[font="Times New Roman"]26 - 27 August 1944[/font]
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Jocke is on vacation so the game is on hold for a bout a week. I'm sitting on the turn which is nice. I can do some things that needed to be done behind the scenes and a bit of deeper planning. These turns were played a few days ago but I'm just getting around to updated this now.
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SUBS: [/font] The I-39 gets nailed near Sangi. Still no meaningful hits on cripples.
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PI:[/font] Jocke arrives at Cagayan with 860AV and bombards. he'll need to bring more, and will soon. He takes Oroquieta easily with a tank unit. I've decided to keep units at both Davao and Dadjangas to make him isolate and take each independently. It's all about time here, and denying easy bases.
The KB is still filling out and getting upgraded back to best fighting status. It's been a well-timed break. I'll be using it only if the conditions are right though. LBA will be the first option now. That is also getting back to normal, and I'll try to wait until there are good targets exposed in forward positions before unleashing it all. My ally is the overconfidence of the Allied approach, and getting him comfortable again after the last strike is key. I'll have to serve up some freebies for a while.
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S/SW PAC:[/font] Jocke tries another DA at Sidate, and nearly gets the base. Then the next day he does. My crushed regiment and guard units retreat the opposite direction from Manado into the jungle. That's not very helpful. I thought they are supposed to go toward the best supply lines?
Manado will be next on the menu, and I'll lose a division for that one. Fragments are being taken out. He also DAs at Sansapor cleaning up the rear. That will fall soon too. Some fragments are out and more being transported. I think getting fragments is a better choice so that I don't have to pay PPs for destroyed units.
Jocke is very concerned with Rabaul lately, probably because valuable shipping, (cripples?) will be coming through here soon. He does lose a few PV-1 to flak each day, so that's fine.
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NORTH PACIFIC: [/font] About 15 Helens were massacred as Jocke moved some CVEs into Dutch again. No biggie. I'll move these back to Adak and hold to see what happens now. It looks now like he might try something before winter, or why put anything up here at all?
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S DEI: [/font] Nothing moving up yet, but Darwin continues to be flush with troops again. They must be railing in as I'd thought, or he's bringing them back on shipping, but I don't see that happening.
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BURMA: [/font] Still working out the best method of retreat here. It might be tricky if not timed just right. The Allies do have a lot on the other side of the fence, and if I send the guard dogs away they'll come crashing through in a hurry.
Jocke keeps bombarding a if it's doing something here. His troops are getting the worst of it by far, so I'm not complaining. If his losses are coming from Commonwealth pools, so much the better.
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CENTRAL PACFIC:[/font] Still pounding away at Tinian. It's costing in planes and pilots, but I have a lot of ground skill experts, so that doesn't hurt much in the long run. It's seemingly keeping him from basing fighters here, which is the point. Fighters are the first steps to the downward spiral seen too often before in this game, so if I can keep this uninhabited for a while longer, maybe he'll decide to risk another island landing soon.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR August 26, 44
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Morning Air attack on Dutch Harbor , at 171,50
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 103 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 20
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 92
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 8 destroyed
No Allied losses
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Morning Air attack on Tinian , at 108,94
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 8
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 29
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 3
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 19
Ki-84a Frank x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 8 damaged
Runway hits 20
Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-49-IIb Helen bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
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Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes
Allied aircraft
PV-1 Ventura x 8
Kittyhawk IV x 4
P-39N1 Airacobra x 7
PV-1 Ventura x 15
Allied aircraft losses
PV-1 Ventura: 4 damaged
PV-1 Ventura: 1 destroyed by flak
PV-1 Ventura: 11 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 6
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Ground combat at Sidate (75,100)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12171 troops, 166 guns, 599 vehicles, Assault Value = 543
Defending force 6313 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 193
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Allied adjusted assault: 247
Japanese adjusted defense: 211
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2007 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 120 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 26 (5 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Assaulting units:
711th Tank Battalion
2nd USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
706th Tank Battalion
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
1st Marine Division
Defending units:
2nd South Seas Det.
74th Infantry Regiment
56th Naval Guard Unit
3rd FF Const Unit
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Ground combat at Cagayan (79,89)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 18038 troops, 361 guns, 300 vehicles, Assault Value = 825
Defending force 26070 troops, 246 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 652
Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
38th Infantry Division
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
1st USMC Tank Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Jungle Regiment
Defending units:
6th Division
20th Engineer Regiment
48th Ind.Mixed Brigade
28th Engineer Regiment
71st Engineer Regiment
4th Raiding Regiment
64th Ind.Mixed Brigade
6th Garrison Unit /4
217th Naval Construction Battalion
1st Ind.AA Gun Co
244th JAAF AF Bn
61st Air Flotilla
248th JAAF AF Bn
89th Field AA Battalion
188th JAAF AF Bn
148th JAAF AF Bn
25th Ind. Engineer Regiment
74th JAAF AF Bn
34th Ind.AA Gun Co
216th Naval Construction Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
51st Air Flotilla
180th JAAF AF Bn
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Ground combat at Sansapor (83,107)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12646 troops, 214 guns, 543 vehicles, Assault Value = 528
Defending force 12030 troops, 135 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 159
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Allied adjusted assault: 137
Japanese adjusted defense: 358
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)
Japanese ground losses:
895 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (4 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Assaulting units:
6th Infantry Division
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
671th Tank Destroyer Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
Defending units:
5th Garrison Unit
45th Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st Mobile Brigade
2nd Amphibious Brigade
31st Engineer Regiment
44th Naval Guard Unit
8th Garrison Unit
16th Garrison Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit
37th JAAF AF Bn
13th Air Fleet /1
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Ground combat at Oroquieta (78,88)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 538 troops, 0 guns, 82 vehicles, Assault Value = 45
Defending force 504 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 22
Allied adjusted assault: 20
Japanese adjusted defense: 7
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Oroquieta !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), leaders(+), preparation(-)
fatigue(-), morale(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
Defending units:
I/81st Naval Guard Unit
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Ground combat at 55,51 (near Prome)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 119601 troops, 1589 guns, 660 vehicles, Assault Value = 5155
Defending force 92813 troops, 1107 guns, 1176 vehicles, Assault Value = 3141
Japanese ground losses:
177 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
275 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR August 27, 44
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Night Naval bombardment of Manado at 75,99 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
BB Queen Elizabeth
BB Valiant
BB Mississippi
BB Idaho
BC Renown
DD Crane
DD Kennison
DD Nepal
DD Stuart
DD Worden
DD Farragut
DD Downes
Japanese ground losses:
165 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 12 (4 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 28
Port hits 11
Port fuel hits 6
Port supply hits 1
51st Base Force firing at BB Queen Elizabeth
BB Queen Elizabeth firing at 51st Base Force
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ASW attack near Sangi at 77,96
Japanese Ships
SS I-39, hits 13, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DMS Elliot
AK Adhara
AK Celeno
DE Crowley
DE Kyne
DE Whitehurst
SS I-39 is sighted by escort
DE Crowley fails to find sub and abandons search
DE Kyne fails to find sub and abandons search
DE Whitehurst fails to find sub, continues to search...
DE Whitehurst attacking submerged sub ....
DE Whitehurst fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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Ground combat at Sidate (75,100)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12192 troops, 166 guns, 598 vehicles, Assault Value = 543
Defending force 4690 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Allied adjusted assault: 288
Japanese adjusted defense: 25
Allied assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 1)
Allied forces CAPTURE Sidate !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2346 casualties reported
Squads: 108 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 59 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 32 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 28 (24 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
711th Tank Battalion
2nd USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
706th Tank Battalion
1st Marine Division
Defending units:
74th Infantry Regiment
2nd South Seas Det.
56th Naval Guard Unit
3rd FF Const Unit
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Ground combat at 55,51 (near Prome)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 119517 troops, 1589 guns, 661 vehicles, Assault Value = 5130
Defending force 92799 troops, 1107 guns, 1177 vehicles, Assault Value = 3141
Japanese ground losses:
273 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Allied ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)
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Reinforcements: The Ki-100 will be ready right when we need it, just as the Ha-34 engines for the Tojo run out at the end of October.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]LST T-142 arrives at Maizuru
ML G-403 arrives at Sapporo
Aircraft Ki-100-I Tony advances R&D (11/42)[/font]
Losses:
[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of SS I-184 on Aug 25, 1944 is admitted[/font]
Ships Sunk:
[font="Trebuchet MS"]SS KXIII is reported to have been sunk near Ruteng on Apr 16, 1944
SS KXVI is reported to have been sunk near Victoria Point on May 19, 1944
xAK Jaladurga is reported to have been sunk near Akyab on Apr 29, 1944
PT-284 is reported to have been sunk near Biak on Jun 24, 1944
Previous report of sinking of CVE Kalinin Bay incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service[/font]
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Um ... a few TOE upgrades today. During the war the Japanese made and deployed only about 170 of these 12cm AA guns. They were used in the Home Islands and to guard the Palembang and Miri oil fields, interestingly.
121st AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Osaka/Kyoto
125th AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Nagoya
132nd AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Hiroshima/Kure
112th AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Chiba
114th AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Yokohama/Yokosuka
117th AA Regiment's TOE was upgraded to IJA 12cm AA Regiment at Sendai
1st RGC Route Brigade's TOE was upgraded to RGC Route Brigade at Pakhoi
25th RGC Temp. Division's TOE was upgraded to RGC Infantry Division at Paoting
8th RGC Route Brigade's TOE was upgraded to RGC Route Brigade at Tangshan
1st NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Tientsin
3rd NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Taiyuan
4th NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Tientsin
105th NCPC Route Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Peiping
1st NCPC Route Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Weihsien
5th NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Peiping
6th NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Tsingtao
7th NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Tangshan
8th NCPC Infantry Brigade's TOE was upgraded to NCPC Infantry Brigade at Peiping
Yokosuka Naval Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJN Yokosuk Naval 4 Base Force at Yokohama/Yokosuka
Kure Naval Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJN Kure Naval Base Force at Hiroshima/Kure
5th Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJN Base Force at Rota
9th Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJN Base Force at Cam Ranh Bay
12th Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJN Base Force at Saigon
2nd JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Kunming
7th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Rangoon
9th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Mukden
13th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Bangkok
17th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Mengtze
18th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Pegu
22nd JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Chumphon
30th JAAF Base Force's TOE was upgraded to IJA Air Sector 44 Base Force at Pisanuloke
3rd JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Okayama
6th JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Tokyo
7th JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Fukuyama
13th JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Gifu
36th JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Chiang Mai
82nd JAAF AF Bn 's TOE was upgraded to JAAF Airfield 43 Bn at Uttaradit[:)][/font]
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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill