Fear and loathing - Japanese style

[fabertong]

Sasebo HQ China/Burma Command

December 31st 1941

Mersing falls......
Baker Island falls......
Linguyan falls......
Pagan falls........
On all four corners of the map Imperial forces score victory after victory......
However a Dutch/American task force caught one of invasion forces of Kendari
Night Time Surface Combat at 34,71

Japanese Ships
AP Ginyo Maru
AP Heito Maru, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Kansan Maru
AP Keiyo Maru
AP Kenshin Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Komeyama Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Konzan Maru
AP Kyuden Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Minto Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nagano Maru
AP Netsuda Maru, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Reiyo Maru, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ryuosan Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Shirashika Maru

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 1
CL Danae
CL Dragon
CL Durban
CL Mauritius
DD Alden
DD Edsall
DD Parrott
DD Pillsbury
DD Pope
DD Tenedos
DD Express

Japanese ground losses:
235 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

We have lost alot of APs and AKs, Let's hope this doesn't have any long term impact........
Will post end of year maps and scores later........

[fabertong]

Here are the end of year scores......
We haven't lost any Capital ships but you can see the large number of transports lost.....though Zuiho looks doomed.....
The allies have lost 1BB and about 8CA...

[fabertong]

Here is the Malayan situation. This is Scotts theatre of ops.
The allies are in full retreat after the fall of Mersing.
The Landings at Mersing has been costly....those d*mn little Swordfish and Vildebeest.....
Other than that things are shaping up nicely.

[fabertong]

Here is the Southeast fleet area.... this is one of Lews theatre of ops.
KB is moving to raid Guadalcanal then will withdraw to DEI to kill off those pesky Dutch cruisers
Here, for me the allies have made their one big error..... any attempt to take and hold any of the Solomans this early on is destined to end in tears.... at least 5CAs went to the bottom here....

[fabertong]

This is also Lews theatre......
The main fight looks to be shaping up around Manila. The airfield at Jolo, Davao etc... will choke allied resupply efforts......
this is one for the long haul....spring before this resolves itself.

[fabertong]

Here si the 4th fleets thust through the Gilberts......Lew in Command.
Akagai and Kaga are retiring to Truk to refuel and rearm after supporting the Baker landings.

[fabertong]

This is Burma .... my theatre of ops.
I'm dissapointed that Rangoon didn't fall before the New Year.
As I've said before I'm surprised that Tom has decided to defend Rangoon in depth. Two Indian Brigades two Burma Brig. + one other combat unit. This must be a holding action while he hopes to get Chinese forces to Mandalay.
If I can take Rangoon before the 6th......I'll race for Mandalay and hope to take it quickly.

[fabertong]

and finally China....also My command.
This map will be of interest to anybody who has been reading the recent China thread.
Here we see Toms aggressive offensive/defense in action.
Stalement at Yenen Homan and all around Changsha.
My initial Strategy in China was to deny the allies use of the main North/South railway and to take its' resource centers.....so I have to ask myself: What the hell am I doing at Homan? I've allowed myself to be sucked into a pointless position and one that will be hard to extract myself from.
The only real bright spot for me in China is the South.....the railline is clear all the way to Hanoi.
Gen Dohihara's army is making an all out effort to take Wuchow.

[scott64]

Saigon

Southern Army HQ

Balikpapan and Mersing have fallen to the Empire. Next stop is Johore Bharu in Malaya. 5th and 56th Divisions are the main force that with link up with a top secret division on its way. [:'(]. Elsewhere in the Empire, tragedy near Kendari. Approx 650 brave soldiers lost their lives with a surprise allied assault on the Empires' invasion force. Emperor Tojo has ordered all available surface task forces to proceed full speed to Kendari. Task Force 5 and 7 are on their way from Saigon. Kendari Task Force commander will be executed. [X(]

General Tomotka Kilpamura

[fabertong]

The cry throughout the Empire is ... Death to the Dutch cruisers.

[fabertong]

Zuiho has finally sucumbed to her wounds.....this is our first capitol ship loss. She sank while trying to be repaired at Kuching.

[fabertong]

Sasebo HQ China/Burma Command
5th January 1942

A quiet day at the front as all Japanese commanders are developing there existing positions........
Rangoon still is in allied hands and looks to remain so for at least ten days.... this has put me two weeks behind schedule.......
China stil messy will post maps as this develops in the next couple of days......
Still losing ap and aks off Borneo to a mixture of subs and air power.......two more lost today.....
A top secret meeting is in progress with all Japanese commanders involved, Phase two to be decided, will post the operations once they are agreed.
Taung Gyi falls.......

[fabertong]

Just a peek at the China situation.

[fabertong]

Oops, sorry about the spelling of pursue, must remember to check before posting

[scott64]

Another day or so and another TF will hit Kendari. [:D] Invasion force will try to land again, not the same one but a different one. Allied TF spotted north of Kendari, I dispatched a small TF to interecpt. [:-]

[scott64]

TF to hit Kendari is one day out. 2 bombardment TFs have been pounding Kendari for 3 days now. The main body to take Johore Bharu has arrived, but are still waiting on my units, primarily the 18th Div, I also have the 43rd Mixed resting in Mersing. Stil more support units are on their way.

[fabertong]

Sasebo HQ China/Burma Command

7th January 1942

Singkawang falls...........
Borneo operations nearly complete......
Dutch cruisers hit yet another taskforce off Borneo.....Night Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 25,58

Japanese Ships
PG Eiko Maru, Shell hits 20, on fire, heavy damage
PG Muro Maru
PC Shonan Maru #7
AP Buenos Aires Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AP Fusemi Maru
AP Nissen Maru #3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Yoshinogawa Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Meikai Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Miyako Maru

Allied Ships
CL Java, Shell hits 2
CL Tromp, Shell hits 1
DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 1
DD Scout

KB is cruising Easter Oz on the way to support further DEI operations.........
DD Witt de With is sunk.......

[fabertong]

Sasebo HQ China/Burma Command

8th January 1942......

Rangoon falls.

Tom was evac-ing under cover of the AVG which had hurt me on succesive turns. A shock attack caught a few on the ground....

[AdmNelson]

Looks more American cruisers coming to visit poor Baker Island. It might be a prelude to an invasion. Better hurry before Tarawa gets built up to a level 4 air base.

[AdmNelson]

THe KB has been dispatch to clean out the pesky Dutch. Lunga is going to hit by a bombardment force. Landings are going to ramped up. Lunga, Gili Gili, Lae, and others or going to fall to the Imperial masters. Lunga has a small unit and is probably a eng unit. At Gili Gili there seams to be at least 2 units. After the mid December hammering of American transports around Lunga including heavy cruisers. I feel that the units can be taken(it may be a fight). By doing so will isolate Port Moresby. Lae has no ground units but is under an air umbrella from PM, which will mean some air engagements around Lae. In a few days 6 new SNLF units will be leaving Tokyo for the jungles of New Guinea. They will issued boots,rifles, ammunition and loin cloths only. If the Americans come a calling there are some surprises ready. Soon a decision will be made about Noumea.