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

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Air losses.

[witpqs]

1944 December 10

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Bengkalis 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 Amami Oshima
Allied Ships Bombarding Amami Oshima
Allied Ships Bombarding Enggano
Allied Ships Bombarding Amami Oshima
Allied Ships Bombarding Nago
Allied Ships Bombarding Nago
Allied Ships Bombarding Amami Oshima


Our subs are waiting.

A relatively uneventful day in China. We continue maneuvering against the current targets and the 4EB are hitting troop positions at Canton each day.

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Ground combat at Kweilin (76,54)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 270 troops, 28 guns, 23 vehicles, Assault Value = 934

Defending force 23702 troops, 225 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 639

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/11th Armoured Car Regiment
3rd New Chinese Corps
11th PAVO Regiment
9th Australian Division
517th Field Artillery Battalion
II Australian Corps
544th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
87th Infantry Brigade
25th Division
28th RGC Temp. Division
17th/B Division
1st Army
15th AA Regiment
74th Field AA Battalion
86th Field AA Battalion


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The artillery will begin arriving at Canton in a few days. That additional USA infantry division is about two weeks out, but we might begin reducing the defenses before they arrive. The decision will depend on what we learn once all the artillery is in place and the first bombardment is sent over.

Destroyers live up to their name.

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Night Naval bombardment of Enggano at 44,94

Japanese Ships
AS Heian Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Yamaura Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Kimishima Maru, Shell hits 1
E Karukaya, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Tuyama Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Kasagi Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Hokutai Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Mugford
DD Bagley
DD Mustin

Port hits 5
Port supply hits 3

DD Mugford firing at Enggano
DD Bagley firing at Enggano
DD Mustin firing at Enggano


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Moa at 74,116, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru
xAK Melbourne Maru

Allied Ships
DD Harrison
DD Stuart

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
Range closes to 26,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 27,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 27,000 yards
Range increases to 28,000 yards...
Range increases to 29,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Japanese Cargo TF evades combat


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 73,116, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru
xAK Melbourne Maru

Allied Ships
DD Harrison
DD Stuart

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
Range closes to 26,000 yards...
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 24,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 25,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 25,000 yards
Range increases to 26,000 yards...
Range increases to 27,000 yards...
Range increases to 28,000 yards...
Range increases to 29,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Japanese Cargo TF evades combat


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Moa at 74,116, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Melbourne Maru, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Harrison
DD Stuart

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 28,000 yards
Range closes to 26,000 yards...
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 22,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 22,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 15,000 yards
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 12,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
DD Stuart engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 11,000 yards
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Stuart engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Sado Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
DD Harrison engages AK Sado Maru at 14,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 14,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
DD Stuart engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 17,000 yards
DD Harrison engages xAK Melbourne Maru at 17,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
Range increases to 26,000 yards
Range increases to 30,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Moa at 74,116

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Melbourne Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sado Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Melbourne Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AK Sado Maru


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Morning Air attack on Enggano , at 44,94

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25H Mitchell x 7

Allied aircraft losses
B-25H Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Kimishima Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
AS Heian Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Hokutai Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Tuyama Maru, Shell hits 3, Bomb hits 2
xAK Yamaura Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1
xAK Kasagi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 9
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-25H Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Massive explosion on xAK Hokutai Maru


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One more day for units assigned to capture Singapore to change out of strategic movement mode.

Suppression of the enemy airfields at Manila and Clark continues as our troops march across Panay. The Dadjangas invasion convoy is on the way and should begin unloading in 3 days.

Nago.

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Ground combat at Nago (95,65)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1074 troops, 211 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 1944

Defending force 24536 troops, 194 guns, 137 vehicles, Assault Value = 494

Assaulting units:
194th Tank Battalion
766th Tank Battalion
25th Infantry Division
710th Tank Battalion
193rd Tank Battalion
111th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
40th Infantry Division
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
5th Marine Division
670th Tank Destroyer Battalion
716th Tank Battalion
77th Infantry Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion
767th Tank Battalion
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
4th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
11th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
8th AmphTrac Engineer Battalion

Defending units:
30th Recon Regiment
45th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Nakagusuko-wan Fortress
13th Base Force
102nd AA Regiment
29th Field Construction Battalion
31st Army
101st AA Regiment
72nd Air Flotilla
149th JAAF AF Bn


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1,935 AV at Nago, 1,096 at Amami Oshima and the troops at both places are recovered very well in terms of disruption and fatigue. Next assault tomorrow at Nago. The USA 41st Infantry Division at Naha is about 41% prepared for Amami Oshima, and while I think that a landing with friendly troops already on shore is easier (based on experience but with too limited a sample to be sure that is in the code), I will wait until preparation is at least 60% before landing them. So, the next attack at Amami Oshima is also tomorrow.

Some troops for the Formosa invasion are railing to Cam Ranh Bay (it was too crowded for them to wait there). Two fleet CV TF replenished at Guam to day and are heading back to Daito Shoto.

China. The Imperials appear to be pulling out of Kukong and units are seen moving east, out of Changsha.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Philippines.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[RogerJNeilson]

If they are thinking about a fall back from Changsha that gives a nice rail link once it is taken to move Chinese troops forward faster. Changsha can be bypassed and zombified so its wise to know when to 'get out of Dodge'

The Wuchang/Hankow complex is a good spot to hold an Allied advance as its a real choke point for any roads - above there's tricky country, and below it takes a long time to cross the river. OTOH once out above there it glorious tank country all the way to the border and the sea.

Roger

[RangerJoe]

The Wuchang/Hankow complex is a good spot to hold an Allied advance as its a real choke point for any roads - above there's tricky country, and below it takes a long time to cross the river. OTOH once out above there it glorious tank country all the way to the border and the sea.

That is why I inquired about invading up the river and/or along the Yellow Sea.

[RogerJNeilson]

Once you have Hong Kong and have decent air support reach you can have lots of fun along the coast, there are many bases that cannot all be defended adequately - though a lot depends on how much the Imperials are prepared to contest the airspace. Going up river is I think a different matter as you have a long journey much of it under their air threat, and I'm not sure what the pay off would be. I have simply crossed the river - takes time - but the biggest issue is as there are no roads crossing each unit and all supplies are sluggish. The river is a major obstacle south of Wenchow, and north there is some horrible swampland that takes an age to traverse.

Roger

[witpqs]

Changsha, Wuchow, etc. are not on the main axis of advance. As more and more forces have been arriving from other fronts there suddenly were plenty of forces to break Nanning, Liuchow, and soon Kweilin, especially coupled with the Imperial redeployment. As a result there will be some forces pushing into the Changsha area, but the immediate objective is to cut the interior roads that lead to Changsha.

The main thrust will bypass the Maginot Line, traveling through the forest. While likely much more difficult under other circumstances, the current environment will be favorable. The pending invasion of Formosa will again shake up things. The Imperial forces now in Canton and Hong Kong will be destroyed, so not available to oppose that advance. Of course the advance won't really get started until in earnest until that destruction.

Already we do now have a task group heading to Kukong that could have seized it, but that will prove unnecessary with the defenders moving out. The base just east - name escapes ATM - might be taken by airborne assault depending on timing. This minor advance along the main corridor will allow most Allied units at Canton/Hong Kong to board trucks (strat mode) to cover that distance, or even farther if I can pull off more captures along the primary road with the smaller forces.

Oh, heck, all these plans are gonna change anyway! [:D]

[Drakanel]

Why are you considering bypassing Shangai? I think that, big as it is, it could prove very useful for you. It would also provide a very big repair yard very close to japan. Or is it BECAUSE it's so close to Japan?

Or are you simply dedicated to reaching Korea as fast as possible (you talked about a landing there before), and so Shangai would delay that?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Drakanel

Why are you considering bypassing Shangai? I think that, big as it is, it could prove very useful for you. It would also provide a very big repair yard very close to japan. Or is it BECAUSE it's so close to Japan?

Or are you simply dedicated to reaching Korea as fast as possible (you talked about a landing there before), and so Shangai would delay that?

I might bypass it (not sure yet and won't decide for a while) due to the combination of force required to take it (urban heavy x3 terrain, likely will be heavily defended) and garrison requirement of (IIRC) 720 AV for the Allies. I might be better off bypassing it to get forces moving across the open plains and letting the bombers takes out the industry at Shanghai.

[RogerJNeilson]

As you retake the Chinese cities you find that your forces start to need to garrison, and gradually your spearpoints are blunted. There are places where it seems, to me, to be better to leave the imperials to keep order and do the garrisoning for you.

Roger

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson 3

As you retake the Chinese cities you find that your forces start to need to garrison, and gradually your spearpoints are blunted. There are places where it seems, to me, to be better to leave the imperials to keep order and do the garrisoning for you.

Roger

If you aren't planning to use the airbase why bother to garrison at all if doing so keeps valuable troops from the front?
You only lose 1 VP and repairing the damage (if you bother) doesn't burn any supply.

[RogerJNeilson]

A fair point, guess I just like to restore good old law and order.... Chiang being a master of democratic ideals.

Roger

[witpqs]

Good question! Walter and I don't go nuts about garrisons - once in a while one of use screws up and eats the VP as penalty - but we do it as a tithe to realism. It's an admittedly lame attempt to make up for sitting in our comfy chairs able to issue daily orders to units spread across half the world! [:D]

[RangerJoe]

True, but your shattered units, if any, can rebuild while on garrison duty. Also, if you retake Chungking, you will receive lots of battered Chinese units for garrison duty.

[witpqs]

Time is a major issue at this point in the game. [8D]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Do you mean 2-3k of AV?

I suspect the Soviet garrison is in the range 9-11K AV. The troops keep coming, and despite taking them away thru PP purchases, the garrison builds up on you.

It depends on how and what Andav is spending his PP points on.

Seems to me you have more pressing concerns than invading Korea. I think you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere, so to speak.