28 Mar. 42
More Japanese troops come ashore at Cooktown, and this time an AP takes a hit. Casualties to the landing troops are again pretty decent considering how small my forces are.
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Coastal Guns at Cooktown, 48,100, firing at TF 119
TF 119 troops unloading over beach at Cooktown, 48,100
1 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
68 casualties reported
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Coastal Guns at Cooktown, 48,100, firing at TF 123
TF 123 troops unloading over beach at Cooktown, 48,100
39 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
AP Atsuta Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PG Oi Maru
Japanese ground losses:
410 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
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Coastal Guns at Cooktown, 48,100, firing at TF 123
TF 123 troops unloading over beach at Cooktown, 48,100
Japanese ground losses:
116 casualties reported
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Singapore, Madioen and Manila all get hit from the air today, as do two land units at Manila.
An odd thing appears to have happened at Manila, about 14 Japanese units are now reported at Clark field, and this turn’s combat report only shows 8,000+ Japanese troops left at Manila. Perhaps my opponent intends to allow my troops to starve to death now that supplies are almost gone.
Whatever his reasons, it appears Japan is preparing to withdraw forces from Manila as his disengagement of troops has begun.
My guess is they are almost all destined for Australia.
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Ground combat at Manila
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 8420 troops, 207 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1665
Defending force 47963 troops, 66 guns, 219 vehicles, Assault Value = 1091
Allied ground losses:
206 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
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The allied air force goes to work on the Japanese invasion fleets at Cooktown this turn and the Hudson’s score several hits. Setting their altitudes to 1,000 feet really seems to have made a difference in their accuracy. I normally set naval attack level bombers to either 2,000 feet or 6,000 feet.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 11
A-24 Dauntless x 13
Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Dauntless: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Shanghai Maru
CL Jintsu
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x A-24 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
A-24 Dauntless x 2
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Eiko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x A-24 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 8
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Teiryu Maru
PG Daido Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Hudson I bombing at 1000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 20
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Juko Maru
AP Igasa Maru
CL Jintsu
AP Kanko Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kizan Maru
AP Meizan Maru
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 1000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
PC Ch 21, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 1000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Cooktown at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 8
Hudson I x 4
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Fukkai Maru, Bomb hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Hudson I bombing at 1000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF at 49,99
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 3
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 1000 feet
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A few of the heavy bombers from Charter Towers hits the 16th Division at Cooktown causing a few casualties.
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Day Air attack on 16th Division, at 48,100
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 4
B-17E Fortress x 9
LB-30 Liberator x 3
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 15000 feet
<snip>
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Disruption caused from the heavy’s bombardment must have been very high, because the Japanese land combat later in the turn failed to take the hex, even though my units were forced to bombard due to the landings and had their AV halved.
Who knows, I may be able to keep this base if I can prevent him from resupplying the troops he has ashore. My AV should go up by another 20-50 points or so once the forced bombardment attacks are stopped.
Hopefully Japan used up a lot of his on hand supplies and his AV will drop this coming turn. Though more than likely his fleets are still unloading, so he may take the base next turn. Especially since my forts are now gone.
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Ground combat at Cooktown
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 39120 troops, 177 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 935
Defending force 8845 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 125
Japanese max assault: 1524 - adjusted assault: 434
Allied max defense: 112 - adjusted defense: 189
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Japanese ground losses:
1826 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Allied ground losses:
181 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
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Ground combat at Cooktown
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 5125 troops, 45 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 116
Defending force 41236 troops, 177 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 816
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Japan launched a shock attack at Madioen today and was bloodily repulsed. I think I’ll be able to hold him here now. Unless he brings in another division of course.
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Ground combat at Madioen
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 64114 troops, 235 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 1218
Defending force 40686 troops, 139 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 503
Japanese max assault: 2294 - adjusted assault: 1165
Allied max defense: 472 - adjusted defense: 739
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Japanese ground losses:
3448 casualties reported
Guns lost 45
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
1981 casualties reported
Guns lost 32
Vehicles lost 1
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The Saratoga is at Townsville and resupplies and refuels this turn. Next turn she’ll head south, though I’ve lost track of KB, so I’m a little worried about where it went.
Here’s a screenshot of the Intelligence screen. Once Manila and Singapore fall, Japan will have 3-1 victory points over the allies. I’ve got to figure out a way to cause him more damage if I hope to alleviate the disparity.
I’m hopeful that the Australian venture will force him to continually send supply fleets to Australia, so I can sink a lot more of his ships. That’s the only way I can think of to get another 1,000-2,000 victory points over the next year or so.
Jim
I forgot to turn off auto refueling for my two CV fleets, so instead of moving 11 or 12 hexes, they only moved 9 hexes.
