Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)

[MichaelU]

Jan 18-19, 1942

Been a rough few days for the Allies in terms of sub warfare. The Japanese subs have been eerily quiet, but suddenly they are back in the game. First off, they torpedo the fully laden AO Patoka just outside San Francisco. The canny captain of the SS I-5 seems to have watched a plethora of lesser targets sail past before slamming four torpedoes into the Patoka. Man, AOs are like gold dust, that really hurts.

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Submarine attack near San Francisco at 218,71

Japanese Ships
SS I-5

Allied Ships
AO Patoka, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

AO Patoka is sighted by SS I-5
SS I-5 launches 4 torpedoes

Because we had seen so little of the Japanese subs recently, we'd both got a bit lazy. The AO sailed without an escort, and the patrolling Catalina group had been run down to provide aircraft for units based closer to the front line. All that will have to change.

But the real hammer blow comes the following day, when our carriers shooting the Horn Island gap run into SS I-16. She lets fly with 8 torpedoes at CV Indomitable, but only one strikes home. The British carrier ends the turn with 28 flotation damage, but this could have been a whole lot worse. It also means our shift of the carriers has been spotted, negating the element of surprise we were hoping for.

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Sub attack near Horn Island at 91,129

Japanese Ships
SS I-16, hits 2

Allied Ships
CV Indomitable, Torpedo hits 1
CL Belfast
DD Jupiter
DD Kipling
DD Kimberly

SS I-16 launches 8 torpedoes at CV Indomitable

But in the air, and on the ground, things go a lot better. Our bombers working over Ambon are surprised to find DD Mikazuki in port, and celebrate by putting a bonb into her.


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Morning Air attack on Ambon , at 76,109

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 10

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Mikazuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 3
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1

There is one annoying attack in China where we have left a unit in rest mode and not noticed the Japanese had arrived, leading to us getting hammered. Not a biggie, just a small unit, but we want every hit we can hand out. Even more annoying is when we launch an attack, but fail to take the unit out of rest mode. Sloppy. I didn't even realise you could attack while in rest mode.

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Ground combat at Pucheng (86,57)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20189 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 661

Defending force 4378 troops, 40 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 127

Allied adjusted assault: 241

Japanese adjusted defense: 157

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: op mode(-)

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

Allied ground losses:
459 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

[MichaelU]

The second day of ground combats though is much better, once we actually got our guys into combat mode. The Japanese launch a second push into Manila, and this time the defenders are waiting.

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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 52962 troops, 487 guns, 201 vehicles, Assault Value = 1389

Defending force 47897 troops, 448 guns, 182 vehicles, Assault Value = 933

Japanese adjusted assault: 428

Allied adjusted defense: 1137

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
4888 casualties reported
Squads: 71 destroyed, 267 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 51 (1 destroyed, 50 disabled)
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1306 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 56 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 33 (3 destroyed, 30 disabled)

What the Japanese haven't managed with their two attacks is to reduce the fortress level. I imagine things will go back to exchanges of artillery fire for a few days while the Japanese units lick their wounds and let their bombers do a bit more work.

In China, the Japanese attempt in the south to crack the outlying bases of fortress Wenchow don't go very well. Three divisions launch a combined assault on Chuhsien, but are bloodily repulsed.

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Ground combat at Chuhsien (88,56)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39564 troops, 338 guns, 126 vehicles, Assault Value = 1201

Defending force 31560 troops, 166 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 929

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 727

Allied adjusted defense: 1720

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2974 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 191 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
687 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Assaulting units:
19th Division
17th Division
22nd Division

Defending units:
50th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
16th Construction Regiment
23rd Group Army
25th Group Army

And at Pucheng, the third angle of the Wenchow triangle, the 32nd Group Army attacks a probing forces of the 115th Regiment and throws it back with heavy losses.

What is particularly amazing about the China situation is that our supply situation is not collapsing. As you can see at Pucheng, it was the Japanese defenders who had the supply negative. A quick check in tracker shows that the overall supply in China now stands at 162,000, up 30,000 in the last couple of weeks. This is marvellous, because despite huge numbers, the Chinese generally are rubbish due to lack of supply.

[MichaelU]

Jan 20-21, 1942

Hmm, wonder where the Solomons push is going to stop. The carriers are still hanging around, and Effate is captured by the 61st Naval Guard Unit, recently spotted capturing Luganville.
This must mean Luganville is no longer garrisoned. I am very tempted to fast transport in some troops. All we need now is troops, fast transports, and the Japanese carriers to go away.

There's not much we can do at the moment, other than making sure none of our ships stray into harm's way. Transport groups that set out weeks ago from the west coast are just turning in SoPac now, and it's easy to forget one and find it unloading at Suva or Noumea just as the carriers get there.

Speaking of carriers, ours are heading down the east coast of Australia. Where they go once they have topped up on fuel largely depends on where the Japanese carriers are.

In Burma, we continue to bomb the Thai troops at Meiktila. Revenge for Manila. Our first group of ground troops, about 100 AV of them, have turned up. Another 75 AV will follow in a couple of days, during which the bombing campaign will continue relentlessly.
Our secret weapon, if all this doesn't work, is that we have bough out a Chinese corps and this is currently advancing to Lashio, from where it will be able to rail into the Irrawaddy valley. It's a small corps, just 200 or AV, but that about doubles our fighting power in the theatre and will hopefully force him to commit some real troops if he wants to take Magwe anytime soon.

His life will be made a lot easier though after Rangoon falls to a combined assault from Thai and Japanese troops.

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Ground combat at Rangoon (54,53)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8203 troops, 54 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 266

Defending force 1842 troops, 11 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 64

Japanese adjusted assault: 325

Allied adjusted defense: 31

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Rangoon !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
151 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 36 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
112th Infantry Regiment
4th RTA Division

Defending units:
1st Gloucestershire Battalion
2nd King Own YLI Battalion

Two rounds of bombardment at Manila have cost us 34 casualties and the Japanese around 250. This is helping make up for all the casualties we are taking from aerial bombing.

Annoyingly, the Japanese also take Kure Island, just to the west of Midway. We had left a small group of Catalinas and an AVP to service them, in a suicidal attempt to keep our naval search pushed as far forward as possible for as long as possible. Both units are lost.

[MichaelU]

Jan 22-25

It's been a fairly quiet few turns in terms of air and sea action, with most of the activity taking place in ground combat. I'll break it up by theatres to make it a little more digestible for four days worth of combat.

CHINA
A Japanese attack at Paotow pushes aside the defenders holding the mountain passes, opening the route to the north. I still have a group controlling the main road, but the secondary road is now clear. Will he race all the way north and start cleaning up there, cut west, or go back and clean out the defenders on the main road? I'm betting on him heading west, as that would allow him to cut off the north from the rest of China without having to march all the way up there. With this in mind a army group currently defending Nanyang starts marching north.

The defenders at the river crossing south of Yennan are roughly handled in a shock attack across the river. There are 600 AV heading on this route towards Sian, and another 800 or so AV on the more southerly road. Currently Sian has 900 AV worth of defenders. I have plans to try even this out a bit, as we need to hold Sian for as long as possible.

The Japanese continue cleaning up all those units in the rear zones. Am not documenting those as they are pretty one-sided and inevitable. Don't mind though, as they die, they queue up to fight again.

The Japanese attack at Wuchow, and despite 1-1 odds manage to lose 900 troops to our 10. I was quite surprised by this result.

Not content to let the Japanese set the pace everywhere, have decided to try a few probing attacks where it looks like they have thinned themselves out. The first such attack kicks off just south of Pucheng, where the 115th infantry regiment is overrun by 32nd group army, losing 1,400 men to 200. There'll be more of these to keep our oppo honest.

The Japanese switch their so far unsuccessful air campaign to the southwest, attempting to bomb the units holding the city of Liuchow. But once again the AVG is there to meet them, taking a heavy toll of the bombers and scattering those that survive so that not a single hit is scored. For the second time we get an ace in a day.

The lack of air superiority for the Japanese is good training for our fighter pilots, and means that we have managed to keep fighting in some open ground we'd normally expect Japanese bombers to make uninhabitable. At some point he will have to bring some real fighters in and sweep away the AVG, but until then we are happy to keep knocking out bombers.

PHILIPPINES
After much air bombardment, and some artillery duels that heavily favour the Allies, the Japanese launch another deliberate assault, and again get repulsed.

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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 52824 troops, 487 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 1368

Defending force 47904 troops, 443 guns, 182 vehicles, Assault Value = 902

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 424

Allied adjusted defense: 1503

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
4054 casualties reported
Squads: 52 destroyed, 215 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 48 disabled
Guns lost 18 (4 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 31 (2 destroyed, 29 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1257 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 128 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 87 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 16 (4 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 60 (19 destroyed, 41 disabled)

Manila is down to 13,000 supplies, and it is this number that is the death clock for the garrison. Probably the best thing the Japanese can do now is keep up the aerial bombardment, and just wait for the defenders to starve to death/run out of bullets.
What annoys me is that the Manila defenders are still getting a negative for experience. Those guys are veterans by now!

BURMA
The situation looks much more stable in Burma, at least in the northern Irrawaddy. The troops fleeing the south turn up at Meiktila, which has been under sustained bombing for about a week, and thrust the RTA division from their blocking positions on the road.

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Ground combat at Meiktila (58,47)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8929 troops, 63 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 246

Defending force 4007 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 108

Allied adjusted assault: 80

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Meiktila !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
2336 casualties reported
Squads: 116 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Allied ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Maybe knowing this was their escape route gave the attackers a bit of extra incentive. With a Chinese corps approaching our AV at Meiktila will be close to 500, so the Japanese are going to have to send some real troops to push us out now. Speaking of which, the first Japanese column is spotted approaching Toungoo, which is extremely thinly garrisoned.

Supply is our Achilles heel in Burma. We managed to get loads into Rangoon before it fell, but this must have all disappeared into China because Burma itself probably holds only 15,000 or so.

DEI
Very quiet. We continue to bomb the oilfields of Palembang and Balikpapan. Port bombing of Ambon finds the DD Mikazuki parked there, but she won't be for long after taking three 250 kg bombs. It looks like he has given up on advancing on here, because all the action seems to have switched to the south Pacific.

[MichaelU]

I mentioned that all the action is in SoPac, but it would be accurate to say that the action is about to kick off in SoPac. A second group of enemy carriers turned up off Effate, and now the whole lot is steaming south towards Suva. For a while Mike and I were convinced that Noumea was the target, but it appears the carriers were only over that side to cover lifting troops off Effate for their next mission. Busy chaps, this Naval Guard unit that has already captured Lunga and Effate.

And we know what their next target is thanks to some loose chatter on Japanese radio.

5/III/66th Naval Guard Unit is loaded on a Japanese DD moving to Koumac

This is why we were convinced that Noumea was the primary target, but that is not where the carriers are heading.

Our carriers, which have been hovering at a relatively safe distance, are now closing on Koumac in the event that he sends a fast transport group to unload there and the carriers head off to cover a much bigger invasion of Suva. So far our carriers have been hanging about without being spotted, and we have a pretty good grasp on where the enemy carriers are thanks to the huge number of Catalinas buzzing around the area.

It's a small shot, but it would be very nice to pull off.

To make Noumea a bit more crunchy, we've dropped in three units of P40Es and two units of Banshees, so 70 fighters and 30 dive bombers.

Saratoga and Yorktown are cruising towards Auckland for a fuel topup and then to head north, but it will probably be 4-5 days before they can get there, at which point the action is very likely to be over.

Suva has 220 AV of mostly New Zealand troops, with 20,000 supplies and dug into level 3 forts. Wonder how long they will last if he brings everything.

[MichaelU]

Here's the current situation around Noumea/Suva. He seems to have combined two carrier groups, one of which had sailed down from covering the loading of the assault division at Manus, and the other which had covered the unloading at Effate and Lunga.

To the southwest our carriers lurk, hoping that he will leave something uncovered for us to strike. To the southeast of Suva, and at a safe distance, the Saratoga and Yorktown are steaming towards the threatened sector.

[MichaelU]

And here is the position in China, showing the apparent main lines of advance for the Japanese forces in the north. The south has been really quiet.

Two big groups are moving on Sian, while one heads for Lanchow. Sian has about 900 AV and another 150 or so on the way. Lanchow is defended by just one corps, but an entire army group of about 700 AV is heading there to reinforce. We're also sending up some artillery, the first time that central reserve has been tapped.

[ny59giants]

Troop experience levels - Don't forget that most of your troops in play start off with experience levels below 50. That means their AV is cut in half. Besides deliberate attacks, ground bombardments will steadily raise it into the low 50s. You set your preps for the troops and allow it to get to 100% so both experience and morale improve for those troops.

[MichaelU]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

Troop experience levels - Don't forget that most of your troops in play start off with experience levels below 50. That means their AV is cut in half. Besides deliberate attacks, ground bombardments will steadily raise it into the low 50s. You set your preps for the troops and allow it to get to 100% so both experience and morale improve for those troops.

I am painfully aware of the low experience level of our troops. That Experience (-) on just about every combat report is always there.

I wasn't aware that you could raise experience by getting into an artillery duel. And you imply that once prep hits 100 pct, troops will start to gain experience just from standing around doing nothing? I suppose they are going on route marches and doing pushups and that sort of thing.

[ny59giants]

If Japan is doing ground bombardments, your experience levels go up. Not if you are the one doing them.

Yes, the 100% prep level does aid in experience going up along with morale which is also needed for prolong combat.

[MichaelU]

Ooh, I've just checked my units at Kaifeng, which he has been bombarding with little effect for ages, and they are all experience 50 and above. That is a lot of experience for a Chinese unit. Nice.

[MichaelU]

Jan 26, 1942

Not a great round for us, could have been a lot worse.

The round kicks off with some sub action. A yard oiler escaping from Noumea is picked off off just outside the harbour. And an xAK carrying supplies to Pearl Harbour is torpedoed and drops out of the convoy, where it is torpedoed again.

These are always unpleasant of course, but what is particularly annoying is that a sub spots our carriers hovering west of Noumea and launches 6 torpedoes at CVL Wellington. When I say it could have been worse, none of them hit. The escorts close in and put on a couple of hits, but too late, because by now Japanese high command knows the carriers are there and any element of surprise is lost.

And now we know where the Japanese are landing.

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Pre-Invasion action off Nadi (131,160)

Japanese Ships
BC Kawachi
BC Kirishima
BC Hiei
CA Miyako
CA Chishima
CL Kinugasa
CL Aoba
DD Shiranui
xAK Kazan Maru

Allied ground losses:
158 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

It looks like he has brought the Sasebo Assault Division, based on some unloading reports. That is not going to be enough to take Suva by itself. But then he does have all his carriers and a whole bunch of battleships in support.

There is a raid by 147 Vals on the Suva airfield, which has been abandoned bar a few search planes.

It looks like he is not restricting himself to just this one assault on the Solomons, because there are a couple of other TFs wandering around going somewhere, although it is not yet clear where they are heading. Our carriers are close enough to interdict, but his carriers are keeping us honest.

[MichaelU]

Jan 27, 1942

Ooh, that could have been so good. The screen fills with the massive image of CV Shokaku, hunted by an Allied sub. Much excited screaming ensues, but nope, not a thing.

Sub attack near Yasawa Islands at 127,156

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku
DD Oboro
DD Kikuzuki

Allied Ships
SS Pegase

SS Pegase launches 7 torpedoes at CV Shokaku

That's a French sub as well, so the captain can't even blame duds for missing such a big target. I suppose we can't complain too loudly as last turn the CVL Wellington managed to dodge 6 torps from a Japanese sub.

The Japanese are landing at Shortlands. Several task forces appears off Rabaul, covered by what looks like the light carriers last spotted in the DEI. At Nadi our old friends the 1st Sasebo Asssault Division, which had been cowering on Manus, mark their return to the fray. They easily brush aside the defending battalion.

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Ground combat at Nadi (131,160)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4695 troops, 74 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 159

Defending force 716 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 26

Japanese adjusted assault: 52

Allied adjusted defense: 7

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nadi !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
325 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Sasebo Assault Division

Defending units:
2nd Fiji Battalion

[MichaelU]

Jan 28, 1942

This time it is the turn of the BC Hiei to dodge torpedoes, which is does with aplomb. Damn.

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Sub attack near Yasawa Islands at 127,157

Japanese Ships
BC Hiei
CA Miyako
CL Kinugasa
DD Isokaze
xAK Kazan Maru
xAK Brasil Maru
DD Shiranui

Allied Ships
SS Trout

SS Trout launches 6 torpedoes at BC Hiei

On the bright side, at least we're not left cursing the duds that would doubtless ensued if Trout had actually scored any hits.

Suva is softened up by a battle cruiser TF, which does a good job of shutting down the airfield.

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Naval bombardment of Suva at 132,160

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson III (LR): 2 damaged
Hudson III (LR): 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BC Chichibu
BC Ishitaka
CA Suzuka
CL Nagara
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Yamakaze
DD Tanikaze
DD Akigumo

Allied ground losses:
235 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 20 (4 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (4 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 47
Port hits 24
Port supply hits 7

I was tempted to ambush his Vals at Suva with a few squadrons of P40s, but we'll have to shelve that one. Still, the damage to the fighting troops wasn't too bad and I imagine he'll have to travel some distance to rearm.

Another attempt to take Manila by storm, another bloody repulse.

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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 52051 troops, 486 guns, 239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1297

Defending force 47790 troops, 440 guns, 168 vehicles, Assault Value = 854

Japanese adjusted assault: 431

Allied adjusted defense: 1129

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
4836 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 313 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 64 disabled
Guns lost 23 (2 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1486 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 135 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 66 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 35 (1 destroyed, 34 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (4 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Japanese losses in Manila easily exceed 20,000 troops, which I'm not going to complain about. Every soldier lying under the rubble of the city won't be invading Australia.

The Japanese capture Yennan in China, which was held by the 6th Group Army and a base force. The two corps of the 6th Group Army, having already been hammered twice, had less fighting power than the base force. By chance the units retreat to the road leading into Yennan. I can't think of a more annoying place for the Japanese player than here, because now his troops that just captured Yennan no longer have a road connection to a supply source. Should delay him for a good week or two while he clears the road.

The Japanese also mop up the defenders who had retreated from Tarakan to Tandjoengselor, the base just to the south. Bit annoyed that I didn't fly out the three Do-24K float planes based there, which are all lost. Still, with the shrinking number of Dutch bases, we don't need as many float planes, so not a huge blow.

Unloading starts at Rabaul, which should fall swiftly.

[MichaelU]

Jan 29-Feb 3

Been a while since the last update, for which many apologies. Let me pick up where I left off, in Rabaul.

We have held out a lot longer in Rabaul than we had any hope to expect, given that one of our first moves was to pull out Lark Force and put it somewhere it won't just get steamrollered. Thanks to our Banshees and ships we turned back the first assault, but the second attack is much more heavily supported, and we don't even both opposing the landing.

We do manage to score one kill, when xAK Terukawa Maru hits a mine, and then gets finished off by one our subs.

Still, the end result is inevitable.

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Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7895 troops, 36 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 185

Defending force 604 troops, 5 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 12

Japanese adjusted assault: 41

Allied adjusted defense: 3

Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!

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

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

Allied ground losses:
403 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (6 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

The other major action in the SoPac is the assault on Suva. The carriers hang around north of Suva, sending in daily strikes by Vals to try soften up the defenders. But not much damage is done, and when the Japanese troops arrive at Suva it is clear they are worn out by their hike through the jungle from Nadi and struggling to transport supplies from their beachhead.

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Ground combat at Suva (132,160)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8270 troops, 97 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 272

Defending force 9574 troops, 102 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 274

Japanese adjusted assault: 59

Allied adjusted defense: 803

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 13 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1063 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
160 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
52nd Naval Guard Unit
1st Sasebo Assault Division
61st Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
1st Fiji Battalion
2nd Fiji Battalion
8th NZ Brigade
14th NZ Brigade
Suva Naval Base Force
35th RNZA Bty
1st RNZAF Base Sqdn
37th RNZA Bty

I think the Japanese high command may have underestimated the determination of the Suva defenders.

This is now something of a quandary for the Japanese. They either have to reinforce heavily, pull their troops out, or leave them there to die. We're very close to our major supply and rearm base at Auckland, and they are very far from Truk.

The Japanese carriers have already had a narrow escape or two from the subs gathering in the Suva area. And with Suva in no immediate danger of falling, we set up a little P40 ambush to whittle down his carrier force.

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Morning Air attack on 8th NZ Brigade, at 132,160 (Suva)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
D3A1 Val x 46

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 63

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 13 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Tracker is showing 22 Vals down in the turn, which is a very pleasing result. Killing those super hot starting pilots is a top priority.

Throughout the remainder of the SoPac there is a lot of landing at unoccupuied islands. A small Allied TF makes an attempt to interrupt this, and shows us that our thus far very cautious approach had been fully justified.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 126,143

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
B5N2 Kate x 36

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Helena, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
DD Blue, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bagley

We thought we were clear of the area where his carriers were operating, but I suspect a group had been pulled back for refuelling and just happened to stumble across the Helena. She was a good ship. Happily it looks like DD Blue might make it. She has 74 float damage but is still going and near somewhere she can pull in to do some basic repairs.

Our carriers have been hanging around near the combat area, with Lex and Enterprise to the west and Saratoga and Yorktown to the south. But sensing an opportunity might be opening at Suva, we plan to gather all our carrier striking power south of Suva and see what he does there.

[MichaelU]

In other sectors things are painfully quiet. Since the last failed attack Manila has been subjected to daily air strikes, we continue to bomb the DEI oilfields, and some small attacks happen in China.

In Burmma, a very lightly defended Toungoo falls to the 55th Cavalry Regiment and 3rd RTA Division. The next stop on the march north for Japan is Meiktila, but this will present something more of a challenge now that we have a Chinese corps and the Burma division digging in there. We're also bombing anything that moves, using bases in the Irrawaddy.

We're starting to get a lot of reports about troops prepping for Batavia, and also troops loading at Cam Ranh Bay. Could there be a big strike coming? He hasn't managed to secure air superiority yet, so going in without carrier cover would be quite dicey. We have the Renown and a cluster of light cruisers in place to oppose him, plus two heavy cruisers on the way.

[MichaelU]

Feb 4-5, 1942

Looks like the Japanese carriers are not so excited about bombing Suva now. They pull back north, either to refuel and rearm, or to make sure they are not going to get hit by Suva-based bombers.

We're taking this opportunity to sneak in some reinforcements to Noumea. We're also taking a battleship division based at Auckland and sending it up to bombard the Japanese positions on Suva. Both will be covered by our carriers, which are now lurking to the south.

[MichaelU]

In China, the Japanese launch a series of attacks to clear the main road to the north. They outnumber us heavily, but the defenders benefit from the mountainous terrain. The first attack goes in at 1-2, and the second at 1-1. It's only a matter of time before our boys crack, but they are buying precious days for our reinforcements to get to Lanchow and dig in.

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Ground combat at 93,34 (near Kweisui)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8877 troops, 78 guns, 100 vehicles, Assault Value = 249

Defending force 6243 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 118

Japanese adjusted assault: 180

Allied adjusted defense: 115

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
227 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
163 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Cavalry Brigade
1st Cavalry Brigade
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
11th Chinese Corps
17th Group Army

There has been an interesting development near Wenchow, shown in the picture below. A group of Japanese units has wandered to the hex north of Wenchow and stopped there. A Chinese corps from Chuhsien to the north is following them, and by using the same road will hopefully put them out of supply. An army group is heading up from Wenchow, and another from Pucheng to the west. In total we can 1,400 AV into the hex. It will be interesting to see what he has in there, but we're hoping to trap it and give it a good hammering. Am a bit hazy though about hexside control and retreat rules. Is there an easy way to tell where a hex is likely to be able to draw supply for the Japanese player?

[MichaelU]

Feb 6, 1942

The US battleships go in to support the embattled defenders of Suva.

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Naval bombardment of Suva at 132,160

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
381 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Was that a good result? I'm not sure. But hopefully the 1st Sasebo assault division is feeling somewhat put out, because the Suva defenders are going on the attack next turn. I'm hoping the disruption from the bombardment, added to the fact that they were showing as low supply on their last attack, will mean we can start whittling them down before they can be reinforced. It could go horribly wrong.

The Japanese are moving up the east coast of Sumatra and down the west coast of Borneo, picking off the smaller bases. Still no sign of a move on Java. A couple more days and we'll have added two heavy cruisers to our fighting power in the region, so we are happy to wait.

A couple of smaller forces get whacked in China. He is making a move towards Nanning in he southwest with a fairly small group, the 4th Independent Mixed Regiment with 120 or so AV. In the north he continues to batter away at our blocking position, but the brave men of the 17th Group Army manage to survive another attack.

[BBfanboy]

The result was very good, no doubt because many of the SNLF squads were already disabled/disrupted from their abortive attack and your BBs finished a few off. Most bombardments don't start hitting combat squads until most of the support squad are destroyed or disabled. I suppose this reflects combat squads dug in while the support squads are moving around doing their work.