Bloody Shambles: BossGnome vs. Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

On 10th, one of my subs manages to put a torpedo into Mutsu:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 68,53

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hayate

Allied Ships
SS Pompano

I also detach an ASW TF made of subchasers to help clearing waters between Marcus and Wake for my guys to retreat to safety, and they make their first kill:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 79,56

Japanese Ships
SS I-176, hits 8, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SC SC-517
SC SC-518
SC SC-699
SC SC-705
SC SC-706
SC SC-708

[Oleg Mastruko]

Tomorrow, on 11th, Mutsu goes down from accumulated damage - no need for another sub to hunt it down, but one of them manages to damage yet another IJN BB:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Bonin at 65,52

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Triton


Good stuff...

I also send a surprise attack vs Lautem (on Timor, opposite Darwin) to combat-test my new P38s (first unit that upgraded to P-38s)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 5
Sunderland x 5
P-38G Lightning x 25
B-25C Mitchell x 32
B-26B Marauder x 14
B-17E Fortress x 48

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 15 destroyed
H6K4 Mavis: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 1 damaged
Sunderland: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 7 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 9 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
119 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 105


I see he has some ship disbanded in Eniwetok harbor, and since Wake is now level 4 air, my 4E bombers can reach there:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Eniwetok , at 76,74


Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 5
F-5A Lightning x 2
B-24D Liberator x 19


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
SS I-158, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Port supply hits 4

[Oleg Mastruko]

With this, this round of fighting in the Pacific was over. We had some completely peaceful days with 0kB combat reports, around 15th-18th Nov.

I will build Marcus and Baker to the max, and then I plan to advance towards Tarawa (yeah too obvious, I know that and I hate that, but hey).

I managed to bring back all BBs damaged in Marcus battles to the relative safety of Wake, where they will repair float damage, and proceed back to US bases for permanent repairs and rebuilds. I lost NO BB in Marcus battles, I don't care if they are damaged as long as they are not sunk. I just received BB Indiana from the States, California and some other BB are nearing the completion of their repairs (I think those ships were damaged in PH attack on 7th Dec 41).

Seeing the combat around Marcus was not kind to my BBs, I re-routed two older BBs that were already 1/3 way to India, back to Pacific. I wanted to give those two to the British (Brits have 3 old BBs now), but it wasn't to be - they are needed in the Pacific.

To add an insult to the injury, UK wants a BB + 2 DDs back (that after they already looted a CV last month!).

I will never give them the damn BB. I will go -2000 PPs down but hey. This is bad, because I generally pay PPs, and do not do cheap gamey stuff with commands and restrictions (or the lack thereof) in this game.

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

On the map of Pacific, this is the area + accompanying sea space, that I retook from Japanese empire since I took over the game around 3 game months ago. It does not tell the whole story, since I didn't have forces for any of those prepared. In fact I had to *MASSIVELY* shift strategic weight from Australia, where 80% of Allied stuff was concentrated (and at least 40% still is), to Central Pacific and elsewhere.

I also consolidated some places not shown on this map, like Port Moresby, whole India etc. and managed to save Kunming in China.

Do I pwnz0rz or what?

In the process I lost one fleet CV, one modern BB, one CA, one old CL, at least 15 DDs, and 20-30 AKs + many ships damaged, also around 6-8 subs.

Aircraft losses were small, except for the CV complement which largely sunk with the ship, and UK fighters that were heavily beaten over China and Akyab.

Losses I inflicted are (in addition to the bases on the picture below, which are the most important): two BBs sunk, 1-2 damaged (one heavily), two CLs (one of them torpedo armed Oi), 6-8 DDs, at least 200 CV aircraft, 100-150 Betties + some land based stuff (I guess around 150 but I don't care for those), plus 12-some AKs and TKs (largely to my wandering subs, which I didn't even care to report), also 6-8 subs.

A tall guy with black helmet and mask, with some apparent lung problems, paid a visit at my HQ today and this is what he had to say about my command performance: CLICK HERE

[U2]

Oleg,

Thanks for a great AAR. Can't wait to for the update!

[Oleg Mastruko]

Okay, finally an update!

This game slowed down game wise (ie not much happens in the game), but quickened up as far as turnaround goes (we play quite fast now that nothing happens).

My last operations around Wake-Marcus-Baker, described in some detail above, exhausted me totally, so I need time to rest, rebuild, and prepare for my next wave of offensives.

He brought 50+ units to Bonins (Bonins are "Bonin" hex on WITP map + Iwo Jima), he has 25+ on Bonin, and 25+ on Iwo. For a short time I was afraid he's going to reinvade Marcus. That's what always frightens me the most - possibility of IJN/IJA reinvasion, ie if I land two divisions what if he responds with four or five?

But he didn't reinvade by now (13th Dec 42 at the time of this writing), and he most probably won't. He didn't even come to visit to bombard or anything, so I am peacefully building the place to level 8+ fort by now. Air is still 2, port 1, as I wanted to build forts first in case he reinvades.

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

My last post dealt specifically with 11th Nov, so lets quickly review what happened in the month or so since then (no big battles just small stuff).

Firstly, and most importantly, my huge conwoy, with British stuff back from Australia, finally landed at Madras mid November - old and young, Moslem and Hindu, Buddhist and Christian, masses of citizens came to Madras docks to watch this huge conwoy unload hundereds of fighters, engineers and their machines, all sorts of stuff. Governor of Madras was overheard saying "I don't know why we sent all this to the bloody Australia at the first place!". Hey neither do I.

With this, I am finally at peace as far as India goes. They can start thinking offensively (beyond Akyab, that is).

On 12th, I finished off his sub he so foolishly docked at Eniwetok:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Eniwetok , at 76,74


Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 9
B-17E Fortress x 27
B-24D Liberator x 30


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
SS I-158, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Port hits 2
Port supply hits 6

My subchasers also caught another, he sent prowling Marcus waters:

ASW attack at 77,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-35, hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SC SC-708
SC SC-706
SC SC-705

Sub losses in this game are just massive, for both sides, but worse for IJN - in part because subs are on AI control, but not only because of that.

Boss Gnome explained that he uses AI control to send his subs on patrol, but then he takes over and tweaks their orders. Obviously it is BG who sent them around Marcus, not AI.

Nothing of any importance happened in following couple days. Some combat reports were just completely empty. When the skies over Burma are clear, he sends massive air strikes against Akyab. I don't pay much attention to that, as supply there is very good, and there are no UK aircraft he can destroy, so let him bomb. When I organise airforce in India I will retake skies over Akyab so forcefully I'll hear him cry all the way to Karachi.... I am just in no hurry about this. It would be smart to time my operations in skies over Burma with something in the Pacific (don't know what, yet)

With obvious buldup on the Baker-Tarawa "line", he sent his first airstrike against my growing Baker island base on 18th Nov. It was unconclusive but worse for him than for me:

Day Air attack on Baker Island , at 94,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G4M1 Betty x 30
H8K Emily x 3

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 3 damaged

[Oleg Mastruko]

Again a strike vs Baker on 22nd:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Baker Island , at 94,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
G4M1 Betty x 47
H8K Emily x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4

That's minor stuff.

I reply striking Lautem (Eastern Timor):

Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78


Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 5
P-38G Lightning x 25
A-20B Boston x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 31
B-26B Marauder x 64
B-17E Fortress x 48


Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 2 damaged
A-20B Boston: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 6 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 15
Runway hits 90

As you see I keep my P-38s there - it is the first unit that upgraded to P-38s. I do this in part to (maybe?) make him believe my next effort will happen around Timor (it won't). I hope he'll fall for "wherever Allies start to use P-38 they will attack next" logic.

His next turn (23rd Nov) was accompanied with childish bragging [:D]:

"hehehe... shouldn't be telling you this, but I feel like bragging... just got 2 new CVs built, got Kaga repaired, and getting Musashi in 5 days..."

To which I replied:

"To reply to your previous mail. "CVs" you boast about are I guess just CVL CVEs - worthless pieces of crap ) Frankly I think your CV fleet is just a paper tiger now, with pilot quality probably so low, they would be sunk in Mariana turkey shoot by as much as two of my CVs. You lost many many pilots that I know of (because it was vs me) and I guess you lost more prior to me taking over the game."

Marcus based subchasers hit another IJN sub:

ASW attack at 77,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-26, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SC SC-706
SC SC-705
SC SC-699
SC SC-518
SC SC-517

[Oleg Mastruko]

With this, and couple more of his strikes vs empty Akyab airfield, November ends. Churchill added the final note with this:

Previous British Withdraw Penalty Paid = 2600
For 12/42, the British Must Withdraw: 1 CA + 2 DD

Even BossGnome had some comforting things to say [:D]:

"It is my humble opinion that Churchill either hates you, or does not appreciate your efforts in the pacific. In 3 consecutive months now he has asked you to withdraw 1 CV, 1 BB, 1 CA and 6 DD... oddly enough this never happened with any of my other opponents. Before you got on, the brits had to withdraw something like 1 BB 2DD, and that was only once."

What do I add to this? I will never send a BB to England. Previous Allied commanders simply lost too many of them to allow me being comfortable wasting more by sending them to fight... what?.... Tirpitz? [:)] CV - I will send, maybe. CA, I will, and did send, mid December, but only for as long as I have pre-WW1 Hawkins class junk available. Modern CAs I will not send. DDs I will not send back.

With this, I went -2000 PPs, so no changes of commands in the foreseeable future.

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

On the last day of November I sent a strike vs Rangoon airfield, from Imphal and Dacca:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-27 Nate x 19

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 51

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 4 destroyed, 10 damaged


Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-27 Nate x 17

Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 2
Wellington III x 53
Hudson I x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 3 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
L3Y Tina: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Catalina I: 2 damaged
Wellington III: 3 destroyed, 20 damaged
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

Not bad overall (keep on mind ground losses are always twice what's reported in combat report), but not very brilliant either. I expect him to bring more substantial CAP tomorrow, so I stopped the attacks.

Another sub falls to Marcus SC force, when will he learn?

Sub attack at 78,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-153, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SC SC-738, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC SC-703
SC SC-702
SC SC-648
SC SC-647
SC SC-642
SC SC-520
SC SC-519

[Oleg Mastruko]

His subchasers are less successful, as on 3rd Dec:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 49,45

Japanese Ships
PG Hong Kong Maru
PC Ch 23
PC Ch 21
PC Ch 20
PC Ch 19
PC Fumi Maru
PG Santo Maru
PG Nanpo Maru
PG Kanko Maru
PG Busho Maru
PG Yachiyo Maru
MSW Toshi Maru #1
MSW Tokuho Maru #5
MSW Togo Maru
PG Tamo Maru #7
PG Tamo Maru #6
PG Takunan Maru #8
PG Takunan Maru #3
PG Oi Maru
MSW Mejima Maru
MSW Hanata Maru #6
MSW Bisan Maru
MSW Banshu Maru #51
MSW Asahi Maru #2
MSW Aoi Maru

Allied Ships
SS Grouper

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 49,45

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 23
PC Ch 21
PC Ch 20
PC Ch 19
PC Fumi Maru
PG Santo Maru
PG Nanpo Maru
PG Kanko Maru
PG Hong Kong Maru
PG Busho Maru
PG Yachiyo Maru
MSW Toshi Maru #1
MSW Tokuho Maru #5
MSW Togo Maru
PG Tamo Maru #7
PG Tamo Maru #6
PG Takunan Maru #8
PG Takunan Maru #3
PG Oi Maru
MSW Mejima Maru
MSW Hanata Maru #6
MSW Bisan Maru
MSW Banshu Maru #51
MSW Asahi Maru #2
MSW Aoi Maru

Allied Ships
SS Grouper


LOL!!

Here you see another reason why subs die like flies in this game, besides them being mostly on AI control, and that is massive ASW TFs used by IJN (I don't use ASW TFs this big but then again I don't have to, 6xSC seem to work just fine). There was no house rule covering this in force when I took over the game and I didn't want to enforce anything so....

He tried a resupply effort for Lautem, but it ended in tears:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 10
B-26B Marauder x 18


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kaimei Maru, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage

And again, on 10th Dec:

Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 26
A-20B Boston x 10
B-26B Marauder x 61


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Shinfuku Maru, Bomb hits 19, on fire, heavy damage

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is the score table on 15th Dec, not much to comment that I haven't commented already. I am under 2:1 victory point wise, and it can only get better (for Allies ie me.)

Everything bad you see here is due to my incompetent predecessors LOL [:D] I will have them shot once I install Soviet government in Washington DC.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Now for two most important screens, that will show well how bloody were the last battles, and how I walked a very thin line launching those operations at all. They will also show what my future plans depend on.

This is the (pitiful) state of my CV fleet. Three CVEs in SanFran I received just today when this screenshot is taken, so try to ignore them altogether - after all they are only CVEs, useful, but still only CVEs...

Lex is undergoing massive repairs in Seattle, airgroups scattered all over the place. I expect Essex sometime in January, plus some smaller CVLs by that time. After I repair damaged Wasp too, I hope to have some semblance of CV fleet by March. I am very wary of using English CVs alongside USN - I've seen only bad things happen as result of this arrangement. Formidable you see in PH is there by accident (previous commanders did this). Her airgroups are back in India, and I will not put USN airgroups on her cause then strange things happen (airgrous shrink to 6 aircraft etc). For all intents and purposes Formidable is just a tourist attraction for now, and may be sent back if London asks for another CV.

So, all things said, only Saratoga is in fully operational state.

Translated to plain english, this means I will not go toe to toe with KB till March for sure. This also means any operation I may undertake by then, will have to run without CV support. Meanwhile he is bragging with having 500+ aircraft on his CVs. He is bragging allright, and I am sure his pilot quality must be atrocious, but hey I have to have at least *something* to challenge him.

[Oleg Mastruko]

One CVE deserves a honorable mention, and that is Nassau, first proper CVE Alies receive. I received it in the middle of my offensive operations around Wake and Marcus.

Nassau comes with two very valuable training groups (F4F and SBD), half sized. I am not sure what most Allied commanders do with those groups, but not having much choice, I sent them immediatelly to battle, unloaded them on Wake airfield, allowing them to grow to full size in the process. F4Fs are now on Marcus, SBDs on Wake. F4Fs received some combat training

Frankly, I don't know how are those training groups supposed to be used? USN veterans players, I am ready to receive advice, though I am OK with using them just like any other combat groups (it's not considered unfair or gamey I suppose?). Hey they had their EXP in 40s when I got them.

After unloading those groups, CVE Nassau continued to play extremely useful role, as air transport, in fact, an "atrificial island" halfway between Midway and Wake. As my airgroups on Marcus lost their aircraft to combat and non combat causes, replacement F4Fs appeared on Midway - because the "jump" between Midway and Wake is too big for F4F (one hex too big). So, it is very useful to have a CVE in between Midway and Wake, so that replacement aircraft and reinforcing squadrons can use it as intermediate stop to Wake-Marcus area. Nassau did this job for me allowing me to bring valuable F4Fs forward relatively fast.

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is my BB fleet. Again, it's worse than this screenshot would suggest. Four heavily damaged BBs in PH are victims of Marcus battles - never mind that, I am happy I lost no BB there, I'll send those to US for permanent repairs soon. I will have them back no sooner than mid-43.

I have three main concentrations of BB force(s).

First is in India - three old UK BBs: Valiant, Warspite, Revenge. Not much to say here, those wait for the opportunity to be used, their most probable future opponent is IJN surface force in Rangoon, based around some CAs.

Second BB force is Pennsylvania, Washington, Indiana in Wake. Wash and Indiana will form a surface force if Japs try anything in Wake Marcus area, otherwise they will just stay put. Penn is scheduled to upgrade AA in Jan 43, so it will soon go to PH to upgrade.

Third BB force - Maryland and Nevada - is near Canton Island, and will support future operations against Tarawa etc. Those two I planned to send to India to help Brits, they got halfways there, when many USN BBs were damaged in Marcus carnage, so I just had to pull them back to Pacific. Now they are assigned to my Second USN BB fleet, operating in Canton-Baker-Tarawa area.

BB California is in US, it still hasn't gone through 4/42 upgrade and I don't want to use the ship with so weak an AA battery. I wait for SYS to go below 5, then for her AA to upgrade, then and only then I will consider Cali operational and send her to central Pacific.

Same for BB Colorado - waiting to go thru 4/42 upgrade in PH. Arizona was lightly damaged in recent battles, and was pulled back to PH with SYS around 18, now down to 14, when it goes below 10 it will go back to combat area.

So, at this very moment, I have only 5 USN BBs truely operational in the Pacific (could go down to 4 when I pull Penn back for AA upgrade). Once Penn, Cali, Arizona and Colorado go thru minor repairs and AA upgrades, which should happen by mid Jan 43, I will have 8 BBs in Pacific.

Only then I will be able to plan any operation (and even then without CV support). So, till mid January, it's strictly defence, upgrades, repairs and planning for the Allies....

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Hi, fans of this AAR, how you doin'? [:D] Time for another update, ie. series of updates. These will cover Dec 42 and Jan 43.

Last update ended with 3rd Dec 42, with my CVs out of action for foreseeable future, and BB fleet down to 4 operational battleships in the Pacific (other repairing or upgrading). Still, I didn't want to give him any opportunity to recover and rebild, and wanted to keep the pressure in as much as possible. If you're absolutely, positively sure you won't (or can't) use your CVs, and he still has CV fleet operatinal, possibilities for ambitious invasions are severely limited, but they still exist.

Anyhow....

Beginning of December didn't bring anything special. On 5th, he tried to run a resupply ship to Lautem (Timor) past my Darwin bombers but it didn't work:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 10
B-26B Marauder x 18


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kaimei Maru, Bomb hits 10, on fire, heavy damage


He continued to run his terror attacks vs Akyab, as on 6th:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 27
Ki-21 Sally x 117
Ki-48 Lily x 39
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
109 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 22
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 87


Also on 6th, he attacked Baker airfield, with bad results (for him):

Day Air attack on Baker Island , at 94,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 42
G4M1 Betty x 52
H8K Emily x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 18
P-40E Warhawk x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 12 destroyed, 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 12

[Oleg Mastruko]

Then there came couple days with empty combat reports. I was organising large scale operation in India, aimed at retaking the skies over Akyab, to stop his annoying terror attacks there.

Plan is that after I retake control sky over Akyab, I build the airfield there to level 6, and start my own teror bombing campaign. Remember, my predecessors shipped more than half of UK fighters from India to Australia, and I had to gradually ship them back. Now that last of the large Aus-India conwoys delivered fighters to India (in Madras) I could start planning my air offensive in earnest.

On 10th, I sunk another of his blockade runners near Lautem:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 26
A-20B Boston x 10
B-26B Marauder x 61


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Shinfuku Maru, Bomb hits 19, on fire, heavy damage


Some scattered anti shipping strikes in Gilberts (Tarawa):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 76,65


Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 18


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Oigawa Maru
AP Sanko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Arabia Maru
AP Teiun Maru
AP Meiu Maru, Bomb hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 76,65


Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 21


Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Oigawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Sanko Maru, on fire
AP Arabia Maru
AP Burisuben Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Again on 11th:

Day Air attack on TF at 74,64


Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 11


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Teiun Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Arabia Maru

[Oleg Mastruko]

I bomb Kendari (Celebes) from Darwin, Shortlands from Port Moresby with couple dozens of B17s, he bombs Chengtu in China occassionally, with Sallys flying from Sian/Xian. These attacks bring no results worth describing.

My subs attack an occasional transport here and there, but it gets more rare. Subs are under computer control in this game. Initially I hated it but then I slowly began to use it to my advantage - AI sens subs on patrol, but after they sail I can, and do, take control, and hurd them in frontline bases, but I do not commit them. I do not believe in huge sub campaign vs his transports, not at this time at least. So those subs that do attack his transports are the ones I sent on patrol and I still didn't take under my control.


On 15th he sends another massive raid on Akyab.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 27
Ki-21 Sally x 122
Ki-48 Lily x 38
Ki-46-II Dinah x 12

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
160 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 13
Runway hits 78

Yea yea smoke 'em if you got 'em but it'l soon stop....

[Oleg Mastruko]

He noticed something is brewing in India, probably based on my intense recon flights over Burmese inland bases, Rangoon and Andamans. Correctly noting that I have no land units on muddy trails to attack Mandalay or Myitkyina, and since he has tons of units in Rangoon, he assumes that I plan to attack Andamans. He tells as much in his mails.

So, he sends reinforcement conwoy to Andamans. I note that, and form two small fast surface forces in Madras, sending them to intercept the Andaman conwoy (just to make him angry). I succeed, and my recon was for once right, in informing me that conwoys are unescorted:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/18/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Andaman Island at 23,34

Japanese Ships
AP Africa Maru
AP Aiyo Maru
AP Anrugu Maru
AP Kasui Maru
AP Kiko Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Oyo Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Reiyo Maru
AP Sanfuku Maru
AP Shinai Maru
AP Shoho Maru
AP Siraha Maru
AP Somedono Maru
AP Taiho Maru
AP Tatuha Maru
AP Tenryu Maru
AP Toyo Maru #2
AP Yawata Maru
AP Zenyo Maru
AP Saipan Maru
AP Shoto Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire
AP Uga Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 1
DD Mahan
DD Litchfield
DD Pope, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported

Not much but still sweet:

Again, tomorrow:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/19/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Andaman Island at 23,34

Japanese Ships
AK Biwa Maru, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Taiyu Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Marblehead
DD Le Triomphant
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Nepal

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Andaman Island at 23,34

Japanese Ships
AP Africa Maru
AP Aiyo Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Anrugu Maru, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kasui Maru
AP Kiko Maru, on fire
AP Oyo Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Reiyo Maru
AP Sanfuku Maru
AP Shinai Maru
AP Shoho Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Siraha Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Somedono Maru
AP Taiho Maru
AP Tatuha Maru
AP Tenryu Maru
AP Toyo Maru #2
AP Yawata Maru, Shell hits 8, on fire
AP Zenyo Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Saipan Maru
AP Shoto Maru, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 6
DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 3
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Nepal

Japanese ground losses:
178 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

[Oleg Mastruko]

BGs comment in the mail: "attacking my ships moving to andaman island is not nice, and will encur retribution on my part. "

I asked him why he sent conwoy unescorted and this is his reply:

"well, you see, I am basically thinking that I prefer losing 5 transports than losing 2 escort DDs. I have too many transports; I have like 30 of them sitting around the empire with nothing to do and no one to transport. I need all my warships however."

Couple days with no action whatsoever followed. Then, on 22nd Dec I launched my massive air offensive to reclaim skies over Akyab, East India and Burma.

All bomber units from SEAC took part. In one massive move all SEAC fighters were transferred to Akyab, to jump his bombers if he runs another of his annoying attacks. Wellingtons, fyling from Chandpur, and three USAAF bombers units assigned to SEAC (12 x B17 and 48 x B24 flying from Dacca, and 64 x B25 flying from Imphal), took part as well:

Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-27 Nate x 13
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 3

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 11
B-25C Mitchell x 59

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
L3Y Tina: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 5 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 8 destroyed, 17 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-27 Nate x 6
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 2

Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 3
Wellington III x 96
Hudson I x 16
P-40E Warhawk x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 11 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 12 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 6 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 18 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 2 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed
L3Y Tina: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 19 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
115 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 126

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-27 Nate x 2
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 2
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 1

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 48

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
L3Y Tina: 4 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 7 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 126


All in all it was proper carnage as he deserved: he lost 206 aircraft that day, I lost 20.