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As mentioned above there has been a lot of fighting in the air over Timor in the month of July. We are up to July 14 and this started in earnest on or about the 1st of July.

The Japanese have 3 air bases in range of Timor and the Allies have 3 bases on the Island. Koepang is a 4, Dili is a 2 and Lautern is a 4 as of July 11 or 12. In addition both side have big bases that are in long range bombing distance of the 6 frontline airfields.





The Japanese have been launching regular airstrikes to shut down Koepang but have not been able to pull it off. On July 11 (the day of this map) Combat looked like this:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12
Ki-48 Lily x 51

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
Kittyhawk I x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 10 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 21 destroyed, 3 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 8 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

On the 14th it looked like this:

apanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-48 Lily x 33

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
Hurricane II x 6
Kittyhawk I x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 17 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 10 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 damaged
Hurricane II: 5 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Blackwatch has been able to reduce the strike capability of Keopang but not shut down the cap. I have been sending merchant shipping carrying "stuff" which does get damaged from time to time but the early war massacres are over.

We both have surface TFs in the area, Blackwatch is guarding Maumere against the Royal Navy and the RN is lurking and looking for opportunity. Mostly this is keeping us both honest, if one of us tries a bombardment attack but gets a night battle his damaged ships will get clobbered by air the next morning. This is a nice example of the combined arms feature of the game working I think.

Since I can't post more than one picture I am adding the stats in a second post.

Here is a stats shot from one of the more violent days of air battles:





This was July 10th most days the losses are closer to even but the Allies seem to come out slightly ahead more days than not. This contrasts with the Port Moersby battles in Feb and March where Blackwatch shot down many more of my aircarft.

So it looks like the war is starting to come into balance. Blackwatch is very dangerous and quite capable of launching another offensive if he wishes, the CV that took one bomb hit off Oz should be in godo repair by now so KB may be intact again. If its not it will be soon. I still wonder if my CV raid to Saipan stopped the fall of Guadalcanal or saved Timor or stopped some other unknown operation. It certainly threw a monkey wrench into something.

At Timor the Japanese tried another big raid on Koepang. This time it came in lightly escorted and this was the result:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
Ki-48 Lily x 29

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
Hurricane II x 9
Kittyhawk I x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 11 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 46 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 1 damaged

If you cut the losses by 50% you will be close to the actual casualties. In all the Japanese lost 46 aircraft today mostly from this strike (28 Lilies) and the allies lost 8. I think Blackwatch's Zero pilots are getting tired, or they are putting more effort into CAP at thier own bases. Also Dili was not bombed at all, maybe I can get it back up as a fighter base.

In China the Chinese launched an attack at Kwieyang. The Japanese relief force is now one hex closer so time is running out for the Kwieyang army to destroy the encircled Japanese.

Ground combat at Kweiyang
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 44864 troops, 234 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 150569 troops, 678 guns, 48 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 113809 troops, 678 guns, 48 vehicles
Defending force 54135 troops, 243 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1022 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
Allied ground losses:
1103 casualties reported
Guns lost 31
Vehicles lost 1

Remember that I can always get more Chinese its my supply that is limited not my troops.

The elite zeros of KB spank the allies hard on Timor, the allies lose 106 aircraft to 55 Japanese this turn. Most of the fighters at Lautern get shot down some while flying CAP and others while escorting a failed attack on KB itself. The Dauntlesses get massacred only 1 survives the 118 strong CAP over the Japanese CVs. Then the Japanese sail a cruiser force up to the base and bombard blowing up 20 B25s that were in maintance.

I did score some hits on the bombardment force with planes based in Darwin. Still this is bad news, Lautern AF is shut down now and Blackwatch bombed the crap out of Dili this turn to keep it shut as well. All the resistance in the air is coming from Darwin and Koepang now.

The only bright spot is that 28 of the very high quality IJN zero pilots got shot down this turn. Hopefully he will run out of hot shots soon as these guys are still able to slap my Allied airmen around with near impunity.





On other fronts the war in China continues with neither side making any real progress.

And this is just the beginning [8D]

Part one: July 20-21

The six day from Jul 20 to Jul 25 saw the bloodiest air combats from the start of the war.
My target was to disable Tom airports on Timor and allow my troops to land on the island.
The air attacks from my land bases of Kendari and Maumere all along July succeded only in shutting Dili, but with heavy losses on my side.
So on July 20 KB showed NE of Lautern with the mission to close all of Timor fields.
The first stike was agaist Lautern:
Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 78
D3A Val x 82
B5N Kate x 91

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 14
P-39D Airacobra x 6
P-40E Warhawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 25 destroyed
D3A Val: 24 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 21 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 13 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 24 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 11 destroyed, 22 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 77
and the counter strike against KB:
Day Air attack on TF at 35,76

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 118

Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 13
P-36A Mohawk x 7
P-39D Airacobra x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 31 destroyed, 6 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 19 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 16 destroyed, 2 damaged
The KB attack agaist Lautern was sustained by a naval bombardment on the same day:
Naval bombardment of Lautem, at 33,78

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 10 destroyed, 19 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
DD Hayabusa
DD Sagiri
DD Ayanami
DD Shikinami
DD Murakumo
DD Shirayuki
DD Fubuki
DD Michishio
DD Oshio
DD Makigumo
CL Kitakami
CA Atago
CA Takao
CA Chikuma


Allied ground losses:
613 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 4

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 61
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

The first day of the battle resulted in a severe cut of Lautern effectiveness.

On Jul 21 KB, now in a position between Lautern and Darwin, increased the activity, enjoying the flavour of blood from the previous day.
Part of the planes launched another strike against Lautern field:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
D3A Val x 64
B5N Kate x 83

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 5 destroyed, 22 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 64

And the CAP did his job destroying twice the planes assortment send by Tom from Darwin:

Day Air attack on TF at 35,80

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 111

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 8
CW-21B Demon x 13
Hudson I x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 5
A-20B Boston x 3
B-25C Mitchell x 6
B-17E Fortress x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 18 destroyed, 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 13 destroyed, 2 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 25 destroyed, 2 damaged
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 6 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 12 destroyed
A-20B Boston: 7 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 21 destroyed, 16 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Junyo
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 1

Then it was the time of a couple of TFs taking a trip near Darwin:
ay Air attack on TF, near Darwin at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 81
D3A Val x 69
B5N Kate x 43

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 17
P-36A Mohawk x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 25 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 28 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 37 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied Ships
MSW Warrnambool, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Kalgan, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Flamingo, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sagoland, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Colac, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Day Air attack on TF, near Darwin at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 24

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 damaged


Allied Ships
AK Foch, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Tana, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK West Isleta

Last task for the day was a visit to Darwin airfield
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 67
D3A Val x 83
B5N Kate x 84

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
D3A Val: 4 destroyed, 13 damaged
B5N Kate: 11 destroyed, 35 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 17 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wirraway: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 11 destroyed, 82 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 7 destroyed, 18 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
A-20B Boston: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged


Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 42

On the same day LBA from Kendari launched an attack against Koepang gaing some results with heavy losses
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 70
A6M3 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-21 Sally x 123
Ki-49 Helen x 14
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Hurricane II x 14
Kittyhawk I x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 69 destroyed, 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 7 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 20 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 15 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hurricane II: 21 destroyed, 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 3 destroyed, 9 damaged


Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 28

Blackwatch did a textbook job on this operation everyone who wants to see how this is done should read the next parts of his description. We are up to August so I think he can give out all the detail now.

My only consolation is that I have some textbook jobs of my own in the planning stages. You can come back and read about those at some point in the future.

Part two: July 22- 25

On July 22 Japanese troops start invading Dili with the support of a bombardment TF.
Kb is now south of Timor and NW of Darwin.
Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 108
B5N Kate x 137

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 1
P-39D Airacobra x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 21 destroyed, 24 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 32 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 7 destroyed, 37 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
A-20B Boston: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 7 destroyed, 9 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Van Ghent, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS S-39, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Sculpin, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS S-35, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS Swordfish, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Sailfish, Bomb hits 2, on fire
SS Snapper, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS Tambor, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Searaven, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
APD McKean, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Sargo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Otus, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SS Stingray, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS O21, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
SS Plunger, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Seal, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS S-47, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS O19, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Silversides, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 55
Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Another ship is found near Darwin:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 79
D3A Val x 15
B5N Kate x 21

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Sarangami, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

On July 23 more troops are unloading at Dili and the Allied planes score a hit on BB Nagato that was part of the escort TF:

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Kittyhawk I x 3
Beaufort V-IX x 6


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort V-IX: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 1

KB is moving west and send the planes to Koepang:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 71
D3A Val x 120
B5N Kate x 131

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Hurricane II x 8
Kittyhawk I x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 22 destroyed, 1 damaged
D3A Val: 8 destroyed, 10 damaged
B5N Kate: 14 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 17 destroyed, 4 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 18 destroyed, 11 damaged
Hurricane II: 23 destroyed, 10 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 21 destroyed, 6 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 3 destroyed, 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported

Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 95

Now also Koepang base is closed.

Another attack agaist Koepang on July 24:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
D3A Val x 107
B5N Kate x 148

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
Kittyhawk I x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged
B5N Kate: 16 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 9 destroyed, 21 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 21 destroyed, 15 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged
Hurricane II: 6 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied ground losses:
63 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 110

Allied planes are hitting the transports unloading at Dili and damage several, but on July 24 more than 18000 troops are ashore.

Last attack against Koepang from KB on July 25

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
D3A Val x 140
B5N Kate x 142

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 11 damaged
B5N Kate: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged
Hurricane II: 19 destroyed, 14 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 17 destroyed, 23 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 12 destroyed, 5 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 143

The three allied airports in Timor are closed.

On July 26 KB is heading home, but sends the planes to destroy some more targets at Koepang:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
D3A Val x 75
B5N Kate x 76

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 5 damaged
B5N Kate: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 9 destroyed, 6 damaged
Hurricane II: 13 destroyed, 17 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 9 destroyed, 10 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 destroyed, 11 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 76

and

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
D3A Val x 63
B5N Kate x 66

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 2 destroyed, 13 damaged
B5N Kate: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 7 destroyed, 9 damaged
Hurricane II: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 12 destroyed, 7 damaged


Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 63

On the same day Japanese troops start landing on Aru Is under heavy allied air attacks.
The LCAs from Kendari and Maumere keep bombing the fields on Timor and maintaining them closed.
In the following days Dili was captured and the first Japanese base on Timor will be soon ready for operations.

Here is a map showing KB course around Timor and the position for each day.

Its now August 8th 1942 and the Japanese offensive against Timor has given continued dominance of the island to Japan.

Dili is Japanese and the airfields at Koepang and Lautern are out of commission.

Darwin is back in action and Darwin based B25s and B17s are putting occasional bomb hits on Japanese transports in the Timor Sea. This has not been decisive but it is slowly increasing the number of ships sunk on the Japanese side.

Allied counterattacks

Starting August 2nd the Allies began a program of attacks on various points in the Japanese perimeter. B17s out of Cooktown hit Buna:

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 8 destroyed, 3 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged

Then on August 3rd the US CVs showed up to raid Tarawa:

Day Air attack on Tarawa , at 85,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14
SBD Dauntless x 34
TBD Devastator x 12
SOC-3 Seagull x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 6 destroyed, 13 damaged
TBD Devastator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 21

While a big bombers strike hit Port Moresby:

Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 48
B-17E Fortress x 50

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 26 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 11 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
98 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 28

While the Japanese hit back at Cooktown:
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
G3M Nell x 25
G4M1 Betty x 78

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
G3M Nell: 12 destroyed, 8 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 32 destroyed, 27 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 9 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 5 destroyed, 14 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 8 destroyed, 13 damaged
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 5 destroyed, 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 34
And the Americans found a surface TF at Tarawa:

Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 85,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 16
SBD Dauntless x 69
TBF Avenger x 39

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
APD APD-31, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Horaisan Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
ML Hoko, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Denmark Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Arabia Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Sekko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Unkai Maru #3

After being worked over by the carrier planes these ships found themselves in the path of an oncoming bombardment group:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Tarawa at 85,91

Japanese Ships
AP Arabia Maru, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
AP Denmark Maru, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
AP Unkai Maru #3, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
AP Sekko Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia
BB California
BB Idaho
CA Australia
CL Tromp
CL Raleigh
DD Selfridge
DMS Zane
DMS Trevor
DMS Lamberton
DMS Perry
DMS Chandler

And that brought an untimely end to the convoy. The bombardment group scored a handful of hits on the island and lost the DD Selfridge for its trouble.


Air attacks on the island continued through August 4th and the allied air forces have been keeping up the attacks on Port Moresby as well. None of this is saving Timor but it did reverse the loss rate in the air in favor of the allies.

The allied counter attacks described by Tom are quite annoying, but not really dangerous at the moment.
The most important fact during the attack against Tarawa was the effectiveness of the CD guns against the bombardment TF:
174 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 36, on fire, heavy damage
CL Raleigh
CL Tromp, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
CA Australia, Shell hits 31, on fire
BB Idaho, Shell hits 2
BB California, Shell hits 12
BB West Virginia
I was really surprised of this result.

Anyway the Japanese Empire will not be stopped by some minor actions:
on August 6 Japanese paratroos captured Tulagi and on August 8 Japanese tropps from the 38th ID landed at Lunga.

Sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words. This map shows where the action has been by both sides. It also shows that there has been a lot of action in China which I need to update for now I will just say that the 70,000 Japanese who were attacking Kweiyang are under 39,000 now and getting hammered every turn by 130,000 Chinese taking over 1,000 casualties every turn.

One thing the map shows, we are each on the offensive but the allies are still avoiding head on confrontation with the Japanese. As the Allies continue to grow in strength this will change but for now it creates an interesting pattern.

On August 11 1942 Japanese troops from the 38th IF captured Lunga: 8833 more american soldier were sent to captivity.
The Salomon Islands are totally in Japanese control.
On the same day Japanese troops reteated from Kweiyang after about one month of very hard combats with very severe Chinese losses.
The Army and the Navy of the Empire are ready for new victories.

The Chinese can afford the losses.

Sadly the Japanese probably can too, but Blackwatch is getting the short end of the stick in China. So far Japans most dangerous enemies are the British and the Chinese, the Americans and Australians just can't seem to get it together on anything more than a raid. Public opinion is clamoring for more, when will it be satisfied?

The last update on China was July 10th, its now August 11th and the Japanese have been Driven out of Kweiyang and are retreating Eastwards with the Chinese army in pursuit. If you scroll up you will see the Japanese originally had 63,000 troops attacking Kweiyang, when they were forced out they had 27,000 defending troops left.

If you look at the July 10th map you will see a blocking force between the Japanese and Kwieyang. This force shock attacked the Japanese relief force and drove it back in mid July. Later it moved into Kwieyang to help defeat the surrounded Japanese. As the map shows the Japanese relief force came back and opened up the road so I shock attacked the out of supply Japanese so that I could start a pursuit. Its worth noting that the Japanese were out of supply (or at least isolated) from June 20 to August 9th but still fought pretty damn well. The Chinese were getting 80 to one odds by August 8th and killing 1000 Japanese to 400 Chinese at that time but it still looked like there was some way to go before any Japanese surrendered. I wish the Allies would fight like that.

Now there are 130,000 victorious Chinese troops in Kwieyang heading East to hound the Japanese out of China. I have seen speculation that there are extra casualties inflicted during retreats, this is going to be a test of that theory. Right now air recon says that there are 44,000 Japanese troops in the hex East of the city. 3 days from now I am going to smash them again, we will see how many there are the day after that.





This is the August 10th Combat report for Kweiyang:
Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 130606 troops, 405 guns, 50 vehicles
Defending force 29358 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 89 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1115 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Allied ground losses:
379 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

and for August 11th

Ground combat at Kweiyang

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 146694 troops, 450 guns, 51 vehicles

Defending force 27848 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 254 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
707 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
1098 casualties reported
Guns lost 15

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

In July Blackwatch had 59,000 men and 561 guns, now he has 23 guns I wonder how long it takes to replace 540 artillery pieces? About a day or two I bet. All kidding aside this is a big win for China and it may even get bigger as the pursiut continues. A nice change from the usual "defeat of China" posts in many AARs.

We are up to August 18th.

The Chinese are driving the Japanese east from Kweiyang at a rapid pace. This was the shock attack on the Japanese on August 14th in the hex immediately East of Kweiyang:

Ground combat at 42,35

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 92437 troops, 333 guns, 56 vehicles
Defending force 36426 troops, 178 guns, 2 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 52 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1050 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
441 casualties reported
Guns lost 23

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

The Chinese just caught up with the Japanese in the hex east of that, look for another shock attack when the turn comes back from Italy. The big question is can the Japanese untis retreating from Chunking get back to the road junction before the Chinese arrive and cut them off. Its a race for sure.

In Asia the British have been bombing Ragoon airfield but the Oscars defeding it keep coming up, that is it for the Brits right now.

The Japanese continue to bomb the airfields at Lautem and Koepang to keep them shut down. This happens just about every turn. B25s at Darwin did hit shipping off Dili last turn and put a bomb on the Atago and some APs as well.

Further East B17s and B25s from Cooktown and Thursday Island respectively hit the airfield at Port Moresby. The Japanese still have CAP over the place but it may be from Buna. There don't seem to be any more Japanese bombers there so Port Moresby may be on the shutdown list.

KB has not been heard from since the attack on Timor in July and the US CVs have not made an appearance since the raid on Tarawa. So once again we are both preparing for the next move.

ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter

I have seen speculation that there are extra casualties inflicted during retreats, this is going to be a test of that theory.

No need to theorize. Its true. the listed casualties in the combat report are for the battle itself that was fought. losses from retreats are not listed but occur on the order of 15-20%. It is very bad to be force retreated. Battles tend to cause more disablements vs losses....forced retreats cause permanent losses.

Well the attack went in on the 17th and here was the result:

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 83599 troops, 358 guns, 56 vehicles
Defending force 26729 troops, 144 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 43 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
568 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Allied ground losses:
836 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Since he had 36,000 troops and 177 guns at the start of the August 13th attack and took 1,000 casualties during that one I think he lost 9,000 men and 15 guns in the retreat phase. That is 25% casualties. There are 2 divisions and 3 brigades in the retreating force only one of which had any supply at the start of the first battle. Any way you look at it Japan has lost well over 30,000 men at Kweiyang and maybe 40,000 depending on the strength of the relief force.

If you look at the map you will also see the units retreating from Chungking. I am bombing them in hopes of slowing them down enough to catch some before they get away but I am not very hopeful. Still when its all over I will have destroyed most of one Japanese army group.

Anyone know the starting strengths of a Japanese division or brigade? That would also be a helpful comparison.

The attacks against Kweiyang and Chungking were an expensive attempt, but at least succeded in moving things a little in China. The main problem was the impossibility to supply the attacking units even with a road free linking to friendly bases.