MOUNTBATTENS FOLLY?? JeffK v the AI!!

[JeffroK]

Andy Mac has put together a very interesting small scenario involving the British, Indians, US Army & Chinese (and a few Canadians) against the IJA and Jiffs.

Mountbatten succeeded in a surprise invasion of Rangoon and put about a Corps of troops ashore, in addition 14th Army has put some Chindits into Katha across the LOC of the force holding Mytkinya.

I'm going to try an AAR of a campaign against the AI, though this would very a very interesting 2 player game. Maybe a weekly bulletin as the short turns allow quick turnarounds.

Below is the starting map, the Brits around Rangoon are not strong enough to hold everything, Mountbatten is thinking of changing his name back to Battenberg and fleeing.

Plans are to push on Myitkinya and Shwebo while holding in the south. I'll also try a landing at Ramree which is a bit further from the IJA units near Moulmein. Allied airpower will be vital, at either defending from the IJAAF or in providing a war winng strategy!

After 10 years of this I can post pictures, I'll try other bits as I go!

[Cribtop]

Cool!

[JeffroK]

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[JeffroK]

Opening days are slow, getting troops moving through the jungle so it will be some days before anything shows.

In the air however, the Allies are attacking IJA LCU at Myitkinya and south of Katha and defending against IJAAF raids on Rangoon & Pt Blair. The Spit VIII is supreme at the moment, but not many available. The picture shows the claims by the Allies, no USAAF on the list but 2 Sqns of P51A have just transferred to Rangoon.

Andy made the Beaufighter an Attack Bomber, seems to be suffering heavy losses for the moment.

[JeffroK]

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[JeffroK]

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[JeffroK]

January 9, 1944.
The ground units start to move:

A probe across the Sittang R into Pegu by the IJA is trashed,

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1962 troops, 8 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 74

Defending force 11252 troops, 172 guns, 600 vehicles, Assault Value = 403

Japanese adjusted assault: 1

Allied adjusted defense: 274

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 274 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
790 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (6 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 31 (7 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
53rd Recon Regiment
56th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
268th Motorised Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
50th Indian Para Brigade
116th RAC Regiment
7th Light Cavalry Regiment
7th RAF Advanced Base Force
12th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
14th Indian Light AA Regiment
44th Armoured Division

But this is the recon force of 2 Divisions, the Indians had better keep digging!!

At sea, a small IJN Cruiser force moved into the seas between Rangoon & Pt Blair
RAF Beaufighter TFX tried bombing but failed in the face of heavy losses. (I'll keep tweaking heights to see if things change)

The IJN was lucky, only 1 day away was a substantial RN Force with a CVTF (only 1 CV) and a SCTF with 4 CA.

[JeffroK]

Glad we didn't have a party, next day....

I did sneak in another Bde but it will still be in rail mode.

In the north 2 Indian Brigades have cut the LOC south of Katha, squeeze play on the IJA in Northern Burma.

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 32283 troops, 334 guns, 115 vehicles, Assault Value = 1109

Defending force 14561 troops, 204 guns, 634 vehicles, Assault Value = 515

Japanese adjusted assault: 1363

Allied adjusted defense: 428

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
4748 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 147 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 20 (1 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1781 casualties reported
Squads: 71 destroyed, 118 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 55 (23 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Vehicles lost 47 (3 destroyed, 44 disabled)

Assaulting units:
146th Infantry Regiment
153rd Infantry Regiment
168th Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
128th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
106th Infantry Regiment
151st Infantry Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
119th Infantry Regiment
2nd Recon Regiment
33rd Army
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
26th Fld AA Gun Co
3rd Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
53rd Recon Regiment

Defending units:
4th British Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
50th Indian Para Brigade
116th RAC Regiment
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
7th Light Cavalry Regiment
7th RAF Advanced Base Force
14th Indian Light AA Regiment
12th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
44th Armoured Division

[JeffroK]

Rule 1, dont catch a train to a battle!

[JeffroK]

January 13

The IJN runs a CVTF into the Bay of Bengal, I think its 2-3 CVL, which hits a MineTF which was going to plug the Rangoon River.

1 DM is sunk.

[JeffroK]

January 14

Time for the RN to split

Pegu has been bombarded but I think I damaged the IJA, the TF in Rangoon has dropped off 7th Indian Division, 2 Bdes are now moving to Pegu. In this scenario the Bdes are heavy infantry units, the Div HQ has the Artillery so its important to have them at the front.

The Pink Arrow is the retreat of the RN CV & SCTF's, they'll then go to Madras.
The Blue Arrow is the Transport TF, it will drop supplies at Cox's Bazaar.

[JeffroK]

PS, IJN TF's are not Red, they have a very, very, very little flag flying from the stern.
(I messed up a graphics upgrade!!!)

[MBF]

Thanks for the AAR !!

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

PS, IJN TF's are not Red, they have a very, very, very little flag flying from the stern.
(I messed up a graphics upgrade!!!)

I use the same graphics mod. It looks oh so clean and fresh!

However, I went back in and made all of the Jap TFs red...easier to recognize.

[JeffroK]

January 19

Subs patrolling the Straits of Malacca claim hits on IJNS Junyo!!

[JeffroK]

A few days later, Allied Military Intellegence confirms the sinking!

[JeffroK]

By January 29 there has been movement from the Jungles, British & Chinese troops capture Myitkinya from am IJA Bn and a Jiff Bde, the Chinese then bounced the river and will push toward Lashio. The British (36 Div) will head to Katha.

British/Indian Brigades have made their way out of the border areas and have cut the LOC between Katha & Shwebo.

British Indian Brigades have also pushed down the coast and are fighting over Akyab.

The IJA has attacked Pegu twice, smashed back both times, the Allies have continued to send Brigades to Pegu as they become available.

IMVHO, one of the main weapons that the Allies have here is their Air Transport fleet, I have the RAF Dakota Sqns at Chittagong flying Bdes into Prome taking about 3 days per Brigade they alternate between troops & supply. The USAAF are flying C46, C47 & C87 out of Ledo into Katha or Myitkinya, they can move a Regiment within 2 days. Definitely a weapon to shift the course of battle.

[JeffroK]

At sea, the IJN rules the waves when its at sea, but cant use its power overland, I guess there are 2CV & 4 CVL floating around, my 1 RN CV is hiding in Madras Harbour. Plus aircraft from the destroyed Junyo are seen over Colombo, have the Intel guys been been hitting burra pegs!!

Where are my troops.
AKYAB 3 Infantry Bdes & Arm Car Rgt -- 50 Ind Tank Bde is at Cox's Bazaar and moving to Akyab
West of SHWEBO 2 Infantry Bdes & 17 Div HQ
NE SHWEBO 4 Infantry Bdes, 3 & 20 Div HQ
W KATHA 5 infantry Bdes, 87 Mtn Rgt & 1 SSF
SW MYITKINYA 2 Chinese Inf Divisions, 1 more Chinese Div leaving Myitkinya
NW PROME 1 Ingantry Bde & 1 Armoured Rgt
PROME 2 Infantry Bdes & 2 Armoured Rgts, 166 Aviation Pts
KAREN HILLS (E of PROME) 2 Infantry Bdes & 25 Div HQ
S of KAREN HILLS 2 Infantry Bdes & 1 Armoured Rgt
PHYU ( S of TOUNGOO) 2 Infantry Bdes & 1 Armoured Rgt
KAWLUBU (E of TOUNGOO) 1 Infantry Bdes & 26 Div HQ
DAIK-U (SE of TOUNGOO) 1 Motor Bn & 1 Armoured Rgt
PEGU 5 Infantry Bdes & 4 Armoured Regiments plus 44 Arm Div HQ (709 AV, but the IJA brings 1500+ to battle)
RANGOON 3 Infantry Bdes 214 Aviation Pts
BASSEIN 1 Infantry Bde & 150 Aviation Pts

[JeffroK]

Air losses, both sides have lost when the 2nd or 3rd raid for the day goes in unescorted, a WITPAE2 fix.

Of the Allied 337 losses, 139 are OPS losses with the Transport fleet suffering heavily.

[JeffroK]

ooops