Bo...oops in the South Pacific - LST (A) vs SierraJuliet (J) Bottlenecks Mod

[LargeSlowTarget]

Thx @sfatula, I have read the term here and have applied CAP at different levels in the past, but the finer point - putting the lowest-numbered unit at the lowest altitude in order counter-bounce with the other, higher units - had eluded me until now.

Folks, writing AARs takes much of my spare time. I want to continue, but with the help of a ghost writer in order to speed-up things.
His name is Claude. It is an AI that I am currently learning to use at work - one day he will take-over my job, no doubt.
Claude can be fed with data of your own choice - in this case with the different report files the game generates - and can be instructed to follow specific examples, in this case the AAR I have written so far.

Here are the first results - with only minor editing by hand needed. I am impressed. What do you think?

Feb 02, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tawi Tawi is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces (I/66th Naval Guard Unit) CAPTURED Talasea.

Sub War
SS I-10^ torpedoed xAK Salland near Albany; she went down.
SS I-172 shrugged off a determined ASW hunt by three of our destroyers near Lahaina and got away clean.
SS KX sank xAK Syoka Maru near Menado after a two-fish hit set her on fire.
SS S-38~ attacked xAK Tsuyama Maru off Cagayan; no confirmation of a hit.

Malaya / Burma / India
The river gunboats worked over Johore/Tebrau, inflicting 62 casualties. The Imperial Guards' Division has now been identified on that front.
Singapore took two raids. The morning nuisance sweep came to nothing, but an 18-plane sweep in the afternoon cost the enemy 5 Zeros for one Buffalo and three Warhawks – WO MacIntosh of 488 Sqn RAF bagged his second and third kills flying a Hurricane.

PI
Clark Field absorbed another big raid – 29 Ki-21s – for 6 airbase, 2 supply and 21 runway hits; our three remaining P-26As claimed no kills but flak damaged six bombers.
Near Cebu, a night surface action cost us xAPc Makassar – jumped by DMS W-15 and W-20 in the rain and dark, she took heavy shell damage and later went down. CPT Manke I. was among the killed.
Iloilo was hit by a Japanese bombardment attack; no casualties reported either side.

China
At Yingde, the IJA 104th and 21st Divisions hit the 83rd Chinese Army Corps and 12th Army Group in their level-3 forts, and the arithmetic went the wrong way for us: 872 Chinese casualties (7 squads destroyed, 5 guns lost) against only 176 Japanese, despite defending at 1-to-2 odds.
Smaller Japanese probes hit Huangshi (forts knocked to nothing) and Yushan/Chuchou (held). Air raids continued across the theatre – Sinyang, Xiantao, Yangshan, Shangrao and Pucheng all bombed.

Intel
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment is planning an attack on Chengchow.
1st Mortar Battalion is planning an attack on Changsha.


Feb 03, 1942

Bases lost and won
Mati is occupied by the Japanese.
Guangshan is occupied by the Allies.
The Japanese 3rd Tank Regiment CAPTURED Huangshi for 264 Allied casualties, and 3TD's 13th Tank Regiment CAPTURED Chongyang for another 277 - all from Admin units.
Allied forces RECAPTURED Kukong!!! The 95th Chinese Army Corps and 5th Construction Regiment stormed Kukong in a shock attack at 7-to-1 odds, driving out the Japanese paratroop remnants (71 Japanese casualties, 13 engineers destroyed) for 238 of our own.

Sub War
SS I-21^ put three torpedoes into TK Esso Durban off Bora Bora; she went down.
SS I-169 tried a surface gun action on xAKL King Bay off Port Moresby but broke off, low on ammunition.
SS I-156 and I-166 both took damage from our escort screen near Muntok but got away; SS I-165 shrugged off a long hunt entirely.
SS O16 put two torpedoes into DD Hibiki off Kuching without result.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two night raids in a thunderstorm; No.27 Sqn's Blenheim night-fighters got airborne both times for one bomber damaged and no losses either side.
The gunboat flotilla worked over Johore/Tebrau again (20 casualties) and for the first time logged fire against three separate IJA formations by name – the 2nd, 5th and Imperial Guards' Divisions.

PI
Clark Field took a 19-bomber raid for 3 airbase, 2 supply and 12 runway hits, five Ki-21s damaged.
Iloilo was hit by another bombardment attack with no casualties either side.

China
Yingde: another Japanese deliberate attack, this time at 3-to-1 odds, knocked the forts down to level 2 and cost the defenders 829 casualties (25 guns lost) against only 127 Japanese.
Five days of fighting for this base and the numbers keep going the wrong way for us.
Yushan/Chuchou repelled another probe for just 12 casualties.
Heavy air activity continued over Shangrao and Xiantao (three separate raids, over 150 casualties combined).

Intel
4th Tank Regiment is planning an attack on Bataan/Corregidor.



Feb 04, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tioman Island is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Yingde. The defending 83rd Chinese Army Corps, 12th Army Group and 18th Chinese Base Force were broken: 2,680 casualties, 103 squads and 117 non-combat elements destroyed, 38 guns lost, and all three units are now retreating toward Yangshan. Japanese losses were 195.

Sub War
SS I-162 struck a mine off Merak and took heavy damage.
SS I-10^ torpedoed xAKL Togian off Geraldton – she went down.
SS RO-63 caught xAKL Asakaze off Port Moresby with shellfire and a torpedo; she too was lost, and CPT Cheshire D. was killed.
SS I-165 escaped another mauling off Muntok. Our own boats (O21, Pollack, Thresher) all took long-shot cracks at Japanese escorts without result.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau got the full treatment tonight – Cornwall, Dorsetshire and eight light cruisers joined the gunboats for 105 casualties total, plus runway and port hits.
Between the two bombardments we've now identified the 18th, 2nd, 5th and Imperial Guards' Divisions all sitting on that front.
Singapore air combat cost the Japanese 3 Zeros across two raids for 1 Buffalo and 2 Warhawks.
Kuala Lumpur's night-bombing Blenheims took damage from an alert night-fighter unit but none were lost.

PI
The Japanese opened new fronts: amphibious landings went in at both Dumanquilas and Basilan.
Clark Field endured yet more raids.
At Malaybalay, the defenders actually won the exchange – 402 Japanese casualties for 334 Allied at 1-to-2 odds.
Cebu and Iloilo both absorbed bombardment attacks with no casualties reported.

China
Beyond the fall of Yingde, fighting also flared at Xiaogan (200+ casualties from air raids) and Kukong, where an Allied attack cost us 143 casualties for 13 Japanese – the paratroop remnants there are proving stubborn to finish off.

Intel
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment is planning an attack on Chengchow.
303rd Ship Eng Coy is planning an attack on Soerabaja.


Feb 05, 1942

Bases lost and won
Dumanquilas is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces (III/81st Naval Guard Unit) CAPTURED Basilan at 7-to-1 odds against a token garrison.

Sub War
SS I-165 caught xAKL Tinombo off Muntok with shellfire and two torpedoes; she went up in flames and was lost.
SS Tautog evaded a determined ASW hunt off Truk. SS I-164 took a hit off Toboali but got away.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau took its heaviest pounding yet – the full cruiser-destroyer line plus the gunboats, 127 total Japanese casualties and heavy damage across the board (18 runway hits, 7 port-fuel hits, 5 airbase-supply hits).
We can now positively place five IJA divisions on that front: 2nd, 5th, 18th, 38th and the Imperial Guards.

DEI
Kuching's B-17Ds pressed a rare night raid, downing one Ki-27b for a handful of their own aircraft damaged.
Worth flagging: a strike by two lone Hudsons near Menado, going after a single Japanese transport, drew CAP from what reads like the entire 1st Air Fleet – Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Zuiho and Hosho all logged intercepting fighters. The Kido Butai is operating somewhere very close to that patch of water.

PI
Clark Field absorbed a full-scale Japanese ground bombardment – tanks, engineers and field artillery hammering the perimeter, for only 89 Allied casualties against 33 Japanese guns and 11 vehicles lost, one unit destroyed outright.
At Malaybalay the defenders won decisively this time: 707 Japanese casualties for just 124 of ours at 1-to-4 odds.
Iloilo took another bloodless bombardment.

China
Sinyang's long-running bombardment battle continued, 40 Japanese casualties for just 12 Allied.
Kukong is still being contested on the ground (73 Allied casualties for 23 Japanese) and is now under sustained air attack as well.

Intel
3rd Mortar Battalion is planning an attack on Singapore.
25th Army, now confirmed at Johore/Tebrau, is also planning an attack on Singapore.

[BBfanboy]

Impressive job by the AI! Keep up the good work!
My only criticism is that there are too many non-combat incidents like a sub being detected but no attacks on it being made. Ships have to make an attack to gain any experience points so simple detection is not significant.

LST: SS RO-63 caught xAKL Asakaze off Port Moresby with shellfire and a torpedo; she too was lost, and CPT Cheshire D. was killed.

Here, the name of the xAKL sounds very Japanese so it is suspect, but it is a pity about Capt. Cheshire: he had a great toothy grin ...

huzzah smiley.gif (10.84 KiB) Viewed 930 times

[LargeSlowTarget]

Hi BBfanboy, kudos for attentive reading^^

The sailing ship Asakaze (Japanese for "Morning Breeze") is one of many small ships I have added in my mod.
Its Japanese name stems from its original owner and history as part of the extensive Japanese commercial footprint in the Bismarck Archipelago prior to World War II.

Before World War II, a significant number of Japanese traders, pearlers, and plantation owners operated throughout the Territory of New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago (centered around Rabaul).
The most prominent trading company was Nanyo Boeki Kaisha (South Seas Trading Company), alongside independent Japanese entrepreneurs like Kiwao Komine, a prominent trader, planter, and shipowner in Rabaul.
These Japanese traders built, imported, or renamed motor-schooners and coastal luggers using Japanese terms - such as Asakaze - to maintain their local inter-island supply lines between isolated plantations and the main port of Rabaul.

The Asakaze was a typical local motor-schooner (a wooden sailing vessel equipped with an auxiliary diesel/gasoline engine).
These inter-island vessels were the lifeblood of the Territory of New Guinea, carrying copra, trochus shell, dried fish, and general cargo between small island outposts, plantations, and mainland ports.

Following the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Australian Military Administration and local authorities requisitioned or confiscated civilian vessels in the territory.
Enemy-owned assets (including Japanese-flagged or Japanese-owned plantation vessels) were seized under wartime regulations.

Asakaze was pressed into service to evacuate civilians in the Solomon Islands to Rabaul, where they were transferred to larger liners bound for Australia.
Many other civilian luggers and schooners - often carrying non-English or Japanese names - were pressed into service by the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU), local recruiters, or fleeing civilian refugees to evacuate personnel toward Papua and mainland Australia.

Vessels of this class that survived the initial attack were formally integrated into the Australian Army Water Transport service or the US Army Small Ships Section.
They retained their original names on local charts and register lists for official identification purposes, which explains why Australian military logs and WWII historical records - and my mod - reference an "Australian" coastal vessel bearing a Japanese name.


Feb 06, 1942

Bases lost and won
Payao is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Yushan/Chuchou.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Longnan.
8th Indpt Coy CAPTURED Kokoda in New Guinea.
2nd Sasebo Coy SNLF CAPTURED Narra on Palawan; the Palawan Constabulary Battalion is retreating toward Bataraza.

Sub War
SS I-122* shelled xAKL Toradja off Toboali (10 hits, heavy fires); she went down and the loss has been admitted.
SS Thresher evaded a determined hunt by DD Asanagi off Izu Oshima.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau took another heavy bombardment — the cruiser line plus gunboats for 73 total casualties, spread across the 38th, 5th, 18th, 2nd and Imperial Guards' Divisions.
Kuala Lumpur's night-bombing Blenheims took some damage but scored no confirmed hits; Singapore shrugged off an 8-plane night raid unscathed.

PI
Clark Field took a 47-bomber raid, and our own artillery gave as good as it got in a bombardment duel — 104 Japanese casualties for 50 of ours.
Iloilo's bombardment attack was mostly harmless.

China
Changzhi saw real fighting against Communist forces — the 129th Red Chinese and 8th Route Army traded blows with the Japanese 27th Division and 69th Brigade, 251 Japanese casualties against 243 on the defending side.
Sinyang's artillery duel continued (19 v 104 casualties), Dayu was hit repeatedly from the air (150+ casualties across two Chinese Army Corps), and Kukong has been reinforced by the 7th War Area HQ and the 30th Army Group.

Intel
37th/C Division is planning an attack on Chengchow.
The earlier reported sinking of SS I-124* was in error — intelligence now shows the boat still in service.


Feb 07, 1942

Bases lost and won
Kalamansig is occupied by the Japanese.
Buna is reoccupied by the Allies.

Sub War
SS I-8^ took two hits near Bundaberg but got away; SS O24 shrugged off three hits near Mangole.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau's nightly bombardment continued — cruisers and gunboats together for 72+ casualties, 5 guns and 4 vehicles destroyed on the Japanese side.
Singapore took a light night raid with no losses.

DEI
Kuching absorbed five separate night raids by our B-17Ds in succession — seven bombers came home damaged, none lost.
Near Bara, a strike by four Dutch Martin bombers against a Japanese battleship (BB Hyuga) ran straight into the entire 1st Air Fleet's combat air patrol — 72 Zeros scrambled from Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Shoho, Zuiho and Hosho. Three of our four bombers were shot down.

PI
Clark Field took three more raids; our artillery again got the better of the exchange in a bombardment duel, 74 Japanese casualties for 16 of ours.
An amphibious landing went in at Siquijor.

China
On the Yangtze, a night surface action pitted our river gunboat flotilla against ten Japanese counterparts — PG Chu Tung took the worst of it (4 shell hits, heavy fires) before both sides broke off.
Sinyang's bombardment battle came out dead even for once — 136 casualties on each side.
Kukong and Xiaogan both took further air raids.

Intel
102nd Ship Eng Coy is planning an attack on Singapore.
3/1 Field Kempeitai is planning an attack on Hekou.


Feb 08, 1942

Bases lost and won
Dumaguete is occupied by the Japanese.
Tioman Island is reoccupied by the Allies.

Sub War
SS Tautog torpedoed PB Tama Maru #8 off Truk; she was confirmed sunk.
SS Gar and SS KX both tangled with Japanese escorts near Truk without further result.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau took the heaviest combined assault yet — eight separate naval bombardment groups overnight (I have experimented with numerous small bombardment TFs instead of one big TF - doesn't seem to yield better results), roughly 84 Japanese casualties and 16 guns, 5 vehicles destroyed, plus some runway, port and supply damage. That was followed by a maximum effort in the air: Blenheims, Buffalos, Hudsons, Wirraways, Warhawks and Hurricanes flew well over a hundred sorties against the entrenched divisions there. It cost us — roughly a dozen aircraft lost outright to flak and dozens more damaged. Two Japanese artillery units have crossed into Singers (1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, 56th Field Artillery Regiment) all alone, indicating coordination problems on the Japanese side.

PI
The front has narrowed to Bataan/Corregidor, hit by nearly 70 sorties today. Our own guns kept up the pressure on the besiegers at Clark Field — 169 Japanese casualties for 26 of ours. A fresh amphibious landing went in at Oroquieta.

China
PG Chu Tung, badly holed off the Yangtze yesterday, went down at sea today.
Changzhi saw the Japanese take some punishment this time — 551 casualties against 343 for the 8th Route Army as the fighting there continues.
Sinyang and Kukong both saw further arty duels.

Intel
24SBF Sasebo 1st Naval Guard Unit is planning an attack on Kendari-Staring Bay.
1/33rd Division is planning an attack on Rangoon.
37th/B Division is planning an attack on Chengchow.
3/1 Field Kempeitai is planning an attack on Hekou.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 09, 1942

Bases lost and won
Oroquieta is occupied by the Japanese.
Moulmein is reoccupied by the Allies.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Dongxiang at 25-to-1 for 257 Allied casualties.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Nauru Island in a shock landing — a new outpost lost in the Central Pacific.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Siquijor at 23-to-1.

Sub War
SS Tautog evaded an ASW hunt near Truk, then put two torpedoes into xAK Anyo Maru there without confirmed result.

Malaya / Burma / India
The big story today: the Japanese threw everything they had at Singapore itself — Imperial Guards, 18th, 5th, 38th and 2nd Divisions plus a full heavy-artillery train, in a shock assault against our level-4 forts. It did not go well for them. Japanese losses: 8,904 casualties — 330 squads destroyed, 49 engineers destroyed, 136 guns and 78 vehicles lost, one unit wiped out entirely — against 2,327 of ours. The garrison held.
Away from that fight, Johore/Tebrau took its usual nightly bombardment (131 casualties), and three separate B-17D raids against dug-in positions there ran into heavy Zero and Ki-44 CAP — we lost 3 Fortresses for 1 Zero destroyed.

China
Sinyang's grinding bombardment continued (42 v 59 casualties).
A new front opened at Gushi, where Chinese forces pressed a bombardment attack against a Japanese garrison for modest losses on both sides.
Changzhi remains a stalemate against the 8th Route Army.

DEI
Near Pontianak, a Japanese shock attack overran the Sarawak Force garrison; the defenders lost 186 and are retreating toward Singkawang II.

Intel
3rd/B Division is planning an attack on Changsha.


Feb 10, 1942

Bases lost and won
Himamaylan is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Bogadjim in New Guinea.

Sub War
Japanese submarines pressed right up to Hawaii — SS I-18 was briefly held down by our destroyers off Lahaina, and SS I-7 fired twice at DD Ralph Talbot and DD Henley there without result, evading both times.
SS RO-64 caught xAKL King Bay off Port Moresby with shellfire and a torpedo; she went down.

Malaya / Burma / India
The naval bombardment target has shifted from Johore/Tebrau to Singapore itself. Cruisers and gunboats together inflicted 215 casualties overnight.
By day, a heavy air campaign hit Japanese units now identified right at Singapore's gates costing us a Blenheim and a Buffalo to flak, with several more damaged.
Our own garrison also carried out in a bombardment attack, trading 52 casualties for 28 Japanese.

China
Changzhi turned into another lopsided defeat for the attackers — 504 Japanese casualties for 153 on the defending side, still against the 8th Route Army.
Sinyang and Gushi both saw lighter, roughly even exchanges.
Kukong absorbed another very heavy air raid — 11 airbase and 20 runway hits in a single strike.


Feb 11, 1942

Bases lost and won
Dipolog is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Kolaka in the Celebes.

Sub War
SS I-122 was the target of a determined hunt by two of our corvettes off Toboali, taking damage but escaping.

DEI
A very bad day for our small craft. A Japanese cruiser squadron (Aoba, Kinugasa, Kako and Tama, with two destroyers) caught AVP Arend alone off Bandjermasin at night and sank her in minutes. By day, Japanese carrier dive bombers with heavy fighter escort caught more of our seaplane tenders near Kangean and Denpasar — AVP Poolster, AVP Valk and HDML P-20 were all sunk. Four small ships lost in a single day. Our own Dutch Martin bombers made scattered, mostly fruitless attacks on Japanese transports near Madjene and Makassar. It looks liek the invasion of Southern Celebes is on, with KB in support.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore's nightly bombardment continued — 301 total casualties between the cruiser line, destroyers and gunboats.
An afternoon strike by Blenheims, Buffalos, Hurricanes and Warhawks against the Imperial Guards' Division ran into 17 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai; we lost a Buffalo for two Zeros destroyed.
The garrison's own bombardment attack cost 71 Allied casualties for 30 Japanese.

China
Kukong now has a large Chinese garrison concentrated around it — nine Army Corps (a mix from 4th, 7th and 9th War Areas) plus the 7th War Area HQ and 30th Army Group. Counterbattery fire inflicted 52 Japanese casualties for just 11 of its own in a Japanese bombardment attack.
Sinyang and Gushi saw lighter exchanges.

Intel
1/33rd Division is still planning an attack on Rangoon.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 12, 1942

Bases lost and won
Siocon is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Shangrao for 326 Allied casualties, one unit destroyed.
Allied forces CAPTURED Gushi — 1,360 Japanese casualties, three enemy units broken and retreating.

Sub War
SS Truant torpedoed CM Natsushima off Singkawang and got clean away; the minelayer was confirmed sunk.

Malaya / Burma / India
Johore/Tebrau took the cruiser bombardment (168 casualties, newly identifying the 8th Division there), while the gunboats worked over Singapore itself (27 casualties).
Our garrison also made another bombardment attack of its own — 30 Japanese casualties for 134 of ours. I think I will stop bombarding!
The air battle over Singapore was costly: across several engagements we lost a Buffalo, a Hurricane, two Hudsons and four Warhawks, plus six Blenheim Is in a single raid, against four Japanese fighters downed.

DEI
Dutch Martin bombers made scattered strikes on Japanese shipping near Donggala, Madjene and Sampit; one was lost to carrier CAP near Sampit — Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu all had fighters up in that area.
All shipping in the Java Sea has been

China
Sinyang's long bombardment duel continued (48 v 38 casualties).
Kukong took two more heavy raids.
Xiaogan, Dongzhi and Huichang were all bombed for a further 77 Allied casualties combined.


Feb 13, 1942

Bases lost and won
Bengkalis is occupied by the Japanese.
Ban Kat is occupied by the Allies.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Lungyu/Jinhua for 310 Allied casualties, one Admin unit destroyed.

Sub War
SS RO-68 caught xAKL Ambon off Port Moresby in a sustained gun-and-torpedo action; she went down and Captain Kershaw was among the killed.
SS I-21 fired on xAP Rangatira near Flint Island without effect.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore's nightly bombardment inflicted 418 casualties and cost the defenders 16 guns.
By day, a 33-plane Japanese sweep ran into a huge scramble of Warhawks, Buffalos, Hurricanes and Mohawks — we lost nothing for one Ki-43 destroyed.
The garrison's own bombardment attack cost 75 Allied casualties for 7 Japanese.

DEI
A disaster near Palembang: a strike of 36 Zeros and 68 dive bombers caught a large Allied convoy in the open. Sunk outright: PG Clive, and the transports Paneh, Asahan, Insulinde, Rasa, Ban Ho Guan and Berous. Left ablaze and later lost as well: Van Riebeek, Le Maire, Siberg, Sin Kheng Seng, Van Spilbergen, Tung Wo, Manipi and Mata Hari. It's the worst single day of shipping losses the campaign has seen — roughly fifteen vessels sunk or written off — for four of our fighters lost against two Japanese aircraft downed. Luckily, the ships sunk are all "small fry" xAP and xAKL engaged in siphoning resources from Palembang in a denial scheme - those resources are definitely being denied!
So the KB is not supporting a landing in the Celebes area or elsewhere in the DEI, it seems to be heading in the direction of Singers to lend a hand.

Philippines
Clark Field took three more raids.

China
Sinyang's bombardment battle came out even, 23 casualties each side.
Xiaogan, Dongzhi and Huichang saw lighter raids.


Feb 14, 1942

Bases lost and won
Lambi Kyun is occupied by the Japanese.
Nadzab is reoccupied by the Allies.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Buna and Bena-Bena/Garoka in New Guinea.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Doi Inthanon in Thailand.

Sub War
SS S-40 traded blows with DD Shiratsuyu's escort group off Lingga, taking two hits but escaping.
SS KXIII took two hits off Tandjoengpinang; the Japanese destroyer ran out of depth charges before finishing the job.

DEI
Japanese dive bombers caught three of our small craft off Tandjoengpinang — HDML P-16, P-15 and P-11 were all sunk.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore saw the heaviest air fighting yet — three separate large-scale battles over the city. The middle of the three went decisively our way: eight Ki-43s destroyed for a single Warhawk lost. Across all three fights we lost roughly ten aircraft for some fifteen Japanese fighters downed — a good day for the defenders.
The nightly bombardment added a further 201 casualties.
Off Medan, Japanese torpedo bombers pressed home attacks on our cruiser screen for no losses on either side worth noting, aside from two Bettys downed by flak. The cruisers have been ordered to Medan to refuel (because Singers is bone dry) and to put some distance between them and KB. Singers CAP is too weak to deal with LBA sweeps and KB.
Bengkalis which has become Japanese-owned was hit twice by bombers from Singers - 2 oil hits that cost us three Wirraways to enemy CAP.
At Moulmein, sustained close air support pounded the Japanese 55th Cavalry Regiment for 10 casualties and light Allied losses.

Philippines
Clark Field took two more raids. Malaybalay came under a Japanese bombardment attack with no casualties reported either side.

China
Sinyang went our way today — 65 Japanese casualties for just 23 Allied.
Kukong absorbed yet more heavy raids.
At Yingtan, a Japanese attack knocked the forts down a level for 18 Japanese casualties against 5 Allied.


With that we are up-to-date - thanks Claude!

[LargeSlowTarget]

Singers-mid0242.jpg (441.16 KiB) Viewed 874 times

KB and a SAG hovering off Singers after passing through the submarine "blockade" without a hassle.

China-mid0242.jpg (652.03 KiB) Viewed 874 times

Japan is busy clearing the railway from Shanghai to Nanchang. Kukong and Sinyang contested.

Burma-mid0242.jpg (112.34 KiB) Viewed 874 times

Rangoon remains unmolested.

[LargeSlowTarget]

PI-mid0242.jpg (287.46 KiB) Viewed 869 times

Clark, Iloilo and Malaybalay under siege. Subs run transport missions from the supply depot at Cebu.

solomons-mid0242.jpg (345.34 KiB) Viewed 869 times

PM preparing for a siege.

[LargeSlowTarget]

***NEWSFLASH***

ABDA Command regrets to inform that the Dutch hospital ship "Op ten Noort" has been sunk on Feb 15, 1942 by a Japanese submarine off the east coast of Java, near the entrance to Bali Strait.

At 0430 hours, an enemy submarine launched an unprovoked torpedo attack against the Op ten Noort.

Despite the vessel operating in full compliance with international maritime law—featuring clearly painted Geneva Convention markings and bright night illumination—the enemy fired a spread of torpedoes at point-blank range.

The ship sustained two direct hits to the hull, the vessel foundered in under 14 minutes.

18 crew and medical staff are missing, presumed lost.

Remaining crew and medical staff reached the Java coastline via lifeboats and carley floats.

The Netherlands Government-in-Exile has lodged a formal protest against the Empire of Japan via neutral diplomatic channels (Swedish Embassy).

This blatant violation of the Hague Convention underscores the total disregard for civilized warfare exhibited by Imperial forces in the theater.

All Allied naval forces in the Java Sea operational zone are instructed to maintain maximum antisubmarine vigilance.

Remind all hands what we are fighting against.

This outrage will be answered in full.

Warcrime.jpg (291.13 KiB) Viewed 774 times

[LargeSlowTarget]

Wrong KI, here is the better one:

Feb 15, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tioman Island is occupied by the Japanese — retaken. Hlaingbwe is occupied by the Allies.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Yingtan — 323 Allied casualties, one unit destroyed.

Sub War
SS I-1 torpedoed TK Gulfland off San Diego.
SS I-165 shelled xAKL Kuala off Toboali, scoring fifteen hits and leaving her heavily damaged.
SS I-160 torpedoed the hospital ship AV Op ten Noort off Pamekasan - outrageous!
SS RO-68 and SS RO-64 both made repeated gun attacks on xAKL Umboi off Port Moresby, breaking off each time only when low on ammunition.
SS Trout and SS I-24 both made inconclusive attacks near Sorong and Fraser Island respectively.
SS KXV and SS KXVII both survived close calls with a Japanese battleship group — Kirishima among them and their escorts off Singapore.

Malaya / Burma / India
A disastrous day for our motor gunboat screen. In the dark off Singapore, cruisers Tone and Chikuma, with Sendai and four destroyers, caught MGBs ML-193, 194 and 200 by surprise and sank all three. Hours later, by daylight, cruisers Takao, Haguro and Kumano with three destroyers caught four more — ML-311, 376, 432 and 433 — and sank them as well. Seven motor gunboats lost in two separate ambushes in a single day.
Singapore's air battle continued across three large raids — Japanese fighters lost seven aircraft, we lost seven Warhawks, roughly an even trade.
The Japanese also pressed a direct bombardment attack on the city itself with tanks and field guns; they lost 9 guns and 10 vehicles for 47 Allied casualties.

Philippines
Clark Field took two more raids.
Malaybalay absorbed a Japanese bombardment attack with no casualties reported either side.

China
Kukong took three heavy raids and a ground assault — the defending garrison (now seven Chinese Army Corps strong) held for 50 casualties against 16 Japanese.
Sinyang's long bombardment continued (47 v 49).
Xiaogan was bombed for 62 casualties.
A new attack opened at Xinfeng with no losses reported yet.

Intel
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment is planning an attack on Chengchow.


Feb 16, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tandjoengbalai is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Xiantao — a rout: 1,165 Allied casualties (39 squads destroyed, 11 guns lost, one unit broken and retreating) against just 13 Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Gasmata in New Guinea.

Sub War
SS I-165 torpedoed xAKL Schouten off Toboali, leaving her ablaze.
SS RO-68 hit xAKL Umboi yet again off Port Moresby — the third attack on that ship in two days.
SS I-24 finally scored against AM Whyalla off Fraser Island, leaving her heavily damaged after DD Voyager ran out of depth charges.
Off Tioman Island after dark, our last three MGBs stumbled into the entire Japanese 1st Air Fleet — Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Shoho and Zuiho, screened by two battleships and six destroyers. Both sides lost contact in the dark and no shots were fired — a lucky escape this time.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore's gunboats kept up the bombardment (54 casualties), and two night raids cost the Japanese two more bombers to flak.
Heavy close air support continued over Moulmein.
The Japanese ground assault on Singapore continued — this time costing them 27 guns and 9 vehicles for just 15 Allied casualties; the defenders' artillery is clearly winning that exchange.

Philippines
Clark Field took three more raids.
Iloilo and Malaybalay both saw Japanese bombardment attacks with minimal losses reported.

China
Kukong absorbed two more heavy raids and a ground assault (17 Allied casualties).
Sinyang's bombardment continued at 39 v 44.


Feb 17, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tabar Island is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS I-21 prowled off Bora Bora for most of the day, evading several ASW hunts and firing torpedoes at AVP Avocet without result.
SS RO-64 made another gun attack on xAKL Kapara off Port Moresby before breaking off.
SS RO-63 struck a mine off Port Moresby and took heavy damage.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore's gunboats and a night raid added modest further damage. The Japanese ground assault on the city was costly again — 31 guns and 12 vehicles lost, one unit destroyed, for 42 Allied casualties.

DEI
Off Lhokseumawe, Japanese torpedo bombers sank HDML Panglima and ML No 363 in an afternoon strike.

Philippines
Clark Field took two more raids.
Iloilo and Malaybalay both saw light Japanese bombardment attacks.

China
Kukong's ground assault cost the Japanese 7 casualties against 44 Allied, plus 2 guns lost.
Sinyang's bombardment ran 70 v 45.
At Xinfeng, a major Chinese attack knocked the defending forts down a level but came at real cost — 482 Japanese casualties against 854 Allied.
Xiaogan saw a fresh Chinese attack open alongside continued air raids.

Intel
14th Army is planning an attack on Bataan/Corregidor - funny, they need to get Clark first!
1st Army is planning an attack on Loyang.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 18, 1942

Bases lost and won
Namatanai is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS I-166 torpedoed xAKL Rasa off Oosthaven; she caught fire.
SS I-159 then shelled the burning Rasa on the surface, adding further damage.
SS I-166 also shelled xAKL Intan off Oosthaven, leaving her ablaze with a massive secondary explosion.
SS RTN Blajunbol torpedoed SS Trusty off Muntok for one hit, the sub survived and diverted to Palembang.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore's nightly naval bombardment continued (5 casualties).
A night air raid on Singapore did little damage either side.
Heavy close air support pounded the 55th Division at Moulmein across four separate raids for 64 Japanese casualties combined.

Philippines
Clark Field took four raids today.
Iloilo and Malaybalay both saw light Japanese bombardment attacks.

China
Kukong's defenders held off a Japanese bombardment attack for 8 casualties against 6 Japanese.
Sinyang's bombardment ran 104 Japanese casualties against 14 Allied.
Xinfeng was bombed twice for 86 Allied casualties combined.

Intel
North China Area Army is planning an attack on Chengchow.
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment is planning an attack on Chengchow.
9th Division is planning an attack on Kukong.
1st Ind Engineer Regiment is planning an attack on Soerabaja.


Feb 19, 1942

Bases lost and won
Wide Bay/Tol is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Moulmein — the RM Viper Force acting as trip-wire was destroyed outright, 177 Allied casualties.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Pontianak — 164 Allied casualties, two units broken and retreating toward Singkawang II.

Sub War
SS Seawolf attacked PB Shosei Maru off Roxas and evaded the counter-hunt.

SWPac
Our cruiser squadron (Raleigh, Detroit, Trenton, with five destroyers) caught two Japanese auxiliary minesweepers off Rabaul at night and sank both in a short, one-sided action.
The same force followed up with a bombardment of Rabaul itself — 139 casualties, 6 airbase hits, 18 runway hits, 6 port hits.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two light night raids with minimal damage.
The nightly gunboat bombardment added 12 casualties.

Philippines
Clark Field took three air raids.
Ground fighting opened directly at Clark Field — a major Japanese tank and infantry assault against the Philippine Corps there cost the attackers 85 casualties and 5 guns, against 92 Allied casualties and 12 vehicles lost.
Chiang Mai was hit by a large composite strike (Blenheims and fighter sweeps); four Japanese fighters were downed for one Buffalo lost.
Iloilo and Malaybalay both saw light Japanese bombardment attacks.

China
Xiaogan, Kukong, Gushi, and Changzhi all saw Japanese bombardment attacks or air raids, with casualties generally light on both sides.
Sinyang's bombardment ran 81 Japanese casualties against 28 Allied.
Xinfeng was bombed twice for 101 Allied casualties combined.


Feb 20, 1942

Bases lost and won
Banggi is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Gushi.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Dagua in New Guinea.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two night raids, one bomber damaged by CAP.
The nightly gunboat bombardment added 14 casualties.

SWPac
At Kendari, a Japanese assault on our garrison was thrown back — 70 Japanese casualties against 46 Allied.

Philippines
Clark Field took two more air raids.
The ground assault at Clark Field continued — this time the Japanese lost 40 casualties and 10 guns for no reported Allied losses beyond a single vehicle.
Close air support hit the 112th Infantry Regiment at Moulmein for 7 casualties.
Iloilo and Malaybalay both saw light Japanese bombardment attacks.

China
Xiaogan's ground assault cost the Japanese 25 casualties against 28 Allied.
Kukong's assault cost the Japanese 8 casualties against 35 Allied.
Changzhi saw another Japanese bombardment attack against the 8th Route Army, 31 Allied casualties.
Sinyang's bombardment ran 142 Japanese casualties against just 8 Allied.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 21, 1942

Bases lost and won
Serasan is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Batu Pahat. The Dalforce Battalion - a guerilla unit recruited from among the Chinese living in Malaya and Singapore - was destroyed outright (392 casualties).
Japanese forces CAPTURED Gusap/Dumpu in New Guinea. It was undefended.

Sub War
SS RTN Blajunbol torpedoed xAKL Berous off Muntok. She was heavily damaged and later went down.
SS Truant put a torpedo into DD Fumizuki off Cam Ranh Bay, and the destroyer was confirmed sunk. Truant escaped the counter-hunt.
SS RO-34 shook off HDML P-20 off Pamekasan by lying on the bottom.

PI
Clark Field took two raids (40 and 18 Ki-21s) for 16 runway hits.
The Japanese bombardment attack on Clark Field cost them 81 casualties against 33 of ours.
Malaybalay and Iloilo both saw Japanese bombardment attacks with no casualties reported.

DEI
At Kendari, a Japanese deliberate attack knocked our fortifications down to nothing. It cost them 95 casualties against 54 of ours.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took a night raid by 9 Ki-21s in severe storms, with no losses either side.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 30 casualties, firing at the 2nd, 5th and 18th Divisions.
A large strike on Chiang Mai (13 Blenheims plus about 100 fighters on sweeps) hit the airfield for 9 runway hits. We lost 1 Buffalo to 4 Ki-43s.

China
The Chinese DA at Sinyang was a disaster. The attack cost us 8,963 casualties (50 squads destroyed, 69 guns lost) against 704 Japanese. The forts only dropped from level 4 to 3.
Kukong took four more heavy raids (37 runway hits) and a Japanese bombardment attack that cost the attackers 18 casualties.
Xiaogan and Changzhi both saw light Japanese bombardment attacks.
Dongzhi, Yong’an, Shiqiao and Jingzhou were bombed.

Intel
56ID 56th Field Artillery Regiment is planning an attack on Singapore.
55ID 112th Infantry Regiment is planning an attack on Rangoon.


Feb 22, 1942

Bases lost and won
Green Island is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Singkawang II for 127 Allied casualties. Two units are retreating toward Ketapang.

Sub War
SS RO-34 fired two torpedoes at HDML P-20 off Pamekasan and slipped away.
SS Truant put two torpedoes into TK Syoyo Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, leaving her heavily damaged.
SS I-6 fired on PC YP-108 near French Frigate Shoal and evaded the hunt.

PI
Clark Field took three raids (13, 15 and 10 Ki-21s) for 7 airbase and 11 runway hits. One bomber was lost to flak.
The Japanese bombardment attack on Clark Field cost them 111 casualties and 19 guns against 59 Allied casualties.
Malaybalay and Iloilo saw further bombardment attacks with no casualties reported.

DEI
The Japanese pushed on at Kendari, losing 52 casualties against 76 of ours.
We lost one Dutch Martin bomber near Singkawang II.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two night raids (5 and 4 Ki-21s), with three bombers damaged and no losses.
The gunboats bombarded Johore/Tebrau for 13 casualties. The 4th Division and the 8th/A Division are new on that front.
Two strikes on Johore/Tebrau by Hudsons and Blenheims ran into over forty Japanese fighters. We lost 13 bombers and the Japanese lost none.
Our garrison launched a bombardment attack around Singapore for 29 Japanese casualties against 64 of ours.
A fighter sweep on Chiang Mai cost the Japanese two Ki-43s with no losses of ours.
Close air support at Moulmein cost us one Buffalo to flak and four damaged.
Japanese bombers hit xAK Bantam off Dry Tree Point, leaving her on fire.

China
Xiaogan collapsed. A Japanese attack with two divisions, a brigade and two tank regiments cost our Chinese forces - five Corps and two Corps HQs - 10,642 casualties (333 squads and 247 non-combat elements destroyed, 38 guns lost) against 682 Japanese. this means that the southern blockade of Sinyang is no more. The 16th, 55th, 8th, 27th and 90th Corps and the 10th War Area are all retreating toward Shiqiao - SW of Sinyang. From there they will need to march into Sinyang to escape the looming encirclement.
Kukong took five more heavy raids (27 runway hits). A Japanese bombardment cost them 14 casualties and 5 guns.
Yong’an, Dongzhi, Shiqiao and Yudu were bombed.


Feb 23, 1942

Bases lost and won
Palopo is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Kendari-Staring Bay for 211 Allied casualties. The Kendari Commando and Base Force are retreating toward Donggala.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Bataraza. The Palawan Constabulary Battalion was destroyed (306 casualties).

PI
Malaybalay saw another Japanese bombardment attack with no casualties reported.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took a night raid by 7 Ki-21s. Two were damaged and nothing was lost on our side.
The gunboats bombarded Johore/Tebrau for 18 casualties and runway and port hits. Now the 4th and 33rd/A Divisions are in range.
A big day in the air over Johore/Tebrau, with nine Allied sweeps in all. The first met about 45 fighters, and we lost 5 Warhawks for 2 Ki-43s. The second met about 36, and we lost 1 Warhawk for 11 Japanese fighters. The third took 5 more and the fourth and fifth one each, with no losses of ours. The rest of the sweeps (Hurricanes, Warhawks, Airacobras) went unopposed. In total about 20 Japanese fighters were lost for 6 of ours.
A raid on Martaban by 12 Ki-43s and 7 B.Th4 bombers cost us one Buffalo.

China
Xiaogan’s last defenders, the 34th Army Group, were destroyed (691 casualties) in a Japanese attack with a 443-to-1 advantage.
Kukong took five more raids (19 runway hits).
Yudu took a raid for 18 casualties.
Dongzhi, Yong’an and Shiqiao (27 Ki-27s) were bombed.

Intel
Imperial Guards’/C Division is planning an attack on Singapore.
16th Army is planning an attack on Soerabaja.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 24, 1942

Bases lost and won
Allied forces CAPTURED.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Longyan.

Sub War
SS Truant evaded a hunt by three Japanese escorts off Cam Ranh Bay.
SS RO-64 attacked xAKL Huia on the surface off Port Moresby but broke off low on gun ammunition.
SS RO-65 slipped away after missing CA Portland near the Deboyne Islands.

NoPac
In a daring long-range surface raid, the three Canadian armed merchant cruisers Prince Henry, Prince Robert and Prince David caught a Japanese convoy off Toyohara on Sakhalin.
In the night action PB Kosin Maru #3 was left burning from 11 shell hits and PB Keijo Maru took one. Prince David took 2 hits.
In the day action SC Ch-21 was sunk. SC Ch-22 was left on fire and heavily damaged.
Five transports (Kuraido Maru, Nitiho Maru #2, Nasusan Maru, Nitiai Maru and Tokusima Maru #2) were all hit and set on fire.
Prince Robert took 4 hits before the force broke off, and it is now withdrawing to Kodiak.

PI
Clark Field took two raids (19 and 9 Ki-21s) for 22 runway hits and 6 casualties.
Malaybalay saw a Japanese bombardment attack with no casualties reported.

DEI
A Japanese attack near Pontianak cost the Sarawak Force and the Singkawang II and Pontianak Base Forces 247 casualties. Two units are retreating.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took a night raid by 12 Ki-21s, with three bombers damaged.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 54 casualties, firing at the 2nd/B, 5th, 8th and 18th Divisions.
Our fighters at Rangoon beat off a raid on Martaban (6 Ki-43s and 4 bombers) and destroyed one of each for no losses.

China
At Meizhu, the Japanese lost 1,697 casualties (53 squads destroyed, 29 guns lost) against 276 of ours, and the 51ID 115th Infantry Regiment and 30th RGC/A Division are retreating toward Chaochow.
Kukong took four heavy raids (29 runway hits, 7 supply hits, 7 airbase hits).
Guangshan saw a Japanese bombardment attack.
Dongzhi, Yudu and Shiqiao were bombed.

Intel
56ID 56th Recon Regiment is planning an attack on Singapore.
The earlier reported sinking of SS I-5 was in error. Intelligence now shows the boat still in service.


Feb 25, 1942

Bases lost and won
Siaoe is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Guangshan.

Sub War
SS I-156 fired two torpedoes at PG Tarantula off Lingga and escaped the hunt by PG Herald and PG Mindanao.

SWPac
Cruisers Indianapolis and Portland bombarded Milne Bay at night for 3 port hits and 1 port supply hit.

PI
Clark Field took two raids (19 and 20 Ki-21s) for 5 airbase and 10 runway hits and 6 casualties.
Malaybalay took a small raid (3 bombers) and another Japanese bombardment attack, with no casualties reported.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two night raids (7 and 6 Ki-21s), with three bombers damaged and no losses.
A 5-plane Zero sweep over Singapore produced no result.
A Blenheim IV force (47 sorties in two strikes) hit the 55th Division at Moulmein for 6 casualties. One bomber was damaged.

China
At Guangshan, E of Sinyang, the 18th and 48th Chinese Corps and the East Hupei Guerilla Army were broken (3,486 casualties, 90 squads destroyed, 12 guns lost) against 325 Japanese, and the three units are retreating toward Shiqiao, joining the remnants of the Xiaogan disaster.
Kukong took a large morning raid (37 bombers) for 6 airbase and 22 runway hits. Two Ki-51s were lost to flak.
Meizhu was bombed for 67 casualties.
Pakhoi and Shiqiao were bombed.

Intel
23rd Army is planning an attack on Kukong.


Feb 26, 1942

Bases lost and won
Batjan is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS I-166 torpedoed CMc Pro Patria off Toboali. She was heavily damaged and went down, and Lieutenant De Beus was killed.
SS Truant declined to fire on two Japanese subchasers (Ch-16 and Ch-18) off Cam Ranh Bay and escaped the hunt.

PI
Clark Field took three raids (29, 10 and 11 Ki-21s) for 10 runway hits among other damage.
Malaybalay saw another Japanese bombardment attack with no casualties reported.

DEI
Six B-17Ds raided Kuching at night against 8 Ki-27 defenders, with no losses either side.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took two daylight raids (30 Ki-21s with 26 fighter escorts) for light damage. Five bombers were damaged.

China
Kukong took three more raids.
Meizhu was bombed for 70 casualties.
Dongzhi and Shiqiao were bombed.
Xinfeng saw a Chinese bombardment attack with no casualties reported.

Intel
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment is planning an attack on Chengchow.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Feb 27, 1942

Bases lost and won
Qianjiang is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS Truant torpedoed SC Ch-18 off Cam Ranh Bay, and the subchaser was confirmed sunk. Truant escaped the hunt.
SS RTN Vilun fired two torpedoes at xAP Candioa off Muntok without result.

PI
Clark Field took two raids (49 and 15 Ki-21s) for 7 airbase and 30 runway hits.
Malaybalay took a raid by 6 Rikkos and another Japanese bombardment attack, with no casualties reported.

DEI
Kendari took a raid by 12 Rikkos for 20 casualties.

Malaya / Burma / India
The Japanese launched an assault on Singapore with seven divisions, two tank regiments and over 1,100 guns, but it was thrown back. They lost 6,551 casualties (33 squads and 31 engineers destroyed, 66 guns and 41 vehicles lost) against 3,466 of ours (79 squads destroyed, 65 guns and 66 vehicles lost). Their engineers did get the forts down from level 4 to 3.
Singapore took two morning raids (13 Ki-21s with 12 Ki-44s, then 15 Ki-21s with 14 Ki-43s). Two bombers were lost to flak and ten were damaged.
The gunboats added 5 casualties.

China
A Japanese cruiser squadron (Natori and three destroyers) bombarded our 8th Guerilla Corps at Kwangchowan for 85 casualties, and the corps then lost 20 more in its own bombardment attack there.
Kukong took four raids and a Japanese bombardment attack, with 5 Japanese casualties against 7 Allied.
Xinfeng saw a Chinese bombardment attack for 19 Allied casualties.
Meizhu was bombed for 68 casualties.
Kwangchowan and Dongzhi were bombed.


Feb 28, 1942

Bases lost and won
Pandan is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS I-1 fired on DMS Perry off San Francisco, then put a torpedo into AVP Casco. The seaplane tender went down and Lieutenant Commander Shannon was killed.
SS RTN Vilun torpedoed xAKL Paneh off Muntok, and she sank.

SWPac
Cruisers Detroit and Raleigh bombarded Rabaul at night for 84 casualties and 12 runway hits. In fact, Claude my scribe has omitted it, but small groups of USN cruisers have bombarded Rabaul repeatedly in the last few weeks - with little to show for, except on Feb 19 (see above). Looks like the Japanese finally got fed-up with this. During the retirement the Allied TF met the battleships Nagato, Mutsu and Fuso with four destroyers off Cape St. George. CL Detroit was sunk (11 shell hits, magazine explosion). DD Phelps was sunk after colliding with her. CL Raleigh and DD Porter were set on fire. The Japanese took only light damage. Nagato took 3 hits, Yudachi 2 and Yugure 5. The rest of the Allied task force broke off and is withdrawing to Sydney. SS S-34 extracted some revenge by putting two torpedoes into BB Mutsu off Wide Bay. The destroyer Shigure could not find the boat.

PI
Clark Field took two raids (45 and 14 Ki-21s) for 8 airbase and 18 runway hits. One bomber was lost to flak.
The Japanese bombardment attack on Clark Field cost them 31 guns against 45 Allied casualties.
Malaybalay took another raid and bombardment attack.

Malaya / Burma / India
A second Japanese assault on Singapore also failed, with 3,144 Japanese casualties (51 guns and 99 vehicles lost, one unit destroyed) against 1,937 of ours (89 squads destroyed, 47 guns and 58 vehicles lost, one unit destroyed).
Singapore took Zero sweeps of 10, 36 and 29 aircraft with no losses either side, plus a 25-bomber raid with 12 Ki-44s that left 4 bombers damaged.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 4 casualties.
At night, a multinational Allied TF consisting of seven light cruisers and eight destroyers bombarded Moulmein for 12 casualties and 6 guns. They hit the airfield (13 runway hits), the port (6 hits) and fuel (6 hits).
Blenheims and Hurricanes (about 60 sorties) hit the 55th Division at Moulmein for 6 casualties.

China
The Chinese attempt to recapture Kwangchowan fell apart. A Japanese attack (21st Independent Mixed Brigade and 16th Naval Guard Unit) cost the 8th Guerilla Corps 1,231 casualties against 41, and the corps is retreating toward Lianjiang. A Japanese cruiser bombardment and an air raid added 93 casualties.
Sinyang saw a Japanese bombardment attack, with 30 Japanese casualties and none of ours.
Kukong took a bombardment attack (21 casualties) and four raids.
Meizhu, Xinyu and Dongzhi were bombed.

Intel
Late confirmation: CL Nagara was sunk near Subic Bay on Dec 31.


Mar 01, 1942

Bases lost and won
Tandjoengbalai is occupied by the Allies.

Sub War
SS KXIV shook off a hunt by two subchasers near Poulo Condore.
SS S-37 fired two torpedoes at DD Arashi off Kuching without result.
SS RO-64 evaded DD Voyager and two minesweepers near Port Moresby.

DEI
Bengkalis took a heavy night bombing, with 28 Dutch Martins and 9 B-17Ds in seven raids. One Fortress was damaged. No hits on the oil targets.
The Japanese landed at Ketapang (31ID I/124th Battalion), losing 9 men.
Kendari was bombed for 39 casualties. Ambon was bombed, and one Hudson was destroyed on the ground.

PI
Clark Field took three raids (35, 13 and 13 Ki-21s) for 8 airbase and 24 runway hits.
Malaybalay took another raid and bombardment attack.

Malaya / Burma / India
Singapore took a Japanese bombardment attack with 285 guns. It cost 29 Allied casualties and 6 Japanese vehicles.
The Allied gunboats added 8 casualties.
The Moulmein multinational naval bombardment continued for 23 casualties, 10 runway hits and 8 port hits.
Four Blenheim raids on Bangkok at night met Thai Hawk 75Ns. We lost one Blenheim and two were damaged.
Two Hurricane sweeps (32 aircraft) over Chiang Mai were unopposed.

China
Sinyang saw another Japanese bombardment attack, with 29 Japanese casualties and none of ours.
A Japanese attack on Yong'an by the 62nd Naval Guard Unit failed, costing them 86 casualties against none of ours.
Kukong took three raids and a bombardment attack, with 4 Japanese casualties against 8 Allied.
Xinfeng saw a Chinese bombardment attack for 5 Japanese casualties.
Meizhu took raids for 51 casualties.
Shiqiao, Dongzhi, Sanming and Pakhoi were bombed.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Mar 02, 1942

Bases lost and won
Torokina is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Suizhou.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Ketapang and Loewoek. Both were undefended.

Sub War
SS I-173 attacked xAKL Neo Hebridais on the surface off Brisbane (1 shell hit, 2 torpedo hits). She was left ablaze and sank.
SS RO-62 put one torpedo into CA Salt Lake City near Milne Bay. It took 3 DC hits in return from DD Conyngham and DD Case. Damage to "Swayback Maru" is survivable, only 15 float damage.
SS RTN Vilun took a hit off Muntok but evaded PC Maryanne.
SS KXIV shook off a hunt by two Thai MTBs near Poulo Condore.

PI
Bataan/Corregidor took three raids (21, 11 and 14 Ki-21s, with fighter escort). One bomber was lost to flak on each of the last two raids.
Iloilo saw a Japanese deliberate attack by six naval guard units. It cost the Japanese 971 casualties (26 squads destroyed, 12 guns) against 279 of ours, and our forts dropped to level 1.
Malaybalay saw another bombardment attack with no casualties reported.

DEI
Bengkalis took six night raids (16 Dutch Martins and 6 B-17Ds), with one oil hit - hooray, night bombing finally hit something! One Fortress was damaged.
Kendari was bombed for 14 casualties.

Malaya / Burma / India
Moulmein was bombarded twice at night. The first force (seven cruisers and eight destroyers) inflicted 19 casualties, 14 port hits and 11 runway hits. The second (Cornwall, Dorsetshire, three light cruisers and four destroyers) inflicted 77 casualties, 7 airbase hits and 17 runway hits. While the CLs and replenish ammo at Rangoon and thus can bombard every night, the CAs need to replenish in India or Ceylon. I think I will keep the heavies as a one-shot striking group in the DEI area.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 15 casualties against the Imperial Guards, 8th, 18th, 33rd and 38th Divisions.
Singapore took six large daylight raids (about 100 bombers with 60 Zeros), with 9 runway hits. Our fighters did not rise to meet them. In fact, I have withdrawn the fighters from Singers to Sumatra and Java, I don't want to risk the loss of precious airframes and the best-trained pilots in some lucky roll-of-the-dice for the Japanese in their next ground attacks. One Ki-21 was lost to flak and about 20 aircraft were damaged.
A Japanese bombardment attack on Singapore (285 guns) cost them 5 casualties against 69 of ours.

China
Sinyang saw a Japanese bombardment attack, with 78 Japanese casualties against 7 Allied.
Kukong took three raids and a bombardment attack (5 v 14 casualties).
Xinfeng saw a Chinese bombardment attack for 7 Allied casualties.
Meizhu, Shiqiao (39 casualties), Pakhoi, Dongzhi, Sanming and Xinyu were bombed.

Intel
6th Fleet is planning an attack on Pearl Harbor. Submarine invasion or what?
16ID 9th Infantry Regiment is planning an attack on Clark Field.
25th Army is planning an attack on Singapore.


Mar 03, 1942

Bases lost and won
Feni Islands is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS I-173 declined to attack xAKL Kooraka near Maryborough.
SS Truant and SS Bass both evaded Japanese subchasers (off Cam Ranh Bay and Roxas).
SS S-37 fired two torpedoes at TK San Pedro Maru off Kuching, missed and took 3 DC hits. It escaped after DMS W-13 ran out of ASW ammunition.

PI
Bataan/Corregidor took two more raids (34 Ki-21s and 15 Ki-21s, with 19 fighters between them) for 2 airbase, 4 supply and 8 runway hits.
Iloilo saw another Japanese attack, costing them 161 casualties against 315 of ours.
Malaybalay saw another bombardment attack.

DEI
A Japanese fast-transport landing went in at Ruteng.
Bengkalis took seven scattered night raids (19 Martins and 3 B-17Ds), no hits.
Kendari Base Force was bombed for 24 casualties. Ambon took 6 runway hits and Port Moresby was raided but escaped damage.

Malaya / Burma / India
Ten Allied cruisers and eight destroyers bombarded Moulmein for 44 casualties, with heavy airfield and port damage (19 runway and 14 port hits, 6 airbase hits).
Enemy ground units estimated at brigade strength have been spotted moving up to the Salween river for a crossing into Martaban.
Having been reinforced with the 7th Armoured Bde, the BurCorps is ordered to advance from their main line at Pegu down to Martaban to setup a reception committee.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 29 casualties.
Singapore took six more large raids (Zero sweeps, Bettys, Nells and Ki-30s). One Betty and one Ki-21 were lost to flak and about 15 aircraft were damaged. Slight damage on the ground.
Japanese bombardment on Singapore cost us 25 casualties.

China
Sinyang saw a Japanese bombardment attack, with 70 Japanese casualties and none of ours.
Kukong took three raids and a bombardment attack (5 v 17 casualties).
Huichang, Jiyang, Sanming, Dongzhi, Xinyu and Pakhoi were bombed.

Intel
37th/B Division is planning an attack on Chengchow.
9th Armored Car Co is planning an attack on Changsha.


Mar 04, 1942

Bases lost and won
Cape St. George is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Meizhu, retaking what we took on Feb 24.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Ruteng. It was undefended.

Sub War
SS I-2 put torpedoes into xAK Coast Banker off San Diego (1, then 2 more hits). She went down. This is the second Japanese submarine attack off the US West Coast in a week. USN ASW assets are too few to cover everything and are reserved for troop convoys and tankers.
SS Truant evaded two more hunts off Cam Ranh Bay.

DEI
Bengkalis now has a Zero night-fighter defence. Twenty Tainan Kokutai Zeros met our raids. We lost about three aircraft (two Martins and a B-17D) and had several more damaged, for one Zero destroyed.

Malaya / Burma / India
Ten cruisers and eight destroyers bombarded Moulmein for 89 casualties, with 33 runway hits and 10 port hits.
Three Blenheim raids on Bangkok met Thai Hawk 75Ns. Two Blenheims were damaged.
Singapore took five more raids (G4Ms, Ki-30s with Ki-43 escort, Ki-21s and Nells) for light damage. One Ki-30 was lost to flak and 16 aircraft were damaged.
With the withdrawal of the Allied fighters, the Japanese air forces finally dare to show up in strength. Apparently Bushido has been retained in Japan proper.
A Japanese bombardment attack on Singapore cost them 11 casualties against 47 of ours.

China
At Meizhu, the 5th Guerilla Corps was broken (1,298 casualties against 123) and is retreating toward Jiyang. This side show is part of the nuissance and spoiling maneuvering around the Kukong campaign.
Sinyang saw a Japanese bombardment attack, with 32 Japanese casualties and none of ours.
Kukong saw a bombardment attack for 5 Japanese against 55 Allied casualties.
Huichang, Jiyang (57 casualties), Pakhoi (41), Shiqiao and Dongzhi were bombed.
Xinfeng saw a Chinese bombardment attack for 8 Allied casualties.

Intel
2nd Port Unit is planning an attack on Singapore.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Mar 05, 1942

Bases lost and won
Kieta is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Cape Hoskins. It was undefended.

Sub War
SS I-159 torpedoed and shelled xAP Don Esteban off Pamekasan, and she went down.
SS KXVI put a torpedo into the seaplane tender AV Kiyokawa Maru off Kendari, leaving her heavily damaged.
SS KXIV took two hits off Poulo Condore but escaped two subchasers.

SWPac
Not scared at all by the prospects of running into Japanese BBs, nine of our cruisers (San Francisco, Minneapolis, Astoria, New Orleans, Pensacola, Phoenix, Honolulu, St. Louis and Trenton) bombarded Rabaul at night. They inflicted 332 casualties and 16 airbase, 44 runway and 9 port hits. Thirteen flying boats were damaged and xAK Nitiryu Maru was set on fire.

PI
Clark Field took five raids (about 65 Ki-21s with fighter escort) for 8 airbase and 30 runway hits.
At Iloilo a Japanese attack cost them 194 casualties against 210 of ours, and our forts dropped to 0.
Malaybalay saw another Japanese bombardment attack.

DEI
Bengkalis took six night raids (24 Dutch Martins) without loss.
Kendari Cdo was bombed for 14 casualties.

Malaya / Burma / India
Moulmein took a very heavy night bombardment by ten cruisers and eight destroyers: 287 casualties and 25 port hits, 23 runway hits and 9 airbase hits.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 5 casualties.
Four Blenheim raids (24 aircraft) on Bangkok lost one bomber to Thai Hawk 75Ns.
A third major Japanese assault on Singapore (81,000 troops, 1,200 guns) was repulsed with 2,812 Japanese casualties (46 guns and 50 vehicles lost) against 2,094 of ours (83 guns and 63 vehicles lost).
The smaller units of the Singers garrison are pretty banged-up now, but the three divisions are still in good shape.
The fleet of Dutch flying boats is busy evacuating base forces from Singers to Sumatra, they are no longer needed at Singers. The Dutch transport plane squadron is lifting-out a gutted infantry battalion to Palembang.

China
NW of Kwangchowan, an attack by the 21st Independent Mixed Brigade cost the 8th Guerilla Corps 726 men against 48, the unit retreated east.
A Chinese attack on Xinfeng by nine corps failed, with 339 Allied casualties against 21 Japanese. In fact only one Chinese unit, coming from Meizhu, crossed the river and triggered a shock attack despite massive numbers of Chinese in the destination hex. I will never understand ground warfare rules in this game. The purpose of this move was to close the hexside. I am trying to trap the enemy stack at Xinfeng.
Sinyang saw another Japanese bombardment attack, with 76 Japanese casualties against 22 Allied.
Kukong saw a bombardment attack (34 Allied casualties) and four raids.
Jiyang (38 casualties), Xinyu, Shiqiao, Huichang and Dongzhi were bombed.


Mar 06, 1942

Bases lost and won
North Bougainville is occupied by the Japanese.
Qianjiang is occupied by the Allies — retaken.

Sub War
SS I-156 torpedoed xAKL Asahan off Lingga and she sank.
SS I-156 then shelled xAKL Insulinde (7 hits, massive explosion), and she was lost too.
A Dutch CW-22 Falcon bombed SS I-159 off Pamekasan and scored a hit.

PI
Clark Field took two more raids (38 and 19 Ki-21s) for 23 runway hits on the first and 6 on the second.
Iloilo saw another Japanese attack, costing them 424 casualties against 234 of ours.
Malaybalay saw another bombardment attack.

DEI
Bengkalis took nine more night raids (24 Martins and 9 B-17Ds) against Ki-44 night fighters, with one Fortress damaged and no losses. No damage done either.
The Japanese began landing at Bima.

Malaya / Burma / India
A fourth major assault on Singapore also failed, with 3,389 Japanese casualties (101 vehicles and 37 guns lost, one unit destroyed) against 1,718 of ours (55 guns and 33 vehicles lost, one unit destroyed). However, their engineers got the forts down to level 1.
Moulmein was bombarded again for 33 casualties.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 18 casualties.
Bangkok took three more Blenheim raids (30 aircraft), with one Blenheim damaged.

China
Sinyang saw a large Japanese attack by seven divisions and two tank regiments. It failed with 4,542 Japanese casualties (147 squads destroyed) against 916 of ours.
Kukong saw a bombardment attack for 5 Japanese against 22 Allied casualties.
Sinyang, Zhumadian, Pakhoi, Xinfeng, Jiyang, Shiqiao and Dongzhi were bombed.

Intel
1TD 1st Ind Field Artillery Regiment is planning an attack on Changsha.


Mar 07, 1942

Bases lost and won
Boeton is occupied by the Japanese.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Bima. It was undefended.

SWPac
Forty-one A-24 Banshees now based at PM hit the 8th Independent Company at Kokoda in two strikes. They inflicted 28 casualties and lost nothing. The Banshees will at last see some token service before the air group withdraws on Mar 13.

PI
Clark Field took a 55-bomber raid for 6 airbase and 17 runway hits.
Malaybalay saw another bombardment attack.

DEI
The Japanese landed at Denpasar (31ID I/124th Battalion) after destroyers shelled the Prajoeda Commando. Our coastal guns and defenders killed 16 of the landing force.
A Japanese attack near Kendari destroyed the Kendari Base Force (455 casualties) and left the Kendari Commando retreating toward Donggala.
Bengkalis took four night raids by Dutch Martins against Zero night fighters. One Martin was lost.
Two B-17D night raids hit the Johore/Tebrau airfield, hitting nothing.
Kendari was bombed for 38 casualties and Ambon took 5 runway hits.

Malaya / Burma / India
A Japanese bombardment attack on Singapore cost us 150 casualties. The Imperial Guards Division is now identified in three separate formations there.
Seven daylight raids on Singapore (Nells, Bettys, Ki-30s and Ki-21s) cost the Japanese a Nell and a Ki-21 to flak, with about 40 aircraft damaged. Three Blenheim IFs were damaged.
Two cruiser forces bombarded Moulmein for 87 casualties. Movement arrows indicate that the Japanese troops are retreating towards Thailand.
The gunboats bombarded Singapore for 21 casualties.

China
Kukong took two raids (30 runway hits) and a bombardment attack, with 6 Japanese casualties against 5 Allied.
Heyuan, Zhumadian, Sinyang, Xinfeng, Yong’an, Dongzhi and Shiqiao were bombed (Heyuan for 40 casualties).

Intel
3rd/C Division is planning an attack on Changsha.