The Accidental War Obvert vs Lowpe

[Bif1961]

With 7 hits and heavy fires I think the Wasp might not be able to conduct flight operations and you are right the Sara went down under the salvos of the Yamato.

[Lowpe]

Turn is finished and away.

The KB escorted by two BB and an ASW force is heading south and west to put them in a position to hit shipping south and west of Formosa down to Aparri. Tojo squadrons are sweeping to get CAP over Aparri first (hopefully) and also over Formosa.

Only one Betty squadron is attacking just short of Formosa but with 100 fighter escort.

Meanwhile other surface ships are heading to get into position to bombard the one air base on Formosa. Support ships moving up....

If the Allies run west they will be ok...otherwise there should be some clashes.

J2M2 advanced to 3/43. Should advance again in 6-7 days, 12-14 days for first production.

[Lowpe]

Jan 3, 1942

Allies bombard a base on Formosa and also Pescadores, but with smaller ships reserving their battleships for surface engagements...and the bulk of the Allied fleet relocates to the northern coast of Formosa...

While the KB moves to hit shipping south and west of Formosa...merchant ships here.





Morning Air attack on TF, near Itbayat Island at 83,69

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 37
B5N2 Kate x 18

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 8
Kittyhawk IA x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Tawali, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAP Zaandam, Bomb hits 2

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

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.452 Sqn RAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 71 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 76 minutes
35th FG/39th FS with P-40K Warhawk (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 16270 and 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Martlet II (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 14000 and 21000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes

[Lowpe]

Can't penetrate cap here...the planned for Army sweeping squadrons never fly ...

[Lowpe]

Betties plant two torpedoes in bad weather...

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Taichu at 87,66

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 21
G4M1 Betty x 13

Allied aircraft
P-66 Vanguard x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-66 Vanguard: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
SC-705
AMC Cap des Palmes
xAP Zealandia, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
5th FG/27th FS CAF with P-66 Vanguard (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead

[Lowpe]

The afternoon continues...but the storms are severe and a dozen Vals lose cohesion....







Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Batan Island at 85,70

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M3a Zero x 49
D3A1 Val x 8

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 10
Kittyhawk IA x 6
P-39D Airacobra x 13
P-40K Warhawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 5 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Long Island, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.67 Sqn RAF with Martlet II (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
No.452 Sqn RAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 13 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
35th FG/39th FS with P-40K Warhawk (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes

[Lowpe]

And another strike...the lost Vals are gunned down

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Itbayat Island at 83,69

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
B5N2 Kate x 25

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAP Marella, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC-709, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Zaandam, Bomb hits 1
xAP Tawali, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
103 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.452 Sqn RAF with Kittyhawk IA (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-39D Airacobra (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 17000.
Raid is overhead
No.67 Sqn RAF with Martlet II (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 14000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 101 minutes
35th FG/39th FS with P-40K Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 79 minutes

Massive explosion on xAP Marella
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Marella
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Tawali

[Lowpe]

Situation, bleak as always.[:)]

[Lowpe]

IJA troops do well, but the combined Allied troops will win the battle. No reserves for Japan, and too many stacks of 30+ combined units coming at Japan.


Ground combat at Peiping (95,39)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 72641 troops, 312 guns, 250 vehicles, Assault Value = 2110

Defending force 31060 troops, 247 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 811

Allied adjusted assault: 1025

Japanese adjusted defense: 2865

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

Ground combat at Tientsin (95,41)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41860 troops, 238 guns, 738 vehicles, Assault Value = 1393

Defending force 16289 troops, 175 guns, 66 vehicles, Assault Value = 569

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 744

Japanese adjusted defense: 3353

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
589 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1552 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Vehicles lost 25 (4 destroyed, 21 disabled)

Assaulting units:
80th Chinese Corps
111th Tank Division
75th Chinese Corps
45th Engr-Sapper Bde
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
2/11th Fld RAA Regiment

Defending units:
1st RGC Capital Division
7th NCPC Infantry Brigade
Maizuru 4th SNLF
18th Tank Regiment
21st RGC Temp. Division
1st NCPC Infantry Brigade
26th RGC Temp. Division
15th Div /1
2nd Air Defense AA Regiment
13th Field Construction Battalion
20th JAAF AF Bn




Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
727 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3419 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 186 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 43 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 27 (14 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 158 (24 destroyed, 134 disabled)

Assaulting units:
43rd Tank Brigade
48th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
35th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
91st Chinese Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
178th Mortar Regiment

Defending units:
26th/B Division
8th NCPC Infantry Brigade
26th/A Division
24th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th NCPC Infantry Brigade
105th NCPC Route Brigade
4th NCPC Infantry Brigade
15th Garrison Unit
24th/B Division
17th Tank Regiment
24th/C Division
North China Area Army
24th JAAF AF Bn
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
45th Const Co
53rd JAAF AF Bn
1st Cavalry Brigade
69th JAAF AF Coy

[Lowpe]

After originally thinking of surging on Formosa, I decided to play chicken and withdraw the KB which is low on fuel, and look to sweep and and bleed some Allied fighters since there are 400 there.

The battleships will bombard the base with the Long Island, and a sub or two will vector there.

I have no troops to reinforce Formosa, and with the Soviets and Chinese infiltrating Manchuko, Korea is 100% at risk from the western side. Another J2m2 factory fully repaired.

[Lowpe]

Jan 3, 1943

Catch some small ships on the southern side of Formosa...another contact is made, but no fight.

Soerabaja has a big gun and decent armor, defected a lot of hits under 20cm.

[Lowpe]

Some devices knocked out by the 20cm guns.

[Lowpe]

Soviet night bombing attacks.

Night Air attack on Kobe , at 108,59

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
DB-3T x 6

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x DB-3T bombing from 2000 feet *
City Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
64th Sentai/B with Ki-46 KAI Dinah (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 3000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 49 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Kobe , at 108,59

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
DB-3M x 9

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x DB-3M bombing from 2000 feet *
City Attack: 5 x 100 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
64th Sentai/B with Ki-46 KAI Dinah (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 5620.
Raid is overhead



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Kobe , at 108,59

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
DB-3M x 3

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x DB-3M bombing from 2000 feet *
City Attack: 5 x 100 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
64th Sentai/B with Ki-46 KAI Dinah (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 5620.
Raid is overhead



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Kobe , at 108,59

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
DB-3M x 3

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x DB-3M bombing from 2000 feet *
City Attack: 5 x 100 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
64th Sentai/B with Ki-46 KAI Dinah (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 2000.
Raid is overhead



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Kobe , at 108,59

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 13 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
DB-3T x 4

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x DB-3T bombing from 2000 feet *
City Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
64th Sentai/B with Ki-46 KAI Dinah (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 2000.
Raid is overhead



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Shikuka , at 126,43

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 4

Allied aircraft
TB-3 x 4

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x TB-3 bombing from 5000 feet
City Attack: 8 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
21st Sentai/A with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters to 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes

[Lowpe]

Another base falls, troops retreat into the fields to be isolated.

Ground combat at Nanking (91,52)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 141980 troops, 759 guns, 286 vehicles, Assault Value = 3592

Defending force 40538 troops, 405 guns, 62 vehicles, Assault Value = 716

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Allied adjusted assault: 1806

Japanese adjusted defense: 901

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

Allied forces CAPTURE Nanking !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
18078 casualties reported
Squads: 288 destroyed, 142 disabled
Non Combat: 337 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 131 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 178 (167 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 70 (65 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 17

Allied ground losses:
3102 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
59th Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
11th Indian Division
30th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
9th Indian Division
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
134th Field Artillery Battalion
1st War Area
12th Air Advn Base Force
22nd Group Army

Defending units:
15th RGC Temp. Division
35th/C Division
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
35th/A Division
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th RGC Route Brigade
58th Infantry Regiment
116th Division
2nd RGC Division
2nd RGC Capital Division
4th RGC Division
61st Infantry Brigade
110th/C Division
28th RGC Temp. Division
12th Army
RGC Army
16th RGC Temp. Division
37th JAAF AF Bn
35th/B Division

[Lowpe]

A 20cm superstructure hit causing severe casualties.

Night Naval bombardment of Batan Island at 85,70

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 9 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40K Warhawk: 11 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed on ground
P-39D Airacobra: 5 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
CA Mogami

Allied Ships
CVE Long Island, Shell hits 1

Allied ground losses:
408 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 19
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Hyuga
BB Hyuga firing at Batan Island
BB Nagato firing at Batan Island
BB Kirishima firing at Batan Island
CA Mogami firing at Batan Island

[Lowpe]

Jan 4th, 1942

A rare Japanese night attack manages to hit the Long Island. We actually have a HR here that no more than 50 planes may make a night port or airfield attack per base.

Formosa is falling. Set up a CAP trap at Pescadores with Float Fighters....

Trying to evacuate a rare free division from China and a garrison infantry unit. They are southwest of Shanghai and mostly loaded on troops...I suspect the Allies will destroy them at sea this turn, but we shall see.

[Lowpe]

Jan 5, 1943

Evacuating a free division from China, and thanks to a screen destroyer task force the PT boats are pretty harmless with only one torpedo launch which misses.

[Lowpe]

This group managed to get three torpedoes off, but they all miss...

[Lowpe]

This group gets off lots of torpedoes, one is a dud, but one connects.

[Lowpe]

But then after a few more skirmishes, the ships escape back to Honshu...will the Allies launch air attacks? Could they have routed some surface ships in to the area?

Over Pescadores a Rufe cap trap scores on some nasty beasts.[:)]