Tom & Blackwatch Lessons from War

[Tom Hunter]

It looks like Blackwatch has been winning in March and April. From January to March I closed in on the ship sunk and aircraft destroyed figures and even made a very small dent in the army losses. The last month or so has see the Japanese lead increase in all areas, though the increase in bases controlled has been small.

Allied AC points lost: 3234
Japanese: 2408

Allied Army loss points: 6990
Japanese: 676

Allied ships sunk: 323
Points: 3839

Japanese ships sunk: 83
Points: 1184

The army losses will have one more big jump when Soerbaja falls and Java becomes a Japanese Island. After than there is some chance that Blackwatch will take out garrisons in Port Moresby or Guadal Canal but that is not a forgone conclusion both places have turned into big attrition battles in the air and at sea.

The British are esentially out of the war not because they are losing but because the Japanese are not attacking India and the Brits are not strong enough to launch a major counter offensive. As a result they are no longer attriting the Japanese. Durning the first months of 1942 the most severe attrition of Japanese air was in Burma Vs. the RAF. Now that has slowed down a lot and so the Japanese are doing better in the air. They have air superiority (but not control) over Port Moresby, Guadal Canal, Soerbaja and the Kendari which is where the air battles have been occuring so my losses have been higher than Blackwatches.

At sea the allied fleets have been hiding while the Japanese have been staying under LBA for the most part. When the Japanese move into danger zones like the Port Moresby area they get hit but seldom hard enough to sink them. Early in the war I under estimated the range and power of Japanese LBA and lost a number of valuable warships. Now to hold the line I have to run AKs in under Japanese LBA and these often get sunk but I have held the line against Blackwatch so its a trade. We will see if its worth it as the game goes forward.

[Blackwatch_it]

At the end of February my armies were stretched to the limit and as a result I was no more winning any battle.
So I needed to change and use a more conservative tactics. I slowed down my pace and reorganized my forces. The only land conquest in this period in Luzon, but everywhere my forces are now in good shape: low disruption and fatigue high experience and morale. Now I have several units in PI ready to be used where I need them. The attempts to resupply PM and Lunga compelled Tom to expose his transport ships and also to try some sorties with his surface units: this allowed me to inflict losses both on transports and war ships.
The need to protect the allied ships unloading produced the heavy air battles over PM and Lunga that gave me a very good loss balance.
The outcome of the airbattle could not be different IMO: I have a level 8 air base in Rabaul and two minor bases in Buna (very close to PM) and Munda (very close to Lunga). This situation allowed me to add the Zeros from this minor bases to the one escorting the bombers from Rabaul.

[Blackwatch_it]

Some quiet days. Even the air battles in South Pacific are very limited.
Japanese troops started Phase two of th Philippines conquest. San Jose is in Japanese control and troops landed in Roxas.
Some more Alied air losses: the situation is now 3341 vs 2454
In China Japanese troops were commpelled to retreat south from the rail line to Kaifeng, while Chinese troops were pushed north from the rail between Changsha and Hengchow. The rail line is free of Chnese troops and zocs from Hanoi to 60 miles west of Nanning

[Tom Hunter]

We have both found that when we push hard our loss rate goes up, and we have both become more careful about our operations.

Blackwatch continues to pound Lunga and Port Moresby so both airfields are in bad shape. It has been a few days since the last flight of the 300 plane flying fist of death in the South Pacific.

Japanese transports started unloading at Kragan North of Soerbaja on April 17th by the 18th they had attracked the attention of a group of B26s based in Bali. These hit several DDs, APs and AKs with bombs but did not sink any (that I know of). On April 20th a bombardment group hit Bali and ended the party by smashing up the airfield and the bombers on it.

Allied bombers contine to churn up dirt in Burma and this gradually raises thier experience level.

Allied intelligence reports large troop concentrations in Batavia we believe this is the army that took Manila heading South to knock out Soerbaja. Otherwise things are quiet which means that we are both building up strength for another wild melee.

[Blackwatch_it]

ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter

Allied intelligence reports large troop concentrations in Batavia we believe this is the army that took Manila heading South to knock out Soerbaja.

Just one division, should be enough for Soerbaja.

[Tom Hunter]

For the most part April has been a month of consolidation and rest for both sides. The Japanese have started taking out the smaller bases in the Philipines such as the undefended bases of Roxas and have put about 8,000 men up against the Philipine division that is defending Iolio. The are taking about a base a day but spending a little longer on the defended ones.

Soerbaja continues to be a stand off. Because its temperate the Dutch have been growing their garrison organically and it now has over 30k defenders. There are also large base forces in the area and that has allowed the allies to put in the occasional bomber formation for a good sized raid. The allies were using Bali as a hub and bombed some Japanese ships April 20-22 but that party ended when a big bombardment force came in and shut the Island airbase down.

Since then Blackwatch has been sending Sallies to keep the place shut. The Dutch have responded with Brewsters and Demons and on the 25th the actually shot down 2 of the Sallies. Alson on the 25th 40 B25s raided a Japanese airbase North of Soerbaja and blew up 2 Sallies on the ground. It’s a small scale tit-for-tat raiding using forces that are too obsolete to be used where the real stuff is flying.



The allies have been using Thursday Island to support Port Moresby and Blackwatch sent a CL and DD group to put a stop to that. They were spotted on their way in and the Walrus squadron attacked. However their unusual weapon choice (live 500lb walruses) proved aerodynamically unstable and no hits were scored. On April 26th they arrived off the shore of Thursday Island but failed to attack or bombard (I love watching this happen to some one else for a change) and came under a rain of bombs from A-24 Dauntlesses, Walruses, Hudsons from Cooktown and B17s from Cairns. 121 sorties were flown and 2 bomb hits were reported. On one hand I am upset at the hit rate of 1.8% per sortie which means we are probably dropping 100-200 bombs to get a hit but on the other hand I am glad we finally hit something.

The next post will cover the increasingly violent battle for control of the rail lines in China.

[Tom Hunter]

China turns into a battle for the rail lines with action in the North, Center and South. Both of us win and lose some but nothing is decisive.

[Blackwatch_it]

The battle of Bali

The big new of the end of April is the return of allied ships in combat. But it's not the powerful US navy that shows off, it's the Royal Navy.
On April 29 a Japanese convoy is heading to Bali escorted by a bombardment TF is attacked by British naval planes that score some hits on the bombardment TF.
LBA from Java and Bali are also showing, but the invasion force keeps heading to Bali that is reaced on April 30.
The Japanese TF is met there by a surface combat TF strong of 3 British BBs.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Bali at 24,68

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CA Mogami, Shell hits 1
CA Suzuya
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 1
DD Arashi, Shell hits 1
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio, Shell hits 2
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
BB Revenge
BB Resolution
CA Cornwall
CL Enterprise
CL Emerald
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 1
DD John D. Ford
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 1
DD Pope
DD Vendetta
DD Arrow

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Bali at 24,68

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Mogami, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
DD Arashi, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asashio, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Oshio
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Arashio, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 1
BB Revenge, Shell hits 6
BB Resolution
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 2
CL Enterprise
CL Emerald
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Pillsbury
DD Pope, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Vendetta
DD Arrow

At the end of the double engagement one Japanese CA, one Japanese DD and one British DD are sunk.

In the meantime the Japanese land forces are landing on Bali. Allied planes both from CVs and land hit the convoy and the retreating surface TF with several attacks. Japanese naval bombers score some bomb hit on the British BBs.
On May 1 the air attacks continue But the Japanese troops conquer Bali and destroy several LBAs there. The British TFs retreat.

[Tom Hunter]

The Brits had been lurking in the area for a while and rushed in to stop the invasion. Unfortunately for the Allies the Japanese covering force protected the transports successfully though at some cost and the invasion got ashore taking the island a day later.

I did not feel safe keeping the BBs at Bali in the face of Japanese airpower and Blackwatch did send an airstrike which put some bombs on to the British BBs which further confirmed my decision to run after the successful surface action.



Two British CV launched repeated airstrikes proving once again that the swordfish is the most dangerous allied plane in the early war. Beauforts, A20s and Whirraways from Malang also hit Japanese ships in the area during the 3 days of battle. Suzaya was struck repeatedly by bombs and torpedos on her slow trip back to Batavia and I am hopeful that she will sink before she makes port.

The Japanese lost more than 10 ships in the combined air and surface battles over the 4 days of heavy fighting most of these were APs and AKs but Chokai and a DD went down and the allies are still hopeful that one or two of the Japanese cripples will roll over as well. Air losses were close to even in the air but the Japanese caught 33 allied bombers on the ground in Bali so the score went Blackwatch's way on planes but not on pilots where it was about even.

By May 2nd the British had moved out of air attack range (thier outbound attack range that is) for fear of KB which was last sighted near PM on April 27th or 28th. The allies evacuated the airbase at Malang for fear of the powerful airstrikes we knew would come once Blackwatch stopped sending his air to look for the Royal Navy. The 3rd day of the Japanese offensive against Soerbaja saw the fort reduced to a 4 but the Dutch held on. May 3rd saw a bombardment attack on the Dutch fortress and a major air raid on the now empty airfield at Malang, the only allied activity was a few Martins trying to bomb the transports still off the coast of Bali.

At the end of operations I think we can safetly call this a strategic victory for the Japanese but a tactical victory for the allies. The fall of Bali makes Soerbaja much harder to supply and support and there is just no way the place can hold against the 111,000 Japanese outside. There are only 26,000 defenders though they have been digging in since February so maybe they will last more than a few days more.

The British won a tactical victory at sea but they failed to stop the landing. The butchers bill was larger this time but Blackwatch still got what he wanted. Still I feel a bit better after this battle because I did not get crushed and managed to hurt the IJN a little bit.

[Tom Hunter]

April 23 1942

[Tom Hunter]

And May 5 1942 after the battle for Bali
Also note the climb in Japanese army losses, there has been heavy fighting in the Wuchow, Nanning, Canton triangle in the last few days.

[Blackwatch_it]

I agree, it was the reverse of Coral See battle: a tactical victory that didn't stop Bali invasion.
Suzuya reached Batavia in a not too bad shape. It was one of the DDs that slowed down the the trip.
It was a price not too high to pay for Bali. It's not possible to have every operation succesfull with no losses at all.

[Tom Hunter]

May 5th 1942

The Dutch Fortress of Soerbaja falls to overwhelming Japanese attack. Over 111,000 Japanese defeated 26000 Dutch defenders to take the city.

The Dutch retreated to Malang where they are now demoralized and low on everything. Its a number 4 fort but I doubt it will last much more than a day once the Japanese attack.

[Tom Hunter]

Malang falls May 10th ending the battle for Java and Marching 19,000 Dutch into captivity. I am fairly pleased with this because Java held out for more or less its historical life span so no complaints.

In China fighting continues to be heavy near Wuchow. X marks a battle between 100,000 Chinese and 20,000 Japanese that has been going on for nearly 2 weeks now. The Japanese are cut off and surrounded but they just won't die. Well 200-300 a turn die but at that rate it will be 1943 before the pocket is reduced. The red arrow shows an advance by 80,000 Japanese soldiers who just defeated the Chinese troops now heading for Kwieyang to the West.

[Tom Hunter]

The air gets bloody for both sides for two reasons. First there is a huge air sea battle going on off Port Moresby for the third day in a row allied bombers hit the large fleet that the Japanese sent to finally take the place.

Second I finally found a chink in Blackwatch's armor. His air bases in China don't really have much cap and my 4 engine bombers in India did not really have much to do. That pretty much explains the Sallys destroyed on the ground.

[Blackwatch_it]

On May 11 Japanese troops captured Port Moresby.

Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 67466 troops, 505 guns, 142 vehicles

Defending force 12253 troops, 73 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Moresby base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
660 casualties reported
Guns lost 44
Vehicles lost 6

Allied ground losses:
26595 casualties reported
Guns lost 84

The reinforcements landed in the days before the attack made the difference even if the ships transpoting them were severely bombed.
Several APs are heavily damaged, but the allied payed an high cost of LBAs in exchange.

South Pacific
Besides the fall of PM the main news are a KB cruise up to Darwin. On the road several Allied ships were hit and some sunk.

The attack agaist Darwin port May 10 gave some good results with at least 2 sunk DDs

Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 37
D3A Val x 63
B5N Kate x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 5 destroyed, 9 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Evertsen, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Van Ghent, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Snipe, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Malda, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Van Nes, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Swordfish, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS O21, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS O19, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Searaven, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Sculpin, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Patrol, Bomb hits 1, on fire

PI
A force composed of ona division and one tank regiment landed in Cagayan and is now marching to Davao. Only Cebu and
some bases on Mindanao are still in Alied hands.

DEI
After the conquest of Java the Japanese troops are preparing the capture of the minor bases still cotrolled by the Allies.

Burma
Quiet front, just some routine British bombing.

China
Not much to add to Tom's report. Slaughter goes on.

[Tom Hunter]

Here is the map of the KB cruise and the other fighting for PM



The thing that amazes me about all this is the only unit that I have that will fly against KB is the Aussie Walrus squadron. I wish I could give those guys a better plane they are the bravest pilots alive.

[Blackwatch_it]

The conquest of Port Moresby was the last of the tree main operations that I started in March.
They was the conquest of Luzon, the conquest of Java and the conquest of PM. This phase of the war is now concluded.
The new phases started with the capture of the other islands in Philippines. Of course I can't talk of my future plans here (sorry Tom), but my units are getting ready.
My navy in in very good shape and still keeping the Aliied on defence. The loss of the CVLs didn't reduce much the superiority of Japanese flattops till now.
Even is Tom is able to conduce some brilliant operations (like tha one at Bali), he can't yet challenge an open battle against IJN.
On the air side the allied heavy bomber are the main problem, but they are paying a bloody tribute for their missions as happened at PM.
I have now plenty of land units to send for new targets: the end of Java campaign frees three divisions, three brigades, two tank regiments and some minor units and in PM there are two divisions and one brigade.
I'm sure that big battles will happen soon: the Allied forces are getting strong and bold and I believe that they will show up somewhere in the near future.

[Tom Hunter]

Actually I can't get my !*%#@ ships to repair fast enough so I won't be showing up anywhere.

Of course there might be a certain amount of disinformation in that statement but I am unhappy with the fact that one of my CVs has 2 sys damage on it that is still there after more than 2 weeks of sitting in repair.

But Blackwatch is right things are bound to get going soon enough.

[Tom Hunter]

KB raid to May 17

After raiding Darwin on May 10-11 KB headed East across the top of Oz then South to raid the East Coast ports. They hit the jackpot when they reached Townsville catching a convoy unloading troops that had been planned for Port Moresby on May 14th.

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
D3A Val x 48
B5N Kate x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 2 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Liberty, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Speelman, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
AP J. Franklin Bell, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
AP Pijnacker Hordijk, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP President Coolidge, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Manunda, Bomb hits 4, on fire

There was more than one strike and more than one convoy. Some ships sank but most of them are still burning in the capacity 5 port. I doubt they will sink but they are out of action for a very long time.

What KB did not know is that the allies had a great many aircraft on training missions in the area. I had not switched the fighters to escort because I did not think Blackwatch would steam into range of 4 class 5 airfields but he did. On May 15th the counterstrike was launched. The strikes were weaker and more poorly coordinated than I would like because he surprised me but they finally scored:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 17
P-40B Tomahawk x 9
B-17E Fortress x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 4 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 7 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2
DD Arare
CV Kaga, Bomb hits 1

This was the third strike and most of the Japanese cap of 33 zeros was out of ammo or busy elsewhere.

Aircraft losses were huge on the 15th I lost 70 planes Blackwatch lost 41. On the bright side 21 of my losses were Wirraways and 37 of his were from the CV Daitai’s when you look at front line losses my good fighters traded with his good fighters 1 to 1.

On the 16th KB moved out of range and the area got back to its usual story of Japan bombing the Canal and Thursday Island to keep them unusable.

In China ground combat has pretty much stopped except for the two armies at Yenen which continue to bombard each other. The Wuchow – Nanning battles ended when Blackwatch opened an escape route for the 6th division. I shock attacked it and got 124 to 1 odds and it ran away. That makes me wonder if I would have forced it to surrender if I had shock attacked the turn before but we will never know. Speculation aside 6th division spent 10 days surrounded and under attack then ran so its not a bunch of happy campers. Japanese ground losses went from the high 700s to over 900 during this period and most of them came from the 6th.

Also in China the Japanese have advanced two hexes on the road to Chunking. Is it the start of a drive on the Chinese capital? A clever feint? A pathing glitch affecting troops on leave to Hong Kong? Only the inscrutable oriental mind knows for sure.