AE TOURNAMENT REDUX: ERSTAD(J) VS ADM SPRUANCE(A)

[VSWG]

Very interesting AAR, I've spent the last days reading it from page 1. Congrats on your defense of Luzon, and your Solomons camgaign - very thrilling.

IMO the problem with focussing your offensives on Burma and New Guinea is that both areas offer only a narrow vector of attack - on New Guniea, it is very predictable which bases you will invade next. Same with Burma, until you can manage to break out somewhere in Thailand. Because of that, the Japanese player can easily plug his holes in these areas, now that he can use the troops from Luzon. I think it would be worthwhile to increase the pressure in other areas a well, so that your opponent has to worry about a longer frontline, and has to disperse his troops more. Maybe a build-up aroud Darwin, threating the DEI? CentPac? Even NorPac would work well in this regard, even if you do not actually want to start a "real" offensive here.

[racndoc]

VSWG......good points on all your thoughts. I can easily be bottled up now with my 3 axis of advance in SEAC(Burma), SWPAC(New Guinea) and SOPAC(Bismarcks). However you need to remember that it is only 1942 and I only have 4 CVs and maybe a half dozen divisions outside of the CBI. Im currently at the historical Allied March 1944 start line. With only 4 CVs...Im happy to continue to prosecute a land based offensive into New Guinea as opposed to a major seabourne offensive.


When additional USN CVs are available I am certainly going to advance in CENTPAC to the Gilberts and then the Marshalls.....hopefully we can begin this advance when CV Wasp has completed repairs which I estimate to be spring 1943.

In regards to Darwin I have some 1200 AV there with more on the way. Dave is more concerned about Darwin than I am and has heavy recon there every turn with 2 BB bombardments in the last month. Unfortunately all these troops at Darwin are restricted but perhaps by the end of 1943 I will have enough PPs saved to buy these troops and begin an advance from Darwin straight into the soft underbelly of the DEI.



12/22-12/25/42


SOPAC


CV Enterprise escapes from her anchorage at Rossel Is. without being detected and now is within 2 turns of reaching a friendly shipyard in Australia.


Allied medium bombers hit SS I-6 in port at Rabaul:

Afternoon Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 3



Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14
TBF-1 Avenger x 11


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
SS I-6, Bomb hits 1



Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 13000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
452 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead



An IJN cruiser force attacks USN convoys at Green Is.:


Night Time Surface Combat, near Green Island at 108,127, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Mogami
DD Asashio
DD Oshio, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Worden, Shell hits 1
AK Crater, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 35 (30 destroyed, 5 disabled)


Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 92% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
CA Atago engages AK Crater at 8,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Worden at 8,000 yards
AK Crater sunk by DD Asashio at 8,000 yards
DD Worden engages CA Mogami at 8,000 yards
DD Worden engages CA Atago at 8,000 yards
DD Asashio engages DD Worden at 8,000 yards
DD Worden engages DD Asashio at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CA Mogami engages DD Worden at 10,000 yards
DD Asashio engages DD Worden at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
DD Worden engages DD Oshio at 11,000 yards
DD Worden engages DD Asashio at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Worden at 13,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Green Island at 108,127, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Mogami
DD Asashio
DD Oshio, on fire

Allied Ships
AM Horsham, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
xAKL Oriskany, Shell hits 3, and is sunk



Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 92% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
CA Atago engages xAKL Oriskany at 8,000 yards
xAKL Oriskany sunk by DD Oshio at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
AM Horsham sunk by CA Mogami at 6,000 yards
AM Horsham sunk by CA Mogami at 6,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...



Allied DBs and TBs based at Feni Is. attempt to strike back but the attacks are fragmented in the inclement weather and no hits are scored on the IJN CAs:


Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tabar Island at 109,120

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M2-N Rufe x 3
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7



Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 3


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 destroyed



CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (12 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
12 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000
Raid is overhead
452 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead
50th Sentai/A with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000
Raid is overhead




Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tabar Island at 109,120

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M2-N Rufe x 3
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7



Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
DD Asashio
CA Mogami



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
12 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes
452 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead
50th Sentai/A with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000
Raid is overhead



All I can do is put more AC out there at Feni and try it again next turn. Im also sending in some RN CAs to Shortland that can patrol the sea lanes to Feni, Green and the other islands to the north.





GENERAL WAINWRIGHTS ALAMO


The Allies make their last stand at Lucena on Luzon and finally capitulate after a year of bitter combat:


Ground combat at Lucena (79,79)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9244 troops, 277 guns, 445 vehicles, Assault Value = 227

Defending force 15746 troops, 153 guns, 128 vehicles, Assault Value = 62

Japanese adjusted assault: 112

Allied adjusted defense: 48

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lucena !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
15084 casualties reported
Squads: 440 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2151 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 186 (186 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 138 (138 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 34


Assaulting units:
5th Armored Car Co
2nd Recon Battalion
12th Garrison Unit
18th Tank Rgt /2
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Mobile Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
11th PA Infantry Division
194th Tank Battalion
71st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry/C Division
PAF Aviation
51st PA Infantry/B Division
Manila USAAF Base Force
31st PA Infantry Division
Bataan USN Base Force
192nd Tank Battalion
102nd PA Infantry Division
2nd PA Constabulary Division
21st PA Infantry/C Division
61st PA Infantry/B Division
201st PA Construction Battalion
61st PA Infantry/C Division
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
II Philippine Corps
61st PA Infantry/A Division
91st PA Infantry Division
USAFFE
51st PA Infantry/A Division
1st PA Infantry/B Division
1st PA Infantry/A Division
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
Cavite USN Base Force /2
21st PA Infantry/A Division
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
Far East USAAF
41st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry/B Division
Cebu USN Base Force /4





Some 15,000 Allied troops surrender and are marched north to Japanese PoW camps in central Luzon.



SWPAC


Seventh Marines launch 2 more attacks at Saidor but cant finish the job there:


Ground combat at Saidor (99,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4034 troops, 94 guns, 45 vehicles, Assault Value = 130

Defending force 1612 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 57

Allied adjusted assault: 85

Japanese adjusted defense: 31

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
7th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
13th Garrison Unit /2
43rd Nav Gd /1
42nd Nav Gd /2



Ground combat at Saidor (99,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3933 troops, 94 guns, 45 vehicles, Assault Value = 116

Defending force 1519 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Allied adjusted assault: 91

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 9 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


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


Assaulting units:
7th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
13th Garrison Unit /2
43rd Nav Gd /1
42nd Nav Gd /2



Im still having problems with drawing supplies from Lae to Saidor.




CBI


In a battle of manuever we are able to outflank the IJA 15th Army at Toungoo and this turn we finally capture Toungoo without resistance:



Ground combat at Toungoo (57,50)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 92888 troops, 1312 guns, 1764 vehicles, Assault Value = 3845

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 3246

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 3246 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Toungoo !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker:



Assaulting units:
18th British Division
Railway BAF Battalion
7th Australian Division
3rd Cavalry Regiment
96th Chinese Division
6th British Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
5th British Brigade
BFF Brigade
46th Indian Division
7th Armoured Brigade
88th Chinese Division
27th Infantry Division
36th Chinese Division
200th Chinese Division
6th Indian Brigade
2nd Recce Regiment
26th Indian Brigade
1st Burma Battalion
7th New Chinese/A Corps
1st Burma Brigade
15th Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
45th Indian Brigade
7th New Chinese/B Corps
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
85th British AT Gun Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
2/215th Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment

[Blackhorse]

Admiral,

Great game, and a great AAR.

I'm particularly impressed by your campaigns of maneuver in China and Burma/India. [&o]

You put together a magnificent campaign in the Philippines. I only wish you had a few more months grace: on 1/43 the Filipino divisions' TOE upgrades and they get more better US MGs, mortars and artillery.

From my perspective, you've outplayed your opponent across the board in land-sea-air operations. And your early-war combats drove home the benefits of replacing crap leaders with competent commanders. But Erstad has kept himself in the war with a vigorous (and fortunate) submarine campaign, and by keeping the KB intact.

As a spectator, I look forward to another 6 months to a year of the two of you seizing the initiative from each other, and swapping blows.

In reply to a (much) earlier post -- yes Kenney is the highest-rated Allied air commander, and deservedly so, IMHO.

On the subject of highest-rated leaders, it's good to see Chesty Puller taking his marines into battle. When the 1st Special Service Force arrives in July 1943, keep your eyes peeled for Col. Robert Frederick, he's also very, very good.

[racndoc]

Blackhorse....thanks for all your comments. I knew of Colonel Puller but didnt know very much about him until I saw the miniseries "The Pacific". In "The Pacific"....Colonel Chesty Puller was protrayed as a very heroic and inspirational commander. I think that your observation regarding this game....that the initiative will swing back and forth over the next 6-12 months ....is spot on.




12/26-12/29/42



SUBS

SS S-35 sinks PB Chokai Maru near Truk.

SS I-19 sinks SS S-38 near Shortlands.

Im bouncing torpedoes off 2-3 Japanese hulls every turn but this should change in 2 turns. In 2 turns the explosion rate of USN torpedoes should triple from 10% to 30%.




CBI


Ramree Is. reverted to Allied control by osmosis and then Japan invaded again immediately. Dave put a roadblock on the coastal highway from Prome back to Akyab and India and Indian armor crushed it:


Ground combat at 55,48 (near Ramree Island)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 4637 troops, 64 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 200

Defending force 156 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 180

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 180 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
199 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


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


Assaulting units:
44th Cavalry Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
170 Wing

Defending units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /4



Im not sure if Dave just wants to cut my supply line here or if he is interdicting the road to cover a much bigger operation like an invasion of India. Im moving about half of IV Indian Corps armor back towards Akyab now.

Still quiet in China.



SWPAC

Seventh Marines continue to bombard away at Saidor as Im still having probeems with trying to draw supplies up from Lae and Nadzab.

Nadzab completes a level 1 AF. This base will become my major AF in the region as it is one hex inland and cannot be hit by naval bombardment.

SWPAC continues its buildup at Lae.




SOPAC


New level 2 AFs are completed at Torokina, Buka, Green, Feni and Lihir and additional fighter and SBD squadrons are flown into every base save Lihir.

This turn when the Tokyo Express shows up the SBDs are ready for them:


Morning Air attack on TF, near Feni Islands at 108,125

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 7
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 6



Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 46
F4F-3 Wildcat x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 64
SBD-3 Dauntless x 67


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
DD Uranami, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shirayuki, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ayanami, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shikinami



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
2 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 15000 feet
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 20000 feet
9 x P-40K Warhawk sweeping at 20000 feet
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
11 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 20000 feet
7 x P-40K Warhawk sweeping at 20000 feet
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
452 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 13000
Raid is overhead
802 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
50th Sentai/A with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 17000
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Uranami
Massive explosion on DD Shirayuki
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Shirayuki
Massive explosion on DD Uranami
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Ayanami




Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lihir at 108,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 34
SBD-3 Dauntless x 17


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Ayanami, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
13 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Japanese DD


Im moving up a surface TF with USN and RN CAs to Shortlands....they will patrol our bases in the Bismarcks at night and then return to the air cover of Shortlands during the day to try to prevent future incursions of the Tokyo Express.

CV Enterprise has dodged the IJN sub wolfpacks and should reach a friendly shipyard next turn.

[racndoc]

12/30-12/31/42



SUBS

SS Wahoo nails an xAK off Wakkanai:



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 30, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wakkanai at 121,48

Japanese Ships
xAK Nanko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
PB Shinko Maru #5
xAK Daisin Maru
xAK Ryuun Maru
xAK Syoto Maru
xAK Meisan Maru
PB Bokuyo Maru
PB Awa Maru

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo



SS Wahoo launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Nanko Maru
Wahoo diving deep ....
PB Bokuyo Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Bokuyo Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wakkanai at 121,48

Japanese Ships
PB Awa Maru
xAK Nanko Maru, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo



SS Wahoo launches 2 torpedoes at PB Awa Maru
Wahoo diving deep ....
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub



Next turn it will be 1943 and the explosion rates of the USN torpedoes will triple. Unfortunately some 3 dozen USN subs are back in port undergoing 12/42 upgrades but most will be back on the line by mid January and we should soon start seeing multiple sinkings per turn.



SWPAC


The 7th Marines continue their assault on the Japanese at Saidor and finally force their retreat:


Ground combat at Saidor (99,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3929 troops, 94 guns, 45 vehicles, Assault Value = 114

Defending force 1327 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Allied adjusted assault: 18

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
7th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
13th Garrison Unit /2
43rd Nav Gd /1
42nd Nav Gd /2




Ground combat at Saidor (99,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3846 troops, 94 guns, 45 vehicles, Assault Value = 100

Defending force 1152 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Allied adjusted assault: 18

Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
385 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3


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


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
7th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
43rd Nav Gd /1
13th Garrison Unit /2
42nd Nav Gd /2


The 7th Marines are pretty spent after the prolonged battle for Saidor. They will R&R at Saidor as a garrison and eventually when replaced by US Army formations they will be withdrawn from New Guinea with the rest of 1st Marine Division and released to CENTPAC for operations in the Gilberts and Marshalls.



SOPAC: INVASION MUNDA


The buildup continues at Milne Bay for the next big SOPAC offensive into New Britain.

The Coral Sea has been a virtual Allied "lake" for the last several months as it is completely encircled by large Allied airfields that hold hundreds of fighters, DBs and TBs. However...before SOPAC can continue the advance north to New Britain we need to do a little "housekeeping" in our rear areas and eliminate the level 4 Japanese AF on Munda.....I just cant leave a large AF like this in my rear.

On New Year's Day 1943 Adm Hill's amphib TF will begin the invasion of Munda....spearheaded by the 2nd Marine Regiment. In late April 1942 there was a garrison of over 14,000 Japanese troops on Munda but I think that most have been withdrawn by long ranged transport AC and at any rate the remaining defenders must be short on supplies....the AF there doesnt seem to repair much damage any longer.
Adm Hill's amphib TF formed up at Rossel Is. this turn for the assault tomorrow.

Ive also dropped off AEs and AKEs and fuel at Rossel....Im going to use Munda as a training site for my relatively inexperienced BBs and they will make a daily bombardment run from Rossel to Munda.

CV Enterprise finally limped into port at Sydney this turn and was immediately deactivated and placed on critical pierside repairs. Amazingly...her crew reduced the ENG damage from 5 to 1 during the short voyage from Rossel and she was making 15 knots by the end.
Ive loaded up the port at Sydney with 3 ARs and also the 120 naval support of SOPAC HQ. CV Wasp, meanwhile, lies in "high" shipyard repair and has gone from a damage estimate of 97 days on 12/14 to a damage estimate of 75 on 12/30.....22 days of repairs in only 16 days. The ARs and naval support are making a difference. I had not expected CV Wasp to rejoin the fleet until mid April 1943 but it now appears as if she will complete her repairs by early March.

Allied medium bombers based at Milne Bay sink an IJN sub in port at rabaul:

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 11
Mitchell II x 5
B-25C Mitchell x 15
B-26 Marauder x 14
B-26B Marauder x 11


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged
Mitchell II: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 3 damaged
B-26 Marauder: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
SS I-6, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk



Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Mitchell II bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
11 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 12000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-26B Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-26B Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-26B Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
15 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 12000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[racndoc]

12/30-12/31/42......TAKE TWO



Withdrawals in the Pacific


The previous post on the 12/30-12/31/42 turn was based on the combat report before I received the orders file back from Dave.

The 12/31/42 is a big withdrawal turn for the Allies.

We are playing v.1.06.110846.......BEWARE! ON 12/31/42 OR ANY TIME THEREAFTER...._ALL_ USN VS SQUADRONS ABOARD A CARRIER THAT IS IN PORT WILL BE WITHDRAWN. My 4 operational USN CVs entered port last turn and I lost all 4 of their VS squadrons. The VS squadrons that are land based are not affected by this withdrawal until 3/1/42...and on 3/1/42 the VB squadrons resize to 36 to compensate for the loss of the VS squadrons. I didnt want to play from 1/1/43-3/1/43 with 4 missing VS squadrons so we are replaying the 12/30-12/31/42 turn and this time Im staging all my VS squadrons to land bases before the carriers enter port.

In the CBI....Burma Corps HQ also withdraws along with 3 BAT battalions, 2 AIF battalions and a MG battalion so we lose the equivalent of 2 regiments in Burma.



SIGINT

There was a lot of SIGINT on the 12/30-12/31/42 turn. Here is the roster of the IJA 17th Army at Manila in early 12/42:



Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 69879 troops, 833 guns, 696 vehicles, Assault Value = 2575

Defending force 43197 troops, 561 guns, 310 vehicles, Assault Value = 924

Japanese adjusted assault: 816

Allied adjusted defense: 1443

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
6190 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 469 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Vehicles lost 38 (4 destroyed, 34 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
3014 casualties reported
Squads: 62 destroyed, 196 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 157 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 62 (20 destroyed, 42 disabled)


Assaulting units:
48th Division
33rd Division
2nd Recon Battalion
16th Division
8th/A Division
28th/A Division
14th Garrison Unit
28th/B Division
8th/B Division
18th Tank Regiment
4th Division
5th Division
8th/C Division
18th Division
12th Garrison Unit
21st Div /1
28th/C Division
4th Ind. Engr Rgt /3
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
31st Fld AA Gun Co
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
17th Army
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion


There were 9 IJA divisions at Manila at this time: 4th, 5th, 8th, 16th, 18th, 21st,28th, 33rd and the 48th Divisions.

The 28th Division withdrew from Manila in early December....either it was deployed to another theatre or it had suffered catastrophic losses in the early assaults on Manila and had to R&R.

That leaves the other 8 divisions.

Two turns ago...SIGINT reported that a portion of the 21st Division was on an xAK headed to Sarmi. This turn was a veritable SIGINT bonanza...we received reports that a portion of the 5th Division was on an xAK also headed to Sarmi. There were additional reports of 8th Division heading to Babeldaob , 16th Division heading to Singapore and the 12th and 14th Garrison units heading to Soerabaja. This is virtually half of the 17th Army and I think that it is reasonable to assume that at least one division....probably the 48th....could be left on garrison duty on Luzon.

Dave is pretty good at sending me false and conflicting SIGINT reports but I think that there is a pattern here. It appears that Dave is splitting up 17th Army and going on the defensive as opposed to an _ALL IN_ Phase II offensive where I least expect it. To be safe....Im still going to clean up my rear areas on New Guinea at Finschafen before SWPAC resumes its advance and Im also beginning to withdraw the equivalent of 2 divisions from Burma to begin to head back thru the jungles to India .......just in case.

Im not sure why Dave would send 2 divisions to Sarmi. SWPAC can advance on the ground from Madang all the way to Hollandia without any Allied carrier support or amphib assault. After Hollandia....SWPAC will need to use amphib assault to continue its advance but if Sarmi is heavily reinforced I can easily bypass it. The redepolyment of the IJA 8th Division to Babeldaob makes sense as it will provide a fast transport reserve for Japan to interfere with the SWPAC coastal march up to Hollandia.

If these reports are true.....Im sure that one IJA division will be left on Luzon and that leaves only 3 remaining IJA divisions available for redeployment.....probably to Burma.

End result....there will be no Phase II Japanese offensive in the war.

[racndoc]

12/30-12/31/42.....ALTERNATE REALITY

It feels like the movie "Goundhogs Day"...we just keep playing the last turn of 1942 over and over until we finally get it right. On the 3rd attempt....after staging the VS squadrons from the CVs to land bases AND setting the squadrons to "no resize" we are finally able to prevent their premature withdrawal. Meanwhile....all the VT squadrons enlarge from 15 to 18 AC.



SOPAC


Admiral Hill's amphib TF will land the 2nd Marine Regiment on Munda next turn.

This time we play the turn we sink both SS I-6 and SSX Ha-10 in port at Rabaul.

CV Enterprise makes it back to port at Sydney. She is immediately placed on "critical pierside" repair with an estimate of only 18 days to repair her 38 SYS....then she will be sent to a shipyard to complete repairs of her 53 FLT damage.


SWPAC


Things ddint work out so well this time for the 7th Marines at Saidor. The Allied ground bombers went in without their escorts and sweepers and we ended up with an ineffectual bombing of the defenders at Saidor...not to mention pretty heavy AC losses. The 7th Marines could only manage two 1:1 assaults and the Japanese defenders remain in the hex. I will rest the 7th Marines for a couple of turns and fly in supplies with transport AC before we try another attack.

At Finschafen....the 5th Marine Regiment and the 32nd Division reinforce the 1st Marine Regiment and a deliberate attack is ordered for next turn.....after a pretty heavy aerial bombardment.



SWPAC

[racndoc]

1/1-1/2/43



SOPAC

SOPAC rings in the New Year with an amphibious assault on Munda:


Pre-Invasion action off Munda (111,134)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

5 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Boise
CL Durban
DD Litchfield
DD Smith
DD Drayton
APD Rathburne
DD Pillsbury



CL Boise firing at 17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
CL Durban firing at 2nd Air Division
DD Litchfield firing at 4th Base Force
DD Smith firing at 17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
DD Drayton firing at 4th Base Force
DD Litchfield fired at enemy troops
DD Smith fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Munda (111,134)

TF 297 troops unloading over beach at Munda, 111,134


Allied ground losses:
83 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


10 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 185th Infantry Rgt /5


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 02, 43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Munda (111,134)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Rathburne
DD Smith
DD Pillsbury



Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Munda (111,134)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Rathburne
DD Smith
DD Pillsbury



Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Munda (111,134)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

36 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Rathburne
CL Boise



88mm Type 99 AA Gun battery firing at APD Rathburne


By the end of the 2nd day of the invasion the US Army and the Marines were ashore:



Ground combat at Munda (111,134)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 0 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Defending force 8360 troops, 173 guns, 253 vehicles, Assault Value = 324



Assaulting units:
Maizuru 1st SNLF /1
1st Air Defense AA Regiment
1st Air Defense AA Battalion
6th Air Defense AA Regiment
4th JNAF AF Unit
2nd Air Div /4
4th Base Force
12th Naval Const Bn /1
17th Medium FA Rgt /2

Defending units:
193rd Tank Battalion
185th Infantry Regiment
6th Marine Regiment



The assault troops will launch a deliberate attack on Munda next turn following a massive aerial bombardment by both medium and tactical bombers.


A USN ASW TF sinks SS I-27 off Shrotlands.

VMSB squadrons based on Buka, Feni, Green and Lihir Is. pummel the Japanese airfields at Kavieng and Mussau Is.

SOPAC continues the massive buildup at Milne Bay in preparation for the invasion of New Britain. APs begin loading the 112th Calvary Regiment for the initial assault on Gasmata.

The 4 remaining operational USN CVs head back into port at Noumea for R&R....the invasion of New Britain will be covered exclusively by land based AC.



SWPAC


The 7th Marine Regiment continues to rest at Saidor and is finally in full supply after a large airlift from USAAF transport AC.

Following a massive aerial bombardment by the medium and tactical bombers of Fifth Air Force....the 32nd Division supports the Marines in a large scale assault on Finschafen:


Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18848 troops, 399 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 677

Defending force 2866 troops, 54 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 131

Allied adjusted assault: 677

Japanese adjusted defense: 166

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (5 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Allied ground losses:
441 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
1st Marine Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
5th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
46th Nav Gd /1
Kure 3rd SNLF /3
83rd Naval Guard Unit
13th Garrison Unit /1
39th JNAF AF Unit




Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18542 troops, 399 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 636

Defending force 2434 troops, 49 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 100

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 515

Japanese adjusted defense: 70

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Finschhafen !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
367 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (7 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
254 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)


Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division
1st Marine Regiment
5th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
83rd Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF /3
13th Garrison Unit /1
39th JNAF AF Unit


By the end of the 2nd day of combat SWPAC has secured yet another level 2 AF at Finschafen. The troops at Finschafen will rest for a turn as supply is sucked in from Lae and then will resume the attacks.

An Allied ASW TF sinks SS I-17 near Bathurst Is.



FIFTH AIR FORCE


Lots of parallels between General Kenney's historical Fifth Air Force and the Fifth Air Force in this game. Historically...General Kenney had about 55 war weary B-17s in the 43rd Bombardment Group that had seen nearly continuous action over the previous 6 months of the war. His 90th Bombardment Group had a similar number of B-24s with maintenance issues. The 38th Bombardment Group consisted of B-25Cs and the 22nd Bombardment Group was made up of B-26s. The 22nd Bombardment Group had taken heavy losses with very limited replacements and was sent back to Australia to rebuild.

In this game....General Kenney has maybe 65-75 war weary B-17s and B-24s available for combat ops. This turn they hit the Japanese level 4 AF at Manus. SOPAC and SWPAC have made huge advances and are way ahead of the historical timetable but it has come at a price for the heavy bombers of Fifth Air Force.....they have been on nearly non stop duty neutralizing Rabaul and the other 5 level 4 Japanese AFs in the region since April 1942.

In this game....the B-25Cs were used last turn as part of a massive aerial bombardment on the Japanese defenders of Finschafen. And as in real life....all of my B-26 squadrons are at 50% strength or less and they are beginning to be withdrawn for refit and training purposes.

As commander of the Allied Southwest Pacific Air Forces....General Kenney was faced with a dilemma in trying to stop the IJA reinforcment of Lae in early 1943. His medium bombers were not up to the task of interdicting IJN convoys in the Bismarck Sea and new weapons and tactics need to be developed. Back in Townsville, Australia....Major Paul "Pappy" Gunn of the 81st Depot Repair squadron began began converting A-20s to "commerce destroyers" by bolting on four 0.5" machine guna to the nose of the planes....hence the A-20A1. These planes has a very limited range so a better solution had to be found. The 81st Depot Repair Squadron took B-25s and bolted on four 0.5" machine guns to their nose.....but these planes were nose heavy and had to have ballast placed in the tail to even out the flight characteristics. The tail guns and turret guns were removed and voila....the B-25D1 was hatched.

To go with this new weapon system...new tactics had to be developed. The B-25 pilots of Fifth Air Force began training in skip bombing techniques by working over the wreakage SS Pruth....a liner that ran aground in 1923. Together with the new plane....B-25D1.....and the new tactics....skip bombing....Firth Air Force won the Battle of the Bismark Sea in February 1942 by annihilating an IJN troop convoy heading to Lae.

In this game...Ive used my A-20s and A-20A1s more for ground bombardment as their short range makes them of little use for naval ops....Im better off using the 8 hex ranged VMSB squadrons for interdicting IJN convoys or "commerce destroyers". In my upcoming Battle for the Bismarck Sea I will need to use longer ranged "commerce destroyers". I have my B-25D1s arriving in 2/42. As of this turn..Im beginning to withdraw some of my severely depleted B-26 squadrons with 70 exp pilots and 70 lo naval skill. I will train them in strafing for the next 5 -6 weeks and then begin converting them over to the B-25D1s. I will use them to interdict the Bismarck Sea....not to prevent the Japanese reinforcment of Lae....but to prevent the reinforcemnt of New Britain.



BATTLE FOR THE BISMARCK SEA


SOPAC has completely covered the approaches to the Bismarck Sea from the N to NE by building a series of level 2 AFs at Lihir, Feni, Green, Buka, Torokina and Shortlands.

With the capture of Finschafen....SWPAC has covered the W to NW approaches to the Bismarck Sea with a cluster of AFs at Finschafen, Lae, Nadzab and Salamaua. Of these AFs...Nazab will be the most important. It can be enlarged to a level 9 AF and is one hex inland so it can never be bombarded by the IJN.

With SBD-3s I can interdict IJN shipping into Rabaul and Kavieng. When the 14 hex ranged B-25D1a arrive I will be able to interdict IJn shipping into Manus and Mussau Is.

Dave has over 40,000 troops at Rabaul. My original plan had been to isolate Rabaul.... "Rings around Rabaul"...by 1st capturing Manus and Mussau Is. I was then going to starve Rabaul and take it at my leisure. The torpedoing of CV Wasp and CV Enterprise sank this idea....the Manus and Mussau invasions have been postponed to summer 1943 when the Essex Class CVs start arriving. Now SOPAC will invade at Gasmata under the cover of land based air....the USN carriers wont come out to play again until CENTPAC's Gilberts Campaign in spring 1943. Gasmata will be developed into a large airbase and port .....3 divisions will be landed at Gasmata and they will spend the better part of 2 months marching thru 4 hexes of coastal jungle to reach Rabaul.

Meanwhile it will be up to the VMSB suqadrons and Fifth Air Force's "commerce destroyers" to starve Rabaul.

[racndoc]

1/3-1/4/43



SUBS

The USN torpedo explosion rate triples on 1/1/43 from 10% to 30% and the effects are seen almost immediately:


Sub attack near Toyohara at 125,47

Japanese Ships
xAK Nasusan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Nitiyo Maru
xAKL Hukko Maru
SC CHa-9

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo



SS Wahoo launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Nasusan Maru
Wahoo diving deep ....
SC CHa-9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub



Sub attack near Toyohara at 125,47

Japanese Ships
xAK Nasusan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
SC CHa-6

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo



SS Wahoo launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Nasusan Maru
Wahoo diving deep ....
SC CHa-6 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-6 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-6 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-6 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-6 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


Sub attack near Wewak at 97,118

Japanese Ships
xAK Asama Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Bisan Maru #3
xAK Eizan Maru
xAK Ryuzan Maru
PB Choko Maru #2

Allied Ships
SS S-40



SS S-40 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Asama Maru #2
S-40 diving deep ....
PB Choko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Choko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Choko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Choko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Choko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub



SOPAC


SOPAC captures Munda after a heavy aerial bombardment:


Ground combat at Munda (111,134)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8390 troops, 173 guns, 253 vehicles, Assault Value = 324

Defending force 2341 troops, 7 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 124

Japanese adjusted defense: 22

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Munda !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
253 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (16 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Assaulting units:
193rd Tank Battalion
185th Infantry Regiment
6th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
4th JNAF AF Unit
6th Air Defense AA Regiment
12th Naval Const Bn /1
Maizuru 1st SNLF /1
1st Air Defense AA Battalion
1st Air Defense AA Regiment
2nd Air Div /4
4th Base Force
17th Medium FA Rgt /2


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

1st Air Defense AA Regiment Wiped Out at Munda by attrition!!!

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

6th Air Defense AA Regiment Wiped Out at Munda by attrition!!!

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

4th JNAF AF Unit Wiped Out at Munda by attrition!!!


Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Munda

Japanese Unit(s) Wiped Out at Munda by attrition!!!


Ground combat at Munda (111,134)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8384 troops, 173 guns, 253 vehicles, Assault Value = 325

Defending force 49 troops, 0 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 117

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 117 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 9 (9 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1



Assaulting units:
193rd Tank Battalion
185th Infantry Regiment
6th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
2nd Air Div /4



This completes SOPAC's Solomon Islands campaign. Every base in the island chain is now controlled by the Allies.

With its rear areas cleaned up....SOPAC can launch its New Britain offensive in a couple turns.



SIGINT

Lots more valuable SIGINT this turn. First we have another confirmation that portions of the IJA 5th Division are moving to Sarmi. In addition...there's a report that the 2nd Area Army HQ is moving to Sarmi...it certainly indicates that Sarmi will be a major Japanese defensive position.

In addition...there are reports that portions of the 33rd Division are on their way to both Singapore and Tavoy. And finally....there is a report that the 16th Division is being moved to Phuket. We have now accounted for 6 of the 8 divisions that were at Manila last month.

[House Stark]

Two updates in a day? Nice! Looks like you've done well in the Solomons. Are you eventually going to go for Truk after you take Rabaul and the other big airfields to the north of it?

[racndoc]

House Stark.....Truk is a mighty nice anchorage and it occupies a very strategic position in the Allied rear come 1944. Depending on its garrison size......if Rabaul has < 50,000 troops defending I will probably starve and then assault it before attacking the Marianas. If Rabaul has >50,000 troops I will probably bypass it and then...... to paraphrase general Curtis C. LeMay.....bomb it back to the stone age.



1/5-1/6/43


SWPAC


The US Army 32nd Division and elements of the 1st Marine Division continue to grind away at the Japanese remaining at Finschafen:



Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18378 troops, 399 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 610

Defending force 1886 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 46

Allied adjusted assault: 260

Japanese adjusted defense: 25

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
587 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (5 destroyed, 10 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
111 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled


Assaulting units:
1st Marine Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
5th Marine Regiment

Defending units:
Kure 3rd SNLF /3
13th Garrison Unit /1
83rd Nav Gd /1
39th JNAF AF Unit




Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18279 troops, 399 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 599

Defending force 1437 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 15

Allied adjusted assault: 355

Japanese adjusted defense: 16

Allied assault odds: 22 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 15 (12 destroyed, 3 disabled)


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


Assaulting units:
1st Marine Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
5th Marine Regiment
I US Corps

Defending units:
83rd Nav Gd /1
39th JNAF AF Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF /3
13th Garrison Unit /1


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

Japanese Unit(s) Wiped Out at Finschhafen by attrition!!!



Meanwhile....the 7th Marines continue to rest at Saidor and build up their supply levels.


SWPAC completes a level 2 AF at Nadzab. F4F-4s and SBD-3s are immediately staged in and we can now interdict IJN shipping all the way up the coast of New Guinea to Aitape.




CBI

Sitzkrieg in Burma as Eastern army and the IJA 15th Army stare each other down between Toungoo and Rangoon.

Quiet in China.....too quiet.



SOPAC: INVASION NEW BRITAIN


Covered by land based air.....the 112th Calvary Regiment will invade at Gasmata next turn.

There will be a simultaneous landing at Cape Gloucester by the 3rd Marine Raiders.


Dock and shipyard workers at Sydney work around the clock on Wasp and Enterprise. CV Enterprise has an estimate of 13 more days to complete repairs of her minor damage. She will then be placed in the shipyard at Sydney. CV Wasp.....with an estimate of 67 days to complete repairs of her major torpedo damage.....will then be pulled out of the Sydney shipyard and sent to Auckland to complete her repairs.


SIGINT

This turn we received two more confirmations of the IJA 16th Division redeploying to Phuket and two more confirmations that 2nd Area Army was redeploying to Sarmi.

[racndoc]

1/7-1/8/43



SUBS


Multiple sinkings by Allied subs again this turn:


Sub attack near Wakkanai at 124,48

Japanese Ships
xAK Nitiho Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Jinsai Maru
xAKL Takegawa Maru
SC CHa-45

Allied Ships
SS Finback



SS Finback launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Nitiho Maru
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub



Sub attack near Sapporo at 120,49

Japanese Ships
xAK Nissho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Jinsai Maru
xAKL Takegawa Maru
SC CHa-45

Allied Ships
SS Hake



SS Hake launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Nissho Maru
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-45 attacking submerged sub ....
SC CHa-45 is out of ASW ammo
SC CHa-45 is out of ASW ammo
SC CHa-45 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Shanghai at 94,56

Japanese Ships
xAK Hofuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
SC CHa-46

Allied Ships
SS Grunion



SS Grunion launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Hofuku Maru
Grunion bottoming out ....
SC CHa-46 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-46 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-46 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-46 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-46 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Sapporo at 120,49

Japanese Ships
xAK Nissho Maru, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Hake



SS Hake launches 2 torpedoes



Sub attack near Shanghai at 94,56

Japanese Ships
xAK Hofuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Grunion



xAK Hofuku Maru is sighted by SS Grunion
SS Grunion attacking on the surface
Abele, M.L. decides to submerge SS Grunion due to damage



An IJN midget sub sneaks into port at Shortlands:


Midget Sub attack inside harbor of Shortlands!!!

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-13

Allied Ships
PT-157, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage




SOPAC


SOPAC troops complete amphib landings at Gasmata and Cape Gloucester. After heavy aerial bombardment.....a shock attack will be launched at Gasmata next turn by the 112th Calvary Regiment.


USN BBs and cruisers get some night experience by bombarding hapless Japanese garrisons at Treasury Is.:

Night Naval bombardment of Treasury Islands at 109,132

Allied Ships
BB Indiana
BB South Dakota
BB Washington
CA Astoria
CA Chester
CLAA Atlanta
DD Conyngham
DD Lansdowne
DD Aaron Ward

Japanese ground losses:
42 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Port hits 16
Port supply hits 7

BB Indiana firing at Treasury Islands
BB South Dakota firing at Treasury Islands
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Washington
BB Washington firing at Treasury Islands
CA Astoria firing at Treasury Islands
CA Chester firing at Treasury Islands
CLAA Atlanta firing at Treasury Islands
DD Conyngham firing at Treasury Islands
DD Lansdowne firing at Treasury Islands
DD Aaron Ward firing at Treasury Islands


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Treasury Islands at 109,132

Allied Ships
BB California
CA Vincennes
CA Salt Lake City
CA Chicago
CA Louisville
CL Columbia
CLAA San Diego
CLAA Juneau
DD Chew
DD John D. Ford
DD Dale
DD Flusser
DD Preston
DD Dunlap
DD Henley

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



Port hits 16
Port supply hits 2

BB California firing at Treasury Islands
CA Vincennes firing at Treasury Islands
CA Salt Lake City firing at Treasury Islands
CA Chicago firing at Treasury Islands
CA Louisville firing at Treasury Islands
CL Columbia firing at Treasury Islands
CLAA San Diego firing at Treasury Islands
CLAA Juneau firing at Treasury Islands
DD Chew firing at Treasury Islands
DD John D. Ford firing at Treasury Islands
DD Dale firing at Treasury Islands
DD Flusser firing at Treasury Islands
DD Preston firing at Treasury Islands
DD Dunlap firing at Treasury Islands
DD Henley firing at Treasury Islands




SIGINT


This turn SIGINT gave 3 additional confirmations that the IJA 16th Division was loaded on AKs heading to Tavoy. An additional confirmation was received for both 2nd Area Army and 5th Division heading to Sarmi.

A SWPAC aerial bombardment at Madang revealed the presence of the missing 28th Division there..... that gives us the disposition of 7 of the 9 IJA divisions that were ID'ed at Manila in early Decedmber 1942.


It appears that Japan has reinforced the northern coast of New Guinea with 3 divisions and a 4th will be held in reserve at Babeldaob. After SWPAC eliminates resistance at Finschafen and Saidor the Japanese defenses will stiffen up considerably at Madang and beyond.



CBI


Quiet in China.

Dave had moved a small LCU down the Toungoo/Magwe Hwy and 2 turns ago we attacked it and forced it to retreat..... inexplicably the IJA LCU retreated to the Toungoo/Meiktila Hwy where it cuts communications between the 4700 AV of Eastern Army and Mandalay. Last turn we attacked the IJA roadblock but could not dislodge it. The Toungoo/Meiktila Hwy will be blocked for a few more turns until we can bring up reinforcements.


I had begun the redeployment of over 2 Allied divisions from Burma to India to guard against possible Japanese landings in my rear. With all the SIGINT and repeated confirmations of IJA troop movements that I have received over the last 2 weeks Im going to abort the withdrawal of Allied troops from Burma to India and move everyone back to the front to resume the offensive.


Dave has an interesting defensive setup in southern Burma....he has 79 LCUs at Pegu and only 3 LCUs at Rangoon. Looks as if he is concerned about troops getting cut off at Rangoon.

I was finally able to move a base force to Prome last turn so now the Allies have air cover over their troops in southern Burma for the first time.

[richlove]

I want to chime in and say that I'm really enjoying this AAR (and learning quite a bit, too). AdmSpruance, your screenshot of Sarmi shows only one Allied sub - are you planning on flooding the area to try to intercept some of the troops while still at sea?

[racndoc]

richlove....good call on sending subs to interdict IJN convoys into Sarmi. I was so focused on interdicting the main Japanese convoy routes that I forgot to allocate additional sub assets to the northern coast of New Guinea. I redeployed a half dozen subs to the northern coast of New Guinea ....including Sarmi.... and one of those subs hit paydirt this turn near Aitape.




1/9-1/10/43



SUBS


SS Hake sinks AK Nissho Maru off Sapporo.


SS Tautog sinks AK Sinkyo Maru near Aitape.


SS Wahoo sinks AK Ryuanan Maru by Toyohara.




SOPAC


After a massive aerial bombardment...the 112th Calvary Regiment capturers Gasmata:



Ground combat at Gasmata (103,127)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1755 troops, 4 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 75

Defending force 458 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 56

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Gasmata !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
259 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 2


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


Assaulting units:
112th Cavalry Regiment

Defending units:
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy
5th JNAF Coy




Construction engineers will be offloaded next turn and then we will follow up with BF units. I want to have 100 fighters on LRCAP over Gasmata as we unload the better part of 4 divisions there to assault Rabaul.


USN BBs continue to bombard Treasury Is. to increase their night experience.



AUSTRALIA


Aussie armor eliminates the Japanese troops at Derby:


Ground combat at Derby (64,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3600 troops, 0 guns, 524 vehicles, Assault Value = 289

Defending force 121 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

Allied adjusted assault: 195

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 195 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
137 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled



Fifth Air Force heavy bombers pound the Japanese AF at Manus.
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1



Assaulting units:
2/7th Armoured Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2/11th Armoured Car Battalion
2/8th Armoured Regiment

Defending units:
I/81st Nav Gd /3







BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA


I had seen Japanese reinforcements on the move to Sinyang so I evacuated the city and withdrew everyone to Nanyang. I didnt see any IJA troops approaching Nanyang until it was too late and this turn the Chinese suffered a disaster that will cause them to lose Sian and possibly all of northern China:


Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 195834 troops, 1623 guns, 1562 vehicles, Assault Value = 7332

Defending force 97064 troops, 522 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3632

Japanese adjusted assault: 2797

Allied adjusted defense: 1502

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
13622 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 1092 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 102 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 116 disabled
Guns lost 73 (1 destroyed, 72 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (1 destroyed, 25 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
7525 casualties reported
Squads: 212 destroyed, 506 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 264 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 33 disabled
Guns lost 107 (20 destroyed, 87 disabled)


Assaulting units:
59th Division
58th Division
110th Division
17th Division
40th Division
1st Tank Division
63rd Division
27th Division
32nd Division
34th Division
60th Division
15th Division
3rd Tank Division
35th Division
15th Tank Regiment
68th Division
6th Division
22nd Division
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
22nd AA Regiment
52nd Road Const Co

Defending units:
55th Chinese Corps
33rd Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
35th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
16th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese/A Corps
3rd Chinese/C Corps
30th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry Corps
45th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese/A Corps
38th Group Army
33rd Group Army
2nd Group Army
5th War Area
37th Group Army
22nd Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment





Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 185363 troops, 1623 guns, 1562 vehicles, Assault Value = 6239

Defending force 89776 troops, 492 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2956

Japanese adjusted assault: 2310

Allied adjusted defense: 622

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanyang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
4958 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 787 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 101 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 111 disabled
Guns lost 61 (1 destroyed, 60 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
14090 casualties reported
Squads: 1041 destroyed, 453 disabled
Non Combat: 1194 destroyed, 510 disabled
Engineers: 181 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 129 (105 destroyed, 24 disabled)
Units retreated 21


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
68th Division
15th Division
1st Tank Division
40th Division
60th Division
110th Division
32nd Division
63rd Division
22nd Division
3rd Tank Division
35th Division
59th Division
27th Division
34th Division
58th Division
15th Tank Regiment
17th Division
6th Division
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
22nd AA Regiment
52nd Road Const Co

Defending units:
35th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
33rd Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese/A Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
29th Chinese Corps
16th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry Corps
3rd Chinese/C Corps
56th Chinese/A Corps
33rd Group Army
38th Group Army
22nd Group Army
37th Group Army
55th Chinese Corps
5th War Area
2nd Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment



The 3600 AV Chinese army is cut down to 1600 AV. Even worse.....instead of the Chinese army retreating towards its supply source in Sian(and withdrawing to 3x terrain) it withdraws out of supply towards Loyang into clear terrain. The road to Sian is open for Japan and we cannot stop them now. In fact...Dave will again hit that 1600 Av Chinese stack in 2 turns and cut it back to 800 AV..and then advance on Sian and capture it on his leisure. We now for sure will lose Sian and possibly all of northern China. I have a 2800 AV Chinese army outside of Taiyuan that will withdraw towards Sian. I have another 4000 Chinese AV around Kaifeng that will need to make a credible threat towards Nanyang to slow down the Japanese advance on Sian.

All of the heavy and medium bombers of Tenth Air Force in India will now stage to China to try to slow down the Japanese advance. With 2 IJA Panzer divisions approaching Sian I will rail some Allied anti-tank LCUs from Toungoo to Lashio and then have Allied transport AC fly them to Kunming and eventually Tuyun. Then the anti-tank LCUs will rail to Changsha before additional transport AC fly them into Sian.

This is so far turning into the biggest disaster of the war for the Allies in China.

[racndoc]

1943: ALLIED STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANS



Ive attached a screenshot to this post of the Japanese maximum expansion point....ie their "high water mark"...and the current front line.



ALLIED STRATEGIC PLANS

The Allied strategic plans in WitP/AE are so obvious that they hardly bear repeating but I will list them here anyway.

First...the Japanese obviously receive massive quantities of oil and fuel in AE that they never had in real life. My primary strategic objective is to take Mindanao ASAP and cut the Japanese SLOC between the DEI and the Home Islands. The target date for this is the 1st quarter, 1944.

Secondly....I want to acquire airfields to allow strategic bombing of Japan. I realized in my 1st game of AE that the Marianas are virtually worthless to launch a strategic bombing campaign of the Home Islands the way B-29s are currently modeled. The distance that the B-29s need to fly from the Marianas to the Home Islands is so great that you cannot build up an effective operational tempo.

Instead...I will acquire bases on Luzon, Okinawa, Amami Oshima, Tanegashima, Yakushima, Tokara Retto, Miyake-jima and the other small islands off the coast of Japan to base B-24s and B-29s.





1943: OPERATIONAL PLANNING


As Ive mentioned before....I consider operational planning to be the real strength of AE. Here is the operational planning for the Allies for 1943 by command:



CENTPAC


Im not anxious to commence atoll assaults until the APs upgrade to APAs in 3/42.

CV Wasp should complete repairs by April 1942 and the APAs should also complete their upgrades by then. Im planning on capturing bases in the Gilberts in 4/43 and then having the bases build up to support an advance into the Marshalls in summer 1943. The advance into the Gilberts and Marshalls shall both shorten the Allied convoy routes from the US west coast to New Guinea and also will present a threat to the Marianas and create a diversion for the main Allied thrust towards the Carolines, Paulaus and then Mindanao. CENTPAC expects to launch their offensive into the Marshalls in summer 1943.



SWPAC


SWPAC will continue its overland offensive...almost completely independent of naval support....to Madang, Hansa Bay, Aitape and beyond. If things get bottled up here from Japanese reinforcements I will consider a 2nd SWPAC thrust from Darwin across the Timor and Arafura Seas towards the DEI. The Allied offensive has been slowed down greatly here due to the 2(0) port at Lae and my inability to step up the level of reinforcements and supplies to Lae.



SOPAC


SOPAC will land about 4 divisions at Gasmata and have them advance thru coastal jungles for a final assault at Rabaul. Im facing the same logistical problems here as at Lae for SWPAC...the port at Gasmaat is only level 1 and it will take awhile to enlarge it.

SOPAC will launch amphib assaults on Manus and Mussau Is. once they achieve both a quantitative _AND_ qualitative superiority over KB by summer 1943....that means getting back both Wasp and Enterprise_AND_ upgrading form F4F-4s to Hellcats.

SOPAC will invade the Paulaus and Carolines in fall 1943 to set up a 1st quarter invasion of Mindanao in conjunction with SWPAC in 1944.



SEAC


SEAC will continue to build up troops and supplies in Burma for a final offensive to capture Rangoon and break out into Indochina.

[Captain Cruft]

Good thinking, the Ryukyu Islands are definitely a weak spot for Japan. I am taking measures in my own Hive game to deal with this but I would guess most Japanese players will mostly neglect them until it's too late.

[House Stark]

I'm looking forward to watching those 1943 plans unfold. One note though: you mention having qualitative and quantitative air superiority over KB by summer 1943-is this truly possible? While hellcats are better than the opposition, Japan will still probably have decent enough pilots that it won't be nearly so lopsided as in real life. And in terms of quantity, it seems that Japan can definitely have Taiho by early 1943, and possibly the first Unryo or two by summer as well. So unless you wait till the first new CVs and CVLs and take all all the escort carriers as well, numbers are likely to be fairly even. I'm sure you knew this already, but I'd hate to see this AAR get bogged down due to a massive naval defeat.

[richlove]

AdmSpruance, any concern you're being fed false info via SigInt (i.e. the transports have a final destination of PNG, but have a waypoint in (say) Burma? Are your subs seeing enough transport activity to correlate w/ the volume of troops headed that way?

[racndoc]

Captain Cruft....thanks for your comments.

House Stark...I certainly dont want to ruin the Allies chances of winning the war by engaging in a pre-mature lopsided carrier battle. I have 3 new CVEs arriving in the south Pacific next turn. That will give the Allies a total of 8 CVEs. The only carrier covered amphib assault Im contemplating now before I have carrier superiority will be a hit and run campaign in the Gilberts and that will be launched in April 1943 after the return of CV Wasp. I dont anticipate Dave commiting all of his fleet to counter an Allied attack on the Gilberts. If he does commit all of KB....I will have 5 USN CVs that can put up 200 fighters including two VMF detachments. The 8 CVEs can put up another 193 fighters and then there will be CVL Hermes that has been converted into a fleet defence carrier with 20 Sea Hurricanes flying shotgun up on top at 31,000".

I wont venture deep into "injun country".....the Marshalls, Bismarcks or Admiralties....until July 1943 and by then the USN fast carriers will be joined by a fully repaired CV Enterprise and newly arrived Cv Essex, CV Yorktown II and CVL Independence....that will total 8 CVs, 8 CVEs and 2 CVLs all loaded with Hellcats. And I plan on having a lot of land based fighters, DBs, TBs and medium bombers covering the advances into the Marshalls. Admiralties and Bismarcks.

I wont dare to assault the Marianas until 1944 as I expect Dave to have a very warm reception waiting for me there.

richlove....I have a screenshot attached at the end of this post showing the northern coast of New Guinea around Sarmi. I have 6 subs sniffing around up there and recon has spotted 3 TFs at Sarmi covered by fighters...so yes...I do believe the SIGINT reports regarding the Japanese reinforcements of New Guinea and Babeldaob.



THE AIR WAR


I havent posted on this for awhile. Currently...Japan has lost 6407 AC vs 5740 Allied AC. In A2A....Japan has lost 2751 AC vs 2449 Allied AC.I was able to get more favorable kill ratios on Japan when they were on the offensive as I could set up ambushes and CAP traps at will. Now that Im on the offensive...Dave is able to set ambushes and CAP traps on the Allies as Im forced to suppress his bases and ground troops every turn.


The Allied roster of Aces has changed markedly over the last few months. Now....the top Allied ace is a P-38E driver with 17 kills. In fact....8 of the top 11 Allied ACEs are USAAF pilots. Three of the top 4 Allied Aces are P-38E pilots. The remaining Allied pilot of the top 4 was a P-40E driver and he was KIA......guess I should have upgraded his ride before he was killed.

[racndoc]

1/11-1/12/43



SUBS


SS KXIV puts a torpedo in TK Akatsuki Maru off Groot Natoema.

SS S-33 surfaces to take on an entire Japanese troop convoy off Sarmi:



Sub attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
xAK Yae Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Taiko Maru
xAK Sikisan Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Yuri Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
xAK Saiho Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-33, hits 10, heavy damage

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



SS S-33 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Yae Maru
S-33 bottoming out ....
PB Taiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taiko Maru attacking submerged sub ....
SS S-33 forced to surface!
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Saiho Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Saiho Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Saiho Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Taiko Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Saiho Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Saiho Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
PB Taiko Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Sikisan Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yuri Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
xAK Yae Maru firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves


SS S-33 is lost with all hands after inflicting enormous damage on the convoy.


SS S-34 sinks xAKL Rozan Maru off Sarmi.

SS Permits puts a fish in xAK Malta Maru near Moppo.



SWPAC


Elements of the 1st Marine Division and the 32nd Division wipe out all remaining Japanese resistance at Finschafen. Aviation personel will reach Finschafen next turn and the level 2 AF captured there will be open for business.

The 32nd Division will now join the other SWPAC troops advancing on Madang while the 1st and 5th Marine Regiments move back to Lae for withdrawal and eventual redeployment to CENTPAC for the Gilberts campaign.

The 7th Marine Regiment is still trying to clear out the remaining Japanese at Saidor...an assault is ordered for next turn. After eliminating the remaining Japanese at Saidor the 7th Marines will also be withdrawn and redeployed to CENTPAC.

As previously reported.....2 USN subs intercepted IJN troop convoys off Sarmi as Dave continues the buildup there. There are 100 Japanese fighters at Sarmi covering the unloading ops.

Additional IJN troop convoys are unloading the IJA 21st Division at Hansa. Dave placed a CAP trap over Hansa and and after some large A2A combats US DB and TB squadrons went in without escorts....the Allies lose 14 P-39Ds,14 F4F-4s, 23 SBD-3s 12 Beaufort-1s and 9 TBF-1s.

The 1st VMF squadron to upgrade to F4U-1 Corsairs....VMF 211....will stage to Nadzab to help escort the VMSB squadrons next turn in their attacks on IJN shipping at Hansa. This will be the 1st time the Corsairs will be used in combat.



SIGINT

Two additional confirmations this turn that the IJA 33rd Division is heading to Victoria Point. Additional confirmations are received of 28th Division at Madang, 21st Division at Hansa and 5th Division at Sarmi.



CBI


Quiet in Burma as Eastern Army preps for Pegu and IV Indian Corps preps for Rangoon. All LCUs that had been previously withdrawn to reinforce India are now heading back to the front now in SE Burma.


Massive air battle this turn over Nanyang. Tenth Air Force heavy bombers are staged into Chungking from India while medium bombers are staged from India into Sian. Seven Chinese fighter squadrons are used for escort and LRCAP to complement 1 USAAF P-40K and 1 RNZAF Hurricane squadron. Over 100 Allied bombers hit the 21 IJA divisions at Nanyang and pin them in place...even the 2 IJA armor divisions are pinned. Over 1000 casualties are inflicted on the IJA troops at Nanyang and dozens of tanks are damaged or destroyed. Allied fighters staged into kaifeng LRCAP the Chinese troops just outside of Nanyang to help them escape before they get crushed again by the onrushing Japanese hordes.

When the smoke clears...even though the Chinese fighter squadrons have taken a beating the Japanese DBs have been ravaged. In the swirling air battles over both China and Hansa Bay on New Guinea both sides lose over 140 AC apiece and in A2A both sides lose about 120 AC apiece. Individual plane losses include(besides the Allied losses previously mentioned)52 A6M2s, 36 Idas, 20 A6M2-Rufes, 14 Lilys, 9 Tojos, 6 Oscars 20 P-66 Vanguards, 10 P-43A-1 Lancers and 5 B-25s.

The Chinese gained 3 aces last turn....two are P-66 Vanguard drivers while one is a H81-A3 pilot.
Most importantly...most of the Chinese Army outside of Nanyang should escape next turn while the Japanese are pinned at Nanyang. Also...while the Chinese fighters are devastated this turn it gave the Allies one turn of breathing room to stage in fighters from India. Next turn Tenth Air Force and the RAF will take it to the Japanese air over Nanyang.