Fabertong vs Speedy II - This time it's Personal

[fabertong]

Jan 5th 1942..........

AAG - 1 (Kaga, Akagi, Hiryu and Soryu......investagated a TF sighting at Nomea.....and found a mixed allied TF ......This happened next

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,160

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
B5N2 Kate x 64
D3A1 Val x 50



Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Asphalion, Bomb hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Republic, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
CA Pensacola, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
TK Falkefjell, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Westralia, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Elsa, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Steel Worker, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Lewis Luckenbach, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Admiral Halstead
xAP Chaumont, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Merak is still under heavy attack by the Dutch Air Force.....I'm intrigued to see how this early move will pan out......

[Mynok]

That's a nice blow struck! He'll miss those TKs.

[fabertong]

Ahhhh yes Brother Mynok......there is nothing I like better than sinking ships.......unless it's a well chilled glass of Chablis.....

Jan 6th 1942..........

AAG 2 (Zui and Sho)........and AAG 5 (1 CVL).....caught a host of little ships while hunting around Southern Java.....as they pave the way for the second Java front......

Allied Ships
AR Castor, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AMc Rindjani, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Gedeh
AVP Heron, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Tjerimai, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
xAKL Duijmar van Twist, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
AO TAN 1, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
TK British Sailor, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAKL Bordvik, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PC Formalhaut, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
AMc Alor, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Ceram, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Kawi, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AMc Slamat, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Djombang, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AMc Bantam, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AVP Heron, and is sunk

Allied Ships
xAK Ping Wo
PG Soerabaja, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Doryssa, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Rochussen, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Van Neck, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Van Riebeek, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Siberg, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AGP Sirius, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

Allied Ships
xAKL Sinabang, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Wollongbar, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Sigli, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Proteus, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Patris, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Silindoeng, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
llied Ships
AMc Merapi, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Gedeh, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Merbabo, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Cheribon, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Ardjoeno, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Aroe, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

......time for that glass of Chablis....methinks......

[Mynok]

Or two! Heck, that's a bottle's worth really.....an AO and another TK! I'm not sure how many xAPs the Allies get, but I know they are rare as hen's teeth for Japan (i.e. non-existent).

[BrucePowers]

His ability to move stuff around may be even more hampered[:)]

[Smeulders]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Or two! Heck, that's a bottle's worth really.....an AO and another TK! I'm not sure how many xAPs the Allies get, but I know they are rare as hen's teeth for Japan (i.e. non-existent).

Those are all tiny Dutch xAP, quite useful for shipping troops for some short hops, but not that important.

[Mynok]

Ah.....well that's good to know then. The TKs and AO I know hurt.......

[fabertong]

7th Jan 1942...........

Today I got my 'comeupence' for being too arrogant .......My Merak Op. ...which I must say is out of character for me.......has proved very costly indeed......

My phase 2 Invasion force was attacked 120 miles north of Merak.......first by a mass of Dutch LRB ...who not surprisingly caused little damage......but they did draw away the CAP.......then a flight of 26 Vildebeests attacked......with only 3 Zeros on station......25 made it though to my ships.......this was the result...

Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 3 destroyed, 21 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Zuiho, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk

A very bad day for Penguinkind....but I brought this on myself......I knew the Vildy's were there....and in Vanilla WitP would not have moved capitol ships in range......but an early case of 'Invincability disease'.....

I've now payed a high price....and will return to my more natural......slightly ploddy attack style.....

I'll miss Zuiho a little......but will miss Nagato a lot....she has been a fine ship for me in many WitP games......

Also it appears I've underestimated the amount of troops Speedy could get into Northern Java quickly....so all Merak Op. has achieved is a stalemate on the ground......and 20 + dead ships for me......Bad Penguin.......

Still the war goes on.........it's a long war......and I'll have good days as well as bad........

[fabertong]

Jan 8th and 9th 1942......

My ships have withdrawn from Merak....leaving the troops there to themselves.......

My industry is about to finish the stage 1 expansion.....will start to look at stage 2.......and advise ......

The highlight of the day was my push on Pegu....I feel Steven's stand here will benefit me in the long run......

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16907 troops, 136 guns, 154 vehicles, Assault Value = 640

Defending force 12898 troops, 135 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 441

Japanese adjusted assault: 257

Allied adjusted defense: 67

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Pegu !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 7 (0 destroyed, 7 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
15458 casualties reported
Squads: 327 destroyed, 196 disabled
Non Combat: 1229 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 45 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 103 (99 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 7
Units destroyed 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
112th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
15th Army
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
BFF Brigade
1st Burma Division
4th Burma Rifles Battalion
1st Gloucestershire Battalion
Rangoon BAF Battalion
16th Indian Brigade
103rd RN Base Force
107th RAF Base Force

Imp Gds.....will push on to Rangoon......the Inf Brgd and Tanks will head North.....

[Mynok]

Well...don't count on the bad days getting fewer, oh flippered one.

[fabertong]

Too true Brother Mynok....bad days are supposed to not start until '43.......and from then on......


Jan 10th 1942......

CL Kuma was hit by a torp from SS-39....she is badly hurt.......I hope she'll make Saigon....

SS-36 sank the AK Heian Maru

Java Op. still struggling....


Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15380 troops, 191 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 479

Defending force 16957 troops, 184 guns, 81 vehicles, Assault Value = 440

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 83

Allied adjusted defense: 573

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1202 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 70 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (0 destroyed, 13 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)


Assaulting units:
38th Division
19th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
1st Regt Cavalerie
2nd KNIL Regiment
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
1st KNIL Landstorm Battalion
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
Marinier Battalion
1st KNIL AA Battalion
KNIL Army Command
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
ML-KNIL
ABDA
Batavia Base Force

[BrucePowers]

You did knock the forts down.

[Mynok]

But if you are just encircling him, you just need to wait until your envelopment movement is complete then move the flankers into the hex and attack to kill off the defenders.

[fabertong]

Hi Mynok.....trouble is my flanking attack has also hit a roadblock.......

I'll close to contact.....and see how the position develops......

The real question for all my readers is.......do I push ahead with phase 2.....landing 16army HQ and 2 Inf. Regs.....plus support in central Java under the cover of AAG 2 Zui, Sho and a CVL........or is that just madness with those pesky Bi-planes......who have already blooded me.....

To press on....or move these troops south......to other destinations......out of Swordfish/Vildy range........any thought most welcome.

Here is Java......btw Speedy is away this week.......so no turns until the weekend.

[vlcz]

I would launch them at semarang, will full CAP (those 10 torpedo hits hurt even from this distance [:(] ) , I hate invading Java from one end and having to push all dutch forces along the full bananalike island.

 BE sure you add an air support unit and an extra ARM unit, if you put the ARM in reserve(pursuit) mode you can take Djojakarta two days after the disembark, completing the split of the island before it can be reinforced[8|]

[fabertong]

Hi vicz....thanks for the comment......and yes, the invasion is on....I will hold my nerve as Steven has stacked his forward bases to hold the Merak Op.

Jan 14 1942......

Rangoon fell.......

My troops will be ready to cross into Singapore in 5 days......Steven has withdrawn intact.....so .......

Also crossed a river in China today......ouch....

Attacking force 9052 troops, 64 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1219

Defending force 54260 troops, 259 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1711

Japanese adjusted assault: 4

Allied adjusted defense: 1088

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 272 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
8971 casualties reported
Squads: 300 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 264 destroyed, 76 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
152 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
6th Ind.Mixed Brigade
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
37th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
96th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
38th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
36th Group Army
4th Group Army
15th Group Army
Jingcha War Area
14th Group Army
4th Chinese Base Force

[Mynok]

Yikes, that was a nut buster.

Divide and conquer in Java, though I'd bring in another regiment if I could find one.

[ckammp]

Bump.

Penguin perhaps pondering possibilities of paratroops at Pea Ridge?

[fabertong]

ORIGINAL: ckammp

Bump.

Penguin perhaps pondering possibilities of paratroops at Pea Ridge?

Nice alliteration ckammp.........Mynok......I wish I had another Reg to send.....



Sorry for the slow updates work is V. busy.......

So a quick update with little info....and I'll try and do better starting tomorrow......no, really.....

Not sur what the date is as no turn to hand.....


Phase 2 landings at Java are ashore.......and Java I feel will soon be mine.......I brushed aside the dreaded bi-planes.....with proper CAP.........but one of the SS-boats put a torp into Zui....she should be fine....but 3 months yard time.......she is still in 'sub water'....so holding my breath.....lost 5 AKs and a DD to Dutch PT boats........so a costly affair.......

The Java Op was a good plan badly executed.......if I'd held back for 10 days and got more support airgroups in the area......the cost would have been far lower...

Burma carries on being a good theatre for me.......Mandaly in 5-6 days I think....and the allies....strung out and disorganized.....

China a bit of a mess for both players at the 'mo.......good chances for both in this theatre......

I've landed on New Caladonia and will march it's length to take Nomea.......I hope.......

[fabertong]

22nd Jan 1942.........

After Speedy attacked my forces at Singapore.....(we had just crossed the river) ...and failed.......I counter-attacked ....took a lvl off the forts...now down to 2...but feel Singers will fall around the historical date.......

I also tested Clark Field's defenses.....and got roughed up big time.....could well be trouble........If Steven shock attackes he could push me out.....a Del. Attack should fail......or he'll settle for the siege......which will be longer due to my losses...


Here is Java at the 'mo....