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

[witpqs]

The complete combat report, for combat junkies.

[BBfanboy]

witpqs: We have trapped the Tax Police in Tientsin!

Huzzah! Tax Freedom day is here!

[BBfanboy]

Re: your invasion of Kyushu, maybe you should land some troops at Kanoya - no rail line there. Then they march north to take Oita and cut the rail line where it crosses the strait to Honshu.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Re: your invasion of Kyushu, maybe you should land some troops at Kanoya - no rail line there. Then they march north to take Oita and cut the rail line where it crosses the strait to Honshu.

I don't see landing at any other base on Kyushu. I have a bunch more divisions, etc. preparing for Kumamoto so they can reinforce the effort there. I *think* that subsequent landings with less than full preparation is much less damaging than original landings without full preparation (any comments/observations/opinions about that??); at least I hope so. But I might not even need to send them in. The terrain is Clear and the naval and air bombardments are very substantial. Just look at how much less the final Japanese AV was compared to their starting AV for the last Allied assault.

A number of the nearby air bases are still expanding. The most dramatic example is that in three days Kochi will make size 9 and take on 200 or 300 more strike aircraft. Among them will be 96 (4x24) A-26B (IIRC), the new attack bombers that carry 8x 500 pound bombs each. Looking at those fatigue values, plus wanting more tanks and tank destroyers to come back on line, means that probably the next assault will be made with Kochi maxed out and swarming with aircraft.

Also, all the reserves and reaction forces he sends toward Kumamoto will open things more for the Tsu invasion, which is up as soon as adequate fleet elements are available. That might mean the capture and repair of the air base at Kumamoto, or just detaching enough carriers to get the troops ashore. I expect fierce aerial and surface opposition from Tokyo and nearby bases to that one.

[BBfanboy]

Thanks for the explanation. I forgot about the plans for Tsu.

IME you are correct - once you have a bridgehead, subsequent landings are much less likely to have losses from low prep.

[witpqs]

The most recent comparison of Imperial units present on what days at Kumamoto was off. This one is better.

You have to open it to see it.

EDIT: I had to fix that. Rushed finishing it before we headed out the door. This one should be good!

[witpqs]

Looking at that list, we've eliminated the Tachibana-wan Fortress, which I presume was where the heavy anti-shipping guns were located. I assume the fortress was fixed in place and did not withdraw as some units are currently doing. The 22nd Ind.AA Gun Co is also gone, but I can't say if it was destroyed in place or withdrew to rebuild.

[witpqs]

1945 June 03

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:
Allied Ships Bombarding Kumamoto


More...

Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu
Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu

Our subs are conducting secret activities.

China Outback. At last Kashgar will be liberated, then only Urumchi will remain in Imperial hands.

[witpqs]

China east.

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Ground combat at Shanghai (92,55)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2355 troops, 215 guns, 175 vehicles, Assault Value = 4836

Defending force 103547 troops, 691 guns, 197 vehicles, Assault Value = 2381

Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
40th Chinese Corps
24th Chinese Corps
10th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
60th Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
11th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
95th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
70th Chinese Corps
2nd New Chinese Corps
134th Medium Regiment
1st Medium Regiment
X' Force
134th (East Ang) Regiment
25th Group Army
35th Group Army
2nd Medium Regiment
3rd War Area
19th Group Army
87th Medium Regiment
Z' Force
9th War Area
18th SP Field Artillery Regiment
20th Group Army
Lusu War Area
6th War Area
2/1st Med Regiment
85th Medium Regiment
1st Front
16th Group Army
9th Group Army
21st Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
90th Ind.Mixed Brigade
3rd Mixed Brigade
17th/C Division
133rd Division
89th Ind.Mixed Brigade
132nd Division
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
62nd Infantry Brigade
63rd Infantry Brigade
24th/C Division
56th Infantry Brigade
25th Division
161st Division
58th Ind.Mixed Brigade
24th/A Division
7th Ind.Infantry Brigade
23rd Division
72nd Infantry Brigade
6th Ind.Infantry Brigade
77th Infantry Regiment
41st/B Division
11th Army
China Area Fleet
13th Air Division
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
Shanghai Special Base Force
184th JAAF AF Bn
219th JAAF AF Bn
185th JAAF AF Bn
56th JAAF AF Bn
56th JNAF AF Unit
220th JAAF AF Bn
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
22nd AA Regiment
41st Ind Engineer Regiment
Shanghai SNLF
60th JAAF AF Bn
129th JAAF AF Bn
11th Field Artillery Regiment
28th RF Gun Battalion
37th JAAF AF Bn
30th JAAF AF Bn
47th JAAF AF Bn
104th JAAF AF Bn
57th JAAF AF Bn
Chugoku JNAF Base Force


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This will keep up, enabling us to track Imperial AV at Shanghai.

[witpqs]

China frontier.

[witpqs]

Philippines.

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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1503 troops, 150 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 1157

Defending force 49648 troops, 346 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 978

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

Assaulting units:
15th NZ Brigade
1st Regiment
2nd Regiment
8th NZ Brigade
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
7th Indian Division
14th NZ Brigade
81st (West African) Division
148th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
Eighth US Army
462nd Airborn Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
2nd RAA Jungle Regiment

Defending units:
13th Ind.Mixed Regiment
18th Tank Regiment
102nd Infantry Regiment
6th Division
19th Naval Guard Unit
66th Infantry Regiment
79th Brigade
77th Infantry Brigade
39th/A Division
39th/B Division
14th Naval Construction Battalion
30th JNAF AF Unit
2nd Army
53rd Infantry Brigade
9th RF Gun Battalion
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
2nd South Seas Det.
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
I./4th Infantry Battalion
7th Ship Engineer Regiment
1st Ind.Mixed Regiment
41st Army
48th Field Artillery Regiment
14th Area Army
48th Field AA Battalion
180th JAAF AF Bn


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19 fewer AV than yesterday.

[witpqs]

Home Islands west. That IJN destroyer dodging bombs for the past few days earned its keep, conctruction costs, crew pay, retirement...

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Kumamoto at 102,59, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuharu, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
CVE Sangamon
CVE Santee
CVE Altamaha
CVE Copahee, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Corregidor
CVE Anzio
CVE Makassar Strait, Shell hits 8
CVE Thetis Bay, Shell hits 17, heavy fires
DD McDermut
DD Melvin
DD Laffey, Shell hits 3
DD Sims
DD Helm
DE Snyder
DE Tills


Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 39% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 7,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 7,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD Laffey at 7,000 yards
Ammo storage explosion on CVE Copahee
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Copahee at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Thetis Bay at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD Laffey at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD Laffey at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Thetis Bay at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD McDermut at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Thetis Bay at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD McDermut at 3,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD Helm at 3,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DD McDermut at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Thetis Bay at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages DE Snyder at 2,000 yards
DD Laffey engages DD Hatsuharu at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Thetis Bay at 2,000 yards
CVE Thetis Bay screened from combat
- escorted by DD Helm , DD Sims , DD Laffey ,
DD Melvin , DD McDermut , DE Tills ,
DE Snyder
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Makassar Strait at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CVE Thetis Bay , CVE Makassar Strait screened from combat
- escorted by DD Helm , DD Sims , DD Laffey ,
DD Melvin , DD McDermut , DE Tills ,
DE Snyder
DD Hatsuharu engages CVE Copahee at 3,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...


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Copahee is in tough shape but will make port barring intervention. Altogether 3x CVE are being pulled from that TF (well, Copahee pulled itself off line). That repair shipyard at Shanghai would come in pretty handy.

Our infantry at Kumamoto is still recovering; enemy stength shows as 37 units, 118,620 troops, 896 guns, and 1,280 AFV. There is still a movement arrow out of Kumamoto. The air strikes on Kumamoto's defenses today were great. Counting 76 casualties from the naval bombardment, there were 3,793 casualties inflicted, plus a goodly number of vehicle casualties that are not included in that figure. Just looking at the fitness of our own troops, though, it will be at least two more days before the next assault. Two divisions have fatigue in the 50s, one in the 40s, one in the 30s, and the remaining division in the 20s. I'm concerned that those divisions in the 40s and 50s will underperform and we will incur (possibly greater) casualties without achieving what we need to. The silver lining is that in two days the airfield at Kochi will be size 9 and able to house (based on support present) about 300 more aircraft.

[witpqs]

Home Islands east.

[witpqs]

The complete combat report, for combat junkies.

[BBfanboy]

witpqs:
More...


Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu
Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu

You own Takamatsu so that message means enemy ships transited the strait there. Did you figure out where they went and what they were?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

witpqs:
More...


Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu
Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu

You own Takamatsu so that message means enemy ships transited the strait there. Did you figure out where they went and what they were?

No, no additional evidence at all. I'm wondering if he is trying to bombard with something that has guns too small?? A wacky guess, I suppose. I don't have any ships there, nor any LCU with CD type guns, so I assume the gunfire is Japanese in origin.

[Rio Bravo]

witpqs-

That Kumamoto bombing campaign several posts back is impressive.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo

witpqs-

That Kumamoto bombing campaign several posts back is impressive.

Best Regards,

-Terry

Yeah, it's overwhelming in Clear terrain!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

witpqs:
More...


Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu
Naval Gun Fire at Takamatsu

You own Takamatsu so that message means enemy ships transited the strait there. Did you figure out where they went and what they were?

No, no additional evidence at all. I'm wondering if he is trying to bombard with something that has guns too small?? A wacky guess, I suppose. I don't have any ships there, nor any LCU with CD type guns, so I assume the gunfire is Japanese in origin.

No, the Japanese ships firing guns would have shown as a bombardment. If any of your units there have Dual Purpose guns they would have been the ones firing. The hex at Takamatsu would have the "Narrow Straits" rules. I think the Japanese ships were just passing through, not trying to attack Takamatsu.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



You own Takamatsu so that message means enemy ships transited the strait there. Did you figure out where they went and what they were?

No, no additional evidence at all. I'm wondering if he is trying to bombard with something that has guns too small?? A wacky guess, I suppose. I don't have any ships there, nor any LCU with CD type guns, so I assume the gunfire is Japanese in origin.

No, the Japanese ships firing guns would have shown as a bombardment. If any of your units there have Dual Purpose guns they would have been the ones firing. The hex at Takamatsu would have the "Narrow Straits" rules. I think the Japanese ships were just passing through, not trying to attack Takamatsu.

OK, but why "Naval Gun Fire"? Just a funny way of wording the message I suppose.