Feinder(A) v Bilbow(J) CHS - The winds of war are constantly changing

[Feinder]

Japanese capital ship losses, end of 05-43.


Plus 26x DDs, 21x SS

[Feinder]

China, end of June 1943 -

Brigadier General Edwards is appointed head of the 14th Air Force, which has recently been deployed to China. Upon learning of his posting, Gen. Edwards has reviewed sit reports from China, and sent staff members ahead to get a feel for problems contributing to the stagnant situation. The gerneral is agressive and manages to find unconventional solutions to problems, which is why he has been appointed to the post.

His initial concern is for the aging aircraft available to his command in China. The P-40s and Kitthawks were adaquate against the Tonies, Zeros, and Oscars of 1942, but have proven completely out-matched by the J2M "Jacks" currently prowling the skies of southern China. In a bit of a political coup, Gen. Edwards secures the deployment of several USMC squadrons of the new F4U Corsairs. It will take several weeks for their transit from the South Pacific, around Australia, and then to India; but the General expects the Corsairs will provide a nasty surprise for Japanese and tip the odds in his favor.

Of additonal concern is the poor condition of the roads and other infrastructure which has frustrated plans for Allied offensives in China. Gen. Edwards immediately creates the 21st MAC Wing, whose first major task will be lift 14th AF and additional support personel forward to Liuchow. Immediately following, hundreds of C-47s begin airlifting badly needed supplies to the front lines, which will be used to extend the runways of these critical bases.

Meanwhile, Allied patrol bombers continue to harass shipping in the South China Sea. The results are marginal, but do manage to sink or damage several transports bringing vital resources to the Japanese Home Islands.

-F-

[Feinder]

Burma, end of June 1943 -

Crandall's 14th Army pushes south to Rangoon. But a fanatical defense by IJA 33rd Division north of Rangoon, manages to delay the Allied army long enough for the bulk of the Japanese forces to escape being cut off, and they escape to Moulmein (sometimes to ZOC rules work for you, sometimes they don't!). On June the 6th, Rangoon is liberated, and Allied engineers immediately begin repairing the facilities which were being bombed just a week ago. The Allied and Japanese armies face each other across the Salween River, just west of Moulmein. General Crandal orders the native Assam Brigade and a supporting Chindit Brigade across the Salween, to out-flank the Japanese. However the Japanese quickly respond by sending a reinforced armored regiment and manage to keep their supply to Raheng open.

Altho the Allied dominate the skies around Rangoon, the Japanese do manage to frustrate the Allies on several occasions.

RN minesweepers have been deployed to clear the channels to Rangoon, and across the bay to allow bombardments of enemy positions at Moulmein. On June 14th, an IJN force of several destroyers lead by a light cruiser, sneak past the Allied submarines, and sink 6 minesweepers clearning the channel. They are able to return to Japanse aircover before they can be prosecuted.

Japanese long-range bombers are also able to occasionally find and sink transports bringing more troops and supplies as the round the delta to Rangoon.

However, the RAF quickly makes full use the large aerodrome at Rangoon. Liberators are sent to demolish the strategic targets at Aloe Star and Singora. In a matter of days, the cities are all but destroyed. The AVG in their new P-47s begin flying sweeps over Bangkok. The P-47s (and their veteran pilots) prove more than a match for the Japanese Tonys and Jacks. Over several weeks, they manage to destroy nearly two-hundred Japanse fighters, and drive them from the skies over Bangkok. The heavy bombers soon follow, and begin the reduction of any target worthy of strategic value.

-F-

[Feinder]

Oz, end of June 1943 -

The liberation of northern Australia has ground to a halt and largely resembles the trench warfare of WW1. Allied heavy bombers make weekly sorties to drop their payloads on Japanese positons. But to the troops on the ground, the bombers are just to appease the demands for action by Australian Prime Minister.

The Allies have been unable to push adaquate supplies north thru the desert, in order to sustain a offensive at Daly Waters. The massive Allied and Japanese armies do little more than trade vast quanties of artillery shells. However, as one staff member remarked, "Well, at least we're keeping a lot of them stuck here in the desert."

-F-

[Feinder]

Getting a little tired.  Updates on SwPac, SoPac, and NoPac tomorrow night...
 
-F-
 

[Feinder]

SwPac, end of June 1943 -

In preparation for additional invasions, Allied bombers from Port Moresby and Milney Bay pound Japanese airfields throughout the New Britian and the Solomons. The Japanese offer some initial resistance, but are aggressively pursued in the air by P-38s and destroyed on the ground by B-24s. B-25s specializing in low-level attack (and several armed with 75mm cannons), are deployed to Milney Bay, and range across the Coral Sea to strike any shipping that moves. They manage to catch 8 mine-layers (oh how we hates them!) re-arming at Shortlands. Four mine-layers are sunk out-right, and the the other four are left burning fiercely. Follow-up strikes by heavy bombers leave no doubt that the all eight are sunk.

With Japanese airpower largely chased from the area, the Allies begin landing on the northern shore of New Guinea. While the landing sites are as yet un-developed, with improvement they will provide excellnet bases in the campaign to follow. Allied fighters are kept busy flying LRCAP over the invasion convoys, more for assurance vs. attack by Japanese Naval Aviation. IJN subs manage to offer the only real resistance, and manage to sink two or three transports near the invasion beaches.

-F-

[Feinder]

SoPac, end of June 1943 -

In continued preparations for the invasion of Tarawa, Allied patrol bombers and submarines attack shipping in Marshalls. The various nearby atolls are pummeled, and another trophy bag of 4 mine-layers are also sunk near Mili by low-level Beufighters.

After nearly 6 weeks of pounding (and clearning mines!), the invasion of Tarawa begins. Covered by the Allied CVs and land-based aircover from Abemama the armada of nearly 4 divisions begins landing on June 8th. Resistance is surprisingly light, and it is discovered that

THEY HAVE IN FACT, LANDED ON THE WRONG ATOLL.



A navigational error has actually landed the bulk of the Allied landing forces on the Maiana atoll, 45 miles southeast of Tarawa. Fortunately for the one division that actually -did- manage to find Tarawa (and landing alone), the Japanese defenders had been so pounded over the past weeks, that the Allies were still able to capture the island.

Naval SeaBee Btns immediately go about returning Tarawas airfield into useable condition, and within a week strikes begin vs. Nauru and Makin.

-F-

(* I had selected that atoll to the SE as my marshalling point. I was going to gather all my invasion TFs there, and then move to Tarawa the next turn. Who knew if you're next to an enemy base and in a coastal hex, you'll actually disembark in the costal hex - and I'm quite sure I selected "do not unload". Oh well. Other than giving me a bit of a fright of having my one division stall or die on the beaches, and annoying the crap out of me, no harm done *).

[Feinder]

NoPac, end of June 1943 -

The Allied base at Attu has grown into a very large airfield which base several squadrons of B-24s. However, even in the best weather of the year, operations in the North Pacific prove challenging. The strikes are often help up for days due to weather, and poorly coordinated. Still, they pound the Japanese bases in the Northern Kuriles to insure that like numbers of Japanse aircraft will not be able to based there. Recon photos show that, while they Japanese may be unable to maintain many aircraft at the bases, they have been increasing the garrisons based there.

-F-

[Feinder]

No capital ships sunk in June.

Air losses by type, for end of June 1943.

-F-

[Feinder]

VP screen, end of June 1943.

-F-

[Feinder]

I'll also point out a staggering statistic...

Almost 600 ops losses for C-47s to supply the guys at Daly Waters. Not all of them are from Oz, but most them are. I don't know why the numbers are so high, but that's a lot of AC/points to throw away.

Ouch.

-F-

[Cribtop]

Feinder,
 
Glad this AAR is back!  I'm an avid but so far lurking reader.

[floydg]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

I'll also point out a staggering statistic...

Almost 600 ops losses for C-47s to supply the guys at Daly Waters. Not all of them are from Oz, but most them are. I don't know why the numbers are so high, but that's a lot of AC/points to throw away.

Ouch.

-F-

I noticed that one... is it high fatigue or just pilots that never mastered the landings?

[Feinder]

Could be a little of both.

In CHS, US Army pilots arrive with an average exp of 45, even in 1943.  Yes, it sucks, and yes, it's a bug (the don't go up each year).  I also tend to forget about the transport squadrons, just leave 'em on transport, and forget about 'em.  So it's probably both.

I thought it was interesting tho, Bilbow did manage to intercept them a few times (got the intercepting messages), but evidently none were shot down, because no air-to-air losses are listed).

And thinks for lurking Criptop! Our game is on -going. But it's pace is slowing. Mostly because it's taking me longer to do turns (I spend about 2 days one each turn). Current game date is actually 25 July 43.

-F-

[Grotius]

Hey Feinder, just thought I'd let you know that I have started reading your AAR, per your suggestion in the thread on the Pearl Harbor raid. I've only made it thru the first couple of pages, but so far it's a great read! Look forward to catching up to where you are now.

[Feinder]

I'm finally on vacation, and there are 2 - 3 months of updates to do! It's been a busy summer in 1943, and I'll finally have some time to get a little caught up on this AAR!

-F-

[mbatch729]

I for one am very much looking forward to any updates, especially any successes you may have had. I'm fighting a very similar war, in worse shape, against the same opponent. Any thing you did that worked will be, uh, "borrowed"! [:D]

[Feinder]

China, end of July 1943 -

Gen. Edwards secures 12x squadrons of C-47s and RAF Dakotas, and establishes an air bridge to bring bombs, artillery, and other supplies from Burma into China. Arriving at Chentu and Chungking, the supplies are hauled by hoof and foot over 300 miles to the front lines where they are stock-piled for upcoming operations.

Meanwhile, Edwards unleashes 6 squadrons of the the newly arrived USMC Corsairs over the skys of Canton and Hong Kong. Even the the veritable F4U Corsair in the hands of crack pilots are hotly challenged by the agile Jacks (and their equally capable pilots). In the course of only a week, both sides suffer over 60% casualties: over 150 aircraft; and neither side is yet able to establish air superiourity.

-F-

[Feinder]

Burma, end of July 1943 -

a. The introduciton of longer-ranged escorts (in the P-40N and Kittyhawk III), allows for deeper raides by allied bombers vs. strategic targets in Southeast Asia. The industrial centers at Ban Don and Singora are hit by successive raids, the the course of a week are completely demolished.

b. Equipped with P-47Cs the AVG and several RAAF squadrons begin fighter sweeps over Hanoi. Again, the Jacks exact a bloody toll. The P-47s prove capable of handling the IJN Jacks, but the Kittyhawks of the RAAF are outmatched and suffer heavy losses. Two squadrons of Corsairs are drawn in from the bases in China, and altho the losses continue to be heavy, attrition finally wins out over the Japanese fighters. As soon as the Allies to have the upper hand, hundreds of B-25s and Wellingtons pound the airfield at Hanoi to permanently close the airfield complex. Subsquent raids are met with decreasing opposition (Jacks probably flying from other other bases in Indo-China), and thus begins the redcution of Hanoi as an industrial center.

c. B-24s and RN Submarines stretch a noose around the coastal towns of Tavoy and Moulmein in Burma. The token presense of a few IJN coastal vessals are driven off, thus preventing the re-supply of Burma by sea. Raids against Rhaheng further inland, and interdiction missions vs. inland convoys further restict the flow of supplies to the Japanese at Moulmein.

d. The Japanese are able to make a few counter-strikes however. Their long range bombers are bounced among the bases of Indo-China (to keep them from being destroyed on the ground by Allied B-24s); and fly daily patrols searching for transports bringing supplies into Rangoon. They occasionally find their mark with lethal results. Pownell begins to use the longer ranged Kittyhawk IIIs to provide top-cover for inbound convoys, as they are less than effective in fighter sweeps vs. the agile Jacks.

e. See next post for detail of Moulmein offensive (developing).

-F-

[Feinder]

Burma: Kyaukpya Delta (Moulmein), end of July 1943 -

(I found very cool series of topographic maps of Burma (made by US Corps of Eng), so I'm going to have a little fun with this).

Despite the decreasing flow of supplies, the Japanese 15th Army is very well dug in behind the Tamok and Kyaukpya Rivers. Defending with primarily the 31st, 33rd, and 55th Divisions, the Japanese have heavily fortified the heights behind the Tamok and Kyaukpya Rivers. An Independent Bde is stationed near the city of Moulmein, and reinforce Tank Rgt is held in reserve. The low mangrove swamps and expansive mud-flats are judge to be prohibitive to amphibious landings. In the last month, the IJA 15th Army has successfully repulsed two attempts by Commonwealth forces to force a bridgehead across the river. Heavy surface units of the Royal Navy pound strongpoints near Moulmein weekly, but without a successful bridgehead, the shelling is for naught.

Lt Gen Pownell sends two lightly armed, but very mobile regiments of the 1st and 2nd Assam Rifles. These men are native to the area, and are intimately familiar the terrain and do not heavily rely on the largely inaccurate maps currently available. The Assam Rifles are send ranging to the east, into the rough hills east of Moulmein, and begin to circle around the SoutEast of the Japanese positions. Pownell hopes to cut-off the 15th Army's retreat route into Indo-China, as the offensive to take Moulmein develops.

The Japanese are not caught un-awares, and Gen. Itachi checks the advance of the Assam Rifles with the the 12th Armored Rgt.

-F-