Act II - Uncivil Engr (J) vs. christopher1963 (A)

[Bif1961]

You could land north up the coast at Akyab or Cox' Bazar if you have airs support and land behind his forces in the Rangoon Prome area and possibly cut them off.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Feb 28 - Mar 3

Feb 28 - One Rufe research facility at Maebashi reached 30(0) and converted to A6M5. A BB TF bombarded Pegu after an ineffective night aerial bombing.

Mar 1 - The second Rufe research facility at Maebashi, and one at Kobe reached 30(0) and converted to A6M5. Ha-45 engine research advanced a month to Jun '43; Ha-60 engine research advanced a month to Aug '42.

Mar 2 - WHAT? The first deliberate attack at Manila went in and made a remarkable discovery -

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 48018 troops, 449 guns, 257 vehicles, Assault Value = 1613

Defending force 18273 troops, 258 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 682

Japanese adjusted assault: 694

Allied adjusted defense: 349

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
905 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 133 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 77 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2463 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 111 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 46 (7 destroyed, 39 disabled)

Assaulting units:
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
1st Engineer Regiment
65th Brigade
16th Division
1st Infantry Regiment
Kure 1st SNLF
47th Infantry Regiment
57th Infantry Regiment
49th Infantry Regiment
48th Engineer Regiment
Sasebo 1st SNLF
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
28th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
102nd PA Infantry Division
II Philippine Corps
Manila USAAF Base Force
301st Construction Battalion

Recall that Luzon was largely bypassed during December '41, and only recently received sufficient reinforcement to consider pressing the issue. 16 Div captured Mindanao and the resource islands north of Mindanao BEFORE landing on the south coast of Luzon to advance north on Manila. 65 Bde landed at Aparri early and defended there until 16 Div landed on Luzon. 1 Div and 21 Div came from China (1 Div starts in Manchuria and 21 Div at Shanghai). Anyway, even though Clark Field and/or Manila have received daily aerial bombardment since Dec 7, I expected the fort level at Manila to be much higher than 0!

Mar 3 - The Rufe research facility at Nagaoka reached 30(0) and converted to A6M5. The last remaining Rufe facility at Tokyo is still repairing and will produce Rufes starting in April.

[Uncivil Engineer]

North China

Sian was captured on Feb 11. Forces of the Empire rested a few days before beginning the advance north. The situation prior to the Mar 3 turn is shown below -



The Chinese sources of supply are circled in yellow. Yenan (under the yellow X) does not make supply, so all those Chinese units south and east of Yenan get their supply from Lanchow (400+ miles away), meaning it's infrequent. These units do not need to be attacked, only blocked from getting out of the Yenan pocket to the west. The Chinese defenders retreating north from Sian are largely combat ineffective. Japanese tank regiments are plentiful. The pursuit is ON.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Mar 3 (continued) Manila Falls!

Manila was captured with some damage to industry -

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 46084 troops, 441 guns, 257 vehicles, Assault Value = 1584

Defending force 16256 troops, 252 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Japanese adjusted assault: 968

Allied adjusted defense: 165

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Manila !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
2579 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 207 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 35 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
17269 casualties reported
Squads: 1026 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1204 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 87 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 325 (325 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 64 (64 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 9

Assaulting units:
49th Infantry Regiment
65th Brigade
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Infantry Regiment
47th Infantry Regiment
16th Division
Kure 1st SNLF
48th Engineer Regiment
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
57th Infantry Regiment
1st Engineer Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
Sasebo 1st SNLF
1st Recon Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
2nd Formosa Inf. Regiment
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
28th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
1st PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
71st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
102nd PA Infantry Division
II Philippine Corps
Manila USAAF Base Force
301st Construction Battalion

In Burma, heavy cruisers bombard Rangoon with considerable success -

Night Naval bombardment of Rangoon at 54,53

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CL Tama
CL Naka
DD Hibiki
DD Akatsuki
DD Oshio
DD Arashi
DMS W-19
DMS W-9

Refinery hits 1
Manpower hits 3
Fires 821
Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 49
Port hits 27
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

16 Indian Bde is the only current defender at Rangoon, while 8 units are defending at Pegu. 146 Inf Rgt is loading transports at Moulmein with the intent to land at Rangoon, followed by 33 Div and others as transport comes available.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Mar 4 - 5

Mar 4 -
Vacant dot base Nabire was captured.
Japanese troops landed at vacant Ndeni.
Liberation of the main island of Java was completed when the last defenders surrendered.

Rangoon and Pegu were bombarded -

Night Naval bombardment of Rangoon at 54,53

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CL Tama
CL Naka
DD Hibiki
DD Akatsuki
DD Oshio
DD Arashi
DMS W-19
DMS W-9

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

Manpower hits 5
Resources hits 1
Fires 622
Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 21
Port hits 10
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 5

Night Naval bombardment of Pegu at 55,53

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 2 damaged
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
CL Kinu
CL Isuzu
DD Ayanami
DD Shikinami
DD Nenohi
DD Umikaze
DD Asashio
DD Hagikaze
DD Tokitsukaze

Allied ground losses:
166 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 28
Port hits 18
Port supply hits 2

Mar 5 -

Vacant Ndeni was captured.
146 Inf Rgt landed at Rangoon via amphib assault.
The isolated Japanese troops NW of Ichang are finally succumbing to lack of supply. After 3 weeks with no supply and Chinese reinforcement to over 1000 AV, half of the 6 units defending have been destroyed. The others will likely last only days.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Mar 6 - 7

Mar 6 - A night aerial bombardment of Pegu actually does some damage, although extremely light. An IJN sub puts 3 torpedoes into an Allied xAP at Akyab and sinks it. Japanese troops land at Buna, Denpasar, and Pamekasan.

Mar 7 - Vacant Buna was captured; Denpasar and Pamekasan were easily captured; the defenders surrendered. A BB TF sank an Allied xAP at Akyab (some guns and non-combatants go down as well). A CA TF bombarded Rangoon (while artillery reinforcement arrived) -

Night Naval bombardment of Rangoon at 54,53

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Atago
CL Sendai
DD Samidare
DD Harusame
DD Asashio
DD Hagikaze
DD Maikaze

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

Light Industry hits 1
Manpower hits 2
Resources hits 1
Fires 400
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 25
Port hits 14
Port fuel hits 7
Port supply hits 1

A BB TF bombarded Wenchow -

Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
CL Yura
DD Sazanami
DD Inazuma
DD Ikazuchi
DD Tanikaze

Allied ground losses:
68 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Manpower hits 1
Resources hits 1
Fires 52
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 25
Port hits 14
Port supply hits 2

[Uncivil Engineer]

Mar 8

Busy day, so I'll get right to it!

A BB TF again bombarded Pegu -

Night Naval bombardment of Pegu at 55,53

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
CA Mikuma
CL Tama

Allied ground losses:
150 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9
Port hits 7
Port supply hits 3

The Allied LCUs at Pegu are moving NW, not toward Rangoon.

A CA TF again bombarded Rangoon, as more Japanese reinforcements arrived -

Night Naval bombardment of Rangoon at 54,53

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Atago
CL Sendai
DD Samidare
DD Harusame
DD Asashio
DD Hagikaze
DD Maikaze
DMS W-9
DMS W-8

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

Resources hits 1
Fires 77
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 18
Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 1

Carriers clashed in the South Pacific. US carriers were spotted the day before and the Akagi TF (Akagi, Kaga, Shoho, and Zuiho) was sent to near Ndeni to attack. The US carriers first attacked a transport TF carrying part of 4 Div -

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kirakira at 118,141

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
F4F-3 Wildcat x 26
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAP Atsuta Maru
CA Kako
xAP Yoshino Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CA Furutaka
CM Tokiwa
xAK Kasyu Maru
xAK Kunitu Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
350 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Both damaged transports later sank.

The Japanese air attacked the US CVs first, which also had CAP from nearby Luganville -

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Santa Maria at 120,148

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
B5N1 Kate x 9
B5N2 Kate x 57
D3A1 Val x 42

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 23
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
F4F-3 Wildcat x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
F2A-3 Buffalo: 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Indianapolis
CA San Francisco
DD Preston
DD Drayton
DD Cassin

Ammo storage explosion on CV Saratoga

The US carriers responded -

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Utupua at 121,144

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
F4F-3 Wildcat x 26
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65
TBD-1 Devastator x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 2 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 1
CVL Zuiho
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CV Kaga

Fuel storage explosion on CV Akagi

Yorktown was reported sunk, but it was probably Saratoga. In either case, this is not confirmed by aircraft losses as Luganville (level 2 airfield) is close enough to recover aircraft. Efate (level 0 airfield) can recover float planes. The Japanese have no knowledge of the aviation support level at either base.

The Japanese carriers will not pursue.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Saratoga takes a torpedo -

[Uncivil Engineer]

Akagi takes a bomb -

[Uncivil Engineer]

Based on email intel (the best kind), one of the US carriers is sunk and the other is in such a state as it may not reach port. A third is lurking somewhere nearby; it was anticipated that it would join the Yorktown/Saratoga TF for this battle, but didn't.

My opponent has surrendered. This AAR is finished. We are in discussions for a new game; either DBB-C, RA, or something else. If I do an AAR it will focus solely on China (I am an Army guy). BTW, first Army shutout of Navy since my Firstie year in 1969!

OUT.

[RangerJoe]

It was only getting to the best part of the game with the dancing contest between the Navies.

"Float like a butterfly,
Sting like a Bee!"

Kind of dancing!

[PaxMondo]

wow, yeah, sad, just getting interesting and fold ... sorry to hear.

[Alfred]

This is really not acceptable behaviour from an Allied player. Just as a Japanese player quitting once their expansion phase is over is not really acceptable either.

AE is a very long game with considerable complexity in each of the different stages which confront either side. Quitting so early is like a boxer who get knocked down in the first first minute of round 1 of a 12 round match but even though he gets up after the count of 2, his seconds immediately throw in the towel.

Fair weather players never properly learn how to play this game. They miss out on using the full arsenal of game tools.

Alfred

[porpoisehead]

I'm sorry to see this AAR is over, but congrats on your victory!

I kept meaning to drop a note in here because I really enjoy your AAR style, Uncivil Engineer. I find that you strike a good balance in the level of detail you provide, focusing on the interesting bits, infusing passion and excitement without going heavy into roleplay, and using images and the combat reports to support and deepen the story. You also make great use of formatting - colour, emphasis, shout boxes and the like. Overall, I found it really had me focused on the "action" part of "AAR," and I mostly clicked on this section of the forum to see if you'd updated this one.

I'm very much looking forward to your next one!

[Uncivil Engineer]

Thanks to all for your thoughts and comments. I was never really sure whether anyone was reading this, besides me. Thanks, porpoisehead for your comments on AAR style - I'm all about short and sweet. I'm still trying to learn to do the graphics better - it's the old story about old dog and new tricks.

Anyway, to give you all more of the back story -

We've only been able to do a couple turns a week due to my opponent's work, and ailments. I mentioned earlier that he had COVID-19 back in the summer; that sidelined the game for some time. Then, more recently a cancer was discovered in one of his eyes, and the eye had to be removed. He's continued to play, but I'm not sure if he has much interest in the game with all the other problems. He's retiring from his job at the end of December, but will continue to work through January finishing some projects. Then, he says, he'll have more time for the game and wants another. We've tentatively decided on DBB-C.

We're both taking time off for the holidays, and we'll see how it goes sometime in mid-January. So, stay tuned for Act III.