Very active day today, Sinkawang falls, even quicker than I expected. This is bad, as it means the units on the trail who retreated from Kuching are now cut off.
There is a fair bit of action today over and around Sinkawang. 15 Zeroes make a mess of the RDAF, thats going to hurt with the miniscule Dutch pilot pool. The PT boats do score a few hits, but not many, and a Dutch sub torpedoes a Jap battleship. (There are at least 3 Jap BBs in the area, and the Martins have actually been very lucky bombing them, there have been about 10 hits in the past week. I didnt bother noting these before as the 250lb bombs just bounce off so its marginal). The PT force will be trying again, there are a lot of subs marking the waters between Kuching and Sinkawang to pick off stragglers, and the AVG portion at Singapore has been moved temporarily to Sinkawang to see if those Vildebeest can have a day of solid backup and score some hits on the still unloading transports and battleships covering them.
Elsewhere in Dutch lands, odd units from the west coast of Sumatra, Bali, and sundry other little bases have been or are being scraped up. Most are being dropped at Timor, a few are going to Java in an effort to concentrate some Dutch forces.
Burma, I see no further advancement from his positions at Pagan, though more units are coming up it would seem. He is regularly reconning Akyab now.
In the South Pacific, the USN carriers dock at Port Moresby and fill up their tanks. Shipping is being pulled out where possible as the KB threatens to show up possibly anywhere off the Aus coast in a couple of days. The CVs are going to hide NW of Port Moresby in the open ocean until the threat passes. He brought up minesweepers at Rabaul, the thin sub laid minefield is not going to be a threat now. And the Devastators there still suck.
Central Pacific - nothing new, my surface forces raid on Baker Island is still developing. A -lot- of transport TFs around there. My only current issue is that Canton Island is down to 4000 supply and is in the red.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/21/42
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TF 6 encounters mine field at Singkawang (25,57)
TF 6 troops unloading over beach at Singkawang, 25,57
Japanese Ships
MSW Wa 3
Japanese ground losses:
93 casualties reported
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 25,57
Japanese Ships
MSW Wa 3
AP Iwaki Maru
AP Josho Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Kaihei Maru, on fire
AP Kaika Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Kaiko Maru
AP Koshu Maru #3
AP Meisho Maru, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Meiten Maru
AP Meiu Maru, on fire
AP Mexico Maru
AP Midori Maru
AP Sunten Maru
AP Teiun Maru
AP Haisho Maru
AP Yamagata Maru
Allied Ships
PT TM-4
PT TM-5
PT TM-6
PT TM-7
PT TM-8
PT TM-9
PT TM-10
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-13
PT TM-14
PT TM-15
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Day Air attack on 89th Chinese Corps, at 47,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 12
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-51 Sonia x 56
Ki-21 Sally x 13
Ki-48 Lily x 12
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 7
I-153c x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 damaged
I-153c: 2 damaged
Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Aircraft Attacking:
26 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
10 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 10000 feet
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
8 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
(Near Ichang, again. Fatigue is creeping up to almost 10, one more day then they are getting a rest. Might rotate out the Chinese fighters back to Chungking, the AVG must stay as they are the only reason the Chinese planes dont get knocked out of the sky in droves. Good experience for those biplanes though I guess.)
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Day Air attack on TF at 25,56
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 2
Beaufort V-IX x 8
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Yamagata Maru
AP Sunten Maru
AP Midori Maru
AP Teiun Maru
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Hudson I bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 3000 feet
2 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 3000 feet
(This TF strayed too far west of Sinkawang and came into Beaufort range from Palembang. Unfortunately, only just, so no torpedoes. I do think he might be being audacious here, this isnt the first TF I've seen half way between Borneo and Sumatra for no reason)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Singkawang at 25,57
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Allied aircraft
T.IVa x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
T.IVa: 4 destroyed
(Zeroes do bad things to the RDAF, which so far has done a fine job really)
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Day Air attack on TF, near Singkawang at 25,57
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
(Owww)
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Day Air attack on TF, near Rabaul at 61,88
Allied aircraft
TBD Devastator x 7
Allied aircraft losses
TBD Devastator: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged
Japanese Ships
AK Venice Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Yuzuki
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x TBD Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x TBD Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Time Surface Combat at 24,57
Japanese Ships
AP Kaihei Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Meisho Maru, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Meiu Maru
Allied Ships
PT TM-4
PT TM-5
PT TM-6
PT TM-7
PT TM-8
PT TM-9
PT TM-10
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-13
PT TM-14
PT TM-15
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Ground combat at Malacca
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 56223 troops, 225 guns, 477 vehicles
Defending force 18687 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
78 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
526 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
(They bend, but they do not break!)
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Ground combat at Singkawang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 4915 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 1079 troops, 9 guns, 3 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Singkawang base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
T.IVa: 2 destroyed
Do 24K-2: 3 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Allied ground losses:
58 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1769 troops, 23 guns, 20 vehicles
Defending force 14318 troops, 69 guns, 18 vehicles
EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Japanese forces close to within 60 miles of Mandalay. Reinforcements are too far to intervene, but every bomber and fighter bomber in Burma is attacking them.
The AVG in China is exhausted, and stands down. More Chinese biplanes rotate in, and will have a go at the Nates and Oscars, though I imagine they'll die like flies. You never know though. The AVG component I rested at Chandpur is back up to 99 morale 0 fatigue, and so I might send them back into the fray next turn. They are still down to 16 aircraft though, the Tomahawk production can't keep up with the AVGs needs.
At Pontiniak the weather forecast is a rare clear day. 5 Swordfish, 12 Vildebeest and 20 AVG fighters are there at the moment, and battleships at Sinkawang only one hex away. I really hope that those Vildebeest actually take off this turn, a better opportunity will not arise. Several subs refitting in Soerabaja have been released the waters in the straits are infested with them now.
He reinforced Rabaul with a Bde, the position is effectively untenable. He's got major surface forces in the area, not to mention the KB kicking around somewhere. The Kiwi brigades will take a week to arrive at Rabaul, too long, and the KB is between them. I think a more measured response is appropriate, and Lunga is looking better by the day. Theres a US division probably 2-3 weeks out of the South Pacific area, so backup would appear to be possible.
I got so many Centpac command ground units I dont know what to do with them. Loads of AA, CDs, even more divisions then I really know what to do with, Pearl and Canton Island in particular are bristling with AA, CD, etc. And there is more coming. Bring it on is all I can say.
Day Air attack on 89th Chinese Corps, at 47,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-51 Sonia x 56
Ki-21 Sally x 15
Ki-48 Lily x 10
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 5
I-153c x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 17 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
9 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 10000 feet
9 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
6 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
8 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
(The AVG are exhausted, fatigue in the 20s. Hardly any of them even fly. Next turn the biplanes are on their own.)
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Day Air attack on TF at 24,57
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
Beaufort V-IX x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Meiu Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Hudson I bombing at 3000 feet
(Another AP strays near Palembang)
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Ground combat at Malacca
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 56281 troops, 222 guns, 478 vehicles
Defending force 17334 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
4711 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
(I give the British Thermopylae two more days maximum)
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14256 troops, 66 guns, 18 vehicles
Defending force 4318 troops, 36 guns, 22 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
649 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
(he must have some heavy disruption from all the bombing and the landing itself. Soon as they recover they are going to stomp the Aussies here. I did reinforce but evidently not enough.)
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The AVG in China is exhausted, and stands down. More Chinese biplanes rotate in, and will have a go at the Nates and Oscars, though I imagine they'll die like flies. You never know though. The AVG component I rested at Chandpur is back up to 99 morale 0 fatigue, and so I might send them back into the fray next turn. They are still down to 16 aircraft though, the Tomahawk production can't keep up with the AVGs needs.
At Pontiniak the weather forecast is a rare clear day. 5 Swordfish, 12 Vildebeest and 20 AVG fighters are there at the moment, and battleships at Sinkawang only one hex away. I really hope that those Vildebeest actually take off this turn, a better opportunity will not arise. Several subs refitting in Soerabaja have been released the waters in the straits are infested with them now.
He reinforced Rabaul with a Bde, the position is effectively untenable. He's got major surface forces in the area, not to mention the KB kicking around somewhere. The Kiwi brigades will take a week to arrive at Rabaul, too long, and the KB is between them. I think a more measured response is appropriate, and Lunga is looking better by the day. Theres a US division probably 2-3 weeks out of the South Pacific area, so backup would appear to be possible.
I got so many Centpac command ground units I dont know what to do with them. Loads of AA, CDs, even more divisions then I really know what to do with, Pearl and Canton Island in particular are bristling with AA, CD, etc. And there is more coming. Bring it on is all I can say.
Day Air attack on 89th Chinese Corps, at 47,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-51 Sonia x 56
Ki-21 Sally x 15
Ki-48 Lily x 10
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 5
I-153c x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 17 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
9 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 10000 feet
9 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
6 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
8 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
(The AVG are exhausted, fatigue in the 20s. Hardly any of them even fly. Next turn the biplanes are on their own.)
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Day Air attack on TF at 24,57
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
Beaufort V-IX x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Meiu Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Hudson I bombing at 3000 feet
(Another AP strays near Palembang)
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Ground combat at Malacca
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 56281 troops, 222 guns, 478 vehicles
Defending force 17334 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
4711 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
(I give the British Thermopylae two more days maximum)
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14256 troops, 66 guns, 18 vehicles
Defending force 4318 troops, 36 guns, 22 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
649 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
(he must have some heavy disruption from all the bombing and the landing itself. Soon as they recover they are going to stomp the Aussies here. I did reinforce but evidently not enough.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
A bad turn. A defeat NE of Hengchow in China sends many Chinese divisions fleeing - but the Chins were outnumbered 4 to 1. KB appears, about half way between Port Moresby and the Aus coast, and a transport TF - empty, fortunately - is erased.
The US carriers are only just out of Jap range. SO CLOSE! run rabbit run rabbit run run run. US light forces show up at Baker Island, scare the hell out of some Jap ASW craft and then bombard - the ASW craft dont offer opposition but the CDs at Baker Island really hurt! Bad move. Two more destroyers due for a month or three at Pearl now. [:(]. I aint doing that again...
Vildebeests at Pontiniak refuse to fly, again, so elsewhere nothing new of interest. I am sortieing the RN from Colombo as I think he'll be attacking Java sooner rather than later. Hermes, Indomitable, 3 CLAAs and 3 P class destroyers are in an air combat TF, two Royal Sovereign BBs, CA Exeter, and a scattering of lesser destroyers are in a surface combat TF. Both are given waypoints to the west of Java, by the time they get there I expect the situation to have developed significantly.
There are a good dozen RN ships remaining at Colombo being fixed. Such was the devastation of the first month.
The KB near Port Moresby. Fast transport TF in range - might be a blessing in disguise if he bombs the hell out of that next, the US carriers who lingered at Port Moresby are in danger!
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Baker Island at 94,92
Japanese Ships
PG Fukui Maru, Shell hits 24, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PG Hakkaisan Maru
PC Fumi Maru #3, Shell hits 1
PC Kyo Maru #6, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Aratama Maru
AP Kaito Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Shintoku Maru
Allied Ships
CL St. Louis
CL Phoenix
DD Bagley
DD Blue
DD Helm
DD Mugford
DD Farragut
DD Dewey
DD Worden
DD Aylwin
DD Ward
DMS Hopkins
DMS Boggs
DMS Lamberton
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Naval bombardment of Baker Island, at 94,92 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
33 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
CL Phoenix
DD Ward
DD Aylwin
DD Worden
DD Dewey, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Farragut, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Mugford, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Helm
DD Blue
DD Bagley, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL St. Louis
Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Port supply hits 1
(Foolish me)
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 13537 troops, 45 guns, 16 vehicles
Defending force 4289 troops, 31 guns, 23 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
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Ground combat at Davao
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 2481 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 5458 troops, 70 guns, 8 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
288 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
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Ground combat at Malacca
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 74855 troops, 323 guns, 478 vehicles
Defending force 15425 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 91 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Allied ground losses:
6794 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 3
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Ground combat at 46,36
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 216739 troops, 2556 guns, 187 vehicles
Defending force 55392 troops, 374 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
438 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
4659 casualties reported
Guns lost 83
Defeated Allied Units Retreating! (Chinese NE of Hengchow)
The US carriers are only just out of Jap range. SO CLOSE! run rabbit run rabbit run run run. US light forces show up at Baker Island, scare the hell out of some Jap ASW craft and then bombard - the ASW craft dont offer opposition but the CDs at Baker Island really hurt! Bad move. Two more destroyers due for a month or three at Pearl now. [:(]. I aint doing that again...
Vildebeests at Pontiniak refuse to fly, again, so elsewhere nothing new of interest. I am sortieing the RN from Colombo as I think he'll be attacking Java sooner rather than later. Hermes, Indomitable, 3 CLAAs and 3 P class destroyers are in an air combat TF, two Royal Sovereign BBs, CA Exeter, and a scattering of lesser destroyers are in a surface combat TF. Both are given waypoints to the west of Java, by the time they get there I expect the situation to have developed significantly.
There are a good dozen RN ships remaining at Colombo being fixed. Such was the devastation of the first month.
The KB near Port Moresby. Fast transport TF in range - might be a blessing in disguise if he bombs the hell out of that next, the US carriers who lingered at Port Moresby are in danger!
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Baker Island at 94,92
Japanese Ships
PG Fukui Maru, Shell hits 24, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PG Hakkaisan Maru
PC Fumi Maru #3, Shell hits 1
PC Kyo Maru #6, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Aratama Maru
AP Kaito Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Shintoku Maru
Allied Ships
CL St. Louis
CL Phoenix
DD Bagley
DD Blue
DD Helm
DD Mugford
DD Farragut
DD Dewey
DD Worden
DD Aylwin
DD Ward
DMS Hopkins
DMS Boggs
DMS Lamberton
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Naval bombardment of Baker Island, at 94,92 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
33 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
CL Phoenix
DD Ward
DD Aylwin
DD Worden
DD Dewey, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Farragut, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Mugford, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Helm
DD Blue
DD Bagley, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL St. Louis
Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Port supply hits 1
(Foolish me)
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 13537 troops, 45 guns, 16 vehicles
Defending force 4289 troops, 31 guns, 23 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
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Ground combat at Davao
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 2481 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 5458 troops, 70 guns, 8 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
288 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
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Ground combat at Malacca
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 74855 troops, 323 guns, 478 vehicles
Defending force 15425 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 91 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Allied ground losses:
6794 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 3
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Ground combat at 46,36
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 216739 troops, 2556 guns, 187 vehicles
Defending force 55392 troops, 374 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
438 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
4659 casualties reported
Guns lost 83
Defeated Allied Units Retreating! (Chinese NE of Hengchow)
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The British Thermopylae has ended, the surrounded forces surrender. They lasted a week, cut off, in the open field, with no supply. Bravo, bravissimo. Singapore has about 3-4 days grace before the forces there are outnumbered 10 to 1. Looks bad.
Elsewhere, quiet-ish. BB Hyuga catches a torpedo from SS Porpoise, gets a magazine explosion, and sinks. [:D]. The KB is headed NE from Gili Gili, going home it would seem. Transports nearby get a beating, but its not too painful. Lexington and Enterprise have slipped away NW of Port Moresby toward Darwin - on some consideration, they are going to go all the way to Java, on the grounds that US carriers should be where the KB is not.
The next serious action I believe, besides the fall of Rabaul, will be at Sumatra, Java and Borneo. So here is the situation. RN carriers and old BBs draw near, a sizable cruiser force is at Batavia, those 20 AVG planes that did such a fine job at Singapore will be tasked with the defence of the final key Dutch islands.
Elsewhere, quiet-ish. BB Hyuga catches a torpedo from SS Porpoise, gets a magazine explosion, and sinks. [:D]. The KB is headed NE from Gili Gili, going home it would seem. Transports nearby get a beating, but its not too painful. Lexington and Enterprise have slipped away NW of Port Moresby toward Darwin - on some consideration, they are going to go all the way to Java, on the grounds that US carriers should be where the KB is not.
The next serious action I believe, besides the fall of Rabaul, will be at Sumatra, Java and Borneo. So here is the situation. RN carriers and old BBs draw near, a sizable cruiser force is at Batavia, those 20 AVG planes that did such a fine job at Singapore will be tasked with the defence of the final key Dutch islands.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
I'm concerned about what the hell to do with those cruisers at Batavia. The place will be seething with Betties soon. Should I just maintain a decent fighter CAP over the place and have them stick there as a fleet in being, or get them out of there? If I do pull them back the only naval assets I'll be able to use will be submarines and PTs though. [:(]
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Bit of a delay, I occasionally get a crash when playing WitP still, and when it happens to crash at the end of a turn just before I hit the end turn button it tends to cheese me off and I put the game away for a few days. Thats what happened on Thursday night.
Anyway, back to the war now. This turn was probably the worst day since the beginning of the war for me. He attacked Mandalay and the base fell with the very first assault, and a -lot- of RAF units that were stationed there were destroyed.
I think this is the first defeat I've had so far which I consider to be a major setback. Malaysia was going to fall anyway, and PoW and Repulse were basically marked ships, if either survived I was doing better than the real RN. But this disgrace at Mandalay means the loss of many vital squadrons, and I think it's going to set me back for quite some time. And it was an unnecessary defeat, entirely a gross miscalculation on my part.
Ground combat at Mandalay
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 45360 troops, 492 guns, 14 vehicles
Defending force 13994 troops, 124 guns, 6 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Mandalay base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 18 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 16 destroyed
Blenheim I: 24 destroyed
Hurricane II: 20 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
980 casualties reported
Guns lost 36
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Elsewhere, not much has changed. Things are developing for a clash around Java and Sumatra, I'll have Lexington, Enterprise, Indomitable and Hermes in theatre in a few days. The Japs have what I believe to be a single CVL in theatre there - Tomahawk escorted Hudsons bombed a Jap air combat TF without results, the CAP was 6 Claudes, very minimal. Maybe the presence for three and a half Allied carriers there will catch that CVL and get me some points. [;)]
I think I will demonstrate with the US central pacific carriers near the time to try and make sure the KB remains near Truk.
Anyway, back to the war now. This turn was probably the worst day since the beginning of the war for me. He attacked Mandalay and the base fell with the very first assault, and a -lot- of RAF units that were stationed there were destroyed.
I think this is the first defeat I've had so far which I consider to be a major setback. Malaysia was going to fall anyway, and PoW and Repulse were basically marked ships, if either survived I was doing better than the real RN. But this disgrace at Mandalay means the loss of many vital squadrons, and I think it's going to set me back for quite some time. And it was an unnecessary defeat, entirely a gross miscalculation on my part.
Ground combat at Mandalay
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 45360 troops, 492 guns, 14 vehicles
Defending force 13994 troops, 124 guns, 6 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Mandalay base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 18 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 16 destroyed
Blenheim I: 24 destroyed
Hurricane II: 20 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
980 casualties reported
Guns lost 36
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Elsewhere, not much has changed. Things are developing for a clash around Java and Sumatra, I'll have Lexington, Enterprise, Indomitable and Hermes in theatre in a few days. The Japs have what I believe to be a single CVL in theatre there - Tomahawk escorted Hudsons bombed a Jap air combat TF without results, the CAP was 6 Claudes, very minimal. Maybe the presence for three and a half Allied carriers there will catch that CVL and get me some points. [;)]
I think I will demonstrate with the US central pacific carriers near the time to try and make sure the KB remains near Truk.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Hengchow is now under pressure at close quarters, and the defenders are tired and outnumbered. The air war continues to go my way, but the base is written off. Defences are being prepared to the south west for when Hengchow falls. The objective in China is merely to delay after all.
Japanese CVEs and CVLs show up near Canton Island in what is, I presume, a demonstration or a probing attack. A small strike is lauched by them claiming an AK. 33 Bolos bomb the enemy TF at 3000 feet - the Buffalos there are foolishly being set to train but have been switched to escort at 50% CAP, which I am confident will be able to contest his measly strike capability.
Two US fleet carriers left Pearl the other day with an extra contingent of army Wildcats destined for Canton Island, they are put on full speed, so will be in the area in two days. I doubt he will linger that long - but you never know, and if he does I'd like to punish him for it.
Japanese CVEs and CVLs show up near Canton Island in what is, I presume, a demonstration or a probing attack. A small strike is lauched by them claiming an AK. 33 Bolos bomb the enemy TF at 3000 feet - the Buffalos there are foolishly being set to train but have been switched to escort at 50% CAP, which I am confident will be able to contest his measly strike capability.
Two US fleet carriers left Pearl the other day with an extra contingent of army Wildcats destined for Canton Island, they are put on full speed, so will be in the area in two days. I doubt he will linger that long - but you never know, and if he does I'd like to punish him for it.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Jesus, I repeat my error [:(] Hengchow goes under at the first Jap assault in a replay of Mandalay, and 17 extremely valuable AVG Tomahawks get wiped out in the blink of an eye. Lucky I split them up, but it still hurts. Two gut shots in two days. [:(]
Furious air battles break out around Canton Island as the 40 Bolos and 24 Buffalos battle the Japanese CVEs and CVLs. A single 500lb bomb lands on a Jap carrier, a few more AKs slip beneath the waves. The US CV reinforcements will slip into Palmyra to refuel this turn, my shortage of destroyers mean some of their screen are short legged flush deckers and I want to make sure they are at maximum fuel before they go into action. I start getting paranoid about the ability of a single US division + CDs + AAs to defend Canton Island if he gets serious, and begin to mull over the implications of its capture - I don't like those implications, so reinforcement RCTs are being assembled at Pearl.
Elsewhere, things develop. The refuelled Lexington and Enterprise leave Darwin headed NW, the British taskforces are now halfway down Sumatra, though many miles to the west as Betties can hit the west Sumatran coast now. PT boats guard Palembang, my cruisers stay docked at Batavia under heavy fighter CAP. Java drips with supplies as a convoy from Karachi eases into the harbour at Soerabaja with 100,000 supplies aboard - but not enough ground units at Java to hold for long, at least supply won't be such an issue. Most of the little DAF garrison units (well, the ones I can get to with APs without being Bettied) are now concentrated on Timor, and the USAFFE refugees - all sub transported fragments - are being concentrated there as well.
He's still only getting 0 to 1 odds at Rabaul, I got 16 Hudsons bombing him daily out of Port Moresby there. Those Kiwis I got in theatre are paused at Noumea, but I think I'm gonna slip em into Lunga still. I'm happy with the recon now, Luganville, Nanomea Atoll and Noumea itself are now well equipped with recon assets.
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Day Air attack on TF at 97,95
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 15
B-18A Bolo x 19
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-18A Bolo: 6 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo
CVL Zuiho
CVE Hosho
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 98,99
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 8
B5N Kate x 17
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 2 destroyed
B5N Kate: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Steel Ranger, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Vincent, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Air attack on TF at 97,95
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 14
B-18A Bolo x 12
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed
B-18A Bolo: 10 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo, Bomb hits 1
CVL Zuiho
CVE Hosho
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 98,99
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
D3A Val x 7
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 5 destroyed
Allied Ships
AD Dobbin, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
(Thats the only hit that hurts me, I was using Canton as my forward destroyer base)
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12779 troops, 54 guns, 13 vehicles
Defending force 4359 troops, 30 guns, 24 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
216 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
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Ground combat at Hengchow
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 217755 troops, 2552 guns, 184 vehicles
Defending force 75718 troops, 325 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Hengchow base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 17 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
1059 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
6114 casualties reported
Guns lost 96
([:(] the Chinese are like a soap bubble, spines of jelly. They need to learn from the Commonwealth/Aussie example at Malacca.
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Furious air battles break out around Canton Island as the 40 Bolos and 24 Buffalos battle the Japanese CVEs and CVLs. A single 500lb bomb lands on a Jap carrier, a few more AKs slip beneath the waves. The US CV reinforcements will slip into Palmyra to refuel this turn, my shortage of destroyers mean some of their screen are short legged flush deckers and I want to make sure they are at maximum fuel before they go into action. I start getting paranoid about the ability of a single US division + CDs + AAs to defend Canton Island if he gets serious, and begin to mull over the implications of its capture - I don't like those implications, so reinforcement RCTs are being assembled at Pearl.
Elsewhere, things develop. The refuelled Lexington and Enterprise leave Darwin headed NW, the British taskforces are now halfway down Sumatra, though many miles to the west as Betties can hit the west Sumatran coast now. PT boats guard Palembang, my cruisers stay docked at Batavia under heavy fighter CAP. Java drips with supplies as a convoy from Karachi eases into the harbour at Soerabaja with 100,000 supplies aboard - but not enough ground units at Java to hold for long, at least supply won't be such an issue. Most of the little DAF garrison units (well, the ones I can get to with APs without being Bettied) are now concentrated on Timor, and the USAFFE refugees - all sub transported fragments - are being concentrated there as well.
He's still only getting 0 to 1 odds at Rabaul, I got 16 Hudsons bombing him daily out of Port Moresby there. Those Kiwis I got in theatre are paused at Noumea, but I think I'm gonna slip em into Lunga still. I'm happy with the recon now, Luganville, Nanomea Atoll and Noumea itself are now well equipped with recon assets.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 97,95
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 15
B-18A Bolo x 19
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-18A Bolo: 6 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo
CVL Zuiho
CVE Hosho
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 98,99
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 8
B5N Kate x 17
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 2 destroyed
B5N Kate: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Steel Ranger, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Vincent, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Day Air attack on TF at 97,95
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 14
B-18A Bolo x 12
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed
B-18A Bolo: 10 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo, Bomb hits 1
CVL Zuiho
CVE Hosho
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
3 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
2 x B-18A Bolo bombing at 3000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 98,99
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
D3A Val x 7
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 5 destroyed
Allied Ships
AD Dobbin, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
(Thats the only hit that hurts me, I was using Canton as my forward destroyer base)
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
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Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12779 troops, 54 guns, 13 vehicles
Defending force 4359 troops, 30 guns, 24 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
216 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
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Ground combat at Hengchow
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 217755 troops, 2552 guns, 184 vehicles
Defending force 75718 troops, 325 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Hengchow base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 17 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
1059 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
6114 casualties reported
Guns lost 96
([:(] the Chinese are like a soap bubble, spines of jelly. They need to learn from the Commonwealth/Aussie example at Malacca.
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RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Canton Island vs the Carriers. US CVs are just off the screen at Palmyra.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Another day passes - all is quiet. The Bolos at Canton were stood down, their morale in the 30s after facing those Zeroes without even escort sometimes. The Japanese CVs can be seen east of Baker Island but headed North - looks merely like a raid, and looks like they are pulling back. The US CVs are leaving Palmyra today headed just north of Baker Island, see what they can catch. A squadron of Devastators has been unloaded temporarily to Palmyra (they suck) and replaced with army Wildcats, so the aircraft mix is fighter heavy. The Dauntlesses are my main weapon at this stage in the war after all.
Elsewhere, things continue to quietly develop. The Hengchow refugees are being all sent to Wuchow, I think they'll have a while before he strikes there, his attentions seem focused on the north east and centre of the Chinese theatre, so hopefully they can rest but still be near the front line. Aside from the reinforcement warships headed for Java, I feel I can contribute nothing more to its defence now, everything is where I want it, the supplies are there, the aircraft given the right orders... the Dutch merely watch, and wait.
Elsewhere, things continue to quietly develop. The Hengchow refugees are being all sent to Wuchow, I think they'll have a while before he strikes there, his attentions seem focused on the north east and centre of the Chinese theatre, so hopefully they can rest but still be near the front line. Aside from the reinforcement warships headed for Java, I feel I can contribute nothing more to its defence now, everything is where I want it, the supplies are there, the aircraft given the right orders... the Dutch merely watch, and wait.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Really dull turn, nothing going on, the world waits with baited breath.
A -lot- of Jap units just showed up at Singapore. I guess he wont hit Java/Sumatra until he's reduced the place.
Won't take very long.
A -lot- of Jap units just showed up at Singapore. I guess he wont hit Java/Sumatra until he's reduced the place.
Won't take very long.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
All this waiting means the days are whipping by.
His first attack at Singapore today.
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Ground combat at Singapore
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 87458 troops, 576 guns, 507 vehicles
Defending force 29434 troops, 197 guns, 6 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5
Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 5)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
312 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Allied ground losses:
1722 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Vehicles lost 1
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It'll fall tomorrow. All the air units have been pulled out - half to Akyab, half to Java. I disbanded as many as I could to give me close to full strength and reasonably experienced units for the battles ahead.
Rabaul situation still stable. I can't reinforce, he's got a surface TF loitering in the hex and putting the place under blockade.
the CVs in the Central Pacific can see the Jap CVs running west but its turning into a stern chase, and I dont like that, headed towards scary places like Tarawa - so they are giving up the chase and turning south. On the way, tomorrow, I'll bomb the hell out of Baker Island in revenge for his raid on Canton Island.
His first attack at Singapore today.
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Ground combat at Singapore
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 87458 troops, 576 guns, 507 vehicles
Defending force 29434 troops, 197 guns, 6 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5
Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 5)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
312 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Allied ground losses:
1722 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Vehicles lost 1
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It'll fall tomorrow. All the air units have been pulled out - half to Akyab, half to Java. I disbanded as many as I could to give me close to full strength and reasonably experienced units for the battles ahead.
Rabaul situation still stable. I can't reinforce, he's got a surface TF loitering in the hex and putting the place under blockade.
the CVs in the Central Pacific can see the Jap CVs running west but its turning into a stern chase, and I dont like that, headed towards scary places like Tarawa - so they are giving up the chase and turning south. On the way, tomorrow, I'll bomb the hell out of Baker Island in revenge for his raid on Canton Island.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Singapore falls. It's the 31st of January. The Malaya campaign is now Officially Over. Several base forces were evacuated to India, a few negligible fragments were picked up by Lodestars at Sumatra. The Japanese battleship attrition in and around Malaya so far has been impressive, the Swordfish repeatedly kicked his ass - we're almost at parity for BB losses, and thats after six sunk at Pearl.
It's now time to talk seriously about the defence of Java and Sumatra, so here are my dispositions.
So in theatre around the west of Borneo, Java and Sumatra, I have...
12 submarines, on patrol hugging the west coast of Borneo and stretching up almost, but not quite, as far as Singapore.
Palembang is heavy on the torpedo bombers, 12 Vildebeest, 8 Beauforts, 6 T.IVs, on the grounds that they are short ranged and Palembang is closest. 8 Wirraways provide token CAP. The Dutch PT boats are places here also.
Batavia is fighter heavy, 89 fighters, less than 10 level bombers, 8 torpedo bombers (Swordfish). The reason for this is there is a 13 ship TF based around the heavy cruisers Northampton, Chester, Pensacola and Chicago based there, so I want a heavy CAP over it. Their reaction range is set to 4, enough to cover Palembang.
Soerabaja has most of the Dutch level bomber units, and also 16 Fortresses loaned from a split unit destined for Australia. Soerabaja will also be basing Lexington, Enterprise, Indomitable and Hermes split into two TFs, one British, one American. Also the slow battleships Revenge and Royal Sovereign will be based here - I don't expect to use these unless he particularly audacious - he has been in the past, attacking Rabaul, for example, beyond easy range of Betties. The ships havnt quite arrived yet - the battleships are about five days out, the British carriers perhaps four days, and the US carriers two days. The air combat TFs will be able to intervene at light Japanese attacks at southern Borneo as well.
Ground units are a weakness. I've been using Timor as the fall back point for Dutch and USAFFE refugees, not Java, so Java soldiers on with more or less the starting garrison - which is as weak as wet toilet paper. Soon as he lands in force, its all over.
I think the deployment of forces is reasonably sound given what little I have. The Allied war aims are to sink as much Japanese shipping as possible, which is why the carriers are there. Baby KB, or so I assume, was at Baker Island only the other day and the best Allied intelligence suggests the Japanese fleet carriers are based at Truk. The stout defenders of Rabaul holding out against the odds, a Kiwi assault on Lunga and a US carrier demonstration in the Gilberts will hopefully serve to keep the Japanese carriers far to the east to Java until the Allied carriers get to sink something.
It's now time to talk seriously about the defence of Java and Sumatra, so here are my dispositions.
So in theatre around the west of Borneo, Java and Sumatra, I have...
12 submarines, on patrol hugging the west coast of Borneo and stretching up almost, but not quite, as far as Singapore.
Palembang is heavy on the torpedo bombers, 12 Vildebeest, 8 Beauforts, 6 T.IVs, on the grounds that they are short ranged and Palembang is closest. 8 Wirraways provide token CAP. The Dutch PT boats are places here also.
Batavia is fighter heavy, 89 fighters, less than 10 level bombers, 8 torpedo bombers (Swordfish). The reason for this is there is a 13 ship TF based around the heavy cruisers Northampton, Chester, Pensacola and Chicago based there, so I want a heavy CAP over it. Their reaction range is set to 4, enough to cover Palembang.
Soerabaja has most of the Dutch level bomber units, and also 16 Fortresses loaned from a split unit destined for Australia. Soerabaja will also be basing Lexington, Enterprise, Indomitable and Hermes split into two TFs, one British, one American. Also the slow battleships Revenge and Royal Sovereign will be based here - I don't expect to use these unless he particularly audacious - he has been in the past, attacking Rabaul, for example, beyond easy range of Betties. The ships havnt quite arrived yet - the battleships are about five days out, the British carriers perhaps four days, and the US carriers two days. The air combat TFs will be able to intervene at light Japanese attacks at southern Borneo as well.
Ground units are a weakness. I've been using Timor as the fall back point for Dutch and USAFFE refugees, not Java, so Java soldiers on with more or less the starting garrison - which is as weak as wet toilet paper. Soon as he lands in force, its all over.
I think the deployment of forces is reasonably sound given what little I have. The Allied war aims are to sink as much Japanese shipping as possible, which is why the carriers are there. Baby KB, or so I assume, was at Baker Island only the other day and the best Allied intelligence suggests the Japanese fleet carriers are based at Truk. The stout defenders of Rabaul holding out against the odds, a Kiwi assault on Lunga and a US carrier demonstration in the Gilberts will hopefully serve to keep the Japanese carriers far to the east to Java until the Allied carriers get to sink something.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The only area of doubt in my mind here is where to put Royal Sovereign and Revenge. Soerbaja would be safer, snuggled with the carriers, plus I could easily retreat them to Timor in the event of disaster - but I was thinking of putting them at Batavia. Reaction 0 or 1, purely for a fixed defence as they are too slow for naval interception, and praying those fighters keep the Betties off.
SPrior is good at reconning his objectives though, surely at Batavia they would be spotted, and he would react accordingly.
SPrior is good at reconning his objectives though, surely at Batavia they would be spotted, and he would react accordingly.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Ships move into position at Java still.
Elsewhere... an Australian brigade is about to land at Gili Gili. There is already half an Aus brigade there (the other half of it is at Rabaul). Kiwis set off from Noumea headed for Lunga - a gamble, their escort consists of 3 (count em, 3) destroyers, and they are at the very edge of Catalina recon from Luganville.
Those two US old battleships I got just pulling in to Canton are headed for Noumea next, if he uses surface forces only, I wanna punish him. And if he uses carriers, great. They arent at Java then. [;)]
Elsewhere... an Australian brigade is about to land at Gili Gili. There is already half an Aus brigade there (the other half of it is at Rabaul). Kiwis set off from Noumea headed for Lunga - a gamble, their escort consists of 3 (count em, 3) destroyers, and they are at the very edge of Catalina recon from Luganville.
Those two US old battleships I got just pulling in to Canton are headed for Noumea next, if he uses surface forces only, I wanna punish him. And if he uses carriers, great. They arent at Java then. [;)]
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Heres the situation at Koepang, my second line after Java. Only search aircraft there at the moment, but thats the fall back point.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Koepang (and Lautem, the base on the other side of Timor) can be built up fairly well. They'll come in handy later if you can hold them. [:)]
That's a nice fleet you're assembling in Java.. just look out for those Betties.
That's a nice fleet you're assembling in Java.. just look out for those Betties.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Yeah, thats the problem - a nice fleet, with so many airbases around. [:)] I really dont like using surface forces in the DEI, there is airpower wherever you turn. In the Solomons you know where the air power is - Shortlands or Rabaul - and you can pound it with Fortresses. No such joy in the DEI.
The British battleships are going to Soerabaja, I've decided to play it safe. They are almost there now. The US CVs really are there, docked. Their system damage is getting high - one of them is on 10 - all that full speed to run around KB in the Coral Sea left its mark. The British CVs are in better shape. Couple more days and the final movements at Java will be complete. Lot of fighters waiting for him - with the 90 odd at Batavia, and another 90 odd on the carriers at Soerabaja. Hopefully this'll give him a bit of a shock. [:)]
He's been bombing Rabaul with Betties from Truk for a while now - meanwhile I've been bombing his forces at Rabaul with Hudsons from PM. His Betties are hurting more than my Hudsons, a bad thing. It looks like he can't commit anything else there just yet - that little inf force I poached from Darwin appears to have been just enough to stop him capturing the place easy. Mind you he's been resting for some time now, I don't know how well the Aussies will hold when he's rested up and begins the next round of attacks.
I fear I'm being foolish with the New Zealanders. One Bde is going to Lunga, almost naked of escort. Its only going to work if I catch him napping. The other NZ Bde is still at Noumea, I'm playing it a bit safe. There is the USMC division approaching but its transport TF is only now about level with Canton Island, thats many days away, so its up to the Kiwis for now.
(I really, really wanna bag a base with the New Zealanders if possible - just to see the mighty New Zealand flag flying over a base somewhere. The Kiwi colonial empire awaits! [:D])
The British battleships are going to Soerabaja, I've decided to play it safe. They are almost there now. The US CVs really are there, docked. Their system damage is getting high - one of them is on 10 - all that full speed to run around KB in the Coral Sea left its mark. The British CVs are in better shape. Couple more days and the final movements at Java will be complete. Lot of fighters waiting for him - with the 90 odd at Batavia, and another 90 odd on the carriers at Soerabaja. Hopefully this'll give him a bit of a shock. [:)]
He's been bombing Rabaul with Betties from Truk for a while now - meanwhile I've been bombing his forces at Rabaul with Hudsons from PM. His Betties are hurting more than my Hudsons, a bad thing. It looks like he can't commit anything else there just yet - that little inf force I poached from Darwin appears to have been just enough to stop him capturing the place easy. Mind you he's been resting for some time now, I don't know how well the Aussies will hold when he's rested up and begins the next round of attacks.
I fear I'm being foolish with the New Zealanders. One Bde is going to Lunga, almost naked of escort. Its only going to work if I catch him napping. The other NZ Bde is still at Noumea, I'm playing it a bit safe. There is the USMC division approaching but its transport TF is only now about level with Canton Island, thats many days away, so its up to the Kiwis for now.
(I really, really wanna bag a base with the New Zealanders if possible - just to see the mighty New Zealand flag flying over a base somewhere. The Kiwi colonial empire awaits! [:D])
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Incidentally, I keep forgetting to mention China.
I was wrong, looks like he is clearing the railway rather than punching through the centre. I misjudged as he started at the top right and is working down, rather than attacking simultaneously all over in a general offensive.
The AVG is back in action in the City-SW-Of-Hengchow-Whose-Name-I-Forget-But-Starts-with-K. All the Chinese units there are disrupted and fatigued. The AVG is not based there - the AVG is LRCAPping. I aint letting em get caught on the ground this time. [;)]
In Burma the only bases I hold are Akyab and the one at the extreme top right of Burma, the one that connects to Ledo via the trail. In that top right base one Chinese division has actually arrived. There are several more coming but they are some weeks behind - I tried to get em to Mandalay but the yellow peril was too quick, so now they are backtracking. The first Dakotas arrived at Dacca today too - I plan for an aerial Burma Road. There are more coming, but they are all in AKs in the Pacific atm.
I was wrong, looks like he is clearing the railway rather than punching through the centre. I misjudged as he started at the top right and is working down, rather than attacking simultaneously all over in a general offensive.
The AVG is back in action in the City-SW-Of-Hengchow-Whose-Name-I-Forget-But-Starts-with-K. All the Chinese units there are disrupted and fatigued. The AVG is not based there - the AVG is LRCAPping. I aint letting em get caught on the ground this time. [;)]
In Burma the only bases I hold are Akyab and the one at the extreme top right of Burma, the one that connects to Ledo via the trail. In that top right base one Chinese division has actually arrived. There are several more coming but they are some weeks behind - I tried to get em to Mandalay but the yellow peril was too quick, so now they are backtracking. The first Dakotas arrived at Dacca today too - I plan for an aerial Burma Road. There are more coming, but they are all in AKs in the Pacific atm.