Third Person AAR- Mogami v. Brady

[roberto5352]

Timor
A brutal naval battle is fought near Koepang. 2 Allied surface TFs (1: CL Boise + 10 DDs; 2: Colorado 3 CAs + 4 DDs) arrived to duke it out with the meagre IJN forces. In addition to the transport TF, there was a force of 6 DDs and another of 4 MSWs. Allied TF 1 fought 2 engagements with the DD TF. Allied TF 2 destroyed the 4 MSWs and fought 2 more engagements with the DDs.

Naval Battle with TF 1
Japanese Ships
DD Harusame, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yamakaze
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Umikaze
DD Samidare, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Boise, Shell hits 1
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Pope, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1 on fire, heavy damage
DD Stewart, Shell hits 1
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Evertsen
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein
DD Van Ghent
DD Scout

Naval Battle with TF 2
Japanese Ships
DD Harusame, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
DD Umikaze, Shell hits 21, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 1
CA Australia, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Canberra, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Adelaide
DD Fox, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Voyager
DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 1
DD Brooks

Not a pretty day, but the transports survive. The forces ashore attack tomorrow.

Allied bombers fly 31 sorties, all against forces unloading at Lautem, with much better results. 2 hits on AP Ujigawa Maru (71/38/49); 1 hit on AP Shikano Maru (47/17/38); 1 hit on AP Tarushima Maru (30/11/10); 1 hit on AP Mikage Maru #2 (9/0/13).

Lautem is defended by an Indian Bde., part of an Indian Div., Lark Force, and Gull force. Koepang is defended by a Malaya Bde, a Dutch Rgt., and some others.

Borneo
Banjarmasin falls, with 1500 defenders captured. The 48th Div. (NW Borneo) is being reformed at Pontianak. Some reinforcing Bdes. are being moved to Samarinda and Balikpapan.

Malaya
Heavy Sally raids from Georgetown to Singapore.

Phillippines
Forces begin landing on Cebu.

China
Raids on Wuchow (~70 DBs) and Changsha (~40 DBs). Chinese bombard to little effect, counter-bombardments start tomorrow.

[roberto5352]

Lost the CR again, I promise I'll stop doing that...

Timor
Shock Attack on Koepang (65th and 35th Bdes.) succeeds. 8 Planes destroyed on the ground, 19k men captured.

56th Bde. and 2nd Div/C finish unloading at Lautem tomorrrow. A shock attack is ordered. The Allies shock attacked the beachhead, with no success.

Lautem was bombarded by Nagato, Fuso, and Ise. Heavy carnage was wrought.

Allied air was quite effective. About 60 sorties were flown, and a single bomb hit each of the following ships: DD Sagiri (27/1/1); DD Natsushio (46/27/6); CA Myoko; AP Shinkoku Maru (30/19/9); AP Arizana Maru (31/1/13); CL Sendai (28/9/8); Nagato. All the damaged ships from this turn and the last are headed back to Kendari, and I think they'll all make it.

Borneo
Balikpapan and Samarinda continue to hold out. Bdes from 2 other locations (Tarakan and somewhere on the west) are headed in to reinforce. About 1-2 days out.

Phillippines
Cebu I. goes into the bag, with the remnants of 1 division.

China
Bombing raid at Wuchow.

2 Chinese corp and 1 Div. came down the trail along the Burmese border. They encountered 1 Mixed Bde. 2 hexes east of Hanoi (38,37). They attacked but were defeated. Another unit is coming along to push them back up the road.

Artillery duel at Changsha. Deliberate Attack tomorrow.

[roberto5352]

Timor
Sub activity high today. AP Shikano Maru torpedoed and sunk by S-37. AP Minowa Maru sunk by Sculpin. Skipjack makes an unsuccessful attack, and is found by an ASW group and sunk later in the day. All these events took place in the area between Timor and Koepang

Japanese Shock Attack at Lautem
Attacking force 11798 troops, 79 guns, 10 vehicles

Defending force 8289 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Japanese ground losses:
555 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 3

Allied ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allies make a deliberate attack, tacking on another 70 or so losses to their 10. Disruption is in the 30s, bombardments tomorrow.

AP Mikage Maru #20 is hit by a bomb (54/13/23). Only about 10 B-17E sorties today.

CL Perth sinks north of Australia, although as far as I can tell, it was never damaged. Intel lists a 24in torp as CoD.

Borneo
Reinforcements land at Samarinda, shock attack tomorrow.

Malaya
Raid on Singapore
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 8 damaged (murderous flak)

Allied ground losses:
34 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
All Ki-21 Sally bombing at 11000 feet

56th Div. is moving from Cebu to Johore Bharu. This makes 7 Div. and a Mixed Bde. that will be ready for the assault on Singapore.

China
Air raids on Wuchow and Changsha.

Japanese Deliberate Attack at Changsha (see screenshot)
Attacking force 235846 troops, 2950 guns, 180 vehicles

Defending force 89751 troops, 634 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
2017 casualties reported
Guns lost 42
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
3123 casualties reported
Guns lost 73

Disruption in the 80s, there will be a pause for the troops to catch their breaths.

Screenshot: Assault on Changsha

[roberto5352]

As no one will be surprised to find out, I lost the CR yet again. What happens is, I post a few turns, get curious and run the next replay, but don't write it up. Then I run a PBEM turn and it gets overwritten. I'll just start backing the CR up, like a non-moron would do.

In other news, sorry about the glacially slow pace of the AAR. Hectic times, trying to find a summer job, and working on a takehome exam... I'll do my best though.

Timor
Bombardments traded at Lautem. Deliberate Attack today

China
Troops continue to rest at Changsha. Bombardments traded.

The forces along the China/Indochina border are routed, and retreat northwest.

Borneo
Samarinda falls, 2600 enemy captured. Troops moving on to secure Balikpapan.

Quiet turn.

[roberto5352]

Timor
Lautem was bombarded at night, then captured. 6000 men captured, and 50 guns. In all, about 25k Allied infantry were captured on Timor. Allies lost BC Repulse, 1 CA, 7 CLs, and 15 DDs. Japan lost CVE Hosho, 2 BBs (Kongo and Haruna), about 15 DDs, and 5 transports. The exchange probably favors the Allies, but most of the IJN losses were suffered at the opening of the battle, making the subsequent stages a mess for the Allies.

China
Artillery Duel at Changsha
Japanese force 269184 troops, 3086 guns, 329 vehicles

Allied force 85945 troops, 517 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied ground losses:
517 casualties reported
Guns lost 17

Japanese ground losses:
185 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Disruption still high, no attacks for a bit.

Singapore
Last of reinforcement divisions is a little over 1 week from landing. Attacks will begin a bit before that division lands. The attack on Java will also be under way soon.

Planning
I include this entire post because I find it very illuminating of the way skilled players organize and rationally use assets:
"IJN submarine forces to be reorganized. All submarines are recalled to base.
Boats will be repaired/refit and organized into 3 Operational Commands

Subforce West Homeport Singapore Operate in Indian Ocean and off Northern Australia.
Missions
1. Patrol
2. Minelaying in choke points
3. Anti shipping.

Subforce East Homeport Kwajalean
operate in Central and North Pacific
same missions

Subforce South Homeport Truk
Operate in South Pacific
same missions.

Other submarine forces will be retained by Home Defense

Forward Submarine bases will be maintained at
Tulagi/Shortlands/Rabaul/Soerabaja/Marcus Island/Georgetown

RO class boats will provide defense of Home Ports (patrol stations will be 360 miles out)

Distance from Home Port will depend on speed of boats and endurance. At least three boats will be on station between PH and USA West Coast
3 In IO
3 between Port Morseby/Noumea and Australia

Submarine force to be maintained for operations in 1943/44 so boats will not enter zones where enemy ASW activity is observed to be effective.
Boats will not patrol same zones longer then 30 days and at least 90 days will elapse from time boat makes attack before next boat enters hex.

Mine Warfare Commands mirroring Subforce commands will be established as MLE type ships arrive or at ports able to load mines.

Rapid Transport Commands will be established mirroring Sub Commands.
Rapid transport will consit of surface ships in number sufficent to transport 3k load points FT TF will be composed of 1 CL and remainder DD. Ships will also serve as Aux ASW/Surface forces (Heavy Crusier Div will remain in ports and when required join TF for surface Combat missions)
Crusier Division composition will be posted as IJN completes post SRA operational repair/refit phase.
Battle Ship Divisions will also be formed but remain in interiour ports and move as required.

Mainports will be used as supply depots.

Air Transport Command will maintain groups able to move items across Empire by shuttle."

[Mike Scholl]

ROBERTO Would you please slip a date into your reports once in a while. When is often as important as what.

[jwilkerson]

I assume the "1/30/42" character string represents the date ( in other words - the date is "hidden" in the subject line ! )

[roberto5352]

January 31, 1942
DEI
The reinforcements arrive at Balikpapan by night. The base falls during the daytime phase. 3300 men and 24 guns captured. Borneo is ours.

Balikpapan status
Unfortunately, Balikpapan is heavily damaged. only 29 of its 300 oil points remain intact, and 186/600 resources. Over a year and 600,000 supplies will be required to repair it.

10 Forts bomb Koepang, but destroyed no planes.

Raba, Maumere, and Lombok were all invaded. All bases SW of Java

China
About 80 dive bombers wallopped Changsha, followed by a bombardment.
Artillery duel at Changsha
Allied force 85550 troops, 503 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese force 269545 troops, 3100 guns, 329 vehicles

Japanese ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
277 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

A shock attack is planned for tomorrow.

Otherwise, all is quiet. The Java invasion should get underway fairly soon. In real life terms, I now have a summer job, and that take home exam has been turned in, so perhaps i can sink my teeth into the 200+turn backlog I currently have. I'm free until a date at 6, so maybe I can get some stuff done right now.

[roberto5352]

February 1, 1942
Disaster strikes at Timor
Night Naval Battle at Lautem
Japanese Ships
MSW W.1, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
PC Kyo Maru #11
AP Chichibu Maru
AP Kanayamasan Maru
AP Kitano Maru
AP Kiyama Maru, Shell hits 38, and is sunk
AP Kofuku Maru
AP Konan Maru
AP Konzan Maru
AP Koyo Maru
AP Nichiren Maru, Shell hits 98, and is sunk
AP Nitta Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Oridono Maru

Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CA Louisville
CL Leander
CL Hobart
DD Jarvis
DD Smith
DD Preston
DD Downes
DD Selfridge
DD Kennison
DD Crane
DD Kilty

These transports were landing supplies and the last few men of 4th Div. at Lautem. Fortunately, none of the ships sunk was carrying any troops.

Raba, Maumere, and Lombok fell, of course.

SS Permit was attacked SW of Menado. It is now permitting water to enter through one DC hole in its hull, but it remains afloat.

Units are forming up for the Java invasion. 4th Div in Lautem is prepping for Batavia, 48th Div is reforming in Pontianak, and 2nd and 16th Divs are reforming in Balikpapan. Detailed plans will be posted as soon as available.

China
75 DBs hit Changsha again, followed by a...
Japanese Shock Attack at Changsha
Attacking force 266749 troops, 3108 guns, 329 vehicles

Defending force 85576 troops, 500 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Changsha base !!!

Japanese ground losses:
4669 casualties reported
Guns lost 113
Vehicles lost 6

Allied ground losses:
7036 casualties reported
Guns lost 114

All troops retreat west towards Hengchow.

[roberto5352]

February 2, 1942
DEI
26 Forts attack Kendari port. 24 Nates rise to meet the threat, and 3 are shot down, in return for one B-17 lost to flak. Single bomb hits on each of the 3 ships in port: DD Nenohi (99/81/10); DD Suzukaze 99/86/9); and AP Kenzan Maru (84/64/7). Kendari continues to demonstrate its uselessness as a port.

11 Martins attack the transports at Lautem (rough week for them). 2 bomb hits a piece are scored on AP Konan Maru (35/11/13) and AP Konzan Maru (13/0/14). Both are headed back to Kendari while the remaining transports unload.

Other
Gudgeon puts one torpedo in AP Hakone Maru one hex NW of Tarawa. The AP was part of a TF moving a base force to the island. It's currently at 27/36/9, and should have time to unload its cargo.

The first units entered Singapore today. 3 Divisions, a brigade, and an armored regiment. More troops are on the way from Johore Bharu, and a few more divisions and other units are in transports on their way in.

[roberto5352]

February 3, 1942
DEI
Night Surface Battle at Lautem
Japanese Ships
AP Kitano Maru, Shell hits 2 (barely damaged)
AP Kofuku Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Koyo Maru
AP Nitta Maru, Shell hits 24, on fire, heavy damage (finished off during the day phase by 3 Martins)
AP Oridono Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire (14/0/11)

Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CA Louisville
CL Leander
CL Hobart, Shell hits 1
DD Jarvis
DD Smith
DD Preston
DD Downes
DD Selfridge
DD Kennison
DD Crane
DD Kilty

Ugh. Mogami is bringing the KB from Truk, by way of Davao. The plan is to lure this surface fleet out again with some empty transports, then have the carriers pounce.

Landing at Waingapu.

Singapore
18 Betties attack, and the Allied bombard. Should be about 10 days, maybe, before the reinforcement divisions arrive in Singapore hex.

[roberto5352]

February 4, 1942
DEI
28 Forts attack Kendari again, defended by 36 Nates. 4 Nates lost to 2 B-17s.

Waingapu falls and the troops are headed to Bali.

Singapore
12 Betties bomb Singapore.

Artillery Duel at Singapore
Japanese force 109857 troops, 1157 guns, 173 vehicles

Allied force 60529 troops, 471 guns, 26 vehicles

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
147 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Screenshot, Singapore

[roberto5352]

Feb. 5, 1942
Japanese troops land at Bali, which will be captured tomorrow. Only Sumatra and Java remain in Allied hands.

About 30 B-17s attack Amboina. 2 Zeroes destroyed on the ground. (2 Wildcats lost to ops today, mysteriously).

14 Empires attacked Lautem by night.

AKs Empire Baxter and Empire Flamingo were hit at Wyndham by Betties and Nells. Baxter was hit by 4 torps and sunk, Flamingo by 2.

Shooting at Singapore
Japanese Bombardment attack

Japanese force 110060 troops, 1164 guns, 175 vehicles

Allied force 60655 troops, 474 guns, 26 vehicles

Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

[roberto5352]

Quiet turn.

Hengchow is about to be taken. it appears to be undefended.

Small Betty raid on Singapore, more artillery work.

One of the reinforcement divisions has landed, another is approaching the port, and the third and final is just rounding Singapore.

[roberto5352]

Feb. 7, 1942
Hengchow falls.

Bali is defended, but there are now 2 small units there, it should fall tomorrow.

Unloading continues at Johore Bharu.

More bombardments. The allies appear to be getting the upper hand, slightly.

Sub Attacks
KXVII puts one torpedo in AP Tanba Maru just outside Pontianak. 55/34/16

I-22 attacks the unescorted TK Byron D. Benson and gets one hit just west of Hawaii.

Planning
The AP hit near Pontianak was one of a TF that's begun loading the 18th? Div. for transport to Kragen. A large TF is also at Balikpapan, preparing to load more troops for Java.

[mogami]

Hi

[mogami]

The current score

[mogami]

the current situation

[Brady]

Mogami, asked me to come on in hear and help to catch up whear we are at since roberto5352, does not have the time to at present continue the reporting, which I must say was extreamly well done and very interesting to read, it kept me up till past 2 in the morning in fact[:)]
The info presented is so out of date at present it does not pose a threat to game play occuring at present in game. To help those who may be following this thread understand things from the Allied perspective I thought I would offer the following:

.........................

Asumptions made by me apon starting the game:

1) Mogami would strike hard and fast and with great skill all over the planet.

2) Pearl would be a disaster.

3) The SRA was not important to me, I beleaved and still do, that alowing Japan relatively free axcess to it was not a big deal, I felt that the allies would have suficient numerical and qualative advantages to bring the war to conclushion suxcesfully no mater how many points of suply and Oil were availiable to Japan, force preservation was more important to me than denying him resources, eforts would made to this end(denyal) but they would be modist and secondary to saving units, particularly air units.

4) Japan would be faught during the First 6 months, but only whear I wanted to and how I wanted to, each regon would have a line or a point on the map that fighting would take place at, this was intended to preserve force strength and flexabality for use in the second half of 42.

5) Regional objectives for first 6 months:

Burma, retire to a point and fortify bases, colect my airpower and fight from imporved bases, primarly with airpower.

India, strengthen Cylon and Costal bases, move Suply to Austraila in as much Quanity as I could before suply lines could be interdicted.

China, Hold as much of what I had as I could and make a nuscances of myself to destract Mogami if posable.

SRA, Run Away.

North Pacific, Fortify.

Centrail Pacific, Fight.

SWP, Retire to New Gunie.

Northern Austraila, Prepare to fight for Timor.

..........................

As noted I intended to fight at specific locations and forces were moved and bases built to facalitiate this, roberto5352 did a very nice job of reporting the actions at Timor, which was one of the primary battles faught during the first 6 months of the war, their were 4 main battles faoght during the first 6 months of the war:

Timor:

I intneded to fight around Timor, while I did not beleave I could hold it, I wanted it to be expensive for Mogami, and I moved men and material, from all over to acomplish this, Units from India, Malaya, and the Centrail Pacific, and even the West coast were brought to this area, the most Important of Which was a Marine C47 unit, this unit along with The Dutch transports and Flying Boats ferryed men from Malaya and Sinagpore for months to Java and to Timor and Northern Austrailia.
The primary point of Timor was to be as noted to blead Mogami as much as posable, the reasion Timor was selected was it's proxminity to Austraila, virtualy every unit in Timor was eveunatly withdrawn in part to Austraila, while Huge Numbers of men were lost their, their units would live on and rebuild, making Austraila hopefully unatractive as an invashion point.
I could realy go and on about Timor, it was imensly fun to see the battles develope and Mogami wone the day eveunatly with well excuated atacks that wore down my defenses.


Tarawa, I rushed men and Material to Canton Island and covered the whole operation with my CV's, though at a distance, I intened initialy to hold this Island and or to at least fight as much as posable for it and the area, It's atrativenss was it's distance from the Home Islands of Japan. As the Base at Canton Grew, I waited for Mogami to take Tarawa, he did and then I planed on taking it back and forcing a fight, which had not developed at Canton, I neaded to fight Him and this was imo the best place to do so, since it was so far from home for him and relatively close to my main bases in Hawai. Baker was devolped to this end and the Operation undertaken to retake Tarawa:

Tarawa First Battle: The Base was taken though barely, it was a shoestring operation, but a suxcessful one, netting me the first Japanese Army losses of the war of any consquence, a lot of intersting battles took place hear, on the sea nad in the Air, one notable suxcess was catching almost all of Mogami's AO's at sea with my Carriers and sinking them.

Tarawa Second Battle: Aparently the whole Tarawa Thing realy caught Mogamis atention becasue the Battle to retake it lasted several week's, I belave 4 Months were spent fighting in this corner of the Pacific, Huge Air battles took place Scads of Ships were lost by both sides, and I lost two Fleat CV's, he lost two CVL's and a CVE with some Notable and signafagant damage to some of his CV's. I made a mistake by resting my Air units at Tarawa, which had been built to a Size 5 base, during this day he was able to knock the airbase down and I never recovered, this marked the end, but it took several weeks to see it to conclushion, most Air units were withdrawn to Baker and Canton.
Though I did lose a ton of men at Tarawa, Core elemnts were saved and taken to Baker, whear they would prove themelves in Batttle again.

Baker: Mogami, went after Baker with considrable determanation, and after some serious fighting and the timely arivial of my CV's, which saved the day, I was bale to hold and keep the Island, Japanese forces withdrew, and a stale mate insued in the regon.

Meanwhile operations in the Solomons were initiated during the Baker Island Battles, Burma was Quiet save some Bombing operations directed and Resources and Suply, and some Battles in the air in China took place after Mogamis briliantly excuated campagine their pushed me off the tracks and into the interiour.

Presently Fighting in New Gunie Continues, the Air war In the CBI continues, and the Submarine campagine is continuing apace, though it is a quiet campagine to be shure.

[Brady]

It is Now Mid November 42, Holandia has been captured, Wewick isolated, and a Japanese counter atack at Holindia repulsed, Two Japanese Fleat CV's took damage in this atack with one suffering an AMMO Storage exploshion, Several Japanese DD's were heavely damaged during a Fast Transport Landing operation, which ran into a 6 inch CD battery, as noted above their trrops were pushed into the Jungle. Shore based planes managed to sink two of the straglers the next day, and B-25's slightly dmaged a CL. An Air strkike by the Japanese from their CV's did manage to ravage an AK convoy docked at Holindia howeaver, P-38's did prove themslefs in the Air battles by fighting well aganst overwhealming odds and came out on top causing more dammage than they took.

War time photo of Holiandia, Image caption reads; Japanese Ships burn off Holiandia: