March 7 & 8 1942: The Battle for India enters its next phase.
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; f = fuel hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged;
(*) = destroyed aircraft; If odds are underlined, they are the Allies; BG = Bomber Group of 48 planes (4 x 12 bomber squadrons); FG fighter group = 25 fighter planes if American
Landings:
Subs:
I-164 is off Colombo. Another sub is also there.
CVs:
KB & company - is at 45,48 [10 north Port Blair]
India:
Calcutta - 10 Lily visit the AF on 8th
Howrah (1 NW of Calcutta) - 17 Lily visit the troops on 7th
Burma:
Toungoo - a RTA division moves in and ground bb
China:
Wuchow - 12 Nates with over 40 single engine bombers continue to attack troops daily.
Changsha - daily ground bb attacks. My Chinese Corps are all in mid to high 40s in experience and these attacks will push them up to the magical 50 (full AV).
Philippines:
Manila - daily ground bb attacks are preceded by up to 40 bombers.
Mindanao - in between the base the remaining troops.
Sumatra:
Medan - there goes all that oil and fuel.
Ground combat at Medan (46,76)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 3354 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 121
Defending force 2558 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 70
Japanese adjusted assault: 48
Allied adjusted defense: 15
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Medan !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), fatigue(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
666 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
455 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
143rd Infantry Regiment
Defending units:
Medan Garrison Battalion
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Medan Base Force
Sabang - I hope for another day, but probably not for much longer.
Ground combat at Sabang (44,70)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 1632 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 61
Defending force 2552 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 69
Japanese adjusted assault: 39
Allied adjusted defense: 27
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
91st Naval Guard Unit
Defending units:
Korps Marechausee Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
Sabang Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Borneo:
Pontianak -
Ground combat at Pontianak (56,90)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 1200 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 43
Defending force 572 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 13
Japanese adjusted assault: 15
Allied adjusted defense: 7
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
III./4th Infantry Battalion
Defending units:
Sarawak Force
2/15 Punjab Battalion
Sambas Base Force
Eastern DEI:
South Pacific:
Noumea -
Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,160, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Yubari
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Mikazuki
DD Yuzuki
DD Oite
DD Hayate
DD Asanagi
DD Yunagi
DD Shiokaze
DD Yakaze
Allied Ships
xAK Orne, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PG D'Iberville, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Cagou, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Capitaine Illiaquer, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Polynesien, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
OK, enough of these SC TF getting by my PBYs WITHOUT being sighted![:@] [:@] I had a group at Efate with 2 AVD & DD (disbanded) with supplies on board. I had 'thought' that was all I needed to get naval search coverage. Am I wrong?!?
Round two didn't go any better.[:(]
Night Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,160, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Yubari
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Mikazuki
DD Yuzuki
DD Oite
DD Hayate
DD Asanagi, Shell hits 1
DD Yunagi
DD Shiokaze
DD Yakaze
Allied Ships
DD Morris, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Reid
KV Chevreuil, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP President Hayes, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Zaandam, Shell hits 17, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Langkoeas, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Sommelsdijk, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Sloterdijk, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Mariso, Shell hits 9, heavy fires
KV La Batailleuse, Shell hits 2
xAK Examiner, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
The only good thing was no troops are lost. The big sinking is the AP. In response, I will move the PBY and 2 AVD from Efate to Luganville and send two surviving xAKs and the slightly damaged DD with their remaining supplies there. Also, a small BF is ordered to march up to Koumac to support another PBY group.
Total losses are: DD, PG, AP, xAP, 9 xAKs
Other:
Engineering:
Dutch Harbour F3; Pearl F5; Savaii AF2; Vladivostok AF9;
Notes/Plans:
Intel - 18 ID at Diamond Harbour
I am moving forces around in India trying to cover what I suspect is a second invasion.