Speedy vs Fabertong: Death to the Penguin!

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

It seems like the Japanese have turned about in Burma. Rather than retreating to Rahaeng they are massing at the crossing NE of Moulmein. As such rather than rushing a partial force across the Irriwadi I am massing and am now moving all of my force towards the enemy from Rangoon - 7000AV.

Allied airpower will pound this position.

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Quiet in SRA except 90 more Aviation Support arriving at Bulla and 90 more at Babo. This will allow Mediums to fly from here soon against Amboina, Sorong and Weda.

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Bad weather meant no recon took place over Japan. We try again tomorrow before bombing again. Another B29BG flew into Saipan today.

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SS Croaker damaged the empty AO Kazahaya with a torpedo 240 miles SSW of Camranh Bay. CVE Taiyo was also spottted in this TF.

Air sightings = 9
Air attacks = 0

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2 x AK, an LCI and an LST arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[DuckofTindalos]

Lose any more carriers?[:'(]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi T - Not recently. Have you?[;)][:'(]

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A further 'quiet' day overall with Allied LBA bombing the IJS positions NE of Moulmein. Over 1000 enemy troops were hit today. My force is 37 miles from it's destination.

250,000 tonnes of supply have started to unload at Rangoon.

254th Indian Tk Bde again forced the Japanese to retreat along the Taung Gyi - Rahaeng trail. They are now across the Irriwadi.

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The rest of 503rd USA Para's have reached the outskirts of Singkawang. Within 2 days 2 x USA Division should be there too. We then either wait for 2 x ARM Bn's (a week away) or we attack.

28,000 tonnes of suuply are en route to both Babo and Bulla to support limited bombing campaigns.

Damaged British Capitol Ships are skirting Australia around Cooktown heading towards the bigger southern ports.

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Again bad weather means limited recon of Japan. We will try to hit Nagasaki's Heavy Industry tomorrow night.

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SS Gunnel blew up PC PC-19 with 3 torpeodes 240 miles NW of Jesselton. In return she was located and sunk by PC Miyake and DD Momo with 9 x DC.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 0

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2 x LST, an LCI, AK and a DE arrive in theatre tomorrow as does a PBM Squadron.

[DuckofTindalos]

Nope, Bruce can't find 'em...[:'(]

[BrucePowers]

You did lose some naval airmen however[:'(][:)]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

A fairly quiet day as the Allied advance reaches the Irriwadi NW of Japanese positions in Burma. They should cross tomorrow. I doubt i'll force the Japanese to retreat but if I can make it across and stay there I know my force is greater than his and in time I will wear him down in the open.

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Quiet in SRA.

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Bad weather meant my B29's did not take off to hit Nagasaki. We try again tomorrow. Mossie's reconned the place ok today though.

I am thinking of going for Iwo Jima pretty soon (maybe within 2 months). I see little point in waiting since my Fleet is in good shape other than MSW's and LCI/LST. I will just have to accept mine/CD losses but get my troops ashore. I will think further on this.

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No submarine attacks today.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 0

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CVE Matanikau, CL Trenton, 2 x AK, an AP ad a DD arrive in theatre tomorrow as does a Corsair squadron.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Well the big push in Burma ended in massive casualties for me:

Ground combat at 30,34

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 398321 troops, 1986 guns, 1209 vehicles, Assault Value = 8800

Defending force 351163 troops, 2033 guns, 667 vehicles, Assault Value = 6948

Allied max assault: 7852 - adjusted assault: 961

Japanese max defense: 6117 - adjusted defense: 3672

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
6132 casualties reported
Guns lost 265
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
29597 casualties reported
Guns lost 299
Vehicles lost 21

The good news is most of those are disablements and my troops will recover if given the chance too.

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2 x USA Division have reached the outskirts of Singkawang. I am not expecting major difficulties in taking the place. Tomorrow bombardments and recon will be carried out before the decision is made whether to attack or not.

Both additional BF's are ashore at Bulla and Babo and supplies are flowing ashore.

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50 x B29 bombed Nagasaki at night and achieved 4 HI hits damaging 4 out of 600 production[8|] A discouraging start. There are co-ordination problems here since there are 192 x B29 available on Saipan. I have an AF HQ en route which will hopefully help.

Tomorrow they will try to damage Hamamatsu's Manpower and cause fires.

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SS Becuna evaded 5 x ASW ships 180 miles south of Camranh Bay.

Air sightings = 7
Air attacks = 1

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We have some defectors on Wake[:D]:

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Burma remained quiet today with neither the Japanese or Allies bombarding each other NE of Moulmein. Clearly the horrendous conditions for both sides over the past year have led to a days break.

Unfortunately for the Japanese Allied LBA scored 1200+ casualties on 61st Division's positions[;)]

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The Japanese at Singkawang consist of elements of IJA Diviison, SNLF Bde, ARM Rgt, BF and a Cons. Bn. We'll await the Allied armour which is 20 miles away. Thundebolts and TBM's will bomb Japanese positions from Pontianak:

Ground combat at Singkawang

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36436 troops, 421 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 846

Defending force 16691 troops, 119 guns, 143 vehicles, Assault Value = 443

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37 x B29's achieved 40 Fires at Hamamatsu through Night bombing and shot down a Nick NF[8|]. I'm not impressed by night bombing so far. We'll await the arrival of Twining's AF HQ, the removal of a Havoc BG (to create space) and see then. Tomorrow they will target Shimuzu's Mitsubishu Engine plants.

Some formations on Saipan were dismayed to receive orders today to prepare for the invasion of Iwo Jima.............

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A good day for my submarines...........

SS O23 evaded convoy escorts 60 miles NE of Jesselton.

SS Barb sank oil laden TK Jinei with a torpedo 120 miles NE of Jesselton. In return she was attacked throughout the day by escorts - 12 x DC near miss - 17/0/0. Well done lads another TK gone[8D]

SS S-32 patrolling new hunting grounds after a patrol tip-off located, surfaced and sank AK Taisei Maru with 1 shell and 2 torpedoes 60 miles west of Onnekotan Jima, northern Kuriles.

SS Grayback sank the troop laden AP Ginyo Maru with 2 torpedoes 60 miles east of Tori Shima. 109th IJA Division elements were left swimming. Probably heading for Iwo Jima. In return the escorts landed 1 x DC hit, 6 x DC near miss - 28/32/0. Back to Saipan for repair.

Air sightings = 11
Air attacks = 2

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CVE Shipley Bay, SS Caiman, an AK, AP, DE and a LST arrive in theatre tomorrow.

A snap shot of my top aces. All CV based:

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Slowly but surely my men are recovering in Burma. Increased by 150 AV over the past 3 days.

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81st IJA Division's positions are bobmed at Singkawang. I have decided to try for a deliberate attack in 2 days time.

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Shimuzu is bombed at night and once more no hits are achieved[8|] I have had enough of night bombing (at least for now). I will try a surprise day attack on Nagasaki tomorrow. Recon indicates only 2 enemy fighters on CAP.

Overall things are fairly stagnant on all 3 fronts as we ready ourselves for the enxt attacks.

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SS Besugo sank AP Hino Maru #3 with 2 torpedoes 120 miles NE of Bonin Island. Once more 109th IJA Division men were left swimming,. That's between 4500-6000K worth of troops that have had to swim from that division or between 20-25% of it. In return Besugo took 2 x DC hit, 3 x DC near miss - 10/40/0. She will return back to Saipan.

Air sightings = 11
Air attacks = 2

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CVE Kwajalein, an AP and a LSV arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Bad weather prevcented my B29's from bombing Nagasaki during the day.

Morre of the same across the theatre. Tomorrow my troops will attack at Singkawang.

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A good day for my submarines.

SS Seawolf evaded 2 x PG 180 miles east of Tarakan.

SS S-34 sank AP Shinyo Maru with 2 torpedoes 180 miles east of Sapporo. 1 x DC near miss - 4/0/0.

SS Tilefish heavily damaged PC Awaji with a torpedo 60 miles east of Camranh Bay. In return she was hunted throughout the day and received 7 x DC near miss - 16/9/0. She will stay on station to challenge this ASW TF.

SS Hake heavily damaged the oil laden AO Shioya with a torpedo 60 miles NE of Taytay.

SS Robalo was attacked by 5 x DD 120 miles SE of Shanghai today. 1 x DC near miss - 6/0/0.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 0

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BB Howe, 2 x AK and a DE arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

More of the same in Burma with my AV rising to 5000 again now. Constant bombing of IJA positions NE of Moulmein.

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I am AMAZED at this failed attack at Singkawang. I have NO idea why. I am in full supply and un-disrupted:

Ground combat at Singkawang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36542 troops, 419 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 855

Defending force 16362 troops, 103 guns, 142 vehicles, Assault Value = 436

Allied max assault: 697 - adjusted assault: 256

Japanese max defense: 346 - adjusted defense: 1139

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
194 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
677 casualties reported
Guns lost 42

I will wait for my 2 x ARM Bn's to reach Singkawang and see then. I also have a spare RCT + ARM Bn at Banja I will probably commit up the coast.

3 x Havoc squadrons have arrived at Darwin for deployment to either Banja or Babo/Bulla. They will probably go to Babo/Bulla with FB's going to Banja to bomb IJA troops at Balikpapan.

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At last clear weather at Saipan and Nagasaki is pounded by 178 x B29. No enemy fighters were on CAP and 280 of the 600 HI was damaged[:)] This netted me about 500 Strategic points too.

Good good. A massive difference here as you can tell compapred to the piddly night bombing. I will rest tomorrow before hitting elsewhere. The priorty IMO has to be nearby oil sites. He MUST be struggling for oil with few TK/AO left. With Sumatra, Java and souther Borneo 'cut-off' by me he has to get oil from nearby sites.

I'm right in thinking without oil he won't produce anything either right?

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SS Tuna evaded 5 x ASW craft 60 miles SE of Camranh Bay.

SS Hake sank PC Shonon Maru 15 with a torpedo 60 miles NE of Taytay. She is out of torpedoes now and will return to Darwin.

SS Pilotfish tracked the damaged AO Shioya near to Manila and put her under with 2 more torpedoes.

Air sightings = 12
Air attacks = 2
Air hits = 1 - SS Flying Fish by a Sally 240 miles SW of Camranh Bay.

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An SS, DE, AK and LST arrive in theatre tomorrow as does an F6F-5N squadron.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I'm right in thinking without oil he won't produce anything either right?

Without oil he won't produce any HI. What you don't know is if he has any oil reserves in Japan (or anywhere else he has HI factories). They are immune to your bombing. Also, he may have HI points he has produced in reserve. They are immune to your bombing. By killing his TK/AOs you're eliminating his ability to move oil (AK/APs can't move oil) and by killing his HI you're reducing his ability to produce HI points.

[kilowatts]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I am AMAZED at this failed attack at Singkawang. I have NO idea why. I am in full supply and un-disrupted:

Those guys have got to be pretty fatigued after having been transported and then marched from Pontianak. How's their morale? And what do you mean by 'un-disrupted'? I don't see how they could possibly have 0 disruption. All those factors will combine to drive down the ending assault value. If you let them rest a day or two their combat value will go up. Got support?

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: kilowatts

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I am AMAZED at this failed attack at Singkawang. I have NO idea why. I am in full supply and un-disrupted:

Those guys have got to be pretty fatigued after having been transported and then marched from Pontianak. How's their morale? And what do you mean by 'un-disrupted'? I don't see how they could possibly have 0 disruption. All those factors will combine to drive down the ending assault value. If you let them rest a day or two their combat value will go up. Got support?

My guess would be simply a "bad roll of the dice". Have you tried artillery bombardments there?

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi Mike - as such I will try 2 things I think:

1.) Kill the remaining oil production that I can reach EXCEPT areas already cut-off. This leaves Tarakan, Brunei, Miri, Formosa, China, Manchuria, Japan.

2.) Like in BTR IMO the other weakness for the Japanese in plane production is engine production. I may attack a few of these in due course just to keep Faber honest.

Hi killowatts - Fatigue was about 50. Morale is 60 now so certainly no lower than that. Dusruption was 20ish. It;s now 60ish. They are in full supply and support. I suppsoe what I meant was in comparison to the Japabnese which I outnumber and outclass I still have 1:4 odds DESPITE the WORSE conditions his men are in. Nevermind though, The vagaries of war.

I will transport the RCT and ARM Bn from Banja. In Due course I will probably move the 7th Australian Division up there too.

Hi Capt. - Good to hear from you. May well have been. I've been bombarding for a week. They're tough them Japs[;)]

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Today was very quiet day in the war with bad weather affecting many air raids.

It was time for some plan relocation though:

Rangoon is up and running now so the B29's residing at Dacca/Calcutta have relocated with Spitfires nearer the front.

Pontianak reached Level 3 airfields. As such a Mossie FB + 36 x F4U1D Squadron flew in. They will also bomb enemy troops at Singkawang.

Faber thought he could sneak in some transports to Singkawang. Not so buddy. 10 x Tina were shot down by patrolling Corsairs..........

76 x F4U1D will be at Banja tomorrow. They will also bomb enemy troops at Balikpapan.

My damaged ships from the SC battles around Pontianak are all empty of water and are sailing under P38J protection to Banja and then onto Darwin.

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My Saipan B29's will target Taipei's (Formosa) Oilfields tomorrow.

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I slipped in a nice 4 x DD SC TF in the Kuriles, northern Japan. Faber has been sending the odd small convoy to Paramushiro Jima and Onnetokan Jima:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Paramushiro Jima at 82,34

Japanese Ships
AK Ryuzan Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Heywood Edwards
DD Erben
DD Smalley
DD Twiggs

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No submarine attacks today.

Air sightings = 9
Air attacks = 1

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A DE arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

More of the same in Burma.

Except my 4 x B29BG at Rangoon have been ordered to bomb oil targets as well. They will hopefully target Lanchow, China tomorrow.

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In SRA FB's attacked 81st IJA Division at Singkawang from Pontianak.

Corsairs and Kittyhawk III's will bomb Balikpapan from Banja tomorrow.

Faber is using Barges around Toboali. As such a Mossive FB Squadron is ordered for low level Naval Attack at Pontianak.

Still resting my B29's at Koepang before attacking Oil targets.

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Saipan's B29's flattened Oil production at Taipei, Formosa. 50 less oil for Faber.

They will rest tomorrow.

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A day of overconfidence for me in the Submarine war where I tried to challenge his ASW assets:

SS Sailfish was attacked by convoy escorts 120 miles NE of Bonin Island - 3 x DC hit, 8 x DC near miss - 46/91/0.

SS Atule was attacked by convoy escorts 180 miles north of Iwo Jima. 2 x DC hit, 8 x DC near miss - 46/50/0.

SS Saury sank AG AG-104 with 3 shells 60 miles SE of Palembang.

SS Paddle was attacked by 5 x ASW vessels 60 miles NE of Bonin Island - 2 x DC hit, 9 x DC near miss - 41/96/0.

SS Tuna was attacked by 5 x ASW vessels 120 miles SE of Camranh Bay - 1 x DC hit - 16/50/0.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 0

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2 x AK, an LCI and SS Sea Poacher will arrive in theatre tomorrow as does 96th USA Division.

[DuckofTindalos]

Four of five, eh? [:'(][:D]

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Speedy
SS Paddle

Is this not the worst name for a sub ever. [8|]

At least its not the SS leaky or SS hatchopen. [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi T - Pffft. As I say the price you pay for not being diligent. Today was normal service resumed[;)]

Hi Niceguy - there are some comical names IMO. I can't recall them now though.....Wine induced[;)]

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2 good examples of teamwork today.

Firstly, off Singkawang. Mossie FB's attacked barges (presumably carrying supplies) 60 miles west of Singkawang sinking one of them and holling 2 of them. Later on in the day SS Mingo sank AG AG-5033 with 5 shells.

Secondly, off Onnetokan Jima, Kuriles:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Onnekotan Jima at 81,34

Japanese Ships
PC PC-4
PC PC-21, Shell hits 5, on fire
PC PC-25
PC PC-30, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
PC PC-32, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
AK Kojun Maru
AK Eiji Maru
AK Akitsushima Maru, Shell hits 35, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Heywood Edwards, Shell hits 1
DD Erben, Shell hits 1
DD Smalley
DD Twiggs, Shell hits 1

In the afternoon SS S-32 sank AK Kojun Maru with 2 torpedoes 60 miles west of Onnetokan Jima.

My DD's are low on fuel and will return to Attu Island.

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Bad weather prevented B29's leaving Rangoon today. They will try again for Lanchow tomorrow.

Saipain's B29's will go for Niigata's oilfields on Honshu.

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It's time to start things moving again I feel. I will start to get shipoping to San Francisco to embark Iwo Jima's forces.

I will also move more forces from Australia (when I can) to Borneo.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Hi all,

Hi T - Pffft. As I say the price you pay for not being diligent.

More like the price you pay for not being too bright...[:'(]