Quartermaster in the Pacific - Japanese only AAR War Plan Orange

[Bliztk]

The next month and a half (up to 1st March 1942) should see the capture of the oil rich SRA, after Singapore is taken and Bataan is bombed into stone-age.

KB will support the landings at Tarakan, Balikpapan, Samarinda, Kendari, Makassar, Koepang and Dili. Thus Sumatra and Java will be isolated from Australia and India.

"Betty shops" will be installed at Sinkawang, Makassar and Koepang. Sinkawang and Makassar needs 1 level of AF more to support the betties.

After that KB will rebase to Truk to cover the landings at PM, Rabaul, Lae, Milne Bay and Guadalcanal. Giving time to the 25th and 14th Army units to rest, refit and prepare for the Sumatra and Java landings, scheduled to late Feb, early March.

After that, I have the "Disease Victory" two months. I have as possible targets Northern Australia, Ceylon (not-india), Central Pacific-lite (Wake), Central Pacific-big (Canton-Palmyra-Suva), Southern Pacific (Noumea).

I`m inclining towards Northern Australia (to help me defending SRA), and have forces for a second target. Will have to take a decision 15th Feb, to start planning the operations.

I have restricted units planning to the targets on each sector, so it`s only a matter of releasing the units and assault. But I do not want to overextend myself too much...

[offenseman]

Overextending... the clear and present danger for anyone playing Japan.  And there is no "by the book" answer to the question of where to stop.  That's the good thing (keeps everyone guessing)!

[Bliztk]

Empire news.

Survivors of Manila are eliminated at Mauban. Main attack forces move to Manila to rest for 3-4 days before moving to Bataan.

A regimental sized attack on Pegu is repulsed by heavy garrison. Japanese forces wait until 33rd Division reaches (ETA 10 days)
In Malaya Johore Bahru siege has begun with 1000 AV arriving today. In two days another 1000 AV will join and we will start assaulting the fortress.

Meanwhile IJN is concentrating at Babeload to begin the assault of Tarakan - Samarinda - Balikapakan - Banderjamasin - Kendari - Makassar and Koepang. Sealing the Fate of Java.

Landings will begin in 3-4 days and the offensive should be completed on 1st Feb at the latest, unless Allied opposition materializes.

Main action this week has been in China, where a 5 division attack has begun to clear the Singyang - Chengtow rail line, while a three division attack has continue to clearing the Hanghow - Nanchang route

[Bliztk]

Yellow lines Phase 1
Red Lines follow up movements

Phase One
1) An armoured CO clears the Rail Line here. Finally Manchuria and China are in the same supply zone. Porth Arthur soaks all the resources and oil from Mainland China.
2) A multi divisional attack secures the rail line between Suchow and Kaifeng. Then the assault has continued to try to storm Chengchow
3) A division, plus support takes Pucheng
4) A division plus two Mixed Bdes clear the road. The division is recalled to Nanchang once the Chinese corps is forced to retreat two times
5) Two divisions clear the route towards Chuisien, while prepping to Wenchow

Phase two
6) Two Mixed Bdes from Nanchang, and three divisions + support will storm Wenchow. IJN will provide shore bombardment to soften up the defenders. (Question, does naval bombardment missions damage the HI and resources here ??? [&:]
[&:])
7) A two division force + support will attack from Hankow to clean the rail line. With the interior lines secured, we can plan to attack in a Clausewizt fashion, using interior lines to threathen every friont.
8) If Chengchow defenders are routed easily, a follow up attack will try to dislogde Lioyang and Tsiatsto. If heavy resistance (reinforcements from Sian) it`s met, then the assault will be cancelled and effort shifted using the railine. If the attack has success, then threaten Sian with a feint

[Bliztk]

Resting at malaria free Manila.

Heavy attacks are softening the defenders, courtesy of IJA bomber force. Palembang Assault force continues to keep gaining valuable experience here

[Bliztk]

Currently resting at Johore, waiting for the last engineers regiment to unload from the trains. Then all of them will try to storm singapore with the mandatory shock attack

First IJA bomber attack resulted in 13 bombers lost to flak !
Attack was at 8,000 feets. Next attacks after two days of rest were at 15,000 feet and a 2-3 planes per day has been lost, but attacks continue regardless of IJA casualities

[Bliztk]

AAR Back from the death. I`m have been very busy last months, between holidays and some familiar urgencies.

The game continues, but I will try to catch up the events and comment them from the IJ perspective. The daily reports can be found at Herwin`s AAR

[Bliztk]

Northern China has been quiet, had to repulse a weak attack on Paotow.

The main action is shown here:



1) BIG encirclement here at Loyang. I have trapped main Chinese army here. 24 units including 8 HQs, 2 Construction Rgts, 2 Base Forces and 12 Corps. Encirclement is not ready yet, as I have to move one unit to the hex east of Loyang to complete it. I have several units moving out of Tsiato, which fell two days ago.

2 & 3) Relief attemps, the hex southwest of Loyang is held only by a RGT that it`s bombarded by a chinese corps. One mixed bde is moving to support.

4) A chinese assault on Hankow was held back and the units were repulsed.

5&6) Chinese units moved last turns to cut the railroad, and attacked Sinyang. The cat & mouse continues, as I clear (shockattack) the units, from the rail, other ones move to another spot. Not critical, as I can supply Hankow from the road from Anking, but it ties my forces.

[Bliztk]

The situation here is stalemated, I have completed nearly all my objetives, but I cannot take Wenchow



4) The roads between Nanchang, Puchiecm Chuhsien and Shangai had been cleaned of Chinese units. Main goal accomplished
3) Remanents (with several retreats) of chinese units moving back to Wenchow
2) I had to bring back from Singapore two bombardement divisions, 2xBB 2xCA 3xDDs to soften the defenders.
1) The attacks on Wenchow didn´t go well, and while I got 1:1 odds, my units are too thrashed to take the city. I`m moving outside of Wenchow to rest & refit, meanwhile one section of AVG has been trapped at Wenchow and is bombed by IJA units.

[Bliztk]

Bataan fell mid-feb, and only 65th Bde will remain to clean Mindanao (only have Davao and Zamboanga) and all the minor islands here.

14th Army units are being transfered to the Assault on Java

Tarakan, Balikpapan and Samarinda were taken also. Tarakan and Samarinda were taken relatively intact. Balikapapan had 20% damage 240(60) both on refinery and oil production. Already sent a 50k supplies convoy to repair them

[Bliztk]

Singapore fell on 10th Feb, it has become the main base on the push on SRA.

1) As the screenshot shows, KB is parked here. Refit and refuel for three weeks, with a short trip to support the Balikpapan and Samarinda invasions. I`m waiting for 150k fuel to arrive to refuel all the ships here and move to the assault operations

2) Reinforcements still arriving from other parts of the empire.

3) Medan was took clean by Imperial Guards Div, and a tank regiment.
4) Sabang is the main objetive of the Medan force. Both units are already planning to assault Batavia.
5) I have ordered a ASW sweep by my 16 best ASW DDs, since I plan to move KB to support Burma Reinforcement Operation
6) More or less in 10 days I will take Sabang with and amphibious landing and pick up IGD back to Singapore

[Bliztk]

Worst performance of mine here. I have botched with several mistakes and lack of air support. But from stalemate I plan to inflict a decisive defeat on the Allied Forces. BANZAI !!!



1) Stalemate at Pegu. The 33rd and 55th Divs land assault on Pegu has been stalemated by two ! divisions and three brigades. AV is equal, so I cannot advance without trashing my own divisions.

2) Since Pegu is not taken, I have to move the reinforcements using the long route of moving east and then north-east

3) A Thai divisions has moved to the crossroads here. Sit down and entrench

4&5) Main plan is to land the burmese reinforcements on Moulmein. They consist of two divisions (18th and 5th), plus five Tank Rgts, covered by KB

The four divisions will try to dislogde the allied defenses at Pegu, meanwhile the Tanks will move to cut the escape route and bag the defenders that retreat towards Rangoon

6) I have all the Para units readied to have an airborne assault of Burmese objetives. If I can I would prefer to not airdrop them, but I`m readied to use the opportunity to ensure a fast defeat.

7) An assault by a Mixed Bde plus support is planned here to ensure the pocket is closed, I`m pretty sure that I will have to evacuate in short term, but I cannot let those units escape !

8) A landing by a Naval Garrison unit is planned in Port Blair, to park a Mavis sqd for early warning from British Interference

[Bliztk]

I`m going to the decisive action here. The most important hex for the Japanese, Palembang is going to be assaulted !



1) Heavy air support from Singkawang ! After Palembang is taken, it will move to Palembang

2) Palembang defensive forces have been bombed for three weeks. So they should be trashed.

I`m not going to take the defenders lightly, so I plan to bomb Palembang with cruiser forces for two days, meanwhile 38th Inf Div is fully prepped and ready to assault Palembang with three Baseforces and AF construction units and an Air HQ !

The turn after the recapture I plan to flood Palembang with 70 fighters, to prevent Harry doing something bad to my new adquisition [:-]

3) Djambi will be taken overland with several units landed with the Palembang invasion force.

4) I plan to take the resource rich islands after I have cleaned Java, so no risks here until later.

KB support will not avaliable, since I will be commited to the Indian Ocean/Burmese operation, but I can recall it if reinforcements are needed.

[Bliztk]

Nothing much has happened here.



1) I have been concentrating assets at Truk, to try to do only one offensive in this sector, once KB is freed from the Burmese and SRA tasks

2) The minor landings at Manus, Shortlands and Kavieng in the first week of war

3) Herwin has parked two USN CV TFs here, bombing those outposts once each three weeks, more or less.
I have several units fully prepped towards Rabaul, so when KB moves in the operation will begin.

4) Milne bay will be taken

5) I have a two fully prepped divisions from Kwangtung readied to Port Moresby (100 prep), will release one this week, and if problems arise, can release the second in 10 days, more or less.

6) Horn island will be also invaded on a later date, once the main objetives are secured here.


Plan is to take PM, Milne and Lunga and stop.

In late March, early April, when this operation should begin Noumea will be a nut too tought to crack. Maybe I will advance to Ndeni and do a raid towards Suva to check, but in this moment New Caledonia is out of reach

[Bliztk]

Quick & dirty here.

I have 8 divisions currently planning for both Batavia and Soerabaja.

Plan is as follows:



1) Have both Bandjermasin and Singkawang (moving to Palembang), stocked with Zeroes + Nells covering the invasions.

2&3&4) I will land at Kalidjati (AF 5), Semarang (Port 5) and Tjope (Refinery+oil). Have minor units of AV60-80, plus baseforces fully prepped to the objetives. Then I will advance south to cut the island in three sections. Four divisions will move to Soerabaja, three to Batavia. I have one divisions plus five tank regiments as reserve.

Once I have landed, first will advance towards Batavia, to easen the SLOC, then once Batavia is moved, move the juggernaut towards Soerabaja. If resistance is light, I could advance on both directions, but it depends of how many Allied reinforcements had landed at Java

5&6) Once I`m ashore, and I see the Allied dispositions, will land at both extremes of the island to fully close the retreat paths avaliable to the Allies

[Bliztk]

A massive increase in Heavy Industry from the at start 6950, to the actual 7800 (only 130 captured).
The plan is to do a second expasion in June to bring the total to 9500, depending in what state I capture the oilfields of SRA and Burma.

This has caused a bit supply shortage, because Japan didn´t export supplies outside as usual. Still have 150k at Manila, 100k at Formosa and 150k at Singapore, so the main offensives have enough supplies to continue. Since I have nearly finished the expansion (in two days only 2 factories will remain repairing), I plan to hoard supply at Japan to do the final expansion.

Air production and R&D.



Several Ki-67 Peggy factories have converted to anti 4E fighters. Ki-45 Nick has expanded from 16 to 32, and another one new of 24 has been brought online.

Two factories now research Ki-44-IIb with its 40mm cannon.

Only thing that has brought fear from the Allied arsenal are the B17s since they are invulnerable to everything except Zeroes, I had KB with 120 Zeroes on CAP being attacked by 10 B-17, and the flak did more damage than the CAP.

In the purely research front, good progress has been made in the A6M5, Ki-84a and P1Y1. Rest are advancing at the expected pace.

No plane has been advanced

Engines are researching as follows:

Aichi Ha-60 has been advanced two months
Nakajima Ha-44 one month
Nakajima Ha-45 three months
NE Turbojet two monts

[Bliztk]

China
Harry attacked the two blocking Japanese units at Loyang at 1:2 odds ! Chinese units were thrased, so maybe I can finish the encirclement and start assaulting Loyang in two-three days.

PNG
USN Carries continue to stay near Rabaul

SRA
I have done a bit math, and decided to move to take Palembang south.
Singapore sucked 100,000 fuel into the ships anchored here, so I need more fuel.
Palembang is a good source. And bringing fuel from Japan is a new delay and anti-economical

KB+2cruiser bombardment forces+ ASW+DMS contingents move towards objetive. Sent several tankers + AO under aircover towards Medan to pick more fuel to the thristy ships at Singapore.
KB vals and Kates are ordered to suppress the ground forces at Palembang, while IJA bombs the airfield.

Task Group Palembang

[Bliztk]

A surprise, a british TF appears of nowhere north of Medan and attacks. I can consider me lucky, because instead of attacking some tankers enroute to Medan, it attacks a engineering convoy unloading at Meda, sinking one AKL, but losing 12 TBs.

Al tankers are redirected back to Singapore, AKL convoy goes to Tandjoenbalai to unload the engineers, then move to Medan by land.

Meanwhile, attacks at Palembang discover a new unit. A Dutch KNIL Rgt. So instead 10-20 AV, I can face 70-100 AV defending Palembang. I continue with the attack, since my need of refined fuel is the most pressing issue facing Japan now.




Morning Air attack on TF, near Medan at 46,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 16
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 8



Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 15
Swordfish I x 10


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Swordfish I: 7 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAKL Nichizui Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
154 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 9 disabled

[Bliztk]

The most interesting event of the turn is that I forgot to turn the switch on the Palembang invasion force, thus the TF didn´t unload [:-]

Will invade this turn [>:]

Loyang Situation

Things are tricky here !



1) I have 1 Division moving north from Sinyang, clearing the road.
2) Harry attacked at 1:2 odds the hexes SW and W of Loyang, and seems that it`s moving reinforcements to try to break the siege. I`m using Chengtow (hex W of Kaifeng) as R&R base to rotate my trashed units. Currently moving two Bdes to the hex west, and several more units to Loyang.
3) In the hex W of Loyang I have a Div holding the line, 70exp so should be able of holding the line.
4) I have to attack this hex. Have 100 resources and no defending units. Simply forgot it for two days !
5) The forest hes NW of Loyang is only held by a Tank Co and a Tk Regiment. Hope Harry doesn´t try to dislogde them, since they are the weakest link of the line !

The reinforcements from Chengtow to Loyang should be in Loyang in 1-2 days, so I will start shockattacking in three days. I`m bombarding Loyang with all LCUs and aircraft avaliable, so Chinese units should be low on supply and disrupted.

After Loyang is captured, I have the option of moving towars Sian, the only economically worth target of China. It depends on how much casualities get my units in the assault.

[Bliztk]

SRA

Invasion on Palembang proceeds. I keep bombing the LCU at Palembang to try to supress them, before the attack.

Another AK is sunk by a dutch sub near balikpapan. I have reset all the naval search arcs of my units. Let see if I can get better results !

PNG

Here, Harry has two USN CVTFs circling Rabaul. I have sent several subs to see if I can get a fish or two on any Allied CV