Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

End of May 1943

Pucker factor!

Still having to edit posts to get pictures to show...this on a different computer.

[Lowpe]

Argh, I didn't want to lose a sub this way. Deepwater can't save me now...

[Lowpe]

Allies subs also take a shot at a xak off Sorong, a tanker off Miri, and this bad boy trying to get back to Japan.

[Lowpe]

Burma

Lots of action.

No transports shot down over Paoshan today, but the Allies lost 4 to op losses. I am moving two tank units thru Paoshan and into Burma, plus the 2nd Guards Division is approaching Lashio...do I move them north or take a train from Lashio to Shwebo?

Troops and supplies are flying in from Chiang Mai. Supplies to Katha to help there, I am moving a tank regiment along the road to hopefully fully isolate the 2 Allied divisions at Katha.

So far no ground bombing of troops by either side.

A lot of my support troops and artillery are stuck on the road from Akyab to Prome.

More AT guns and another Infantry Division will arrive at Bangkok is a few days. In the last week I have sent 3 Divisions to reinforce Burma.

I released the supplies from Burma in the hopes it will flow forward to the Katha area....probably a vain hope.

[Lowpe]

In other notes:

All Frank A factories repaired. I have 10 of them (1 size 60, the rest size 30). Do I feel that I overspent on r&d for this plane? Ask me again in six months.[;)]

I will start production at 150 per month I think in June.

I may have to buckle down and cross train the Lilly divebomber squadrons in ASW...otherwise I fear what Allied subs will do to me. Already they are a very serious problem. Will think on it.

I unloaded 64 engineers and 4 bull dozers at Sorong...this mod really penalizes IJA engineers and this is a really strong concentration of Japanese engineering might.

[Lowpe]

The last day of May, 1943

Several subs attacks...I am working on allocating more naval single engine torpedo sentai to ASW work...but for now I am stretched super thin as Jakes, Petes, Daves, just can't keep up. I have a few Kate squadrons flying, but need to allocate more.

I am loathe to allocate the Army divebombers too, but might be forced to.

Japan is starting to produce and develop better ASW platforms and as those ships arrive and upgrade it will help.

I suspect Jocke fairly ripped the hair from his head with all the misses yesterday. I probably could right the rant for him. Feels good. Lucky, but good. Not all luck, as there are good Captains in all those ships...I know i placed the tanker captain...can't remember on the others though.

Sub attack near Pamekasan at 58,105

Japanese Ships
PB Taikei Maru

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon, hits 1

SS Tarpon launches 2 torpedoes
PB Taikei Maru attacking submerged sub ....
PB Taikei Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taikei Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taikei Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Taikei Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Medan at 47,76

Japanese Ships
PB Shonon Maru #10

Allied Ships
SS Scamp, hits 1

SS Scamp launches 2 torpedoes at PB Shonon Maru #10
Scamp bottoming out ....
PB Shonon Maru #10 attacking submerged sub ....
PB Shonon Maru #10 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonon Maru #10 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonon Maru #10 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonon Maru #10 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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ASW attack near Terempa at 56,80

Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
SS Haddo, hits 3

SS Haddo launches 2 torpedoes at DD Urakaze
Haddo bottoming out ....
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Urakaze attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Palembang at 49,90

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 9
SC Ch 27

Allied Ships
SS Trout

SS Trout launches 2 torpedoes at SC Ch 9
Trout bottoming out ....
SC Ch 27 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 27 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 27 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 27 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 27 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[Lowpe]

Plane news:

I finally go the second Mavis_L and I have now upgraded the Mavis-L squadron, all six of them, to the wonderful Emily-L. They can really do some heavy lifting.

June 1st now, and some new planes: Irving-s, Tony B, A6M5c, and Frank A all start production this month! Won't make any tony b, and the mavis4-L factory will switch over to the Irving-s. Probably start making it at a 15 per month clip. There are two size 30 factories r&d the Irving-sa.

Two air mobile artillery units arrived for Shortlands and Horn Island. Another 75mm mountain gun unit and a unit of 81mm mortars. One is at Sorong, and the other at Manus. Need more air support forward...several units are in Luzon getting ready to ship out for the front.

Other than that, no attacks in Burma, my sweep didn't fly, and at Paoshan I am marshalling the Nicks to attack the base from Kunming, and the other size 3 airfield nearbye.

One Allied transport shot down over Paoshan.

[Lowpe]

June 1, 1943

Paoshan still holds...moving in a division from china, bombing with Oscars IIb at 10K to help damage the runways while the Nicks rest for another day. Twin engine bombers are keeping up the damage on the runway and troops there, but is is marginal.

Tank regiment will isolate 2 Allied divisions at katha...I will then ground bomb them to drain them of supply making the Allies fly supply into them.

Two Allied task forces approaching Shortlands....a big APD task force, and another Cruiser task force. I have responded by sweeps of two dot bases adjacent and naval strikes with Vals and Lillys. Lots of escorts...we will see what happens but it is extended range for the Vals.

Subs carrying in supplies at Horn...

No losses to subs...

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Plane news:

I finally go the second Mavis_L and I have now upgraded the Mavis-L squadron, all six of them, to the wonderful Emily-L. They can really do some heavy lifting.

June 1st now, and some new planes: Irving-s, Tony B, A6M5c, and Frank A all start production this month! Won't make any tony b, and the mavis4-L factory will switch over to the Irving-s. Probably start making it at a 15 per month clip. There are two size 30 factories r&d the Irving-sa.

Two air mobile artillery units arrived for Shortlands and Horn Island. Another 75mm mountain gun unit and a unit of 81mm mortars. One is at Sorong, and the other at Manus. Need more air support forward...several units are in Luzon getting ready to ship out for the front.

Other than that, no attacks in Burma, my sweep didn't fly, and at Paoshan I am marshalling the Nicks to attack the base from Kunming, and the other size 3 airfield nearbye.

One Allied transport shot down over Paoshan.

The Franks are such a revelation when they arrive. And at this stage you can even use them for some sweeps.

[Lowpe]

30k altitude HR...so they will sweep for all of 1943.

[Lowpe]

June 3, 1943

All r&d for the A6M5c and Frank A have turned that lovely shade of blue.

No fight at the Shortlands...

2nd Tank Regiment is circled and will close off the two Allied Divisions at Katha.

Three more Allied units are moving in the jungle to the SW of Katha...but I have a full division dug in to forts 2, plus the equivalent of another division, AA, and now some heavy artillery. They will be difficult to dig out of that that hex.

Close run thing though...Burma always is.

Supply unloading at Mergui steadily now. Need to open the Paoshan road.

[Lowpe]

Allies stopped short of reinforcing Shortlands.

[Lowpe]

Torpedoed...3000 supplies lost.



this convoy even had an AV flying search out it...but that is the exception. Normally my AV's are all in dot bases providing aviation support for float planes to fly out of. This AV is targeted for some dot east of Singers.

Ship eventually sank. Captain survived.

[Lowpe]

1st week of June 1943

Horn Island bombarded by Allied cruisers...

Lightnings sweep near Magwe...nothing defending.

Vals sortie at Shortland...

[Lowpe]

These 10 ship CL/DD groups put up a murderous flak...both 250kg hits penetrate with nice adjectives.





A followup squadron of 23 Lilly divebombers escorted by 24 Tojo IIb and the fighters get thru and only 4 Lillys bomb and all miss. I hope nobody flies in the afternoon.

[Lowpe]

In Burma, the Allied High Command is taking extreme steps to try and prevent the complete isolation of 2 full Allied divisions...[;)]

[Lowpe]

An expensive day in the Air...I think it is almost never wise to launch multiple sentai naval strikes from the same base, as even though everything had escorts they still got chewed up.

Trying something different this turn...

[Lowpe]

Horn Island holds, forts remain intact....but I lose quite a few squads for basically just disablements on the Allied side.

The two Allied divisions are cut off at Katha, as the 2nd Tank weathers a horrendous bombardment (I believe they might have lost one tank)...but they raced in closing the hexside.

Flying a division (32nd) into Myitkana...which is weakly held right now.

1st Guard Div...rebuilt from the Hollywood fighting, is unloading at Bangkok.

2nd Guard is moving towards Lashio from Paoshan.

I fear the Chindits...and I am working hard to bolster the defenses from them.

[Lowpe]

June 4, 1943

Action over Akyab...

[Lowpe]

First blood goes to the Betty...