Found out why I was so confused about fighters being able to sweep non base hexes....they can't sweep non base ocean hexes [8|]
The KB elements are slowly drawing closer and this turn I expected the Allied bombardment - invasion fleets to enter Palmyra.
It would then take a further 3 days before we could attack.
But this turn wasn't as expected!
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 29, 43
Invasions - Bombardments
Little interference with our invasion; I take my time and the Rufe's shoot down
4 Catalina's trying to rescue some of the doomed men.
Invasion Support action off Luganville
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force
25 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
APD Tade
CS Mizuho
Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards
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Night Naval bombardment of Luganville at 120,150 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
9 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
BB Yamato
BB Mutsu
DD Takanami
DD Makinami
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Musashi
BB Musashi firing at 2nd RNZAF Base Force
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Yamato
BB Yamato firing at 101st USN Base Force
101st USN Base Force firing at BB Yamato
BB Mutsu firing at 101st USN Base Force
DD Takanami firing at 2nd RNZAF Base Force
DD Makinami firing at 101st USN Base Force
101st USN Base Force firing at DD Makinami
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Combat
We sweep and bomb in Burma in preparation for yet another attack.
Heavy 4E formations continue to bomb PM.
Morning Air attack on Burma Corps , at 60,43
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 76
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
42 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 30000 feet
6 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
34 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 15000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Burma Corps , at 60,43
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 27
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 2
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
26 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 30000 feet
27 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
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Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 1
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 43
B-17F Fortress x 29
B-24D Liberator x 44
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 80
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Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 4
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged
Runway hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on 150th RAC Regiment, at 60,43
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 39
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged
Also attacking 17th Indian Division ...
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Afternoon Air attack on 23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment, at 60,43
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 16
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed
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Afternoon Air attack on 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment, at 60,43
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 27
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged
Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground Combat
There are 1 and 1/3 Chink Corps in Burma; these are among the strongest Allied units...believe it or not!
Bah...bullocks.
Odds are bad but we loose "only" 4845 casualties to 2600 enemy this time.
Several Bde's and Inf regiments are shattered. Slowly reserves are approaching.
- Will have to wait another day before attacking again as supplies are in the red.
Ground combat at 60,43
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 112259 troops, 1359 guns, 697 vehicles, Assault Value = 3821
Defending force 45440 troops, 988 guns, 770 vehicles, Assault Value = 1509
Japanese adjusted assault: 1415
Allied adjusted defense: 2497
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
4845 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 285 disabled
Non Combat: 119 destroyed, 161 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 28 (3 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2629 casualties reported
Squads: 62 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 102 destroyed, 117 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 73 (36 destroyed, 37 disabled)
Assaulting units:
9th Tank Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
24th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
113th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
14th Guards Regiment
90th Infantry Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
38th Division
17th Infantry Regiment
112th Infantry Regiment
17th Tank Regiment
14th Division
4th Division
20th Infantry Regiment
1st Recon Battalion
33rd Division
11th Division
1st Tank Regiment
16th Guards Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
15th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
1st Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Army
Defending units:
16th British Brigade
73rd Motorised Brigade
23rd British Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
66th Chinese/B Corps
150th RAC Regiment
5th Chinese Corps
32nd Infantry Division
17th Indian Division
Kowloon Brigade
111th Chindit Bde /2
RAF 222 Group Base Force
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
23rd AA Bde
6th Medium Regiment
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Burma Corps
14th Indian Light AA Regiment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is happening?
Does the US Army and Navy commands have a disagreement?
Did we scare Roger Rabbit again?
...or is it a ruse?
Looks like Andy is pulling back from Palmyra - again!!!
