Sleepless on Samoa, the Sequel (wneumann vs Pillager) Allies only

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 8/29/42

South Pacific: No reported contacts with Japanese naval forces or aircraft. Alerts and precautions will remain in effect for at least one more game turn for the Suva/Samoa area and New Zealand – alerts have included activation of LBA, also all submarines that had been in port were put to sea and dispatched to patrol areas, some non-essential ships at anchor in Auckland were moved. No significant effect on US/Allied transport shipping as there is no major convoy movement underway at this time near Suva/Samoa or New Zealand.

Current weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area is continued rain.

Daily coastwatcher entries from 8/28 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 13 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Efate
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Hoorn Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Port Moresby
Coastwatcher Report: AK Arimasan Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 115,160 (in Noumea), Speed 18, Moving Southwest


Southeast Asia: Jap air bombing raids continue on Port Blair. Current damage levels at Port Blair – port 20, airfield service 80, runway 86. AAR’s follow.

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Afternoon Air attack on Port Blair, at 46,58

Weather in hex: Overcast

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 10
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 11

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 16

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 1000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on Port Blair, at 46,58

Weather in hex: Overcast

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 10

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 17

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 1000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on Port Blair, at 46,58

Weather in hex: Overcast

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 14

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 1000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, four Jap TF’s in harbor, 121 aircraft (40 fighters, 27 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Continued Jap recon flights reported over Imphal. Pillager has some level of interest in this place.


China: Continued Japanese ground bombardment attack along the highway N of Kunming. Latest AAR follows.

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Ground combat at 71,48 (N of Kunming)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1625 troops, 111 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 603
Defending force 7314 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 218

Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
38th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
23rd Army
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division

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Japanese ground attacks in the far western area at Sining and in the mountains N of Sining. Latest AAR’s follow.

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Ground combat at 82,32 (mountains N of Sining)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13193 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 450
Defending force 3346 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 117
Japanese adjusted assault: 424
Allied adjusted defense: 385
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Division

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22458 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 718
Defending force 19134 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 657

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
9th Separate Brigade
259th Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
303rd Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
5th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 8/30/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entries for 8/29 report intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Kwajalein and Gardner Is. Detected status of Kwajalein shows undetermined aircraft based there, also unidentified ship(s) anchored in port. One or more visible Japanese TF(s) were also observed at Kwajalein. Detected status of Gardner Is shows no visible Japanese forces or activity.


South Pacific: Two empty Allied xAK stopping in Tahiti for refueling this game turn detect unknown Jap aircraft over Tahiti. The two transports are departing Tahiti as scheduled and continuing their return voyage to Hawaii. Three other empty US xAK bound to Tahiti for refueling have been re-routed as a precaution.

Three small US transports unloading supply at Savaii also reporting contact with Jap aircraft. These ships have stopped unloading operations and now departing Savaii.

Alerts and precautions will remain in effect for the Suva/Samoa area and New Zealand.

Current weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area is partly cloudy.

Daily coastwatcher entries from 8/29 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Ndeni
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 11 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Efate
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 115,160 in Noumea, Speed 18, Moving Southwest
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: harbor at Rabaul is reported empty
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Noumea
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna


Australia: Transport convoy EX-13 (36 transports) arriving this game turn from the Eastern US via Capetown. Cargo arriving aboard the convoy includes four US LCU’s (140 USA & 177 USAAF Base Force units, 30 FA Rgt, 627 TD Bn), three USAAF fighter squadrons (75 planes total), 96K supply and 62K fuel.


DEI: Jap amphibious landing underway at Talaud-eilanden. Japanese 19th Infantry Division was previously at Cebu and had also participated in action at Bataan. AAR follows.

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Amphibious Assault at Talaud-eilanden

TF 317 troops unloading over beach at Talaud-eilanden, 79,97

Japanese ground losses:
1428 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 146 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)

19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad accidentally lost during unload of 19th Div /3
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost overboard during unload of 19th Div /7
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad accidentally lost during unload of 19th Div /12
20 troops of a IJA HMG Squad lost in surf during unload of 19th Div /18

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Pillager should find this FOW report interesting if he sees it… Ki-21 Sally attacks a US Argonaut SS near the Sunda Straits. The sub was not hit in the attack and actually is the Dutch sub K-XVI patrolling the southern exit from the straits into the Indian Ocean. I have absolutely no minelaying operations underway in the DEI, nor are there any immediate plans to do so. SS Argonaut in any event has been converted to a transport sub and operating elsewhere. At the very least Pillager can be on the lookout for and sweeping phantom “mines”. A perfect waste of time, ships and fuel. Entry from the 8/29 Operations report follows.

Ki-21-IIa Sally attacking a Argonaut class SS at 45,97


Southeast Asia: Jap air bombing raids continue on Port Blair.


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, three Jap TF’s in harbor (-1 from last report), 111 aircraft (39 fighters, 27 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Jap recon flights continue over Imphal. Supply airlift operations to China from Ledo are fully underway, not seeing that much effect in China so far (at least any effect visible to the naked eye).


China: Japanese ground bombardment continues along the highway N of Kunming, also Chinese “Oops!” shock attack at Ankang. AAR’s and current situation map follow.

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Ground combat at 71,48 (N of Kunming)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1630 troops, 111 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 603
Defending force 7312 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 217

Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
38th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
23rd Army
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division

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Ground combat at Ankang (82,42)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 15123 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 649
Defending force 5751 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 206
Allied adjusted assault: 332
Japanese adjusted defense: 1210
Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
65 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
613 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade

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Japanese continue ground attacks in the far western area at Sining and the mountains N of Sining. AAR’s follow.

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Ground combat at 82,32 (mountains N of Sining)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13139 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 446
Defending force 3305 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 114
Japanese adjusted assault: 201
Allied adjusted defense: 274
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
181 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Division

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22487 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 720
Defending force 19156 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 658

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
303rd Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
259th Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
82nd Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Base Force
5th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
12th Chinese Base Force

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[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 8/31/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entry for 8/30 reports intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Tabiteuea. Detected status of Tabiteuea shows undetermined Japanese aircraft based on the island, also unidentified ship(s) at anchor in port.

US sub patrol intercepts Japanese replenishment TF north of Truk. AAR follows.

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Sub attack near Tinian at 110,98 (SE of Tinian)

Japanese Ships
AO Shinkoku Maru
CL Kashima
AO Toei Maru
AO Ken'yo Maru
DD Yukaze
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
SS Drum, hits 1 (system damage 12, float 15, returning to base for repair at 17 kts)

SS Drum launches 4 torpedoes at AO Shinkoku Maru
DD Yukaze attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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South Pacific: KB now operating in the South Pacific theatre area, detected location NNE of Raoul Is, reported moving on a SE heading.

Two fighter sweeps probably from KB carriers contested over Auckland by US and New Zealand fighters. 12 Allied planes confirmed destroyed (7 Kittyhawk I, 5 F4F) in air-to-air combat or ops losses. 14 A6M2 fighters were reported destroyed in air-to-air action, though the Intelligence Aircraft Losses screen shows 29 A6M2 destroyed in air-to-air action with an additional 8 planes as ops losses. Allied pilot losses were light (four NZ, two US). All in all, a good fight by Allied LBA fighters. AAR’s and situation map of South Pacific follow.

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Morning Air attack on Auckland, at 115,185

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 24
F4F-3A Wildcat x 18
F4F-4 Wildcat x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

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Morning Air attack on Auckland, at 115,185

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 13
F4F-3A Wildcat x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed

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Auckland itself is battened down for a possible KB attack – all ships based in Auckland already moved to bases further south. If Pillager moves the KB closer to Auckland for a second strike, he has only met part of the reception committee.

Current weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area is overcast.



Daily coastwatcher entries from 8/30 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: harbor at Rabaul is reported empty
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: harbor at Rabaul is reported empty
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Hoorn Islands
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 115,160 near Noumea, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed 4, Moving Southeast
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 114,137 near Tulagi, Speed 7, Moving Northeast
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 114,136 near Thousand Ships Bay, Speed 9, Moving Northwest


SW Pacific: Sigint entry for 8/30 reports intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Woodlark Is (E of Milne Bay). Detected status of Woodlark Is shows no visible Japanese forces or activity.


Australia: US sub Seal arrives in Brisbane for repairs after being damaged in action with Japanese surface ASW near Rabaul on 8/25.


DEI: Jap capture Talaud-eilanden. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at Talaud-eilanden (79,97)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8678 troops, 126 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 180
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 86
Allied adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 86 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Talaud-eilanden !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
19th Division

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Sigint entry for 8/30 reports intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Saumlaki in the eastern DEI (N of Darwin). Detected status of Saumlaki shows undetermined Japanese aircraft based on the island, also evidence of airfield construction activity. Current detected airfield size on Saumlaki is 2(5). This information indicates Pillager may be preparing Saumlaki airfield for use as a base for Japanese airstrikes on Darwin.


Southeast Asia: Jap air bombing raids continue on Port Blair.

Dutch submarine O-21 on patrol off Rangoon attacks Jap transport TF. AAR’s follow.

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Sub attack near Rangoon at 53,56 (SE of Rangoon)

Japanese Ships
AK Koryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
AK Koei Maru
xAK Yuri Maru
PB Tyuwa Maru

Allied Ships
SS O21

SS O21 launches 2 torpedoes at AK Koryu Maru
O21 diving deep ....
PB Tyuwa Maru attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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Submarine attack near Rangoon at 53,56

Japanese Ships
AK Koryu Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage (confirmed sunk)

Allied Ships
SS O21

AK Koryu Maru is sighted by SS O21
SS O21 launches 2 torpedoes

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Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, four Jap TF’s in harbor (+1 from last report), 114 aircraft (48 fighters, 27 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


China: Japanese air strike against Chungking. AAR follows. Given this airfield is the destination point of the supply airlift from Ledo, it’s almost mandatory that every means be taken to defend it from Japanese air attack, probably without regard to the already critically low supply on hand in Chungking.

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Morning Air attack on Chungking, at 76,45

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 9

Allied aircraft
I-16-III x 8
I-15-III x 16
P-43A-1 Lancer x 10
P-66 Vanguard x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Japanese ground bombardment continues along the highway N of Kunming. AAR follows. Note the two Japanese divisions (35th & 104th) shown on last game turn’s situation map moving south towards Kunming appeared in this hex to reinforce the attack.

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Ground combat at 71,48 (N of Kunming)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1630 troops, 111 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 1520
Defending force 7343 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 218

Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
38th Division
35th Division** (transferred south from Sian)
104th Division** (previously at Kweiyang)
58th Infantry Regiment
23rd Army
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

** Newly arrived Jap divisions

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division

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Japanese continue ground attacks in the far western area at Sining. Latest AAR follows.

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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22576 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 727
Defending force 19197 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 661

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
9th Separate Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
303rd Brigade
259th Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th War Area
8th Chinese Base Force
5th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/01/42

South Pacific: Quite the stand-off… The KB is at the gates of Auckland, both sides “loaded to shoot bear”, and nobody launched. Starting with Pillager’s side of the story...

Well that was disappointing. First the Soryu and Hiryu launch their sweeps from max range because I forgot to unequip the drop tanks (ruining the surprise and losing 30 to 8), then the KB gets in range and refuses to launch at all.

Nagumo is this close to getting fired.....

As for my excuse… the airfield at Auckland was overstacked, which probably resulted in my planes not launching. If Auckland airfield hadn’t been overstacked, the KB would likely have been on the receiving end of an escorted 130-bomber naval air strike with all its planes caught on deck. The overstacked airfield in Auckland has since been corrected. On the other hand, I could have been caught with my 130 LBA still on the ground. Now if Pillager keeps the KB around for another try, then I will get another try too.

Current weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area remains overcast. Current situation map follows.



Daily coastwatcher entries from 8/31 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Ndeni
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 17 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Kavieng
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Philippines: Japanese capture Oroquieta (western Mindanao). Capture of this base completes the reduction of all Allied positions on Mindanao. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at Oroquieta (78,88)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1449 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 60
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 56
Allied adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 56 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Oroquieta !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), leaders(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Allied ground losses:
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
14th Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
4th PI Base Force (eliminated)

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Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, no Jap TF’s in harbor (-4 from last report), 125 aircraft (49 fighters, 25 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


China: Japanese night air strike against Chungking. AAR follows.

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Night Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Chinese southern area forces pushed back by Japanese ground assault along the highway N of Kunming. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at 71,48 (N of Kunming)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 43732 troops, 459 guns, 246 vehicles, Assault Value = 1521
Defending force 7377 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 220
Japanese adjusted assault: 1455
Allied adjusted defense: 271
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
388 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3096 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 77 disabled
Non Combat: 157 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
104th Division
35th Division
38th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
23rd Army
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division

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Japanese continue ground attacks in the far western area at Sining. AAR’s follow.

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Ground combat at 82,32 (mountains N of Sining)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13154 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 447
Defending force 2983 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 85
Japanese adjusted assault: 405
Allied adjusted defense: 124
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
181 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
681 casualties reported
Squads: 40 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd Division

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22717 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 739
Defending force 19247 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 666

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
259th Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
303rd Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th War Area
8th Chinese Base Force
5th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/02/42

9/42 Ship Upgrades: Hardly a subject to cover with the KB running about the South Pacific... This upgrade mainly includes many US and British transport ships, with the US North Carolina class BB’s, some US DD’s and a number of British CL’s. A large number of the affected transports are in off-map bases, many of these transports operating in the Eastern US to Australia convoys and on convoy routes to India from Capetown and Aden.

Upgrades now underway on the US West Coast include BB North Carolina and 19 DD’s. A total of 220 transport ships have also entered 9/42 ship upgrades, most of these upgrades being done at off-map shipyards (Eastern US, Aden, Capetown). Seven British CL’s also entered upgrade at Capetown.

At the moment, sufficient transport ships remain in operation to cover all the major convoy routes, thus I can afford to take all these ships off-line for the 10 days or so required to complete the upgrades.

It has been noticed that many of the smaller Allied xAK and even a number of xAKL's can be converted to small xAP's, many of the conversions available at the present time. For now, my option is deferring these conversions until it is known how many xAP's I want to convert and also the use of these ships in an AK role is no longer required. I'm seeing the potential of using small xAP in substantial numbers for future amphibious operations.

Not to panic, the master plan continues…


South Pacific: The KB moved to the NE, away from Auckland. At this point, my estimate is that it will either continue moving to the NE to hit Suva and/or Samoa, or it will turn to the N or NW and head home. Except for a few Allied xAKL’s unloading supply at Niue and Pago Pago, there is no Allied shipping or surface naval activity in the entire area. The KB is finding nothing but islands, empty water, and Allied submarines looking for or lying in wait for it. In addition to the 3 US S-Class subs shown on the situation map below there could easily be at least three more subs in the KB’s path if Pillager does send it to Suva (torpedoes on these subs not having a 90% dud rate). The KB using quantities of valuable Japanese fuel on a “voyage to nowhere” to accomplish little or nothing is a small victory in itself.

Allied transports now at Niue and Pago Pago were issued orders to stop unloading ops and proceed to Tahiti. There they will drop off their remaining cargoes and merge with the next large US transport convoys bound for Auckland. No large transport convoys are currently in or approaching the South Pacific theatre area – convoys now at sea have either departed the mainland US a short time ago, or are convoys with empty ships returning to the mainland US. The KB’s presence is not affecting Allied shipping schedules into or through the South Pacific.

Had it occurred, an LBA strike from Auckland against the KB would have included all available US and NZ planes. All fighters were to be dispatched as escorts for the strike(s), intentionally leaving no CAP over Auckland. Priority was to get the bombers over the KB, any damage to Auckland on the ground being relatively minor, and in any case, it could be quickly and easily repaired with minimal disruption to Allied operations in the South Pacific theatre. A KB air strike on Auckland would have hit a virtually empty bag.

Auckland is a designated staging point for US Marine VMF and VMSB squadrons arriving from the mainland US for eventual deployment on airfields in the Suva/Samoa area (the 8 squadrons now in Auckland with 90 SBD-3 and 54 F4F and a complement of fully trained pilots). The New Zealand contingent of the strike would have included one torpedo squadron (12 Vildebeest) and three 2E bomber squadrons (36 LR Hudson III) with two Kittyhawk I squadrons as escort. Pilots in all three Hudson III squadrons are fully trained in low-naval attack and would have been skip-bombing the Jap carriers. With fighter squadrons on 2 of the 6 Jap fleet carriers out of commission (shot up over Auckland on 8/31) plus other Jap fighters occupied with escorting a KB strike on Auckland, it is likely at least some of these planes would have got through.

Weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area is now thunderstorms. Current situation map follows.



Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/01 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: AK Johore Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 37 ships reported in port at Rabaul (that could be interesting)
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Woodlark Island
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Efate
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher sighting: 10 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Philippines: Two US subs have re-entered the Philippine Island area, the subs bound for Palawan and Busuanga in the western Philippines (both still US-controlled) to refuel from the remaining fuel point stocks in the two bases. The two subs will proceed to patrol areas off Formosa after fueling.


Singapore: Sigint reports for the last two days indicate two Japanese artillery LCU’s from Manila arriving in Singapore. Artillery units from the Philippines now in Singapore are identified in the Sigint entries as 18 Medium Field Artillery Rgt and 1 RF Gun Bn. Both these units were previously engaged at Bataan.


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, three Jap TF’s in harbor (+3 from last report), 109 aircraft (44 fighters, 22 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


China: Japanese continue night air strikes against Chungking. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 3
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged

Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
3 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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

Two additional Jap LCU’s detected moving southward to reinforce the Japanese ground offensive towards Kunming.

Japanese continue ground attacks in the far western area at Sining. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22741 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 740
Defending force 19294 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 669

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
259th Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
303rd Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
82nd Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/03/42

South Pacific: KB continues moving to the NE, expected to be within striking range of Suva within the next game turn. KB’s current position is hex 124,167 (SW of Suva and NNE of Norfolk Is), reported moving on a NE heading. Except for damage to base facilities from a KB air strike on Suva, KB’s current action is expected to have little if any significant effect on Allied operations. Orders to put all search aircraft based on Suva in the air have been issued to reduce plane losses from a KB attack.

As many as 14 US submarines (all S-class) are already in or being vectored towards KB’s position and projected movement path. And beyond those submarines there are more of them.

This current situation has proved to be a good opportunity to inventory and sort out Allied ships based in the South Pacific theatre, especially those located in New Zealand. What will probably follow the conclusion of the KB’s “excellent adventure” is that I will retain in Auckland only those ships being actively employed in various operations or that need to be immediately available for operational use. Other ships (mainly auxiliaries and some extra small transports) now based in New Zealand will be kept in ports further south (Christchurch & Dunedin) until such time as they will come into use – the two ports functioning as a “bullpen”.

Weather forecast for the South Pacific theatre area is rain.

Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/02 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 7 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Noumea
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: xAK Tazan Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Efate
Coastwatcher sighting: 3 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul , Speed unknown


Interesting game observation: I wasn’t aware this could be done and it happened quite by accident. I had a small xAK anchored in port at Hobart (Australia) with its 9/42 ship upgrade set to “yes”. Despite the fact that Hobart has no shipyard facilities, the xAK went into Pier Side repair mode and started its upgrade in Hobart. I have not come across anything mentioning this feature in either the game manual or any of the AE forums I’ve been in. Originally I was looking into this as “where did my ship go?”, the answer to that question turning up in the Ships Under Repair display.


Australia: Jap fighter sweep reported over Darwin. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin, at 76,124

Weather in hex: Light rain

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 20

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x A6M3 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet

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


Southeast Asia: Dutch sub intercepts Jap transport TF (8 ships) leaving Rangoon and moving south towards the Malacca Straits. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Moulmein at 54,56 (S of Rangoon)

Japanese Ships
xAK Taigen Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage (confirmed sunk)
xAK Konan Maru
PB Tyuwa Maru

Allied Ships
SS O21, hits 2 (system damage 8, float 31)

SS O21 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Taigen Maru
PB Tyuwa Maru attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, two Jap TF’s in harbor (-1 from last report), 108 aircraft (43 fighters, 24 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


China: Japanese launch both day and night air strikes against Chungking. AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Chungking, at 76,45

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 3
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
3 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Chungking, at 76,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

Allied aircraft
P-43A-1 Lancer x 36
P-66 Vanguard x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-43A-1 Lancer: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground attack continues at Sining in the far western area. Latest AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22737 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 739
Defending force 19324 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 672

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
9th Separate Brigade
303rd Brigade
259th Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/04/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entries for 9/03 report intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Kwajalein, Gardner Is and Wotje. Detected status of Kwajalein shows undetermined Jap aircraft based there, also ship(s) anchored in port. No visible Japanese forces or activity shown in detected statuses of Gardner Is and Wotje.

A small Jap transport TF intercepted by US sub patrol S of Truk. A second unidentified Japanese ship is detected with this contact. The Jap TF is reported moving on an E heading. AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Truk at 110,111 (S of Truk)

Japanese Ships
xAKL Sasago Maru

Allied Ships
SS Grayback

xAKL Sasago Maru is sighted by SS Grayback
SS Grayback launches 2 torpedoes at xAKL Sasago Maru

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Truk at 110,111

Japanese Ships
xAKL Sasago Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire

Allied Ships
SS Grayback, hits 1 (very minor damage)

SS Grayback attacking xAKL Sasago Maru on the surface
Saunders, W.A. decides to submerge SS Grayback due to damage

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


South Pacific: KB moving northward, current position hex 125,158 (WNW of Nadi), appears to be headed home. KB’s current movement heading will take it into the NW perimeter of the US submarine patrol line surrounding Suva and Samoa – possibility of a chance for one last parting shot. Beyond the sub patrol line, there are US fleet sub patrols scattered around the sea areas to the S and SE of Truk. Current situation map follows.



Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/03 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Port Moresby
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Efate
Coastwatcher sighting: 5 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 13 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Woodlark Island
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Australia: Jap fighter sweep once again over Darwin.


Philippines: Japanese capture Tacloban, complete the occupation of Leyte. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tacloban (81,85)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11340 troops, 124 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 323
Defending force 536 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 22
Japanese adjusted assault: 288
Allied adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 288 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tacloban !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), leaders(+), leaders(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
718 casualties reported
Squads: 52 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
12th Division

Defending units:
93rd PA Infantry Regiment (eliminated)

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

Several locations in the southern and western Philippines remain in US control including Palawan, Busuanga and Tawi Tawi.


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, two Jap TF’s in harbor, 110 aircraft (47 fighters, 21 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s. Japanese activity here remains rather static.


India: Japanese recon planes reported over Ledo. Pillager appears to maybe have some interest in locating any activity suggesting an Allied airlift to China. There is probably little immediate action Pillager could take against the Allied supply airlift from Ledo, though he could do so once he has a fully-operational Jap airbase in central or northern Burma sufficiently large and equipped to support bombing missions.


China: Reinforced Japanese southern ground offensive moves closer to Kunming. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 70,48 (adjacent hex N of Kunming)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 43756 troops, 459 guns, 246 vehicles, Assault Value = 1561
Defending force 4765 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 110
Japanese adjusted assault: 1398
Allied adjusted defense: 10
Japanese assault odds: 139 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
120 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2638 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 137 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment (arriving from Kweiyang as reinforcement)
38th Division
104th Division
35th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
23rd Army
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division

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


Japanese launch both day and night air strikes against Chungking. Latest AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 3
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged

Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
3 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 4

Allied aircraft
P-43A-1 Lancer x 34
P-66 Vanguard x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-66 Vanguard: 1 destroyed

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


Japanese ground bombardment continues at Sining in the far western area.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: wneumann


... Interesting game observation: I wasn’t aware this could be done and it happened quite by accident. I had a small xAK anchored in port at Hobart (Australia) with its 9/42 ship upgrade set to “yes”. Despite the fact that Hobart has no shipyard facilities, the xAK went into Pier Side repair mode and started its upgrade in Hobart. I have not come across anything mentioning this feature in either the game manual or any of the AE forums I’ve been in. Originally I was looking into this as “where did my ship go?”, the answer to that question turning up in the Ships Under Repair display...

You'll just have to get out and about more often.[:)]

See this thread, in particular my post #14.

tm.asp?m=2824948&mpage=1&key=ship%2Cupgrade&#2826308

Alfred

[wneumann]

You'll just have to get out and about more often.

I'll have to.

After looking over your post - Hobart is a size 4 port, no other facilities present. The ship in question in my post is a Pacific M Cargo Class xAK (2750 tons). After doing the math, the ship easily falls within the maximum for upgrading in a size 4 port, the maximum for a size 4 port with no naval support or AR being 6400 tons.

Alfred's post is quoted below for anyone else's reference and enlightenment.

Don Bowen posted on 15 April 2010 that when a zero shipyard size is nominated, a ship can be upgraded at a port where (port size cubed) is compared to (ship tonnage/100)

In a subseqent post on 8 June 2010, he expanded on his April post that the ability to do the upgrade was determined by the total accumulated capacity of the port. The accumulated capacity took into account

port size
shipyards
repair ships
appropriate tenders
naval support

According to Don Bowen in his June post, the exact formula as to how each of these components contribute to the overall capacity will not be disclosed. The only hint given by him was that a size 5 port with an AR could upgrade ships of up to 18,800 tons.

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/05/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entries for 9/04 report intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Kwajalein and Nauru. Detected status of Kwajalein shows undetermined Jap aircraft based there, ship(s) anchored in port, and one or more unidentified Jap TF(s). Detected status of Nauru shows no visible Japanese forces or activity.


South Pacific: KB continues moving northward, current position hex 125,149 (ENE of Luganville). Two US S-Class subs operating in the NW perimeter of the sub patrol line off Suva reported contacts with B5N2 Kate air patrols, a third S-Class sub on patrol in the perimeter line engaged KB escort ships. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Ambrym at 125,151 (E of Luganville)

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
CA Chikuma
DD Akigumo
DD Ikazuchi
DD Hibiki
DD Akatsuki
DD Hagikaze

Allied Ships
SS S-39

SS S-39 is sighted by escort
DD Ikazuchi fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hibiki fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Akatsuki fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hagikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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

Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/04 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Ndeni
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher sighting: 3 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Australia: Jap fighter sweep continued over Darwin.


Western Pacific: US submarine patrols return to the South China Sea for the first time since the initial Japanese invasion of Luzon. Two US subs will briefly operate in the Formosa Straits area, mainly as a probe into Japanese transport convoy operations between the SRA and the Japanese home islands. Current plans are not to conduct extensive US submarine operations in the Western Pacific area until sometime in 1943 when torpedo dud rates improve and more US fleet submarines are in the game and available to expand the scope of sub operations.

One of the subs intercepted a small Japanese transport TF (3 ships) near Batan Is. AAR's follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 80,71 (SW of Batan Is)

Japanese Ships
AK Arima Maru

Allied Ships
SS Sculpin

AK Arima Maru is sighted by SS Sculpin
SS Sculpin launches 2 torpedoes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 80,71

Japanese Ships
xAK Hokusei Maru
PB Heiei Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Sculpin

SS Sculpin launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Hokusei Maru
Sculpin diving deep ....
PB Heiei Maru #7 attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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


Singapore: Sigint entry for 9/04 reporting another Jap artillery LCU (14 Independent Mortar Bn) is now in Singapore after transfer from the Philippines. 14 Independent Mortar Bn was previously reported in Manila after participating in action at Bataan.

Combining the transfers of artillery LCU to Southeast Asia from the Philippines along with events in China is a possible early indicator that Pillager could be planning a Japanese campaign in India following a collapse in China and once the necessary transfer and movement of Japanese forces to do this is completed.


Southeast Asia: Japanese bombing attack on Port Blair (Andamans). Current damage levels at Port Blair – port 20, airfield service 98, runway 72. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Port Blair, at 46,58

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12

No Japanese losses

Runway hits 8

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 1000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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


Dutch sub intercepts a Jap transport TF near the Malacca Straits. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Phuket at 48,70

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze
PB Menado Maru
TK Kyoko Maru
TK Kuremente Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXVIII, hits 1 (minor damage)

SS KXVIII launches 2 torpedoes at DD Hakaze
KXVIII diving deep ....
DD Hakaze attacking submerged sub ....
SS KXVIII eludes ASW attack from DD Hakaze
Escort abandons search for sub

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


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, one Jap TF in harbor (-1 from previous report), 106 aircraft (40 fighters, 28 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Japanese air strike against airfield facilities in Ledo. Pillager has noticed the airlift. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ledo, at 65,38

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 12

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
C-47 Skytrain: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 13
(Airfield service damage 4, no runway damage)

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 1000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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


China: Japanese continue small night air strikes against Chungking. No significant damage or Chinese casualties reported.

I’m taking a hard look at the Chinese AF – adding planes to bring up as many Chinese air squadrons as possible to full strength with available planes in the replacement pools, these squadrons to remain in China as long as it is possible for them to continue combat operations. Plans are also being started to evacute from China to India those Chinese air units that cannot be equipped from the current replacement pools – PP being expended to transfer these air units to operate under US Tenth AF command.

What's under consideration is the possibility of removing depleted Chinese LCU from China that are transferrable and creating a modest Chinese “armed forces in exile”, probably to operate within the Allied command structure in India. The depleted Chinese units I'm considering for extraction are too weak to be of any value in combat and in any event cannot rebuild in China from available elements in the replacement pools due to the supply situation existing inside China. There are Chinese squads in the replacement pools to rebuild LCU, the problem being there are no remaining bases in China with a sufficient quantity of supply points to allow any Chinese LCU to draw replacements. The only solution is appearing to be moving Chinese LCU out of China to a location with sufficient supply on hand to draw the replacements.

Japanese ground attack pushes back southern boundary of the main Chungking “pocket”. AAR and current situation map follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 73,47 (S of Chungking)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4230 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 160
Defending force 1515 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 32
Japanese adjusted assault: 150
Allied adjusted defense: 16
Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
553 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
39th New Chinese Division

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



Japanese ground bombardment continues at Sining in the far western area. Latest AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22866 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 750
Defending force 19379 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 677

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
259th Brigade
303rd Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th War Area
8th Chinese Base Force
5th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/06/42

South Pacific: Contact lost with KB. If KB continued moving northward, its projected current position would likely be somewhere near Ndeni, this location outside the US submarine patrol line perimeter operating off Suva/Samoa.

Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/05 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Woodlark Island
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher sighting: 4 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: CS Chiyoda reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands


Australia: Jap fighter sweep continues over Darwin.


DEI: Sigint entry for 9/05 reports HQ Combined Fleet is now located at Palembang. There is no available information to determine how long Combined Fleet HQ has been located in the DEI, nor any signs of Japanese activity that could indicate the purpose of Combined Fleet HQ being placed there.


Western Pacific: Both US submarines patrolling in the South China Sea near Luzon intercept the same southbound Japanese tanker TF. Both subs hit the same TK with dud torpedoes. SS Sculpin later attacked and damaged (system damage 23, float 2) by a Ki-48 Lily air patrol. Sculpin now returning to Pearl Harbor for repair at 20 kts. AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Itbayat Island at 83,69 (night attack in Formosa Straits)

Japanese Ships
TK Tonan Maru #2
TK Tonan Maru #3
DD Oite

Allied Ships
SS Sculpin

SS Sculpin launches 2 torpedoes at TK Tonan Maru #2
Sculpin diving deep ....
DD Oite attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 80,72 (day attack off NW coast of Luzon)

Japanese Ships
TK Tonan Maru #2
TK Tonan Maru #3
DD Oite

Allied Ships
SS Sargo

SS Sargo launches 2 torpedoes at TK Tonan Maru #2
DD Oite attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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


Southeast Asia: Japanese bombing attacks continue against Port Blair (Andamans).


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, two Jap TF’s in harbor (+1 from previous report), 86 aircraft (34 fighters, 17 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Remnants of Chinese 22nd Division (unit display below) was airlifted out of Kunming to Ledo this game turn. PP cost to transfer command of the division was a mere 3 points – a bargain.

Plans are to move 22 Division to a rear-area base in India and begin rebuilding with replacement pool elements. Plans are to identify and extract other transferrable Chinese LCU in similar condition that can be airlifted.




China: Japanese continue small night air strikes against Chungking. No significant damage reported.

Japanese ground bombardment continues at Sining and to the north of Sining in the far western area. AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 82,31 (N of Sining)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13074 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 440
Defending force 2254 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59
Japanese adjusted assault: 205
Allied adjusted defense: 25
Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
359 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
725 casualties reported
Squads: 41 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd Division

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22889 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 752
Defending force 19370 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 675

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
303rd Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
259th Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/07/42

South Pacific: Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/06 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: harbor at Rabaul is reported empty
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Woodlark Island
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Hoorn Islands
Coastwatcher sighting: 4 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Western Pacific: US sub patrol intercepts Japanese transport TF between Formosa and Luzon. AAR follows.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Laoag at 80,71 (SW of Batan Is)

Japanese Ships
PB Chitose Maru #2
xAK Manzyu Maru
xAK Hohuku Maru
PB Yamabato Maru

Allied Ships
SS Sargo

SS Sargo launches 2 torpedoes at PB Chitose Maru #2
PB Yamabato Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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


Southeast Asia: Japanese bombing attacks continue against Port Blair (Andamans).


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – 4 Japanese ships anchored in port (+4 from last report, no Jap TF’s in harbor (-2 from previous report), 104 aircraft (40 fighters, 27 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


China: Small Jap night air strikes against Chungking continue.

Japanese capture Kunming. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kunming (69,48)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44163 troops, 459 guns, 309 vehicles, Assault Value = 1563
Defending force 15034 troops, 99 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 517
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 1194
Allied adjusted defense: 451
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kunming !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
735 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 41 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (2 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3494 casualties reported
Squads: 166 destroyed, 83 disabled
Non Combat: 218 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 21 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 5

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
104th Division
35th Division
38th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
23rd Army
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
54th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
2nd Reserve Division
11th Group Army
16th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/08/42

Central Pacific: US sub Swordfish encounters Jap surface ASW while returning home from patrol near Truk. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Eniwetok at 124,110 (SW of Eniwetok)

Japanese Ships
PB Mikitade Maru
PB Senyu Maru #2
PB Takuna Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish

SS Swordfish is located by PB Mikitade Maru
Swordfish diving deep ....
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Takuna Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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


South Pacific: Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/07 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: AK Yamabiko Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Kavieng
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Noumea
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: DD Minekaze reported in port at Rabaul


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – 6 Japanese ships anchored in port (+2 from last report, five small Jap TF’s in harbor (+5 from previous report), 74 aircraft (27 fighters, 25 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s. Japanese ships anchored in port include at least one PG, three xAK. The five Jap TF’s in Rangoon appear to include one surface combat (10 ships), the other TF are smaller and include transports and surface ASW.


India: Small Jap night bombing raid on Ledo airfield. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Ledo , at 65,38

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 5

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
DC-3: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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

Two main problems are appearing that will in some way interfere with the China supply airlift – (1) Japanese bombing raids against Ledo airfield, and (2) significant operational losses of transport planes in squadrons flying the airlift.

One RAF fighter squadron has been transferred into Ledo to provide CAP against Jap bombing attacks. Additional fighter squadrons are available and can be brought into Ledo to reinforce CAP as the situation dictates.

The more critical problem at Ledo could be operational losses of transport planes. It’s already been observed that the rate of operational plane losses in transport squadrons flying airlift from Ledo to Chungking is beginning to deplete replacement pools for the plane types being employed in the airlift – particularly for US C-47 and British DC-3 planes. The British DC-3 is handicapped with a very low production rate (3 per month).

Although the US C-47 has a 28 plane per month production rate, current and projected demand for C-47 planes is high across all theatres until well into 1943 (as the C-47 is the principal US transport plane type in service until that time). Four of the six air transport squadrons operating from Ledo are USAAF squadrons all equipped with C-47’s. Plans are also underway for the likely employment of US air transport squadrons in the South Pacific theatre (particularly the Suva/Samoa area), many of these squadrons also operating C-47’s. Competition between the China airlift and South Pacific for the available replacement US C-47 planes is a very likely scenario. This is a situation that could easily need to be watched closely.

The supply airlift from Ledo to Chungking has yet to provide significant improvement in the overall supply situation in China (specifically the Chungking "pocket") beyond preventing its further deterioration. Even so... there is a point in continuing the airlift despite the fact the transport planes that are available and can be operated from Ledo (within the capacity of its airfield) are insufficient in number and cannot possibly move enough cargo (supply points) to do much more than maintain the status quo inside China as far as supplies are concerned if even that. China may not be winnable for the Allied side, but I can certainly prolong the agony and inconvience. There is quite possibly a point where ops losses in the six air transport squadrons now flying from Ledo will become great enough to shut down the airlift once there are not enough operational aircraft remaining in the squadrons to conduct an airlift having any effect at all. Until then, they keep flying whatever they can fly into China.


China: Small Jap night air strikes against Chungking continue.

Japanese ground bombardment at Sining in the far western area.

[johnjohn]

Johnjohn, adding a reminder. Now that the enemy has reached, but not taken, Kunming, it is time to consider getting the airHQ moving to Chengtu. Strat RR move west and then march. That unit is worth saving. It supports up to 180 aircraft. Remember to pack, which could take a couple of days, days which you may not have. Johnjohn.

On the Johnjohn front vs AI, I have sucessfully retaken Tarawa. I am now loading up the Makin invasion force prior to invading it. My CV/CVL assets continue to grow. Bunker Hill is enroute to SF to embark Essex's air group. She will move on to PH to support the Marshalls campaign. So far, July 43 is playing out fine. John

[wneumann]

Now that the enemy has reached, but not taken, Kunming, it is time to consider getting the airHQ moving to Chengtu.

Kunming fell to the Japanese in a single ground assault on 9/07, more quickly than expected.

The air HQ (China Air Task Force) was evacuated from Kunming by air transport and is now in Ledo. One depleted Chinese army division has also been evacuated by air to Ledo, air evacuation of a second Chinese division from Tsuyung to Ledo is now underway.

Except for fighter CAP over Chungking proper and a few small Chinese ground attack air raids (being conducted more for recon & intelligence purposes than for any other effect), most effective Chinese air operations have virtually ceased. The remaining supply on hand in China is simply insufficient to support any substantial Chinese air operations. In any event, there are more Chinese AF squadrons in the Chungking-Chengtu area than there are planes to equip them with or supply points that can be used to operate them.

For much of the Chinese AF, it is now a matter of how many squadrons will be transferred then evacuated to India, which squadrons will go to India, when do they go, and in what sequence. Some Chinese AF squadrons will remain to defend the Chungking "pocket", those without the planes or supply to participate will be evacuated. One Chinese fighter squadron is already in India, two other fighter squadrons are now enroute to India via Tsuyung - damaged planes are being left behind, priority is saving pilots and fully-operational planes. Chinese AF squadrons reaching India are not going to be useful immediately or in the short-term, but they can either receive replacement planes from the pools if available or kept in reserve until they can be upgraded (at a later date) to a newer plane type.

In my previous match vs Pillager in CHS, most of the Chinese AF ended up in India and became very effective once they received newer plane types and had fully-trained pilots. This asset is probably available and is likely doable even with a total collapse of China.

While the airlift from Ledo has been less than successful at restoring the supply situation in China, it remains useful to the extent of (1) whatever amount of supply it can get into China, and (2) extracting Chinese LCU that can be transferred to an Allied command outside of China. If China does collapse (all current evidence points to this being likely), plans are to establish at least a modest Chinese armed forces in exile operating under US/British command in India. Not entirely ahistorical either, as Stillwell did do this with a small Chinese force in India - I will be merely expanding the scope of Stillwell's project to whatever degree it is feasible.

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/09/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entries for 9/08 reports intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Nauru Is and Ponape. Detected status of the two bases show no visible Jap forces or activity in either location.

US sub Greyling reporting contact with unidentified Jap TB near Ponape – hex 116, 116 (SE of Truk). Possibility this contact may be an air patrol from the KB that is still at sea and returning to Truk.


South Pacific: Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/08 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: xAK Uyo Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Hoorn Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Port Moresby
Coastwatcher Report: xAK Kyokusei Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – 5 Japanese ships anchored in port (-1 from last report), five Jap TF’s in harbor, 71 aircraft (29 fighters, 18 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Small Jap night bombing raid (4 x Ki-21 Sally) on Ledo airfield, no hits or damage reported. There is little doubt that Pillager is aware of Allied air transport activity in Ledo and the recent night bombing air raids represent the means currently available to the Japanese to disrupt or stop the airlift. I expect more and bigger Japanese air raids on Ledo as Pillager can bring his forces to bear.

It’s becoming more obvious that the available Allied airlift capacity at Ledo (this also being the total available airlift capacity in India) is not sufficient to provide an adequate flow of supply to China to even “stop the bleeding” much less turning the tide. In the long run, the Allied airlift to China will ultimately fail, either due to lack of operational transport planes and/or the volume of supply points that the airlift moves to China is inadequate to turn the tide. Pillager can give the airlift activity in Ledo all the attention he wants – I’m quite content seeing him divert Japanese forces to attack and stop an Allied action that would fail in any event whether the Japanese did anything about it or not.

My plans remain at continuing the airlift from Ledo as long as it has any useful purpose whatsoever – this includes providing a minimal level of supply along with possible evacuation from China of the small number of transferable Chinese LCU once these LCU are depleted to the point where they are no longer usable for combat purposes inside China. Once depleted these LCU can be brought to India and placed under US/British command at a minimum PP and air transport cost. Once they arrive in India, evacuated Chinese LCU will be moved to a major base in India for rebuilding to at least a suitable if not full TOE strength – there are ample elements in the Chinese replacement pools to do several of these divisions. Even with a collapse of China, I intend to fully develop and utilize whatever Chinese resources that will remain available following a Chinese collapse regardless of how much or little they are.


China: Small Jap night air strikes against Chungking continue.

Japanese ground bombardment at Sining in the far western area. Latest AAR and current situation map of China follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 23081 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 769
Defending force 19434 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 682

Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
259th Brigade
303rd Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
9th Separate Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
5th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[johnjohn]

Happy New Year!

I have gone back and looked at what I did when running from Burma early in the game. From Ledo to Lashio, have put HQ, troops, lots of Engineers (not units, but actual engineers and vehicles), air support, and built up all but one of the bases to 5 or more. I then crammed as much transport and fighters I could into Ledo. I put the 4E bombers at Jorhat, with fighter support. Likewise, fighters and recon at Diampur and so on. I have B-25s at Lashio with two squadrons of fighters. These B-25s are attacking shipping, especially around Cox B. I am currently developing Tepzur as a reinforcement base. I have three British Divisions in the area, well one is at Chittagong on the coast, with more on the way. To the best I could, I have grouped base forces with corresponding HQs. Having four bases within four hexes of Ledo with fighters on them has reduced the effectiveness of attacking Ledo, which I am experiencing regularly. Thus far, the enemy has not been able to disrupt the supply run or shut down Ledo. Although Pillager could station 100s of fighters and bombers to hit Ledo, that, IMHO, would be counter productive. His planes would get chewed up, his pilots lost over enemy territory, etc. Before he can shut down Ledo (best done by putting China out of the war--in fact if that presents itself, reverse the airlift), he will lose alot of aircraft, supply, and pilots, AND help you elevate your combat experience in the fighter squadrons you commit. Better if he concentrates in China and leaves India alone.

Now, my experience against the AI is different. It quickly became evident that the AI was not going after India. That may not be true for Pillager. I did not need to develop rear area bases as a fall back position. You may need to do so, which would lessen what you could/can do if Pillager decides to risk an invasion. I also diverted everything from the middle east to India knowing that Aussie was safe. That is not the case in your campaign, so having enough experienced troops in India may be an issue.

One thing I did do early in the game was divert four P-40E USAAF fighter squadrons to India to help out. I had no where to put them in the Pacific (PH maybe) and I prefer, when possible, to use combat to level up squadrons. Eight C-47 squadrons also followed in. Again, nothing for them to do elsewhere early in the game. As a result, I have Ichang and Kweilin fully supplied as choke points. I am now looking at moving supply to two other critical choke points. I still am maintaining 20K at Chungking.

Whatever else happens, 2012 is bound to be a better year full of sucesses.

Strategically you have Pillager where you want him. His best advantage is speed in the first half of the war. He did not utilize speed effectively, so you have less to roll back up. Right now you are in the inevitable position of having to do nothing. Pillager cannot put you out of the game at this point, you have held. It is a long slugfest back, but you have considerable advantages in the latter part of the war. Whatever Pillager is going to do, he must do it now. Even so, I think he has let the opportunity to clobber you escape his efforts. Play for the long game and you have him. Eventually you will trap the KB and put it out of action, if not destroy it. Then it is simply putting your plan into action, which Pillager cannot stop. The advantage that you enjoy is you can be deliberate, and Pillager cannot. So use that "Due, Diliberate, Speed" to drive Pillager nuts while he waits for what is to come. John.

[wneumann]

johnjohn,

I'm increasingly coming of the opinion that India is Pillager's last, best opportunity for a Japanese strategic offensive that provides any substantial benefit towards a Jap victory. As I've mentioned in the next post below this one, India is going to have to come off the "back burner" - it's now a front-line theatre. Before this all comes to pass, Pillager has several tasks to complete.

1) Finish off China. This will probably drag out through the end of 1942.

2) A re-organization of Japanese forces in China. Pillager is going to have to sort through the Japanese LCU's in China, create an occupation force that adequately occupies all the bases (cities) where an owning player must maintain LCU(s) with a minimum assault value or face a VP penalty for each game turn when this is not done. That is not an insignificant number of cities, especially if you're holding all of China. Through this process, Pillager is going to be selecting which Jap LCU's remain in China for occupation purposes and which will be available for redeployment to other theatres. That alone will entail considerable movement and reshuffling of Jap ground forces in China. Again... not a quick process.

3) Once Pillager determines and frees up the Japanese LCU's that will be leaving China for elsewhere, now there is the process of moving them out of China to where he's intending them to go. Marching these LCU overland across southern China into northern Burma will involve some amount of time. Loading these LCU onto ships is not much faster if even faster at all, assuming Pillager can spare the Jap transport shipping capacity to do it.

4) Now that Pillager has a build up in Burma, he has to supply it. If statements in my previous posts speculating on Pillager's logistics situation are in any way correct, accomplishing this step is one more problem on top of what may already exist. If true, my two best allies in AE, General Supply and Admiral Fuel, are stepping up again.

Look at least early if not mid-1943 before Pillager is in a position to do anything serious. In the meantime, I get to prepare the reception committee.


From an overall strategic position, much of your analysis is true. It's very likely Pillager didn't get all he wanted with the Japanese initial offensives - Suva and Samoa being the most prominent of the failed objectives. If Pillager could have reached and captured Suva and Samoa, he would have. He didn't because he wasn't able to. It's only a question of why. My best theory is that Pillager experienced "internal difficulties" on the Japanese side that held him back. I may have got there first, but I didn't stop him and for much of the time I held Suva and Samoa a determined Japanese assault with sufficient forces and support would have captured these bases. Pillager didn't do it because he wasn't able to do it.

Allied control of Suva and Samoa in this PBEM is becoming a rather large, malignant bridgehead in the Japanese outer perimeter. Pillager has to pay attention to it, but not too much and not too little.

Leaving Suva and Samoa aside... it's entirely possible Pillager can stop a Japanese advance at whatever point he chooses to stop a Japanese advance. With limited resources, defense on a strategic level is more advantageous than attacking. This is certainly true for an Allied player in 1941 and most of 1942. It works both ways...

A good analogy for the overall strategic positions in this PBEM is the (Allied) tortoise and (Japanese) hare. Much of the plot in the tortoise and hare story has already and is continuing to play out. The hare may also be trying to run with a sprained ankle.

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/10/42

Midway Is: Amphibious transport convoy WP-14 arrived at Midway from the US West Coast and disembarked 53 Infantry RCT along with a quantity of supply points. However, once 53 RCT completed unloading, it was found that the three LCU’s now on Midway (53 RCT, 6 Marine Defense Bn and a USAAF Base Force unit) very slightly exceed the allowable 6000-man troop stacking capacity of Midway. A decision was quickly reached on the simple remedy of embarking 6 Marine Defense Bn aboard the same transports that just unloaded 53 RCT and transporting 6 Bn for employment elsewhere.

The moral of the story being… it’s quick and easy to over-stack 6000 men on an itty bitty island. Something to remember when invading Japanese-held atolls in the not too distant future. There’s also no lack of material on this subject elsewhere in the AE forums.


South Pacific: Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/09 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: 18 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Koumac
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Gasmata
Coastwatcher Report: 36 ships reported in port at Rabaul (what is this all about ??)
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Kavieng
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Manus
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown


Australia: Transport convoy EX-14 (41 ships) arrives in Australia this game turn from the Eastern US via Capetown. Cargo arriving aboard convoy EX-14 includes one LCU (188 FA Rgt), 47K fuel and 161K supply.


Southeast Asia: Japanese airfield strikes against Port Blair resumed. Current status of Port Blair base – airfield service damage 100, runway damage 60, port damage 20. AAR follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Port Blair , at 46,58

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 21

No Japanese losses

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

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 17

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 1000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – 4 Japanese ships anchored in port (-1 from last report), three Jap TF’s in harbor (-2 from last report), 90 aircraft (27 fighters, 23 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Small Jap night bombing raids (4 x Ki-21 Sally) on Ledo airfield continue, no hits or damage reported. All elements of Chinese 2nd Reserve Division arrived in Ledo via airlift from Tsuyung (southern China). Transport planes in Ledo are now flying to pick up support elements of NCAC HQ in Tsuyung for evacuation to India. Two Chinese AF fighter squadrons (19 H81-A3 total) also arrived in Ledo from Tsuyung. Elements of one of the two fighter squadrons arriving in Ledo (4 damaged planes with pilots) remain in Tsuyung.

Some reorganization and redeployment of Allied ground forces in the eastern areas of mainland India is now underway. This activity is mainly to augment and improve organization of defenses at bases on the eastern coast, allocate and deploy troops to centralized reserve positions at selected points in eastern India, and deploy engineer units to develop additional airfields.

Additional measures are being examined for positions on Ceylon and other locations on the Indian mainland that may need to be reinforced, augmented or reorganized. Activity to implement these additional measures will be started once it’s determined exactly what actions are needed. Along with this, an increased emphasis on and accelerated movement of Allied LCU and air reinforcements, supply and fuel reserves from off-map bases to mainland India and Ceylon will commence immediately.

Construction to build maximum port and airfield sizes on Diego Garcia to create an alternate on-map British fleet base in the Indian Ocean has been started and underway for some time, this now being about 50% complete. Activity on this will continue.

India has been a “backwater” since the end of the Japanese conquest in Burma. With the increasing possibility of a collapse in China, the Indian theatre could likely become a front-line zone once again in some form by early 1943. It’s not too early to examine things in India and begin the appropriate preparations.


China: Japanese ground attacks in the far western area – ground bombardment at Sining plus an assault to the north of Sining. AAR’s follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 83,30 (N of Sining)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12970 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 436
Defending force 1623 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 37
Japanese adjusted assault: 406
Allied adjusted defense: 3
Japanese assault odds: 135 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
83 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
952 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd Division

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 23109 troops, 253 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 771
Defending force 19467 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 686

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
303rd Brigade
259th Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
8th Chinese Base Force
12th Chinese Base Force

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

[wneumann]

Summary of Operations 9/11/42

Central Pacific: Sigint entries from 9/10 report intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Jaluit and Gardner Is. Detected statuses of the two bases report no visible Japanese forces or activity at either location.


South Pacific: Daily coastwatcher entries from 9/10 Operations report follow.

Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Buna
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Milne Bay
Coastwatcher Report: 5 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Belep Islands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Madang
Coastwatcher Report: 10 ships reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher sighting: 1 Japanese ship at 107,126 near Rabaul, Speed 1, Moving Southeast


Philippines: Jap amphibious landing underway at Balabac (SW of Palawan) in the western Philippines. Another mop-up operation of remaining US-controlled island bases in the Philippines. AAR follows.

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Amphibious Assault at Balabac

TF 63 troops unloading over beach at Balabac, 70,84

Japanese ground losses:
124 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)

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US sub patrol intercepts small Japanese tanker TF off northern coast of Luzon. AAR follows.

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Sub attack near Calayan at 82,71 (N of Laong)

Japanese Ships
TK Kyokuyo Maru
DD Numakaze

Allied Ships
SS Sargo

SS Sargo launches 4 torpedoes at TK Kyokuyo Maru
Sargo diving deep ....
DD Numakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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Southeast Asia: Japanese airfield strikes against Port Blair continue.


Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – 4 Japanese ships anchored in port, three Jap TF’s in harbor, 103 aircraft (40 fighters, 24 bombers), 7 Jap LCU’s.


India: Small Jap fighter sweep on Ledo airfield. This AAR is significant in that it’s the first recorded action where Pillager is employing Ki-44 Tojo fighters. AAR follows.

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Morning Air attack on Ledo, at 65,38

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 6

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 25000 feet

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China: LGEN Stillwell removed from command of NCAC HQ as precaution, this LCU is now being evacuated by air from Tsuyung in southern China to Ledo.

Japanese advance in the southern area approaches Tsuyung. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at 68,47 (Kunming-Tsuyung road, adjacent hex N of Tsuyung)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40410 troops, 433 guns, 307 vehicles, Assault Value = 1433
Defending force 9882 troops, 83 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 310
Japanese adjusted assault: 1366
Allied adjusted defense: 454
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
530 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 41 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3740 casualties reported
Squads: 125 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 181 destroyed, 43 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
104th Division
35th Division
38th Division
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
23rd Army
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
52nd Chinese Corps
54th Chinese Corps
11th Group Army
16th Chinese Base Force

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Action on northern flank of Chungking “pocket”. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at Ankang (82,42)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5751 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 206
Defending force 14582 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 598
Japanese adjusted assault: 184
Allied adjusted defense: 511
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
245 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
12th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps

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Japanese ground bombardment at Sining. AAR follows.

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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 12699 troops, 151 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 778
Defending force 19470 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 685

Assaulting units:
17th Division
37th Division
1st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
303rd Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
17th Chinese Corps
259th Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
12th Chinese Base Force

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Current situation map of southern and central China area follows.