Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

I am giving up another base to the Allies: Ramree. There is ten lone IJA squads, some support, and a few AA guns left.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Marshalls:

Hard to figure out how to get supply in here without risking more than it is worth. Not really much in the way of troops, some naval guards, etc.

Everyplace is pretty much getting attention from bombers, and since my trap with Rufes, Allied fighters are flying even some Canadians.

I will try Fast Transport with DDs. If You manage to get undetected at 9 hexes from base FT TF should be able to unload at night and at day retreat back 9 hexes from base.

You can give them air cover from Kusaie.

If there is no enemy SAG in area You can try suppress Ailinglaplaop and Mili with bombardment TF.
Kongos are perfect for that because the can move 9 hexes at full

[Lowpe]

July 2, 1943

The IJAAF drops another 11 mines at Rangoon. An Iboat gets a shot a YMS heading south out of Akyab, but elects not to shoot. Guess they are heading to Rangoon.

Fairly light bombing in the Marshalls.

Allied bombardment is ineffective at Tuang Gyi, well it does eat up supplies.

Below is my first full squadron of night fighters. Huzzah! It will take a full week to them full strength and filled out, and then off to the front lines. I have high hopes that they can protect an airfield from horrendous night damage and delay the onset of Allied night bombing of industry.

Of course they will be joined in their night work with KAI Dinahs and Petes!

[Lowpe]

Burma

Fairly quiet. I am going to try and counterattack back up to the Burma Road. We will see how it goes.

My surface fleets are spotted at Mergui and Tavoy.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Marshalls:

Hard to figure out how to get supply in here without risking more than it is worth. Not really much in the way of troops, some naval guards, etc.

Everyplace is pretty much getting attention from bombers, and since my trap with Rufes, Allied fighters are flying even some Canadians.

I will try Fast Transport with DDs. If You manage to get undetected at 9 hexes from base FT TF should be able to unload at night and at day retreat back 9 hexes from base.

You can give them air cover from Kusaie.

If there is no enemy SAG in area You can try suppress Ailinglaplaop and Mili with bombardment TF.
Kongos are perfect for that because the can move 9 hexes at full

Will give it a try![&o] Probably a lot of fuel expended for very little in the way of supplies. Maybe it will keep the AA guns flying.

[Lowpe]

I found some Chinese airplanes, and will sweep and bomb them. AA should be pretty light, so I am going in fairly low.

Showing the Nagatos' this next day at Truk, with a strong surface fleet. Perhaps he will sortie his carriers again...cargo ships spotted at Ponape dropping off supplies, and I have sent the Rufe's forward again looking to trap some bombers. This is the last swan song for Rufe, by the end of the month they will be upgraded to Rex.

Destroyers squadron will rush in near to Rangoon and back out again. Hopefully they will catch some yard sweepers heading to Rangoon. Other surface ships are heading to Phuket. Once the Irving S are online, I will try holding Moulmein with strong naval and air assets again, hopefully in time to hit his next supply convoy to Rangoon and even get a chance to sweep with George?

Allies have been resting their 4es yesterday, we will see what happens shortly. I think he was overusing them, suffering 3-4 losses each day recently.

[Lowpe]

July 3, 1943

Back to night bombing by the Allies. The Endo Detachment sorties, and does both good and bad. They damage a bomber or two, and drop one, however, their prolonged dogfight allows too many Dinah KAI's to close and on followup waves the Endo Detachment is a no show and the Dinah's are weakened and disappear. Nice to have Irv-s in the pools for replacements.

I loose several planes on the ground, but the Allies lose several bombers too. So mixed bag, I will definitely need to come up with a new strategy on how to integrate NF with Fighters on night duty.

Rufes ambush some B24 in Kusaie, and can't catch them, but in the first passes manage to drop one. Not bad.

A sub attack near Truk show the Nagato and several destroyers, so now the Allies know there are heavy ships in the CentPac as wished (but really by naval search not by torpedo attack!).

Tuang Gyi gets bombarded again, and Japan loses one gun. Lashio is reinforced by 4 Allied units, all armored, and now we will see if he bombards or attacks. IJA can't stand up to 1000 tanks.

[Lowpe]

As I ponder the change in night bombing now that the Irving -S ia around, I feel a little better. I think a combination of the squadron size, the Tracom pilots, I should be able to put a real hurt if the Allies keep up night bombing albeit at one location at a time.

Seldom do the Allied bombers come in with more than 8 planes, often times less. And if this first encounter is any indication, then the Irvings should do very well especially against the 2e bombers.

The one thing I didn't like about the engagement is that both Irvings ran out of ammo. Not good!

I can't wait to use my size 20 squadron! I really wish I had some squadrons of Nicks around too. And more squadrons of Irvings.

[Lowpe]

July 4, 1943

Doom marches in Burma! Allies add another pincer to their attack!

No night bombing! Presence of Irving set the Allies back or more a function of 3% moonlight? Moonlight doesn't seem to be a large enough contributor in night bombing success as I have lost 20+ planes on the ground during 0% moonlight as much as I lose during periods of 100% moonlight.

A couple of ineffective submarine attacks by the Allies.

Allied bombing in Marshalls.

In Burma the 1000 tank army Allied juggernaut split in half: to Lashio and south down the dirt road to Tuang Gyi.

50,000 Allies seek to force a river crossing north of Rangoon. Can it be true and not a feint? It would be a chance to really mangle the Allies offensive units here.

[Lowpe]

China

Hard to believe but the Allies give up the great terrain south of the river in central China. IJA will take both without a fight! What great fortune.

The noose is tightening on Chungking!

[Lowpe]

I am hoping to using my superior roads to upset the Allied offensive in Burma...

Should upgrade my first unit to Georges tomorrow....in Burma.

I have a surprise in the Bay of Bengal...

Fast transporting supplies in the Marshalls....

Moving to surround Chungking....

Large air strike against Chinese in the central plains with sweeps and escorts...

[Lowpe]

July 5, 1943

Night bombing returns, in time for 10% moonlight. Japan loses 6 planes on the ground in Burma, and the sole Irving-S is damaged making their first run against a B24 beastie. Dinah's challenge every wave, and severe thunderstorms try to help disrupt the attack. Unfortunately, I do not have enough AA present and the bombers fly low.

Fletchers catch a small xak and sub chaser at Ponape, gone by daytime. These raids will grow, and grow and it is very hard to counter. 2 Cruisers and 8 destroyers were close by but failed to engage.

In Burma lots of attacks: Lashio is shocked attacked, but an arriving unit of the 4th RTA division arrives (in reserve, no pursuit) and flown in 47mm AT guns manage to hold off the Allies in a 3-1 attack. Allies suffer greater losses, and we should be able to hold again I think.

One hex east of Tuang Gyi, the 640th Tank Destroyer and 255th Armored Brigade shock attack into the teeth of the 11th Tank Regiment supported by the 2nd RTA and 41st Regiment. Over 30 Allied tanks are destroyed and another 90 disabled. Allies have a malus for supplies! It is a 1-6 attack.

At Tuang Gyi the Allies bombard for no effect other than general supply drain. Although, it does give them intelligence and the 1st Tank Division is revealed.

In China, we fly several large bombing missions against 4 Chinese Corp, and run into Lightnings, and Lancers and more. Oh my! Not really great coordination between the sweeps and the bombing runs, but the escorts do well, and the Lightnings are flying to high to do much damage to the bombers...over 1000 casualties inflicted on the Chinese.

[Lowpe]

At Tuang Gyi the Allies have reinforced and know feature the following big units:

43rd Division
3rd Carbiners Rgt
131st Combat Engineers
254th Armored Brigade
29th British Brigade
12 Artillery

The 21st Division and 1st Tank Division make up the bulk of the defenders. Very strong.

Meanwhile 50,000 Allied troops are forcing the river into the jungle north of Rangoon...

500 tanks at Lashio and 500 tanks fighting for the road junction east of Tuang Gyi...

20,000+ British in Rangoon...

I got want I wanted -- a grinding Allied offensive into the jungle/jungle ridge & or urban terrain with the added bonus of a river crossing. Can I capitalize and bleed the Allies pools?

[Lowpe]

Burma

[Lowpe]

July 6, 1943

Night bombing attacks by the Allies in Burma (effective - too little AA) and in the Marshalls where Alfs and AA foil all attacks.

Allied Carriers east of the Solomons attack Shortlands and Munda; while land base air attack all of the Marshalls. Nasty concentration of Allied carrier strength, but no invasion fleets sighted.

Today marks the real combat debut of Jugs and it ain't pretty in the Burma theater.

[Lowpe]

Solomons:

Ugly strong.

[Lowpe]

Burma

Some subs will get some ammo to the scant defenders of Ramree, so they can at least die fighting.

Allied tanks are definitely tough to fight against...I need to examine every unit for their AT capability and boost with ART to support those weaker units.

[Lowpe]

In Burma, I have decided to fly in elements of the crack 4th Infantry Division with 43 IJA Squads. Well, they are not so crack as it was the division that was reduced to one squad on turn 2 of my takeover in Java. It has since rebuilt and regained some honor.

The big battle will the river crossing Bassein. If I can really bloody his nose here, I can sweep north and trash the 37 Division too. I will be defending with close to 1000 assault value, but better yet plenty of AT guns, Tanks Artillery and Engineers. Elements of the 2nd Tank Division are racing to Rangoon, will form up and provide for a very strong mobile reserve.

My naval surprise in the Bay of Bengal is again undetected and will loiter. Dangerous...other elements of the fleet will be at Mergui far enough to avoid sweeps from the Jugs and I can stand up to anything else, not great but good enough.

14 Irving-S are flying night CAP -- let us see if they can kill anything.

[Lowpe]

I forgot to mention that at Lashio the Allied troops got a malus for disruption, and fatigue. Fighting in the monsoon really stinks.[:)]I have a chance, not a good one, of really pushing north with a relief column against the Allies here...of course I need my supplies to flow...but it should scare him and I might be able to get him to retreat all the way to Mandalay or threaten his line of supply.

At least that is the theory behind flying in the 4th Division to Lashio.

[Lowpe]

I find that I cannot edit my posts anymore...I get an error message.

Anyhow, correction on the graphic of Burma above; it is the 2nd Guards Division not the 2nd Tank Division which I have not even formed up yet. Shortly, though.

Will today be the attack across the river from Bassein? Fix bayonets!