Act III - DBB-C Uncivil Engineer (J) vs. christopher 1963 (A)

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 17, 1942

A Glen sub south of Timor found some Allied task forces near Truscott yesterday. It seemed a worthwhile gamble -

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truscott at 70,123, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Kirishima
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Kinugasa
DD Makinami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Kasumi
DD Wakatake
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
DD Russell, Shell hits 2
DD Bagley, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK George H. Williams, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAK John C. Calhoun, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Peter Silvester, Shell hits 4, heavy fires

---

Day Time Surface Combat, near Truscott at 70,124, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Kirishima
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Kinugasa
DD Makinami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Kasumi
DD Wakatake
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
AM Grebe, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Corio, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
xAK Ewa, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

DD Makinami collides with DD Kasumi at 70 , 124

One of the destroyers in the collision above has 57 engine damage. I saw the damage and had to go look (twice) for the cause. The TF remains at Truscutt even though set for fast movement. It will retire tomorrow toward Endeh (current location of an AKE) at mission speed.

Meanwhile, near Port Blair -

Sub attack near Port Blair at 45,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-153, hits 1

Allied Ships
CV Illustrious, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Exeter
CA Cornwall
DD Foxhound
DD Jupiter
DD Isis
DD Inconstant

Fuel storage explosion on CV Illustrious

---

Sub attack near Port Blair at 45,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-153, hits 1

Allied Ships
CV Illustrious, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Exeter
CA Cornwall
DD Foxhound
DD Jupiter
DD Isis
DD Inconstant

Ammo storage explosion on CV Illustrious

Is Illustrious done for?

And at Koepang -

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
CA Kako
CA Mogami
CA Chokai
CL Nagara
DD Asagao
DD Harukaze
DD Kamikaze
DD Fubuki
DD Hibiki

Allied ground losses:
213 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 7 (4 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 15
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

---

Ground combat at Koepang (68,116)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20594 troops, 219 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 625

Defending force 23373 troops, 342 guns, 327 vehicles, Assault Value = 480

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 466

Allied adjusted defense: 949

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
1662 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
557 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (8 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
4th Ind Engineer Regiment (destroyed)
48th Division (in reserve)
4th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
38th Division
4th Engineer Co
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Army
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Port Unit

Defending units:
6th Cav Sqdn Edit to add: this was the unit destroyed
1st Cav Sqdn
32nd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
II Marechausse Cdo
4th KNIL Regiment
Timor Cdo
Sparrow Force
A-II-Ld AA Battalion
A-III-Ld AA Battalion
2e-VLG-V Sup Afd
43rd Construction Regiment
1e-VLG-III Sup Afd
42nd Base Group
147th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd US Naval Construction Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
KNI Zeemacht
197th Coast AA Regiment
VkA-1 Sup Afd
SW Pacific Theater /2

D4Y1 Judy R&D advanced from Dec to Nov '42; should be available sometime in October.

[CaptBeefheart]

Interesting AAR, Uncivil Engineer. Thanks for doing it. It's interesting to see the DEI as a major battleground at this point in the war.

You might have had better luck splitting your Truscott area surface TF into two (say one with the BBs and the other with the CAs). Also, the collision probably wouldn't have happened. It seems the bigger the surface TF, the harder it is for all ships to get involved in the battle.

Cheers,
CB

[Uncivil Engineer]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

Interesting AAR, Uncivil Engineer. Thanks for doing it. It's interesting to see the DEI as a major battleground at this point in the war.

You might have had better luck splitting your Truscott area surface TF into two (say one with the BBs and the other with the CAs). Also, the collision probably wouldn't have happened. It seems the bigger the surface TF, the harder it is for all ships to get involved in the battle.

Cheers,
CB

Thanks for following along.

It seems the Allies flew a bunch of Dutch units to Koepang (or fragments of units), reinforced with the US 32 Div and a few others, almost totally evacuating Sumatra and Java. There were some speedbumps on Java, but capture was relatively easy. Timor, on the other hand, is not!

Thanks for the advice on surface combat task forces. I think the size limit is 25, but I usually try to keep them under 20 ships; I guess that's too many.

[CaptBeefheart]

There was a thread a long time ago, perhaps by CRSutton, that supported the following sort of surface TF structure:

*Primary force of 2-4 CL or CA or BB (idea being to keep the gun caliber, and thus firing range, fairly consistent)
*Escort force of one to two times as many DDs

The above has worked pretty well for me against the AI. You might also check other AARs where multiple small TFs hitting the same target seem to do pretty well. For instance, a pure DD TF can usually depart with minor damage when facing a slow BB TF.

EDIT: I'd also keep fast and slow BBs apart.

Cheers,
CB

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 18, 1942

The retiring BB (Kongo/Kirishima) TF sank an xAP and TK in separate actions before encountering a CLAA -

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truscott at 70,123, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Kirishima
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Kinugasa
DD Makinami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Wakatake
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
xAP Bloemfontein, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Tanaka, Raizo crosses the 'T'

---

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truscott at 70,123, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Kirishima
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Kinugasa
DD Makinami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Wakatake
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
TK British Unity, Shell hits 41, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

---

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truscott at 70,123, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 2
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Kinugasa
DD Makinami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Wakatake
DD Sanae

Allied Ships
CLAA San Juan, Shell hits 1
DD Ellet

The battleships were then attacked by SBDs from Darwin at night, scoring no hits.

A Dutch sub took 6 hits at Waingapoe.

Mitchells from Chihkiang again bombed Canton, getting 2 hits on HI, but only decreasing HI by 1; 4 Mitchells were downed by Tojo CAP and flak.

A6M5c Zero research advanced from Jul to Jun '44.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 19, 1942

CV Shokaku caught up to the other 2 CVs heading south toward Truscott to pick off any worthwhile targets; there were none. Banshees from Truscott attacked the CV TF at NIGHT, but hit nothing, even with no CAP.

The slow BB TF (Nagato, Mutsu) bombarded Koepang, followed by the fast BB TF (Kongo, Kirishima), followed by a deliberate attack -

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
CA Kako
CL Nagara
DD Asagao
DD Harukaze
DD Kamikaze
DD Nagatsuki
DD Yayoi
DD Fubuki
DD Hibiki
DD Natsushio
DD Naganami

Allied ground losses:
198 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 16
Port hits 1

---

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Kongo
CA Kinugasa
CA Maya
CA Atago
DD Sanae
DD Wakatake
DD Natsugumo
DD Michishio
DD Asashio
DD Hayashio
DD Oyashio
DD Makinami

Allied ground losses:
174 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 5
Port hits 1

---

Ground combat at Koepang (68,116)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19608 troops, 217 guns, 78 vehicles, Assault Value = 571

Defending force 22717 troops, 341 guns, 318 vehicles, Assault Value = 464

Japanese adjusted assault: 126

Allied adjusted defense: 665

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2000 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 247 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 32 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
48th Division
4th Division
38th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Engineer Co
2nd Army
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Port Unit

Defending units:
II Marechausse Cdo
4th KNIL Regiment
Timor Cdo
1st Cav Sqdn
32nd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Sparrow Force
3rd US Naval Construction Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
205th Field Artillery Battalion
42nd Base Group
147th Field Artillery Battalion
2e-VLG-V Sup Afd
KNI Zeemacht
197th Coast AA Regiment
1e-VLG-III Sup Afd
A-II-Ld AA Battalion
VkA-1 Sup Afd
A-III-Ld AA Battalion
SW Pacific Theater /2

Unless the engineers reduce the forts here the situation is hopeless. The forts are still 2.

Cleaning up the dot base back near Singapore, a JAAF Coy landed at Groot Natoena.

Betties from Victoria Point attacked BB Prince of Wales sitting off Port Blair but had no hits.

Sallies and Helens bombed Chihkiang, going in before the fighter sweep, and had some needless losses.

Liberators bombed Rabaul for the first time -

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 26

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 2

I'll take that pawn for pawn trade.

B6N1 Jill R&D at Utsonomiya reached 30(0), the 4th of 6 research sites.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 20, 1942

Bases captured today: Groot Natoena (vacant); recently noticed the need to clean up the dot bases east of Singapore!

BB Prince of Wales TF bombarded Port Blair. The Allies need to bring in more troops to take the base; this has been a very slow, piecemeal invasion on their part; due to lack of troops or shipping, I'm not sure which?

The only other action today was artillery exchanges.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 21, 1942

The Dutch light cruisers sank a supply xAK at Ambon, then bombarded the base -

Night Naval bombardment of Ambon at 76,109

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
CL Sumatra
CL Java
CLAA Van Heemskerck

Japanese ground losses:
228 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 2

Sub I-3 sank an xAK at Nonouti (south of Tarawa).

Zeroes, Nicks, and Tojos swept Chihkiang in turn, losing 8 Zeroes (!) to 3 defending Airacobras (downed by the Nicks).

Airacobras swept Dili, losing 1 for 4 Oscars downed.

The Allies retook Lautem at the eastern end of Timor. The defending JAAF fragment was there only to prevent the base from fliipping back to the Allies. He's at least gotta work for it! -

Ground combat at Lautem (72,115)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1718 troops, 25 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 75

Defending force 472 troops, 1 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Allied adjusted assault: 52

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 52 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Lautem !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
235 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1

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

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating back to Dili!

Assaulting units:
20th LH Motor Regiment
44th Australian Battalion

Defending units:
14th JAAF AF Bn /1

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 22, 1942

Bases assaulted today: Terempa (dot base east of Singapore)

Sub I-9 sank a TK off Karachi.

Fighter sweeps and bombing runs on Chihkiang and Changteh went in in mixed order, combined with new Warhawk squadrons at each base, resulted in very high losses, especially to the Helen and Sally bombers.

The Brits attacked again at Port Blair -

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4562 troops, 70 guns, 78 vehicles, Assault Value = 168

Defending force 4026 troops, 62 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Allied adjusted assault: 126

Japanese adjusted defense: 229

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
171 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
532 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Irish Fusiliers Battalion
Brockville Rifles Battalion
7th Cav Recce Regiment
Edmonton Fusiliers Battalion
1st Gloucestershire Battalion
Port Blair Adv Base Force
III Indian Corps
6th Medium Regiment

Defending units:
5th Recon Regiment
I./143rd Infantry Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field Const Co
18th JNAF AF Unit

Notice the absence of a combat engineer unit in the attacking force.

BB Yamato finished repairing at Hiroshima and will head south to rejoin the battles around Timor.

Ki-61-Ib Tony R&D advanced from Jun to May '43. Still no engines to build the -Ia model (maybe Nov '42).

We managed to move our 3 carrier TF around Timor (well to the north) without being detected. While a 3 BB TF runs in to bombard Koepang, the CVs will move east from Kendari to, hopefully, smash the Allied TFs at Kai-eilanden -


Destroyers were rearranged among the 3 TFs shown with the CVs, to prevent an inadvertent midway refueling by the CVs or the CA escorting TF.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 23, 1942

Bases captured today: Terempa (another dot base east of Singapore)

Our 3 BB TF bombarded Koepang, followed by a deliberate attack that reduced forts -

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato

Allied ground losses:
388 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 7
Port hits 2

---

Ground combat at Koepang (68,116)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21595 troops, 255 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 492

Defending force 22362 troops, 338 guns, 316 vehicles, Assault Value = 447

Japanese adjusted assault: 343

Allied adjusted defense: 303

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2260 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 136 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 13 disabled

Allied ground losses:
489 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
48th/A Division
4th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
38th Division
4th Engineer Co
48th/B Division
48th/C Division
2nd Army
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Port Unit

Defending units:
II Marechausse Cdo
4th KNIL Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Timor Cdo
Sparrow Force
42nd Base Group
1e-VLG-III Sup Afd
A-II-Ld AA Battalion
197th Coast AA Regiment
205th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd US Naval Construction Battalion
2e-VLG-V Sup Afd
VkA-1 Sup Afd
KNI Zeemacht
147th Field Artillery Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
1st Cav Sqdn
A-III-Ld AA Battalion
SW Pacific Theater /2

48 Div only bombarded, as it's essentially combat ineffective. 4 Div took the brunt of the casualties in this attack.

Meanwhile, US cruisers bombarded Dili -

Night Naval bombardment of Dili at 71,115

Allied Ships
CA Chester
CL Boise
CL Raleigh
CLAA Atlanta

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

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 10
Port hits 4

Our CVs did not move far enough to attack anything at Kai-eilanden, but are now detected, so they will proceed east to Truk.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 24, 1942

Bases assaulted today: Mangole (dot base NW of Ambon)

Panggoe (in the Solomons near Munda) flipped to the Allies.

B-17s hit Shanghai getting 2 hits on RSY.

British BBs bombarded Tavoy -

Night Naval bombardment of Tavoy at 54,60

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 13 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed on ground
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Ramillies
BB Prince of Wales

Japanese ground losses:
139 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 12
Port fuel hits 2

Engineers (and supply) unloaded at Koepang after dodging several subs.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 25, 1942

Bases captured today: Mangole

Dutch sub O-24 put a torpedo in a DD near Balikpapan. The damage is extensive, but the sub should make it back to Balikpapan and be stranded there for awhile until trying to make it to Soerabaja's shipyard.

B-17s bombed Dili at night.

Our 2 BBs bombarded Koepang, but did little damage (so action not shown).

After reinforcements arrived at Changteh, and the position overstacked, we attacked -

Ground combat at Changteh (81,50)

Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 69728 troops, 618 guns, 365 vehicles, Assault Value = 2007
Defending force 57983 troops, 299 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1274
Japanese adjusted assault: 1554
Allied adjusted defense: 2369
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
7100 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 333 disabled
Non Combat: 42 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 28 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 53 (3 destroyed, 50 disabled)
Vehicles lost 23 (6 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
2829 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 153 disabled
Non Combat: 51 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 28 (1 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
8th Ind Engineer Regiment destroyed
3rd Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
13th Division
104th Division
13th Tank Regiment
39th Division
9th Tank Regiment
68th Division
11th Tank Regiment
13th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
57th Field AA Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
6th Construction Regiment
87th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
20th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
49th AA Regiment
2nd Chinese Base Force

Ha-45 engine R&D (Frank, George) advanced from Jan '43 to Dec '42. These will begin production in Nov '42 at 120 per month, so should reach 500 by sometime in Mar '43. The first George model is due in Sep '43, so the engine bonus may not help much. The first Frank model is not due until Jan '44, so should get more help advancing R&D.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 26, 1942

On the run in to bombard Koepang, our BB TF got 4 ASW hits on SS Pike and 1 on SS KXII. The bombardment did little damage to the defending Allied troops and NO damage to the facilities (I'm wondering if the facilities were not targeted because the damage is already near 100%?).

SS Perch put a torpedo in AV Kunikawa working its way to Endeh to provide more aerial ASW coverage of the approaches to Koepang.

Allied troops landed at the non-base hex SE of Dili. Since Dili is now the only base the Japanese control on Timor, there can be no retreat, so landing to encircle the base is irrelevant. I'm beginning to think it may be wise to start evacuating Koepang; the Japanese have a slight AV advantage against level 1 forts, but even if we are able to capture the base, there will be no opportunity to entrench as the engineers will be busy fixing the airfield and port damage that we have enflicted! When we controlled Lautem, the Allies had no retreat route from Koepang, and I was hoping to destroy them. But they can retreat now.

Helens and Sallies bombed Changteh, keeping the facilities damaged to prevent entrenchment. A high casualty shock attack followed -

Ground combat at Changteh (81,50)

Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 65051 troops, 616 guns, 359 vehicles, Assault Value = 1598
Defending force 52531 troops, 287 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1128
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 1768
Allied adjusted defense: 1605
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
7571 casualties reported
Squads: 416 destroyed, 249 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 143 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 26 disabled
Guns lost 73 (27 destroyed, 46 disabled)
Vehicles lost 109 (31 destroyed, 78 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
785 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 57 (5 destroyed, 52 disabled)

Assaulting units:
68th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
104th Division
13th Tank Regiment
39th Division
3rd Division
13th Division
11th Tank Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
57th Field AA Battalion
13th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
72nd Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
20th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
49th AA Regiment
2nd Chinese Base Force

Without sizable reinforcement it's unlikely that we'll be able to achieve a 2:1 attack. But, as long as we can keep the airfield damaged we'll try at least one more time. Two of the Japanese units now have AV=0

The Chinese moved into Ningsia and were quickly repelled -

Ground combat at Ningsia (84,33)

Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12846 troops, 129 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 398
Defending force 9657 troops, 40 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 226
Japanese adjusted assault: 192
Allied adjusted defense: 63
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3351 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 107 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 24 (4 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
26th Division
1st Cavalry Brigade
86th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
42nd Chinese Corps

He must have forgot to change his op mode after moving in!!

B6N1 Jill R&D advanced from Mar to Feb '43.

[Uncivil Engineer]

A note on the font size within the quotes. If you select "Tiny" from the menu the font is 50 (%?) and is unreadable. If you select "Small" the font is 85 and really doesn't reduce the amount of space used. So, in the previous post I changed 85 to 75 to reduce it more and it works just fine and is readable. I've also started deleting the spaces between some lines in the combat reports to condense the quote display.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 27, 194

A major naval battle occurred near Koepang and it was definitely a tactical victory for the Allies -

Night Time Surface Combat, near Roti at 66,115, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 35, heavy fires
BB Ise, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Takao, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Atago, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage back at Endeh with 95 fires; will likely sink
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage sank during withdrawal
DD Kagero, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 3
DD Natsushio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Asashio, Shell hits 2
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 10, heavy fires
CA Portland
CA Houston
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 2
CA Quincy
CLAA San Juan
DD Grayson
DD Hammann
DD Blue
DD Mugford, Shell hits 1
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 1
DD Jarvis
DD Craven, Shell hits 1
DD Maury
DD Ellet
DD Cummings, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Drayton, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Case, Shell hits 2
DD Perkins
DD Talbot

Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 8,000 yards

I-6 was forced to the surface at Munda and was sunk.

BB Kongo and Kirishima departed Soerabaja to take up the fight for Nagato and Ise. It appears that BB South Dakota retired to Koepang; Kongo TF will attack it!

The Allies attacked at Port Blair, reducing forts for the first time -

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 4605 troops, 74 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 149
Defending force 3818 troops, 60 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 75
Allied adjusted assault: 112
Japanese adjusted defense: 103
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
217 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Edmonton Fusiliers Battalion
7th Cav Recce Regiment
Brockville Rifles Battalion
1st Irish Fusiliers Battalion
1st Gloucestershire Battalion
Port Blair Adv Base Force
III Indian Corps
6th Medium Regiment

Defending units:
5th Recon Regiment
I./143rd Infantry Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field Const Co
18th JNAF AF Unit

Ki-44-IIc Tojo R&D advanced to Dec '43

[IdahoNYer]

How are you faring with supply, fuel and oil stocks?

[Uncivil Engineer]

How are you faring with supply, fuel and oil stocks?

In general, fairly well. Fuel is 3.1 million and oil is 2.2 million. They start at 4.4 and 3.2. Palembang is currently at its fuel limit, so the refinery gets shut off once in a while. This turn I shipped out 74,000 oil, which is over 600,000 there. Supply at Tokyo is slightly over 1 million (which I use as an indicator of overall supply health). Since game start I've been sending ~30,000 supply to China (10k to Hankow and 20k to Shanghai, one convoy each, but continuously) and returning resource from both. The main resource loadings from Asia are at Fusan and Keijo. Supply at Truk is slightly low, but OK at Kwajalein and over 20k at Rabaul. The HI pool has not reached 500k yet, and that's beginning to bother me. I just shut off vehicle production (inventory over 20k) to save some HI. Armaments may be next. Engine production is routinely shut off when comfortably over 500 in inventory.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 28, 1942

Bases assaulted today: Djemadja (dot base east of Singapore)

Sub I-1 sank an xAK at Babar and detected 2 CLAAs. Then I-1 put a torpedo in another xAK there.

A cruiser TF at Endeh put 5 ASW hits on SS Gar.

Our fast BBs bombarded Koepang and retired to Endeh -

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
PBY-5 Catalina: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Kongo
CA Kinugasa
CA Maya

Allied ground losses:
467 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 43 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 30 (8 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 23 (6 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 14
Port hits 1

British cruisers bombarded Port Blair prior to a ground attack -

Night Naval bombardment of Port Blair at 46,58

Allied Ships
CA Devonshire
CL Birmingham
CL Mauritius
CL Danae
CL Enterprise

Japanese ground losses:
198 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 2

---

Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 4341 troops, 72 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 109
Defending force 3479 troops, 60 guns, 68 vehicles, Assault Value = 57
Allied adjusted assault: 59
Japanese adjusted defense: 97
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
67 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
7th Cav Recce Regiment
Edmonton Fusiliers Battalion
Brockville Rifles Battalion
1st Irish Fusiliers Battalion
1st Gloucestershire Battalion
Port Blair Adv Base Force
6th Medium Regiment
III Indian Corps /3

Defending units:
5th Recon Regiment
I./143rd Infantry Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field Const Co
18th JNAF AF Unit

CA Atago, with 95 fires after the naval battle at Koepang yesterday, sank in port at Endeh.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 29, 1942

Bases captured today: Djemadja

A Japanese cruiser TF attacked Allied shipping at Lautem, and everything was going well until CA Mogami hit a mine -

Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 72,115, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CA Mogami
CL Nagara
DD Akizuki
DD Fubuki
DD Kamikaze
DD Harukaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Nokaze
DD Asagao
DD Yomogi

Allied Ships
AM Benalla, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAP Pijnacker Hordijk, Shell hits 11, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 17 (15 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway

Helens, Sallies, and Lilies bombed Changteh (a daily event) keeping the airfield damaged and starting fires. The overstack at Changteh has been alleviated as the most damaged units withdrew to Changsha for rest and replenishment.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sep 30, 1942

With no major units due to arrive as reinforcements for the next several weeks and a 20k inventory, vehicle production has been turned off to save a few HI.

BB Ramilles bombarded Tavoy, doing little damage.

CA Mogami, after hitting a mine yesterday, has had her luck run out. She was torpedoed twice by a Dutch sub and now has 94 flotation damage; she won't make it back to port.

8 Tank Regiment started unloading at Koepang.