Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

A slugfest...


Ground combat at Tabiteuea (137,134)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 12266 troops, 221 guns, 179 vehicles, Assault Value = 508

Defending force 11549 troops, 95 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 133

Allied adjusted assault: 349

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 34 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Tabiteuea !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
4184 casualties reported
Squads: 102 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 47 disabled
Engineers: 76 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 60 (52 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (17 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
327 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
5th Marine Rgt /1
1st USMC Tank Battalion
1st Marine Regiment
145th Infantry Regiment
148th Infantry Rgt /2
5th Marine Defense Battalion

Defending units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
53rd Naval Guard Unit
Kure 5th SNLF
51st Nav Gd /7
13th Naval Construction Battalion
6th Naval Construction Battalion
24th Air Flotilla
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
4th Field Construction Battalion
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
144th JAAF AF Bn


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21st Ind.Mixed Brigade Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

4th Field Construction Battalion Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

2nd Naval Construction Battalion Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

3rd Naval Construction Battalion Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

6th Naval Construction Battalion Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

13th Naval Construction Battalion Wiped Out at Tabiteuea by attrition!!!

[Lowpe]

China,

Japan making slow but steady progress in the north...our first units caught without a valid retreat path. Which is something I like, they are shot but now will fight to the death over the next week or more slowing down the Japanese advance and it might make it slightly easier to supply the other troops.

Two IJA Tank Divisions have rotated off and are attacking on another front...but they are only at 2/3rd AV I think....Japan really pushes their troops hard.

[Lowpe]

Burma

[Lowpe]

I expect to see a point or more damage show up at Nanning in subsequent days...now to take advantage of the moonlight for some experiments.

[Lowpe]

These early lightning are scarce and now the squadron needs to rest after losing 3 planes to op losses...they swept the Akyab yesterday doing well.

[Lowpe]

Consolidation phase now, but need to keep pressuring Japan so some new bases are targeted...need to establish our forward CAT bases and defend what we have.

Most big ships will retire...whole raft of upgrades on cruisers happen next month.

Big E has had her minor flooding pumped out, and repairs progressing on minor engine damage. Quite a few sub chasers are in the area, and will eventually escort her back to Pearl.





I have been thinking about tactics to bleed the KB of planes should it show up here.

[Encircled]

Some perfect ops there Lowpe

[Lowpe]

Far from perfect, but also done on a shoestring budget basically...1 BB & 3 CVs torpedoed![8|]

However, I was planning on going small forces and keeping the fleet carriers, battleships, and cruisers out of harms way in the fourth quarter of 1942. Too many IJN advantages.

[Lowpe]

Will attempt this expansion with flying boats, ssts and perhaps very small merchant shipping. I doubt Japan cooperates as well.

[Encircled]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Far from perfect, but also done on a shoestring budget basically...1 BB & 3 CVs torpedoed![8|]

However, I was planning on going small forces and keeping the fleet carriers, battleships, and cruisers out of harms way in the fourth quarter of 1942. Too many IJN advantages.

Well, by perfect. I meant, two landings successfully done, two bases successfully taken, and no huge Japanese response!

Hey, you are playing the allies now, getting stuff torpedoed by subs in 1942 is perfectly normal [;)]

[Lowpe]

Sept 24, 1942

Had to pull back at Marcus, but will try unloading a fair bit today...might lose everything, but hopefully they get a chance to unload something.

Extremely worried about the DL on the Fleet Carriers....better safe than sorry and will make a full speed run southeast. I don't think the IJN could have maneuvered the KB into a position to strike from the N...but they could have put together some kind of ad hoc group. With only two American Fleet carriers present, our job is light air protection and some additional bombing runs and ASW...not any kind of actual engagement![;)]

Neosho goes under...a valiant struggle...but the remaining fuel kept the fires burning.

[Lowpe]

Resolution & Ramillies can steam at 2 hexes a day...wondering about sending one to the East Coast for repairs.

[Lowpe]

Lots of activities...major cleanup and organization needed here. New Prep targets etc, etc.

[Lowpe]

Major ship losses, British hit hard...

[Lowpe]

Because I could...[:)] 0 DL when the bombers went in, but I got solid intel in the afternoon.

[JohnDillworth]

Oh I'd say the Japanese CA's have been pretty badly treated too.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Major ship losses, British hit hard...

[CaptBeefheart]

Well done on Tabby and Marcus. I can't help but think the KB is up to something dastardly.

Tabby is a great place to unload one of those USN mega bases you get in the Babes series, the ones with 400 nav support or something, since you can't get it above Port 4 and it holds plenty of troops.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

September 25, 1942

Pleased that I managed to get some CD guns ashore & more engineers, supply only at 5k though and the worst news, can't create any PT boats since port damage is too high....should have sent them in a task force like I did for the Gilberts operations.[:-] Submarine mines are enroute...should have prepositioned one or two...but I needed them for advanced pickets.

Not sure I want to risk my minelayers...they might reroute and drop at Midway instead.

Runway is operational, but only size 1 as is the port.

[Lowpe]

China continues to be a slug fest...Japan continues to push forward with units, which I continually try to encircle. Unfortunately, I don't have the troop strength or supply to actually reduce a pocket.

[Lowpe]

Gilbert Islands