[font="Times New Roman"]March 10, 1943[/font]
The follow up to the series of Allied debacles on the 9th is an even worse day on the 10th.
I have about 25 subs in the area of the Yellow Sea in range of the path to the HI from Tsingtao the KB would need to take. I set all kinds of night search covering the Yellow Sea and approaches to Kyushu, with subs vectoring into Moppo and Saisho To risking potential minefields and ASW actions, but in the end couldn't get a hit on anything. The Guardfish found the KB and lined up Zuikaku, launched 6 fish (!!) but still couldn't connect. [:@]
The Allied CVs blundered into a duo of PBs near Amami Oshima, sinking one on their way toward Shanghai to prepare to shepherd the Indiana TF back in and take any return fire from the KB supported by Shanghai's LBA. Or that was the plan.
Instead the LBA didn't reach the DS as it came up a hex or two short due to it's night surface engagement most likely, and the KB ended up in range, launching a big strike with new replenished air groups on board. The Allied CAP did well, but couldn't keep out all of the IJN strikes.
On the day the Allies lose two CVE with a third struggling, but close to Shanghai, so fingers crossed. The Hornet takes two fish and moderate damage, but will likely need a few months in the yards. It's so important to have Hong Kong and Shanghai right here now. Manila and Saigon also offer some repair ability for merchants and smaller ships.
The Japanese do lose a lot of planes on the day, evening out the heavy Allied losses of the previous day a bit. It's all a bit disappointing though, and in spite of the timeframe I expect all of my forces to be doing better.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 10, 1943
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ASW attack near Fukue-jima at 99,57
Japanese Ships
DD Matsukaze
BB Fuso
CA Mogami
CL Kitakami
DD Arashio
DD Yugao
DD Yukaze
Allied Ships
SS ShCh-135
SS ShCh-135 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Matsukaze
ShCh-135 diving deep ....
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Amami Oshima at 95,61, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
PB Tama Maru
PB Ryuto Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
CV Hornet
CV Wasp
CVL Hermes
CLAA Atlanta
CLAA Juneau
CLAA San Juan
CLAA Van Heemskerck
DD Barton
DD Bagley
DD Perkins
DD Flusser
DD Litchfield
DD Stuart
DD Humphreys
Poor visibility due to Rain with 17% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 17% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
PB Ryuto Maru engages CV Hornet at 2,000 yards
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Amami Oshima at 95,61, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
PB Tama Maru, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
PB Ryuto Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CA Cornwall
DD Arunta
DD Nepal
DD Nizam
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Van Galen
DD Arrow
DD Foxhound
Reduced visibility due to Rain with 17% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 17% moonlight: 2,000 yards
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Sub attack near Moppo at 99,53
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
DD Uzuki
Allied Ships
SS Guardfish
SS Guardfish launches 6 torpedoes at CV Zuikaku
Guardfish bottoming out ....
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ASW attack near Moppo at 99,54
Japanese Ships
DD Yukaze
BB Fuso
CA Mogami
CL Kitakami
DD Matsukaze
DD Arashio
DD Yugao
Allied Ships
SS Sawfish, hits 1
SS Sawfish launches 2 torpedoes at DD Yukaze
DD Yugao fails to find sub and abandons search
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ASW attack near Moppo at 99,52
Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Myoko
CL Tama
DD Teruzuki
DD Tachikaze
DD Yugure
DD Arare
DD Onami
Allied Ships
SS Searaven
SS Searaven is sighted by escort
DD Tachikaze fails to find sub and abandons search
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ASW attack near Moppo at 99,53
Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuzuki
CA Mikuma
CA Myoko
CL Tama
DD Teruzuki
DD Tachikaze
DD Yugure
DD Arare
DD Onami
Allied Ships
SS Tarpon
SS Tarpon launches 2 torpedoes at DD Hatsuzuki
Tarpon bottoming out ....
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Morning Air attack on Amami Oshima , at 98,64
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 41 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 6
Allied aircraft
P-38F Lightning x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
16 x P-38F Lightning sweeping at 34000 feet
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Shanghai at 95,56
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12
Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 11
Martlet II x 19
Mohawk IV x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 145
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 6 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
No Allied losses
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Shanghai at 95,56
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
A6M3a Zero x 41
B5N2 Kate x 27
D3A1 Val x 13
D4Y1 Judy x 43
Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 9
Martlet II x 18
Mohawk IV x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 133
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 5 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 12 destroyed, 12 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed by flak
Allied aircraft losses
Sea Hurricane Ib: 1 destroyed
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
Mohawk IV: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 1
CV Hornet, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CV Wasp
CLAA Van Heemskerck
CVE Sangamon
CVE Nassau
CVE Suwannee, Bomb hits 1
CVE Prince William, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
CVE Copahee
CVL Hermes
Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shanghai at 95,56
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 31,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 24
G4M1 Betty x 9
Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 22
Mohawk IV x 1
F4F-4 Wildcat x 138
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 7 destroyed
No Allied losses
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shanghai at 95,56
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
A6M3a Zero x 36
B5N2 Kate x 28
D3A1 Val x 10
D4Y1 Judy x 16
Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 21
F4F-4 Wildcat x 122
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 8 destroyed, 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 5 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
Allied Ships
CVE Altamaha, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CVE Suwannee, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CVE Nassau
CVE Sangamon
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Moppo at 100,54
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
A6M2-N Rufe x 17
A6M3a Zero x 21
Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 33
SBC-4 Helldiver x 20
TBF-1 Avenger x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBC-4 Helldiver: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged
SBC-4 Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 7 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBC-4 Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
1 x SBC-4 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tokara Retto at 100,62
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Allied aircraft
OS2U-3 Kingfisher x 9
Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
AG Honan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Thames Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x OS2U-3 Kingfisher bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
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Ground combat at Tinian (108,94)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 1541 troops, 14 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 51
Defending force 1368 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10
Allied adjusted assault: 21
Japanese adjusted defense: 19
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
112th Cavalry Regiment
Defending units:
12th JNAF AF Unit
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Ground combat at Tsingtao (95,47)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 94177 troops, 410 guns, 115 vehicles, Assault Value = 1942
Defending force 17783 troops, 106 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 261
Allied adjusted assault: 937
Japanese adjusted defense: 255
Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)
Allied forces CAPTURE Tsingtao !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1698 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 159 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 30 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 37 (32 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
2211 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 203 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Assaulting units:
71st Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
6th Cav Recce Regiment
40th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
93rd Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
Defending units:
15th Division
5th Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st NCPC Route Brigade
14th RGC Temp. Division
Ching Tao Special Base Force
23rd JNAF AF Unit
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The fleet is taking a beating, but progress is still being made. Just like the USN in the war, the degradation of IJN air groups will have an affect on future performances, and progress on the ground and through amphibious invasions continues in spite of the poor results these past few turns. I still have only lost about the same amount of ships as the Allies in the war and have destroyed a lot more of the IJN in the process than at this point in the war.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
