Andy Mac v PZB This time India will Stand !!!!

[castor troy]

Hmm. Don´t know what you are doing different to those people not having supply issues at all. My troops also marched at a higher speed than 1 mile a day btw.

[Andy Mac]

That picture was with only 1 Sqn of C47's
 
I now have 150 C47's and have ordered additonal aircraft from the West Coast to atart the long journey to supporting XV Corps so I hope the supply situation will improve.
 
No matter I am committed
 
I have sent 1 of the Armoured Bdes back home and 2 Arty Regts are heading back as well to help ease my supply situation in the mountains.
 
I am taking a long look at other operations.
 
2 more USAAF BG's are en route when they arrive I will equip them with USAAF Mediums to support the BG of B17's and 225 Groups Blenheims and Hudsons
 
 
 

[Andy Mac]

Not sure how many supply points a C47 can take but in real life they could carry about 3 tons of supply each with parachutes so thats about 500 tons per day if they all fly

[Alfred]

Each 2000 lb load = 1 supply point.

Alfred

[Andy Mac]

My base line supply cost for XV Corps is about 12,000 per month (24,000) in combat or somewhere between 400 - 800 tonnes per day
 
Akyab if open and supplied can supply about 140 tons per day at the end of my lengthy supply line if I can keep Akyab healthy for supply
Cox Bazaar about another 80 tons per day again if kept healthy
 
Chittagong can supply 720 per day dropping to 580 when I get to the plains BUT Chittagong is also topping up Akyab and Cox Bazaar and supporting a large air force.
 
I think I must have been operating to many aircraft at Akyab, Cox bazaar and Chittagong and thats whats caused the red supply status.
 
I am seeing an up tick in supply after I remove most of the AF from these bases - obviously that leaves them vulnerable to interdiction but no choice
 
150 C47's say a 67% sortie rate so 100 per day operating each delivering 3 supply points that means about 300 supply points to my advancing troops say a 50% attrition rate as its not into an AF but air drops into nasty territory
 
That means 150 ton per day from the air.
 
So 150 from air, 140 from Akyab, 80 from Cox Bazaar and another 580 ish from Chirttagong should give me enough supply but I need to be carefull not to operate the RAF out of these coastal bases to heavily and I also need to make sure that John doesnt shut down any of them for a long period of time.
 
A couple of days not a problem but a long term interditction could cause problems....

[Andy Mac]

There is some prudence built into those numbers obviously but ideally i would want to gurantee about 1200 per day i.e. 50% redundancy without air supply.
 
I need to look long and hard at what air power I operarate
 
I think the numbers above clearly show that Chittagong is my weak link.
 
Its the supply hub for the whole operation if it gets shut down for any length of time or if PZB LRCAPs XV corps and stops my Skytrains I could be in trouble.
 
Despite their historic capability I am getting the feeling that Vengeance DB's are better as part of my Naval Strike Group they take to many casualties against land targets
 
I have 3rd TAF with 221 Group, 222 Group and 225 Group and 10th Airforce
 
AHQ India is operating 227 (T) Group
 
Plus I have the Eastern Fleet's FAA contingent.
 
I will be re organising my forces
 
At least one of the Groups will take care of my RAF Strategic Force - Wellingtons/Liberators

[Andy Mac]

p.s I love Wellingtons....8 x 500lb's !!!

[Nomad]

Andy, you might try flying the Vengence at 9,000. They are bombing at 3000 feet now.
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Morning Air attack on Shwebo , at 59,45

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes


Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 9


Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 damaged



Runway hits 7

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Vengeance I bombing from 3000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

[Andy Mac]

urrrgh hadnt noticed that thanks

[khyberbill]

Despite their historic capability I am getting the feeling that Vengeance DB's are better as part of my Naval Strike Group they take to many casualties against land targets

I had trouble with them in WITP but will admit because of that, I havent used them in land combat in AE. As Nomad pointed out, they are flying low. Please let us know if a higher altitude helps.

[Andy Mac]

I have a tricky dilemma John has pulled back and is producing allegedly 160 Tojo's per month that means he is sitting back in South Burma rebuilding his Sqns and waiting to ambush me.
 
Nothing I can do about it
Andy

[krupp_88mm]

heh seems hes using reverse psychology on you

[Andy Mac]

In the last month I have sunk 6 Japanese subs my increased ASW efforts are beginning to bear fruit also more and beter escorts are appearing which helps

[witpqs]

Unless already confirmed by him, most of those sinkings will turn out to be "erroneously reported" FOW. [:(]

[Andy Mac]

Anytime I want to trigger a massive air battle in Burma all I need to do is take Ramree island...
 
Been taking a long hard look at Burma my overland campaign will either work or not at best its a 50:50 shit but thats ok by building up Katha and pulling his Army into Burma I have already achieved my minimum objectives.
 
I have IV and XXXIII Corps both back in India re organising
 
I am trying at present to work out objectives
 
My initial thoughts are
 
XXXIII Corps - Andaman Islands - Sabang early in 43 to achieve these ends I would be able to allocate
 
Port Blair Operation (Cutlass)
18th British Div
26th Indian Div
2 - 3 Armoured regts
 
Sabang Operation (Sabre)
4th USMC Regt
6th Australian Div
 
IV Corps
Ramree Island Operaration (Rapier)
77th Chindit Bde
 
Tavoy/Mergui Assault (Foil)
7th, 19th and 25th Indian Div
9th Australian Div
31st US Regt
147th US Regt
 
Exploitation force for the Sabang to Medan (Hatchet - 1) or Tavoy to Rangoon (Hatchet - 2)
268th Motorised Bde
50th Tank Bde
254th Tank Bde
 
In order to achieve force levels for these operations both 44th and 45th Indian Bdes would need to be disbanded but it could be done and still leave sufficient force in India

[Andy Mac]

Obviously I would need to demonstrate at the Line Islands and try to take them on the run
 
Closing the Malacca Strait gives the Japanese huge problems by opening up the whole malayan coast to attack

[Andy Mac]

ALERT ALERT ALERT

IJN warships sighted 200 miles south of Ceylon

AVM D'Albiac to Ops Officer (CO 222 RAF Group) whats available ?

Only some FAA Albacores the rest are already out on ASW duty

Ok Launch 788 Sqn FAA's Albacores immediately

But sir they are biplanes...

AVM D'Albiac - I know but Sqn leader Greenwood has been drilling them mercilessly in low level attacks they will get the job done..

2 hours later somewhere south of Ceylon.

Tally ho no fighter cover !!!


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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 30,53

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes


Allied aircraft
     Albacore I x 10


Allied aircraft losses
     Albacore I: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
     BB Yamashiro, Torpedo hits 3,  heavy damage
     BB Hyuga, Torpedo hits 1
     BB Fuso



Aircraft Attacking:
      9 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
              Naval Attack:  1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo


Oh and it gets better.....

[Andy Mac]

Admiral Somerville's TF with 2 Carriers, 2 Battleships, 2 Heavy, 7 Light Cruisers and 12 Destroyers is not far away and can possibly intercept..

As part of steadily re organising my forces I now have 24 Hudson's on Maritime recon and ASW duty at Colombo and 24 misc PBY's and Catalina's at Tricomalee

[aprezto]

Go Andy GO!!!

[Andy Mac]

Fleet Air Arm stikes home Admiral Somerville in one day avenges all the losses so far.

Albacores of 814 Sqn FAA and 831 FAA Sqn off of HMS Indomitable sortied 34 out of a max 38 thats a full deck strike

Swordfish followed of AACU 8 of them also off of Indomitable


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 32,57

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 34


Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB Hyuga, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
CA Furutaka
CL Kinu, Torpedo hits 1



Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
14 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 32,56

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Swordfish I x 7


Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish I: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo