Back and Better Than Ever Vettim 89(A) vs Greasylake(J)

[RangerJoe]

Depending upon the pressure on your Australian units, you can increase the pace of the conversions and have a possibly supply of replacement devices in your pools. Just make sure that you fill out the units with the militia devices before you upgrade up to the infantry devices so you don't have a pile of militia devices in your pools just waiting to slowly convert 6 months after they have been discontinued.

[vettim89]

IJN TF east of Kendari. Anticipate invasion next turn.

And Bataan falls rather unceremoniously. I included the full combat report so you can see the reason for the early demise was the shear force applied by Larry. He will need to clear Manilla of mines before he can start moving these units to other locales. Time will tell if they make it before the end of April

Ground combat at Bataan (78,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 76622 troops, 931 guns, 696 vehicles, Assault Value = 2469

Defending force 38408 troops, 469 guns, 645 vehicles, Assault Value = 681

Japanese adjusted assault: 1075

Allied adjusted defense: 141

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
5395 casualties reported
Squads: 86 destroyed, 189 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 40 (11 destroyed, 29 disabled)
Vehicles lost 42 (16 destroyed, 26 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
20347 casualties reported
Squads: 1436 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2463 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 211 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 427 (427 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 355 (355 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 44

Assaulting units:
20th Division
47th Infantry Regiment
18th Division
9th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
38th Division
10th Division
4th Tank Regiment
5th Division
7th Tank Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
48th Field Artillery Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
21st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
31st PA Infantry Division
4th Marine Regiment
1st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
91st PA Infantry Division
31st Infantry Regiment
4th PA Constabulary Regiment
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
Provisional GMC Grp
192nd Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
2nd/45th PS Inf Battalion
14th PS Engineer Regiment
2nd PA Constblry HW Regiment
11th PA Infantry Division
Asiatic Fleet
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
PAF Aviation
51st PA Infantry Division
Manila Bay Defenses
Bataan USN Base Force
202nd PA Construction Battalion
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
USAFFE
I Philippine Corps
II Philippine Corps
Cavite USN Base Force
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Far East USAAF
Subic Bay Defenses
301st Construction Battalion
1st/43rd PS Inf Battalion
Manila USAAF Base Force
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
201st PA Construction Battalion
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment

[vettim89]

Larry indicated it took a long time for him to prepare the turn. Suspect lots of troops are either loading or moving to embarkation points.

Kendari is indeed invaded. That's more than what will be necessary to dislodge the defenders but better to bring a little extra vs not enough. Of course he brought AS so expect the ability to move stuff around DEI will be inhibited a bit more going forward

Ground combat at Kendari (70,106)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 596 troops, 6 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Defending force 8807 troops, 99 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 225

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

Assaulting units:
Kendari Garrison Battalion
Kendari Base Force

Defending units:
146th Infantry Rgt /4
32nd Special Base Force
16th AA Regiment
11th JAAF Base Force

I was a little surprised by the lack of significant surface units here. I had to displace some of my Dutch PBYs so there was a one turn gap in the coverage between Ambon and Kendari. Perhaps there is a SCTF and/or CVTF lurking south of Manado

Pre-Invasion action off Kendari (70,106)

21 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
SC Ch 5
AMC Saigon Maru
E Hashidate

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

[vettim89]

There was a CVTF right in the air search gap I noted in my last post. RNN SCTF dodges the bullet of a rather puny air attack

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ruteng at 64,111

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
B5N2 Kate x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CL Tromp
CL Java
CL Sumatra

Kendari falls. No surprise there. No other invasion TF spotted.

[vettim89]

IJN is in the Java Sea. Likely chasing the Dutch SCTF. Not much I can do but this could be done so much more effectively. Everything is heading south or east.

Chase part 2.jpg (288.58 KiB) Viewed 74 times

A day of arrivals. Large convoy arrives at Melbourne with BF, ENG, and most importantly bomber squadrons. Large convoy arrives at Auckland with BF, AAA, and most importantly fighter squadrons. I am beginning to feel more secure in the PM/NE OZ region and around Noumea. Now can start building up around those bases

[vettim89]

Once again the IJN pulls back towards Manadao.

Larry had been bombing Palembang with unescorted Sallies. I snuck a Dutch Hurricane squadron in there hoping for a nice ambush. Guess he saw it coming

Afternoon Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 34

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 4 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
30 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 18000 feet

AN I-boat sinks an AVP off east coast of Oz. The four DDs escorting it did not even attempt a counter attack

Air assault takes Puerto Princesa on Palawan. In three games with Larry I am pretty sure this is the first use of paras

Ground combat at Puerto Princesa (73,83)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1149 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 62

Defending force 184 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 48

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 48 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Puerto Princesa !!!

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

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

Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
1st Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
2nd PI Base Force

[vettim89]

Not a lot going on. AS is moving towards Townsville. Going to be busy in NE Australia soon.

No visible invasion convoys as of now. Kendari is well filled. Harassing with remaining B-17s.

Night Air attack on Kendari , at 70,106

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 2

I haven't really mention China. Larry cleared the Haichow-Kaifeng road. Seems to be starting an offensive in this area
Also moving north out of Wenchow

Ground combat at Tsiaotso (88,42)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 42574 troops, 336 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 1584

Defending force 11691 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

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

Assaulting units:
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
110th Division
35th Division
17th Division
5th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
27th Regional Army Corps
5th New Chinese Corps

China April 42.jpg (416.41 KiB) Viewed 30 times

[vettim89]

IJN CVTF sitting about 180 NM WNW of Ambon. Suspect Larry is tired of Cruiser interdictions. Still no new invasion TFs. Only 29 days until the invasion bonus expires.

There are a least two I-boats with at least one being one of those pesky Pete carrying ones west of Bombay. This is my primary entry point for my massive supply pipeline from Cape Town. Well I have three RN carriers without a lot to do right now so their attack A/C are all on 100 % ASW patrol patrolling the area. I have an ASW TF with two KV also moving in. These are back up by Blenheim on search out of Bombay. Hopefully I will bag a sub here of at very least send them back to port. I check and I have sank 11 SSX and 6 fleet boats so far. All the fleet boats have been Type 2 with single digit hull numbers. In other words I have sank a bunch of midgets and old fleet boats.

I decided to let both Enterprise and Hornet undergo April upgrades at SF. Hornet still has one squadron of biplanes on board and her VF is understrength. No plans for major operations in the next few weeks and with action being centered around the DEI (or at least it should be), I figure I can do without them for now.

I think every AM I have in port went into upgrade this turn.

Diego Garcia has its port upgrade to level 2. When it hits level 3 I will turn it into Not-Bora Bora West (or should it be East?) This will be a way point to get some of the rich Kuwaiti fuel to Oz

Was going to let the IJA push into China without putting up much of a fight but then I noticed Tsiaotso has both resources and light industry. Moving some units into reinforce but they have to go the long way around because of the river. Don't want a shock attack to destroy my units before they can help the defense. Trying to muster some air defense but those AVG Model 81s have such horrid service ratings they are almost useless (not enough P-40E in the pool to upgrade yet). Maybe throw some I-15/16s into the mix just to keep Larry honest. Also have three squadrons that just upgraded to P-43 but they are all still in repair mode

Ground combat at Tsiaotso (88,42)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42816 troops, 336 guns, 106 vehicles, Assault Value = 1585

Defending force 11684 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 473

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1034

Allied adjusted defense: 796

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
2054 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 187 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
335 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
35th Division
110th Division
17th Division
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
5th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
27th Regional Army Corps
5th New Chinese Corps

One thing that frustrates me is the horrid EXP that most of the Allied squadrons have on arrival. I understand that they should be below 50 but a lot come in at 30-35. The RAAF, RAF, and USAAF were established forces from modern western nations and it seems that these pilots should be above the level of just knowing how to take off and land the plane. Is there a chart somewhere that gives an approximation of what the EXP level represents. I mean lets say 80 and above is a hardened veteran with multiple missions. What does say 50 represent then? Just wondering