AAR: Istfemer (A) vs zeke99 (J)

[lecrop]

Amazing aar, thanks [:)]

[Hattori Hanzo]

a very quiet December.. [8D]

[Istfemer]

Situation on 12/27/42
---
Year 1942 draws to an end, but our Pacific War continues on. Japanese have shown no sings of surrender so far. They really should reconsider and show some already.

CBI:
Air bombing campaign at Rangoon.
Japanese ground losses: 6 squads, 12 arty, 4 afvs. Supply depot sustained Moderate and HEAVY damage.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 8 squads, 17 arty, 2 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 18 arty, 9 afvs.

Those Japanese bombs do hurt. Unfortunately, I don't have many good options in Australia at this time. The better options I have here are "dig in" and "endure".
The best option is, of course, "overwhelm them, crush them and force them to retreat", but that one has proven hard to execute.

Since routine convoys' effectiveness has been reduced, Australia and China-Burma-India theatres are not getting as many supplies as they used to. And that concerns me.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 4 Japanese merchants. That's too few. I blame faulty torpedoes.
1 Allied submarine (Gato-class) was sunk southwest of Nagoya. That was a rookie sub, fresh from San Francisco.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 1/3/43
---
CBI:
Air bombing campaign at Rangoon.
Japanese ground losses: 6 squads, 8 arty, 2 afvs.

Things are warming up: Commonwealth forces have landed on Andaman I. All approaches to India are now covered by friendly aircraft.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 10 squads, 19 arty.
Allied ground losses: 7 squads, 23 arty, 5 afvs.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 6 Japanese merchants, 1 tanker and 1 DE.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 1/10/43
Marshall Islands, here I come.
---
CBI:
Air bombing campaign at Rangoon.
Japanese ground losses: 2 squads, 10 arty. Oil industry sustained light damage; supply depot sustained Moderate damage.
Japanese Zeroes and Bettys attacked Andaman I. from Medan; F4U-1 Corsairs intercepted. Air losses: 12 fighters, 10 bombers for Japanese, 7 fighters for Allies.
Afterwards, numerous hostile fighters tried to weaken my fighter cover over Andaman I. Air losses: Zeke lost 31 A6M2 Zeroes, while I lost 36 Corsairs.

In China, two massive waves of Hayabusas (161 and 128 planes in each, respectively) hit Kunming. Both times the enemy planes got past Corsairs and did light damage to Kunming supply depot. Corsairs couldn't stop them all, unfortunately. In addition to those two bombing waves Hayabusas performed two fighter sweeps over Kunming. Total air losses: Zeke lost 13 Ki-43s and 4 Ki-43-IIs, while I lost 29 Corsairs.

A squadron of Corsairs from Chungking showed initiative and bombed the Japanese troops sitting near Kweilen. 5 afvs destroyed.
Wow, I didn't know that pure fighters with 0 bomb load were capable of such a thing. I suspect Chiang Kai-shek himself might've been involved.[8D]

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 7 squads, 13 arty.
Allied ground losses: 12 squads, 30 arty, 13 afvs.

Pretty high losses for Allied land units this week, but we'll just have to endure them.
I'm paying little attention to the Australian theatre at the moment, because...

Central Pacific:
Something is up in the Central Pacific. Allies sent several amphibious tfs together with some surface and air tfs in the general direction of the Marshall Islands.
Perhaps the Allies want to land their troops somewhere nearby? Yes, yes we do. Details in the next post.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 4 Japanese merchants.

[Capt. Harlock]

Japanese ground losses: 2 squads, 10 arty. Oil industry sustained light damage; supply depot sustained Moderate damage.
Japanese Zeroes and Bettys attacked Andaman I. from Medan; F4U-1 Corsairs intercepted. Air losses: 12 fighters, 10 bombers for Japanese, 7 fighters for Allies.
Afterwards, numerous hostile fighters tried to weaken my fighter cover over Andaman I. Air losses: Zeke lost 31 A6M2 Zeroes, while I lost 36 Corsairs.

In China, two massive waves of Hayabusas (161 and 128 planes in each, respectively) hit Kunming. Both times the enemy planes got past Corsairs and did light damage to Kunming supply depot. Corsairs couldn't stop them all, unfortunately. In addition to those two bombing waves Hayabusas performed two fighter sweeps over Kunming. Total air losses: Zeke lost 13 Ki-43s and 4 Ki-43-IIs, while I lost 29 Corsairs.

Wow -- Corsairs are supposed to do better than that. I'm guessing his pilots are more experienced than yours.

[Istfemer]

Wow -- Corsairs are supposed to do better than that. I'm guessing his pilots are more experienced than yours.

This is definitely the case.
Experience of Corsairs on Andaman was in the high 70s. Experience of Corsairs at Kunming was in the low 70s.
I suspect that most of Zeke's airforce is at 85 Exp by now. Exceptions to these are aircraft that are or were active in Australia or CBI.
Their experience is probably in the low 90s by now.

Not surprising, considering what they've been up to all this time: prolonged bombing of Fiji and Nauru, Santa Cruz, Efate etc supply depots; unopposed operations in China; continuing airstrikes on my forces at Townsville.

[Istfemer]

### The Marshall Islands Campaign ###
Will I kick the Japs out OR will I be kicked out myself? We shall see.

1. Battleship TF commanded by Rear Adm Merrill [3 BBs, 5 CAs, 2 CLs, several DDs] bombards Maloelap.
2. Turner blows his leadership roll (how dare you!) and command of amphibious landing shifts to Admiral Nimitz.
1st Marine Division, now under Nimitz's direct command, assaults Maloelap. Odds 50. Maloelap SBF (JN) ELIMINATED. 1st Marine Division has captured Maloelap. Good job!
1st Marine Division lost 9 squads, 2 arty and 1 afv. Maloelap SBF lost 78 squads, 16 arty and 5 afvs, not counting losses from shore bombardment.
3. Transport TF 67 commanded by Rear Adm Wilkinson, coming all the way from American Samoa, reaches Jaluit and immediately comes under Japanese airstrikes.
Ki-43s and Ki-48s score 4 hits on an AMC ship (minor damage) and lose 4 fighters.
Rear Adm Wilkinson blows his leadership roll and command of amphibious landing shifts to Lt Gen DeWitt (chief of SW Pacific). 2nd Def Batallion captures the empty base.
4. Another Transport TF comes to Maloelap, evading ONE sub attack (on x2 Bogue CVEs) on its way and delivers supplies + 2 aircraft squadrons.
5. Carrier TF commanded by Vice Adm Mitscher comes within 3 squares of Kwajalein, evading TWO sub attacks and attacks the atoll.
Performance is poor. Several Ki-43s manage to evade Wildcats and shoot down several SBDs and TBFs. Disappointing.
Japanese planes counterattack and this time my fighters perform much, much better. They down every hostile plane.
6. Transport TF 66 commanded by Rear Adm Callaghan, coming from Johnston I. (like nearly all other TFs of mine do), speeds to Wotje.
Before reaching Wotje, it manages to evade at least THREE sub attacks. When TF 66 reaches the atoll, it immediately comes under Japanese airstrikes.
Ki-46 bombers don't score any hits on my ships. Four of them are destroyed by flak fire. 16th Def Batallion captures the empty base.
7. Amphibious landing on Wake doesn't go as well as others. The 40th Inf Division and an engineer unit (11 Corps Engineers) land but do not succeed in capturing the base. Odds 1,0,1,0. At the end-of-turn, the 40th Inf Division boards the waiting transports. Barbey's decision is not to move his TF anywhere and simply stay near Wake. The 11 Corps Engineers unit, on the other hand, is to remain on Wake. Weirdness...
Apparently, neither the engineers nor their commander Barbey heard about the atoll combat rule. [:)]
Death toll of battles on Wake atoll: Allies lost 125 squads, 16 arty; Japanese lost 29 squads.
8. One more Transport TF carrying supplies gets stuck 2 squares east of Maloelap. Ran out of movement points.

Whew. Success? Remains to be seen.

Maloelap has a level 4 airfield and it's mine now. Wotje and Jaluit both have level 1 airfields. So they aren't much use for me right now.
Kwajalein, 4 squares northwest of Maloelap, is another AF 4 base. Ponape further west is an AF 4 base as well.
Wake and Eniwetok are AF 2 bases. Nauru, Makin and Tarawa --- all three have level 1 airfields.

My ships evaded 6 sub attacks. Escorts performed wonderfully.
It has been long time since any Allied convoys were sunk. Zeke apparently made a decision early in the war to use most of his submarine assets exclusively against Allied [s]surface[/s] warships, in accordance with the official Japanese doctrine. So historical of him. [:)]
---

Would you look at those Japs. 99 experience and only 17 squads left.

[zeke99]

"It has been long time since any Allied convoys were sunk. Zeke apparently made a decision early in the war to use most of his submarine assets exclusively against Allied surface ships, in accordance with the official Japanese doctrine. So historical of him. "

Not really, the I subs simply failed to find the convoys. R-type subs were on defensive positions due to their low range and also fails [:(]

[Istfemer]

Situation on 1/17/43
---
CBI:
Air bombing campaign at Rangoon.
Japanese ground losses: 2 squads, 2 arty. Nothing exciting.

Air war over Kunming.
Losses: 28 F4U-1 Corsairs for Allies; 21 Ki-43-IIs, 11 Ki-43 Hayabusas for Japanese. My supply depot suffered damage again. Grrr.

Kweilen. Corsairs from Chungking did their trick again. This time they destroyed 4 enemy afvs.
FYI, there are 3 Japanese divisions sitting at Kweilen's gates. They haven't done any knocking yet.
I don't complain. It's the Jap bombers who usually do the knocking, anyway. They do it almost constantly, actually.

Air war over Andaman.
Losses: 30 F4U-1 Corsairs for Allies; 43 A6M2 Reisens for Japanese.

Calcutta-Andaman. Surface TF of Vice Adm Phillips failed to react to 2 enemy Surface TFs that were sent to Andaman.
Takasu and Kondo arrived in Andaman, noticed the lack of Allied ships in the vicinity, frowned and ordered shore bombardment.
Oh, the number of times I saw the words "MASSIVE disruption" flash on the screen... Too many to count. Japanese SCTFs did their deed and retired.
Later this week, Phillips' Surface TF arrived in Andaman unchallenged (not counting 1 failed torpedo attack on Warspite from the underwater Japs) and delivered critical supplies to the battered garrison.

I should add that there also were 2 enemy Cargo/Transport TFs that came to Andaman, lingered there for a while and retired without accomplishing anything. Phillips's SCTF failed to react to them too, naturally. It remains to be determined what those two TFs were trying to achieve at Andaman. Right now it is something of a mystery to me.
Hmmm... what could it be? Wrong attitude (all-around incompetent wuss in charge of operations)? Wrong orders (sightseeing and photography instead of a scheduled amphibious invasion)? Wrong cargo (untrained monkeys and fresh bananas instead of Japanese marines and military supplies on board)? Or maybe it's just Zeke messing with my brain. [;)]

update & correction: I can confirm that Zeke is indeed messing with my brain. Those two Cargo/Transport TFs were not supposed to approach Andaman and they didn't.
I was given wrong intel. Those two TFs I misidentified as Cargo/Transport turned out to be Air Combat TFs. One had 4 carriers in it. They didn't attack --- which can only mean that they were waiting for my ships. Wow.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 10 squads, 19 arty, 1 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 6 squads, 25 arty, 14 afvs.

Central Pacific:
We did fine, I guess. Details in the next post.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 7 Japanese merchants.
Catalinas sank 1 Japanese sub northeast of Kwajalein.
We lost 1 8000t Cargo near Wake when an unescorted Cargo TF that was returning to Midway got ambushed. Enemy subs executed 3 successful attacks out of 5.
Finally, we lost x2 Bogue CVEs to a surprise sub attack. I thought the Bogues would make it through to Wake intact. I was proven wrong.

[Istfemer]

Amphibious operations continue in the Central Pacific region, centered on the Marshall Islands.

1. Surface Combat TF under command of Vice Adm Lee bombards Kwajalein and destroys some Ki-48s and Ki-43s. The Mai 2nd Batallion suffers MASSIVE and light disruption, and loses 2 arty, 3 afvs.

2. Transport TF 67 [4 Clemson DDs, 9 EC2 Liberties] carrying supplies to Jaluit is attacked by Jap aircraft. Hostile planes from Kwajalein strafe and hurl 250 kg. bombs at our precious/expendable Liberty cargo ships. 1 EC2 Liberty is sunk.

3. Mitscher's Carrier TF attacks Kwajalein airfield.
Losses: 7 fighters, 3 bombers for Allies vs. 9 Ki-43s, 8 Ki-48s in the air and 9 Ki-48s on the ground for Japanese.

4. Transport TF 60 [1 Benham DD, 12 Henderson APs] carrying supplies to Maloelap delivers them without any troubles.

5. Transport TF 69 [3 Bristol DDs, 13 EC2 Liberties] also delivers supplies without any troubles, except it does so to Wotje.

6. Transport TF 70, which includes x2 Bogue CVEs and an AV (all loaded with aircraft), sails to Wake. Unfortunately, it stumbles into a well-planned ambush soon after it leaves port. Japanese subs make only two attacks, but both hit home (two 5*****s from Type 95.m1 torpedoes). One CVE sinks outright. The other CVE demonstrates remarkable feats of damage control in spite of being mortally wounded.
Wait for it. Not only will this mortally holed ship sail all the way from Wotje to Wake (6 hexes, over 600 nautical miles), this CVE will also sit through all amphibious action at Wake, successfully unload a TBF Avenger squadron on Wake and sink a full day later. Simply amazing.

7. Bombardment TF 52 [CL Montpelier, 10 DDs] under command of Rear Adm Merrill bombards Wake, further reducing the garrison's capability to resist.

8. Transport TF 53 [9 Empress APs], commanded by Turner and carrying the 13th Canadian Brigade + loads of supplies, sails to Wake and unloads them on the atoll's beaches. Combat ensues. 4 attempts are made.
For reasons unknown, British Vice Admiral J. Somervile usurps command of the amphibious invasion from American Vice Admiral R. Turner, thus endangering the whole operation! This is bound to cause tensions between two Allied nations, regardless of the invasion's outcome.
### Vice Adm Somervile vs. Lt Gen Iida
Odds 0. Allies lose 4 squads.
### Vice Adm Somervile vs. General Terauchi
Odds 0. Allies lose 3 squads.
### Vice Adm Somervile vs. Lt Gen Iida
Odds 0. Allies lose 10 squads; Japanese lose 3.
### Vice Adm Somervile vs. General Terauchi
Odds 0. Allies lose 4 squads and 4 arty. Not very good results. The price of Somervile's blunder.

9. Transport TF 61 [12 8000t cargo ships] carrying vital supplies sails to Wake and unloads them all onto the beachhead.

10. The leaderless Transport TF 64 [CLs Detroit and Richmond, 7 DDs, 18 Henderson APs and 13 8000t cargo ships] carrying the 40th US Inf Div and supplies that were not unloaded during the last week's operations, for some reason, doesn't sail to Wake as it is there already. It simply unloads its division and resupplies every friendly on the beach. Combat ensues.
### Admiral Nimitz vs. Lt Gen Iida
Odds 8. Success! The 4/48th Inf Batallion is ELIMINATED. Nimitz saves the day again.
Allies lost 40 squads, 5 arty and 1 afv. Japanese lost 14 squads and 6 arty. Strange, but I didn't get the notification about Iida committing sepukku. Could it be that he wasn't the local commander at Wake?

11. Transport TF 63 [3 Sims DDs and 3 Cimarron oilers] unloads fuel at Wake. Freshly captured Wake needs fuel and supplies.
TF 70 unloads its aircraft while the poor Bogue CVE I told you about earlier slowly lists and finally capsizes. Too bad it couldn't be grounded somehow.

G4M Hamaki bombers from Truk attack Lee's SCTF and hit one CA with a 250 kg. bomb for superficial damage.
Lastly, the Lightning and Marauder squadrons from Maloelap make a raid on Kwajalein airfield. We lose 4 P38Gs for 4 Japanese Ki-43 shot down. No aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Presumably, every Jap plane on the ground that could ever fly is already a burning wreck beyond repair.
---

I get the feeling that Zeke doesn't consider my invasion of the Marshall Islands especially distressing, else he would have committed more air and naval (possibly also land) assets to the area. I have met only light resistance so far.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 1/24/43
While the Allied forces are busy taking over the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, IJN responds with a powerful assault on Andaman I.
---
CBI:
Air bombing campaign at Rangoon is getting less intense and less important.
Several Japanese storehouses got scorched. A few blew up. No enemy casualties were reported.

Andaman I. Japanese carriers launched a strike on Andaman harbour. BB Warspite, 2 CLs and 2 8000t merchants were sunk. So sad to lose Warspite like this. A B24 Liberator hit Kaga with a 500 lb bomb. 1*. Sigh.
I remember people talking about how Japanese carriers often go down after single hits. In our game they don't. [:(]
It's late January 1943 and I still haven't sunk a single Japanese flattop!

BBTFs led by Takasu, Kurita, Kondo performed the pre-invasion bombardment. Zeke landed 2 divisions on Andaman, but they weren't able to capture the island.
### Lt Gen Iida vs General MacArthur. Odds 0.
Japanese lost 16 squads, 5 arty. Allies lost 5 squads, 1 arty.
### Lt Gen Iida vs General MacArthur. Odds 2.
Japanese lost 63 squads, 8 arty, 3 afvs. Allies lost 44 squads, 5 arty, 2 afvs.

They'll try again next week, I'm sure. Japanese air losses: 16 A6M2 Reisen. Allied air losses (not counting a/c on the ground): 9 F4U-1 Corsairs.

Intense metallic precipitation (hail of bombs and aircraft debris) was reported over Kunming.
Japanese air losses: 27 Ki-43s, 65 Ki-43-IIs, 1 Ki-49 Donryu.
Allied air losses: 74 F4U-1 Corsairs. Seventy-four!

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 9 squads, 16 arty.
Allied ground losses: 8 squads, 25 arty, 11 afvs.

Some ^%*@&! invisible forcefield must be preventing Australians from executing any attacks on Townsville. [:@]
The LCUs don't do anything; they just waste their readiness (and supplies). Aggressive commanders in charge don't seem to be of any help.
In an ironic twist, Zeke told me he had actually seen a battle take place at Townsville (on Low Display setting). The fog of war is playing pranks on us again.

Central Pacific:
The 1st Marine Division captured Kwajalein this week.
### Admiral Nimitz vs. Vice Adm Inouye. Odds 2.
Allies lost 30 squads. Japanese lost 46 squads, 5 arty, 3 afvs. The Mai 2nd Batallion was eliminated.

Allies also landed on Tarawa atoll and captured it. It was empty.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 2 Japanese merchants.

[Capt. Harlock]

Andaman I. Japanese carriers launched a strike on Andaman harbour. BB Warspite, 2 CLs and 2 8000t merchants were sunk. So sad to lose Warspite like this.

Yes it is. My sympathies. BTW, were the CL's the older pre-war types or more modern ones?

[Istfemer]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
Yes it is. My sympathies. BTW, were the CL's the older pre-war types or more modern ones?

The sunk CLs were Caradoc and Frobisher. Old rusty junk and slightly newer, shinier junk.
Two of the three surviving cruisers are at 90+ damage. BB Resolution and CL Caledon are seriously "out of action" too.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 1/31/43
---
CBI:
Andaman I. More fighter sweeps by Zeroes. More naval bombardment from Takasu and Kondo. Wellingtons and Liberators from Trincomalee responded with a long-range strike on Kondo's task force. A few 500 lb. bombs fell on Kondo's battleships. The battleships shrugged them off. A Wellington bomber sank one Mutsuki-class DD with a 500 lb. bomb. How sweet.
Land combat continued.
### Lt Gen Mutaguchi vs. General MacArthur.
Japanese lost 22 squads, 3 arty, 1 afv. Allies lost 8 squads, 1 arty.
### Lt Gen Mutaguchi vs. General MacArthur.
Japanese lost 45 squads, 1 arty, 1 afv. Allies lost 21 squads, 1 arty.

Can't tell you what the odds were. The VCR decided to show me an alternate reality version of events, where Japanese captured Andaman and forced my Indian division and CW engineer unit to surrender. Such nuisance!

My plan to slip in some supplies to the besieged defenders failed. Commanders of two Transport TFs refused to come anywhere close to Andaman I., knowing that by doing so they would come within the strike range of enemy carrier aircraft.
Indeed, both task forces moved one hex in Andaman's direction and stopped dead in the water. The Combined Fleet armada (over 120 ships in 8 task forces), having spent a turn in Medan's port, is now sailing in the direction of Andaman I. again.
What devious moves could the Japanese admirals be planning? Well... whatever moves Combined Fleet makes, my garrison on Andaman I. is certainly doomed.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 6 squads, 20 arty.
Allied ground losses: 5 squads, 15 arty, 6 afvs.

Central Pacific:
I sent many Cargo TFs to haul supplies to Wake and the Marshalls. They performed their task without any accidents.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 1 Japanese tanker. My subs got many contacts this week but were only able to sink a single enemy vessel.
The Japs executed their first successful attack on our convoys in months: one EC2 Liberty was torpedoed when it was passing through the center of the Wotje-Wake-Midway-Johnston rectangle. The vessel survived but sustained 97% damage. Repairs will take a long time.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 2/07/43
---
CBI:
Battle to capture Rangoon.
### Lt Gen Hall vs. Lt Gen Yamashita. Odds 10. Rangoon is ours!
Allies lost 22 squads, 2 arty, 3 afvs. Japanese lost 20 squads, 1 arty, 3 afvs.
And another round.
### Lt Gen Hall vs. Lt Gen Yamashita. Odds 8. The 1/55th IJA Inf Bde suffers additional light disruption during this battle.
Allies lost 31 squads. Japanese lost 9 squads, 1 arty.

After the capture of Rangoon my troops were immediately attacked by Japanese LBA from Bangkok.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 17 arty, 6 afvs.
Second Japanese attack killed even more soldiers.
Allied ground losses: 11 squads, 17 arty, 4 afvs.

Betties from Medan bombed the supply depots of Trincomalee twice. One attack happened at night.

Andaman. There were even more naval bombardments than last week. Kondo, Yamada, Kusaka, Takagi all contributed.
B-24 Liberators from Dacca responded with four long-range strikes against Ozawa's carrier TF.
CV Junyo took a 1* hit. A 500 lb. bomb by all accounts should have sunk her outright.
One CVL (Zuiho-class, I think) took a 1* hit. The ship should have sustained more damage, at least. Oh well.
One CVE took a 4**** hit. That was more believable but still not good enough.
Air losses: 80 B-24s and 71 A6M2 Zeroes + 1 Ki-43-II were either destroyed or damaged.

The Japanese try to capture Andaman.
### Lt Gen Sano vs. General MacArthur. Odds 4. They succeed.
Japanese lost 13 squads. Allies lost 22 squads, 4 arty.
They try to wipe out remaining defenders.
### Lt Gen Sano vs. General MacArthur. Odds 1. Not so fast, Sano-san!
Japanese lost 52 squads, 2 afvs. Allies lost 10 squads, 1 arty.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 10 squads, 15 arty, 3 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 3 squads, 6 arty, 3 afvs.

Central Pacific:
P-38Gs and B-26s from Kwajalein bombed the weak Japanese garrison on Eniwetok, like they did last week.
Mitscher's Air Combat TF sortied to Iwo Jima, hoping to catch a small AP/MCS task force nearby. Japanese submarines off Kwajalein tried to intercept my ACTF but were too slow to pull it off. Mitscher's mission was unsuccessful. He missed the Japanese task force altogether and was attacked by 15 Betties from Saipan instead. Wildcats shot them all down without taking any losses themselves. Yay.

I captured Makin atoll, which was empty. (like Tarawa)

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 4 Japanese merchants.
1 EC2 Liberty was sunk by hostile submarines.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 2/14/43
Yamaguchi's ACTF raided the ports of Ceylon and sank BB Ramilles, CL Enterprise and 2 Echodale AOs. I did not anticipate this attack. I really, really should have. :/
---
CBI:
More night attacks on Trincomalee by Bettys from Medan. One squadron of Bettys from Haiphong bombed the depots of Akyab at night.

Andaman offensive.
### Lt Gen Mutaguchi vs. General MacArthur. Odds 2.
Japanese lost 43 squads, 7 afvs. Allies lost 8 squads, 2 arty.
### Lt Gen Mutaguchi vs. General MacArthur. Odds 14.
Japanese lost 19 squads, 1 afv. Allies lost 19 squads, 1 arty.

Andaman's defenders continue to hold out in the woods, but I suspect they would barely last a turn and maybe not even that. BTW, General MacArthur now has a Land/Air rating of 9.
Liberators from Dacca attacked Andaman airfield and destroyed x12 Ki-43-IIs. Liberators+Wellingtons from Vizagapatam were not so successful.

Rangoon. The understrength Jap brigade is going to retreat anyway. So why not train my troops up a bit?
### General MacArthur vs. Lt Gen Yamashita. Odds 15.
Allies lost 11 squads. Japanese lost 24 squads.
### Lt Gen Hall vs. Lt Gen Yamashita. Odds 15.
Allies lost 8 squads. Japanese lost 18 squads, 3 arty, 1 afv.

The Japs launched massive air attacks on Rangoon's airfield and the camps of Allied land troops. Just look at the losses figures below to appreciate the intensity of fighting going on here.
Air-to-Air losses: 94 A6M2 Reisen, 51 Ki-43-II Hayabusa, 7 Ki-49 Donryu, 14 G4M Hamaki vs. 62 P-38G Lightning, 65 F4U-1 Corsair
Friendly ground losses: 2 squads, 12 arty, 7 afvs; x7 P-38G Lightning destroyed.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 8 squads, 17 arty, 3 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 13 arty, 7 afvs.

Central Pacific:
Eniwetok I. was bombarded by Merrill's ships and Mitscher's carrier aircraft.

Barbey's landing force assaults Eniwetok, but it's Nimitz who is commanding the troops.
### Admiral Nimitz vs. Lt Gen Hyakutake. Odds 0.
Allies lost 22 squads. Japanese lost 5 squads.
### Admiral Nimitz vs. Lt Gen Hyakutake. Odds 4.
Allies lost 14 squads. Japanese lost 41 squads, 6 arty. Kure 3rd Batallion (JN) is eliminated. Eniwetok I. is captured.

### The Marshall Islands Campaign has ended ###
All atolls in the Marshall/Gilbert archipelagoes have been captured with (mostly) minimal losses on our side.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 7 Japanese merchants.
2 friendly merchants were sunk by hostile submarines. One Clemson DD was also torpedoed but survived the attack.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 2/21/43
---
CBI:
Intense air war over Rangoon.
Air-to-Air losses: 110 A6M2 Reisen, 52 Ki-43-II Hayabusa, 6 Ki-49 Donryu, 26 G3M Chukou vs. 118 F4U-1 Corsair
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 7 arty, 5 afvs; x7 F4U-1 Corsair destroyed.

Andaman offensive.
### Lt Gen Tanabe vs. General MacArthur. Odds 16.
Japanese lost 21 squads. Allies lost 190 squads, 24 arty, 3 afvs. The 23rd Indian Div surrendered.
### Lt Gen Tanabe vs. General MacArthur. Odds 472.
Japanese lost 4 squads. Allies lost 243 squads, 4 arty. Every Allied LCU surrendered -- a bad, yet expected outcome.

Liberators from Vizagapatam destroyed x8 Ki-43-IIs on the ground at Andaman airfield.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 13 squads, 25 arty, 3 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 18 arty, 6 afvs.

Central Pacific:
It was quiet here. Resupply operations continued.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 1 Japanese merchant and 1 tanker.
---

I lost Andaman I. (again) but gained 8 atolls in the Central Pacific. So, where to next?
"What will the next Allied move be?" I ask myself. Meanwhile, Emperor Zeke ponders the same question.

[zeke99]

"Emperor Zeke ponders the same question."

Thanks for the title, but the Emperor is in his palace in Tokyo and does not bother with war issues while I have to do the work [;)]

Mainly waiting for repairs to be done, units to refill and pondering where the Allies will attack and how to counter it.
Anyway, the Indian front should be quiet for a while.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 2/28/43
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After nearly a year of absence the SEAC HQ is returning to the Indian mainland. The recent Japanese naval-air strike on Ceylon, which further reduced the power of the ailing British Eastern Fleet, has shown the dangers.. need to relocate.. importance of.. lack of holes in.. strong defense.. careful counterattacks.. accurate intelligence.. good planning.. clear communication.. for victory.. blah blah blah.....
So, it's back again to Calcutta for Lt Gen Pownall, but not for long. Admiral Louis Mountbatten is going to be in charge of all SEAC, as Lt Gen Pownall will soon leave for other important duties elsewhere. Douglas MacArthur et al. of CBI still control Dacca and bases southeast of it. I think I'm going to buy MacArthur a ticket to Australia at the nearest opportunity. He served well in India/Burma, but at this stage I'd prefer Doug as the chief of SWPac in Australia.
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CBI:
Intense air war over Rangoon.
Air-to-Air losses: 113 Ki-43-II Hayabusa, 9 Ki-49 Donryu vs. 82 F4U-1 Corsair
Allied ground losses: 1 squad, 6 arty, 4 afvs.

150 Liberators from Dacca bombed Haiphong oil facilities. Oil industry sustained HEAVY damage.
Betty bombers attacked Rangoon and Calcutta depots at night. Calcutta's depot sustained light damage.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 9 squads, 22 arty, 4 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 11 arty, 5 afvs.

Hey, Aussies, what's the problem? Why do you not attack Townsville as ordered? It couldn't be THAT hard to do, surely.

Central Pacific:
Kwajalein was also bombed by Betties at night. They did light damage to the supply depot there.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 2 Japanese merchants and 1 tanker.
Japanese sank 2 Allied merchants. We also lost 3 friendly submarines. (all three were Salmon-class)