Logistics in the Pacific - USSAmerica (A), Mike (J)

[Mike Solli]

23 Jan 42

Sub War

Nothing exciting to report.

5 Fleet

Nothing to report.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

I took Wau today. That’s the inland base in the SE corner of PNG. I now control all of the important bases in PNG. There still are 4 on the northern coast, which I’m taking, one by one. They’re all undefended.

SRA

Philippines: Bombarded Clark Field again today. Deliberate attack tomorrow.

Mindanao: Campaign successfully concluded!

Borneo: Two SNLF battalions took Tandjoengselor, the base to the SE of Tarakan. That’s where the former Tarakan garrison retreated. They were destroyed in the action.

Java: The Batavia assault force is resting prior to its next attack.

Sumatra: Still flowing north.

Malaya: Campaign successfully concluded!

Other Places: My evil plan is still working in the southern SRA. Mike has about 32 B-17D/E at Darwin and he’s splitting them between the SNLF that landed at Koepang (22 sorties) and Saumlaki (11 sorties). I want the B-17s to hit Koepang because it really doesn’t matter. Saumlaki, on the other hand, is going to be my major southern airbase where I take the air war to Darwin. I currently have 97 engineer equivalents with more on the way. The airfield is only 0.46 unfortunately, but it is rising nicely. As soon as it reaches level one, I’ll put a chutai of Zeros there. Right now the Zeros are flying LRCAP and putting a couple over Saumlaki each day.

I invaded Christmas Island IO today and will take it tomorrow. It and Cocos island are nice naval search platforms.

Burma

15 Army should shock attack into Rangoon tomorrow from Pegu.

China

Nothing exciting to report.

Other Stuff

Nothing to report.

[madflava13]

Glad to see you back in action. Quick question - do you make use of the AMCs that Japan has at the start, and if so, how?

[btd64]

Sorry for the delay. Was out of town on vacation with the family. Three turns to post.

Saj42, I usually have a small carrier or two close behind a carrier action, just in case what you say happens. I'm very cautious with my plane building program, so I don't have hundreds of planes of a single type in the pool early in the war. Losing pilots always hurts, but losing planes also hurts.

We where wondering. I asked Mike (USS America) about this in a email yesterday....GP

[Mike Solli]

Glad to see you back in action. Quick question - do you make use of the AMCs that Japan has at the start, and if so, how?

I love the AMCs! They load/unload the same as xAPs so I use them for invasions. They're fast, and the different ships carry a varied load, so they can carry a nice combination of unit types. I probably won't ever "upgrade" any of them. Some change to xAPs, some to AKs and others remain as AMCs. I have xAPs and AKs, so why convert them? They usually lose their larger guns.

[Mike Solli]

24 Jan 42

Sub War

The S-34 caught a TF dropping off an AS battalion at Milne Bay and torpedoed one of the escorts. The Ansyu PB took severe damage at 27-93(59)-13(8)-15. She’s limping back to Rabaul but isn’t expected to make it. She took one for the troops.

5 Fleet

Building.

4 Fleet

Building.

SE Fleet

Aside from the dot hex clean-up, the next invasion is Horn Island. The invasion fleet is 3 days from Pt. Moresby. They will have fighter cover (Zeros) from Pt. Moresby and bomber support (Betties) from Rabaul.

SRA

Philippines: Finally, success at Clark Field! The 2:1 attack destroyed the Cavite USN Base Force and 21 PA Infantry Division. The remaining units were really trashed and withdrew into Bataan. All the artillery, both tank regiments and the 65 Brigade are headed to Manila to reinforce 16 Division and take that base next.

Mindanao: Campaign successfully concluded!

Borneo: Nothing to report.

Java: Nothing to report.

Sumatra: Spreading north.

Malaya: Campaign successfully concluded!

Other Places: Off Saumlaki, I have a small surface TF composed of 2 CL and 4 DD that moves around down there, just in case Mike gets frisky and tries to send some ships in the area. Today, 6 Catalinas came in on a torpedo run. Two Zeros on LRCAP in the area shot half of them down. The rest missed. It’s always nice to shoot down Cats. They’re pretty hard to come by for the Allies.

Today 26 B17D/E went after the bait, Koepang. Thirteen went after Saumlaki’s port causing light damage. The airfield increased to 0.52. They’re getting there. In addition to the engineers, I have an AS battalion there with a JAAF BF three days out. That will bring the AS to 72.

Christmas Island IO was liberated today. The resources are undamaged at 10(0). I’ll bring some of those resources back to Java whenever a convoy drops anchor there.

Burma

15 Army is in Rangoon and will attack 1 Burma Division tomorrow.

China

12 Army (2 divisions and an IMB) caught a Chinese corps in the open just west of Loyang and trashed it. The remnants ran to the woods to the west.

Other Stuff

I got confirmation of an xAKL sinking on 12/17/41 near Makassar.

[Mike Solli]

25 Jan 42

Sub War

A Dutch sub caught a troop convoy a few hexes north of Brunei and sank an escorting To’su PB. That’s what those guys are, bait. I was foolish to let that convoy move through the deep water in that area. I know there are subs there. I need to be more critical of movement routes in the future.

5 Fleet

Still building up the bases I control.

4 Fleet

Building up bases.

SE Fleet

The Horn Island invasion force is 2 days from Pt. Moresby and 3 days from D-Day.

SRA

Philippines: The assault forces are moving toward Manila.

Mindanao: Campaign successfully concluded!

Borneo: Nothing exciting to report.

Java: I bombarded Batavia to get some intel on the Dutch defenders. We have an advantage of 1274 to 451 raw AV. I am going to attack tomorrow with the 3 divisions (but not the infantry regiments) to see if we can start killing off the smaller units to hasten their departure. Once Batavia is liberated, the next domino to fall will be Palembang.

Sumatra: Flowing north.

Malaya: Campaign successfully concluded!

Other Places: Thirty-one B-17 sorties hit Koepang today, and only 11 went after Saumlaki doing only a point or two of port damage that was easily repaired. The airfield at Saumlaki increased from 0.52 to 0.60 today. They’re getting there. The number of B-17s is increasing…

A Naval Guard marched into Kendari yesterday and attacked today. They easily won the day. All that was there was 4 vehicles (motorized support maybe?) of the Kendari Garrison Battalion. The rest of the battalion was withdrawn.

Burma

Rangoon was successfully liberated from 1 Burma Division today. The 6:1 attack (level 2 forts) trashed the Burmese troops. The remnants fled across the river to Bassein. 15 Army is moving NE toward Prome, which we control. There are 5 units on the rail line between Prome and Rangoon. They’re just rabble.

I tried a parachute drop by Yokosuka 3 SNLF (rump battalion sized) on Lashio. I had a number of transports damaged and a few destroyed, but the paratroopers lost no squads and have 14% disabled. Their disruption is 41 so they will sit it out tomorrow to rest up a bit. Oh yeah, the defenders are the 6 Chinese Corps and a British base force. I see someone is moving out of the base. It should be interesting to see what happens here.

China

The Japanese 39 Division cleared out two Chinese corps, two hexes NE of Ichang. The Chinese to the north (west of Loyang) are in full retreat to the west to escape a potential pocket. It appears that the Chinese front here has collapsed.

Just north of Canton, a Chinese corps that was running around the area was caught by 23 Army and destroyed. The 23 Army will now focus on its next objective, Liuchow, in order to cut the Chinese rail line.

Other Stuff

Nothing exciting to report.

[RangerJoe]

I would suggest that you set your convoys with the Type 95 DCs to a coastal routing so they do not venture into deep water.

Another suggestion, load part of your Ceylon invasion force in a Fast Transport and then transfer those ships into the Amphibious Invasion TF. Any PBs going along can either carry supplies or nothing.

You do know your logistics and industry but getting the most of your combat resources . . .