Command Decisions: Samurai vs. Yeomen RA 6.4

[John 3rd]

The boys have commented how calm the last couple of turns have been. They actually have as I am preparing for the next phase of action. It is the lull between the storms...

[John 3rd]

March 26, 1942
Bay of Bengal

My opponents have been lured into a false sense of security in the Indian Ocean since the war began. That purposeful action is about to come crashing down tomorrow as a coordinated assault shall take place at multiple points along the Bay of Bengal.

Land-Based Air Strikes
1. Nearly 150 fighters from Magwe will SWEEP the skies over Chittagong. Roughly 50 Allied fighters are based there.
2. Over 100 Fighters will SWEEP Akyab from Rangoon. Just over 25 Allied fighters reside there. This sweep will be followed by 25 Fighters and nearly 100 Bombers hitting the AF.
3. Kates and Nells are also set for Naval Attack.

Sea-Based Air
CARDIV2 swings into the middle of the bay and will waylay any targets within a range of nine hexes. We've got 215 planes available for action.

Surface TFs
1. A CL and 4 DDs will swing into Chittagong to flush the game and sink whatever they can.
2. A CA, CL, and 4 DDs will do the same at Akyab.

LOTS of shipping in the area (as the screenshot shows) and we have high hopes of doing some serious damage to the Allied shipping as well as fighters.

[zuluhour]

Again, you appear to have complete surprise.

[John 3rd]

Not a single air search plane has spotted those three TF. There isn't any--to my knowledge--planes flying recon over my bases.

"Step into my Parlor" said the spider to the fly...

[ny59giants]

They were using their PBYs as naval bombers, so there are losses there. I advised them to send the two PBY groups from the Philippines here, but.....

If not PBYs, then the small Catalina groups they get and I use Hudsons early on.

[John 3rd]

March 27, 1942

The storm breaks in the Bay of Bengal:

[John 3rd]

March 28, 1942

The storm grows in intensity as surface units get to hunting:

[John 3rd]

Two days of work yields:

2 KV
9 AK
4 AKL
Damage to another 8-10 ships...

[zuluhour]

John, your going to give them whip lash.

[John 3rd]

I haven't even mentioned that CARDIV1 and 5 hit Hiva Oa AT THE SAME TIME!

[Cribtop]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I sent John the following email about "Battle of Eastern Solomons" but thoughts some other readers of his AAR could answer the questions I had.

John,

You get time to find a good answer for these questions before our next phone call. They come from reading book you gave me - The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign by John Lundstrom.

1) Nagumo is back in charge of a very weak KB for the first possible CV vs CV battle since Midway and part of the plan is to send just CVL Ryujo (24 Zero & 9 Kate) ahead of CarDiv 5 (Shokaku and Zuikaku) to attack G'canal if no CVs are found. Japan is short of any carriers and they think that 9 Kates are going to do what at G'canal?? [&:]

2) The first and only strike to find CV Enterprise has just seen her take three bomb hits from Vals. Meanwhile, a chutai of 3 Vals go after BB North Carolina rather than after Enterprise to do what?? The 250kg bombs will do very little vs a BBs armor. Why didn't the pilots know that a CV is a worthy target for these bombs. The SBD carrying their 1000lb bombs can do some damage, but not these smaller bombs.

3) What led Japan to change their strike composition?? Rather than one mega-strike, they now have the DBs go in first and then have a second strike with the TBs. In this battle, the TBs never found the CVs. If they had all gone in together like Japan had done before, Enterprise 'may' have been sunk.

More to follow as I continue reading.
Michael

By chance I just read this Chapter in Frank's Guadalcanal. Basically, the Japanese wildly underestimated what it would take to recapture Lunga, wildly underestimated US resolve, and generally made a hash of it.

More specifically, they suffered from poor intel. The plan was to use the CVs to crush the USN CVs while the Ryujo fulfilled the post-Midway doctrinal role of force protection with its fighter heavy air group. However, Tanaka was trying to get the second half of the Ichiki detachment ashore and wanted air support, both in the form of LRCAP and air strikes against Henderson Field. The IJN brass ordered Ryujo to provide air cover to Tanaka if no US CVs were around. This division of intentions combined with FoW to send Ryujo on her secondary mission right when Fletcher engaged. Result was one CVL sunk. For similar reasons, the IJN messed up the plan to have Kondo's surface fleet well in advance of Shokaku and Zuikaku. As for the 9 Kates, LBA was supposed to attend to Henderson, but bad weather kept grounding them, so the Kates attacked as a poor man's effort at replacing the LBA. Thus, despite being paranoid about Midway, the Japanese repeated many of the same mistakes. They found themselves changing plans and dividing forces in the face of the enemy while trying to shepherd an invasion home.

Finally, the change in strike composition was done because it was believed that the Kates were vulnerable and should be held in reserve to administer the coup de grace once the Vals softened up the Allies. Questionable thinking IMHO. The Vals going after the BB made no sense but often strike leaders went after BBs with a portion of their forces or pilots chose them in the chaos without thinking it through. BBs were still considered priority targets. No idea if the Japanese knew their bombs were useless.

[John 3rd]

I have always felt that THIS was the Japanese opportunity to prolong the war. Had that Kate Strike found Enterprise it would have been all but over. If Enterprise goes down the odds might have tipped against the Marines at Guadalcanal. A near thing. Think of Santa Cruz with only Hornet present.

[John 3rd]

April 3, 1942
Noumea

The Japanese have been trying to capture Noumea for about 10-14 days and an Allied TF is spotted approaching. There are just two APD available and they are sent in. To their immense surprise, the old warships spot five large AP and an AMC. To their absolute amazement, the largest of all liners is spotted as the Queen Elizabeth slowly comes into visual. The APDs close their helpless enemy and pepper the targets for eight gunnery rounds hitting all of them and spreading around 42 hits. Two APs and an AMC are hard hit. Queen Elizabeth takes 4 shells and is burning as the battle closes...

WOW. Just wish we had a couple of DDs with Torps!

[Cribtop]

I don't think that Allied group would pass muster under Nemo's rules for proper task force composition. [;)]

[Cribtop]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I have always felt that THIS was the Japanese opportunity to prolong the war. Had that Kate Strike found Enterprise it would have been all but over. If Enterprise goes down the odds might have tipped against the Marines at Guadalcanal. A near thing. Think of Santa Cruz with only Hornet present.

It certainly would have helped Japan's cause. According to Frank the position of the Enterprise given to the TB strike commander was inaccurate. An update sent the correct position, but the co-ordinates were written down incorrectly and thus the strike missed Ent by only miles and minutes. Talk about "For want of a nail..." [X(]

[John 3rd]

April 4, 1942
The Aleutians

CV Junyo and CVE's Hosho and Taiyo have been hanging out up in the Aleutian area for the last 2-3 weeks. They have managed to cause some headaches with the Allied Commanders. This week sees Air Search pick-up the approach of an enemy TF heading for Dutch Harbor:

April 3rd
The CV TF moves to get into position and manages to hit the enemy on the 3rd with a strike of 17 Zero, 22 Val, and 18 Kate. Fighting through 13 P-39, the planes sink two APD and damage a 3rd. Losses are 1 Zero and 1 Kate for 8 enemy.

April 4th
The enemy stays at Dutch Harbor and get another helping of CV airpower In comes 15 Zero, 22 Val, and 15 Kate. The Americans place 19 P-30/P-400 on CAP. Seven enemy are shot down in return for 2 Zero and a Val. Three more APD are sunk and a 4th is damaged.

Order the CVs back to Paramushiro Jima. Detach a STF of 1 CL and 4 DD to mop up any survivors...

[EHansen]

It does appear that they do not understand that resistance is futile. [;)]

[John 3rd]

April 5, 1942

The boys just don't seem to take hint. I-9 provides TWO reasons to move the Queen away from Noumea:

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
April 5, 1942

Haven't had the time to do extensive updates so I thought I would do a quick region-by-region overview.

North Pacific
Have detailed the forays of CV Junyo and the two CVEs up here. The CTF has been recalled to Japan for some R&R.

Umnak just went to Lvl-2 AF and I have 12 Val and 12 Kate present with 18 Zeros to fly cover. Can commit more up here but don't see the point presently.

Central Pacific
The whole central area has gotten very quiet after the Second Battle of Johnston Isle. To rile the boys up, I sent a Raiding TF of 3 AMC and 5 DD NE of PH. The TF then split in two and managed to intercept a pair of convoys. Each TF held roughly a dozen AK escorted by a single DD. The Raiders did quite well sinking 1 DD and 6 AK while heavily damaging the other DD and an equal number of AKs. Loss for this was an AMC. Not too bad...

SE Pacific
The enemy is in strength at Hiva Oa. CARDIV1 and 5 hit this area at the end of march and sank a few ships. The Zeros were met by nearly 45 P-39/P-40! Wow. Pretty serious aerial opposition.

I immediately began to plan on the capture and assault on this base but Michael--as Chief Minister and Advisor--stayed my hand. We are going to ALLOW this base to develop. The thinking here is to let the guys have an open door for an offensive HERE and not any closer. If we drove the Allies completely off the board, then they might choose a differing route that might be more direct and dangerous (read Aleutians-to-Kuriles). Let the Allies turn this area into a fortress (there are already 7 units present plus the air mentioned earlier) so they can begin the counter-attack MANY THOUSANDS of miles away.

Pago Pago will be my main base. There is a massive re-organization of the Kaigun coming. Once that is complete, a major portion of the fleet will be stationed here. I've got Support units on the way as well as a massive aerial commitment of 72 Zero, 54 Betty, 48 Val, and 48 Kate.

South Pacific
Noumea is a thorn. I've taken Koumac and La Foa but didn't have enough strength to wrest Noumea away from the French. An SNLF Assault Brigade is presently landing and it should do it. The arrival of that AP TF (with Queen Elizabeth) is a new wrinkle. Not sure what they have delivered. best guess is an Aussie Brigade and something else. Don't want to bombard and show how weak I am for the moment.

Suva and Nadi are the next targets of the 2nd ID.

DINNER BREAK: Will pick this up in a little while.

[John 3rd]

(OK...Dinner turns into a full DAY LATER!)

Philippines
The Allies are finally getting attacked at Manila. My first assault (by 3 ID) occurred on April 5th and got a 1-2 result but lowered Forts to 3. The target is now getting regularly bombarded by two pairs of BBs and about 125 bombers. A fourth ID is landing tomorrow and will join the attack in about 4-5 days. I've held off attacking here due to wanting to get to Perth prior to the Invasion Bonus running out. Now is the time to destroy this stronghold and move forward.

Australia
Western Australia
All targets are taken. There are Allied units moving around but I am not too concerned presently. Initially there were 5 IDs in the Invasion. Three of them have been withdrawn to Singapore and are preparing for further action ELSEWHERE.

I plan to base an ID, 2 Brigades, and 2 TK/Cavalry units here as the garrison. The goal is hold this area as long as possible. Esperance is being used as a forward Sub Base and a group of 5 DD operate here as raiders. Roughly 50 Fighters and Bombers search and work from this region.

NW Australia
Paras have taken Tennant Creek (and airlifted in a Base Force), Katherine, and Daly Waters. An ID, TK Reg, and Brigade are beginning to close in on Darwin. Against ALL REASON there are nine units in Darwin and they are using Hudsons, P-40s, and A-24 to bomb my troops closing in on them. Just might be a pretty big bag of troops and planes coming here...

Have got several Base Forces about to arrive at Wyndham to provide LRCAP over the troops and begin hitting Darwin.

Java
The enemy has been driven back to Soerabaja. Initially the 4th ID and a Brigade did this but then the Allies attacked out of Soerabaja and forced a Japanese retreat (how RUDE!). I brought in two more Brigades and a Regiment and THEY WERE DRIVEN out of Soerabaja! This is a problem. I've got to deal with this thorn before truly moving on...

Burma
Have got all I want. To fix the Allied vision, I have two units moving out from Prome beginning the advance on Akyab. The Allies are pretty forward deployed at Chittagong and Daly Waters. This is GOOD--for later...

China
Have the Changsha Region and the Northern Resources/Oil. Far as I am concerned, I am done with the war in China. Just have to backfill a few places. There 16 units at Wenchow. I intend to surround them and force a complete surrender of those units.



That is the state of the Regional Map.

ISSUES:
1. Finish the Philippines QUICKLY.
2. Deal with the Dutch after that.
3. Launch the FINAL Japanese Offensive of the war...