Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28

[Walker84]

June 21, 1942

Indian Ocean

The KB comes under Allied air attack again near North Male as it steams south towards Ceylon. However a significant threat fails to materialise as the bombers are unescorted and fall easy prey to the CAP. The first raid sees nine SB2U-3 Vindicators head into 60 A6M2s, losing five of their number before aborting the mission. Then it is the turn of the RAF's Blenheim 4s, attacking in two waves but losing fifteen planes without getting into a single attacking position. I can only assume that the assigned fighter escorts were out of range, or failed to fly.

My ASW patrols have reported a line of Allied subs attempting to block the route south - lets hope we can break through without any major mishaps...

[Walker84]

June 22, 1942

Indian Ocean

The KB breaks through the Allied submarine screen without making contact and ends the day steaming well to the SE of Ceylon. No aircraft are launched by either side. I have decided not to chance my luck any further by mounting any raids on Colombo. The plan is now to retire for rearming and refuelling before taking up position again. I plan for the KB to 'disappear' at this stage so that I can revert to using it as a hidden deterrent rather than a visible threat. In particular I still want to deter any attempts by the British Fleet to re-enter the Bay of Bengal in the near future. However, I also need to think about how to defend in SW Pacific while my other carriers are being repaired.

An Allied sub attacks destroyers from the force which raided Diego Garcia near Sabang. I'll have to use caution when my big ships enter the Strait of Malacca again...

SW Pacific

A lot of Allied TFs are milling around Ndeni. A strike northwards can only be a matter of time now. I wonder how emboldened my opponent will be knowing that he is unlikely to be opposed by Japanese carriers down here any time soon...

Rabaul has a high DL and I move several extra fighter units to the base as I have quite a number of ships in the harbour. The nearest Allied base capable of mounting long range bombers is at least 22 hexes away by my calculations but you can never be too careful.

[Walker84]

June 23-24, 1942

Burma / India

Zeroes sweep Chittagong to keep the Allies on their toes and 10 Hurricanes are reported shot down for no loss. I expect the Allied fighter count to rise again rapidly now that Ceylon is no longer under threat from the KB. My focus will continue to be to use superior pilot experience and planes to degrade the enemy's air power for as long as I can.

Malaya

All ASW aircraft are working overtime as the KB nears port. There are plenty of Allied subs lurking but no contact has been made with KB or its sister TF over the last two days.

A naval guard unit invades the island of Tandjoengpinang just south of Singapore where there is still a 'heritage' Allied unit lurking. High disruption incurred but can't be helped. I will be placing mines there in future, hopefully to snag Allied subs that get too close to Singers.

DEI

Japanese forces CAPTURE Sibolga. Only one more base to go on Sumatra.

Three B-339Ds, probably all that is left of the Dutch fighter force, intercept my escorted bombers over Malang on Java but no losses are incurred on either side.

Carrier update

All that were damaged have survived and, of those, all are in port somewhere getting repaired or upgraded. In terms of yard time, this will take between 20 - 40 days depending on the damage - and then the Japanese carrier force (ex-KB) will be miraculously resurrected!!!

[jwolf]

Really amazing your carriers all came through with no loss other than down time. Their reappearance may well surprise your opponent.

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Really amazing your carriers all came through with no loss other than down time. Their reappearance may well surprise your opponent.

I agree, I've been pretty lucky (although war can be full of surprises and missed opportunities). I'm certainly hoping that their reappearance will come as a nice surprise for my opponent.

[Walker84]

Jun 25-26, 1942

Strait of Malacca

SS KXIV sights one of my SCTFs including the battleships Hyuga and Yamashiro near Phuket but is seen off by the escorts. SS Pompano launches 4 torpedoes at the same TF near Langkawi... and misses.

The gathering Allied submarines fail to intercept the KB on its return from the Indian Ocean and the carriers will now spend a few days in port refitting before being redeployed.

Malaya

The island of Tandjoengpinang south of Singapore is captured.

SW Pacific

A full infantry division is now in reserve at Rabaul, with a second arriving at Truk shortly. Air and naval units remain on high alert in case of further Allied carrier raids into the Solomons. I have deployed several air groups from the previously-damaged carriers at Rabaul and Torokina to supplement the local LBA. A rapid reaction SCTF comprising two BBs, 4 x CAs, plus DD escorts is located at Rabaul but will need to operate with strong air support at all times.

[Walker84]

June 27 - 29, 1942

Indian Ocean

With KB in port, I have deployed subs to interdict Allied shipping movements.
SS I-32 torpedoes and sinks xAK Maridal near Cochin and the following day Allied PGs are sighted on patrol. I am also hoping to get early intel on any Allied warships returning to Colombo.

Burma / India

The front has been very quiet since my Indian Ocean raid and recent sweeps of Allied airbases lead my opponent to stand down or withdraw some fighter units.

On the 28th, Sallies launch a probing Air attack on 36th Indian Brigade in the jungle near Jorhat. On the 29th the bombers switch target to hit the 1st Patiala Lancers Regiment in a front line jungle hex near Chittagong. I want to keep my opponent guessing as to my intentions.

DEI

I'm preparing to assault a few of the legacy bases that were bypassed in my initial push. Apart from making the map look untidy, they are potential staging posts for Allied subs so can't be allowed to remain unoccupied.

The attack at Malang, delayed due to exceeding the stacking limits in the hex, finally goes ahead. The defenders should surrender or be pushed out in a few days, clearing the road to Soerabaja.

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27742 troops, 267 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 863

Defending force 8016 troops, 106 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 223

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 595

Allied adjusted defense: 316

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
513 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 70 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
924 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 95 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (2 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Division
48th Division
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
1st KNIL Regiment
II Marechausse Cdo
1st Cav Regiment
Kendari KNIL Cdo
1e-VLG-II Sup Afd
HQ III KNIL Division
A-III-Ld AA Battalion
2e-VLG-II Sup Afd

Home Islands

In a very rare sub attack near Kushiro, SS Trigger sinks PB Kibi Maru escorting a resource convoy to Honshu. So far my opponent has tended to use the silent service in the war zones rather than against commerce shipping. I expect this focus to change somewhat as the longer-legged US boats acquire more reliable torpedoes.

SW Pacific

More Allied transports appear at Ndeni. Either its going to be the most well-defended base in the SW Pacific or they are preparing to strike north. Either way, it will all be down to my LBA to defend the Solomons until my carriers have been repaired and in some cases been through their first upgrade.

[Walker84]

June 30 - July 1, 1942

Home Islands

My opponent is starting to get more ambitious with his subs as SS Wahoo launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Haruna Maru near Haha-jima, part of a convoy sending reinforcements to Truk. I usually route convoys to clear hexes or intermediate ports as the Allies superior Sig Int can often reveal the ultimate destination.

DEI

Samarinda, the port and oilfield across the river from Balikpapan falls to an amphibious attack. I could have landed at Balikpapan and attacked across the river but it was much the same result and the opposition was light.

Malang is still holding out proving the difficulty in clearing a mountain hex with SLs. I have two full divisions and an artillery regiment but that's all I can stack.

Bay of Bengal

Well, it looks like Roger has managed to sneak a bombardment TF headed towards Diamond Harbour past my picket subs if that is what is shown on the picture. My search spotted this development and during the combat replay I got the following two messages:

18 x G3M3 Nell unable to locate target due to range or weather
18 x G4M1 Betty unable to locate target due to range or weather

A tad frustrating, and I have to hope now that there is not enough firepower in the TF for the airfield to be shut down. I have plenty of engineers in the hex which will help. I will likely evacuate my crack fighters but need to keep some CAP in the air as any attack will likely involve coordination with bombers.

My blockade squadron ships have just finished repairing, but are too far south at the moment to intercept. However, I am going to send a SCTF north west in the hope of catching the Allied vessels on the return leg.

[Walker84]

China

Still a quiet theatre and I have started extracting the odd division to fight in the SW Pacific. I have a limited offensive going on in the south to take Kwangchowan and Pakhoi, and potentially to link up with forces in Indochina and open this supply route.

[Walker84]

July 2, 1942

Bay of Bengal

The Repulse turns up in the TF that bombards Diamond Harbour at night. Thankfully the damage is relatively light - 12 port, 31 airfield service, 28 runway, with 6 Oscars destroyed on the ground. The ships are reported by my naval search in the day although none are visible on the map, so I assume they must have retired towards Madras at flank speed. It's fortunate that the runway was not bombed as well, or the damage could have been worse. I expect the bombers will come tomorrow however.

Night Naval bombardment of Diamond Harbour at 52,38

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 5 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 4 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ia Oscar: 6 damaged

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
CA Exeter
CA Cornwall
CL Newcastle
CL Mauritius
CL Enterprise
CLAA Van Heemskerck

Japanese ground losses:
470 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 20
Port hits 6

Walrus II acting as spotter for BC Repulse
BC Repulse firing at Diamond Harbour
Walrus II acting as spotter for CA Exeter
CA Exeter firing at Imperial Guards Division
CA Cornwall firing at Diamond Harbour
CL Newcastle firing at Diamond Harbour
CL Mauritius firing at Imperial Guards Division
CL Enterprise firing at Imperial Guards Division
CLAA Van Heemskerck firing at Diamond Harbour

I have naval TFs approaching the Andamans and would really like to catch these cruisers if I can. They will either try to escape round Ceylon or hole up in Madras under a CAP trap, I guess.

[Walker84]

DEI

Malang falls, finally...

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26830 troops, 267 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 771

Defending force 6944 troops, 102 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 117

Japanese adjusted assault: 675

Allied adjusted defense: 169

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Malang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
619 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3066 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 143 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 58 (57 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 6
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
4th Division
48th Division
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
II Marechausse Cdo
1st Cav Regiment
1st KNIL Regiment
Kendari KNIL Cdo
A-III-Ld AA Battalion
1e-VLG-II Sup Afd
HQ III KNIL Division
2e-VLG-II Sup Afd

SW Pac

Suddenly, I have no DL on anything in the Coral Sea [X(]. That's pretty scary and kind of reminds me of the sea pulling back before some kind of tsunami hits...

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: Walker84

Suddenly, I have no DL on anything in the Coral Sea [X(]. That's pretty scary and kind of reminds me of the sea pulling back before some kind of tsunami hits...

That's a perfect metaphor for collapse of search before an enemy strike! Good luck with whatever comes, if it does.

[Walker84]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

That's a perfect metaphor for collapse of search before an enemy strike! Good luck with whatever comes, if it does.

Thanks, as my next updates will reveal there is indeed something afoot in the Coral Sea ...

[Walker84]

July 3, 1942

SW Pacific

Four B-17s and 17 B-26 Marauders ground attack Tulagi. Given the small numbers involved I suspect the purpose of the raid is to gain intel rather than cause casualties. In any case I have one JNAF Coy based there to support naval search floatplanes, plus a small SNLF unit. Nothing at all in terms of an invasion deterrent.

We get some search back up and a fairly indeterminate TF is spotted steaming to the west of Luganville. Could this be the spearhead of something bigger, or is it just a probing move? Either way, I max out the search levels and check all of my LBA settings in case anything kicks off next turn.

[Walker84]

Bay of Bengal

Allied SS KXVII fires two torpedoes at my SCTF near Little Andaman and BB Haruna is identified. Later in the day a Mavis floatplane spots the Repulse TF heading back to Ceylon. As well as the SCTF, I have an air combat TF in the Andamans that just might intercept the Allied ships before they round the island if we go full speed ahead. Orders are given, and we will have to wait to see what happens...

[Walker84]

July 4, 1942

Bay of Bengal

... well that was a miss. Both TFs get to within 7 hexes of Ceylon but the Allied cruisers have disappeared by then. Ah well, they may have doubled back so I will set up a search pattern. The other point of the navy being up here is to protect a convoy that will soon be in position to make some troop withdrawals from Diamond Harbour. The airbase was hardly damaged by the recent bombardment and, by showing my hand, I won't need to worry quite as much about SCTF intervention, although the air war could get interesting if my opponent still has a significant anti-shipping air capability in India.

[Walker84]

SW Pacific

I can't help wondering if Roger deliberately chose 4 July as the date for launching his offensive in the Solomons?

Allied Shock attack

Allied forces CAPTURE Tassafaronga !!!

Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1

This was a paradrop on to an unoccupied base directly north of Lunga.

Prior to this, one of my picket subs took 2 hits attacking some US DDs further south. Multiple TFs were then sighted and Netties escorted by Zeroes flew into a massive carrier-borne CAP exercise:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Rennell Island at 114,142

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 123

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Fortunately, other bombers failed to find their targets and were probably spared decimation as a result.

So, it's kicked off. I can't get any DLs on the carriers yet, but there are multiple TFs of all different sizes and compositions heading north. I imagine that the entire Tulagi/Lunga complex is the goal, although I can't rule out the possibility that they might be bypassed and a more aggressive play be made against Shortlands itself. I'm still thinking about what orders to set for my LBA at the moment. I don't want to fritter it away in suicide attacks until I can see what I am up against. I'd like to operate where the odds are better where I can, picking off any stragglers if that's possible but I know that Roger plans these operations in great detail so I will have to look hard for opportunities. Need to pinpoint those darned carriers first of all – then the transports!

[jwolf]

You've got a legion of subs there -- are they making any attacks?

[Walker84]

I have had a lot of subs in place ever since the carrier raid on Shortlands but they don't seem to have had much success so far - yesterday there was only one contact as reported above. I'm hoping for greater success next turn.

[Walker84]

July 5, 1942

Another element of 2nd USMC Parachute Bn drops on Lunga, securing the unoccupied base but for some reason the invasion armada holds back and there are no landings elsewhere. Perhaps the plan was always to wait for the paras before landing any reinforcements.

My subs don't have a great day amid the multitude of heavily-escorted Allied TFs. I-157 manages to loose two torpedoes at CL Marblehead but misses and is soon badly damaged by the combination of DD escorts and naval air flying ASW patrol. Soon after, a terse message reaches high command: Decks awash on I-23. Order given to abandon ship.

I am holding my LBA back until some landings actually happen, which I guess will be tomorrow. The Allies seem to have a lot of carriers but Tulagi is too far away for any land-based CAP to lend a hand. This might provide an opportunity for creative disruption, but we'll have to see how events unfold.

Elsewhere, Japanese forces CAPTURE Tandjoengselor, adjacent to Tarakan which seems like a cheap sideshow stunt at this point in time.