Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[MAurelius]

yes - but one should give credit to him for playing on - most would have left long ago...

[John 3rd]

That is very true. He made the joke asking 'how much is ENOUGH?!" My reply was enough is when I am stopped. Don't think that helped much.

We should have a small pause as I bring my CVs back to Sumatra to refuel and provision. Once there we'll come right out.

On the serious note, it is time for my summer upgrades to begin with KB. I'll be rotating a Division of CVs out each month for upgrades of radar and 3.9" heavy AA.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
June 11, 1942

Captain Komura Keizo has chaffed at having to spend his entire war protecting the tender sides of the Kido Butai. His Chikuma, and her sister Tone, could not be risked in any form of surface action. It is a measure of Vc-Adm Yamaguchi's aggressiveness that these two precious CAs are detached with three of the most modern warships the Kaigun possesses. CL Noshiro is brand new Agano-Class cruiser and the two Moon-Class AA DDs provide a modicrum of screening protection. Seeking to prove himself he aggressively swings his small command into the wreck that is Diego Garcia's anchorage. Numerous dead hulks fill the waters and the recently added American CA San Francisco can clearly be seen.

This night the traditional Japanese carrier escorts get the chance to fight as Samurai! They prove their value and worth as they sweep into the area and crush the damaged US CL Saint Louis, sink a large British AMC, and send DD Monssen to her death. This quick fight allows for them to position themselves for bombardment of little Diego Garcia's AF. The 2 CAs and CL send shell after shell into the confined space and are rewarded with many fireballs and secondary explosions. Nearly 70 planes are destroyed in the shelling (65 Planes--P-40, SBD, Martlets, TBD, Blenheim, etc..) and vast stockpiles of fuel and ammunition fill the skies with a bright fiery glow as the ships depart after a 75 minute bombardment.

Not to be outdone they stumble onto a convoy of 3 AK and manage to sink them just after dawn.

Highly pleased with the results, Vc-Adm Yamaguchi sends his congratulations and orders the ships to rejoin his CV's Screen ASAP. With a slight smile, Captain Komura works to return them to their 'normal' duties...

[John 3rd]

...I am beginning to worry a bit at what is now fanning out from Benkoelen. Several Divisions are being attacked (44th Brit, 6th Aust ID) as well as armored units. His units are moving in all directions beginning to threaten the base north of Palembang, Oosthaven, and Praboeth (SP? west of Palembang)

There is 600 Assault Value behind Sz-4 Forts at Palembang.

To be a bit more cautious I order the 41st Inf Reg at Sabang to head for Oosthaven. The elite 90th Inf Reg will join them there. Currently Oosthaven has no Inf to protect it.

There are now roughly 100 Sally, 100+ Lily, 150 Betty/Nell, and about 100 Kates filling the AFs at Batavia, Oosthaven, Palembang, and Singapore. ALL bombers are set to attack ground units as well as a few to hit Benkoelen's AF. Three Bombardment TF of 2 BC each and 2 BB are rotating their nocturnal attacks each night.

Any suggestions?

[Encircled]

Surely by moving they are just hastening their own downfall?

There is no chance that they can be resupplied, is there?

[John 3rd]

NONE!

[John 3rd]

Here is a rather busy screenshot detailing the Southern Sumatra situation:

[Encircled]

So you've nothing to worry about.

Reinforce enough so he can't take a base, round the clock bombing and use them for target practice.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
June 12-14, 1942

Busy stuff all over the map sort of reinforces the idea that there is a war going on elsewhere then Sumatra and the IO.

North Pacific
A TF finishes unloading a CD unit at Umnak.

CVE Unyo (my only CVE) re-sizes 4 Chutai (1 Zero, 1 Val, 2 Kate) into 27 planes squadrons while at Paramushiro Jima.

Central Pacific
KB-2 (Junyo-Hiyo-Nisshin) sail from Jaliut towards the Christmas---Pago Pago Gap to go hunting.

The Jaliut Striking Force is reconstituted into two TF of 1 CL and 4-5 DD and makes its presence on the 14th as CL Isuzu and 5 DD smash into a Tanker TF at Christmas Isle. The 1st Jaliut Strike Force runs into 2 DD, 1 AM, 4 TK, and an AG. For no damage in return the Strike Force sinks 3 TK and manhandles nearly all the other ships. At least 2-3 more are certain to sink. The 2nd Jaliut Strike Force (CL and 4 DD) are headed for a visit to Pago Pago.

South Pacific
Calm. Moving SS around for new deployments.

Australia
The Japanese are in the process of surrounding Townsville's 17+ units. The hex to the west falls to an Inf Div on the 14th and 2 TK Reg follow in Pursuit, They will Shock Attack tomorrow and take the hex thus surrounding the troops at Townsville.

Cairns has 5 units in it and is rated at over 11,000 troops so there might be a fight there.

Load two large TK TF from DEI to bring 150,000 fuel to Australia. Will use it to refuel a bunch of AK and AP as well as power the Aussie Industry for a while. Fuel is OK in the Home Islands so this diversion should only serve as a bonus in Heavy Industry and Vehicle production.

Tasmania
Queenstown falls on the 14th rendering Tasmania fully Japanese. Get ready to pull the 56th ID from there and ship it to Soerabaja in preparation for Cocos.

DEI
Praboemoelih FALLS to Allied Paras on the 12th but is then retaken on the 14th by Imperial Guards--A.

Units moving out from Benkoelen are identified as: 7th Armoured Brigade, 6th Aust ID, 2nd Brit Para Brig, 251st Recce Bn, 44th Brit ID, 53rd Brit Brigade, and 7th US Marine Reg.

Over 250 aircraft are hitting these troops everyday with another 5075 smacking Benkoelen's AF. Benkoelen is bombarded on the 12th, 13th, and 14th. Planes, Troops, Supply, and the Port are hit each time.

Singapore and Soerabaja's Repair Yards are FULL. Carriers, BBs, CAs, and DDs are all jostling in and out of the facilities. Will be sending more ships to Manila and Hong Kong. KB reaches Sabang and refuels. I order the 5 CVs to move to Singapore where we can get new replacement aircraft, shuffle the air groups, and get ready to revisit the IO area.

Diego Garcia
A Raiding Force of 2 CA and 5 DD sweep among the wrecks that litter Diego's anchorage to find yet another TF present. US DD Meredith, 2 AP, and 2 AK are sunk while another DD and AK are left in a sinking condition. A modern Agano-CL and 5 DD will strike on the 16th.

Upgrades:
CarDiv5 are due to upgrade this month and I am going to do that at Singapore. Sho--Zui will be out for a month but the benefits far outweigh losing them for a time.

Just had two small aircraft factories finish their research on MISTER Tojo. Excellent chance to see that model advance from August to July.

Engineering:
Oosthaven AF-5
Lunga Pt-2
Batavia AF-7

[John 3rd]

Got to looking around the map and decided to Post the current layout of my major Infantry Divisions in Australia and who is planning for Cocos.

Operation Maikaze: Cocos Assault
Southern Army (85%) at Christmas IO
25th Army (100%)
16th (Exp 72 & 88%), 18th ID (Exp 91 & 100%), 21st ID (Exp 63 & 100%), and 56th ID (Exp 69 & 94%)

IDs in Australia
2nd, 4th, 13th, 14th (Beat-Up), 33rd (Beat-Up), 38th, and 48th (Exp 92)

Brigades in Australia
4th Ind Mix, 65th Brig, and Guards Brigade

Will need to rebuild 14th and 33rd at Melbourne/Sydney and am thinking to detail 2nd, 4th, 13th, 38th, and 48th ID for the New Zealand Operation...

Loading the 21st and 56th ID for Soerabaja within about a week. Should have the HQ and other two ID ready within about 10-12 days to follow. It is now mid-June and so I expect to realistically launch Operation Maikaze about August 1st.

[John 3rd]

Here is NE Australia. Troops move to decisively cut-off Townsville from Cairns as more and more troops enter the Theatre-of-Operations. A TK Reg drives troops west of Townsville while another at the top edge of the map is about to take that city. Yet another TK Reg is off the map driving on Portland Roads.

There are three units NW of Townsville and they should retreat AWAY from there with a Shock Attack by two TK Reg. This will leave 17 units (3 of them HQ) isolated and RIPE FOR THE PLUCKING!

BANZAI!

[John 3rd]

We are playing and getting turns done. Current date is June 19th.

I plan on an update tonight.

Here is a reasonably accurate picture of NE Australia:

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
June 15-20, 1942

After several of the bloodiest, craziest weeks of fighting I have ever seen, a period of relative calm descends across the entire Pacific and Indian Oceans. Troops are moving, the Fleet is resting and reorganizing, and plans continue to advance.

North Pacific
CVE Unyo is finished re-sizing units up here. She spent a week expanding 5 Chutai of aircraft into 27 plane Daitai. Those Daitai are now back in Hokkaido drawing their new planes, resting, and training in their new pilots.

A large supply convoy brought in 60,000 supply to Umnak and base east of there. Each of my three major bases has at least 15-25,000 supply present. Fuel is being stockpiled at Attu.

This region is defended by a total of 8 DD present...

Central Pacific
After that nice shootout at Christmas Isle the 1st Jaliut Strike Force heads for home at Jaliut. The 2nd Jaliut Strike Force sweeps into Pago Pago and finds nothing of importance.

A CV Raiding Force built around Junyo--Hiyo---Nisshin have crossed the Christmas--Canton Line and are now looping NE with plans to interpose themselves between the Line Islands and Hawaii.

South Pacific
There are always ships at Suva. Would like to take a crack at them, however, he has a lot of fighters present and mines in the harbor. Not gonna mess with that.

Have started shifting more SS to the New Zealand area. Have no knowledge of ANYTHING here but will work to get at least some before landing.

Australia
Two Inf Div and an Army HQ have departed Sydney for Soerabaja. They are the lead elements of Operation Maikaze. A 3rd Inf Div should leave within 10 days.

Townsville is surrounded. There are 21 units present within the hex. I know have 3 1/2 ID investing the place with 50-75 bombers hitting the troops and base every day. Order a Deliberate Attack for tomorrow. Last attack got a 1-1 and dropped Forts to ZERO. Will attack again and then order a Shock Attack to finish this place off.

Took Cooktown on the 17th and two TK Reg are driving north to grab the remaining bases above that.

Units are now driving into the interior of Australia and take the remaining bases there. Doubt if they will have mush issue since those Aussie Troops have been kicked around and no supply is available to help them.

DEI
All the dot hexes and odd bases have now been taken.

My initial concern regarding the Inf Firepower brought ashore at Benkoelen have proven to be groundless. With 300+ aircraft hitting the troops everyday aand another 100 aircraft striking the base itself, these troops are tired and weakened. Case in point is Praboemoelih, SUM. Decided to fight HERE instead of at Palembang due to wanting to keep the fuel and oil flowing so a Regiment and then the Imperial Guards ID move here to block the incoming Allied Troops. Facing them is the 6th Aussie ID. The attack CRUSHES the Aussies on the 20th getting a 4-1 result and causing over 3,000 casualties on the Allied Side.

OK. Fine. Begin advancing on Benkoelen.

A massed double whammy hits Benkoelen on the 19th as 2 BB, 3 BC, and 1 CA bombard the base. Nearly a dozen planes are destroyed, 600+ casualties caused, and 79 Runway hits scored, and--most importantly-- 16 Supply hits occur. NICE!

Continue daily bombing runs from Christmas to Cocos as well as move SS back into the arena here.

IO
Diego Garcia has a STF of CL Agano and 4 DDs smack around DD Fortune on the 20th. Nothing else present (except about 100 sunken ships).

A grab bag of undamaged CVs leave Singapore on the 19th. Kaga leads Soryu and Ryujo (189 Planes) plus 2 CA and 6 DD to link-up with 2 CA, 1 CL, and 5 DDs at the tip of Sumatra. Two AOs await to refuel and then they shall go a hunting.

Burma
Monsoon shuts everything down.

China
Have gotten nearly all the Chinese out of the region between Shanghai and Changsha.

Buy out a brigade and 2 Inf Reg on the 19th. These units are beat-up and only cost about 600 points to grab. They shall head for Shanghai and then move on to Australia. Should finish off the garrison needs for that continent and free-up the last troops needed for New Zealand.

SS Ops
6-19 I-153 sinks AP Clan Macgillioray near Koggala

Need to update the SS Scorecard since I have several double and triple ACES within the SS Fleet.

Engineering
Shimushiri Jima AF-3
Tarawa AF-4
Eniwetok AF-3
Umnak AF-4
Myitkyina AF-3
Wakkanai AF-3
Tabiteuea AF-4

REPAIRS
Shokaku and Zuikaku begin their refit at Singapore.

Singapore
Hiryu 17--01--4
Zuiho 10--00--00
Yamato 27--02--08
Nagato 11--00--00

Soerabaja
Akagi 23--01--04
Shoho 08--13--00
Ise 09--08--00

That is the state of things...

[John 3rd]

Hi All.

Just got back from a four day trip to Kansas City with the family. First time my boys have ever flown and it was a HOOT to watch. Saw some a lot of family and got some family business taken care of.

Have three turns sitting in the In Box and need to do an update. No big news but want to do an update nonetheless. Am also thinking it might be a good time to do some economic coverage of the Empire now that we're in a slight pause as units move to new locations and we prepare to destroy the Allied incursion at Sumatra.

Will do that as soon as possible.

[ny59giants]

Saw some a lot of family

This coming from a 'former' college professor. [:D]

[John 3rd]

THAT is what I get for quickly typing while being bellowed at that breakfast is ready. I will NOT go back and edit it. Let my shame be seen by all!

[John 3rd]

June 25th in the books.

Here is another ship with an amazing experience number. Wouldn't want to cross this BC at night!

[John 3rd]

June 29, 1942

I'm still here. Life has been beyond hectic. My wife and I are dealing with an issue that should resolve itself next Tuesday night and work...has...been...BUSY! Just wanted to Post and let my readers know that. Will get back on the horse once I can catch it!

[MrBlizzard]

Hi John, sometimes I passed here and saw the AAR was stuck, I was wondering what happened and thought your opponent had given up.
Hope you can solve everything [:)]

[John 3rd]

Life continues to hold as we get ready for some action here in La Salle, CO. Things will resolve Tuesday night and then I can share my wife and I's little adventure! [:@]

This is a quick update because it is too good to not pass-up.

June 30, 1942
Diego Garcia, IO

The Captain and crew of the heavy cruiser Chikuma rarely get a chance to use their main armament when attached to Japan's CVs. This day finds them rested and ready. The previous day's strike by CVs Kaga, Soryu, and Ryujo had found yet more Allied shipping in the wreck shrewn port of Diego Garcia. The afternoon aerial strike by 20 Zero, 34 Val, and 48 Kate had sunk 2 AP and an AK while damaging 4 AP, 4 TK, and a PC. Problems were created when nearly 40 Allied Fighters rose to meet the strike. While the bomb assessment was solid, Admiral Yamaguchi did not like the loss of 1 Zero, 3 Val, and 7 Kate. Thus, he detailed Chikuma and Mikuma and 4 DDs to peel away from the carrier TF and slam into Diego Garcia.

At about 1am, the Japanese STF slips into the anchorage and is spotted by an Allied STF comprised of CLs Tromp and Java along with 3 DDs. In an inconclusive engagement the Japanese CAs dispatch DDs Michishio and Takanami to distract the Allied while the remaining warships work to get into the TFs known to be present. The ruse works perfectly as the 2 DD draw the STF away into the night. Mikuma and Chikuma spot the Allied TF and rapidly count 2 PC protecting 3 AK and 18 AP! The warships dispatch the valiant Allied PCs and then become foxes in the hen house as many rounds of ammo as well as ALL TTs are launched. Explosions and fires--ONCE AGAIN--light up this Port's night. The action is so quick that a solid tally is hard to achieve, however, it appears that 2 PC, 2 AK, and 8 AP are sunk with another 5-7 ships damaged.

Seeing a job well done, the Chikuma calls for her pair of decoy DDs to rejoin the TF as they exit the anchorage and make for Sumatra. Doggedly following the DDs is the Allied STF. Eagerly the tired TF turns to attack and quickly sinks CL Tromp and cripples DDs Evertsen. The Java and another DD staggers away as the Japanese--almost literally--use their last shells and move on towards the safety of Sumatra.

SUNK: CL Tromp, 2 PC, 2 AK, and 8 AP with a DD and several more APs certainly slipping beneath the waves.
COST: CA Mikuma took 2 6" shells for little damage and DD Sakiri is moderately damaged from 3 5" shell hits.

Some troops, a number of guns,and a large amount of vehicles (300+) are seen destroyed on these valuable ships as they sank.

NICE!

Lew has lost 780 ships to this point...