Summary of Operations 4/03/42
The Sigint report for 4/02 included a larger than usual number of entries for intercepted Jap radio transmission activity – almost entirely from bases scattered across the Japanese home islands and the Southeast Asia area. A glance across the game map shows no Japanese activity beyond normally expected levels. This could indicate nothing more than Pillager issuing a higher than usual number of orders during the Japanese orders phase and that a larger number of these orders found their way into the Sigint report. Not really any conclusions to be made on my part given what I can observe, I have no hard evidence of anything going on let alone what it is (if there really is anything).
4/42 Ship Upgrades: Nine US cruisers (6CA, 3 CL) plus several DD’s entered upgrade mode this game turn. Additional ships are currently being distributed among various shipyards and will shortly enter upgrading. The 4/42 upgrade affects a large number of ships (mainly US warships) – upgrades in 4/42 for many of these classes include enhanced flak and radar capability, many ships previously not having radar. While these upgrades will not immediately turn the tide (and are not meant to), the across-the-board improvements in flak and detection capability for US ships is quite useful in many respects (on a large scale) and should not be disregarded.
Central Pacific: Sigint report entry for 4/02 indicates Japanese radio transmissions intercepted from Baker Is. Detected status of the base shows undetermined Japanese aircraft operating from Baker, no evidence of airfield or port facilities expanded, no other Jap forces or activity detected.
Australia: Japanese bombers repeat their attack on Darwin airfield, again no damage reported.
Multiple Jap air attacks on Horn Island in the Torres Strait. The 4/02 combat phase replay appears to indicate the Japanese bombers participating in these raids are operating from both Rabaul and Port Moresby. AAR’s follow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Horn Island , at 91,128
Weather in hex: Light rain
Japanese aircraft
(planes in this raid came from the directions of both Port Moresby and Rabaul)
G3M2 Nell x 7
G4M1 Betty x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 34
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
15 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Horn Island , at 91,128
Weather in hex: Light rain
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 15
No Japanese losses
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3
Aircraft Attacking:
15 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEI: Japanese amphibious landing reported underway at Padang (southern coast of Sumatra). AAR follows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Padang
TF 272 troops unloading over beach at Padang, 44,85
Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost in surf during unload of 33rd Infantry Rgt
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad accidentally lost during unload of 33rd Infantry Rgt /3
75mm T94 Mtn Gun damaged beyond repair during unload of 33rd Infantry Rgt /3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many locations in the DEI remain owned (as opposed to effectively controlled) by the Dutch – including Palembang, parts of the southern coast of Borneo, central and northern areas of Celebes (except Manado), western New Guinea, plus most of the smaller island bases in the eastern DEI.
Japanese control in the DEI at this time is centered around Java (now completely occupied), most of Borneo (except parts of the southern coast), most of Sumatra (except Palembang), southern Celebes (Makassar & Kendari) plus Manado, Koepang (on Timor), and a small number of island bases in the eastern DEI.
Virtually no effective Allied forces remain in the DEI theatre, therefore, what remains in Dutch hands is awaiting Pillager’s mop-up operations which are likely to occur following the Japanese capture of Palembang.
Philippines: Japanese launch their initial ground attack on Bataan. 19K supply remains on-hand in Bataan, not expecting supply there to last for very long. AAR follows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bataan (78,77)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1035 troops, 71 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 470
Defending force 61667 troops, 931 guns, 817 vehicles, Assault Value = 2129
Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
(all Jap artillery LCU in this action arrived here from Singapore)
19th Division
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
4th Marine Regiment
41st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
192nd Tank Battalion
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
21st PA Infantry Division
Manila Bay Defenses
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
31st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry Division
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
14th PS Engineer Regiment
86th PS Coastal Artillery Battalion
4th PA Constabulary Regiment
2nd/45th PS Inf Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
91st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
11th PA Infantry Division
194th Tank Battalion
2nd PA Constblry HW Regiment
1st PI Base Force
Bataan USN Base Force
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
Cavite USN Base Force
Manila USAAF Base Force
301st Construction Battalion
II Philippine Corps
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
PAF Aviation
USAFFE
202nd PA Construction Battalion
Far East USAAF
Provisional GMC Grp
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
201st PA Construction Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
I Philippine Corps
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India/Burma: Japanese launch air attacks in this theatre against Akyab and Ledo. These actions represent the first appearance of Japanese air forces anywhere in the Burma theatre. AAR’s follow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ledo , at 65,38
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet *
City Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45
Weather in hex: Light rain
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 16
No Japanese losses
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 23
(Airfield service damage 13, runway damage 23)
Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 1000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No Allied air forces are currently based at Akyab – I have no immediate plans for developing and using Akyab as an airbase at least until such time where it’s certain Akyab can remain in Allied control for the long term. Akyab is being occupied as a forward position by a small British garrison (two Bn’s). Pillager did not move on Akyab in our previous CHS match, this base remained in Allied control last time although the area around Akyab and Cox’s Bazar was a “no man’s land” between the Japanese and Allied front lines until late 1943.
China: Japanese ground attack at Nanning continues. Latest AAR follows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 730 troops, 51 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 573
Defending force 7922 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 169
Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
41st Division
(newly arrived to reinforce this attack)
13th Tank Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
21st Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese continue assault on Sian. AAR and current situation map follow. It appears Pillager could be making a move with two Japanese LCU to outflank Sian from the NW. Given the relatively favorable terrain for defense of this hex (hex 84,39), I issued orders for several Chinese infantry corps from the adjacent hex to enter hex 84,39 in order to obstruct (if not effectively counter) Pillager’s possible move. Japanese LCU strength to the NW of Sian is relatively weak (3 LCU in two hexes) giving a decent possibility of stopping or seriously delaying Pillager’s outflanking move.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sian (83,41)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 53658 troops, 469 guns, 143 vehicles, Assault Value = 1910
Defending force 100406 troops, 638 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3307
Japanese adjusted assault: 1022
Allied adjusted defense: 4758
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 3)
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
8368 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 304 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 492 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 47 disabled
Vehicles lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2712 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 73 destroyed, 296 disabled
Engineers: 32 destroyed, 21 disabled
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
110th Division
36th Division
(newly arrived to reinforce this attack)
35th Division
26th Division
HQ 12th Army
(newly arrived to reinforce this attack)
Defending units:
1st Construction Regiment
47th Chinese Corps
15th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Corps
3rd Construction Regiment
98th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
23rd Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
43rd Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
33rd Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
2nd Construction Regiment
Red Chinese Army
34th Group Army
39th Group Army
12th Chinese Base Force
15th Group Army
14th Group Army
7th Group Army
Jingcha War Area
4th Group Army
1st War Area
24th Group Army
8th Group Army
36th Group Army
15th Chinese Base Force
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
