[font="Times New Roman"]Jan 20 - 23, 1943[/font]
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SUBS: [/font] Snapper runs into a big amphib TF near Carnarvon but misses.
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INDIA: [/font] The Marine paras take Cuttack, adding another theat vector to the Indian situation. I'll pop some engineers in by rail and some big AA guns. This is pretty close to Calcutta, so could be useful once built from its current level 1 field.
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CENT PAC: [/font] The decimated troops at Nauru try to recover now as the navy gives some help. I've got several surface groups that will alternate bombardments until he moves something in to stop them, which might be soon. How much supply can be here anyway? It'll be nice when Ocean gets a field so I can LR CAP and make sure not too much is getting in (or out) through the air. Still, if he wants to fight out here, it's good for us in the long run.
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SO PAC: [/font] Trying something new here with an invasion. Not sure it'll work out, but I'll find out in about a week.
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CHINA: [/font] Some decent and some terrible in China. The tanks have broken through, shugging off the previous day's 1:2 result as if it didn't happen and getting a 5:1 for the needed breakthrough into the central plains. Troops will retreat to Chungking mostly, as Chengtu will have only a skeleton force to waste some time. Not that it's not a worthy place to defend, but I didn't choose to increase forts there earlier, so it's now pretty vulnerable with level 1 and growing to level 2. It doesn't really matter against the tank armies, but at Chungking at least I could put up some resistance. I'll also try to run a few troops to the river crossing toward the Sian and Lanchow area to make that tough.
Near Chikhiang the IJA doesn't do as well. Two infantry divisions and one tank division actually suffer worse losses in a 1:1 attack, then shock and get a 1:2 and will have to be switched out for fresh troops. The Changsha pocket holds for now, and because there is some supply generation, might for a while longer. There have still been no further attempts for Sian, Wenchow or Lanchow.
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OZ:[/font] All movements are on hold as I wait to decide on the possible amphibious op toward Esperance.
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SIGINT:[/font] Looks like this is pretty good intelligence that lotsa guns and another division moving to SW OZ. [;)]
This is quite a build-up, and apparently a change of plan. He had moved things out, now there're coming back in, seemingly as much or more than had left originally.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]4/6th RF Gun Battalion is loaded on a Std-D Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
2/10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment is loaded on a Gozan Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
1/8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion is loaded on xAK Yahiko Maru moving to Geraldton.
3/10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment is loaded on xAK Tosei Maru moving to Geraldton.
4/8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Geraldton.
3/8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Geraldton.
3/20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion is loaded on a Std-B Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
4/4th Division is loaded on a Ehime Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
9/4th Division is loaded on xAK Kinugasa Maru moving to Geraldton.
8/4th Division is loaded on a Std-D Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
2/16th Army is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Geraldton.
5/16th Army is loaded on a Yusen N Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
4/8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion is loaded on a Std-C Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
3/6th RF Gun Battalion is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Geraldton.
3/5th Mortar Battalion is loaded on a Japanese TK moving to Geraldton.
4/4th Division is loaded on a Std-A Cargo class xAK moving to Geraldton.
2/16th Army is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Geraldton.[/font]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 20, 43
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Night Naval bombardment of Rekata Bay at 113,134
Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Perth
CL Achilles
DD Morris
DD Walke
DD O'Brien
DD Lansdowne
Port hits 21
Port supply hits 3
Seagull V acting as spotter for CA Australia
CA Australia firing at Rekata Bay
DD O'Brien firing at Sasebo 6th SNLF
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Night Naval bombardment of Nauru Island at 127,128
Allied Ships
CA Wichita
CA San Francisco
CA Chicago
Japanese ground losses:
321 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 22
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 4
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Wichita
CA Wichita firing at Nauru Island
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Chicago
CA Chicago firing at Kure 5th SNLF
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Ground combat at 75,46 (near Chungking)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 25324 troops, 353 guns, 2015 vehicles, Assault Value = 1279
Defending force 18256 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 487
Japanese adjusted assault: 1613
Allied adjusted defense: 280
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
420 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 83 (2 destroyed, 81 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
8228 casualties reported
Squads: 75 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 189 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 16 (8 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
2nd Tank Division
9th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
15th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division
Defending units:
16th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
21st Group Army
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Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36488 troops, 455 guns, 648 vehicles, Assault Value = 1157
Defending force 32685 troops, 78 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 868
Japanese adjusted assault: 720
Allied adjusted defense: 499
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1421 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 153 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Allied ground losses:
783 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 94 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
3rd Division
3rd Tank Division
116th Division
11th Army
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
Defending units:
39th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
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Ground combat at Cuttack (48,37)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 168 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
Allied adjusted assault: 10
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Cuttack !!!
Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)
Assaulting units:
1st USMC Parachute Bn /1
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 21, 43
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Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 34858 troops, 455 guns, 648 vehicles, Assault Value = 992
Defending force 32039 troops, 75 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 805
Japanese adjusted assault: 734
Allied adjusted defense: 1762
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1198 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 81 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Vehicles lost 15 (2 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
662 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Division
3rd Division
116th Division
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Army
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
Defending units:
79th Chinese Corps
39th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Madras is still holding strong, and he has a big commitment of fighters there to protect it. I'll move on it with some very large armies and those will far outnumber his two divisions and a garrison unit, even with decent forts here. If he decides to fight, retreat, or reinforce, I will still go for this base. [/font]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill