 destroyed
Swordfish: 1 destroyed
Albacore: 1 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 49

[treespider]

Port Blair continued....

Having secured the landing zone, and the distant covering force not having detected any immediate British response to the Japanese landings the Japanese Main Body reverted to bombarding the British Base...

04/14/42
Naval bombardment of Port Blair, at 23,34
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
A-24 Dauntless: 4 destroyed
PBY Catalina: 2 destroyed
Swordfish: 1 destroyed
Albacore: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
DD Sagiri
DD Asagiri
DD Ayanami
DD Murakumo
CL Yura
CA Mikuma
CA Myoko
BB Hyuga
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
Allied ground losses:
1011 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 3
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 97
Port hits 6
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 5

British defense proved stout and exacted a terrible toll on the Japanese landing forces as they tried to push more troops and supplies ashore...

04/14/42
Sub attack near Port Blair at 23,34
Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi
DD Wakaba
DD Umikaze
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
SS KX
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04/14/42
TF 201 encounters mine field at Port Blair (23,34)
TF 201 troops unloading over beach at Port Blair, 23,34
Japanese Ships
MSW Seki Maru
MSW Ranzan Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Mejima Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Himejima Maru
MSW Bisan Maru
DD Wakatake
DD Tsuga
DD Kuri
CL Naka, Mine hits 1
AP Otori Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Iwaki Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire
Japanese ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Coastal Guns at Port Blair, 23,34, firing at TF 201
146 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
CA Maya
DD Tsuga
Japanese ground losses:
1061 casualties reported
=============================================
04/14/42
TF 201 encounters mine field at Port Blair (23,34)
TF 201 troops unloading over beach at Port Blair, 23,34
Japanese Ships
MSW Seki Maru
MSW Ranzan Maru
MSW Musashi Maru
MSW Mejima Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Himejima Maru
MSW Bisan Maru
DD Tsuga
DD Wakatake
AP Yamakisan Maru, Mine hits 2, on fire
DD Kuri
Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Coastal Guns at Port Blair, 23,34, firing at TF 201
114 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Maya
DD Tsuga
CL Naka, Shell hits 2
DD Wakatake
Japanese ground losses:
168 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
=============================================
04/14/42
Sub attack near Port Blair at 23,34
Japanese Ships
AP Teizui Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS KX
Japanese ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

[treespider]

Port Blair continued...

On April 16, 1942 the climax to the campaign was drawing near....Vals from the distant cover force detected a British Task force containing the Cornwall and Caledon steaming 180 miles east of Sri Lanka. Strangely the Japanese did not launch a strike...perhaps the scouts reported the presence of a strong shore based cap over the task force...Inany event the following day would prove to very eventful.

[treespider]

Port Blair continued ...

April 17, 1942...

For the third time in as many engagements the British Fleet Air arm once again beat the Japanese Carriers to the punch. However this time instead of facing just a couple of CVL's or CVE's the British faced a task force containing at least one Japanese CV... The newly launched Junyo. The Japanese cap performed admirably, even still the tough british bombers stilled forced their way through and were able to inflict serious damage...

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 19,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 19
Albacore x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 13 destroyed
Albacore: 6 destroyed, 6 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Junyo
CVE Unyo, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Shoho, Torpedo hits 1

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 19,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 5
Swordfish x 8
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 2 destroyed
Swordfish: 6 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CVE Unyo, on fire, heavy damage

Even still while the British were inflicting damage on the Japanese fleet, Japanese strike aircraft were enroute to the British Fleet. The day would not end well for the British...

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 17,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
D3A2 Val x 8
B5N2 Kate x 21
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 17 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Capetown, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CV Formidable, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 17,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
B5N2 Kate x 24
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 14 damaged
Allied Ships
CV Formidable, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Cornwall, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 17,32
Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 7
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 7 damaged
Allied Ships
CV Formidable, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

04/17/42
Day Air attack on TF at 17,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
D3A2 Val x 6
B5N2 Kate x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 6 damaged
Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, on fire, heavy damage
CV Formidable, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

By the end of the day the Formidable and Hermes both succumbed to the terrible damage inflicted upon them.

Although making a valiant effort to salvage the Unyo she to succumbed the two torpedo hits. Most importantly most of the pilots from the CVE were able to fly their aircraft to other carriers and the Japanese base at Sabang.

So far in three exchanges with British Carriers the Japanese have lost two CVL's and a CVE. The British have lost two CV's and a CVL.

[treespider]

Port Blair continued...

The rest of the campaign was relatively anti-climatic...

Finally on April 22, 1942 the British Garrison consisting of the 46th Indian Brigade from Dacca and the Barisan Regt from Pamakasan and three base forces surrendered to an overwhelming assault by the 5th ID, 31st ID and the 4th Engineer regiment....



04/22/42
Ground combat at Port Blair
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 28977 troops, 108 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 618
Defending force 8542 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 141
Japanese max assault: 1046 - adjusted assault: 667
Allied max defense: 93 - adjusted defense: 83
Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Blair base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
Albacore: 1 destroyed
Fulmar: 1 destroyed
Swordfish: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
353 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
17081 casualties reported
Guns lost 23

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Gratutitous Bump as our game is on hold until Spence returns from holiday...

In the meantime...As part of my effort to spread understanding of the Japanese way of life to even the most remote regions on the planet I have established two bases in the Aleutians. One is at Attu and the second is at Adak. In doing so i sort of stumbled across an assemblage of US forces at Dutch Harbor and nearby Umnak Island.

Recon flights have determined approximately seven US/Allied units are at Umnak and have built it up to a Level 5 airfield. Air units at Umnak have flown several missions and scored hits on transports bringing in supplies to Adak. An additional 5 US/Allied units are at Dutch Harbor.

Japanese High command wonders if this is the precursursor to a northern move by the Allies...thoughts?

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More screenies to come...

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10 or more losses to A2A

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Flak

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Planes destroyed on the ground

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Operational Losses...

I think his B-26B losses are probably from the group flying out of Umnak??

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Allied Ship losses

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[jwilkerson]

BTW good job on the 5 month drum roll expansion ... lots like you've earned a "historical plus" result ... we'll see if I can even equal this in my game with Moses ... I'm certainly not confident at this point! He wins most of the battles, but I accomplish the objective anyway (usually - so far). He seems to be mostly using economy of force, whereas it looks like Spence was more willing to spend some material.

As far as the Aleutians. The US probably have enough shipping (and certainly enough units, depending on PP etc.) to put a modest force into the Aleutians early on. And Spence being a fairly historical player, he might even consider it "required" ... so I wouldn't necessarily assume it means clear offensive Signal. As I think I would probably do the same and it wouldn't mean I was weeks away from going into the Kuriles. Unless the Japanese player builds up the Kurile airbases for me first, I don't think I (as Allied player) would consider going in there much before 1944 ... too much of a no mans land ... too many 0(0) air bases ...