At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

SE Asia: B-25's switch over to Bangkok AF but the Jap fighters are waiting there too. I don't know if they are psychic or they just have CAP set to range 10 and they fly where eneeded.

Morning Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 10

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 8
B-25C Mitchell x 15
B-25D1 Mitchell x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 5 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 13

[Cap Mandrake]

We find Alor Star AF in Malaya with no fighters....trying to pave the way for the landing on Sumatra.

Morning Air attack on Alor Star , at 49,73

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 5
B-24D Liberator x 20
B-24D1 Liberator x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-36 Ida: 2 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 5 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

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

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 45

[Cap Mandrake]

Sumatra: We try to take Medan for free. This squad was dressed like Klingons.

Ground combat at Medan (46,76)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 11 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Defending force 3700 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Assault collapses, attacking force wiped out

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

Allied ground losses:
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
111th LRP Bde /3

Defending units:
11th Special Base Force
18th JNAF AF Unit

[Cap Mandrake]

No Klingons at the convention this year.

[Cap Mandrake]

One time I was at the Stardust in Las Vegas (if I had known it was owned by the Mob I would not have tried to count cards there)...anyway...I am checking in and I try to give my bags to the bell girls in these modernistic, angular-cut uniforms....they laughed at me...they were Star Trek geeks. I was laughed at by Star Trek geeks.

[Cap Mandrake]

Just in case you think I was making that up about the Wellington...the Stardust story is true too.

[Cap Mandrake]

We recapture Bengkoelen after the Jap tanks head East to protect Palembang

Ground combat at Benkoelen (45,91)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 11 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

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

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Benkoelen !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
111th LRP Bde /2

[Cap Mandrake]

*****************March 15**************

New Ireland: Landing at Kavieng while the IJN is capping us in the Sundas. Even though everyone is prepped over 50 there still is a lot of falling in the water. 3 good sized task forces with AP's and LST's.

Pre-Invasion action off Kavieng (106,122)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

64 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Richmond
SC-749
xAP William Vanderbilt
DMS Lamberton

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

[Cap Mandrake]

The HQ troops seem to have lots of swimming accidents.

Amphibious Assault at Kavieng (106,122)

TF 219 troops unloading over beach at Kavieng, 106,122

Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

15 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 24th (Sep) Infantry Rgt /5
15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of I US Corps /2
15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of I US Corps /3

[Cap Mandrake]

Does New Ireland really mean anything? No..just something to try to draw IJN resources from somewhere they are needed...not really working yet.

[Cap Mandrake]

Looks like we brought enough troops. [:D]

Ground combat at Kavieng (106,122)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1929 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 93

Defending force 16083 troops, 272 guns, 267 vehicles, Assault Value = 627

Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 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:
Maizuru 3rd SNLF
54th JNAF AF Unit
39th Field Const Co
21st Port Unit
23rd JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
110th Cmbt Engr Bn /2
22nd Marine Rgt /1
30th Australian Bde /2
5th Marine Rgt /1
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
24th (Sep) Infantry Rgt /6
193rd Tank Bn /2
8th NZ Bde /1
I US Corps
97th Field Artillery Battalion
168th Field Artillery Battalion
181st Field Artillery Battalion
2nd AmphTrac Engineer Battalion

[Cap Mandrake]

Indian Ocean: We were building a seaplane base at Christmas Is and this has apparently angered the Emperor..so they are coming after us. Jap suspected amphib TF with some kind of 4 ship SCTF heading West, 200 nm east of Christmas. The AP that was unloading some RAF guys departs and an SC stays behind as a road bump. Aussie combat engineers start flying in Padang by Catalina and PBY. 2 squadrons of TBF's fly in from the USN carriers up by Northern Sumatra and we wait.

[Cap Mandrake]

Sure enough, they are headed for CI. A security squadrons of E boats.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Christmas Island IO at 45,104, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Otori
E Kasasagi
E Hato
E Kari

Allied Ships
SC-639, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh, Jeez, I did not expect them to start unloading so fast. They are comprised of fast transports and even a CS. It's the whole freaking 38th Div and they appear not to have been prepped.

Pre-Invasion action off Christmas Island IO (45,104)

14 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
DMS W-10
AMC Gokoku Maru
CS Mizuho

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

DMS W-10 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Christmas Island IO (45,104)

TF 7 troops unloading over beach at Christmas Island IO, 45,104

Japanese ground losses:
935 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 106 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 43 (0 destroyed, 43 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (0 destroyed, 11 disabled)

17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost in surf during unload of 38th Div /5
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 38th Div /8

[Cap Mandrake]

Sun comes up...the AF is intact..so the TBF's take off. Japs have Zekes on CAP..either from Java or from Ryujo hiding further back? TBF's dropping bombs because the AF is only size 2. Not enough supply or aviation support either.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Christmas Island IO at 45,104

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 8
TBF-1 Avenger x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAP Tatsuta Maru
xAP Huso Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Tango Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Gokoku Maru, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
116 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

The other 1/2 squadron

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Christmas Island IO at 45,104

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 4

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
TBF-1 Avenger x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AMC Gokoku Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires
xAP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Teibi Maru

Japanese ground losses:
84 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

No attacks in the afternoon for some reason. Maybe out of ammo. Overall, quite effective but it appears enough of the bad guys got ashore to overwhelm the few troops available. We shall see.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Just in case you think I was making that up about the Wellington...the Stardust story is true too.

Is that wood?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Just in case you think I was making that up about the Wellington...the Stardust story is true too.

Looks like they need to recruit a few more "Women Weaving for Victory" groups to finish the fabric for that one. Shouldn't they wait for the test flight before bringing the bombs to the aircraft?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Just in case you think I was making that up about the Wellington...the Stardust story is true too.

Is that wood?

No, metal. Aluminum I am pretty sure. Skin is fabric.