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Canoerebel
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Canoerebel »

It's possible but highly unlikely that an American division would end up in the interior of NE India this early in 1942.  Very, very unlikely.  It could be a smaller unit from the USA (such as a base force), or it could be a cadre unit that your opponent evacuated by air from Luzon into China that marched down into Burma and then reported for duty in India.
 
An Allied player is playing with fire if he tries to defend too far forward in Burma in early '42.  It can be done by a crack player under certain circumstances, but if your opponent is relatively new, he may lose an army trying.
 
Chittagong does have a fortress, but from what I've seen in a previous game it doesn't wreak havoc on a properly constituted IJ invasion force.  Give some consideration, though, to landing at Vizagapetum and then moving north, thus isoaling everything from Calcultta northward and easterward.  That gives you a more sizeable pocket and a chance to reduce and eventually take Calcutta if you want it.  Landing at Chittagong, on the other hand, gives your opponent a chance to build an MLR anchored at Calcutta, and that could be a pretty stout line.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

You may be right Canoe. Thing is though air recon is reporting 3 units and 35K troops in that hex with it maybe half the time appearing the American army color. I'd guess there are two divisions there marching though to Burma and I suppose it doesn't really matter the nationality.
From bombing efforts I know 17th indian is at Schwebo with some artillery, 1st burma div is totally gone and I hit the british 18th in north burma at some point. My knowledge of the allied OOB is not great but other than III AU Corps (marching into burma now from recon) what other major units are deployable into burma this early?

{edit} I also think my opponent may be using the 1st amphib corps to buy out WC divisions on the cheap. I have glen subs reconning most of his major pacific bases and there are a LOT of troops around, more than I would expect at this point. Its one reason I have abandoned advancing further in the pacific.

Ummmm can I send invasion forces up the rivers in india? I just occurred to me that could be an interesting gambit if its possible.
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Well 37k men, 960 AFV's and 660 Guns at Kalemyo on the Burma/India border and its still showing US army green. Yikes!
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Organised resistance in Sumatra is over, it will take a week or two to mop up and occupy the western coast but other than some raids on Palembang costing me ~200 oil production total it was a fairly painless occupation.
Batavia is about to be invested with 2 IJA Divisions and ~400 AV of SNLF units as well as a significant amount of artillery. I expect around 900AV of dutch which should crumble eventually. If needed I will bring in reinforcements from Singapore.
The pacific is quiet, no sign of any allied movements but the usual supply line appears to be slowly being reinforced. This is fine with me as I don't really have much in the way of plans in the pacific as the allies have avoided naval combat at every turn and it is difficult enough to keep all the far flung bases supplied/fueled as it is. Noumea and Fiji will likely be the first allied targets here and they are being heavily reinforced by the 16th army and a significant amount of navy planes (mostly netties/zeroes.)
The allies appear to have retreated fully from North Ausy.

The India plan is slowly coming together.
A minimum of 2500AV (hopefully I can swing 3k) including most of the available imperial divisions will land at diamond harbor in two waves and proceed to storm Calcutta while Marine units land along the Indian coast to cut what railways I can. Para's will also be part of the landing force and they will attempt to take crucial rail junctions to slow down enemy reinforcements. Calcutta will be a tough one to crack thanks to its 4x bonus and I expect at least 500-600 AV to be present.

While this is going on an enormous armored spearhead will land at Chittagong and rush to cut off any land connection to Burma. The Burma coast looks fairly deserted other than the 10K troops at Chittagong so will be taken with minimal force.

Currently the 25th army is starting its advance into northern Burma. I am trying to draw out the RAF which appears to be reinforced with American planes, although I cannot tell if there are American squadrons present I strongly suspect so given the large numbers of fighters present and the appearance of US Army troops at another base in Burma.

Port Blair and the other Andaman base are slated to be built up as fast as possible into significant airfields. Port blair is up to AF3 and engineers are landing at the other base. I have an AirHQ on the way to allow torpedo carrying betties to interdict the entirety of the Indian ocean.
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

19th March 1942

Emails come and go with KFSGO exuding a palpable British smugness about my lack of progress in Burma. I am probing with tanks and trying to draw the forces out of the jungle and into Burma proper. it looks like they are walking across but jungle movement takes ages so it may be a another week or two.

He is limiting his fighters to CAP over rear bases and if I go try dig hurricanes/P-40 out with Oscars at the end of their range I will suffer horrible losses to my precious pilots while his will all just bail out. I need to tempt him to use the RAF bombers and jump them while they are escorting. Hopefully Magwe oilfields will draw them out. I also have a rather excessive amount of AA ready to rail into Magwe the turn after it falls.

In China I have pulled 4K AV from the north and created a 6K AV spearhead that is shortly going to smash thorough the Chinese lines at Henyangs clear terrain and surround Changsha. At this point the main force is undetected but the 500AV advance guard has just ridden over a Chinese corps in clear terrain with minimal casualties so he knows something is up. Hopefully I can encircle a large amount of troops at Changsha but in all likelyhood KFSGO will just withdraw as he has in other locations. I have to admit he does seem to know when to pick a fight and when to fall back which just makes the forward defense in Burma even stranger.


Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

We're up to 22 March '42 now

Looks like my assault in central China has been rumbled. Ten thousand troops move out of Changsha heading for Henyang. Also a blocking force meets my armored spearhead two hexes south of Changsha.

-----------------------------------------------------
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 15758 troops, 93 guns, 354 vehicles, Assault Value = 922
 
Defending force 19954 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 832
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 498
 
Allied adjusted defense: 455
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
 
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
 morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      851 casualties reported
         Squads: 4 destroyed, 74 disabled
         Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 43 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
      Vehicles lost 49 (4 destroyed, 45 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      282 casualties reported
         Squads: 2 destroyed, 49 disabled
         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 42 disabled
         Engineers: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
 
 
Assaulting units:
    60th Division
    12th Tank Regiment
    Yangtze SNLF
    15th Tank Regiment
    13th Tank Regiment
    51st Infantry Brigade
    52nd Infantry Brigade
    9th Armored Car Co
    5th Armored Car Co
 
Defending units:
    99th Chinese Corps
    100th Chinese Corps
    21st Chinese/C Corps

-----------------------------------------------------

The two brigades recombine into a division this turn as the 51st had only just arrived and didn't participate in the assault. 100 planes are hitting the blocking force every day and a shock attack is ordered this turn to see if we can overwhelm them. Another Six thousand AV is less than a week away but I don't want to tip my hand by revealing just how much I have brought to the party. If I can get across the river into the clear terrain then I can either surround the Chinese forces in their redoubts or force them to withdraw.

Nearly three thousand AV is assembled at Singapore including a massive armored force. Worryingly Chittagong is now reporting 27K troops with 160 guns and 160 AFV. I really don't want to land amphibiously against that sort of force.

KB is joined by the two CVL and is now a days sail away from Singapore and will pause there for a little bit to replenish and repair some minor sys damage. Afterward an IO raid is on the books as there are what looks like significant RN surface forces lurking around off western Sumatra and another force up by Ceylon.
The majority of the IJN battleships and surface forces are also a day or two from Singapore.
Fast sealift (AP/AK/xAP/AK-t -- 17kts+) for approx 100K troops is present or unloading at Singapore. More 14/12 kt transports are arriving to transport all the crap other than frontline forces that an invasion needs.

Troops are preparing for the India invasion and if an opportunity arises I will take it.

Currently a plan is for three prepped ind rgt to land at diamond harbor and overwhelm the defenders of the CD guns then march onto Calcutta, this also serves to open up a retreat path from the Calcutta hex. After the river mouth guns are silenced the rest of the invasion force proceeds up the river to land at Calcutta with CA support in all the invasion TF's as well as a separate CA bombardment force.
The BB's will have to content themselves with nuking Chittagong and running interference to keep the RN off the invasion forces as well as being bomb magnets.

I will likely have to contend with the majority of the RAF launching from Calcutta and surrounds. There are significant numbers of Swordfish and Vildebeast still as they saw almost no combat in the DEI as well as likely LowNav trained RAF skipbombers. The three CVE will be fitted with full zero complements and assigned to cover the invasion forces while the three Carrier Divs of the KB (2 reinforced with CVL) will operate as a single unit to cover the invasion forces and respond to any naval threats.

If KFSGO has combined the US/UK carrier forces I could have quite a fight on my hands. I think the total would be 5 CV + Hermes + RAF LBA against 6 CV + 2 CVL. Also force Z and some R class BB's are no doubt hanging around.
Still I think the superiority of the Zero and my torpedo bombers having functional torpedoes would be enough to give me a win. As far as I know the british also don't have any decent CV fighters at this point (Fulmars [8|]). Finally Betty's flying from Port Blair with torpedoes will be able to search and attack most of the IO and pick off any cripples as well as hopefully giving me a days warning of a CV force moving in.

My biggest worry at this point is Sigint betraying me and landing at Calcutta to find the entire Indian army in a 4x Hex.

Thoughts on the attack plan?
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Well shit looks like the commonwealth is in full retreat from Burma. Kfsgo must have been spooked by sigint or possibly 25th army's advance. I guess I know why there are suddenly thirty thousand troops at Chittagong.

The good news is there are now only 3k troops at Calcutta and it will take him a while to walk out of Burma. I'm still tempted to do the op but I dont think I could achieve a long term occupation with all the forces in Burma headed out already.

I am now considering an occupation of Ceylon, it looks lightly held and an invasion there would hopefully do an lot of damage to RN surface assets.
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

A china Update. I was a bit too overzealous in draining fuel from Manchurua and Korea, this has left most of the HI unable to produce and I am running low on supplies. A huge supply shipment is arriving at Shanghai this turn as well as a convoy with 100k of fuel being diverted to shanghai (its the first palembang shipment.)

Otherwise good news! The Chinese blocking force was thrown back with moderate casualties and a lot of destroyed squads. The way to Henyang is now open!

---------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Pingsiang (82,54)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 20773 troops, 131 guns, 354 vehicles, Assault Value = 868

Defending force 19344 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 776

Japanese adjusted assault: 860

Allied adjusted defense: 233

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Pingsiang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
     1802 casualties reported
        Squads: 6 destroyed, 163 disabled
        Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 76 disabled
        Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Allied ground losses:
     5806 casualties reported
        Squads: 265 destroyed, 55 disabled
        Non Combat: 174 destroyed, 47 disabled
        Engineers: 39 destroyed, 4 disabled
     Guns lost 9 (9 destroyed, 0 disabled)
     Units retreated 3


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
   60th Division
   Yangtze SNLF
   58th Division
   13th Tank Regiment
   15th Tank Regiment
   12th Tank Regiment
   9th Armored Car Co
   5th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
   99th Chinese Corps
   100th Chinese Corps
   21st Chinese/C Corps


Image

It looks like troops are being pulled in from everywhere to defend Henayang. However There appears to be no way to stop me getting to the hex now and in open terrain I just don't see how any Chinese force can stand against the enormous army I have moving up.
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PaxMondo
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by PaxMondo »

Well, your economy is right on track.  [;)]  April is when you start to run out of fuel/oil in the HI and you are right on track.  [:D]
 
When you get the Singers to PA corridor open, it will become much easier to supply the HI with the Fuel it needs.  Looks like you are still more than 1 month away from that though.
Pax
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Im actually in pretty good shape in the Home Islands its just I wasn't careful enough about pulling fuel from Manchuria.
300 Days of oil in the Home Islands and 175 days of fuel. 3K Heavy industry saved per day with a 20K bite for pilot training each month so about 70K HI saved per month. HI is also modestly increased in Manchuria/Korea to be near the resource sources.
Home Island resources are trending up about 2K per day without any draw from the SRA. Soon will start running a few resource convoys from the SRA as well.

Biggest issue is really I have been trying to do too much and I have only a small supply surplus which will mostly go to my big operation. Also me forgetting to expand Bomber engines enough so now production is limited (did the maths with the Sally's/Bettie's only using one engine leaving me 100 engines/month short) as well as forgetting the Tojo uses the HA-34 as well as the Helen. However I think I caught this second one in time and the factory is expanding now.
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PaxMondo
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by PaxMondo »

Economy expansion eats up supplies like crazy.  That's why guys like Mike are always preaching about go slow.  He's right, unless you are really watching it like a hawk.
Pax
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Yeah I did some rough calculations and the HI expansion was to have been in surplus (generated more supplies than it used) about 2-3 weeks from now before the Manchuria fuel situation. That will likely push it back a little.

Today I lost a loaded 10K tanker to subs, shit happens you say?
-In the Formosa straits, the most heavily air/sea patrolled part of the map.
-To a US sub with a single hit.
-100 planes overfly the area twice a day and all the pilots have ASW 60+ Lownav 50+.
-Dedicated ASW TFs sweep the hex in question about 3x a day.

Sometimes the dice just hate you. [:(]
Saros
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Operations

Post by Saros »

I changed the thread title to mess with Kfsgo. I wonder if being a brit he gets the reference to Alaska or if it shall just cause even more confusion (thats not too bad really).

Currently there are two major 'operations' either in progress.

The first is OPERATION TIGER
This is the invasion of Ceylon with the aim of attritting the RAF and RN first and foremost. It will be a staged invasion with lots of Eng/AA/AirS as well as about 1000 total AV hitting all the ports on Ceylon and flying in a large LBA fighter force as quickly as the AF's can be built up while the land forces (somewhat slowly) advance over land to Colombo. After covering the initial invasion the KB will take station south of Ceylon beyond detection range and lots of fat and happy merchants and a moderate SC cover will steam around looking busy while the RAF hopefully batters itself against the LBA. Hopefully Kfsgo will take the bait and try reinforce Colombo or raid with the RN and then the KB can jump in and do what it does best and blow lots of ships up.
The general idea is to only barely commit enough force so Kfsgo see's an opportunity and risks assets.
Something so far he simply has not done.


The second and longest running is operation is the rather predictably named OPERATION PIPELINE
As is fairly obvious from the name the idea behind this is to Open the line from Singapore to Port Arthur so supplies and fuel can (rather unrealisticly I gather) flow north.
This was planned from the early days after it became obvious I wasn't going to be able to isolate large numbers of units on the northern China plains leaving it nearly impossible to take Sian.
So at first the appearance of a great effort was put up north and recon planes watched all available Chinese reserves go running in that direction.
Now the attack has shifted to central China with a concerted assault on Changsha's backdoor. That is still ongoing but so far is looking somewhat hopeful.
The third phase comes a bit later once the Chinese are fully engaged around Changsha. A force of all available troops not otherwise engaged (likely  heavily reinforced 14th and 15th armies) will advance from indochina and roll up the 'pipeline' from the other direction. The bases there are very lightly held with Kfsgo no doubt assuming he can rail in troops from his big stack in Changsha if needed.
This was on hold for a while due to the Burma situation but with the allies in full retreat without a shot fired is now back on.

Finally there is the usual defense line being developed in the Pacific.
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Cap Mandrake
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Cap Mandrake »

Saros;

Just saw the original thread title. [:D]
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PaxMondo
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by PaxMondo »

ORIGINAL: Saros

Also me forgetting to expand Bomber engines enough so now production is limited (did the maths with the Sally's/Bettie's only using one engine leaving me 100 engines/month short)
Better than me. I miss calculated and started to build TOO many engine factories! I beleive I thought I was building Junkers tri-motors or something. [:D] anyway, I have 30 factories that I won't repair just sitting. All that MP, HI wasted. Oh well.
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SqzMyLemon
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by SqzMyLemon »

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Economy expansion eats up supplies like crazy.  That's why guys like Mike are always preaching about go slow.  He's right, unless you are really watching it like a hawk.

I tried the opposite and expanded quickly at game start. I took the supply hit early when I felt I could best afford it. My reasoning was as the game progresses, I don't want my supply going towards expanding factory production, but to my bases that need it. There's nothing wrong with slow and steady, but I also think depending on your priorities, you can take that supply hit early and get your production taken care of right away in certain key areas. I over produced a few factories as Pax mentioned, but other than the initial expenditure of HI, manpower and supply I simply stopped repairs when I reached a level I wanted.

Time will tell, but I can produce hundreds of aircraft and engines in a moments notice now, and all my supply goes to my forces in the field, not tied up in factory expansion. Supply stocks continue to rise and I'd have huge reserves of supplies in the Home Islands if I wasn't constantly shipping them out.

I forgot to mention I'm in Nov. 42 in my game.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton

Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

Today is the 26th of March 1942

Well the game is progressing somewhat slowly at the moment as Kfsgo is off doing whatever geologists do best (rape the planet?, look at rocks?.)

A probing attack at Batavia goes horribly. Hopefully the two new divisions landing tomorrow will make a difference.

-------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 35992 troops, 467 guns, 188 vehicles, Assault Value = 1273

Defending force 32312 troops, 349 guns, 217 vehicles, Assault Value = 1050

Japanese adjusted assault: 504

Allied adjusted defense: 1941

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
     4721 casualties reported
        Squads: 34 destroyed, 325 disabled
        Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 306 disabled
        Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled


Allied ground losses:
     1635 casualties reported
        Squads: 14 destroyed, 76 disabled
        Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 126 disabled
        Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
     Vehicles lost 23 (1 destroyed, 22 disabled)


Assaulting units:
   83rd Naval Guard Unit
   15th Naval Guard Unit
   82nd Naval Guard Unit
   23rd Nav Gd Unit
   21st Division
   Sasebo 8th SNLF
   Kure 2nd SNLF
   33rd Division
   91st Naval Guard Unit
   3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
   1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
   10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
   2nd Mortar Battalion
   20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
   2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
   17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
   Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
   1st Regt Cavalerie
   2nd KNIL Regiment
   6th KNIL Regiment
   Barisan KNIL Regiment
   1st KNIL Regiment
   Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
   Marinier Battalion
   4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
   4th KNIL Regiment
   Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
   Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
   Roodenburg Battalion
   3rd KNIL AA Battalion
   Djambi Base Force
   1st KNIL AA Battalion
   ABDA
   ML-KNIL
   Batavia Base Force
   Soerabaja Base Force
   1 ML-KNIL Aviation
   Tjilitap Base Force
   Bandoeng Base Force
   KNIL Army Command /1

-------------------------------------------------------

In other news nothing happens. Sir Robin across the board seems to be my opponents chosen tactic other than the rather strange stand then retreat in Burma. Not quite sure what was the point of that other than maybe wasting a week or so of units preparing for now untennable Indian destinations.
If I had to guess I would say that the blasted SIGINT revealed a division planning for Calcutta or Chittagong and Kfsgo realised the peril he was in and decided to pull back.

Otherwise the Ceylon invasion is almost ready to go. Two divisions and four independent rgt and a lot of AA/ART/ENG are at Singapore preparing for their various destinations. I dearly hope this is the decisive battle Japan needs so desperately otherwise I may as well resign myself to being overwhelmed sometime in early '43 no matter what defensive precautions I take.

Directly involved naval forces are now designated the CVL/CVE from Mini KB and 1st Car Div from KB as well as 6 BB 10CA and numerous smaller craft. The other 4 CV as well as (Junyo?) Ariving in 12 days will be lurking out of sight to make it seem like I have split the KB. Surely no allied player could resist the temptation to strike at such an apparent weakness. (KB is split into components carrying ~180 aircraft per unit, each with a fast BB and 2xCA as primary heavy escorts.)
When I look over the forces it seems incredibly sparse but I must remind myself that I wish to give the impression of an Empire stretched to its limits (as if it wasn't true anyways.) Another three divisions will be on call to reinforce Ceylon if needed (amphibious transport is available at Singapore to move them at a days notice.)

[8D] Lets see just what it takes to draw Mr. Kfsgo out. [8D]
BANZAI!
Kapitanma
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Kapitanma »

What do us geologists do best? Good question, I think it's a tie between trying to pick up chicks by educating them on the value and properties of Cummingtonite (it's a mineral) and rating bowel movements on the volcanic explosivity index. 


Saros
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RE: The new smash hit from Gary Grigsby 'WISA'

Post by Saros »

30th March 1942

Colombo invasion is nearly ready, currently waiting until 1st april for zero squads for our CVE to arrive. One has no planes (no native airgroup) and the other has its airgroup withdraw on 7th april. This makes very little sense to me.
KB flounced around in front of Java headed east making sure the allies got a good look, combined with hints about north eastern ausy being hard to hold and a bunch of throwaway prep for Rockhampton hopefully Kfsgo will think that is where the main thrust will fall.
Its now hooking south and going for a quick shot at Perth which sub recon reports has 80 ships in port and absolutely zero fighters. Looks like a bunch of cargoes, a few tankers and what may be part of the dutch cruiser force, the AU fleet mostly being at the bottom of the ocean at the moment.
After the raid it will refuel from the fast AO force and head up the west side of Sumatra to escort the Colombo invasion force.

Some night raids in Burma catch a few allied fighters on the ground but no major losses on either side. Allies fall back through the jungle to India other than the Chinese seem to be planning on a stand at Lashio. No real resistance as the 3 IJA divisions of 25th Army advance with another recombining at Rangoon being held as a reserve.

Coco's I seems to be visited by small transport forces every few days with the occasional one picked off by my subs. 20 warhawks and B-339 plus 30B are operating out of a level 1 airbase somehow. I lost a couple of nells who went after the transports due to being slack with range settings. Looks like a decent ground force, maybe 80AV with some forts if I had to guess.
A Bde (200AV) and some combat eng are prepping for Cocos with a ind rgt (180AV) also preparing in case it is needed.

In china the clear hex SW of Henayang now has 2 Div and 4 Tank Rgt essentially making any attempt to dislodge the IJA in open ground suicide. The Chinese are massing across the river and in 3-4 days I will have a 7K av assault force ready to start the crossing. Kfsgo seems to have realised the decisive battle of this theater is coming but is hamstrung by my air superiority keeping the Chinese interdicted and bombing supply + stopping him from building forts at Henayang. Why he doesn't bring the AVG back to china I do not know, its not like he's doing anything with them in Burma/India and the 60 or so oscars flying escort in China would be hard pressed to deal with equal numbers of modern fighters. (About the only thing Oscars have going for them is the fact they aren't Nates.)
Saros
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Now things are getting interesting

Post by Saros »

Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 60397 troops, 706 guns, 302 vehicles, Assault Value = 2088

Defending force 31429 troops, 348 guns, 211 vehicles, Assault Value = 990

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese adjusted assault: 1118

Allied adjusted defense: 1999

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3787 casualties reported
Squads: 29 destroyed, 182 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 239 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled


Allied ground losses:
2209 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 115 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 154 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF
82nd Naval Guard Unit
33rd Division
48th Division
Sasebo 8th SNLF
38th Division
21st Division
91st Naval Guard Unit
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
6th KNIL Regiment
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
1st Regt Cavalerie
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
2nd KNIL Regiment
4th KNIL Regiment
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
Marinier Battalion
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
Roodenburg Battalion
Tjilitap Base Force
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
1st KNIL AA Battalion
ABDA
Soerabaja Base Force
Bandoeng Base Force
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
Djambi Base Force
ML-KNIL
Batavia Base Force
KNIL Army Command /1

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Batavia is looking much better now 2 more divisions have arrived. Most of the disablements/losses were from the marines so they are all withdrawing.


China is about to heat up as this group shock attacks tomorrow or the day after into Henayang.

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The 'Colombo' invasion force departs today. CVE's provide cover until the KB catches up. 5BB's are along for bombardment and heavy cover as well as a dozen or so CA and the vast majority of the IJN CL and DD force.

S-34 runs across an amphibious TF bound for that base in the straits north of Ausy I forget the name. I make unhappy noises in my email about my big plan being rumbled and I am dropping Para's on a dot base in NE ausy this turn so hopefully Kfsgo will take a hint and decide I am going for an Australia invasion. He has been spying on my Buildup at singapore and can't fail to know 'something' is coming.

And of course a Glamour shot of the KB on its way to set up shop between Colombo and the Capetown wormhole for a few days until the invasion force needs its zeroes for cover. Hopefully I can catch an inbound/outbound convoy or some of the RN in transit. Kfsgo was complaining that running TF's offmap at full speeds makes them run out of fuel [8|] so I assume at a minimum some tankers/AO will be heading down to the wormhole.

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