Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A)

[apbarog]

23 Dec 42

I-166 is off the west coast of Australia, near Geraldton. It spotted a Dutch task force, with light cruisers Sumatra and Java, anti-aircraft cruiser Van Heemskerck, and 4 destroyers. The ships were headed north, tipped off by the sighting of Japanese cruisers at Normanton. I don't know how far they went, but they didn't get to Carnavon during the night, when light cruisers Yubari and Agano and 2 DDs bombarded Carnavon. Very light damage to the base done. Seeing just the Dutch task force, and just Dutch subs on the western and northwestern side of Australia, makes me think that this area is not a high priority for the Allies right now.

After the bombardment, Dutch sub KXII fired 4 torpedoes at Yubari but missed.

OPilot sent the Hurricanes and heavy bombers to Magwe. No CAP. Magwe's oil now has 73 functional out of 300.

[apbarog]

24 Dec 42

One of the best artillery attacks yet in the war at Kweiyang.

Allied ground losses:
634 casualties reported
Squads: 40 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Japanese units had the supply for a deliberate attack, but I chose to just bombard as the divisions had a bit of disruption. Just a matter of time until Kweiyang is taken. Then I hope to clear the road to the west to Kunming.

Not as good up by Lanchow. Don't have the HQ structure set up here like I do by Kweiyang, and it shows in the adjusted assault value. Not sure if this big second attempt using brute force will work any better than the first. There's some big Chinese corps here. Attacks will continue as long as possible. Bombers continue to bomb.

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 46144 troops, 371 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 1261

Defending force 44704 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1165

Japanese adjusted assault: 888

Allied adjusted defense: 1075

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1386 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 214 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Allied ground losses:
985 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 188 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

East of Chihkiang, I'd snuck a couple of divisions onto the road and found just one Chinese corps defending. Cleared the hex, cutting Chinese east-west movement, for now.

Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20968 troops, 136 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 688

Defending force 6020 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 213

Japanese adjusted assault: 656

Allied adjusted defense: 76

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
346 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1564 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
69th Division
59th Division
13th Army

Defending units:
44th Chinese Corps

[pontiouspilot]

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but for anybody's interest, when scrambling to cover the IJA garrisons in China I find it very useful to divide up many of the pindly little Sino/Japanese units. For being small in the first place many divide perfectly for small garrisons thereby freeing up decent IJA units.

Cheers

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but for anybody's interest, when scrambling to cover the IJA garrisons in China I find it very useful to divide up many of the pindly little Sino/Japanese units. For being small in the first place many divide perfectly for small garrisons thereby freeing up decent IJA units.

Cheers

Good point pontiouspilot. I had garrisons covered pretty well, as well as I could early on, but circumstances change. Sian was on the front before. The Japanese division there was disrupted in battle and stayed at Sian to recover. Now it's ready to go to battle, but the garrison must be covered. Also, as I get reinforcements, particularly small ones, I can more closely match the garrison requirements.

The key to being able to just barely cover the garrison requirements of the cities is that I plan on not having to deal with any Chinese offensive later in the game. If I can keep China from getting supply, I can minimally cover everything there.

[apbarog]

25 Dec 42

B-17s and B-24s in the Aleutians bombed Ulak Island, doing minor damage in bad weather.

The George accelerated to 6/43. Won't have many units that can fly the George, with PDU OFF, but anything is better than what I have now. Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

Cleared the last enemy mine at Tanna. Bombed the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion on Tanna. I've been keeping the port there damaged, preventing fort and airbase building. There's a pioneer unit there too, and if I remember correctly, it doesn't have engineers. Moved air transports to Luganville and ordered a para drop on Tanna for today. A big cruiser force and a big battleship force, led by Yamato and Nagato, will bombard Tanna. Only have 45 air transports for the drop, so there might not be enough paras to prevail.

[apbarog]

26 Dec 42

B-24s hit Milne Bay's airbase hard. The Australian cruiser TF is now in position to bombard either Port Moresby or Milne Bay. I just had a destroyer at Milne Bay, and some xAKLs before that, so I'm guessing that Milne Bay will be hit. Little I can do with what I have in the area. Just some subs at the moment.

Japanese cruiser TF and another battleship TF bombarded Tanna, doing good work.

Allied ground losses:
296 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Port hits 32
Port supply hits 7

and

Allied ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Port hits 26
Port supply hits 9

Lots of bombers hit the 3rd Raider Battalion and the 1st Pioneer Battalion on Tanna. Paras dropped on Tanna.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 459 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Defending force 1169 troops, 0 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Japanese adjusted assault: 15

Allied adjusted defense: 23

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
141 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

More defenders than paras dropped, but the defenders are in bad shape. I need to resupply the paras, so no attack today. Transports to drop supply. Then I'll drop in another para unit. Cruisers and battleships moving to Belep for rearming. There are enemy subs there and at Koumac.

Another attack at Kweiyang, and it ALMOST took the base. Just missed a 3 to 1 with the forts lowered to 1.

Ground combat at Kweiyang (74,49)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36598 troops, 585 guns, 898 vehicles, Assault Value = 1006

Defending force 39933 troops, 239 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 893

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 952

Allied adjusted defense: 325

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1548 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 126 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2159 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 169 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 25 (2 destroyed, 23 disabled)

Again we wait for resupply and then attack. It will fall soon. OPilot moved 3 units into the hex south of Kweiyang. I have a partially disabled division there, and 2 more divisions about to move there from Tuyun. If the Chinese attack today, hoping to cut off my troops at Kweiyang, they'll run into 3 divisions, although 2 will be in move mode. It is wooded terrain. I don't think I have to worry. OPilot may have thought that the hex was empty when he moved there.

The second big Japanese offensive to take Lanchow has failed, just like the first. The Chinese units here are surprisingly strong even without supply. I believe that the biggest factor here is the downward adjusted Japanese assault values. I do not have higher HQ participation up here, and it is making a difference. Lack of artillery isn't helping either. The 3 now depleted divisions will move back to Ningsia to recover. The Imperial Guard is still in very good shape and will hold the front. The Japanese units can recover with time and supply. The Chinese, mostly without supply, cannot. Lanchow will be taken eventually. It will take weeks to recover.

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44864 troops, 371 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 1125

Defending force 43414 troops, 121 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1010

Japanese adjusted assault: 583

Allied adjusted defense: 1127

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
3181 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 381 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 25 (1 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1091 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 125 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
116th Division
22nd Division
68th Division
Imperial Guards Division
12th Army
16th Field AA Machinecannon Company

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps
16th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
4th Group Army

I've discussed Urumchi, and the hope that oil would flow south now that Urumchi has been captured. I noticed today that Urumchi has 48,268 oil. It was stuck at 50,000. I have the refinery on there. Urumchi produces 50 oil and the refinery uses 20. I must assume that at least some oil is leaving Urumchi.

[apbarog]

27 Dec 42

Salmon is hit by 2 depth charges from APD Oite south of Rabaul. The task force has a few APDs and a bunch of xAKLs and is carrying a combined unit with nice coastal guns. It is headed to Milne Bay. I want to put the unit at a place that is likely to be invaded and has a decent defense.

Gove got the P-38 and B-17 treatment again.

I-166 hit PG Soerabaja with a torpedo west of Carnarvon. I think I've been calling it Carnavon for 10 years.

Attacked just east of Chihkiang, seeing just one enemy unit there, but it was a strong unit. 2 Japanese divisions and a HQ versus one large Chinese corps. got a 1 to 1 attack but was on the losing side of the casualty ratio: 947 Japanese versus 102 Chinese. We'll hold the hex. There are Chinese units scrambling to get north of this hex, as I showed movement north, and there's just a thin line between it and the capital. We're not going that way, but OPilot doesn't know that.

Lots of Japanese destroyers to upgrade on 1 Jan. A fair number are just coming out of a December upgrade in the next few days. KB remains in port at Tokyo and Yokohama, with air units training new pilots. There's been no major moves by the Allies since the ambush at Wake Island. OPilot's strategy since has been to inch forward with new base construction. He's doing so on the island northwest of Normanton, on the way to Gove. He landed at Tanna but that isn't going so well for him. Right now, anywhere that he can build a big base is a base that he can put heavy bombers and P-38s and project power from there.

The reckoning is coming, sooner or later. I still haven't seen a single USMC division in the war, and it's about to be 1943. Has to be something big in the works. I just don't know where or when. Would the US wait for the Essex carriers? I want to finish my offensive in China as soon as possible and get those unrestricted divisions out to the Pacific.

I was trying to figure out how OPilot is using his C-47s at Ledo. I've tried to catch them a number of times in China, around the Kunming area, but I never did. There are few places they can fly from Ledo, and that's where they have been. Right now, there are 3 Chinese stacks east of Kunming that are within range and that is it. But I've made an error. I thought that the extended range of the C-47 was 11. It is 12. Now it is obvious where they are flying. There's a Chinese base, Chengtu, north northwest of Chungking. It is 12 hexes from Ledo. Not much I can do about that. I've bombed it a couple of times with Bettys, as Chengtu has a lot of industry, but OPilot has kept CAP there since. Regardless, I'm still winning the supply war in China.

[IdahoNYer]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

What version of Tony have you fielded in Dec '42? The Ki-61c is the first model to get the 20mm in DBB-C - you've got that already??

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

What version of Tony have you fielded in Dec '42? The Ki-61c is the first model to get the 20mm in DBB-C - you've got that already??

It is the Ki-61-Ia Tony, starting in 11/42 in DBB-B. It is listed with 2 12.7mm MG and 2 7.7 MG. Not great, but better than an Oscar. I'd thought that the first Tony got a cannon, but it does not.

[apbarog]

28 Dec 42

Cruiser Chikuma and 3 DDs bombarded Tanna, destroying a few squads and hitting the port 17 times. I split off these ships so that they would bombard and then head towards Truk. The destroyers are due for upgrade in 3 days. Chikuma is due for an upgrade in a month, and is the only cruiser in the South Pacific due then. Sending it back early.

3 US light cruisers and 9 destroyers bombarded Adak Island in the Aleutians, doing moderate damage. My biggest concern in the Aleutians is keeping my 4 bases supplied. RO-64 fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Duncan as they went home but missed.

35 B-17s from Norfolk Island bombed Japanese paras on Tanna. 9 Zeros intercepted on LRCAP. The result was 3 Zeros lost. The bombs missed the troops though, in thunderstorms.

Gove was hit by B-17s and P-38s again.

Just south of Kweiyang, 3 Japanese divisions attacked 3 Chinese corps, pushing them back to the east. This looked like an attempt to cut off my big stack at Kweiyang, but the Chinese found more troops than they bargained for.

Ground combat at 75,50 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42263 troops, 377 guns, 112 vehicles, Assault Value = 1255

Defending force 25968 troops, 86 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 842

Japanese adjusted assault: 978

Allied adjusted defense: 241

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
627 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 112 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled

Allied ground losses:
9007 casualties reported
Squads: 361 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 209 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 9 (8 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
48th Division
3rd Division
5th Division

Defending units:
59th Chinese Corps
70th Chinese Corps
86th Chinese Corps

Bombers hit the US troops on Tanna. Another Japanese para unit dropped in but couldn't do the job.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 894 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 56

Defending force 978 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 15

Japanese adjusted assault: 26

Allied adjusted defense: 27

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

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

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

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

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
3rd Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

[IdahoNYer]

It is t-61-Ia Tony, starting in 11/42 in DBB-B. It is listed with 2 12.7mm MG and 2 7.7 MG. Not great, but better than an Oscar. I'd thought that the first Tony got a cannon, but it does not.

I've been decidedly underwhelmed by IJA aircraft so far - Tony is probably a step up from the Oscar, but that's not saying much, and with a service rating of 3, I may favor the Oscar IIb and later. Was hoping for better from the Tojo, but anything without armor is easy pray for P-40s or Hurris.

Gotta love PDU-off!

[apbarog]

29 Dec 42

Sub chaser Ch 33 got a few near misses on Silversides in the Kurile Islands. It was interesting that there were two reports of fires started on the bridge and a report of flooding in the control room. Silversides is a favorite of mine. Last I heard, it was a museum boat in Michigan. I got a piece of the original wood planking from it when it was refurbished at the museum. Something the museum sold as a fund raiser.

Supply was flown in to the paras on Tanna, but it wasn't enough. Will continue doing so today. xAKLs with supply are on the way from Luganville.

The big news was at Kweiyang. The last Chinese base that was part of my original plan to take the western Chinese bases has been captured.

Ground combat at Kweiyang (74,49)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 35764 troops, 585 guns, 897 vehicles, Assault Value = 922

Defending force 28980 troops, 200 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 589

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1262

Allied adjusted defense: 175

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kweiyang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
366 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 78 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
8073 casualties reported
Squads: 342 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 169 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 42 (38 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 11

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
110th Division
41st Division
2nd Tank Division
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
16th Army
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
25th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
65th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
12th Group Army
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army
39th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army

I've used the tank divisions in China, but I've been more impressed with the results of this artillery death star. If I wasn't in a bit of a hurry to get this done and get my unrestricted divisions out of China, I could have bombarded the Chinese to death indefinitely.

Now I need to clear the road from Kweiyang west to Kunming, then it is mission accomplished. Kweiyang is just 4 hexes from the capital, Chungking. Am I making the wrong decision to not go for the capital? It could be argued. I can't stop the C-47 supply runs into the base northwest of Chungking, not without a big offensive in that direction, essentially going around Chungking. But my theory is that the Chinese will never be an offensive threat if the Allies cannot open the Burma road. Not with supply from C-47s and the remaining light industry. The Chinese have only 4 working refineries left, and they are in Lanchow. So the heavy industry is not working. My theory is the Chinese are out of the war until the Allies somehow clear the Japanese out of the western Chinese mountains, or land on the Chinese coast (which won't be for some time).

[apbarog]

30 Dec 42

Allied bombers hit Magwe's airbase instead of the oil. I had 3 Oscar units at Mandalay trying to sweep Akyab, but they didn't fly. The Hurricanes that usually sweep for the bombers didn't fly from Akyab either. It was a missed opportunity to shoot down a lot of bombers. Blens and B-25s came in first, before the heavy bombers. Of course, it's like winning the lottery to guess the bombing location, the right day, have no Hurricanes sweep, and have the medium bombers come in first. Just not going to happen. I had Topsys at Magwe flying an airbase support unit to Kunming. 7 Topsys were destroyed on the ground. I'm no longer going to use Magwe as an airbase. The remaining oil is there to be destroyed. I'll take what it provides as long as it is there. I'm moving the airbase support units out, to locations further away from the Hurricane horde on the coast.

In the far reaches of northern China, the lone Chinese 259th Brigade is defeated again near Wasu, but it retreated into a non-road mountain hex. Now I have to either ignore it, meaning that eventually it will find one of the non-occupied Japanese bases up there, or I have to go into the mountains after it. I choose to move in. I also have a tank unit moving to the western side of the mountains, should the enemy pop out in that direction. The enemy is almost destroyed, but not quite.

The Chinese accidentally (I assume) crossed a river near Chihkiang.

Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 10725 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 615

Defending force 22659 troops, 136 guns, 60 vehicles, Assault Value = 600

Allied adjusted assault: 13

Japanese adjusted defense: 2152

Allied assault odds: 1 to 165

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

Japanese ground losses:
58 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2763 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 316 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

And here is the situation in the problem hex in Burma, southeast of Akyab.

Ground combat at 56,46 (near Akyab)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 15438 troops, 318 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 672 troops, 29 guns, 97 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division

Defending units:
19th Tank Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment

[apbarog]

31 Dec 42

4 Japanese light cruisers and 5 destroyers bombarded Carnarvon, doing minor base damage. I had their approach come from further to the north instead of along the coast from Port Hedland. I know that there are Dutch subs there. I made the home base Christmas Island IO to have them avoid the coastal route after the bombardment.

Supply was unloaded at Tanna from 3 xAKLs. No interference. The paras now have supply. The rest of one of the para units will drop in today and all will shock attack again. A cruiser force will bombard to help out. Bombers from Noumea and Luganville continue to hit the US troops on Tanna.

Near Ponape, southeast of Truk, Scorpion fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Eli Maru. One hit, and it was not a dud. The ship was loaded with fuel for Luganville and burned. A later attack by Scorpion hit Eli Maru again, and that one was a dud. No matter, the ship burned up after combat. I'd been avoiding the route due southeast of Truk. OPilot has had subs there. Over time, they've moved further away from Truk, but always in the hexes straight to the southeast of Truk. To avoid this route, I've been sending ship one hex to the east of this route. I did so with this task force, but I didn't send it out far enough from Truk before it turned south, intersecting the due southeastern hexes.

Trigger was hit by a depth charge from sub chasers at Paramushiro-Jima. The sub will survive.

Japanese attack near Chihkiang did not succeed, despite one of two Chinese corps there being decimated in its river crossing yesterday. The other corps is still decent. 516 Japanese versus 509 Chinese casualties in the 1 to 2 attack.

East of Kunming, another 1 to 2 attack, but with better results. 290 Japanese versus 437 Chinese casualties. This is the hex where it appears that the enemy is withdrawing to the east.

British attack near Akyab. Burma is heating up quickly. Allied troops on the move.

Ground combat at 56,46 (near Akyab)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15432 troops, 318 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 672 troops, 29 guns, 97 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Allied adjusted assault: 435

Japanese adjusted defense: 190

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 9 (3 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (19 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division

Defending units:
19th Tank Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment

[apbarog]

1 Jan 43 - End of Year Data

[apbarog]

1 Jan 43

Hurricanes swept Magwe but found no CAP. But the bombers went elsewhere. Lashio was hit hard by heavies. Blens hit Katha. B-25s hit Myitkyina. OPilot is systematically taking out all of the potential airbases in Burma. Most I have no plans for. I had stacked CAP at Mandalay but I guessed wrong. My planes were spotted and I'm leaving them there for today.

Another crushing defeat for the Chinese, this time just west of Kweiyang. Moving in a tank division and most of the artillery death star made it an overwhelming victory. And it looks like the enemy was trying to flee north in movement mode.

Ground combat at 73,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36585 troops, 497 guns, 789 vehicles, Assault Value = 1130

Defending force 16948 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 571

Japanese adjusted assault: 1057

Allied adjusted defense: 37

Japanese assault odds: 28 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
225 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7729 casualties reported
Squads: 182 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 151 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 16 disabled
Units retreated 7

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
39th Division
35th Division
2nd Tank Division
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
16th Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
48th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
10th Construction Regiment
Lusu War Area
12th Construction Regiment

Now just one hex on the road between Kunming and Kweiyang needs to be cleared. It is heavily defended and in the mountains. A lot of the artillery will move there. The tank division will not. It will start moving south to be pulled out of China at Hong Kong. The Japanese China Expeditionary HQ that was at Tuyun will now make the long trek up north to the Lanchow area. I hope that it will help that offensive as much as it did this one. HQ support is often overlooked, and it is a difference maker.

7 Japanese cruisers and 3 destroyers bombarded Tanna to good effect. 209 casualties in the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. Moderate port damage. Bombers hit the enemy troops. The two para units attacked again, having been resupplied by xAKL.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1283 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 815 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 13

Japanese adjusted assault: 35

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tanna !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
912 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 53 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
3rd Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

I don't really want Tanna. I just don't want the Allies building a base there. I moved some transport Mavis aircraft to Luganville. They will slowly extract the paras at Tanna.

With a new year, the Oscar IIb aircraft go into production. It is an upgrade from the existing Oscars, as the IIb has armor. It might last a little longer, while it won't shoot any more down.

[apbarog]

2 Jan 43

Today was a day of heavy bombings. Lots of Sallys and Helens bombed the Chinese stack on the last hex that we want to clear between Kunming and Kweiyang. It's a mountainous hex, but with apparently high over-stacking, there were an incredible number of Chinese casualties. 982 in one strike, 464 in the next. I remember in our last game with OPilot, where I was Allied, how hopeless I felt with the relentless bombing of the Chinese. And how I felt when I started to return the favor, using the Allied heavy bombers, and having 10 times the effect with them. Well, now I'm the Japanese player, having had great success with bombing in China, and now I'm getting the P-38s combined with heavy bombers, and feeling pretty hopeless with that situation.

At La Foa, 22 P-38G swept at 34000 feet, finding 37 Zeros, some from La Foa, some from Noumea. With a bit of a stacked CAP, we did get a few P-38s, downing 5, but we lost 14 Zeros, some to the follow-on bombers. 18 B-17Es, then 9 more, then 7 more, bombed La Foa. Maybe I should have taken Norfolk Island after all. That's the problem though. Take Norfolk, then it gets pounded from New Zealand. Whatever is in range of P-38s and B-17s/B-24s is vulnerable.

Gove got the same Allied treatment. 20 P-38Gs swept, finding no CAP. 32 B-17s and 9 B-24s bombed, then 7 more B-17s and 12 B-24s. Then 9 more B-24s. Then 9 more B-24s. And 9 more B-24s.

I let my guard down at Kunming. I've had fighters there, but OPilot never did recon or sent bombers from Ledo. I stacked my fighters at Mandalay and left Kunming open, and the heavy bombers arrived in force from Ledo. 30 B-24s and 15 Liberator IIs hit. 40 out of the 50 heavy industry were damaged. I'm having bad luck playing the shell game with the heavy bombers. It is a situation that the Japanese cannot win.

All that can be done is what I did at Tanna. Don't let this early island hopping campaign start. Of course, Tanna was just with a Marine Raider battalion, nothing substantial. But once the US gets a base that can build big, everything in the area will become a target for heavy bombers.

I feel like I've done well in the game so far, but still have that hopeless feeling that all Japanese players get.

[apbarog]

3 Jan 43

Dutch sub KVII fired 2 torpedoes at AKE Kokuryu Maru just outside of Broome. Both missed. The AKE just rearmed a light cruiser task force and was heading a bit north to avoid being spotted. So much for that. I'll need to move the AKE around to keep it hidden. Lots of Dutch subs on the northwestern coast of Australia.

I-159 was hit by a depth charge from Australian destroyers just east of Gove. Light cruiser Adelaide and 3 destroyers then bombarded Gove, doing light damage. I would have moved an supply task force in, but didn't, as it needed to refuel to the northeast of Gove. It will move in tonight. Gove's airbase is heavily damaged.

Today Adak got the heavy bombers, as did Daly Waters, after a P-38 sweep. No CAP at either.

Another excellent round of bombing Chinese troops on the road between Kunming and Kweiyang. 584 and 81 and 103 casualties. The Chinese stack isn't as over-stacked as it was yesterday. Artillery will attack today, and more artillery is on the way.

Trout fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Yamabiko Maru northwest of Ominato. One torpedo hit and it was not a dud. It's January, and the Mk 14 dud rate went down by 20%. The ship will try to make it 2 hexes to Ominato before it burns up, and it is burning. The hex is a deep water hex that the coastal convoys must move through.

Damaged sub I-5, gravely damaged west of Karachi, has been traveling south to get to a friendly port. It's a long way. The flotation damage has fluctuated around 70, but the SYS damage has slowly climbed from the high 40s to the low 60s. The FLOT damage took a big +9 jump today, and I think the damage has passed the tipping point. The sub was joined by another sub. I have no evidence that another sub can help with the damage repair, but I've done this in extreme circumstances. This sub, now west of Ceylon, will probably sink soon.

Nervous about Burma. Starting to think about a new line south of the open plains. I don't want to lose it quite this early.

[Q-Ball]

That is early to abandon Burma....what do you have there in terms of ground troops? Do you lack available divisions?

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

That is early to abandon Burma....what do you have there in terms of ground troops? Do you lack available divisions?

I was light in Burma, as I was everywhere, having concentrated in China. I'm in the process of pulling unrestricted units out of China now. 2 infantry divisions and a tank division are on the Burma Road, going into Burma. That should help. I don't see a viable defense in the clear terrain. Allied air power is too strong, with too many heavy bombers. OPilot and I haven't fought a knock-down drag-out fight in the air in either of our games. We tend to press the advantage and decline to fight at a disadvantage. I'm considering going all out with airpower in Burma to defend it, losses or not. OPilot has been systematically taking out my airfields with the heavy bombers, but his fighter range is still limited. His offensive just east of Akyab is well covered with Hurricanes. Problem is, if the British take the Magwe-Mandalay area, there's several good airbases there.

In Burma I have a Thai division split up covering the north, at and near Myitkyina. Just west of that, I have a Japanese division split covering a jungle line southeast of Imphal. Those units are pulling back a bit and will recombine. I have a Japanese division and a Thai division on the trail south of Akyab, and a Japanese division and a Thai division moving into the hex that the British took at the edge of the jungle between Akyab and Magwe. If I controlled that hex, and had 2 divisions, I'm good there. More Allied troops are spotted to the northeast, and the defense is weak northwest of Magwe.

So, I'm sending more. And prepping for an Akyab landing that could be a flanking maneuver on the British. Worst case, I fall back to the jungle line from near Prome to the east, holding Toungoo and then northeast to Lashio, ceding the bases on the open plain.

It's 1943 now. I have to have some concern about a big amphibious landing, somewhere. I've yet to see any of the USMC divisions. They could be anywhere. I just feel that OPilot has something big in the works. It could be now. It could be 6 months from now. He could do it if he avoids KB, which is stronger than the US carrier fleet. The Japanese have lost 1 big carrier, the US has lost 3.