Threadwar 3x3 - Japanese Animal War

[Mike Solli]

The Gds Brigade is the size of a 3 regiment division.  It's big.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

The Gds Brigade is the size of a 3 regiment division. It's big.

Hmmm... Well, that brigade did form the nucleus of a new division later in the war, if I remember correctly.

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Here is the current composition of the Noumea invasion force:

KB
6 CVs
158 A6M2 Zeros
138 D3A Vals
152 B5M Kates
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
CA Tone
CA Kirishima
CL Abukuma
9 DDs

SAG
BB Mutsu
BB Hyuga
CL Tenryu
CL Tatsuta
2 DDs

Replenishment Group
8 AOs (72k capacity)
3 DDs

Sub Force
4 RO Class SS
I-123
I-124
I-16 (Glen carry sub of Faber's that's hanging out between Noumea and Fiji to scout that area)


Invasion Forces
1 Guards Mixed Brigade
South Seas Detachment
Sasebo 5 SNLF
Maizuru 4 SNLF
Kure 5 SNLF
21 Reserve Engineer Regiment
1 Mortar Regiment
13 Base Force

SE Fleet Air Force
54 A6M2 Zeros
72 G4M Bettys
18 Mavis
9 E13A1 Jake
9 Ki-46 Dinah
27 A5M Claude enroute to Truk by ship. Will arrive in about 10 days and convert to Zeros.

The fleets are 1-3 days out of Rabaul.  They will refuel at Rabaul before heading south.  They will be spotted when they reach the southern end of the Solomon Islands.  There is a Catalina unit stationed at Luganville (no airfield there) that is scouting out Lunga.  Should be interesting. [:)]

[Mike Solli]

Yeah, I feel the same way USS A.  This is my AO and probably the most important operation I'll participate in.  I've never done this in any of my PBEMs.  New ground for me.  Definitely happening on a shoestring too.  It's taking most of my shipping and my land based air force isn't exactly what you'd call immense.

[Mike Solli]

21 Feb 42
 
So so day today.  We got the I-29 today and she's heading for the Indian Ocean, to get some eyes up there.  We may lose a sub though.  The I23 was caught about 250 miles SE of Dutch Harbor by 6 DDs.  She got hit and is limping back home with 38 sys damage and 61 flot damage.  Keeping fingers crossed.  The S-44 put 2 torps into an AP dropping off a CD unit at Lunga. 
 
On the plus side, Faber attacked Manila again.  Although the result was 1:1, he just missed 2:1 and an end to this nagging sore.  A couple more days of bombing/bombardment and Manila should fall.
 
Adak and Lunga both achieved level 2 for their airfields.  Adak will stop there, but Lunga will continue to work toward level 4, so it can base Bettys for anti-ship ops.
 
Oh yeah, the goal for the Noumea operation is to take all of New Caledonia and Luganville.  This should make the ability of the Allies to reinforce/resupply Australia from the US rather difficult.  I intend to build up Noumea to a level 4 airfield and station a daitai of Zeros and Bettys as well as a chutai of Mavis and base about 4-6 RO class subs there for harassment.  I'll keep forces there until it is untenable.

[Mike Solli]

22 Feb 42
 
Welcome back to the meatgrinder!  Lots of land combat today with attacks at Soerabaja, Manila and Singapore. 
 
Bruce orchestrated a nice attack at Soerabaja today, reducing the forts from 6 to 5 and getting 1:1.  He caused 2821 casualties for only 667 Japanese casualties.
 
Manila is almost there too.  1:1 odds, 0 forts and 1481 Japanese losses to 1328 Allied losses.  The Allied AV has plummeted.  I'm sure they're out of supply.
 
Singapore continues to be our nagging sore.  Fort level of 5, 0:1 odds and 1794 Japanese casualties to 2392 Allied casualties.  The Allied AV is still high.  They obviously still have supply there. [8|]
 
On the high seas, the S-28 put a torpedo into a ML NW of Marcus Is.  That ML was part of a TF putting a defensive minefield at Marcus Is.  Her damage is 32-46-4.  She's headed for Saipan to dock there. 
 
The I-154 put a torp into an AK along the NW coast of Australia.  It caused some casualties, but we don't know what type of unit the AK was carrying.  Bruce's ASW forces had a minor victory against Speedy's subs too.  They hit the Swordfish with a depth charge in the South China Sea.  Hopefully, this will send the sub home and out of the war for awhile.
 
Most of the Noumea TFs are idling in Rabaul, with the base force TF a couple days north.  They will set sail for Noumea in 1-2 days.  The replenishment TF will lag a couple hexes behind everyone else until needed.  KB, the SAG and the invasion TF will remain together until they steam south of Guadalcanal.  Then, KB will hang back just out of range so it isn't spotted, and the SAG will escort the invasion force south.   When they near Luganville, the 2 CLs of the SAG will sprint to Luganville for a quick bombardment.  Hopefully, they can destroy some of the Catalinas there.  They'll then refuel and rearm at Lunga and rejoin the SAG.
 
I have a Mavis Chutai at Lunga on naval search.  I'm intentionally not performing any recon of the bases in the area.  I don't want to tip off the Allies.  Once the TFs are in range of the Catalinas, I'll recon Luganville, giving the impression of going for that base.  If there are little or no forces there (I suspect a base force at most) I may peel off an SNLF to take that base quickly and catch the Catalinas to boot.  If that happens, their early warning just went out the window.  I can then sprint KB in to surprise any shipping in the area of Noumea.  We'll see how it all pans out. [:D]

[Yakface]

Tell me, is there a training program for the progeny of the current players - so that they can take over when the original line up dies of old age? [;)]

[Mike Solli]

Not yet.  I suspect we'll start discussing it soon.  We're actully up to a couple of turns a week.  Well, at least sometimes. [:D]

[Yakface]

Well - you've picked the right side.  By the time it is the Allies turn to go on the offensive they'll all be so senile they won't be able to organise a change of colostomy bag, let alone an invasion,[:D]

[Mike Solli]

Now there's a thought..... [:D]

[Mike Solli]

23 Feb 42
 
We move forward executing our plans.  Bruce took Sampit and landed troops on Victoria Point.  He also attacked Soerabaja for the second day in a row.  He got 1:1 odds again and reduced their forts from 4 to 3, causing 1715 casualties to 1235 Japanese casualties.  The Chinese attacked Nanchang with a massive force, including about a dozen Chinese artillery regiments with over 800 guns! [X(]  Where did they come from?  I had no clue of the massive increase in Chinese strength in CHS.  They succeeded in reducing our forts from 3 to 2 and caused 1199 Japanese casualties to 1402 Chinese casualties.  Eventually, they'll push us out of the base, but we'll withdraw over a river, strengthening our line.
 
The Dutch sub KX put a torpedo into a PG in the Malacca Straits.  We'll see if she survives.  There are 4-5 known Allied subs in that area and Bruce is sending ASW TFs there to deal with the menace.
 
We upgraded the airfield at Morotai to level 2 and the airfield at Admiralty Island to level 1.  The port at Kagoshima increased to level 6.
 
The Noumea TFs left the port of Rabaul today, headed for Shortland Island, to merry up with other TFs participating in the invasion.  There are 3 known Allied subs in the area, but none are known to be south of Rabaul.  Japanese ASW TFs are pursuing those known subs.

[Mike Solli]

24 Feb 42
 
Bruce received a 27 plane Helen Sentai and I got a 6k tanker.
 
The Rowboat Corps took Russell Island.  Also, Bruce took Victoria Point.
 
I did something unusual and Speedy got lucky because of it.  Faber had given me a Claude Daitai in the Home Islands for use in the SE Fleet area.  I wanted to get them there quickly and had several options:
 
1. I could convert to Zero, wait for them to repair and fly them.
2. I could fly them as Claudes and convert them in Truk or Rabaul.
3. Put them on 3 AKs and sail them.
 
I opted for #3.  Don't ask why.  I figured that, with sufficient escort, they'd get there without the op losses associated with flying.  One of Speedy's subs (Tuna) caught the TF and put a torpedo into one of the AKs. [X(]  Luckily for me, none of the planes or pilots were lost. [:D] The damaged AK will head north to a port with a level 2 airfield (can't remember the island name) to offload the planes.  It's a 2 day trip.  The rest of the TF will head to Saipan to offload.  Everything will merry up at Saipan and fly south.  I got lucky there.....
 
Big, bloody day on the ground.  Bruce attacked Soerabaja again.  The fort level remained at 3 and he got 1:1 odds.  He got 1223 Allied soldiers for the loss of 960 Japanese.
 
Faber attacked Manila.  The fort level is 0 and he got 1:1 odds (just missed 2:1 and a victory [8|]).  There were 2620 Japanese losses to 1195 Allied losses.
 
I attacked Honan, to test the waters.  The fort level had risen back to 4. [8|] I lost 4911 troops to 2775 Chinese.  Back to bombardment for a few days....
 
I started my maneuver west of Shanghai to surround about half a dozen Chinese units and 3 cities for their eventual elimination and capture.  The 22 Division shock attacked a Chinese Corps 1 hex west of Hankow in an attempt to oust the Chinese.  It didn't work.  I lost 579 troops to 139 Chinese.  There are plenty of troops that will arrive in the next few days.  I'll just bombard and rest until they arrive.
 
The Chinese ground KB at Nanchang (181k troops and 800 guns) attacked my forces again.  Losses were minor, but I expect to be pushed out of the hex eventually.
 
The Japanese 55 Div was pushed out of Moulmein by the hordes of Chinese there.  This isn't a surprise either.  We won't really be able to do anything here until Singapore falls and we can reinforce the Burma Army.
 
Eniwetok increased their airfield to level 2 today.

[Mike Solli]

25 Feb 42
 
We lost a PC to old damage.
 
Our sub fleet had a nice day today.  The I-122 caught a Dutch AK 120 miles SW of Bali and put 3 torpedoes into her.  She blew up and sank immediately.  The I-28 found a troop loaded AK between Wyndham and Darwin and put a torpedo into her.
 
The Seawolf had a bad day too. [:D] She was caught on the surface in the morning and a Lily planted a 100 kg bomb on her.  While trying to repair that damage, a Helen put a 250 kg bomb into her too.  She's definitely out of the war, hopefully forever. [;)]
 
Troops landed on Pamakasan.  The Great Yellow Horde attacked Nanchang again, getting 2:1 odds and reducing our fort level to 1.  My troops continue to build more forts.  Hopefully we can bring it back up to 2.  We lost 1294 troops to 1188 Chinese.  We did damage/destroy 48 Chinese guns, so their 800 gun mass is being whittled down a bit.
 
An SBD spotted one of our subs east of Suva.  It's out of range of any land bases, so there is at least 1 US CV in that area.  We'll try and gather more intel on this.
 
The Noumea/Luganville invasion forces continue to mass and move south.  They currently have left Shortland Island moving WSW.  Most of the forces have massed.  There is one SNLF at Tulagi prepared to dash to Luganville and the SSD is still a couple of days sail from meeting up with the main assault force.  We still have not been spotted.  There are subs around but we've been successful in avoiding them so far.  Keeping fingers crossed.....

[Mike Solli]

26 Feb 42
 
The first skirmish around Noumea occurred today.  The RO-65 was caught by a 4 DD ASW TF 2 hexes south of Noumea.  One direct hit and several near misses resulted in 45 sys and 40 flot damage.  She's heading back to Rabaul.  The Allies are convinced she's damaged worse than she is.  I'm confident that she'll survive. 
 
The invasion TFs are just about all together and prepared for the invasion.  They're a few hexes W of Guadalcanal and will head south tomorrow.  There currently are Catalinas at Luganville (0 airfield) and the base at the N end of New Caledonia (0 airfield) as well as enemy planes at Noumea (lvl 2 airfield).
 
The Rowboat Corps took Atka Island (Aleutians). 
 
Bruce took Pamakasan, in Java, today.  The only base still Allied controlled is Soerabaja.  Bruce attacked Soerabaja today reducing the fort level from 3 to 2.  For a loss of 671 Japanese, he eliminated 1548 Allied soldiers.  He's going to attack again tomorrow to end it so we can move on.
 
In China, Nanchang finally fell to the Yellow Horde.  We lost 1534 troops to 1317 Chinese.  Our troops successfully moved across the river to the base located there.  The important thing about all of this is that the Chinese force (180k troops and 800 guns) is now down to 700 guns.  Granted some of them are just disabled, but I'm sure some are destroyed.  I just hope that CHS doesn't give the Chinese too many replacement guns. [:(]
 
There is a bright side to China.  The Chinese Corps 1 hex west of Hangchow was ousted by 1 2/3 Japanese divisions for a mere 95 Japanese casualties to 270 Chinese casualties.  More forces are flowing down there and will mass to cut off and capture half a dozen or so Chinese units and 3 bases.
 
Tonight I'll post some screen shots for you all.

[Mike Solli]

27 Feb 42

Short report today, but very important and successful.

We received a small AP today. On the seas and in the air, nothing significant happened, but what a wonderful day it was on the ground. [:D]

Both Soerabaja and Manila fell today. We captured 44,838 Allied troops at Soerabaja and 86,721 troops at Manila for a loss of 438 and 4543 Japanese troops respectively. The victorious troops at both locations will rest a bit and then move on to their next objectives. The forces at Manila will prep for the southern Philippine Islands, Singapore and Burma. The forces in Soerabaja will prep for Australia!.

Toyohara's airfield reached level 3 and Guam's port reached level 3.

[Mike Solli]

28 Feb 42

I received a Mavis chutai for the SE Fleet today.

Speedy lost the Seawolf to the damage she received on the 25th from our glorious Army Air Force. Unfortunately the Truant put a torpedo into the Yamashiro off the east coast of Java. Fortunately she's a tough old bird and will survive the hit. Her damage is 30-21-7. It will take a bit of time to repair the damage though. [8|] Damn British subs. [:@]

The other nasty find for the Allies was spotting the Noumea invasion fleet by another of Speedy's subs. [:@] Actually, they spotted one AP and don't know where the TF is headed. It was spotted in the middle of the Coral Sea a couple hexrows south of where Lunga is. They didn't spot the BB TF, KB or the replenishment fleet. Now that the cat is out of the bag, my Mavis chutai at Lunga is going to recon Luganville to see if there are any troops there. The Luganville invasion force will reach that base in 2.5 days. I've spotted another sub in that area and have sent KB skirting around the Allied subs to the west heading for New Caledonia. The invasion TF and SAG are plodding south toward New Caledonia. Hopefully, the Allies will think I'm headed for Luganville (rightly so) and remove the Catalinas from there. That'll eliminate an important early warning system from their inventory.

I attacked Honan again today. For the loss of 2049 Japanese troops we caused 1999 Chinese casualties and reduced the fort level from 4 to 3. The end in Honan is in sight.

Some of my troops received word of the capitulation of Soerabaja and Manila.

[Mike Solli]

28 Feb 42 (cont.)

I've successfully surrounded 8 Chinese units in SE China today. My attack force is about 1000 AV (with more arriving daily). This does not include defensive forces in the hex. They will attack to the SE (red arrow) to cut the pocket in 2. Note that I'm moving forces to the hex west of Wenchow to prevent any Chinese from escaping.

The forces in Nanchang is the Great Yellow Horde (180k Chinese and 700 guns). I expect Robert to move some of them to contest me. If he moves too many, I'll counterattack accross the river from Kiukiang. I have over 150k troops there.

[Mike Solli]

1 Mar 42
 
The war continues and the Allies respond.  Their goal:  Adak.  An AP in their invasion fleet hit a mine my CD guns badly damaged the DD Perkins.  They began unloading 2 RCTs.  Six US DDs raided Kiska sinking 3 AGs and damaging an AK. 
 
We landed on Christmas Island.  We also took Medan.
 
In addition, two Allied AKs went down to old damage.  An Alf put a small bomb into the KXVI
 
Oh yeah, we got an MSW as a reinforcement (Wohoo!!!). [8|]

[Mike Solli]

2 Mar 42
 
Reinforcement:  ML Ma 1 (one of the tiny, toy MLs)
 
The Allies continue to land the 2 RCTs at Adak, but still no attack.  We attacked Christmas Island, probably a day too soon.  The result was minor casualties on both sides.
 
The I-122 found an Allied AK 120 miles NW of Broome and put a torp into her, heavily damaging her.  Our ASW forces had a stellar day today.  They caught the Dutch sub KXVI and sank her.  That's great since she's one of the relatively few Allied subs with good torps.
 
Unfortunately, we lost the I-160 today as well.  She was stationed off the coast of Adak.  I don't like keeping my subs in shallow hexes but sometimes that just can't be helped. 
 
In addition, we lost 2 AKs to old damage and another was torpedoed NW of Pescadores.

[Mike Solli]

3 Mar 42
 
The 6 US DDs in the vicinity of Kiska sank an MSW and damaged another MSW and an AK today. 
 
Bruce did something I would never have had the guts to try.  He bombarded Singapore with 2 BBs (Ise and Nagato).  The result was spectacular:  6323 casualties, 61 guns and 13 vehicles!  In addition, he's bombing with 2-300 bombers each day and today he made a Deliberate Assault too:  another 2945 casualties and 51 guns to 2232 Japanese casualties.  The fort level dropped from 5 to 4.  I think Bruce did a great job today.
 
New Caledonia Campaign Update:  We landed a SNLF at Luganville, with a second a day's sail away.  There is a small BF there, so we should take it with no problem.  The intent is to take Luganville with both SNLFs, leave one as a garrison and send the second as a garrison to Koumac.  There is a naval construction bn enroute to Luganville along with a special Base Force.  There is also a small bombardment force of 2 old CLs for added support.
 
Koumac has the South Seas Detachment enroute as the assault force.  Also enroute is another naval construction bn and (later) a small base force, with the SNLF eventually enroute as a garrison.  The SSD is still 2 days out.  The SSD will reinforce the Noumea invasion force if needed.  If not, they'll head to Thursday Island. 
 
The Allies found KB today!  They sent an attack force of 18 Buffalos, 13 P-38s ([X(] apparently they start out with half a squadron), and 6 B-25s.  When it was all said and done, the sad remnant of 5 Buffalos, 2 P-38s and 5 B-25s returned to Noumea.  KB lost nothing.
 
In a supporting role, the I-123 was sent to Suva to mine the harbor.  It just arrived today and dropped its load of mines.  Sitting in the harbor was a President class AP.  The I-123 put a torp into her!  Banzai!