The KB is still dancing. Subs are hunting. On the 25th the a Soviet sub makes contact, spotting two CS cruisers and escorts before being sighted herself and forced under.
A huge day in the air all over China and Manchuria on the 25th. The IJ try a sweep of Vlad, but MiGs get the upper hand again. The Chinese Lancers sweep near Hong Kong and wear out a strong LR CAP of A6M3, and the follow on sweeps finish the job nicely.
On the 26th both sides hit troops extensively in China and Manchuria with air strikes. Both of us have figured out LR CAP only kills off our fighters if too far from base without radar. Soviet AA is not performing as well as I'd hoped.
The rail is now almost clear from Singers to Pnom Pehn. Just the final dregs of the once strong IJA Singers invasion sitting surrounded at Kluong.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 25, 1942
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ASW attack near Balabac at 70,85
Japanese Ships
CS Chiyoda
CS Chitose
DD Kazegumo
DD Arashi
DD Makigumo
Allied Ships
SS ShCh-115
SS ShCh-115 is sighted by escort
Morning Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 18
Allied aircraft
I-153 x 7
I-16m24 x 13
MiG-3 x 23
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
I-153: 1 destroyed
MiG-3: 1 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 6th Air Defense AA Regiment, at 78,60 , near Hong Kong
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 13 NM, estimated altitude 32,550 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 29
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 2
Allied aircraft
P-43A-1 Lancer x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 9 destroyed
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-43A-1 Lancer: 1 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x P-43A-1 Lancer sweeping at 31550 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 6th Air Defense AA Regiment, at 78,60 , near Hong Kong
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 41 NM, estimated altitude 34,550 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 7
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1
Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 14
P-40K Warhawk x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Hurricane XIIb sweeping at 31550 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 50th Chinese Corps, at 78,60 , near Hong Kong
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 46
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
156 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 3000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
11 x A6M3 Zero sweeping at 9000 feet
12 x A6M3 Zero sweeping at 9000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Taonan , at 107,38
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Allied aircraft
IL-2 x 41
MiG-3 x 31
Allied aircraft losses
IL-2: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x IL-2 bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Taonan , at 107,38
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
I-16m24 x 4
IL-2 x 70
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
192 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 9
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x IL-2 bombing from 8000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 6th Air Defense AA Regiment, at 78,60 , near Hong Kong
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 38,550 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 18
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 11
P-40K Warhawk x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 7 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Haichow (93,48)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8124 troops, 104 guns, 936 vehicles, Assault Value = 445
Defending force 1536 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54
Allied adjusted assault: 192
Japanese adjusted defense: 30
Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied forces CAPTURE Haichow !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
702 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (11 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
206th Tank Brigade
111th Tank Division
Defending units:
6th RGC Division
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 88,49 (near Hwainan)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 55194 troops, 190 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1850
Defending force 22273 troops, 180 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 687
Allied adjusted assault: 1219
Japanese adjusted defense: 430
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
6877 casualties reported
Squads: 179 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 143 destroyed, 59 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 32 (13 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Allied ground losses:
1295 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 189 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
85th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
Defending units:
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
16th RGC Temp. Division
116th Division
110th/C Division
[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 25, 1942
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Hankow , at 85,50
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 4 destroyed
No Allied losses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 57th Motor Rifle Division, at 107,39 , near Taonan
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 60
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 20
Ki-51 Sonia x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 14 damaged
Allied ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (1 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 55,61 (near Bangkok)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 9316 troops, 126 guns, 59 vehicles, Assault Value = 267
Defending force 2220 troops, 17 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 20
Allied adjusted assault: 259
Japanese adjusted defense: 2
Allied assault odds: 129 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1342 casualties reported
Squads: 62 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 55 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (6 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
22nd Marine Regiment
22nd (East African) Brigade
Defending units:
56th/B Division
52nd JNAF AF Unit
Royal Thai Army
Thai Aviation Coy
21th JNAF AF Unit /1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/color][/font]
It's interesting to me that the USAAF didn't give a bigger contract to production of the P-43 Lancer in the early war. It seems to outperform both the P39 and P-40 variants up to the P-40K at least. I'd like to have more at least.

















