Hi folks back again after tying the knot. Thanks to all of those for their kind words. The wedding was excellent - I really didn't expect it to be as fun as it was so I was pleasantly surprised. I went to a little place in the South Island called Hanmer. Just spent time relaxing for a couple of days - that's all I could afford after the wedding - yea gods they are expensive! Now it is back to business as usual and the destruction of Wobbly's Allied empire.
In the combat replay I have missed out PzB managed to find my poor lamented Warspite with his carriers. He puts 4 torps into her and I have to scuttle. This really did pain me.
He massively bombarded Columbo with 2 separate BB TFs effectively closing operations at the airfield.
A large air attack hit Jamshedpur escorted by 50 zeros. I had 25 or so wildcats and Warhawks in attendance and they traded losses almost equally.
He bombarded tarawa killing a thousand men and 1 wildcat.
So now for the latest turn:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/09/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Colombo, at 14,24
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Fuso
CA Mikuma
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Kongo
Allied ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Runway hits 14
More pain for Columbo - He really does not want this place functioning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Tarawa, at 85,91
Two savage bombardments heavily eat into my wildcat numbers and again kill many of the troops stationed at tarawa. As yet I have seen no transports so I don't know what the story is there. I don't know how he managed to get such good strikes out of this bombardment - how is he replenishing the ammo onboard?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jamshedpur , at 28,22
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 43
Ki-48 Lily x 36
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
A heavy strike on the airfield at Jamshedpur is this time not repulsed by my fighters - they had retired to lick wounds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 16th Division, at 29,18
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 16
Wellington III x 34
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Further North the bombers at Lucknow hit his advancing hoards - they don't do very much damage though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 33rd Division, at 20,12
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 6
Beaufort V-IX x 18
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 6000 feet
6 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 6000 feet
A pittance of aerial defense against the Western enemy. He isn't trying to repulse this - and why should he - it is hardly hurting him. With no defenders my beauforts should get better experience though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 2,33
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
D3A Val x 11
B5N Kate x 4
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Santa Ana, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
5 more transports are attacked with the same number being sunk. PzB informs me his carriers are running out of ammo. At last I think the slaughter may slacken.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ichang
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 84687 troops, 1051 guns, 147 vehicles
Defending force 40599 troops, 232 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Allied ground losses:
215 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Here we go again in China. With nothing else to do with his massive Chinese formations he starts to take out some of the bases off the beaten track. Outnumbered and definately outgunned again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Jamshedpur
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 59966 troops, 349 guns, 145 vehicles
Defending force 24682 troops, 209 guns, 3 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Japanese ground losses:
404 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Allied ground losses:
1515 casualties reported
Guns lost 19
Bloody hell - first attack against Jamshedpur and I am going to loose again. Time to retreat. the trouble is he has closed the northern escape route so I have to move towards the west and then change to a northerly course. This will mean at least 1 hex worth of 'track' movement. Hopefully other forces can hold long enough to allow them to get behind the lines for the ultimate defense of Ahlamabad - Delhi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well the noose is tightening in India. the units beside Lucknow have at last managed to get fortified to some extent with all of them at level 2. Unfortunately there is only the tank units and a few artillery - they are up against about 3 Divisions. The A brigade of the 18th Division is on it's way there but I really need the 2nd Division to move faster - they should be in Lucknow in the next turn and then move to the hex I have designated for defense on the following turn. If they can make it - by whatever miracle - he will have to wait for support from the units currently giving Jamshedpur hell.
The units in Jamshedpur all pull out and head towards Hyderabad. I have left a base unit to slow down pursuit. I need to be able to get off the rail and hop across to the Northern rail line. The defense in the North will be even more important to allow this. If he decides not to follow me I may even make a play against Hyderabad to cut off supplies to the Eastern attack.
This eastern attack is getting itself into position to cross the river and meet the Aussies. The Aussie second has just arrived across the river so will not benefit from much in the way in fortification. The amount of firepower he has here will probably be enough to shift the Aussies unfortunately - this is my weakest defensive position - he has about 6 Divisions!
The B brigade of the 18th and the Indian 30th Division - previously holed up in the hills above Columbo - head back into town. I think he has had enough of the place and is looking to take it out. the addition of these two units (and hopefully another brigade in 20 days) might be enough to force him to commit more than he wants to.
If the Indian Ocean based carriers are out of ammo then a large number of transports will get away. He currently has 3 carrier groups working the rich shipping fields here. Hopefully timing is such that he returns to rearm and support the indian escapade just as I manage to get into position for the Javanese invasion. This is coming along nicely with the carriers now through the gap between Oz and New Guinea without being noticed. All invasion forces are successfully through and I am only wating on a base unit loading to get into position and his carriers to bugger off and we can start the operation.
I don't know what is going on at Tarawa. He is pounding merry hell out of the place but does not seem to be following it up with invasion forces. I now have a surface unit in position to attack the bombardment units. I want them to go in during the day as I don't want the torpedos to come into play too much. He has the BB Hiei there, plus about 6 Heavy CAs while I have the BB California and 3 Heavy CAs and a whole plethora of DDs. In conjunction with this I will move the Tomahawks based there previously back in to cover the surface units. However, I don't really want to commit until I know he has an invasion force. I would rather he started landing - I attack and kill some ships - hopefully driving his surface units off through lack of ammo and have a whole lot more Japs stuck on Tarawa island. PzB is musing about the location of my carriers so maybe this is really just a fishing expedition.
The 1st Marine Division is making good speed and will be in the vacinity far faster than I thought - they may be there in about 10 days but they are aboard fast APS and are making better speed than I first thought.
Back in the West Coast of the US the BB Oklahoma returns to the green in SYS damage and steadily heads towards a AAA upgrade. Arizona leaves Seattle and heads to SF as the next in line for upgrades, she is at 31% SYS damage.
But (to reopen an earlier debate) rather than hit Java why not go for Singapore direct.
PZB has to have weakened Malaya to support the attack on India and the supplies etc you could take there would be a real blow (not to mention some real VP's)
It would hurt I am sure but would really put the wind up him !!!!
Because sing is surrounded by large japanese airfields from all sides while Java is open to the south, also Sing is farther away and closer to the japanese carrier fleet in the indian ocean.
I still dont see Java as that strategic that it will force PZB to react. I know I am late in the day suggesting this but hit him somewhere it will really really hurt.
Perhaps Java is best I just hope you are starting to assemble B17/ B24 Groups in northern Aus ready to transfer into your newly liberated airfields when you take them.
I see your point, But not only would it have to Hurt PZB but it must be supportable, and be capable of subbly without incurring undo casulties on his AK's and such. Should he take and hold Java, he puts the DEI under his B-25 and larger LBA range. Following Wobbly's plan i would take a chunk of Java, set up air shop and proceede to Bleed the IJN merchant marine dry. the Major oil ports are in his range, and for those locations he cought in burma/india, the ships still have to pass his airpower to get back to japan.
He doesn't necessarly need to take an hold a location with troops, to make that location his own.
Hornblower/Andy: I would actually really like to reinforce India, but his carriers have the possibility of squashing mine and then taking the invasion apart. I would then suffer the same problem I am having with the transports fleeing India - only with troops on board. I need to be able to get the trooops off the boats and quickly taking airfields so I can get the carriers out of dodge. India is slowly coming around - he really needs to flank me with another seaborne invasion. My engineers are now out of the SE and starting build Ahlamabad and Delhi. Java - to me is possible where Singapore and India are just too much to ask, this is only June 42 remember. Yes I have b-17s ready to attack. The OOB we sstarted with did not include early Liberators - I have none yet.
First incorporated the arrival of the surface fleet at Tarawa. Unfortunately his surface fleet had departed by then and I find no-one to attack.
He takes jamshedpur, most of my units had retreated along the eastern road (towards Hyderabad) unfortunately 3 units had not though and they decide to retreat to Diamond Harbour.
The blocking force SE of Lucknow is not up to stopping the japs on the rail road there - they are forced to retreat back towards Lucknow.
Day two:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/12/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Tarawa, at 85,91 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Allied Ships
CA Northampton
DD Hatfield
DD Aylwin
DD Selfridge
DD Benham
DD Jarvis
DD Morris
DD Hughes
DD Aaron Ward
CL Helena
CL Concord
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
CA Houston
BB California
Japanese ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
My surface unit becomes bombardment force and starts raining hell upon the Japs at Tarawa.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 85,92
Japanese Ships
SS I-173
Allied Ships
DD Cassin
DMS Trevor
DD Evertsen
DD John D. Edwards
the second surface unit that had been defending Lunga arrive in tarawa in time to be attacked by a sub - no damage is suffered but it is obvious he is interested.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tarawa at 85,91
Japanese Ships
SS RO-66, hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DMS Trevor
DD Evertsen
DD John D. Edwards
Oh yes he is interested. Fortunately the California's escorts find this sub before it gets into position - it is an artificial reef now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 15
B-26B Marauder x 37
I have started hitting Lae again - make sure it is thoroughly supressed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Imperial Guards Division, at 29,18
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 16
Wellington III x 32
Damn - only the Buffalos escort my bombers and they pay for it. PzB sets some zeros at very long range to defend his troops. They make mincemeat of the incoming raids. I loose 7 wellingtons and 11 Buffalos. I have many other type ACs on escort - they just aren't going.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 2nd Australian Division, at 21,12
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-21 Sally x 49
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 4 damaged
Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Well he knows the Ozzies are here now. These guys have at last made it into position - something very strange has occured though: they appear to have size 9 fortifications!? They definately have not had time to build them. I am trying to move small units to the hexes around these blocking units so I can stop his attempts to outflank me. Some Kittyhawks take up LRCAP above the aussies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 5,49
Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 8
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Empire Impala, Bomb hits 3, on fire
His attacks on my transports are starting to wane. I have changed the movement orders on a stack of them this turn. I have been heading steadily south and he has easily kept pace - this turn I split and head east and west.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ichang
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 168521 troops, 2019 guns, 156 vehicles
Defending force 41798 troops, 228 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
With his massive advantage in guns his bombardments are enough to cause me headaches. The size 6 forts did stop him cold last time he tried a deliberate attack. Reinforcements are on their way but the speed you move on these poxy roads mean it will be all over by the time they get there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,22
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 11720 troops, 50 guns, 418 vehicles
Defending force 4115 troops, 12 guns, 166 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
540 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 19
Allied ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 4
I just thought I would remind him I am reasonably strong in Burma. These Jap units were placed SE of Asansol and are forced to retreat back there. I have decided against moving any further in any particular direction but if I can manage to put some pressure on him in the SE he may have to return some of his troops at the front to defend his holdings.
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Karachi the remnants of the RN put to see with the mission of bombarding Panaji.
In Bombay the first Hurricane sqd - they 232nd with average 64 XP - upgrade to Spitfires.
My scout planes have noticed he has sortied his BBs on missions of mayhem and destruction up north again. I will wait another couple of turns before emptying Bombay.
The large enemy army approaches the Oz Division across the river. These size 9 forts will have to work overtime. More units that have circumvented Lucknow head towards this hotspot. It remains to be seen if I have allocated enough to each location. If, by some miracle I have, then I want to try and move unit to the blocking locations around his troops and then bomb them to hell and back - a very long range expectation, but something I may as well get ready for.
Back down by Jamshedpur, the position I was in went from black to rosy in a turn. First the units that retreated from jamshedpur - with orders to head to Bombay - force marched two whole hexes! The strange thing is they have moved to the North (towards Lucknow) not back towards Hyderabad. This means they are out of the trap and able to add their weight to the defense of Lucknow. Matrix - there are many very strange happenings still in this game in regard to land movement.
Another great and wonderful boon is the units that retreated to Diamond harbour have been able to move back to Jamshedpur before he could get a blocking unit to Diamond Harbour. With Diamond harbour no longer allowed for retreat they will move the other way - they have escaped!
My units traipsing across from Burma are now arriving on the Indian side of the trail in numbers. The Dakotas are working overtime trying to get as many remnants as possible to the small airfield at Benares. Those that don't get moved across can remain a thorn in his side.
The Chinese in charge of defending Burma are now digging in SE of Pagan. I have twice as many troops as he does here but they are of far lower quality - it will be touch and go as to there ability to defend their position. Successful defense will increase their capability though.
Supply in Burma is starting to get tight!
The sad band of transports continue on their way south in the Indian.
Argghh North of Australia PzB suddenly moves in search ACs and finds one of my surface units and a troop transport TF. At present he is hypothesizing a reinforcement of India. he has been wondering where my carriers are and this has pushed him to think they are in the Indian. This time I have held my tongue and not written a single thing back. I think I am a little too easy to read.
Unfortunately I am about 2 weeks away from invasion time - this is very unfortunate! I don't think he will be thinking of a Java invasion but he will definately be on his guard though.
At Tarawa the 1st marines and their Parachute battalion land. They will start helping with reducing the Japanese contingent still on the island. Medium bombers are at Canton waiting for the airfield to be upgraded to size 4.
Watch your flank at Lucknow the last thing you need is for him to cut you off it will be a fine balancing act as to how long you linger to get troops out of the bag.
Woot Spits now we will see some action as the 1st proper front line fighter sqn activates [:D][:D][:D]
the flanks really are a worry. that is whY I am trying to wait until he moves on my main forces and then move little units to the likely flank locations. he cannot move form one location with my ownership to another. he can of course back track but that is what I will have to watch out for. Moving into the smaller roads does take a while to happen though.
I think I see what you mean - make the title of my updates "reinforce india or singapore" he has to see those while I am the latest poster for them to be of any real benefit. However - I am not aiming for singapore and really - java is too close to Singapore for my liking, better he is in India until I am firmly entrenched.
There weren´t any larger raids of Carrier planes this turn. Is he out of fuel, sortie points?
This would really make him weak. Is it possible to set up a decoy Carrer TF (CVL, CVE) and send it towards India? Might cause a strong response.
If you like what I said love me,if you dislike what I say ignore me!
"Extra Bavaria non est vita! Et sic est vita non est ita!"
Argghh North of Australia PzB suddenly moves in search ACs and finds one of my surface units and a troop transport TF. At present he is hypothesizing a reinforcement of India. he has been wondering where my carriers are and this has pushed him to think they are in the Indian. This time I have held my tongue and not written a single thing back. I think I am a little too easy to read.
My bombardment of Panaji is a success if not that damaging. The Aussies get ejected from the hold in the North of India - trying to defend to planes of attacking is starting to cause strain. The Chinese below Mandalay and especially at Ichang are in trouble.
Hornblower - oh yeah, I think I have given too much away to PzB with my ramblings in the past. He is a Psycology Major or some such brain teaser and easily sees through most of my pathetic attempts at propaganda. Better to say nothing I think.
MLees - his Carriers appear to be retreating back up towards India - either to replenish AC sorties or to help in the subjigation of the North of India. One TF is still down in the transport stream though.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/14/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Panaji, at 17,14
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Tango Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
AP Tanba Maru, Shell hits 1
PG Muro Maru, Shell hits 3
AP Tamaki Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
AP Yamato Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Syoryu Maru, Shell hits 1
TK San Luis Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Taian Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
AP Siraha Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Niitaka Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PG Nanpo Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Rakuto Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Sunten Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Osaka Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Yosyu Maru, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
DD Panther
DD Paladin
DD Napier
DD Isis
DD Piet Hein
DD Kortenaer
DD Banckert
DD Vampire
DD Stewart
DD Patterson
DD Mugford
CLAA Van Heemskerck
CL De Ruyter
CA Devonshire
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 11
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 3
The remains of the RN bombard Panaji and hit quite a number of Jap ships here - what is he doing with these numbers here??
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 12
No Allied losses
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 2
i am trying to shut Koepang down - his introduciton of recon and search planes here is a pain to the Java preparations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 14
B-26B Marauder x 33
I continue to hammer Lae - it must be next to useless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 19th Engineer Regiment, at 28,17
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 11
Wellington III x 12
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported
The attacks towards Lucknow have been stopped cold but I have to be very careful not to get cut off here. All units that make it back from Jamshedpur are now heading to the defense of Ahlamabad and Delhi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chandpur Naval Base Force, at 28,23
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Ki-21 Sally x 75
Ki-48 Lily x 36
Allied ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1
Wow that is a mighty air armada. He does take a few hits from AAA but otherwise it is just a matter of time before the two base units (that I can't move due to their big guns) get taken.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Trimcomalee at 15,25
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 11
Damn - this tankers I noticed the turn before were moving to Trimcommalee not north after the BBs. My Wildcats don't attend and the swordfish fall from the sky.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 11,58
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 12
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Empire Cormorant, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
This is the only attack on the transports heading south today. Scout planes do find ships further out but carrier ACs don't fly. The betties do come from Batavia which is a worry for the java invasion - batavia may require some BB attention!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,32
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15196 troops, 59 guns, 94 vehicles
Defending force 24830 troops, 125 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
437 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
298 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
The first attack by the Japs South of Manadalay. I have bolstered the Chinese with another Division and hopefully that will be enough to hold.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 21,12
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 117935 troops, 1246 guns, 41 vehicles
Defending force 19018 troops, 170 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 71 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
319 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Allied ground losses:
469 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
The Aussies are forced to retreat - they are therefore in bad shape. The AI movement thing gets me again with the Indian 5th (holding on the hex to the East) refusing to move to a hex. I have reset their movement to aim for Delhi instead.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ichang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 194215 troops, 2124 guns, 302 vehicles
Defending force 41067 troops, 217 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 5)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
1475 casualties reported
Guns lost 31
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
1816 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Yike - this is starting to get problematic. I order the units to retreat - will he order a shock attack?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 28,17
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 29631 troops, 196 guns, 286 vehicles
Defending force 30377 troops, 330 guns, 430 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
821 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 5
Allied ground losses:
479 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Vehicles lost 12
These are the units SE of Lucknow. His advance here has been well and truely stopped. Unfortunately the 2 Divisions in the west are not holding his advances there so it looks like these guys will have to retreat anyway.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India, as always, occupies my thoughts. I am preparing to abandon Bombay - with its 800,000 supplies (that's right 800,000 - nothing I could do about it - they just accrue) PzB will jump for joy when he takes it. I can't look to defend Bombay though - the BBs posse is on it's way north already. I have to find a place to hide my RN forces as they are going to get pounded by these mean machines.
My Indian 5th and the Aussies are retreating to the rail hex between Delhi and Ahlamabad. I feel they will not have enough strength to stop the 8 or so Divisions he has here unless he takes Bombay in force and waits to move on Delhi and Ahlamabad.
The Javanese venture is coming together slowly - I need to pick up some more base units and I'm doing that from the ones I have in Darwin.
In tarawa the 1st Marines will join the Americal Division and some twin engine bombers (tarawa just expanded to size 4) plus the daily naval bombardments in an attack on the Japs still located here.
Another day of mixed up combat reports. I had all my chinese in Burma being forced to retreat while the 5th Indian fared the same fate in NE india. Fortunately neither are correct and the chinese still hold while the 5th Indian are retreating in good order. The first attack against the units at tarawa with inclusion of the 1st marines nets instant results. A stalwart defense by the sudden zero arrivals at Lae gives me a bloody nose.
Toraq - force load out aimed at Java. They are waiting on the carriers and are situated about 10 hexes ENE of Derby
Naval - 5 US CVs, 1 UK CV and CVL, 5 BBs, 8 CAs, 3 CLs and 31 DDs - a plethora of transports.
Land units
US III Corp HQ
ABDA HQ
2nd USMC Div
25th USA Div
27th USA Div
32nd USA Div
111th USA RCT
193rd Tank Batt
2nd USMC Raiders
72nd US Field Gun
8th USMC Def Batt
105th Base Unit
No 102 RAAF base Unit
2nd, 7th and 9th DAF base units
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/15/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 87,91
Japanese Ships
SS I-24, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DD Selfridge
I noticed a sub off the coast of Tarawa - I sent a couple of DDs and the Selfridge is all that is needed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Tarawa, at 85,91 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Allied Ships
CL Adelaide
CL Detroit
CA Canberra
DD Hatfield
DD Aylwin
DD Morris
DD Hughes
DD Aaron Ward
CL Helena
CL Concord
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
CA Houston
CA Northampton
BB California
Japanese ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Pre-empting the attack for the day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77
I am trying to make the use of Koepang less attractive for his search planes - another bombardment force is ready to go in during the next turn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 15
B-26B Marauder x 32
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ouch and double ouch. I loose 7 Kittyhawks and 5 Beuforts in this attack. He does loose 3 zeros however - strange the anomally in combat reporting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 16th Division, at 28,17
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 11
Wellington III x 15
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
WEll all these guys were based in Lucknow - they move back to Delhi.
This is the only remnant of Japanese carrier power still in the Southern Indian Ocean. The Tf is more here as a tripwire for a liberation attempt to India.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,32
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14577 troops, 47 guns, 91 vehicles
Defending force 24340 troops, 116 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
172 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
283 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
In my combat reply this attack on my Chinese got 6-1 odds and smashed me back to Pagan. Thankfully not actually true. Another pittance Chinese Division arrives at the same location tomorrow - I hope its numbers plus the arrival of another HQ in the right vacinty can stop his continued movements north.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ichang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 192080 troops, 2052 guns, 299 vehicles
Defending force 38325 troops, 165 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4
Japanese ground losses:
772 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
1308 casualties reported
Guns lost 46
These guys are all making good movement out of the lost cause city of Ichang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 20,12
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 50093 troops, 382 guns, 7 vehicles
Defending force 18251 troops, 136 guns, 254 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
194 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
198 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 1
This is the attack on the 5th Indian. They should make it to the next hex and away from these guys in the next turn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tarawa
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 33446 troops, 267 guns, 135 vehicles
Defending force 2843 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 619 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1195 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
223 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
All the Japs at Tarawa bar the 61st guards unit (which Banzai charges) are destroyed. Another bombardment and attack next turn should cause more losses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This turn the movement AI does me another evil turn. My only combat HQ unit in India: the UK III (from memory) decides to head off the rail and into a 2 mile per day hex. There are so many Jap units around that this is probably the end for them.
My tank units that were defending SE of Lucknow were ordered to retreat back towards Ahlamabad and Delhi but they too decide against movement - it is driving me absolutely crazy.
In slightly better news the first remnant of the BFF brigade is ferried into Benares from Dimapur. The longer I can resist moving back towards Delhi the more troops can be flown in.
It is 15 days until the 1st Chindit unit is landed at Karachi - I wonder if it will still be mine then...
All heavy bombers are now in Delhi aiming at the NE prong of enemy assault. Despite being set to attack for the last 5 turns the B-17s have just sat on the tarmac though.
His BBs are all at Panaji - I expected him to continue towards Bombay. That is likely to be slated for next turn so all my ACs are evacuated.
In Burma it seems the poor morale of the Chinese is my biggest problem. I have 3 HQs around them but they don't appear to be able to resist or repair the problem. I may just have to bite another bullet and retreat to Mandalay. I am thinking of moving some of the Chinese bombers across to Mandalay to try and suppress his attacking units. They are more likely to just be lost there though.
These guys are all making good movement out of the lost cause city of Ichang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 20,12
Japanese Deliberate attack
...
This is the attack on the 5th Indian. They should make it to the next hex and away from these guys in the next turn.
You are saying that your LCUs are still marching out of the hex, even after enemy ground attacks? Never works for me, what's your secret? Or are you still on an old version...?
These guys are all making good movement out of the lost cause city of Ichang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 20,12
Japanese Deliberate attack
...
This is the attack on the 5th Indian. They should make it to the next hex and away from these guys in the next turn.
You are saying that your LCUs are still marching out of the hex, even after enemy ground attacks? Never works for me, what's your secret? Or are you still on an old version...?
you have to set the destination to another base i think
