Aug 21, 42
Aftermath of the Battle of the Andaman Sea
Well, the surviving enemy cruisers are attacked again. No sign of a carrier, although an AV is reported among the survivors. I will keep KB2 in the area, despite its lack of torpedoes, and will place a few Nells in Sumatra to search the waters west of it, just in case Saratoga is there.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Diego Garcia at 21,62
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
B5N2 Kate x 27
D3A1 Val x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied Ships
CA Chicago, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Chester, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Northampton, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Portland, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
Chicago dead in the water ...
Chester dead in the water ...
Northampton dead in the water ...
Portland dead in the water ...
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Hawkins class CA
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a London S class CA
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Chester
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Chicago
A thought occurred to me: what if the enemy sends his remaining CVs to the Indian Ocean? If he ordered them to move a few days ago with full speed they could cover the distance from Numea to Diego Garcia in...roughly 13 days. So, theoretically I have another week before they arrive.
Operation Gandhi
Here is what he has at Comila. Breaking his defense will be tough, but I am counting on the 3rd Air Div.
Morning Air attack on Comilla , at 56,39
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 18
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 82
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 13 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied ground losses:
189 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 6
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Ground combat at Comilla (56,39)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 24871 troops, 394 guns, 632 vehicles, Assault Value = 1170
Defending force 26531 troops, 286 guns, 1167 vehicles, Assault Value = 1082
Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
50th Tank Brigade
2nd British Division
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
267th Armoured Brigade
42nd Cavalry Regiment
14th Indian Division
1/4 Central Detach.
RAF 223 Group Base Force
77th Heavy AA Regiment
823rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
Defending units:
2nd Tank Regiment
1st Mobile Infantry Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
1st Recon Battalion
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
38th Division
18th Tank Rgt /2
20th Fld AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Mortar Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
16th AA Rgt /1
His airforce is still pre-occupied with bombing the 15th Army at Imphal. He managed to cause some disruption, but not significant enough for his ground assault to succeed. I am happy for him to continue his assault here.
Morning Air attack on 21st Ind.Mixed Brigade, at 60,40 (Imphal)
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 13
Hurricane IIc Trop x 16
Wellington Ic x 11
B-25C Mitchell x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
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Ground combat at Imphal (60,40)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18767 troops, 258 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 557
Defending force 9132 troops, 119 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 314
Allied adjusted assault: 183
Japanese adjusted defense: 802
Allied assault odds: 1 to 4
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
793 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Allied ground losses:
404 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Assaulting units:
Mandalay BMP Battalion
4th Assam Rifles Battalion
20th Indian Division
26th Indian Brigade
4/4th Det NW Front
2nd Central India Base Force
104th RAF Base Force
2/1st Det. Peshawar
1/2 Central Detach.
Burma Corps
108th RAF Base Force
221 Group RAF
4/1st Det. NW Front
2/2nd Det. Peshawar
Defending units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
143rd Infantry Regiment
55th Engineer Regiment
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
There is still hope that the operation will succeed in all its objectives. I think the fate of the allied forces at Akyab and Cox'Bazar is sealed, the question is if I can push him back at Comila and exploit towards Tezpur, encircling his forces at Imphal, Dimapur and Ledo.
SE Fleet
As I said before, enemy activity in the last week is increased. Several transport and destroyer TFs spotted, one of them at Ndeni. I sent DesDiv6 there for a quick night engagement and it turned out better than expected: 3 allied destroyers and 7 transports sink, while my SCTF suffers only superficial damage.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Tenryu, Shell hits 1
DD Kuroshio
DD Oyashio
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 3
DD Natsushio
Allied Ships
DD Stuart
DD Kennison, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Crane, Shell hits 10, heavy fires
DD King, Shell hits 1
xAK West Isleta, Shell hits 32, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Steel Engineer, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Steel Inventor, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Steel Traveler, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Florence Luckenbach, Shell hits 6
xAK Robert Luckenbach, Shell hits 24, heavy fires, heavy damage
Improved night sighting under 75% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 75% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Crane at 9,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD Crane at 9,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 9,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK West Isleta at 9,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages DD Stuart at 9,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Natsushio at 9,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD Kennison at 9,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Oyashio at 9,000 yards
xAK Steel Engineer sunk by DD Hatsukaze at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Kennison engages CL Tenryu at 5,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Crane at 5,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Hatsukaze at 5,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Stuart at 5,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 5,000 yards
xAK Steel Inventor sunk by DD Natsushio at 5,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages xAK West Isleta at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD King engages DD Natsushio at 3,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Stuart at 3,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Kennison at 3,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oyashio at 3,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 3,000 yards
xAK Steel Traveler sunk by DD Oyashio at 3,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages xAK West Isleta at 3,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD King at 3,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD Crane at 3,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Hatsukaze at 3,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD King at 3,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 3,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages xAK Florence Luckenbach at 3,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages xAK West Isleta at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Kennison engages CL Tenryu at 2,000 yards
DD Crane engages DD Natsushio at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Kennison at 2,000 yards
DD Crane engages DD Oyashio at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages xAK Florence Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK West Isleta at 2,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Natsushio at 2,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Hatsukaze at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK Florence Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK West Isleta at 2,000 yards
DD King engages DD Hatsukaze at 2,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Natsushio at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Kennison at 2,000 yards
DD Crane engages DD Oyashio at 2,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages xAK Robert Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages xAK West Isleta at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD King at 4,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Crane at 4,000 yards
DD Crane engages DD Hatsukaze at 4,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD Kennison at 4,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Tenryu
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 3
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 3
DD Hatsukaze
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
DD Stuart, Shell hits 2
DD Kennison, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Crane, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
DD King, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
xAK West Isleta, and is sunk
xAK Florence Luckenbach, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Robert Luckenbach, and is sunk
Improved night sighting under 75% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 75% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Marushige, Kuniori crosses the 'T'
CL Tenryu engages DD King at 11,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages DD Crane at 11,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages DD Stuart at 11,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages xAK West Isleta at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
DD King engages DD Kuroshio at 9,000 yards
DD Crane engages DD Kuroshio at 9,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Kennison at 9,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Crane engages CL Tenryu at 5,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Crane at 5,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Kuroshio at 5,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 5,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages xAK Florence Luckenbach at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
DD King engages DD Kuroshio at 4,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Crane at 4,000 yards
DD Kennison engages DD Kuroshio at 4,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 4,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Kuroshio at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD King engages DD Natsushio at 2,000 yards
DD Crane sunk by DD Natsushio at 2,000 yards
DD Kennison sunk by DD Hatsukaze at 2,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oyashio at 2,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages xAK Florence Luckenbach at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD King at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Hatsukaze at 2,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Oyashio engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Oyashio at 2,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD King engages DD Oyashio at 2,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Stuart at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD King at 2,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
China
Another breakout attempt by the chinese, this time at Tuyun. They fail again[:D] Things look very promising indeed in China.
Ground combat at Tuyun (74,51)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 85202 troops, 371 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3482
Defending force 21089 troops, 188 guns, 144 vehicles, Assault Value = 681
Allied adjusted assault: 315
Japanese adjusted defense: 3232
Allied assault odds: 1 to 10
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker: supply(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1940 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Allied ground losses:
3186 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 644 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 32 disabled
Assaulting units:
94th Chinese Corps
22nd Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Division
99th Chinese Corps
60th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
73rd Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Division
10th Chinese Corps
55th Prov Chinese Division
38th New Chinese Division
Defending units:
66th Infantry Regiment
104th Division
51st Recon Regiment
51st Engineer Regiment
23rd Army
21st Mortar Battalion