28 May - 1 Jun 1944 Lots Happening!
During this period Andrew launched 3.5 operations with no tactical warning across the map.
Oosthaven
Supported by his main CV force Andrew landed direct onto Oosthaven (southern tip Sumatra) with close to 2000 AV. In the process he lost 2DD and 3 APA to mines and collisions when our PT boats sortied. KB was in a fair position and launched around 120 Jill with 120 Zero on escort. We managed to penetrate the CAP however FLAK was furious and not a single hit was acieved
Seeing KB and having the bulk of his ships unloaded he fled north again (running over and sinking 3 of our subs in the process). Finally our fightes from Java swept Oosthaven achiving around 1:1 kill ratio and around 40 aircraft on each side.
Overall a bit of a suprise, however much better than if he had landed this force on Java! There reinforcements are still arriving and the place is still lightly held.
Recently B-29 hit the oil at Sorebaya destroying about 50%.
Timor
He has landed at Lautem, next to Dili, with around 1500AV after systematically closing the airfields in the area. Lautem was lightly held and after 3 days he finally attacked and took it.
In the process though he lost 2 CVE to subs.
Dili has about 250Av behind level 6 forts... so it will hold for a bit.
In hindsight we should have reacted KB this way rather than at the force landing on Sumatra, but I was concerned he may land on Java.
Namlea
in support of the landing at Lautem he para landed onto Namlea, island next to Ambon. This was a level 2 airfield where we occasionally supported Ambon by providing CAP. He has flown out some of the troops and is flying in airunits, we are supressing the airfield for the moment and shooting down transports... Need to close this down as it nullifies Ambon a bit.
Marcus Island
The final op saw around 2 divs of combat power land on Marcus supported by strong CV and bombardment forces, the garrison only lasted one day
mainly due to the air strikes.
Our Response
The focus is still Java.
We continue to pull back in Thailand.
However using recon we detected a lowering in the fighter cover over Sabang on the north tip of Sumatra and reports of over 50 ships in port so around 200 fighters supporting 200 bombers saw the following results:
Morning Air attack on Sabang , at 44,70
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 1
A6M5b Zero x 21
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 26
Ki-84r Frank x 6
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 5
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 13
P-51B Mustang x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 5 destroyed, 13 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied aircraft losses
P-51B Mustang: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
AS Adamant, Bomb hits 1
DD Monaghan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Rapid, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Coquina, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Cornwallis, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 4
Morning Air attack on Sabang , at 44,70
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 48
Ki-84r Frank x 6
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 4
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 4
P-51B Mustang x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 2 destroyed, 27 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 5 destroyed by flak
Ki-84r Frank: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-51B Mustang: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
DE Osterhaus, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Kota Baroe, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Roebuck, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
DD Clark, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kortenaer, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DE James E. Craig, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DE Lovelace, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AGP Willoughby, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Iron Knob, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD Hopping, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Clyde, Bomb hits 2
SS Tactician, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
xAP President Taylor, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AD Woolwich, Bomb hits 1, on fire
YMS BYMS-2055, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DD Monaghan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AM Fidelity, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Oakbank, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1
A Nell strike was largely shot to pieces
An asymmetric responce to his invasion, however mostly an annoyance factor, Sabang is a level 5 port so unless sunk or lost to fires they will recover.
During this time the BB Yamato has returned to service and the last Japanese CV, CV Kasagi, has arived. There are 3 BB's still unedr repair and a CV all of which will be out within two months.
Air losses were high this turn, and we lost lots (about 130) of pilots (mostly IJAAF) as we were largely over enemy territory.
Logistics
Made 10k HI more than needed this month which is good.
About 1m fuel in Home islands. About 200k available to ship in.
About 50k oil shipping home.
Oil fields in North China still not moving their gold to where it is needed
Supply in Home islands remaining stable, shipping lots out at the moment to Singapore, Java, China.
Conclusion
Andrew made a nicely synchonised series of attacks... bastard!
