War in the Pacific as the Japanese Planned It

[herwin]

Swirling battles in the air.

Japanese begin reducing Changsha.

[herwin]

Mostly air operations.

[herwin]

Mostly indecisive air operations.

[herwin]

September 17/18 1942

I decided to stop forcing matters for a while. My opponent responded with "Ouch!"

I guess this was the reason:

Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 82278 troops, 733 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 2563
 
Defending force 60745 troops, 378 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1496
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 2126
 
Allied adjusted defense: 6455
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 4)
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      11342 casualties reported
         Squads: 42 destroyed, 931 disabled
         Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 56 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 50 disabled
      Guns lost 51 (2 destroyed, 49 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      1269 casualties reported
         Squads: 8 destroyed, 86 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 45 disabled
         Engineers: 8 destroyed, 65 disabled
      Guns lost 43 (1 destroyed, 42 disabled)

[herwin]

September 18/19 1942

Allied night bomber attacks cause a bit of damage and destroy a fighter.

200 Japanese aircraft strike a tank brigade. One tank destroyed, four disabled. I would expect about 100 infantry casualties, so this is an improvement.

[herwin]

September 19/20 1942

I begin to fly a division into PM.

Air operations favor the Japanese.

[herwin]

September 20/21 1942

I've stopped playing realistically and now am just concentrating on beating the game. This turn I sent some reconnaisance troops into Lunga to check out the place.

Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
 
Allied Shock attack
 
Attacking force 288 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20
 
Defending force 1659 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58
 
Allied adjusted assault: 8
 
Japanese adjusted defense: 19
 
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)
 
Japanese ground losses:
      57 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      61 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
 
 
Assaulting units:
    2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1
 
Defending units:
    46th Naval Guard Unit

[herwin]

September 21/22 1942

I taunted my opponent about the landings at Lunga, to see whether I could draw out the KB... Obviously I did. Pull out all the shipping and stuff all the bases...

Japanese light SAG sweeps off PM and into the (mined) harbor. Japanese BB shells a commando company near Milne Bay.

Japanese deliberate assaults at Changsha and Davao.

Japanese capture Wau.

[herwin]

September 22/23 1942

The KB came out to play, and tried to squash me. I need to keep the pressure on Lunga. Meanwhile I'm chopping Burma off at the knees. It doesn't help to hold Mandalay if the Allies take Rangoon and Pegu.

[herwin]

September 23/24 1942

Ambon falls.

Japan tries to overrun a dug-in British infantry division in the jungle with armored tankettes. Strange and wonderful things happen. At least most of the tankettes die. It's just a game.

[ADB123]

ORIGINAL: herwin

September 23/24 1942

Ambon falls.

Japan tries to overrun a dug-in British infantry division in the jungle with armored tankettes. Strange and wonderful things happen. At least most of the tankettes die. It's just a game.

You sound surprised that unsupported 1942 Japanese light AV regiments would have troubles with a dug-in British Infantry Division... I would be surprised if they didn't have trouble...

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: ADB123

ORIGINAL: herwin

September 23/24 1942

Ambon falls.

Japan tries to overrun a dug-in British infantry division in the jungle with armored tankettes. Strange and wonderful things happen. At least most of the tankettes die. It's just a game.

You sound surprised that unsupported 1942 Japanese light AV regiments would have troubles with a dug-in British Infantry Division... I would be surprised if they didn't have trouble...

Then the game will surprise you. The combat engine loves tanks, even tankettes, and even in mountainous jungle with at most paths. It's just a game.

[witpqs]

Infantry squads that have higher anti-hard rating are murder on Japanese tanks.

[herwin]

There are some Japanese subs hanging around PM. I'll need to encourage them to leave. I flew 150 fighters into PM to set up a trap for my opponent's Betties. They decided the better part of valor was to be absent. The KB hit my company at Lunga, and lost 8 aircraft. It's headed back towards Rabaul and PM.

[herwin]

Mostly air battles.

Large Japanese convoy detected headed towards Rangoon to reinforce their forces in South Burma.

Deliberate attach at Changsha

Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 141680 troops, 1314 guns, 241 vehicles, Assault Value = 4024
 
Defending force 58333 troops, 372 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1214
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 4596
 
Allied adjusted defense: 4213
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
 
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Major Japanese air losses. The following was my favorite:

Afternoon Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
 
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
 
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M2 Zero x 66
      G3M2 Nell x 43
      G4M1 Betty x 47
      Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 2
 
 
 
Allied aircraft
      Kittyhawk IA x 35
      P-38F Lightning x 5
      P-40E Warhawk x 37
 
 
Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M2 Zero: 14 destroyed
      G3M2 Nell: 6 destroyed, 4 damaged
      G4M1 Betty: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
      Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed
      P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
 
 
 
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 41
 
Aircraft Attacking:
      16 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
      19 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
      19 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 8000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
      14 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 8000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
 
CAP engaged:
No.75 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 5 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
      4 planes vectored on to bombers
No.76 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 6 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 9000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
No.77 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 6 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
18th FG/19th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 9 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
      3 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/44th FS with P-38F Lightning (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 1 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 13000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
15th FG/45th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 9 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes
      4 planes vectored on to bombers
 
 
 
---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
 
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
 
Raid detected at 61 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 20
 
 
 
Allied aircraft
      Kittyhawk IA x 16
      P-38F Lightning x 1
      P-40E Warhawk x 11
 
 
Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
      Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed on ground
 
 
 
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2
 
Aircraft Attacking:
      12 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
 
CAP engaged:
No.75 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 7 scrambling)
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 16000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
No.76 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
      1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
No.77 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 18000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
18th FG/19th FS with P-40E Warhawk (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
      3 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 16000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
18th FG/44th FS with P-38F Lightning (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 31000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
15th FG/45th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes

[herwin]

My goal this turn was to reinforce PM enough that I could chew up the KB when it joined the LBA at Rabaul to put down the base. That seems to have been successful. At least no bombers hit PM.

There is a light Japanese SAG in the Coral Sea. I don't know what else might be hanging out there, so I think I'll do some search. Better safe than sorry.

[herwin]

September 27/28 1942

I insert some more parachute troops on Lunga. Can I lure the KB back?

No bombing activity against PM.

Aircraft losses favor the Japanese this turn.

[herwin]

September 28/29 1942

I know it's just a game, but...

A 5-1 ground attack on a deployed defender should not produce 6-1 casualties. This is not a naval battle on the open sea.

Ground combat at 56,50 (near Prome)
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 56687 troops, 492 guns, 118 vehicles, Assault Value = 1800
 
Defending force 12818 troops, 109 guns, 196 vehicles, Assault Value = 378
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 1885
 
Allied adjusted defense: 59
 
Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
 
Japanese ground losses:
      788 casualties reported
         Squads: 6 destroyed, 84 disabled
         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      4842 casualties reported
         Squads: 119 destroyed, 114 disabled
         Non Combat: 167 destroyed, 103 disabled
         Engineers: 7 destroyed, 33 disabled
      Guns lost 63 (10 destroyed, 53 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 82 (42 destroyed, 40 disabled)
      Units retreated 2

[herwin]

September 29/30 1942

The Combined Fleet sorties from Rabaul escorting a large convoy. It doesn't appear to come very far, but air search is far from reliable.

[witpqs]

Harry that looks like a breakthrough with over-runs and encirclements achieved in various sectors. I would rationalize many of the destroyed squads as "captured", because the game doesn't display "captured" unless the whole unit surrenders.