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

[Tom Hunter]

Adm. L.

Excellent game so far, you are really pounding the Allies hard and your losses appear to be very resonable.

As I look at the plans you post I see the following benefits (assuming the plan works).

Red: Sinks the US CV fleet, and damages the surface fleet and merchant shipping. Comes at a high risk to KB, but if the US CVs are sunk then the Japanese get a long period of safety in the Pacific.

White: Builds a strong perimeter for Japan, splits the Allied war effort, and leaves Japanese forces well placed to respond to any American counter attack.

Blue: Harvests a lot of victory points and makes it very difficult for the Allies to get into the SRA until late in the war. Blue is most likely to get you 4:1 auto victory

Green: Frankly I am not sure what Russia is really worth in the game, taking out China is good and will generate VP but not as many as Australia. Also it is possible for the British to interviene in this plan to a much greater degree than in Blue, Red or White.

The recent success against the US CVs makes me think Blue is your best bet.

You are also very fortunate that the British are going to lose 70,000 men in Malaya, and appear to be fighting the air battle over Burma the wrong way. That is going to help your situation a lot.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Leo, you're officially my number one fan

My pleasure - I enjoy very much reading this thread!


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

18-19 February 1942

String, your great strategist is now wondering if he will manage to take Singapore one day... Yenen is a slatemate (but that is usual with my China home rules), Pearl Harbor hardly better and my opponent is evacuating Mandalay just as I wondered if I will not retreat...
The war was following the plan until this month. The only good news of the last 3 weeks is the CV battle and for one more click it could have been better for me. I appreciate this bonus but it is probable that the only objective of the month that will be taken will be Mandalay, the least interesting one.

As for the 4 war planes exposed above, Red is now gone. With a weaker KB and no more CVs to search off US coast, it is no more doable. Blue and White are in the lead (in RL, I have nothing against Australians, they are fine people, but in WITP I always invade Australia).

Invading Russia may expand Japanese industry and ressources, especially with Okha, a big oil source just N of Japan. So the Green plan may be done too. As I said, I may do it later in winter 1942-1943 when I will be unable to attack another part of the map. Even if I succeed, my home rule will be to not take the last Soviet base... so I will have to keep an Army there.

Northern Pacific

The SS I-160 neared Adak on the 18 and reported two AP there but didn’t attack. She remained there on the 19 and was attacked by 3 aircraft. The MSW Oriole swept mines on the 19 without being attacked. They are still some mines.

Central Pacific

On the night of the 17-18, the CA Maya and Kinugasa and the DD Mutsuki and Oboro surprised E of Christmas Island the remains of the convoy attacked since several days: 6 undamaged or lightly damaged AKs. They surprised them and then pursued, sinking the Aroostook and Mexican and hitting once the John Luckenbach. Sadly for them the merchants fled the bad way: northwards. They then arrived in the hex where the CA Chokai and DD Kasumi and Yukaze were waiting for them. The John Luckenbach was sunk and the AK Coloradan and Canadian were badly damaged.
These ships then joined the other ships sailing back to Lahaina. FLT of the 3 damaged CVs didn’t rise much. The Kaga and Zuiho arrived on the 19 in Lahaina and refuelled. The other TFs refuelled at sea, except the surface TFs that united after the successful convoy attack and will join the now almost empty replenishment TF tomorrow.

During the night of 17-18, an Allied minefield was swept off Lahaina but as usual the last mine hit the flagship of my convoy, in this case the CA Tone (damaged is now 11/0/0 and she will remain in the area).At the same time, PH was bombarded by 7 BBs and 1 CL but only CD defences were hit, losing 427 men and 25 guns. After dawn, 106 bombers from Lahaina bombed PH airfields, hitting 157 men and 3 guns and scoring 65 hits (no supply). And Japanese shells hit 87 more men.
On the 19 3 MSW swept all Allied mines off French Frigate Shoals. The troops of 16th Div here will be brought next week to Christmas Island by APDs. The same night the BB TF returned to PH and once again engaged only the CDs guns, hitting 596 men and 29 guns. Bombers were grounded by bad weather and Japanese guns hit only 72 men this day.

The 16th Div will land tomorrow in PH, together with supplies for troops already ashore. The operation will as usual be supported by BBs and LBA. It is hoped that the additional troops will be enough to capture the base soon.

Southern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Townsville to size 6 on the 18th and the port of Port Moresby to size 4 on the 19th.

Philippines

More recons reported that San Marcelino is empty of Allied troops. 3 DD sailed on the 19 from Ormoc to San Jose and loaded there 300 men of a NLF. They will land in San Marcelino next night and try to seize the base to damaged the resource centers currently used by the Allied.

Dutch East Indies

In the afternoon of the 18, 25 Nells and 13 Betties from Balikpapan escorted by 33 Zeroes attacked Soerabaja port again. 5 P-40B and 19 P-40E defended the base and they shot down 1 Zero, 2 Nells and 1 Betty while losing 2 P-40B and 5 P-40E. The bombers attacked the port and destroyed a damaged submarine, the Dutch KXIV, and 5 Dutch PT. They also heavily damaged 2 AK and 1 MSW and hit a TK, 33 men and 1 gun. AA shot down a Nell.
On Borneo the SNLF holding Banjarmasin defeated the SE Borneo Gn Bn that entered it yesterday at 74 to 1. 81 Allied fell and more disappeared in the jungle as the unit retreated.

On the 19, 5 B-17E and 10 B-17C took off from Java to attack the oilfields of Balikpapan and met over the target 13 Zeroes and 34 Nates. The latter were only able to damaged some bombers and 3 were shot down but the Zeroes shot down 3 B-17C and 1 B-17E without loss. Only one bomb hit the oilfields and did no new damage.

With the departure of bombers towards Malaya and the new threat of B-17Es in Java, the CAP has been reinforced over Balikpapan.

Malaya

Weather grounded again Japanese bombers on the 18. Japanese guns hit 242 men and 5 guns. This day the troops ordered to march to Singapore had marched 45 miles and will reach it the next day.

So a shock attack was ordered. And bombers bombed troops. 138 bombers flew for once and hit the Singapore Fortress (106 men and 6 guns hit) but AA fire shot down 3 Ki-48 and 2 Ki-21. The reinforcements (21st Div, 38th Div, 4th Eng Rgt) crossed the river and attacked…alone. I forgot to give the order to attack to troops already there, I just noted it in my papers… Grrr… The attack was of course at 0 to 1 and Japanese losses were 2160 men, 60 guns, 7 vehicles against 475 men and 16 guns lost by Allied.

The new troops are not too badly hit, but of course have FAT and DIS in 60-80s. SO I will have to wait some more days. More bombers were sent from Balikpapan and Indochina to Malaya to pound Singapore.

Burma

The Allied air attacks were reduced on the 18 after the losses of the last day. 20 Blenheim IV and 6 Buffaloes flew from Dacca to SE of Mandalay to bomb the retreating 14th Tk Rgt (57 men and 2 tanks hit). This day the 15th Army launched another shock attack against Mandalay. The AA Rgt and one BF had left the base. The attack achieved a ratio of 1 to 1 and reduced the forts to level 2 (they had been built back to 3 the same day). 1802 Japanese and 1080 Allied fell.

On the 19 28 Hurricanes and 9 P-40B from Akyab attacked the 81st Naval Gd unit NW of Mandalay and hit 32 men and 1 gun. Two Zeroes flying LRCAP over Mandalay from Rahaeng were lost in bad weather. Japanese troops in Mandalay rested and bombed the town, hitting 66 men. The Allied forces bombed back but they are evacuating ! The Chinese Div that arrived some days ago is gone and only remain the 4 Bdes and 1 BF. Also troops that were NE and E of the town are apparently marching back to Lashio and Mitkyina.

So a new attack had been ordered tomorrow in Mandalay.

China

On the 18 53 Ki-48s from Chengting bombed 2 Chinese Corps in Yenen but hit only 31 men. Japanese guns were better and hit 34 men.
The next day, a shock attack was launched by the Japanese forces reinforced by the arrival of the 26th Div. 42 Ki-48 bombed first a Chinese Corps, losing one to AA fire for only hitting 15 men. The shock attack was a costly failure at 0 to 1 vs fort 4. 4923 Japanese and 627 Chinese fell.

Such a failure was not excepted… The 40th and 35th Div will leave Kaifeng area to join the forces at Yenen. 2 portions of units will finish to surround Yenen by marching NE and NW of the city.

Japan

The CV Junyo was commisionned in Tokyo on the 19.

[String]

One suggestion, try to keep up the attacks in and on Pearl. Once his supplies run out (resisting deliberate attacks will drain a lot) the base should fall. It will seem hopeless at first.. but once the supplies are gone, they only fight at 1/4 strength

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: String

One suggestion, try to keep up the attacks in and on Pearl. Once his supplies run out (resisting deliberate attacks will drain a lot) the base should fall. It will seem hopeless at first.. but once the supplies are gone, they only fight at 1/4 strength

Yes I know. But both PH and Singapore haven't received supply for at least one month and a half and I exepted a quicker outcome. All my latter bombings failed to hit any supply so I think they are out of supply but still fighting...

[AmiralLaurent]

20-21 February 1942

Northern Pacific

I-160 finally left Adak anchorage without having fired or being attacked. I-121 laid mines off Kodiak Island on the 20.

Central Pacific

During the night of the 19-20, the BB TF returned to PH and hit it hard: 6125 men, 94 guns and 1 vehicle hit, hits on the airfield, the port, 2 BB, 1 SS, 1 AD, 1 AK and 1 AV. The port of PH was then bombed during the day by 11 Nells, 55 Betties, 23 Ki-21 and 25 Ki-49. The already burning BB Tennessee took seven 800kg bombs and two torpedoes and sank. The Pennsylvania, an AS, an AV and 2 AK were also hit but didn’t sink. Japanese losses were one Nell lost to AA fire and two Betties who collided during the return to base and crashed. Some bombs also hit the port, destroying a supply dump and hitting 42 men.
The convoy carrying the 16th Div arrived off PH during the day but for one reason or another had no more ops points and didn’t land any troop or supply. The troops already ashore continued to bombard Allied lines, hitting 62 men. I didn’t want to land troops before the daily BB bombardment so I ordered the troop convoy to not unload and sail to the reef S of PH the next day.
One TF of 4 SS was seen this day NE of Lahaina, probably coming to lay another minefield off this base. 3 MSW TF and 3 ASW TF waited for them off the island, while all IJAAF bombers were ordered to fly ASW missions

The next night the BB TF returned to PH for another successful bombardment. The BB Pennsylvania was hit by 12 shells and finally sank. 1 AK and 2 AV were heavily damaged in the port and 2 SBD destroyed on the airfield. 2637 men ,45 guns and 3 vehicles were hit, and shells destroyed another supply dump on the airfield. There is still some supply in this island…
The Allied submarines laid their mines and escaped unseen. Only one of the 3 MSW TF swept part of the new minefield, despite they all had the same orders.
7 Nells and 45 Betties returned to bomb PH port. There was no more BB and so they hit the smaller ships. 4 DD, 2 AS, 1 AR, 2 AV, 6 AK and 1 PG were more or less hit but none sank. A Betty was hit by AA and ditched later.
Japanese artillery hit nothing on the 21 but only 36 300 men remained able to fight after the bombardments of the last two days.

Minor naval losses were reported. After weeks of work the Japanese engineers finally saw the AP Hokoku Maru sink in Lahaina port. The AK Canadian, badly hit in the last surface action E of Christmas Island, sank on the 21. And Japanese intelligence confirmed that the DM Ramsay, badly hit in early January off Hilo by the KB, was scuttled.

The CVL Ryujo arrived in Lahaina and was docked. The other damaged CVs will reach Lahaina in 3 days. I started unloading air units in Lahaina and has many fragments with 0 AC 0 pilot remaining aboard my CV. Does someone know how to get rid of them ? In UV they may overcrowd a CV after some time and I am fearing the same thing here. The above pic gives the situation of my CVs… I won’t use them for some time.



The 16th Div will land in PH tomorrow and will be supported by the BB TF and all Lahaina bombers, that are ordered to bomb troops tomorrow.

46 ships remained in Pearl Harbor. From the reports compiled during the siege, I made the following list:
4 DD : Conyngham (on fire, heavy damage), Tucker (on fire, heavy damage), Mahan (on fire), Ellet (on fire)
1 SS : Searaven (heavy damage)
1 AD : Whitney (on fire)
1 AE : Pyro (on fire)
2 AR : Vestal (on fire), Rigel (on fire)
2 AS : Fulton (on fire), Pelias
3 AV : Wright (on fire, heavy damage), Curtiss (on fire, heavy damage), Tangier (on fire, heavy damage)
14 AK : Boreas (on fire), Dorothy Philips (on fire), Admiral Y. Williams (on fire, heavy damage), Kohala (on fire), Atlantic (on fire, heavy damage), Atlanta City, Iowan (on fire), Puerto Rican (on fire), Andrea Luckenbach (on fire), Dakotan (on fire, heavy damage), Georgian (on fire), Arizonan (on fire, heavy damage), Aldebaran (on fire, heavy damage), Admiral Cole (on fire, heavy damage)
3 MSW : Bobolink (on fire, heavy damage), MSW Vireo, MSW Robin
2 PG : Sacramento (on fire), Dawson (on fire, heavy damage)
13 unknown

I still wait for a general stampede. Most of these ships are probably too damaged to hope escaping.

Southern Pacific

A Glen saw on both days two TFs with many “CA” leaving Pago-Pago westwards and also a TF of AO/TK. It is probably the TFs that escaped from the CV battle of Christmas Island. The Saratoga and escort will probably be based in Noumea or Australia in the near future.

Philippines

During the night of the 19-20, 3 DD unloaded 300 men of a NLF at San Marcelino, Luzon, that was reported empty. I forgot to give attack orders this evening and the last day they just watched the town, still reporting it empty. I gave attack orders on the evening of the 21 and hope no Philipinno troops will arrive tomorrow. The DD will evacuate the troops as soon as the base is taken.

On the 20 10 Nates from Aparri strafed the 11st PA at Lingayen, hitting 14 men.

Dutch East Indies

On the 20, a new raid was launched from Java towards Balikpapan but only 2 B-17C and 3 B-17E were sent. They met 26 Zeroes and 25 Nates flying CAP and all three B-17Es were shot down by the former. No bomb hit the oilfields.
6 Aps were reported off Soerabaja and it was planned to attack them. The next day 21 Zeroes flew a sweep over the base but there was no more CAP and only PTs were seen patrolling the bay. The APs were seen nowhere and the Japanese bombers didn’t fly.

Sumatra

An operation against Sabang, the northern base of the island, is preparing. Two naval units will take part in it. One is marching from Mersing to Johore Bharu while the other was in Sinkep and was partly picked up by a FT TF in the night of 20-21. But all the men picked up are now gone… I don’t know this bug but it is certainly damaging.

On the 21 7 submarines in 5 TF were seen around Singapore and all Nells of JB were ordered to fly ASW missions.

Malaya

Japanese artillery hit 599 men in Singapore on the two days. Clouds still grounded Johore Bharu airmen.

Burma

25 Hurricanes from Akyab, escorted by 9 P-40B, bombed the 81st Naval Gd Unit NW of Mandalay on the 20 and hit 28 men. 1 Hurricane crashed during this mission.
But this day saw the first major advance of the month. The 15th Army (33rd Div, 21st Bde, 4th Rgt, 2 Tk Rgts) launched a new shock attack against Mandalay, where 4 Allied Bdes and 1 RAF BF remained. Engineers reduced forts to level 1 and the attack succeeded at 3 to 1. 1001 Japanese and 714 Allied fell and the Allied troops retreated eastwards towards Lashio. The base and its oil and resource are 100% intact.

The 4th Rgt and the 2 Tk Rgts were ordered to pursue the Allied troops northwards while the other troops will rest in Mandalay for some days. The next day a Tk Rgt reached the hex N of Mandalay but it was already empty. Allied AC didn’t fly this day.

Now only Akyab is in range of Southern Burma and 45 Zeroes, 36 Oscars (of the new 65th Sentai) and 36 Ki-21 are now in Rangoon and will attack it tomorrow.

2 Const Bns, 1 AA unit, 1 Tk Rgt and 1 small BF were landed in Bangkok by a convoy arriving from Japan and will march to Burma.

China

60 Ki-48s bombed Yenen on the 20, scoring 2/2/12 hits on the airfield. Both sides exchanged shells at this place the same day and 129 Chinese and 28 Japanese were hit.
This day, 2 Chinese units entered the hex W of Yenen and my troops here were ordered to shock attack them before more troops arrived. 24 Ki-48 escorted by 8 Ki-44 and 15 Betties bombed them the next day but missed and the shock attack launched by the 110th Div, 2/3 of 27th Div and 10th Bde against 3 Chinese Corps (one more arrived the 21) failed at 0 to 1 and 1982 Japanese and 146 Chinese fell. 48 000 Japanese were attacking 26 000 Chinese so I excepted a better ratio.
The same day 17 Ki-48s raided again Yenen airfield and for the first time since the start of the game met Chinese aircraft, 13 I-16c intercepted them but only damaged 2 bombers. The bombers scored five hits on the runways and destroyed one supply dump. Both sides exchanged again shells and 229 Chinese and 10 Japanese fell.

The strategic air campaign has been grounded for two days by bad weather but Ki-49s and Ki-51s from Wuhan are planned to bomb Changsha resources. Hanoi fort are now level 6 and the engineers here will now expand only the airfield (still size 1, 60% to level 2). In the north the Betties will again attempt to bomb Lanchow oilfields while Ki-48s will attack Yenen escorted by 20 Ki-43 & Ki-44.

Japan

The SS I-27 was commissioned on the 21 in Hiroshima and sailed towards SE Asia and the Indian Ocean, where its Glen will be useful. The naval shipyards are now producing an excess of points and the CV Unryu had been accelerated. I am still accelerating all possible DDs.

On the 20 I did a census of the Eng units of Kwantung Army. The battles of Singapore and Pearl Harbor have damaged badly most of the Southern Army ENG Rgt and I will “buy” some in Manchoukuo to replace them. One was already preparing for Clark Field (now at 55%) and I give orders to 6 others to prepare for Manila, Soerabaja, Rabaul, Anchorage, Noumea and Suva. I also ordered them to march to the Korean coast.

[AmiralLaurent]

22-23 February 1942

OK. After some bad ground battle results, now I have 11 of my 12 available divisions engaged in Singapore and PH but the last turns were good and all hope is not lost to seize these two bases before the end of the month.
So it's time to seriously think to phase 2. In SRA I will ship one division to Burma, and probably land all other forces in Java for a quick campain. Time to send shipping to Singapore area. Sumatra will be bypassed first.
In Pacific I am quite sure that at least two troop convoys sailed SE of Hawaii and weren't intercepted, so some opposition will be met. First objective is to seize forward bases (Baker, Funafati and Christmas Island) to base Mavis and Emilies. I think these bases should be undefended.
Troops involved in PH will rest one month here and be available for landings in late April (shipping time included). At first 3 div will remain in Hawaii Islands

Central Pacific

The night of the 21-22 saw another successful bombardment of PH by the BB TF. The PG Dawson was sunk, 7 other ships damaged, 596 men and 34 guns disabled and 1 supply dump destroyed in the port.
At the same time the convoy carrying the 16th Div arrived off the island. The landing started after dawn and was far less costly than before. US forces fired 413 shells but only set in fire a PG, hitting lightly 2 AP, 2 other PG and 1 CL. 802 Japanese men and 22 Allied were disabled during landing operations. Both sides exchanged shells and 8 Allied and 4 Japanese fell.

The 16th Div finished to land in PH during the next night. Defenders fired 514 shells but losses were limited to 546 men and 1 AP on fire. During the day, the convoy continued to unload supply and the only major damage of the operation was suffered when an AK hit a Mk 16 mine. Only 20 shells were fired at the transports during the day. Both damaged transports will sail to Lahaina while the other will continue to unload supplies.
The BB TF returned in daylight and blasted again PH. The SS Searaven sank in the port and 29 other ships were hit, 15 of them being reported heavily damaged and in fire. Last reports only showed 37 ships in PH so it is fairly possible 7 ships were scuttled these last days. The attack also destroyed 2 PBY, 1 SBD and 1 B-18A and hit 3794 men, 46 guns and 1 airfield supply dump. 50 bombers from Lahaina bombed the 25th US Div during the day and hit 53 men without loss.
Artillery battles in the evening revealed that only 33 000 Allied men remained able to fight and they are now facing 85 000 Japanese (not counting the ENG Rgt that can’t bombard). Shells hit 84 Allied and 12 Japanese.

The bombardment TF will bomb again the base tonight and will be joined by the CA and 3 CLs that covered the landing. And a deliberate attack will be launched by all available troops.

On the 22, the Lahaina port was totally cleared of mines again. 6 APD, 1 CL and 2 DD gather in Kona and will carry 400 men of 16th Div (those that took the reefs between Hawaii and Midway) to Christmas Island that is probably empty. 15 damaged ships and some escorts left Lahaina on the 23 for Japan. All CVs will reach Lahaina tomorrow.

One AK was seen by a Glen 800 miles WSW of Los Angeles on the 23, sailing east, and a submarine will try to intercept her.

Southern Pacific

I did a tour of the units of Southeast Fleet and 4th Fleet currently in Tokyo (most of those created since the start of the game) and gave them orders to prepare to various islands. In late March 1942 an offensive will be launched with naval troops to seize Funafati and then Tongapatu, between Suva and Pago-Pago. This base will then be used to neutralize Allied bases in the area. Suva and Pago-Pago will then be taken by troops coming from Hawaii but they have to rest first.
The precise timing of the Pacific operations has still not been determined. But I am working at it. Part of the above unit are not at 100% and are growing slowly. All complete one will sail to Kwajalein with a great TK/AK convoy.

Philippines

On the 22, 10 Ki-27 strafed again the 11st PA in Lingayen while a NLF took San Marcelino. The goal was to destroy the resources and retire but for once a NLF taking a resource base did things as I would like to in all other cases. Only 1 of the 125 ressources is disabled. The DD returned the next day and as planned evacuated the troops, that will land on the 25 in Roxas, Central PI.

45 AKs left Formosa on the evening of the 23 to go to Shangai and load the 17th Div, that will be paid with PP to join the Southern Aera Army and land in Luzon.
Dutch East Indies

On the 23 another Dutch Bn entered again Banjarmasin and it will also be shock attacked tomorrow by the SNLF holding the base.
No more CAP was reported over Soerabaja and some ships are still there. Balikpapan bombers are ordered to attack this port as a secondary target.

Malaya

Bad weather continued to ground Johore Bharu aircraft. It seems to me that this airfield is always closed by weather while Mersing is always open… Clouds over Johore just opened on the afternoon of the 23 and 10 Zeroes and 13 Ki-43 flew a sweep to Palembang to hit the Hurricane Sqn flying CAP here. They saw 7 Hurricanes in the air but the air battle was inconclusive and neither side suffered loss.

On the ground, Japanese troops shelled Singapore on the 22, hitting 152 men, and the next day the final offensive (or so I hope) was started. A deliberate attack was launched by 153 000 Japanese (6 Div, 1 Bde, 3 Eng Rgt…) vs the 70 000 defenders under fort 6. The engineers reduced the forts to level 5 and the assault achieved a 2 to 1 ratio. 2330 Japanese and 1785 Allied fell. The troops are not tired or badly disrupted and the assault will continue tomorrow.

Burma

On the 22 eleven Buffaloes of Dacca swept Pagan skies and met no Japanese CAP. Mandalay was bombed by 55 Blenheims from Dacca, escorted by 15 Buffaloes, that all missed, and then by 27 Blenheim IV from Calcutta that scored 4 oil hits, disabling 21 of the 50 oil centers. The Japanese raid planned on Akyab was scattered by bad weather and only 9 Ki-21 and 14 Zeroes reached the target area, meeting 16 AVG P-40B. Three P-40s were shot down without loss and then the bombers attacked, hitting 4 men and a supply dump.

In the evening of the 22 27 Zeros flew to Mandalay to protect this base. Clouds civered it the next day and there was no raid but 15 Zeroes scrambled to defend the 81st Naval Gd Unit NW of the town, that was attacked by 22 Hurricane II and 7 P-40B. The Zeroes shot down 6 Hurricanes. The other hit 33 men. A recon the same day found a reinforced CAP (18 Hurricanes and 16 P-40B) over Akyab.

On the 22 the Allied troops E of Mandalay retreated to Lashio and the next day the 21st Bde crossed unopposed the river with the HQ 15th Army (the 33rd Div was delayed and will cross tomorrow). They reported 9 Allied units in Lashio (probably the four Bdes defeated in Mandalay, 2 base forces and 3 Chinese divisions).
North of Mandaly the 4th Rgt and the 2 Tk Rgts reached the bend of the railway without meeting Allied units. 4 Allied units are in the jungle north of the railway, probably BF retiring to India. The Japanese troops will continue to Mitkyina and except the town to be held by Chinese troops (at least 2 divisions).

China

Both days the Ki-48s of Chengting returned to bomb Yenen but this time they were escorted. On the 22 26 Ki-48s, 9 Ki-44 and 10 Ki-43 met 15 I-16c. 1 Ki-43, 1 Ki-48 and 4 I-16c were lost in the battle and one more Ki-48 was shot down by AA. The next day, 17 Ki-48, 8 Ki-44 and 9 Ki-43 fought 12 I-16c. Ki-44s shot down 2 and the other fled. Both raids scored very few hits (3 in 2 days).

The ground situation is still static. Artillery fire hit 345 Chinese 2 days in Yenen. West of Yenen a 4th Chinese Corps arrived on the 23 and now 34 000 Chinese are facing 44 000 Japanese. Both sides exchanged shells but only 4 Japanese were hit in 2 days.

The strategic bombing campaign is processing slowly. Ki-49s and Ki-51s of Wuhan bombed Wuhan the two days and disabled 27 ressource centers (now 325 of the 600 are disabled). Betties of Peking attacked Lanchow oilfields on the 22 (14 oil disabled) and Sian resources on the 23 (8 ressource centers disabled).

Japan

Oil from Brunei was unloaded in Hong Kong and Formosa and 25 000 will reach Japan in some days. The naval shipyards are still under exploited and the CV Amagi was also accelerated. Two more 7000-ton AK were converted to AR in Osaka. The first bunch of converted AR and MLE will be delivered next month.

The last A6M2 Zero unit in Japan, F2/Ominato, was transferred administratively to Southeast Fleet and flew south. First use will be over Amboina area then to Truk-Rabaul.

[AmiralLaurent]

24-26 February 1942

Northern Pacific

The Allied MSW Oriole swept all Japanese mines off Adak during these 3 days.
In the evening of the 25, the I-6 attacked an Allied TF SE of Amchitka and heavily damaged the DD Allen with one torpedo. Two other DD searched her unsuccessfully. All Japanese submarines retired this evening from the area, except the Glen-carrying I-28 that sailed between Anchorage and Seattle to monitor Allied activity.

Central Pacific

A deliberate attack was planned at Pearl Harbor on the 24. 7 BBs, 1 CA and 4 CL bombed the base, hitting 5 ships and 163 men. During the day 66 bombers hit the 24th US Div (46 cas) and 17 the 25th (46 cas too). Then 93 000 men launched a deliberate attack vs 34 000 in fort 4 but failed to achieve a better ratio than 0 to 1 and didn't reduce the forts. 1298 Japanese and 603 Allied were disabled in the attack. Japanese troops were badly disrupted and will rest for some days. The Japanese transports are unloading supplies everyday without being fired upon by Allied guns, I don't know if it is because all CDs guns are out or because they only unload supplies and are so not seen as targets... Artillery fire the next two days hit 109 Allied and 12 Japanese.

So the next days the port was the only targets of the Japanese ships and bombers. Some Zeroes also flew LRCAP over Pearl Harbor in case Allied aircraft flew in supplies from Palmyra but they saw nothing.
The first attack on the port was launched the 25 by 48 Betties, 1 Nell, 21 Ki-21 and 21 Ki-49 from Lahaina. The AA hit some of them and one Betty crashed on the return leg but they sank the AV Curtiss and heavily damaged 13 ships and hit 3 others.
The next night, the 7 BBs, 1 CA and 4 CL returned and pounded the base. The MSW Grebe and AK Georgian were sunk and 14 other ships were hit. SOme shells also hit the airfield, destroying a SBD and a supply dump. 1539 men and 46 guns were disabled by this bombardment. Only two shells were fired in return and both hit a BB and bounced. The Lahaina bombers attacked then in the morning (of the 26) and 36 Betties, 2 Nells, 20 Ki-21 and 24 Ki-49 sank the MSW Turkey and the AK Kohala, hit 12 other ships and disabled 48 men.
Only 26 ships remained in Pearl Harbor port on the evening of the 26 so my opponent probably scuttled more than a dozen of heavily damaged ships. One of them has been confirmed scuttled by my intelligence, the AV Wright, last seen and hit on the 21st.

Another deliberate attack will be launched tomorrow in Pearl Harbor. The bombardment TF is still off the base, as I forgot to set orders to retire, and will bomb the base with its remaining shells. All Vals and Kates of the Kido Butai will also bomb ground troops in PH tomorrow. AA fire is almost nil those last days so losses should be minimal and I think I just need one successfull deliberate attack, reducing fort one more level, to take a definitive advantage. Last count showed 86 000 able Japanese and 33 000 American there.

Other minor operations took place more south. On the 25 a Mavis flew a recon from Johnson Island to Palmyra and reported 17 P-40s on CAP before being destroyed by a direct AA hit. The next day 36 Zeroes flew a sweep, again from Johnson Island, but found no CAP at all. The same day a PBY saw the FT TF bringing 400 men to Christmas Island. The landing will be done on the next night.

On the 24, the SS I-25 attacked in the morning the convoy seen the day before by her Glen. She hit one of the 10+ AK she saw, putting the AK Red Jacket on fire, and then escaped the only escort, 1 DD. The next day, an Emily flying from Kona, Hawaii, saw an Allied transport 22 hexes to the SE of its base. This was the first sighting of the war at this range. The same evening, the CA Ashigara left Lahaina with 3 Jakes aboard, sailing SE . She will raid Allied commerce lines at la "Graf von Spee" and will be helped by 4 submarines, 3 carrying Glens and coming from the patrol line E and NE of PH (I doubt the ships still in PH may not escape, or ships come to help PH from this way, by the way another sub line is now cruising along the American coast). The Ashigara carries enough fuel to sail more than a month.

Ship repairs continued at Lahaina. A new minefield was laid by an Allied submarine on the night of the 24-25th but 14 MSW are now patrolling the base and it was found and swept in some hours.

Southern Pacific

On the 25, the SS I-10 engaged 60 miles W of Wallis Island a TF reported as 4 DD and 1 AP. She missed a DD and was then searched by the DDs and hit twice by Mk 6 depth charges from the DD Humphrey. With damage 35/61/0, she retired towards Kwajalein.

My opponent is preparing his positions in the area. Allied engineers expanded Port Moresby airfield to size 5 and Canton airfield and Suva port to size 4. My engineers expanded the airfield of Hollandia to size 4. On the 26 5 barges loaded troops in Wewak and will land them in Madang to take the base and make surrender the nearby ones.

Philipinnes

The NLF troops evacuating San Marcelino were brought to Roxas the 24 and occupied it on the 25.
An US Cavalry Rgt and 2 RCT marched from Clark Field to San Marcelino on the 24 and retook the empty base on the 25. The damage to ressources had not been checked.
8 Nates from Cagayan flew armed recon over Iloilo on the 26 and strafed the 61st PA Div. I was not sure it a division or a base force was here. I know now and won't land there.

The 3 DDs active in the area sailed in the evening of the 26 to Leyte and will carry the naval troops here to Lamon Bay to occupy the port. An advanced position here will allow to monitor Allied moves around Manila. Troops will again be evacuated before the counter-attack.
The 17th Japanese division was allocated to Southern Area in Shangai (cost 3286 PPs) and is boarding a convoy of 44 AKs that will bring it to Vigan. It will then advance to Lingayen and take the base if the opposition is light.
13 APs left Tokyo towardsBatan Island and will carry the Base Force and Air HQ based here to Luzon.

DEI

In the afternoon of the 24, 18 Nells, 14 Betties and 35 Zeroes attacked Soerabaja. There was no CAP and the bombers hit again two heavildy damaged AKs in the port without sinking them. They also hit 118 men and scored 5 port hits but one Betty and one Nell hit by AA ditched later.

In Borneo the Yokusaka 2nd SLF defeated a Dutch Bn again in Banjarmsin on the 24 and it retreated eastwards, losing 58 men. On the 25 a convoy left Balikpapan covered by the surface ships still there (3 cruisers and 6 DDs) to pick up two Bdes and bring them in Menado for operations in Amboina area. Also a Ki-30 Sentai flew to Borneo to be used to bombed Dutch units in the jungle.

The Batavia airfield was showing a dark green symbol and I began to plan to hit it hard before B-17s from here may strike at Johore Bharu. On the 26 a recon Ki-46 flew to this base from Singkawang and reported around 30 Dutch fighters on CAP and 122 aircraft (35/43/44) in the airfield. 77 Nells and 82 Zeroes (including those sent some days ago from Japan towards Menado that have been diverted there) have been gathered in Johore Bharu and will raid Batavia tomorrow. Also on the 26 a B-17C bombed and hit the RO-33 180 miles NW of Darwin. The submarine will return to Palau and is damaged at 30/55/0. So probably only Dutch aircraft are in Batavia but they still are a good target as they are good antishipping weapons.

The surface TF covering transports sailing to Balikpapan recived in the evening of the 27 the order to sail SE of Macassar. Patrols and subamrines saw there several small Allied TFs but Nells of Balikpapan never attacked them. Surface ships will try to sink them, then go to Macassar and carry some troops to the bases of Raba, Maumere and Waingapu between Timor and Bali. Then transport AC will bring air support and some patrol and recon planes will be based here.

Sumatra

A SNLF and half of anotehr boarded transports in JOhore Bharu and left the port in the evening of the 27 will a moderate escort. They will go to Sabang and occupy it. It will then become a base for patrol aircraft.

Malaya

These three days saw three successful deliberate attacks by Japanese forces (150 000 men) against Singapore, defended by 67 000 Allied. All attacks achived 1 to 1 ratio the two days and 2 to 1 the 26 and the fort level was reduced from level 5 to level 2. 5934 Japanese and 5162 Allied fell.
Tomorrow will be launched a shock attack that may end the siege, given the ratio achieved during the last deliberate attack. During the night 2 BBs and 2 CAs will bombed the base, the CDs guns are supposed to be out of ammunitions.

IJAAF bombers left Johore Bharu to leave place to the Nells and Zeros planning the Batavia raid and are now based in Alor Star and Georgetown and still have orders to bomb troops in Singapore. They were again grounded by weather the last days but will hoepfully support the attack tomorrow. A Ki-30 Sentai is also in Mersing to support the attack.
The only offensive mission not cancelled by clouds was a sweep by 11 Oscars and 10 Zeroes form Johore Bharu to Palembang on the 25. They met 10 Hurricanes and shot down 3 while losing one Zero.

Burma

The 4th Rgt and one Tk Rgt arrived on the 24 60 miles W of Mitkyina and reported 10 units here. Too much for the forces sent north and they started to march back to Mandalay. More south, only 6 Allied units were seen in Lashio the same day and the 33rd Div, 21st Bde and HQ 15th Army received the order to march to the city and take it. On the 26, the first two were in place and they will bombard the town tomorrow. Three more Allied units were reported on the trail E of Lashio.

The Sally Sentai based in Rangoon has not enough expereinced escorts (the new Oscar Sentai has exp 58) to raid enemy bases and only targetted the isolated 1st Burma Rifles Bde SE of Taung Gyi on the 24 (23 cas) and the 26 (41 cas).
Allied airmen didn't fly on the 24 but recons this day showed 19 Hurricanes and 16 P-40B flying CAP over Akyab and 20 P-40B over Impahl. On the 25 16 Hurricanes and 7 P-40B from Akyab attacked Pagan AF, hitting 3 times the runway, while 59 Blenheim and 18 Buffaloes from Dacca and Calcutta hit the Japanese 4th Rgt W of Mitkyina (73 men and 2 guns hit) and 14 Hurricanes and 13 P-40B from Umhal hit the 2nd Tk Rgt more west (43 men and 3 tanks dissbled).
On the 26, 17 Hurricanes and 8 P-40B returned to Pagan. 8 Zeroes from Mandalay were scrambled to intercept them but failed to find them. 12 men were hit on the ground. 120 miles N of Mandalay the 4th Mixed Rgt was hit by 69 Blenheims from Dacca and Calcutta and 13 Hurricanes from Imphal, escorted by 18 Buffaloes and 13 P-40B. 45 men and one gun were hit.

So far no heavy bomber is flying in the area but bases are prepared for them. Asansol airfield was expanded to size 5 on the 25. I plan myself to expand airfields in Central Burma and sent in the evening of the 26 one more Const Bn from Bangkok to Burma.

China

More Chinese units arrived W of Yenen, where now 5 Corps and 1 Cav Corps, 50 000 men, faced the 110th Div, 2/3 27th Div and the 10th Bde, 44 000 men. Chinese artillery hit 50 Japanese in 3 days. Japanese guns didn't fire as my units seem to receive no supply, even if they have a fully valid supply line via the woods SW of Yenen and 25 000 supplies in Chengting. KI-48s wfrom Chengting supported these troops on the 26, hitting 2 Corps with 23 bombers but hitting only 12 Chinese.
At Yenen the reinforcements are Japanese. The 40th Div arrived on the 26 and the 35th Div and half of the 6th Bde (from Tatung) will arrive shortly. Attacks will restart when they will be in place. Japanese artillery shelled daily the town and hit 177 Chinese. Yenen aifield was bombed on the 24 by 23 Ki-48s (with 17 escorts) that scored 5 hits while AA shot down a Ki-15 Babs.

Hanoi airfield was expanded to size 2 and is planend to reach size 4, allowing to base bombers here to raid Kumming. The air campain vs Chinese ressources finally triggered a Chinese reaction and Chinese planes are now based in Sian and Lanchow. 9 Ki-43 and 7 Ki-44 from Chengting swept Sian on the 25 and met 13 I-16c that shot down one of the rare Ki-44. The Oscars shot down 2 I-16c without loss. The KI-44 avenged themselves the next day when they returned alone, met 10 I-16c and shot down two. Also on the 26 25 Betties took off from Wuhan and raided the undefended town of Chengtu, scoring 6 ressources hits.. and disabling propably only 6 centers. 5 were reported damaged in the evening so probably 1000 Chinese supplies were used ro repair one.

Japan

Two submarines, the SS I-29 and I-30, were commissioned in Port Arthur and sailed south.

I used this Sunday morning to do a tour of my units and the port of Tokyo is really busy now:
_ 20 3000-ton APs will carry 2 Special Base Forces, 8 small BF and an Air HQ to DEI. First stop will be at Davao and then they will scatter in various bases.
_ four fast 4500-ton AP will carry 2 SNLF and a Base Force to Tarawa.
_ two other 4500-ton AP bring 2 Navl Garnison units to Kwajalein. These units are preparing for Baker Island and will land there in the first operation in the area from the Gilberts.
_ 23 slower 1500-ton AP will carry to Kawjalein troops preparing to seize Funafati, Wallis, Nandi (Fidji), Tongapatu... 5 SNLF and a Special Base Force.
_ 14 7000-ton AK will carry supplies and the 13th Base Force, the HQ 8th Fleet and a CD Gun Rgt to Truk. All are preparing for Rabaul but the operation there won't be launched for a long time... when a division of the SRA will became available.
_ 18 3500-ton AK will carry a Base Force and supplies to PH (I hope the base will have fallen when they arrived). The AKs will then be useful to carry from Lahaina to PH the 350 000 supplies and fuel currently there.
_ 25 AP of various sizes leave Japan to Formosa to pick the last troops of Southern Area there and bring them to Luzon or elsewhere.
_ 10 3000-ton AP were sent to Inchon and will carry the ex-Kwantung Eng Rgt from there. They haven't been bought with PPs yet.

Osaka is not so busy but:
_ 6 TK are loading fuel and will bring it in DEI
_ 4 empty TK leave at once to Brunei and will load oil here
_ 5 7000-ton AK will carry 2 Const Bns and supplies to Kwajalein.

Until now I used Osaka as the main hub for my AK/TK and Tokyo (where almost all new troops arrive) as my AP hub. That worked fine with only one Japanese PBEM but now with two, and coming closer in dates, I'm making mistakes and confusion and need a clearer system. So when troops will arrive, they will be given a target (as today, but rather than waiting for shipping and escort in Tokyo like now they will be sent to a gather point: Sasebo for SE Asia, Osaka for Southern Pacific, Tokyo for Central Pacific and Ominato for Northern.

I also checked my repair shipyards. I haven't expanded any but the reduced losses so far gave them few work. Only Okayama (with 1 CA, 2 SS and 1 DD) and Tokyo (with 2 CL, 1 DD and 1 AP) are really busy. Tens of damaged ships are sailing from PH and will arrive in the next weeks but there should be enough place for them. When the damaged CVs will arrive, the biggest repair yards will be emptied.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Did you bring enough combat engineer troops to support your attack at PH (they serve great for reducing fort levels even if general force odds are not singinficantly in your favor - just as it is in your case)?


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

27 February 1942

A very good day with the fall of Singapore, a successful attack in Pearl Harbor (that may fall tomorrow) and 57 Allied air losses vs 19 Japanese.

More details about the score and strategic situation tomorrow, as for every end of month.

Leo, I have 3 Eng Rgts in Singapore and 3 in PH but by combining the 6 units I probably only have 40 usable combat engineers squads… A combinaison of bad luck (in PH the ships carrying the Eng Rgt were always the worst hit) and of bad orders (in Singapore, 2 Eng Rgt were wrecked by attacking alone when after a successful shock attack at 1 to 1 I changed the orders to bombardment. Engineers can’t bombard and so remained with shock attack orders, the 3rd one crossed the river with a Div the turn I forgot to order all troops in Singapore to launch a shock attack and was wrecked too on its first day on the island). Anyway the fact they are there with many non-combat engineers is probably one of the reasons I took Singapore intact.
I know the importance of Eng Rgt and that is why I am preparing to buy some of the Kwantung Army and ship them south.

Central Pacific

During the night, the 7 BB, 1 CA and 4 CL of the bombardment TF fired their remaining shells at PH but only hit 19 men and 1 gun. The AK Andrea Luckenbach, badly hit the day before, sank in port some hours later.
At the same time, 400 men of the 16th Div were unloaded by the FT TF in Christmas Island. The atoll was undefended and was seized without problem. Tinas from Lahaina will carry there the 105th IJN BF tomorrow.

During the day, both US divisions in Pearl Harbor were heavily bombed. The 24th was attacked by 4 Ki-21s, 16 Kates, 14 Vals, 7 Betties and 4 Ki-49s and lost 28 men and 2 guns. The 25th was bombed by 19 Ki-49s, 35 Betties, 42 Kates, 40 Vals, 2 Nells and 17 Ki-21s and 128 men and 3 guns were hit.
The disorganized US troops then were hit by a deliberate attack launched by the Japanese troops that achieved a 3 to 1 ratio and reduced the fort level from 4 to 3. 1326 of the 94 000 attacking Japanese were hit against 435 of the 33 000 defending American.
Japanese intelligence learned during the day that the AK Dakotan, last hit on the 22nd, has been scuttled in PH.
After the fall of Singapore and this attack in PH, the Japanese High Command, that told the Emperor that Singapore and PH will fall in February, is confident enough to order a general shock attack in PH. The bombardment TF and all available aircraft will support it. To be sure that clouds will not ground all AC, the CV will sail NE of PH, and so be able to send more planes.

A Glen saw an Allied AK (probably part of a convoy) 1380 miles S of Los Angeles. That is too far away from the Ashigara that will reach here patrol area in 2 days. The submarines supporting here will be there the day before.

Southern Pacific

Allied engineers are expanding the facilities of the future Japanese province of Australia. Brisbane port is now size 9 and Townsville port size 6.

Philippines

Nates continued to fly armed recon and this time strafed without results the 81st PA Div in Cebu. In the evening, a FT TF of 3 DD loaded a NLF in Giuian, Samar, and will carry them to Lamon Bay, E of Manila during the night. From there they may gather intelligence on Allied defences.

The Japanese 17th Div convoy left Shangai and will arrive at Vigan in four days.

According to Japanese intelligence, the Allied troops retook San Marcelino without damaging any resource centers. So the final result of the raid is ONE resource center disabled… Hardly worth the effort.

Dutch East Indies

During the night, the SS O20 tried to attack 60 miles E of Balikpapan the AP convoy sailing to this base but was seen by the escort and hit by a Type 95 depth charge thrown by the PC Shonan Maru 6. The ASW group escorting the convoy then searched anf found her and she was heavily damaged by a Type 91 depth charge fired by the PG Hirotama Maru.

In the morning, 61 Nells escorted by 82 Zeroes took off from Johore Bharu towards Batavia. They met 8 Hawk 75, 6 CW-21B Demon and 10 Brewster 339D flying CAP. The Zeroes tore them apart, shooting down all Hawks and Demons and half of the Brewster (5) for the loss of 4 of them. The bombers weren’t intercepted and destroyed on the ground 18 aircraft (5 Brewster 339D, 4 Martin 139, 3 T.IVa, 2 CW-21B, 2 Beaufort V-IX, 2 Vildebeest), disabled 31 men and scored 41 hits on the airfield (3/3/35). During the return leg, two Nells damaged by AA ditched and 5 Zeroes were lost during the day in operational losses, probably mostly during this day.

Patrol aircraft still followed the damaged Allied ships fleeing Soerabaja. Two were seen, one the AS Columbia, sailing one hex per phase. Two CA and 6 DD sailed during the day SE of Macassar and divided in the evening to sweep the two possibles hexes the Allied ships will sail in during the night, SE of Lombok. They will then return to Macassar.
Japanese engineers expanded Palau port to size 6 and will now expand the AF from size 3 to size 4.

In Balikpapan, the 35th Bde (preparing for Koepang) and the 4th Mixed Bde (preparing for Amboina) are boarding transports that will carry them to Menado and then to Amboina, Bulla and Sorong with the two SNLF currently in Menado.
To prepare the operation, a FT TF of 3 DD will carry men of one of these SNLF to Namlea, W of Amboina, tonight.

Malaya

During the night, 2 BBs and 2 CAs bombarded Singapore. The CD guns still had ammo and fired 31 shells and hit badly the Kumano (damaged at 33/10/17). The bombardment hit 276 men and 2 guns, but was a bad idea.
Japanese airmen supported the attack in Singapore by bombing the 22nd Aus Bde (16 Ki-21s from Georgetown, 14 cas) and the Singapore Fortress (27 Ki-30s from Mersing and 49 Ki-21s from Georgetown, 74 cas, 2 Ki-30s shot down by AA).

And then Singapore was attacked. The shock attack succeeded at 6 to 1 vs fort 2 and the base was taken. Japanese lost 1614 more men but the Allied lost 110 214 men killed or captured, 221 guns and their last 2 vehicles. The base was taken totally undamaged and the 2 manpower, 10 ressources, 151 HI (strange number?) and 26 repair yard are all undamaged. Also the base has 136 000 fuel and 55 000 supplies, but almost all of these were brought by Japanese forces (supply need is 18 500), as my opponent told me there were around 3 000 supplies remaining.

The pic below is showing the Allied troops in Singapore on 8th February but none has been evacuated.



After the fall of Singapore, the question is “what next?” Well, the plan is to land directly in Java at Tjilatjap with 5 divisions. Paras will seize Teloekbetoeng (sp?), the southernmost base of Sumatra, and Zeroes based here and in Jambi will cover the fleet but the Japanese bombers will be busy suppressing Allied airfields to reduce the air attacks against the fleet. The fleet will leave port in 7-10 days, to let the troops rest a bit. After the fall of Tjilatjap, the plan is to cut the island in two. 15 units are in Batavia and only 4 in Soerabaja according to Japanese airmen so Soerabaja will be taken first, while a blocking force will march north. The hardest target will probably be Batavia and the HQ 25th Army and the HQ Southern Area Army are now preparing for it.
The two units of the 25th Army in the worst state are the 4th Eng Rgt (all combat ENG squads disrupted) and the 23rd Bde (state 57/91). Both will rest in Singapore and prepare for targets that will be attacked after Java, respectively Palembang and Medan.
The 55th Div (66/97), 6th Tk Rgt (roughly intact) and the 23rd Eng (some combat ENG squads undisrupted) will be shipped to Burma and are preparing for Mitkyina.
The five divisions that will be used in Java are the 21st (82/101) and 38th Div (77/100), both preparing for Luzon targets and that will keep their orders and be shipped to PI after the fall of Soerabaja, the 18th (82/103) and Imperial Div (87/101) that prepare for Batavia and the 5th Div (79/99) that prepares for Soerabaja.
Also the 15th Eng Rgt (preparing for Soerabaja, some valid combat squads), 2 Tk Rgts and 5 ART units will be used on Java and are mostly preparing for Batavia.

Almost all units in Johore Bharu received orders to move to Singapore. 3 Daitais of Zeroes and 1 Sentai of Oscars moved at once to patrol over the town.

All these moves will require shipping. All ships currently off Johore Bharu (lifting capacity 3 divisions) will sail to Singapore. 50 other transports left Saigon towards Singapore. At the same time 10 TK leave Saigon for Brunei and Miri to load oil for Japan.

Burma

18 Hurricane II escorted by 8 P-40B from Akyab bombed Pagan airfield, hitting 10 men and scoring 3 hits on the airfield.
24 Blenheim I and 37 Blenheim IV escorted by 16 Buffalo I were sent from Dacca to bomb the 4th Mixed Regiment north of Mandalay. 15 Zeroes of F2/Tainan were scrambled from this base and bounced the raid, shooting down 9 Buffaloes, 4 Blenheim I and 3 IVs at the cost of one of their number. 44 bombers reached the targets and hit 33 men and 1 gun.
8 Hurricanes from Mitkyina strafed the 33rd Div near Lashio and hit 12 men.
32 Ki-21s from Rangoon bombed the 1st Burma Rifle Bde SE of Taung Gyi, hitting 37 men. This brigade marched today in the jungle NE towards Lashio, and so the 14th Tk Rgt that was in Taung Gyi with a SNLF in case the Brigade marched back to the city will go to Mandalay and then to the frontline.
In the evening the Zeroes retired from Mandalay, where only some Ki-59s remained (to still show an AF symbol), and went to Rangoon.

In Lashio, both sides bombarded the other to identify its units. 32 000 Japanese (33rd Div, 21st Bde, HQ 15th Army, 3rd Mountain Gun Rgt) faced 14 500 Allied (4 Chinese divisions in bad state and 2 RAF Base Forces). 28 Allied and 6 Japanese fell.
The troops are not strong enough to hold Lashio against the 15th Army. A shock attack will be launched tomorrow with the support of the Sallies of Rangoon. The 2 Tk Rgts and the 4th Mixed Rgt that returned from Mitkyina are now in Mandalay and the tanks received the order to go to Lashio. Except the 33rd Div, that will held Lashio, all units of the 15th Army are preparing for Mitkyina. This town will be attacked once reinforcements arrived from Singapore by sea.

China

20 Ki-48s from Chengting bombed the 30th Chinese Corps W of Yenen but failed to hit anybody. Chinese guns in the area also missed while 64 Chinese were hit by Japanese shells in Yenen.
The 35th Div will arrive tomorrow and the offensive will be restarted shortly later. Tomorrow Ki-48s will bomb Yenen AF and a Ki-43 Chutai will sweep Sian skies.

Chinese fighters returned to Chengtu but there are still many unprotected targets. Betties from Wuhan will raid Kumming, Ki-49s and Ki-51s from Wuhan raid Changsha and Ki-51s from Canton Wuchow, all targeting resources.

Japan

I found 75 000 supplies in Kitakyushu and 5 7000-ton AK and 2 3500-ton AK are loading there to bring supplies to repair Borneo oilfieds. 5 other 3500-ton AK are loading supplies and a brand new Const Bn in Osaka to bring them to Hawaii.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Leo, I have 3 Eng Rgts in Singapore and 3 in PH but by combining the 6 units I probably only have 40 usable combat engineers squads… A combinaison of bad luck (in PH the ships carrying the Eng Rgt were always the worst hit) and of bad orders (in Singapore, 2 Eng Rgt were wrecked by attacking alone when after a successful shock attack at 1 to 1 I changed the orders to bombardment. Engineers can’t bombard and so remained with shock attack orders, the 3rd one crossed the river with a Div the turn I forgot to order all troops in Singapore to launch a shock attack and was wrecked too on its first day on the island). Anyway the fact they are there with many non-combat engineers is probably one of the reasons I took Singapore intact.

I know the importance of Eng Rgt and that is why I am preparing to buy some of the Kwantung Army and ship them south.

RGR.

And then Singapore was attacked. The shock attack succeeded at 6 to 1 vs fort 2 and the base was taken. Japanese lost 1614 more men but the Allied lost 110 214 men killed or captured, 221 guns and their last 2 vehicles. The base was taken totally undamaged and the 2 manpower, 10 ressources, 151 HI (strange number?) and 26 repair yard are all undamaged. Also the base has 136 000 fuel and 55 000 supplies, but almost all of these were brought by Japanese forces (supply need is 18 500), as my opponent told me there were around 3 000 supplies remaining.

The pic below is showing the Allied troops in Singapore on 8th February but none has been evacuated.

BANZAI!



Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

RGR ???? [&:]

[String]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

RGR ???? [&:]

roger?

[Speedysteve]

I assume so [:)]

[AmiralLaurent]

28 February 1942

Central Pacific

During the night, the burning AE Pyro exploded and sank in Pearl Harbor port and then Japanese ships came back again. Two escorting DDs swept some mins and then the usual 7 BBs, 1 CA and 4 CL bombarded. The CD defences fired 21 times without success. Japanese shells sank the AR Medusa, AD Dobbin and Whitney and the MSW Rail, heavily damaged 14 other ships (7 AK, 1 AS, 2 AR, 2 MSW, 2 DD), destroyed one PBY and one SBD on the airfield and disabled 1346 men and 50 guns.

Sun was shining over Hawaii but no Japanese aircraft flew. And so the Japanese shock attack was not enough strong to take the base. Japanese engineers reduced the fort level to 2 but the attack only achieved a 1 to 1 ratio. 1523 Japanese and 246 Allied fell. Now that the symbolic date of the end of the month is gone, Japanese troops will rest some days to prepare for the final assault. The BBs and Lahaina aircraft will continue to pound the island.

More south 14 B-25C took off from Palmyra to raid Christmas Island. Their crews were unused to navigate over Pacific and only 3 found the atoll but they managed to destroy a supply dump, when the supply situation was already critical. Tinas from Lahaina will fly in supply tomorrow. They brought 28 squads of air support personnel today.

The damaged CVL Ryujo (damaged in the 40s) left the Hawai area escorted by two DDs towards Japan.

Southern Pacific

During the day, barges unload part of a NLF in Madang without any casualty. The empty base will be taken tomorrow.

Philippines

During the night, 3 DD unload in Lamon Bay the 23rd NLF. The empty base will be taken tomorrow.

Dutch East Indies

The Allied ships fleeing Java were intercepted during the night by one of the two TFs sent SE of Lombok. First came the Dutch AS Columbia, that was engaged by the DD Harusame and Suzukaze that opened fire at 4000 yards and sank her with 2 torpedoes. The MSW USS Bittern was following her at some distance and arrived after the battle. She was surprised by the whole IJN TF (CA Takao, DD Harusame, Suzukaze and Murasame) and sunk quickly.

Also during the night a FT TF of 3 DD unloaded part of the Kure 1st SNLF in Namlea, just W of Amboina. The empty base will be taken tomorrow.

The ships retiring from Lombok straits were supposed to load troops tonight but they are still at sea or out of fuel. The FT operations will wait tomorrow to be initialized. Some Topsies arrived in Balikpapan and are ready to bring air support personnel to the new bases after their occupation.

Sumatra-Malaya

Japanese troops will land in Sabang tomorrow and will be supported by IJAAF bombers based in Northern Malaya.
More aircraft flew in Singapore from Johore Bharu as the base forces marched from one base to another.

Burma

All action was concentrated in Lashio. 8 Hurricane from Mitkyina attacked the 33rd Div and hit 6 men. Then 24 Ki-21s and 7 Zeroes came from Rangoon and the 38th Chinese division lost 55 men and 3 guns. Then the 33rd Div and 21st Bde supported by the 3rd Mountain Gun Rgt and the HQ 15th Army launched a shock attack against the 4 Chinese divisions and 2 RAF BF. The attacked achieved a ratio of 1 to 1 and destroyed the only level of fortifications of the town. 343 Japanese and 252 Allied men fell.

The 21st Bde is really in a poor state and tomorrow Lashio troops will rest while waiting the reinforcements from Mandalay (2 Tk Rgt). Ki-21s from Rangoon will bomb the airfield to slow fort building. Another Ki-21 Sentai arrived in the evening in Moulmein from the now pacified Malaya.

During the month of March 1942, a CL and 2 DD should be withdrawn from this theater.

China

12 Oscars took off from Chengting to sweep Sian. Ten get lost in the bad weather and the two that reached the target found no enemy in the air and came back. 25 Ki-48s from Chengting bombed Yenen airfield, destroyed 3 supply dumps and scored 11 hits on the airfield.

The strategic bombing forces are too weak to achieve any results. 33 Ki-51s bombed Changsha but failed to hit any usable resource and one was shot by AA. 10 Betties bombed Kumming through clouds and also missed. Tomorrow all bombers from Wuhan will only attack one target, Changsha.

Artillery fire hit 51 Chinese and 7 Japanese in Yenen and 2 Japanese west of the town. The 35th Div just arrived in Yenen and is in good shape. Now 6 Jap divisions, 1 Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, 1 ART unit and the HQ of 1st Army and Northern China Army are there and with low level of disruption and fatigue. A deliberate attack will be launched tomorrow while Ki-48s from Chengting and Peking will bomb the base.

26 transport AC will start to paradrop supplies to Japanese troops W of Yenen.

Japan

No new convoy was sent from Japan today but here is what the sea south of Japan looks like:

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

RGR ???? [&:]

Sorry... I am old sim pilot... [;)]


RGR = "Roger"

rog-er (roj'uhr) interj.
1. Informal. all right; OK.
2. message received and understood (a
response to radio communications).
[1940-45; from the name Roger; in def. 2 repr. r (eceived)]


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Monthly report February 1942



Japanese score: 12 981 (+ 6 342)
Bases 2 832 (+ 572)
Aircraft 1 928 (+ 725)
Army 4 820 (+ 3 036)
Ship 3 253 (+ 2 025) 166 ships sunk (+ 53: 3 CV, 3 BB, 5 DD..)
Scuttled ships 110 (- 16)
Strategic 38 (+ 0)

Allied score: 5 733 (-1 333)
Bases 4 208 (- 2 030)
Aircraft 846 (+ 273)
Army 181 (+ 114)
Ship 519 (+ 331) 44 ships sunk (+ 11: 1 BB, 1 CVE..)
Strategic 0

Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 2 855 000 (bases) + around 310 000 (TFs) = around 3 165 000 (+ 250 000)
Fuel : 4 036 000 (bases) + around 263 000 (TFs) = around 4 299 000 (+ 29 000)
Ressource centers : 14 638 (+ 304)
Ressources : 1 452 000 (bases) + 0 (TFs) = 1 452 000 (- 89 000)
Oil centers : 1 416 (+ 28)
Oil: 1 234 000 (bases) + 70 000 (TFs) = 1 304 000 (- 137 000).
Manpower centers : 796 (+ 5)
Manpower pool : 236 000 (+ 16 000)
Heavy industry: 13 406 (+ 151)
Heavy industry pool: 58 000 (+ 8 000)
Naval shipyard: 1270 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 588 (+ 28)
Armament industry: 600 (+ 0)
Armament stock: 44 000 (+ 4 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 1 567 (+ 469)
Aircraft engine factories: 1567 (+ 0)
Aircraft frames factories: 836 (+ 15)
Aircraft research: 127 (+ 49)

Aircraft production:
223 A6M2 Zero (capacity 243 (+15)), 59 Ki-43-Ib Oscar (62), 45 G4M1 Betty (46), 45 D3A Val (41), 39 Ki-48 (40, restarted), 34 B5N Kate (28), 29 E13A1 Jake (28), 29 H8K Emily (32), 25 Ki-49 Helen (23), 23 Ki-51 Sonia (45, still partly stopped), 20 Ki-21 Sally (20), 13 A6M-2 Rufe (14), 12 Ki-57 Topsy (10), 9 L2D2 Tabby (10), 8 L3Y Tina (5), 7 C5M Babs (4), 6 E7K2 Alf (5), 4 H6K2-L Mavis (4), 4 MC-21 Sally (5), 3 E14Y1 Glen (4), 0 Ki-46 Dinah (31, suspended)

Total: 637 aircraft (282 fighters, 129 level bombers, 68 divebombers, 38 floatplanes, 37 transport, 34 torpedo bombers, 29 patrol, 13 fighter floatplanes, 7 recon)
Analysis of the strategic situation

Pearl Harbor will fall probably in the next week. None of the ships still there is likely to escape and the loss of so many auxiliary ships will reduce the hability of Allied forces to operate from forward bases.
Christmas Island will become an active patrol base. The two divisions in PH that will be in the best shape will be used to invade Palmyra with the South Seas Detachment. One of the two will be the floating reserve. If it is not needed it will sail south to seize another base.
During this time the 3 other divisions will be restored in PH. The two divisions and the South Seas Detachment engaged in Palmyra operations will be shipped back to PH as garrison and then the 3 divisions in Hawaii will be used to drive forwards in the Pacific. Atolls will only be garrisoned by SNLF and Naval Garnisons Units.

I announced some posts ago that I will bypass Palembang and land in Java in mid-march. Well I found yesterday in my office a small document I wrote (one day I was not in the mood for working) before starting this game. The original plan was to seize Palembang in March and land in April in Java. I though about it twice and I think I have enough fighters to protect Palembang and enough bombers to bomb Java airfields. So I will land in Sumatra, take Palembang and land as I said in Tjilitjap in late March. Operations to bomb Palembang will start in the next days.
More east, I will take Amboina, Sorong and Bulla. Even if it will mainly provide targets for heavy bombers probably based in Darwin, I like better that they are used there than over Sumatra or Borneo.
The repairs of Borneo oilfield will continue. The extra production of supply this month (+ 250 000) is enough to repair all oilfields of Borneo.

The 15th Army in Burma is still weak but will be reinforced this month by the 55th Div. Depending of the aerial resistance met over DEI, enough aircraft may be available at least to really support operations in Burma. In this case, the 55th Div will land in Akyab.
In Central Burma, the idea is to gather troops and take Lashio, then Mitkyina with all available units. It is possible that Mitkyina can’t be taken without an additional division.

The above plan against Java and Sumatra implies that the 14th Army won’t be available to invade Luzon before April. The 17th division will start operations alone...

In China, the Yenen operation should now have enough troops to succeed, until the Chinese managed to defeat my troops west of the town. No other ground operations is planned this month. A part of the troops preparing for Ichang are now in Yenen.
I think I will gather troops in the south and launch in the summer an offensive there. Until now the strategic bombing campaign will continue and will be reinforced. IJAAF bombers currentmy engaged in Hawaii will be useless there once PH will be Japanese and will go to China.

The economic situation is still OK. I’m losing 3000 ressources and 5000 oil each day but the seizure of the DEI will correct that. On the other hand I am building stocks in every other categories: fuel, supply, manpower, armament, HI, aircraft, aircraft engines. I have now sufficient numbers in the pool for a number of types and will stop production in their factories in the next days.
This month will see the start of the regular convoys DEI-Japan. Enough TK and AK are available for it without slowing the frontline operations. A possible bottleneck in the next month will be the repair yards, that I didn’t expand. They are big enough for repairs but it will probably be necessary once the upgrades of ships will start. No ship has been upgraded yet.

As for the future months, a combination of the White and Blue plans (invasion of NZ and Australia) is becoming more and more probable. The Japanese Army may attempt a reduced version of the Green plan (Southern China, then maybe Siberia (probably not)) in the second half of 1942.

[AmiralLaurent]

1 March 1942

Central Pacific

During the night, the bombardment TF returned to PH and an escorting DD detected a new minefield, probably laid by an Allied submarine. The big ships sailed round it and blasted again the base, sinking the AK Puerto Rican and heavily damaging 5 other AKs, 1 MSW, 1 AR and 1 AS, destroying 1 port supply dump, 2 PBY and 1 SBD and disabling 1306 men and 48 guns.
Lahaina bombers were grounded again by bad weather. Japanese shells hit 54 men in PH, Allied guns remained silent.

Only 9 ships remained in the port of PH after dawn so a new dozen has been scuttled yesterday probably. But one of the missing ships, the MSW Robin, that has managed to escape all bombs and shells that fell on PH in the last 3 months, was seen during the day SW of Kona trying to escape. I will be sport: no Lahaina bombers will have naval attack orders tomorrow. But the FT TF returning from Christmas Island is coming the other way and will divide in 3 parts to intercept the MSW.

In the afternoon, 9 B-25C from Palmyra bombed Christmas Island but all bombs fell in the sea. Six Japanese DDs are loading supplies in Lahaina and will carry it to Christmas Island.

During the day it was confimed that the AK Aldebaran, heavily damaged by CV off Hawai two months ago, was scuttled.

Southern Pacific

The 21st NLF occupied Madang.

Philippines

The 23rd NLF occupied Lamon Bay. From there they may spy the Allied units and report 11 units and 27 000 men in Clark Field, 22 units in Manila and 1 unit SE of Manila, probably marching to Lamon Bay…. The 3 DD sailed in the evening from Aparri to Lamon Bay and will be ready to evacuate the NLF when the Allied troops advance in the hex.

Dutch East Indies

The Kure 1st SNLF forward detachment occupied Namlea. I don’t know if the ability to see enemy units in nearby hexes works from one island to another but none Allied unit is shown yet in Amboina, while there is an aircraft symbol. So I bet it doesn’t work.

Three DD load in Macassar each 250 men of the 65th Bde and sailed to land them in Raba, Maumere and Waingapu.

Japanese engineers finally managed to expand Tarakan airfield to size 4. Sadly it is now a rear area base.

Sumatra-Malaya

In the afternoon, Japanese troops landed in Sabang and found the base empty, losing 57 men disabled in landing incidents. Troops will occupy it tomorrow and the convoy receives orders to return at once to Singapore, not taking the risk of being hit by the RN. An IJN base force currently in Georgetown will be carried by transport aircraft and barges to Sabang.

More south it seems to me that the part of the 15th Naval Guard unit that diseappeared from my FT TF some times ago is now in Jambi. I sent it one hex south to recon Palembang defences.
All bombers based in Malaya are now in Singapore. Tomorrow 76 Nells escorted by 36 Oscars and 34 Zeroes will bombard Palembang airfield.

Burma

The RAF targeted central Burma airfields. 18 Hurricane from Akyab attacked Pagan, hit 8 men and scored two hits. The main raid was launched from Dacca by 69 Blenheims escorted by 13 P-40B and 24 Buffaloes. Their target was Mandalay airfield. One unserviceable Zero of F2/Tainan has been left there when the unit went to Rangoon with its pilot. It was now repaired and the pilot, PO2 Kanda, S., took off alone and bounced the Allied formation, shooting down two Buffaloes (hits two first kills) before evading the others. The bombing was bad and only 7 hits were scored on the airfield while 1 Ki-59 was destroyed and 12 men hit.

Both sides were also active over Lashio. 30 Ki-21 tried to bomb the airfield but missed, while Japanese troops were bombed by 9 Hurricanes from Mitkyina, that missed too, and 10 Chinese Il-4c from Asansol, India, that hit 7 men of the 33rd Div. Both sides exchanged shells here and 8 Japanese and 14 Allied fell.

The two Tk Rgt sent from Mandalay to Lashio should arrive yesterday and a new attack will be launched the next day. The F2/Tainan Daitai returns to Mandalay with 25 Zeroes and will fly 90% CAP.

China

It was an active day for Japanese airmen but with rather bad results.
26 Ki-48s from Chengting and 21 other from Peking bomb Yenen airfield and scored 2 hits on the runways and one on supply. Two of the bombers hit by Chinese AA crash during the return leg.
31 Ki-51, 26 Betties and 20 Ki-49 from Wuhan bombed Changsha, scoring 8 hits on the resources (but only one more resource center was disabled, 274 of the 600 remained usable) and 26 on the airfield (12 casualties and 1 supply hit). AS shot down one Betty.
A Ki-43 Chutai based in Chengting swept Sian but found no target.
50 Ki-51s from Wuchow bombed the resources of Wuchow, scoring 13 hits and disabling 39 of the 300 centers of the town.

The 1st Japanese Army (6 Div, 1 Bde and support units) launched a deliberate attack against Yenen, defended by 5 Corps, 1 Div, 1 BF and 2 HQ with fortifications level 5. 135 000 Japanese attacked 55 000 Chinese and reduced the fort level to 4. 1581 Japanese and 482 Chinese fell.
West of the town, the 110th and 27th Div and 10th Bde (44 000 men) now faced 6 Corps, 1 Cavalry Corps and 1 HQ (55 000+ men)

The situation W of the town is dangerous but I hope Yenen will fall before my troops W of the twon will be defeated. The deliberate attack will continue tomorrow, only the 40th Div resting (with disruption 83), with the support of all available bombers in China: 2 Sentais of Ki-48s, one of Ki-49s and one Daitai of Betties. There is enough air support in Chengting for 21 Ki-51s and they flew there and will also support the attack. All these AC will bomb Chinese troops.

In Central Chine the 58th Div will march W of Hsinyang on the road to Ichang just to check that this town is still held by the same Chinese troops.

Japan

After an examination of the aircraft pools and needs, the production of the Ki-21 (369 in pool), Ki-43b (162 in pool), E7K2 Alf (154 in pool), E13A1 Jake (66 in pool), A6M2-R Rufe (44 in pool), Ki-57-II Topsy (39 in pool), L3N Tina (20 in pool) and E14Y1 Glen (17 in pool) is stopped. The production of the A6M2 Zero (253 in pool) will be reduced, 83 of the 253 factories being stopped. Same for the B5N Kate (216 in pool), 12 of the 28 factories are stopped.
On the other hand, the research capacity has been boosted a bit (+ 40 Ki-43-IIa and + 30 Ki-61) and the naval yard in Takamatsu (size 8) will be doubled.

Two 3500-ton AK leave Osaka for Tugueragao, Luzon, to bring back resources. In Saigon 2 7000-ton AK are also loading resources for Japan. 8 other 7000-ton AK left Camranh Bay for Tarakan, Balikpapan and Kendari and 2 sailed for Bangkok, all to pick up resources.

[AmiralLaurent]

2-3 March 1942

Air losses are mounting. In two days, 42 Allied and 26 Japanese AC were lost (27/17 on the 2, 15/9 on the 3). 8-9 of the Allied losses and 14 of the Japanese were operationnal.

Central Pacific

During the night of the 1st-2nd, the bombardment TF (7 BB, 1 CA, 4 CL) bombarded PH. 2 AK were heavily damaged in the port, 1 Wildcat destroyed on the airfield and 1731 men and 20 guns disabled. Japanese troops shelled Allied lines this day and hit 44 men.

The bombardment TF returned the next night. The AK Steel Voyager was sunk and the only other ship remaining, the AK Atlanta City, heavily damaged. 1 P-39D was destroyed on the airfield and 940 men and 9 guns disabled.
During the day both US divisions holding the island were heavily bombed. 33 level bombers, 15 Vals and 6 Kates, all from Lahaina, hit 77 men and 3 guns of the 24th US Div. The 25th was hit by 37 Lahaina bombers and 90 Vals and 83 Kates launched by the KB and lost 142 men and 5 guns. The Japanese troops then launched a deliberate attack and achieved a 2 to 1 ratio. The fortifications were reduced to level 1. 91 000 Japanese were attacking 27 000 American, that are playing on their own ground and continued to inflict heavy losses to attackers. 1039 Japanese and only 122 Allied fell.
The attack will be repeated tomorrow with the same support. A TF of 4 SSs had been seen off PH and may be evacuating fragments of units.

Both days, B-25C from Palmyra attacked Christmas Island. 7 missed on the 2, 10 scored one hit on the 3. Two Tinas were lost in accidents while ferrying supplies on the 2 and the flights were stopped. The DD FT TF bringing 450 supplies will arrive tomorrow and 9 Zeroes flew from Johnson to Christmas to cover it. One Zero crashed on landing but the pilot was saved.

The MSW Robin managed to evade the surface ships searching her during the night of the 1st-2nd and is now on the way to an Allied base. I don’t know if other ships managed to escape but tens were scuttled and already 3 ships heavily damaged last week in PH have been reported scuttled: PG Sacramento, AS Fulton and AV Tangier.

In Lahaina port, for the first time since six weeks, the men of the AR Arashi enjoyed a pause. All ship in the port have now FLT 0 and the last four damaged ships left for Japan. The CV Zuikaku and Akagi (SYS 58 and 64) are escorted by 5 DDs with upgrades in 2/42 or 3/42. Until this turn, no Japanese ship has been upgraded. The two last transports hit off PH also sailed under escort by 2 PCs.

Philippines

Recon found on the 2 that the Allied unit SW of Lamon Bay was the 51st PA Div but it marched to Manila (probably from Naga), rather than to Lamon Bay. I discovered on the 3 that more than 10 000 ressources are stocked in Lamon Bay and sent 6 3500-ton AK from Pescadores to load them.
The south of Luzon is lightly defended. Only one unit, probably a BF, is in Naga and Legaspi seems to be empty. The 16th Naval Guard Unit, that was holding Nanning before China Army troops arrived to relieve it, marched to Pakhoi and is waiting two transports that will carry it to Luzon. At the moment it is planned to land it in Naga and it is preparing (since the 2) for this base.

The 17th Div started to land in Vigan on the 3. As soon the the landing will be complete it will advance to Lingayen and seize the base, that is defended by a Philipino division.

Dutch East Indies

Single DD FT TF unloaded troops of the 65th Bde during the night of 1st-2nd in Maumere and Raba, that were both empty and were taken the next day, and the night night another TF landed another company of the 65th in Waingapu, that will be taken tomorrow.
The goal of this operation is to open an airfield or a seaplane base between Java and Timor. Maumere has an airfield but only 3 supplies, Raba is only a seaplane base but has 776 supplies. I will wait for the fall of Waingapu to see wich base I will use.

Recon flights finally showed 3 Allied units in Amboina. The convoy carrying the 4th and 35th Bde to this area left Balikpapan in the evening of the 3.

Sumatra-Malaya

The air offensive against Sumatra and Java started on the 2 when 40 Nells escorted by 37 Zeroes and 48 Oscars attacked Palembang. The Oscars led the formation and were attacked by the 9 Hurricanes flying CAP. 6 Oscars and 3 Hurricanes fell before the Zeroes arrived and destroyed the 6 remaining Hurricanes. The airfield was then bombed: 1 Hurricane and 2 Wirraways were destroyed on the ground, 1 man and 1 gun disbled, one supply dump destroyed and 14 hits scored on the airfield and runways. Two Zeroes and 2 Nells were lost in accidents during this raid.
The raid was repeated the next day. This time 54 Ki-48s and 53 Ki-21s escorted by 24 Oscars flew and met no CAP. They destroyed on the ground 6 Hurricane II and 6 supply dumps, disabled 33 men and scored 75 hits on the airfield. AA shot down a Ki-21 and another was lost to engine failure over the sea.
Recon this day over Sumatra and Java found only CAP over Batavia, and it was only 2 Hurricanes. Timor has no more aircraft, Amboina only 2 patrol AC, Batavia 290 AC (80/110/100) and will be the next target of the Singapore airmen. The 76 Nells and 67 Zeroes based in Singapore have been ordered to attack the airfield tomorrow.

The two SNLF landed in Sabang occupied it without resistance on the 2. In the evening of the 3 the 101st IJN BF started to board barges and transport AC in Georgetown and will be ferried to Sabang.

Four Dutch submarines have been spotted in the waters off Palembang and Singapore but the fleet’s operations against Sumatra will start tonight. Two BB, 3 CA and 6 DD left Singapore and will bombard Palembang tomorrow evening.

On NW Borneo, a Dutch unit appeared in Singkawang. Most of the paratroops that took the base have been brought back to Malaya and only a BF holds the base. No other troops are available in Malaya than the 2nd Para Rgt. 25 Topsies will bring part of it from Mersing to Singkawang while 12 Tabbies will drop another part over Pontaniak that should be empty.

The two first Japanese ships to receive approbation for upgrades are the DD Ikazuchi (Akatsuki class) and the DD Satsuki (Mutsuki class). Both are docked in Singapore. They should be ready for the Java operation.

Burma

These two days saw heavy air activity over Central Burma. Pagan airfield was bombed daily by 18 Hurricanes from Akyab, that scored only 3 hits in two days. Lashio airfield was also bombed daily by Rangoon’s Ki-21, that scored 5 hits in two days while losing one bomber in an accident.
The main raids were Allied and their target was Mandalay. The Zeroes of F2/Tainan defended the base but the lack of HQ reduced the number of Zeroes actually used. On the 2, 47 Blenheim from Dacca escorted by 23 Buffalo I met 12 Zeroes. One Zero, 5 Buffaloes, 2 Blenheim I and 1 IV were shot down. The bombers reached the airfield and scored 5 hits, disabling 4 men. Shortly later, 10 Il-4c from Asansol arrived, escorted by 13 AVG P-40B from Imphal. 11 Zeroes were still airbone and shot down 2 P-40B for the loss of one of them. The bombers hit nothing. Operationnal Allied losses were 1 Buffalo, 1 Blenheim IV and 1 P-40B. The same day, the Allied CAP over Akyab shot down a Rangoon-based Ki-46 Dinah.
The next day, 3 raids targetted Mandalay. First came 64 Blenheims and 21 Buffaloes from Dacca. 9 Zeroes shot down 3 Buffaloes and 2 Blenheim I, while a Buffalo shot down a Zero. One bomb hit the runway, another destroyed a supply dump. Then 10 Blenheim IV from Calcutta arrived, evaded the 4 Zeroes trying to intercepting them but then missed the target. The last raid was 7 Il-4c from Asansol. 7 Zeroes attacked and shot down one but the Chinese airmen pressed on and destroyed on the ground 2 Zeroes. 9 men were also hit. A Blenheim I and a Blenheim IV were also lost in accidents this day.
Allied airmen were also active on the 3 over Lashio and the 33rd Div was attacked by 21 Hurricanes and 7 P-40B from Mitkyina and 11 Blenheim IV from Calcutta and lost 54 men and 3 guns.

On the ground, Japanese troops in Lashio shelled Lashio both days, hitting 125 men. Both Tk Rgts sent from Mandalay arrived on the 3 and a shock attack will be launched tomorrow. Ki-21s from Rangoon and Moulmein will support it. The 4th Mixed Rgt has also been ordered to march from Mandalay to Lashio but will arrive in some days.

One AA Rgt, a new small base force and a Const Bn arrived in Mandalay on the 3 and will build up the base. The Zeroes flew to Rangoon in the evening and were joined there by reinforcements from Malaya, the 22 Zeroes of F1/Yamada.

China

On the 2, 21 Ki-48s and 20 Ki-49s from Chengting and 13 Betties from Wuhan bombed two Chinese Corps at Yenen, hitting 50 men and 3 guns. One Ki-49 and one Betty were lost operationnaly. But that was not enough and the deliberate attack launched this day failed at 0 to 1. 1955 Japanese and 324 Chinese fell. Both sides then only used artillery on the 3 and 31 Chinese were hit. W of the town, only Chinese guns fired these 2 days, hitting 5 men.

A Base Force left Peking for Chengting to provide more support closer to the targets. Repeated recons since ten days found no CAP over Chungking and 25 Betties and 24 Ki-49s will bomb the oilfields of the Chinese capital from Wuhan.

Japan

The first convoy of damaged ships returning from Hawai arrived on the 2 in Tokyo. The ships (3 DD, 1 APD, 1 PG and 3 4500-ton AP) scattered to sail to various repair yards in Japan and in Shangai.

Two Eng Rgt (the 23rd, preparing for Clark Field (71%) and the 9th, preparing for Soerabaja (13%)) were bought with PPs (around 330 for both) in Inchon, Korea, and boarded 4 4500-ton AP to sail south.

[AmiralLaurent]

4 March 1942

Given to very heavy work hours (14 yesterday...), game is slower than usual but I nevertheless did a turn this morning.

Central Pacific

A new deliberate attack was launched in Pearl Harbor. To support it, the KB launched 78 Kates and 80 Vals against the 24th US division, hitting 138 men and 1 gun, while losing 3 Vals (2 to AA, 1 operationnaly). At the same time 23 level bombers, 6 Kates and 15 Vals coming from Lahaina attacked the 25th US Div and disabled 24 men and 2 guns. The bombardment TF (still 7 BBs, 1 CA and 4 CL) also supported the attack and destroyed 4 PBY and 1 P-40B, disabled 1110 casualties and 25 guns and scored 4 hits on the now empty port (last AK has been scuttled) and 135 on the airfield. Then 90 000 Japanese attacked and the defences crumbled. At 3 to 1 vs fort level 1 the base was taken and only 572 Japanese were lost in the final assault. 57 808 Allied were killed or captured. Tens of wrecks littered the harbor and hundreds of shattered aircraft the airfields. Four SBD and 1 F4F-4 were stil intact on a Marine airfield and were quickly dispatched by Japanese soldiers as “souvenir”. The base is totally wrecked: port damage 69, airfield damage 100, runway damage 80. It has no more fuel and was probably out of supply. According to POWs, 210 mines are still of the base.

Here is the picture of the last attack:



23 Zeroes from Johnson Island did a sweep over Palmyra in the morning but found no airborne Allied aircraft. Palmyra launched in the afternoon another raid against Christmas Island with 11 B-25C. 3 Zeroes were on CAP but failed to intercept and the bombers scored two hits on the runway. The FT TF was late for some reason and will reach Christmas Island tomorrow.

All MSW available in Lahaina will sweep Pearl Harbor waters tomorrow. Engineers allready in PH will repair the base. Transports in Lahaina will bring base forces, engineers, supply and fuel to PH.
Two small TF (each a CL and a DD) load troops in Pearl Harbor and will bring them to Lihu and Niihau, the last two Hawaii Islands under Allied controls. They should met no resistance.

Now that the troops involved in the Pearl Harbor operations are available again, it’s time to prepare the next operations in the Pacific.
The two divisions in the best state, the 56th Div (79/97) and 48th Div (75/102), will invade Palmyra with the South Seas Detachment from Johnson Island and the 1st Eng Rgt (88/94) that was only partly landed in PH.
The next target will be Pago-Pago and the 2nd Div (74/97), 16th Div (73/107) and 21st Eng Rgt (74/98) will prepare for this operation.
The troops in the worst state, the 4th Div (46/90) and the 3rd Eng Rgt (66/83) will have more time to recover and will plan for Canton.
The plan is to invade Palmyra around the 20th of March, keeping one Div (the one with the less prep points) in floating reserve. Then the used division and the Souths Seas Detachment will be sent back to PH and the troops of Pago-Pago will sail south, the landing there should be around 15 April. Canton will be invaded in late April. At any time 2-3 divisions or brigades will defend PH and Lahaina but mainly rest and recover.
The drive south of Gilberts will also be initiated in March but with far weaker support and very cautiously. The goal is to seize small airfields or atolls around the main Allied bases, that will then allow to recon them and evaluate their defences.

Philippines

The 17th Div will finish to unload in Vigan tonight and will then start to advance to Lingayen. A Ki-30 Sentai flying ASW in Brunei flew in the evening to PI to support operations here.

3 3000-ton AP left Davao for Jolo and will bring the part of the 15th Av Rgt still here to Balikpapan.

Dutch East Indies

During the night, the Dutch 4500-ton AK Sibolga sank in Tjilatjap port. Her crew should have a Japanese damage control team… She had been hit on the 16th of February by a 800kg bomb when she was allready docked in Tjilatjap.

During the day, a Topsy Sentai brought reinforcements of the 2nd Para Rgt to Singkawang and the deliberate attack of the West Borneo Defence Bn that marched here failed. 47 Allied fell for no Japanese loss. At the same time a Tabby Chutai was dropping 270 men of the same Para Rgt on Pontaniak. AA shot down a Tabby. The base was defended by two Base Force and the paratroops achieved a ratio of 1 to 1, reducing forts from level 2 to 1. 26 para and 13 Allied fell. Both transport units will bring more paratroops tomorrow in Pontaniak while 27 Ki-21s from Singapore will bomb Allied in Singkawang and the two IJN bomber Daitais of Balikpapan will bomb the defenders of Pontaniak.

More south 65th Bde men occupied Waingapu and found it also out of supply. So Raba is the only usable base for now and Mavis will start to bring air support personnel from Kendari. Two Chutais of Ki-57 and MC-21 will bring supplies to Maumere from Balikpapan and Kendari and in the future Mavis will be based in Raba and Maumere will be used as a forward base for recon AC.

Three 7000-ton AK are loading fuel in Palau to bring it to Balikpapan and Tarakan. 6 other 7000-ton AK left Palau for Balikpapan to load ressources and bring them to Japan.

Sumatra-Malaya

The 2 CA and 3 CA sent from Singapore managed to reach Palembang during the night and bombarded it, hitting 433 men, 7 guns and 5 vehicles and scoring 5 hits on the airbase, 10 on the runways, 5 on the port, 7 on fuel dumps and 7 on port supply dumps. In the morning this TF has not reached Singapore and was bombed by 6 Martin 139 from Batavia. They scored no hits and one was crippled by AA and ditched later. Another Martin 139 on patrol flew too close of Singapore and was shot down by Japanese CAP.

But the main Allied losses in this area were when 49 Nells and 65 Zeroes from Singapore raided Batavia. AA shot down a Nell but the other destroyed 16 aircraft on the ground (4 Swordfish, 3 Beaufort, 3 T.Iva, 2 Wirraway, 1 Hawk 75A, 1 Brewster 339D, 1 Hurricane and 1 Vildebeest) and 2 supply dumps, hit 29 men and 1 gun and scored 27 hits on the airfield.

A small raid was launched by 4 Nells from Johore Bharu against the troops in Benkolen, S Sumatra. The goal of the raid was to identify the unit being here. It is a Dutch infantry batallion and it suffered no loss.

In the afternoon a Ki-21 bombed and hit the Dutch SS KXVIII SW of Singapore

Burma

Mandalay airfield was bombed by 40 Blenheim IV and 23 Blenheim I (escorted by 14 Buffaloes) from Dacca, then by 26 Blenheim IV from Calcutta and 13 Il-4c from Asansol. They destroyed 3 Ki-59s Theresa on the ground, hit 219 men and 6 guns and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 3 on the supplies and 19 on the runway. The Ki-59 Chutai was there to draw bombs but it’s a bad idea to use transports. They probably are considered by the game to be grounded all day and only fly in the air transport phase. It is much better to use recon AC to occupy airfields, as they may fly both phases and so are not destroyed on the ground. 3 Allied bombers were lost: 1 Blenheim IV was lost to AA fire, another and a Blenheim I were lost in accidents.
Tomorrow the things will be different over Central Burma. 20 Zeroes and 36 Oscars flew to Mandalay in the evening and will fly CAP over it. 20 other Zeroes based in Tanug Gyi will fly LRCAP over Mandalay, so every Japanese fighter in Burma will defend the base. It is hoped that a bomber shooting contest will be organized tomorrow.

32 Hurricanes and 7 P-40B flew from Mitkyina to Lashio to attack the 21st Bde (9 men and 1 gun hit) and the 33rd Div (no damage). 41 Ki-21s from Rangoon (escorted by 7 Zeroes) and Moulmein were also busy and bombed the 38th and 22nd Chinese divisions, hitting 37 men and 2 guns. Each side suffered an op loss, a Hurricane and a Ki-21 didn’t return to their respective base. The Japanese troops (33rd Div, 21st Bde, 2 Tk Rgts and HQ 15th Army, 36 000 men) launched a shock attack and took the base at 6 to 1. The Allied units (22nd, 28th, 29th and 38th Chinese divisions and 102 and 106 RAF BF, 14 000 able men) retreated NE towards Mitkyina rather than E towards China.

Now the goal of the 15th Army is to take Mitkyina before these troops arrived, in one month. All troops of Lashio, except the very badly shattered 21st Bde, will march to Mandalay, join the 4th Rgt and two new Tk Rgt and then march to Mitkyina. A Const Bn is sent from Mandalay (where two other will remain) to Lashio to build fortifications.
The 55th Div may not be needed for this operation and receives the order to prepare for an amphibious operation against Akyab. The precise timing of the landing, before or after the Java operation, has not yet been determined.

China

20 Ki-48s bombed Yenen airfield, scoring four hits while losing one of their number to AA fire. 19 Ki-51s from Chengting bombed the 99th Corps in the town and hit 19 men. Japanese shells then hit 184 more men. W of the town Chinese troops still shelled Japanese lines but missed. A deliberate attack with support of Ki-48s and Ki-51s will be launched tomorrow.

In the south, 50 Ki-51s from Canton bombed Wuchow ressources and scored 19 hits, disabling 32 more centers (now 71 of the 300 are disabled). The planned raid against Chungking didn’t fly but the orders remained the same for tomorrow.

Japan

For the first time of the war, an Allied submarine was seen in Japanese waters. It is 360 miles ESE of Tokyo.

Overall situation

This was a good day for Japan. In any other day the fall of Lashio will have been celebrated as a major victory but of course Pearl Harbor is the main conquest of the day, and of the whole campain. The score is now over 3 to 1 in Japanese favor.
On a sidenote 33 Allied aircraft were lost today against 11 Japanese. A ratio of 2 to 1 in the air is my objective and should be enough as superior Allied naval losses and especially ground losses, and the fact that I will continue to score points by taking bases while my opponent will lose points, will assure that the march towards the 4 to 1 will continue.