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Nice to see some Allied frames go down.

REPORT FOR Jun 21/22, 43

China:

The assorted Combat Eng Rgt have reached the Chungking plain - a week or so to go to reach the capital.

In the meantime, I have launched a flanking movement to encircle the city from the SW.

Ground combat at 74,45 (near Neikiang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 28151 troops, 151 guns, 275 vehicles, Assault Value = 1164

Defending force 2671 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Japanese adjusted assault: 819

Allied adjusted defense: 15

Japanese assault odds: 54 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units pursuing 4

Allied ground losses:
1531 casualties reported
Squads: 29 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 63 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (11 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
15th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
64th Infantry Brigade
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
23rd Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
3rd Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
1st Army

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps

Burma:

The enemy carriers off Sumatra are heading NW towards Ceylon.

Almost all remaining submarines have been ordered into the area, including minelaying subs.

Combined Fleet is off Java heading North, air units are flocking towards Burma and base forces are being gathered from all over the Empire to provide support. This of course will take time.

The forces already available launch nuisance raids. My night-bombers actually manage to hit something at Port Blair - amazing, usually they only suffer losses with nothing to show for.

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 8

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 8 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 9 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 4 damaged
Spitfire Vc Trop: 4 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14

The garrison on Little Andaman is being pounded by heavy bombers and the enemy is landing reinforcements. With Corsairs on CAP nearby I will not risk my precious few Betties on naval strikes outside escort range. If the base holds a little longer, I will try to counter-invade.


Oz:

Sweeps over Port Hedland and enemy minecraft sweeping the defensive minefields - I have left a small cruiser SAG at Koepang and will try to interfere. Not much combat power left in the area to support Port Hedland and Darwin.


PNG /Solomons:

Enemy forces landing at Torokina. My forces play possum.

Invasion Support action off Torokina (109,130)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

9 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
DD Case
AK Beltrami

No activity noticed on shore.

My efforts to provide some air support with a LRCAP trap fail, as usual in this theater:

Morning Air attack on Torokina , at 109,130

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 7
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 7
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 13
P-39D Airacobra x 4
FM-1 Wildcat x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
FM-1 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 5
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 5

Allied aircraft
B-17F Fortress x 14
B-24D1 Liberator x 36
P-39D Airacobra x 4
FM-1 Wildcat x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
F6F-3 Hellcat x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 3 destroyed

There have been more attacks with similar results. My Rabaul-based fighters are badly mauled, over 100 planes lost this turn - and I'm sure Ed will exploit this with attacks on Rabaul of his own.

Night-attacks by two Val groups on naval strikes (which hit nothing of course) shows the growing desperation - daylight attacks are futile.

Even daylight fighter action is becoming an exercise in futility. 14 P-38G sweep Hansa Bay and encounter 45 Zeroes - 4 Zeros lost for 1 P-38 downed. In follow-ups, 7 P-38 against 26 Zeros kill 5 Zeros for no losses, and finally two (!) P-38s are engaged by 27 Zeroes - and get away unscratched with one Zero kill credited. B-24s follow and flatten the base and destroy 7 more Zeroes on the ground. Finally, B-25 on low naval bomb the convoy bringing reinforcements and supplies to Hansa Bay - the reason I have sent Zeroes to that place. No fighters rise in defense and several ships collect hits. A textbook attack with beautiful coordination - but I was expecting a better defense from my Zeroes outnumbering the enemy from 3:1 to almost 14:1. With these force and loss ratios, it is pointless to continue the air war.


CentPac:

Maloelap has been invaded and the defenders actually managed to take a few enemy squads down with them.

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 8606 troops, 113 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 323

Defending force 2523 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 28

Allied adjusted assault: 237

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 59 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Maloelap !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1968 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 90 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 41 (41 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Allied ground losses:
350 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 11 (3 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (4 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
37th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
151st Cmbt Engineer Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
226th Field Artillery Battalion
23rd USN Special Construction Battalion

Defending units:
51st Naval Guard Unit
Maloelap Naval Fortress
Maloelap Base Force

Kusaie bombed and running out of supplies. Roi-Namur bombed as well.


Home Front:

Both Zero M5b and M5c models have finished R&D within a few days from each other and are ready to start production next month. M5b is not much of an improvement, losing speed for changing one light against a heavy machine gun - and one wonders why this change requires months of research... I'm just building enough to allow upgrading to M5c - even slower but armored. Maybe the armor will help to survive a little better.



REPORT FOR Jun 23/24, 43

China:

Bombing and bombarding at Chungking and Changsha and the troops keep marching on...


Burma:

Action erupts in the hex east of Akyab with a river crossing by Indian troops. Looks like Ed is sending the cannon fodder first - movement errors indicate that more units are on the move from Akyab and the jungle to the north. I'm sure Ed is trying to tempt me to shock-attack the battered Indians - right into the reinforcements which will arrive a day behind them. Therefore, I will order only a bombardment for the next turn.

Ground combat at 55,45 (near Akyab)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 16879 troops, 140 guns, 224 vehicles, Assault Value = 632

Defending force 31762 troops, 389 guns, 269 vehicles, Assault Value = 859

Allied adjusted assault: 27

Japanese adjusted defense: 3833

Allied assault odds: 1 to 141

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)

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

Allied ground losses:
4708 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 498 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 81 disabled
Guns lost 48 (1 destroyed, 47 disabled)
Vehicles lost 35 (3 destroyed, 32 disabled)

Assaulting units:
7th Indian Division
46th Indian Brigade
45th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
5th Division
33rd Division
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Area Army
42nd Ind.AA Gun Co
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Bombing and bombarding at Little Andaman - don't understand what Ed is waiting for to deliberate-attack the single garrison Bde and single Const Bn. He has 2/3 of a division, a tank Bn, a Cmbt Eng Rgt and three arty Bns on hand. Probably waiting for reinforcements which are reported landing from LSTs. Ed is playing it safely it seems.

My submarines chasing the enemy CV fleet finally have some luck :

Sub attack near Koggala at 30,55

Japanese Ships
SS I-11, hits 5

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 1
BB Indiana
CA Astoria
CA Northampton
CL Cleveland
CLAA Juneau
DD Bailey
DD Balch
DD Reid
DD Mugford
DD Bagley

SS I-11 launches 6 torpedoes at CV Lexington
DD Balch fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Reid fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Mugford fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Bagley attacking submerged sub ....
DD Mugford fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Bagley attacking submerged sub ....
DD Bagley fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Bagley fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Knowing my luck, Lady Lex has probably suffered just a dent in the torpedo bulges...

Closer to Port Blair, I lost a sub, but only after a spirited action. Missing the DD and being damaged and forced to surface by the ASW counter-attack, the sub managed to shell and torpedo the TK before sinking. Yamato-damashii!

Submarine attack near Port Blair at 46,58

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64, hits 25, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Rotherham
TK Pendopo, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

SS RO-64 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Rotherham
RO-64 bottoming out ....
DD Rotherham fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Rotherham attacking submerged sub ....
DD Rotherham fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Rotherham attacking submerged sub ....
SS RO-64 forced to surface!
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Rotherham firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Rotherham firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Rotherham firing on surfaced sub ....
TK Pendopo firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

PNG / Solomons:

Sure as hell, Ed sent P-38 sweepers after my weakened fighters at Rabaul:

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 14
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 7
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 7

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 30000 feet

Mmh, need to check the mnvr bands, we have a house rule limiting sweeps to the second-best mnvr band.

More enemy reinforcements landing at Torokina (against a few dozen coastal gun shots which do not even annoy the enemy), while LBA continues to pound the base and its defenders. Supply stockpiles are burning and I don't have any hopes for a prolonged defense - Ed has brought too much firepower to the party. But well, the aim was to delay and to buy time by forcing him to conduct sizeable ops. The Kavieng-Rabaul-Lae line should delay some more. With the balance of his carriers supporting the Andamans adventure, I don't think he will try an end-around to capture bases in my rear along the PNG coast or the Marianas. However, new CV and CVLs are coming soon and I have nothing left in the Pacific that could deal with an enemy CAG. But well, there is no oil in the CentPac, so the ground forces available will have to delay as best they can. What limited LBA is left will offer token resistance - like my Vals on night naval attack which attack the convoys of Torokina but never hit anything.

Not much naval action recently, I have few barges left for Ed's roaming DDs to destroy. US submarines have had some success, but there was also a heartwarming little action off Manus by the courageous crew of a xAKL fighting for their lives:

Sub attack near Rambutyo at 102,122

Japanese Ships
xAKL Suez Maru, Shell hits 19

Allied Ships
SS Plunger, hits 5

SS Plunger attacking on the surface
Alford I. decides to submerge SS Plunger due to damage

REPORT FOR Jun 25/26, 43

China:

My bombers in China are suffering from low moral, although they are doing "milk runs", opposed only by intermittent AA, and are set to 20% rest. I have ordered a stand-down for everything below 60 moral to let them recover for the "big push" when the Combat Engineers finally arrive. Especially the Ki-51 units seem to be uninspired. The only planes that have some effect are the 2E types. The Ki-51s are next to useless (unless the terrain is clear), they rarely hit anything. All they do is make the enemy use supplies for AA. Don't think this is cost-effective, considering supply use on my side for the bombing runs and the replacement aircraft necessary as AA claims victims. I think I will send them all to training bases in the rear and start training rookies in low naval attack skills.


Burma :

Probing bombardments along the Burma front - Ed must have realized I have pulled out and left only speedbumps up front. He will surely start to push soon.

Helldivers from Port Blair catch two convoys hugging the coast near Tavoy - 8 AKs damaged, but only AK Hokkai Maru sunk. The crippled survivors disband at Tavoy for emergency repairs.


THe Allied forces finally attacked and captured Little Andaman with the help of lots of LBA and cruiser bombardment. Remnants of the garrison hide in the jungle.

I wanted to reinforce the island, but too late. Now I am torn - shall I counter-invade? I shouldn't reinforce failure, but I cannot let Ed do what he wants either. My forces immediately available are probably too weak, but waiting to assemble more assets will give Ed the time to consolidate. And of course, all depends on the outcome of the carrier clash that is looming. Against Hellcats, I have little confidence about the outcome. In short, anything I can do will get me killed, including doing nothing. The agony of choice - some more soul-searchign is required.

In the meantime, I try to hurt the Allies with all means at my disposal:

TF 436 encounters mine field at Little Andaman (44,59)

Allied Ships
DD Redoubt, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Sub attack near Port Blair at 45,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-160

Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire, Torpedo hits 1
CA Shropshire
CL Newcastle
DD Nizam
DD Isaac Sweers

Oz:

Darwin repeatedly bombed by 4Es and Bathurst Island is being reinforced.

Ground forces are advancing in the direction of Port Hedland.

With Combined Fleet and most air assets heading to Burma, little support can be given.


PNG / Solomons:

Torokina falls to a reinforced Marine division, aided by LBA and naval bombardments. Being low on supplies did not help either - roaming DDs sink barges left and right and what is left untouched then falls prey to low-level strikes by Avengers, or prowling submarines.

With Corsairs and P-38s present, I have little prospects of helping the defenders at Torokina - for the last tries I have suffered heavy losses with very little to show for. Meanwhile, a hundred airframes of the first George and Jack models languish in the pool, because there are no groups that are allowed to fly them... The only outfit allowed to fly Georges is needed even more urgently in Burma.

Now, with Torokina gone, Rabaul is at the mercy of short-range fighters. I have started to pull-out transport, recon and search planes and unnecessary "eaters" on the ground.

I'm running short of the precious DMS types - SS Plunger sank DMS W-23 at Manus. These ships are very useful in areas with many adjacent dot bases and shipping bottlenecks because they sweep the hex they are in and the six hexes around them when on patrol. Plus they are needed for invasion convoys. I have only two or three left. Furthermore, I have converted too many xAKLs to PBs instead of AMc.



REPORTS FOR Jun 27/28, 43

China:

Efforts to close the last remaining retreat path from Chungking continue:

Ground combat at 75,46 (near Chungking)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18547 troops, 179 guns, 674 vehicles, Assault Value = 842

Defending force 19920 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 581

Japanese adjusted assault: 441

Allied adjusted defense: 196

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
222 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5691 casualties reported
Squads: 127 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 225 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
9th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Division
3rd Tank Regiment
59th Division
12th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
42nd Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
75th Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
17th Group Army
10th Group Army
16th Construction Regiment

One valiant Chinese unit did not retreat and paid the price the second day:

Ground combat at 75,46 (near Chungking)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18335 troops, 179 guns, 674 vehicles, Assault Value = 826

Defending force 822 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 402

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 402 to 1

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

Allied ground losses:
1216 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 118 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
59th Division
3rd Tank Division
12th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps

Burma:

On the land front, no enemy reinforcements show up the first day - too bad I did not shock-attack the disrupted enemy stack...

Ground combat at 55,45 (near Akyab)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27864 troops, 341 guns, 181 vehicles, Assault Value = 860

Defending force 12901 troops, 136 guns, 221 vehicles, Assault Value = 127

Allied ground losses:
242 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
5th Division
33rd Division
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
42nd Ind.AA Gun Co
31st Field AA Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Area Army
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
7th Indian Division
46th Indian Brigade
45th Indian Brigade

However, the bombardment on the second day found to freshly arrived divisions:

Ground combat at 55,45 (near Akyab)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27864 troops, 341 guns, 181 vehicles, Assault Value = 860

Defending force 36968 troops, 491 guns, 503 vehicles, Assault Value = 907

Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
133 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
5th Division
33rd Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
42nd Ind.AA Gun Co
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Area Army
31st Field AA Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
45th Indian Brigade
7th Indian Division
20th Indian Division
46th Indian Brigade
18th British Division

Movement arrows indicate more enemy units can be expected. My two divisions have reached fort level 3, I hope they can hold.


In the air, I have tried a sweep against Akyab in support of the ground action.

First came a single group equipped with Tony Ib. Outnumbered, they suffered badly.

Morning Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Ib Tony x 33

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 38
P-39N1 Airacobra x 25
P-40K Warhawk x 60

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ib Tony: 14 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Next, my Air HQ managed a beautifully coordinated multi-group sweep - but the anticipated giant fur ball did not happen, apparently the pilots refused to engage.

Morning Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 154 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 76
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 108

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 36
P-39N1 Airacobra x 24
P-40K Warhawk x 54

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39N1 Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Finally, the other Tony group I have on the map showed up - to suffer the same fate than the brothers with the Ib model:

Morning Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 112 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Ia Tony x 38

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 32
P-39N1 Airacobra x 23
P-40K Warhawk x 46

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 10 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Tony looks good on the paper, but apparently it is not a good sweeper. Franks are still far away...


On the high seas, a lot of excitement.

Combined Fleet has set up shop at Victoria Point. It is a size-1 port but well-sited to harass the Andamans Islands. Lots of auxiliaries will provide services to the fleet. Singers is too far away, Rangoon too exposed to 4E strikes, so there is not much choice.

This turn the Fleet ventured out to announce their arrival. With Allied carriers last observed retiring towards Colombo, surely to replace losses from the Medan massacre, I expected some easy hunting.

The first night, small SAGs attempted to clear the way to Port Blair and Little Andaman, sinking two AMc.

There were also several encounters with PT boats and MGB, 17 of which were sunk.

Then the big boys moved in:

Night Naval bombardment of Port Blair at 46,58 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 86 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 6 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 42 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
Catalina I: 17 damaged
Catalina I: 1 destroyed on ground
Spitfire Vc Trop: 32 damaged
Spitfire Vc Trop: 4 destroyed on ground
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 50 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 3 destroyed on ground
Beaufighter VIf: 10 damaged
Beaufighter VIf: 1 destroyed on ground

20 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Fuso, Shell hits 1
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
CA Myoko
CA Atago
CA Takao
CL Oyodo
DD Ushio
DD Wakaba
DD Nenohi
DD Samidare
DD Kagero
DD Akigumo

Allied Ships
AVP Orion, Shell hits 1

Allied ground losses:
625 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (18 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 60
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Hyuga
BB Hyuga firing at Port Blair
BB Ise firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at BB Ise
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Fuso
BB Fuso firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at BB Fuso
BB Kirishima firing at Port Blair
BB Hiei firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at CA Myoko
CA Myoko firing at 3rd Marine Division
CA Atago firing at Port Blair
CA Takao firing at 3rd Marine Division
CL Oyodo firing at Port Blair
DD Ushio firing at Port Blair
DD Wakaba firing at 3rd Marine Division
DD Nenohi firing at 4th USN Naval Construction Regiment
DD Samidare firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at DD Samidare
DD Kagero firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at DD Kagero
DD Akigumo firing at 3rd Marine Division

The airbase is about 50% damaged - nice.


The second night, it was Little Andaman's turn to get pounded:

Night Naval bombardment of Little Andaman at 44,59

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
PBY-5 Catalina: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
CA Kumano
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
DD Yamagumo
DD Arashio
DD Hamakaze
DD Amatsukaze
DD Naganami
DD Takanami
DD Makinami
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 17
Port hits 14
Port supply hits 3

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Mutsu
BB Mutsu firing at 9th Indian/A Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato
BB Nagato firing at Little Andaman
CA Kumano firing at Little Andaman
CA Mikuma firing at 9th Indian/A Division
CA Mogami firing at 9th Indian/A Division
DD Yamagumo firing at 9th Indian/B Division
DD Arashio firing at 9th Indian/A Division
DD Hamakaze firing at 9th Indian/A Division
DD Amatsukaze firing at 9th Indian/B Division
DD Naganami firing at 9th Indian/A Division
DD Takanami firing at 9th Indian/A Division
DD Makinami firing at 9th Indian/B Division
DD Yugumo firing at 9th Indian/B Division

Meanwhile, the carriers were prowling between the Andamans and Ceylon. Numerous enemy TFs have been spotted in range, but only a few feeble raids were launched. First I suspected problems with my orders, but after verification all carrier strike groups had naval attack orders. Strange.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Little Andaman at 40,55

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 62 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 25
D4Y1 Judy x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 8 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Shropshire
CL Newcastle
CA Frobisher

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Morning Air attack on TF, near Little Andaman at 39,53

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 35
B6N1 Jill x 17

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 2 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Little Andaman at 40,55

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 56 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 12
D4Y1 Judy x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 8 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Shropshire
CA Frobisher

As I said, targets were abundant, in fact there wasn't enough space in the Bay of Bengal to avoid them :

Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 38,54, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku
CV Zuikaku
CV Akagi
CA Tone, Shell hits 1, on fire
CLAA Tenryu
DD Akizuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Susuzuki
DD Natsushio
DD Yukikaze
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Shiranui

Allied Ships
CA Shropshire
CA Frobisher
CL De Ruyter
CL Kenya
CL Newcastle
DD Aaron Ward
DD Nizam

Task forces break off...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Little Andaman at 39,56, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku
CV Zuikaku
CV Akagi
CA Tone, on fire
CLAA Tenryu
DD Akizuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Susuzuki
DD Natsushio
DD Yukikaze
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Shiranui

Allied Ships
KV Nigella
LSI(L) Glenapp

Both Task Forces evade combat

Next day, a few more air attacks :

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Blair at 45,54

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 12
D4Y1 Judy x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
LST-21, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Trincomalee at 36,54

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 26
D4Y1 Judy x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
LSI(L) Glenapp, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
KV Nigella, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage

Furthermore, three strikes were launched against PT boats, for no hits.

The courtesy calls having been delivered, all TFs are heading back to the barn to prepare for the encounter with the enemy who is expected to react violently.


Oz:

My small SAG does not catch the minesweepers at Port Hedland but finds other victims :

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 56,129, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu
DD Hibiki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Usugumo

Allied Ships
LST-447, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 56,128, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu
DD Hibiki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Usugumo

Allied Ships
LCT-146, Shell hits 3, and is sunk

Enemy bombers continue to pound Darwin. An enemy ground unit has shown up at the river east of Nookanbah, I have sent Sally to investigate and it turned out to be the 632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion - remarkable intel from 10k feet up. I will send Sally again next turn at 2k feet to deliver greetings.


PNG / Solomons:

The Allied bases on the islands off Milne Bay are steadily leveling up, but no attacks have been launched from this corner. That smells fishy, something unpleasant must be brewing there. Unable to supply Milne Bay, I have ordered most units to march to Buna a couple of turns ago - slow process but the only way out. A token force remains behind so that level-5 base cannot be grabbed without effort. However, denying that airbase has become pointless with Allied airfields in operation nearby.

Over Bougainville, I stup... ehm, stubbornly tried another air attack, violating the principle of not doing the same thing twice in a row. Somehow the first strike finds no Corsairs but only second-line aircraft on CAP. However, my flyboys ignore the transports and attack small fry:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Buin at 109,131

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 34
D3A1 Val x 24
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 32

Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
AM Swallow, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
AM Herald, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Two follow-up strikes found a much more robust CAP with Corsairs, more Wildcats, P-39s etc. The strikes targeted warships, which nimbly evaded the few bombers that survived CAP and AA.


REPORT FOR Jun 29/30, 43

China:

Lucky me - having stood-down the majority of my bombers a turn before has avoided heavy losses to a CAP trap over Chungking. Shocking that Ed has P-38s and supplies to spare for such adventures in China. Not a good sign for my upcoming attack on Chungking.

Morning Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 30
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 12
Ki-51 Sonia x 29

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 damaged

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 22

Burma:

Allied night intruders strike with impunity to inflict painful losses :

Night Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 3 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 16

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 2000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 22 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 5

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 5 damaged
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 3 destroyed on ground
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

They also conduct aerial minelaying with impunity at all bases from Rangoon to Phuket - CAP never engages.

Here is one example :

Morning Air attack on Victoria Point , at 51,66

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 12

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 10

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B-24D Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 5000 feet *

CAP engaged:
Yokosuka Ku S-2 with N1K1-J George (4 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 33800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes

The reward (for the Allies) comes immediately :

TF 149 encounters mine field at Victoria Point (51,66)

Japanese Ships
DD Hagikaze
CVL Zuiho, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

95(76) float damage!!! Zuiho disbanded automatically in the size 1 port, but with fires still burning I doubt she will survive.

Concentrating my remaining submarines in the IO is costly :

ASW attack near Koggala at 31,51

Japanese Ships
SS I-180, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Woodworth

SS I-180 is sighted by escort
I-180 diving deep ....
DD Woodworth attacking submerged sub ....
DD Woodworth fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Woodworth fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Woodworth attacking submerged sub ....
DD Woodworth cannot reach attack position over SS I-180
Debris floats to surface in area of attack!
Escort abandons search for sub

SS I-180 is gone of course.

I extracted some measure of revenge - after a small SAG cleared the way and sank a bunch of pesky PTs, these (freshly repaired) big boys sprinted in to give Port Blair another pounding:

Night Naval bombardment of Port Blair at 46,58 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Catalina I: 2 damaged
Catalina I: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 26 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
Spitfire Vc Trop: 7 damaged
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Beaufighter VIf: 8 damaged
Beaufighter VIf: 1 destroyed on ground
F4U-1 Corsair: 12 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed on ground
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 15 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed on ground

1 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
CA Myoko
CA Atago
CA Takao
CL Oyodo

Allied Ships
PT-248, Shell hits 1, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
407 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 52
Port hits 1

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Kirishima
BB Kirishima firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at BB Kirishima
BB Hiei firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at BB Hiei
E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Haruna
BB Haruna firing at Port Blair
CA Myoko firing at Port Blair
CA Atago firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at CA Atago
CA Takao firing at 3rd Marine Division
CL Oyodo firing at 3rd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division firing at CL Oyodo

Air base damage is up to 80% - that size 3 base will not attack Rangoon-bound convoys for a while.

I plan to put even heavier ordnance on target in the near-future :

BB Musashi arrives at Nagasaki/Sasebo

Thanks for the update ... a lot going on ... anxious to see how the Allies react in the Andaman Sea area, and especially if we get a major carrier battle! It sure looks like you have committed just about everything you have in the Andaman Sea theater. You do have the advantage of inner and shorter lines of communication, but I wonder what the Allies can do in the Pacific now.

Looking forward to this, and restraining myself to any comment as I am also reading Ed's

Oh the pain! Got the latest turn, rushed through the replay and then left the turn in disgust (with myself). Will need some time to pick it up again.

After some soul-searching I decided to go with "no risk, no fun", so I went ahead with a counter-landing at Little Andaman. Well, I have botched it. Failed to coordinate the TFs properly with follow-commands and sent the Amphib TF in at full speed ahead of everybody else. In consequence, KB lagged a day behind - so no CAP present when the Allied Death Star showed up six hexes from Little Andaman. I have long-range Nells searching almost up to Ceylon and float-plane-equipped submarines across the approaches, but they failed to provide early warning.

I did not even bother to watch the combat animations - too painful. Considering the numbers of enemy strike aircraft, I consider myself lucky that there are survivors. A dozen big fast AK lost, a division drowned, half a dozen embedded BBs clobbered with 1000pounders. Haven't followed the fate of the smaller combatants, too depressed.

KB finally showed up two hexes from Little Andaman and provided a CAP of 80-90 Zeroes on the second day, but this made no impression on the 100+ strong Hellcat escort.
More 1000-pounders landing on BB decks, Fuso torpedoed on top of that and crawling away at 5 knots and 72 float damage - she won't make it back to Tavoy or Victoria Point in a see crawling with enemy subs, even if the Allied carriers do not pursue. The other BBs *might* be able to escape.

Yes, could be worse, KB is still intact. However, the enemy carriers were just out of range, except for a squadron of Jills which has auto-upgraded to the N2 model recently and in the process changed the range setting to max - I have failed to rectify that. 5 brave B6N2 crews went in and survived just long enough to report a CAP of 120+ planes. I don't have much confidence KB will be able to inflict damage without suffering badly in return. It might be better to put my tail between my legs and to head east into LBA cover, preserving KB to attack the next Allied offensive. OTOH I may throw all caution into the wind and play Vabanque. Might be preferable to go down in a blaze of glory than to face a slow agonizing death by a thousand cuts.

a squadron of Jills which has auto-upgraded to the N2 model recently and in the process changed the range setting to max

That's a nasty trap and not exactly your fault. So many complex systems are built into the game, one man just cannot keep up with all the details.

The best laid plans of mice and men.

Yes, wishful thinking. And if only the plan had been laid best.

In fact it was a badly planned rush job and I'm blaming no one else but myself. Coordinating TFs originating from different bases is not my forte. I should have designated a MOMP for the Amphib TF and the supporting surface, bombardment and carrier elements before proceeding to Little Andaman. Would have cost me an additional turn (2 days), but with the remnants of the garrison barely holding on in the jungles, I wanted to hurry up and reinforce them before their extermination. And I figured that Ed would need more time to replace his planes losses. And who knows what would have happened with the alternative approach - instead of losing an Amphib TF, I may now mourn the loss of KB.

Well, at least I may manage to save a cadre of the original garrison. On day 1 some reinforcing elements managed to land on Little Andaman (who does not want to leave burning and sinking transports?). In the land phase, the Allied forces deliberate-attacked and apparently forced my units to abandon the beachhead. I have found that small cadres of the reinforcements and of the original garrison have taken refuge on the warship escort of the Amphib TF. The TF may sprint to safety during the night phase (since no transports are left in the TF and the BBs have lots of sys dmg but the hulls and engines are ok, the TF can make 24 knots).

So, as a face-saving measure, GHQ will declare this episode retroactively a "rescue-mission-in-force".

who does not want to leave burning and sinking transports?

That's one way to speed up unloading. [:)]

GHQ will declare this episode retroactively a "rescue-mission-in-force".

[:D]

A Japanese Dunkrik?

Could have been worse, you could have interacted with the Jarawas...

sent the Amphib TF in at full speed ahead of everybody else.

3 - Move in convoy system

REPORT FOR Jul 03/04, 43

China:

The operation south of Chungking to encircle many Chinese units continues. With numerous combat engineers now at Chungking, I will launch a first DA next turn to test the fort levels - I expect them to be high and the attack to be very bloody. But you cannot make an omelette without breaking some eggs.


Burma:

Bad news continue to arrive at Tokyo:

BB Fuso succumbed in the Andaman Sea to the torpedo damage suffered off Little Andaman.

CVL Zuhio lost the DC battle as well and sank at Victoria Point after a single mine hit. I hate aerial mnelaying - there is no defense against it as CAP simply does not fight mine-laying aircraft.

The enemy airfield at Port Blair has unexpectedly been revitalized fast - two groups of Sallies sent to keep the airfield damaged have been savaged by Allied CAP - 28 bombers lost.

Helldivers damaged a couple of xAPs and xAK hugging the coast, bringing reinforcements to Tavoy.

The one "bright" moment - KB launched a few bombers against two xAKs and a KV spotted near Port Blair, leaving them burning heavily.

No sign of the Allied Death Star, but there are enemy submarines galore. Both parts of KB have merged and heavy surface escort has been added - basically all capital ships of Combined Fleet still in fighting trim are now in one TF (except Musashi which is traversing the South China Sea en route to Singers). They will escort the cripples and convoys back to Singers, hoping to avoid subs and mines. Heavy ASW from LBA, CVEs and ASW TFs and fingers crossed.

The concentration of all Allied carriers and the presence of a Marine Division shows that the occupation of Port Blair and Little Andaman are not merely opportunistic grabs of a badly defended outpost. The long coastline of the Malayan peninsular is wide open, Sumatra as well. With its many landing spots, the Malayan coast may invite the Allies to try to cut-off my Burma Army with a landing-in force, for example at Moulmein or at Victoria Point, ollowed by a quick advance to Bangkok. This would be a strategic catastrophe of the first magnitude, so a strategic withdrawal from Burma is mandatory. With Allied airpower established on the Andaman Islands, resupply of Rangoon and fetching fuel and oil from Burma won't be practical anyway, so clinging to upper and middle Burma at the risk of a strategic defeat would be unwise.

In consequence, I'm going to thin-out defenses in Burma. Most LCUs, base forces and fighters will move to Southern Burma and Malaya. Will try to delay at the river line around Magwe and Mandalay and in the jungles in front of Rangoon, and I will leave expendable units in place to keep the Burma Road blocked for as long as possible.


SoPac:
Hellcats sweeps Rabaul, one Hellcat shot down for 2 Zeros, 1 Oscar and 1 Nick lost. That was leaking CAP from Kavieng I failed to reign-in at range 0. I have emptied Rabaul of fighter planes since the groups are way under-strength after the shredding suffered over Torokina. The days of aerial opposition over Rabaul are over, no point to engage in a battle of attrition I an only lose.
I will try to keep Manus open as staging point for supply runs to PNG, Rabaul and Kavieng. I have invested many forces here, five IJA divisions plus numerous IJN troops are spread between Buna, Lae, Rabaul and Kavieng. They are doomed to be overwhelmed or bypassed, but hopefully this will buy time. They need to delay for six months because behind them there is nothing - a couple of Raider Bns could take the PNG North Coast, the Caroline Islands and the Marianas. Substantial LCU reinforcements are not due before November 1943, and with Combined Fleet needed to defend the approaches to the Sumatra oil, another potential disaster is in the making - with new carriers arriving, Ed may only feint in the PNG/Solomons but pull a surprise landing in the CentPac.


Edit: Chungking, not Changsha - corrected.

As I have feared, the first DA at Chungking has been a massacre.

I have stacked the hex only to the 150k limit due to supply concerns.

Forts are at level 5, air attacks drew heavy flak, so there are still supplies at hand.

That base and its occupants have been bombed almost daily by 300+ bombers and bombarded by numerous arty guns for six months or so - they should be punch-drunk...

Well, I let the panzers finish their envelopment from the South while rebuilding the siege army and then overstack the hex with all I have in the area before trying again.

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 133454 troops, 1363 guns, 641 vehicles, Assault Value = 3794

Defending force 139284 troops, 585 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3915

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Japanese adjusted assault: 5991

Allied adjusted defense: 11715

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
18271 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 1121 disabled
Non Combat: 193 destroyed, 144 disabled
Engineers: 356 destroyed, 137 disabled
Guns lost 123 (1 destroyed, 122 disabled)
Vehicles lost 106 (51 destroyed, 55 disabled)
Units destroyed 4 (Combat Eng units)

Allied ground losses:
2277 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 269 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 90 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
29th Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
33rd Ind Engineer Regiment
34th Ind Engineer Regiment
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
24th Ind Engineer Regiment
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
25th Ind Engineer Regiment
19th Ind Engineer Regiment
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
37th Division
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
30th Ind Engineer Regiment
7th Ind Engineer Regiment
116th Division
22nd Ind Engineer Regiment
41st Division
3rd Division
35th Division
70th Division
69th Division
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
110th Division
26th Division
39th Ind Engineer Regiment
12th Army
11th Army
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
Mongol Garrison Army
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind. Field Artillery Regiment
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
26th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
97th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
Central Reserve
China Command
32nd Group Army
39th Group Army
49th AA Regiment
31st Group Army
18th Artillery Regiment
12th Construction Regiment
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
41st AA Regiment
CAF HQ
1st Chinese Base Force

Chungking...only ever attack with full divisions, tanks and artillery bombarding. The tanks will help knock the forts down.

Keep bombing and bombarding. Pity you didn't lower the forts a notch.

Yes, 17 (!) Ind. Eng Regiments involved and no fort level reduction, with four of the Rgt wiped-out. I have only two or three Ind. Eng. Rgt busy elsewhere in the entire IJA OOB. LCUs, Corps/Army and Command HQs are prepped for Chungking, of course. I'm really frustrated by the results - a bit too lopsided for my taste.

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Little confused - The engineers got the fort reduction. I don't think you can get two levels of reduction (one for engineers and one for odds) in the same deliberate attack

Well, the confusion is on my side, seems I misunderstood the land combat mechanics.

There are in fact two potential fort level reductions, one by Combat Engineers before the odds calculation and one by odds of 1:1 and better.

Somehow thought the "odds" fort level 5 means the pre-assault level, with "Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5" being a cruel joke.

So, the initial fort level has been even higher, but is not being displayed in the report. So the four regiments did not get wiped out for nothing.

Fort reduction by engineers is always by one level afaik. Hence forts were 6 before the attack.

Game has reached June 25,1943.

Short sitrep update going from memory :

China:

While the badly mauled Chungking siege force rebuilds slowly, back to the old pattern of bombing and bombardments.

The 200+ Ki-51s are next to useless, their light bombs may cause a disabled squad or two per 50 bombers engaged but that is a drop in a bucket. They don't upgrade to something more useful, I may send them to the backwaters and start training rookies in low naval skills.

Tanks and infantry continue to advance south of Chungking in order to trap a max of the Chinese hordes.


Burma / Andamans:

KB has escorted crippled survivors from the Andamans disaster to Singers. After "first aid" the more badly hurt ships will continue to the yards in the HI.

Apart from the carriers, only 3 BBs (Musashi which has been commissioned recently has been sent to Northern Oz) and a handful of cruisers remain available for the moment. I have regrouped KB into a slow and a fast division. CVEs will be pulled from convoy ASW duty, swap ASW-trained Kates for Zeroes and will join the slow KB division. Both KBs will be used as "fleet in being" if possible and in death-or-glory attitude if needed to discourage any further landings along the Andaman chain, northern Sumatra and the Malay / Thai / Southern Burma coastline.

There is little else to stop a determined Allied amphib advance in that region - no ground forces available in Malaya / Thailand / Sumatra apart from the INA Regiments which have been activated this month at Singers. Substantial infantry reinforcements are not due before November. LBA AV support and LCUs have so far been concentrated in central and northern Burma, it will take a while to regroup and to provide something of a defense in the exposed area from Rangoon to Singers. The pull-out from northern and central Burma is in full swing, only sacrificial units (mostly Thai Army) will remain behind to buy some time.

One convoy took too long to unload at Tavoy, although hugging the coast it was intercepted by the Allied Death Star roaming in the Andaman Sea. CVL Hosho and one of the two CS (Chitose or Chiyoda, can't remember which) plus a number of xAPs, AKs and escorts sunk. Darn!


Fighter defense at Magwe has been thinned-out to reinforce Victoria Point, Tavoy, Moulmein and Rangoon, now all vulnerable to amphib assaults. Two groups of Tonies and three groups of Tojos remained behind to cover the withdrawal (don't want to have my LCUs ground-attacked by 4Es in the open terrain in Central Burma). Ed has thrown-in a mix of older fighters like Hurricanes and P-40s as well as Lightnings and T-Bolts, plus lots of medium and heavy bombers.One turn was enough for the Allies to reduce the strength of my fighter groups to 40%-25%. I have moved back five groups of Oscar IIIa to reinforce the remnants - another turn and now 10 fighter groups - the cream of the IJAAF - are out of the fight and the airbase has been closed. I have decided to evacuate all air and air support assets from Magwe. Makes no sense anyway to defend the Magwe oil when it cannot be transported back through the Andaman Sea now dominated by the enemy. Wondering why Ed keeps bombing the oil when he dominates the shipping route from/to Rangoon, but I prefer him to waste bombs on Magwe oil than on my LCUs pulling back from upper Burma through the clear terrain around Mandalay.



Oz:

Both Port Hedland and Darwin have fallen in the first deliberate attacks.

In both cases a reinforced division has crushed a reinforced brigade behind level 4 (Port Hedland) resp. level 5 forts (Darwin).

The Allies didn't even bring dedicated Combat Eng units. Not sure if I should laugh or cry - how comes that the Allies cut through forts like a hot knife through butter, while I have suffered horrendous losses against Chungking despite massing Combat Engs?

Anyway, the Darwin defenders have been pushed into the swamps west of Darwin, with the enemy on their heels. 25th Army HQ, a brigade of the 2nd Div and some AA units will be left to die - the "3x def" terrain should prolong their agony. Evacuation is not an option with enemy LBA at Darwin and Bathurst.

The ex-garrison of Port Hedland attempt to march overland back to Broome, while fighting off the pursuing enemy. I'm afraid only stragglers (if any) will arrive at Broome - if Broome is still in Japanese hands should they arrive there.

An Aussie brigade and a tank unit are approaching Derby overland, and a paradrop of a Commando units has captured that inland base east of Derby whose name eludes me at the moment ("N-something"). Defenders of the Derby-Broome area amount to two inf brigades, a tank rgt, an Air HQ and a bunch of airbase units and a IJN special base force. Two Oscar groups provide CAP at Derby while a Sally group harasses the Aussies approaching from the east. But the days of Northern Oz air activities are numbered, Allied 4Es are raiding Derby airbase and the Oscars IIIa with their puny two heavy machine guns are helpless

I have also sent a SAG build around Musashi to the region to discourage an amphib assault against Broome / Derby. I will try to evacuate as much as possible since enemy LBA is farther away, but gathering the necessary shipping will take time. I will try to buy some time by sending Musashi to bombard Port Hedland and maybe catch a convoy. A bit risky without carrier air cover, LRCAP from Derby will not reach that far.

However, I have managed to accelerate carrier construction - Taiho, Unryu, Amagi and Katsuragi have all been commissioned within the last 8 days (I won't build the other three late-coming Unruyu class carriers). They are en route to Singers. Once there, I will reshuffle the KBs and pull-off the CVEs and sent them to northern Oz to provide air cover for the evacuation.



PNG / Solomons:

Focus has shifted from Bougainville to Buna. Ed has landed what must be a division at Oro Bay and in the last two turns also dropped a reinforced Kiwi division directly at Buna. Nothing I can do about it, I have almost no airpower in the area (remember my credo - no battle of attrition where no oil is at stake), only a few fighters protecting the supply hub at Manus. I have a full division (ex Port Moresby garrison) plus some AA at Buna behind level-4 forts - let's see how easily the Allies will overwhelm that position as well... I'm busy pushing supplies to the Lae area and shifting troops. Token garrisons have been left at Milne, Port Moresby and Terauke (one "South Sea Bn" each), while Eng, AA and base forces have been evacuated by air or are marching through the jungles towards Lae-Nadzab. Many units are earmarked for transfer to the Marianas and Palau islands to help with fort construction. I have a hard time to gather enough PPs to pull some divisions from Kwantung Army to garrison this "inner line" of defense.I have been sloppy with assigning HQs when buying-out sub-units and now need to spend more PPs to have HQ aligned to allow their recombination.


Cent Pac:

Not sure if I have reported it - Roi-Namur has been lost. Kwajalein sees to be next, it is being bombed. I'm evacuating engineers by air from Kusaie and Ponape - fort levels 5 - to Truk for shipment to the Marianas. I need to prepare the next line of "defense". Not much defending going on actually, priorities are elsewhere - with the many Allied carriers in the Indian Ocean.



North Pac:

Nothing going on, except of shifting restricted "Infantry groups" from the Home Islands by air to the Kuriles.



Economy:

With Magwe oil effectively isolated, Boela and Babo oil destroyed and Medan oil damaged by enemy carrier strikes, the oil situation has deteriorated a bit more. In fact, I have more tankers and xAK-to-tanker conversions than oil/fuel to transport. Enemy subs are being spotted around the Home Islands, the East China Sea, around Formosa and the China coast, off Balikpapan and Manila, around Timor and Ambon - but I am quite content with my air ASW coverage. Running few but big convoys also helps. However, convoy management and the splitting of TFs to optimise docking / loading / unloading and re-organising of TFs into convoys is quite time-demanding. I will need to take a break from convoying in August since many of the SC types which are guarding choke points and ports are due for upgrades, including type 2 DCs - a must-have.

The HI pool has dropped to 500k, I need to be more careful. Armament points pool is at 150k and vehicles points pool at 15k - I will switch-off a couple of factories. I have also switched-off most merchant shipyards since construction of large merchies and tankers has been halted and there is a 3k pool of merchant shipyard points.