Ocean of (Allied) Blood.

[bigred]

Note the musashi...

[bigred]

43dec31: The KB seems to have posted itself off Rangoon, even w/ the threat of an allied CV TF operating off the coast of Sumatra. I would suspect some portion of his force has been sent to the south. In any event I found some large targets operating in the Georgetown area.
If FatR pulls the KB from Rangoon allied air power will suppress the Rangoon forces..


Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Medan at 46,76

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 31
SBD-5 Dauntless x 26


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
TK Kanzaki Maru
PB Fuji Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
TK Ryuei Maru, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
TK Nishi Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Tennan Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
TK Toen Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Terukawa Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
TK Moji Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
14 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring TK Ryuei Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring TK Nishi Maru
Massive explosion on TK Nishi Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring TK Toen Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring TK Terukawa Maru

[bigred]

Last turn I had a 50 ship landing force at Salamanica. I felt FatR could react from Rabaul w/ his Kowachi TF and I was uncomfortable leaving this large landing group w/in strike distance so I ordered a "stop unload" and did the old "side step" back to Milne bay. And FatR did sink some LCTs(barges) I was using in the area. But my main landing force w/LST/APA is ok--this turn.. We switched to one day turn and the Kowachi Group stayed in the day at Salamonica, he CAPed the hex and my Beaufort sqn did get mauled. I dont want to give out specifics but I did send "significant" reserve TFs to join the landing fleet. Now my landing fleet is sitting in the Lae bay between Kwachi and Rabaul.

Mission--DESTROY THE IJN Kowachi TF AT ALL COST and open naval surface access thru the Finchshaven gap.

[bigred]

This attack at Rangoon seems an abort. I suspect not all IJA divisions participated. I counted 1800ija av. Could be the 1st marine div is having an effect on the ground...what a massive unit...maybe I get a double also for being in a city hex. FatR may need to send in some CAs for bombardment. But if they do then I might be waiting down south W/ my CV TFs as they reload!!!
I wish I had made my screenshot near the end of the battle.

[yubari]

What a battle! Congratulations on some good victories in the past few weeks and from fighting back from the position you received from me. I doubt however that the Musashi is sunk, seemingly every torpedoed ship is automatically put on the ships sunk list.

I think those guys in Rangoon should be OK, providing they have the supplies, they will get a large defensive bonus for being in Rangoon. How many guys have you got near Prome, and are they headed on a relief mission?

[bigred]

There is a possibility the Pennsylvania BB TF will engage the Kowachi TF next turn. Here is a look at the extra toys FatR gets for his surface fleet.

[bigred]

This is a list of sunk Jap Cruisers. So he still has alot of extra CAs. All IJN BBs have been seen at Rangoon except maybe the Kongo BBs, but I think they are operating inside the KB CV TF. Note 5 sunk Agano CLs...looks like IJN has 3 Tone class cruisers left. @ of these three are at Salmanuia w/ the Kowachi...

[bigred]

This is a comparison of the Kawachi against the Penn.

[bigred]

This is the TF FatR used to try to CAP trap me at Salamaua(and sat there in daylight), humm, I dont think these are Tone class CAs...Maybe more are at Rabaul...

One thing is for sure, we will have a naval battle around Lea Bay w/ the Kawachi before relief arrives from Rabaul.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Salamaua at 98,127, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CB Kawachi
CA Maya
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
DD Shikinami
DD Oboro
DD Akebono
DD Asanagi

Allied Ships
LCT-175, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCT-176, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCT-177, Shell hits 1, and is sunk



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 20,000 yards
LCT-177 sunk by CB Kawachi at 20,000 yards
LCT-175 sunk by CB Kawachi at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
LCT-176 sunk by CB Kawachi at 18,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

[bigred]

One other issue this turn. At lashio a relief force is pushing toward Mandalay.



Ground combat at 61,46 (near Lashio)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 12445 troops, 106 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 438

Defending force 9848 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 429

Japanese adjusted assault: 424

Allied adjusted defense: 2794

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6

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

Japanese ground losses:
1920 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 197 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled


Allied ground losses:
169 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
2nd Guards Division

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps

[bigred]

This is a look at my other RA70 game against Dirty Harry. I am the JAPS and I get a look at ship production. I want to know the locations of all enemy CVs and also the future units to become available.

The Screenie is of my future IJN CV arrivals..humm, last turn FatR had 120 fighters at Magwe but this turn it is empty...hehehe I wonder if he has CAP over Singapore and Palembang...

[bigred]

The Kawachi got away...

[bigred]

In the air war over burma...

[bigred]

In my hunt for the Kawachi I forgot to CAP my TFs.

[bigred]

The only Surface combat was a DD draw.

[bigred]

Then the air war began. Fat R is moving vehicles to burma on the Burma road.

[bigred]

Then the carpet bombing has begun...

[bigred]

and

[bigred]

then day 2 the air seemed more coordinated and doubled down on jap airfields in central burma...My CV raid last turn really forced FatR to make some adjustments. I was afraid to hang around off Sumatra because of the reinforced air.

[bigred]

43-1-3:
With the arrival of 2 fresh allied divisions I should start some movement in the Mandalay area.