I agree with grabbing Darwin if it can be done early and cheap. If it can't it risks being the largest IJA POW camp. It can get very hard to get large formations out. It is also not a spot that is likely to attract important Allied naval forces which one wants to swat in '42.
It's not so early any longer, but I think that I need to take Darwin and the northern coast of Australia. It will be difficult with what I have available. I'm considering pulling a division from Burma to help with Darwin. That is risky, though. Burma is the logical place for an early British-US offensive to try to save China. I know. I did it to OPilot in my last game. And he knows it too.
Enemy bombers hit Japanese paras at Paoshan. But no Blens to be seen. Paras are half disabled but in supply, with transports dropping supply to them daily. I still expect the paras to be eliminated with the first Chinese deliberate attack there, where there is a corps and 2 divisions.
The river crossing into Hengyang takes place, finding high fort levels, but the Chinese are crushed. The lack of supply is noted.
Ground combat at Hengyang (80,53)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 75855 troops, 576 guns, 171 vehicles, Assault Value = 2442
Defending force 32660 troops, 119 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 894
Assaulting units:
37th Division
69th Division
6th Division
17th Division
12th Tank Regiment
3rd Division
59th Division
11th Army
13th Army
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
Defending units:
46th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
3rd War Area
19th Group Army
25th Group Army
The enemy stack retreated northeast, which is where most of the victorious Japanese troops will now go. One Japanese division is about half disabled and will hold Hengyang and recover. OPilot can evacuate Changsha if he leaves soon. He may choose to hold out in the urban terrain. If he stays, I may choose to isolate it, at least for awhile.
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Over 100 Japanese bombers from Canton hit Tuyun's airfield, causing heavy damage. Trying to limit supply available for the enemy stack southwest of Tuyun. Did an artillery attack on the stack, and it has over 1000 AV if it remains supplied. Threatening to flank it, and now the stack shows movement east along the road. When my units get resupplied, they'll attack.
3 Japanese carriers moved to the east of Townsville, getting into a position to strike shipping there if not seen. They were spotted, and the cruiser/destroyer force that was at Townsville has moved up the coast. I order the carriers to move northwest, staying beyond range of the Australian coast. The enemy ships are moving north for a reason. I'll see if they continue, and hope that my ships are not seen. Don't know if the moderate D/L sighting saw my carriers or not.
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22 P-40Es swept Lashio, coming in high. 35 Zeros intercepted, with elite pilots. 14 Zeros were shot down with 11 Warhawks downed. It would be better to have a high/low split with CAP, but fighters in the area are tasked. Need to cover Magwe and Rangoon also. B-17s are always a threat in Burma. They hit Lashio after the fighter sweep today, doing minor damage in severe storms. LT Y. Maki shot down 2 P-40Es, giving him 11 kills for the campaign.
1/3 of the Japanese 21st Infantry Division attacked stragglers in the jungle fleeing north. The 104th and 108th RAF Base Forces took heavy losses and retreated north. I'm forming a bit of a defensive line in the jungle, just north of the clear terrain.
The Japanese bomber force hit enemy troops at Siangtan. Over 100 bombers caused over 700 casualties. They will hit again today to support the ground attack.
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H81s swept over the Japanese advancing into China from Burma. No CAP. B-17s hit the troops, causing over 200 casualties.
SB-IIIs and Blens and Wellingtons and B-25s bombed the Japanese paras at Paoshan, destroying most of the remaining combat squads. Interestingly, only one Chinese division is at Paoshan, the one that has been there all along. The other two divisions that came from Burma must have passed through Paoshan and continued towards Kunming. Regardless, the paras were eliminated. Besides the 22nd New Chinese Division there, also there was the NCAC and the 102nd RAF Base Force.
A-29s joined the SB-IIIs bombing the Japanese in the far north at Ningsia. I'm now seeing a big enough Chinese force east of Lanchow to question my plans. I'm going to get bombed every day, unless Chinese supply runs out. Ningsia is just a dot base. My new plan is to fake an advance across the river into a Chinese stack, but keep the 3 divisions at Ningsia, and their engineers working on the airfield. I'll reconsider the advance to Lanchow when I have an airfield built. Truth is that the mission is already accomplished here. Sizable enemy forces moved into the far north, far from the priority attacks near Changsha and towards Tuyun.
All but one of the Chinese corps moved out of Siangtan. It was mauled.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 51652 troops, 408 guns, 135 vehicles, Assault Value = 1607
Defending force 16493 troops, 78 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 360
Assaulting units:
17th Division
6th Division
3rd Division
12th Tank Regiment
59th Division
11th Army
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
Defending units:
18th Chinese Corps
I still see movement out of Changsha to the northwest, and other units south and east of Changsha show movement to Changsha. Looks like a general retreat but we'll wait and see what actually leaves. The obvious move for me is to now move my stack at Siangtan into the woods northwest of Changsha, cutting off all of the enemy at and near Changsha. I expect OPilot to move most of his Changsha units to this hex and try to hold it long enough for everything to escape. I'm not sure that my stack would win the fight there at this time, and with no road to it, movement would be slow. OPilot would get whatever he wants to that hex before me. So, I'm faking movement to that hex with a unit, and moving the stack northwest to clear the next base out. From there, I could continue north or come back to deal with Changsha. I think I'd rather see OPilot evacuate Changsha on his own instead of me having to dig out or isolate a big enemy stack in urban terrain at Changsha. So I'm giving him a path out while showing an attempt to close it off.
H-81s swept Lashio. No CAP. B-17s bombed the airfield, doing minor damage.
Bettys bombed Tsuyung, in the mountains between Paoshan and Kunming. Moderate base damage done. No CAP. CAP at the other bases though. Figured this one would be unprotected. Damage here limits supply for the Chinese in the area.
SB-IIIs continued to bomb Japanese troops at Ningsia. Over 100 casualties at the dot base. I do have an anti-aircraft unit there, but it is a small unit with small guns, and is not effective. A bigger unit is on the way from the east, but it has a long trail to travel. Troops are building the airfield at Ningsia. I'll be able to fly in some needed troops later.
Blens, although only 15 of them, hit a Thai division near Katha in the jungle.
Glen spotted tankers west of Perth. 3 subs will blockade the western approaches. Heavy SigInt at Perth. I need to find out if anything big is brewing there.
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27 Zeros from Port Moresby swept Horn Island, finding 24 P-40Es. Fairly even battle with the enemy being worn down quite a bit. 13 P-40Es shot down at the cost of losing 10 Zeros. 7 Vals with 27 Zeros launched from the small carrier task force to the northwest of Horn Island, finding 4 Warhawks still on CAP. The P-40Es, however didn't get to the strike. The handful of Vals put 2 bombs into xAKL Sjobris and 3 bombs into xAKL Hetton Bank, sinking both ships. There were at least a few other ships there, possibly escorts, that could have been attacked if more bombers would have flown.
Now that I've sent the turn, I realized that I may not have moved my carrier task force back to the northwest.
[EDIT: After further thought, I do think that I moved the force northwest.]
An already defeated BFF Brigade was defeated again at Bhamo in Burma and pushed north. The 4th RTA Division attacked with the 18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment.
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The first US counter-invasion was today. It's just the beginning of what is to come, and it won't be pretty.
Mississippi, New Mexico and Oklahoma bombarded Laysan Island, southeast of Midway. Just the 7th JNAF Coy is defending, and it was pummeled. The few float planes had already left and were just picked up by an AV at Midway. Laysan Island was then invaded and captured by a US combat engineer unit.
In the morning and in the afternoon, 6 Nells from Midway attacked the battleships. 16 F4F-3 Wildcats were protecting, but in both phases, the fighters didn't get to the bombers. One bomb hit New Mexico but did not penetrate, of course. No torpedoes available at Midway.
The Japanese bomber force in China hit Chinese troops in the clear near Shaoyang. Over 500 casualties.
Chinese SB-IIIs hit Japanese divisions at Ningsia daily. The airbase is slowly being built.
Bettys bombed the airfield at Kweiyang, but found 24 Warhawks defending. But the P-40s didn't get to the bombers. Very minor base damage done in severe storms.
After a long recovery period, 2 naval guard units attacked at Kokoda, trying to eliminate the holdouts in the mountains. Bombers have been supporting.
Ground combat at Kokoda (98,129)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 3616 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 118
Defending force 2545 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 51
Assaulting units:
41st Naval Guard Unit
67th Naval Guard Unit
Defending units:
2/4th Ind Coy
30th Australian Brigade
Moresby RAN Stn Base Force
Not a great ratio for casualties but the units are in decent shape and will go again. Transports are dropping supply, and Zeros from Port Moresby are set to LRCAP Kokoda to prevent the enemy from doing the same.
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Big Japanese cruiser force ordered to Akyab to bombard.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Akyab at 54,45, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Nagara
CL Kuma
CL Yubari
DD Yugumo
DD Makigumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
Allied Ships
PC Sonavati, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAPc MMS-51, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAPc MMS-52, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAPc MMS-94, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAPc MMS-125, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
Very small enemy ships taken care of quickly. Then they run into a combat TF.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Akyab at 54,45, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CA Kako
CL Nagara
CL Kuma
CL Yubari
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Makigumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
Japanese cruisers retired south towards Rangoon, and ended up 7 hexes away from an Allied carrier TF that appeared west of Akyab. Just got away! Looks like it's probably just British carriers.
North of Koumac, S-43 hit AO Sata with a torpedo, sinking it. Sata was half full of fuel and about to top off the carriers in the same hex.
Kokoda, the mountain hex between Port Moresby and Buna, is finally taken.
Ground combat at Kokoda (98,129)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 3514 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 107
Defending force 2423 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 35
Well, I guess that my strategy for a big fighter sweep at Kunming worked. A big Oscar unit swept first, low at just 6k, and found P-40Es and H81s, all higher. Flying Tigers. Oscars went down in droves. In theory, they pulled the CAP down. Just 4 Zeros then swept at 20k, and a couple of planes were lost on both sides. 7 Tojos then swept very high, and some Warhawks were shot down. 3 more Oscars came in low and destroyed a Warhawk. 38 Zeros then swept at 20k and downed a bunch of Warhawks. So, I guess the strategy to layer the sweeps worked, at the price of a bunch of Oscars.
I didn't think the enemy carrier or carriers that supported the Laysan Island invasion would still be there. No reason to be. The landing ships had left. I sent 9 Nells to bomb the US engineers that had taken the base, figuring to get some hits in the clear terrain. But there were 12 Wildcats above the size 0 airbase. All 9 Nells were shot down.
Total air losses were 21 Oscars, 9 Nells and 2 Zeros while downing 16 P-40Es and 2 H81s.
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SB-IIIs have been bombing the 2 Japanese infantry divisions moving off-road west of Tuyun. I put some Oscars on LRCAP over them, flying 4 hexes, and shot down 9 of the Chinese bombers. The bombers weren't doing a lot of damage, but they had been slowing down the already slow movement.
Here's the situation at Tuyun. Another Japanese division will reinforce soon, but it's a strong enemy stack, in a base that surely has forts, and in defensible terrain. Flanking may be required to encourage a weaker defense. Tuyun is very important for the drive north. The goal is to move north and attack Kunming from the east. I want to control the mountain bases in western China. With those, if and when the Allies retake Burma, China still could remain cut off from supply. An Allied push to retake the mountain bases would be slow and costly.
Ground combat at Tuyun (74,51)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1146 troops, 90 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 1410
Defending force 55553 troops, 261 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1795
Assaulting units:
19th Division
3rd Tank Regiment
18th Division
9th Tank Regiment
56th Division
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
16th Army
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
76th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
6th Chinese Corps
66th Chinese Corps
1st Group Army
34th Group Army
4th War Area
1st Artillery Regiment
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Pretty much nothing can stop the 1st and 2nd Tank Division formed up and fighting in the same hex in China. Maybe forts 4, mountains, against a fully kitted out US TOE Corp supported with all the AT units...even then I don't think so given Japans control of the air.
Pretty much nothing can stop the 1st and 2nd Tank Division formed up and fighting in the same hex in China. Maybe forts 4, mountains, against a fully kitted out US TOE Corp supported with all the AT units...even then I don't think so given Japans control of the air.
My goal is to take the mountain bases of western China, so the tank divisions will form at Liuchow and move north towards Tuyun. Still have a few sub-units to appear in Manchuria though. Won't be long.
Heavy Japanese bombing of Chinese troops at Changsha. 334 casualties reported. Just a small Chinese army there now, with most having evacuated to the north. And just a small Japanese army moved in to attack. Some minor Japanese reinforcements on the way, hopefully enough to wear down the defenses.
Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 33686 troops, 232 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 1091
Defending force 13396 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 439
Defending units:
72nd Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
30th Group Army
East of Yenan in northern China, a Chinese HQ is kicked out of the mountains to the west, completing the encirclement of 2 Chinese corps and a HQ. I hope to eliminate the trapped units before the Chinese can open up a hex side for escape.
Japanese troops from Burma push across the river into Paoshan and attack. This base will be taken, but the Japanese troops need supply, and that is difficult to pull from Lashio, which has little supply. I may use air transports to help, but this is dangerous flying into Paoshan, and will be expected. Didn't do so today.
Ground combat at Paoshan (65,45)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 15631 troops, 160 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 461
Defending force 2821 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 94
Some sub activity today. O19 hit medium sized tanker Manei Maru at Phuket. The tanker was traveling with a patrol boat from Singapore to Rangoon, in order to pick up oil to bring back to Singapore. The tanker did not sink from the one hit. But later in the day, the Dutch sub attacked again, and hit the tanker again, sinking it just after combat. I hope to be able to pull the fuel and oil overland from Rangoon. I'm just not sure that I can create enough of a draw to accomplish that.
On the north map edge, where convoys appear off-map, I-5 hit xAP Chilka with a torpedo. No troop losses noted, and the transport probably sank just after combat, judging from the audio.
Awhile ago, I got SigInt way out in the ocean northeast of Christmas Island. I speculated that it was a convoy route from the West Coast, one that moves from northeast to southwest and stays well to the east of Christmas Island. I didn't have a sub anywhere near that hex, but I noted the location, and ordered a sub to refuel at Kwajalein and head to that spot. Within a week of getting there, a few days ago, I got a spotting from the Glen. It wasn't right on the mark, but was a couple of hexes to the west. I moved the sub to the southwest, assuming that the contact was also going that direction. I did track it successfully, but found it was moving 8 hexes a day, the same speed as my sub, and I wasn't catching it. Yesterday I ordered the sub to move full speed for a day and move 9 hexes, still assuming a southwestern heading. Got a successful intercept today.
Sub attack near Caroline Island at 183,163
Japanese Ships
SS I-21, hits 2
Allied Ships
TK Esso Balboa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PC Taney
The big tanker had fuel and it burned. Audio says that the tanker sank. I-21 did get hit by a depth charge. It will head to Kwajalein and then to Japan for repairs. That is a shame. There are more ships in that task force. I did enjoy the chase and the sinking.
Over 100 Japanese bombers hit Chinese troops at Changsha, and another deliberate attack had been ordered. 2 days in a row, and progress was made.
Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32881 troops, 232 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 1007
Defending force 12446 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 348
My stack at Tuyun was reinforced with another division, but I'm choosing to continue to bombard with artillery for awhile. The enemy is still over-stacked and looks too strong at the moment. I may end up attacking with the same situation soon, but I'll continue to flank with smaller units and force the issue there somehow.
OPilot said in an email that China is becoming a real nightmare for him, and that I moved every division that I could to China. I did want to make China as difficult as possible. He knows that I sent so much there. Now it's just a matter of time to see what he does elsewhere. I am so weak all across the map. Will he react quickly, and in a place that makes a large impact? We shall see.
I got confirmation that Hornet was sunk in our carrier battle near Norfolk Island months ago. So, Yorktown and Hornet are sunk.
Southeast of Wellington, I-22 spotted a big convoy, with many xAKs and at least one TK. 2 torpedoes were fired at xAK Steel Voyager. Both hit but one was a dud. No troops loaded on the ship, which hasn't sunk yet.
Big Japanese bomber effort at Chihkiang. River crossing shock attack today.
Expecting enemy air over Paoshan, I had Tojos on a very high LRCAP and Nicks at 11k LRCAP. Wellingtons came in at 6k, and the Tojos tried to intercept, but failed. The Nicks didn't show up. B-17s then arrived at 10k. The Tojos did intercept but the fight was short and inconclusive, with a couple of damaged planes on both sides.
Changsha attack.
Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32284 troops, 245 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 1042
Defending force 11877 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 300
I-173 moved into Cooktown and sank xAKL Mulubinda with a torpedo. DM spotted there.
Grunion hit AKE Lisbon Maru with a torpedo at Tulagi. I have mines there but only 20 of them. 2 ACMs in port to give the idea that there are more. The AKE had been stationed at Belep Island, north of Koumac, but the cruiser force went to Truk, so there's no point in leaving it in a port vulnerable to B-17s. Lisbon Maru is moderately damaged and on fire. Tulagi and Lunga are both size 2 ports, but Lunga has a lot of naval support, so the AKE will go to Lunga.
Enemy bombers hit Japanese troops at Paoshan, troops headed out of town to the east.
Made a big bombing effort at Chihkiang to help the attack. The attack did not go well. The hex had even more troops in it than yesterday, doubling the stacking limit for the hex. I expected to see some negative effects from the severe over-stacking, but there were none.
Ground combat at Chihkiang (78,50)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 57969 troops, 423 guns, 131 vehicles, Assault Value = 1872
Defending force 70175 troops, 254 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1869
Japanese adjusted assault: 1188
Allied adjusted defense: 2410 [Big adjustment upwards for the Chinese!]
Defending units:
37th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
4th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
99th Chinese Corps
20th Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
14th Construction Regiment
27th Group Army
9th War Area
3rd War Area
19th Group Army
25th Group Army
16th Construction Regiment
14th Chinese Base Force
The most disabled division will move south to secure the rear. The tank regiment was decimated and will head south to rebuild. The rest will remain in place and recover the best they can. OPilot has done a good job forming his line to the south of the capital. The bases are very strongly held, and he's moving troops all along the line between the bases. If I go off-road, it will take a long time to get anywhere, and there is no surprise here. Once I get a tank division to the front, things might change.
I expected to take Changsha, but Chinese troops that had pulled out to the north returned and reinforced the defense. My attack was reinforced by another division crossing a river, forcing me to do a shock attack with all units. It was bloody, but I still think Changsha is about to fall. We'll attack again despite some disruption and fatigue.
Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 41754 troops, 306 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 1592
Defending force 24065 troops, 170 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 713
Defending units:
9th Prov Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
30th Group Army
Bloody, bloody day in China. Kudos to OPilot for his defensive efforts. I know that he is frustrated by the situation in China. I haven't made things easy for him, and don't intend to. I will continue to press in China and work to separate China from Burma permanently.
I know that I will pay the price for concentrating just about everything in China. I just hope that comes later rather than sooner. But we all know what happens when relying on hoping.
