Where the eastern wind is blowing... AAR against Canoerebel

[PaxMondo]

Which is consistent with historical results ....

[Hortlund]

Oh well... I still think a red dot gives less intel than an allied dot.

5th of March. At Batavia, troops of the first wave have finished debarking transports from the Philippines. Now they will move to faster and better suited ships. The process is expected to take 4-5 days, and after that the invasion fleet sails. Yamato will refuel at Cam Rahn Bay tomorrow, and then head to Batavia to lead the SCTF protecting the fleet. Two CVs are between Australia and Java, probing, waiting. Two CVEs and one CVL is at Batavia with the fleet. Two other CVs will reach Batavia in a week...

I dont think Canoe has seen this one coming...should be interesting. By now he should be getting intel that I have troops in Batavia, at the same time, they are all prepping for Australian targets. With a little luck, he will think Im moving towards Perth...

[witpqs]

How are the air raids/sweeps of NW America going?

[Hortlund]

Not too good.. I have been doing a couple of strategic attacks that have made little impression on me or the score. The last sweep I did achieved roughly 1-1 ratio, which is far too bad considering I lose most of my pilots while he retains most of his. Im only exchanging rookie pilots though, since the Zero units I have there are fresh from Japan.

[Hortlund]

Soerebaja is about to fall, after that, all that remains is Singapore and northern Sumatra. I am very close to achieving my at-start objectives now. And on top of that, as a bonus, we also have most of the northern Pacific all the way down to Canada. Darwin has fallen, and Port Moresby will fall aswell within a couple of days. The lack of defences in northern Australia and at Port Moresby means I get those places for free.

In about three days I will start loading the first wave to Chittagong. 14th Army will lead the assault with 2 divisions and a brigade. That is roughly 1000 AV that should be enough to capture the place. Two-three days behind the first wave, the 25th Army with another 3 divisions will follow. All in all, Im expecting to put 3000 AV into northern India.

I will try to give the impression that Im going for Perth and/or the islands in the Indian Ocean.

[Hortlund]

March 10th 1942.

The troops have embarked the transports at Batavia, and the ships are moving out.

[ny59giants]

In about three days I will start loading the first wave to Chittagong. 14th Army will lead the assault with 2 divisions and a brigade. That is roughly 1000 AV that should be enough to capture the place.

As Allies, I recombine the 17th Indian Division here. One brigade starts at Karachi and another at Rangoon. So that division would be 100% prepped and I add one of the mobile CD units. It 'might' be tougher to overcome than you are expecting. Those transports will need a CA or BB in the TF.

[Hortlund]

There are two amphib TFs, one with 1000 AV and another with 800. They both have a CVE and a BB as well as CLs, DMSs and DDs.

1000 AV should be able to break through most Indian defences. Unless he has the 18th UK there together with half the Indian army. But in that case, 1800 AV should be enough.

[Hortlund]

D -7

Both invasion TFs have cleared the Sunda straits, despite heavy submarine presence. They will proceed north along the Sumatra coast.

Tomorrow two para-units will drop on interior Indian bases to cut raillines to Chittagong.

[Hortlund]

I get the eerie feeling Im being expected. Todays paradrops were both expected. We failed at one of the bases, but managed to capture the other. This thanks to the tank unit defending it was in a bad op-mode. Strat I presume, since it is weird to see a paradrop take out a tank brigade.

If Im reading the map right, there is no way for Canoe to rail reinforcements to Chittagong right now. This should buy enough time for the invasion fleet to arrive. It will take at least a week for Canoe to march in troops and attack the paras. By then, the invasion fleet should be just offshore Chittagong.






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

Ground combat at Tezpur (60,36)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 237 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Defending force 150 troops, 0 guns, 38 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Japanese adjusted assault: 14

Allied adjusted defense: 4

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tezpur !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 35 (35 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /2

Defending units:
254th Armoured Brigade

[witpqs]

A good player like Canoe will recognize that Tezpur and Rangpur are both important bases that need to be garrisoned and fortified for the very reason you mentioned. He might not have been expecting an actual paradrop, just being prudently prepared for one.

Of course, NOW he does expect you! [:D]

[Hortlund]

Yeah, perhaps you are right. Im really glad we managed to take one of those bases though. Would be dreadful to go in against a prepared enemy.

D-6
Tranports about to pass Sabang. Another paradrop secures another base on the railline to Chittagong. I feel pretty confident we have blocked reinforcements now, so tomorrow we will start more recon of the base.

4 CVs are now in place as escorts, together with 6 BBs including the Yamato. I feel pretty secure that I can blast a hole through to the base, but still this is a shoestring operation, where we will operate far from secure bases, and with limited supply and fuel.

[Hortlund]

D -4

Im torn between holding for a day to wait for the CVs or press on. I have a hunch that the USN CVs are somewhere between Ceylon and Port Blair.

I dont think that he will attack right here though, presumably he will want to attack with support of LBA. So we press on.

[Hortlund]

Oh, in other news, Port Moresby is about to fall. Soerebaja has fallen and the two remaining pockets of resistance on Java will be cleared in a week or so. Nome is under siege but will hold out for another week. Skagwayhas been taken, and the 2nd Division will pursuit the defenders up to Whitehorse, after that, the offensive in the nort pacific is over.

In northern China, we are approaching our objectives. We are three hexes away from cutting the supply lines south. After that, we will begin a massive regrouping of forces and move on to the next phase of the Chinese offensive. Bear in mind that the offensive in India has two objectives. 1) cut supply to China and 2) mess things up for the allies by taking and destroying HI.

If my calculations are right, China should be experiencing a massive supply shortage in 6-12 months. The next offensive is targeted for Oct-Nov 1942 and will aim at taking the center.

[Flicker]

Even as a relatively new player, I've read enough AARs to know to garrison Tezpur and Rangpur to defend against paratroopers. I like to prepare the Chittagong to Ledo line for defense (and to supply China), so building airfields at Tezpur and Rangpur with base forces improves supply. My SOP is to dig in and build fort 1 before improving a base (and now because of this on my next turn I'm going to get the engineers to build up the forts a bit more).

I also recombine the 17th Indian Division (IIRC Brits and Gurkhas) at Chittagong to provide infantry support to the Chittagong Fortress (6 x 6" guns).

I see that you took Silchar, blocking possible reinforcements from Ledo.

Chittagong is isolated and it will take awhile for the Allies to restore LOC. You've also cut the Chinese supply from Ledo if the Allies were using that base for air supply. Any Allied troops in Burma are in trouble if you take Chittagong.

Nicely done.

[Hortlund]

D -3

Two important things happened today.
The paras were attacked by armor, but held. Magnificent! They bought another day for my troops.

His CVs launched a strike against 2 DDs of mine. Looks like two USN CVs and at least one Brit CV. We press on!

Tomorrow we split up the invasion convoy, the assault forces will begin the sprint to the beaches, the SCTFs will clear the way. Bombardment TF heading to Akyab. Carriers to take position between the USN CVs and the transports. Banzai!!

[Hortlund]

Im trying to give the impression im landing at Pt Blair. Every day counts now, every false move by the allies increases our chances of success.

[veji1]

You got balls to press on likely facing US+UK CVs without a full KB.. Best luck to you but an utter disaster remains a real possibility !

[Hortlund]

Meh, I have 4 fleet carriers together with one CVL and two CVEs. I'll put that force up against two USN CVs any day of the war.

Not only that, if Canoe comes closer with his CVs, he will be inside Betty-range from Rangoon. Also, I have land-based Zeros and Oscars flying top cover over the non-CV TFs. I think he will lose more than he wins if he attacks.

[Hortlund]

D - 2

Full speed for the invasion forces. SCTFs scout ahead. Carriers well to the rear, but inbetween allied CVs and the transports. What do we find...?

USN dive bombers have rebased to Akyab. Our bombardment TF did not go in during the night-turn for some reason. This meant 40 DBs escorted by 20-something fighters sortied against an invasion TF. Some got through, two transports sunk. No hits on warships. Yamato was spotted, so now he knows what he is facing. Perhaps this is good, I doubt he will send in surface forces now.

We have to run this gauntlet now. The forces are committed, the surprise is complete. We might take losses, but we have more than 100 000 men enroute to the invasion beaches. We press on. BANZAI BANZAI BANZAI

Night airfield attacks ordered, another bombardment run on Akyab. Fighters on CAP over the transports.

Battle stations! All ahead full.