Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[witpqs]

By the way, another thing I like about this AAR is, that since Andav does not have an (active) AAR, the reader is as much in the dark as witpqs is.

He started one, but RL time commitments got in the way. [8D]

[witpqs]

1944 November 13

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Padang is occupied by the Allies

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha


Our subs were stealthy.

The road toward Wuchow is open.

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Ground combat at 73,57 (near Pakhoi)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40468 troops, 526 guns, 1573 vehicles, Assault Value = 1681

Defending force 312 troops, 0 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 1268

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 1268 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
416 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
192nd Tank Battalion
Provisionl Tank Brigade
775th Tank Battalion
711th Tank Battalion
671th Tank Destroyer Battalion
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
2/4th Armoured Regiment
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
96th Infantry Division
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
706th Tank Battalion
1st Australian Division
2/6th Armoured Regiment
XI Corps Engr Grp
5th Australian Division

Defending units:
6th Field Construction Battalion


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It's quite possible that DAW HQ knows we are heading for a Wuchow crossing instead of a Liuchow crossing. Either way the IJA unit guarding the non-road hex river crossing just SE of Nanning is now heading for Liuchow. Our three divisions and the engineers will head straight east for a river crossing in and into wooded country next to Wuchow, while the armor heads east along the road to clear the hex in front of the bridges in preparation for forcing them directly into Wuchow.

The sweeps in China again went well, and even though some 4EB raids were intercepted they fared well against tired defenders. See the air losses below.

On the Malay Peninsula all the armoured units and one infantry division have made it to Taiping and will attack at once to try and catch the enemy before they slip into the jungle. The enemy unit just east of Utan Melintang now recons as 300 troops with 2 guns, so the 50th Para will cross the river in battle formation instead of on the run (2 days from now).

On Sumatra Padang is ours, and the 81st WA Div will now march to Benkoelen, well over 200 miles down the coast.

Indefatigable is on station just west of Sibolga, so Rawling's with the bulk of the carriers will now (finally) retire to Colombo. A single unidentified IJN vessel is seen at Enggano, 3 hexes SW of Benkoelen.

Back in Burma the second to last division on zombie eradication duty there has made it out of the jungle to Taung Gyi. The last division has about two more days journey.

The beginning of the end on Java.

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Ground combat at Bandoeng (50,100)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4641 troops, 48 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 152

Defending force 3885 troops, 110 guns, 47 vehicles, Assault Value = 44

Allied adjusted assault: 119

Japanese adjusted defense: 205

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
219 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/6 Commando Battalion
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
2/8th Ind Coy

Defending units:
III/81st Naval Guard Unit
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
61st JNAF AF Unit
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
92nd JAAF AF Bn


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Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4371 troops, 69 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 126

Defending force 2783 troops, 22 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 41

Allied adjusted assault: 102

Japanese adjusted defense: 77

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
74 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
30th Australian Brigade

Defending units:
78th Naval Guard Unit
35th JNAF AF Unit


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

Not sure why we had supply problems at Bandoeng. The troops there will rest a day or two and some air support will be re-tasked and reinforcements brought in. Batavia already has lots of reinforcements on the way and so should fall quickly. More mines were cleared from the waters off Merak but the mine fields remain. The attack at Batavia will be suspended just long enough to sea lift a Bn from Kalidjati to (empty) Merak to prevent retreat.

The bombardments at Naha went well although weather kept the B-29s away. Tomorrow 1x BB and 2x CL will bombard to give the replenishment ships time to do their own replenishing. Construction at Daito Shoto is switching to port building. It looks like about 3 days for the Tokunoshima invasion convoys to arrive near DS. IJN subs have returned and two were pummeled in the waters off Naha. Another 7x AE are being repositioned from Truk to Daito Shoto.

The divisions for the Amami Oshima invasion are on their way to Pagan for reloading in assault shipping. Almost all the other units will load into assault convoys at Hansa bay on New Guinea.

China.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Air losses.

[witpqs]

Ship losses.

[witpqs]

1944 November 14

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Allied forces CAPTURE Taiping !!!

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha


Our subs got a sub.

Just SE of Kunming the Imperial aerials ambushed our bombers and fighters making ground strikes. We have maintained P-51 sweeps there but the vagaries of weather, meaning whether or not, dictated the sweeps went in last. The P-51 groups got revenge but the enemy came out ahead for the day. See air losses below. Our sweeps in support of the main advance encountered much less opposition, and our raids on Canton faced no CAP. Canton airfield shows 66% damage. The B-24 groups will hit Kukong tomorrow, where 37 fighters are seen operating. The P-47D25 groups have been sweeping there for a couple of days.

It looks like the IJA units in the forest before Wuchow are withdrawing into that city (they were retreated several days ago), so our infantry divisions might not bother with a non-road crossing but instead join the armor for a full strength push across the bridges into the city. That is still well over a week away.

Taiping is ours and the remnants of that Imperial column are thrown into the jungle where they will impede the advance no more.

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Ground combat at Taiping (49,75)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26253 troops, 282 guns, 1538 vehicles, Assault Value = 1989

Defending force 4260 troops, 41 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 129

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 643

Japanese adjusted defense: 83

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Taiping !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1970 casualties reported
Squads: 79 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 42 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 29 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 29 (25 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 40 (40 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 9

Allied ground losses:
435 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
26th Indian Division
268th Motorised Brigade
18th Cavalry Regiment
150th RAC Regiment
Gardner's Horse Regiment
20th Indian Division
255th Indian Tank Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
5th Indian Division

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment
1st INA Subhas Regiment
3rd Raiding Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
22nd Recon Regiment
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
29th Army
13th Field Construction Battalion
18th Field Construction Battalion


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Tomorrow the 50th Para will cross the river into the 10th JAAF AF Coy, which air strikes have identified as the unit just east of Utan Melintang. The armour and (now all 3) infantry divisions at Taiping will start racing down the road to catch up to the paras. The 14th Air Landing Bde has been fully air lifted into Utan Melintang and will hold that position for the moment. The 3rd Commando still has several days before crossing the river just SE of there. Imperial troops are seen leaving Mersing, heading in the direction of Singapore to join the 62,000 now there. The noose tightens.

On Java the landing craft at Kalidjati were still loading supplies as the sun set and so will head for Merak tomorrow. More mines have been cleared from that harbor, and even more remain.

The bombardments of Naha went well, but of course were far smaller than any recent day. The AE and AKE at Daito Shoto have formed into a convoy to try and speed loading of supply. The port is 1 + 21%, so four or five days until reaching size 2. Tomorrow the Tokunoshima invasion convoys will both be by Daito Shoto to pick up additional DD escorts, then will stage 1 hex off target, and invade the day following. Our own troops at Naha are in great shape, the highest disruption is 11% with the rest in single digits; AV is 2,026. The same ships will bombard tonight. We could actually attack tomorrow, but will wait until just after the landing on Tokunoshima.

So, another prediction wrong: less than 5 days between attacks, as opposed to a full 7 days. We could attack tomorrow, but will wait for other reasons. Our troops will be in fantastic shape by then, although the enemy will have recovered more than otherwise. But a day of full bombardment prior and then on the day of the assault should settle their hash.

The fleet carrier TFs which recently replenished at Guam have rejoined the fleet. Even though the ammo ships at Daito Shoto are running low, all combat ships are at full ammo. Things are looking good for Tokunoshima.

China.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Air losses.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Java Sea.

Any idea what happened to that Japanese ship that was moving up the west coast of Sumatra?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Java Sea.

Any idea what happened to that Japanese ship that was moving up the west coast of Sumatra?

None. It was at Enggano when spotted. It could be anything - a warship, a merchant or transport sneaking troops around, a high value ship trying to slip through air coverage. Or maybe the Flying Dutchman? [X(]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Any idea what happened to that Japanese ship that was moving up the west coast of Sumatra?

None. It was at Enggano when spotted. It could be anything - a warship, a merchant or transport sneaking troops around, a high value ship trying to slip through air coverage. Or maybe the Flying Dutchman? [X(]

[:D]
You are in the right area to see Dutch ships!

[witpqs]

1944 November 15

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:



Our subs had a quiet day. An enemy sub was severely damaged off Indochina.

Kukong aerodrome is a smoking hole in the ground. There was no opposition in the air, but plenty of fighters were hit on the ground. Our southern armoured unit has discovered 2 enemy units in the woods across the river from Canton and will stop where it is, 1 hex away. One of the two retreated units that was thought heading into Liuchow appears stopped, guarding the river crossing. An unknown number of units are pulling out of Nanning and out of Liuchow, no doubt to stiffen defenses on the approaches to Canton and Hong Kong, but hopefully too late. Troops are also seen pulling back from Neikiang, NW of Chungking, and are pulling out of Kunming. Our armor has passed the road junction that leads to Liuchow, so our intent to cross into Wuchow is now obvious. The B-24 groups, having wrecked Kukong's base facilities, will turn to the ground troops in the clear terrain at Wuchow.

On Malaya the 50th Para crossed the river but there was no attack, which I think means the enemy unit present has no AV. Attack is tomorrow. Temuloh has 4 units of unknown size and strength, and there is movement along the rail line toward Singapore. The 3rd Commando will still move there after crossing the river, but might not be able to capture the town. That ship at Enggano is again spotted, this time identified as an AS. Likely the one damaged by a port strike on Oosthaven. Speaking of which, the commando Bn there will assault the town tomorrow, despite having great numerical inferiority.

Marking time at Batavia.

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Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5863 troops, 220 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 160

Defending force 2590 troops, 22 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 26

Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/1st Ind Coy
2/2nd Ind Coy
30th Australian Brigade
205th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
462nd Airborn Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Jungle Regiment

Defending units:
78th Naval Guard Unit
35th JNAF AF Unit

Across the straight from Oosthaven, past Son of Krakatau at Merak, it turns out the convoy that carried the para Bn is a Barge type, and cannot land in hostile territory. Not even with sharpish shopkeepers the only hostiles on shore. They will wait in harbor while the troops at Batavia, now greatly bolstered with lots of artillery and two Coy of commandos, make another attack tomorrow. If the Imperials retreat into Merak they will simply be pursued and destroyed there, but we will be able to get on with building Batavia airfield to support the campaign against Singapore. The USA 147th Rgt is loading aboard (proper) landing craft at Pontianak for landing either at Merak or Oosthaven. And yes there were mines cleared at Merak and yes there are more.

Not exactly sure why the two TFs ordered to do so did not bombard Naha - maybe ops points were knackered and I failed to notice? The BB TF moved 2 of the 5 hexes from Daito Shoto while the CL TF moved 3 of the 5 hexes. I blame the staff.

>"Report all suspicious sightings."

-"Have sighted dancing dolphin pods back lit in low moonlight. Stopping to investigate."

>"WHAT!!! Get on with the mission!"

-"These things are almost hypnotic. Almost hypnot... hyp..."

Other TFs have been assigned to bombard tonight, hopefully in addition to them. Also, several are assigned to hit Tokunoshima, and the invasion convoys have orders to move right in and land troops. There is no shock attack required on landing there, so I have decided to skip the day of staging 1 hex away. Perhaps few troops will be landed tomorrow, but the remainder can go ashore the following day without worry.

The troops at Naha are in splendid shape, with maximum disruption at 7%. AV is 2,050.

China.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Air losses.