BB1.4 THE SHARP EDGE: India Saved...I Hope

[ny59giants]

28 to 30 June 42

Western India:
28th - The remains of KB (Ryujo, Shoho, Shokaku, & Zuikaku) launch 16Z, 42V, 21K vs 36 Hurricanes on CAP over Bombay as he tries to hit my 4 DDs (they were out there for bait and to prevent his AP/AK from landing troops, which they did). His losses are: 10Z, 12V, 6 K. Mine are NONE!![&o] 1 of the DDs get hit with 2 bombs and is disbanded in port afterwards. A large fragment of an Aviation marches into Bombay today and I send most of my Air Force there or it is in route from Calcutta and surrounding fields (stop off at Hyderabad).
29th - I-155 sinks an MSW at Bombay. My recently moved LBA pays off in spades!![:D][:D] 18 Hurricanes, 10 Mitchells, 43 Beauforts (love these guys!!), 16 Swordfish, 22 Wellington hit his surface TF coming in to cover his invasion (while his CV/CVLs stay out of range - 7 hexes [&:]). CA Mikuma is sunk with 7 x bombs & 2 x torpedoes; CA Maya suffers a critical hit by 1 x torpedo and is sunk; CA Tone is hit with 4 x torpedoes (but survives...[:@]); DD Fubuki get 1 x torpedo. This makes the loss of my CV a little easier to stomach. [:)] 51 Bettys from Colombo hit the port without escort and my 19 Hurricanes (and flak) bring down 15 of them without loss. 2 APs are hit, but survive. My sole surviving MSW at Bombay is sunk by a SC TF of 1 CA, 1CL, 6 DD.
30th - At night, my 4 DDs sink the damaged DD. The retreating AP/AK are now 1 hex NW of Pangim (4 hexes from Bombay) and my LBA continue their assault - 6 AP/AK are hit. His 8Z are swept aside (4 lost to 2 Hurricanes). The PM phase brings in more LBA. This time from Hyderabad and 3 AP/AK are added to the list. The CA Tone is now 1 hex west of Pangim and takes another 5 bomb hits. Damian writes that she may make it to Colombo, but doubts she does (if she survives, she will need almost a year to repair).

Eastern India: More daily attacks by my fighters for training. On the 30th, 33rd Division captures Meiktila as he seems to finally be marching up through the center of Burma.

China: [>:][>:]

Luzon: Another shock attack on the 27th ends up with less than 1:1 odds. More large American fleet subs continue their evac of PAF Aviation and other smaller units to Australia (Townsville). The Guardfish is passing south of Japan on its way to Manila and is run over by 9 PC, 3PG, 2 MSW, & DD and has 1 direct hit. Now, it is heading back to Pearl (23/40/0).

Australia: [>:][>:]

South Pacific: 27th - Soryu & Hiryu are able to launch against my APD's carrying part of 2nd Marine towards NZ (while the rest head E, SE, & S and eventually to Bora Bora). 5 out of 6 are sunk. [:(] My AP's moving away from the sinking of Enterprise, near Bora Bora and "appear" to be safe.

Central Pacific: [>:][>:]

North Pacific: [>:][>:]

Comments: The invasion of India continues to cost Damian a lot more than he expected. I still need time to rebuild some of my damaged LCU's, but the crisis seems to have past. The 17th Indian Division is now 210 miles from Bombay and its arrive will make that base secure. The 26th Indian Division and 251 UK Bde are 120 miles from Pangim and will join another Bde and 2 BF (another is moving there slowly). This will finish up my securing of the 3 remaining west coast bases. A Chindit Bde has just arrived at Karachi as reinforcements. The South Pacific has LCU's arriving over the next few weeks. My problem here is lack of BF and Aviation support. Those are coming at flank speed from the WC via Panama, but are still too far away for my liking.

[ny59giants]

1 to 6 July 42

Western India:
1st - With most of my LBA in the western part of India, he sends in 91 Betty's (Unescorted), but my 6 Kittyhawks are unable to bring any down. Needless to say, some fighters are moved back in. I-33 is DC at Bombay, but is able to escape. LBA from Bombay and Hyderabad hit 6 APs and 1 AK fleeing from Bombay 120 miles north of Mangalore. More fish food. [:D]
3rd - 16 Zeros rise up to combat my 21 P-38, 6 Wellington, 6 Beauforts over Mangalore and we each lose 2 fighters while an AP takes 5 x bomb hits. [:)]

Eastern India/Burma:
2nd - Mandalay falls to the 33rd Division
Bombing runs at Dacca and his troops directly east continue (when weather allows flights [:@]). The 2nd Burma Rifle Bde arrives at Imphal (AV - 89 with forts 6 in a mtn hex) and will act as a tripwire if he continues to move in this direction.

China:
Attacks by the 17th & 22nd Division on the 3rd, 4th, & 5th result in the capture of Wenchow on the Chinese coast.

Luzon:
Daily to every other day bombing runs from Clark to either Bataan or Manila continue. However, his LBA on ASW patrol have hit 6 subs to various degrees with one sunk. 4 our now disbanded at Manila to get their sys damage down before heading back to Pearl. If he switches over to port attacks, I may have to halt my sub transports.

Australia:
3rd & 4th - I-170 sinks 3 AKs carrying a frag of 101 Aviation Rgt less than 2 days out of Townsville. Naval ASW forces are unable to track him.

South Pacific:
2nd - S-35 at Pago Pago take a direct depth charge hit by 5 DD and is limping back to Pearl. 39 Betty's from Savaii hit Suva without escorts (do I see a theme here??) and my 18 Wildcats bring down 15 without loss. [8D]
5th & 6th - my LBA at Suva resume ground attacks.
5th - S-32 at Wallis is hit and now heads to Pearl after suffering 1 direct hit from ASW attacks.
6th - He is landing at Efate. 4 ships are spotted at 79, 114 (6 hexes NW of Suva) heading SW, but none are identified as carriers. [&:] 9 ships are spotted at Wallis Island (APs & PGs) which means more troops as an intel reported a while back had an Bde prepping for Suva. I-171 at Suva is hit by my PBYs. [;)] This is good timing. Subs are now on the move to cover the NE approaches to Suva as the western approaches already have subs there (see screenshot below).
CV Wasp, 1 BB, 3 CA, 2CL, 2CLAA, 8 DD are one day east of Bora Bora and will join Hornet's TF.

Central Pacific: 3 CVs (Yorktown, Lexington, Saratoga), 2 BB, 7 CA, 5 CL, 18 DD have left Pearl and are headed for Bora Bora. They are less than 2 weeks away.

North Pacific:
3rd - Umnak is hit by LBA from Adak Is. 43 Zero, 27 Betty, 24 Lily, 35 Helen vs. my CAP of 9 Kittyhawks, 12 P-40E result in losses of 3 to mine 14. [:(]
4th - I set up all my P-40C on CAP vs LRCAP on transports heading here. 41 Zero, 20 Betty, 21 Lily, 22 Helen run into 8 Kittyhawks, 69 P-40C, 7 P-40E. The sight is not pretty. [:D] Losses are: 30 Zero, 5 Betty, 6 Lily, 5 Helen to 1 Kitt, 12 P-40C, 1 P-40E. His LBA at Adak is now in need of some rebuilding after these two days. I convert 1 squadron of P-40C to P-40E as I am short of the "C" models.
5th - the transports and surface ships unloading 2 RCT and a frag of the 111st Aviation Rgt at Umnak are hit by 18 Zero, 7 Val, 28 Kate, 9 Betty, & 9 Helen vs. 3 Kittyhawks, 27 P-40C, & 3 P40E. Losses are: 11 to my 1. [&o] I have an AK sunk the next day trying to make port at Dutch Harbor, with 2 other AKs taking a torpedo each. The CA Indy takes 2 bombs (sys 22). A smaller forces hit the AF, but he losses 6 to my 1.


Comments: We have made an adjustment on HR to allow him to train his LBA and Naval air over China. I can send in LBA if I change commands (since I get 100 PPs per day, I can afford to do so at a later date).
It is starting to look like Fiji will be our version of G'canal. In another 2 weeks I should have 5 CVs plus other naval assets (at Bora Bora) and should have 1 Marine, 5 Australian, and 2 x RCT to push into Suva. He will need to use KB to prevent me as his other CV/CVL/CVE were damaged before and had to go for repairs (I hope).