Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks

[Bullwinkle58]

July 3, 1942

Roll Dem Bones!

I'm a terrible craps player; blackjack is my game. But today the dice went the Royal Navy's way. Most of the action was at southern Sumatra, and at Pegu.

1) Sumatra.

Mike sent an auxiliary email along with the movie asking about my use of 1-ship TFs. He attached a .jpg of Oosthaven; I was surprised to see I had multiple cruisers there! But he has noticed the 1-ship crowd unloading the 32nd ID. I replied with a list of my Big 5 times I will use 1-ship TFs, and why I do so. I do not use pickets. I do not do ammo sponges. I have run merchants into Sumatra to load fuel and they had the effect of complicating the targeting picture (no attacks happened though), but they were on fuel runs I had been doing for months, to feed Cocos I. In my view air attacks are driven by DL, and a 1-ship has a DL, not zero DL. Many attacks on 1-ship TFs have already happened in our game. And a 1-ship is at substantial risk from subs, especially tankers. He said he would begin using them if I was going to. I said fine; I am surprised he has not been already. They substantially favor Japan given its fuel shortages and internal lines. Japan ran thousands of single-ship routes, mostly with small xAKL-type ships. Submarine patrol reports are full of them.

--At Oost 80 squads of the 32nd got ashore yesterday before I moved the burning ships to the pier. I re-jiggered piers today to give the transports with the biggest remaining chunks the space. I think I got three xAPs on the piers, two pretty small. One more sank this turn, but I think in the end I should get about 75%+ of the 32nd onto rail cars and headed to link up with their gear.

--Given his invading subs in the harbor I detached the three DDs from the xAPs and made an ASW TF for Oost. They found no prey, but did fill the time sweeping four mines and providing AA coverage.

--The attacks on Oost were much, much less than yesterday. Won't detail them. The FAA fighters did heroic work from offshore along with the US Army scraps from Oost and Batavia. A few Bettys bit it, but no more ship hits were recorded. The xAP that sank was from yesterday's damage.

--PBang got much more bombing, which I just don't understand. But I'll take it.

--The big battle, and where the dice enter, was off the west coast of Sumatra. I had sent some surface TFs up to hit Benkoelen but the CLs got creamed yesterday with fish. One TF kept going--1 RN CA, 1 old CL, and two DDs. They ran into a weird TF full of battleships and minesweepers! Yes, you read that right. 75% moonlight, equal sighting ranges at 11,000, and "Ching" Lee in command. The RN's crew experience and magnificent gunnery came through, and the dice kept all heavy hits on the CA as non-penetrating. If it weren't for one Long Lance this would have been a pure win for the good guys. As it is he lost DMSes, another DD, and his BB took a fish. I'll take it.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Enggano at 43,94, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Naka
CL Natori
CL Kuma, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Tama, Shell hits 1
DMS W-3, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DMS W-5, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
DMS W-11, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Tatsuyuke, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Devonshire, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Danae, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Isis
DD Nizam



2) Burma.

--Mike mentioned in email he is a little flummoxed in Burma due to the three spears, especially the big one at Rangoon which keeps him, (I think) from reinforcing Pegu. Unfortunately, with the degree of bombing that stack is getting, I don't think it can take Pegu alone. Despite putting 60% of the stack on Reserve today it still took about 500 casualties from bombing. I rested it, as some disruptions were well into the 80s. The last Chinese corps is stlil up on the road approaching too.

--I bombarded with my stack at Pegu to try to maintain his disruption. Minor results. No pure arty units in the mix.

--My hope is the coming fall of Bassein and the arrival of the bigger stack at Rangoon may cause him to shift air assets away from the bleeding Chinese and Indians at Pegu. But he can't lose Pegu either. It's the supply route from The World.

--Rangoon AF goes to 5 today. Just what I needed.

--B-26s bomb Tavoy and find it deserted. If only I could afford an Inchon right now . . .

--Withdrew the scraps of the AVG a day early for 9 PPs. Only four operable planes and five pilots. They done good.

3) Soerbaja is fully pocketed with the fall of vacant Tjepoe.

4) Five Allied naval raids on Benkoelen hit nothing. Strat bombing in China--daylight anti-HI/LI--hits nothing.

5) A FT TF from Eniwetok begins loading half an army regiment for a quick try at Roi-Namur. It is an AF 4 and Kwaj is a 1. I want that feeling of inevitable loss of the Marshalls to become real. OTOH, I get multiple hits of carrier aircraft, and 1 of 2 Vals which fly from Kwaj bounce a 250kger off BB Colorodo withdrawing from bombardment duty.

6) Finally, for the JFB students out there, this is what it looks like the day after the Allied 1942 AA Pool disbands into the device pools. Note that this disband includes boo coo Motorized Support and other non-pure-AA devices.

69th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at San Diego
208th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Kona
76th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Los Angeles
5th Marine Defense Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Pearl Harbor
86th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at San Francisco
1st USMC AA Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at San Francisco
6th Marine Defense Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Midway Island
Oahu Harbor Defense - some devices have been upgraded at Pearl Harbor
3rd Marine Defense Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Pearl Harbor
78th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Los Angeles
SF Harbor Defenses - some devices have been upgraded at San Francisco
215th Coast AA Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Kodiak
2nd Marine Division - some devices have been upgraded at Pearl Harbor
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
3rd KNIL AA Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
4th KNIL Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Palembang Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Palembang
Batavia Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Batavia
Madion Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Loemafjang Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Soerabaja Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Bandoeng Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
Makassar Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Soerabaja
3rd Motor Brigade - some devices have been upgraded at Rabaul
Derby RAN Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Derby
Manawatu's (Mtd) Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Wellington
Well'n's East (Mtd) Regiment - some devices have been upgraded at Wellington
Rangoon BAF Battalion - some devices have been upgraded at Magwe
103rd RAF Base Force - some devices have been upgraded at Mandalay

[Bullwinkle58]

July 4, 1942

More Of The Same

Happy Birthday, America!

Several more emails crossed the wires over the 1-ship TF topic. Mike made some good points, so did I, and I re-looked at what I was doing at Oosthaven. I think we have an understanding. I will use 1-ship TFs when I need to, and so will he. I will never use picket ships, or daisy-chain multiple 1-ship merchant TFs in transit, or similar crap. But I reserve the right to use them to maximize efficiency at limited pier space, and to use them for re-supply when the volumes involved make sense. Any 1-ship TF gains advantages and loses some too.

1) Oosthaven and the 32nd ID has been the most challenging unload I've ever experienced in AE. Every day of four now has been very different than the day before. Today I looked at every surviving xAP in detail as to device load, quantity of each device, size versus pier space allocations, etc. The subs from two days ago have not been re-sighted so the 3-DD ASW TF is flushed and sent to Cocos. It was a Betty torpedo magnet, but what's left to unload is not worth even one DD. I re-jiggered pier space to get as many squad devices possible ashore first, second light arty like mortars, and last heavy unloads like motorized support. Two xAPs having only that left are flushed still partly loaded and sent to Cocos. New xAPs are put at the piers, and the harbor remainders are put in a 2-ship TF in part to keep the peace between Mike and I. I told Mike that on no day has there not been a multi-ship TF in the harbor, undocked, and today is no exception. It is attacked, but the torpedoes miss. The FAA CAP left behind disrupts the raid quite a bit.

Over 200 squads of the 32nd ID are safely at PBang and tucked in. Scraps will follow, but overall this was a successful op. The combatants are either at Cocos or nearing there. One RN carrier withdraws in 16 days and needs to get to Colombo. Damaged, but under 50% total, so I should be able to send her away. Will keep the air wing.

At Oosthaven one of two base forces is ordered to strat pack for PBang. The second will be left behind Forts 3 to at least speed-bump a landing. I'm essentially done with Oost as a port except for the last couple of scrap xAPs. The RR base south of PBang has a small garrison as does Lahat (East Africans.) Invaders will need to walk to PBang. But its defenders are in and behind Forts 5+. The last three Cats will be moved, probably tomorrow, as I have nothing to attack naval forces with locally and they can recon from Cocos. At this point PBang is a "come and get me" scenario. I think Mike will try to close off all hexsides first as a no-retreat situation makes engineers blowing up the oil fields on the retreat code-impossible as far as I understand the mechanism. That's OK. I'm playing for time here.

A 2BB/2CA/DDs TF is seen and attacked multiple times just east of Oost. No hits from 7000ft. 4Es plus lots of Dutch junk. Possibly bombardment for Oost, or leading a landing.

2) At Pegu the stack rests with about 60% on Reserve. I'm trying to coordinate stack arrivals at Bassein and Rangoon as well as recover disruption. Local forts at Pegu are 1. Still, over 120 bombers and 65 Oscars kill 600 more men at Pegu. About 25 are damaged or destroyed as some light LRCAP flies from Prome, but Pegu is an open hex and it's bloody. Hurts to watch, but he's freaking over Pegu, and that was most of that stack's mission.

B-26s probe bomb Victoria P. and find nothing. The coast south looks naked.

3) SNAGGLEPUSS Marshals advances. Lots of sub interactions. Snapper torpedoes xAK Tusima Maru near Nikunau, on the east side. Think this is from reefs. Also think this might have been aircraft coming in. Nik is a key southern AF Japan wants. I probably can't take it now, but I can mess with it.

The FT lands elements of the 148th Infantry Rgt. on Roi-Namur. Prep is low, but they get ashore. The defense is not robust. Help is coming for the 148th tomorrow.

Amphibious Assault at Roi-Namur (132,114)

TF 457 troops unloading over beach at Roi-Namur, 132,114

Allied ground losses:
349 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

5 troops of a US MMG Section lost from landing craft during unload of 148th Infantry Rgt /9

Ground combat at Roi-Namur (132,114)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 855 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Defending force 1212 troops, 6 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Allied adjusted assault: 5

Japanese adjusted defense: 8

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
148th Infantry Rgt /6

Defending units:
7th JNAF Coy
2nd Naval Construction Battalion

4) Soerbaja gets usual sweeps and bombing. No real effects. Forts increasing about 2 per day, but probably won't make 6 before the first attack.

5) Chungking receives road refugees from up north and gets a new corps from the queue. Light bombing, fairly good flak tally. Supplies dip to about 12,000 as the newbies load internals. Most days supply has been trending up slightly.

The southern refugees moving toward the capital are attacked by a blocking force. I expected this; hoped some would be killed so they could resurrect. Instead they are heavily battered and retreat away from Chungking. More marching in their future.

Ground combat at 75,46 (near Chungking)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 20228 troops, 180 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 716

Defending force 7265 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Japanese adjusted assault: 1276

Allied adjusted defense: 190

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
326 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2702 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
104th Division
4th Brigade

Defending units:
51st Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
3rd Group Army
39th Group Army
7th Construction Regiment

[obvert]

Interesting about the one ship TF questions. It is difficult for the search routines at times.

In one of my games many one ship TFs found their way to the PI through all kinds of search undetected, and only were spotted by dedicated recon planes once they were unloading.

I do see why you need them and often I do the same in small ports. There isn't really another way to do it.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

.... I will never use picket ships...or similar crap...

[X(]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Interesting about the one ship TF questions. It is difficult for the search routines at times.

In one of my games many one ship TFs found their way to the PI through all kinds of search undetected, and only were spotted by dedicated recon planes once they were unloading.

I do see why you need them and often I do the same in small ports. There isn't really another way to do it.

At times is correct. Weather, size, etc. should feed into DL. I know what one gray ship on the ocean, with only moderate sea state, looks like from the bridge of a sub. At 5000 yards it's easy for it to be invisible. From the air a tiny wake, disrupted by swells. One ship has a little smoke perhaps, but in a stiff wind it dissipates. And so forth.

My point to Mike was that 1-ship TFs have DL, just less than 2-, 3- or 100-. They do get targeted. He has sunk many ML and HDML ships which were in 1-ship TFs in harbors. But they don't get attacked as often. Which is as it should be. OTOH, they give up:

1) cooperative AA coverage
2) ASW coverage. Single merchants seem to have huge targets on them for subs. Even one escort lowers the attack odds a lot
3) they give up the survivor rescue roll when sunk with troops aboard.

After Mike said he "wasted" about four air units on Oost that didn't fly on the xAPs I asked him if they were armed with bombs or torpedoes. I asked him not to tell me the answer, but to think about how he had set them. If fish and my 1-ship xAP TFs were docked . . .

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

.... I will never use picket ships...or similar crap...

[X(]

Sorry. It's how I feel, man. [:'(]

[obvert]

After Mike said he "wasted" about four air units on Oost that didn't fly on the xAPs I asked him if they were armed with bombs or torpedoes. I asked him not to tell me the answer, but to think about how he had set them. If fish and my 1-ship xAP TFs were docked . . .

Do ships at dock have protection from torps? OMG. I can't believe I never realized that!

It makes complete sense of course, but it's odd that in my head unless they were disbanded i port they were not protected, but of course they are in the shallow harbor.

Are they treated as in oct of as active TFs though. That is the part that is inconsistent. They should be in port, but then you could easily subvert the opponent's naval attack orders simply by docking. Hmmmmm.

[Bullwinkle58]

SitRep Marshalls, Turn Prep July 5, 1942

[Encircled]

Appreciate that it would be tough to do, but is there any chance you can grab Kusaie?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Appreciate that it would be tough to do, but is there any chance you can grab Kusaie?

Whistles, looks up, walks away . . . [:)]

Mike had an overnight away, so I didn't get the movie last night. Hope to sometime this PM.

SNAGLEPUSS is sort of evolving, somewhat away from formerly grandiose plans and more to a Marshalls campaign. But it has loose edges. I'm still learning a lot about Raiders and parachutists, deployment ranges, combat power in what AV levels against what sort of foes, etc. But there's more coming from the east out of the screenie. My plans are to come and stay in the area. How big that area is remains to be seen. I think I'm about to, or already have, used up my no-KB grace period with its upgrades.

[Bullwinkle58]

July 5, 1942

Colorado Lost; Bad Day in Burma

Busy day with some low points. But some good ones too.

1) Large IJN surface TF intercepts Colorado bombardment group heading into Roi-Namur.




Long Lance plus massive concentration of large-caliber fire takes Colorado down. First round is penetrating main battery round followed by large internal explosion and she doesn't have a chance after that. Some damage is dealt back to the small boys, but bottom line I lose yet another BB. I had bet that this TF, knowing I had three carriers nearby, had retired to Truk. I guess the Marshalls are important to him.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 8,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
DD Oyashio
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Yukikaze
DD Yamagumo, Shell hits 2
DD Shigure, Shell hits 1
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Nenohi
DD Okikaze, Shell hits 2
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 1
DD Hokaze
TB Kiji
TB Kamo, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
DD Tawakaze, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Shell hits 35, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Drayton
DD Conyngham
DD Shaw, Shell hits 1
DD Cassin
DD Farragut
DD Aylwin


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 53% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The response comes in the morning phase. The carriers swing down SE from their position in the screenie up-thread and launch a well-coordinated strike on Kwaj where the surface group is guarding a load/unload operation. It was a mistake to hang around.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 7
F4F-3 Wildcat x 15
SBD-2 Dauntless x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 52
TBD-1 Devastator x 13
TBF-1 Avenger x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Azuma Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Katuragi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Suzukaze
DD Okikaze
DD Yamagumo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Natsushio, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Yukikaze
DD Oyashio
DD Shiokaze

Japanese ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

The bomb hits on Hyuga are all 1000-lbers, and at least five gun mounts are disabled, One is I think a main turret. The merchants should sink. At least one DD almost certainly will.

I have Marines inbound for Kwaj, but not a full division. What those merchies were doing there is important. I have no idea of the answer.

2) Other Marshalls action:

--Night Time Surface Combat, near Nikunau at 140,134, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Chiyo Maru #4, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CL Raleigh
DD Gridley

--ASW attack near Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-10, hits 2, heavy damage (sinks)

Allied Ships
DD Benham

--Morning Air attack on TF, near Roi-Namur at 132,114

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
D3A1 Val x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
BB California, Bomb hits 1 (bounces)

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x D3A1 Val bombing from 9000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 6
F4F-3 Wildcat x 14
SBD-3 Dauntless x 14
TBF-1 Avenger x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Yukikaze
BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Azumasan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hokaze
DD Shiokaze

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wotje at 135,115

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 1 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
TBD-1 Devastator x 13

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AMc Tama Maru #3, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x TBD-1 Devastator bombing from 15000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

--Naval bombardment of Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee
BB California
CA Astoria
CA Northampton

Japanese ground losses:
161 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15
Port hits 8
Port supply hits 2

--Cats drop parachutists on Ponape. One lost to flak, five damaged. More a probe and a complicating factor.

Ground combat at Ponape (119,113)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 100 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Defending force 544 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 13

Allied adjusted assault: 1

Japanese adjusted defense: 17

Allied assault odds: 1 to 17 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st USMC Parachute Bn /2

Defending units:
Ponape Naval Fortress
4th Base Force /1

--Parachutists also dropped on dot base Ailinglaplap just south of Kwajalein. Taken.

--Both upgraded carriers come out of dock at Pearl. They will sortie west very shortly.

3) Risks assumed at Oosthaven do not pay off for the Allies. Remaining xAPs holding mostly mech support, some arty, and scout cars are left to try to off-load. I hope the red mines will keep the big surface TF outside the harbor. Two ships are at the piers, three are in the harbor. To keep the peace I group them in two TFs rather than singles. All five are shattered and sink with loss of cargoes.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Oosthaven at 47,97, Range 24,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Ise
CA Myoko
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1
DD Hatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
xAP Dunedin Star, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAP Glenapp, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Kota Tjandi, Shell hits 26, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 218 (150 destroyed, 68 disabled)

Day Time Surface Combat, near Oosthaven at 48,96, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Ise
CA Myoko
CL Abukuma
DD Hatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
xAP Dunera, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAP Kota Pinang, Shell hits 7, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 32 (15 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 34 (23 destroyed, 11 disabled)
---------------------------------------

Oost is finished as a port. The air assets are moved to PBang. All LCUs are either gone or packing, except one small Dutch base force which will stay.

4) RN sub spots large TF passing north in the Malacca Strait. Looks like an ID-plus. Includes one of the Japanese LSDs. Best guess is it will swing around over Sumatra and come south to Pabang to add to PBang assault force. Will try to get subs on it, but not much on the IO side of Sumatra right now. Wasp and North Carolina are in Colombo ready for duty, but this may not be the time to show them.

5) Burma. Very heavy bombing at Pegu, then a devastating attack which causes the whole stack to retreat toward Toungoo. Decisions to make here. The Big Stack is at least a week from Lashio where it could en-train and get to Toungoo fast. OTOH, if this stack leaves he can move these Guard divisions back to Rangoon. Always with the decisions!

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 67532 troops, 679 guns, 784 vehicles, Assault Value = 2405

Defending force 66717 troops, 537 guns, 188 vehicles, Assault Value = 2279

Japanese adjusted assault: 2664

Allied adjusted defense: 434

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1577 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 106 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled

Allied ground losses:
17012 casualties reported
Squads: 1258 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 717 destroyed, 81 disabled
Engineers: 60 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 59 (37 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (9 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 12

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
9th Division
4th Guards Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
5th Guards Division
6th Guards Division
Guards Tank Division
48th Road Const Co
55th Const Co

Defending units:
37th Chinese Corps
46th Indian Brigade
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
21st Chinese Corps
17th Indian Division
1st Burma Division
53rd Chinese Corps
254th Armoured Brigade
50th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Corps
12th Group Army

[JocMeister]

Long lances? [:(]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Long lances? [:(]

Yes. And 1942 night gunnery.

[Bullwinkle58]

July 6, 1942

Barge Wars

1) Marshalls: heavy combat continues with Japan using barges for the first time to move between Roi-Namur and Kwaj. Which direction and what carried is not clear. These two islands are much like Dutch Harbor and Unmak in that one is a fine air base and the other a fine harbor, and they are very close for mutual support. Japan has moved in circa 35 Zeros for CAP, and has a large ASW force in the chain. Roi-Namur, my primary target now for the AF (Eniwetok's is tiny), has Forts 4 and will take more oomph to capture. Kwaj also has about 6500 defenders and about 40 guns. The piece of Marine division on the way to Kwaj is spun around and sent back to Pearl. It's going to take an ID+ for Kwaj, and at least some combat engineers for Roi-Namur. Meanwhile I increasingly feel like the Allies are on borrowed time KB-wise.

--Night Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 132,114, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
LB-101, Shell hits 1, and is sunk (most of these were one 14in shell and "obliterated")
LB-102, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-103, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-104, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-105, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-106, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-107, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-108, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-109, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-110, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LB-111, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LB-112, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB California
BB Tennessee
CA Northampton
CA Astoria
DD Benham

--ASW attack near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Japanese Ships
DD Shigure
DD Oyashio
DD Nenohi
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 3

--ASW attack near Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-160, hits 1

Allied Ships
APD Chew

USS Chew, on a supply run into Roi-Namur, is later sunk by I-160

--Amphibious Assault at Roi-Namur (132,114)

TF 457 troops unloading over beach at Roi-Namur, 132,114 More pieces of inf. reg. already ashore.

Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--Day Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kyo Maru #7
PB Shonon Maru #11, Shell hits 1
PB Takuna Maru #6
PB Takuna Maru #7, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
APD Litchfield
APD Schley
APD Waters
APD Dent
APD Humphreys
APD Hatfield
APD Kane

FOLLOWED BY

Day Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kyo Maru #7, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Shonon Maru #11, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Takuna Maru #6, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Takuna Maru #7, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB California
BB Tennessee
CA Northampton
CA Astoria
DD Benham

--SS Pollack attacks more barges with her deck gun and scores twice

--ASW attack near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Japanese Ships
TB Kiji
DD Shigure
DD Oyashio
DD Nenohi
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 5

--Afternoon Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115

Naval Primary, Port Secondary. Recon says 58 ships in Kwaj harbor. Assume most are barges. Some are also minelayers.

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 6
F4F-3 Wildcat x 14
SBD-2 Dauntless x 8
SBD-3 Dauntless x 33
TBF-1 Avenger x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 15 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Yukikaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Katuragi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Arimasan Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Takashima, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Nenohi
xAK Daijukyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--Ground combat at Roi-Namur (132,114)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1606 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 46

Defending force 1416 troops, 6 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 18

Allied adjusted assault: 1

Japanese adjusted defense: 18

Allied assault odds: 1 to 18 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
180 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
148th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
7th Indpt SNLF Coy
7th JNAF Coy
2nd Naval Construction Battalion

2) Burma: Retreated forces from Pegu sit on road to north and rest. Air attacks mostly shift onto approaching stack for Rangoon. This stack is not the AA push-over the largely Chinese Pegu stack was. Very high Japanese losses and damage in multiple air attacks. Will not detail. Rangoon stack is about two days from destination.

--Bassein is taken, cutting off hexside for Rangoon retreat. These forces are available to move across river once shock attack limits are overcome by Rangoon stack moves.

Ground combat at Bassein (54,52)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14448 troops, 148 guns, 384 vehicles, Assault Value = 742

Defending force 259 troops, 0 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 220

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 220 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Bassein !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
319 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
7th Australian Division
150th RAC Regiment
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
255th Armoured Brigade

Defending units:
46th Road Const Co

3) Palembang : the three highest flak belts on the Allied map are the Rangoon stack, Chungking, and here. Japan saturation bombs all three and takes big losses. At PBang the damage to the AF is very light, but still enough to stop fort building another day. One of the base forces withdrawn to here from Oost is almost all AA devices, including Rheinmetal guns.

--Amhib TF rounding northern Sumatra is hit by sub. One torpedo into CL Naka might send her and an escort back to Singers through sub gauntlet. The landing TF is weakened. I'm pretty sure they're going to Padang, but it's a very large TF, so on the slight chance it's a spoiler for Ceylon or the Madras coast defenses there are shifted and increased.

4) Some other moves are put in train, but I'll talk about them if they work. [:)] For now the strategic focus is on the Marshalls and Rangoon.

[Bullwinkle58]

July 7, 1942

Meat Grinder

1) Marshalls

--Events grind on in shoestring fashion. Summer of '42 is not yet the huge armadas of 1945. Forces are small, in pieces, and at close range. Roi-Namur is the focus still with the FT TF from Eniwetok dumping part of a very necessary combat engineer unit on the beach with no prep. A DD/AP TF passing to the north with Seabees for Eniwetok is diverted and runs past the lurking subs to put some constructionmen ashore as well. Supply runs by lone APDs are keeping the force alive as they try to recover disruption. Americal Division is loading at Pearl with mid-30s prep for Roi-Namur, but the carriers which want to come are still trying to rope in some DDs from homeward bound convoys. At this phase of the war the USN needs 300 destroyers and has less than 100. Fortunately the APDs can take care of themselves versus the subs. Several ASW battles take place near the landing zone.

Ground combat at Roi-Namur (132,114)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 141 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 32

Defending force 2551 troops, 0 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 56

Assaulting units:
7th Indpt SNLF Coy
43rd Nav Gd /1
7th JNAF Coy
2nd Naval Construction Battalion

Defending units:
148th Infantry Regiment
102nd Combat Engr Rgt /9
6th USN Naval Construction Battalion

--After seeing the numerous CMs at Kwaj yesterday some sweepers are sent to Kwaj, thinking the carriers might have finally driven off the surface boys. Nope. Dumb move, Moose. No mines seen either.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Kwajalein Island at 132,115, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio
DD Yukikaze
DD Shigure
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Nenohi
TB Kiji

Allied Ships
DMS Hopkins, Shell hits 3
DMS Zane, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Boggs, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Perry, Shell hits 5, heavy fires

--The carriers are hurting. Tired air groups, a lot of lost planes, especially DBs. Today one SBD squadron with only seven survivors is sent to Eniwetok and a fresh Wildcat squadron is loaded aboard. The SBD pool has one plane in it. The strike today on Kwaj (naval/port) is met again by 38 Zeros and roughed up. No attacks take place. Time to withdraw and repair a bit I think. The AF on Roi-Namur is critical and has not happened yet.

Afternoon Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 7
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
SBD-2 Dauntless x 4
SBD-3 Dauntless x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 destroyed

--Down south a bombardment mission on Nikunau does some damage. This is an anchor AF for Japan. Can't take it out now. Just want to lean on it some.

Night Naval bombardment of Nikunau at 139,134

Allied Ships
CA Vincennes
CL Raleigh
DD Gridley

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 6
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 1

2) Palembang and Rangoon and Chungking receive same hurricane levels of bombing as last days. The numbers of damaged bombers exceed 100. Did not count destroyed, but at least 10. Damage to LCUs at Rangoon is light. PBang's AF is closed and forts stopped, but at what cost? Two examples of about a score of attacks.

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 15

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 2
Martlet II x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground

Runway hits 9

Morning Air attack on 20th Indian Division, at 55,52 , near Rangoon

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 32
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 3
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 4

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 15 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

3) The Big Stack reaches Paoshan. It will continue to the railhead at Lashio.

4) AM sunk off Sydney, but supply convoys continue to sail for Rabaul. That base has 100,000 supply now. Fully functioning sub base. First B-17s shuttle in today. Want to probe Truk with them. FT TF working from here trying to clean up NG red bases left empty after attacks by Japan. Light sub supply missions still running into Cebu, which is Cat vacuuming left over PI infantry units in from surrounding islands.

5) Screw up at Pegu. Lone Indian unit under retreated stack moves naked into Pegu hex and is devastated. Stupid. The Rangoon stack should reach Rangoon tomorrow or next day.

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 61111 troops, 641 guns, 784 vehicles, Assault Value = 2315

Defending force 2902 troops, 6 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 114

Japanese adjusted assault: 3273

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 3273 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
220 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3013 casualties reported
Squads: 166 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 108 destroyed, 59 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 47 (29 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
5th Guards Division
4th Guards Division
6th Guards Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Division
Guards Tank Division
48th Road Const Co
55th Const Co

Defending units:
84th Indian Brigade

[JocMeister]

Hey,

How are your pools looking? Especially Fighter ones? And how is your training program looking? Especially USN fighter and USAAF bomber pilots tend to run low in my experience!

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hey,

How are your pools looking? Especially Fighter ones? And how is your training program looking? Especially USN fighter and USAAF bomber pilots tend to run low in my experience!

I have 100 Whirraways. Want some? [:)]

Pools are terrible. CVs are upsizing too. There are about six P-38 units coming on map in a week, a trickle of RAF. You know the drill. Remember three years ago?

Training a lot of naval bombing. I'm great on recon, search, and ASW already.

Overall, the fact that I'm still sitting in PBang, Soerbaja, all of Burma north of Rangoon, and fighting in the Marshalls has thrown any "normal" trends out the window. I have "good" CAPs of 4-5 planes facing 150 plane attacks every day, in multiple places. It's no fun, but on balance I'll still take it. Every day the oil/fuel ratio swings in my favor, and I get better planes by and by.

[Bullwinkle58]

pools

[Bullwinkle58]

aircraft losses

[desicat]

Why do you think you are able conduct this invasion of the Marshall Islands in Mid 1942? Where is the KB and the IJN?

It seems a little early for you to be able to conduct a large scale, slow moving, multi-island offensive as opposed to a quick strike or the surprise reinvasion of Burma that you pulled off earlier.

edit: In reply to Encircled I'm not questioning the wisdom of the operation, I was just curious on what the Moose thought the Japanese were up to - or if he thought they were so far back on their heels that he now has the initiative.