Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)

[apbarog]

While I was confused on the island shock attack rules, so was OPilot, just in a different way. He said that he was surprised that my troops didn't shock attack again on Roi-Namur, on this last turn, in which no troops landed on the beach. I guess he thought that the attacker shock attacked on the applicable islands every turn, whether troops were landing or not.

This could explain why he didn't counter-attack there, possibly destroying my mostly disabled unit. He thought they'd keep shock attacking and destroying themselves. He may now try to eliminate the troops on the beach.

Apparently one of us will accidentally win this battle, in spite of ourselves!

[apbarog]

14 Feb 43 - The Marshalls

Roi-Namur is bombarded by heavy cruiser Chester and 2 US destroyers. Minor base damage and 61 casualties. I-27 missed Farragut with 2 torpedoes on the way in.

Jaluit is invaded. Early in the day, Tennessee soaked up a couple of coastal gun shells that did some decent damage. Tennessee gained 8 SYS damage and is now at 13. Late in the day, however, the coastal guns went after the APs. Heywood was hit with 2 shells and Barnett was hit with 5. Heywood is SYS 24/FLOT 5-1/ENG 2-1/FIRE 23 and Barnett is SYS 44/FLOT 16-8/ENG 0/FIRE 28. Both should make it back to Tarawa, assuming no sub intervention. They'll probably then head to Pearl Harbor and an upgrade to an APA due in March. All troops were unloaded at Jaluit and there's plenty of supply.

US troops attack at Kwajalein.

Ground combat at Kwajalein Island (132,115)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4469 troops, 38 guns, 134 vehicles, Assault Value = 144

Defending force 1733 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 12

Allied adjusted assault: 39

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

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

Allied forces CAPTURE Kwajalein Island !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
2079 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 88 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 40 (40 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

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

Assaulting units:
22nd Marine Regiment
1st USMC Tank Battalion

Defending units:
24th Air Flotilla
Nimur Naval Fortress
51st JNAF AF Unit

Follow-up units were standing off in transports waiting for the island to fall. One of the two xAPs won't be arriving.

Sub attack near Ailinglaplap at 132,117

Japanese Ships
SS I-3

Allied Ships
xAP Baranof, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AM Heed

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

SS I-3 launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Baranof

About 200 survivors were said to be rescued from the sinking transport, but apparently there wasn't room for them, and they were thrown back into the sea. The other xAP is full with an engineer unit, and the AM was empty. ComAirFMFPac HQ was completely lost.

With the rest of the 24th Infantry Division on Kwajalein and Roi-Namur, part "B" landed at Jaluit and had a tough fight.

Ground combat at Jaluit (134,120)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3981 troops, 61 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 120

Defending force 4361 troops, 37 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Allied adjusted assault: 52

Japanese adjusted defense: 192

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
459 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
24th Infantry/B Div /2

Defending units:
52nd Naval Guard Unit
Jaluit Naval Fortress
Jaluit Base Force
24th JNAF AF Unit

Jaluit isn't going to fall quickly, but the US troops are there to stay. This will become an attritional battle, with bombers from Tarawa ordered to hit Jaluit's troops.

So, Kwajalein is cleared. Roi-Namur is almost a disaster but the troops are still there, recovering. Jaluit is not successful but should fall eventually.

[apbarog]

14 Feb 43 - Part Two - Burma

[apbarog]

15 Feb 43

A US patrol craft found enemy mines between Tassafronga and Vangunu, in the Solomons.

3 US battleships bombarded Kusiae Island. Good work on the enemy troops.

Night Naval bombardment of Kusaie Island at 125,118

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB California
CL Adelaide
DD MacDonough
DD Porter
DD Lang
DD Wilson
DD Gillespie

Japanese ground losses:
433 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 8 disabled

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

Grampus braved the shallows at Boela, going after a task force of small tankers spotted there yesterday. The tankers were still there, but Grampus missed tanker Nishi Maru with 4 torpedoes. Grampus took minor damage from the escort, and will retire to Gove.

From an air standpoint, Boela didn't turn out well. First 6 DB-7s went after the tankers, but there were 42 Oscars on CAP. All bombers were downed. This isn't the first time that this unit was decimated. At least, half of the bombers didn't fly. 24 P-40Es then swept, but that was a disaster. 18 Warhawks were downed, with only 5 Oscars shot down. Must be elite pilots. 14 Beaufighters then arrived, on the deck. 5 were downed by Oscars, with only 5 getting through to the tankers. But all bombs missed and no strafing hits.

I-6 is watching the southeastern corner of Australia, possibly looking for ships returning from the Indian Ocean. It spotted AM Rockhampton and hit it with a torpedo, sinking her.

Enemy bombers with escorts hit the Chinese at Chiang Mai. Allied bombers hit the enemy troops there. The jungle and the weather prevented any real results for either side. The Chinese have decent flak, though, and a few Sallys were downed, with lots damaged.

Lots of Allied bombing in Burma, hitting troops in the open.

3 enemy destroyers were near the northern Australian coast, nearer to Broome. US carriers were passing by, on the way to Darwin from the Indian Ocean. 36 SBDs and 18 TBFs were launched in heavy rain. Takanami and Kiyonami were each hit by a bomb. Makinami was missed entirely. OPilot sees my carriers now. KB should be at or near Singapore.

At Port Blair, support parts of an Indian LRP para unit start to unload. 25 C-47s are moved to Little Andaman to para drop the combat part of the LRP unit. With Little Andaman being such a small airfield, no more can be supported without penalty. So the para drop won't be huge, but it can be repeated, with more troops. For today, though, a para drop will occur, and all combat troops at Port Blair will shock attack. Lots of medium and heavy bombers will continue to hit enemy troops. Hoping for the best. If not successful, a British combat group with Repulse is leaving Colombo and heading towards the Andamans.

US troops attack at Kusaie.

Ground combat at Kusaie Island (125,118)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10880 troops, 200 guns, 122 vehicles, Assault Value = 304

Defending force 9788 troops, 69 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 187

Allied adjusted assault: 111

Japanese adjusted defense: 147

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
291 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
278 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
214th Coast AA Regiment
5th US Naval Construction Battalion
1/542nd Boat&Shore Engineer Battalion
2nd Base Maint Engineer Battalion
10th US Naval Construction Battalion

Defending units:
Guards Mixed Brigade
Sasebo 6th SNLF
48th JNAF AF Unit
7th Naval Construction Battalion
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
54th JNAF AF Unit

This is a good result. The next attack will be after a reinforcing armor unit is unloaded, in a few days. Bombers will continue to hit Kusaie.

The Chinese attack at Chiang Mai. To my dismay, a Japanese infantry division rails into town just as the attack occurs.

Ground combat at Chiang Mai (58,53)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24957 troops, 162 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 901

Defending force 20592 troops, 156 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 680

Allied adjusted assault: 405

Japanese adjusted defense: 316

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
377 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
295 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
5th Chinese Corps
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
11th Division
4th RTA Division

I don't know if the enemy division was kicked out of Strat mode with the attack or not. I order the Chinese to attack again, with added bomber support. Corsairs will fly LRCAP. The Chinese had a negative modifier for supply, but they have an adequate amount today. I thought they did yesterday also.

[BBfanboy]

Interesting result at Kusaie Island - both sides suffered very close to the same casualties on an individual soldier basis, but the IJ side had 72 squads affected while the Allied side had only 29 affected. That suggests the IJ side has lots of ineffective or missing troops in their squads while Allied squads are close to full strength. That should help you a lot in your next attack (if he doesn't bombard the heck out of your troops with his ships and planes).

Fingers and eyes crossed!

[apbarog]

16 Feb 43

Sub attack near Bassein at 51,52

Japanese Ships
SS I-176

Allied Ships
xAP Edgar Allan Poe, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAP Baron Cawdor
KV Fritillary

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

SS I-176 launches 6 torpedoes at xAP Edgar Allan Poe

and, after the other ships leave the damaged ship behind

Submarine attack near Bassein at 51,52

Japanese Ships
SS I-176

Allied Ships
xAP Edgar Allan Poe, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

All alone, weak and weary, with SYS 61/FLOT 90-58/ENG 41-30/FIRE 21, Edgar Allan Poe is scuttled, leaving the loaded British base force to drown in the dismal deep.

Port Blair is bombed heavily by Allied medium and heavy bombers. A small number of paras drop and all troops there attack.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 14360 troops, 201 guns, 100 vehicles, Assault Value = 332

Defending force 6831 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 146

Allied adjusted assault: 276

Japanese adjusted defense: 209

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
681 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
299 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 89 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
17th Australian Brigade
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
111th LRP Bde /1
2/1st Lt AA Regiment
111th RN Base Force
112th RN Base Force
276th Coastal Artillery Battalion
16th USN Special Construction Battalion

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
303rd Ship Eng Coy
302nd Ship Eng Coy
1st Base Force
5th JAAF AF Coy

Troops will rest a bit, then more paras will drop and we'll try again. Combat ships are on the way from Ceylon to support the next attack.

Another Chinese attack at Chiang Mai. The enemy infantry division was still in Strat mode, but that will change today or tomorrow. The casualties show that this attempt has failed. We won't take Chiang Mai or Rahaeng. Troops will leave Chiang Mai and set up a defense to the west. It's just too easy to reinforce Chiang Mai from Bangkok.

Ground combat at Chiang Mai (58,53)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24451 troops, 162 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1119

Defending force 20302 troops, 156 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 641

Allied adjusted assault: 477

Japanese adjusted defense: 445

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
269 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1375 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 70 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled

Assaulting units:
77th LRP Brigade
Kowloon Brigade
5th Chinese Corps
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
11th Division
4th RTA Division

[apbarog]

With the inability to take Chiang Mai and Rahaeng, and the Allies forming a defensive line there, the opportunity opens up to use some of those troops up north to clear out the enemy and open a route to China, which was the objective of the Rangoon landing to begin with.

I think it would be appropriate to pull some or all of the Chinese from the southern flank and move them north. On to China.

[Bif1961]

As the Edgar Allan Poe slipped beneath the waves the dying steam sounded oddly like, "Never More, Never More."

[apbarog]

17 Feb 43

Gar spotted a transport with 2 destroyers well north of Borneo, but 4 torpedoes missed destroyer Sazanami.

Allied bombers continue to hit enemy troops in the clear in the central highlands of Burma. Allied troops are now advancing from the south, now that the enemy 33rd Infantry Division moved north, out of the jungle and into the clearing. Hopes are high for getting to and taking Magwe before the large enemy stack gets out of the jungle east of Akyab.

P-38s from Rangoon sweep Bangkok for the first time, and find Tonys there. This is the first appearance of the Tony in the war. The fight looked even, with 2 planes lost on each side. But there were also 5 ops losses for the Tonys. 2LT B Thanos became a double ace, and also went missing. He is tied for #5 on the most kills list with 10.

An armor unit will get to Kusaie Island in 2 days. Battleships will bombard the following day, and we might finally take Kusaie. No sign of the enemy battleships, with the last spotting at Truk a couple of days ago. OPilot hasn't seen my CVEs in awhile either. They've been at Tabiteuea. The Ponape invasion will be on after Kusaie is taken.

The enemy tried a probing artillery attack at Roi-Namur. They found that the combat value of the US troops is low, but almost all of the support and artillery is intact and well supplied. High losses for the attacker. I'll respond with an artillery attack of my own, since I see that it will probably be effective.

Repulse and friends will move into position to be able to bombard in another day. When that happens, more paras will drop and another base-wide shock attack will occur.

[apbarog]

Oh, and I left out the most important item. Loading at Darwin has begun for the invasion of Babar. The invasion of Koepang will follow.

[apbarog]

18 Feb 43 - Part One - Marshall Islands

[apbarog]

18 Feb 43 - Part Two - North of Australia

[apbarog]

18 Feb 3 - Part Three - Burma

Chinese advance west towards Burma. Didn't see the river crossing but it worked out.

Ground combat at 64,45 (near Paoshan)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 15617 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

Defending force 1254 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Allied adjusted assault: 363

Japanese adjusted defense: 19

Allied assault odds: 19 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
798 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Allied ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st New Chinese Corps
21st Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
II./143rd Infantry Battalion

I'm really liking the activity in 3 separate areas: the Marshall Islands, north of Australia, and Burma. KB will show up somewhere and may affect landings north of Australia, or in the Marshalls, but there's no stopping what's happening in Burma.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

I'm really liking the activity in 3 separate areas: the Marshall Islands, north of Australia, and Burma. KB will show up somewhere and may affect landings north of Australia, or in the Marshalls, but there's no stopping what's happening in Burma.

Well done[&o], very hard for Japan to counter. They should be planning a a Bangkok defenses and stout lower SRA defense with KB, while ceding the Marshalls and developing Wake and thinking about building up the Marianas.

You might be in a position to grab the Marianas very early, or to push on into the Mindanao area.

[apbarog]

Thanks Lowpe.

OPilot has been watching the Allied troops just south of Moulmein, seeing if they are headed to Tavoy or Bangkok. That has to be a concern. The troops aren't moving though. They are the defensive line.

I expect KB near Timor soon, if they don't go back to Burma after realizing that the Allied carriers have left. Timor is built up, with Koepang very large and Dili and Lautem with size 4 airfields.

I do already have Wake, having taken it back months ago. The Mariannas are possible. So is Truk, after Ponape. I do have a division prepping for Kavieng, so a landing there and Manus would just about cut off all of the enemy in the Solomons and southern New Guinea. I do like that idea.

I also like the idea of the Chinese corp in Burma clearing the path back to the homeland.

[apbarog]

19 Feb 43

Near Tawi Tawi, Tarpon spotted a convoy of small tankers. We've seen these guys before. Today Tarpon fired 4 torpedoes at tanker Azuma Maru #2. Two hit, and one was a dud. Heavy damage was reported but no fires. Sinking audio was heard immediately after the combat.

Repulse, Cornwall and Dorsetshire and 4 destroyers bombarded Port Blair. Minor base damage and 287 casualties, including a fair number of destroyed non-combat squads. Many B-25 squadrons then hit the base, hitting absolutely nothing in thunderstorms.

An armor unit started to unload at Kusaie Island. About half of the unit unloaded.

US bombers hit Babar in preparation for the landing.

2 Allied divisions attacked at Magwe.

Ground combat at Magwe (57,47)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26215 troops, 433 guns, 272 vehicles, Assault Value = 800

Defending force 14083 troops, 98 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 368

Allied adjusted assault: 695

Japanese adjusted defense: 671

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
906 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
261 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division
2nd British Division
XXXIII Indian Corps

Defending units:
38th Division
19th Army

A good result. The attack will continue, with more heavy bombing.

Then another attempt at Port Blair.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 14551 troops, 208 guns, 100 vehicles, Assault Value = 338

Defending force 6285 troops, 46 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 119

Allied adjusted assault: 278

Japanese adjusted defense: 195

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
299 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1236 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 127 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
17th Australian Brigade
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
111th LRP Brigade
111th LRP Bde /2
2/1st Lt AA Regiment
111th RN Base Force
112th RN Base Force
276th Coastal Artillery Battalion
16th USN Special Construction Battalion

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
303rd Ship Eng Coy
1st Base Force
302nd Ship Eng Coy
5th JAAF AF Coy

Good odds, reduced the forts, but bad results. This ends the attack until more reinforcements are brought in. The two US regiments are wrecked. The Australian brigade is in decent shape. Another Australian brigade is starting to load at Calcutta on fast transports, heading to Port Blair. A heavy cruiser force will bombard Port Blair today, and head to Rangoon to rearm. And repeat. Cruisers with Repulse break off to to head to Rangoon. Repulse heads to Colombo. Port Blair has been quite a battle. I just haven't brought enough forces to do the job. I'll fix that, eventually.

[apbarog]

20 Feb 43 - Part One - The Marshalls

Most of the rest of the armor unit landed at Kusaie Island. Got a good bombardment.

Night Naval bombardment of Kusaie Island at 125,118

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB California
CL Adelaide
DD MacDonough
DD Porter
DD Lang
DD Wilson
DD Gillespie

Japanese ground losses:
727 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 10
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

But at a cost.

Sub attack near Kusaie Island at 125,118

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64, hits 4

Allied Ships
BB New Mexico, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CL Adelaide
DD Lang
DD MacDonough
DD Porter

SS RO-64 launches 6 torpedoes at BB New Mexico

And the cost increases later in the day.

Sub attack near Kusaie Island at 125,120

Japanese Ships
SS I-18, hits 1

Allied Ships
BB New Mexico, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage (there was a dud hit also)
CL Adelaide

SS I-18 launches 8 torpedoes at BB New Mexico

New Mexico is now SYS 36/FLOT 72-50/ENG 17-9/FIRE 0, and can move just a hex a day, if that. Not considering the many enemy subs in the area, the odds of getting back to Nauru are about 50-50. With so many subs, and such limited ship movement, the odds of New Mexico surviving are slim. But, as always, we shall try. The slow US battleships are helpful in bombardments, but for me, they are excellent torpedo magnets. Time to save this one.

US troops attack on Kusaie Island.

Ground combat at Kusaie Island (125,118)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10299 troops, 203 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 316

Defending force 8793 troops, 67 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 118

Allied adjusted assault: 114

Japanese adjusted defense: 113

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1173 casualties reported
Squads: 49 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
767th Tank Bn /1
5th US Naval Construction Battalion
1/542nd Boat&Shore Engineer Battalion
214th Coast AA Regiment
2nd Base Maint Engineer Battalion
10th US Naval Construction Battalion

Defending units:
Guards Mixed Brigade
Sasebo 6th SNLF
7th Naval Construction Battalion
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
48th JNAF AF Unit
54th JNAF AF Unit

We barely got 1 to 1 odds, but the forts were reduced to 0, and the casualty count was most encouraging. The condition of the troops is still good, so we attack again today. Maybe we can take this place. For the second time. It would be very useful to capture Kusaie now. The armada for the Ponape invasion is leaving Tabiteuea today. Some naval search and maybe some bomber support would help there.

[BBfanboy]

Tough luck on BB New Mexico, but I like your efforts to save heavily damaged ships. It gives a dramatic "game within a game" and when it succeeds the satisfaction is palpable. [:)]

I will be very surprised if your next attack does not take Kusaie Island. He lost half his AV last attack and forts have been flattened. Only a truly nuclear bombardment by his BBs can set you back now.

[apbarog]

20 Feb 43 - Part Two - Babar

Dutch sub KXVII fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Makinami near Bima, east of Timor. It's highly unlikely that Makinami is on ASW duty out there. It's an escort. I don't know if it's part of a routine convoy or part of KB. I know that I've seen Makinami mentioned not too long ago, but I just don't remember where.

US troops start to unload at Babar. At Babar, I-123 is spotted. The sub takes many near misses but no direct depth charge hits.

In the morning, 23 Bettys with 18 Oscars appear over the transports at Babar. The ships are covered by 60 Wildcats, on ranged CAP (1 hex) from the carriers to the east. Lots of Oscars are downed, but the Wildcats barely get to the bombers, downing just one Betty. 22 Bettys drop torpedoes.

Allied Ships
xAP Samuel Adams, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Takliwa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK American, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Case
xAK Ohioan, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Khedive Ismail, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Then 27 Lilys appear with 18 Oscars. 47 Wildcats are protecting. Again, the Oscars are hit hard, but they keep the Wildcats generally away from the bombers. 3 Lilys are downed. 25 Lilys drop 100kg bombs.

Allied Ships
xAP Zealandia, Bomb hits 1
xAP Tairea, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Smith, Bomb hits 1
xAP Rufus King, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
DD Shaw, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Pennsylvanian, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 26 (12 destroyed, 14 disabled)

I was disappointed with the Wildcats. On paper, they did well. 26 Oscars, 3 Lilys and 1 Betty downed, for no loss of their own. But they didn't stop the bombers. 2 xAKs have sunk. 5 ships are badly damaged. 3 of them can only move one hex, and the other 2 that can move 4 hexes have the worst fires and will probably sink. I decide to keep the 5 ships at Babar unloading, with no escort and no fighter protection. I think it's more important to get as many of troops unloaded as compared to trying to save badly damaged transports. These are xAPs, not APs. Every loss hurts but not as much. I'm moving the rest of the transports, still partially loaded, back to Darwin with the carriers. I'll get the rest of the troops to Babar eventually, in smaller ships.

So the Babar invasion didn't go well. I'd be encouraged if I were OPilot, and move as many fighters and bombers to the area today, and go for anything afloat in the area. The Wildcat CAP was not overwhelming. The enemy did well with 2 strikes that weren't all that sizable. Imagine if there were another 80 or 100 Bettys. And there have been that many at Truk, so they could be on Timor in a day. Combine that with a sneaking suspicion that KB could be coming, and the carriers, not just the transports, are at risk. So we'll pull back for now and return soon.

I have enough troops and supply on Babar that they will hold their ground.

This shows to some extent that it isn't 1944, it's still early 1943. I've been landing in various places, seemingly doing whatever I wanted, but the Allies don't have a big advantage yet. If OPilot can combine sizable land based air power with KB, he can gain a local advantage over all of my big carriers. In 2 months, things change some, when the Wildcats start getting replaced with Hellcats. Another couple of months after that, the Essex class carriers start arriving.

Now isn't the time to push my luck. I think sitting right next to Babar right now might be pushing my luck. We'll regroup at Darwin and probably return to Babar soon, on some unpredictable day instead of today. It didn't help that I was using xAPs instead of APs. With APs, all of the troops would have unloaded and there wouldn't be an issue of staying. But the APs are in the Marshalls, on the way to Ponape now.

[apbarog]

20 Feb 43 - Part Three - Burma and Elsewhere

Grayback hit xAK Huzikawa Maru with a torpedo near Kunashiri.

British cruisers bombard Port Blair, causing limited base damage and 220 casualties. Some squads are destroyed. The enemy is in bad shape there. Unfortunately, so are the Allies.

Halibut spotted a big transport convoy south of Hong Kong, but missed a juicy big target, xAP Atsuta Maru, with 2 torpedoes. In a related note, 14 Liberator IIs will fly from Ledo to Hong Kong for the first time today, bombing the port. Let's roll the dice that there's something there worth hitting. Worst case, there's nothing there and we show the enemy that rear areas need to be guarded too.

The usual Chinese bombing. There's some enemy movement noted north of Changsha. Looks like some probing about to happen in a couple of places in the line.

Moulmein is bombed, with heavy escort and a Tojo sweep. No CAP. Some Catalinas were damaged and a Hudson was destroyed. Moderate base damage.

Lots of Allied bombing of enemy troops in the clear terrain in the central plain of Burma. This will be the case every day. Magwe is hit hard today, in preparation for an attack later in the day.

Ground combat at Magwe (57,47)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26043 troops, 433 guns, 272 vehicles, Assault Value = 774

Defending force 12770 troops, 98 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 279

Allied adjusted assault: 1426

Japanese adjusted defense: 65

Allied assault odds: 21 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Magwe !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
2189 casualties reported
Squads: 117 destroyed, 79 disabled
Non Combat: 215 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 61 (61 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 75 (75 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division
2nd British Division
XXXIII Indian Corps

Defending units:
38th Division
19th Army

A resounding victory, and the 38th Division is trashed. The oil and refinery at Magwe is captured without any damage. Not that important, but the refinery at Rangoon was completely damaged, so now there will be some fuel drawn to Rangoon automatically.

It remains to be seen what becomes of the big stack of units fleeing Akyab. They are about to start popping out of the jungle northwest of Magwe. Supply has to be a problem for the enemy, so I'm not too concerned about counter-attacks. I think most enemy units will flee east, across the plains, and then head southeast towards Thailand. I don't have the troops to stop this movement, but my advance north is pushing more of the movement off of the roads, delaying the escape.