Combat Report
November 18, 1942
A pretty good darned round for Japan this day. We reached out and touched a nice number of Allied ships!
Alor Star's improvised defense finally collapses as the garrison is hit--yet again--by a BB Bombardment (BB Revenge). Thanks fully the survivors retreat south and protect things in that direction. This is a problem but all I really see is a POW Camp for the 18th ID, 99th Indian Brigade, and a TK unit. My airpower is now strong enough to do some serious sea denial for anything going to Phuket, Langkari, and Georgetown.
Victoria Point got creamed by a CA--CL Bombardment two days ago. FRUSTRATING that I cannot get this result when I hit the darned targets! AF still operating but looks like he will hit it yet again tomorrow. Hope Pt Blair can get after those ships with some Betty.
Singora and Alor Star are hit by bombers. Transports are shot down flying into Singora.
I sent a pair of DDs up the Strait to cause trouble and they do GREAT! First they encounter Arleigh Burke with 3 DDs. They BLAST O'Bannon (do we get the leaders???) and seriously damage the other pair for NO DAMAGE. They then continue north and encounter 4 Allied DDs where--yet again--they take little damage and instead land solids and multiple hits on all four of the enemy. Lastly they sink an AK just off Langkari. Out of AMMO, they head home. Solid work.
Mines laid at the Strait.
Port Blair manages to really do some serious whacking this day. Her Betty--Nells fly several strikes and 5 AK, damage another 3 AK and an AP.
Kates from Tand??? nail 4 AK at Langsa and sink 3 of them.
A STF of 3 DD smash DD Perkins on picket duty west of Padang.
Sibolga gets the attention of Fuso and the bombardment nets about 95 Casualties. Three Betty and Kate strikes follow doing some harm to the troops. The Allied attack gains a 1-1 and lowers Forts to 3. Just might try to run reinforcements in since I've got a 120 AV Garrison unit unloading at Oosthaven. Be nice to keep that but don't think we'll have enough time here.
Rangoon is hit by 4EB and my Tojo and AAs knock down SIX of the 24 bombers. NICE!
The 16th and 33rd ID have crossed over the Irrawaddy but get nailed by Allied bombers without escorts. Move 3 full strength Tojo Sentai to set-up a CAP Trap. Maybe we'll get lucky and do some serious damage to the Allied Burma bomber force.
Engineering
Changteh AF--3. Plan to begin bombing Chungking in a turn or two. Planning on launching an offensive in southern China in about 7-10 days.
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