Straight Into the Teeth: A Story of Logistics, Patience, and Firepower

[Sangeli]

Intro

Well after nearly 2 years of in game time I have decided to write an AAR here on my current game against Rev Rico. The reason I decided now was a good time was that I don't see the sort of war that I am currently fighting in other AARs so it something different than what you've seen. What really sets this current game apart from others is that while the frontiers of the Empire were aggressively expanded within the very first few months, Japan adopted a defensive strategy in spring 42 despite having the stronger air force and navy.


Rules:

1. Fighters on CAP or SWEEP have a max altitude 10,000' less than their ceiling.
2. No strategic bombing from or in China.
3. 4E Bombers cannot Naval Attack below 6,000'.
4. Restricted LCUs crossing national borders must pay PPs
- Restricted Allied LCUs can walk to Akyab
- Thai units can enter Burma and Malaya
5. Restricted air units must be paid for individually and not en masse with an HQ.
6. No uber resizing of CV air units (50+)
7. No surface ship passage thru Malacca straits unless Singapore is owned
8. Night airfield or port bombing limited to a one squadron per target .
9. Japanese may not attack Chinese air bases except when Allied planes are detected
10. Allied planes performing CAP traps in China much stay in their current bases for at least one full day after the trap has occured.

Scenario

I believe we are playing RA 6.0 scen 50 but it might be RA 7.0....I honestly can't remember. Big implication so far has been more CVs earlier for Japan and fancy new CAs and CBs that didn't come in stock. We are also playing with stacking limits.

The Pacific War Part 1

The Pacific War opened with a bang on December 7th with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Damage was widespread but only one battleship was lost for good. Japan shortly after landed in Mersing moving to take Singapore in January 1942. Meanwhile in the Pacific the CV Lexington sortied in the direction of an invasion fleet headed to Rabaul. The covering force was a pair of Japanese CVEs and a Japanese BB. The battle did not go as planned with Allied bombers targeting the battleship on half its strikes while the Japanese hit home with a torpedo and a few bombs. The crippled ship proved unable to get away fast enough from surface ships which thereafter caused enough damage to cause the crew to scuttle the ship. In the aftermath of the battle the Japanese quickly moved on to Port Moresby. Form Port Moresby the KB headed to New Caledonia and secured the island in February 42 which proved the limit of the Japanese southern advance. To the north east the Japanese knocked out a trio of islands in the Gilberts occupied by an infantry regiment apiece and then dug at Tabiteuea. And Japan never even attacked the Aleutians at all. The Japanese had a large buffer zone of open ocean between their front line positions to mine. The Japanese then proceed to heavily fortify their new front lines, building dozens of mutually supporting bases.

[witpqs]

[8D]

[Lowpe]

[Sangeli]

I realize now I actually have some select screenshots from much earlier in this game. Here is one of New Caledonia. Note that as early as the beginning of February the Japanese already everything in the region except Noumea. Talk about a rapid South Pacific expansion:

[Sangeli]

Here is the trio of islands I held in the Gilberts. Shortly after this screenshot the Japanese would eliminate each base one by one with heavy naval bombardment. With the amphibious bonus my guys never stood a chance:

[Sangeli]

War in China Part

China has been by far the best story out of the war. Early on the Japanese pushed me out of the plains near Loyang but I dug into the heavy terrain behind it and haven't moved since:



And during this northern offensive I used the opportunity to launch one of my own in China. Nanchang sits in 1x terrain and was weakly defended. I sent units to cut off Nanchang from Wuchang while attacking Nanchang frontally. The maneuver worked as Japanese reinforcements were too busy keeping their supply lines open than to relieve the beleaguered defenders:

[Sangeli]

Burma War Part 1

But with the Japanese advancing quickly in the Pacific, little bother was paid to Burma early on. With the successes in China, Allied commanders deemed the best course of action for early 42 was to heavily fortify Burma before the Japanese could turn west:



Significant reinforcements were brought including 3 Australian brigades and two Indian divisions. Under heavy Hurricane air cover hundreds of thousands of tons of supply were brought in Rangoon. With the IJN focused on the Pacific, the IJA afraid to take on Hurricanes with its Oscar air fleet. In April the Japanese made their first frontal assault against Moulmein:

Ground combat at Moulmein (55,55)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 56774 troops, 573 guns, 496 vehicles, Assault Value = 2133

Defending force 53744 troops, 729 guns, 529 vehicles, Assault Value = 1667

Japanese adjusted assault: 931

Allied adjusted defense: 2219

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
7581 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 728 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 60 (1 destroyed, 59 disabled)
Vehicles lost 38 (3 destroyed, 35 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
904 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 95 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 40 (2 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Assaulting units:
33rd Division
56th Division
2nd RTA Division
14th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
4th RTA Division
1st RTA Division
2nd Division
6th Tank Regiment
7th RTA/A Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
16th Australian Brigade
19th Australian Brigade
1st Burma Division
18th Australian Brigade
17th Indian Division.
66th Chinese Corps
2/9th Field Regiment
106th RAF Base Force
107th RAF Base Force
2/13th Field Regiment
77th Heavy AA Regiment

The Japanese continued to assault the front door of Burma but to no avail. But a new plan was hatched in the Japaneses high command. The plan was to outflank the Allied defenders by landing Pegu in late July 42. The Allies high command anticipated such a landing but completely underestimated how many troops could be committed to such an operation and how quickly they could unload equipment. Furthermore, the Allies failed to adequately fortify the base with engineering resources being diverted to Rangoon, Moulmein, as well as construction of air bases in the interior of Burma. The result was a decisive Japanese victory, shattering the Allied lines in Burma, and taking in tens of thousands of prisoners not just at Pegu but also to the still powerful defenders of Moulmein:

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 57940 troops, 570 guns, 176 vehicles, Assault Value = 2613

Defending force 33377 troops, 233 guns, 473 vehicles, Assault Value = 1341

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 3460

Allied adjusted defense: 246

Japanese assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Pegu !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
4266 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 333 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 38 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
9621 casualties reported
Squads: 481 destroyed, 134 disabled
Non Combat: 244 destroyed, 76 disabled
Engineers: 94 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 132 (124 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 435 (400 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Units retreated 10

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Division
Imperial Guards Division
20th Div /3
48th Division
8th Division
16th Division
4th Div /3
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
28th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
18th Australian Brigade
3rd New Chinese Corps
45th Recce Regiment
7th Armoured Brigade
8th New Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
4th Burma Rifles Battalion
6th Aus Div Cav Regiment
B Sqn 3rd Hussars Regiment
5th Chinese Corps

But with Japanese busy slowly grinding down the defenders of Moulmein, the Allied defenders managed to establish a new line of defense in the jungles east of Ramree. But the Japanese were not done attacking in Burma: another sizeable amphibious force landed in Ramree and took the base from the ragtag group of Allied defenders. In the following months, Allied cryptographers were decoding messages pointing to an amphibious landing at Akyab which would effectively cut off my army guarding its southern and eastern approaches. And at this critical moment in November 1942, the Allied commander in Burma ordered the first daylight raid on Rangoon of the war. And oh boy it was a sight to behold:

Morning Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 14
B-17E Fortress x 10

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 6 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Teikoku Maru, Bomb hits 1
TB Kari, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Yamazuki Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AD Choko Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Melbourne Maru, Bomb hits 1
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AV Kamikawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Katori Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AK Asakaze Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Hawaii Maru, Bomb hits 1
APD Namikaze, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
APD Matsukaze, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Teiko Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
APD Mochizuki, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Horai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Terukuni Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
AK Yodogawa Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Onoe Maru, Bomb hits 2
AV Sanuki Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Tachikaze, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Teikyo Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Tokyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Toa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Sagami Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Kaga Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Yamakaze Maru, Bomb hits 2
xAP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Kazuura Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Tacoma Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Sasako Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Rakuyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Manila Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Awazisan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD Minekaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 5
Port supply hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Liberator II bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Massive explosion on AK Kazuura Maru

Morning Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 16

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Arimasan Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Africa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Kobe Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Arima Maru, Bomb hits 1
AV Kamikawa Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Hakozaki Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Katori Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Teikyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Ginyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AK Tacoma Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Onoe Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Toa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sydney Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Kaga Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AV Sanuki Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
APD Minekaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Teiko Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Oite, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Manila Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Canberra Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Kinka Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Teikoku Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAP Koan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 10
Port supply hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Morning Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 63 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17F Fortress x 14

Allied aircraft losses
B-17F Fortress: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAP Teikyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Asakaze Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Awazisan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Sydney Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Yamakaze Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Amagisan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Oite, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
E Hachijo, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Arima Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Onoe Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Azumasan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
LSD Akitsu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Arimasan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Hakozaki Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Haruna Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PB Nagato Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AK Yamazato Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Hawaii Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
PB Okuyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC Ch 21, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Tamagawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Kobe Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Tacoma Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Miike Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Ukishima Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Kyushu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Ginyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Huzikawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Sakura Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAP Husimi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Magazine explodes on DD Oite

And just like that I managed to smash a huge invasion fleet with barely more than 50 heavy bombers. Where was the CAP you ask? Well there had been 100+ planes present for months but for some reason Japan moved them away that very day. Just a stroke of good luck on my part. And as you can imagine with these ships lying in ruin in the port of Rangoon the Akyab offensive was canceled. That was the end of the Japanese attacks in Burma and entire Indian Ocean region.

[BBfanboy]

Wow! Fantastic results from those few bombers. Did you give them any special training or bring in the best pilots for the operation?

[Mundy]

You know... This AAR will be a bigger job than the game.

[;)]

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Wow! Fantastic results from those few bombers. Did you give them any special training or bring in the best pilots for the operation?

Well my standard 4E pilots are the best ones I have available on my bomber pools. Some had naval bombing training but I don't think that's a factor for port bombings. The Japanese crammed the harbor full of ships so it was pretty hard to miss; I believe my accuracy rate was around 25%.

[Sangeli]

War in the Pacific Part II

By spring 42 the Japanese had full control of everything in the Pacific from New Guinea to New Caledonia to the Gilberts. All of northern Australia was in Japanese hands as well. The Japanese would only attempt one more invasion in the Pacific that was not a counter-attack. In July 42 Japan invaded the small atoll of Nanumea which was being built up as a staging base to invade the Gilbert islands. But my tenacious defenders refused to give in against wave after wave of Japanese assaults:

Ground combat at Nanumea (136,141)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2959 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 139

Defending force 4997 troops, 51 guns, 72 vehicles, Assault Value = 136

Japanese adjusted assault: 1

Allied adjusted defense: 68

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 68 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
2270 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
186 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
IJA Iwaki Bde /2
Ichiki Det.
2nd Kure Assault Div /1

Defending units:
1st Marine Raider Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st/102nd Infantry Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
2nd USN Naval Construction Battalion
A Det USN Port Svc
1/198th Coast AA Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Nanumea (136,141)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8043 troops, 90 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 250

Defending force 4763 troops, 51 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 108

Japanese adjusted assault: 22

Allied adjusted defense: 30

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1879 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 62 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 17 (14 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Squads: 32 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 39 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Ichiki Det.
IJA Iwaki Bde /2
2nd Kure Assault Div /1

Defending units:
1st Marine Raider Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st/102nd Infantry Battalion
2nd USN Naval Construction Battalion
A Det USN Port Svc
43rd Construction Regiment
1/198th Coast AA Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Nanumea (136,141)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8359 troops, 154 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 209

Defending force 4119 troops, 50 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 65

Japanese adjusted assault: 29

Allied adjusted defense: 18

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
2859 casualties reported
Squads: 140 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 54 (16 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
496 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 40 disabled
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd Kure Assault Division
IJA Iwaki Brigade
Ichiki Det.

Defending units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st Marine Raider Battalion
1st/102nd Infantry Battalion
2nd USN Naval Construction Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
A Det USN Port Svc
1/198th Coast AA Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Nanumea (136,141)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 6970 troops, 143 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Defending force 3819 troops, 51 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Japanese adjusted assault: 4

Allied adjusted defense: 15

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
956 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 30 (27 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd Kure Assault Division
IJA Iwaki Brigade
Ichiki Det.

Defending units:
1st Marine Raider Battalion
1st/102nd Infantry Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
3rd/102nd Infantry Bn /1
2nd USN Naval Construction Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
A Det USN Port Svc
1/198th Coast AA Battalion

Truly one of those battles that would become fabled lore in American history. Reinforcements of the 102nd Infantry Bn being flown in via Catalinas would prove to be decisive in holding the base against the last furious Japanese assault even as they made their way though the once strong fortifications. Here was the situation at the time:



But other the sharp action at Nanumea, the Pacific was mostly quiet for the majority of 42. Starting in October 42 the Allied fleets began "sparring" with the Japanese. Typically these actions were Allied cruisers against Japanese cruisers near the Gilberts but occasionally battleships were involved as well. For the most part the Japanese had the upper hand but there were instances where the Allies seized victory, especially with dive bombers. The Musashi was sunk by CVE SBD-3s in November 42 with only 6 1000 lb bombs (talk about a good dice roll). But finally around this time I felt ready to challenge the KB in order to establish a foothold in the Gilberts. I managed to concentrate my CVEs and CVs such that I had a numerical advantage but the qualitative advantage of the Japanese was still very apparent with this result:

First, the Japanese got their licks early in with a beautifully coordinated strike:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Arorae at 143,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 120
B5N2 Kate x 87
D3A1 Val x 12
D3A2 Val x 89

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 28
F4F-3 Wildcat x 64
F4F-4 Wildcat x 180

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 8 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 19 destroyed, 19 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A2 Val: 13 destroyed, 13 damaged
D3A2 Val: 4 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BC Repulse, Bomb hits 1
CV Enterprise
CVE Kittyhawk, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CVE Altamaha, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CVE Nassau, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Neosho, Bomb hits 1
CVE Platte, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CVE Hammondsport
CVE Long Island, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hornet, Torpedo hits 1
BB North Carolina
CLAA Atlanta
BB South Dakota, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2
CVE Sabine, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
CV Saratoga
CV Wasp
CVE Kaskaskia, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

The CVEs took a very heavy beating in these attacks. The fighters were also firing on the bombers in the approach for some time causing heavy casualties in the Japanese air ranks. Meanwhile my morning counterblow was nothing:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M5 Zero x 52

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 23
F4F-4 Wildcat x 59
SBD-3 Dauntless x 53
TBF-1 Avenger x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 6 destroyed, 11 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Taikaku, Bomb hits 1
CV Shokaku
CV Soryu
BB Haruna, Torpedo hits 1
CV Zuikaku
CV Hiryu
CV Renkaku
CV Akagi
CA Chikuma

That's a pathetic response. Subsequent morning raids weren't much better:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M5 Zero x 37

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 25
SBD-3 Dauntless x 52

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 9 destroyed, 22 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Taikaku
CA Kako
CV Renkaku
CL Yura
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Aoba
CV Hiryu



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
A6M5 Zero x 20

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 25
SBD-3 Dauntless x 35

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Taikaku
BB Haruna, on fire
CV Shokaku
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu
CV Zuikaku
CV Akagi



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 45 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
A6M5 Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Hiryu



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Arorae at 143,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 12

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 26
F4F-3 Wildcat x 57
F4F-4 Wildcat x 159

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Hammondsport
CVE Long Island, and is sunk



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Arorae at 143,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 11

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 26
F4F-3 Wildcat x 53
F4F-4 Wildcat x 155

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 6 destroyed



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Arorae at 143,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 12

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 26
F4F-3 Wildcat x 51
F4F-4 Wildcat x 154

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 10 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Taikaku, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Amagiri
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 16 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 13

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
BB Haruna, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CV Akagi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire


Ammo storage explosion on CV Akagi

Then the afternoon strikes came:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Arorae at 143,138

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 90
B5N2 Kate x 52
D3A1 Val x 9
D3A2 Val x 71

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 29
F4F-4 Wildcat x 61

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 8 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 9 destroyed, 18 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 6 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A2 Val: 6 destroyed, 26 damaged
D3A2 Val: 6 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB North Carolina, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Saratoga
BB South Dakota
CV Enterprise, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Wasp
BC Repulse
CA Quincy
CL Leander

Fuel storage explosion on CV Enterprise


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M5 Zero x 38

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 42
F4F-4 Wildcat x 46
SBD-3 Dauntless x 79
TBF-1 Avenger x 32

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 25 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CV Taikaku, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 1
CV Renkaku
CA Kako
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CA Tone, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Yura
CV Akagi, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nanumea at 139,140

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
A6M5 Zero x 21

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu

[witpqs]

Well that looked like a ruckus!

[Sangeli]

That battle crippled my carrier fleet and sunk most of the CVEs. But the Japanese air groups had been shredded as well; both sides were severely weakened. But I had assets that had not yet taken part of the battle: a task force led by a pair of French BCs (RA addition). Unlike all Allied BBs and BCs until the Iowa class, these bad boys can make 9 hexes in one phase. I put their speed to good use and charged at the Japanese carrier fleet:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Arorae at 137,137, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Amagiri

Allied Ships
BC Dunkerque
BC Strasbourg, Shell hits 1
CA Hawkins
CL Marblehead
CL St. Louis
CL Phoenix
DD Helm
DD Dunlap
DD Fanning
DD Case
DD Conyngham
DD Cushing
DD Downes
DD Clark
DD Harwood, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Nanumea at 135,138, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Renkaku, Shell hits 1
CA Tone, Shell hits 11, on fire
CA Kako, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
CL Yura, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
DD Akizuki, Shell hits 2
DD Teruzuki, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Susuzuki, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Niizuki, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Makigumo
DD Shigure, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Harusame, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Ikazuchi
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
BC Dunkerque, Shell hits 3, on fire
BC Strasbourg, Shell hits 2
CA Hawkins, Shell hits 1
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Helm, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Dunlap, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Fanning, Shell hits 1
DD Case, Shell hits 1
DD Conyngham, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Cushing, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Downes

Well that turned what was a sharp Allied defeat into something closer to a draw. The Japanese would win in overall VPs but the CV Shokoku would go on to sink. A CV, BB, CA, and CL is definitely a hefty price of steel to pay.

[Skyland]

Nice french cavalry charge !
The CA and BB were sunk by the french 330mm shells ?

[Yaab]

Sangeli, I think that "no strat bombing in China" is too restrictive. I think Manpower and HI (which represent arsenals, in RL mostly loacted in Chungking) should be subject to strat bombing. Both will not collapse China's supply production which is mostly created via LI.

[Bif1961]

In the game I have been playing we don't allow 4E naval bombing below 10,000 feet, but to leave the base without CAP is just inviting it. Also much like your game we are just finishing the first day of a major carrier battle in the Marshals and it was a reverse Midway with an American invasion fleet being escorted by Carrier TFs in different hexes spread out and receiving a sharp rebuke by a concentrated KB. I am the Japanese and he was advancing to the middle Marshals when this carrier battle occurred. So far I had 1 CVE damaged by a single bomb and he had heavy damage to the CV Hornet, Enterprise II and Essex, along with CVL Princeton and Independence. I lost about 300 A/C and will have to withdraw to replenish them and torpedoes. He lost about 270 A/C 60 of which were hell-kittys (30 OPS). So it appears one of his CVs was sunk and that means two are cripples along with 2 CVLs sunk or heavily damaged. The danger of being the Allies is when to you decide to confront the diminished KB? It will be interesting to see if he continues with his planned landing in the middle Marshals or recoils and tries to get his cripples away awaiting more CVs, and CVLs in late 43 and early 44?

[Mundy]

I think you were reading my AAR too much with that surface fight. [:D]

Typical Allied bad luck on the carrier fight beforehand.

I liked your shot at defending Rabaul, and I'd probably try it on my next game. Some IJN players do skimp on air cover with Rabaul landings. Hitting them good could buy the Allies time to swap some Australian LCUs to that cheap unrestricted corps under Australia Command and send them to Rabaul. That could drop the hammer on any threat in that direction.

Nanumea's definitely an out of the way spot for a decisive battle.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Mundy
I think you were reading my AAR too much with that surface fight. [:D]

I actually think my surface charge with those BCs happened well before your surface charge with those slow BBs. Either way the situation was much different...your charge was much ballsier.

ORIGINAL: Mundy
Nanumea's definitely an out of the way spot for a decisive battle.

Perhaps in your game. But in mine the Gilberts and the islands to the south and east are considerably built up and were able to assist with LRCAP over my charging surface fleets. Nanumea is as good of a spot as any to fight and a considerable number of fights happened in its vicinity.

[Sangeli]

War in China Part II

In early 1943, the Japanese began a new offensive. Their objective was to retake Nanchang which I had taken in 42 and fortified. While the base sits in 1x terrain, it was built to a level 6 fort and is protected by a river crossing. Here was the first Japanese attack:

Ground combat at Nanchang (85,54)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 99939 troops, 1089 guns, 1977 vehicles, Assault Value = 3593

Defending force 60770 troops, 443 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1897

Japanese adjusted assault: 869

Allied adjusted defense: 1542

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 6)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
18137 casualties reported
Squads: 290 destroyed, 822 disabled
Non Combat: 45 destroyed, 205 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 210 disabled
Guns lost 128 (26 destroyed, 102 disabled)
Vehicles lost 323 (102 destroyed, 221 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
2388 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 102 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 40 (2 destroyed, 38 disabled)

Assaulting units:
15th Tank Regiment
18th Division
11th Tank Regiment
3rd/B Division
15th Division
21st Division
1st Tank Division
3rd Tank Division
19th Tank Regiment
66th Infantry Group
39th Division
3rd/A Division
34th Division
12th Tank Regiment
18th Tank Regiment
3rd/C Division
2nd Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
37th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
60th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese/B Corps
7th Artillery Regiment
7th Chinese Base Force
6th War Area
7th War Area
12th Group Army
57th AT Gun Regiment
20th Artillery Regiment
41st AA Regiment

As you see it was a bloodbath. Most importantly the fort held. But the Japanese would attack a week later and start making more progress:

Ground combat at Nanchang (85,54)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 80025 troops, 943 guns, 1866 vehicles, Assault Value = 2398

Defending force 80255 troops, 474 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2524

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Japanese adjusted assault: 1773

Allied adjusted defense: 1566

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 5)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
9803 casualties reported
Squads: 329 destroyed, 300 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 183 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 70 disabled
Guns lost 114 (24 destroyed, 90 disabled)
Vehicles lost 181 (5 destroyed, 176 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2911 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 140 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 57 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 23 (2 destroyed, 21 disabled)

Assaulting units:
66th Infantry Group
3rd Tank Division
12th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
19th Tank Regiment
39th Division
15th Division
21st Division
36th Division
34th Division
11th Tank Regiment
2nd Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
75th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
31st Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese/A Corps
60th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese/B Corps
51st Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese/B Corps
9th Prov Chinese/C Corps
30th Group Army
7th Chinese Base Force
57th AT Gun Regiment
6th War Area
20th Artillery Regiment
12th Group Army
7th Artillery Regiment
7th War Area
41st AA Regiment

And this time the fort dropped a level. But I was able to bring more reinforcements before the next Japanese assault:

Ground combat at Nanchang (85,54)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 83581 troops, 1001 guns, 1866 vehicles, Assault Value = 2330

Defending force 103157 troops, 568 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3279

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 1732

Allied adjusted defense: 2092

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
8879 casualties reported
Squads: 257 destroyed, 435 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 146 disabled
Engineers: 39 destroyed, 67 disabled
Guns lost 75 (2 destroyed, 73 disabled)
Vehicles lost 114 (27 destroyed, 87 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2554 casualties reported
Squads: 78 destroyed, 238 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 33 (1 destroyed, 32 disabled)

Another battle with heavy casualties but with forts down to level 4, Japanese bombers were becoming more effective. The base could not be held. The Chinese would pull back leaving a few corps to cover the retreat for the rest of the army.

After losing Nanchang, I largely abandoned SE China. The exception was a trio of hexes I held from Wenchow to Chuhsien, all in 3x terrain. Each hex was held with around 1000 AV. While they were cut off, Wenchow has industry and thus was producing supply to aid the defenders:



Rather than ignore my cut off defenders, Japan attempted to root them out. I had anticipated a blood bath for the Japanese but the result was far better than I had ever hoped. In the first set of attacks, the Japanese attempted to take Wenchow from me. But with full prep and commander bonuses my Chinese defenders looked more like the USMC than a ragtag group of peasants:

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 119943 troops, 1000 guns, 259 vehicles, Assault Value = 3974

Defending force 28904 troops, 108 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 983

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese adjusted assault: 1736

Allied adjusted defense: 3322

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
18210 casualties reported
Squads: 650 destroyed, 441 disabled
Non Combat: 96 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 58 destroyed, 36 disabled
Guns lost 73 (51 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (6 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1121 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 141 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Assaulting units:
59th Division
15th Division
40th Division
34th Division
71st Division
116th Division
32nd Division
60th Division
36th Division
41st Division
58th Infantry Regiment
13th Army

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
10th Group Army
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force

OVER a full division worth of squads destroyed. I think the stacking limits really affected the result of the battle because the Japanese were way over the limit. But with my adjusted AV value being over 3x my raw amount, any attack was going to be a bloodbath. The following attack was hardly any better:

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 108021 troops, 967 guns, 256 vehicles, Assault Value = 3155

Defending force 27969 troops, 106 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 877

Japanese adjusted assault: 1555

Allied adjusted defense: 1300

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
14979 casualties reported
Squads: 462 destroyed, 252 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 59 destroyed, 53 disabled
Guns lost 83 (42 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (10 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
921 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 97 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

And here comes another:

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 87453 troops, 817 guns, 222 vehicles, Assault Value = 2510

Defending force 27284 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 807

Japanese adjusted assault: 3152

Allied adjusted defense: 3826

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
10773 casualties reported
Squads: 420 destroyed, 160 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 31 destroyed, 31 disabled
Guns lost 83 (46 destroyed, 37 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1012 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 156 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
116th Division
41st Division
60th Division
34th Division
32nd Division
15th Division
40th Division
71st Division
36th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
13th Army

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
10th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force

And after a few more assaults the Japanese take out Wenchow:

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 75033 troops, 685 guns, 156 vehicles, Assault Value = 2460

Defending force 25391 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 569

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1460

Allied adjusted defense: 1213

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
4750 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 254 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 42 (8 destroyed, 34 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
609 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
36th Division
71st Division
40th Division
3rd Division
32nd Division
17th Division
58th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
10th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 71629 troops, 679 guns, 154 vehicles, Assault Value = 2162

Defending force 24525 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

Japanese adjusted assault: 920

Allied adjusted defense: 388

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wenchow !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
2325 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 138 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 16 (4 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
8360 casualties reported
Squads: 320 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 215 destroyed, 73 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 25 (20 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
71st Division
3rd Division
36th Division
17th Division
40th Division
32nd Division
58th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
10th Group Army
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force

And even then some of these defenders escaped this battle and recovered. The Japanese attacked the other two hexes and the results were nearly as bloody. Now we are 7 months after this operation and the Japanese have lost over 125,000 soldiers by my estimate in this operation. Meanwhile my original compliment of 120,000 soldiers has been reduced to 60,000 but the units are still in tip top fighting shape. Overall China has been an abysmal failure for the Japanese. The front lines have barely changed since spring 42 despite these heavy casualties

[Lowpe]

What are the LCU vp losses for each side?

Or are you holding off until you get to the current game date.

Fascinating game, btw.[&o]