Command Decisions: Samurai vs. Yeomen RA 6.4

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
Operation Shimakaze
Feb 16-18, 1942

This plan is working FLAWLESSLY for the moment. The Japanese pincers have deployed and now we HOPE to create a cauldron battle.

Geraldton
Geraldton is invaded on the 16th and easily falls on the 18th. Troops fan out from the new base:
1. A Brigade and 2 Artillery units take the coastal road towards Perth.
2. Two Inf Div and 2 Artillery units take the road leading to Cunderdin.
3. A small Infantry unit heads due east to the dot hex.

The remaining units are an Air Division, 3 Base Forces, and 2 Engineering units. Current Base Stats: AF-2, Pt-1. Want the AF at 3 ASAP.

The 17th sees 27 Zeros arrive and the 18th has 70+ Tina and Topsy arrive. The Transports will take the 1st Raiders and drop them at Kalgoorlie on the 19th.

Esperance
The Esperance Invasion Force is not spotted until it lands at the target.

The 2 Inf Div, Army HQ, 2 TK Reg, and other units are fully ashore against no opposition. The base will fall tomorrow and the Tanks will then drive on Kalgoorlie. Infantry will follow them.

The Daitai of Zeros (presently at Geraldton) will bounce down here as a second Zero Daitai arrives at Geraldton. A small group of Hudsons attack the Invasion Force for no effect on the 18th.

Kalgoorlie
Regardless of whatever is present in this hex, the Paras jump tomorrow. Reinforcing this jump shall be the SNLF Para Brigade. It currently at Broome and loading into a Fast TF so that it can get to Geraldton ASAP.

The hex will be contested and that will stop units from entering or leaving by use of the Railroad. THAT IS WHAT WE WANT!

[Lowpe]

You are really going to trap a lot of troops...

Great job.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
Operation Shimakaze
February 19, 1942

Major Takeda commanding the 1st Raiding Regiment of Japan has spent his whole military career building to this moment. His Army unit had seen limited action to this point in the war. For nearly eight weeks his troops have examined every bit of information they could on the Australian town of Kalgoorlie. After nearly two weeks at sea, his unit stormed ashore and helped capture the town of Geraldton. Getting two days of finalized preparation, his unit boards 54 Tinas and 27 Topsy transports to fly over two hours to the target.

When the Transport stream arrives, AA fire is intense with 4 of the vulnerable planes shot down and another 12 damaged. He and his men jump! The elite troops quickly find that their opposition was much more effective against aircraft instead of ground troops. The Australian base force surrenders in a near thing. The Paras barely have enough men on the first jump to overwhelm the enemy but they do.

Kalgoorlie is JAPANESE and Operation Shimakaze is now poised for brilliant success.


Esperance
Several hundred miles to the south, trains are appropriated from the Aussie railroad and a Tank Regiment as well as entire Infantry Division begin to entrain for the journey north. Once at Kalgoorlie one will move east down the railroad and other shall advance on Cunderdin.

[JocMeister]

If they left Kalgoorlie unguarded they better not have anything useful at Perth...

[John 3rd]

I somehow think there is lots of NICE LCUs waiting to be become POWs...

[Cribtop]

Time for panic
Has arrived
Surrender time follows?

[zuluhour]

On June 13th 1942 at Kalgoorlie I lost two divisions (militia, but full) to Paul in two days. POOF! gone. The IJA armor drove right on through. Are you thinking the whole Australia thing?

[John 3rd]

Michael asked the same thing over the Phone earlier today!

The plan was to isolate Australia.

Once Western Aussieland is taken there were thoughts and plans about attacking-----ELSEWHERE...this is in the spirit of PURE evilness in keeping the Allies off balance,

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I somehow think there is lots of NICE LCUs waiting to be become POWs...

Recon spotted six units in Perth, three driven out of Geraldton, one driven towards Perth from Kalgoorlie. Will search the other towns to see what they have in them.

[John 3rd]

February 21, 1942
Australia

With no opposition upon landing, the Surface TF protecting the Esperance Landing splits into two Raiding Groups and moves SE towards Adelaide. They find RIPE pickings as ships move away from Perth.

TF1 BB Yamashiro, CA Nachi, CL Sendai and 5 DDs

Action 1 vs. 3 Dutch DDs and 2 TK--Result: DD Van Ghent and a TK sunk.
Action 2 vs. CLs Java and Tromp, 5 DD, and a PG--Result: LONG FIGHT (16 Rds) sees DD Asashio sunk in return for PG Soerabaja sunk and nearly every other Allied ship seriously damaged.

As the Allies THINK they have gotten away, over the horizon steams TF2: BB Fuso, CA Maya, and 5 DD

Action1 vs. CL--DD TF. Result: CLs Java and Tromp SUNK as well as DDs Bulmer and Barker.
Action2 vs. 3 DD Result: All 3 DDs sunk (Thanet, Tenedos and Stuart)

The Japanese retire after a highly successful day.

Up north, CL Minase and 4 DD sink 3 PG trying to escape by going north.

To the West, CARDIV2 sinks a lone AK.

RESULTS: For ONE DD the Japanese sink 2 CL, 6 DD, 4 PG, 1 AK, and 1 TK. NICE!!!

[John 3rd]

Am getting the feeling that Perth was crammed FULL of shipping. Jim is trying to get them out in groups racing in nearly every direction. My sharks are drawing back in to get as many of them as possible. CARDIV2 launches a massed strike in the afternoon (morning cancelled due to weather) of 45 Zero, 44 Val, and 30 Kate (NICE! ) at a large Convoy fleeing the area. A Daitai of 21 Kate attack after becoming separated. The results are solid with 9 AK and 1 TK sunk with another 5-7 AK and 3 TK hit.

[John 3rd]

The boys have been trying to exact some aerial punishment by bouncing their fighters around at Manila, Soerabaja, and in Burma. While meeting some success, I have a feel for their operation tempo and stage a CAP Trap over freshly occupied Mandalay, Burma. A pair of Fighter units (split evenly between Zero and Oscar) put 35 Fighters over the base. Numerous Allied bombers come in unescorted and they pay a steep cost as the Japanese fighters bag over 40 of them in a wild day of fighting over Burma's skies:

[John 3rd]

March 3, 1942

I keep TRYING to explain to my opponents that the door to Australia, from the East, is CLOSED. They don't seem to be getting that. Have had little clashes going on for three days as I damage and/sink AKs trying to run past Tahiti. The Mavis spot them and then three roving STF move after them with the support of a about 10 I-Boats.

Tomorrow shall see the arrival of 2 CVL to add a bit more emphasis to the point...

[John 3rd]

March 4, 1942

Action continues to heat-up in the waters around Tahiti. Multiple clashes between Allied TF trying tog et to Australia and Japanese TF working to sink them.

STF
A TF of 2 CL and 2 DD encounter two AK and DD Ellet. One AK is sunk with both of the remaining ships damaged.

CVLs
The two CVLs enter the fray and each carrier launches strikes in both the morning and afternoon phases. During the attacks, DD Reid and 2 AKs are sunk directly with DD Tucker and 4 more AKs taking damage.

What are they carrying? PLANES! Better yet B-17s!!!!! Looks like nearly twenty are destroyed. NICE!

We'll add to the carnage tomorrow.

Base development at Tahiti is going well with the AF about to go to Lvl-2. I've got about 25,000 supply with two TF are on the way carrying 2 Base Forces and 3 small Engineering units. An Air Flotilla is loading at Rabaul this turn as well. Airrving tomorrow is a Support TF consisting of 1 AKE, 2 AG, an AD, and an AS. These vessels will go a long ways towards helping the fight.

OPPORTUNITY?
Have been thinking that if I can really cause some chaos down here then the Allies will have to make a move to clear out the threat. Could this be an opportunity for a CV clash? I would have infrastructure down here where the Allies don't. Might be something to seriously think about...

[John 3rd]

March 5, 1942

Western Australia looks fantastic! Operation Shimakaze could not have gone any better.

Four Inf Div are now closing in on Perth. There are nine units at that location now and we see on the screenshot that the 5th and 38th ID are about to enter the base's hex. East of the them is the 55th and to the SSE advances the 18th ID.

Kalgoorlie has the 1st Raiders and a TK Reg holding it. Forts are about to go to 2. This is my road block for any help coming up from the SE.

CARDIV2 is just north of the map edge in the shot and they--along with 80% of the Fleet are now heading back towards Singapore for R&R. They can leave due to the arrival of 36 Betty at Geraldton. There are at least 10-12 ships in Perth right now and CARDIV2 hit them for two days on the 3rd and 4th. The 5th sees Betty's pick-up the work. Don't need the Fleet now so they head for the barn.

[John 3rd]

March 5, 1942
Burma

The Burmese Campaign has been interesting. Initially we committed just 5 TK Reg to the battle and drove the enemy back to Mandalay. At that point everything calmed down until the Imperial Guards ID arrived. It took Mandalay and on this day it takes Shwebo. Ten Allied units are forced to retreat or surrender (three surrender). The survivors retreat towards Lashio.

Looks GOOD! Do you think I should race NE and grab Katha and Myitkyina or follow the survivors and head for Lashio?

The Allies have tried to turn northern Burma into an air war. LOVE THAT! There are now two Daitai of Zero and two Sentai of Oscars working here. They have been FEASTING on Allied Blenheims, B-26, and Hudsons. Am knocking down 10-15 a day for the last 3-5 days of action.

When Shwebo fells I don't think they expected that because I bagged a full squadron of Fulmar's (15) as well.

[John 3rd]

It doesn't get much better then this for a single day of aerial action. Between ships sinking, town's taken, and ATA combat the Allies lose 51 planes for just a few Japanese. Would love to make a habit of this ratio.

[John 3rd]

Just completed a week-long series of Naval Reinforcements arriving. It doesn't happen often but sometimes you get a cluster of ships and this is one of those weeks.

Reinforcements:
CL Noshiro
BB Yamato
CV Junyo
3 I-Boats

LOTS of new shiny toys to play with!

[janh]

Your fast progress and successes are quite intimidating... It seems to me that your opponents have not yet grasped the extended to which their situation has deteriorated, else I cannot understand how they keep sending small convoys around areas that are no longer under their control. I really want to see how this continues...

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
OPPORTUNITY?
Have been thinking that if I can really cause some chaos down here then the Allies will have to make a move to clear out the threat. Could this be an opportunity for a CV clash? I would have infrastructure down here where the Allies don't. Might be something to seriously think about...

Gut feeling says yes, but then again I am an advocate for CV clashes in the pre-Hellcat era and tend to use KB more aggressively as long as the Essex are not yet on the horizon. Then, this theater is really far away from any Japanese yard, but rather close to the OZ yards for the Allies (in case they still are a viable and safe option...). Not really sure...

Ah, the Fulmar are OPS losses??? Shouldn't they be ground losses if they were with Schwebo?

[Cribtop]

I agree with Janh. Dangle your CVLs and/or CVEs. Have KB and if possible LBA around to suddenly pop up and smack the USN CVs when they show up to deal with the mini-KB. I might not advocate this normally, but here you are almost finished expanding and you are facing an enemy with a history of trying to counter-punch. It just might work.

PS - If it does work your foes may well surrender.