Taking the long view PZB invading Australia is a priceless advantage my retricted LCU's can now tie down his unrestricted ones leaving my available LCU's ready for the end run.
I am assembling a large force in India and will have a substantial force marshalling in NZ and Fiji ready to attack forward at the first opportunity.
That's a really good way of looking at it... Those restricted units are pretty poor though.
Not any more - most of them are upgraded to AIF 42 squads and every day that passes my units get stronger and better.
As more units get 25 pounders more 18 pounders get sent to the pull which will fill up the CMF Divs.
In time I will be stornger
In my desperation to get fuel into Australia I took a risk and ran a convoy down the map edge into a trap
Lost 7 ships to CV air will retire to Capetown adding 50 days to the round trip to Perth - was hoping to save the safe but slow diversion I guess not he is forcing the detour which is all he needs to do
I almost more worried about the loss of time and fuel than the ships.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 06, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 8,104, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru
Allied Ships
xAK Jalaratna
xAK Pundit
xAK Sirsa
xAK Taiping
xAK Tak Sang
xAK Tanfield
xAK Wo Sang
xAK Autolycus
xAK Clan Macilwraith
xAK Elmdale
xAK Empire Grenfell
xAK Forthbank
xAK Glenaffric
xAK Mahsud
xAK Pardo
xAK Subadar
xAK Turing Mary
xAK Siantar
xAK Iron Knob
xAK Momba
xAK Moonta
xAK Elisavet
xAK Mary Livanos
xAK Michael Goulandris
xAK Zannis Cambanis
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 64% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 7,105, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru
Allied Ships
xAK Jalaratna
xAK Pundit
xAK Sirsa
xAK Taiping
xAK Tak Sang
xAK Tanfield
xAK Wo Sang
xAK Autolycus
xAK Clan Macilwraith
xAK Elmdale
xAK Empire Grenfell
xAK Forthbank
xAK Glenaffric
xAK Mahsud
xAK Pardo
xAK Subadar
xAK Turing Mary
xAK Siantar
xAK Iron Knob
xAK Momba
xAK Moonta
xAK Elisavet
xAK Mary Livanos
xAK Michael Goulandris
xAK Zannis Cambanis
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 64% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 7,106, Range 12,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru
Allied Ships
xAK Jalaratna
xAK Pundit
xAK Sirsa
xAK Taiping
xAK Tak Sang
xAK Tanfield
xAK Wo Sang
xAK Autolycus
xAK Clan Macilwraith
xAK Elmdale
xAK Empire Grenfell
xAK Forthbank
xAK Glenaffric
xAK Mahsud
xAK Pardo
xAK Subadar
xAK Turing Mary
xAK Siantar
xAK Iron Knob
xAK Momba
xAK Moonta
xAK Elisavet
xAK Mary Livanos
xAK Michael Goulandris
xAK Zannis Cambanis
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 64% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 6,107, Range 22,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru
Allied Ships
xAK Jalaratna
xAK Pundit
xAK Sirsa
xAK Taiping
xAK Tak Sang
xAK Tanfield
xAK Wo Sang
xAK Autolycus
xAK Clan Macilwraith
xAK Elmdale
xAK Empire Grenfell
xAK Forthbank
xAK Glenaffric
xAK Mahsud
xAK Pardo
xAK Subadar
xAK Turing Mary
xAK Siantar
xAK Iron Knob
xAK Momba
xAK Moonta
xAK Elisavet
xAK Mary Livanos
xAK Michael Goulandris
xAK Zannis Cambanis
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 22,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 22,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Alice Springs , at 74,143
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
No Japanese losses
Aircraft Attacking:
22 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 18000 feet *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 30th Australian Brigade, at 88,149
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 11
No Japanese losses
Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 18th Chinese Base Force, at 81,57 (Kanhsien)
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 20
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
Also attacking 25th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 18th Chinese Base Force ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 30th Australian Brigade, at 88,149
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 28
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
28 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 11000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 58th Chinese Corps, at 83,52
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 12
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 12
No Japanese losses
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 12000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Cocos Islands at 6,108
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
B5N2 Kate x 18
D3A1 Val x 9
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
xAK Momba, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Forthbank, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Tak Sang, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Empire Grenfell
xAK Elmdale
xAK Taiping
xAK Clan Macilwraith, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Zannis Cambanis, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Mary Livanos, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 64th Chinese Corps, at 72,55 (Nanning)
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 6
No Japanese losses
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-43-Ia Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 64th Chinese Corps, at 72,55 (Nanning)
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 16
No Japanese losses
Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 15000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Ominato at 120,56
Japanese Ships
xAK Manzyu Maru
xAK Kuretake Maru
xAK Hohuku Maru
xAKL Shinmei Maru
PB Seki Maru #2
Allied Ships
SS Tambor
SS Tambor launches 6 torpedoes at xAK Manzyu Maru
Tambor diving deep ....
PB Seki Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 85,42
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36393 troops, 316 guns, 156 vehicles, Assault Value = 1344
Defending force 83790 troops, 543 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3001
Japanese adjusted assault: 471
Allied adjusted defense: 5194
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 11
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
7715 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 351 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 312 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Vehicles lost 41 (0 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
557 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Assaulting units:
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
59th Infantry Brigade
6th Mongol Cavalry Division
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
32nd Division
13th Tank Regiment
110th/C Division
41st/A Division
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
95th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
47th Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
43rd Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army
5th War Area
8th Group Army
4th Chinese Base Force
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 85,48
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12958 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 458
Defending force 1270 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 56
Japanese adjusted assault: 402
Allied adjusted defense: 11
Japanese assault odds: 36 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)
Japanese ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
247 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Assaulting units:
61st Infantry Brigade
3rd Infantry Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
Defending units:
30th Chinese/C Corps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 75,142
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 1025 troops, 4 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 157
Defending force 2453 troops, 3 guns, 68 vehicles, Assault Value = 36
Japanese adjusted assault: 18
Allied adjusted defense: 63
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Assaulting units:
48th Recon Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
Defending units:
2nd Recce Battalion
Tennant Creek RAAF Base Force
Katherine RAAF Base Force
NW Aus Aviation Rgt
1st Fgtr RAAF Wing
10th Patl RAAF Wing
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Oodnadatta (74,149)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 743 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 40
Defending force 97 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8
Japanese adjusted assault: 19
Allied adjusted defense: 2
Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), leaders(-)
Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Regiment
Defending units:
2/7th Ind Coy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Palm Island (92,143)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 33 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 4
Allied adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Palm Island !!!
Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)
Assaulting units:
2nd Raiding Rgt /1
PP's are the bane of my life I spent so many getting the US units freed up for Australia and the SOPAC that I may not have the strength I need quickly enough for the Burma attack
Some carefull planning is required to make sure the IV and XV Corps attack has enough weight to be unstoppable
The combined South Pacific Fleet is anchored at Hobart
6 Carriers (incl 1 RN)
7 Battleships (4 RN)
28 Cruisers and 58 Destroyers
My only other major fleet is at Bombay (2 CV's, 2 BB's and 20 other warships)
The fleet is poised at Hobart because I fully expect PZB to go for a shallow envelopment and attack Perth/Fiji/New Cal or NZ not sure which so sitting at Hobart with more fuel en route is the best option while I wait for him to jump
Does Hobart have enough AA and Fighter cover to guard such a vast assemblage of iron? I'd be scared to death to have an anchorage like that anywhere outside Hawaii or the West Coast.
Yeah its pretty well protected.
In new news Avengers are now in production and my USMC Paras are getting ready to re open the road to Alice Springs I just need to wait for the nearby AF's to hit level 2 so my Transports can carry them in and th ebombers can attack the japanese Paras.
SNLF Paras v Marine Paras in the middle of the Australian Desert - only in WITP !!!!
Probably 3 days before I can attack to try and reopen the rail line
Noticed a few nasties floating around off of Perth 2 TF's of indeterminate composition add that to the carrier TF I spotted a few days ago and its possible its Perth - I somehow doubt it though I really expect the shallow envelopment to go straight for Newcastle or somewhere else on the rail line on the east coast to cut off my troops.
Fiji and NZ are both still viable targets as well
Landing at geraldton by a small force c 2 Regiments....
Something weird going on here
A couple of Divs on East Coast now less than a Div on West Coast.
I still think its NZ but if he is its a complicated deception plan
I have the US 27th Inf Div not long arrived from West Coast en route I can send it to Geraldton or to Perth.
He needs to watch out now as he cannot pull off invasions on the hoof without the amphib bonus so if Geraldton is his main attack I should commit to stop it I just cannot believe thats the main attack
Immediate reinforcements for Geraldton are the 2/11th Armoured Car Regt they are close at hand
I also have the 2nd Marine Regt in strat mode, 44th Aus Bn but apart from that the cupboard is bare in Western Australia.
I have a lot of engineers at Port Augusta getting the AF up to allow my paras to reopen the road to Alice Springs
Also at Port Augusta is the 1st Motor bde, 2/4th Aus Armoured Regt and 2nd Marine para bn
I am ordering 1st Motor Bde to entrain and head West to provide a local reserve in case PZB lands somewhere else
I am transferring more CD guns towards Perth as this looks and feels like a kill sack in preparation
No bombardment either he is either saving it for his real attack or is expecting me to counter attack.
Only issue with that is my fleet is weak in BB;s my losses at PH mean I need to save what I have
