Greyjoy(J) vs. Obvert(A) - The air war in China- DBB, SLs, PDU OFF

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


The only real news comes from India.

India again ? Why always you ? [8D]

Hartwig

[:D]

To be honest? Having been on the receiving end of the Indian campaign for at least two times I know how weak India can be early on and how strategically important can be for the Japanaese to secure their NW flank with an expansion there.
Burma is the fastest and closest route to the DEI. The easiest for the allies, cause there they can use their weapons at best. I've successfully defended Burma against QBall until mid 1944, but I had to commit tremendous assets there to do so and the gains, in terms of economic inputs, were far too few.
Also China can be a beast if you don't defeat it and with SLs it's very very hard to do so (won't be able to do it in this game anyway). So I thought the best strategical goal for my second phase was the so-called "eastern hook" gainst Burma. Assam and Ceylon can delay a lot the allied advance and Japan should gain a lot of time to properly build up Burma's defences and starve China

[veji1]

When you say starve China, does that mean that you intend on keeping up offensive operations there to bring China into the red and secure better defensive positions (ie corral China into the central plains + the Kunming route) or do you intend to mainly stay put. What are your goals in China : Secure the north + the Changsha area and find good defensive terrain from then on or ?

[njp72]

Completely agree Greyjoy with that approach.

Once you get into the jungle on Burma/Indian border you negate to some extent the superiority of allied weapons, especially their air and armour.
I have always thought like you that the Burma axis of the advance is the most dangerous as well. Starving China is an excellent outcome as well.

Good luck.

[GreyJoy]

Big new coming from India.

Jan 21, 42

The enemy tries to sweep DH from Calcutta. Resulting in a massive defeat in the air. 39 vs 16 in my favour, with not a single Zero shot down[8D] just some low flying Oscars.

Then, my Paras did a great job. Erik didn't defend the RR connections and paid for it. Now Calcutta is almost cut off from any RR connection.

Tarakan Falls. Koepang Falls.

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Morning Air attack on Diamond Harbour , at 52,38

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 25

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 6 destroyed

CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 19 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
12th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes



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Morning Air attack on Diamond Harbour , at 52,38

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 20

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 3 destroyed

CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 22000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 50 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
11 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 27000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 51 minutes
12th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 27000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes


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Morning Air attack on Diamond Harbour , at 52,38

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 20

Allied aircraft
I-16-III x 3
H81-A3 x 3
Hurricane IIb Trop x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 28000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 27000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 51 minutes
12th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 26000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes


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Ground combat at Tarakan (67,91)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2385 troops, 21 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 79

Defending force 1642 troops, 45 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 22

Japanese adjusted assault: 42

Allied adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tarakan !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
394 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF
III/81st Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
VII KNIL Battalion
Tarakan Base Force
Tarakan Defenses


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Ground combat at Koepang (68,116)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12979 troops, 102 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 414

Defending force 1698 troops, 10 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 50

Japanese adjusted assault: 230

Allied adjusted defense: 11

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Koepang !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 2 destroyed

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

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

Allied ground losses:
302 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (4 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4

Assaulting units:
4th/A Division
4th/B Division
4th/C Division

Defending units:
Timor Garrison Battalion
Dili Detachment
1/10th Avn Sup Afd
5th Base Group /1

[veji1]

Ouch, this is starting to smell real bad.. I would just run away If I was him... have a first line of defense from Delhi, but really center on Bombay and Karachi. Sure you are probably not going all the way there, but he can reinforce, restructure, before starting to counterattack. the worse that could happen would be to let you bag more valuable combat units than absolutely unavoidable.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: veji1

Ouch, this is starting to smell real bad.. I would just run away If I was him... have a first line of defense from Delhi, but really center on Bombay and Karachi. Sure you are probably not going all the way there, but he can reinforce, restructure, before starting to counterattack. the worse that could happen would be to let you bag more valuable combat units than absolutely unavoidable.

Yeah, i'd run away too. Hope he doesn't. Now a regiment of the 55th ID will be airlifted to Harrah (NW of Calcutta), while tanks will move on the other flank.
More zeros are flowing to DH and Akyab, along with 150 bombers. The AF at DH is building nicely fast. Doesn't look good for the allies to be honest.

The only bad news of the day is that oil and ref at Tarakan are 50% damaged [:(]...will need 90,000 supplies to build them back [:o][:o]

In china, yes, the goal is to conquer Sian and Lanchow and so to cut the oil route to chungking. Changsha must be taken also. If i can make the chinese perimeter shrink a but, i may estabilish a storng defensive line that allows me keep this theatre calm till 1944.

[Lowpe]

Banzai! Too sweet, a well thought out attack. Hats off to you.[&o]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Banzai! Too sweet, a well thought out attack. Hats off to you.[&o]

Thanks but we need to see how it develops. If he has the AUS Division there, along with another good one, it can become Tricky. So let's concentrate and remain focused!

[ny59giants]

The Allies have only the two Aussie divisions, the 18th UK, and 7th Armored Brigade that are able to stand up to Japanese troops at this time. Most of the Indian divisions have 30 or below experience levels and still haven't upgraded to '42 Rifle Squads. It isn't the AV so much as the Anti-Soft and Anti-Armor values the devices/squads have that counts.

This is Erik's first game as Allies and India is being invaded. The learning curve will hurt. I do thinks differently as Allies in India now that I've experienced defending it first hand. With the paras taking those bases and cutting off the direct railing of troops into Calcutta will slow down any attempts to defend it. I would march over river into Howrah and take it back.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

The Allies have only the two Aussie divisions, the 18th UK, and 7th Armored Brigade that are able to stand up to Japanese troops at this time. Most of the Indian divisions have 30 or below experience levels and still haven't upgraded to '42 Rifle Squads. It isn't the AV so much as the Anti-Soft and Anti-Armor values the devices/squads have that counts.

This is Erik's first game as Allies and India is being invaded. The learning curve will hurt. I do thinks differently as Allies in India now that I've experienced defending it first hand. With the paras taking those bases and cutting off the direct railing of troops into Calcutta will slow down any attempts to defend it. I would march over river into Howrah and take it back.

Oh...i forgot about the 18th UK...that is a big unit!
One of those two aussie divs could be already there. If he has the 6th and the 18th ID i may be in deep doo doo tough...[X(]
We'll soon see. In 3 days i'll be in Calcutta.
In the meanwhile i hope to reinforce Howrah using 120 transport planes from Akyab (lvl 3 AF - that's why i conquer it at first) with elements of the 55th ID. Won't stand against 50,000 troops, but this could avoid an easy taking it back. He will need to commit if he wants to get out

[fcharton]

You're in good shape in Northern China: once the plains of the Wei, north of Sian, is yours, there is little he can do but retreat, and so, you're in a good position to cut off his troops between Loyang/Nanyang and Sian. I would have taken Yenan, personnally, as it makes the KMT situation in the north plain impossible (they really lack bases there), but it looks pretty good.

It will be interesting to see where his troops go. He can either fall back west on Lanchow, or south on the Szechwan basin. I think he'll choose the latter, which means you can take Western China easily, and deprive him of resources, and supplies (since he won't have fuel for Chungking industry)

All this is pretty good, ihmo.

Francois

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: fcharton

You're in good shape in Northern China: once the plains of the Wei, north of Sian, is yours, there is little he can do but retreat, and so, you're in a good position to cut off his troops between Loyang/Nanyang and Sian. I would have taken Yenan, personnally, as it makes the KMT situation in the north plain impossible (they really lack bases there), but it looks pretty good.

It will be interesting to see where his troops go. He can either fall back west on Lanchow, or south on the Szechwan basin. I think he'll choose the latter, which means you can take Western China easily, and deprive him of resources, and supplies (since he won't have fuel for Chungking industry)

All this is pretty good, ihmo.

Francois

Thx Francois,

If I was him I'd fall towards Lanchow, in order to defend on those pesky mountain hexes. However what really matters now is Sian.
Yenan has been already bypassed and will be taken later. Without any supply route, it should starve pretty well on its own[:)]

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
... A CAR DIV will join them as soon as i am able to refuel/rearm at Singa.

I sure do enjoy your style [8D] I've always been under-impressed by the usual game tendency to flog the monster KB here and there. Early war, Japan knew exactly what they were facing from US CVs, and often split off a CavDiv to operate independently. An IJN CarDiv is a nice weapon, and if one or two of them strike at different places, it keeps the opponent guessing.

L'audace, encore l'audace, et toujours l'audace. Nice to see you being audacious. Ciao, John

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Symon

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
... A CAR DIV will join them as soon as i am able to refuel/rearm at Singa.

I sure do enjoy your style [8D] I've always been under-impressed by the usual game tendency to flog the monster KB here and there. Early war, Japan knew exactly what they were facing from US CVs, and often split off a CavDiv to operate independently. An IJN CarDiv is a nice weapon, and if one or two of them strike at different places, it keeps the opponent guessing.

L'audace, encore l'audace, et toujours l'audace. Nice to see you being audacious. Ciao, John

[:)] Thanks John!

Yes, well, after the damaging of Yorktown and Enterprise, it's easier to split the KB. At the moment I have the following composition:

CarDiv 1 (Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu) moving to Singapore after the fall of Cocos
CarDiv 2 (Akagi, Soryu, Hosho) moving to Timor to support the operations against Northern Oz
Mini-KB (Kaga, Zuiho, Ryuho and Tayio) near DH supporting the indian invasion.

I plan to recombine them in a more intelligent composition.
Would like the have a CarDiv composed of Shokaku, Zuikaku, another CarDiv composed of Akagi and Kaga and one more composed of Soryu, Hiryu and the two CVLs, leaving the CVEs for other kind of support operations.
Unofrtunately they are always heavy pressed and hadn't have the time to recombine them back since dec 7...

Would like to underline that all Shokaku, Zuikaku and Kaga are currently operating with an added chitai of A6M2s each (until the airgroups resize in middle 42)

[GreyJoy]

And Air HQ is moving to Koepang (level 4 AF). 36 Betties and 18 Mavis will immediately move here.
Another Air HQ is being moved to Port Moresby (36 Betties here also).
Rabaul has an Air HQ (Air Division).
Base forces are sent to Ambon, Cocos Island and Sebang, with Mavis and some Jakes.
An Air Flottilla is already operating at Akyab.
2 Air HQs are at DH.
Ceylon, as soon as we'll conquer it (if we will ever conquer it) will have an air HQ too.

[Symon]

Your composition seems intelligent enough. Using Napoleon's central position principle, so long as at least one of the wing CarDivs are close enough to recombine with the center, in the face of a threat (some small number of days), you should be good.

Btw, we use that paradigm in Babes games almost routinely into 44 or however long we have sufficient carriers to pull it off. Spreading out the CVs into different TFs "may" give a coordination penalty (the forum 'received wisdom' is wrong), but it spreads out the incoming. 4 of the one, 9 of the other.

Anyway, it's a smart move on your part. Ciao. John

[GreyJoy]

Saving to buy a Division from China. I'd like to get the 26th ID...almost there...125 PPs missing and then we can buy it out!
BANZAI!

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Symon

Your composition seems intelligent enough. Using Napoleon's central position principle, so long as at least one of the wing CarDivs are close enough to recombine with the center, in the face of a threat (some small number of days), you should be good.

Btw, we use that paradigm in Babes games almost routinely into 44 or however long we have sufficient carriers to pull it off. Spreading out the CVs into different TFs "may" give a coordination penalty (the forum 'received wisdom' is wrong), but it spreads out the incoming. 4 of the one, 9 of the other.

Anyway, it's a smart move on your part. Ciao. John

Gotta say that since I play Babes games (already 3 under my belt), I've never had those tremendous one-sided CVs battles that many experience.
All the results I've faced have been very rational, with neither part completely annihilated by the opposite one. Exchanging blows, surely, but not complete one-sided annihilation.
I think the modifications to naval AA have really changed (improving!) the naval gameplay

[GreyJoy]

Jan 22, 1942

INDIA:
Obvert doesn't seem to be willing to abbandon Calcutta. No movement arrows!
My IDs are now 33/46 miles from Calcutta, while Hawraw is being reinforced.
The battle in the skies of Calcutta continues. Erik is bringing back all his best units from China and Luzon (the AVG and the american P40Es)...that's good! I want them in a place where i can fight them instead of getting ambushed all over China!
Today is the turn of the Yamada Det and Ryuho's fighter Group (i'm sweeping only with carrier based planes untill DH reaches AF lvl 2).
The battle is harsh for the Yamada's Det. out of 16 planes that took off, 9 don't come back. Lost 6 priceless pilots and, among them, a brand new ace (Fujimatsu). Ryuho's fate is much better and they reap quite a lot of Death among the enemy's lines.
Then 15 B17s arrive to bomb Ansalon (the same B17s that were driving me crazy strat bombing Chinese bases untill last week) and got mauled by Kaga's fighters on LRCAP mission (8 B17s shot down!)

Morning Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 43 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 4
Buffalo I x 10
Hurricane IIb Trop x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet

CAP engaged:
AVG/1st Sqn with H81-A3 (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
No.21 Sqn RAAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes
No.232 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes
No.453 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
No.488 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
21st PS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes



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Morning Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 2
Buffalo I x 5
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet

CAP engaged:
No.21 Sqn RAAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 23040.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 19000 and 21000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
No.488 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
AVG/1st Sqn with H81-A3 (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
No.232 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 24000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
21st PS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 22150.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes



Morning Air attack on Asansol , at 53,34

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
2 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Kaga-1 with A6M2 Zero (18 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(18 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
18 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead



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Morning Air attack on Asansol , at 53,34

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Kaga-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 118 minutes




In china, another bloody nose near Changsha....

Ground combat at Pingsiang (82,54)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40169 troops, 408 guns, 202 vehicles, Assault Value = 1130

Defending force 37316 troops, 216 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1003

Japanese adjusted assault: 759

Allied adjusted defense: 791

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
2495 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 147 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled

Allied ground losses:
757 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
22nd Division
8th Armored Car Co
116th Division
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
15th Division
23rd Tank Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Army
4th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
26th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps


...without the total air superiority and without serious air bombing effort, it's not possible to advance here...




CarDiv1 managed to pass through Merak straight, dancing against no less than 10 enemy's subs, and Tomorrow will reach Singapore. Will refuel and then move towards Ceylon.
Imperial Guards Div starts to load at Singa, along with 2 Rgts of the 5th Guards ID.

CarDiv2 is at Timor, where the 4th ID is loading again.

[Barb]

Uh! A full invasion of India this early. I doubt Obvert would be able to do anything serious about that. His best possible option would be run for Karachi-Bombay and Ceylon to buckle up, throwing some small rear-guards to slow you down while reinforcing with whatever unit is at hand...