Sand in the Vaseline - Wobbly vs PzB

[Andy Mac]

Given that you know hes committed in India whats the chance of hitting Wake with the two Divisons from Pearl to distract him.

If nothing else itll force him to redeploy a lil

Or start attack somewhere in the islands.

Anything to make him start looking over his shoulders

[wobbly]

Long range bettie attacks on Columbo halt my ASW effort. PzB attacks my blocking force North of Rangoon.

Thanks herb - somewhat untrue about best players - I feel I am outgunned by my opponent - but it is he who holds the larget hammer at the moment.

Andy - if you read an earlier posting you will see operation Rapier is starting. This is actually the invasion of Kwajalein and Motje (I think) involving all carriers - including the Long Island carrying fighters for Motje. And 3 divisions: 32nd, Americal and 25th, plus 1 tank regiment, 1 HQ, 1 base, 1 engineer regiment and 2. I imagine Kwajalein is well defended but 3 Divisions should seriously undermine this. 5BBs and numerous CAs and other ships are up for the task as well so it will be a large effort at a location he may consider impregnable - I hope it doesn't turn out to be true!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/15/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 15,23

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
DD Bulmer
DD Isis
DD Fortune
DD Barker

The straits between Ceylon and India are really thick with Jap subs - torpedoes fail to detonate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 14,23

Japanese Ships
SS I-18, hits 10, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Barker
DD Isis
DD Fortune

A different sub tries the same treatment - torps fail to detonate again, but depth charges don't have the same problems. I-18 sinks.
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Day Air attack on Kungchang , at 46,26

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 7 destroyed


My god - in a straight up fight - my Hurricanes actually knock down more zeros than loose their own planes - incredible! He obtained 4 more crack zero units last turn though so this will change in a hurry.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Isis
DD Fortune, Bomb hits 1, on fire

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Day Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Fortune, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Barker, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Bombing from 6000ft the betties from across the Bay of Bengal manage to hit two of my ASW ships. They are both added to a transport TF and high tail it out of Columbo - more on this later.
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Ground combat at 29,33

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 81700 troops, 813 guns, 130 vehicles

Defending force 42303 troops, 359 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
4356 casualties reported
Guns lost 142
Vehicles lost 19

Allied ground losses:
808 casualties reported
Guns lost 20

Take that you imperilist!! He attacks my blocking force and gets a punch in the nose. He has asked me why these guys are still where they are. The answer is it forces him to carry supplies to Chandpur on ships rather than being able to rely on roads. I don't know how effective this will be. It also forces the units that are attacking my blocking force to stay and cover Rangoon.
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Ground combat at Dimapur

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1432 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2655 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)



Allied ground losses:
258 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

Yet again my B-17s refuse to bomb Dimapur - I can only imagine he is heavily LRCAPing it. My shock attack is therefore heavily repulsed. It also tells me has has a base unit there now as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It appears his carriers are on their way to Ceylon. This makes sense - it is the only location within reach that actually has any units I could reinforce India with and this is exactly what I have attempted. The TF loaded with 2 regiments of the 18th UK regiment left Trimcomalee yesterday and will attempt to be well West of Ceylon by the time his carriers arrive.
This is also why undamaged AKs and the damaged ASW DDs leave Columbo. I don't want them in town when he arrives. I imagine his interest is also increased as all my fighters are around Dacca and Calcutta.
I hope he isn't following this up with an invasion force of any substance as one regiment is not much to hold the place with.

The Carrier Formidable has also put to sea. It was in range of night attacks from Chandpur so nowhere but Karachi is likely safe from the long range planes.

Dimapur is a thorn in my side - I hope the split unit of an Indian tank unit is enough to persuade them to sod off. They are on their way there now that Asansol and it's 460 heavy industry is better defended.

With his carriers moving along I have decided to try a naval attack to Chandpur. It will be costly and I am bombing from high altitude so possibly little damage will be done, but I want him to realise his carriers are required here in the Bay of Bengal while operation Rapier gets rolling in the Pacific.

At the next likely battleground: Dacca, two engineering regiments have arrived and the are put to work on the forts. It went up a level last turn and I am at 47% on the way to level 5 now. With even more engineers on the way I hope the fortifications can be a real hazard to him - my 646 assault points aren't enough by themselves!

A new base unit starts unloading at PM - 30 P-40s are on LRCAP above them.

The units and ships are coming together near Pearl for Operation Rapier. I have been feeding a bit of Propaganda to PzB that the attack is imminent so he should go on alert. Nothing then happens and hopefully he moves somewhere else - I'll create a diversion.

[rogueusmc]

wobbly:

I have not been listing it but I have been reconning Wake from Midway using COranado (thanks for this titbit roguemc) and intel informs me he is reinforcing - nice.

Any time I can help ya mate!!! I love those Coronados!!!

I usually set my patrol planes to recon at 50% naval search. It helps to cover the recon ya really want. If ya have recon going all over the place, your recon ya need for a particular op is just another recon to him.

[wobbly]

Initial attack on Dacca by PzB. KB attacks Madras.

Rogue - He thinks my recon is an indication that I am going anywhere other than Tarawa or Wake - oh well.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/17/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 27,32

Japanese Ships
PG Tamo Maru #6
PG Takunan Maru #8
PG Takunan Maru #3
PG Oi Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW Choun Maru #21

Allied Ships
SS KVIII, hits 1

She is hardly hurt and stays on station.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Dimapur , at 33,23


Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 24
Blenheim IV x 41
Beaufort V-IX x 16
P-40E Warhawk x 18
B-17E Fortress x 32


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16

Most of the Indian RAF go after the airbase at Dimapur. They are changed to Ground attack this turn - although the B-17s aren't going. I have nowhere other than Dacca, Diamond harbour and Calcutta in which to put my bombers. If he takes Dacca with all my bombers there I will be furious so I am loath to put them there. He can navally bomard Diamond Harbour - so I don't want to go there. That leaves only Calcutta and he has shown what he can do to my airforce on the ground with night attacks if he chooses. I don't know what else to do - airbases have a lower priority than fortresses at the moment.
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Day Air attack on Tenimbar , at 36,81


Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 9
Brewster 339D x 4
Buffalo I x 13
Hudson I x 15
Beaufort V-IX x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 15


No Allied losses

Port supply hits 3

training flights at Darwin start again.
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Day Air attack on Sorong , at 42,74


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 39


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Oil hits 5

My B-17s are after oil yards again however. He has managed to repair previous damage and I return that to an oil slick rather than a useful resource.
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Day Air attack on Dacca , at 31,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 16

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 13 destroyed

Damn - these Hurri's aren't up to the zero menace. I leave one hurricane sqd at Dacca and this time I LRCAP Dacca with my Warhawks - they have had alot of work lately.
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Day Air attack on Madras , at 18,21

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 58
D3A Val x 99
B5N Kate x 85

Allied aircraft
Sea Gladiator x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 3 destroyed, 19 damaged
B5N Kate: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Sea Gladiator: 18 destroyed

Allied Ships
CLAA Ceres, Bomb hits 27, on fire, heavy damage
AK Oklahoman, Bomb hits 1
AK Virginian, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW Eland Dubois, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Port hits 13
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 4

The KB again smash another CLAA. Ceres sinks at her mourings and the sea gladiators off Hermes flutter down like broken butterflies - one does manage to bag a kate however.
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Ground combat at Dacca

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 147100 troops, 1517 guns, 743 vehicles

Defending force 43933 troops, 389 guns, 489 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
1077 casualties reported
Guns lost 79
Vehicles lost 15

Allied ground losses:
1995 casualties reported
Guns lost 69
Vehicles lost 27

Oh hell - here we go again! I get up to level 4 and he smashes me back down to 3 - only to have my engineers have the fort reinstated again and 41% to the next level. I am also loosing more troops than him and the 2-1 maths is doing the same evil dance. Why has he not been troubled by the river crossing???
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I cannot see how I will stop him from taking most of India. I have to fall back I think. No way I can oppose this kind of heavy hitting. The trouble is, once he gets out of Dacca he can take any which way he desires and may even end up in Karachi - then I really am toast! I only really have the 2nd and the 18th. The other little units are poor to say the least and they aren't up to full srength - in fact they are at about a third. ONce again it appears to be the number of guns he can muster - 1500 to 300. I cannot compete.

The 2 regiments of the 18th are out to sea and don't dare come in to land with the KB floating around - they are trying to move Nortwards and will probably attempt for Bombay.

The Chinese assault seems poised. I move all of the force in Chunking bare 3 small resting Divisions towards Sian. I want to threaten his line of supply. See if that can create any havoc - 3,500 assault points.

Nothing much happening anywhere else

[tsimmonds]

Why has he not been troubled by the river crossing???

Maybe he has. Maybe otherwise it would be worse.

[Andy Mac]

What are you doing with the infantry in Burma.

Are they marching back or have you diverted your Dakota transport squadron to try and airvac a Bde or two back to India ?

5th Indian Div a regular experienced Army Formation arrives soon to bolster the defences.

Also you get Spits quite soon to allow contestation of the Air say one sqn converted by mid May not much but better than nothing.

Come the end of April I would be very carefull not to upgrade to many sqns as you want plenty of replacements for all types as he is going to pound you heavily on the ground as well as the air.

Andy

[Captain Cruft]

I think you're very brave going for Kwajalein at this stage. Personally I wouldn't even consider it without having Tarawa at size 5 and a base in the lower Marshalls at size 2.

One thing to bear in mind. He might not have too many planes there right now but how long is it going take to fly in all those Betties in from elsewhere?

[Andy Mac]

Dont put the objective for Rapier in the title of a post Cruft..... we must maintain operational security old bean or else there will be no surprise.....

Andy

[Captain Cruft]

Feck, sorry, didn't think. Is now edited.

[tabpub]

I love it; it now appears that Wobs has a General Staff to support him!

sidnote: Wobs, you playing Herbie again? So am I. Is he doing his Manila Gambit against you? Did me, and I am fairly happy. Pls reply private, if you like.

Now, to return you to your normally scheduled havoc.....

PzB swings and knocks Wob for another fall! The referee starts the count! SINGAPORE ONE! RANGOON TWO! AKYAB THREE! CHANDPUR FOUR!...
<commentator>This is the longest count that Wob has had this match! It might get to Dacca Six this time! If he ever reaches Karachi Ten, well, it's all over then....

[wobbly]

Trimcommalee invaded. Dimapur liberated. Another bombing run on the BBs at Diamond harbour. It's all happening.

Hi Gentlemen. Thanks for all the support and sorry about the late update - the lady of the house has decided WitP is getting in the way of 'us' so I've had to lower the amount of time i can dedicate to it.. The invasion of Kwajelein is indeed a brash move. He can move those Betties from half way across the globe, in doing so he can seriously hurt any invasion I have planned. Andy you may be right and Kwajalein is out of my reach. Instead i may look at Tarawa first. I get the feeling he is doing an India or bust approach and it is really working. The reason for hitting Kwajalein was it's importance - without it he is without the Marshals. I get the 5th Division in 25 days and the spits start appearing in mid-may. His attack on Trimcommalee is a terrible blow - he will have an awesome base there - it is loaded with supplies and fuel.
Tadpub - yep, Herb and I lock horns again. As with this current game I am pretty reactive to begin with. I have ben a little more fortunate against him.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/19/42

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Naval bombardment of Trimcomalee, at 15,25 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

62 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Kuma, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
CA Kumano
CA Mikuma
CA Maya
CA Atago
CA Takao
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 3
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
AK Poelau Bras, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Raven, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
TK Empire Onyx, Shell hits 1


Allied ground losses:
190 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 20
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1

Trim has some very potent CD defenses, they manage to ruin the Kuma's day.
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Day Air attack on Diamond Harbor , at 28,23

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
G4M1 Betty x 17

Allied aircraft
Lysander I x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Lysander I: 13 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Ramilles, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1

More strife for the BBs at Diamond harbour. 800kg bombs rain down but the damage is slight. He losses 5 Betties to flak in this raid so it wasn't for nothing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Calcutta , at 29,23

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
G3M Nell x 11

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged

Hmm - it appears the hurricanes I have in India are being flown by targets rather than pilots.
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Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 24
B-17E Fortress x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 7 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8

I don't seem to be able to really put Lae to the sword. The zeros are just too powerful smashing my P-40s.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Trimcomalee, 15,25, firing at TF 87
TF 87 troops unloading over beach at Trimcomalee, 15,25


202 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AP Amakusa Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 5, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AP Yoshida Maru #3
PG Okuyo Maru

Japanese ground losses:
351 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Well I have reasonable CD units at Trim but they don't really take a toll of the landing troops.
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Ground combat at Kungchang

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30482 troops, 379 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 77220 troops, 533 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
65 casualties reported

Kunchang is almost ready to be attacked proper by the Japs. There are hundreds of thousands of units on their way here. It is only a matter of time.
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Ground combat at 47,27

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8196 troops, 84 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1222 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 157 to 1



Allied ground losses:
1188 casualties reported

A Chinese unit - cut off and out of supplies - surrenders.
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Ground combat at Lunga

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 4931 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2037 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Japanese units that are cut off and out of supply don't appear to have to worry. Look at the damage I encounter trying to hurt them. It is not worth continuing the attack.
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Ground combat at Dimapur

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6094 troops, 34 guns, 255 vehicles

Defending force 5703 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Dimapur base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
251 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 7


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

I have managed to open the road to Burma again. The airbase of Dimapur has been retaken by an Indian tank unit. The Japs move back towards Dacca and may eventually end up adding to my woes there. The enemy troops retreated across a river so I can't follow as I will be up to my eyeballs in disruption moving into their hex. Instead the tanks take another route around. I am pleased with this as I did not expect to take it from him again.
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Ground combat at Trimcomalee

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4820 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 8222 troops, 106 guns, 5 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

One day of landings and I am already out numbered 2 to 1.
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Trimcomalee is a disaster. Not 2 days before I moved the 18th out he has moved forces there himself. I have left one regiment but that wont be enough. Trim only has forts of size 4. He will take those down faster than I can blink. Dakotas move to Madras to fly troops into Columbo but I wavered at this as I thought I might just be better to retreat. He knew I had the 18th at Trim so he will have bought enough to take out a division.
To add insult to injury Trim is loaded with supplies and fuel - loaded.

Dacca must get attacked today - it has size 4 forts with 97% completion on the next level. I have set most of the RAF to ground attack. The force at Dacca is so large it will make little difference but I have to try. My reinforcement engineers are making good time trying to get into position.

In Darwin a TF comes together to load the Aussie 2nd Division. They will go to beleagured India. Threading the needle of the KB may be hard but I have to try and alleviate this terrible attack I am under.

China is also about to turn sour with Kungchang about to be attacked. To try and throw a spanner in the works I move a 3,500 assault point army towards Sian. He will be expecting this but the size might make him hop.

In Noumea my carriers - with recouperated air wings - head to Pearl via Lunga where they will cover the landings of a base unit and supplies. Operation Rapier is slowly coming together although PzB has pretty much worked out where it will strike.

[Andy Mac]

Watch your UK pilot pool an extended campaign can deplete it and you want to keep at least one squn of experienced pilots for the Spits you will recieve.

I think Kwal is a good idea btw hit him where it hurts.

Andy

[wobbly]

Andy - as always the comments are great. I have slated the two Hurricane sqds that are fighting in China to receive spits. They are the most experienced and have about 50 kills between them - avg xp about 68. It is the time that this attack is taking to come together that is causing problems - especially now he is on the watch out. However, I think my reinforcement of Lunga may make him wonder where I am attacking - the carrier are involved after all. This turn I dispatch a combat engineer unit to Lunga on fast transport.

Issues with my dial up connection today means I don't have the combat replay to edit. Essentially the landings at Trim continue - I get quite a sizable quantity of men into Columbo via the Dakotas and Catalinas. They set off straight away on the road to Trim. His BBs are making life very difficult though as they smash the base and other surroundings. Unfortunately my engineers are following protocol and repairing the damage rather than continuing on building up the forts.

His bombers from Chandpur and Akyab hit Calcutta today and manage to completely gut my P-40 sqd. This is serious as they are my only fighters worth having in the area - only 2 are airworthy! they also blow up a couple of Wirriways and a blenheim or two.

I do return the favour by hitting the troops at Dacca with my bombers killing about 200. He has been resting his troops after crossing the river. Most of my units - previously gutted by retreating or bombardment by BBs while at Diamond harbour - have replaced their gun tubes. They are still heavily outnumbered by the Japs but the bombardment today is reported as killing over 500 invaders! As another piece of good news the fort level is up to 5 with 27% on the next level. I have 4 engineering units about 5 days away so he better start attacking soon or else the forts will go up faster than he can tear them down! I think my unwanted wish will be granted this turn though [:(]

My tank unit is racing back to try an cut off the previous owners of Dimapur - I think he is trying to get hem to his troops at Dacca - and then probably back to Chandpur. There are air droppable troops amongst them so they may then fall out of the sky way behind my lines!

The Aussie brigade and a Malayan Brigade start the torturous trek through the jungle from Burma to India. this is a long term move as he is likely to have moved on by the time they really become useful but you have to try and think long term in this game.

The two extra Brigades of the 18th Division will land in Bombay in a day or two. Isend the CL 'Dragon' and the DD 'Arrow' back to the UK today. 10 days to go before another shipping order will be upon me. If they want a BC or BB I am toast but I now have 3.5K PPs in the bank.

The Hermes and her escorts are running out of fuel on their run to Oz. I have a tanker trying to reach them but I think there will be a turn or so of 1 hex movement.

The Battle for Northern China must be about ready to start. His main formations are almost in position and my units from Chungkang are making good time towards Sian. We shall see if he thinks he needs to turn around to defend against a chinese attack or not - likely not...

In the South Pacific Rapier is coming together very slowly. I am very short of AP ships to transport the troops and have hence had to use AKs - this will mean I take a very long time to unload in the combat zone.

In San Francisco harbour a transport TF is put together taking the first Seabee unit, another construction engineer and a CD unit to Luganville.

Another B-17 Bomber group is released and departs for Pearl. There are two B-17 groups at Pearl now and they are slated for use in the Marshals.

[wobbly]

Business as usual in the Indian and Pacific

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/21/42

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Coastal Guns at Trimcomalee, 15,25, firing at TF 30
TF 30 troops unloading over beach at Trimcomalee, 15,25


62 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi
AP Buenos Aires Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
304 casualties reported

Another landing craft is heavily damaged in its attempts to unload troops
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Sub attack at 12,21

Japanese Ships
SS I-153

Allied Ships
DD Fortune, heavy damage

Fortune lives up to it's namesake managing to escape Columbo harbour. it had been the victim of a KB port raid and is at 59 Sys damage. She is likely to qualify for return to the UK.
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Naval bombardment of Trimcomalee, at 15,25

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Mikuma
CA Takao
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
TK Empire Onyx, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Poelau Bras, Shell hits 1, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
171 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 12
Port hits 7

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Naval bombardment of Trimcomalee, at 15,25 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma
CL Natori
CL Nagara
CA Haguro
CA Chokai
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Nagato

Allied Ships
AK Empire Spray, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Poelau Bras, Shell hits 2, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
210 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 4
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 2

The continued trial of Trims harbour. The damage is up in the higher echelons on all three areas.
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Day Air attack on Diamond Harbor , at 28,23

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
G3M Nell x 46
G4M1 Betty x 48

Allied aircraft
Lysander I x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Lysander I: 7 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Ramilles, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5
Port hits 2

Another heavy raid against the ships in Diamond harbour increases Sys damage on thw two Bbs by a couple of points. It appears to be very hard to hurt the ships to death without magazine explosiosn. The Ramilles is a shell at 91 SYS damage but it will probably still take capture of the harbour to sink her.
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Ground combat at Dacca

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 150202 troops, 1421 guns, 770 vehicles

Defending force 43563 troops, 374 guns, 503 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)


Japanese ground losses:
2063 casualties reported
Guns lost 75
Vehicles lost 5

Allied ground losses:
2550 casualties reported
Guns lost 35
Vehicles lost 10

Even with high disruption he manages to hurt me and take down a fort. Next level is at 62%. I have jumped the gun on teh approach of the extra engineers - they are more than 10 days away - oops.
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Ground combat at Kungchang

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 55676 troops, 853 guns, 3 vehicles

Defending force 77472 troops, 535 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
828 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

The masses of Gun tubes at Kungchung at last get their firing orders and chinese soldiers die all over the place. Fortunately men I have in abundance.
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there is little to add really. The dakotas are moving the Indian Division to Columbo very successfully but they will probably be too late to save Trim.

The bombing of Diamond harbour - the location of my B-17s - seems to have devastated their morale and they are now not flying. I am resting them and hoping for a chance to fly in a few days. The weather is rain - it seems the Japs can fly in that while all of my bombers stay on the ground.

In darwin the 2nd oz Division begins to load heading for india. They will take a very long time to get there now that Trim will be a hot zone.

[wobbly]

Dacca is done for - he gets 1-1 odds and the forts are just falling too fast.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/22/42

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Naval bombardment of Trimcomalee, at 15,25

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Mikuma
CA Takao
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
AK Poelau Bras, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
TK Empire Onyx, Shell hits 1, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1

The bombardments by his BBs are starting to loose their sting as the big ships get down to their minimum number of shells. He may retire them to get some more high explosive.
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Day Air attack on Dacca , at 31,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
G3M Nell x 43
G4M1 Betty x 19

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 6

A heavy raid on Dacca air base is repelled quite capably by the Hurricanes based there. The damage done is enough to stop a level of fortifications from going up though.
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ASW attack near Trimcomalee at 15,25

Japanese Ships
DD Nagatsuki
DD Ayanami
DD Isonami
DD Shirakumo
DD Usugumo
DD Shinonome
DD Kasumi
DD Yukikaze

Allied Ships
SS O24, hits 1, on fire

The O24 is sitting on the location of the KB but is only really a target. I move her away to Columbo to try and get some repairs done.
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Ground combat at Dacca

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 148136 troops, 1320 guns, 765 vehicles

Defending force 40872 troops, 303 guns, 489 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
678 casualties reported
Guns lost 23
Vehicles lost 7

Allied ground losses:
2850 casualties reported
Guns lost 102
Vehicles lost 39

I take massive losses from his forces and once again the odds are starting to rack up against me. This is such a hard decision. From here I have two prongs of railway advance to defend against. he can go towards Calcutta or North to Asansol.
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Ground combat at Trimcomalee

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 20242 troops, 230 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 8027 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
154 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Still just bombardments at Trim but I expect that to change in the very near future. My air transported reinforcements are 30 miles out. This turn I change the Dakotas to flying into Trim itself. This will be costly as the runway is heavily damaged. The Catalinas - with their terrible reinforcement rates will continue to land troops at Columbo.
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Ground combat at Kungchang

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 155830 troops, 1934 guns, 162 vehicles

Defending force 77000 troops, 543 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
118 casualties reported

Japanese bombardments continue in Kungchang. the two rested hurricane sqds are back on defense here this turn.
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All units at Dacca are set to retire towards Calcutta following a slower artillery unit. The defense of India is getting away from me. He can now choose to go North to Asansol or West to Calcutta or both. Asansol has two large attractions: 480 heavy industry and it is on the rail line to Burma for re-supply. Calcutta is the jewel of Eastern India.
My plan is to try and defend them both. Sit behind the river and move units towards the locations he heads to. At present the defense of Dacca is not at critical stage but leaving retreat until it is means my units get a spanking as the are forced to retreat. I need them ready to fight unsullied by retreat disruption - so my hand is once again forced. My engineers are getting closer - I desperately need their fort raising capacity now.

I expect the first proper attack into Trim this turn. I don't know how it will go as he has only bought one Division of proper combat troops. Two regiments may actually be able to resist for a while.

Further South Hermes and her group near oz. They are almost out of fuel and their tanker has almost reached them so there shouldn't be too much lost time. The two kittyhawks sqds are waiting...

I appear to have overlooked the loading of the 2nd oz Division at Darwin last turn - despite reporting that I had done it. I remember this time only to find the 2nd is a part of Australia command!! There is no time to waste in the defense of India, so I spend about 2000 PPs and attach them to the Southeast Asian HQ they begin loading - this time.

The resupply of Lunga is getting closer.

Little happening elsewhere. More troops are gathering at pearl for Rapier with an RCT, HQ, base unit and CD arriving at Pearl from the States in the next few days.

[Andy Mac]

It is a very hard decision to make

Wouldnt is be better to just write off Columbo and Tri and concentrate on India. Using the transport aircraft to get inf back from Burma ?

With Naval Superiority he can land as much as he wants there anyway and Will take them at his leisure.

The only reason I can see to hang on to them is to allow you to provide some aircover for the Re inforcement convoy coming up from Oz.

I just question how viable any attempt at hanging onto Ceylon is at this stage.

Apart from that I dont see you have much choice unfortunately

Hopefully Rapier will grab his attention and force him to divert KB.

I suppose the saving grace is even without HI Karachi generates 20k free supplies per day
Andy

[Strv103C]

The situation indeed looks bad in India. Just wondering if it is a good idea defending Burma, were you overextended? Hopefully some jap player will accept my PBEM offer and then I will face the same problems...

[wobbly]

Very very good points again Andy. I struggled with this for some time. To commit or to retreat. This is where WitP is so superior to UV - retreating is really hard to stomach; the loss of strategic flexibility you get from loosing an important base....

Loosing Ceylon will mean Nells and Betties shutting down any shipping out of India. At present he has managed this anyway with the KB but if the KB is at Ceylon it is not in the Pacific. So the thinking of defense inTrim was he can't bombard me with BBs without retiring them all the way across the Bay of Bengal to rearm, the loss of Trim AND the loss of Columbo will mean I cannot land on Ceylon to unfetter the shackles without an amphibious invasion, holding Columbo will make landing far easier - he'll have to fly through spitfires to hit my invasion forces..

The Plan for Ceylon is to defend Trim - like Dacca - until it is obviously going to fall. Retreat without being forced to retire into the hills between Trim and Ceylon. Defend these hills rather than Columbo itself. There are two ways around and I will have to monitor how he tries to do this. He can try to amphibiously take Columbo but he will need another Division to do this as he wont want to leave Trim undefended (by taking the Division that takes Trim for the job).

Once I get Wellingtons and maybe some more B-17s across to India - holding such an isolated location as Trim - for naval bombers - will become harder and harder; especially if I can provide sqds of Spitfires, Kittyhawks and the Warhawks to escort the raids.

In the next turn or so I am landing the other two regiments of the 18th at Bombay, there are also the Australian 22nd brigade and one of the Malay units retiring through Burma. Not much but there presence will start to put the brakes on this Indian Gambit - as I see it though - I have to make him fight for his gains or else he will be threatening too many locations for my meagre unit numbers to defend.

Time - it is all down to time.

[Andy Mac]

OK I understand the logic..

As I said very hard choices to make it really isnt easy trying to cover everything with inadequate forces.

(In my game with Sveint I made the other choice and tried to stand at Batavia and failed so I know these decisions are very hard)

I guess trying to hold Ceylon if nothing else buys you time.

Thinking short term once rapier is underway any thought of some sub transported or FT harrassing raids into Java, Malaya or Borneo just to try and keep him off balance he must be overstretched somewhere.

i.e. land little commando style raids to keep his attention firmly on what he has to defend.

Andy

[madflava13]

I think that's pissing into the wind - anything you land by sub is going to be outclassed by even a small Naval Garrison. If your opponent's worth anything, he won't have left any oil/resource bases without at least a token garrison. I think you'd be wasting troops and subs on a mission doomed to failure.