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

[BBfanboy]

I think the writing is on the wall for the Japanese - Burma is lost and he will not be able to get enough supply there to match your strength.

Whether he tries to form a final defensive line or withdraws toward China is the question.

IMO, the open terrain in Indochina makes it foolish to set up defences on the western side. Any breakthrough to open terrain by the Allies can be exploited by their armoured units, trapping the Japanese in their defensive line.
The Vietnam area of the east coast has much better defensive terrain and could be a good defensive line.

Marching north through jungle rough and mountain terrain to cut the Burma Road will take some time and you could conceivably move blocking forces via road to get there first. You would have to do a lot of recon to detect their approach though.

[apbarog]

4 Mar 43

20 APDs, in 2 task forces, were to go from Darwin to Babar. 10 would drop off engineers, and the other 10 carried supply. When they arrived at Babar, an enemy cruiser force was arriving.

First, the 4 enemy cruisers and 4 destroyers engaged the task force with engineers. The combat started at 25,000 yards, at night, but with thunderstorms and only 3% moonlight, visibility was very poor. The range counted down, all the way to 3,000 yards, when Allied radar detected the enemy. The US ships then attempted to evade combat, and were successful, as the range counted all the way up. These 10 APDs, with engineers still loaded, went back to Darwin.

The second task force wasn't so lucky.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Babar at 76,117, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Chokai, Shell hits 1
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CL Yura
DD Kuroshio
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio, Shell hits 1
DD Asashio

Allied Ships
APD Alden
APD John D. Ford, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Fox, Shell hits 1
APD Whipple, Shell hits 1
APD Litchfield
APD Peary, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Pillsbury, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
APD Pope
APD Brooks
APD King, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Kane, Shell hits 15, and is sunk

John D. Ford sank after the fight. Pillsbury is badly damaged (SYS 49/FLOT 81-59/ENG 15-11/FIRE 0) but will try to limp back to Darwin. Which brings to mind the fate of destroyer Mugford, which had FLOT damage in the high 90's and way trying to make it back to Kusaie Island. The ship made it! Now SYS 45/FLOT 89-67/ENG 34-26/FIRE 0. It took 4 days, but it's in port at Kusaie and patching up what it can.

Back to Babar. The enemy cruisers bombarded the base. 214 casualties and light base damage. I decide to send the APDs right back into Babar.

6 British cruisers bombarded Tavoy. 657 casualties and moderate base damage. It's a meaningless bombardment, really. I did it on the way back to Colombo. With Port Blair taken, it's time to repair the British cruisers.

Troops continued to land at Wyndham. Attack today.

Allied fighters swept Chiang Mai, and bombers did moderate base damage. No CAP.

US troops attack on Kusaie Island, continuing to clean up the remaining enemy. Same for the stack near Prome in Burma. Surprisingly, though, the enemy retreated to the south, somehow tracing a supply line to Mandalay! No matter, they can't go anywhere fast from where they are, and US troops will hunt them down.

Chinese troops attack at Lashio. The enemy now shows retreat from the hex.

Ground combat at Lashio (62,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15266 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 456

Defending force 4509 troops, 34 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 123

Allied adjusted assault: 391

Japanese adjusted defense: 358

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

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

Allied ground losses:
249 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
143rd Infantry Regiment
50th JAAF AF Bn

[Macclan5]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

I had a bit of a discussion with OPilot today about Burma. He said that when he saw my armada approaching the Andamans, he flew in the parachute regiment to Port Blair from Rangoon. He didn't anticipate that my invasion armada would go straight to Rangoon. The paras saved Port Blair, as I had always only seen one other combat unit there. But it weakened Rangoon, which fell quickly. I don't know if it would have mattered if it had been at Rangoon, as I landed an overwhelming force.

He said that my use of Rangoon for rearming bombardment task forces to hit Port Blair made the difference at Port Blair. I agree. I do wonder what would have happened had KB stayed in the area. It left after practically losing all of 3 Zero squadrons on a massive attempt to sweep Rangoon. Had KB stayed, there would have been no bombardments of Port Blair, or reinforcement. It would have held. He could have landed more troops and eliminated the invaders.

+1 [8D]

My emphasis.

I think you handled Port Blair exactly perfect given your aims / resources and self critic.

Port Blair is more strategically important to Rangoon / Burma than oft debated... both ways... for the Japanese early and the Allies pushing back... Good Airfields / Good Port / Important base

[apbarog]

5 Mar 43

APDs make a second attempt to deliver engineers and supply to Babar, and are successful. I-32 fired 4 torpedoes at APD Alden and missed.

More troops unloaded at Wyndham. Attack today.

OPilot decided to do big fighter sweeps all over.

30 Zeros swept Ponape, finding 10 F4Us, 24 P-40Ks and 12 P-400s. Lots of Zeros downed.
32 Zeros swept Ponape, finding 6 F4Us, 19 P-40Ks and 4 P-400s. Half a dozen planes downed on both sides.
31 Zeros swept Ponape. Now just 15 fighters left on CAP. Half a dozen Warhawks downed.

31 Oscars swept Port Blair, finding 13 Wildcats. 9 Wildcats downed.
31 Oscars swept Port Blair, finding just one Wildcat, which is destroyed.
8 Oscars swept Port Blair, finding no CAP.
8 Oscars swept Port Blair, finding no CAP.

42 Oscars swept Babar. No CAP. 28 Sallys bombed with 36 Oscars escorting. Almost no damage in moderate rain and bombing from 11,000 feet.

[EDIT: Total air losses were 32 Zeros and 3 Oscars for 15 P-40Ks, 9 F4F-4s, 4 P-400s and 2 F4Us.]

Ponape is cleared of the last enemy unit, the 57th JNAF AF Unit. Kusaie's enemy troops are attacked and worn down significantly.

Allied attack at Wyndham.

Ground combat at Wyndham (70,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4554 troops, 62 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 166

Defending force 1627 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Allied adjusted assault: 130

Japanese adjusted defense: 214

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

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

Assaulting units:
19th Australian Brigade
13th Armoured Regiment

Defending units:
4th Engineer Co
Kure 2nd SNLF

[apbarog]

Major Ships - Where Are They?

Here's a list of ships in refit and/or repair:

CVs Saratoga and Lexington at Sydney for 19 days
BBs North Carolina and Washington at Sydney for 6 days
BB South Dakota at Sydney for 29 days
CA Indianapolis at Sydney for 11 days
CA Quincy at Sydney for 37 days (11/22/0/0) damaged in Burma campaign
CA Astoria at Pearl Harbor for 11 days (17/4/7/0)
CVE Sangamon at Luganville for 28 days (0/19/7/0) in ARD Dewey
CV Victorious at San Diego for 71 days (recently arrived from Panama)
BB Maryland at Mare waiting to convert to BB in April
BB Idaho at Mare for 95 days (34/19/0/0)
BB Oklahoma at Seattle for 115 days
BB Colorado at Bremerton waiting to convert to BB in April
BB Nevada at Bremerton for 115 days

BB Resolution at Capetown for 9 days
BB Revenge at Capetown for 24 days
BB Royal Sovereign at Capetown, will head to Ceylon with next convoy
BC Repulse at Colombo

BB Ramilles at East Coast for 80 days (1/22/26/0) (damaged long, long ago between Calcutta and Akyab; survived at Calcutta for awhile, then Colombo. With Capetown busy, sent Ramilles to East Coast, but it was the most damaged of the BBs and moved very slowly...and took many months to get to the US. At least it survived.

Active ships:

CVs Yorktown, Enterprise, Hornet, Wasp
CVL Hermes
8 CVEs including Long Island, which isn't being used currently
BBs West Virginia, Arizona, Pennsylvania and California

BB Tennessee (13/0/0/0)
Mississippi (4/33/0/0) headed to West Coast
Indiana at Luganville, waiting to join carriers in a day or two, when they arrive
BBs Massachusetts and Prince of Wales with carriers

[apbarog]

Major Ships - Where Aren't They?

[apbarog]

6 Mar 43 - A Sad Day and a Bad Day

Sad.

Sub attack near Truk at 114,109

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 22, Shell hits 2
SC Ch 31

Allied Ships
SS Sargo, hits 6, and is sunk

SS Sargo launches 2 torpedoes at SC Ch 22

Sargo is the first Allied sub lost in the war due to ASW activities, air or sea. Subs lost previously were either losses due to hitting mines or being bombed in port. It was amazing to get to March 1943 with this record. Sargo was a few hexes southeast of Truk, in deep water. It was lost due to 3 depth charge hits and then gun hits on the surface. It went down fighting, getting a couple of gun hits on a subchaser before slipping beneath the waves. Chalk this one up to good subchaser work. The SC was one that drops depth charges in bunches of 4. Lots of chances for hits, and the hits came today.

Bad.

Sub attack near Luganville at 120,150

Japanese Ships
SS RO-68

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Prince of Wales
CA San Francisco
CA Pensacola
CL St. Louis
CLAA San Juan
CLAA San Diego
CLAA Juneau
DD Mahan
DD Reid
DD Lamson
DD Cummings

Ammo storage explosion on CV Enterprise
SS RO-68 launches 6 torpedoes at CV Enterprise

3 US carriers went to Luganville from Australia, going slightly south of a direct line west of Luganville. But they had been tracked by enemy subs, and I could tell that multiple subs were chasing the task force. RO-68 was waiting at Luganville. The US destroyers didn't find the sub after the attack. I don't know if an ammo storage explosion really occurred. Enterprise is SYS 23/FLOT 21-12/ENG 29-22/FIRE 0. It is in no danger of sinking. Luganville is a size 6 port with plenty of naval support. ARD Dewey is here, and is big enough to work on Enterprise. Dewey is currently working on a CVE. Enterprise will patch up for a bit, then move into Dewey to fix flotation damage. After that is fixed, it will move to Sydney to finish off the repairs. Bad, but not a disaster. The rest of the carrier task force will continue to Tabiteuea, with fast battleship Indiana joining up.

Allied cruisers bombarded Wyndham. US cruisers bombarded Roi-Namur.

A US sub had 10/10 detection level east of Balikpapan a few hexes, where there had been no detection before. A good chance that something big is moving through here. On the alert for a missing KB.

The usual enemy air activity over China.

B-17Ds flew a long way from Darwin to Ternate to bomb the port, but found no targets. I've spotted cruisers at Koepang, so that is where the enemy came from when it bombarded Babar.

Cleanup of the enemy continued at Kusaie, Port Blair, and near Prome. Allied attack at Wyndham after landing an Australian brigade.

Ground combat at Wyndham (70,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4518 troops, 62 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 161

Defending force 1276 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Allied adjusted assault: 66

Japanese adjusted defense: 19

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

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

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

Assaulting units:
19th Australian Brigade
13th Armoured Regiment

Defending units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Attack at Shwebo in Burma, by units that came from the north.

Ground combat at Shwebo (59,45)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8337 troops, 118 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 261

Defending force 894 troops, 0 guns, 76 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Allied adjusted assault: 167

Japanese adjusted defense: 6

Allied assault odds: 27 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Shwebo !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 41 (39 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Allied ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Australian Brigade
26th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
14th Tank Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment

There will be a big Allied attack at Meiktila in Burma today, against a sizable enemy force. Lots of Allied bombing to take place there.

[Macclan5]

Do you have any long legged Subchasers back at the west coast yet?

Off memory I cannot really recall when they show up. They all have endurance in the 3000 as opposed to the first batches with only 1500 endurance. One strategy I have learned (possibly from you as well) ...

Where ever you have ARD / Naval support / investment as a Naval base get a 3 unit squadron of the long legged American subchasers forward to the base and patrol in base hex / perhaps one hex out.

Tarawa / Luganville / Noumea / Suvi come to mind ... Marshall's Gilberts as required.

[apbarog]

Yes, I'm using some of the better subchasers around Kusaie Island. Mostly still the short legged ones, but for patrolling near the islands of Kusaie and Ponape, they work. They are also less valuable and can be risked close to the front. Some being used around Luganville also, where ARD Dewey is and damaged Enterprise.

7 Mar 43

North of Manado, south of Mindanao, O24 spotted battleships Kirishima and Kongo with 7 destroyers. I think this is a carrier task force. On the previous day, I noted a sub detection level east of Balikpapan. If I'm correct, a carrier task force, maybe KB, is heading east. It could turn south towards Timor, but this location probably means a move further east. Probably Truk. Maybe a reaction to what's happened at Ponape. Lots of slightly informed speculation, I know, but we'll see.

US subchasers and destroyers hunt subs around Ponape and Kusaie Island. Got a couple of depth charge hits but no subs destroyed.

Lots and lots of Allied bombing of enemy troops in the clear terrain at Meiktila. Lots of casualties, helping in the following attack, which was the biggest Allied attack of the war so far.

Ground combat at Meiktila (58,47)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 76888 troops, 1008 guns, 666 vehicles, Assault Value = 2451

Defending force 42505 troops, 332 guns, 388 vehicles, Assault Value = 1166

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 1969

Japanese adjusted defense: 623

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

Allied forces CAPTURE Meiktila !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
13631 casualties reported
Squads: 253 destroyed, 92 disabled
Non Combat: 359 destroyed, 79 disabled
Engineers: 55 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 87 (70 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 354 (351 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 9
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
2240 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 248 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Guns lost 30 (1 destroyed, 29 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division
18th British Division
32nd Infantry Division
46th Indian Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
24th Australian Brigade
16th Australian Brigade
6th Chinese Corps
XV Indian Corps
2/11th Fld RAA Regiment

Defending units:
5th Recon Regiment
12th Division
42nd Infantry Regiment
56th Division
11th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
2nd Army
25th Army
11th RF Gun Battalion

Kusaie Island is completely cleared of enemy troops. Clearing continues on Port Blair and south of Prome in Burma.

Wyndham is captured.

Ground combat at Wyndham (70,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4637 troops, 62 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 163

Defending force 1078 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 18

Allied adjusted assault: 144

Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 20 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Wyndham !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
449 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

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

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
19th Australian Brigade
13th Armoured Regiment

Defending units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

8 Fletcher class destroyers will run full speed from Darwin to Babar, hoping to catch the enemy cruiser task force that disappeared from Koepang. I'm guessing that they are inbound to bombard Babar again.

It was a good day, following a bad day. Such is the nature of the war.

[apbarog]

Points

The battle of Meiktila pushed the Allies into the lead on points. I don't worry about the score usually. It matters for auto-victory, and that wasn't a worry in this game. But it is a measure of progress in the war.

[apbarog]

8 Mar 43

Dutch sub KXIV fired 4 torpedoes at small tanker Akatuki Maru near Jesselton, and got one hit. Sinking audio heard immediately after combat.

US cruisers bombarded Roi-Namur. US troops on the island are slowly recovering from their back-to-back shock attacks that didn't go well. About half of the squads are now combat ready. The unit has a large amount of supply so we'll just wait for the unit to recover, with occasional help from ship bombardments and heavy bomber raids.

North of Truk about 4 hexes, Tuna spots a big convoy and fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Florida Maru. One hit but was a dud. This task force has multiple xAKs and multiple AOs. Later in the day, Tuna struck again, firing 4 torpedoes at already smoking AO Iro. One hit again, and it was a dud, again. The smoking AO tells me that these ships are headed north from Truk. The AO was one of the ships hit awhile ago with my carrier raid.

42 Oscars swept Babar but there was no CAP. Sallys with Oscar and Zero escort hit the airfield, doing minor damage.

Huge Allied bombing effort against enemy stack at Mandalay. This is the stack that was just defeated at Meiktila. The huge number of Allied bombers, hitting troops in clear terrain, must be depressing to the enemy. Much as I've felt with the relentless bombing for over a year in China. I don't mention that bombing regularly, but it's there everyday. The enemy uses sufficient escorts in China, fearing a fighter trap, but it very rarely occurs. The bombing is one-sided, but there's nothing fair in war, and Allied airpower will just keep getting stronger.

Cleanup continues at Port Blair. Base force destroyed, and just one enemy unit left.

Chinese attack at Lashio.

Ground combat at Lashio (62,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14968 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 418

Defending force 4145 troops, 34 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 152

Japanese adjusted defense: 256

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
285 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
458 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
143rd Infantry Regiment
50th JAAF AF Bn

It's very difficult to get supply to the Chinese here. We did catch the enemy trying to move out of town quickly.

Enemy battleship task force spotted southeast of Truk, in a bombardment staging position for Ponape. 2 xAKLs are ordered to stop unloading supply and head east. All operational non-search aircraft are ordered to other islands to wait out the bombardment that is probably coming.

Most of the US APs that upgrade to APAs are now doing so at Brisbane.

[apbarog]

9 Mar 43

US cruisers bombarded Roi-Namur again. They are running back and forth from Nauru.

42 Oscars swept Babar, finding no CAP. The airfield is out of action, and has never been in action since the island was taken. We did too good of a job with the bombardments. Sallys with lots of Zeros and Oscars bombed again.

18 Sallys bombed troops at Meiktila. Lots of troops there are moving to Mandalay, chasing the enemy stack. The Sallys arrived without escort and ranged CAP found them. 15 Warhawks and 3 Hurricanes intercepted, and shot down every one. Only one bomber dropped bombs.

Allied bombers hit enemy troops hard again in Burma. Got a message from OPilot about how effective the Allied heavy bombers are. Yes they are. They were much less effective today than yesterday, with rain today at Mandalay.

The final enemy unit was cleared from Port Blair.

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17896 troops, 308 guns, 121 vehicles, Assault Value = 462

Defending force 1947 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Allied adjusted assault: 153

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 153 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1402 casualties reported
Squads: 60 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 61 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (9 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
25th Australian Brigade
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
17th Australian Brigade
111th LRP Brigade
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
50th Indian Para Brigade
2/1st Lt AA Regiment
112th RN Base Force
276th Coastal Artillery Battalion
106th RAF Base Force
111th RN Base Force
16th USN Special Construction Battalion

Defending units:
41st Infantry Regiment

[apbarog]

10 Mar 43

Enemy air over Changsha and Hengyang, as with most days recently. 2 P-40K squadrons are moved to the base west of Changsha today. I had moved the base unit from Hengyang to it this week. Today the Warhawks will fly over Hengyang and try to catch the Oscars and bombers. They may or may not come. Hengyang is already fairly damaged. I didn't choose Changsha for today, since OPilot has been sweeping it with an extra Oscar unit.

Lots of Allied bombing over Mandalay again. Good results. Allied troops will attack today. It will be another huge battle. With some enemy units leaving to the east, and others entering Mandalay from the west, it's hard to say exactly what the defense will be. Here's what was there today. Some of the Allied troops just got to Mandalay and didn't contribute to the bombardment.

Ground combat at Mandalay (59,46)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 26526 troops, 461 guns, 294 vehicles, Assault Value = 1920

Defending force 42663 troops, 366 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 1073

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

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

Assaulting units:
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
18th British Division
2nd British Division
6th Chinese Corps
XV Indian Corps

Defending units:
12th Division
5th Division
56th Division
Imperial Guards Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
25th Army
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Army
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Shipping

Chinese attack again at Lashio. The enemy still shows movement out of town.

Ground combat at Lashio (62,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14620 troops, 80 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 378

Defending force 3225 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 78

Allied adjusted assault: 339

Japanese adjusted defense: 403

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

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

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

Allied ground losses:
116 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
143rd Infantry Regiment

Badly damaged AK Adhara is now one hex west of Darwin. SYS 11/FLOT 92/ENG 9/FIRE 0. It took non-combat damage at Wyndham. Probably grounded. It might be saved.

[apbarog]

11 Mar 43

Trout spotted a tanker convoy at Miri, but didn't get a shot. Trout and 3 other US subs came from Colombo and passed by Singapore. All are on minelaying missions. Trout laid mines at Miri but AMc Awa Maru was sitting there waiting, and started sweeping mines immediately. OPilot has his bases covered, literally. The other subs are dropping mines at non-base hexes. One near Tarakan, one near the northeastern corner of Borneo, and one east of Soerabaja.

22 P-38Fs swept Chiang Mai and found 32 Tojos. 11 Tojos were downed for the cost of 3 Lightnings. Today the P-38s will return, in fewer numbers, but a sweep of Corsairs will also take place.

OPilot didn't go to Hengyang today, so my fighter trap failed. He went heavier to Changsha, so the 2 P-40K squadrons will LRCAP Changsha from range 1, with some fatigue from yesterday.

More Allied bombing of Mandalay, and an attack.

Ground combat at Mandalay (59,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 38157 troops, 364 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 1932

Defending force 41067 troops, 394 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 1038

Allied adjusted assault: 958

Japanese adjusted defense: 387

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
746 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
252 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 37 (4 destroyed, 33 disabled)

Assaulting units:
18th British Division
2nd British Division
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
6th Chinese Corps
XV Indian Corps

Defending units:
12th Division
5th Division
Imperial Guards Division
56th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Army
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Shipping

A good result, and another attack is ordered.

To the north we attacked at Katha, trying to clear the rail line.

Ground combat at Katha (61,43)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3738 troops, 9 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 156

Defending force 3753 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 123

Allied adjusted assault: 51

Japanese adjusted defense: 127

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
202 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Burma Battalion
75th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment

The enemy still shows movement out of Katha, but that could be a ruse. The enemy regiment is looking at a long retreat in the jungle to escape. It might be ordered to stay in place and block the rail line as long as possible.

[jwolf]

It might be ordered to stay in place and block the rail line as long as possible.

That sure makes sense to me. Delay, delay, delay. They wouldn't waste a whole division doing that, but I could see that for a regiment.

[apbarog]

12 Mar 43

My just-placed minefield at Miri was completely swept. In the middle of the South China Sea, Grouper spotted a big cargo task force. 2 torpedoes were fired at xAK Teihoku Maru. One hit. No troops or fuel on the ship.

Big fight over Chiang Mai. P-38s from Rangoon swept and found 31 Tonys and 34 Oscars. Many Oscars went down. 7 P-38s were lost. Corsairs then swept, in piecemeal fashion. Some Oscars and Tonys downed. 5 Corsairs lost.

My fighter trap at Changsha worked. No enemy sweepers today. 18 Lilys with 27 Oscars appeared and found 39 Warhawks. Every Lily was shot down, as were many Oscars. 7 Warhawks were lost.

Total air losses on the day were 38 Oscars, 18 Lilys and 6 Tonys, for the cost of 7 P-40Ks, 7 P-38Fs and 5 F4Us. A good day, although losing low replacement quality aircraft does hurt.

Another attack at Mandalay. Heavy fighting, lots of losses. Need a day of rest now. The 48th Division just entered Mandalay from the west, and it was practically full strength. All of the rest of the divisions are weak to very weak. The 48th saved the enemy.

Ground combat at Mandalay (59,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 64296 troops, 825 guns, 498 vehicles, Assault Value = 1857

Defending force 51124 troops, 560 guns, 212 vehicles, Assault Value = 1425

Allied adjusted assault: 707

Japanese adjusted defense: 575

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1930 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 156 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 30 (2 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1402 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 185 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 32 (2 destroyed, 30 disabled)
Vehicles lost 46 (33 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
2nd British Division
18th British Division
32nd Infantry Division
6th Chinese Corps
XV Indian Corps

Defending units:
12th Division
5th Division
48th Division
Imperial Guards Division
56th Division
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Field Construction Battalion
2nd Shipping
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
31st Field AA Battalion
7th Field Construction Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
2nd Shipping

[Macclan5]

Apbarog...

You may have to write a 'game thesis' [8D]

Casually I would observe a consistent (recent?) Japanese Player tendency to:

(i) build the "Nanyang >> Sian >> Lanchow thrust" with heavy hitting armor / art / Japanese forces.
(ii) then "turn the corner" into the Chungking plains and so avoid the hex by hex progress north from Changsha"

Seems to form part of the basic Japanese >> China strategy

You seemed to have stopped it cold - at least in so far as you have opportunity to reopen the Burma Road ...

Congrats.

Was the thrust through Sian a heavily armored fight ? Did you para drop British Anti Tank guns to the theater ?

[apbarog]

The Sian battle was not heavily armored. I had plenty of infantry at Sian to hold, but it is clear terrain and since Sian was almost isolated, I couldn't get supply in. I withdrew most of the forces and forced a costly fight there. My forces still hold south and west of Sian, in good terrain. His Sian attack came from the east.

An enemy armored division appeared way up north, and that has been the spearhead towards Lanchow. It is in the highlighted hex now. It had flanked to the west of that hex, then headed east, closing that hexside. Now enemy infantry is moving to join the armor.

I had not sent any anti-tank units to China. But when I start getting supply into China, everything is going to change there, with the ability to grow the Chinese units immensely, and upgrade to the 1943 squad devices. And be able to base lots of air units.

OPilot is currently reinforcing around Changsha.

[jwolf]

If the Allied defense in China basically holds up to the point where the Burma Road is re-opened (as in this game) it seems hard to believe that the Japanese could make any further really significant progress in China. But from their point of view the objective would be to keep you pushed back as far and as long as possible, and as long as that can be done with an offensive type of posture, they will continue to do so. However, I would imagine that the Japanese will be on the strategic defensive in China before too long.

[apbarog]

13 Mar 43

US minesweepers clear enemy mines just outside of Luganville.

RO-64 missed destroyer Bagley near Kusaie Island.

Albacore hit subchaser Ch 28 near Ternate, and based on sinking audio, sank it.

Big enemy air effort at Ponape. 30 A6M5 Zeros swept from Truk, finding 22 Warhawks and 16 Corsairs. Lots of Zeros downed and a few Warhawks. Then 40 more A6M5 Zeros swept, finding a reduced number of US fighters: 14 Warhawks and 13 Corsairs. More enemy than friendly downed. Two fragmented sweeps then arrived, with more Zeros shot down. Still in the morning, 11 Bettys with 12 A6M3a Zeros arrived, attacking a cargo task force unloading supply. About half of the Bettys were shot down. 4 dropped torpedoes but missed a destroyer and a cargo ship. Only 11 US fighters were on CAP, depleted from the earlier sweeps. In the afternoon fewer Bettys arrived, 9 of them, with 14 Zeros escorting, and only 5 Corsairs were still in the air. A couple of Zeros were downed but no Bettys. One cargo ship was sunk by a torpedo, and another is badly damaged.

29 Sallys with 36 Oscars hit Babar, but found that the runway had become barely operational and 45 Warhawks were there. Lots of enemy downed.

Total air losses for the day were 35 A6M5 Zeros, 20 Sallys, 11 A6M3a Zeros, 10 Oscars and 8 Bettys. US losses were just 8 P-40Ks and 2 F4Us. A great result. The fight was over US bases, so the number of enemy pilots killed should be significant. 3 new aces and a double ace at Babar, and 2 new aces at Ponape.

Most Allied bombers were resting in Burma today. A few small squadrons hit Manadalay, and found 8 Tonies on very LRCAP. A few bombers were damaged.

Another Allied attempt to clear Katha and the rail line to the north failed. I'm still hoping that the enemy moves off the rail line to escape to the south, but it's still there, showing movement. I'd stay right there and block the line to the bitter end.

Ground combat at Katha (61,43)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3619 troops, 9 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 135

Defending force 3650 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 112

Allied adjusted assault: 39

Japanese adjusted defense: 119

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

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

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

Allied ground losses:
371 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Burma Battalion
75th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment

I have a sizable armor unit at Myitkina. I've had it in Strat mode, hoping to clear Katha and rail the armor south towards Mandalay. I may have to move in on the slow trail to Katha to clear the 112th Infantry Regiment out. I'll give it a couple more days and see what happens. The trail movement would take awhile just to get to Katha.

Another huge attack at Mandalay ordered for today. The other big Chinese corp is now at Meiktila and is switching out of Strat mode. It can be in Mandalay in about 5 days, if the base hasn't fallen by then. About 60,000 enemy still there. About 80,000 Allied troops.