Jap Lilies and Zero escort out of Batavia try to hit Soerabajas ships, and get mauled. Int screen tells me that 13 Zeroes and 11 Lilies were shot down in exchange for 4 Warhawks, 4 Brewsters, 4 Demons and 2 Hawks. One of the Japs got his 19th kill, so I'm hoping it was a crack unit and those 11 lost pilots will hurt him.
If it's already may then he must be running short of navy pilots. Which means, i'm sad to say, that most of those kills were 30-40 exp rookie replacements most probably.
BURMA/INDIA
Not much has happened there recently. 50 to 1 odds on the Imperial Guard, and they dont surrender. Sheesh. They even kill more than I manage. I guess katanas are real effective against tanks, as they ran out of bullets weeks ago.
Rangoon has about 20 fighters up. I'm going to try high level bombing of the place tomorrow in an effort to start hurting it, my heavies are out of resource targets now.
CHINA
Bad day for him in the air. He tried to go for the oil at Chungking today with unescorted Sallies, the AVG was waiting and mauled him again. The two squadrons of Chin fighters did pretty well as well. On the ground, I'm pulling back from Wuchow still, and Sian is at deadlock. Chances are it will be for some time.
JAVA
He made a massive air attack on Soerabaja today with 20 Zeroes escorting, the defending fighters really did a number on him. Out of >70 bombers only 8 actually dropped bombs, which gives a clue of the mauling he got. Without the Zero advantage his planes are suddenly mortal again.
His ground forces steadily advance across the island. Looks like I'll be able to evac with merchies still though, his airfarce currently will need reinforcing to prevent that it seems.
SOPAC/AUS/CENTPAC/NORPAC
No changes at all anywhere here. Very quiet theatre.
His airlosses this turn were really punishing. 76 of his to 22 of mine, surely that really must hurt him, thats almost 4 to 1 odds in my favour, when he needs 4 to 1 odds in -his- favour.
44 Nells, 21 Zeroes and 11 Sallies in exchange for 13 Brewsters, 4 Warhawks, 4 Hawks and 3 Demons. Really the only aircraft that was obviously outmatched was the poor old Brewster, the other aircraft all managed to acquit themselves nobly.
No new plans really, more of the same planned for tomorrow.
BURMA/INDIA
Rangoon got the first major high level bombing raid of the war - up till now I've only raided low level, and more or less undefended targets. The results are pretty good :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 55
LB-30 Liberator x 44
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
10 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
4 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
8 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
5 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 25000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 25000 feet
I'm going to maintain the pressure every third day or so with the heavies.
Meanwhile due to the dangerous situation in China, with him raiding my resources and oil, two Mohawk squadrons are sent to Ledo as the first step of the hop to Chungking.
Recon indicates 19 units at Rangoon, with 66,000 troops. He's up to no good here for sure.
CHINA
The ground combat at Sian goes to my satisfaction, ie stalemate. He raids Chungkings oil again today, and he must be deadly serious because he brought some Navy Zeroes along to the party. The presence of the AVG prevents a humiliation but he gets 8 oil hits for a tolerable loss of his aircraft. This can't be allowed to continue, hence the dispatch of 32 Mohawks from India above to remedy the situation.
JAVA/DEI
He does another air raid on Soerabaja and the defenders punish him once more. Seems like a waste of aircraft to me, his ground units are advancing with almost no opposition. Today another Dutch regiment loads onto APs. Yesterday incidentally I took both AA units out, they are going to Timor. With all this fighter power here evidently I don't need flak... he can't get through the CAP without devastating losses.
I have high hopes I will keep Timor. [:D]
SOPAC/AUS
I'm on the move here finally. New Mexico and Mississippi are at Noumea, my CVs leave Auckland for Noumea, a big convoy including 6 valuable APDs just arrives at Noumea, and we got 20 APs ready for daring and foolhardy moves. Lunga has been reconnoitred, its a level 1 airfield but it looks like he's only got 1 squadron there, presumably search a/c.
...I think I'm gonna go for it (Guadalcanl) after all. 2 divisions and a Bde probably. I want to be able to pound Rabaul so I will be in a better position to move ships up to Port Moresby in the coming months - and I need Port Moresby open so I can keep sending things to Northern Australia. If I can cling on to Timor (seems highly possible) I'd like to nudge forward later so I can bomb his oil there with my heavies. No oil = no war. [:D]
No sign of the KB, aside from those Vals a few days ago at Kwajalein. If it comes out, well. 7 CVs will be as ready as they'll ever be.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Very quiet theatre here. Though as time goes on and the KB doesn't show up I wouldnt be surprised if he goes for a raid somewhere out here imminently. Not sure as to his plans.
As for my plans I'm happy with keeping the US-Australia searoutes open, which thanks to his lack of effort here I have done, aside from some submarine action very early in the war not a single American transport has lost a ship on the Pacific run.
Air losses today were 20 Allied and 30 Japanese, though I suffered 8 op losses - mostly heavy bombers on the return from Rangoon after being shot up - so they should really go to the Japanese tally. Still, parity, the Jap air force is not the terror it was in January.
I've not updated for several days because little combat has been happening, until today that is.
The main thing is, he hit Chungking again today with 44 Navy Zeroes and 120 Sallies. A major effort. The AVG couldnt do much against that, and he scored several oil hits. Clearly, a significant change of strategy.
I read good and bad in this - the good is he probably figures he can't take Sian without pulling something out of the bag. I read it as a sign of frustration that he's been forced to adopt alternative tactics rather than bulling his way around with his ground units as he did in the early war.
And the bad, is, obviously - this is a grave situation indeed for the Chinese.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/22/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 44
Ki-21 Sally x 112
Ki-15 Babs x 7
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
14 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So the real strategic question is - what to do about it.
I already moved two squadrons of Mohawks to Chungking from India, they happened to be resting after the base transferrals today which is the only reason they werent fighting. From now on they will be. Those are the only fighter reinforcements the Allies can get to China for some time. I would love the other chunk of AVG, still fighting in Java, to teleport back to China now but sadly redeploying them would take at least a month in the hold of an AK.
I'm considering moving the Fortresses in India to Chungking to begin counter raids upon the airfield launching these forces. At the very least, it'll force him to defend the airfield with Zeroes.
Elsewhere my forces mass at Noumea for my Guadalcanal assault. 21 APs, the same in AKs and pretty much the entire US Navy are there (and a pretty big chunk of the British fleet too). At the very least it should lure the KB out to my waiting carriers. ARs are in position at Noumea to ensure that bombed ships have a good chance of survival. Recon suggests only SNLF at Guadalcanal so my USMC Division should go through them like curry through a nun.
BURMA/INDIA
The Imperial Guard is down to about 9200 men now, 0 guns, 0 vehicles. Absolutely smashed. It's defence, when I attack it, is of the order of 15-20. But they do not surrender.
Am I gunna kill every motherloving one of them without them surrendering? If he doesn't disturb me by attacking India, it looks like the answer is - Yes.
1 CLAA and 2 DD are at Karachi as Winston requests. Still pondering whether to actually send them or not. Depends on how my shipping goes at Java.
Still trying out high level bombing of Rangoon to keep him on his toes, it has very little effect really compared to the 5000' slaughter of the past, but its a constant attrition for him.
CHINA
He knows my Mohawks are there but he hasnt struck Chungking yet. I imagine he'll go for the airfield now, and really wreck the place. Nothing I can do, sucks to be so helpless.
Elsewhere though things are going my way. Chinese guerillas infest his supply lines - in strength as well, not just 1 corps, 2-3 corps - and the constant bombing seems to have an effect. Reinforcements are flooding into the NE as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sian
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 196944 troops, 1655 guns, 24 vehicles
Defending force 194094 troops, 726 guns, 0 vehicles
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sian
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 141627 troops, 591 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 218390 troops, 1655 guns, 312 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
703 casualties reported
Guns lost 21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kungchang
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 25303 troops, 112 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 47868 troops, 514 guns, 3 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
JAVA
I'm amazed by the speed of his advance, he's taking his time. Maybe he thinks I'm luring him into another trap like the Imperial Guard got snared by? Anyway, he took Djokarta a few days ago and now he's at the gates of Medioen. No traps here, but my APs are coming back to Soerabaja for more refugees... My bombers have been bombing Batavia's oil but with very little effect in the meantime.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Place is dead. Nothing going on.
SOPAC/AUS
Things are going on at Noumea, the battlefleets are being drawn up for the assault, which will happen in about a week. DMSes are on their way but not there quite yet, and there are a few other straggling warships I want there for the assault.
Looks like the TFs will be something like...
Lex/Saratoga/Hornet, with Hornet overloaded with extra Wildcats, in a 4600 AA value TF, 282 a/c.
Yorktown/Enterprise/Indomitable/Formidable, in a 4800 AA value TF, 233 a/c.
New Mexico/Mississippi in a bombardment/surface combat taskforce.
21 APs, 5 APDs, about 20 odd AKs as well.
A hell of a lot of DDs and quite a few CLs. In the early war the Allied cruiser force was badly mauled, so I'm very DD heavy.
The assault is going to be tricky. 7 carriers to provide air cover, only 6000 defenders at Lunga, should be easy enough for the USMC to bag the place. Problem is - I most definitely do not want him to spot Indomitable or Formidable. He's not landing at Colombo right now because he assumes these assets are in the Indian Ocean, if he realised how bare India was - remember I got a sizeable battleship force at Koepang and I stripped all the RN carriers - I'm sure he'll be in there like a shot.
My ideal situation would be this. The British carriers are held back but near enough to charge in on full speed if need be. The primarily US carrier TF escorts the battleships and transports to ensure all are under solid CAP. If KB intrudes then the second carrier taskforce will be committed. Hopefully KB is too far away - maybe at Kwajalein, maybe refitting at Truk or even Tokyo - to intrude, and the troops and supplies will be ashore before he can do anything. Which is perfect. I imagine he might be tempted to raid the area with KB afterwards to try and cut the Marines off, which is exactly what I would like him to do - as then he'll meet Swordfish!
Lunga is a calculated risk at this time of the war. How many CVs does he have in KB? You certainly can win at this time, but you could also lose, its not a forgone conclusion for either side.
BURMA/INDIA
Still chipping away. In 30 days my capabilities here get a serious boost, couple of new Bdes, and the first Spitfires. China is getting slaughtered (see below) - so I commit another Hurricane squadron to the Chinese theatre.
...I hope he doesnt attack India, that would be Bad. No hint of it yet though. Rangoon is pretty empty, in fact. No bombers or nuthin.
CHINA
He pounds Chungking again. The Mohawks are inadequate in its defence. Fortunately hes going for the oil not the airfield so I'm not pounded as bad as could be, but still, its not pretty. The Allies lose 27 a/c today in air to air combat, in exchange for 11 of his. Flak accounted for a couple more. Bad. Hurricanes are at Chengtung?, as its a two base leap from Ledo to Chungking. Can't let him have his way with my resources, and India seems quiet for now.
The only slight victory was his Sallies started aborting when the fighters got in there, so I guess his morale suffered. My morale is real high for some reason, Allied pilots seem to think nothing of losing a third of their buddies in a day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 38
Ki-21 Sally x 74
Ki-15 Babs x 2
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 26
P-40B Tomahawk x 7
I-16c x 27
Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
12 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAVA
Almost evacuated everything i want to evac, in good order. Two Dutch divisions were extracted almost in their entirety. There is some hasty reorganisation going on in Australia, going to reinforce Timor with these fragments soon.
As his invasion is slow, looks like my battleships from Colombo I sent a few days ago might arrive at Timor in time to check any invasion, assuming it happens right after the end of the Java campaign.
I feel that the Allies are getting noticeably stronger already. If he doesnt take Timor fairly soon - I dont think he will.
SOPAC/AUS
I moved the Fortresses I had at Cairns out to Noumea, so offensive activities on the SE coast of Australia have come to an end. Derby is turning into a major reserve airfield as baseforces from Java are dumped there.
At Noumea of course things continue to amass. A big AK convoy leaving Noumea for San Francisco, in my error, blundered over a Jap submarine NE of Luganville - I didnt mean to send it there, the direct route from Noumea -> San Fran goes through the Gilberts but I didnt notice it moving. Thats bad. It was a really big convoy, he might get suspicious, even though it has nothing to do with the coming assault.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
All quiet. I get CV Wasp fairly soon though.
Had a few quiet days but today the action hotted up again.
BURMA/INDIA
CV Illustrious has arrived and is steaming to Colombo. Which means he wont be landing in India without a fleet CV of his own, at least one. Thats good.
Bangalore is almost a size 5 airfield, when it is, I'll move some construction battalions out and begin fortifying Bombay up to 9.
The Imperial Guard is down to 8000 men.
CHINA
All quiet in the air, Chungking has 66 fighters, half of them RAF, for when he comes nosing around again. At Sian he is clearly on the losing end in the ground war now. I cant dislodge him but when he attacks he suffers ten times my casualties.
JAVA
This is where the action is... CV Kaga is sighted off Soerabaja! Two big air raids come in, 80 Zeroes apiece, which implies maybe 4-5 Jap CVs? Fortunately hes going for the more or less empty port, the badly damaged SS Seal is the only naval casualty. In the air the Warhawks and Brewsters and Demons dont get humiliated completely but they do suffer - 80 air to air kills for him as opposed to 52 for me. On the other hand thats 52 Navy pilots he wont easily be getting back...
I pull every a/c that can still fly at the end of the day out to Koepang or the northern Australian coast - unfortunately there are about 50 damaged frames left behind.
No shipping is near so thats not a worry.
At Timor I will move the British warships out if he comes nosing around there with his carriers, clearly if he wants Timor that bad the RN isnt going to stop him.
SOPAC/AUS
I really, really need more baseforces in northern Australia. Indeed, anywhere in Aus, for that matter. No reinforcements for ages, though.
With his carriers sighted in the Java Sea I am more confident of the coming battles at Lunga. The troops are loading onto the APs at the moment - 2nd USMC and 1st and 14th NZ Bdes. I am loading engineers onto a fast transport TF as well, one of the EAB regiments that Noumea doesnt need anymore. I guess they will set sail either tomorrow or the day after.
Hmm. I got one spare 270 value av support unit sitting in Bangalore which isnt really needed yet. There is another one arriving in 12 days anyway at Karachi.
BURMA/INDIA
I sent back CLAA Ceres in my turn (which would be the 31st, I date by the combat report). I'm keeping the two DDs though, Winston can **** off. Electra class DDs are the worst British ships near enough, and I rather like them.
My av support unit at Bangalore is moving to the coast to be picked up, its going to Australia.
I am a little worried about India still, his CVs left Soerabaja headed NE, I half expected him to go and clear Koepang out. I doubt the threat of Beauforts stopped him - if he's not going for Timor, maybe he's going for India.
On the other hand I get the Chindits fairly soon, and Spitfires, so I guess its a bit late to go looking for easy pickings in India.
CHINA
He came at Chungkings airfield as I half expected. He did moderate damage, and shot down 22 aircraft of mine in exchange for 22 of his. Bit biased though, a lot of those 22 were Chinese biplanes which dont really count. Most of the 22 were Sallies unfortunately.
i've turned off all Tomahawk replacements except the AVG in China, the pool is empty and the trickle is being used to reinforce Dutch Harbour of all places. Idiotically I had Chungking fixing oil damage too so its sucked away all my supply for a while, I fixed that but it'll take a while to build up. [:(]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 32
Ki-21 Sally x 109
Ki-15 Babs x 4
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 17
Hurricane II x 13
P-40B Tomahawk x 5
I-16c x 19
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
17 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
19 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
1 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAVA
His carriers left Soerabaja alone and the defenders breathe a sigh of relief. Another strike would have been nasty, all those damaged a/c on the ground. Worryingly they head off towards Singapore. Whats his plan there... India? I assumed he'd go for Timor next. Timor does admittedly have Beauforts but I dont think the place could withstand the KB.
Maybe those 50 Zeroes seriously dented his carrier air? enough to make him think twice about messing with the Dutch again? ( [:D]). Mmm. Who knows.
A wave of APs is about to arrive at Soerabaja, I want the baseforces out, 330 very valuable av support there and only about 80 a/c now I've evacuated.
SOPAC/AUS
The transports at Noumea have been loading for ages now. The USMC division still isnt fully aboard, but will be tomorrow. I imagine they'll be setting off two days from now towards Lunga. Delays dont really bother me, I got time (specially now the KB is known to be hundreds of miles away). All the more prep points for the troops.
BURMA/INDIA
Winston wants a CV now. [:(]. he aint getting one. So July is going to be devoid of PPs. Bugger.
I have a submarine picket on the channel to the east of Sumatra, its been there for some time. A Japanese cruiser force just went over it. It wasn't attacked, but I saw it on the map. Things are brewing, alright.
I have another submarine picket marking the entrance to Rangoon, lets see if it shows up there.
I have Illustrious and Hermes at Colombo... and I'm considering doing a Taranto on him if he lingers at Rangoon. No bombers at Rangoon - and I can suppress the airfield with my heavies out of Calcutta as well. A daring port strike with two British carriers and then a retreat might slow his plans.
Or get my carriers toasted.
...either way if he plans on an invasion I want to move my heavy bombers to my new airfield at Bangalore where they can cover pretty much all India.
The Imperial Guard is down to 7000 men. I ordered a shock attack tomorrow, lets see if we can end it soon. If not, I'm going to start pulling 7th Armoured off that hill back to the Indian railroad. It might be needed for something important soon like repelling yellowbellies charging the beaches of Bombay...
CHINA
He attacks Chungking again today, again a bloody stalemate, but he does little damage to the airfield this time and his Sallies seem to have morale problems. Even his recon planes get attention from the CAP, I never saw that before...
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/31/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 27
Ki-21 Sally x 82
Ki-15 Babs x 4
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 10
Hurricane II x 10
P-40B Tomahawk x 4
I-16c x 11
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
12 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think he has quite enough oomph to close the airfield. So they hang by a thread.
Now I see 7 units on the road two hexes from Chungking. I have about the same number of troops at Chungking, plus the fortifications, so I'm not too worried yet. My forces who attacked Wuchow earlier are on the way back to Chungking as well and will be there in the not too distant future, a couple of weeks or so.
JAVA/DEI
A Betty attack is launched upon Royal Sovereign, at Koepang harbour. The very heavy CAP I put up chops the attack to pieces. A lone Betty is the sole survivor, its torpedo misses the battleship.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Koepang at 28,77
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G4M1 Betty x 15
Allied aircraft
Hawk 75A x 11
Brewster 339D x 8
Buffalo I x 6
Hurricane II x 15
Kittyhawk I x 6
P-40B Tomahawk x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 9
Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He has a fleet of his own massing at, believe it or not, northern Java. Oh for a carrier there now. Recon indicates 3 BBs, who knows how accurate that is. Maybe its his CVs.
Submarines boil out of Derby, six of them which have been on sub transport duty up till now. They go to various destinations - short range boats mark Koepang, medium range ones go to the southern coasts of Java, long range ones go to the South China Sea to see if they can bag tankers.
SOPAC/SWPAC
The TFs are all ready and today they are given orders to leave Noumea and head for Lunga.
One AK TF with 30,000 supplies
One AP TF with the troops (2 NZ Bdes, USMC Div)
Surface combat TF (2 BBs, going to dub as bombardment TF when they get near)
Air combat TF (3 USN CVs, one overloaded with extra Wildcats)
Fast transport TF (15 CLs + DDs with an EAB unit aboard).
Replenishment TF (3 AOs + escort, will sit half way between Noumea and Lunga)
Air combat TF (2 USN CVs, 2 British CVs, will sit half way between Noumea and Lunga)
No CAs in the above fleet at all. All sunk! Lots of CLs and DDs though.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
All quiet.
Overall the air losses today were ~20 of mine for ~40 of his. Good! He's certainly getting attrition these days.
BURMA/INDIA
Did a low level daylight raid on Rangoon today with the heavies, it wasnt pretty. Wont be doing that again. Almost all the damage was patched up by morning, he has a lot of engineers there. I might send my heavies to China, with giving up on Rangoon I've run out of targets really.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/02/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 63
LB-30 Liberator x 37
Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
10 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
9 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
2 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm also giving up on the Imperial Guard. Apparently the Guard dies, it does not surrender! Its down to 6000 men now, definitely combat ineffective. I'm pulling 7th Armoured and the 2nd UK Div off the mountain (which will take 30 days), and leaving the 14th Indian there to keep them pinned down.
On the plus side my Blenheims are at 80+ experience from playing with them. [;)]
CHINA
Stalemate on the ground. I had to pull my airfarce out of Chungking - whats left of it, about half a dozen each of Hurricanes and Mohawks, out of 4 squadrons. The AVG/C which is in China is down to 2 aircraft. Looks like there is nothing I can do in the air there now he's set on it... if my RAF units recover quickly in India I'll send them back again in a week or so. The AVG is spent pretty much, I think they are No More.
JAVA/DEI
Well, I found out why his ships were massing around northern Java. He made an attack over the sea at Malang, which is totally irrelevant to me as it has a port 0, as I found out earlier. In exchange for this folly a Japanese CA was torpedoed twice by Beauforts out of Soerabaja. So I'm happy.
His ground forces have finally reached Soerabaja so the end will be nigh, specially as I removed so many units from the place. It has level 9 forts though so who knows, maybe it'll last a little while.
The RN force I sent from Colombo a while back arrived at Koepang finally - 3 BBs, 2 CAs, 3 CLs, 4 DDs. He'll need fleet carriers to crack that nut open. Or a surface engagement, which I figure will be dangerous in the extreme, those Royal Sovereigns arent bad, and there are plenty of Beauforts at Koepang as well.
SOPAC/AUS
Australia itself is very quiet. My invasion force is now about half way to Lunga, tomorrow it'll probably get spotted. I havn't seen any recon planes over it yet, so its still a surprise I guess. [:D]
As his carriers are elsewhere - a presumed CVL has been sighted in the South China Sea bombing US remnants in the PI - I peel off the two British carriers and send them back to Noumea with a two DD escort. The remaining US ones will form up and go all the way to Lunga. I sure as hell dont want him to realise that the British fleet is spread across the globe rather than concentrated at Colombo.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Not much going on. I dispatched an EAB unit from Dutch Harbour to Amchitka Island. Plan is to have a line of airbases, Attu Island, Amchitka Island, Dutch Harbour, Anchorage, to act as a long line of defence he'll have to battle through if he has designs on Alaska.
I doubt he will but you never know. Besides, I might have designs on the Kuriles in 1943. [:D]
Had a delay because my computer imploded. In the end only a complete reformat worked, so now I have a gig of patches and assorted crap to download. [:(]
WITP was first on the list to reinstall though. [;)]
BURMA/INDIA
Very quiet here. Bombers are resting, he isnt moving. I've sent another sub out to mark the Sumatra strait, bringing me up to six Allied subs operating in the area.
JAVA
I dunno what hes doing here. Being audacious. Beauforts from Soerabaja put two torpedoes into a CL and lightly bombed a few APs that were unloading at Java. And Martins from Koepang bombed a CL which is now halfway between Koepang and Java - what on earth he's doing there I have no idea, sending in his navy far, far ahead of any air cover. Recon says its a 10 ship TF of CAs, its not got carriers in it at least. Theres 3 battleships waiting at Koepang and a lot of Beauforts, I reckon he's being suicidal here.
SOPAC/AUS
My Noumea assault got spotted today. Tomorrow, Lunga should be in range of the Dauntlesses of the escorting CVs, who have been set to splatter the airfield and port. The day after, the battleships should begin their shore bombardment. Catalinas from Reef Island do recon over Lunga every day now, so far he doesnt appear to have responded.
BURMA/INDIA
My heavies strike Rangoon again, and get horribly cut up by the Zeroes. Even though I used mainly Fortresses. I really have to find something else for these guys to do, Rangoon is obviously beyond their powers. Made out of kryptonite heavy bombers are not.
I notice I got 6 Spitfires in the pool, there is a Hurricane unit on about 80 experience on the Burma border which I have planned to be first to upgrade!
CHINA
I pulled all the British fighters out of their very brief sojourn in Chungking, and the AVG - whats left of it - as well. He has spent the last few days ineffectually bombing Chungkings airfield, Sallies really arent much good it would seem. Least he's not been going for the resources.
Far as the ground war is concerned he's sixty miles from Chungking now with 8 units, which is about the same number of units I have in the city. Sian is at deadlock, though heavily engaged.
JAVA/DEI
That TF that I was puzzled by has vanished off the map. Pulled back from Koepang, or merely a bad recon day? Elsewhere ships show up one hex from Soerabaja, they get bombed by Beauforts (for some reason no torpedoes even though its an airfield 4), doing no damage.
SOPAC/AUS
As calculated the first air strikes are made against Lunga today! Not particularly effective ones.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Day Air attack on Lunga , at 67,97
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
SBD Dauntless x 89
TBD Devastator x 45
Japanese ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 3
Aircraft Attacking:
15 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
15 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
14 x TBD Devastator bombing at 5000 feet
15 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
14 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
15 x TBD Devastator bombing at 5000 feet
15 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
14 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
14 x TBD Devastator bombing at 5000 feet
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thats only a 3 CV airstrike, tomorrow should see a 5 CV airstrike on the island. Tomorrow the battleships should commence their bombardment, and the troops and supplies should be hitting the beach, at which point we will really know if humiliation awaits. Or not.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Not much going on here. I sent another convoy of AKs through the Jap held Gilberts due to my own incompetence, and again they got through without being bombed. Clearly this is an area of little importance to him at present.
Compouter had a dodgy RAM stick, bought a new one now and it seems much happier. So hopefully we return to biz as usual.
5th June, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
Very little going on here. My Hurricane squadrons that were mauled in China are being replenished at a quick rate at Ledo. The British pools are quite hefty at the moment so I plan on sending em back when they are fully rested.
JAVA
Soerabaja is the only base on Java in Allied hands, but it looks like it'll hold out for weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 46485 troops, 570 guns, 14 vehicles
Defending force 31943 troops, 169 guns, 25 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 9)
Japanese ground losses:
516 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
320 casualties reported
Guns lost 22
Vehicles lost 1
He is evidently annoyed by my evacuating, he's put 30 Betties + Zeroes on Sulawesi and he has a small fleet sitting in Soerabaja harbour. Unfortunately for him I still have Beauforts at the base, and they sink one Jap DD, badly damage another, and badly damage a CL.
SOPAC/AUS
This is where the action is. The marines hit the beaches at Lunga today!
The preparatory bombardment went badly. I wasnt expecting such a vicious number of CD guns, so I let the destroyers take part and they got butchered. 5 DDs were either sunk or scuttled today, and a sixth is very badly damaged and may not make it back to Noumea. The US carriers pound port, airfield and troops while the marines and Anzacs swarm ashore. No air attacks from Port Moresby or Rabaul on the attacking fleet, but there are a lot of wildcats on cover there. Maybe they are putting them off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Lunga, at 67,97 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
258 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Drayton, Shell hits 29, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ellet, Shell hits 27, on fire, heavy damage
DD Benham, Shell hits 20, on fire, heavy damage
DD Henley, Shell hits 29, on fire, heavy damage
CL Leander, Shell hits 2
DD Phelps
DD Schley
DD Crosby, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kennison
DD King, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix
CL Boise, Shell hits 5
CL Honolulu
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
Japanese ground losses:
434 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1065 encounters mine field at Lunga (67,97)
TF 1065 troops unloading over beach at Lunga, 67,97
Coastal Guns at Lunga, 67,97, firing at TF 1065
369 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Walke
CL Java, Shell hits 20
AP William Ward Burrows, Shell hits 1
PG Charleston
DD Gridley
Allied ground losses:
1308 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
369 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Walke
CL Java, Shell hits 20
AP William Ward Burrows, Shell hits 1
PG Charleston
DD Gridley
Allied ground losses:
1308 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Lunga, at 67,97 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed
49 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
CL Leander
DD Phelps
DD Schley
DD Kennison, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
DD King, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Phoenix
CL Boise, Shell hits 4
CL Honolulu
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico, Shell hits 9
Japanese ground losses:
453 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
CENTPAC/NORPAC
I got recon Catalinas at Attu Island reconning the Kuriles now. I wouldnt be surprised if it draws a response from him, which isnt such a bad thing if it serves a useful distraction.
Elsewhere all quiet.
BURMA/INDIA
A smallish Jap force lands at Andaman Island, which is ungarrisoned. A submarine is spotted west of Trimcomalee too, I dispatch the hunter killer flotilla which is waiting there.
The heavies at Calcutta are still recovering from the mauling they got when raiding Rangoon, they will be out for the best part of a week I guess.
JAVA/DEI
I move the final Beauforts and Demons out of Soerabaja, the only a/c there now is a single naval search aircraft. CV Shokaku is sighted in the Java Sea but there are no airstrikes. Soerabaja has 60,000 supplies, so it should hold for a while.
Meanwhile Koepang is now another Soerabaja - 136 fighters, 28 fighterbombers, 78 level bombers (mostly Beauforts too) and 24 torpedo bombers, as well as the Royal Navy. Interesting to see whether he'll try for that place or not.
SOPAC/AUS
I'm beginning to think attacking Lunga was a bad idea. Another DD is blown to wreckage by coastal guns while supporting unloading troops. Recon appears to have been massively out as well, the 5000 men that were indicated before the attack have turned into 20,000 men now the marines are ashore. Not good. Got 2 more divisions at Noumea... I might have to commit another one.
This isnt as bad as it seems as I have another USMC division crossing the Pacific at the moment. And while the DDs have taken a pounding I have yet to lose an AP.
Tomorrow the troops ashore are set to bombard, the battleships are set to fire the last of their ammo at the shore and retire to Noumea for reloads (not with escorts as well this time), the carriers are set to bombard the ground units there. Most of the USMC division is now ashore, by tomorrow the entire force will have landed.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
USS Vincennes, the only CA left in the Pacific pretty much, is ordered to Noumea from Pearl Harbour.
Recon Catalinas from Attu Island inspect Paramushimo Jimo, the most northeastern tip of the Japanese empire, and spot three ground units - which seems like quite a lot for such a remote place. I'll have to keep an eye out up here.
Three battleships that were heavily damaged at Pearl Harbour may yet see action in the next few months, the least damaged of them is on 16 sys damage. Thats good, given the lack of CAs and bombardment firepower my Lunga invasion has highlighted. North Carolina arrives in 4 days, and Quincy in 8, so that'll help.
BURMA/INDIA
He took Andaman today with a base force unit. My best Hurricane unit (72 experience) arrived at Chungking today, where it will stiffen the defences hopefully - it is slated to become Spitfires soon, excellent.
The heavies are still resting.
ATM there isnt a whole lot the Brits can do, got key units still stuck with the Imperial Guard, the heavies are mauled, and the navy is elsewhere. That said, in a months time I get pretty hefty reinforcements here, and I might go back to working on being a pain in Japans ass in Burma.
CHINA
Stalemate. Not much to be said. Chungking is about to get reinforced finally, the end result of the constant shifting around will be a more or less even spread of Chinese troops across the theatre though with a slight preponderance in Sian, which is tying up, it would seem, the bulk of the IJA.
I'm gonna rest at Chungking and then send them out in another assault, I feel I have to keep making attacks, even as, up till now, they have achieved little, in order to keep him from concentrating and annihilating me in detail. It forces him to keep moving his reserve troops around the map, rather than being able to commit massively at Sian.
JAVA/DEI
Looks like he is nosing towards Koepang... a Jap TF which includes, I believe, one carrier, quite possibly a light carrier, is nosing towards that direction. Gamble time - do I move the British ships or do I hope it isnt a force big enough to smash through the 120 fighters there? if its the KB its smashing time. But the air attacks he has launched have been desultory, so I think its only a small CVTF not the whole thing. So I'm gonna gamble and leave the Brits defending the place.
SOPAC/AUS
Looks like I was wrong, the Marines still arent fully unloaded. They got oodles of supply at least. Going to leave the carriers there until they are unloaded and then pull back to Noumea to refuel/rearm. Then, there will be another wave - either just carriers and battleships for support purposes, or maybe another division. We'll see how the USMC does when the whole lot are ashore and kicking ass.
Little sign of Japanese response as yet. My Fortresses in Cairns, who are now recovered from earlier debacles, are being set to recon PM and Gili Gili. I got a sub picket around Rabaul but it has found nothing yet.
I've done something which I should have done before - move 21 Fortresses to Luganville to support the troops at Lunga. Least I have the airfield and support in place, there are only 1300 supplies but I'm sending 4 AKs out from Noumea to fix that today.
Pretty much by a quirk of fate I got 14 submarines at Sydney being fixed. These are the ones that were involved in the Port Moresby campaign earlier. They ran afoul of KB. Not the best situation as there are no repair ships there, but I'm sending an AS down.
BURMA/INDIA
Not a whole lot going on. Still bombing the tar out of the Imperial Guard which seems to actually be getting stronger now I've moved units away.
A big av support unit is almost finished loading at Trivandrum, which will be going to Australia - probably Derby in the short term.
CHINA
The first of his units reached Chungking today. A lone unit with 11 more on the hex behind. I set em to deliberate attack to see if I can push him back. He will be able to siege Chungking for a little while at least, but over the next week or two I got about 15 divisions reinforcing the place, so he wont be there for long I imagine.
Sian is still a stalemate. I'm going to launch an attack on Tatung for shits n giggles as well, as it seems to be empty, from my forces which are on the Yenen-Mongolia trail.
JAVA/DEI
This is where the action is... the gamble above led to pyrrhic victory for him. The KB, or at least most of it, arrived off Koepang and a massive air strike was aimed at the Royal Navy taskforce at the port. The Zeroes especially got mauled but the bombers did mostly get through to the ships. Royal Sovereign is the worst off on 87 flotation and 50 sys, Ramilles on 20 flot and 26 sys, and Revenge is on 58 flot and 35 sys. No other ships were hit, but thats all three RN battleships there no longer really fight worthy.
On the other hand,in the air it was a clear win for the Allies. I lost 70 planes to his 120 or so, and thats valuable Navy pilots we are talking about. 69 Zeroes, 42 Vals, 29 Kates. Most of the Allied losses were Demons and Brewsters on the other hand, so in the cold light of day, expendable.
I reckon the KB must have lost well over 120 Zeroes in its involvement in the Java campaign - that must have accounted for a hell of a lot of crack pilots.
Unfortunately the Beauforts didnt launch a counterstrike on the carriers, but instead went for what looked like a lightly escorted troop convoy just beyond them, doing heavy damage to an AP and a couple of PGs.
24th FG of Warhawks is now on 77 experience, which is higher than the AVG/B unit stationed at Koepang.
Elsewhere Soerabaja is being bombed in earnest now, huge number of Lilies went over today and pounded the place. It'll last a while though, I'm reasonably confident. And only then can he begin looking seriously towards Koepang or India.
SOPAC/AUS
The Marines -still- arent fully unloaded, there are still 3000 on the APs. The carriers didnt strike today either for some reason. In any case while the Marines have about equal numbers with the defenders now, my probing attack only got 0 to 1 odds and they didnt get anywhere. The took a lot of casualties just from landing, so I'm going to give them a few days rest now I think.
The battleship force still isnt at Noumea yet for their reloads. I'm going to wait until they are back on station before I launch another Marine attack - and I think I'm going to bring another division along too.
On the plus side I offloaded a hell of a lot of supplies, so the Marines can stay on their beachhead for a while.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Not much going on here. I order the 60 or so Mitchells at Canton Island to raid Baker Island, just for the hell of it.
In 60 days I got a ton of ARs at San Francisco, and a couple of MLEs, which will aid the logistics aspect of the campaign immensely.
In the email I sent to him last I mused if 140 navy pilots is worth 3 damaged Royal Sovereigns, he replies "Trust me, it isnt."
A mighty blow has been struck it would seem by the combined RDAF/RAAF/USAF fighters at Koepang!
BURMA/INDIA
My av support unit had just embarked and set sail when it was promptly torpedoed by that Jap sub that has been skulking around Colombo that my DDs have been chasing around. On the plus side the escorting PGs sunk the sub (never mock a Royal Navy Flower! [;)]). On the minus side one of the APs carrying them is badly damaged, so they are going to go to Colombo and swap for an undamaged ship. That'll be a delay for a while.
Aside from that, all is quiet.
CHINA
My attack at Chungking kicked him out, but only just. [:(]. The Japs are supermen compared to the Chinese, only just got 2 to 1 odds when I outnumbered him numerically 6 to 1.
Elsewhere, stalemate, but I'm less content about this Chungking attack of his now given my Chinese units there are, evidently, crap.
JAVA/DEI
Soerabaja's fort is reduced to 8. The end is nigh.
But! The Japanese carrier force backs off of Koepang! It looks like the defending fighters gave even the KB pause!
Revenge/Royal Sov/Ramilles are disbanded in the port and are on 88/58/14 flotation damage now respectively. I'm going to pull them out as soon as possible, but the cruiser escort will stay at Koepang to hopefully prevent hit and run bombardments - its a small airfield with a lot of targets on it.
My submarines are now in position to hopefully bag tankers. 3 in the Sulu Sea, 7 in the South China Sea.
SOPAC/AUS
The ground units on Noumea all have disruption in the 60s. Bad. They are still resting.
Today Fortresses from Luganville started bombing his units (ineffectually) on Guadalcanal, and the massed US carriers also bombed the hell out of his troops there.
and there are -still- 320 troops aboard the damn APs!
This is going to be a long, long slog i think.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Quiet enough...
Looks like the KB will licking its wounds for a while, which is good as Lunga had four times the Japs I thought it had. Looks like I will be able to reduce it more or less undisturbed for a while.
