Fear and loathing - Japanese style

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Speedy, I made the same reflexion as yours, and then saw the last TF of the list. 4 CV, 264 AC... should be enough.

On the other hand, I think that the ground troops will not be sufficient. IJNAF troops have no combat engineer and no big gun and at an equal assault point value are far less efficient for invading bases.

Roger. Good spot Laurent. Air wise looks ok now.

Regards,

Steven

[fabertong]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

Taking Ichang looks like a very good move, it puts both Chunking and Sian in jeopardy. Very nice!

[:)]

Gary

Thanks Gary....my main concern in China is where Tom's......40+ combat units have gone....they marched into the Interior of the country...when and where will they re-appear.....I don't have enough air recon units to scour the whole country, so I'm groaping in the dark a bit......

[scott64]

David has kindly let me borrow fighters so my bombers can close Palembang's airfield. I am currently airlifting units to Jambi for their march to Palembang.[X(]

[AdmNelson]

Speedy, I made the same reflexion as yours, and then saw the last TF of the list. 4 CV, 264 AC... should be enough.

On the other hand, I think that the ground troops will not be sufficient. IJNAF troops have no combat engineer and no big gun and at an equal assault point value are far less efficient for invading bases.

I rethought Operation " Flea Flicker" and retargeted it on Port Moresby. With addition of SED and the 1st Mixed Brigade it will give over 900 Aps on the attack-- all units were targeted for PM any way. This operation was planned for change if necessary, hence the name Flea Flicker. There will be bombardment group of 1 BB hitting Luganville in the next turn with LRcap of over 50 zeros. This is to a demostration to gage hao the Americans will react. Amiral Laurent comment on lack of ground troopers did give thought on this. I have been pounding PM for almost a month with min 40bombers per day and sometimes as many as 80-90. I have set up a rotation at Truk to allow air groups to recover. In the rotations is almost 200 level bombers.

[fabertong]

I think Lew is right to change the target for operation "Flea Flicker"....as he pointed out in an e-mail....the other option was likely to cost us more in the way of air losses....and our air losses are already massive......we have run out of planes to put our untrained pilots into.........DEATH TO PORT MORESBY

[fabertong]

Here is Scott's Palambang Op....I don't know the full OOB but the 18th div....and the 4th Mixed Brig.....are leading the way...I've stripped Burma of all my air units (Except 1 sqdrn at rangoon) to support this Op. there are lots of allied air assets at Palambang. This op looks to take a month or so......we are also short of transports....so I'll be looking to round some up from China.....to speed up the airlift......soon Manila will fall then all eyes will be on Java.......

[fabertong]

Another bad day over Singapore....our air losses are a big concern.

[AdmNelson]

The following maps will show Operation " Flea Flicker". Hopefully I have kept the Allies eyes on Luganville and Noumea enough to land and assault Port Moresby. My one fear is if the Allies would have able to reinforce PM with an Aussie Div. I do exspect to see a brigade or two. Intel is showing 20,000 troops how many are aux I don't know. We will be landing tomorrow 2, May, 1942. I have been hammering PM by air for almost 3-4 weeks solid. THe first surface bombardment TF will have 3 BBs and 1 CA plus DDs, the second is 4 CAs plus a bunch of DDs. I will be flying LRcap over PM from LAE with 54 A6M3 with over 80exp on both air groups-- the balance of fighters with cap LAE or fly escort for the LB form LAE.

[AdmNelson]

Noumea base and TFS --- to force the Americans to cap Noumea I sent a strike of Betties against Noumea and surprisingly found the CL Perth and put 5 bombs into her.

Day Air attack on Noumea , at 68,113

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 37

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10----- NEED MORE FIGHTERS TO CAP NOUMEA
P-39D Airacobra x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Perth, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage----- SURPRISE
DD Le Triomphant, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage---- SURPRISEDD Helm, Bomb hits 1, on fire

[AdmNelson]

Assault on Port Moresby is on-- units have landed. Operation " Flea Flicker" hopefully has been a surprise to the Allies in size and scope.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/01/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 53,91 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 4 destroyed
Beaufort V-IX: 3 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

48 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Tsuga
DD Kuri
DD Hokaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Matsukaze, Shell hits 17, on fire, heavy damage( not good)
DD Minazuki
DD Akebono
DD Ariake
CL Kiso
CL Tama, Shell hits 1
CA Maya
BB Hyuga
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso


Allied ground losses:
3494 casualties reported (this is Nice)Guns lost 90
Vehicles lost 6

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 196Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

The battle will be intense--

A side note must have gotten the South Pacific commanders notice since he launched a large 4E air raid on Lunga after the Airstrike on Noumea that 5 bomb hits in the Perth

[AdmNelson]

A quick update- Port Moresby-- Finally launched the first attack after the 1st Mixed Brigade and SED unloaded completely. Odds were 2-1 and forts reduced from 4 to 3. I will wait another day or two and recover to a level to attack again. Bombers from NE OZ are attacking the transports daily and tomorrow all 100 fighters from Lae will fly LRcap over PM. Haven't lost too APS yet to air attacks, but some are heavily damaged. Alot of th air attacks are now 3-6 planes form 4E bombers plus Hudsons. IJN and IJA ground units now are over 830 APs in strenght. Supplies must be tight have been shooting air tranports flying in supply and last turn shoot down B-25s doing the same.

Manila-- First attack in awhile. The 38th Div finally was on the scence and lead the attack. Odds 2-1 and forts reduced from 6 to 5 --- 30Anns have been hitting the port supply for a month now and the port damage due to recon shows damage is not being repaired. Again I will rest for a couple of days and attack again

[fabertong]

14 May 1942...........

PORT MORSBY HAS FALLEN.........more reports later..............

[fabertong]

As you can see from above, Lews' Operation "Fleaflicker" was a success. The main assualt troops are on their way back for a bit of RnR before the next Op.........KB will I think be returning to the Home Islands before joining the upcoming Java Op.........Manila will fall(i think) in the next two weeks......Scott is closing on Palambang......I've begun planning for the future defence of Burma, I think Tom will Attack in the fall....so I'd best get Prep'd....will post a map and thoughts later......China is all about supply...my bombing campaign and the Para raid on one of his resource centers has left him low on supply(I think)......so I'll continue to bomb the H*ll out of Wuchow.......will also post a map later.......

[fabertong]

Map as promised.....

[rtrapasso]

fabertong - i had no idea how important you are!! There are pictures of you reviewing the troops posted on the internet:

EDIT: Apparently, perennial IJN player PzB arranged the review of Norwegian troops as a courtesy for another IJN player. Awfully good of him!!!

[fabertong]

I try to keep a low profile about my day job as Minister of Everything Important Ever for the EU...........

[fabertong]

20th May 1942

Manila falls after six month siege.........
66,000 allied troops head for local hotels, as our guests for the duration......
New daily flights open for eager Japanese tourists........
AdmNelson(Lew) has been given the freedom of the city as the greatful people of the Phils..... find freedom after the Yoke of the Yankee Imperialists........

Banzai......

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: fabertong

20th May 1942

Manila falls after six month siege.........
66,000 allied troops head for local hotels, as our guests for the duration......
New daily flights open for eager Japanese tourists........
AdmNelson(Lew) has been given the freedom of the city as the greatful people of the Phils..... find freedom after the Yoke of the Yankee Imperialists........

Banzai......

Poster seen in Manilla:

[scott64]

[:'(][:D]

[fabertong]

23rd May 1942.......

Not much to report today...... except that I lost 16,000 men in a frontal attack on Yenen......having in other PBEMs recreated Midway and the great marianas turkey shoot......I continue my great disaster series with Pickett's charge.......if Tom doesn't counter and push me back from Yenen......I'll flank to the north...and join my forces at Sinning......time consuming....but not troop consuming.......
Elsewhere Scott has invested Palambang....two Aussie brigades + some Dutch.....so a bit of a fight on his hands......
Lew is finishing off the last remaining troops in the Phils......

SEND MORE MEN....I'M RUNNING OUT.[X(]