Bottlenecks and Longnecks - Anomander Rake (J) vs dwbradley (A)

[dwbradley]

Game Start Tactical Considerations.
So, the game start situation gives me a very damaged PH but a house rule prevents further attacks on Dec. 7th. Oklahoma and Arizona are straight 99s across the board, so scuttle. The other 6 BB are in various states, mostly not good.

Enterprise is only 3 hexes from Pearl and KB's location is unknown. In our previous game, Paul had kept KB near to PH and pounded it for approx. five 2-day turns. A lot of bombing happened. And then KB went away, replenished and returned to continue pounding PH until all of the BB were sunk along with a lot of other valuable assets, including many CAs, CLs and DDs. I fully expected much the same treatment this time. I could just run away, but I wanted to fight back some way, in keeping with my newly found spine.
And if I run, which way is safe? I finally decided to continue to Pearl (and disband the TF) but to send the DB and TB squadrons to Lahaina and the F4F3As to Pearl to try to bolster the CAP until some repair could take place and damaged planes could join the fight. A foolish move? Perhaps. Stay tuned for the reports. I promise they are coming, guys.

Elsewhere, things are pretty much as you might expect. Singapore is a bit banged up, as is Clark and Manila. Khota Bharu has already fallen. Again, the House Rule prevents further attacks on the first turn in these locations also.

Large Slow Target has provided for our convenience many pre-made convoys. There are also quite a lot of ships here and there already at sea. Some of the pre-made stuff was just what I would have wanted and some needed rework to meet what I thought I wanted to do. Yes, of course, everyone's mileage will vary for this type of situation. Still and all, quite a bit of work to go through these and make determinations. In a number of cases I just disbanded the TF if I could not decide where those ships might be needed.


At least until I can catch up, I am going to provide roughly 1-week reports. Note that we are playing 2-day turns except for the first 2 days.

[dwbradley]

December 7th through 14th report

December 7th, 1941
So the first heart-in-the-mouth moment happens:
Sub attack near Pearl Harbor at 179,107

Japanese Ships
SS I-16_
Allied Ships
CV Enterprise
DD Gridley
DD Balch
DD Ellet
DD Benham
DD Dunlap
SS I-16_ launches 2 torpedoes at CV Enterprise

A miss, but did that give away where Enterprise was heading?

The IJN shoots up a few hapless stragglers:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
PG Cicala, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
PG Robin, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
PG Tern, Shell hits 17, and is sunk

Day Time Surface Combat, near Shanghai at 92,55, Range 14,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hasu
CA Izumo
PG Toba
PG Atami
PG Ataka

Allied Ships
PG Peterel, Shell hits 8, and is sunk

And there are a few Sub/ASW encounters of no significance.

Para-drops capture Vigan and Appari to get the Luzon ball rolling for the Empire and that was pretty much it for the first day.

[dwbradley]

December 8th, 1941

So things should start happening pretty fast now:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 08, 41


I clear the obligatory sub-laid mines from Bataan:

TF 381 encounters mine field at Bataan / Corregidor (78,77)

Allied Ships
AM Quail
AM Tanager
AM Finch

10 mines cleared


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 551 encounters mine field at Bataan / Corregidor (78,77)

Allied Ships
AM Lark
AM Whippoorwill

14 mines cleared

The slaughter of the innocents (and not so innocents) begins. My subs are ineffective against Luzon landings:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Bukit Besi - Dungun at 53,78, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Takao
CA Atago
CL Kinu
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio

Allied Ships
xAKL Dai Tung, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

Poor visibility due to Rain with 85% moonlight


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 80,72

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Samidare
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
SS Sculpin~



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Bataan / Corregidor at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SS I-124*

Allied Ships
AM Tanager, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AM Quail


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 81,71

Japanese Ships
xAK Azumasan Maru
xAK Azuma Maru
TB Tomozuru

Allied Ships
SS Perch~



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near 79/74 at 78,73, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1
DD Samidare

Allied Ships
DD Scout, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Thanet, Shell hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Iba at 78,74, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1
DD Samidare

Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Paracel Islands at 75,66, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo

Allied Ships
DM Thracian, Shell hits 3, heavy fires


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Lingga at 51,89

Japanese Ships
SS I-121*

Allied Ships
TK Anders Jahre, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Laoag at 80,71

Japanese Ships
xAP Husimi Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
SC Ch-6

Allied Ships
SS S-40~


I catch a break. Bad weather, or some other factor causes the sweeps to come in fragmented:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 21
P-40B Warhawk x 24
F4F-3A Wildcat x 18
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 48 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 11

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 16
P-40B Warhawk x 16
F4F-3A Wildcat x 14
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 13

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 5
P-40B Warhawk x 8
F4F-3A Wildcat x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 3 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 1
P-40B Warhawk x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, and is sunk



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 1
P-40B Warhawk x 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed


And no port or airfield strikes.


Not so good fortune at Manila
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 64

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 4
P-40B Warhawk x 6
P-40E Warhawk x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed

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Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 8

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 2 destroyed



<Several minor entries deleted>



Netties come to Manila; catch a sub under repair
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 40
G3M2 Nell-Chukou x 27
G4M1 Betty-Rikko x 40

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
SS Seadragon~, Bomb hits 1


<Air attacks on Hong Kong and Malayan targets deleted>


A Para drop takes Batan Island and Babuyan


Big sigh of relief as Enterprise goes unscathed at least for now. I should have scuttled BB West Virginia but optimist that I am………

I have TF running all over the place, looking for a place to hide or escape to.

[dwbradley]

We switch to 2-day turns
December 9th and 10th. 1941

December 9th:
I think this was KB. Too bad only a DD but I heard sinking noises
ASW attack near Pearl Harbor at 181,101

Japanese Ships
DD Akigumo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Hiei
CA Chikuma
DD Isokaze
DD Kasumi
DD Arare
DD Tanikaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
SS Pompano~


<a lot more slaughter of the innocents deleted. My subs still do nothing useful against the Luzon landings.>

ASW attack near Laoag at 80,72

Japanese Ships
DD Harusame
DD Samidare
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
SS S-37~


But one of the Dutch subs makes the Orange glow with pride
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Jesselton at 68,85
Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hibiki
Allied Ships
SS O20*


Landings at Nauru, Guam.

Sweeps from KB over Pearl resume. The weather continues to be the Allies friend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 11

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 17
P-40B Warhawk x 19
F4F-3A Wildcat x 6
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed



Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 10

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 4
P-40B Warhawk x 13
F4F-3A Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 3
F4F-3A Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x A6M2 Zero-Reisen sweeping at 18000 feet


Netties start killing the fleeing ships in the PI. P40Es knock a few out of the sky


Hong Kong is bombed with a number of raids

Baby KB goes to work from somewhere south of Mindanao

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Zamboanga at 75,89

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Cape Fairweather
xAK American Leader
AKV Langley, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Tantalus

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x B5N1 Kate-Kankoh launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Zamboanga at 75,89

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Yu Sang, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Cape Fairweather, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
xAK Capillo, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK American Leader, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B5N1 Kate-Kankoh launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

Massive explosion on xAK Capillo




Here's my unpleasant surprise for the day
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Pre-Invasion action off Mersing (51,82)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

91 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
DMS W-6
DMS W-5
DMS W-4
DMS W-3
DMS W-1
AK Sasako Maru
AV Sanyo Maru

Japanese ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

DMS W-6 fired at enemy troops
DMS W-5 fired at enemy troops
DMS W-4 fired at enemy troops
DMS W-3 fired at enemy troops
DMS W-1 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Mersing (51,82)

TF 84 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 51,82

Japanese ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

20mm T98 AA Gun damaged beyond repair during unload of 84th JAAF AF Bn
Type 97 Medium Tank accidentally lost during unload of 1TD 1st Tank Rgt /2
7.7mm T99 AAMG lost in surf during unload of 3rd Medium FA Rgt
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 15th Ind Engr Rgt
Motorized Support lost from landing craft during unload of 23rd Ind Engr Rgt
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost overboard during unload of 18ID 55th Infantry Rgt
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 18ID 55th Infantry Rgt
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 18ID 55th Infantry Rgt /2
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost from landing craft during unload of 18ID 55th Infantry Rgt /3
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt /2
10 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt /2
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 accidentally lost during unload of 18ID 114th Infantry Rgt /3

My surface forces have withdrawn to Java, the subs in the area were caught out of position and I had pulled the torpedo bombers out to Java. So, two Infantry regiments, some tanks and combat engineers. Mersing has an Aussie inf. Regiment and little else. Fort level is barely at 1. This does not look good.

Amphib landings also at Miri, Brunei, and Beaufort.

Nauru is captured



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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 10, 41

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An Amphib landing force approaches Kuching and the O19 misses.
Sub attack near Kuching at 58,88

Japanese Ships
xAKL Anbo Maru
PB Tokotsu Maru

Allied Ships
SS O19*

SS O19* launches 2 torpedoes at xAKL Anbo Maru

Ocean Island, Manado, Naga and 80,77 (on Luzon) are invaded


Saury finds an unescorted merchie and attacts on the surface

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Submarine attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 65,72

Japanese Ships
xAK Eiko Maru #2, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Saury~

xAK Eiko Maru #2 is sighted by SS Saury~
SS Saury~ attacking on the surface
Burnside, J L decides to submerge SS Saury~ due to damage


The attrition by sweeps continues at Manila and Clark. I have pulled the P40Es back to Cagayan. I will hold them here for a day or two until I can buy them out and shift to Java. Likewise with the B17Ds.



I had moved some Dutch B-339s and Brit Hudsons to the airfield one hex south of Kuching. They did indeed attack but two separate attacks were ineffectual.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 58,88

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-339D x 2
Hudson I x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Aso Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing from 7000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb




Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 58,88

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-339D x 2
Hudson I x 7

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Kaiko Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Hudson I bombing from 7000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb


<I have omitted much carnage being wreaked by Netties>

Ocean Island falls to the Empire.

OK, so what is interesting here is the lack of attacks on PH. It seems the weather gods were my friends once more. This allows PH a little breathing room to repair and get ready for the assaults that surely are coming. Aaaaaaaaaand, I am now thinking it is time for Enterprise to run and hide. I have been lucky so far and I have gotten good value from the Wildcats, I know where KB is (six hexes NW of Pearl) and the positions of his subs, so I decide to run at Full Speed to the SE. Just Enterprise and a gaggle of DD. Running Full Speed for two days will accumulate some damage but I can then turn towards San Diego. I am convinced Paul will stay and pound Pearl until all of the BB are sunk or he runs out of sorties.

[dwbradley]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 11, 41
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Two destroyers, fleeing from Manila are intercepted and chewed up pretty good, but not sunk.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Zamboanga at 75,89, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Shell hits 1
CL Nagara
DD Yukikaze
DD Hayashio
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Peary, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 4, on fire




There is a landing at Legaspi. So, the potential for a two-pronged attack at Luzon
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Amphibious Assault at Legaspi (82,82)

TF 89 troops unloading over beach at Legaspi, 82,82

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

12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 16ID Kimura Det.
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost from landing craft during unload of 16ID Kimura Det. /3
10 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 16ID Kimura Det. /4







KB continues with sweeps at PH


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 47 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 11
P-40B Warhawk x 26
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 4 destroyed

and:
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Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 14

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 5
P-40B Warhawk x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed


I switch my Hudsons to ground attack at Kuching but hit nothing.
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Morning Air attack on 31ID II./124th Inf Battalion, at 58,88 (Kuching)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-339D x 2
Hudson I x 8

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Hudson I bombing from 7000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 31ID III./124th Inf Battalion ...
Also attacking 31ID II./124th Inf Battalion ...


Then in the afternoon, the weather no longer wards off the heavy blow
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Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 39
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 142
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku x 120

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 10
P-40B Warhawk x 13
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 3 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 1 destroyed, 25 damaged
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 5 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 4 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-1 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 1 destroyed on ground
R3D-2: 2 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2
SS Tautog~, Bomb hits 1
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 1
SS Cachalot~, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 1

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

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 28
Port hits 5


O19 hits one of the Kuching invasion ships, but alas, after the troops are ashore.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Kuching at 58,88

Japanese Ships
xAK Kaiko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Tokotsu Maru

Allied Ships
SS O19*








The IJA attacks immediately at Mersing and gets surprisingly good odds, blowing the Aussies back to Johore Bharu. Ruh Roh! Now it is a race to see how much I can get back to Johore Bharu before he can move from Mersing and attack.
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Ground combat at Mersing (51,82)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11354 troops, 142 guns, 166 vehicles, Assault Value = 367

Defending force 3133 troops, 65 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 80

Japanese adjusted assault: 307

Allied adjusted defense: 39

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Mersing !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1287 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 34 (33 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
18ID 22nd Recon Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
1TD 1st Tank Regiment
18ID 114th Infantry Regiment
18ID 55th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
102nd Ship Eng Coy
84th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
8ID 22nd Australian Brigade
30 Battery/3 HAA
113th RAF Adv Base Force




The initial HK assault goes well for the Japanese

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 19872 troops, 354 guns, 173 vehicles, Assault Value = 751
Defending force 9492 troops, 146 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 266

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1152

Allied adjusted defense: 697

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
488 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
479 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 50 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled





Miri, Kuching, and Beaufort fall to the invaders. Guam and Manado hold on, at least for this day.




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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 12, 41




Paul has chosen to soften up Wake before invading. I think we all know what a tough nut Wake can be for the unwary so this is smart.

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Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Kako
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
DD Yuzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Uzuki
DD Oboro

Allied ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 17
Port hits 7
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 2



S-41 scores a hit but also, sadly on an already empty ship.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Aparri at 83,72

Japanese Ships
xAK Koyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Chowa Maru
PB Choun Maru #18

Allied Ships
SS S-41~


The air assault on Singers begins with, you guessed it, sweeps. A number of sweeps at different altitudes yield 10 dead Buffaoes for one Oscar downed. Can't take much of this. Time to get the fighters to Java where they can combine forces with the Dutch and Americans


Netties visit Manila
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 9
G4M1 Betty-Rikko x 20

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
TK La Estrella Caltex, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Silvestre, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
YO-41, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS Seadragon~, Bomb hits 1
PC Perry, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAPc Santo Domingo, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Port hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 32
G3M2 Nell-Chukou x 27
G4M1 Betty-Rikko x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell-Chukou: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
SS Seadragon~, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
ARD YFD-1 Dewey, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PC Maryanne, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Tito, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PC Perry, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
YP _Mayapay, Bomb hits 1, on fire



Wake is hit again in the daylight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

9 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Kako, Shell hits 2
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
DD Yuzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Uzuki
DD Oboro

Allied ground losses:
262 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 8
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 4


Hong Kong holds for the second day

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 19495 troops, 354 guns, 173 vehicles, Assault Value = 684

Defending force 9115 troops, 146 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 222

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 728

Allied adjusted defense: 321

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
850 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled

Allied ground losses:
486 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 59 disabled


Guam is captured, Manado holds

[dwbradley]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 13, 41



The bombardment of Wake is continued and Wake is invaded. My subs there are ineffective and take some hits in the shallow waters

Sweeps at Pearl continue to attrite the remaining fighter force there and then the pounding of the port and its vessals goes on and on.



I switch my Hudsons to attacking the airfield at Kuching and they do some good
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kuching , at 58,88

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-339D x 3
Hudson I x 9

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 6













--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 40
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 64
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku x 44

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 7
P-40B Warhawk x 3
F4F-3A Wildcat x 2
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 27 damaged
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 1 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 7, on fire
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AM Bobolink, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
AS Pelias, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PC YP-108, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

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

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 18
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1







Hong Kong falls to the invaders
Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19853 troops, 357 guns, 173 vehicles, Assault Value = 614

Defending force 8741 troops, 146 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 171

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 517

Allied adjusted defense: 245

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5869 casualties reported
Squads: 317 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 561 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 87 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 162 (162 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 145 (145 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 4



The forces ashore at Luzon begine moving toward Clark, taking San Fernado and Tuguegarao . I decide not to evac. Lingayen but hold with the forces there and what has retreated to there. Give Clark a bit more time to prepare, I hope



Wake falls (pretty easily)

Manado continues to hold, but it can't last much longer

BREAK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 14, 41



The daily rounds of sweeps and Nettie (and Sally and Lilly) attacks resumes at Luzon, Singapore and Pearl. The CAP at Pearl is just about used up.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 118 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 39
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 63
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku x 32

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 8 damaged
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 5 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
C-33: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
AG Argonne, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 2
AV Curtiss, Bomb hits 1
DM Tracy, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Preble, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PC Tiger, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Repair Shipyard hits 2
Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 11
Port hits 3





More forces are brought ashore and Manado is taken

[dwbradley]

FIRST EIGHT DAYS SUMMARY (Dec 7-14)
I am hoping that I will be able to do these 8-day summaries a little faster in the future. I have been a real sluggard in getting this going and our game pace is moving along very quickly. (Translation: I am way behind).

Overall, I would say things are going pretty much as expected. I am scrambling to get things where I need them to be. The Empire is creating carnage in multiple arenas and there is little for me to do but get out of the way if I can and prepare defensive positions at least a little bit removed from the current front lines. Admiral Paul is pounding the snot out of PH, but I don't think he can sink Oahu. I have hatched my Java defense plan and stuff (units and supply) is on the way there.

CHINA. I have not talked about China so far. I am not sure what to say about it since I am basically confused by the situation there. My first look at it showed me a sea of exclamation points (supply shortages). Further examination of those hexes showed a mix of LST's special Admin units (static) and more conventional Chinese units, although many of them are static also. If I stand and fight in the clear terrain will it work better than running with the mobile units. Will the garrisoning requirements provide enough impediment to the IJA? I have simply vacillated so far, waiting to see what Paul will do.

THE ECONOMY. I think it is much too early to draw any conclusions about what will happen with supply and such-like. I turned on all of the agreed repair functions and some portion of the voluntary repairs. My chosen metric for monitoring how things are going is going to be the overall supply total, which starts at 3,912,274. I am going to round this off and refer to it in future as 3912K. My presumption is that this value represents the total Allied supply worldwide. I have no idea if it includes supply on ships. I have also noted that many of the small bases where I had to up the required supply number are only slowly increasing to above 10K, so they are ot yet repairing anything. Over the first eight days this number dropped to 3699K (-212K). Early days here. Stay tuned. And of course, global supply does little to tell me about local supply (Oz, China, India, etc.). It is early days for this too.

MAPS: I think I suck at making nicely annotated maps as many of the AAR writers do. So, I am including an experimental map here where I am trying to convey some sense of the overall posture. I have left all of the icons turned on here but it may be better to turn some of them off. And the scale may make this not very useful. What do you think?

Dave Bradley

[SierraJuliet]

The map looks good. All those extra dot bases will help to give a good picture of what belongs to each side.

[dwbradley]

Eight Day Report for 12/15/41-12/22/41

<as in previous, numerous deletions to focus on the good stuff>

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 15, 41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweeps continue over Luzon but nobody is home (pretty much true, maybe a leftover P40B or two still gamely resisting)



Quite a few air raids on Singapore port and harbor. CL Maritius and DD Vampire start the game in repair. I elected to try to get them repaired enough to make a good run for it. That was a mistake.


Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 74
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 10 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Mauritius~, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Vendetta, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Port hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are not many warships left at PH but Paul is nothing if not thorough
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pearl Harbor at 180,107

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 113 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 39
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku x 26

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Ward
DD Litchfield
AMc Redbird, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Cockatoo
YP _Seminole, Bomb hits 1

I wonder if Paul has noticed that the Enterprise F4F squadron (VF-6) has been part of the air defense of PH and what he may have concluded from that. The Enterprise bombers are at Lahaina and providing great search, including hitting an occasional I-boat




Taking Kluang severs contact between Singers, Johore Bharu and the rest of the Malayan peninsula. I decide that the units thus isolated must stand and fight, with only minor positional adjustments. Their task is to squat on the roads and rails and delay the inevitable assault on Singapore. I will try to airlift base force and air HQ units to Sumatra and Java. Precious, precious engineers and AV support!

Ground combat at Kluang (50,82)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1446 troops, 4 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 76

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

Japanese adjusted assault: 36

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 36 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kluang !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 16, 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More sweeps at PH reduce the air defense assets to nearly zero

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 14 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 9

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 5
P-40B Warhawk x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 13

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed








And the pounding of Pearl continues in the afternoon of the 16th

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 37
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 80
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku x 13

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val-Kanbaku: 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Ward
DD Litchfield
AVD Thornton, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1
AV Curtiss, Bomb hits 1
Port hits 1

[dwbradley]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 17, 41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





The pounding of PH is relentless

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 90 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 38
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 76

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AK Castor", Bomb hits 1, on fire
Port hits 1



















And they are back in the afternoon session
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 29
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 52

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 5, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
ARD-1, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Gamble, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb




The Empire's forces on Luzon have reached Lingayen and take it easily
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Lingayen (79,75)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12081 troops, 203 guns, 235 vehicles, Assault Value = 634

Defending force 8641 troops, 153 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 341

Japanese adjusted assault: 255

Allied adjusted defense: 28

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lingayen !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
506 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2621 casualties reported
Squads: 171 destroyed, 70 disabled
Non Combat: 130 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 81 (81 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
65th Brigade
48ID 1st Formosa Regiment
48ID 47th Infantry Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
48ID 48th Engineer Regiment
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
2TD 7th Tank Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
48ID 48th Field Artillery Regiment
14th' Army
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
11th PA Infantry(-) Division
21st PA Infantry Division
86th PS Coastal Artillery Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 18, 41

Still a couple of BB left to sink.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 111 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 38
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 74

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 11 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
PC Tiger, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DM Preble, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
Port supply hits 1


Much sweeping and bombing of Singapore; here are examples
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 4

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 54
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 23 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Mauritius~, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
AMc Siushan, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Repair Shipyard hits 2
Port hits 9

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 30
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 14 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Mauritius~, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Port hits 2





Manila is getting much the same treatment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 16
G4M1 Betty-Rikko x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty-Rikko: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
PC Fisheries II, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Pacita, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AM Bittern, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
ARD YFD-1 Dewey, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Seadragon~, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAPc Dos Hermanos, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
YO-64, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
YP _La Florecita, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Talisay, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
YO Sarangani, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAPc Compagnia Filipinas, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Opon, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
YP _Mayapay, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 32
G3M2 Nell-Chukou x 27

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAPc Don Isidro, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAPc Bohol, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAPc Compagnia Filipinas, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Port hits 1


And still at PH, also
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 50 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 29
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 50

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 18 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
AR Medusa, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Ramsay, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DM Tracy, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
AV +AH-5 Solace, Torpedo hits 1
PT-30, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AV Tangier, Torpedo hits 1
BB California, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1


Rabaul is invaded. I have been airlifting the Lark Bn to Moresby. Got them out just in time, I think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Rabaul (106,125)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

10 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CM Okinoshima
CM Tokiwa
PB Tama Maru #8
PB Toshi Maru #3
PB Kyo Maru #10
PB Kyo Maru #8
xAK Cheribon Maru

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

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Rabaul (106,125)

TF 251 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 106,125

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

12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 55ID 144th Infantry Rgt /4
13.2mm T93 AAMG damaged beyond repair during unload of 55ID 144th Infantry Rgt /4
12 troops of a IJA Inf Squad 41 lost in surf during unload of 55ID 144th Infantry Rgt /6
10 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 55ID 144th Infantry Rgt /8

[dwbradley]

Combat report for December 19th, 1941
More of the same at Singapore, Manila, and yes, of course, at PH

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 111 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 35
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 70

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 9 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage




I am beginning to see some sort of pattern to the attacks in China. It looks like a push to clear out the plains and then move toward Sian. If the mountain can be forced the China front could quickly become a disaster.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 89/41 (89,41)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21664 troops, 301 guns, 72 vehicles, Assault Value = 905

Defending force 11274 troops, 84 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 408

Japanese adjusted assault: 1178

Allied adjusted defense: 179

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE 89/41 !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
363 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
6759 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 274 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 41 (30 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
37th Division
41st Division
5th Armored Car Co
1st Army
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
26ID 11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
33rd Chinese Army Corps
34th Chinese Army Corps
#Administration




Attacks in Malaya are intensifying (ground and air). There is a lot to clear out and fight to the last is the strategy for these outnumbered units.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Alor Setar (49,73)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11937 troops, 126 guns, 140 vehicles, Assault Value = 491

Defending force 5168 troops, 50 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 216

Japanese adjusted assault: 247

Allied adjusted defense: 49

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Alor Setar !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
737 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2268 casualties reported
Squads: 107 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 32 (27 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 24 (24 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3




Rabual falls with not much of a fight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3274 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Defending force 1336 troops, 4 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 12

Japanese adjusted assault: 60

Allied adjusted defense: 11

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
414 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 16 (16 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
55ID 144th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
A Coy/NGVR
Rabaul Base Det.
Civilians
23IB Lark Force Bn /1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Singkawang is invaded so it will not be long before enemy air assets will be in range of Java


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 20, 41


The toll continues to increase at PH
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 36
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 71

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 3
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DM Preble, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DM Montgomery, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AV Tangier, Bomb hits 1
AS Pelias, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB California, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
DM Gamble, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Antares", Bomb hits 1

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

Port hits 5
Port supply hits 1

[dwbradley]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS for December 21,1941
The attempts to sink Oahu go on, seemingly without end
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 112 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 34
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 72

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 10 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DM Preble, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AM Bobolink, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AD Dobbin, Bomb hits 1
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 1, on fire
YO-43, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PG Sacramento, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DMS Trever, Bomb hits 1, on fire

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

Repair Shipyard hits 2
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 2






Two attacks today
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 101 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 43 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 27
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 38

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 8 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DM Breese, Bomb hits 1
DMS Zane, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1



Java is starting to get I-boat attention. I need to be careful in moving assets onto the island
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Pamekasan at 58,106

Japanese Ships
SS I-165, hits 1

Allied Ships
AM Goulburn

SS I-165 is sighted by escort
I-165 bottoming out ....
AM Goulburn attacking submerged sub ....
AM Goulburn fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Goulburn fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Goulburn fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Goulburn fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub




After a number of air-to-ground attacks, the ground attack at Johore Bahru is sent in. With a pretty good result. He will have to get more units moved down the peninsula to threaten Singapore, which means more time to dig in.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8383 troops, 130 guns, 47 vehicles, Assault Value = 286

Defending force 8905 troops, 121 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 205

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 93

Allied adjusted defense: 181

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
719 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 72 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
18ID 55th Infantry Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
18ID 114th Infantry Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
8th Australian Division
9ID 3/16th Punjab Battalion
9ID 5/2nd Punjab Battalion
111th RAF Adv Base Force
III Indian
9ID Det 80th AT Gun Regiment




Singkawang falls
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A para drop takes the inland air base near Samarinda
Ground combat at Melak-Samarinda II (63,95)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 509 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

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

Japanese adjusted assault: 26

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 26 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Melak-Samarinda II !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Rgt /1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 22, 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peary and Pillsbury were almost sunk earlier but have made it this far and will get some repair at Soerabaja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Soerabaja at 57,102

Japanese Ships
SS I-162

Allied Ships
DD Peary
DD Pillsbury

SS I-162 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Peary
I-162 bottoming out ....
DD Pillsbury fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Various and sundry air attacks in Malaya/Singapore and the Phillipines but none at Pearl Harbor. Could the reign of terror be over?

[dwbradley]

EIGHT DAY SUMMARY – December 15th-22nd, 1941

It is still early in the war, so not much can be deduced from events so far. Paul is sticking to the script for the most part. The details are a bit different here and there.

Pearl Harbor. Same song, different key. Knowing that he likes to stay and pound PH allowed me to get most major warships out of harms way, with a bit of luck on Enterprise's part. The BB force was just too banged up at the start for me to consider what else to do. Maybe in a future game I would give them a go at encountering KB at night.

Malaya and Singapore. Landing at Mersing caught me napping and that will limit the amount of forces that can retreat to Singapore, but in reality they would run the base out of supply faster. So, I am hoping that making him fight for every hex I can will slow the inevitable and produce a result not too different from me having a more cohesive force. If he has more forces to land at Mersing then that idea will get blown to hell pretty quickly.

Philippines. Paul is concentrating on Luzon with landings in the north and southeast and what looks like a rapid advance toward Clark and Manila. It still remains to be seen if he is bringing enough firepower to try and take Luzon quickly. By quickly I would think that would be before the end of February 1942 or maybe even mid-February. I am trying to build a similar defense triangle at Cagayan, Malaybalay, and Butuan. I am using PBYs to move units from places like Ilolio to Cagayan and I am hoping to get some sizable portion of the supply horde at Cebu moved over too. Progress is agonizingly slow for this project. There are many valuable ships squirreled away at various harbors in the southern ports, but with little hope of seeing a window for a dash to safety.

Sarawak, Borneo, and the Celebes. The Empire has been nipping at the edges here and there, taking Miri and the associated bases at the top of Sarawak early and the traditional early invasion of Kuching, followed by Singkawang. Manado has been captured. I am anticipating action soon ar Tarakan and then Samarinda and Balikpapan. Balikpapan will give a good base to move the Netties and Zekes forward to dominate the skies over Java. I am stuffing the slot between Borneo and the Celebes with sub patrols and I am planning to send a couple of sub minelaying TF. I will attempt to time the laying of mines in the slot with the arrival of invasion forces for Samarinda/Balikpapan.

Java. The air defenses are coming together. Two of four Buffalo squadrons are at Batavia, and two more at Palembang will join them soon. Two P40E squadrons are at Soerabaja and will be joined by a third from Cagayan soon. I will use the replacement P40Es that I have been hoarding to build them up and I intend to strip good pilots from training squadrons and from the AVG to make them as strong as I can. The Buffaloes and P40s will bolster the B339s, Hawks and Demons of the Dutch. On the sea I have the Prince of Wales/Repulse TF, a goodly number of USN DD, along with Houston and Boise, and the Dutch light cruiser and DD complements. The land forces are the most deficient at this point. I have airlifted into Java a few of the dutch defense units from outlying bases but the critical need is to get the Brit 18th and the Indian infantry brigades on the island and dug in. To the extent possible I will try to bring them in through Tjilijap. It is a level 3 port and has some decent naval support. The Java Sea is infested with I-boats right now. I want to use the “back side” of Java as much as possible to conceal this buildup for a long as I can. I will seal off this back side by mining Merak and Denpasar. Speaking of Denpasar, I have redirected the Gurkha unit to there, along with some dutch base support units and an Aussie base unit I bought out from Perth. If/when it goes bad, Denpasar can be the outlet to get units out of Java and onward to safety (Koepang or Oz). So, the 18th ID is 24 hexes from Tjilijap, the 44th and 45th Indian brigades are 14 hexes out, the 46th Bde is 33 hexes out, and finally, the 17ID 63rd Bde is 9 hexes from Colombo. I have also bought out three Aussie infantry battalions of the 6th Inf. Bde. that can be used where needed or combined if that seems best. The first is halfway from Perth to Java and the other two are awaiting transport at Perth.


Bottlenecks thoughts. It is still early days so I think I will hold off on pontificating about the mod for at least until the next eight-day report. I can report that the overall supply level is 3998K, virtually unchanged from the 3912K of the previous report. That is a little surprising but maybe just an outlier. We need to see more data points to help us understand what is going on.

[dwbradley]

Ten Day Report for 12/23/41-01/02/42
I am making this report for a ten day period to include all of the wild action in the DEI and not leave the readers hanging until the next episode.

<as in previous, numerous deletions to focus on the good stuff>

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 23, 41

As anticipated, moves toward the Borneo bases begin.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Tarakan at 67,91, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
CL Jintsu
DD Kuroshio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Hayashio
DD Tokitsukaze

Allied Ships
PG Kedah, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Tarakan at 67,91, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Chiyo Maru #4
PB Choko Maru #2
PB Nichi Maru #1
xAK Jinshu Maru
xAK Kiso Maru #2
xAK Meigen Maru

Allied Ships
HDML P-1
HDML P-2
HDML P-3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Tarakan at 67,91 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CA Haguro

Allied ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 12
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Tarakan (67,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

33 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Igasa Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PB Eifuku Maru
TB Hayabusa
xAK Hakonesan Maru
APD PB-38 (Yomogi)

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

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Tarakan (67,91)

TF 109 troops unloading over beach at Tarakan, 67,91

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


<and quite a few more detail reports of the landings and actions at/near Tarakan deleted for brevity>


After some sweeps, the bombing at PH resumed. Note CAP totally suppressed at this point.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 32
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 63

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 10 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Helena, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Pelias, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
PF Taney~, Bomb hits 1
AD Rigel, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Jagersfontein~, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS Lamberton, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DM Ramsay, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 1
AV Tangier, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Robin, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AV +AH-5 Solace, Bomb hits 1
AO Neosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AM Tern, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage



and back in the PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 50 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 32
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 37

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 10 damaged

Allied Ships
AV +AH-5 Solace, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Pruitt, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AG Argonne, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AO Neosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PG Sacramento, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AV Tangier, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Boggs, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

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

Port hits 2


Kwangchowan is invaded and the landings at Tarakan continue. Decent CD guns at Tarakan but not nearly enough to stop the landings.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victoria Point is taken (overland)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 24, 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support (unloading) continues at Kwangchowan and Tarakan



A variety of sweeps and air attacks continue at Singapore, Malayan targets, and in the PI.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attacks (air and ground) continue in the clear terrain near Chengchow, Loyang, and Nanyang.

At Java, stuff is starting to get to the island. The Gurkhas are unloading at Dempasar, and the 44th and 45th Indian Bde are unloading at Tjilijap. All of the unloading of supply and the two brigades at Tjilijap is choking the port's capacity. And the 18th ID is right behind them. I don't like the choice (I-boat worry) but I decide to redirect the 18th to Batavia.

[dwbradley]

WHAT'S MINE IS MINED. WHY IS WHAT ISN'T MINE MINED?
So, here is where things get a little crazy and not a little bit confusing.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 25, 41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During the combat replay I hear explosion sounds I normally associate with mines. And some sinking sounds. This is alarming since I don't think I have mined any hexes where the IJN could be operating just right now. Thoughts of harbor penetration somewhere, did he mine one of my harbors, maybe midget subs? Or are my ships running into mines? Yikes! What is going on?

The combat report has these entries from the 25th
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 378 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
DD Kawakaze, Mine hits 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 131 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryujo, Mine hits 1

And then again on the 26th I hear the noises and the report has these tidbits:

TF 131 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
DD Okikaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 378 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Mine hits 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 378 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Mine hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 378 encounters mine field at 68,96

Japanese Ships
DD Umikaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Where the heck is 68,96?

Time for some detail sleuthing:

[dwbradley]

The list of sunk IJN ships has added three DD. They are indicated as having succumbed to Type 93 mine detonation. Using the editor I find that this a Japanese mine? Did something go horribly wrong with a mine laying mission by my opponent? The hex 68,96 is coastal and useful for sneaking past subs avoiding the shallow waters. I had been trying to sneak small freighters along this route to get supply to Mindanao. Was he trying to interdict this and somehow forgot or ? That would be a large mistake and uncharacteristic of my opponent. To date, we have not discussed this incident. He has not mentioned it and I have been unwilling to reveal what I think I know.

[dwbradley]

Note: This is being written some time after this turn was played and quite a few more turns have been played. Normally, I will write this AAR to avoid foreshadowing and spoilers, at least to the best of my limited abilities. In the case of this mine mystery I am making an exception. In order to keep this story somewhat coherent I am going to inject information that I did not have immediately after the turn was played and some of it has only become known to me as I have tried to tell the story. Because of the FOW, the sunk ships list has continued to evolve and currently (02/21/42) only lists two ships sunk due to Type 93 mines on or about this game date and location (CA Nachi and DD Kawakaze).

There is one more bit of weirdness for which I have no explanation. In the Combat Events file for 12/25/41 there is this line:
“Task Force 41 encounters enemy Task Force at 68 , 96”
Examination of the saved orders files for 12/25/41 and 12/27/41 shows no such TF. I did find this line in the Operations Report for 12/25/41:
“Escort TF 41 (1 ship) formed from TF 558 and routed to Singapore”
TF 558 was a five ship TF in Singapore harbor, consisting of YP types. And there was an attack on Singapore:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Singapore at 50,84

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty-Rikko x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
YP Shun An, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G4M1 Betty-Rikko bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
–---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The YP Shun An was part of TF 558. I theorize that the damage was severe enough for the AI to create the Escort TF and then it would have disbanded before I would have seen it (two-day turns, right?). And sure enough the Shun An is heavily damaged, in Singapore's port for the orders phase of 12/27/41. But how the hell could it have encountered an enemy TF at 68,96 at the same phase during which IJN ships were hitting their own mines in that very hex?????? Coincidence? Sure, it could be.

Now if this all sounds like a bad History Channel production, I agree. OK, maybe they are all bad. There was one last thing I could do and that was to rerun the combat replay for that turn and see if I notice anything that I did not the first (and only) time. OK, stand by, gonna go do that and then report back here.

AHA! The mists part and I see more clearly, or maybe the fog in my brain is dissipating. There were two separate TF 41s!. Both were formed and gone within the two day turn. After the fall of Tarakan, TF 41 was formed to allow the AG Tarakan to flee south toward Soerbaja where it encountered an IJN TF in hex 68,96, where it was destroyed. TF41 goes away again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Samarinda at 68,96, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CL Nagara
Allied Ships
AG Tarakan, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And it may have been that the IJN TF was pulled into the mined hex by its reaction setting. See! No weird mystery after all. Except I still don't know the story of how those mines got there. Ah well. We now return you to our regularly scheduled AAR.

[dwbradley]

Resuming the combat story of the 25th of December:
As you can see from the below detail map, I have sub picket lines around the Celebes Sea and especially in the Makassar Straight. One of my subs gets a hit on a patrol boat escort what looks like another small invasion force.
ASW attack near Sangi at 78,96

Japanese Ships
APD PB-1 (Shimakaze), Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Tensyo Maru #1
PB Kyo Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS KX


Mauban and Lucena are taken on Luzon and Georgetown in Malaya.
Tarakan is captured as is Kwangchowan


Paradrops lead to the capture of undefended (civilians) bases at Tawau and Tandjoengselor

A paradrop on Djambi leads to the first loss of a base on Sumatra



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 26, 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nothing new is seen in the day's air attacks although the distressing amount of damage at PH seems to go on and on and on.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 117 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 49 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 20
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh x 85

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 11 damaged
B5N2 Kate-Kankoh: 3 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DM Ramsay, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Vireo, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AVP Swan, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PC Reliance, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AVD Hulbert, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AD Whitney, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Vega, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
ARD-1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AR Medusa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AS Pelias, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DM Gamble, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Wasmuth, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AD Dobbin, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AVD Thornton, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
ACM #Cinchona, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Litchfield, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Hovey, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Repair Shipyard hits 4
Port hits 3


So, as I issued orders for the 26th of December, 1941 my attention was very much focused on the events in and near the Makassar Straight. It certainly seemed like I might see strong forces coming that way very soon. The fall of Tarakan means it could be used to provide air support for invading Samarinda and Balikpapan. And Balikpapan could project air power over Java. The Empire is drawing ever closer. I need to get stuff off the boats and into defensive positions right now! But my poor planning has stuff stacked up in the ports of Tjilijap and Batavia. I considered sending a fast SCTF up close to Samarinda/Balikpapan to try to disrupt any moves coming that way. I have the very strong Prince of Wales & Repulse force at Soerbaja but I am reluctant to play this card on a guess. I have a CL and a gaggle of DD at Denpasar. They would be fast, get in, react, get out. Hmmm. In the end, I decide to temporize by moving the CL + DDs to Makassar. I have the subs in the Straight and a couple of sub-minelaying task forces that I decide to order to drop their mines at the north end of the Makassar Straight.

[dwbradley]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 27, 41

The turn starts out with some very good work by a Dutch sub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Billiton at 53,92

Japanese Ships
DD Ayanami
DD Amagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
SS KXI


Persistence by KXI pays with a big score!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Billiton at 53,92

Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ayanami
DD Amagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
SS KXI

I hear those beautiful sinking noises.

Saminda is invaded. Damn! I shoulda coulda woulda shoulda sent that SCTF.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Samarinda (65,96)

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Saiko Maru #1
xAK Shinwa Maru

PB Saiko Maru #1 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Samarinda (65,96)

TF 123 troops unloading over beach at Samarinda, 65,96

10 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 32SBF Sasebo 2nd' Nav Gd
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 32SBF Sasebo 2nd' Nav Gd
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 32SBF Sasebo 2nd' Nav Gd


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Samarinda (65,96)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Saiko Maru #1
xAK Shinwa Maru

PB Saiko Maru #1 fired at enemy troops
75mm/L35 M1902 battery firing at xAK Shinwa Maru



And then seemingly out of nowhere carrier air forces attack shipping at Batavia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 49,98

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 15
B4Y1 Jean x 6
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh x 9

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 17
B-339D x 4
CW-21B Demon x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B4Y1 Jean: 1 destroyed
B4Y1 Jean: 1 destroyed by flak
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
B-339D: 1 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AV +Wusueh, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Mount Vernon~
AG Vyner Brooke

The Buffaloes and Dutch fighters do some good but not enough. The xAP Mount Vernon is part of the TF unloading the 18th ID.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An another attack in the PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 49,98

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero-Reisen x 13
B4Y1 Jean x 4
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh x 9

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 13
B-339D x 3
CW-21B Demon x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero-Reisen: 1 destroyed
B4Y1 Jean: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate-Kankoh: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AG Wuchang

The defenders give a better account of themselves this time.


My opponent feels confident enough to send in the attack at Johore Bahru, and well he should since he gets 2-1 odds.
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Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17789 troops, 296 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 581

Defending force 8652 troops, 122 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 178

Japanese adjusted assault: 227

Allied adjusted defense: 81

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
523 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 76 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Allied ground losses:
391 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 21 (8 destroyed, 13 disabled)



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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 28, 41


Action continues at Samarinda
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Invasion Support action off Samarinda (65,96)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAKL Boko Maru
xAK Nittai Maru #2
xAK Shinwa Maru

xAKL Boko Maru fired at enemy troops
xAK Nittai Maru #2 fired at enemy troops
xAK Shinwa Maru fired at enemy troops




And here's the big shock

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Pre-Invasion action off Kalidjati (50,99)

19 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Eiko Maru
xAK Kurohime Maru #2

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

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

PB Eiko Maru fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


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Amphibious Assault at Kalidjati (50,99)

TF 97 troops unloading over beach at Kalidjati, 50,99

15 Aviation Support troops lost in surf during unload of 96th JAAF AF Bn /1


NOOOOOOOOOOO! I am not ready. Many thoughts race through my mind. I curse myself. You fool! It is such an obvious target. Why do you have only a base support unit there?




And the assault continues at Johore Bahru. He can afford these losses far more easily than I

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Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17425 troops, 296 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 540

Defending force 8171 troops, 117 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 130

Japanese adjusted assault: 242

Allied adjusted defense: 129

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
690 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 79 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
420 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 17 (5 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

[dwbradley]

So, I am trying to shake off the shock of the Kalidjati landing. I consider my options. My opponent has beaten me to the punch with a bold move. But he has taken on some risk.

The positive aspects of the situation for me are:
His invasion fleet obviously has carrier air support but maybe not so much as he might like to have. KB is still at or near PH, so no help for him from that quarter. A CVE went down and there was that mine action reported about the Ryujo striking a mine. I may be able to achieve air superiority until he can take Kalidjati and move in the hordes of Zekes and Oscars. I have strong surface forces within striking range of the beachhead. I can unleash my Swordfish and Vildebeest. And I have quite a few level bombers (B-17Ds and Dutch and Brit medium types).

On the negative side:
There is only a zero assault value base support unit at Kalidjati. The two Indian brigades are still unloading at Tjilijap and the third was redirected to Batavia where it is just starting to unload. Even worse, the TF carrying the 18th ID was spooked and has run away several hexes with a goodly bit of the division still on board. It is not reasonable to think that my opponent has come with anything less than a sizeable invasion force. Once it is ashore I cannot reinforce Kalidjati soon enough with any significant force to prevent its capture. Lexington is steaming toward Sydney, two-days out so no carrier help is anywhere near.

My plans:
I decide it is now or never. I must, repeat must, wreck the invasion TFs to have any chance of making Java more than a speed bump for the Empire. From Soerabaja, two SCTFs are given bombardment orders for the beachhead. One is the PoW/Repulse group which also has 3 CL and 5 DDs. I form another SCTF led by CA Houston and including Dutch CL Tromp and five DDs. I will try to route some subs to get into the mix. Kalidjati is clear terrain so all of my level bombers are tasked with ground attack at low levels. The P40Es are moved from Soerabaja to Batavia and Bandoeng and the Swordfish and Vildebeest are queued up for torp runs. I have not nearly enough bullets in my gun but maybe, just maybe I can catch some luck.