The Italian Job 2- Gen.Hoepner(J)-vs.-Mc3744

[Gen.Hoepner]

8/26/42

ALLARM

A kingfisher spotted and attacked one of my subs 180 miles NW of Palmyra...can mean he's moving down with his battlefleet!!!
Procedures for the invasion have ben accelerated...i cannot stand a fight with 6 american CVs!!!!
Transports with supplies,eng and the Imperial Guard Div are still 3/4 days far away...[:(] in 4 days the carriers can be upon us! Tomorrow we'll decide what to do( if try an early invasion with 2 Bdes and some artillery) or to wait and hope...
i have 300 planes aboard my CVs...he can have 90x6,.....540 planes...no way to fight under these conditions!
I keep some hopes however...if he spots my CVs he can think he's facing the whole KB...so maybe he can decide not to engage...let's see....

I'm sweating[:D]

Last turn for this evening.
We're both going to bed earlier than usual....life's hard[>:]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/29/42

Lost any contact with enemy CVs[:(]
However i'm willing to be spotted near Tongarapu, so i decided to move my CVs in the same hex of the Atoll...it's the only hope i have not to be engaged by his fleet...he has to think he's facing a strong KB force!
3 more days and we'll be ready to land....need some more time!!!!!!!!!!

He started to sub-mine my homeland ports....a pain[:@]

Still low with supplies at Tsuyung...while the army at Chungking has 2x the number of supplies needed....this system is making me mad[:@][:@][:@]

Training operations for my zeros are going on...slowly they're being substituted by Tonies and Tojos

5 Dakotas intercepted and shot down over Tsuyung[:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/31/42

August ends today. The P-38s are arriving and the Yanks grow stronger everyday.

RED CASTLE:

Last night my 3 BBs tried to bomb Tongaparu but with terrible results......one DD badly hit ( which is now burning going back towards Suva) and only 1 hit confirmed...[:@] And you keep complaining about the BB effectiveness?????[:-][:-]
Happened a strange thing today. Suddenly a big TF appeared south of Tongarapu. My recon says it's moving at 9 knots....so it must be a Cargo TF...but seems strange that he moves a TF so close to my front line....[&:] Can it be a trap? My CVs will move to intercept its route but i won't go too far away from my invasion TFs.
Tomorrow Red Castle will begin. the 17th Army will start unloading at Tongarapu. If LUCK is on my side i can finish this operation in 3 days ( landing-Attacking-conquering-load-go back) with some 10,000 allies in my pockets...still no sign of his CVs...i'm getting suspicious....

Nothing much important happened somewhere else. All my units are ready for his possible next offensive ( Port Blair- Burma-Java or Paramushiro Jiima). Do not think he'll push towards the solomons for the next 1/2 months...



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Naval bombardment of Tongarapu, at 90,121 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Mutsuki
DD Samidare
DD Yudachi
DD Harusame
DD Murasame, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Oshio
DD Tanikaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Arashi
BB Hyuga
BB Fuso
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Port supply hits 1

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/01/42

Semptember begings in a good way: Operation Red Castle was a success. A Canadian Brigade plus 2 little units have been taken prisoners and executed in place.
Landings went smooth. That TF spotted yesterday was just a cargo TF that now is heading towards Bora Bora. The 17th Army did not have many problems in winning today's battle. Now all the transport ships are already loading the troops back and will run towards Kwalajein and Truk. CVs will stay one more day to cover the retreat. Raid and Go! YEssssss
A Kingfisher spotted one of my subs between Christmas and Bora....2 days far away i'd say....hope i can run away without engaging his fleet....

At Kumming i've deployed some 30 zeros....to LRCAP Tsuyung....with this bad game design that allows the allies to see the jap movements one day earlier...he put hundreds of 4Es to strike Kumming...results were not that bad: 37 allied planes shot down against 12 zeros...plus 12 more on the ground.
Tomorrow we'll try to assault Tsuyung. There's no reason to wait: no way to get my troops resupllied up there in the mountains...i have to hope that his supply levels are lower than mine....let's hope...if i lose here the whole chinese campaign can be in danger
All the transports available are ordered to drop supplies on the troops.... cross your fingers Jap fanboys...we need it!!!!



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TF 172 encounters mine field at Port Blair (23,34)

Japanese Ships
ML Kamome, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

[:o] this valuable ship will surely sink

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Naval bombardment of Tongarapu, at 90,121 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Fuso
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 33
TF 33 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Kuri

Japanese ground losses:
1008 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 33
TF 33 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


22 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Mikazuki
CL Tenryu, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
770 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 88
TF 88 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


28 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Yukaze
PG Hong Kong Maru
PG Takunan Maru #10, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
483 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 135
TF 135 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PC Ch 4

Japanese ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 173
TF 173 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AK Nankai Maru, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
106 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 193
TF 193 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


48 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PG Kaiun Maru

Japanese ground losses:
243 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Tongarapu, 90,121, firing at TF 226
TF 226 troops unloading over beach at Tongarapu, 90,121


6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Kikuzuki

Japanese ground losses:
690 casualties reported

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Day Air attack on Kunming , at 38,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31

Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 119
F-5A Lightning x 3
B-17E Fortress x 31
IL-4c x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 15 destroyed, 24 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 24
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 89

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Day Air attack on Kunming , at 38,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 48


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Ground combat at Tongarapu

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 28375 troops, 351 guns, 15 vehicles

Defending force 6899 troops, 54 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 17 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tongarapu base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
221 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
7021 casualties reported[:D][;)][8D]
Guns lost 39

[Gen.Hoepner]

Ok, Operation SideShow would surely had been something more important and results could have been really more consistant, but he caught me by surprise, fortifying this atoll...and i could not go for Bora Bora with this nail in my flank.
Pity...with Bora in my hands the whole pacific would have been really a dangerous place for his cargos...but i needed surprise at Bora...and after the first sighting of my SNLF commando the surprise was gone for good.

Ok, life goes on. 7000 allied POWs aren't my best dream but surely not the worst one![;)]

[DuckofTindalos]

It could have 7000 Japanese POW's...

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

It could have 7000 Japanese POW's...

well...if i understand correctly...it could have been some 50,000 Jap pows[:D]

[DuckofTindalos]

See! Everything is Molto Bene!

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

See! Everything is Molto Bene!

lol

[:D][:D][:D][:D]

Yes, but the score keeps going down-_-''.He's now already passed the 3-1 ratio....we're not going to win for Autovictory[:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/02/42

the last flashes of this summer of war bring some more important victories to Japan. The Emperor is pleased: Today the west of China has been finally and defenetly liberated from what remained of the chinese Army. 70,000 chinese have been beheaded after their surrender. That's what deserves the weak! BANZAI!
Now Chungking is the next target. We'll need some more weeks in order to recover, but we'll get it.
Now the IJA have only 2 targets left in China: Chungking and Sining-Lanchow. 350 bombers will take care of Chungking[:D]
His 4Es keep on pounding Kumming....but who cares now?![8D]

My transports are already going back from Tongarapu. His fleet has been reported 1 day from Bora Bora...maybe we can evade unseen[;)]

We're still on the run!

This day is a boost for my morale!

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Day Air attack on Kunming , at 38,32

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 45
B-24D Liberator x 53

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 165

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Day Air attack on Tsuyung , at 37,31

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 202

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
108 casualties reported

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 155

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Day Air attack on Tsuyung , at 37,31

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 92
Ki-49 Helen x 52
Ki-46-II Dinah x 6

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
65 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 134


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Ground combat at Tsuyung

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 225181 troops, 2161 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 31190 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tsuyung base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
3848 casualties reported
Guns lost 78
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
63072 casualties reported[:D][8D][:)][;)][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Guns lost 17

[Gen.Hoepner]

A scene of the mass executions at Tsuyung. Swords of our officers need to be replaced after 70,000 cuts[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/03/42

So he's not so quiet after all!
My suppositions prooved to be right: he's going for Port Blair! Today a 6 Ship TF ( MSWs,MLs and DDs) approached Port Blair with the possible intent to lay down some more mines and sweep the ones of my own. From Sebang, which actually became my biggest base in in the Bengal Bay after the retreat from Port Blair, took off a Daitai of Nells, escorted by almost 50 zeros. A DD is reported torpedoed and badly hit, while a MSW ate 2 fishes and went beneath the waves[:D]. But now the plan for Port Blair ( which has been elaborated few months ago- see 3/4 pages back of this AAR) can be followed. Planes are being transfered from everywhere to Sebang and Georgetown( Malaya). i can count on 7 daitais of Nells/Betties, 150/200 zeros with exp between 60 and 72, some 70 Kates and 50 Vals and many more float planes,recon planes and so on. An Air HQ is being transfered to Sebang, along with an aviation rgt, bringing its aviation support to 300. CD guns are present, and 300 Assault points of garrison are already there.
4 BBs,5 CLs and 50 DDs are ready between Singapore and Georgetown.
If he dares to land i have ready the the 38th Div with the 15th Army HQ at Georgetown, the 2nd Div plus the 35th Bde,2 tank rgt,2 arty units and 2 Eng rgts at Singapore. If needed i can move the 16th army ( 2 Divs,1 tank rgt,2 mortar bns and 1 more eng rgt) from Java.
5 CVs,2 CVLs and 2 CVEs are being moved from Balikapan,Palembang and Sosarbaja( refuelling at the moment being).

But one more thing attracted my attention today: 1 AK spotted moving from Oz to India! another attempt of breaking my net using 1-ship-TF...[:D] My AVs are ready to spot the intruder and call in the CVEs. Just in case i'll keep my main CVs in western Borneo untill i understand what he has in mind.

Submining ops at Tokyo. DDs and PC/PGs didn't manage to hit the bastards...[:@] More planes set to ASW duties.

In South Pac his fleet has been finally spotted. Doesn't seem a CV TF...probably just a cargo convoy with a CA ( with kingfishers) in it.
It's moving towards Bora Bora. My ships are already moving back[;)] without any problem


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Day Air attack on TF, near Port Blair at 23,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 48
G3M Nell x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied Ships
ML Gouden Leeuw
DD Nizam, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Panther
MSW Romney, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet

[Gen.Hoepner]

movements in Indian Ocean...

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/04/42

I was already planning the next operation named "CounterStrike"( the counterattack at Port Blair) when a new bigger threat appeared on the horizont: A HUGE FORCE SPOTTED in INDIAN OCEAN, going from Oz to India!
At least 3 TFs are following the Ak spotted yesterday! Each of these TF is composed by at least 5/6 ships ( spotted MLs,MSWs,CAs,DDs,APs and AKs)....so probably we're talking about some 25/30 ships going north. Now....he knows that i've been waiting with my CVLs for any cargo that tried to pass thorugh my I.O. Net...so this event puzzle my mind....Will he be so foul to send an unescorted big convoy through the Indian Ocean, costantly patrolled by my subs and planes? No...he's too smart
So the only answer is : these ships are escorted! American CVs for sure.

He can go for Java ( will be just crazy) or he can ferry troops and planes from Oz to India ( more probable).

Counterstrike operation has been so postponed( but not deleted) and a new operation called "Tsunami" has been aprooved.
The plan is simple and immediate: seek and destroy enemy ships. Easier to say than to obtain[:o]
All my CVs,CVLs,CVEs operating in the area under the command of the 1st and 2nd fleet ( Singapore,Borneo and Java) have been called back. Now are sailing at max speed towards the meeting point( 180 miles S-W of Christams IO) where they will meet with a Replenishment TF already on its route from Sosarbaja. 3 CV TFs will be formed. 25 ships each. 192 and 203 planes for the 2 carrier divisions and a total of 63 planes for the light carrier division. 2 BBs in each of the two carrier division TF.
I've chosen 3 very carefull officers to lead the 3 TFs. I need them not to react.
The plan is the following: keep the enemy ships under a costant sight by my AVs,subs and Emilies and move my CVs somewhere 10/13 hexes west of Batavia. I'm moving at Batavia 4 Nell/Betty daitais. I need to attract his carrier in the range of my LBtorpedo bombers. I will place my zeros on 80%CAP at 3 different altitudes ( 8,000- to deal with the avengers; 13,000- to attack those DBs that will be placed at 10k ft.; and 18,000- to deal with the DBs at 15,000). The goal is primary to defend my Carriers. The LBtorp bombers will engage, hoping in some luck...then, when his F4Fs will be almost eliminated strike back!
It's a big gamble......i know...but sooner or later i hav to deal with his CVs...and sooner is better than later with the yanks!

In the next following maps you'll see what was planned for CounterStrike operation and the sigghtings of his ships in the indian ocean.


BTW: today 9 zeros shot down 10 dakotas over Chungking[8D], losing only one pilot ( an ace unfortunately with 6 kills) who is reported MIA
LTJG Hirusawa W. of F3/3rd Chutai is credited with kill number 6
LTJG Hirusawa W. of F3/3rd Chutai bails out and is CAPTURED[:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

here's the former CS operation

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/05/42

A bad day indeed.
My eyes in the I.O. have been sunk. The AV was engaged at night by 6 American DDs...no escape for the armless jap ship.
I've counted at least 15 DDs and 5 CAs, plus a bunch of APs/MLs/MSWs/AKs....seems the whole american fleet is here![X(][X(]
Still no sign of his carriers...my CVs are a bit late but they should get into positions into 2 days.
He can be going for Java...or he can be joining the US Fleet with the RN's one and make a kind of DS for Port Blair...do not know....
I'm becomming a bit scared....if i only have my whole KB at disposal....[:@][:@]

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Night Time Surface Combat at 5,79

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 5 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AV Kamikawa Maru, Shell hits 34, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AK Kinrei Maru, Shell hits 3

Allied Ships
DD Walke
DD Patterson
DD Whipple
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1
DD Humphreys
DD Gilmer

[jwilkerson]

If you can quickly replace the search capability ( without revealing your main force ) you may still be able to keep the advantage in the "Scouting-Anti-Scouting-Battle". What did he spot your AV with anyway ?

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

If you can quickly replace the search capability ( without revealing your main force ) you may still be able to keep the advantage in the "Scouting-Anti-Scouting-Battle". What did he spot your AV with anyway ?

He did not spot it...he just got lucky and went on it[:@]

[jwilkerson]

I guess he was "sweeping the sea" and you got wacked by the broom ! [;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/06/42

I agree: he's sweeping the whole I.O.[X(][X(]
Today my subs/AVs managed to get away from his killer groups and also managed to clearly spot 4 sweeping groups and one transport TF. But the real news is that the AK that survived the night surface battle of 2 days ago was spotted by a Walrus and by a Kingfisher...so British and American BBs are in the area...probably following the sweeper groups.
Tomorrow my CVs should be in their assigned position: 3 hexes West of Christmas IO. All air groups are on training: i do not want to be spotted. Have to see what he has behind that damned screen.... I hope in my Emilies...

A very good raid over Chungking plastered the place[8D]

A decisive battle is near.....



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Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 270
Ki-49 Helen x 122
Ki-46-II Dinah x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 damaged


Allied ground losses:
488 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 26
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 289