A Good Place to Start - Matthew (A) v Fokko (J) - Bottlenecks Mod

[M Peaston]

Thanks guys!

[M Peaston]

7th May 1942



ABDA

Japanese reinforcements land at Bandjermasin



SWPAC

Another reinforcement convoy arrives at Melbourne. There are no major units on this one, but lots of useful bits and pieces:

12th, 13th and 14th Marine Air Groups,
96th AA Rgt
1/30th Coastal Artillery Bn
2nd Marine Amphtrac Bn
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Bn
97th Field Art Bn
Banshee Squadrons x2
Airacobra Squadrons x2

Oh, and Ersatz MacArthur, or perhaps we should call him ‘I can’t believe it’s not MacArthur’. Anyway, he’ll spend a couple of days in Melbourne before heading off to Sydney and a meeting with Blamey.

Zeros sweep over Milne Bay. There’s no Allied fighter opposition; there’s no need to oppose them at the moment.



NOPAC

At Adak, Rear-Admiral Theobold is expecting replacements for NOPAC’S picket submarines which were assigned to NEPTUNE and never returned. They don’t seem to have arrived yet; all he can see in the harbour are about half-a-dozen trawlers. His staff are engaged in rock, paper, scissors to decide who is to tell him that these are the reinforcements……



SUBMARINE WARFARE

S-36 torpedoes and sinks xAK Nagisan Maru at Kendari.
I-158 manages to avoid two motor launches at Colombo
O-16 detects what appears to be an invasion force assembling at Manado: xAP x2, AMCx2, AKx4, xAKx2. O-16 took 6 hits from the escorts, forcing her back for repairs.

[M Peaston]

8th May 1942



INDIA/BURMA

Japanese capture Yamethin

RAF Blenheims and RAAF Hudsons based at Chittagong bomb the advancing Japanese 18th Division at Taungdwingyi.

There are no signs of any Japanese ships in the Bay of Bengal or the Indian Ocean; Vice-Admiral Layton orders the RN carriers and battleships back to port. RAF reconnaissance flights show approximately 25 Japanese ships at Rangoon, mostly sloops and small to medium sized transports. Cleary Eastern Fleet’s control of the sea isn’t quite as complete as Layton claims it to be.


ABDA

The Japanese 21st Division bombards the defenders at Bandoeng.

A Deliberate Assault at Soerabaja is beaten back:


Ground combat at Soerabaja (56,104)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11711 troops, 139 guns, 147 vehicles, Assault Value = 565

Defending force 14238 troops, 182 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 334

Japanese adjusted assault: 295

Allied adjusted defense: 1669

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
473 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Vehicles lost 20 (1 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Tank Regiment
Imperial Guards' Division
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
2ID 16th Infantry Regiment
43rd Ind.AA Gun Co
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
6th KNIL Regiment
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
4th KNIL Regiment
Roodenburg Cdo
Marinier Battalion
Tjepoe Cdo
Madoeng Defenses
Soerabaja Defenses
Soerabaja KM Base Force
4th Avn Sup Groep
2nd Avn Sup Groep
KNI Leger
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
KNI Zeemacht /1


How long can the Dutch hold out?



SWPAC/SOPAC

Again, Zeros sweep over Milne Bay unopposed.

Marine Vindicators find some Japanese troop transports still at Cape Gloucester as they were two or three days ago. xAP Hake Maru, APD Shimakaze and E-Yuago were all hit. One of the Vindicators crashed on landing at Port Moresby.

A convoy carrying the 24th Separate Rgt arrives at Suva.

[CaptBeefheart]

The Vibrators were not too well liked by Corps pilots in real life, but in this game they are pretty good with their long range and ability to hit targets targets as well as Dauntlesses. They are great for staging long distances and hitting TFs without air cover. That said, once they hit a well-protected TF, they tend to drop like flies, like any other DB.

Cheers,
CB

[M Peaston]

The Vibrators were not too well liked by Corps pilots in real life, but in this game they are pretty good with their long range and ability to hit targets targets as well as Dauntlesses. They are great for staging long distances and hitting TFs without air cover. That said, once they hit a well-protected TF, they tend to drop like flies, like any other DB.

Cheers,
CB

Hi Captain Beefheart, sorry for not replying sooner.

By his own admission my opponent became fixated on Port Moresby and overlooked providing fighter cover for his APDs.

I’ve got four fighter squadrons at Port Moresby - one of them (currently the Kittyhawks) is tasked with escorting the Vindicators, so they are not completely vulnerable. I agree though, I don’t expect the dive-bombers to last long when encountering serious fighter and/or flak. Still, Zeros protecting shipping are Zeros which aren’t sweeping my airfields.

[M Peaston]

Apologies to all for the lack of any updates.

Somehow I had managed to overlook this last turn:


9th May 1942.



INDIA/BURMA

RAF Blenheims and RAAF Hudsons attack the 10th Tank Rgt at Yamethin advancing towards Mandalay. Japanese losses, if any, aren’t known (thunderstorms didn’t help) but there was no fighter opposition and no Allied aircraft were lost.



ABDA

Japanese fighters sweep over Soerabaja, but there are no bombing raids in support of Japanese ground forces.

The Japanese 21st Division assaults the Dutch defenders at Bandoeng but is held off - for now. I think the Japanese have made a mistake splitting their forces on Java as they have. As far as I can tell, Japanese combat forces on Java (excluding AA, Base and construction units) are:

Two Infantry Divisions (21st and Imperial Guards) - the Imperial Guards at Soerabaja and 21st at Bandoeng

Two infantry regiments (16th and 24th) - one at Soerabaja, one heading to Bandoeng

One Tank regiment (4th) - Soerabaja

Two Medium Field Artillery regiments (3rd and 8th) - one at Soerabaja, one last seen at Semarang.

One Mortar Bn (14th) - last seen at Semarang

One RF Gun Bn (8th) - heading to Bandoeng

Two Engineer regiments (15th and 23rd) - one at Soerabaja, one at Semarang.


I’m doubtful whether the Japanese have committed sufficient force to either Soerabaja or Semarang [***EDIT - Should read "Soerabaja or Bandoeng ***] to be able to rapidly overrun either. I think it’s more of a case of how long the supply will last out. A prolonged siege means more delay to the Japanese advance, and I'm hoping (and planning) to stop it dead soon enough. Quite honestly I didn’t think Java would still be holding out by now anyway.



On the Eastern side of the DEI things are moving - Japanese carrier aircraft hit the airfield at Ambon, possibly in preparation for a landing here.

Ambon.png (1.64 MiB) Viewed 799 times

SUBMARINE WARFARE

I-166 tried to torpedo a motor launch off of Trivandrum, but there were no reported hits on either side.

[M Peaston]

Checking back on my emails, I sent off the 10th May turn seven weeks ago.

I have had contact with my opponent, so he hasn't disappeared, and I have been assured the turn will be forthcoming. I have no idea when.

To paraphrase the headmaster played by John Cleese in 'Clockwise':

It's not the despair - the despair I can cope with. It's the hope I can't stand.

[CaptBeefheart]

No need to apologize. I'm happy you're taking the time to do this AAR.

Well, I hope your opponent's lack of fervor is temporary. The slow progress might be discouraging.

Good luck!

Cheers,
CB

[M Peaston]

The next turn has just dropped into my inbox! Wahaaay!!!

Sod's law, the timing couldn't be worse and it might just have to sit in my inbox for the next couple of weeks

Regardless of my opponent's poor timing, it's game on!

That is, if I can actually remember how to play, let alone what I was doing/planning.

Perhaps the lesson is not to have a plan, then I don't have to worry about trying to remember it.

[M Peaston]

10th May 1942.



INDIA/BURMA

Blenheims and Lysanders attack advancing Japanese forces at Taungdwingyi, southwest of Magwe, causing a few disablements for no loss.

Japanese fighters sweep Magwe unopposed.



ABDA

As expected, the Japanese launched an amphibious assault against Ambon with elements of the 38th and 21st Divisions, plus 27th Ind. Eng. Rgt and 20th Mountain Gun Rgt. (Interesting that part of the 21st Division is reported here, as that division is seemingly the main force at Bandoeng). The coastal defence batteries gave a good account of themselves, scoring hits on xAK Hokruku Maru, xAK Tokyo Maru, xAP Usury Maru and CA Myoko. With only the coastal defence guns, Molukken Commando and a small BF at Ambon, it’s only a question of time before the Dutch succumb.

There was no attempted Japanese assault at Bandoeng today, with the airfield being bombed by Lilys.

Off of Port Heldand, SS I-168 puts two torpedoes into Hermes. Now, I know I’ve not looked at this game for a little while and I’ve been a bit forgetful, but I have checked and re-checked my notes, and I’ve been through the relevant parts of this AAR, and I cannot find any reference at all to Hermes being torpedoed as being part of my overall plan - I’m pretty sure about this.

Hermes was able to make it into port and deploy her aircraft ashore, but I think she is going to be in port for a while. Also, being torpedoed just a hex off of Port Hedland does suggest to the Japanese that this is being used as some kind of forward base.



USA

Yorktown and Hornet both safely return to Alameda following Operation Neptune. They’ll need a few days in dock for some minor repairs.



SUBMARINE WARFARE

xAKL Daifuku Maru leads a charmed life, with both Searaven and Pickerel trying and failing to torpedo her.
As mentioned, I-168 torpedoes Hermes near Port Hedland.

[M Peaston]

11th May 1942


All the notable action today was in the DEI.



INDIA/BURMA

16th Indian Bde embarks at Calcutta bound for Cox’s Bazar, escorted by the veteran warship RHS Georgios Averof.



ABDA

Ambon is hit hard by Japanese carrier-bombers - Mini-KB is known to be still lurking between Kendari and Ambon. The coastal artillery at Ambon continues to trade fire with the Japanese invasion fleet - AMC Akagi Maru takes several heavy hits. The Japanese bombardment group consists of the heavy cruisers Myoko and Chokai - I wonder why the Japanese aren’t using any battleships here?


Oscars have taken to bombing the airbase at Soerabaja from 20,000ft. I’m guessing the idea is to use up the defenders’ supply as they ineffectively aim their AA at the Japanese.

[M Peaston]

12th May 1942



CHINA

For some weeks now, Chiang Kai-Shek’s upcoming Harmony offensive hasn’t excited much interest in PANIC HQ. Perhaps I should say hadn’t, until a curious minor mishap in Burma changed the picture somewhat. Chiang Kai-Shek hopes that the offensive will show the Kuomingtang’s worth to the Allied cause, and so encourage greater Allied support for his regime. PANIC HQ hadn’t thought much of the plans, and that’s when they had thought about them at all, which was hardly ever. But…things change….

Meanwhile the Imperial Japanese Army continues to use China as a training ground for its air force. In a helpful mood, the Chinese Airforce decides to provide some assistance and add a little more realism to the Japanese training programme. Surely it would be better for the aspiring Japanese pilots to have more experience of being shot at before they are assigned to a combat unit? In this spirit of co-operation 16 Chinese H81-A3s intercepted 27 Nates who were busy bombing and strafing Chinese troops at Linfen, east of Sian. The Chinese claimed 8 Nates (it was more likely 5) for the loss of 2 H81-A3s. All the Chinese pilots returned unharmed; it is hoped that at least some of the Japanese pilots who failed this particular exercise won’t be graduating at the end of the course.


INDIA/BURMA

The Allied airforce decides that today is the day to throw everything at the Japanese troops advancing on Magwe. Blenheims and RAAF Hudsons, Wellingtons and Mitchells, B17s and even a squadron of Lysanders are ordered to bomb the advancing 18th Division at Taungdwingyi. However, it seems that a cloud was spotted over the target, so everyone had the day off instead. Well almost everyone did. One Blenheim squadron didn’t get the message about today’s target being Japanese troops at Taungdwingyi, and instead attacked yesterday’s target again - the Japanese forces advancing at Yamethin. Flying low, the Blenheim pilots were able to provide some good information about what they were attacking, information which was eventually passed up the line, enabling Allied Intelligence to identify the presence of the Japanese 8th Division.


ABDA

HMAS Australia reaches Cape Town for repair. She’ll be in the dockyard for around two and-a-half weeks having her mangled gun turrets replaced. Even then it will be some time before she is back in theatre. With Repulse and Dorsetshire sunk and Hermes and Australia out of action, ABDA command will be facing the Japanese advance with just the heavy cruisers Houston and Cornwall as the backbone of the fleet.

Ambon is again attacked by Japanese carrier aircraft, followed up with an assault by the Japanese 38th Div. The heavily outnumbered Molukken Commando holds on, but only just.

At Bandoeng the Japanese launch another assault, suffering heavy casualties but reducing the fort level to 2.

147th (Separate) Rgt safely disembarked at Port Hedland. SS I-168 might have got Hermes, but she missed out on this particular prize.


SOPAC

Now, who would have thought it - Coastwatchers can provide useful information after all! (Note I say ‘useful’, not ‘accurate’). A few days ago, Coastwatchers reported AKE Hokkai Maru and AV Fushimi Maru at Talasea, New Britain. These reports prompted some aerial reconnaissance which confirmed the presence of at least one unidentified ship at Talasea. Today two squadrons of Marauders bombed the harbour, sinking the Destroyer RTN Phra Ruang and returning without loss. It’s not much perhaps, but a free hit is a free hit.


PANIC HQ

It was a while before the relevant intelligence filtered through to PANIC HQ, but I’ll tell the story now otherwise I’ll forget if I leave it to a later date.

For some time Allied Intelligence has suspected the Japanese were gradually withdrawing forces from Manchuria and China for use in other theatres, but apart from a few support and artillery units, had lacked any real hard evidence. One particular formation on the Allied Ferrets’ watch list was the Japanese 8th Division, which had been tracked from Changchun to Fusan, but had not been noted since.

Then came the curious case of the squadron of Blenheims being exactly where they were not supposed to be, providing sufficient information for 8th Division to be identified - in Burma. Now the questions are swirling around PANIC HQ - what are the convoy routes? Fusan to Japan and then where? Tsingtao to where? How many subs can we have patrolling off of Fusan, Keijo and Tsingtao? To which theatres are the Japanese divisions heading? What are the implications for these theatres? What can we do to encourage the Japanese to keep their forces in China? Ahhh, Blackadder reaches into the back of his mind, and then reaches into the filing cabinet marked ‘Ignore’. He pulls out a bundle of letters from Chiang Kai-Shek. “Ahhhhhh - the Harmony Offensive; I had forgotten. What can we do to help?” No one answered. No one had bothered to find out much about it, and as the offensive was due to start in less than two weeks there probably wasn’t much they could do. Anyway, PANIC HQ hadn’t managed to do anything to help any theatre so far, and there was no particular reason to think they could start now - but it was important to try.

So, thanks to some poor staff work by 221 Group’s Squadron Leader (OPS) - more informally and less respectfully known as SLOPS - Chiang Kai-Shek might finally get the Allied support he feels he needs and deserves. He probably won’t get it, but he might.

There is also the matter of the air of insufferable smugness surrounding Dirk Gently. He is often (often - as in several times a day) mentioning how superior, and easier, his holistic methods of intelligence gathering are, relying as they do on the interconnectedness of all things rather than the more conventional and mundane approaches of gathering, collating and assessing information, and general hard graft. Everyone at Panic HQ knows that Gently is a fraud; a lazy charlatan, but thanks to the intelligence breakthrough provided by SLOPS’s sloppiness, even Gently’s most ardent detractors, of which there is no shortage, are having to start to admit the slim possibility that he might, just might, be the genius he claims to be after all.