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

[Andy Mac]

YAA PZB back fromn Hols no turn yet but one is coming and then its back to BurMA !!!

[Andy Mac]

<GOES TO RE READ DEFEAT INTO vICTORY>

[Heeward]

Nice book there.

What is your long term plan?
What are your targets for your heavy bomber fleet?
Oil&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Heavy Industry&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Light Industry&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Production - Armaments / Aircraft / Engines etc

Having made a target type selection(s) How are you going to get into Heavy Bomber range of the targets? What other bases will get you in fighter range.
Is this even in your plans?

[rroberson]

Remember...stick and move...stick and move.

If you are hitting him in multiple places he can not defend everywhere...

...if he tries to then he will lose...

[Andy Mac]

Theatre by theatre

In Burma my objective is to

1. Tie up as many IJA LCU's as possible - writing down as many as possible along the way.
2. Attrit Japanese pilot pools and stop the stockpiling of pilots.
3. Attrit IJN

a tactical objective is to try and capture Rangoon towards which the 1st step is building up Ramree and breaking out onto the Schwebo plain but that is not essential.

In SWPAC

1. Tie up as many IJA LCU's as possible - writing down as many as possible along the way.
2. Attrit Japanese pilot pools and stop the stockpiling of pilots.
3. Attrit IJN

In order to achieve this I need to recapture PM and push into the Solomons - these will not be war winning pushes their only real purpose is to open another front and force PZB to garrison bases spreading his LCU's out.

In CENTPAC when my strenght is sufficient - go for the jugular hey diddle dee right down the middle.......BUT only when I am strong enough.......

[Andy Mac]

Last couple of turns I have lost about 100 for 50 japanese over Akyab - a lot of losses in the Vengeance D|B's of which I have lots also DD TF's have been clashing off of Ramree Island

Tomorrow my heavies and mediums shift targets hitting Prome and Magwe hopefully heavily

[Andy Mac]

ps 100+ USMC F4U's and 100+ USN F6F's became operational last night spreading the load out a little

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

ps 100+ USMC F4U's and 100+ USN F6F's became operational last night spreading the load out a little

Do you mean in Burma?

[Andy Mac]

yup

[Andy Mac]

According to PZB we both lost 120 aircraft today - not seen it yet but 1:1 is good for me I have a LOT of aircraft in Burma now and more that can rotate in only fragile force is the RAF Mdiums

[beppi]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

According to PZB we both lost 120 aircraft today - not seen it yet but 1:1 is good for me I have a LOT of aircraft in Burma now and more that can rotate in only fragile force is the RAF Mdiums

As long as you have a good mixture of you units (USA,USMC,USN,RAF, possible australian + NZ) a 1:1 loss rate is more than ok. You get more and more and better planes (RAF P47 in the next months, more F6F-5 than now, the F4UD will come online in great numbers). RAF Mediums and for my opinion mediums in general remain always a problem. But with the B24 from the Brits (15 each month or so) and the 15 Australian 4E and the 68 US B-24 you can convert most of you forces to 4E as the reinforcements are better than for 2E. In addition the B-29 will come online soon. Sure it is hard to repair and has a lot of downtime but with the huge range (mine laying operations) it is suitable to kill airfields far away from the front lines. In general Burma is a good field of operation.

Ever thought about some landings in/around burma ? PB for example. To win Burma you have to slowly encircle it which to a situation where it gets harder and harder to bring reinforcements and supply. Burma with the extended supply rules in the later patches is won by supply.

[Andy Mac]

Yup it was a mixed bag today I lost a few but so did he.

Burma Corps will have a hard fight at Schwebo

6 IJA Divs v my 4.5

Mine are digging fast and a heavy air strike will support them.

XV Corps is about to cross the Chindwin with another 5 Divs so that will make things interesting....



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

Ground combat at Shwebo (59,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 63997 troops, 826 guns, 946 vehicles, Assault Value = 2398

Defending force 52750 troops, 770 guns, 413 vehicles, Assault Value = 2043

Japanese adjusted assault: 951

Allied adjusted defense: 1402

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3531 casualties reported
Squads: 105 destroyed, 229 disabled
Non Combat: 48 destroyed, 111 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Vehicles lost 32 (2 destroyed, 30 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
2596 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 276 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 261 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Vehicles lost 86 (9 destroyed, 77 disabled)


Assaulting units:
90th Infantry Regiment
21st Division
38th Division
2nd Tank Division
33rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
42nd Infantry Regiment
11th Division
6th Guards Division
54th Field AA Battalion
16th AA Regiment
16th Field AA Machinecannon Company
56th Field AA Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
52nd Field AA Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
102nd Machine Canno AA Battalion
18th Army
1st Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.AA Gun Co
101st Machine Canno AA Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
15th Army
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
55th Const Co
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
62nd Field AA Battalion

Defending units:
20th Indian Division
23rd Indian Division
5th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
66th Chinese/C Corps
134th Field Artillery Battalion
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
Burma Corps
97th Field Artillery Battalion
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Indian Light AA Regiment

[Andy Mac]

Jan 1st Crumbling operations begin....

Ground combat at 54,47 (near Ramree Island)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13119 troops, 300 guns, 322 vehicles, Assault Value = 816

Defending force 8723 troops, 128 guns, 803 vehicles, Assault Value = 454

Allied adjusted assault: 153

Japanese adjusted defense: 357

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 87 (13 destroyed, 74 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
200 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Jan 2nd Indian troops keep breaking inside the Japanese lines and taking out vehicles....

Assaulting units:
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
Guides Cavalry Regiment
75th IAC Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
Gardner's Horse Regiment
5th Indian Division
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
77th Coast AA Regiment
23rd Indian Engineer Battalion

Defending units:
8th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division


Ground combat at 54,47 (near Ramree Island)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20918 troops, 410 guns, 889 vehicles, Assault Value = 809

Defending force 8399 troops, 128 guns, 791 vehicles, Assault Value = 418

Allied adjusted assault: 208

Japanese adjusted defense: 301

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
155 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 104 (66 destroyed, 38 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Jan 3rd the attack keeps going in and killing armour


Assaulting units:
Guides Cavalry Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
75th IAC Regiment
Gardner's Horse Regiment
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
5th Indian Division
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
77th Coast AA Regiment
23rd Indian Engineer Battalion

Defending units:
8th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division

Ground combat at 54,47 (near Ramree Island)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20905 troops, 410 guns, 889 vehicles, Assault Value = 807

Defending force 8399 troops, 128 guns, 791 vehicles, Assault Value = 418

Allied adjusted assault: 256

Japanese adjusted defense: 1107

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 81 (54 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
Gardner's Horse Regiment
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
75th IAC Regiment
Guides Cavalry Regiment
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
5th Indian Division
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
77th Coast AA Regiment
23rd Indian Engineer Battalion

Defending units:
8th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division


The moral of the story a Tank Div should not be left without enough Infantry in bad terrain when the enemy has a good quality Inf Div to get in amongst them.

Combat odds are irrelevant 5th Indian Div is tearing the Jap Tank Div apart slowly

[Andy Mac]

Tomorrow I have ordered a full out strike on Magwe, heavy LRCAP over Schwebo until my forts are a bit higher and a max efforty strike on Guards Tank Div covered by sweeping fighters.

Several Sqns have been pulled back to Madras to reorganise so I can put them back into the fight in a few days,

Sqn rotation is important in this kind of fight

[Andy Mac]

ps the reinforced 5th Indian Div Group has to many Armoured Cars I should have released them onto the plain rather than tying them to this kind of dog fight a mistake I may live to regret later

[Andy Mac]

Hmmmm I have a funny felling I ordered a shock attack by mistake today maybe prematurely

If I have its a mistake the deliberate crumbling attacks were still working....

I need to get fatigue down in some of my front line sqns so a few will be resting tomorrow my heavies are going to hit Magwe in force.....it will prpbably be empty but from here on out every turn the strategic boys will be hitting a different air field and putting it out of commission

[Andy Mac]

Forces are finally starting to get in position in other theatres Carriers are re concentrating on te US West Coast.

Surface and Amphib forces are assembling for the Solomons and New Guinea attacks

[Andy Mac]

I had previously rotated out my Fighter Bomber force after its heavy losses a week ago its now more or less back up to strength and will recommit in two days when I rotate out a few RAF Medium Sqns.

I need to rotate Sqns pretty regurarily.

At present I have 7 main Bomber forces

1. RAF Strategic - Wellingtons and Libs quite low in num bers now but will start to rebuild as RAF Libs start to increase in numbers
2. RAF Mediums - also getting low as more and sqns take casualties I cannot replace - due to rotate out in next few days
3. RAF Fighter Bombers - rotated out to reserve a few days ago due to recommit when I rotate out the RAF bombers
4. 1st USAAF Mediums - mostly B25D1's on the line now
5. 2nd USAAF Mediums - B25C's, A20's and a couple of B25D1 Sqns - on the line now
6. USAAF Strategic - B24J's
7. USAAF/USN Strategic - PB4Y's and B24D's

Number 2 is starting to look a little threadabare so it will need to rotate out soon

[Andy Mac]

Its always possible to tell when I have a quiet day at work by the numbr of daytime posts in my AAR thread [:D][:D][:D]

[Andy Mac]

USS Flounder does a good job nailing Junyo off Phuket - outstanding !!!!
Sub attack near Phuket at 47,71

Japanese Ships
CV Junyo, Torpedo hits 2
CL Kitakami
CL Naka
DD Shiranui
DD Hikokaze
DD Suresushio
DD Katsutade

Allied Ships
SS Flounder, hits 3


SS Flounder launches 6 torpedoes at CV Junyo
DD Hikokaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Suresushio attacking submerged sub ....
DD Katsutade attacking submerged sub ....
DD Suresushio fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Katsutade fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub



Then my naval air hits a convoy and nails a couple of ships
Morning Air attack on TF, near Ramree Island at 54,48

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes


Allied aircraft
SBD-5 Dauntless x 18


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Katori, Bomb hits 2
DD Yugumo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Atutasan Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AK Tosan Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Yugumo
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Atutasan Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Ramree Island at 54,48

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 69 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes


Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIc x 12


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter VIc: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Umikaze
DD Matsukaze
DD Yugumo, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Beaufighter VIc bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ramree Island at 54,48

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 113 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes


Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIc x 3
Beaufighter TF.X x 12


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter TF.X: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Umikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Yugumo, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Matsukaze
DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 1



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Beaufighter VIc bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
12 x Beaufighter TF.X bombing from 100 feet

Good though this is they were supposed to hit the damned AF ah well I will take what I can get....
Morning Air attack on 5th Guards Division, at 57,47 (Magwe)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 140 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 48 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 110
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 16
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 41


Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
1454 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 108 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 43 (5 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Ground combat at 54,47 (near Ramree Island)

Somehow I had set a shock attack but it worked out the Allied force managed to isolate and destroy 8th Tank Regt - a day of rest then back to crumbling Guards Tank Div.

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 19556 troops, 368 guns, 754 vehicles, Assault Value = 797

Defending force 7727 troops, 127 guns, 713 vehicles, Assault Value = 364

Allied adjusted assault: 282

Japanese adjusted defense: 375


Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 51 (50 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 28 (2 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Assaulting units:
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
Guides Cavalry Regiment
75th IAC Regiment
Gardner's Horse Regiment
5th Indian Division
77th Coast AA Regiment
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
23rd Indian Engineer Battalion

Defending units:
8th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division

So far so good - KB spotted Junyo eats a pair of fish, and my air force gets the job done for once. Tomorrow XV Corps crosses the Chindwin so a max effort strike against the Japanese 14th Div assuming all goes well I will be able to flank the Japanese force at Schwebo