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

[witpqs]

Home Islands west.

[witpqs]

Home Islands east.

[witpqs]

Air losses. Sweeps over 4 different cities in Japan met little or no opposition until the afternoon, when weather cleared and allowed P-51D groups to range over Osaka/Kyoto. The combat reports showed them cutting swaths through the enemy, but the daily losses showed a more sedate reality. They did well but short of the rip-roaring success that the combat reports indicated. Rain returns to blanket Japan tomorrow so the sweepers will stand down.

[witpqs]

1945 April 01

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Tuguegarao is occupied by the Allies

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Zamboanga

Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Zamboanga
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Cebu


Our subs are conducting secret activities.

Big sweep offensive planned for Maebashi tomorrow: 3x P-47D25, 3x P-47N, and 5x P-51D groups from Hakodate. The Empire is maxing out fighter coverage of the area, obviously in response to our recent strikes.

All Philippines on the ground today.

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Ground combat at Zamboanga (75,89)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1243 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 49

Defending force 1128 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 89

Assaulting units:
Miura Det
9th Field Construction Battalion
64th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
8th NZ Bde /69


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Ground combat at Cebu (80,86)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 926 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Defending force 1919 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 106

Assaulting units:
I/124th Infantry Battalion

Defending units:
3rd Commando Brigade


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Ground combat at Cebu (80,86)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1919 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 106

Defending force 926 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Allied adjusted assault: 95

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 31 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Commando Brigade

Defending units:
I/124th Infantry Battalion


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A little more persuasion is needed at Cebu. Meanwhile these two ships are both in danger of sinking with 87% and 86% flotation damage.

APD Brooks hits underwater rocks while attempting to unload at Zamboanga
APD Peary hits underwater rocks while attempting to unload at Zamboanga

Jolo has a size 4 port and is 2 hexes away, perhaps it will be close enough.

China west.

[witpqs]

China east. Attacks at Haichow and Kweiteh tomorrow, and at Suchow the day after. Air attacks on Imperial troops at Haichow and Suchow have been devastating.

[witpqs]

Philippines. The NZ 8th Bde is being brought in to Zamboanga in multiple convoys; today saw landing of most infantry squads and some support squads.

[witpqs]

Home Islands west.

[witpqs]

Home Islands east.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

China east. Attacks at Haichow and Kweiteh tomorrow, and at Suchow the day after. Air attacks on Imperial troops at Haichow and Suchow have been devastating.

Speaking of chow, what's the situation at Hangchow? You seem to have it isolated but do you have enough stuff to attack there or are you just starving them out?

[Macclan5]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Philippines. The NZ 8th Bde is being brought in to Zamboanga in multiple convoys; today saw landing of most infantry squads and some support squads.

Speaking of chow [8D]

I realize this is a secondary operation to you but I am equally interested in it.

As I recall you are using the so called "odds and bits" to liberate the Philippines and fulfill MacArthur's promise. A brigade here and there.

Japan is seemingly dug into the "reverse triangle" of early Allied strategy; namely Manila / Clarke AFB and the nearest hex.

You have actually had troops ~ albeit insufficient troops in your opinion ~ on the outskirts of Manila for some number of weeks as I recall.

You have now successfully encircled them / cut off supply and evidently you are moving the Kiwi's to deliver the coup de grace.

How many troops to you recon there ?

Curious because if its another stack of 40,000 or more between the three hexes ~ elimination of the IJA in the Philippines will allow your honorable opponent to reconstitute those very same forces back in the home island ??

Certainly under trained and under equipped, but banzai fodder making your home island invasion just a little harder ???

Does this factor enter into your overall planning ??

<<note I suppose the same rationale could be applied to Hangchow and Shnaghai ....so a related 'chow' question >>

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

China east. Attacks at Haichow and Kweiteh tomorrow, and at Suchow the day after. Air attacks on Imperial troops at Haichow and Suchow have been devastating.

Speaking of chow, what's the situation at Hangchow? You seem to have it isolated but do you have enough stuff to attack there or are you just starving them out?

The artillery and the very potent infantry force that just finished up at Nanking are marching there now. ~100k defenders amid the Urban Heavy terrain in Hangchow will be tough, but I don't know how tough. We have a little bit of armor there but most is elsewhere. When Hankow submits we will have a sizable complement of armor to send to Hanchow, plus of course additional strong infantry.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Philippines. The NZ 8th Bde is being brought in to Zamboanga in multiple convoys; today saw landing of most infantry squads and some support squads.

Speaking of chow [8D]

I realize this is a secondary operation to you but I am equally interested in it.

As I recall you are using the so called "odds and bits" to liberate the Philippines and fulfill MacArthur's promise. A brigade here and there.
Yes, and I also have some more substantial forces at sea from Sumatra and some still to be picked up there. With a few divisions plus other units, that will greatly multiply the force there. We will be able to overcome the large pockets without extreme casualties.

Japan is seemingly dug into the "reverse triangle" of early Allied strategy; namely Manila / Clarke AFB and the nearest hex.

You have actually had troops ~ albeit insufficient troops in your opinion ~ on the outskirts of Manila for some number of weeks as I recall.

You have now successfully encircled them / cut off supply and evidently you are moving the Kiwi's to deliver the coup de grace.
NZ and USA units are moving from Cagayan -> NW Luzon. Same for the aforementioned forces shipping in from Sumatra. I will leave Aparri for last as they are already cut off. We have a Bde west of Clark that will move there to prevent combat retreat into Clark. The Imperial positions NE and E of Clark are in clear terrain and less than 10k troops each, so the larger forces shipping into NW Luzon will smash through them to destroy them before they can withdraw to Clark or Manila. Then Clark, then Manila.

How many troops to you recon there ?
Will have to look next time, but IIRC >60k at Manila and >16k at Clark.

Curious because if its another stack of 40,000 or more between the three hexes ~ elimination of the IJA in the Philippines will allow your honorable opponent to reconstitute those very same forces back in the home island ??
I have realized that with every Imperial unit destroyed.

Certainly under trained and under equipped, but banzai fodder making your home island invasion just a little harder ???
True.

Does this factor enter into your overall planning ??
No. If this were a pure point-contest then of course that would be required input to strategy and tactics, but it's not a realistic concern so I am ignoring it and will take any lumps that result.

<<note I suppose the same rationale could be applied to Hangchow and Shnaghai ....so a related 'chow' question >>

Also true. Already answered but for the difference between Hangchow and Shanghai: both are Urban Heavy, but Shanghai likely has more significant fortifications, has 50% more defenders, and (being the more valuable prize) might just have the best quality defenders that were available. I do want to take Shanghai but given the game clock I think it wise to let them starve a bit while the forces that would be required a used elsewhere, and the game might end before we get back to Shanghai. Purely a judgement call. We shall see!

[jwolf]

Thanks for giving your thoughts on Shanghai as I was wondering about that too.

[witpqs]

1945 April 02

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Allied forces CAPTURE Kweiteh !!!
Allied forces CAPTURE Haichow !!!

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Zamboanga

Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Zamboanga
Allied Ships Bombarding Shanghai


Our subs are conducting secret activities.

Our destroyers missed the two damaged IJN warships nearing the safety of Japan.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Saishu To at 98,57

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 11
Avenger II x 10
Corsair II x 22
Seafire IIC x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Agano, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Fuyuzuki, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
10 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo



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But the carriers they had tried to catch didn't! Arguments have already begun over whether Agano was sunk or scuttled...

Toyohara Light Industry is finally down to 0 (showing as "2"). But Shanghai still shows 13.

Two out of three obstructions on the rail line to northern China have been cleared.

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Ground combat at Kweiteh (90,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 534 troops, 3 guns, 82 vehicles, Assault Value = 49

Defending force 894 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Allied adjusted assault: 22

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kweiteh !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
320 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Defending units:
12th RGC Ind. Brigade


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Ground combat at Haichow (93,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 588 troops, 0 guns, 108 vehicles, Assault Value = 60

Defending force 58 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 30

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 30 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Haichow !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/6th Armoured Regiment

Defending units:
9th RGC Route Brigade


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Suchow itself has about 4,000 defenders, albeit suffereing heavy air strikes. Tomorrow we attack with an armoured Rgt and a tank Rgt supported by even heavier air strikes. After Suchow is cleared we will rail base forces to Chengting in the north and Haichow on the coast.

Philippines.

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Ground combat at Zamboanga (75,89)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1243 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 49

Defending force 4613 troops, 42 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 140

Assaulting units:
Miura Det
9th Field Construction Battalion
64th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
8th NZ Brigade


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Ground combat at Cebu (80,86)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1913 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 105

Defending force 813 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Allied adjusted assault: 44

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 44 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Commando Brigade

Defending units:
I/124th Infantry Battalion


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A few more troops to move to Zamboanga, and the commandoes at Cebu must rest a day.

Air losses. Our sweeps of Maebashi found only a few fighters and caost us almost as many in ops losses (due to large numbers) as enemy taken.

[witpqs]

China west.

[witpqs]

China east.

[witpqs]

Philippines.

[witpqs]

Home Islands west.

[witpqs]

Home Islands east.

[zuluhour]

caught up again here, makes me think I should throw in the towel, early '45 with a precarious foothold in the PI. You have made this exceptionally easy to follow and I appreciate it.&nbsp;