Matrix Games Forums

1941 December 22

My money is on this being four IJN fleet carriers, not five.

Does this level of strength here signify concern the USN carriers might intervene in Imperial operations here, or does it signify a major, early Imperial operation in this area?

1941 December 22

Unlikely these warriors will escape. Overcast skies tomorrow just might give them a chance.

Is it normal for your opponent or most JFBs to have BBs mixed in with CVs, particularly early war? I won't attach BBs to CVs until later and only if I face Kido Butai at close to,
or near full strength. Because I see no transports, and because he approached easterly of Rabaul, I would guess the former or he has transports NNE and is going deeper
into SoPac. Pray for foul weather over TF267!

Personally, I would write off the two cruisers and bolt at high speed with the destroyer.

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Is it normal for your opponent or most JFBs to have BBs mixed in with CVs, particularly early war? I won't attach BBs to CVs until later and only if I face Kido Butai at close to,
or near full strength. Because I see no transports, and because he approached easterly of Rabaul, I would guess the former or he has transports NNE and is going deeper
into SoPac. Pray for foul weather over TF267!

Pretty sure all those BB's are scouting mirages. There might be 2x BB there since this is (must be) part of the Pearl Harbor KB. It's possible the invaders are out of air search range. Kavieng and Rabaul, or just Rabaul and clean up Kavieng later both make sense.

I did sink the original Kavieng invasion force so being more careful with a larger Rabaul invasion force also makes sense.

One turn earlier... sigh!

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Personally, I would write off the two cruisers and bolt at high speed with the destroyer.

Yeah, I decided to give them one turn to try. I also should have cut loose Adelaide with her dead slow speed. Will do that tomorrow if she survives.

1941 December 23

INVADED
Amphibious TF 85 unloading at Dumanquilas
Amphibious TF 92 unloading at Sandakan
Amphibious TF 56 unloading at Rabaul
Clark Field, Manila, Cabanatuan, Davao, Hong Kong are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Catanduanes is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Iba !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Taiping !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Sandakan !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Dumanquilas !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Oroquieta !!!



• Our patrol craft on the West Coast are just over matched.

Sub attack near San Diego at 225,79

Japanese Ships
SS I-5

Allied Ships
PC Hermes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-5 launches 2 torpedoes
I-5 diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

• The IJN continued causing mayhem in and near the Coral Sea, and that cruiser TF was escorting an invasion convoy which was not seen.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
DD Oboro
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
AM Bunbury, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAP Macdhui, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
1299 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 63 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 33 (25 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Reduced sighting due to 25% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 25% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
Japanese launch Long Lance torpedoes at 8,000 yards before allies detect Japanese presence
xAP Macdhui sunk by CA Kinugasa at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages AM Bunbury at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
AM Bunbury sunk by CA Kako at 3,000 yards
AM Bunbury sunk by CA Kako at 3,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

Pre-Invasion action off Rabaul (106,125)

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Kashima
CL Katori
DD Hatsushima
DD Yugumo
xAP Tango Maru
DD Wakaba

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

CL Kashima firing at Rabaul Base Force
CL Katori firing at B Coy/NG Rifles
DD Hatsushima firing at Rabaul Base Force
DD Yugumo firing at B Coy/NG Rifles
DD Yugumo fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

Amphibious Assault at Rabaul (106,125)

TF 56 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 106,125

Japanese ground losses:
145 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

15 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /1
75mm T41 Rgt Gun lost in surf during unload of 4th Div /2
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /3
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /3
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 4th Div /4
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /4
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 4th Div
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost in surf during unload of 4th Div
15 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 4th Div
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /6
15 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 4th Div /6
15 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 4th Div /6
15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 4th Div /7
15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 4th Div /7
15 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 4th Div /8

Invasion Support action off Rabaul (106,125)

3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAP Tango Maru
DD Yugumo
DD Wakaba

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 402 troops, 1 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Defending force 12914 troops, 101 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 413

Assaulting units:
B Coy/NG Rifles
Lark Force /2
Lark Force
Rabaul Base Force

Defending units:
4th Division

Morning Air attack on TF, near Woodlark Island at 104,132

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
B5N2 Kate x 16
D3A1 Val x 34

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Australia, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CL Adelaide, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
DD Stuart, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
16 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Stuart
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Australia

With massive fires and damage Stuart had to be scuttled.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
B5N2 Kate x 48

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Yochow, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Beltana, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Yunnan
PC Swan, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PG Moresby, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Momba, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Anshun, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
9 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
13 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
13 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

It gets worse. Almost half of Lark Force is ashore but only 1/3 of the TOE is ready, and all of that is in strategic move mode. They and the tiny volunteer force face about 17,000 Imperial warbots. I think the 4th Division will re-embark after seizing Rabaul and head for Port Moresby. Tha Catalinas at Port Moresby no longer needed to search because we know superior enemy forces are present and we cannot attack them, so instead the flying boats will pick up as many of Lark Bn as they can tomorrow. Every bit will help in the coming defense of Port Moresby. One ship survived the strike at Port Moresby and will finish unloading if possible.

For some reason (error or not I don't know) the Papuan Inf Section device in the Papuan Inf Bn (at Rabaul) have 0 AV. Similarly the Native Militia in the Samoa Bn (on Savaii) have 0 AV. Do any of you know if those are scenario bugs or intended??

Two USN carriers are at Pago Pago and one more is nearly there. Will there be an early Coral Sea carrier battle?

• Remaining ANZAC surface forces will rally at Brisbane and be joined by USN CA Pensacola. That at-sea starting TF carrying USA artillery units will arrive at Brisbane tomorrow. Will that artillery see action on Australian soil?

• We've bought 3 USA base forces at San Francisco for SWPac, although they are only partially filled out. They will board fast luxury liners and be escorted by 2x DMS, the best we can do right now.

• For reasons unknown the Imperial horde at Manila did not assault, allowing more USA fighters to make ready and reach Cagayan.

• We lost a B-17 for no Oil hits at Miri. Very cool game chrome:
"Hasuo, T. in a A6M2 Zero makes head on attack ... forces B-17D Fortress out of formation"

• Our large speed bump near Nanyang will indeed escape into that city tomorrow.

• Thinking no enemy submarines had yet transited to the Andaman Sea, we tried to get some tankettes into Rangoon.

Submarine attack near Rangoon at 53,55

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
xAK Clan Lamont

xAK Clan Lamont is sighted by SS I-166
SS I-166 launches 2 torpedoes

Submarine attack near Rangoon at 53,55

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
xAK Clan Lamont, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

xAK Clan Lamont is sighted by SS I-166
SS I-166 launches 4 torpedoes

Bad idea.

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 23

KB in the Coral Sea. Does that look like the air load-out of 5 carriers or 4?

1941 December 23

Port Moresby, the new center of the universe.

1941 December 23

Sorong might be invaded tomorrow.

1941 December 24

INVADED
Amphibious TF 56 unloading at Rabaul
Amphibious TF 15 offshore of Tabiteuea
Amphibious TF 92 offshore of Balabac
Clark Field, Manila, Cagayan, Manado, Wenchow, Nanyang, Kukong are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Lubang is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Davao !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tabiteuea !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kudat !!!



• The 2nd USMC Rgt and a USMC Def Bn begin amphibious unloading at Pago Pago tonight. Also tonight the 8th USMC Rgt and a pioneer Bn will arrive in a transport convoy. Saratoga is due in 3 days and the additional cruisers for her escort in 5 days.

• Lark Force survived the fall of Rabaul and is in the jungle but on the coast and still being airlifted out. We are also airlifting out the base force.

• 5 subs dispatched from Pearl Harbor to Australia to bolster defenses.

• Heavy signals activity at Truk.

• British xAK Yunnan shows DL 10/10 at Port Moresby so I believe enemy fleet carriers are nearby but have no sighting of them. Yunnan has 53 more tons of supply to unload before disbanding into port.

• They were raiders not invaders.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CL Kiso
DD Sagiri
DD Kamikaze
DD Okikaze

Allied Ships
AVP Bellatrix, Shell hits 13, and is sunk


Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 32% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
CA Chokai engages AVP Bellatrix at 9,000 yards
CA Chokai engages AVP Bellatrix at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CA Chokai engages AVP Bellatrix at 8,000 yards
CL Kiso engages AVP Bellatrix at 8,000 yards
Massive explosion on AVP Bellatrix
DD Kamikaze engages AVP Bellatrix at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages AVP Bellatrix at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages AVP Bellatrix at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
AVP Bellatrix sunk by CA Chokai at 5,000 yards
AVP Bellatrix sunk by CA Chokai at 5,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

Bellatrix came from abandoned Ternate and her loss will not leave Ambon under-supported.

• 3 more!

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 2 damaged

Oil hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
1 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 8000.
Raid is overhead

Very few B-17's are ready so all groups will stand down.

• Hong Kong falls.

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18637 troops, 266 guns, 179 vehicles, Assault Value = 458

Defending force 5878 troops, 107 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 111

Japanese adjusted assault: 343

Allied adjusted defense: 153

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
329 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
5920 casualties reported
Squads: 158 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 335 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 24 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 112 (112 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 105 (105 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 6

Assaulting units:
19th Ind Engineer Regiment
1st Ind.Inf.Group
38th Division
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd RF Gun Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
Winnipeg Grenadiers Battalion
Rifles of Canada Battalion
Kowloon Brigade
1st Middlesex Battalion
102nd RN Base Force
Hong Kong Fortress

• A lone enemy unit has invested Nanyang. I believe it is am armoured unit and that no other enemy unit can make it into Nanyang tomorrow. Our 75,000 troops - 1,472 AV - will shock attack tomorrow. They are woefully inexperienced so however the day turns out they will gain something and lose plenty. The large enemy forces moving more deliberately on Nanyang will surely dislodge them at greater cost. Tomorrow we will see how this calculated risk plays out.

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 25

INVADED
Amphibious TF 121 unloading at Surigao
Amphibious TF 85 offshore of Siquijor
Amphibious TF 88 offshore of Kavieng
Clark Field, Manila, Cagayan, Manado, Beaufort, Wenchow are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Balabac is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Utan Melintang !!!



• At least two IJN subs are brazenly parked outside San Diego. Are they waiting for Yorktown? We play with reinforcements variable (I forget how many days) so Imperial Intel doesn't know her exact arrival date. The 8 destroyers have arrived from the Canal and will commence ASW patrols in TF's of 2. There is also at least one IJN sub off of San Francisco so one ASW patrol will span that far north. SWPas base forces will be ready to leave in a couple of days so we need to sanitize the area.

• The USMC regiments are unloading at Pago Pago with substantial assets of the Rgt amphibious loaded already ashore. A supply convoy will arrive in 4 days.

• Crikey! Canberra and company had no ASW escort for this encounter.

Sub attack near Brisbane at 97,160

Japanese Ships
SS I-18

Allied Ships
CA Canberra

SS I-18 launches 6 torpedoes at CA Canberra
Sub escapes detection

• These ships are dispersed in the size 0 port of Sidate, proving in this game you can run but you can't hide.

Afternoon Air attack on Sidate , at 75,100

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 3
Hudson I x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DMS W-8, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Yasukawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 3000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 300 kg GP Bomb
3 x Hudson I bombing from 3000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Still ships in port so hopefully more fireworks tomorrow.

• Defenders at Manado held their ground quite convincingly.

Ground combat at Manado (75,99)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4302 troops, 32 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 149

Defending force 2256 troops, 17 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 70

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 35

Allied adjusted defense: 51

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: op mode(-), leaders(-)

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

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

Assaulting units:
146th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
Manado RK Cdo
Manado Mil'ie Cdo

• The three partial strength P-40 squadrons at Cagayan have been bought out, for full-strength price of course, and will make their way to Port Moresby to take up defense there. The P-40E's should make it in as little as two days but the P-40B squadron might be better served stopping in Australia to upgrade to another type, maybe P-39D.

• We've taken the remaining B-17D's in the pool into one of the squadrons at Soerabaja where they can participate in strikes on Oil production.

• KB2, or at least a couple of CVL from it, appear to be in the South China Sea, currently about 7 hexes N of Jesselton. I am not sure what to make of that. Perhaps the 6 fleet carriers are reforming one KB in anticipation of 4 USN carriers potentially operating together.

• The Empire has some serious industrial strength mine clearing procedures!

TF 216 encounters mine field at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-19
DMS W-18
DMS W-17
DMS W-16
DMS W-15
DMS W-14
DMS W-13
DMS W-12
DMS W-11
DMS W-10
DMS W-9

264 mines cleared

• I was wrong about the match up for the shock attack at Nanyang: our air strike hitting the intended victim during the day reported attacking the 34th Division. And I was very wrong about additional units being unable to arrive in time for a battle, but at least they were still on the road (move mode) when our lads charged.

Morning Air attack on 34th Division, at 85,45 (Nanyang)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-29A Hudson x 9

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x A-29A Hudson bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 56585 troops, 270 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1482

Defending force 13610 troops, 104 guns, 166 vehicles, Assault Value = 467

Allied adjusted assault: 794

Japanese adjusted defense: 239

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
3503 casualties reported
Squads: 89 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 76 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 13 (9 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 85 (39 destroyed, 46 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Allied ground losses:
2772 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 264 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
41st Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army
5th War Area
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
13th Tank Regiment
34th Division
23rd Tank Regiment

I was wrong about everything except the outcome being positive, although it was much better than I anticipated. It's especially nice to dent those armoured units.

• British 18th Division has unloaded at Colombo.

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 25

Nanyang, scene of the spanking.

Ironically we just exchanged comments about the faux defense of Chengchow. The early action in China in our last game saw us both make mistakes. Walter's errors were letting advance units be vulnerable just a little too long and were punished by me smiting those units. That led to the success of my hollow defense at Chengchow because the Imperial unit investing the city was only a small unit which either could not bombard for recon or dare not do so for fear of being discovered as vulnerable by a large Chinese unit defending the city. And here, the really ironic part, an entire division plus two tank regiments faced only very poorly skilled units of ours yet were set back and routed. If I knew that strength would be present I would not have ordered the attack because I would not have expected the result we got.

Notice Imperial units already advancing into Nanyang from two directions. The stack to the right scouts as 11 units including the 3 retreated in battle today. The Empire probably has enough other units to knock us out of Nanyang with great casualties. We shall yield and withdraw into the forest.

"scene of the spanking" [:D]. Thank you sir, I needed something to roll with this morning.

1941 December 26

INVADED
Amphibious TF 92 offshore of Banggi
Clark Field, Baler, Cagayan, Manado, Wenchow, Nanyang, Tavoy are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Tapul is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Loyang !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Manila !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kavieng !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Siquijor !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Surigao !!!



• A bunch of ASW encounters near San Diego and Pearl Harbor.

• One USMC Rgt unloading at Pago Pago has only a few motorized support to go, the other (strat mode) is unloading more slowly but at a good pace.

• Tomorrow the first USN subs will begin arriving on station off Japan's Home Islands.

• Those P-40E squadrons from Luzon are at Darwin but are unable to take replacement aircraft there. They could hop to Port Moresby next turn but will detour south on the Australian east coast to Sydney where they should be able to requisition replacements. That will keep the lead elements from reaching Port Moresby for several days but there is too little air support there for them anyway. Getting supply into Port Moresby is dicey right now with the whereabouts of IJN's fleet carriers not fixed. Our PBY at PM could probably locate them but are busy picking up troops.

• I believe that either the KB is cruising the waters off Port Moresby in the northern Coral Sea or the Empire has implemented naval search from Aitape or Wewak.

• At Sidate our bombers damaged the non-existent port facilities because the Imperial ships fled with their rudders between their screws. At Miri we see two ships in port, one an AV, so we will give them the same treatment. Light and medium bombers from Tarakan, Samarinda, Kuching, and Sinkawang will bomb the port tomorrow.

• Manado almost fell to the enemy today.

• We pulled two LRCAP ambushes over our units in far SW (game-map SW) China. In one case our pilots claimed 3 bombers destroyed and turned away all of them; in the other claimed 1 fighter but the bombers got through to lightly hit our troops. Liuchow was hit by several raids so CAP will focus there tomorrow.

• The Imperials are maneuvering to undermine our defensive lines leading to Sian.

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 27

INVADED
Amphibious TF 20 unloading at Finschhafen
Amphibious TF 56 unloading at Gasmata
Clark Field, Subic Bay, Baler, Cagayan, Wenchow, Nanyang are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Basilan is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Manado !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tavoy !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Banggi !!!



• The base forces embarked at San Francisco will wait one day before setting out on an evasive course to clear the IJN sub danger near the coast. A solo destroyer ASW TF will begin sweeping the area tomorrow.

• Continued ASW action near San Diego and Pearl Harbor.

• Both USMC regiments are fully ashore at Pago Pago. A little more supply will unload tomorrow, then a cargo convoy will arrive the day after. Also the day after tomorrow the additional heavy cruisers and destroyers will arrive and the carrier TF's will be rearranged. An oiler will arrive tomorrow to top off the Saratoga and current escorts. Two more will take up station at Ta'u and be ready to service a combat sortie. A tanker convoy with 60,000 fuel will arrive at Pago Pago in about 8 or 9 days and disband to serve as a refueling farm until the port facilities are built adequately.

• Fiji now has 6x Bns plus artillery and base forces. Two more Bns arrive in 2 days and 9 days.

• We have no good data indicating location of the IJN fleet carriers aside from how far at least 4 of them could have traveled from the Solomon Sea. With invasions underway on New Britain they are likely still there.

• The two ex-Luzon P-40E squadrons are at Charter Towers on their way to Sydney to (hopefully) take replacement aircraft. The P-40B squadron is at Kendari (shorter ranged aircraft). Three Buffalo squadrons are at Darwin and will provide security there for the time being.

• Cagayan has 239 AV now that all remaining (viable) forces on Mindanao have retreated there.

• It turns out that Samarinda and Sinkawang are too far (with their airfield sizes??) for the bombers there to make port strikes on Miri. The Hudson's at Kuching and the Falcon's at Tarakan did brave the Zero's on CAP there and a Falcon made a bomb hit on AV Sagara Maru (the intended target) and the Hudson's hit the port facilities. They will keep it up and the B-17's at Soerabaja (up to about 10 of them) will make another strike on Oil production.

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
CW-22 Falcon x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed
CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
AV Sagara Maru, Bomb hits 1

Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 2000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 8000.
Raid is overhead

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 9

No Allied losses

Port hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Hudson I bombing from 3000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Contrary to the battle report only 1 Falcon was lost.

• With the fall of Tavoy our troops retreated south into oblivion. Our bombers that tried to forestall matters failed to meet their escort and suffered 7 losses, a great number at this time. The AVG squadron will attempt revenge tomorrow by sweeping newly enemy-held Tavoy.

• Colombo has 879 AV in place although experience is lacking.

• A number of our scattered remnants in China have been destroyed. Only four units are yet to leave Nanyang for the safety of the forest. Three will definitely make it while needs to make a full 8 miles. There are 9 enemy units in Nanyang so if that last unit receives their is get mauled.

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 28

INVADED
Amphibious TF 121 unloading at Butuan
Amphibious TF 85 offshore of Tagbilaran
Clark Field, Cagayan, Beaufort, Wenchow, Nanyang are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Choiseul Bay is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Subic Bay !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Baler !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Finschhafen !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Gasmata !!!



• No clues today on IJN fleet carriers.

• The ASW dance around near San Diego and Los Angeles continues as we route incoming ships without escort to other ports from where they can be escorted on final approach. Those are the ships which began the campaign game at Austrian and New Zealander port and places on the way. We also have some valuable AKV and AK types holding at the Panama Canal until transit is made safer.

• Three PBY squadrons are unloading at Pearl Harbor along with a fighter squadron (+ fighter HQ Sqn). When ready those search planes will fly south to fill gaps in our naval search coverage. One will be used to free up the PBY-4 group at Midway for transport duty supporting Port Moresby.

• That last surviving freighter from the first Port Moresby supply run is halfway to northern Austrlia and shows DL 7/7. There is no DL at Port Moresby or any bases in the area so far as I've noted, and there is this in the Operations report:
"xAK Yunnan followed by Japanese Float Fighter at 95,135 near Cooktown"
Given that this message:
"DD Clark sighted by Japanese Float Fighter at 216,74 near San Francisco"
must be from a submarine launched aircraft I am concluding Yunnan has been found in a similar way. She is changing course to make a closer port (Cooktown) and will tread carefully, but Port Moresby needs supplies now before a siege begins.

• Clark Field and Bataan are our only bases on Luzon.

• At first I thought someone found a working torpedo, but it was a false alarm.

Submarine attack near Balabac at 69,82

Japanese Ships
xAK Tone Maru, Shell hits 12

Allied Ships
SS Sealion

xAK Tone Maru is sighted by SS Sealion
SS Sealion attacking on the surface
SS Sealion low on gun ammo, Friedrichsen, G.V. breaks off surface engagement and submerges

• Some work got done at Miri.

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
CW-22 Falcon x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AV Sagara Maru, Bomb hits 2

Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 2000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 8000.
Raid is overhead

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Hudson I bombing from 3000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters to 2000.
Raid is overhead

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 5

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 2 damaged

Oil hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
1 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

• A little revenge.

Morning Air attack on Tavoy , at 54,60

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 47 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x H81-A3 sweeping at 20000 feet

CAP engaged:
Yamada Det S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes

Morning Air attack on Tavoy , at 54,60

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 47 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 2

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x H81-A3 sweeping at 20000 feet

• Less work done at Manado but at least we are destroying supply.

Morning Air attack on Manado , at 75,99

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

• A lost sheep was found by wolves.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Biak at 88,109, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
xAKL Bintoehan, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Improved night sighting under 75% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 75% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
CA Maya engages xAKL Bintoehan at 10,000 yards
DD Harukaze engages xAKL Bintoehan at 10,000 yards
Massive explosion on xAKL Bintoehan
DD Fumizuki engages xAKL Bintoehan at 10,000 yards
DD Satsuki engages xAKL Bintoehan at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
xAKL Bintoehan sunk by CA Maya at 7,000 yards
xAKL Bintoehan sunk by CA Maya at 7,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

• A clean getaway at Nanyang!

Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 29

INVADED
Amphibious TF 85 unloading at Tagbilaran
Amphibious TF 92 offshore of Tawi Tawi
Amphibious TF 88 offshore of Talasea
Clark Field, Cagayan, Beaufort, Temuloh, Kukong, Wenchow are also invested.

CHANGED OWNERSHIP
Butuan is occupied by the Japanese
Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanyang !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tagbilaran !!!


Overall
• Still no updated info on whereabouts of IJN fleet carriers, although there is again heavy signals traffic at Truk.

• CV Yorktown has arrived at San Diego. Her escort destroyers are all hunting submarines nearby so Yorktown will train pilots as much as possible for the moment. When the destroyers now in escort to battleships heading for Bremerton are free to take up sub hunting Yorktown and her escorts will head for the South Pacific to join the other USN fleet carriers.


West Coast USA, Alaska, Hawaii
• No enemy sub sightings today. The base forces convoy for Australia is away NW of San Francisco and moving a little west before turning south. Two battleships with heavy escort are 8 hexes SW of SF and heading north to Bremerton/Seattle shipyards.


Pacific
• Supply convoy has arrived at Pago Pago.


New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Solomons, Papua New Guinea, New Britain
• In addition to the one haunting the approaches to Port Moresby there is another IJN sub off the entrace to the protected waters near Rockhampton.

• Enough air support has been brought in from the jungle coastline near Rabaul to get more of the antiquated flying boats at Port Moresby back in the air. Hopefully this will speed up pulling in the dispersed infantry companies.


Philippines
• Bataan was bombed today, presumably to hinder fort building. Fortifications are level 3 and will stop there even though the base damage was repaired. Dragging things out will be a supply game. To that end and with other bases that might draw it gone to the enemy I've reduced the supply draw at Clark Field to minimum to any called for can flow to Bataan.

• Small invasions continue in the central Philippines, and the ring around Cagayan is drawing tighter.

• We have 843 AV at Clark Field some of which is armor, plus AA and lots of artillery.

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 732 troops, 61 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 1010

Defending force 31992 troops, 359 guns, 173 vehicles, Assault Value = 864

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

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

Assaulting units:
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
Kimura Det
7th Tank Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
65th Brigade
48th Engineer Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
Kanno
Sasebo 1st SNLF
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment
Kure 1st SNLF
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
1st Constabulary Regiment
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
4th Marine Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
I/43rd PS Inf Battalion
57th PS Infantry Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
35th Avn Sup
51st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
31st PA Infantry Division
2nd Constabulary Regiment
1st USMC AA Battalion
Far East USAAF
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
I Corps
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
US Forces Far East
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp
Clark Field AAF Base Force
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
24th PS FA Regiment
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp

DEI, Dutch new Guinea, Borneo, Malaya
• KB2 and a probably surface force 2 hexes N of Singkawang.

• 4 more Oil hits at Miri.

Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 5

No Allied losses

Oil hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
2 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

The groups attacking the now empty port also reported no enemy fighters.

• Defensive mines laid at Kendari.

• An IJN surface group is near Sorong either paving the way for invasion or hunting Allied warships.

• SigInt reports an amphibious convoy en route to Mersing, which is only held by a small base force.


China
• Two AVG squadrons have moved to Kukong for tomorrow. With luck that will not coincide with IJA fighter sweeps.

• We are in decent shape building defensive lines around Sian, Changsha, and with units moving to the mountains to outrun any major surprise thrust by the Imperials to cut off China from Burma. Kukong is hanging out a bit and the road there will be reinforced to lengthen our holding time. Nanning and Liuchow are probably better being held tentatively with forces then withdrawing into the forests. Kweilin is weakly held now and in any event could not last much longer than the Changsha area, which will be yielded eventually to preserve a strong army to defend the forests.


India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina
• In addition to the enemy at Tavoy heading south to clean up resistance and take Mergui we now see movement up the road from Bangkok to Moulmein. Our base forces there will pull out and work to fortify Toungoo. The AVG squadron is heading into China.


Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Russia
• Our subs in Japanese waters have yet to make any contacts.


Complete combat report attached.

1941 December 29

KB2, possibly without the fleet carrier which it clearly included recently.

1941 December 29

Wenchow defenders.