Subs
Lots of sub action, but only two hits on the same ship off Kendari: xAK India Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK India Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
One Japanese sub hits a mine at Batavia.
Burma
No change.
Imphal expands airfield to size 4
Kohima expands airfield to size 3
Java
Lots of air action. Our guys (including finally Swordfish and Vilderbeast carrying torps) don't hit annything
A large raid of netties kills about 5 PT boast in Sorebaya harbour, they were one day away from being fully repaired .
Batavia is also hit hard.
We also launch against Mini KB... and loose badly
Our forces are now largely in their final defensive locations. Having landed at either end of Java they have given us interior loines... not that it will help a lot but at least supply can move.
Both KB and Mini KB are off Java.
SWPAC
Our forces unland at Tulagi after a quick bombardment and some support from the CV's. We are fully ashore, looks like only a single JAAF coy... So far so good.
NORPAC
Afternoon Air attack on Kitachishima Fortress, at 137,47 (Paramushiro-jima)
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-1 Dauntless x 15
SBD-3 Dauntless x 28
Thanks Alfred, knew I should have spell checked it
18 March 1942 thoughts
The Tulagi invasion force will easily dispatch the JAAf coy occupying the base... the question is should we now hold it, with at least a token force (part of an NZ Bn and an US Eng unit)?
At the moment the rest of the force shall retire on Luganville.
Fiji has Suva with 3.8 forts and 300 AV... so pretty strong. Nadi is 3.2 forts and 100 AV. Another regt, tanks, CD guns, BF are now one day from Suva... we probably have enough there to hold (Noumea will not be held at this stage). So we could afford to leap forward... we also have some air units in Australia we could send that way... but it is probably too early...
The icecream machine is just south of Iwo Jima, and will take about 5 days to reach the Philippines... I am sending more supplies every 4 days just in case the first get through. In the Philippines I've pulled in 300 supply, another 1700 are almost loaded from Cebu heading to Manila... every point counts at the moment.
In the SWPAC despite the bombing Buna has now reached a lvl1 airfield. PM is 360AV and 3.5 forts. The II Fighter comd will start transferring across... then we can build the airbase... it has now become a race. We have heaps of aircraft in Australia now so can start a battle of attrition and have a reasonable chance of winning...
Finally here is a current picture of the Philippines, looking pretty good... but I suspect reinforcements are landing...
Attachments
420318_philippines.jpg (109.95 KiB) Viewed 165 times
Burma Morning Air attack on 38th/B Division, at 58,47 (Meiktila)
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 62
Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
330 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Java
Batavia is hit hard from the air, causing lots of damage to the strip, that is fine as there isn't anything there... they will have to fill in the holes later.
At the other end lots of planes from Mini KB and land based hit Madioen. They are searching for where our air is based (Malang) so they don't hit anything.
Our planes launch, managing to get a decent bomb hit on a DD.
Our PT boats try a raid as well, but don't do too good, loosing boats for no effect.
SWPAC
We take Tulagi but the JNAAF coy remains, we hit it from the air. They lanch a big raid against out troops, guess we have stired things up a bit!
Afternoon Air attack on 2/7th Ind Coy , at 114,137 (Tulagi)
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
G3M2 Nell x 12
G4M1 Betty x 9
Afternoon Air attack on Kitachishima Fortress, at 137,47 (Paramushiro-jima)
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-1 Dauntless x 15
SBD-3 Dauntless x 28
TBD-1 Devastator x 14
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
200 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
And land at the next island along...
China
At Chengchow the Japanese arty is crueling us, 5000 casulties
At Nanyang the arty also causes a lot of casulties (2000) but we get 1:1 on day one dropping the forts, but only 1:25 on day 2 Raw AV is 2500 to 850 adjusted to 1394 to 54! We cause decent casulties but loose a lot more.
Burma
Our bombers hit his forward troops again, but this time meet CAP. We loose 7 bombers.
Java
Batavia falls and is nicely trashed.
Our aircraft launch again for no result, we loose lots
Philipines
They are landing more troops at San Fernando, now upto 17 units. I am moving forces around to have a light screen forward to give at least some warning, but have begun pulling key units back to Manila.
Have about 4500 in supply arriving next tuen (see image below), including the Icecream machine
SWPAC
Have destroyed the unit at Tulagi. Have moved a BF up to Luganville and will now begin to air evacuate out. CV's are retiring via Suva to PH for their April upgrades.
SOPAC
Suva now 3.9 Forts and 500AV. will begin improving the airfield next turn. Lots more unloading.
NORPAC
The bad news... Sub attack near Petropavlovsk at 140,47
Japanese Ships
SS I-121
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville
DD Clark
DD Downes
DD Tucker
DD Reid
The Russians have refused port rights so back to Dutch Harbour for us.
She is 35, 55, 35, 5 so with 55 float it is dicey but she should make it...
The good news is we capture our first bit of Japanese territory:
Ground combat at Onnekotan-jima (136,48)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 370 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 12
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
Allied adjusted assault: 4
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Onnekotan-jima !!!
Combat modifiers
Attacker: supply(-)
Assaulting units:
1st Marine Raider Battalion
We will load then move to next unoccupied island...
China
Is all bad. Will try and post later.
Attachments
420320_philippines.jpg (160.72 KiB) Viewed 165 times
Provided the Yorktown doesn't sink, I don't think it is fair to describe it as bad news from NoPac - rather just bad luck. After all, in view of the effectiveness of Japanese subs in AE, isn't it a good sign that the enemy is positioning subs in such out of the way locations. Better to have an enemy sub there than positioned on your SLOC or sinking the icecream. also the presence of the sub is not deterring you from hopping over to the nearest enemy island.
Been real busy, only just enough time to do turns, so will catch up quickly... lots has happened.
22-3 March 1942
Java
Japanese forces advance, air battles, nothing decisive.
East DEI
Quiet. Hitting Dili from Darwin.
Philippines
The icecream machine is unloaded, morale improves!
The Japanese begin attacks on Clark. we are shuffling units around to reorganise the defence and confuse the enemy to our intentions. The Japanese continue to unload, but no new units are noted. Looks like mostly supply to rebuild.
Australia
KB appears from the SOUTH off Brisbane! B-17 Fly and make runs but don't hit anything. On the second day they hit Sydney. I had around 100 fighters training... it looks like the AI don't consider training CAP, so sent the bombers in unescorted... losses are high in ships, but nothing important.
Afternoon Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Allied Ships
xAK Momba, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Lady Isobel, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD King, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
CM Bungaree, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Kooyong, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Lawrence, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Koolama, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Corrimal, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AD Dixie, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Morinda, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PG Moresby, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Morazan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Sjobris, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Iron Warrior, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Ngakuta, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Cairns, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Dilga, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Mungana, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AGP Niagara, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Iron Master, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Parrott, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Mortlake Bank, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Thracian, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Goolgwai, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Mulubinda, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Koolinda, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Beltana, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAKL Caledon, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Cessnock, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Anshun, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Karuah, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Wear, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yunnan, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Koonda, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AS Fulton, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Echunga, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yochow, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Yarra, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Prusa, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ellaroo, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Bunbury, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Coolana, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Canopus, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Argus, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Pelton Bank, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Hetton Bank, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
Repair Shipyard hits 1
Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1
Afterwards I rearrange the fighter defence on the east coast, expect an attack on Brisbane next.
This attack COULD have been decisive, as the CV's off Tulagi could have headed back to Sydney, I shudder to think of the impact of loosing 3-4 CV's and a stack of CA's...
Fortunately I sent them the other way!
SWPAC
Have begun evacuating troops from Tulagi to Luganville.
Ships unloading at Luganville are sent east away from KB (95% unloaded anyway).
SOPAC
Lots of stuff almost unloaded, but several big TF. These are stopped and sent away in case KB heads this way...
NORPAC
the Damaged CV starts failing lots of die roles and the float goes up 17 points... despite the risk I will put into the nearest port, it is likely to have Jap subs, but she almost certainly won't make a further port (all of which have Jap subs....)
Java
Our aircraft hit the ground troops at Malang to small effect
Sorebaya falls.
Bettys with escorts are now hitting our forces in Malang.
the Japanese bombard at Malang with little effect.
Philippines
Kates from Davao find the AG of Maubuan putting three bombs into her. She is still afloat so will LRCAp next turn. Another ship is due soon. Most of the supply is safely ashore, icecream for all!
Calark is slowly getting signiificant damage... that is OK. while they are hitting here we are preparing elsewhere.
SWPAC
Air evacuation from Tulagi continues.
NORPAC
I stuffed up. I had the game crash on me when I had almost finished, and in the rush to redo the turn I forgot to set the APD's in the Kuriles (which had largely picked up the raiders) to retire... a Japanese SCTF came in and slaughtered them
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ketoi-jima at 134,50, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Nachi
CA Aoba, Shell hits 1
DD Hayashio
DD Hokaze
Allied Ships
APD Fox, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
APD Brooks, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Gilmer, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
Java
Airstrikes against Malang troops on both sides to light effect.
The Japanese deliberate attack against level 3 forts getting 1:4 odds and suffering twice as many casulties. Adjusted AV for us is 1360, theirs is 284...
Philippines
We loose 1:1 aginst zero's but get some unescorted Ann and Liliy, so do good overall. The AG doesn't get hit again, but the xAK Polillo gets hit by a small bomb from an Oscar...
SWPAC
A large Japanese force appears off Tulagi, including 2 BB's. two SNLF begin unloading. We are still pulling out via air, but are almost at lvl 3 forts.
Off Finschhafen we get a good outcome plane and ship wise: Morning Air attack on TF, near Finschhafen at 100,126
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 17
SBD-3 Dauntless x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
xAKL Tsuneshima Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
SOPAC
2 Marine CD units arrive in Fiji this turn. Fji is now definately secure with lots of CD, and good AV. Just need some more aircraft...
NORPAC
Quiet. In the Kuriles bettys bomb the defenders and the 47th and 48th Naval guards start unloading on Ketoi-jima.
Australia
While we suffered a minor hurt it could have been worse. It looks like they moved KB right around the bottom of Australia looking for the CV's. Good thing I docked, refuelled and moved on so quickly...
Our fighters did OK even when on training.
Otherwise Oz is good, Darwin is secure.
SWPAC
PM now has the II Fighter Comd, more fighters almost 400 AV, 20 odd CD guns and almost lvl 4 forts. We will now fight for it. Hard. They can probably still take it, but we would aim to culminate them over it.
Tulagi operation is a minor success. We really didn't cause much hurt. BUT it probably saved our CV's and CA's being there and not Sydney! They have diverted 2 SNLF and banged the place up... it will be interesting to read later if that changed their plans much (a spoiling attack to upset their plans was one of the desired outcomes).
We have forces on Luganville, which I will try to hold at the moment, but not really fight for, until we get more forces.
NORPAC
So much potential! Bad luck/good play by the opposition though turned it into a minor disaster. We came close a couple of times to causing real damage... but didn't
But it looks like one of the other aims of the mission, diverting forces, was at least partially successful. They have had to deploy aircraft, ground troops and serious ships here, which otherwise could have gone to the SWPAC... again it will be interesting to see what consternation this caused.
Philippines
Has gone far better than I could have ever wished for! Getting around 6000 supply extra (including the precious icecream machine!) means we can still pose a threat from here.
Our troops have recovered well, have reasonable experience, and good positions to fight from... it will be interesting to see how long we can last.
Overall I'm happy with what we have done. We have caused delay, and if it weren't for the loss of the two CV's done very well. We are playing two very good players, and a couple of times they have come close to causing real issues though...
I am having a lot of fun playing the game, I like the 2 days turns, and the multiplayer style.
