Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

Helens from Sorong or Ambon come down to 5000 ft and get a taste of ack ack...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Dobo at 84,119

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 59 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Portland
DD O'Bannon



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

2 runs are in....then the first sign of trouble. JJ has a LRCAP over Dobo and drives off our air to ground attack by B-25's and B-17's. Jap bombers attack the ground units with middling success.

Morning Air attack on 2nd Raiding Regiment, at 83,116 (Dobo)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11



Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 13
Beaufighter VIc x 6
B-25C Mitchell x 21


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 1 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged

[Cap Mandrake]

Jap planes from Darwin are baited into an attack over Gove. USAAF is ready for them. The AI goes crazy over AP's with troops aboard. These are some 2 1/2 ton trucks of an aviation engineer unit that could not get on the C-47's. They do manage to damage the AP but pay dearly.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Gove at 82,127

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 37
G3M2 Nell x 15
G4M1 Betty x 7



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 19
P-40E Warhawk x 17


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 16 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Mijer, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AM Quail


Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Kates and Zeroes attack the cruisers up by Dobo. Perhaps there is a CVL about.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Dobo at 84,119

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
B5N2 Kate x 13



Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 9 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Helm
CA Portland
DD Sims

[Cap Mandrake]

At least 6 Bettys are downed over PH going in without escort. Allied raids on PH are VERY successful with probably 500 casualities/disablements. Then the 3rd run scores...

Ground combat at Port Hedland (57,129)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36387 troops, 415 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 742

Defending force 17716 troops, 463 guns, 389 vehicles, Assault Value = 374

Japanese adjusted assault: 286

Allied adjusted defense: 447

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1898 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 68 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 7 (3 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (5 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
488 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 26 (22 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)


Assaulting units:
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
77th Infantry Regiment
66th Infantry Group
65th Brigade
24th Infantry Regiment
5th Division
6th Guards Division
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
51st JNAF AF Unit
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
22nd Air Flotilla
4th Infantry Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
16th Army
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
30th Fld AA Gun Co
56th Engineer Regiment
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /2

Defending units:
32nd Infantry Division
22nd (East African) Brigade
2nd British Division
34th Aviation Base Force
10th USN Naval Construction Battalion
7th RAN Base Force
14th USN Naval Construction Battalion
2nd Medium Regiment

[BBfanboy]

Yoikes! He sent 13,000 troops to Dobo with only a PB/DMS escort! That is truly desperate.
His air force is becoming ineffectual too. I think your peace terms will be accepted ... even if Tojo has to become a bartender at the PH NCO's club.

[Cap Mandrake]

The runner turns for 3rd under direction of "Chico" the 3rd base coach. Chico's mind races inside his little Dominican head. "The ball is deep in right center. This should work..oh..wait..se me olvido..it's the Mexican catcher! Madre de Dios! We've got 40 year old relief pitchers faster than this guy." He stops himself from making the Dominican good luck sign. He doesn't want to discourage the runner. Time slows...or maybe it just seems that way because the runner seems to be on Jupiter. "Santa Maria! Lighten up on the tortillas there amigo." He drops to one knee and makes the "slide" sign. The right fielder scoops up the ball on the run, takes two strides to align himself with his target and lets go. It was a thing of beauty. Everyone later agreed. "Aj, we should have sent some arty. One lousy 75 mm pack howitzer and a few crummy 81 mm mortars".

YOUUUUR OOOOUUUUUUT!

Ground combat at Dobo (83,116)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14203 troops, 195 guns, 66 vehicles, Assault Value = 378

Defending force 3933 troops, 73 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 132

Japanese adjusted assault: 203

Allied adjusted defense: 61

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Dobo !!!

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

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


Allied ground losses:
4554 casualties reported
Squads: 129 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 142 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 85 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 108 (108 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 5


Assaulting units:
16th Division
67th Infantry Group
2nd Raiding Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
503rd Parachute Regiment
21st Marine Regiment
1st USN Naval Construction Battalion
F Det USN Port Svc /1
3rd USN SeaBees /2

[witpqs]

Buy back the regiment and the SeaBees; they'll take quite a while to rebuild.

[Cap Mandrake]

Uggh. A nearly full parachute infantry regiment lost and half a Marine regiment. The poor 21st was beat up at New Scotland too. Nobody is going to want to join up. Somebody is BOUND to find out in Washington, too. I wonder what that LYB unit that got murdered was. How many divisions do they have lolling about in reserve, I wonder. Credit to Admirar Fabertong for that snap counterattack...although it hurt them too.

[Cap Mandrake]

We won't be buying back any SeaBees. I can't get them to the battle area as it is.

[sprior]

Credit to Admirar Fabertong for that snap counterattack

Now we just have to make sure they don't bounce into Darwin before we get there.

[Cap Mandrake]

The landing at Efate went well but the LYB's there aren't quite ready to give up. A few more days of bombing on the menu.

Ground combat at Efate (120,154)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 852 troops, 0 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 66

Defending force 1428 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 18

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)


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


Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Bn /3

Defending units:
41st JNAF AF Unit
43rd JNAF AF Unit

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Credit to Admirar Fabertong for that snap counterattack

Now we just have to make sure they don't bounce into Darwin before we get there.

Yes, but that would be challenging for them. No airfield and a level 1 port at Dobo. I think we have 1 1/2 to 2 LYB division equivalents out of the fight for the short run. We can bomb them from Merauke.

[sprior]

And with the forces destroyed at Tahiti, tied down at PH and stuck in the jungle in Burma what have they got left? Apart from the hordes in China that is.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

And with the forces destroyed at Tahiti, tied down at PH and stuck in the jungle in Burma what have they got left? Apart from the hordes in China that is.

Ugggh....China. Things aren't looking so good. Was it your idea to do scenario 2 or mine? If their China troops are released every dot base in the pacific will have a LYB division.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The landing at Efate went well but the LYB's there aren't quite ready to give up. A few more days of bombing on the menu.

Ground combat at Efate (120,154)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 852 troops, 0 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 66

Defending force 1428 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 18

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)


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


Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Bn /3

Defending units:
41st JNAF AF Unit
43rd JNAF AF Unit

I doubt that you have to wait and bomb them. Those two AF units have no anti-tank weapons and the guns you knocked out were likely AA guns. You scored higher casualties on them with smaller numbers of troops and no arty. I suspect a shock attack next turn will overrun them thanks to your armour.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I doubt that you have to wait and bomb them. Those two AF units have no anti-tank weapons and the guns you knocked out were likely AA guns. You scored higher casualties on them with smaller numbers of troops and no arty. I suspect a shock attack next turn will overrun them thanks to your armour.

OK, but I will hold you personally responsible. [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

Admiral Lord SPrior;

Did you watch the combat replay? Does it show what unit/s were lost at sea?

[Cap Mandrake]

****************FOB Mai Tai, Papaete, Dec. 12, 1942(c)**********

Moana: Hon, it's General Marshall on the shortwave.

Fleet Admiral Mandrake: Tell him I am out on inspection rounds.

...

Moana: He says he does'nt believe any bull shit about inspection rounds. He wants to talk to you about unusually high rum consumption in the PTO and about some place called "Dodo" or something.....

[Cap Mandrake]

Meanwhile, in Burma, Tenth Air Force are getting better. P-40-E's bite back at the intercepting Zeros...

Morning Air attack on 4th Guards Division, at 59,43 , near Kalemyo

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9



Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 30
P-40E Warhawk x 17


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged