M Peaston wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:02 pm
Fourthly, this scenario starts on the afternoon of 7th December; losses from Pearl Harbor are factored in to the scenario but don’t show on the loss records.
Ah, I missed that tidbit. That explains a lot. No doubt some losses in the PI are factored in as well.
You might be following Lowpe's AAR. He's doing a pretty good job of striking deep and rendering much of Japan's defenses redundant.
Well, Arizona and Oklahoma are present at PH at the scenario start but with 99 sys, 99 float and 99 fire damage - they will sink and yield the VPs. However, I have not found a way to include the VPs for the plane and ground losses which have taken place in the morning attacks.
M Peaston wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:02 pm
Fourthly, this scenario starts on the afternoon of 7th December; losses from Pearl Harbor are factored in to the scenario but don’t show on the loss records.
Ah, I missed that tidbit. That explains a lot. No doubt some losses in the PI are factored in as well.
You might be following Lowpe's AAR. He's doing a pretty good job of striking deep and rendering much of Japan's defenses redundant.
Cheers,
CB
I have indeed been following Lowpe's AAR. I don't think I have the ability or confidence to strike as deeply or as early as he's done, but some kind of deep strike to isolate Japan from the SRA is the way I'd like to go. I think my opponent might be more inclined to go for a defence in depth....but we'll see. There's a long way to go yet.
I’ve noticed that in bombing at lower altitudes (around 2,000 feet) I’ve had some limited success in avoiding or minimising the effect of Japanese CAP (which tends to be around 10,000 - 15,000 feet). Last turn I tried attacking at 100 feet - Dutch bombers at Taiping and Floatplanes attacking the port at Subic Bay (we’ve a house rule against naval attacks below 2,000 ft except for attack bombers from 1943 onwards). Both attacks took heavy losses from CAP, and looking at the combat reports it looks like both raids went in at or around 10,000 ft.
Am I right in thinking then that if I set a raid to 100 ft that the planes will fly in at a much higher level and drop to 100ft just to make the bombing/strafing run?
CHINA.
Yalu River avenged! Two Chinese gunboats finally caught up with the Japanese flotilla on the Yangtze near Hankow, sinking PGs Seta and Katata, damaging Hozu and Hira. One of the Chinese gunboats was damaged but not badly. I think the Japanese were low on ammunition from their bombardment missions.
In the Northeast, according to sigint, the Japanese 3rd Tank Rgt, 12th Ind Rgt and 26th Engineer Rgt are on the high road towards Hami/Kiuchuan, while 23rd Tank Rgt is heading towards Lanchow. I have to assume there are more units than sigint has identified and that this is more than just a probe/screen.
33rd and 34th Chinese armies held off an assault ….for now…..at Changzhi west of Chengting.
In the south I’m looking at trying to isolate and possibly destroy the Japanese 20th Ind mixed Bde which has pushed on towards Jingdezhen with seemingly little support.
MALAYA
The Japanese have established an airbase at Kuala Lumpur, and on the ground are pushing on swiftly towards Malacca.
PHILIPPINES
Japanese air raids continue at San Fernando, Clark Field and Bataan. What I believe to be 38th Division has reached Clark Field, although there was no attack. Mouseover indicates 8 further units at Subic Bay.
DEI
There’s bad news from Tarakan. Lanakai was caught and sank by a Japanese CL/DD TF nearby - no survivors.
Bandasan SNLF captures Ternate, destroying the Commando there.
Mini KB has moved off into the Celebes Sea - to support an assault on Tarakan possibly? I’m very tempted to send Enterprise and Force Z after the Japanese surface forces between Manado and Ternate, but I must be patient. “Hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”
Marblehead and Boise are out of the repair yards and ready to rejoin the fray. Marblehead is at Singapore to assist with evacuations; Boise is heading for the southern DEI.
SOPAC/CENPAC.
All quiet, including at Wake.
SUBMARINE WARFARE
O20 torpedoes and damages xAK Kazuura Maru at Subic Bay. Unfortunately a second torpedo failed to explode.
The Japanese advance is gaining momentum on most fronts.
BURMA
The Japanese 112th Rgt and 55th Mountain Gun Rgt take Tavoy.
MALAYA
14th Tank Rgt takes Port Swettenham. Second Recon Rgt is advancing on Kuantan where the FMSV Bde is digging in. I was hoping to get the brigade back to Singapore, but that won’t happen now. On the west coast the Japanese advance guard had reached Malacca, which has already been abandoned.
I was looking to evacuate the Australian brigades from Singapore and send them to Dili and Saumlaki. However, my priority is to try and culminate Japan’s attack at a point which best suits me, and one of the ways to try and achieve this was by tying down as many Japanese troops as possible for as long as possible at places like Singapore. Unfortunately, since losing 9th Indian Division at Kuala Lumpur, following this strategy means I think I need to leave the Australians in Singapore. I need to find someone to explain this to Mr Curtin; I’m sure he won’t mind….
The first wave of evacuations from Singapore has already started. ABDA Command is going to Darwin (mostly to annoy MacArthur), as is AHQ Far East. 223 Group HQ will go to the Southern DEI or northern Australia, as will most of the RAF Base Forces (the biggest impediment to Allied air operations in the Southern DEI is a critical lack of aviation support). About half the AA will also go to this theatre.
The hopelessly inexperienced 46th Indian Bde will return to India; if I leave them behind all they’ll do is consume supplies - I can’t think they’d be much use in a fight. It makes me wonder why I sent them there in the first place. Also going to India is the 1st Manchester Bn - I don’t want to lose their stock of Vickers MGs. A couple of Indian Bns will also return to India. Pretty much everything else will remain in Singapore.
With the Air force, I’ve got four squadrons of Buffalos in Singapore for defence. I’m also retaining for now a squadron of Blenheims and a flight of Wirraways for attacking the advancing Japanese formations. Other than a squadron of Swordfish and a few patrol aircraft everything else has already gone to the DEI or Burma.
PHILIPPINES
38th Div bombards at Clark Field; The Tanaka Rgt Captures Lingayen.
DEI
The 53rd Bde of the British 18th Division has arrived at Koepang from Cape Town and has started unloading; their arrival coincided with that of 224 Group HQ from Singapore, so congestion and disagreements on the quayside abound. Enterprise happens to be here too, refuelling. One of her patrols spots a periscope, so there is a good chance the Japanese know that something is up. Meanwhile the Harbourmaster has crept off quietly somewhere to get drunk and to wish it would all just go away…
55th Bde has arrived at Perth and will soon be transferred to Timor.
SOPAC/SWPAC
Tabiteuea has fallen to the Japanese. Achilles and 2 DDs were heading for the Gilberts with orders to look for trouble, but as I suspect the Tabiteuea invasion was being covered by the CA TF spotted in the Marshalls a few days ago Achilles and co. are returning to Suva - otherwise they might have found just a bit too much trouble.
CENTRAL PACIFIC
KB and a BB surface group hammered Wake Island. The four Wildcats on the Island put up a bit of a fight, but I don’t think they shot anything down.
SUBMARINE WARFARE
No successful Allied attacks.
No Japanese attacks at all.
Fokko has been carefully and skilfully screening his invasions in the DEI; surface forces block the most likely approaches, with Mini-KB prowling behind.
Now I know where his carriers are located, I’m going to take some risks. Enterprise is going to attack the screening force and/or the transports at Ternate with the intention of luring Mini-KB there. If she is successful then Force Z will attempt to force the Makassar strait and attack shipping in the Celebes Sea – also disrupting any invasion of Tarakan which I think is likely imminent.
The big risk I think is any LBA the Japanese have already set up in the area. I do have some P40Es at Balikpapan for LRCAP, and could send some fighters to Tarakan if Force Z goes that far, but it may not be enough.
The potential gain is the chance to inflict loss and/or delay on Japanese operations. There is also a small chance of luring KB into the DEI, thus allowing my other carriers greater freedom of action – but I don’t think this is likely.
If the conditions aren’t right then this will be downgraded to tip-and-run attacks on the screening forces – possibly just by Enterprise.
If you fly or ship out just parts of the units, the fragments will become the parent unit after the main part is destroyed. That way, you don't have to pay for its return nor wait. If you are short of the infantry and other country specific devices, stockpile those and fill up the partial unit with common devices like support and engineers. You can add infantry later.
Seek peace but keep your gun handy.
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!
“Illegitemus non carborundum est (“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”).” ; Julia Child
I had wondered about the utility of saving fragments of things like British and Indian infantry formations where I don’t have enough squads to fill out the newly-forming divisions in India as it is.
What you are suggesting is that by filling them with devices of which there is usually a surplus I can effectively turn these fragments into useful support units, and build them up at a later point to fighting formations if desired.
Ranger Joe, that is Brilliant! I would never have thought of that myself.
The only problem is that most of Malaya Command is either Perm or Temp restricted. I guess I could fragment the Australian brigades first and then buy out the fragment; otherwise I’d be paying the full PP cost to buy out a unit that will soon be destroyed.
Even if I can’t make full use of this for the Singapore units, it’s an idea that certainly has a wider application. Thank you.
Yes, with support and basic engineers they do make good support units. The two Aussie brigades can combine to one brigade in a regular game, I don't know about this mod, they can also combine with the "bird" battalions to form an Aussie division.
Plus, look at your upgrades not just for units but also devices. All of those Burma Squads and local Indian forces become 1944 Indian squads. That will give you a nice boost to your manpower levels and also the firepower so don't just expend them needlessly. Also, when the units disband, look at the numbers of squads in your stockpiles and you may see an increase because of the disbanded units. The Mounted Rifles become other squads. For the Aussies, they become CMF either militia or squads, they end up becoming regular Aussie squads. So fill those out before upgrading, then the old Mounted Rifles become the new squads in the stockpile. You are better off buying units when they are smaller so don't give them replacements before buying them. Fill up and upgrade the Aussie units that will upgrade and then disband, filling up your stockpiles so your bought units will then have the new devices to fill out your bought units.
Seek peace but keep your gun handy.
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!
“Illegitemus non carborundum est (“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”).” ; Julia Child
Thanks again for the advice - I clearly need to make some time to study the upgrade paths.
I think the two Australian Brigades in Malaya combine to form 8th Division without the other battalions in this mod, but I’ll need to check.
9th January 1942.
CHINA
AVG from Changsha sweep Hankow and claim 4 Nates shot down, opening the way for Chinese bombers to hit the airfield there, causing some minor damage.
MALAYA
The Japanese advance guard captures Malacca. RN Gunboats and the Soerabaja bombard Taiping, doing a small amount of damage. I don’t think I’ll get away with this for a third time.
PHILIPPINES
The 31st PA Division that had entered Subic bay was kicked out by the Japanese 21st Division and supporting artillery. Japanese forces bombard at Clark Field and Manila. A deliberate attack at San Fernando (the first one since 3rd January) was repulsed. I don’t think they’ll hold out at San Fernando any longer, but then again I said that a week ago…
I’ve managed to evacuate the nurses to Cebu; there’s a C47 Skytrain making its way to Tarakan to pick them up - if Fokko is kind enough to not invade Tarakan in the meantime. The single Beech aircraft at Cebu is now starting to rescue what it can of the Asiatic fleet.
DEI
I can no longer detect a Japanese screen in the Makassar Strait, or any shipping near Tarakan, so Tarakan might be safe for a few days more. The IJN escort/fleet carriers have shifted to 3 hexes east of Talaud-eilanden and there is still plenty of shipping around Manado and Ternate. Enterprise has decided to take a route going south of Timor so will take longer to be in position than I anticipated. Force Z is still in port but ready to steam at short notice.
SOPAC/SWPAC
A TF has appeared near Kavieng; mouseover indicates 2 x CS and 3xCA. HMAS Perth nearby reports a Torpedo bomber sighted, as does a freighter south of Rabaul. I think I’ve accounted for all the IJN fleet carriers at Wake from the combat reply - but I didn’t take notes. I can’t discount the possibility that the Japanese have one or more carriers operating independently from their main groups - after all, this is something I’ve been trying to achieve. At Rabaul I’ve got Lark Bn and a PT Boat Flotilla, and S-34 is in the Area. HMAS Perth will retire, and Lexington (currently at Rockhampton) has been ordered to the Solomon Sea.
CENTRAL PACIFIC
KB hammered Wake again, then 144th Rgt seized the Island.
The first wave of reinforcement/supply convoys from Hawaii to the various Pacific Islands have started to return, giving me the shipping to despatch 161st Rgt to Christmas Island.
SUBMARINE WARFARE
O-20 sinks a Patrol Boat at Subic Bay.
O-23 took three hits at Ternate. System damage 15, Flotation 25. Assuming she’s allowed to proceed unmolested I don’t anticipate any problems in getting back to Soerabaja
If Force Z is fully fixed, fueled and ammunitioned, there is no need to keep it at so obvious a place as Soerabaja. You could hide it somewhere his recon is not likely to look.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
3rd Guerilla Corps attacks at Huaishang, defended by 1st Rgt, 28th RGC Temp, 6th NCPC Bde plus a garrison unit. Losses were about even. I’ve got the 7th and 48th Chinese armies en route; I’ll renew the assault when the first of these arrive, or shortly before, unless the Japanese reinforce first.
MALAYA
Evacuations continue from Singapore. The Japanese reach Kuantan, which is held by the FMSV Bde. Wirraways bomb the 5th Recon Rgt at Malacca.
PHILIPPINES
Japanese ground forces bombard at Clark Field and Manila; Japan’s Manila force has been joined by 4th Division. There was no combat at San Fernando, so the defenders manage to hold out for another day.
DEI
The Dutch bomb Brunei, claiming a hit on the oil facilities.
Force Z is still holding at Salajar; either the Japanese have pulled back from the Makassar strait, or my search aircraft just can’t locate them. Enterprise should be in a position to strike the day after tomorrow; I hope her bombers go after the heavy warships and transports reported to be at Manado, and not the sloops at Ternate. IJN light/escort carriers remain east of Talaud-eilanden
SOPAC/SWPAC
Japanese forces land at Kavieng, which is held by a detachment of the Australian 1st Independent Company. PT Boats from Rabaul have been ordered to attack Japanese shipping there. Lexington is en route but is several days away.
HMAS Perth bombards Buka for some minor damage, then on her way home to Townsville manages to dodge a spread of six torpedoes from RO-62.
A Japanese transport is reported just north of the Ellice Islands. It could be an invasion of the Ellice Islands, or a German Blockade Runner trying to sneak through. Achilles and 2 DDs have been sent from Suva to investigate.
The blockade runners are some of the biggest ships Japan gets, most are in the 5-6k capacity range so they are quite valuable. They will get a few tankers as well, again 10k+ capacity, and German commerce raiders.
It is worth to keep a small patrol TF on station if you have the ships to spare, later on I am sure he will be sending the via the Eastern route to DEI & then safety.
It is fun to chase them with the big Aussie AMC's if you do not have a spare CL or two.
Yep, I’m pretty sure it’s a blockade runner now. Ship sighting has moved SE off Ellice Islands. Achilles is on her way from Suva and Leander has been diverted from the Society Islands. If my search aircraft can keep on her for the next couple of turns I should be able to catch her.
11th January 1942
CHINA
The Japanese appear to be advancing on Tuanfeng, east of Hankow. I expect the Japanese are determined to clear the road.
The Japanese are continuing their push along the high road parallel to the Mongolian border. So far in this area I’ve identified 3rd, 9th and 23rd Tank Rgts, 12th Ind Infantry Rgt and 26th Eng. Rgt. Chinese bombers from Kiuchuan were ordered to attack, but didn’t fly.
MALAYA
The FMSV Bde held out at Kuantan against the 2nd Recon Rgt. Every day I hold out is a minor victory in my book. I set out to keep the airfields of central Malaya out of Japanese hands as long as possible (along with Kuching/Singkawang II). I think this was the right decision. The Japanese have yet to make a major air raid on Singapore, I think there is a reluctance to do so without fighter cover. I’ve got four full-strength Buffalo squadrons at Singapore. If the Japanese follow their usual pattern they’ll fight for air superiority before committing bombers. I might hold a Buffalo squadron elsewhere until they do commit their bombers.
PHILIPPINES
San Fernando holds off another deliberate attack, as does Manila. The Japanese bombard at Clark Field.
DEI
Enterprise’s strike went off half-cocked - well, it wasn’t even as good as that. I wasn’t expecting a strike until tomorrow, but the Japanese surface group encroached farther than I anticipated and Enterprise must have reacted, but that wasn’t the issue. I had set the dive-bombers to range 5 to stay within fighter cover range, but left the search squadron on a longer range with a 50% Naval Attack setting.
Of course, the Japanese TF strayed to within exactly six hexes of Enterprise, with the result that only the search squadron flew a strike - with pathetic results; BBs Yamashiro and Ise shrugged off a couple of bomb hits that I’m not sure they even noticed. With Mini-KB still lurking off Talaud-eilanden Enterprise won’t get a second chance - she’s bugging out towards Darwin.
Lessons learned: Did I really need to restrict my bombers to fighter cover range when I wasn’t expecting any fighter opposition? If I do feel the need to restrict the bomber range then is there any purpose in extending the search range beyond this point? If yes, then make sure the search squadron does not have ‘Naval Attack’ set.
Force Z has left port and heading for the Makassar Strait. If the Japanese carriers are tempted towards the Banda Sea after Enterprise then I want Force Z in position to take advantage of any opportunities offered.
SOPAC/SWPAC
I’ve ordered Lexington to move at full speed on towards the Bismarcks. I was concerned that the Japanese TFs at Kavieng would have completed there mission and moved off, or worse, KB (last seen off Wake on 9th January) would move in to cover. At full speed Lexington should be in position tomorrow rather than the following day. The lessons from the Enterprise debacle have been incorporated!
PT boats from Rabaul attack the Japanese ships at Kavieng, losing a PT boat. There’s no fuel left at Rabaul now; there’s a couple of small tankers en route, but they are small, 9-knot ones and left Townsville only a couple of days ago, so they’ll be a few days yet.
SUBMARINE WARFARE
O-20 took a pasting at Subic bay and is retiring to Soerabaja for repairs.
Last edited by M Peaston on Tue May 09, 2023 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
PS - I’ve just noticed that the SBD-3 outranges the SBD-2. I’m planning for Lexington's strike to go in at a 5-hex range so it shouldn’t matter, but I’ve double checked the settings and worst case scenario is that the SBD-2 goes in at extended range with half-payload. I can live with that.
The range difference is something to bear in mind, though.
; Julia Child
if you want to keep the leader and the TF number while the rest in disbanded in port.
