Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, It is not a bug. There are people who would rather throw aircraft overside when they land to avoid overloading but it's not a bug.

Here it is from the manual:

If the number of aircraft on board exceeds 115% of the ship’s capacity, only Transfer
Missions can be flown. Planes won’t make an emergency landing (refer to 7.2.2.16
Emergency Landings) on another Carrier in such a way as to cause it to exceed 110%
of the carriers aircraft capacity.

Page 190 of the US letter-sized version, section 14.5.

And, as Admiral Laurent stated, it used to work that way. There is nothing in the release notes about that one changing. This bug is serious because it changes the nature of many carrier battles - a major gimp in the game.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Yes it is a bug. Until the last versions it wasn't working like that and if the change is intentionnal I missed it (not that I have really checked what v1.602 changed, I had no more PC for a month at the time). In fact it is either a bug (developper & manual announced the game will do something and it does something else) or it is a faulty simulation.

All navies were throwing a lot of aircraft overside during the war to be sure that the carrier remained operative. The important things are the carriers and the pilots... who cares of aircraft ? In fact a lot of damaged AC were just thrown out of the carriers, but they usually let the crew get out....

By the way there were enough place on both of my CV and the diverting AC may have landed on both and so all will operate in the afternoon.

Another faulty feature is that the unit that was diverted had orders escort with 70% CAP. The fragment (that has 100% of the AC and pilots) had in the evening escort 0% CAP... It should have kept the same orders, or reverted to default setting (escort 60% for fighter).

And yes, I have saves of the turn before and this turn. Same problems have been reported several times on this board. I checked the turn before and there were no reason my Zero didn't fly CAP on the afternoon. More important in this case my overcrowded CV survives the turn and so I could see at the end of the turn that shis was carrying 140% of her capacity. I flew Kaga's Vals to a land base and the next day the Zeroes flew again.

Could those aircraft from striken carriers fly to anywhere else but on remaining carriers (you said that Kaga and Hosho were OK whilst Ruyjo and Taiho were hit)?

If they were unable to fly anywhere else then they had to overcapacity the remaining carriers because I never saw "sacrifice" of aircraft/crews in UV/WitP despite what was written in manual...


Leo "Apollo11"

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

At the same time Vals and Kates from Kaga were executing the DD Craven SW of Christmas Island, at range 5. She took 15 bombs and sank.

Do you rember our discusison from few days ago (where I suggested that more balanced attacks on smaller targets by CVs are done)?

I am asking this because you said that this was OK in current WitP (v1.062) and I said thst this was not ok - so I am wondering now how many Kate/Val bombers were used for this small target from Kaga in your case...


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Hi Appolo, the CV TF was carrying 3 Kates units and 1 Val unit. 1 Val and 1 Kate unit attacked the ship. Where a lonely merchant is met, only one unit (Val or Kate) is launched. Against a convoy or a TF with several warships or a TF with something bigger than a DD it seems to me every plane is launched. But I have not seen small convoys attacked. So the rule may be 1 unit sent per transport, 2 per DD, the kitchen sink for something bigger.

As for the diverting planes, I don't think they were in range of a land base... even if Johnson was probably just above 11 hexes away. Kona, the closest Hawaii base, was 13 hexes away.

And now the last report: 8-10 February 1942

Northern Pacific

[>:]
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Adak to size 2 on the 10.
[>:]

Central Pacific

The second wave of invasion (4000 reinforcement men) landed on Pearh Harbor during the night of the 7-8 and the next day. Mines and CD fire heavily damaged 5 AKs and 3 APs, hitting less seriously 1 DD, 1 PG, 3 AK, 1 AP, and disabled 847 Japanes men. One AK and a 3000-ton AP were scuttled in the evening and the Japanese fleet then retired, as most of the men were ashore and enough supplies have been landed to fullfil all units allready at PH. A heavily damaged AP has still men aboard but managed to land all of them at Moloakai before sinking off this island during the night of the 9-10. Two AKs also sank this day but all other damaged ships should be saved. So total cost of this operation is now 5 transports.
The night of the landing, 8 BBs bombarded PH, hitting 455 men and 10 guns and several ships in the port (1 AK and 1DD reported heavily damaged). During the day 100 bombers from Lahaina bombed the airfield, destroyed on the ground 2 PBYs and hit 16 men. AA fire was slight and only damaged a Ki-49. Japanese artillery hit 59 men this same day and return Allied fire hit 80 Japanese. The Allied had no more than 5800 able men reported and a shock attack with maximum support was ordered for the next day.
This day also saw more attacks by Palmyra airmen against the Japanese ships north of the island. In the morning 10 B-26B attacked a surface TF (that was planned to bombard Palmyra the next night) without CAP but all missed. 4 other Marauders attacked a CV TF but turned back when attacked by Zeroes. And a Zero shot down a B-25C flying naval search. In the afternoon 8 more B-26B were launched but found no target. The daily recon over Palmyra by a Mavis found no CAP. In the evening Taiho damage was at 99/67/16 and Hosho at 56/10/2. Zuikaku and Akagi were both short of fuell and returned to Lahaina while all other CVs were now sailing together.
Two more APs were saved in Lahaina this turn and left the port. The base had now 112 000 fuel and 120 000 supplies and a respenishment TF left the port with 4 AOs to support the KB.
Also this day the Glen of the I-8 saw an AP south of California and sailed to chase her.

Two devastating naval bombardments were done the next night (of 8-9). Three CA destroyed 31 aircraft (15 P-40E, 5 P-39D, 9 B-26B and 5 P-39D) on Palmyra and hit 1259 men, 16 guns and 7 supply dumps (+ 58 other hits on the airfield). At the same time 8 BBs pounded Pearl Harbor and hit 4709 men, 97 guns, set the Pennsylvania on fire again and destroyed on the ground 3 PBYs and 3 SBD.
In the afternoon, 5 bombers of Palmyra tried to attack the retiring bmbardment TF but were intercepted by 19 Zeroes. 3 turned back while 2 B-25C got through but AA shot one and the other missed.
96 Lahaina bombers hit both US divisions on PH (24th and 25th) but hit only 40 men. The shock attack saw 73 000 Japanese attack 54 500 American under fort 6 and reached a ratio of 1 to 1, reducing the forts to 5. But the cost was heavy, with 3357 men and 56 guns lost by Japanese forces. Allied losses were only 341 men and 17 guns.
In the morning a sub-laid minefield was found off Lahaina (and was swept the next day). Mavis flying recon over Palmyra still report no CAP but AA shot down one.
In the evening the Taiho state was reported as 99/89/8 and she was scuttled. No more AC was aboard but I have now a fragment of 27 Zeroes and 27 pilots... Hosho was nowat 56/2/0 and was ordered to sail directly towards Japan rather than to Lahaina where submarines may wait for her.
The I-8 reported finding a convoy of 10+ ships around 1000 miles S of California rather than the single AP seen yesterday. The now unified KB was ordered to sail in this area in the hope this was a troopship convoy.

On the 10, there was no BB bombardment as they were refueling in Lahaina. 101 bombers hit the 25th US Div that lost 31 men and shot down a Ki-49.
The I-8 lost the convoy it was chasing but found another more north, also sailing south. KB is definetly sailing to this area and refueled at sea today. The I-9 currently SW of Palmyra is ordered to sail E of Christmas Island to find the excat path of these convoys.
The Akagi and Auikaku will refuel tomorrow in Lahaina and then sail at full speed to join the KB again. While they are here they will bombard PH airfield tomorrow with Kates, together after the 27 Kates based in Lahaina. Other Lahaina bombers and BBs will pound the island too. Troops will continue to rest tomorow and launch another attack the next day.

Southern Pacific

A convoy of 15 AP loaded in Formosa the HQ 23rd Air Flotilla, an AA Bn, 2 CD Rgts and 3 Naval Const Bn and sailed to Kwajalein.

On the 9 and 10 the Glen of I-10 (patrolling NW of Pago-Pago) followed a convoy (10+ ships) sailing for Suva.

Philipinnes

[>:]
After spending several days eating coconuts on the beach, the men of 23rd NLF remembered there is a war on (something that is not obvious in the area) and occupied Guiuan on the 10. The local merchants had used this delay to replace the placards 'English spoken' with 'Japanese spoken'.
[>:]

DEI

On the 8 Sansapor (Dutch New Guinea) surrendered to nearby Japanese forces.

The Kure 1st SNLF had to fight for three days NE of Brunei before the 400 last men of the 106 RN Base Force surrendered. These British had guts ! The 9 and 10 the Japanese shock attacks were supported each day by around 20 Nates and 7 Ki-30 from Brunei. The other main event in Brunei was on the evening of the 8 when the first convoy for Japan (and Formosa) left the port with 58 000 oil. On the other side of Borneo the convoy bringing supplies to Tarakan to repair oilfields arrived on the 9 and work began at once.

On the 9 24 Zeroes from Balikpapan swept Soerabaja skies for the first Japanese raid over Java. I exepted to meet old Dutch fighters but the opposition was stronger than planned, as all US fighter units evacuated from the PI rose to fight with 30 P-40E and 9 P-40B. 8 P-40E and 3 P-40B were shot down but I lost 4 Zeroes and can't afford this kind of victory often... Zeroes were ordered to fly only CAP over Balikpapan again

During the period the 3 TFs that took part in the Macassar operation refuelled on Balikpapan. The BB TF then sailed to join the Palembang operation but around Borneo via Tarakan and Brunei to avoid air attacks from Java. As the date of the landing in Sumatra is getting closer the cruiser TF (2 CA, 2 CL, 6 DD) will attempt to sail between Java and Sumatra. It will also drop in Banjarmasin on the night of the 10-11 a SNLF (that is preparing a landing there since day one and has 90% prep) and then sail to SIngkawang where 15 Zeroes arrived on the evening of the 10 to LRACP it.

Sumatra - Malaya

On the 8 43 Nells, 111 Ki-21 and 57 Oscars returned to Palembang, met no CAP and destroyed 47 aircraft on the ground (12 Hurricane II, 11 Hawk 75, 8 Wirraway, 8 CW-21B, 2 C-60A, 1 Brewster 339, 1 Lockeed 212, 1 Vildebeest, 1 Swordfish and 1 Do24K-2). The Nells bombed the port, where 4 ships were the day before, but it was now empty and AA shot down 2 of them. Jambi was taken this day by the SNLF carried there by the barge convoy. The Johore Bharu was still overcrowed and a 90-AS base force moved to Mersing where transports, Nates and recon AC flew in the evening. Half of the Ki-21 force was flown back to Bangkok for some rest, only the unit with morale > 50 remained.
The troops in Singapore had no aerial support this day but launched a shock attack. That was a bad idea as they lost 5609 men and 111 guns for no result (at 0 to 1) while Allied only lost 1690 men and 67 guns. Most of the LCUS there now had a global disruption of 80, about 1-3% of squads destroyed and between 5 and 15% disabled.

Durng the night the CA TF of Johore brought 50 squads of an air regiment in Jambi that will be used as a forward fighter base when troops will land there. 18 Martin 139 (escorted by 10 Brewster) from Batavia bombed it on the 9 but scored no hits. The daily raid on Palembang was reduced in size (57 Ki-21 and 55 Ki-43) but still destroyed 16 aircraft on the ground (5 Wirraways, 4 C-60A, 3 CW-21B, 2 Hawk 75A, 1 Lockeed 212 and 1 Vildebeest) while losing 1 Sally (to AA) and 2 Oscars (in accidents).
In Singapore both sides used artillery (Allied guns remained silent the days before) and 667 Allied and 66 Japanese fell.

The 10 saw another raid on Palembang by 43 Ki-21, 50 Ki-43 and 11 Zero and 17 more aircraft were destroyed on the ground (7 CW-21B, 4 Vildebeest, 3 Hurricanes, 2 Hawk, 1 Wirraway) while AA shot down 2 Ki-21. The IJAAF bombers did well, in four days 109 aircraft were destroyed on Palembang airfield but all Sentais now have bad morale and were sent resting on the rear. Johore Bharu Nells had since the day before orders of chase ships and bomb Singapore airfield as secondary target. They bombed the base on the 10, hitting 50 men, 2 guns and 4 supply dumps. 223 Allied and no Japanese fell in the artillery exchanges of the day.

27 Ki-48s from Indochina took the placeof the Ki-21s and will bomb Singapore tomorrow. Nates from Mersing will LRCAP Singapore tomorrow in case Allied transports flew there.

Burma

Allied Hurricanes continued to bomb Japanese troops. Mandalay airmen hit the 33rd Div on the 8 (42 AC, 59 cas) and the 21st Bde on the 9 also W of Mandalat (44 AC, 80 cas). At this date the main body of the 15th Army was there and started moving to Mandalay, advancing around 15 miles per day. On the 10 14 Hurricanes from Akyab bombed the Const Bn holding Pagan (20 cas).

I decided to try to surround Manaday. Another Tk Rgt was sent E of Mandalay while the 14th Th RGt allready there was ordered to march NW to cut the Mandalay-Mitkyina road. On the other side a Naval Guard unit was ordered to march NE from the hex W of Mandalay. The latter marched 45 miles in 2 days, but the Tk Rgt did only 3 miels in the same time and the move was canceleld on the evening of the 10.

China

The Japanese artillery fire hit 893 men in Yenen in 3 days. Chinese guns replied all days but only hit on the 9 (29 Japanese casualties). Things will soon move there. The first Bde of the troops marching SW of the town is now only 8 miles of the road W of the town. The hex is "defended" by the HQ Red Chinese Army and another Chinese units is in the hex more W.

Two KI-48 Sentai arrived in China from Indochina and one raided Changsha on the 9. Its 34 Ki-48 disabled 10 more ressources (now 298 out of 600) while 40 Ki-51 bombed the airfield, scoring 13 hits (2 on supplies). The Nate escort had nothing to do. The other Ki-48 Sentai is in Canton and will bomb Wuchow airfield tomorrow.

Two new divisions will be created tomorrow in Kaigan and Hsinyang. The first will go to the Yenen battlefield, the latter will go to Shangai and so free the 17th Div that is preparing for Clark Field (and will be bought by PPs when needed... allready a little more than 3000 PPs in the reserve).

Japan

The CS Nisshin was commissioned on the 10 in Sasebo. On the 11 will be created a lot of new units in Tokyo and I have not enough APs to carry them forward. Only 15 APs remained in Japan and some tens of AKs. The Hawaii operation is too far away from Japan... by searching the whole Empire the only activity where no more operations are planned and where there are sitting transports is Palau. Around 60 AP/AKs returned there after the Mindanao/Mendano/Kendari operations and 45 sailed in the evening of the 10 towards Japan.

Revised economics statistics

The following stocks has been announced at the end of January:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Supply stock: 2 561 000 (- 2 000)
Fuel stock: 3 788 000 (- 203 000)
Ressource stock: 1 527 000 (- 101 000)
Oil stock: 1 425 000 (- 179 000)

A check on 10 Feb found that a fall of 100 000 in oil and a rise of 200 000 in fuel. I then checked both turns and discovered that the total shown on the ressource screen only are the suppy, fuel, oil and ressources in the bases. All aboard ships are not counted. As a huge TK unloaded between the 1 and the 10 while I was loading oil elsewhere this explains the discrepancy.

The real numbers are for the 1st January:
Supplies : 2 563 000 (bases) + around 300 000 (TFs) = around 2 860 000
Fuel : 3 990 000 (bases) + around 365 000 (TFs) = around 4 355 000
Ressources : 1 628 000 (bases) + 0 (TFs) = 1 628 000
Oil: 1 614 000 (bases) + 0 (TFs) = 1 614 000

And for the 1st February:
Supplies : 2 561 000 (bases) + around 355 000 (TFs) = around 2 915 000 (+ 55 000, and not - 2 000)
Fuel : 3 788 000 (bases) + around 485 000 (TFs) = around 4 270 000 (- 85 000, and not - 203 000)
Ressources : 1 527 000 (bases) + 14 000 (TFs) = 1 541 000 (- 87 000, and not - 101 000)
Oil: 1 425 000 (bases) + 16 000 (TFs) = 1 441 000 (- 163 000, and not - 179 000).

So the economic situation is slighty better that was announced, especially the extra supply generated means that all available AKs will load supplies to the damaged oil centers and that will allow to stop the fall of the oil reserve.

[ADavidB]

Can you give an update of losses/score soon so that we can see what the cost/benefits have been of this approach so far?

Thanks -

Dave Baranyi

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

The CV TF was carrying 3 Kates units and 1 Val unit. 1 Val and 1 Kate unit attacked the ship. Where a lonely merchant is met, only one unit (Val or Kate) is launched. Against a convoy or a TF with several warships or a TF with something bigger than a DD it seems to me every plane is launched. But I have not seen small convoys attacked. So the rule may be 1 unit sent per transport, 2 per DD, the kitchen sink for something bigger.

Thanks for info and best wishes to swiftly capture PH!

So... 1x DD was attacked by 27x Kates + 27x Val... IMHO this still sounds a bit too much (i.e. overkill)...


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

HI, Dave and Appolo

I give scores and detailled losses every month end. The benefit of the fall of PH will be 3000 points for the base + 3000 points for the troops and ships trapped there... + the strategic good position..
The side benefit is to give me a good position to strike Allied convoys. KB is actually chasing possible troop convoys SE of Hawaii. Sinking a division or even a part of it will be good
The problem is that both PH and Singapore are still resisting. And that I'm weak in DEI. And that my Zero, Kate and Val paid a high cost, even if by disbanding land-based formations I kept my CV full of well-trained airmen. Another problem is that mounting a so large invasion is using a good part of my transport fleet and for the first time in WITP I have run out of transports in Japan for some days.

Apollo, the two units numbered 20 Vals and 20 Kates. And that's OK for me.

11-12 February 1942

The 11 was a good day for Allied enginners that expanded the airfields of Darwin, Alice Springs and Pago-Pago.

Northern Pacific

The Japanese submarines have reached the area and mines will be laid in the night if 12-13 by the I-123 and I-124 off Adak and Amchitka.

Central Pacific

During of the night of the 10-11, the 8 BBs returned to PH but this time CD guns were able to repel them, while losing 645 men and 21 guns. During the day, the Lahaina and CV Akagi and Zuikaku Kates were ordered to bomb the AF but most hit troops with the other bombers. Only 5 bombed the airfield and draw many AA shells that shot down one. 49 other Kates and 89 bombers attacked the 25th US Div (31 cas) and an USMC Defence Bn (1 cas). AA fire shot down a Ki-21. I hope this was enough to make my opponents believe my CVs are in Lahaina. Japanese artillery hit hit 76 men in PH this day.
A badly damaged AP sand in the port in this evening. The Akagi and Zuikaku refuelled this evening there, reorganised their air groups and sailed then to the SE to join the other CVs. A newconvoy of cripples left the base for Japan and an ASW group was sent NE of the base.

The latter haven't seen nothing these two days. All CVs should be together in 2 days and it is planned they engaged the Allied convoys at this date. It is possible to engage them tomorrow if they sail more west than exepted.

During the night of the 11-12 6 APDs returning to Lahaina from the French Frigate Shoals met the SS Trout near Lahaina but she escaped.

A shock attack was planned in PH on the 12 and the 8 BB and a CL bombed the base in the afternoon, destroying 3 SBD, 1 PBY and 1 P-39D, hitting 6 ships in the port, disabling 6330 men, 183 guns and destroying 2 supply dumps. The attack was launched by 77 000 men and opposed by only 48 000 able Allied. Japanese enginners reduced the fort to level 4 and the assault achieved at 1 to 1 ratio but 2335 Japanese and only 215 Allied fell.
Some days of rest and then another attack will be launched.

DEI

A FT TF unloaded a SNLF in Banjarmasin during the night of the 10-11. The town was empty but when the Japanese troops attacked itt he next day, the two first Dutch units retreating from Balikpapan, 2 infantry battalions, arrived. They were defeated (at 6 to 1) and retreated eastwards. Tomorrow transport AC will carry some air support squads and then patrol and recon aircraft will arrive.
The FT TF (2 CA, 2 CL, 6 DD) sailed north after the landing and during the day hours of the 11 was SW of Pontaniak. In the morning 5 Martin 139 coming from Batavia, 240 miles in the west, attacked them, evaded the 8 Zeroes flying LRCAP from Singkawang and missed 2 cruisers. I was unimpressed but the next raid was more frigthening. For the first time, the dreaded Beauforts came to play. 16 Beauforts and 14 more Martins attacked just after the first raid. The CAP was able to shot down one of each but the other get through... and all missed while two Beauforts were shot down by AA fire. They returned in the afternoon, this time they were 9 Brewster 339 escorting 21 Beauforts and 30 Martins. Seven Zeroes intercepted and shot down 2 Dutch fighters but all bombers reached the ships and... once again missed, except a Martin that hit a DD with one bomb (she sailed directly to Saigon alone and was damaged at 34/6/21). AA fire shot down a Martin. It was a poor show by Beauforts and Martins and the only explanation I can find is that they moved the day before and had high fatigue. 9 B-17C from Soerabaja attacked them and missed again. In the evening the Singkawang Zeroes returned to Johore Bharu where the surface TF will arrive tomorrow.

Starting from the 11 transport AC carried most of the air support in Brunai (200+ squads) to Balikpapan, that is now a major airbase. All bombers of Menado flew there on the 12 and will rest tomorrow and then start to bomb Java.

Sumatra - Malaya

Bad weather grouped aircraft on the 11 and only shells were exchanged in Singapore 224 Allied and 84 Japanese falling.

On the 12, 12 Martin 139 from Batavia attacked Japanese ships around Singapore. 9 attacked the CA TF coming from Borneo SW of the base and missed but met no fighters. The other 3 targetted an AK convoy cruising off Singapore to enjoy the view and met the Nates flying LRCAP over the town to chase transports. All three Dutch bombers were shot down without loss. AFAIK these are the first victories by Nates since December. It is also probably the first air battle by Nates since December...

In the morning of the 12 the SS O21 tried to attack the Jambi troop convoy just SW of Johore Bharu but was chased by the escort. I sent the convoy there as I was uneasy with the Singapore battle. A major attack was planned this day and if it failed the Jambi troops will be landed in Johore Bharu and sent to Singapore, two more divisions will do the trick.
The attack was supported by 78 bombers, that hit the singapore Fortress and disabled 39 men for the loss of a Ki-48 and a Nell. It was a bloody failure... 106 000 Japanese attacked 70 000 Allied behind fort 6 and at 0 to 1 lost 2850 men vs 585 Allied. So both divisions planend for Jambi and Palembang will be used in Malaya and will land in Johore tomorrow. The BB TF off Borneo refueleld today in Brunei and will also sail to Johore

Burma

Japanese troops continues to move forward and things wentwrong on the 12. A Tk Rgt SW of Mandalay has been ordered to join the Tk Rgt between Mandalay and Lashio and was exepted to march E and then NE. Now it decided to march NE to Mandalay first and crossed the river on the evening of the 12. The following shock attack was not so bad... It lost 231 men and 23 tanks and disabled 135 Allied. Mandalay had fort 4 and is held by 4 Bdes, 4 Bf, a AA Bn and a HQ (probably an air HQ). The Tk Rgt is not totally wrecked, just hard hit. Another Tk Rgt couldn't wait W of the town and also entered the hex this turn.

The good news is that no Allied air raid was launched for two days and the rested 33rd Div will very probably also reach Mandalay tomorrow so an Allied counter-attack launched against the 2 Tk Rgts will probably fail. The 81st Naval Gd UNits has reached the hex NW of Mandalay so an Allied retreat is also an option.

China

On the 11 and the 12 25 Ki-48s from Canton bombed Wuchow airfield but only score four hits on the airfield in 2 days.

Artillery fire hit 261 more CHinse in 2 days. The 10th Bde will reach the road W of Yenen tomorrow but a Chinese unit (11000 men) is there and 3 more just W of it. The Bde will have to hold for two days before the next unit arrive. 60 Ki-48s arrived from other Chinese bases in Chengting, that was vacated by Ki-51s, to support it.

Two divisions were created in Kaigan and Hsinyang. They are weaker than more existing and will do garrison duties. The 59th in Kaigan will go to the nearby town of Peking and relieve the 26th Div that will join the battle of Yenen.

[AmiralLaurent]

Various plans

The strategic map shows in black the second set of objectives of the Japanese war machine: some islands in the Pacific S of Hawai, the DEI and the Philipinnes.

Then staff officers are studying four plans:

_ Red Plan: full pressure against the United States
The idea is to raid the West Coast with the whole KB and to land 4 divisions in the Aleutians and Alaska in summer 1942… and then leave before US troops march from USA to Alaska. The goal is to kill US soldiers and civilians (strategic points…) while keeping most forces around PH so the base will be strongly defended.
In this case, the rest of the map should be rather quiet, I doubt Australians or British can mount an offensive alone.

_ White Plan: Pacific and New Zealand
The idea is to use the fact that US will be cut from Pacific Islands to conquer all of them up to New Zealand. And then to land in SE Australia where a lot of industrial cities can’t all be defended in strength.

_ Blue Plan: Kangoroo Hunt… sorry full pressure against Australia
It will start as the above point, with attacks on Noumea and Pacific but a diversion landing of 3 Div will be done in NW Australia (probably in Derby). As soon as Allied troops will be in force in the area, landings will be done in Cooktown/Cairns area, bypassing Port Moresby (except it is lightly defended). Depending of the Allied reactions. A reserve force of 3-4 div will be used there or sail to Perth.

_ Green Plan: Asian plan
While the IJN will mostly defend and raid in the Pacific, the IJAAF will gather troops in S China (at least 6 div used by Southern area at the moment) and seize S China and maybe the whole country (but I doubt it with the home rule I use to have to garrison all road/rail hexes).
Once China has been defeated, a good part of the troops will march to the Soviet border and Siberia will be invaded. I think there will be no difference in invading Siberia in 1943 than in summer 1942 (with Soviet troops already prep at 100% and in level 9 forts), contrary to all other parts of the map. Aleutians will be seized before so no US reinforcements will be flown to Siberia.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Various plans

The strategic map shows in black the second set of objectives of the Japanese war machine: some islands in the Pacific S of Hawai, the DEI and the Philipinnes.

Then staff officers are studying four plans:

_ Red Plan: full pressure against the United States
The idea is to raid the West Coast with the whole KB and to land 4 divisions in the Aleutians and Alaska in summer 1942… and then leave before US troops march from USA to Alaska. The goal is to kill US soldiers and civilians (strategic points…) while keeping most forces around PH so the base will be strongly defended.
In this case, the rest of the map should be rather quiet, I doubt Australians or British can mount an offensive alone.

_ White Plan: Pacific and New Zealand
The idea is to use the fact that US will be cut from Pacific Islands to conquer all of them up to New Zealand. And then to land in SE Australia where a lot of industrial cities can’t all be defended in strength.

_ Blue Plan: Kangoroo Hunt… sorry full pressure against Australia
It will start as the above point, with attacks on Noumea and Pacific but a diversion landing of 3 Div will be done in NW Australia (probably in Derby). As soon as Allied troops will be in force in the area, landings will be done in Cooktown/Cairns area, bypassing Port Moresby (except it is lightly defended). Depending of the Allied reactions. A reserve force of 3-4 div will be used there or sail to Perth.

_ Green Plan: Asian plan
While the IJN will mostly defend and raid in the Pacific, the IJAAF will gather troops in S China (at least 6 div used by Southern area at the moment) and seize S China and maybe the whole country (but I doubt it with the home rule I use to have to garrison all road/rail hexes).
Once China has been defeated, a good part of the troops will march to the Soviet border and Siberia will be invaded. I think there will be no difference in invading Siberia in 1943 than in summer 1942 (with Soviet troops already prep at 100% and in level 9 forts), contrary to all other parts of the map. Aleutians will be seized before so no US reinforcements will be flown to Siberia.

I think the "White Plan" is the best way to keep _BIG_ pressure on Allied player... this would completely separate USA from other areas and will create Allie player very very big problems (i.e. you can defent your island primeter with both CVs and land based aircraft whilst he can solely rely on CVs)!


Leo "Apollo11"

[soeren01]

_ Red Plan: full pressure against the United States
The idea is to raid the West Coast with the whole KB and to land 4 divisions in the Aleutians and Alaska in summer 1942… and then leave before US troops march from USA to Alaska. The goal is to kill US soldiers and civilians (strategic points…) while keeping most forces around PH so the base will be strongly defended.
In this case, the rest of the map should be rather quiet, I doubt Australians or British can mount an offensive alone.

Be carefull not to activate the accelerated allied mobilisation ( Rule 8.3.2 page 149 in the manual)

[AmiralLaurent]

Hi

Appolo, the white plan is my original plan but I think I will simulate the start of the red plan with at least one CV raid on W coast, probably in March, and landings in Aleutian.

As for the activation of American reinforcements, it happens only if Jap troops arrive east of the 132 hex line. So you can take all Alaska without activation.

13 February 1942 (edited: I wrote 14 February in error)

Northern Pacific

During the night, two minelayer submarines laid minefields off Adak and Amchitka but the I-123 was chased by 4 DDs off Adak and sunk by the DD Chew.

Central Pacific

During the day, 130 bombers attacked the 25th US Div and the 4th USMC Defense Bn, hitting 101 men but at the cost of a Ki-49 and a Betty shotdown by AA. Artillery fire then hit 95 Allied men.
A H6K4 Mavis was shot by AA fire during a reco of Palmyra, that is no more covered by CAP since several days.
A Glen reported 2 surface TF (5 "CA" and "2 CA") 400 miles SSE of Christmas Island, sailing NE and a TK south of them, sailing E. The KB will sail tomorrow in a position to intercept them if they sail to the West Coast. The forward CVs slow down so that the Akagi and Zuikaku will join them tomorrow. It is also hoped that the Allied convoys seen some days ago will be in the same area. All planes of the 3 CV TFs are at range 5, including the floatplanes.
All 8 BBs will bombard again PH during the night.

Southern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded Brisbane port to size 8. Japanese sigint reported two radio interceptions of a ship or a TF 180 miles SW of Port Moresby.

DEI

Nothing to report today. Transport AC brought 24 squads of air support personnel to Banjarmasin and 8 Nells arrived there in teh evening to fly naval search missions. The 3 Daitais of naval bombers in Balikpapan are ordered to attack Soerabaja port tomorrow, under escort by 40 Zeroes.
All ships currently in Balikpapan are sent to Tarakan to avoid Allied attacks. The Kure 1st SNLF has finished reboarding ships after capturing the British BF NE of Brunei and sails to Menado. 3 DD leave this base with troops to occupy Tomimi, the last Allied base on Sulawesi Island.

Sumatra - Malaya

The Dutch SS O21 tried to attack an AK convoy SE of Johore Bharu during the night but waschased by the 3 escorts.
122 bombers bombed Singapore airfield during the day, hitting 63 men and scoiring 92 hits (15 airfiel, 6 supplies, 71 runway). Artillery fire then hit 118 Allied men.

Both divisions initially planned for Palembang are unloading in Johore Bharu and should be ready in 2 days. They will then join the Singapore battle. Until this date the base will only be bombarded by planes and guns.

Burma

42 Hurricanes attacked the 1st Tk Rgt at Mandalay, hitting 66 men and 5 tanks, and then the Allied troops (4 Bdes) launched a counterattack against the 2 Tk Rgt near the town (the 33rd Div didn't arrive) but achieved only a 1 to 1 ratio. The Japanese lost only 17 men and 2 tanks and hit 71 Allied and 2 guns.

The 33rd Div and 21st Bde are now 8 miles away from Mandalaya and should arrive tomorrow.

China

Guns of both sides fired around Yenen and 114 Chinese and 23 Japanese were hit. The 10th Bde finally reached the road west of Yenen and reported one Chinese unit there. 4 other are in the hex more west. The 60 Ki-48s based in Chengting will bomb the troops facing the 10th Bde tomorrow. A third of the 27th Div should arrive tomorrow to reinforce it, another third and the 110th Div should arrive in 3-4 days.

Japan

Several new air units were created today. A Ki-49 Sentai and a Ki-43 one will go to China, one of Ki-51 will fly ASW patrols off Japan, a Daitai of Betties will go to Southeast Asia, a Chutai of KI-15 Babs will go to the DEI and two of Mavis to the Pacific. Their arrival allowed one of the more experienced Mavis there to convert to H8K Emily in Kona.

[Lord_Calidor]

Amiral, this is great AAR, my favourite along PzB's. I'm very interested to see how things play out for Allies without Pearl. Good job on planning and executing that plan.

Concerning your future plans, I would be rather careful about raiding West Coast. Because of lack of deployable bases, probably most of his air arm, if not destroyed, are based in USA. So even with full KB compliment, you could face overwhelming odds.

White plan looks most feasible and damaging. You will effectively cut USA from the rest of Pacific, just make sure to take every base inbetween, so he can't transfer his planes.

But instead of following on with Aussie invasion, I'm proposing...:

PLAN YELLOW, invasion of India.
With Pacific pacified, he would most probably turn to other fronts. India/Burma is logical choice. I'm sure you're aware he can send West Coast troops to Karachi by paying PPs, and since he can't spend them on anything else, you could (and probably would) face US LCUs with upgraded British air fleet conducting land war and pushing into Indochina/Malaya. With your forces spread thin protecting vast Pacific dominions, that could mean trouble. Cut that snake's head and liberate oppresed Indian people (and put them to hard work for mutual prospect). [;)]

[AmiralLaurent]

Thanks, Calidor, being compared to PzB ([&o]) is very pleasant

Raiding the West Coast in a PBEM is something I have often thought about and never done. It is probably the easiest way to sink Allied CVs. I think the KB can in April 1942 stand 2 days off West Coast and survive. One may be enough. I am thinking of something like a raid on Seattle, with the port and AF as objectives of the first day after a full speed final dash. Seattle has often no big fleet but will probably harbour some interesting ships to use the 100-pt repair shipyard. And then a second day to bomb strategic targets (especially the B-17 factory) and then retreat. Or retreat at one and ready for the next time...

I don't think I can invade India. My troops will be too far away and I won't have enough to push early in Burma. Also my opponent learned the PzB lesson and didn't commit any ground troop to Burma AFAIK.
Another problem is that you need KB support to invade India, especially after the first months of 1942, and then that means that it will take more than one month to sail back to PH... ebough time for my opponent to do a maximun effort and maybe retake it.
I think Australia will be easier to take: fewer defenders, no reinforcements possible and some good economic targets. Also if Australia fell, there will be no more south front...

14 February 1942

Northern Pacific

The day began with a posthumous vengeance of the SS I-123 when one of the DD that sank her yesterday, USS Schley, was heavily damaged by a mine she laid off Adak just before her demise.
Allied enginners expanded Anchorage to level 7 for port and AF.

Central Pacific

The night bombardment of PH by the 8 Japanese BB and a CL was very successfull. The escorts reported again some mines, signe some Allied submarines laid a new minefield off the island. Only 11 CD shells were fied against the TF and the rain of Japanese shells destroyed on the ground 2 PBY and a P-40E, hit in the port 3 BB, 1 AK, 2 AV, 1 AR, 1 MSW, most of them being reported heavily damaged, and disabled 3320 men and 100 guns. And one of the BB hit, the Nevada, exploded (probably, at least sank and I am sure only a magazine explosion can sink a BB in PH port without torpedo) after a 14in shell hit her.
The Japanese sailors saw the giant explosion and were in a excellent mood while returning to Lahaina after dawn. There the escort DDs reported some Mk10 mines, another new minefield. Japanese officers continued to drink their morning tea when suddenly a deafening sound drown all chattering. The BB Nagato had hit a Mk10 mine and his own magazines also exploded (same thing as above, I have never seen one mine sink a BB)... When smoke dispersed, only half of the BB remained afloat and it jacknifed and sank some minutes later. Only a score of survivors were saved.
Later in the day 109 bombers attacked the 25th USA Div (72 casualties) and 8 the 24th Div (without results) at PH without loss. The Japanese artillery fire then hit 166 men.

More south the KB regrouped 720 miles E of Christmas but saw nothing. A Glen reported 4 CA and 2 DD 480 miles SE of Christmas, probably one of the TF seen yesterday. The KB will sail 300 miles south tomorrow and should arrive in a target-rich environment.

In Hawaii the BB will return to PH and bomb it during the day, and the ground troops will launch another shock attack with maximal air support.
In Lahaina, a PG, a PC and an AK were "saved" today. MSW have been ordered to sweep vigourously the waters around the island while two ASW groups will try to intercept submarines before they reached the islands.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Johnson Island to size 2.

DEI

27 Nells and 11 Betties escorted by 22 Zeroes flew from Balikpapan to attack Soerabaja port. No CAP was encountered and only AA opposed the raid (and downed 2 Nells). Torpedoes and bombs sank the AS Ziderkruis and a Duch PT and damaged another AS, 4 MSW, 3 SS and 1 AK. 31 ships were reported in port at the end of the day.
Balikapapan bombers will fly naval attack missions tomorrow rather than returning to the port.

Sumatra - Malaya

Bad weather grounded Japanese planes, Japanese guns hit 241 men in Singapore.
The troops planned to inaved Palembang are now all ashore in Johore Bharu and in a very good shape. The 21st and 38th Div, the 4th Eng Rgt and the 4th Tk Rgt will cross the causeway to Singapore tomorrow. The troops here will launch a new shock attack to support them. Johore Bharu bombers will support them by bombing troops and were joined by 27 Ki-21 and 36 Ki-48s returning from Bangkok after restauring their morale here (they are now at 60 and 75).

Burma

The Allied attack in Mandalay was not repeated and the 2 Tk Rgts were only bombarded (and lost 25 men). The 33rd Div and 21st Bde have not yet reached the twon but are only one mile away.

China

The 60th Chinese Corps was the unit on the road west of Yenen. It was bombed by 38 Ki-48 from Chengting (22 cas) and then launched a deliberate attack against the Japanese troops arriving from the SE of the hex but the 1st regiment of the 27th Div had joined the 10th Bde and the deliberate attack was a failure at 0 to 1, 9 Japanese and 248 Chinese fell. In Yenen only Japanese guns fired and hit 161 Chinese.
3 Chinese units (28 000 men) are west of the hex reached by my troops, and another unit (3700 men) in the hex more west. The second regiment of 27th Div should reach the disputed hex tomorrow, the 110th Div in 3 days.

The strategic bombing campain will restart seriously in some days. The new Ki-49 group is now in Wuhan and the new Betty group has been diverted from SE Asia and is now in Peking.Their first objectives will be the oilfield of Northern China, Sian and Lanchow.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Do you think you are strong enough to take Australia?

I think that just isolating it (by taking New Zealand and all islands east of Australia) would be enough (i.e. this is how I depicted your "Plan White" to myself)...


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Leo, my calculations is that I will have 8 divisions and 2 brigades available to land in Australia in fall 1942. Maybe not enough to take the whole country but far enough to take parts of it. There are too many big cities to defend all with them with enough troops. And the SE part of Australia will probably not be the best defended part.

15 February 1942

Northern Pacific

The DD Schley, badly damaged yesterday by a mine, sank during the day. The MSW Oriole arrived during the day to start minesweeping operations off Adak.

Central Pacific

During the night the seven Japanese BB and a CL bombarded PH and destroyed 4 SBDs on the ground, hit 2 BB and 1 MSW in the port (all reported on fire and heavily damaged) and disabled 2187 men and 56 guns. Later in the day 115 Lahaina bombers hit the 25th US Div (54 cas) and 6 the 24th Div (2 cas). PH airfield was open again and pairs of Wildcats flying naval attack strafed a ML off Lahaina in the morning and a BB off PH in the afternoon. In both cases 9 Zeroes were flying CAP but didn’t intercept.
The ground attack was a failure in PH. 73800 Japanese attacked 42900 Allied men in fort level 4 but achieved a 0 to 1 ratio. 2246 Japanese and 817 Allied men fell.

Just after dawn, the KB patrol planes saw two US CVs (Enterprise and Yorktown) around 240 miles SW of their position. They also saw several transport TFs in range. The Japanese CV were organised in 2 TFs. The first was following a surface TF and the second was following the first. That was a bad idea because the second ,despite having react set at 0, reacted one hex while the first, following a surface TF, didn’t move and so the Japanese CVs were in two different hexes.
Fighters of both sides shot down some patrol aircraft and then the battle started seriously with a concentrated US raid against the IJN CV TF that reacted. Each US CV TF had only 1 US CV and they managed to launch a concentrated raid of 136 SBD against the Japanese CV 180 miles east of them. But TBD were out of range and only 17 F4F-3 and 5 F4F-4 escorted the raid. They ran in a CAP of 72 Zeroes and were decimated. 16 F4F-3, the 5 F4F-4 and 77 SBDs were shot down by the CAP, that lost only 4 Zeroes, but 55 SBD arrived over the Japanese CVs and divebombed them with 1000lb bombs. That was not the best moment of the day for me. The attacked CV TF had 5 CVs: Zuikaku was hit 3 times, but one bomb bounced on belt armor, Kaga was hit once, Akagi four times (one bounced), Ryujo twice (one bounced) and Zuiho (not hit). None was reported as heavily damaged, even if except Kaga the hit CVs were reported on fire. AA shot down 5 SBDs.
The Japanese raids were far less coordinated. There were 4 US CV TFs (one CV each: Yorktwon, Enterprise, Lexington and Saratoga). 5 Japanese raids attacked in the morning, the first 3 targetting the Enterprise and the last 2 the Lexington.

Raid 1: 31 Kates, 20 Vals and 22 Zeroes met a CAP of 18 F4F-4 and 59 F4F-3. It was the battle that saw the most Japanese losses in the air, 12 Zeroes, 9 Kates and 4 Vals being lost to the CAP, that lost 16 F4F-4 (only 2 remained) and 8 F4F-3. The remaining bombers hit the CV Enterprise with one torpedo and 2 bombs and the CA Salt Lake City with 1 torpedo. AA shot down two more Kates.

Raid 2 : 59 Vals, 44 Kates and 28 Zeroes (coming from both CV TFs) vs 25 F4F-3 and 2 F4F-4. The CAP was slaughtered, losing the 2 F4F-4 and 24 F4F-3 while destroying 4 Zeroes, 3 Kates and 1 Val. The bombers concentrated against the CV Enterprise and sank her with 6 bombs and 4 torpedoes (1 dud).

Raid 3 : 14 unescorted Kates vs 13 F4F-3, that shot down 2 Kates. The survivors searched the already sunk Enterprise and some attacked again the damaged CA Salt Lake City. A torpedo hit but it was a dud.

Raid 4 : 41 Kates escorted by 8 Zeroes vs 27 F4F-3. The Zeroes shot down only 2 Wildcats and lost two and the CAP then shot down 6 Kates. The other attacked the Lexington and sank her with 7 torpedo hits, losing 6 more Kates to AA fire.

Raid 5 : 12 unescorted Kates vs 23 F4F-3. The exhausted US pilots only shot down one Kate but the Japanese pilots searched the Lexington and didn’t attack anything.

At this stage, I though the battle was won. With 50% of the US CV sunk, air losses in my favour and only 4 CVs more or less damaged, I was hoping a total victory in the afternoon. My confidence was shattered by two factors:
1) cloud covered the northern Japanese CV TF, the undamaged one, and the hit CV will have to fight alone
2) one CV TF (the Yorktown, commanded by Spruance) reacted towards this TF and so arrived at 2 hexes from my CVs so TBDs may be now used
In the end my fears proved far too exaggerated. The closest US CV TF launched only 12 SBD and 2 F4F-3 and they met a CAP of 28 Zeroes, that shot down without loss all SBDs and one of the 2 Wildcats. The other CV TF launched only 2 SBDs but they arrived at the time the CAP was slaughtering the other raid and were not intercepted. They divebombed the Akagi and one more 1000lb bomb hit the already damaged CV.

The Japanese CV TF launched only one raid in the afternoon: 27 Kates escorted by 17 Zeroes met 5 F4F-3. At this stage fighters of both sides were exhausted and only one Kate was shot down. The other attacked the Yorktown and sank her with 4 torpedoes while losing 3 of their number to AA fire. The Adm Spruance was killed aboard this CV.

At the end of the day, Japanese forces were leading but one of the two CV TFs was out of the game. 3 CVs were closed and of the two others (one was the Kaga that has SYS 15 damaged after a hit by a 1000lb bombs) were lacking fuel. And the final reports showed a lot of Allied warships in the area. What I feared next was an assault during the night by Allied warships vs my damaged CVs. Even if I was sure that every “CA” shown on the map below (situation in the evening of the 15) was a DD and every “BB” a CA, my opponent knew exactly where my BBs were (1 sunk, 2 in DEI, 7 off PH, none remaining) and I will attempt surface battles in the same situation. On the other hand the only remaining CV, Saratoga, was probably full of survivors and overcrowded. My own CVs all received fragments of other units from the 3 closed CVs but none was overcrowded. Tomorrow the air danger will probably be nil but the surface danger heavy.



The damaged CVs were put together in an escort TF and ordered it to return to Lahaina as soon as possible. All 3 CVs have SYS damaged from 30 to 45, and fire and FLT under 15 so they should be saved if they are not hit again. All escorts of the original CV TF, except one DD, will escort them, and the two surface TF available will follow the TF. Both remaining CV of the TF, Kaga and Zuiho, will sail noth with the last DD and join the resplenishment TF to refuel. The other CV TF is intact and its airmen didn’t participate to much of the action and will remain in the area, sailing W. The submarine SS I-9 had lost her Glen and will try to reach Lahaina.

More north, the BB will bomb again PH with the remaining shells and then return to Lahaina. The 16th Div will be landed in PH to help the attack, together with more supplies for the units already ashore.

Southern Pacific

Nothing spectacular but Allied aircraft are back in Rabaul.

Philipinnes

Another mini-operation will see barges unloading some hundred of men in San Jose.

DEI

During the night a TF TF of 3 DD coming from Menado unload 750 men of a naval unit in Tomini, the last Dutch base of Sulawesi. The base is empty and will be occupied tomorrow.

In the morning 9 B-17C from Java flew over Balikpapan, reporting no CAP and scored 1 oil hit (2 oil centers disabled, 210 remaining). Tomorrow 46 Nates will fly CAP over Balikpapan. The Zeroes will sweep Soerabaja, where 33 fighters were reported by recon and the naval bombers will chase Allied ships and attack as a secondary target the port of Tjilitjap, that is not defended by Allied aircraft.

Malaya-Sumatra

59 Ki-21, 59 Nells and 27 Ki-48 bombed Singapore airfield, hitting 81 men and destroying 4 supply dumps. Singapore has not yet run out of supply… and the shock attack launched to help the arrival of the reinforcements from Johore Bharu was one day too early, as none of the units marched more than 45 miles. It was a failure at 0 to 1 (104 000 Japanese vs 70 000 Allied in fort level 6) and 2950 Japanese and 1000 Allied fell.
The move of troops from Johore Bharu was stopped. Singapore units will rest 3 days before launching another shock attack. Reinforcements will start one day earlier next time.

Burma

28 Hurricanes from Akyab attacked the 81st Naval Guard Unit NW of Mandalay (9 cas) and 42 from Mandalay bombed the 1st Tk Rgt just near their base (42 men and 4 tanks hit).
In Mandalay the Allied troops didn’t repeat the attack of the last day and just bombarded the Japanese lines, that were reinforced by the 33rd Div and 21st Bde. 35 Japanese and 8 Allied were hit.

Tomorrow the 4th Mixed Rgt and the HQ 15th Army will reach Mandalay and the base will be attacked. Allied reinforcements arrived. Today two Allied units appeared NE of Mandalay on the rod from Mitkyina and another advanced from Lashio towards Mandalay and is now facing the 14th Tk Rgt.
Two Zero Daitais and 1 Sally Sentai arrive from Mandalay in the evening and will support the campaign.

China

34 Ki-48 bombed the 60th Chinese Corps W of Yenen (24 cas). This corps bombed the 2 Japanese units facing it and hit 4 men. In Yenen only Japanese guns fired and hit 141 Chinese.
In the evening, the Chinese situation was the following in the north. 5 Chinese Corps, 1 Div, 1 Bf and 2 HQ defend Yenen, the 60th Chinese Corps alone defends the hex west of the town vs a Bde and 1/3 Div, with the 110th Div and another 1/3 of the 27th Div that will arrive tomorrow. More west are 3 Chinese units (23 420 men?) and still more west 3 more (12 920 men?).

The strategic bombing campaign will restart tomorrow. Ki-49 will bomb Sian and Betties Lanchow, both targeting oilfields.
The Ki-51 will no more be used to bomb resources but will start tomorrow to bomb Ichang, the next target in my agenda. Now that more and more Chinese troops are used in the north, a frontal assault on Ichang will probably succeed in some days.

Aircraft losses

This day was bloody

Total losses
274 Allied (137 SBD, 75 F4F-3, 45 TBD, 27 F4F-4)
74 Japanese (36 B5N, 24 A6M2, 8 D3A, 2 Ki-48, 2 Alf, 1 Jake, 1 Glen
A2A losses
168 Allied (93 SBD, 52 F4F-3, 23 F4F-4)
56 Japanese (23 B5N, 22 A6M2, 7 D3A, 2 Alf, 1 Jake, 1 Glen)
Field losses
48 Allied (18 SBD, 15 TBD, 15 F4F-3)
AA losses
5 Allied (5 SBD)
14 Japanese (13 B5N, 1 D3A)
Operational losses
63 Allied (30 TBD, 21 SBD, 8 F4F-3, 4 F4F-4)
4 Japanese (2 Ki-48, 2 A6M2)

Strategic situation

As my opponent said after watching the turn, this battle is changing a lot the course of the war. With 3 CV sunk, the hope he had to take back Pearl Harbor before the end of 1942 is seriously reduced.
I surprised him by sailing so far south. I guessed his fleet was hoping to find a reduced KB, like the one that had been defeated by his LBA off Johnson Island. I wasn’t thinking I will meet the whole US Navy but was chasing convoys. What saved me was the Glen pilot (who fell today) that saw two US “CA” TF sailing NE two days ago. I so planned for a possible CV encounter and gathered my CVs. The bad order given (note to self: all CV TF should follow the same TF and not follow other CV TF) then splitted them but I was saved from defeat by the superior crews and aircraft of Japan.
Now the next night will really be decisive. If my opponent flees or sends his warships to the bad hexes, I will be the clear winner. If he manages to engage the damaged CVs, he may hit hard their escort and probably score some hits on the CVs or even sink them.
If all my CV survive, the KB will be during some months too weak to raid the West Coast and this idea is so scrapped definetly. Then it will be too late. On the other hand it will probably not be necessary to keep Cvs around PH to defend it. Betties and land-based Zeroes will be enough, with a BB TF, against the two remaining US CVs.

PS: it's rather frustating after this turn but the game won't advance until Monday as I will be away. Sorry folks and get tuned.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Leo, my calculations is that I will have 8 divisions and 2 brigades available to land in Australia in fall 1942. Maybe not enough to take the whole country but far enough to take parts of it. There are too many big cities to defend all with them with enough troops. And the SE part of Australia will probably not be the best defended part.

OK.

The bombers concentrated against the CV Enterprise and sank her with 6 bombs and 4 torpedoes.

BANZAI!

The other attacked the Lexington and sank her with 7 torpedo hits.

BANZAI!

The other attacked the Yorktown and sank her with 4 torpedoes while losing 3 of their number to AA fire. The Adm Spruance was killed aboard this CV.

BANZAI!


Warmest congratulations on sinking of 3 USN CVs - the Emperor will be pleased!!!


BTW, I think that now you can safely expect to rule the Pacific in 12+ months to come and establish defense which will be almost unbeatable (implementation of "Plan White" would cut USA for the rest of Allied forces and you can rely your defence on both CV's and land based aircrfat whilst Allie dplayer can only count on his CV's when he rebuilds them)...


Leo "Apollo11"

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

BTW, were there any USN BB's that excaped PH (after initial CV strike at the begging of the game) or you think you will know for sure / expect that you sunk them all once you enter PH?


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Leo, you're officially my number one fan

There were 6 BBs in PH on Dec 7th (vary setup). Two have escaped. They recovered faster than planned and sailed while the KB was refueling gand supporting Midway invasion. The Arizona took 2 torpedoes from a submarine midway between PH and West Coast but had not been reported sunk. It was more than two months ago so she survived. The California was only bombed in PH (no torp hits) and escaped also.
Of the four other BBs, the Oklahoma was sunk in PH initial attack, the Nevada had been destroyed here by naval bombardments some days ago and 2 (Tennessee and Pennsylvania) remain in PH, probably at 99 SYS now after all the hits they took.

16 February 1942

Northern Pacific
The MSW Oriole continued to sweep Japanese mines off Adak by night and day.
Central Pacific
During the night, the SS I-9 met SW of Christmas Island an Allied TF and sank the DD Farragut with two torpedoes but was herself sunk by the DDs Hull and Mac Donough. There were no other battles. The US ships fled the battle area rather than trying to engage Japanese ships at night.
After dawn, only Allied transports remained in range from Japanese CV aircraft. In the morning, 9 Kates escorted by 9 Zeroes attacked at range 5 the AK Nebraskan and heavily damaged her with 3 250kg bombs. In the afternoon, the same ship was attacked by 15 Vals and 18 Kates and hit by 16 more bombs but still remained afloat ! 14 Kates (including some launched by a retreating CV TF more north, all other raids were launched by the undamaged CV TF) attacked another AK, the Steel Ranger, at range 5 and 7 bombs heavily damaged her. The main raid of the afternoon was 37 Vals and 17 Kates (with 20 escorting Zeroes) attacking a convoy at range 4. The AK Panaman sank after taking 4 torpedoes and 5 bombs, two other AKs were hit (Alaskan by 9 bombs, Henry P Grove by 3 bombs and 1 torpedo) but survived.
In Hawaii, 3 Japanese MSW swept the last Allied mines off Lahaina (until the next ones..) and 7 BB, 1 CL bombarded PH during the night but they had not returned to Lahaina to rearm and hit only 76 men and 7 guns. Clouds grounded Japanese bombers and shells hit 92 Allied men.
Two barges unload 140 men of 16th Div on Laysan Island, the small reef SE of Midway, and the Japanese flag was risen here (14 cas).
Most Japanese CVs are lacking fuel and all will sail N and meet the resplenishment TF. The escort TF with the 3 damaged CV will sail at full speed towards Lahaina and was reinforced with 4 more DDs. The other warships will chase the convoy hit today by the CV aircraft and try to sink more transports in surface actions.
In Lahaina, the 16th Div convoy will wait for a day of aerial bombings on PH before sailing to the island. 13 ML will lay a huge minefield off Lahaina to try to stop Allied submarines. BB will bombard PH and bombers will bomb the airfield and the port (KI-21 only) rather than troops tomorrow.
PI
5 barges unload 350 men of a SNLF is San Jose, that is unoccupied and will be taken tomorrow.
DEI
9 Java-based B-17Cs attacked again Balikpapan and met 27 Nates flying CAP. The Japanese fighters damaged most of the bombers but shot down none and lost one of their number. The bombs missed the target. The Zeroes based here were busy sweeping Soerabaja skies and reported no opposition. In the afternoon, 22 Nells and 9 Betties took off from Balikpapan to attack Tjilatjap and they hit seven AK with bombs: 2 were reported heavily damaged, 4 on fire and 1 just hit.
A Naval unit occupied the undefended base of Tomini, Sulawesi. Butung Island (SW of Kendari) joined the Japanese Empire.
On Borneo, 2 DAF Base Force marched into Banjarmasin alone and realizing that the base was held by Japanese troops retreated eastwards.
No raid will be launched tomorrow. Zeroes and Nates will defend together Balikpapan. All supply landed in Tarakan went by road to Balikpapan and so oil centers will be repaired here first, even if they are more vulnerable to B-17...
Malaya
An ASW group chased the SS O21 SW of Johore Bharu without success. He was escorting a convoy that several Martins 139 from Batavia tried to attack during the day but none found it. THis convoy is the big one that carried the 14th Army from Canton and it was returning to this base. It receives the order to remain in Johore Bharu until the fall of Singapore.
Japanese artillery hit 314 men in Singapore.
Burma
28 Hurricanes from Akyab attacked the 81st Naval Gd Unit NW of Mandalay (8 cas) while 21 Blenheim from Dacca and Calcutta bombed the 21st Bde in front of Manadalat (36 cas), where 6 otehr Blenheims from Dacca missed the 33rd Div. 38 Blenheims and 5 Buffaloes fril Dacca attacked the 14th Tk Rgt E of Mandalay and missed.
This Tk Rgt is now facing two Chinese Div (22nd and 38th) that bombarded it with artillery without result. Allied artillery was also active at Mandalay, that the 4th Mixed Rgt reached in the day. 12 Japanese and 8 Allied fell here.
It is probable that the 14th Tk Rgt will be beaten tomorrow and that then reinforcements from the north and the east reach Mandalay. All available troops are allready in Mandalay so a shock attack will be launched tomorrow. Two Daitais of Zeroes from Rangoon will LRCAP the hex to repulse British bombers.
China
27 Ki-49 bombed the oilfields of Sian (4 hits, disabling all 25 oil centers) and 23 G4M1 missed those of Lanchow. 12 Ki-51 bombed Ichang airfield (7 hits).
45 Ki-48 bombed he 60th Chinese Corps W of Yenen and hit 8 men and 2 guns. Japanese artillery hit 49 Chinese in Yenen. W of the town the guns of the 60th Corps fired at Japanese troops (now the 110th Div, 2/3 of the 27th Div and the 10th Bde are here) without success.
All troops facing the 60th Chinese Corps W of Yenen receive the order to shock attack it tomorrow with the support of the KI-48s of Chungking and the Betties of Peking. The Ki-49s of Wuhan will rest tomorrow.

[AmiralLaurent]

17 February 1942

Northern Pacific

The MSW Oriole continued to sweep mines off Adak while an US DD found the minefield off Amchitka. The SS I-160 that is cruising NE of Adak has been ordered to sail to this base and attack the MSW. The SS I-121 that is S of Kodiak Island will lay a minefield here.

Central Pacific

The three surface TF sent east of Christmas Island to search the crippled Allied transports found only one, the AK Steel Ranger, that was surprised and sunk at close range by the CA Chokai and the DD Kasumi.
The reason for finding so few targets was abvious after dawn. Japanese search planes found that the main convoy (9 “AP) has sailed 240 miles east while two badly damaged AK sailed NW to draw Japanese CV aircraft. These two ships (Henry S Grove and Alaskan) were the only one in range of my CVs and were sunk by 37 Vals and 11 Kates.

The damaged CVs are slow, they sailed only 5 hexes in two days, despite the slowest is supposed to do 11 knots. The FLT level is 24 Zuikaku, 30 Akagi and 37 Ryujo. This last ship has the less SYS damage and is sailing faster so it was detached with 3 DD to sail to Lahaina alone. All other CV are lacking fuel and missing rendezvous with the resplenishment TF… They are sailing to Lahaina.
SE of them two of the 3 surface TF (1 CA + 2 DD, 2 CA + 2 DD) will try to pursue the fleeing Allied convoy and engage it next night. The other surface TF sails NW to join the escort TF. Two small ASW groups were sent from Lahaina to protect the returning CVs and sweep the waters S of Hawaii before them.

Off Lahaina, the SS Finback was seen and chased before dawn by two PCs and heavily damaged by two Type 95 depth charges launched by the PC Takunan Maru 5.
During the day, 24 Ki-21 bombed PH port while 24 Ki-49, 55 Betties and 9 Nells bombed the airfield. 2 PBY and 2 SBD were destroyed on the ground, 2 BB, 1 AS, 2 AK hit in the port, 195 men and 6 guns disabled and 79 hits were scored on the runway. The only loss to AA was a Ki-49. Still no supply hit. My opponent said in a mail that his CVs were surprised by mine while preparing to sail towards PH, so it is possible a supply convoy was preparing to sail to the island. The BB didn’t bombard PH today due to bad orders, while the Japanese artillery hit 141 men.
Japanese engineers expanded Lahaina AF to size 6. They will now expand the port and build fortifications. 1573 mines were laid by 13 Japanese MLs off the base.
The BB will pound the base tomorrow while the bombers will attack troops. The 16th Div convoy was joined by supply-laden AK and is ready to sail.

Philippines

A NLF occupied San Jose. Aerial recon reported that San Marcelino and Legaspi are empty of Allied troops.

Dutch East Indies

The day was quiet, the only notable event being the arrival of a Dutch unit, probably an INF Bn, in Banjarmasin. The Yokosuka 2nd SNLF that is holding the town will shock attack it tomorrow. The Nells based here flew to Balikpapan.
After one day of rest, the Balikpapan airmen will attack Soerabaja port tomorrow if they find no valuable naval target. An Allied small convoy left Soerabaja 2 or 3 days ago and is now S of Bali and in range but has not been attacked.

Malaya

Bad weather grounded Japanese aircraft. Only Japanese artillery pounded Singapore and hit 106 men.
In the evening the 21st and 38th Div, 4th Eng Rgt and one ART unit left Johore Bharu towards Singapore. The next shock attack there is planned in 2 days and the new troops should cross the river the same turn.

Burma

18 Zeroes flew CAP over Mandalay and decimated Allied aircraft. The first to come were 9 unescorted Blenheim IV from Dacca. 7 were shot down and the last 2 turned back. Then attacked 44 Hurricane II escorted by 26 AVG P-40B coming from the local airfield. The AVG shot down 3 Zeroes but they shot down in return 4 P-40B and 8 Hurricanes. This time the raid reached its target, the 33rd Div, and disabled 50 men and 2 guns. The last raid was done by seven unescorted Blenheim IV from Calcutta and 6 were shot down by the 8 Zeroes still on LRCAP. The last bomber attacked the 33rd Div but missed.

East of the town, 37 Blenheim (I & IV) escorted by 8 Buffalo I attacked the 14th Tk Rgt, that had no fighter cover, and hit 23 men and 2 tanks. This regiment was then the target of a deliberate attack by the 22nd and 38th Chinese Divisions and was repulsed at 3 to 1 towards Taung Gyi.

The main ground battle was in Mandalay where the 15th Army (33rd Div, 21st Bden 4th Mixed Rgt, 2 Tk Rgts and 1 ART unit) launched a shock attack. The 93rd Chinese Div had just arrived from Mitkyina and reinforced the defenders (BFF Bde, 1st and 2nd Burma Bde, 13th Indian Bde, 1 AA Bn, 4 RAF BF). 47 000 Japanese attacked 24 600 Allied in fort level 4 and achieved a 2 to 1 ratio, reducing the fort to level 2. 1895 Japanese and 1370 Allied men fell.

Troops in Mandalay are rather disrupted and tired but they will launch a new attack tomorrow. And hope that the reduction of forts was enough. If I wait some days, 3 new Chinese divisions will reinforce it.
The aircraft based in Rangoon flew to Bangkok to rest after the successful day of LRCAP over Mandalay.

China

West of Yenen, the 60th Chinese Corps was bombed by 42 Ki-48s from Chengting and 13 Betties from Peking, for a total of 62 casualties, and then shock attacked by the 110th Div, 2/3 of the 27th Div and the 10th Bde. At 98 to 1, the assault was a success and the Chinese retreated towards Kungchang. 357 Japanese and 163 Chinese fell during the battle. During the time only Japanese guns were active in Yenen and they hit 38 men.

The 26th Div is now just SE of Yenen and has 98 prep for this town. The attack against the town will start as soon as the division reaches it. 6 Chinese units are 120 miles W of Yenen but the forces just W of it are enough to hold against them.

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It's great to see one of the best strategists on this board in action. How many troops have you on the ground at PH already?

If possible then I'd suggest the white and Blue plans. Elimination of the southern front brings out new possibilities. Green looks a bit gamey to me, I'd never invade russia, or atleast if I did I'd leave a big garrison there, which would more or less defeat the purpose of invading it in the first place.

India is out of the question IMHO as he could send troops from west coast to there, especially now as he can't really use them before 43 without his carriers. It would also bring your carriers too far from Hawaii (as you already pointed out iirc)..

If you start the blue plan then watch out for reinforcements from India