Burma
We bombed some troops at Pegu, Nav Guard and a tank Rgt. Japs bomb some troops next to the Thai border.
Ambon
I got intel yesterday that there was a 2 CA and DD SAG at Ambon. It turns out to be a 4 CA SAG. I sent in a 2 CL SAG with Fletchers, a Fletcher SAG, and 2 PT boat TFs. CL SAG arrives first. They were the ones I wanted to be last. I hate torpedoes. Both my CLs eat one and then get pounded and sink. I also lose 2 DDs. I might have sunk a CA. My CL SAG suprises the Japs, we pound one CA quickly but then the LLs hit and that was that. I don't even sink a DD. My PT boats show up last.
NorPac
I sink 2 subs and damage another one. Jap bombers sink 2 LSTs
I think I am going to go for Port Blair first. I have 2 Indian BDEs and an ID and a small tank unit prepped 100%. I am not for sure if I will bring the ID. I know one of the three units at PB is an AF BF. Less thank 10k worth of men shown. I have plenty of APA/AKAs to bring in the assault units plus support units. I have 9 BBs, 7 CA, 3 CLs, 21 CVEs, 3 CVs, 5 CVLs and 100 DDs. I figure this should be enough to cover this landing.
My CVEs together will have 600 planes while my CV TF will have little over 400 planes. Sabang has some NavS planes operating out of it. I might have to close this field down. That might cost me a bunch of bombers. I know there is a SAG at Rangoon. My luck with surface actions isn't very good.
I think I am going to go for Port Blair first. I have 2 Indian BDEs and an ID and a small tank unit prepped 100%. I am not for sure if I will bring the ID. I know one of the three units at PB is an AF BF. Less thank 10k worth of men shown. I have plenty of APA/AKAs to bring in the assault units plus support units. I have 9 BBs, 7 CA, 3 CLs, 21 CVEs, 3 CVs, 5 CVLs and 100 DDs. I figure this should be enough to cover this landing.
My CVEs together will have 600 planes while my CV TF will have little over 400 planes. Sabang has some NavS planes operating out of it. I might have to close this field down. That might cost me a bunch of bombers. I know there is a SAG at Rangoon. My luck with surface actions isn't very good.
Back later
Any thoughts.
Do you know where the KB is?
How is the Japanese recon in the area versus the approach you are going to use? How many days notice will your opponent have of your Amphibious task force before it lands? Will your NavS give you enough time to turn the fleets around if it turns out he's expecting you?
Buck: I don't know where the KB is. Its been month or so of game time since I have last seen part of it and it was around Truk. I think Koniu has broken it down in to smaller groups. I wouldn't doubt that a section is at Singers or close by. CVEs are in NorPac.
Jap recon and NavS are excellent. He can spot me for atleast 3 days before landing. My NavS won't spot him. That's the reason I was trying for Port Blair first. I can send subs down the Straights of Malacca and hope that one of them will give me a heads up. I do think he is expecting me to do something in this area.
22 Apr 44
Burma
We do a DA at the Thai border. I lose another Indian ID, but do better some what. I also go after some NavS AC and find empty bases.
Ground combat at 61,52 (near Chiang Mai)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36332 troops, 567 guns, 852 vehicles, Assault Value = 1703
Defending force 35248 troops, 392 guns, 568 vehicles, Assault Value = 1424
Allied adjusted assault: 590
Japanese adjusted defense: 4861
Allied assault odds: 1 to 8
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1401 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 170 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (3 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3854 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 497 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 74 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 128 disabled
Guns lost 52 (5 destroyed, 47 disabled)
Vehicles lost 75 (3 destroyed, 72 disabled)
Assaulting units:
2nd British Division
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
25th Indian Division
254th Armoured Brigade
Guides Cavalry Regiment
7th Indian Division
150th RAC Regiment
3rd Cavalry Regiment
81st (West African) Division
14th Chindit Brigade
86th Coast AA Regiment
Defending units:
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
6th RTA Division
1st INA Subhas Regiment
143rd Infantry Regiment
2nd Division
7th RTA Division
2nd Tank/A Division
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
35th Fld AA Gun Co
I can't remember what else has happened hasn't been much.
Can't remember the date
Several days have past since the last post.
Burma
We bomb some troops. We catch some leaky CAP and shoot down a bunch of Tojos (30-40) for the lose of like 3 Spits. Koniu wasn't too happy about this. We also catch some leaky CAP over some LCUs and take out 17 Franks for 4 Corsairs. The next day I forgot to stand down the bombers. They take it on the chin. 15 P40s are lost as escorts and 30 2E bombers are lost. The escorts do put up a good fight and take down around 14 fighters. I also lose 7 2Es attacking ships at Rangoon. We find a CA patrolling.
I'm still not for sure about all this NavS in the area. I will have my CV/CVEs in the area within a few days. I'm not for sure if I should go on with the ops. I think Port Blair would be the safest of the two and once taken can be a nice deterrent to bringing CVs into the area. Do I have enough to make this operation successful?
Timor
Air ASW is a killer. I have lost 2 subs with a bunch more damaged. Koniu must have a bunch of units trained in Air ASW. I am getting spotted all over the map. Bringing in more Engs to start an base hopping strategy. 4 CAs and DDs are back into the area. I have seen a few xAPs in the area though.
Gilberts
Besides a few sweeps nothing in this area. Koniu is letting me build up. Does he not have anything in the area?
NorPac
I am reconning the Northern Islands. I bet this is making Koniu nervous.
Just stay out of it. I tried, and tried and tried. No matter setting, patrol zones and this and that the same turn I entered within air ASW any sub was slammed with a 10/10 DL. Maximum life expectancy after that is 1-3 turns. Often I was forced to RTB the same turn I entered.
There is a nice little test in my AAR somewhere where I sent 50 or something subs into the South China Sea. They had to pass through the Malacca straight. I think 2 made it through. The rest were hit by air ASW while passing through and had to RTB or got sunk.
Joc: I know I have already ordered them to RTB. Several has been hit while trying to exit the area. iPhone sucks today. Getting new rims put on my truck.[:D]. The wife isn't to happy about it. Has your wife found your secret out yet.
Burma
I send 3 Brit DDs to the mouth of Rangoons river. They sink 4 Es, and a AMc. They are attacked by some Frances, LRCAP takes care of them. Over by Ceylon a single Jap ship has been probing my NavS. My bombers haven't flown out to attack this ship. I barely missed it with a DD TF. They will take another shot at this ship. We also find an I boat near Ceylon. We put 7 hits on it.
Wotje
Frances come by to pay a visit. They are dispatched quickly. I think 19 Frances are destroyed on the day. The other turns have been quiet.
4th May 44
Burma
Missed a sub and the surface ship sailing around Ceylon. Its now 6 hexs from Koggala. Troops in Burma are upgrading and bringing new replacements. My 3 DDs escape from Rangoon. They did find out some interesting intel 3 CA with 2 CLs and DDs are patrolling there.
Wotje
Frank sweeps and knocks down 28 of my fighters for about 15 Franks.
NorPac
I sent 3 PFs to take care of a lone picket ship. It was an xAKL. Guess what, it damaged 2 of the PFs, one might sink for little damage to itself.
7th May 44
Burma
Jap ship has disappeared from the Ceylon NavS.
Makassar Straight
Japs have a 7 E type ships patrolling the pass here. That's not fair[:D]. They damage 1 sub that has to RTB.
Sorong
I catch a small amphib TF without any real escorts. 3DDs meet up with 7 xAKs and an E. We sink 3 xAKs with another maybe 2 that will sink. 1k worth of troops killed 50 squads of Inf and about the same as non combat. The Jap emperor was very unhappy with this. I figured right that he would come after them hard. I set up LRCAP and deal out some pain. 40 Judys, 36 Georges, and 12 Kates are shot down by P38s. We lose 6 P 38s. I also set up nav strike. We find his CAs covered by some Georges. We sink a DD and put 1 1k bomb and a 500 lber into CA Kinugasa (last seen on fire), CA Haguro takes 2 500lbers, another Jap DD takes a 500lber also. Jap Kates also sink one of our 3DDs. We lose 21 SBDs, 19 Hellcats, and 7 B 25s. I am moving more bombers and fighters into the area. I moved a CA SAG up close to the action. It hasn't been sighted yet. I am wondering if Koniu will take the CAs and move them back under Ambons CAP or keep them in the area. There is another Jap SAG in the area. Catalina pilots report 10 Jap DDs. My DDs are somewhat trapped. I will post a pic.
I am thinking of running my CAs into Ambon. I figure with the damage he has taken if the ships haven't sunk he will want to get them out of harms way. I have Fletchers coming from Darwin and a CL SAG moving from Horn Island and will be in position tomorrow. I also have another CA SAG at Darwin. I guess I could run one of my SAGs from Darwin to Ambon full tilt and meet them in the day time and send my other SAG up the slot.
Roi Namur
I bomb the AF on the 6th and forget to stand down my bombers. I get busted. 17 4Es are lost the do take out 8 Franks.
Wotje
A bunch of Jills come by and find my fighters only 4 make it thru out of 23.
NorPac
We sink the awesome xAKL. We lose the PF.
I wonder if Koniu has brought in new escort fighters and bombers. I bet he has. I know I have.
I have the Fletcher DD TF is moving at Flank to Ambon. Adm Burke is in command. CA TF 2 is moving to Samulaki as reserve. A CL SAG is moving up as reserve also. The 3 CA TF is moving up the slot at Flank and will return to Kai eilanden. LRCAP fighters for this TF is based here. I will have to put some LRCAP fighters above the Fletchers.
This is going to get nasty. I have put 3 fighter groups over all my TF with the exception of a 4th over my CAs. I also put 2 fighter squadrons on escort with a range of 5 at Sorong which should be in the middle of all the action. I don't think he knows about my CA SAG. I have also sent some PTs into the frey. Stay tuned.
