Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42

The news of today is that Hawker moved back all his bombers from Mutakiang!...i haven't localized them yet, but one thing it's clear: he left 450 zeros at Mutakiang and now he's trying to sweep Vladivostok...but they were not able to find the target today[:D]

Nothing much changed. 1st Red Banner Army has been reinfoced with 2 more Arty rgts and one motorized Bde.

My Bombers keep on hitting his HI,Oil and Manpower at Hailar ( Manchuria) and at Ambonia.

Ducth Harbour has become the new most advanced submarines base ( 15 of them are based there). i'll soon start to threaten his northern lines[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/18/42


And so, with a late of 8 days, the japanese storm finally came over Vladivostok!

nearly 400 Zeros sweep the Russian skies over Vladivostok.
The battle was the fiercest one i've ever see. Russian fighters were outnumbered and outclassed by the superior enemy fighters, but our pilots fought bravely and the final result cannot be considered a real defeat. The kill ratio is something like 1.7-1 in jap's favor, so not that bad! 140 zeros have been destroyed and with them their precious, priceless crews.
In this battle the support given to the russian by the western allies was minimal ( only 8 wildcats took part into the battle), but more allied planes are assembling in the backlines. I've ready 48 Hurricanes, 16 Kittihawks, 24 p-40s, 32 Buffalos and more 24 wildcats, along with some more 350 russian fighters.
He won't be able to replace those losses and that's what really counts! Till now he has lost nearly 400 fighters over Vladivostok!
Russian isn't defeated, not yet!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Vladivostok , at 65,33

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 313
A6M3 Zero x 46

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
I-16 Type 24 x 45
MiG-3 x 72
LaGG-3 x 107
Yak-1 x 38

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 132 destroyed, 26 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 10 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 8 destroyed
I-16 Type 24: 33 destroyed
MiG-3: 70 destroyed
LaGG-3: 107 destroyed
Yak-1: 38 destroyed

[Gen.Hoepner]

.

[Ron Saueracker]

Glad to see the air model is at least as good as the land model.

[TheElf]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42

The news of today is that Hawker moved back all his bombers from Mutakiang!...i haven't localized them yet, but one thing it's clear: he left 450 zeros at Mutakiang and now he's trying to sweep Vladivostok...but they were not able to find the target today[:D]

Nothing much changed. 1st Red Banner Army has been reinfoced with 2 more Arty rgts and one motorized Bde.

My Bombers keep on hitting his HI,Oil and Manpower at Hailar ( Manchuria) and at Ambonia.

Ducth Harbour has become the new most advanced submarines base ( 15 of them are based there). i'll soon start to threaten his northern lines[8D]

Sounds like he underestimated the Soviet Air Force and has reevaluated his timeline. So...He packed every Zero he has into Mutanchiang in hopes of wearing you thin so he can begin tactical attacks against your LCUs. How do your A/C pools look?

If he has reconsidered his position in the South already, remembe what I said about end-arounds. Watch his LCUs like a hawk and be ready to move.

What does your position at Borzya look like? How many AV, Level Fort? Do you have anything at Iman and the other major bases along your suppl line to Irkutsk?

[TheElf]

G.H.,
How much would you like to see some Soviet Mine/Torpedo Air Regiments sporting the IL-4T? What about an IL-4T upgrade path to a torpedo capable A-20H?

Not to mention the rest of the VVSTOF fghter force? Would add another couple hundred fighter to your current force.

How are your air units EXP looking? are your replacements coming from the bottom of the barrel yet(20s-30s EXP)?

[Gen.Hoepner]

Sorry guys. I'm really really late. Got an meeting engagement for tonight[8D]

Just a couple of fast news:

-He sweeped Vladivostok again. Then 300 bombers hit the place. The base is temporary closed, but he paid a high price: see screenshot!

- Russian and western allies air forces are getting ready to fight back. The match isn't closed.

- Seems that he's not going for Vlad. His units will probably march towards the 1st Red Banner Army positions.

- Sosarbaja is falling fast[:(]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/19/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Soerabaja, at 23,66

Japanese Ships
DD Hayate
DD Harukaze
DD Yugiri
DD Asagiri
DD Isonami
DD Natsugumo
DD Tanikaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Urakaze
DD Akigumo
CL Kuma
CL Natori
CA Mogami
CA Atago
CA Chikuma
CA Tone
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
5449 casualties reported
Guns lost 56
Vehicles lost 6

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 66
Port hits 50
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 12

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Attu Island, at 91,35[:D][:)]

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Louisville
CA Pensacola
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico

Japanese ground losses:
503 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 16

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hailar , at 63,22[:D]

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 15
Wellington III x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 13

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Wellington III bombing at 10000 feet
9 x Wellington III bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 10000 feet
6 x Wellington III bombing at 10000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66[:(]

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 63
Ki-48 Lily x 106
Ki-46-II Dinah x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 48

Aircraft Attacking:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amboina , at 40,74[:D]


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
LB-30 Liberator x 36


No Allied losses

Oil hits 27

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Vladivostok , at 65,33[X(]

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 216
A6M3 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
I-16 Type 24 x 41
MiG-3 x 109
LaGG-3 x 51
Yak-1 x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 108 destroyed[:D][8D]
A6M3 Zero: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
I-16 Type 24: 37 destroyed
MiG-3: 89 destroyed
LaGG-3: 43 destroyed
Yak-1: 6 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Vladivostok , at 65,33[:@]

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 249
Ki-49 Helen x 52

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2
MiG-3 x 20
LaGG-3 x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 23 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
MiG-3: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
LaGG-3: 16 destroyed
Yak-1: 4 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
288 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Airbase hits 41
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 142

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja[:@][:(]

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 286756 troops, 2195 guns, 619 vehicles

Defending force 71472 troops, 388 guns, 435 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 6

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 6)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 6


Japanese ground losses:
6176 casualties reported
Guns lost 64
Vehicles lost 18

Allied ground losses:
2717 casualties reported
Guns lost 99
Vehicles lost 13

[Gen.Hoepner]

.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/20-21/42

Two difficult days for the allies.

On the 20th More 250 zeros sweeped Vladivostok, finding it empty. Then came the usual wave of 300 medium bombers that dropped their loads on the Russian city.
On the 21st Japanese Air Force decided to hit the other main target in the area: the naval base of Nakhodka. 122 I-16s took off to meet 250 zeros. The battle again was a fierce one. Despite beeing overnumbered and outclassed by the superior japanese fighters, russian pilots managed to obtain a good kill ratio ( 2-1 in his favour). But when the wave of bombers came the skies were emptied and more 60 russian planes were destroyed on the ground. The day ended with an overall kill ratio of 3-1 in Japan's favour.
Now the two southern bases are undefended, but Japan paid a high price in terms of pilots for these 4 days of battle: it started with 350 crack zero pilots and now more than 200 have gone over the russian skies!
Russia lost quite much equipment too, but my losses are recoverable ( even if my pools are empty) and it's still a long way before Russia can give up!

In The meanwhile Russian and Allied bombers have completely destroyed the industrial city of Tsitsihar, and are now targetting Harbin, with his critical industrial center.

His land forces are massing for the final attack. I still believe he will try to clean his left flank, where the 1st banner Army is occupying the strategic wooden hills.

Everything is still on the edge. It's also sure that the zeros have numbers and quality to win the aerial battle, but it's also clear that he cannot sustain these ratio of losses for long time. I haven't started to use my bombers against his AFs yet. He will have to use his bombers to hit my LCUs and so my bases won't be closed forever[;)].

Don't cry allied fanboys!Hoepner isn't dead! Not Yet!

BANZAI!!![:D]


Oh, frgot to say. At Sosarbaja on the 20th we managed to stop his series of attacks. 0-1 with no forts going down....few more days gained[8D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Nakhodka , at 66,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 206
A6M3 Zero x 39
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1

Allied aircraft
I-16 Type 24 x 122

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 48 destroyed, 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-16 Type 24: 97 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Nakhodka , at 66,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 235
Ki-49 Helen x 42

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
I-16 Type 24: 29 destroyed
Beaufort I: 4 destroyed
PBY Catalina: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 100

[Gen.Hoepner]

.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: TheElf

Sounds like he underestimated the Soviet Air Force and has reevaluated his timeline. So...He packed every Zero he has into Mutanchiang in hopes of wearing you thin so he can begin tactical attacks against your LCUs. How do your A/C pools look?

If he has reconsidered his position in the South already, remembe what I said about end-arounds. Watch his LCUs like a hawk and be ready to move.

What does your position at Borzya look like? How many AV, Level Fort? Do you have anything at Iman and the other major bases along your suppl line to Irkutsk?

My Russian A/C pool is empty, but i still have 400 fighters spread around my back bases.

Yes Elf, i've left at Borzya the entire 2nd Red Banner Army. There are 1300 APs there and at least one infantry unit in every base along my supply line. However i've watched the borders carefully: Hawker has nothing there for the moment. I don't see any threat for the present at my back!

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: TheElf

G.H.,
How much would you like to see some Soviet Mine/Torpedo Air Regiments sporting the IL-4T? What about an IL-4T upgrade path to a torpedo capable A-20H?

Not to mention the rest of the VVSTOF fghter force? Would add another couple hundred fighter to your current force.

How are your air units EXP looking? are your replacements coming from the bottom of the barrel yet(20s-30s EXP)?

How much?[:D] a lot....

The exp of my russian units is somewhere between 55 and 60, speaking about average.
The pilot pool is empty but i also have no planes, so the problem doesn't really exist[:@]

Anyway, time will tell if my strategy has been right or wrong. I'm still confident

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/22/42

Another day of IJAF and IJNAF dominion in the skies of Southern Russia. Vladivostok, undefended, is hit again heavily by 300 sallies and helens, while zeros and oscars/nates sweep the skies.
I will need some time to recover my air units.
Anyway he's not moved yet into Vladivostok with his army. I keep on moving my units on the 3 further defensive positions( dividing them,combining and moving up and down on the railway), so to scrumble a bit his recon[;)].

In Java another combo of air and sea bombardment, along with a deliberate attack managed to obtain a 2-1 ratio, with forts crumbling down[:(]

In China we're pushing the japs on their starting positions. he's clearly trying to shorten his front, so to be able to mass again his units.
Today we attacked and pushed back 1 jap division and 1 jap bde from the road that leads to Ichang. This will enable me to threaten hi main logistical center ( hankow).

I gotta go out now. More news tonight probably.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Soerabaja, at 23,66

Japanese Ships
DD Hayate
DD Harukaze
DD Yugiri
DD Asagiri
DD Isonami
DD Natsugumo
DD Tanikaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Urakaze
DD Akigumo
CL Kuma
CL Natori
CA Mogami
CA Atago
CA Chikuma
CA Tone
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
4862 casualties reported
Guns lost 103
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 79
Port hits 42
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 53
Ki-48 Lily x 120
Ki-46-II Dinah x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 89


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Vladivostok , at 65,33

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 227
Ki-49 Helen x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 23 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 6 damaged


Allied ground losses:
209 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 186

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 282818 troops, 2086 guns, 574 vehicles

Defending force 65036 troops, 315 guns, 429 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 6)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5


Japanese ground losses:
3588 casualties reported
Guns lost 74
Vehicles lost 9

Allied ground losses:
4881 casualties reported
Guns lost 50
Vehicles lost 11



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,34

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 73586 troops, 534 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 23421 troops, 255 guns, 6 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
635 casualties reported
Guns lost 31
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
683 casualties reported
Guns lost 21


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/24/42

Another day of great battles in Russia!
Today the allies fought back. The united allied command decided to inflict some losses to the dreaded zeros based at Mutakiang. The weather was good enough and two waves of bombings have been ordered. Escort was light cause i'm missing planes with decent range.
Anyway, the first wave of bombers was composed by the Russian Pe-2s. Nearly 120 of them tried to get through a 150 zeros CAP...they have been slaughtered, but my escort scored some good hits, shooting down 35 zeros. Then arrived the second wave composed by british and american bombers. The CAP was tired enough and my losses were not that terrible. More 100 zeros were destroyed!
Overall losses are 1-1 ratio ( 140-140) which is a great result for us!
His zeros have suffered tremendous losses in this campaign and i showed him with this last raid that i still have nails to inflict contest his dominion of the skies!

But another news broke the silence of the radio signals....

look at this:
SIG INT REPORT 05/24/42

52nd Division is loaded on AP,Nichiro Maru at Tokyo.

You know what it means right?
He spent PPs to change the Hq of the 52nd.....and this unit is now loaded on transports...there are 2 possible destinations: China or Russia. If he wants to land in Russia anywhere he's gonna find me ready!


Anyway, he has not moved his main russian army yet. I'm quite sure he's gonna hit my 1st banner army.

While my BBs keep on hitting Attu Island, preparing the way for the upcomming invasion, Sosarbaja holds his ground and liberators from Darwin, after having destroyed completely Ambonia, started to hit Koepang.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Attu Island, at 91,35

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CLAA Atlanta
CA Vincennes
BB Idaho
CA Louisville
CA Pensacola
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico

Japanese ground losses:
404 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 35
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mutankiang , at 64,31

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 125
A6M3 Zero x 22

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Kittyhawk I x 16
P-40E Warhawk x 20
MiG-3 x 3
Pe-2 x 119
R-12 x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 32 destroyed, 32 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 13 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 19 destroyed
MiG-3: 3 destroyed
Pe-2: 38 destroyed, 43 damaged
R-12: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 10

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Pe-2 bombing at 10000 feet
9 x Pe-2 bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Pe-2 bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mutankiang , at 64,31

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 96
A6M3 Zero x 21

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 16
Wellington III x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 63
B-26B Marauder x 37
B-17E Fortress x 59

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 43 destroyed, 10 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 16 destroyed
Wellington III: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 9 destroyed, 19 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 3 destroyed, 19 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
271 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 90



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 29,77


Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 46


Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 28


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Nakhodka , at 66,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 213
Ki-49 Helen x 43

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort I: 1 destroyed
PBY Catalina: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 135

[Gen.Hoepner]

.the second wave

[Gen.Hoepner]

the air losses of today

[Gen.Hoepner]

The air losses look good to me. Till now he hasn't even reached a total 2-1 kill ratio. These numbers are probably going to compensate the cruel loss in naval points i had during the Java campaign.
Now i just need to start hurting his bombers...

Anyway, i'm getting reay to launch 3 different offensive during the summer/autumn 1942.
The first one will be directed to Attu Island and the Aleutinas. CVs and BBs along with some strategic bombers, will support the landing of 5 American Regiments.
The second offensive will be carried on in China. The idea is to push his center back and force him to call back some units from Russia/Manchuria.
The third will be in Southern DEI. The re-conquest of Koepang and the advance of my offensive perimeter in the area of Timor.

It's clear that everything will depend on how he's going to use his KB.....and those 350,000 men involved in Java...

[&:]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/25/42

A very quiet day. Nothing much happened. The only news is that it seems that he moved back at least half of his zeros from Mutakiang's AF ( which hasn't been repaired yet). He keep on maintaining his positions N-W of Vladivostok. Do not understand what is he waiting for. Probably collecting some more units for the final attack.
Anyway, every day that passes by without a japanese victory is a day gained for the allies.

At Sosarbaja the usual naval-air combo open the door for another succesfull deliberate attack.forts down to 4 and thousands of casualities.

The flow of supplies, fuel and men from SF to everywhere proceeds smoothly. With the japanese heavily involved in 3 fronts ( China, Russia and Java) my supply lines are more than safe.

Our Wellingtons managed to badly damage two AKs: the first one near Tavoy ( Burma ) , the second one near Sikka Island ( Japan )



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Soerabaja, at 23,66

Japanese Ships
DD Hayate
DD Harukaze
DD Yugiri
DD Asagiri
DD Isonami
DD Natsugumo
DD Tanikaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Urakaze
DD Akigumo
CL Kuma
CL Natori
CA Mogami
CA Atago
CA Chikuma
CA Tone
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
4914 casualties reported
Guns lost 82
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 89
Port hits 18
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 7


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 281388 troops, 2030 guns, 540 vehicles

Defending force 59519 troops, 256 guns, 426 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 5)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4


Japanese ground losses:
4358 casualties reported
Guns lost 50
Vehicles lost 9

Allied ground losses:
3721 casualties reported
Guns lost 47
Vehicles lost 4

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/26/42

Zeros appeared suddenly in mid sumatra for training mission ( strafing empty base of Jambi) from Singa. My attrition war has done its job[8D].
In fact today we ordered to a squadron of SB-2 to taste the japanese concentration North of Vladivostok. The russian bombers were escorted by a couple of Kittihawks. They found nearly 60 japanese fighters on LRCAP from Mutakiang, but none of them was a zero!
Nates and oscars didn't even manage to get through my light escort and achieved a miserable 1-4 in A2A in my favour[8D].
Today air losses are 10-18 in my favour...finally the odds are coming on my side[;)].

Sosarbaja is doomed. 2-1 achieved today by the japanese.

Noticed a strange concentration of units ( 8) at Tsihiar ( middle Manchuria)....does this mean he's moving troops to threaten my russian supply lines?? Gotta be carefull and pay attention!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 277952 troops, 1958 guns, 539 vehicles

Defending force 56738 troops, 211 guns, 419 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
3668 casualties reported
Guns lost 40
Vehicles lost 15

Allied ground losses:
3819 casualties reported
Guns lost 55
Vehicles lost 12

[Gen.Hoepner]

the score