At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

*****************Brodick Castle, overlooking the Firth of Clyde, HQ of Gen Patton*************


Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a pearl handled revolver:...what do you mean "keep going" Sergeant?

Young US Army Sergeant in exquisitely pressed uniform: I mean don't turn left at Gibraltar and keep going around the Cap of Good Hope.

Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a pearl handled revolver: To where, son, spit it out.

Young US Army Sergeant in exquisitely pressed uniform: To Perth, sir.

Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a pearl handled revolver: Perth, Scotland?

Young US Army Sergeant in exquisitely pressed uniform: No sir, Perth, Australia.

Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a pearl handled revolver: But we are here to fight Nazis. Did something happen I didn't hear about?

Young US Army Sergeant in exquisitely pressed uniform: Well, just think about all those Japs in those underarmored Type 2's in perfect tank terrain, sir.

Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a pearl handled revolver: <a small pool of spittle begins to develop at the corner of the general's mouth>

Young US Army Sergeant in exquisitely pressed uniform: And I can promise you 60 Panzerkampfwagen IV-J with the new 75 mm gun. 77mm penetration at 6000 ft, sir.

Kind of arrogant looking officer in a chromed helmet and armed with a peal handled revolver: <along string of drool now descends from the general's open mouth>

[Cap Mandrake]

I am afraid that just 1 more sharp attack north or Brisbane and they will achieve 2:1 and we may crack. Already some units are pulling back. We will have to give up Brisbane. Even with level 3 forts it is not defensible in a clear hex.

We might be able to deny them the rail lines by holding Toowoomba for a bit longer but once they decide to cross the emergency reinforcement line we don't have enough to stop them. Our lines become much longer as we can be flanked to the West or by a landing at Newcastle. Every base will have to be garrisoned to prevent airdrops. It's ugly. We can put some sacrificial units at Melbourne and Sydney to slow them down but it may be best to try to stop them near Adelaide/Port Augusta after help starts to arrive. This at least would preserve communication to Alice and Darwin.

[Cap Mandrake]

By ra way, what happens if you lose a destination for reinforcements (Sydney/Melbourne)? Do they just never show up?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

By ra way, what happens if you lose a destination for reinforcements (Sydney/Melbourne)? Do they just never show up?

Nothing that serious. They just keep not showing up.

[witpqs]

The LOD being just south of Bribane, JJ might stop at that base to conduct strategic bombing. How are your fighter and flak defenses?

[Cap Mandrake]

***************Feb 17, 1942(e)****************

New and Improved South Wales: We decide to make the IJN use up all its torpedoes. Few ships at Port Macquarie are ordered to break out.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 17, 42

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CL Isuzu
CL Abukuma
DD Isokaze
DD Shiranui
DD Michishio
DD Amagiri
DD Kikuzuki

Allied Ships
xAK Beltana, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

What time is it? Time for the morning air raid on Sydney.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 21,070 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed


<sobs quietly> Most of the damage is topside but the flotation damage is rising.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 13 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
G3M2 Nell x 18
G4M1 Betty x 26
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
P-40E Warhawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Chester, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville, Bomb hits 4, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL Boise, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AG Wanaka, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Van Spilbergen, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

At least we are downing a few bombers.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 3 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 2

Won't be long till they figure out we are not flying from Sydney

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 19

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 12

[Cap Mandrake]

Pullback ordered from Toowoommba. Last man out gets crushed.

round combat at Toowoomba (94,159)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4654 troops, 32 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Defending force 2716 troops, 26 guns, 61 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Japanese adjusted assault: 124

Allied adjusted defense: 169

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
146th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
21st Cav Recce Regiment
20th LH Motor Regiment
2nd Marine Air Wing
16th RAAF Base Sqdn

[Cap Mandrake]

Pullback from Brisbane line too. JJ takes a day off and we lob artillery shells back and forth. 3 full IJA divisions in the line now. Allied High Command has deduced the Jap strategy. That is, to draw us into a huge attrition battle above the reinforcement line, draw
reinforcements..then..when we are stretched thin..land behind us or sweep in across the farmland to the West.

Ground combat at 95,159 (near Brisbane)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 46167 troops, 563 guns, 314 vehicles, Assault Value = 1153

Defending force 12783 troops, 233 guns, 240 vehicles, Assault Value = 89

Japanese ground losses:
141 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 43 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
8th Tank Regiment
5th/A Division
38th/A Division
38th/C Division
5th/B Division
2nd/A Division
2nd/C Division
2nd/B Division
38th/B Division
144th Infantry Regiment
5th/C Division
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
1st Australian Brigade
9th Australian Brigade
8th Australian Brigade
11th LH Motor Regiment
25th Cav Recce Regiment
16th LH MG Regiment
7th Australian Brigade
2nd A/Car Regiment
16th Fld RAA Regiment
22nd Fld RAA Regiment
1st RAA Med Arty Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

New & Improved Caledonia: We show the carriers to take the KB off post.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 19
SBD-2 Dauntless x 15
SBD-3 Dauntless x 23

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Karukaya, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Fuyo


Well, that should cause them to turn tail, eh?

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 3 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DD Fuyo


No troops aboard. We just missed a big prize, a cruiser force near Koumac just out of reach of the SBD's

ASW attack near Belep Islands at 111,153

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi
CA Maya
CA Tone
DD Sagiri
DD Shinonome
DD Inazuma
DD Sazanami
DD Oboro
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
SS Salmon

[Cap Mandrake]

KB was near Lord Howe Island last turn, almost certainly moving East. Norfolk is level 2 so we have two spots for SBD's now.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Allied High Command has deduced

Fog of War? [:'(]

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh, sure. Mock us now...but you will see. We will come back from losing 2 carriers and half our cruisers.

Besides, what if we decide to switch over to Barbie's Dream Date (on line version)? That won't be so funny, will it?

[vicberg]

It would be funny if Barbie has to date the Allied Supreme Commander, but I wonder if FOW would get in the way

[Cap Mandrake]

I think Barbie has permanent FOW. How long has she been dating Ken and she hasn't figured out his very severe anatomical deficiencies?

[Cap Mandrake]

*************Feb 18, 1942(e)**************

Gasmata: ???? We gave up on Lark Force a long time ago...but not JJ. They detach 4 BB's

Night Naval bombardment of Gasmata at 103,127

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
DD Wakatake
DD Hakaze
DD Yuzuki
DD Kisaragi

Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Broome: JJ has a SNLF ashore but no aviation support. We rough up the level 3 AF.

Night Naval bombardment of Broome at 62,127

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
DD Jupiter
DD Whipple

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 12
Port hits 9

[Cap Mandrake]

Jap tankers: After 3 intercepts by Dutch boats, O24 hits paydirt.

Sub attack near Donggala at 69,96

Japanese Ships
TK San Clemente Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
APD Nadakaze

Allied Ships
SS O24

And another.

Sub attack near Terempa at 54,85

Japanese Ships
TK Tatekawa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Minegumo

Allied Ships
SS KX

Snicker.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Banggi at 69,85

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
OS2U-3 Kingfisher x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
TK San Pedro Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I think Barbie has permanent FOW. How long has she been dating Ken and she hasn't figured out his very severe anatomical deficiencies?

Aren't those deficiencies mutual?

I don't recall there being a Slot A for the insertion of Tab B....

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I think Barbie has permanent FOW. How long has she been dating Ken and she hasn't figured out his very severe anatomical deficiencies?

Aren't those deficiencies mutual?

I don't recall there being a Slot A for the insertion of Tab B....

I believe you are correct, sir. Even so, if one is missing Tab B one might not notice absence of Slot A