Defeating the Devil !!! ( aka Damian )

[Nemo121]

I think the Angels exchanged about 1:1 in the air.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/15/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59, firing at TF 67
TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59


6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AK Higari Maru

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 25
Ki-27 Nate x 59
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 27
Ki-109E Mike x 18

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
P-39Q Airacobra x 12
MiG-3 x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 4 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed
Ki-109E Mike: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 5 destroyed
P-39Q Airacobra: 3 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 6

SG is about to be closed but that's ok as, in the meantime, the forces I need for the next invasion have been emplaced and made ready. The next invasion in this theatre should occur within the next 2 or 3 days.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 3
Ki-27 Nate x 28

Allied aircraft
P-39Q Airacobra x 4
MiG-3 x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 1 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39Q Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Runway hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 133
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 5
G4M1 Betty x 104
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 60
Ki-21-II Sally x 26
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2

Allied aircraft
P-39Q Airacobra x 4
MiG-3 x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 2 destroyed
A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39Q Airacobra: 11 destroyed
MiG-3: 7 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 5 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 59

There was very little I could do to resist this BUT by concentrating these planes here I am getting free reign over the DEI and Phillipines.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang [Timor] , at 29,77

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-II Lily x 37
Ki-21-II Sally x 59
Ki-49 -I Helen x 9

This is a major, unnecessary diversion of resources. Why bomb Koepang into dust when these bombers could be being used against Cagayan etc?

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 103

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 18
Beaufort VII x 70
Hurricane IIc x 2
Kittyhawk I x 13
Spitfire VB x 7
TBM-1 Avenger x 38


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kotoku Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Toa Maru, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Achou Maru, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Higari Maru, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
191 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

All 4 of these ships go down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59


Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 8


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Achou Maru, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 15
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 17

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Legaspi/Sorosgon at 45,54

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 11
Ki-27 Nate x 5

Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Boston: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DE Kuretake
DE Kuri
DE Wakatake
DE Karukaya

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at San Jose [Mindoro]

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 6415 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 173

Defending force 1567 troops, 22 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 50

Japanese max assault: 354 - adjusted assault: 269

Allied max defense: 44 - adjusted defense: 26

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE San Jose [Mindoro] base !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
158 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
1584 casualties reported
Guns lost 19
Vehicles lost 2

The Japanese recapture my airbridge base but that's ok... The planes which needed to be flown into Cagayan and didn't have the legs to do it in one hop have already transitted San Jose.

San Jose has fallen but I'm about to complicate his strategic situation significantly once again today.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3675 troops, 47 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 121

Defending force 3292 troops, 17 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 57

Japanese max assault: 226 - adjusted assault: 108

Allied max defense: 42 - adjusted defense: 58

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
226 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported

I got a bit lucky here. I had underestimated how much got ashore. Well, tomorrow I fly the Beauforts out and begin flying combat troops in. That should guarantee the survival of Cagayan.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kota Bharu [Malaya]

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied max assault: 0 - adjusted assault: 2

Japanese max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kota Bharu [Malaya] base !!!


Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15II Babs: 1 destroyed
G9M1 Marlina: 2 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 5 destroyed

I had noticed that this base was unoccupied as the enemy are fleeing towards Singapore. Well, a Level 6 airfield within torpedo-carrying range of Singapore ( for the Beauforts ) is too good a prize to pass up so as my land forces race towards Singora I have decided to try to interdict the evacuation of Malaysia. Undoubtedly the Japanese will try to intervene but with ruthless use of my transports Kota Bharu might just hold. This is risky but the rewards are just too good to pass up.

The Japanese position around the DEI is quickly beginning to cascade downward.

[Capt. Harlock]

Ground combat at Kota Bharu [Malaya] Allied Shock attack Attacking force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1 Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0 Allied max assault: 0 - adjusted assault: 2 Japanese max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1 Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0) Allied forces CAPTURE Kota Bharu [Malaya] base !!!

How's that again??? Did both sides have virtual reality soldiers in WWII??[X(]

[Nemo121]

No, the Japanese had no troops while I think the Allied troops who dropped got disabled. Basically I shouldn't even have had to use any paras. I should have been able to fly my troops into the abandoned airbase without ANY paradrop so when it came to dropping the troops I used only 4 seaplanes to transport the paras and it seems that those paras who dropped got disabled - hence the report above. That's my rationalisation anyways.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/17/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1038 troops unloading over beach at Nikolaevsk na Amur, 76,26

Allied ground losses:
465 casualties reported

3 Regiments of US troops brave the icy waters of the north Pacific in order to invade Nikolaevsk na Amur by Fast Transport. Results so far look good and Nikolaevsk should fall tomorrow. Recon told me there was only a single unit there but it seems there are two. Fortunately neither of the units is of any significant size.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 83
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 12
G4M1 Betty x 74
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 59
Ki-21-II Sally x 74
Ki-46-II Dinah x 3

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
P-39Q Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 85

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Legaspi/Sorosgon , at 45,54

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 26
Ki-27 Nate x 5

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 152

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 5 destroyed
Ki-57 Topsy: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed
Ki-48-II Lily: 2 destroyed
Ki-15II Babs: 1 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 6 destroyed
Ki-48-I Lily: 1 destroyed
H6K2-L Mavis: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 22 destroyed, 26 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 29

Ouch, the B-17s suffer dearly but they kill enough of the enemy bombers to help Cagayan and make it worth it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 6
Ki-43-I Oscar x 18
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 14

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 10
Hurricane IIc x 3
Kittyhawk I x 9
Lancer x 16
Spitfire VB x 11
TBM-1 Avenger x 37

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 1 damaged
Ki-43-I Oscar: 10 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
Hurricane IIc: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Lancer: 7 destroyed
Spitfire VB: 1 damaged
TBM-1 Avenger: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AK Yamaura Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Chuko Maru
AK Bichu Maru
AP Tofuku Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Olympia Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Choyo Maru
AK Nissyo Maru
AP Igasa Maru, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Singkep [NEI] at 22,53

Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete-FF x 3

Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 9
Beaufort VII x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Jinshu Maru, Bomb hits 1
CL Kiso
DM Aotaka
AK Kozan Maru
MSW W.13
AP Takayo Maru
MSW W.5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW W.3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Harukaze

Japanese ground losses:
8 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 41,65


Allied aircraft
TBM-1 Avenger x 53


Allied aircraft losses
TBM-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
TK Yuho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PC Ch 34, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Chidori, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Okigawa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Ceram Maru, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Ooh, good results for my Avengers. That's about 10 IJN ships going down today.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Singkep [NEI] at 22,53

Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete-FF x 3
Ki-109E Mike x 2

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VII: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AK Bengal Maru
MSW W.13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Palembang [Sumatra] at 20,55


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 6


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DM Hatsutaka

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cotabato [Mndno]

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 11 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied max assault: 2 - adjusted assault: 2

Japanese max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Cotabato [Mndno] base !!!

Its a level 2 airfield so useful for basing Pe-2s and Avengers.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/18/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59, firing at TF 7
TF 7 troops unloading over beach at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59

187 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AK Aniwa Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Chuko Maru
PG Ataka

Japanese ground losses:
401 casualties reported

Yet more Japanese troops splash ashore at Cagayan. Cagayan has acted as quite a magnet for Japanese troops and ships and my forces are collecting a tithe.

A couple of conclusions:
1. The air transport algorithm is puzzling. Currently I've transported 30 combat squads and 300 support squads. Why not a 50/50 split?
2. Beauforts are several times more effective than Avengers prior to October 1942.
3. Damian is utterly locked into a reactive posture right now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 25
Ki-27 Nate x 56
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 6
E13A1 Jake x 2
Ki-27 Nate x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 5 damaged

Runway hits 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 95
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 6
G4M1 Betty x 54
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 56
Ki-21-II Sally x 63
Ki-46-II Dinah x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 95

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Cagayan [Mndno] , at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 34
Ki-32 Mary x 6
Ki-48-I Lily x 9
Ki-48-II Lily x 7
Ki-15II Babs x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 12
Hurricane IIc x 3
Kittyhawk I x 7
Lancer x 12
Spitfire VB x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 16 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-32 Mary: 3 destroyed
Ki-48-I Lily: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-48-II Lily: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 1 damaged
Lancer: 2 destroyed
Spitfire VB: 5 damaged
Beaufort VII: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7

Another 20+ IJA and IJN bombers are downed today. While my own fighter losses hurt these bomber losses are utterly unsustainable for Damian.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 3
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 7

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15
Beaufort VII x 3
Hurricane IIc x 3
Kittyhawk I x 10
Lancer x 16
Spitfire VB x 19
TBM-1 Avenger x 53

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 3 destroyed
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
Lancer: 2 destroyed
Spitfire VB: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AK Bichu Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Toyooka Maru
AP Tofuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Ataka
AK Aniwa Maru
AP Hakone Maru
AK Chuko Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nissyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Kurama Maru
AK Yamaura Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Houn Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kisogawa Maru
AP Sangetsu Maru

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Muntok [Banka] at 21,55


Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 3
Beaufort VII x 4


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Minegumo
DD Natsushio

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Brunei [UK] at 33,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-I Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 7
IL-4C x 3

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Takao Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 1
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 6

Allied aircraft
Wellington IC x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington IC: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Sangetsu Maru
AK Matue Maru
AK Koryu Maru
AK Nitiro Maru
AP Chihaya Maru
AK Okuni Maru
AP Tofuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Arizona Maru

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Muntok [Banka] at 21,55


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 4


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VII: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Hokaze

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 51229 troops, 974 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1865

Defending force 199357 troops, 2805 guns, 1078 vehicles, Assault Value = 4540


Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3618 troops, 173 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95

Defending force 1588 troops, 0 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 43



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Nikolaevsk na Amur

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6206 troops, 296 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 193

Defending force 3364 troops, 15 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied max assault: 392 - adjusted assault: 360

Japanese max defense: 6 - adjusted defense: 49

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nikolaevsk na Amur base !!!

Japanese ground losses:
161 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Nikolaevsk is now mine. Damian can't keep these 2 bases PLUS Magadan plus my atoll bases all suppressed. If I were going to do strategic bombing this would be sufficient to doom him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2727 troops, 18 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 114

Defending force 11073 troops, 106 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 334

Tomorrow will be interesting if more combat squads aren't flown in. I'm going to take a chance and stack the airfield with about 250 planes and try to strike the enemy TFs really hard.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/19/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59, firing at TF 7
TF 7 troops unloading over beach at Cagayan [Mndno], 43,59


18 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported

More unloading at Cagayan. That's 2+ Divisions of IJA troops here now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 94
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 9
G4M1 Betty x 44
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 53
Ki-21-II Sally x 62
Ki-46-II Dinah x 3

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 97

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Trincomalee [Ceylon] , at 13,25

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 3
D3A2 Val x 36
B5N2 Kate x 78

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 12 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Soerabaja, Bomb hits 6, on fire

Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported

Port hits 14
Port fuel hits 2

A nice strike by the IJN. I never saw them coming. Still, it isn't really anything decisive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang [Timor] , at 29,77

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-II Lily x 9
Ki-21-II Sally x 59
Ki-49 -I Helen x 9

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 115


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 52nd Division, at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 5

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 47

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
46 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Brunei [UK] at 33,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-I Oscar x 10

Allied aircraft
Hudson IV x 5
Vengeance I x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-I Oscar: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson IV: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Takao Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Asahisan Maru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15
Beaufort VII x 49
Hurricane IIc x 7
Kittyhawk I x 10
Lancer x 16
Spitfire VB x 21
Pe-2 x 41
TBM-1 Avenger x 96

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
Lancer: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AK Hokorei Maru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
AP Chihaya Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hakone Maru, Torpedo hits 1
AK Koryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Arizona Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Okuni Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Kurama Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nissyo Maru
AP Sangetsu Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Chuko Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Aniwa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Yamaura Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kisogawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Toyooka Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Hokuzan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sanwa Maru
AK Bichu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Matue Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nitiro Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Olympia Maru
AK Hirota Maru
AK Johore Maru
PG Ataka

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Good strikes by my strike groups.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59


Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 16


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Choyo Maru
AP Chihaya Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Chuko Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Johore Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PG Ataka

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59


Allied aircraft
Wellington IC x 40


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Ryujin Maru
AK Aniwa Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Johore Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Arizona Maru, on fire
AK Yamaura Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Toyooka Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Nissyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Koryu Maru, on fire
AP Kisogawa Maru, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cebu [Cebu] at 43,57


Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 5


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Malta Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Tacloban [Leyte] at 45,56


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 3
TBM-1 Avenger x 9


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Tenyo Maru
AK Nankai Maru, Torpedo hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 48,55


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Kazan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44IIa Tojo x 20

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 22

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Cagayan [Mndno] at 43,59


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 10
Mosquito NF x 3
Beaufort VII x 45
Hurricane IIc x 6
Kittyhawk I x 6
Lancer x 13
Spitfire VB x 21
Pe-2 x 43
TBM-1 Avenger x 79


Allied aircraft losses
TBM-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AP Sangetsu Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sanwa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Hakone Maru, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nissyo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Matue Maru, on fire, heavy damage
PG Ataka, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kisogawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Yamaura Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Okuni Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Kurama Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Arizona Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Hirota Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Chuko Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hokorei Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Ryujin Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Johore Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nitiro Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bichu Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Koryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Aniwa Maru, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 48,55


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VII x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kazan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

That;'s most of the force committed tot he IJN counter-invasion of Cagayan seriously damaged or sunk. A good day's work.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 36,56

Japanese Ships
AK Taisei Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS SHCH119


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25955 troops, 561 guns, 495 vehicles, Assault Value = 4543

Defending force 68250 troops, 1091 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 1869



Allied ground losses:
55 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,40

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4007 troops, 47 guns, 20 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Defending force 6537 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 161



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tabun-Nur [Mongolia]

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30589 troops, 406 guns, 73 vehicles, Assault Value = 897

Defending force 2479 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 39



Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11659 troops, 128 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 349

Defending force 5979 troops, 20 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 194

Japanese max assault: 262 - adjusted assault: 123

Allied max defense: 157 - adjusted defense: 442

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese ground losses:
231 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
69 casualties reported

PHEW: A successful attack here would have cost me the guts fo 300 planes as all my strike and fighter groups would have been wiped out.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kota Bharu [Malaya]

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 9962 troops, 112 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 279

Defending force 7193 troops, 69 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 241

Japanese max assault: 490 - adjusted assault: 122

Allied max defense: 212 - adjusted defense: 285

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese ground losses:
778 casualties reported
Guns lost 17

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 51179 troops, 973 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1866

Defending force 199313 troops, 2800 guns, 1079 vehicles, Assault Value = 4543


Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Singora [Thailand]

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 85278 troops, 1863 guns, 252 vehicles, Assault Value = 5734

Defending force 44158 troops, 399 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 878

Allied max assault: 176 - adjusted assault: 30

Japanese max defense: 818 - adjusted defense: 1049

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
143 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
385 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
Vehicles lost 8


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3625 troops, 173 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95

Defending force 1622 troops, 0 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 45



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3565 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 188

Defending force 11241 troops, 120 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 332

[ny59giants]

Having a TB that can carry torpedoes from a size 2 AF really makes life difficult for a Japanese player. I would imagine your patrol planes (PBY & Coronado) have been very busy and have take some serious loses along the way. 

[Nemo121]

Well the Kates and Avengers are good but I tend to think of torpedo bombers as mostly being useful against CAs, BBs and CVs while dive-bombers are really best against everything else. Unfortunately my SBDs are committed and it'll take a few days to swing them over to the DEI and put them into action there.
 
Aye, PBY and Coronado losses are heavy but my losses are a damned sight lighter overall than if I'd sat back and then had to attack prepared defences in a year's time. Overall I think that this is a good case in point for the whole "high loss RATES lead to lower overall losses over the full course of time"
 
In addition I think my BB fleet is going to be back in action before Damian's and this should allow me to menace the Sakhalin Islands pretty effectively.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/27/42

Time passes but nothing much of any major significance happens. I sneak a few tens of thousands of tons of supplies into my Soviet bases and manage a quite important high speed run which dumps 1000 engineer equivalents there ( allowing me to build up major bases quickly ).

I'm beginning to prep to shift major forces into Sovetskaya Gavan and other Soviet bases from Petropavlovsk and it looks to me like Damian is moving his CVs in to intercept... I am shuffling fighters in and out of Petropavlovsk and have created a veritable warren of SBD bases all along my resupply routes. If he comes to hit me with anything less than the whole KB I expect to get planes through his CAP. I am also seeding 3 Pe-2 units along my resupply route with a view to getting high altitude divebombing runs in against his CVs. We'll see how it goes. He might stay away entirely - which suits me - but if he comes close I think he's toast.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 7
Ki-27 Nate x 41
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported

Runway hits 18

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 1
Ki-27 Nate x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 3 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 37
Ki-21-II Sally x 52
Ki-49 -I Helen x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-49 -I Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 79

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Tokyo [Honshu] , at 66,43

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 17
F1M2 Pete-FF x 3
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 1
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6
Ki-109E Mike x 6

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Adak Island [AK] , at 97,38


Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 96
SBD-3 Dauntless x 42


Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 34

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Ikaiei SNLF, at 22,46


Allied aircraft
IL-2 Shturmovik x 17
IL-2M Shturmovik x 24


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 3rd Tank Brigade, at 32,36


Allied aircraft
Swordfish I x 6
Hurricane I x 24
Lancer x 9
Vildebeest IV x 14
Wirraway CA-1 x 7
IL-2M Shturmovik x 36


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Maz5&Sas5 CSNLF Brigade, at 22,46


Allied aircraft
IL-2 Shturmovik x 35
IL-2M Shturmovik x 49


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Singkawang [Borneo] at 25,56


Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Teruzuki

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 38,58


Allied aircraft
TBM-1 Avenger x 60


Allied aircraft losses
TBM-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 9
APD Patrol Boat No. 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PC Ch 17, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 24, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 7
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 16, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

It looks like I creamed an ASW group.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Singkawang [Borneo] at 25,56


Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 9


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
APD Akikaze, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sovetskaya Gavan , at 73,30

Japanese aircraft
Ki-15II Babs x 1

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Okha [Sakhalin I] , at 76,27


Allied aircraft
A-24 Dauntless x 15
P-40E Warhawk x 21
IL-2 Shturmovik x 101


Allied aircraft losses
IL-2 Shturmovik: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 48,58


Allied aircraft
TBM-1 Avenger x 9


Allied aircraft losses
TBM-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Atutasan Maru, on fire
AK Asakasan Maru, on fire
AK Aratama Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25894 troops, 562 guns, 491 vehicles, Assault Value = 4561

Defending force 68279 troops, 1093 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 1869



Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tabun-Nur [Mongolia]

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30599 troops, 407 guns, 73 vehicles, Assault Value = 895

Defending force 1717 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 24



Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 25,44

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8637 troops, 87 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 225

Defending force 4711 troops, 59 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 167

Japanese max assault: 150 - adjusted assault: 10

Allied max defense: 163 - adjusted defense: 309

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
341 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Allied ground losses:
54 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 51204 troops, 971 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1867

Defending force 199961 troops, 2811 guns, 1073 vehicles, Assault Value = 4561


Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton [S China]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25701 troops, 303 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1451

Defending force 49285 troops, 653 guns, 438 vehicles, Assault Value = 1093



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6341 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 465

All of these troops have been air-transported in. I LOVE air transports.

Defending force 20831 troops, 243 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 624



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 25,44

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4646 troops, 59 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 162

Defending force 8181 troops, 77 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 208



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3621 troops, 173 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 94

Defending force 1426 troops, 0 guns, 92 vehicles, Assault Value = 39

[Capt. Harlock]

Ground combat at Cagayan [Mndno]

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6341 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 465

All of these troops have been air-transported in. I LOVE air transports.

Defending force 20831 troops, 243 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 624

Love may be in the air, but on the ground you're going to need a bigger stick! [:D]

[Nemo121]

I control Cagayan.. I'm happy to suck Japanese troops in and entrap them there. I don't NEED to advance, I just need to hold. this force is sufficient to the task for now.

[Nemo121]

Well, time moves on but the basic situation doesn't change.

Allied forces have some 1300 fighters on-map while Japanese forces have 1700 on-map. Unfortunately for the Japanese they aren't really ever mounting a sustained effort to destroy one of my fighter groups. A fighter group could comprise 200 fighters and will need more than a single day's strikes to be wiped out. The IJAF often puts in a really effective sweep but rarely follows it up appropriately IMO. In addition the Ki-264 As are being frittered away in sub-100 bomber raids. When 60 Ki-264s go in 20 or 30 get shot down or turned away and only 30 bomb. Even then those 30 bombers are enough to almost close any base I have.

If 160 would go in then they'd lose 30, bomb with 130 and utterly annihilate my base and all the grounded planes --- torching many multiples of 30 planes ( their losses ) on the ground.



So, what am I up to? Well, i want the Sakhalin Islands and slowly but surely my 2,000 AV landing force is making its way to Nikolaevsk ready for the next phase. I'm also building up the small Kurile islands and garrisoning each with a division of troops+ CD units.

In the east Malaysia is all mine and all I need to decide now is whether I'll Inchon my way along the Chinese coast, make for Northern Borneo and the Phillipines or just invade Java and go a very boring but orthodox route.

I think that my Chinese forces will make for China and attempt some ground invasions along the Chinese coast while the Australians and Indians clear Java and the British make their way along the Borneon coast.

That should help me:
a) bring the Australians into play by shipping them north from Darwin ( I have about 2,000 AV just sitting there waiting for the SLOCs to be safe enough ),

b) give me some Chinese bases closer to Formosa etc so that I can interdict shipping to the Phillipines.

c) allow me to sprint into the Phillipines by the end of February 1943 --- which is the date the Ki-44 III enters service and changes the whole complexion of the game.


I need to be in a situation where I don't have to conduct a lot of offensive fighting by the time the Ki-44 III enters service as it should be able to be produced in sufficient numbers and be sufficiently good to really put a hurt on my fighter forces.

[Nemo121]

Damian has finally started using the Ki-264 en masse preceded by fighter sweeps +/- bombardment TFs. The results have been precisely as I would have predicted with both Cagayan and SG suffering severe losses to grounded planes. fortunately I took the precaution of stacking these bases with fighter types for which I had sufficient replacements --- except for the USN and USMC F4F4s. I find myself having run out of F4F4s due to the heavy losses they have recently taken. With the commencement of F6F Hellcat and F4U1-CV Corsair units on January 1st I will be receiving an additional 120 and 54 first-class fighters per month and this should help tremendously. In addition the Soviets will get their next generation of fighters and these are every bit the equal of the Corsair and Ki-44 III and will, again, help me out in the attritional fighting over SG and the Sakhalin islands.
 
SG: SG is in a very safe position as I managed to bring in 3 US engineer units along with some 20,000 tons of supply in the last week on board conventional transports. These engineer units are allowing me to repair damage more quickly than the Japanese can inflict it and soon enough SG should have a Level 3 AF and be well on its way to Level 4. Significant Soviet naval and ground forces are on the way but I'm betting that the 700 AV of Soviet troops plus the terrain will be sufficient to hold the Japanese off. If it isn't then I should be able to Fast Transport in whatever US troops are required to hold rather easily.
 
Cagayan: Cagayan is being suppressed in order to:
a) facilitate another doomed attempt to land a couple more divisions and take it and
b) to allow the IJN to evacuate Java without significant interference.
 
Unfortunately for Damian I'm quite happy to have Java evacuated without a lot of hard fighting as I'm planning to run along Northern Borneo and can leave the Southern Borneo route to secondary forces who are mostly interested in opening SLOCs to Darwin ( where the entire Australian Army is gathering with a view to pushing up into Sulawesi and the southern Phillipines.
 
Indian, Australian and tank units are making for Java while the British themselves prepare for the drive across Northern Borneo.
 
The Chinese, meanwhile, are making the long trek through Vietnam with a view to pushing into south-eastern China along land routes.
 
 
By January 1943 I intend to have the Chinese pushing east within China, the British pushing East along Northern Borneo, the Indians pushing East along Southern Borneo and the Australians pushing north-eastward via Sulawesi.
 
Without the chinese units this combined UK, Indian, Oz/Nz force should still muster somewhere in the region of 5,500+ AV and, as such, it should be more than sufficient to force the retreat of whatever the Japanese still have in the region.
 
 
Back to Cagayan: It has served its purpose in terms of attriting the Japanese air force and preventing it from interfering with actions around Java - there is a single CV TF lurking around Batavia according to my recon. I expect this TF to strike my invasion forces but the losses inflicted will, unless my assessment is drastically off, be totally acceptable and should result in the further crippling of the IJN naval air arm. By my estimation about 1/3rd of their CVs and CVLs have been either sunk or seriously damaged over the past 2 months. In any case Cagayan will be bombed to hell and back but there are enough supplies to see it through and while the enemy is focussing there they aren't hitting my critical weakness - the shipping I need to make the jump from Singapore to Java/Borneo etc.
 
 
In other news my submarines finally have working torpedoes and the first significant barrier patrols are now being organised. IJN losses to submarine attack should begin to rise rather steeply now.

[ny59giants]

In other news my submarines finally have working torpedoes and the first significant barrier patrols are now being organized. IJN losses to submarine attack should begin to rise rather steeply now.

The addition of the Soviet subs makes the Allied sub fleet rather nasty, IMO. Now that the American dud rate has decreased, the trip to Japan should be more hazardous. [:D]

[Nemo121]

ny59, absolutely. I've been husbanding US submarines for this moment for quite some time and now have about 50 subs ready to go into his shipping lanes and cause some havoc. Given the short range to travel these 50 subs are probably as effective as 150 subs operating from farther away.
 
 
So, what's been happening. Well, I've made the first landings at Muntok and Bankha and now have 4 Armoured Regiments at Palembang being followed up by 2+ divisions of Indian Army infantry. While the tanks and 2 Indian infantry divisions clear Java - which is being hurriedly evacuated by Damian- the British infantry units will be committed to a series of landings along the Northern Borneo coast. I will aim for Kuching and then extend eastward as quickly as possible using FT TFs and ordinary transport convoys. I will take some losses as I will have to leave LRCAP range of my bases but that's a price worth paying as Damian is evacuating Java via southern Borneo and thus if I can race along northern Borneo and keep hold of Cagayan I might well be able to seriously limit his ability to successfully remove all of his  infantry forces before I have managed to cut them off from the Phillipines.
 
At that point in time I will bring the Australians into the fight and drive northward from Darwin to the Phillipines creating a massive pocket of trapped Japanese troops in the southern Borneo region.
 
At the same time as the Australian drive commences - showcasing an obvious threat to the Phillipines and drawing the Japanese reserves into the Phillipines I will enact the operation I've actually been building towards since the game began and which all of what has been going on has merely been preparation for. It will comprise the taking of 5 bases which will utterly eradicate the Empire's ability to enact strategic operations of any significance.
 
What Japanese reserves am I referring to? Well, finally, he has weakened the Japanese forces in Manchuria and the Soviet Union and I presume he is going to redeploy many of these into the Phillipines and Sakhalin/Northern Japan.
 
At the same time as the Australian drive on the Phillipines I will be driving into the heart of China with my Chinese troops and a small contingent of British amphibious forces which will help destroy Canton by landing and taking Hong Kong by sea.
 
 
At present the northern operations are diversionary in nature but while they are diversionary they do effectively keep most of the Japanese navy and a huge portion of its air force engaged day after day.
 
 
 
So, what has all of this work been for? Well, it has been designed to draw the Japanese farther and farther away from their critical strategic fulcrum, enabling me to take it on the cheap despite the fact that my carrier force's weakness would normally preclude ANY attempt at such an operation. ( Right now Japan fields three CV fleets ( 3 CVs have been damaged and 2 CVLs sunk with another 2 damaged ) of which one is covering the evacuation from Java to Southern Borneo, one is always at sea trying to interdict my SLOCs to Nikolaevsk etc and the other is in port repairing and preparing to replace the US/Soviet Union interdiction fleet.) As you can see these fleets have, rather successfully, been sucked in, attrited and then spat out again by the Allied forces and now are neither strong enough nor geographically distributed to resist a thrust into the strategic fulcrum of the campaign...the area around Saipan.
 
Basically a US invasion fleet ( less than 2 divisions worth of troops ) and covered by three upgraded CVs, a few upgraded BBs, CAs and DDs is going to surprise the hell out of Damian by landing at and taking Marcus. This is going to be followed, rather closely, by the capture ( by parachute drop and FT TF ) of the bases between Sulawesi and Saipan about 50% of which appear ( due to sub recon ) to be lightly or not at all garrisoned.
 
This, then, will give me SLOCs which are less than 30% of the current SLOCs and will allow me to fully combine the US and RN fleets and create proper task-organised landing forces. It will also, in conjunction with operations by the Chinese Strategic Direction aimed at stabbing the Japanese forces holding the Soviets at bay in the back, limit Japan's meaningful holdings to JUST the Home Islands by the end of the first quarter of 1943. At that point in time I think it will be time to re-negotiate the ban on strategic bombing as there won't be much else left for the Allies to target and I anticipate either a Japanese surrender by the end of the 1st quarter of 1943 or an invasion of Japan proper sometime in mid-43.
 
 
When I started the game I was aiming for victory by mid-43 and told Damian this after coming up with the plan described above --- and which I've been following since. Unfortunately the Japanese ability to replenish their air force was greater than I had anticipated and thus operations beyond LRCAP just weren't as feasible in-game as I had thought in my planning. This will, I feel, mean that Japan will not be defeated on a military basis ( in terms of actually defeating its troops in ground combat on the plains around Tokyo ) until the end of the third quarter of 1943.
 
So, a miscalculation and an error in predicting the date at which this would end assuming that the invasion of the HI would have to go ahead but I'm hoping that by spending his air force more "up front" its collapse, when it has come, will be more irrevocable and lasting and thus I might be able to accelerate things such that I could still meet the end of June 1943 deadline. I doubt it though, I think I'm condemned to a degree of failure in terms of not achieving the phase line dates I set myself for the invasion of Japan proper.
 
 
I am unveiling this overall plan at this time because troops etc have finally begun loading for it at CONUSA and I'm in the process of withdrawing the US battlefleet in order to rest and refit so as to be ready for serious operations in the first quarter of 1943. So it is, IMO, an appropriate time to discuss the overall strategic plan.
 
 
ON a more operational level I continue to show weakness and opportunity to lure Damian in and occasionally he takes the bait. He is sending even more troops into Cagayan - which I think will fail... There are now some 1500 AV of Japanese troops there. If those troops were on Java he could hold Java against me.
 
He flushed his air force and CVs towards my landing at Muntok and I managed to run 2 bombardments which cost him 300 planes on the ground. At present a single Allied ship has taken a hit during this invasion. The CV strikes are really not coming and what there does appear to be is very weak. I think that I might have destroyed most of his CV air on the ground at Palembang and Batavia.
 
 
That's about it... So, the strategic fulcrum around the Marianas willbe approached by means of Marcus and the Palau/Yap/Ulithi axis and then my forces will combine for the first time in-game. This will then allow me to greatly increase the pace of operations.

[Nemo121]

Well as you can see this details the drive along Java/Sumatra in green and the phases of the drive along Northern Borneo toward Cagayan. All targets are chosen to be the least heavily defended ones.

[Nemo121]

And here in red are the bases in the Marianas areas on which I have confirmed garrisons. The yellow have no garrisons as of about 2 months ago or no noticeable building work going on so I think there's a good chance they are ungarrisoned. By hitting Marcus Island I hope to be able to ship in strong infantry forces to build these bases up after taking them and really prevent any shipping reaching the Home Islands from the periphery of the Empire.

Then I can slowly work on constricting inward and squeezing the life out of the Empire.

[Historiker]

Nemo, I really have to play you somewhen... [:)]

[Nemo121]

Oh, why? Think you've spotted flaw to exploit? [8D]

Drop by Hartwig's AAR. He's counselling for advice ( with my utter blessing, I only care about being pushed to the limit so the better his advice and play the better for me ) so if you think you've spotted something be sure to let him know.

P.s. Good sig. think the contribution of Allie nations n Afghanistan is often forgotten and disparaged.

[Historiker]

Oh, why? Think you've spotted flaw to exploit?

You are the flaw - a nice victim [:D]

P.s. Good sig. think the contribution of Allie nations n Afghanistan is often forgotten and disparaged.

especially in Germany.
Yesterday, another of our men was lost...