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

[AmiralLaurent]

Well, we agreed at the start of the game that we will play for points, so automatic victory is one of my objectives (the plan being to have 6 to 1 in the summer and keep a 5 to 1 in the end of the year). So I may win the first match on 1st January 1943 (I hope so) but I won't stop playing... the goal will then be to score another AV at the end of 1943 [:'(].

Right now I will wait to see how many time Batavia, Manila, Kungchang and Suva will resist before beginning to organize the victory celebrations in Tokyo.

[AmiralLaurent]

17 May 1942

Nothing important to report, it was mostly a reorganization turn for me. Touring bases and units and trying to fix the mess...

Central Pacific

A TK TF began to load 56 000 tons of fuel in PH to bring them to Pago-Pago. That is half of the current stock and a convoy was formed in Tokyo to bring 100 000 more tons of fuel in PH.

Southern Pacific

The usual B-25C raid from Suva to Tongatapu in the afternoon was disrupted by a groudn accident on Suva. Two B-25C collided while rolling to the runway and took fire. The bomb explosion then wrecked a third bomber. Only 49 B-25C had took off at the time and flew the mission while the other take-offs were cancelled. They scored one runway hit. During the day the Nells from Pago-Pago flew several recons over the Fidji and one was lost to engine failure and ditched.

Some AP left Kwajalein for Baker Island. They will load the units sent here, that are now useless, and bring them to another atoll.

Solomons-New Guinea

12 Hudson I from Port Moresby bombed and missed Saidor in the afternon.

This area received an appreciated reinforcement, the brand new Glen-carrying SS I-11. It refueled in Truk in the evening and then left south to patrol between Australia and New Guinea. The Japanese Command has absolutely no idea of what is going on here.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon, the airfield of Koepahng was bombed first by 13 B-25C from Derby and then by 25 B-17E. 10 men and 1 gun were hits, the airbase took one bomb and there were 18 holes on the runway.

Recons of the last 3 days showed no more CAP over Derby, but the garrison was reinforced (before one unit with 3-4000 men, now 3 units and more than 10 000 men). Tomorrow 25 Nells from Kendari will raid Derby ressources again.

Sumatra-Java

About ten small AP TF have been created to pick up units fragments here and there and gather them together. Bases that will be visited are Medan, Jambi, Namlea, Sampit, Banjarmasin, Miri, Waingapu, Raba and so on. Another TF will load a Const Bn in Alor Star and bring it to Sabang to build fortifications here.

Burma

During the night Rangoon was again raided by 10 Blenheim IF from Akyab but they hit nothing. In the morning 36 Ki-48s took off from Moulmein to bomb Akyab but it was their first mission in the are and they all got lost... At the same time, 30 B-17E and 74 BlenheimIV escorted by 13 P-40B from Dacca attacked Pagan and disabled 18 of the 40 remaining ressource centers. In the afternoon, 9 Hudson I and 9 P-40B repeated this raid but hit nothing.

In the evening, while the Ki-48 flew to Bangkok for some rest and briefing about the area, the 42 A6M2 available in Rangoon flew to Pagan. They will fly 100% CAP tomorrow and it is hoped they will decimate Allied raiders. AVG has seriously reduced its escorts those last days, and flew twice a day so its pilots should be tired.

Philippines

Manila was bombed by 47 Ki-21 and 48 KI-49 from Lingayen. AA shot down 1 Ki-49 and 2 Ki-21s were lost in an air collision. They hit 92 men, 2 guns and 1 vehicle and scored 28 airfield hits, including one on supplies.

China

25 Ki-21 from China, having not received the order to rest that was planned, bombed again Kunming and disabled 11 more ressource centers (95 remaining).

North of the Yenen-Kungchang road, the Chinese 30th Corps was bombed and missed by 8 Zeroes from Chengting. This Chutai now has experience of 57, compared to 40 when it arrived from Japan.

Japan

Nine empty 16000-ton tankers left Tokyo toward the DEI to bring back oil.

In Korea, the orders to affect the 20th Div to the Southern Army arrived in Seoul (3317 PP spend, 244 remaining) and the unit began at once to board APs that were gathered here. They will ship it to Naga and from there it will march to Manila and join the 14th Army.

The screenshot of the day:

Japanese bases, ordered by the number of aircraft. You will notice I don't like overcrowding them...

[AmiralLaurent]

18 May 1942

Northern Pacific

For the first time since March Japanese forces will be active in this area. Mavis from Paramushiro Jima will recon Adak (Allied AF size 4) and two minelayer-submarines left Tokyo to lay mines there. Also two ML were sent from Tokyo to lay a defensive minefield off Paramushiro Jima.

Southern Pacific

Recons continued to fly over Suva and reported that the CAP had been reinforced. They counted 11 F4F-4 and 51 P-40E.

A submarine was seen today approaching Pago-Pago from Suva and all available Vals and Kates were ordered to fly ASW or naval search.

The Suva operation was launched today. A convoy of 16 1500-ton AP and 16 3500-ton AK is loading the 4th Div and 3rd Eng Rgt in Canton and will then sail south. Five ships damaged during the atoll invasion left in the evening for Kwajalein under escort by one DD. Off Pago-Pago, the 48th Div is still aboard a convoy and enough AP are available to carry the 2nd and 16th Div and an Eng Rgt to Suva too. A FT TF (a CL and 6 APD) will pick up tonight the troops of the 2nd Div that were landed on Tongatapu to take it. All warships and CVs off Pago-Pago are fully refuelled.

Solomons-New Guinea

No raid on Saidor today.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

During the night, the SS USS S-42 tried to attack a convoy carrying ressources to Japan from Kendari 120 miles east of this base. The escort (1 DD and 1 PC) saw her before she attacked and chased her.

I ordered an unescorted raid of Nells from Kendari against Derby ressource, as recons showed no CAP here. I thought that if CAP flew today bombers won't go. Well, they did but it could have been worse. Nine Nells only of the Daitai went and met 16 P-39D and 9 Kittyhawk I. 4 Nells were shot down by the P-39, one by a Kittyhawk and one by AA. The three other missed the target and returned claiming a victory against a P-39, that was effectively shot down (the first victory of the Japanese bombers in this war). Of course this raid won't be repeated and Nells will fly tomorrow naval search.

In the afternoon, 9 B-25C from Derby raided Koepang and scored 2 hits on the runway, wounding 3 men. One B-25C crashed during the return leg.

Hollandia Nells continued to fly recons of the Darwin north of Darwin. Tenimbar is occupied by 3 units (the Gull Force, the 3rd DAF BF and third unknown), Kai Island by two (Barisan Rgt and 6th DAF BF).

Sumatra-Java

On Java and around, the 25th Army is still gathering troops. Transports will take all troops away from Pontaniak and Singkawang, that were left by the last patrol planes today. All surface ships in the area will go to Soerabaja and disband for repairs until it will be known if naval bombardments against Batavia will be necessary. Only 4 DD will be active tomorrow, chasing submarines E of Batavia.

The six submarines deployed west of Java during the operation received new orders, as the intervention of an Allied fleet is now very unlikely. Two will sail to Singapore and Soerabaja for some repairs, the other will sail west to patrol the Indian Ocean.

I have three naval HQ in the area and will reorganize them. The HQ 2nd and 3rd Fleet currently in Singapore will move respectively to Soerabaja (immediatly) and Palembang (in the future), while the HQ South..something Fleet in Camranh Bay will be carried by ship to Singapore (then liberating the 3rd Fleet to move to Palembang)

Burma

During the night Rangoon was again raided by 10 Blenheim IF from Akyab but they hit nothing again.

At dawn, 30 P-40B of the AVG took off from Dacca to escort 31 B-17E and 66 Blenheim IV in another bombing raid against Pagan's ressources. They had flown these kinds of escort for months without seeing any Japanese fighter and this was fairly routine. Maybe they were too confident but suddenly they were bounced by Zeroes. 38 of the 42 A6M2 that flew yesterday to Pagan intercepted the raid. The F1/3rd Daitai bounced the 1st squadron of the AVG and shot down 7 American pilots in some minutes. The second squadron of the AVG then joined the battle, as did pilots of the F1/Yamada and F2/Tainan. 3 more P-40B fell, as did 2 Zeroes (1 pilot of F2/Tainan killed, 1 ace of F1/3rd rescued after bailing out). The badly hit escort was unable to cover the bombers and the Japanese pilots, ignoring mostly the B-17E (only 2 were damaged) harassed the Blenheims and shot down 19 without loss. Several RAF bombers turned back but most bombed Pagan anyway and 8 of the 22 remaining ressource centers were disabled. In this battle, the Japanese top ace, Ens Sugio S of F1/3rd scored his 17th and 18th victories. 2 more Blenheim IV and 1 B-17E were lost in accidents.

In the evening, the three Zeroes units left Pagan and flew to Myitkyina (22 Zeroes) and Taung Gyi (13), leaving 5 unserviceable Zeroes behind. The next planned operation will be an attack vs the transport aircraft base of Ledo in two days. Recons showed today that the usual CAP over this base of one dozen of Hurricanes had been reinforced with 20 I-16c. The plan is to scatter the CAP with fighter sweeps by A6M2 from Myitkyina, Mandalay and Taung Gyi and then IJNAF bombers from Rangoon will bomb the grounded transports. They are still active in the area, very probably bringing supplies to China (2 Dakota I were lost in crashes today, around one transport crashes every day). Recons reported 106 "auxiliary aircraft" in Ledo. To confuse my opponent, recon Chutais are now based in Pagan, Myitkyina, Mandalay and Taung Gyi and they will fly recon over Chandpur, Dacca, Imphal and Ledo. Reinforcements for the operation arrived in Rangoon (25 A6M2 from Singapore) and Bangkok (19 Betties from Balikpapan).
Mandalay has 233 air support squads, far too much for a vulnerable airbase. Two IJA BF received orders to march to Myitkyina (currently 30 AS here) and Lashio (only Burmese base without AS now).

Things also moved on the ground. In eastern Burma, the 23rd Bde and 4th Rgt now both at Lashio received orders to march NE to help the 21st Bde to reduced the Chinese and RAF units surrounded in the mountains. But they are no more surrounded, because an unknown Allied unit crossed today the Chindwin SE of Myitkyina. THe local Japanese forces are too weak to cross the river and chase it, but the 33rd Div will reach in some days the railway line W of Myitkyina and will then be used to repulse this Allied unit. Only after that will the "surrounded" units be attacked again.
In the north, 3 of the 4 British/Indian units retreating from Burma have now reached Imphal.

Philippines

Manila was bombed by 47 Ki-49 and 42 Ki-21 from Lingayen. AA fire shot down 2 Ki-49 but bombs hit 142 men and 2 guns and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 35 on the runways. I am quite sure that Manila is already short of supplies, as the Allied base score is moving every day (3615 two days ago, 3628 yesterday, 3608 today) while I took no base and only Townsville's port was expanded (+ 1 point). Good news.

Sadly the 14th Army, that finished gathering in Clark Field, and received orders in the evening to march to Manila, has also problems. It is short of about 240 support squads... I will probably have to use base forces to provide enough support for this army during the battle. The arrival of the 20th Div from Korea will even increase the need of support, as IJA divisions haven ot enough support squads for themselves.

The first base force moved today from Lingayen to Clark Field. All bombers will be grounded tomorrow for some rest. In the evening reinforcements arrived: 36 Ki-21 from Hanoi and 26 from Canton and 21 Betties from Wuhan. That left China with 2 Ki-48 Sentais and some Ki-51 units.

China

33 Nates flew in the evening from Wuhan to Yenen and will bomb Chinese troops in the are for training.

West of Yenen, the road to Kungchang was cut as one of the Chinese units isolated north of it marched south before the 41st Div was able to march north. This division, and two regiments (1/3 Div) will launch a shock attack tomorrow to defeat this Chinese force, and are expected to repulse it.. but toward Sian, while I was hoping to repulse them more north and not see them again until the fall of Kungchang. Until the road behind it is not clear, the Northern China Army won't advance to Kungchang.

Japan

Tomorrow will see the commissioning in Kure of Yamamoto's new toy, the BB Yamato. The Admiral himself will be there and rumours suggest the Emperor may come too. Available warships in Japan that have finished repairs/upgrades (1 CA, 1 CL, 7 DD) will be there for the ceremony and will then escort the new BB south to join the Kido Butai in the Pacific. One of the escort will be the DD Naganami, the fist Japanese ship with radar (Yugumo 7/42 class), that Yamamoto had personnaly ordered to launch as fast as possible and that received the best DD captain available. Strong rumours also indicated that the current captain of the Yamoto will be replaced tomorrow during the ceremony by someone chosed by the Admiral.

The map of the day: Asia (again, but the main action is here for the moment)

Red arrows show Japanese moves, white ones Allied moves

[AmiralLaurent]

19 May 1942

Having more times in the week-end, I did a turn of my units to see the fragments left here and there. I found 40 fragmented units (not divided into components, but remains of partial transports), some of them being in 4 different bases, and not counting those the units in Java that will march to Batavia and recombine here. A few will be left as they are (big BF divided into several small bases) but most will be recombined. 12 fragments were in ports where transports were available and sailed at once to join their mother unit. Ships were sent to most of the other bases to pick up these troops.

Northern Pacific

A Mavis from Paramushiro Jimo flew a recon flight at 11 000 feet above Adak, Aleutians, and reported 3 PT off the base and 2 units on it before being shot down by AA fire. The recon will be repeated tomorrow but at a higher altitude.

Central Pacific

The CVE Unyo left Pearl Harbor for Pago-Pago under escort by a CA and 2 DD and with 19 Vals and 12 Kates aboard to replace KB future losses.

The two Betties Daitais of Palmyra returned to Pearl Harbor to fly naval search from here.

Southern Pacific

In the afternoon, 25 LB-30 of the 7th BG from Suva flew another raid against Pago-Pago. The CAP over this island was 84 A6M2 Zeroes and 16 Rufes... All Japanese operationnal CV were here, and also land-based fighters. Result was a slaugther and the American bombers all turned back before half the Japanese fighters might engage them. 16 Liberators were shot down (one by a Rufe) at once and two other ditched on the way home due to the damages done by the Zeroes. The F3/Chitose was the only Japanese unit to report losses: 3 A6M2 shot down but only one pilot lost.

Pago-Pago Nells flew half a dozen recon flights to Fiji. One was shot down by the heavy CAP. But they reported 3 transports and a DE off Nandi, and the 161st USA RCT in this base, that was empty some days ago. Off Suva were seen 5 TF and 16 ships, including a BB, 6 CA, 4 DD, 3 AP. 12 other ships are docked in the port and 11 units and 21 000 men were reported in the base. The Allied commander apparently had decided to commit forces there. The Japanese fleet will rest one more day and then sail to engage the base with all available BBs and CVs. The transport TF will follow some days later.

A convoy left Tarawa for Pago-Pago with 17 000 men of various garrisons units (base forces, construction batallions, SNLF) and supplies.

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Luganville to size 3.

Solomons-New Guinea

10 Hudson I from Port Moresby bombed Saidor and scored one hit on supplies AND one hit on the runway for their more succesful raid of the war against this (still empty) target.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

40 B-17E of the 5th and 39th BG from Darwin bombed Koepang airfield, hit 42 men and scored 2 hits on the base, 2 on supplies and 15 on the runways.

Japanese patrol aircraft reported two Allied transports off Kai Island. Nells of Hollandia and Kendari were ordered to attack them but may ignore this small target. So I did an experiment and also ordered 21 Zeroes from Kendari to fly naval attack. It seems to me that the rule to ignore 1-ship TF applies only to the level bombers.

Sumatra-Java

The Japanese troops are still moving in position to attack Batavia. The Japanese BB were disbanded in Soerabaja, while the 4 CA left this port toward Kendari with 4 DD as escort to operate againt Allied base N of Darwin.

Burma

Weather was too bad during the night for Akyab Blenheim to raid Rangoon. There was no raid during the day too and only some Japanese recon flights. CAP over Dacca was higher than before (9 Mohawks, a dozen Hurricanes, 22 P-40B) while CAP over Ledo was again back to a Hurricane squadron (no more Chinese fighters here). Weather tomorrow will also be bad, and so the raid on Ledo was postponed.

The 33rd Div and the 81st Naval Guard unit left the jungle and returned on the railway west of Myitkyina. The 33rd will go to this town and then cross the river to chase the Allied unit trying to save the surrounded Allied units. The 81st will remain where it is to survey the trails coming from India.

Philippines

32 Ki-27 from Davao bombed the 81st PA Div on Cebu and hit 8 men.

On Luzon the movements of base forces and bomber units from Lingayen to Clark Field continued. One Ki-21 crashed and was lost with its crew. Quick calculations showed that the Allied base score should be 150-200 points above what it is now, so a great Allied base is lacking supplies and I am quite sure it is Manila. Also the base points dropped when I repulsed Allied troops from Clark Field to Manila, so rising the needed supply here.

China

Midway between Yenen and Kungchang, the 30th Chinese Corps was bombed by 10 Nates from Yenen and 8 Zeroes, 32 Ki-43 and 30 Ki-48 from Chengting and lost 65 men. It was then the target of a shock attack launched by the 41st Div, and two regiments of the 27th and 59th Div and was crushed at 224 to 1. 235 Japanese and 691 Chinese fell and the Chinese retreated toward Sian, losing another 900 men.
17 Nates from Yenen also bombed the 1st Chinese Tk Rgt north of the road and hit 14 men. Japanese engineers expanded the size of Yenen airfield to 3.
As soon as he was aware that his supply road was again free, the commander of the Northern China Army ordered his troops to advance to Kungchang; 60 miles east of their current position.

In the south, the Japanese forces that marched to Wuchow bombarded it and identified 6 Chinese Corps and 2 Base Forces. 73 000 Japanese and 70 000 Chinese are there. The shells hit 22 Chinese and 1 gun. The Shangai SNLF marched along the railway east of the town and reported 8 Chinese units in Kweilin. It seems the frontline will remain static in this area for the moment.

In Wuhan, the HQ 13th Army received orders to march to Shangai. It will join the Southern Army here and be shipped to Manila to help reduce the city.

Japan

The BB Yamato was declared operationnal in an official ceremony presided by Mr Togo and the Admiral Yamamoto (rather deceived that the Emperor finally decided not to come). The CPT Takayanagi (leadership 55 / inspiration 73) was as expected remplaced by a new commander, CPT Tanaka K (leadership 65 / inspiration 77) but won't remain without a command for too long. The new BB and her escort (1 CA, 1 CL,7 DD) left in the evening Hiroshima for Kwajalein.

Still having some free time (or rather not having the mood to go out buying Christmas presents in the Saturday crowd), I checked the oil and ressource situation of my Empire. Japan, Formosa, China and Indochina all have at least one base with good reserves of oil and ressources able to provided them to other bases, and I found no base unable to produce due to a shortage. On the other hand there is no such stock in Manchuria, and at least 3 industrial centers had not enough oil to produce. Two 16000-ton tankers were at once loaded in Osaka (260 000 oil stocked here) and will go to Hungman (a port west of Vladivostok) to bring some extra oil here.

[Fishbed]

Inutile de dire que je suis un fan inconditionnel depuis le debut [:)]
Keep up the very nice work Admiral, looking forward the final great victory... Thanks to you, I know what I'll do with my opponent if I come to play the japanese in my first PBEM game [:D]

Good luck with the strike to the Fijis [:)]

[AmiralLaurent]

Merci beaucoup.

The Japanese government officialy thanked today the French community of China (that was said to be Gaullist by Japanese (crappy) intelligence services) for their official support of the Great Asian-Pacific Coprosperity Sphere. As a goodwill gesture, they promised to send to the French delegation on the Shangai Strand the survivors of the Free French destroyed Le Triomphant, scuttled off Pago-Pago this month.

20 May 1942

The IJN High Command had ordered all carrier trained Zero units to fly to the Pacific and join the KB. Some CVE are carrying only carrier capable units, and carrier trained pilots will just be better.

Northern Pacific

Mavis continued to fly recons over Adak and counted there 3 Allied units (2660 men).

Southern Pacific

The 7th BG launched another raid from Suva to Pago-Pago with 13 LB-30. 82 Zeroes and 13 Rufes were sent to intercept it. This time the bombers all turned back after 3 of them had been damaged by Rufes and Zeroes. Two were heavily damaged and crashed on the return leg.

One of several Nells flying recon over Suva and Nandi was shot down by AA fire.

There is again no more fuel in Pago-Pago but a convoy with 58 000 fuel left Tarawa to bring them to this atoll. Five empty tankers left Pago-Pago for Kwajalein. All warships off Pago-Pago were disbanded in the lagoon. I decided to wait some more days to reinforce the air groups of the KB before launching the operation. The new date fixed for the landing in Suva is bewteen the 1st and 5 June. 9 more Zeroes arrived in the evening from Tarawa.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Recons reported in the morning that the two transport seen yesterday were still off Kai Island but were protected by about 15 fighters (Kittyhawk and Hurricanes). No raid was launched against them during the day.

In the afternoon, 40 B-17E from Darwin bombed Koepang airfield, hitting 67 men, 1 gun and 1 supply dump and leaving 36 holes in the runway.

In the evening 27 Ki-30 arrived in Amboina from Tarakan and were joined by 33 Zeroes from Kendari. Their mission is to attack Allied ships off Kai Island. All level bombers in the area will only fly naval search and recon.
36 Oscars from Java and 27 Zeroes from Palembang arrived in Kendari to reinforce the area, as these sectors are totally quiet in the air. On the other hand the 28 Zeroes of DI-1 left definetly the area for Truk and later the Pacific, to join the Kido Butai.

Sumatra-Java

The convoy carrying troops from Pontaniak will reach Merak, west of Batavia, tomorrow and land troops here. South of Batavia, the 25th Army is still not complete (the 18th Div will arrive in some days) but nevertheless received orders to advance to Batavia to begin the siege of the city.

Burma

During the night 7 Blenheim IF from Akyab bombed Rangoon and scored one runway hit.

Recons found again some Chinese fighters (2 I-16c) flying CAP over Ledo with less than 10 Hurricanes. Either they are fighters leaking from the nearby base of Jorhat, or remains of Chinese fighters units leaving China for India (Chengtu airfield in China is now empty and wasn’t some days ago).

NE Lashio, the guns of the 21st Bde pounded the surrounded units and hit 15 men. Reinforcements will arrive in a week, and the 33rd Div will probably attack on the Salween front about this date. It is fairly possible that these troops managed to escape.

Thunderstorms are forecast tomorrow so the raid on Ledo was again postponed.

Philippines

The 14th Army advanced into Manila suburbs and reached the Allied defences. The Japanese forces (3 Div, 2 Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, total 105 000 men and 1675 AP) will bombard the city tomorrow to count the defenders. The Japanese bombers have now finished moving to Clark Field and the 176 bombers available here (107 Ki-21, 48 Ki-49 and 21 Betties) will bomb Manila port tomorrow.

32 Ki-27 from Davao bombed the 81st PA Div in Cebu but scored no hits and lost one of their number in a crash.

China

Recons confirmed that the 3rd squadron of the AVG was still patrolling over Chungking.

In the north, the 30th Chinese Corps was bombed south of the Yenen-Kungchang road by 10 Nates from Yenen and 8 Zeroes, 32 Ki-43 and 26 Ki-48 from Chengting and lost 29 men and 1 gun, while north of the raod 18 Ki-27 from Yenen missed the 1st Chinese Cav Corps. One Ki-27 and one Ki-43 were lost in accidents. In the evening the Kyuko Naval Guard, that was SW of Yenen during the battle for this town and then received orders to march west to occupy the trail to Sian, finally advanced and arrived in the hex occupied by the 30th Chinese Corps. Nobody had thought to warm it of the Chinese presence in the area. It is hoped the badly hit Chinese will retreat without attacking.

In the south, Chinese and Japanese exchanged shells in Wuchow and 25 Chinese and 78 Japanese were hit. The Chinese forces holding the city are now identified as 6 Chinese Corps, 2 Base Forces and 3 HQs.

CII-1 that was in Wuhan with 10 Zeroes and 10 pilots, left this area toward the Pacific to join the KB. First stop was Palau.

Japan

A convoy left Osaka for Pearl Harbor with 48 000 supplies.

Now that the Yamato has been commissioned, there is an extra shipyard capacity. More was found by stopping the building of five of the 6 RO-class submarines under construction. The submarines losses have been limited so far and so there is no need of replacements. On the other hand the Glen-carrying SS I-35 (last of her class not yet accelerated), the CL Agano (very good AA platform… for IJN standards) and the CV Unryu were accelerated. The Unryu will be available in June 1943.

The map of the day: Timor-Amboina-Australia

In red, the current operations, in yellow the operations that will be launched in the near future.

[AmiralLaurent]

21 May 1942

Northern Pacific

Mavis recons now reported 4 Allied units in Adak.

Southern Pacific

In the afternoon, 65 B-25C from Suva bombed Tongatapu and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 9 on runways, wounding 4 men.

Japanese forces are still preparing the next turn. Five TK arrived in Kwajalein from Pago-Pago and started to reload with fuel to sail south again. More south another TK convoy was diverted to sail around an American submarine east of Wallis Island. In Funafuti, barges loaded the 5th NLF, that will invade Wallis Island, and the 6th NLF, that will return to Tarawa for garrison duties.

Solomons-New Guinea

14 Hudson I from Port Moresby bombed and missed Saidor in the afternon.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In a yet unexplained failure, 23 Ki-30 attacked alone ships off Kai Island, even if recons had shown that the CAP was increased to 14 Kittyhawks of 77 Sqn RAAF and 13 Hurricanes of 453 Sqn RAAF. The Allied pilots had a field day and shot down 12 Anns without loss. Another Ki-30 was lost in an accident. An investigation had been ordered by the local commander, an admiral. Two Zeroes Daitai had orders to escort the raid and no reason to not fly... In the evening the Ki-30s returned to Tarakan and the Zeroes to Kendari.

In the afternoon, Koepang ws bombed by 7 B-25C from Derby and then 41 B-17E from Darwin. One B-17E hit by AA fire crashed later. 28 men and 4 guns were hit, and 36 hits (1/2/33) scored on the airfield.

Sumatra-Java

During the night and day Japanese troops coming from Pontaniak landed in Merak (69 casualties) and reported that the base was undefended. They will occupy it tomorrow before marching to Batavia. This city was reached by the first Japanese unit from the south, the 5th Div, that will bombard it tomorrow to identify the defenders.

120 miles east of Batavia, the SS S-40 was chased unsuccessfuly by a Japanese ASW group (4 DDs) in the evening.

Burma

During the night Burma was again bombed and missed by 7 Blenheim IF. In the morning 45 Hurricane II from Imphal bombed the 81st Naval Guard Unit 120 miles north of Mandalay and hit 48 men and 4 guns. One Hurricane was lost in a crash.

Philippines

Manila port was bombed by 107 Ki-21, 21 Betties and 48 Ki-49, that is all Japanese bombers based in Clark Field in a 100% effort.They hit 46 men and 1 gn and scored 4 hits on the port, 1 on fuel and 3 on supplies, without loss. The 14th Army troops didn't receive the order to start the artillery bombardment and it was repeated in the evening.

31 Ki-27 from Davao bombed the 81st PA Div on Cebu but missed.

China

South of the raod Yenen-Kungchang, the Chinese 30th Corps was bomebd by 27 Ki-27 from Yenen and 39 Ki-48 from Chengting and lost 34 men and 1 gun. It bombarded the nearby Kyuko Naval Garrison and failed to hit it, but 6000 Chinese are facing 800 Japanese and a shock attack is excepted for tomorrow. And there will be no aerial support as the AVG/C and all other Allied AC have left Chungking and are now probably in Sian (28 fighters and 28 auxiliaries seen here today). Japanese aircraft will be grounded to avoid ambushes in the air.
More north another Chinese unit marched south to cut the road and will be the target of a shock attack by the 41st Div and the two regiments with it. More east, the 13th Tk Rgt reached alone Kungchang and with so much advance it was ordered to retire before a shock attack hits it.

In the south the artillery duel continued in Wuchow and 33 Chinese and 12 Japanese were hit.

Japan

Stopping the RO boats left enough naval shipyards points to accelerate another Unryu-class CV, the Amagi.

[AmiralLaurent]

22-23 May 1942

Japanese expansion is now hitting non-negligeable resistance everywhere. The main thrust in South Pacific will probably see a big battle for Fiji in June. The Manila garrison is stronger than the Japanese attackers. Kai Island is trading blows with Japanese pilots. In Burma Allied troops still fight back and a Japanese division will have to attempt a dangerous river crossing. In China, Kungchang and Wuchow are strongly held. Only in Java are the Allied units really outclassed, but probably behing level 9 fortifications and Royal Navy CVs are in the Indian Ocean and I have nothing in the are to hit them.

Japan is not yet stopped but advancing is becoming harder.

Central Pacific

The Glen of the SS I-8 saw an AK 1000 miles S of Los Angeles, sailing SE, and was ordered to screen her while the CL Tenryu and Tatsuta left PH to chase this transport (or others in the area). An AO will be diverted to support them on the way home.

Southern Pacific

The SS S-44 was attacked 7 or 8 times on the 22 by Japanese aircraft NE of Pago-Pago. Two ASW groups (6 APD and 3 DD/3 PG) were sent to chase her but she moved north during the night and evaded them.

In the afternoon of the 22, 58 B-25C from Suva bombed Tongatapu, scoring 2 hits on buildings and 1 on the runway. Nells from Pago-Pago continued to fly recons over Suva and Nandi and one was shot down by AA fire.

A convoy carrying 13000 supplies and 24000 fuel will arrive tomorrow in Pago-Pago from Kwajalein. The KB ships are still doing small repairs here, while the convoy carrying the 4th Div and the 3rd Eng Rgt finished to load in Canton and sailed south for Pago-Pago on the 23.

Barges will land a NLF on Wallis Island tomorrow. This atoll is undefended.

Zero reinforcements continued to fly over Pacific, resting one or two days between each hump. The 28 Zeroes of DII-1 are now in Tarawa and the 10 of CII-1 in Kwajalein.

Solomons-New Guinea

Hudsons of Port Moresby bombed Saidor both afternoons, for a total of 22 sorties, but scored no hit.

A convoy carrying 2 small base forces and 30 000 supplies will arrive tomorrow in Hollandia to turn this into a major base.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon of the 22, B-17E from Darwin bombed Amboina, hitting 157 men and 1 gun and scoring 3 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 13 on runways, while 9 B-25C from Derby attacked Koepang, scoring 5 hits on runways and 2 on buildings and hitting 28 men. A Ki-15 returning to Amboina after a recon to Kai Island crashed on the cratered runway and was destroyed, but the crew was unhurt.

Offensive action was ordered against Kai Island in the evening of the 22. Four CA and 4 DD left Kendari to bombard the island. On the 23 Allied aircraft apparently didn’t see them while all available A6M2 in Kendari (66) flew a sweep to Kai Island and met there 12 Hurricane II and 14 Kittyhawk I. Battle was not one-sided as in the good past days. Losses were 7 Zeroes to shot down 9 Hurricanes and 3 Kittyhawks. The surface TF will hit the island tonight. Japanese patrols have not seen Allied warships in Darwin for days, so little or no opposition is expected.

In the afternoon of the 23, Amboina airfield was again bombed by 41 B-17E from Amboina, that hit 200 men and 1 gun and scored 4 hits on the base, 2 on supplies and 26 on the runways. A convoy was formed in Palau to bring supplies to Amboina.

At Kendari, the A6M2 were ordered again to fly CAP and 25 A6M3 arrived from Japan (via Takao and Tarakan) to reinforce them.

Sumatra-Java

The 25th Army troops marched to Batavia on the 22 and 23, only the 18th Div has not yet arrived. Artillery bombarments showed that the city was held by 34 000 Dutch (4 Rgt, 1 Inf Bn, 1 Cst Gun Bn, 2 AA Bn, 1 RAF HQ, 6 Dutch Base Forces). Artillery hit 335 men and 13 guns in two days.
Merak was taken on the 22 by troops of the 5th Div and 5th Eng Rgt landing there. The landing continued slowly the next day. Troops will join the main body of the army in Batavia.

East of Batavia, four Japanese DD chased unsuccessfully the SS O16 east of Batavia during the night of the 21-22.

The first successful submarine attack against a Japanese merchant convoy since the start of the war occurred before dawn on the 22, when the SS Truant hit the TK Neichi Maru with a torpedo 300 miles S of Saigon. The tanker was not seriously damaged (17/17/13) and will make it to Singapore but 12000 of her cargo of 16000 oil was lost. 4 DD and 2 PG left Singapore to chase the Truant.

A new development took place in the morning of the 23. Two Japanese submarines patrolling 700 miles west of Sumatra reported respectively a Swordish and a Walrus flying over them. That was a clear sign that a British CV TF was in the area but their Glens were unable to see it and report its bearing. Palembang Nells will try to find it. In the case this TF will sail to the DEI, more fighters (72 Nates and 36 Oscars, should be enough against Fulamrs and Swordfishes) were sent in the evening of the 23 to Palembang and Soerabaja, while Japanese shipping was ordered to rally port or leave the area.

Burma

Blenheim IF from Akyab continued their unsuccessful raids against Rangoon. 10 didn’t find the target during the night of the 21-22, 7 missed it the next night. 27 Ki-21 moved from Bangkok to Moulmein on the 23 and will bomb Akyab tomorrow.

On the 22 47 Hurricane II from Imphal bombed the 81st Naval Guard Unit 120 mines N of Mandalay and hit 72 men. And a Ki-15 was shot down over Imphal by the CAP (several tens of Hurricanes)

On the Salween front Japanese recons identified the Allied unit SE of Myitkyina as the 38th Chinese Corps. The 33rd Div arrived in Myitkyina and rested a little before being ordered on the evening of the 23 to march SE to cross the river and chase this Corps back to China.
NE of Lashio, the 21st Bde continued to bombard Allied units and hit 18 men in two days. Japanese reinforcements should arrive in some days.

Allied engineers are active in India. Chandpur airfield reached size 3 and Imphal size 4 these days.

Philippines

Clark Field bombers attacked the port of Manila on the 22 (162 bombers, 2 Ki-1 shot down by AA, 107 men and 6 guns hits, 3 ports hits but none on supplies) and the airfield on the 23 (154 bombers, no loss, 48 men and 1 gun hit, 25 airfield hits including 2 on supplies).

The 14th Army started on the 22 to bombard Allied lines in Manila. Here 88 000 Japanese are facing 107 000 Allied troops. But it has been confirmed that they are running out of supply (Allied base value is lower every passing day) and Japanese reinforcements are on the way. The detail of Allied troops is on the captured screen below. Two days of Japanese artillery fire hit 86 men.

In the south the 81st PA in Cebu was bombed on the 22 by 31 Nates from Davao and lost 14 men and 1 gun.



China

In the north, the Japanese 41st Div and its two attached regiments defeated on the 22 the 1st Chinese Cavalry Corps on the Yenen-Kungchang road, losing 308 men against 577 Chinese losses in the battle, and around a thousand during the retreat of the Chinese toward Sian. The same day Chinese forces in Kungchang (9 Corps, 1 Base Force, 2 HQ) bombed the 13th Tk Rgt that had reached alone the city, hitting 11 men and 1 tank. This unit retreated during the night, as the main body of the Northern China Army will arrived only in 4 or 5 days.
Things went no so well south of the Yenen-Kungchang road for the Kyuko Naval Guard Unit (at 25% TOE). It was able to repulse an attack of the 30th Chinese Corps on the 22 (1 to 1, 10 Japanese and 86 Chinese casualties) but was defeated on the 23 by another deliberate attack (at 7 to 1) and retreated towards Yenen, losing around 100 men against 29 Chinese casualties.
On the 22 Japanese engineers expanded Yenen airfield to size 4. Expansion will continue until size 6.

In the south, artillery exchanges continued in Wuchow and were in Chinese favor. Japanese lost 139 men, 6 guns and 1 tank in two days while Chinese losses were 27 men.

[AmiralLaurent]

24-25 May 1942

25 May was the first day where Japanese score was more than four times the Allied score: 23 998 vs 5 976. Batavia should give another 1000 points, Suva more than 2000 (50% troops, 50% base), Manila 1000 (and reduced Allied score by 800-900 points).

Northern Pacific

Another Mavis was shot down by American AA over Adak on the 24 and the recon flights over this base were stopped.

Central Pacific

An AO left PH in the evening of the 24 to support both CL sent in the Pacific to chase Allied convoys. The SS I-8 had lost the ship it saw some days ago and will search it with the I-19 that is sailing to the same area.

A new Allied minefield was detected off Lahaina on the 25 by a PG, while a TF of seven submarines was seen just off PH the same day. MSW and PC/PG will cruise around the island tomorrow to deal with both threats. Open sea minefields on probable submarine courses have been a total failure (and are gone). Submarines have no problems laying minefields off bases protected by 5 000 and 10 000 mines, maybe because they are laid in big minefields (1 500 mines each). But micromanaging all ML separetly is too much for me.


Southern Pacific

Tongatapu was bombed again on the 24, but only by four B-25C that scored 4 hits on the runway. The same day barges from Funafuti landed the 5th NLF on Wallis Island and the empty atoll was occupied at a cost of 121 casualties.

At least three submarines were seen NE, N and NW of Pago-Pago and Japanese convoys were rerouted to evade them. In the evening of the 25 an ASW group of 6 APD again left Pago-Pago to track them.

A Japanese submarine reported on the 25 an Allied CA sailing west 360 miles E of Noumea.

Japanese forces are still gathering in Pago-Pago. The DII-1 and CII-1 Daitai are now also here after flying over the Pacific, a pilot of CII-1 being the only casualty on the last leg of the move.

Solomons-New Guinea


Timor-Amboina-Australia

As expected the bombardment run to Kai Island on the night of the 23-24 met no resistance. The Dutch small AK Meroendoeng was surprised off the island and sunk by the fire of the four CA (that had enough brain to not waste torpedoes against her). They then bombarded the base, destroying 2 Kittyhawk on the ground and scoring 6 hits on the airfield and 5 on port supplies. Allied casualties were 293 men, 5 guns and 2 vehicles. The TF (4 CA and 4 DD) then sailed to Amboina to refuel.
In the afternoon of the 24, Koepang was attacked by 54 B-25C from Derby. That was much more than the former raids, the 18 Sqn RAAF had been reinforced with the 41st BG USAAF. This raid scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 27 on the runways, disabling 47 men and 1 gun, while one B-25C was lost in a crash.
In the evening, the cruiser TF left Amboina westward to sail to a position from which it can strike Kai Island or Lautem.

On the 25 recons reported no more CAP over Kai Island. In the afternoon, a B-17E bombed and hit the SS I-157 SW of Kai Island, and the damaged submarine (30/57/0) will sail to Soerabaja. Amboina was bombed by 41 B-17E from Darwin (115 men and 1 gun hit, 2 hits on the base and 20 on the runways), Koepang by 51 B-25C from Derby (143 men and 2 guns hit, 2 hits on the base, 5 on supplies and 23 on the runways).

Tomorrow will see the Japanese again attack in this area. 38 Ki-57 and 12 MC-21 will drop the 2nd Parachute Rgt over Lautem (that is held by 500-600 men of a base force). This base will be bombed during the night by the cruiser force and later by some Betties from Kendari.

Sumatra-Java

On the 24 Japanese guns continued to pound Batavia with great effect, hitting 480 men and 10 guns. The last major unit of the 25th Army, the 18th Division, arrived this day and the next day a deliberate attack was launched. Palembang bombers that were supposed to support it were grounded by bad weather but the attack went well. 108 000 Japanese attacked 33 000 Dutch and achieved a 4 to 1 ratio, reducing forts to level 8. 1191 Japanese and 2125 Dutch fell during the day. The attack will continue tomorrow and it is expected that the base will fall in 3-4 days.

A recon aircraft reported a Dutch Bn on Lombok Island, it will be eliminated after the fall of Java.

Good news indeed and the 25th Army will very soon be scattered. The Army HQ, 35th and 4th Bde and an Eng Rgt will remain in the area and finish to capture nearby Dutch bases and units. A division will sail south and be used to take Kai Island, and then remain the area to defend it (as a reaction force, based probably in Kendari). Another and an Eng Rgt will sail to Truk and then invade Rabaul with IJN units. The last division, all ART units and 1 Eng Rgt will sail to Luzon and help finish Manila.

Burma

Bad weather during the night of the 23-24 grounded the Bleheim IF from Akyab, that was bombed the next morning by 6 Ki-21s from Moulmein, 19 other Japanese bombers being unable to found the target in heavy storms. The bombing was successful, with two British nightfighters destroyed, 2 hits on the base and 3 on the runways. There were no other raid this day but a Ki-15 was shot down by AA fire over Imphal.

The next night, 9 Blenheim IF from Akyab bombed Rangoon without results. Only 10 of the 24 Ki-21 sent from Moulmein in the morning to bomb their base found it, and they destroyed 2 supply dumps. Some hours later the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed 120 miles N of Mandalay by 31 Hurricane from Imphal and lost 48 men and 1 gun. Two Hurricane collided during the attack and crashed. 21 Zeroes based in Myitkyina will fly LRCAP over this unit tomorrow.

On the 25 the 33rd Div crossed the river SE of Myitkyina and launched a shock attack against the 38th Chinese Corps. Navy bombers in Bangkok were supposed to support it but were grounded by bad weather. The attack was nevertheless a success at 5 to 1 and the Chinese lost 101 men in the battle and more than 800 in their retreat to Yunan. 525 Japanese fell during the crossing and the battle. So Allied units between Lashio and Myitkyina are surrounded again. The 23rd Bde and 4th Rgt will join in 2 days the 21st Bde here and then the reduction of this pocket will begin.

A convoy carrying 24 500 supplies from Singapore arrived in Rangoon on the evening of the 24. A CA, a CL and 5 DD left Singapore in the evening of the 25 for Rangoon, to join the CA and the four DD allready there to form a FT TF to land troops NW of Akyab when this base will be under attack.

Philippines

Manila airfield was bombed on the 24 by 164 bombers from Clark Field (102 Ki-21, 43 Ki-49 and 21 Betties) and on the 25 by 174 (106 Ki-21, 47 Ki-49 and 21 Betties). For only one operationnal loss (a Ki-21 on the 24), they scored 7 hits on the airbase, 6 on the supplies and 35 on the runways. 85 Allied men were hit by these raids, and 57 more by artillery fire. The Allied base points are decreasing of between 20 and 40 points each day, and I am quite confident the Manila garrison is starving.

China

Yenen airfield was expanded to size 5 on the 24. Two Tk Rgt were ordered to march NE of Kuchang and then to Lanchow, and one advanced in the open terrain NE of Kungchang on the 25. The same day the main part of the Northern China Army (2 HQ, 4 Div, 1 Bde, 4 ART units) reached Kungchang.

In the south, artillery fire continued at Wuchow. Japanese lost 154 men, 7 guns and 1 tank in two days while hitting 114 Chinese men and 1 gun.

Japan

A convoy started loading 56 000 supplies for Palau in Kitakyushu. In all my games this base is a major supply center, having usually more than any other port in Japan. Even when I emptied it every week with an AK convoy.

[aztez]

Enjoying this AAR... Keep up the good work [:)]

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Japanese forces are still gathering in Pago-Pago. The DII-1 and CII-1 Daitai are now also here after flying over the Pacific, a pilot of CII-1 being the only casualty on the last leg of the move.

Question for you. Why are you using carrier trained fighters on an island? Don't you have any carrier capable Zero daitai available?

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Japanese forces are still gathering in Pago-Pago. The DII-1 and CII-1 Daitai are now also here after flying over the Pacific, a pilot of CII-1 being the only casualty on the last leg of the move.

Question for you. Why are you using carrier trained fighters on an island? Don't you have any Zero daitai available?

I have 2 CV, 1 CVL and 1 CVE (Hosho) in repair yards in Japan. Actually I sent these two units, that I used from land bases for some time, to Pago-Pago to then use them aboard the KB when it will reform there (all operationnal Japanese CV are currently disbanded in this port, waiting for the Suva operation).
In Pago-Pago I have another 30-50 A6M2 from land-based units.

[Mike Solli]

Aha. That makes much more sense. Thanks.

[AmiralLaurent]

26-27 May 1942

The Suva battle shoud start tomorrow.... while the end of the Java battle is expected for tomorrow too, and the Burma invasion in the next week.

Northern Pacific

Dutch Harbor airfield was expanded on the 26 by Allied engineers.

Central Pacific

On the 26, several Allied submarines were seen off Kona and one hit a Betty with AA fire. Japanese minesweepers found no mines this day but were active both off Kona and Lahaina the next one.

The SS I-16 left PH to patrol the Pacific “gap” SE of PH, while the I-122 sailed to lay a minefield west of San Francisco.

A convoy left PH with 2 Const Bns (forts are allready level 7 here and many more engineers are available) for Canton. They will leave the engineers here to build fortifications and load the South Seas Detachment that will go to Suva if needed and to Hawaii for garrison duties in other cases.

Southern Pacific

Tongatapu was bombed in the afternoon of the 26 by 10 B-25C from Suva that scored 2 runway hits. The next day only two B-25Cs flew over the atoll, for recon mission. Also on the 26, 30 LB-30 from Suva tried to attack Wallis Island but 21 get lost and the other didn’t hit anything. And one LB-30 was lost in a crash.

The Kido Butai was reformed on the 26 in Pago-Pago and organized into four TF. The Light Force (CL Kuma and 5 DD, Adm Hashimoto) will scout ahead of the fleet (ie other TF will follow it in game terms). CarDiv 1 (Adm Nagumo, 3 CV, 1 CVL, 1 BB, 2 CA, 2 CL, 6 DD, 188 aircraft (90 Zeroes, 68 Vals, 30 Kates)) and CarDiv 2 (Adm Yamaguchi, 3 CV, 1 CVL, 1 CS, 1 BB, 2 CA, 1 CL, 6 DD, 199 aircraft (95 Zeroes, 59 Vals, 45 Kates) and 18 Rufes) will follow while a surface TF (Adm Nishimura, 3 BB, 3 CA, 2 CL, 7 DD) will escort them and bombard Suva. Reserves in Pago-Pago are 3 carrier units (16 Zeroes, 19 Vals and 12 Kates) and 40 carrier-capable Zeroes. The Yamato TF refueled in Kwajalein on the evening of the 26 and sailed S to join this fleet. Although a very poweful force in the paper, KB is not so strong at it may be. CV Kaga has 15 SYS, Soryu, Shokaku and Hiryu between 8 and 10, and Kate units are shadows of their former strength. On the other hand, all Japanese airgroups are above 75 exp, and often above 85 for Kates and Vals. After this operation, KB will be kept in reserve for two months, to upgrade, repair and train aircrews.
The troops started to load in Pago-Pago on the 26. Troops that will be used for Fiji invasion are the 2nd, 4th, 16th and 48th Div, the 3rd, 21st and 24th Eng Rgt, 3 SNLF and a Special Base Force.

More north a small convoy took all Japanese troops from Baker Island on the 26, as this island is no longer useful, and will carry them to Tarawa.

On the 27, the KB moved 180 miles SW of Pago-Pago and remained apparently undetected. It will continue SE and reach tomorrow a point 300 miles E Suva, with all attack AC restricted to range 4.

Solomons-New Guinea

Saidor was unsuccessfuly bombed twice by Hudsons of Port Moresby (9 on the 26 and 8 on the 27). One of the raiders flew in a mountain on the second raid.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

On the 26, Lautem was bombarded during the night by 4 CA and 4 DD, that hit 172 men and 6 guns ands scored 47 hits on the airfield and 7 on the port. Later during the day around 50 Japanese transport aircraft dropped without loss 650 men of the 2nd Parachute Regiment on the airfield. It was not helf by a Base Force contrary to what I thought but by the Dutch A-II-Ld AA Bn, that surrendered after a short battle. 11 Japanese were hit, while 403 Dutch were killed or captured. Two unserviceable T.IVa were seized on the airfield in a poor state, having been left over there for months. The next day, transport AC were grounded, except 19 Ki-57 to fly supplies in the new base, because I wanted to wait for the Allied reaction. There was none on the 27 and in the evening more transport AC were ordeded to fly in the 136th IJN Base Force.

Repeating the success of the day before, Darwin B-17E hit another Japanese submarine on the 26. The I-164 was damaged at 15/42/0 SE of Lautem and sailed too to Soerabaja for repairs.

Darwin B-17E also continued their unopposed daily afternoon raids against Amboina, 41 bombers hitting it on the 26 and 43 on the 27 for a total of 271 Japanese casualties, 4 airbase hits, 1 on supplies and 35 on runways. Base is now badly damaged (70 service, 40 runways) and lacking supplies, but a convoy is sailing from Palau to bring 9000 supplies here.

In the afternoon of the 26 42 B-25C from Derby bombed Koepang and hit 94 men and 2 guns, scoring 2 hits on the base, 2 on supplies and 33 on runways. AA shot down one of them and another was lost in a crash.

Sumatra-Java

The assault on Batavia continued, with support of Palembang-based Ki-21s. On the 25 they found no other target than an AA Bn, that lost 13 men when it was bombed by 35 Ki-21 but shot down one, and another crashed due to engine failure. On the 26, 56 Ki-21 bombed the 2nd and 4th Dutch Regiments, hitting only 6 men while losing two of their number to AA fire.
Things went better on the ground, with two deliberate attacks at 4 to 1 and then 7 to 1, that reduced the forts from 8 to 6. Dutch casualties for both days were respectively 1708 and 2258, while only 920 and 459 Japanese fell. The city will be attacked again tomorrow and is expected to fall. Japanese AP have been ordered to sail to the are to be ready to carry troops to other theaters.

More north ten 7000-ton AK left Singapore for Kuala Lumpur and will carry ressources from here to Japan.



Burma

Rangoon was bombed both nights, by 9 and 5 Blenheim IF from Akyab that hit nothing.

On the 26 bad weather covered the country and no Allied raid was flown, while two Zeroes from Myitkyina flying LRACP over friendly troops get lost and crashed, a 9-victory ace being wounded. But the weather cleared in the afternoon, and was only overcast on the 27.
So the long delayed Ledo raid was launched. 25 A6M2 flew from Rangoon to Myitkyina, while 68 IJNAF bombers flew from Bangkok to Rangoon (one Betty crashed but the crew was saved). The plan was that Zeroes will sweep Ledo skies and then bombers will bomb the transport aircraft based here (114 reported this day by the daily recon) on the ground.

The raid was launched in the morning of the 27. First came 32 Zeroes from Myitkyina. They met 14 Hurricanes of 30 Sqn, that shot down a Zeroe from F1/Yamada but were then bounced by the F1/3rd and 6 Hurricanes were shot down, all by the leading Japanese ace, ENS Sugio S. (kills 19-24). Then 2 more Hurricanes were shot down by the F2/Genzan. Shortly later 18 Zeroes from F2/Tainan arrived from Taung Gyi and shot down 3 of the remaining Hurricanes without loss. But the bombers never came. Rather than ordering them to bomb Ledo, I set their target as … the Japanese airfield of Myitkyina….
Allied airmen were also active. 55 SB-2c (flying their first raid of the war IIRC), 15 Beaufort I, 6 Blenheim I and 12 Beaufort V-IX escorted by 16 Buffaloes from Chandpur attacked the 55th Div east of Akyab and hit 77 men, 1 gun and 1 tank. One Buffalo was lost in a crash. Japanese recon showed 11 Hurricanes flying CAP over Akyb, probably hoping to intercepted unescorted Ki-21 raids, but these were stopped precisely because I expected Allied fighters to show up there.
In the evening of the 27, all A6M2 in Burma returned to Rangoon, where the F1/Yamada was disbanded (it had only 6 Zeros and 11 pilots) to reinforce the F1/3rd Daitai. Bombers remained in Rangoon but were ordered to not bomb Ledo before recons showed if Allied CAP was reinforced or not.

NE of Lashio, the 23rd Bde and 4th Rgt joined the 21st Bde in the mountains on the 26 and launched with it the next day a deliberate attack against the surrounded Allied units, that achieved a 30 to 1 ratio. That was enough for the two RAF Base Forces (No 102 and 106) to surrender but the 4 Chinese Divisions (22nd, 28th, 29th and 38th) continued to fight. Japanese lost 242 men, the Allied 693. The atack will continue until all Chinese will have surrendered.
More east the 33rd Div was ordered to return to Myitkyina.

Philippines

In the north, the 14th Army is still waiting reinforcements. 106 Ki-21, 47 Ki-49 and 20 Betties bombed Manila on the 27, hitting 64 men and 1 gun and scoring 8 airbase, 2 supplies and 26 runway hits for one loss, a Ki-21 hit by AA that crashed later in Japanese lines. Two days of Japanese artillery fire hit 21 men.

In the south the 81st PA Div in Cebu was bombed each day by 31 Nates from Davao but lost only 7 men. One Nate crashed during these training flights.

China

Japanese artillery continued to pound Chinese lines in Kungchang, hitting 531 men and 5 guns on the 26 and 296 men on the 27. One more division arrived there on the 26, bringing the Japanese stength to 5 Div and 1 Bde. Chinese counterfire hit nothing. SIGINT revealed on the 26 that a Chinese unit was NW of Sian, probably moving north to reinforce Kungchang.
I am wondering if the high Chinese casualties to artillery fire are a sign that the fort level is low. Anyway I will keep on with the plan, that is to try to seize Lanchow while the greatest part of the Chinese forces are in Kungchang. Two Tk Rgts are allready in the hex E of Lanchow and will be joined by a Rgt or two of the 27th Div and 2 Eng Rgt.
Another Rgt, of the 59th Div, was orderd to march north from the road to engage the 1st Chinese Tk Rgt, the only remaining Chinese unit north of the Yenen-Kungchang road. It will be bombed tomorrow by all fighters based in Yenen (mainly operationnal training units).

Tomorrow I will provide a map of this area, it will be easier to show what is going on.

On the 27, 27 Zeroes from Wuhan flew CAP over Chungking, that was thought to be the destination of transport aircraft from Ledo but no Allied aircraft was seen and the mission was cancelled in the evening.

In the south, artillery fire was not one-sided in Wuchow and casualties for the two days were 41 men and 1 gun on the Chinese side and 177 men and 5 guns on the Japanese side.

In Shangai, the HQ 13th Army was reassigned to the 4th Fleet command and boarded ships to go to Luzon to provide support for the Manila battle. It will then be used in one of the main Japanese bases in the Pacific to help defend it.

Japan

Convoys continue to leave Japan. 28 000 supplies were sent from Sendai to Truk, 49 000 from Hiroshima to Miri to finish repairing the oilfields here. One of the Zero training units, the F1/Ominato, now with 43 exp, was sent to Yenen, China, to fly operationnal training.

[AmiralLaurent]

28 May 1942

Northern Pacific

During the day, the Japanese submarines I-122 and I-124 laid a minefield off Adak Island without being (apparently) detected.

Southern Pacific

The leading surface TF of the KB was too fast (it only made 5 hexes, but the other TF only moved 4... with no refueling) and was 60 miles in front of the CV during the day but was not attacked. The only missions flown by SUva were CAP, that shot down 2 patrolling Japanese aircraft, an Alf and a Nell from Pago-Pago, and two B-25C flying recon of Tongatapu and flying over the KB, being chased by Rufes and Zeroes without success.
Tomorrow the KB will again gather 240 miles SE of Suva and still wait the Allied aerial assault (one hex closer than today). Recon reported 3 Allied surface TF (18 "CA" reported, the BB Ramillies and the CL Mauritius identified) and 2 convoys (2 AP each) off Suva. CAP should also be heavy. Japanese airmen have been ordered to not attack close to Suva (range limited to 3).

9 Ki-46 flew in the evening from Pago-Pago to Tongatapu and will fly tomorrow recon over Suva.

South of Canton, a part of the 5th NLF carried by barges occupied the tiny rock called Gardner Island, losing 69 casualties in the landing.

Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, 12 Hudson I from Port Moresby bombed and missed Saidor.

The first Glen-carrying submarine in the area is now south of New Guinea and reported her first contact today, an AP 360 miles S of Gili-Gili.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon, 30 B-25C from Derby took off to bomb Koepang. Only 24 found it and scored 25 runway hits, disabling 53 men and 2 guns. At the same time Lautem was attacked by 16 Hudson I and 6 Martin 139 from Darwin, that left one supply dump burning and 8 holes on the runway. One B-25C and one Hudson I were lost in crashes. Timor airfields are now too badly cratered to base Zeroes there, except Dili, that is intact and where engineers have been ordered to expand the airfield to size 2. Tomorrow 27 Zeroes from Kednari will fly LRCAP over Lautem.

Recons identified the 3 Allied units on Tenimbar Island: the Gull Force, a Timor Defense Bn and a Dutch Base Force.

Sumatra-Java

37 Ki-21 from Palembang escorted by 12 Nates supported the ground attack against Batavia, hitting the 2nd Dutch Rgt that lost 82 men and 2 guns. A deliberate attack then took the city (at 9 to 1) and 34 254 Dutch and British were killed or captured. The destroyed units were the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th Dutch Rgts, the Tjilatjap Garrison Bn, the A-I-Ld and A-III-Ld AA Bns, the Batavia Cst Gun Bn, the 1 DAF Aviation, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Dutch Naval Base Forces, the 19th and 21st DAF Base Forces and the HQ 224 Group RAF. 717 Japanese fell in the final fights. The Allied engineers did a great job blasting the ressources of the city. The base was intact but despite having 700 ENG squads in the hex 61 of the 100 oil centers and 223 of the 600 ressource centers were damaged. A convoy that was unloading in Singapore and had still 51 000 supplies and 19 000 fuel aboard was at once ordered to sail to Batavia and finish to unload there.

Now that the Java campain is order, as planned the troops will be scattered. The HQ 25th Army will remain on Java with the 35th Bde, the 4th Bde and the 5th Eng Rgt, the two last will be used to reduce remaining Dutch islands in the area. Other Japanese units currently in Java and that will remain there are the 23rd Aviation Unit, the HQ 2nd Fleet, the HQ 5th Air Division and an IJNAF BF. Four other small BF boarded a convoy in Singapore in the evening and will garrison most Java bases.

The other units wil all be sent on other theaters. To try to deceive my opponent, the 4th and 7th Tk Rgt, the HQ Southern Army and an ART unit were ordered to prepare for Noumea, that I have no intention to attack before the end of the year, if ever. They will sail to Truk and be in reserve until the invasion of New Zealand in August-September. The 5th Div and the 15th Eng Rgt will also go in this area, to invade Rabaul, and both are now preparing for it. The other big destination will be Manila, where the 18th Div, the 9th and 23rd Eng Rgt and 5 ART units will go to help reduce the city quicker. The last unit is the Imperial Guard Division, that will sail to Kendari and then be used to invade Kai Island. This unit is prepared at 100% for Batavia and will keep this preparation, so being able to defend Java in case it is necessary. It will normally be based in Kendari and be used as a reaction force in the general DEI area.

Burma

Rangoon was bombed as usual by 7 Blenheim IF from Akyab during the night. The 51st AA Bn had arrived there from Bangkok to reinforce the defences and for the first time 2 Blenheim were hit by AA.

After dawn the expected retalation raid hit Myitkyina. 44 B-17E, 12 Wellington III, 83 Blenheim IV, 12 Hudson I and 14 Il-4c from Dacca, escorted by 36 P-40B of the AVG, raided the airfield, where now only 5 recon AC were based. The raid scored 5 hits on the airbase, 9 on supplies and 24 on runways and they were 74 casualties. But AA hit several bombers, and a B-17E and a Blenheim IV crashed during the return flight due to damage while a P-40B was lost to engine failure. 209 Japanese ENG squads are in Myitkyina and the damage was repaired in the evening.

Another Allied raid hit again the 55th Div east of Akyab with 45 SB-2c, 6 Beaufort I, 7 Blenheim I and 11 Beaufort V-IX from Chandpur (that became size 5 this turn) escorted by 15 Buffaloes. 22 men and 1 gun were hit, but the main effect of this raid is to slow the division to 1 mile a day, while she marched between 2 and 4 every day before. One SB-2c was lost in a crash during this raid. Tomorrow some LRCAP will be provided by 35 Ki-43 that moved in the evening from Rangoon to Pagan.

Recon flew over Ledo and reported no more CAP, but still 100+ transport aircraft based here. And the weather will be good (only overcast) tomorrow so finally the bomber raid was ordered again, this time with the good target. 83 Betties and Nells from Rangoon will bomb the airfield at 7000 feet. Just to be sure 18 Zeroes flew in the evening to Lashio and will fly a sweep over Ledo before the raid.

NE of Lashio, the 21st and 23rd Bde and 4th Rgt launched another deliberate attack at 18 to 1 against the 4 surrounded Chinese divisions, that didn't surrender. Japanese casualties (444) were higher than the Chinese ones (396) but 33 000 Japanese are facing 6 500 able Chinese and they will continue to attack until the pocket is eliminated or they are fully exhausted.

Philippines

Manila airfield was bombed by 106 Ki-21 (2 shot down by AA), 47 Ki-49 and 21 Betties from Clark Field. AA shot down 2 Ki-21 but the bombs hit 79 men, 1 gun and 1 vehicle and scored 4 hits on the base, 3 on supplies and 28 on the runways. Japanese artillery fire hit 29 more men.

The 20th Div will arrive in Naga in two days.

China

In the north, Japanese artillery fire hit 182 Chinese and 1 gun in Kungchang. Two Chinese units appeared south of the city, coming from Sian.
Yenen is now the main Japanese airbase in the area and 2 of the 5 IJA Base Forces in Chengting left this city to march to Yenen.

In the south, Chinese artillery again won the day in Wuchow, hitting 116 men and 5 guns, while Chinese lost 29 men.

As promised, you will find below a map of the situation in Kungchang. You will see that my supply line from Yenen to Kungchang is protected by a total of 2,33 divisions. It should be enough to repulse any Chinese attempt to cut it. The plan is still to attack Lanchow before Kungchang,except if Chinese troops left massively Kungchang before the attack. They are not shown on the map but I have 4 divisions and several brigades on the Hsinyang-Kaifeng line if the Chinese troops at Homan and Sian tried a diversion attack in the south. Also both cities have level 9 fortifications.

Japan

The SS I-33 was commissioned in Osaka and left Japan to join the Glen Pacific Squadron in PH.

[AmiralLaurent]

29-30 May 1942

These two days brought memories of the good old days of December 1941. On the 29, 97 Allied AC were lost for 24 Japanese losses, and on the30 the ratio was 52 to 19. Allied lost in two days 109 AC in air battles, 33 on the ground, 5 in accidents and 2 to AA fire, while Japanese losses were 31 in the air, 7 in accidents and 4 to AA fire.

Central Pacific

Japanese MSW continued to sweep mines off Kona and Lahaina, Allied submarines have now left the area.

SE of Hawaii, the Japanese submarines and CLs didn'f find targets and the CLs will no refuel at sea when the AO sent from PH will reach them.

Southern Pacific

The dawn of the 29 found the KB 240 miles SE of Suva. Both sides sent patrols that ran into enemy CAP and during the day 2 B-25C, 2 Walruses and 1 PBY were lost by Allied and 2 Alfs and 1 Jake by Japanese. Japanese recon reported that 14 F4F-4 and 17 P-40E flew CAP over Suva.
Suva sent in the morning against the Japanese fleet a raid of 14 B-25C and 13 LB-30 escorted by 3 F4F-4 (of VMF-211) and 15 P-40E (of 49th PG). Only one B-25C returned... Their crews reported they ran into a CAp of 137 A6M2 and 16 Rufes and that their escort was only able to shot down 3 Rufes before being all shot down. Bomber gunners then shot down 3 Zeroes, but only two B-25C survived the battle, turning away from the fight before reaching Japanese ships. One of the two was heavily damaged and ditched later.
Another raid of 11 LB-30 was then underway and battling Rufes. Bomber gunners shot down two of them before the bombers were recalled to Suva before Zeroes intercepted them.

Japanese patrols reported this day four surface TF off Suva, and identified the DD USS Peary and another Royal Navy BC, the Revolution. A Jake alos reported two AKs 500 miles S of Tongatapu, while a submarine reported 3 AP and 1 "SS" in the same TF 500 mikles E of Noumea, propably flying from Suva. The Kido Butai was ordered to concentrate against Suva. The key here is to destroy the Allied warships to allow the troops to get trough but I feared that my CV airmen will go in small groups to engage all Allied TF, some of the raids being unescorted and then slaugthered by the CAP. So I decided to try to neutralize the CAP before launching naval attacks. Also the Allied fleet is probaly powerful enough to inflict serious losses to my own warships in a naval battle.

Kido Butai moved west during the night and was 180 miles south of Suva at dawn. Again patrols suffered this day, Zeroes and Rufes shooting down 3 B-25C and 3 Walruses while a P-40E shot down a Jake over Suva. A dawn sweep over Suva by 44 Zeroes launched by the KB, using the units that were not engaged the day before (the last of the list) met 24 P-40E and 14 F4F-4 over Suva and losses were even, 13 Zeroes, 12 P-40E and 1 Wildcat falling. Not a good thing for Japan. VMF-211 was especially successful with 7 victories for one loss.
The Japanese airmen did better over the fleet. Like the day before, Suva sent two raids, an escorted one (12 P-40E, 7 F4F-4, 3 B-25C, 13 LB-30) and then 12 unescorted LB-30s. The CAP over the fleet was 101 Zeroes and 10 Rufes. Again all Allied fighters were lost, shooting down 3 Rufes and 1 Zero before falling. Then Zeroes attacked both waves of bombers, shooting down 3 B-25C and 2 LB-30 of the first and 5 LB-30 of the second, while losing a Zero to return fire. Another LB-30 was lost in an accident. All surviving LB-30 turned back before reaching the target.
In the evening the commander SS I-175 patrolling 500 miles west of Fiji, who reported several Allied transports during the past days without attacking them, saw a cruiser in his periscope and attacked. Sadly his target was in fact the PG HMNZS Moa and the torpedoes ran below her. The Moa and her sistership Tui then searched unsuccessfuly the attacker. Later reports identified this TF as two APs, so nobody really knew what this TF was.

In the evening of the 30, Japanese reports showed 3 BB, 22 "CA" (probably overestimated) and 3 CLAA in four surface TF off Suva, that ws also defended by 4 SS in 3 TF, with 2 other submarine TF (3 and 1 ships) just SW of Suva, probably evacuating "cadres". 100 aircraft were counted on the airfield (20/48/32) and the precise reports of the Ki-46 based in Tongatapu identified 10 units and 45140 men, 341 men and 231 vehicles (probably a good number of tanks) in Suva.
The two AK seen the day before south of Tongatapu were now 480 miles S of Suva, having sailed 360 miles westwards (6 hexes), and the first decision of the evening by the Kido Butai commander was to detach two CL, the Sendai and Kiso, to chase these ships (fast transports are always a worthy target), the plan being to intercept them tonight. The main body of the KB will sail north during the night and launch an airfield attack against Suva at dawn, from 60 miles SE of the target. All Zero units have been ordered to fly 60% CAP, and the raid will probably be of more than 150 Vals (at 15 000 feet) and Kates (at 20 000) escorted by 50-70 Zeroes. In the evening of the 30th, 12 Kates from Pago-Pago flew aboard the Junyo, where Zero losses have freed some space...
The plan is to continue to decimate the CAP over Pago-Pago, both in the air and on the ground, for one more day. The next day, Kates and Vals will attack the Allied fleet, assisted by bombers from Pago-Pago (27 Betties arrived there as reinforcements in the evening of the 30th).

Other TF sailed to join the operation. All troop convoys left Pago-Pago in the evening of the 29 and will gather N of Tongatapu. They were joined by the CVE Unyo, with 22 carrier capable Zeroes aboard. The same evening the Yamato TF left Tarawa after refueling and sailed toward Wallis Island.

Japanese intelligence confirmed that the TK Santa Maria, bombed by the KB on 23 April south of Tongatapu, had been scuttled after the attack.

Away from the far action some barges landed on the 30 a part of the 5th NLF on the tiny Sidney Island south of Canton that was empty and quickly occupied with 19 landing casualties.



Solomons-New Guinea

The daily afternoon raids from Hudson from PM against Saidor hit nothing and suffered no loss.

Japanese engineers expanded Truk airfield to size 6.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

On the 29, Amboina was bombed by 49 B-17E from Darwin, that hit 249 men and 2 guns and scored 1 hit on the base, 2 on supplies and 23 on runways. One of the seven bombers hit by AA crashed during the return flight. 50 B-25C from Derby hit Koepang, hitting 35 men, 2 guns and 3 supply dump and leaving 22 holes on the runway. But the raid of 14 Hudson I and 7 Martin 139 from Darwin against Lautem met 10 Zeroes of F2/Kanoya flying LRCAP from Kendari and 6 Hudsons and 2 Martin were shot down. The survivors scored 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runway. Zeroes had a difficult time returning to base, one pilot baling out from his damaged Zero and being later picked up while another went missing after running out of fuel over the sea. One MC-21 flying troops from Kendari to Lautem was lost when it crashed on the cratered runway.

On the 30 Lautem was not attacked, even if all Zeroes were on normal CAP over Kendari. Amboina was again attacked by 38 B-17E from Darwin (152 casualties, 1 supply and 21 runways hit) and again a bomber was heavily hit by AA and lost during the return leg. Koepang was also hit, by 40 B-25C that hit the airbase 1 time, the supplies 1 and the runway 12, disabling 39 men.

A convoy from Palau will arrive off Amboina tomorrow, bringing badly needed supplies. The base is too much damaged now to send Zeros there and it is hoped the bad weather will be enough to cover the ships.

Sumatra-Java

75 000 supplies were drawn in Batavia from Soerabaja and other Java bases on the 29 and the repair of the oilfields started immediatly. APs arrived there from all over the area, where they had been waiting for Batavia fall after the landing in Java. The first units to board ships were the 18th Divand the 9th and 23rd Eng Rgt, that will sail to Manila.

The two AS based in Saigon, and now totally useless here, left the base to sail to Soerabaja.

Burma

Rangoon was bombed both night by 5 Blenheim IF from Akyab but wasn't hit.

At dawn on the 29, 18 Zeroes from Lashio flew a sweep over Ledo and reported no CAP. Immediatly after arrived 36 Nells and 6 Betties from Rangoon that attacked the airfield at 7000 feet, reporting no AA fire and devastating the target. 18 C-47, 9 Dakota I, 3 C-60A Lodestar and 3 Hurricane II were destroyed on the ground, 19 men killed or wounded and 8 hits were scored on teh airbase, 5 on supplies and 36 on the runways. Two Nells were lost in crashes.
Some hours later, 34 SB-2c, 9 Beaufort I, 6 Blenheim I and 16 Beaufort V-IX took off from Chandpur under escort by 12 Buffaloes to attack the 55th Div east of Akyab. They were intercepted over the target by 17 Oscars of the 64 Sentai, that shot down without loss 4 Buffaloes but were then unable to hit any bomber, while 13 Oscars were damaged by return fire from their gunners. Two Oscars were then lost in a collision. The 55th Div was bombed and lost 68 men, 1 gun and 1 tank but there was no raid the next day and she was able to recover a little and moved 4 miles in 2 days.
In the evening, air units disposition returned to the normal situation in Burma. All bombers except a Chutai flying naval search returned to Bangkok (one Nell crashed in route, killing the crew), while all fighters were concentrated in Rangoon (except 11 damaged Oscars left behing in Pagan).
The bilan of the Ledo operation was highly positive, with 11 Hurricanes shot down and 3 destroyed on the ground and 30 transport aircraft destroyed on the ground, while Japanese losses were one Zero shot down and 3 Nells lost in accidents (including the deployement and retirement).

NE of Lashio, the 21st and 23rd Bde and 4th Rgt continued to attack the four surrounded Chinese divisions. On the 29 they achived a ratio of 32 to 1 and 119 Japanese and 331 Chinese fell. The next day the ratio was 40 to 1 and the 28th Chinese Division gave up and surrendered, while the other continued to fight. 179 Japanese fell while the Chinese lost 2784 men, mostly POWs.

Philippines

Manila was bombed on the 29 by 106 Ki-21, 47 Ki-49 and 21 Betties, and the next day by 103 Ki-21, 46 Ki-49 and 19 Betties. 73 men, 1 gun and 2 vehicles were disbaled and 9 hits were scored on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 49 on the runways. AA fire shot down 2 Betties, 1 Ki-49 and 1 recon Ki-36 on the 29, while there were no loss on the 30. Japanese artillery hit 145 men in 2 days. The supply situation in Manila still deteriorated (for example, the Allied base points were reduced of 25 points between the 29 and the 30 without any base taken by Japan).

In the south, the Kates of the 204 Sentai flew on both days from Cebu training missions against the 81st PA Div in Cebu, scoring no hits.

A port was opened in Tuguegarago by Japanese engineers. The 20th Div will start to disembark in Naga tomorrow and then march to Manila.

China

In the north, units of both sides are moving into position. Japanese artillery fire hit 836 men and 11 guns in Kungchang in 2 days. No Japanese AC flew on the 29, as the AVG based in Sian was supposed to fly LRCAP over Chinese units in the area. Recons confiremd there was no CAP over their base of Sian and one P-40B pilot was heard on the radio saying he ran out of fuel and had to bail out. On the 30 Yenen fighters (32 Zeroes, 32 Oscars and 28 Nates) bombed the 1st Chinese Tk Rgt north of the Yenen-Kungchang road without opposition, hitting 46 men and 2 tanks.

In Central China, Japanese engineers were ordered to expand Wuhan airfield to size 9.

In the south, Japanese forces continued to suffer in Wuchow, losing in two days 233 men, 10 guns and 2 tanks under Chinese shells while only hitting 73 men.

[AmiralLaurent]

31 May 1942

Another bad day for Allied air units, with 106 aircraft losses (A2A 42, ground 57, AA 1, ops 6) against 20 for Japan (A2A 14, ground 3, AA 3).

Central Pacific

Now that Allied submarines had left again Hawai area, five ML TF (4, 4, 3, 3 and 2 ships) were formed in PH and will lay mines off Kona and Lahaina. Maybe more smaller minefields will work better than some big ones against Allied submarines.

Southern Pacific

As expected, the CL Kiso and Sendai intercepted during the night an Allied convoy 480 miles south of Fiji. They surprised 6 AP escorted by the DD USS Gilmer. This warship exploded and sank after being hit by 3 shells but the AP scattered and escaped without being too much damaged (only 3 were hit, none seriously) and one managed to destroy a 3in turret aboard the Sendai. They were laden with troops and 69 men and 1 gun were hit aboard them.

Dawn still found the Allied fleet off Suva, and the CL Marblehead and Durban were identified there. The Kido Butai was just SE of Suva and CAP of both sides continued to decimate patrol AC. Zeroes shot down 3 Walruses, 2 B-25C, 1 PBY and 1 Seagull during the day, while Allied CAP shot down 2 Petes over Suva.

In the morning, the KB launched an air attack against Suva airfield with 127 Vals and 84 Kates escorted by 59 Zeroes. 11 P-40E and 6 F4F-4 were flying CAP over the base and managed to shot down 8 Zeroes and 1 Val, while losing 7 P-40E and all 6 Wildcats. The airfield was then severely hit, 57 aircraft being destroyed on the ground (15 F4F-4, 15 B-25C, 11 P-40E, 8 LB-30, 6 B-17E (newcomers?) and 2 PBY), 30 men and 1 gun hit, 20 hits scored on the base, 12 on supplies and 75 on the runways, while AA fire shot down two Vals.

At the same time Suva had launched its heaviest raid of the battle so far, with 16 LB-30 and 26 B-25C ordered to hit Japanese ships. Only 5 P-40E were available to escort them and they ran into a CAP of 87 Zeroes and 7 Rufes. Without any loss, the Japanese pilots shot down 2 P-40E, 2 LB-30 (one by a Rufe) and 18 B-25Cs. Most American pilots turned back but for the first time of the battle 6 B-25C of the 90th BS and 12th BG actually reached a Japanese TF. It was the scout TF and all attacked the leadship, the CL Kuma, but she dodged the bombs and shot down one more bomber with AA fire.

There were no raids in the afternoon. A Ki-46 flying recon from Tongatapu reported that the CAP over Suva was reduced to 6 P-40E and 3 F4F-4. And a LB-30 from Suva saw for the first time the Japanese troop convoys, north of Tongatapu.

In the evening the CL Kiso and Sendai that were still patrolling in the area of the night battle met again the Allied convoy and engaged it between 18 and 22 000 yards. They wasted all their torpedoes without scoring any hit and only managed to hit four of the AP with some more shells, but nothing serious. 75 more Allied men and 2 guns were hit aboard the transports. Both CL then lost the transports at dusk and were ordered to join again the KB near Suva.

The troop convoys were ordered to gather and reorganize N of Tongatapu, annd the Yamato TF was ordered to join them.
More west a furious debate opposed Kido Butai officers about what will do the Allied admirals in Suva. Some thought that now that the airfield had been hardly hit, all warships will leave the area toward Noumea and Kido Butai should sail west at full speed to catch them in open sea. Other said that first the Allied commander had maintained his fleet in the vicinity of the KB for several days and will probably continue to do so, and that the risk of losing his ships at sea will probably be enough to not try to flee. Nagumo first gave orders to sail west and pursue, but was then convinced to follow the second plan. The KB was ordered to sail 120 miles east of Suva and will launch at dawn another attack on Suva airfield, using only Vals. Then the Kates will attack Allied warships, with help of Betties and Nells based in Pago-Pago. Also 9 Zeroes flew from Pago-Pago to Tongatapu to fly a sweep over Suva. Other moves saw 6 Emilies arrive in Pago-Pago from Tarawa to reinforce the naval patrols, while 16 Zeroes flew from Pago-Pago to the Kido Butai to replace losses.

In the north, 5 9000-ton empty TK arrived in Kwajalein from Pago-Pago and began to reload fuel to sail south again.

Solomons-New Guinea

14 Hudson I from Port Moresby bombed and missed again Saidor in the afternoon.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The Japanese convoy carrying supplies to Amboina arrived off this base and began to unload without being attacked. In the evening 25 A6M2 from Kendari flew to this base to fly CAP tomorrow.

Sumatra-Java

During the night four MSW swept the last Dutch mines off Batavia. More APs arrive in this port and a convoy was formed to carry the 5th Div and the 15th Eng Rgt to Truk, for the assault on Rabaul.

Burma

During the night 7 Blenheim IF from Akyab bombed and missed Rangoon. In the morning the expected retaliation raid against Pagan was done by 58 Blenheim IV, 39 B-17E, 13 Il-4c, 10 Wellington III and 9 Hudson I from Dacca, escorted by 21 P-40B. They destroyed on the ground 3 unserviceable Oscars, wounded 5 men and scored 4 hits on the base, 4 on supplies and 22 on the runways. Two Blenheim and one Hudson were lost in accidents.

NE of Lashio, another deliberate attack was launched by the 21st and 23rd Bde and the 4th Rgt and achieved a 24 to 1 ratio. The 38th Chinese division surrendered (not the first of the list, fo once) and the losses of the day were 140 Japanese and 2730 Chinese.

The British admiral in India refused to send back warships to Alexandria, and paid the political price (1100 political points) for the first time in this game.

A raid was ordered against Akyab for tomorrow, with 30 Nells and 26 Sallies escorted by 50% of the available A6M2. Rangoon airfield is still size 4 and too small, the Nate Sentai based here moved to Moulmein and will fly LRCAP over Rangoon tomorrow. Japanese engineers received orders to expand Rangoon airfield but almost all of them are in inner Burma and this will be very slow.

Philippines

Bad weather cancelled the Japanese daily raid against the city, but shells hit there 77 men.

China

Japanese artillery hit 141 men and 2 guns in Kungchang, and for once won the day in Wuchow, hitting 28 men and 1 gun while Japanese lost only 4 men.

Japan

A new AR was launched and sailed at once from Osaka to Okayama to assist with the repair of the CV docked here. Two more 7000-ton AK were converted to AR in Osaka.
Two more convoys were formed, one for carrying 70 000 supplies to Tarawa and more south, another for carrying 132 000 fuel to Saipan and then sail to DEI for loading oil.

[AmiralLaurent]

Monthly report May 1942

Japanese score: 25 434 (+ 3 157)
Bases 7 433 (+ 494)
Aircraft 3 525 (+ 647)
Army 10 017 (+ 1 835)
Ship 4 285 (+ 129) 265 ships sunk (+ 10: 6 TK...)
Scuttled ships 0 (- 26)
Strategic 174 (+ 78)

Allied score: 5 996 (- 534)
Bases 3 446 (- 842)
Aircraft 1 657 (+ 245)
Army 316 (+ 34)
Ship 577 (+ 18) 52 ships sunk (+ 3)
Strategic 0

Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 3 224 000 (bases) + around 500 000 (TFs) = around 3 724 000 (+ 159 000)
Fuel : 3 982 000 (bases) + around 383 000 (TFs) = around 4 365 000 (+ 56 000)
Ressource centers : 17 065 (+ 1 123)
Ressources : 1 229 000 (bases) + 70 000 (TFs) = 1 299 000 (- 35 000)
Oil centers : 2 486 (+ 202)
Oil: 1 340 000 (bases) + 127 000 (TFs) = 1 467 000 (+ 54 000)
Manpower centers : 808 (+ 4)
Manpower pool : 326 000 (+ 75 000)
Heavy industry: 13 497 (+ 0)
Heavy industry pool: 130 000 (+ 28 000)
Naval shipyard: 1278 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 863 (+ 62)
Armament industry: 600 (+ 0)
Armament stock: 62 000 (+ 12 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 7 400 (+ 2 000)
Aircraft engine factories: 1508 (+ 31)
Aircraft frames factories: 842 (+ 0)
Aircraft research: 175 (+ 38)

Aircraft production:
165 A6M2 Zero (capacity 247, partly suspended), 73 A6M3 Zero (capacity 72), 55 G4M1 Betty (46), 43 D3A Val (41), 41 Ki-48 (40), 36 H8K Emily (32), 34 Ki-46 Dinah (31), 23 Ki-49 Helen (23), 21 B5N Kate (28), 20 Ki-51 Sonia (45, still partly stopped), 12 L2D2 Tabby (10), 7 C5M Babs (4), 3 H6K2-L Mavis (4), 2 MC-21 Sally (5), 0 Ki-43-Ib Oscar (62, suspended), 0 E13A1 Jake (28, suspended), 0 Ki-21 Sally (20, suspended), 0 A6M-2 Rufe (14, suspended), 0 Ki-57 Topsy (10, suspended), 0 E7K2 Alf (5, suspended), 0 L3Y Tina (5, suspended), 0 E14Y1 Glen (4, suspended)

Total: 535 aircraft (238 fighters, 119 level bombers, 63 divebombers, 41 recon, 36 patrol, 21 torpedo bombers, 17 transport)

Score details, plane pool and leading aces are show below. No monthly strategic analysis now, I will do it in some days.

[AmiralLaurent]

1-2 June 1942

Northern Pacific

Nome port was expanded to size 4 on the 1st. So this remote base is not empty. Not that I am caring much about it…

Central Pacific

2000 miles S of Los Angeles, the Glen of the SS I-8 reported a convoy (2 AP and 1 “CA”). She was ordered to follow it, while the the CL Tenryu and Tatsuta received orders to intercept it. Both were lacking fuel and I wondered what they will do the next day. They actually went in the ordered direction but only at cruise speed. My estimation of the speed and direction of the Allied convoy was correct and both CL were redirected in the evening to a new intercept position, that they will be able to reach at cruise speed.

On the 2, the SS I-19 saw 660 miles more south (2800 miles S of LA) another convoy (3 AP) and was ordered to try to attack it.

Southern Pacific

Suva was covered by clouds in the morning of the 1st but nevertheless the Kido Butai launched a new raid against the airfield, with 89 Vals and 79 Zeroes. 8 P-40E of 49th FG and 3 F4F-4 of VMF-211 intercepted the raid and each Allied unit suffered 3 losses and shot down a Zero. The Vals dived on the island undisturbed, except by AA that shot down 2 of them, and destroyed 16 aircraft on the ground (7 B-25C, 3 P-40E, 3 B-17E and 3 LB-30), scored 6 hit on the base, 2 on supplies and 36 on the runways, disabling 22 men. But the real news was that neither them, nor the naval patrols reported more than a TK off Suva. The Allied fleet was gone… and the Japanese commander took the bad decision yesterday.

After the airfield raid, there was no more CAP over Suva and the sweep flown by 8 Zeroes from Tongatapu was uneventful. In the afternoon, the KB CAP (76 Zeroes and 8 Rufes) continued to chase Allied patrol aircraft (3 B-25C and 1 LB-30 were shot down during the day, but they shot down a Zero and another Japanese fighter was lost in an accident) and then repulsed a tiny raid of 3 LB-30 and 3 P-40E, shooting down 2 bombers and 1 fighter without loss. KB launched 11 Kates to attack the tanker reported off Suva but they didn’t find it. Another B-25C was shot down by AA fire while flying too close from the Japanese fleet.

In the evening, the SS S-43 tried to attack the two CL joining the KB but was seen and evaded. At least five submarines were seen in the area during the day.

This day saw also Japanese engineers expand Kwajalein airfield to size 5. This base is now finished (all expansion done and fortifications level 9) and the 3 Construction Bns working here are now waiting for APs to bring them to Tarawa.

In the evening of the 1st, the Kido Butai commander, badly frustated to have let pass an opportunity to do heavy damage to the Allied fleet, hesitated again, this time to hit Suva with a bombardment by BB. Finally he decided to not do so and save shells for supporting the actual landing by bombarding just the day before. The KB received orders to sail 120 miles NE of Suva and Vals and Kates were ordered to fly naval attack only. More north the Yamato received orders to join the KB at full speed and two DD of her screen that had few fuel were detached to sail to Pago-Pago.

During the night, the SS USS Sargo saw the fleet arrive in this area but was unable to position herself for an attack. She dived to evade the escort and heard some time later another TF pass close by and one DD drop depth charges but was not hit. When the sun rose, Sargo’s commander saw just in front of his periscope a Japanese CV (the Soryu) and ordered at once to attack. A torpedo hit the CV… and failed to detonate. Five Japanese DD rushed to punish the attacker but didn’t find them.

Apparently the Allied warships had been replaced by submarines around Suva. Six were reported in the morning 120 miles east of Suva, where the KB was yesterday, 8 in the afternoon and finally twelve in the evening. Two, the S-43 and the Sealion, were hit by Japanese Vals and seaplanes both in the morning and the afternoon.

The Kido Butai only launched a raid, 19 Vals trying to find the TK still reported off Suva but returning without having found it. The Japanese CAP continued to score victories, shooting down 4 PBY, 2 B-25C and 1 LB-30 and losing an A6M2 during clashes with patrolling aircraft. In the morning 3 LB-30 escorted by 4 P-40E tried to attack but met 92 Zeroes and 8 Rufes and turned back after a bomber and an escort were shot down. In the afternoon, 3 LB-30 and 3 P-40E returned and this time 2 LB-30 and 1 P-40 were shot down, without loss for the CAP.

Tonight, a TF of 3 BB, 3 CA, 2 CL and 7 DD will bombard Suva, and then sail NE to join the KB 180 miles NE of Suva. The carriers will so probably evade new submarines attack, while continuing to chase them. The troop convoy are now sailing SE and the landings in Nandi and Suva will be done at the same time, in four days.

Solomons-New Guinea

Saidor was bombed both afternoons by 11 Hudson I from Port Moresby but suffered no damage.

A new Glen-carrying submarine, the I-31, refueled at Truk on the 1st and sailed south to patrol west of Noumea.

On the 2 the Hollandia Nells (that have recon orders without targets) decided to fly over New Guinea for once rather than over the islands north of Darwin. They took pictures of Lae, Salamaua and Buna. Three Wirraways were reported off this last base, probably CAP leaking from Port Moresby. One Wirraway crashed into a mountain while returning from this unsuccessful interception.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The 1st was a quiet day, the main event of the day being that Allied AA shot down a Nell from Hollandia flying one of the daily recons over Kai Island. Another patrol reported again 6 Allied “CA” off Darwin.

On the 2, Darwin sent in the morning 23 B-17E to attack the Japanese convoy unloading supplies off Amboina for two days. 15 Zeroes of F2/Ominato intercepted them and shot down 3 bombers for one loss but the bombers attacked four 3500-ton AK. One was hit once, one missed and the two other were heavily damaged by 3 and 4 bombs. These two won’t be saved and were ordered to continue unloading tomorrow. All other ships left in the evening for Palau.

Sumatra-Java

Japanese engineers expanded Palembang port to size 4 to accelerate ship loading there. The first day of the month saw also 6 destroyers of the Shiratsuyu class in the area receive orders to sail for Singapore for upgrading. A seventh one was ordered to Hong Kong. Also both CL damaged by Dutch CD guns off Soerabaja weeks ago finally left Pontaniak for Singapore, as they have no more FLT damage after all this time with two Ars assisting them.

On the 2 fifteen 1500-ton AP started to load the six ART units in Batavia to bring them to Luzon. The same day, TKs and AKs started to load oil and ressources in Soerabaja to bring them to Japan.

Burma

Pagan airfield was again bombed on the 1st by 78 Blenheim IV, 41 B-17E, 14 Il-4c, 12 Wellington III and 11 Hudson I from Dacca, under a strong escort of 40 P-40B of the AVG. They disabled 107 me, scored 9 hits on the base, 5 on supplies and 65 on the runway and destroyed the last five unserviceable Oscars left there by the 64 Sentai. None of the pilots were hit and they returned by car to Rangoon in the afternoon. The whole affair has seen the 64 Sentai lost 10 aircraft (8 on the ground and 2 in accidents) and one pilot, to shot down 4 Buffaloes. Not brillant, even by couiting the Allied operationnal losses suffered during the raids on Pagan. On the 1st a B-17E and a Blenheim IV crashed.

During the night of the 1st-2nd, 7 Blenheim IF from Akyab again missed Rangoon. After dawn, Pagan was again bombed by 78 Blenheim IV, 30 B-17E, 14 Il-4c, 11 Wellington III and 11 Hudson I escorted by 40 P-40B. They scored 7 hits on the base, 1 on supplies and 120 on runways, disabling 28 men, while losing a Blenheim and a B-17E in crashes. At the same time 26 Betties and 26 Ki-21 from Rangoon bombed Akyab under escort by 14 Oscars and 14 Zeroes, but scored only 1 hit on the base, 5 on supplies and 8 on runways, failing to hit any of the aircraft based here. This evening, all bombers again left Rangoon, where CAP was reinforced.

The Japanese deliberate attacks continued NE of Lashio and achieved a 66 to 1 ratio on the 1st (26 Japanese and 131 Chinese casualties) and 200 to 1 on the 2. The 22nd Chinese Div surrendered this day, leaving only the 29th to be reduced, and casualties were 65 Japanese and 1947 Chinese.

The 55th Div is still advancing toward Akyab and should reach it in one week. The SNLF ordered to occupy the jungle hex NE of the base will arrive around 5 days later, and the trail NW of the base will be cut by troops landed by a FT TF.

Allied engineers continued to expand airfields in Bengale, Diamond Harbor reaching size 3 on the 1st and Chandpur size 6 on the 2.

Philippines

Manila was still pounded by Japanese artillery (130 casualties in 2 days) and on the 2 by 83 Ki-21, 42 Ki-49 and 16 Betties from Clark Field that hit 85 men and 2 guns and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 19 on the runways. The 20th Div finished to disembark at Naga on the 1st and left for Manila the same day.

In the south the 81st PA Div at Cebu was bombed on the 2 by 30 Ki-27 from Davao and lost 8 men.

In the evening of the 2 the Betties left Clark Field for China. On the other hand two Ki-48 Sentai (in Palembang and Bangkok) were ordered to fly to Clark Field and will arrive in some days.

China

In two days, the Japanese shells hit 695 men and 3 guns in Kungchang. The 1st Chinese Tk Rgt was bombed by 92 fighters north of the road Yenen-Kungchang and lost 42 men. The 1st Chinese Cav Corps, that had been repulsed 120 miles SE of Kungchang, marched west and joined the two Chinese units on the road Sian-Kungchang south of this town.

In the south, Chinese artillery was again the winner in Wuchow, hitting 168 men and 7 guns in 2 days while only 14 Chinese were hit on the 1st and none on the 2nd.

Since the 1st there is no more Allied aircraft in China, maybe because of supply shortages. A new strategic offensive had been decided to exploit it and IJNAF bombers were ordered to gather in Wuhan, where 26 Zeroes were allready. 26 Nells and 26 Betties arrived on the 1st from Bangkok, on the 2 came 22 Nells from Rangoon and 19 Betties from Clark Field.

Japan

The HQ 17th Army was created in Tokyo. It joined the Noumea deception plan and began to prepare for this target (that I don’t plan to invade). And then boarded a convoy, together with five Naval Garrison units (all preparing for South Pacific Islands) to sail to Luzon and support the Manila attack.

A new AR was launched in Osaka and sailed to Okayama too to assist the repair of both CVs here. A convoy loaded 35 000 supplies in Kitakyushu for Palau.

PS: does anyone know if the SEAC Chinese divisions are respawned like other Chinese units ? And if the answer is yes, do they come back in Chungking or in Karachi ?

[Andy Mac]

Yup they respawn and in Karachi after 30 days if allocated to SEAC

Andy