Ambon is my guess too. I hate that base...take Namlea next to it first.
Pete and Jakes destroyed on the ground as to the plane losses.
Re. plane losses - exactly . This corresponds to Ashagira's plane complement at the start of the game.
Re. Ambon - same question as to Michael's guess. It moved from the ativated hex (white rim) to the position of the TF symbol, i.e. 8 hex SE to get from one position 10 hex away to another position 10 hex away? If you want to be sneaky, why not move to 80,103 ("Mol" of Moluccas) or 80,104 (SW thereof) to be in position for a night time bombardment run immediately?
Re. Ambon - same question as to Michael's guess. It moved from the ativated hex (white rim) to the position of the TF symbol, i.e. 8 hex SE to get from one position 10 hex away to another position 10 hex away? If you want to be sneaky, why not move to 80,103 ("Mol" of Moluccas) or 80,104 (SW thereof) to be in position for a night time bombardment run immediately?
Hartwig
Often times as Japan you pause an invasion to arrange for LRCAP or other reinforcemetns or meet another tf, especially if it gets spotted. Plus, most times you move a bit to confuse subs.
I suspect the above surface fights has Japan a little nervous.
an update covering 2 days of not much to report. Game date of the turn to be processed is now May 1st,42.
- Near Ceylon, mini-KB went into raiding mode hunting for ships fleeing from Colombo. As there were very few ships at Colombo to start with, success is limited to 3x 4VP xAP, which still annoys me, because they were carrying navy brass that had arranged for a trip they thought would lead them to safety (parts of eastern fleet naval HQ which is located at Colombo). My opponent hunts with a very limited strike package, thus keeping most planes over the TF, so attacking the TF with naval strike is something I won't try right now, but I'll try to arrange a CAP trap.
- In the Ceram sea, nothing really happens - apart from a FT invasion of Sorong last turn. I had installed a scouting force for supporting a few FP on naval search there, which will now be moved. The mystery TF is still milling around, apart from the FT TF a third one has appeared, but so far nothing that looks like a major, coordinated push. Could be Lowpe's take is right, but I do not rule out the possibility that this is something I am being shown deliberately to draw my attention and take away my focus from other areas.
- One of my subs hits and reportedly sinks an xAP in Makassar street which is part of a convoy with 13 merchants and 8 escorts. No troop losses are reported; I think it is moving towards Manila to provide lift capacity for distributing the troops that conquered the PI.
- Last not least, another little success to boost Allied morale [8D]
- mini KB raids on, killing another small xAP with navy brass, but avoiding my CAP trap by not pursuing the more juicy looking bait I had set.
- TFs have disappeared from the Ceram sea now. I wanted to help with that by killing the FT TF at Sorong, but all I got was this
Night Time Surface Combat, near Sorong at 82,107, Range 8,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DD Yukikaze
Allied Ships
CL Helena, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Bagley
DD Jarvis
Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
CL Naka engages CL Helena at 8,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CL Helena engages CL Naka at 3,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
CL Helena engages CL Naka at 6,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages DD Yukikaze at 6,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CL Naka engages CL Helena at 5,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Jarvis at 5,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CL Naka engages CL Helena at 8,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 8,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CL Naka engages CL Helena at 10,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages DD Yukikaze at 10,000 yards
DD Bagley engages DD Yukikaze at 10,000 yards
Tawara, Yoshioki orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CL Helena engages CL Naka at 11,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Jarvis at 11,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
CL Naka engages CL Helena at 13,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages DD Yukikaze at 13,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Bagley at 13,000 yards
CL Helena engages CL Naka at 13,000 yards
DD Jarvis engages DD Yukikaze at 13,000 yards
Task forces break off...
Naka is reported as sunk, which may or may not be the case. My CL has very light damage only (no penetrating hits), but this may be an opportunity to do the 4/42 upgrade which is still missing.
another two day update, including one eventless day. I will reproduce the combat complete report for that one, so you get what I mean...
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 02, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Trincomalee at 32,48
Japanese Ships
PB Kiso Maru, heavy damage
CM Natsushima
DMS W-13, heavy damage
xAK Kashii Maru
SC Ch 23
SC Ch 13
Allied Ships
SS Truant
SS Truant is sighted by escort
Truant diving deep ....
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 13 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 13 fails to find sub and abandons search
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 23 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Clark Field at 78,76
Japanese Ships
SC CHa-34
SC CHa-27
Allied Ships
SS O20
SS O20 launches 2 torpedoes at SC CHa-34
O20 diving deep ....
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-27 fails to find sub and abandons search
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Lanchow , at 81,34
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kendari , at 70,106
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 7
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Lanchow , at 81,34
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 8
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged
Runway hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 2000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Lanchow , at 81,34
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 9
No Japanese losses
Runway hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 2000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Yenan , at 88,37
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 3 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 13
No Japanese losses
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 7
Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Banjoewangi at 57,107
Japanese Ships
DD Yugao
DD Hasu
Allied Ships
SS S-41, hits 6
SS S-41 is located by DD Yugao
S-41 bottoming out ....
DD Hasu fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hasu fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hasu fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hasu attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hasu fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
Assaulting units:
27th/C Division
12th Tank Regiment
27th/B Division
110th/C Division
5th Tank Regiment
10th/A Division
10th/B Division
116th/B Division
13th Tank Regiment
116th/C Division
29th/A Division
12th/A Division
68th/B Division
68th/C Division
110th/A Division
68th/A Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
61st Infantry Brigade
12th/C Division
110th/B Division
3rd Tank Regiment
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
27th/A Division
116th/A Division
12th/B Division
29th/B Division
15th Tank Regiment
29th/C Division
10th/C Division
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
China Expeditionary Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
9th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
35th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
17th Chinese Corps
8th Route Army
27th Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
14th Group Army
57th AT Gun Regiment
12th Chinese Base Force
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
Red Chinese Army
2nd Group Army
15th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
Japanese Ships
xAK Akasisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Shinwa Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Toyohasi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Tasmania Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Toko Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Venice Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (14 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(14 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
14 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead
No ships are reported as sunk, but actually I would currently prefer an additional damaged ship at that location over a sunk ship to slow down my opponent's next operations.
Next, a CAP trap at Lanchow is successful (see picture below). My opponent is lucky that he drives his air force in China as hard as he does, bad morale made major part of his attacking squadrons turn back. And this CAP trap turns out to be lucky timing, because of this...
Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 5851 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 697
Defending force 20625 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 696
Assaulting units:
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
3rd Ching An Tui Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
Mongol Garrison Army
Defending units:
34th Separate Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
8th War Area
5th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
[:'(]
This is excellent, with a bit of luck this means I may be open to reopen the road to Lanchow - which would hopefully allow getting some more fuel to Chungking to keep HI there operative a bit longer. Every bit of supply helps in China !
I love using the heavy bombers for such purposes, especially in the SoPac or DEI. A lot of players (myself included) seem to scrimp on CAP defense so they can devote more to forward defense/offense. This keeps them honest about their defenses and sometimes forces them to devote more to CAP defense.
"Now excuse me while I go polish my balls ..." - BBfanboy
more of the same old same. Smallish success, but nothing essential for the big picture.
Here's an example what happens when going toe to toe on a selective basis (excerpt from May 5,42 aoperationsreport)
WO Snowdon V. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
WO Snowdon V. of No.17 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!
WO Peter, G.A. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 6
FO Warburton, D.K. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
FO Warburton, D.K. of No.17 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!
...
WO Cheshire M. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 2
FO Warburton, D.K. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 6
WO Peter, G.A. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 7
FO Warburton, D.K. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 7
WO Peter, G.A. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 8
PO Trayhorn U. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 3
WO Peter, G.A. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 9
WO Cheshire M. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 3
WO Cheshire M. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 4
WO Peter, G.A. of No.17 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 10
Average experience of No17 Sqn RAF is now 71.[:D]
My opponent feels he needs to reinforce his Sorong invasion and pays the price. I felt save letting the Vindicators fly without escort, because closest potentially usable airbase is currently Manado which did not seem to hold planes according to recon results.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sorong at 82,107
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 17
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
APD Aoi, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
APD Hagi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
APD Nadakaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
APD Shimakaze, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Nadakaze
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Aoi
Also, enemy tried again at Lanchow - to no avail.
Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 17810 troops, 139 guns, 190 vehicles, Assault Value = 664
Defending force 20578 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 688
As to my nibbling, tattered former defenders of PM take back undefended Salamaua and Wau in PNG. IJ could afford to let them starve there, but so far my opponent showed a liking for hunting down and finishing off shattered ghost units.
As to IJ's bites: This turn, Colombo falls. Defenders are mostly pushed out and move towards Koggala. Unfortunately, there was about 140k fuel and 20k supplies at Colombo before the attack, which will help enemy to sustain his future operations.
Ground combat at Colombo (29,48)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 52441 troops, 688 guns, 191 vehicles, Assault Value = 1835
Defending force 19724 troops, 148 guns, 150 vehicles, Assault Value = 336
Japanese ground losses:
920 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
13244 casualties reported
Squads: 200 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 938 destroyed, 135 disabled
Engineers: 97 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 125 (121 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 106 (99 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 6
Units destroyed 2
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
38th Division
18th Division
21st Division
33rd Division
Southern Army
3rd Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /1
3rd Medium FA Rgt /1
Defending units:
99th Indian Brigade
100th Indian Brigade
Colombo Fortress
98th Indian Brigade
Eastern Fleet
222 Group RAF
Ceylon Command
22nd Light AA Regiment
May 6 1942 is another day with almost no action... so there's plenty of time to celebrate 1 month game time with me being supreme commander. Do I get a pension now if I'm sacked [:D]?
I still think the lack of activity is strange. Take the picture below. As you know, IJ is in the final stages of conquering Ceylon. But Mini KB is withdrawing from the theatre, and I see essentially no indication of major shipping activity (inlcuding in the direction SE of Ceylon that I cut off) in spite of having almost everything that can search on search missions. The last TF at Lunga has disappeared last turn. Intense search and sub patrols in the DEI shows no activity at all. I mean, shouldn't enemy be coming somewhere now?
The second reason for the picture below is an exceptional stroke of luck. Evidently, during the IJ conquest of Colombo I got a very lucky roll. That shipyard is not going to patch ships that were damaged during the invasion very soon, and the supply enemy gained at Colombo will not be sufficient to pay for the repair [:)]
Well, the Nihon Dai-teikoku captured Ceylon a lot later in your game than in my own. So that's a positive in addition to the shipyard. Does he seem to have plans for a deeper India push?
"Now excuse me while I go polish my balls ..." - BBfanboy
If you are in the area SE of Ceylon, he might have headed west to invade Diego Garcia. That would help him interdict reinforcements and supply/fuel coming from Capetown and make your upgrading/withdrawing ships have a longer trip to get to CT.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
Well, the Nihon Dai-teikoku captured Ceylon a lot later in your game than in my own. So that's a positive in addition to the shipyard. Does he seem to have plans for a deeper India push?
Aye, but JohnIII did not take Portland for a turn so far. That delayed my opponent, I guess... plus maybe the time bought by someone else (likely NY59Giants) in the PI.
Plus one reason why I keep complaining about a lack of enemy TFs because it spoils any attempt to sneak up on them and sink some helpless merchant ships, as you keep doing in an excellent manner [&o], which will definitely slow down IJ in your game.
Re. India push - I do not know. SigInt did not provide any indication; in general I only got 2 or 3 "preparing for attack on" messages, and only one of them materialized so far (a unit prepping for Colombo). Personally, I would have expected more shipping bringing units, supply and fuel in the wake of the Ceylon invasion if India was a real target, or at least seeing heavy radio traffic approaching, which so far I do not. Personally, I think a full scale India invasion is better for me than some of the alternative options IJ has.
If you are in the area SE of Ceylon, he might have headed west to invade Diego Garcia. That would help him interdict reinforcements and supply/fuel coming from Capetown and make your upgrading/withdrawing ships have a longer trip to get to CT.
Thanks for pointing that out. It is a move that would make sense, but I do not think that is the case (yet). My source of intel re. mini KB position in the last two or three days is DL on a set of submarines, and the resulting pattern does not seem to match a move to the West right now.
Well, the Nihon Dai-teikoku captured Ceylon a lot later in your game than in my own. So that's a positive in addition to the shipyard. Does he seem to have plans for a deeper India push?
Aye, but JohnIII did not take Portland for a turn so far. That delayed my opponent, I guess... plus maybe the time bought by someone else (likely NY59Giants) in the PI.
Plus one reason why I keep complaining about a lack of enemy TFs because it spoils any attempt to sneak up on them and sink some helpless merchant ships, as you keep doing in an excellent manner [&o], which will definitely slow down IJ in your game.
Re. India push - I do not know. SigInt did not provide any indication; in general I only got 2 or 3 "preparing for attack on" messages, and only one of them materialized so far (a unit prepping for Colombo). Personally, I would have expected more shipping bringing units, supply and fuel in the wake of the Ceylon invasion if India was a real target, or at least seeing heavy radio traffic approaching, which so far I do not. Personally, I think a full scale India invasion is better for me than some of the alternative options IJ has.
Hartwig
Well if he does not commit to India soon he must have some other target in mind.
Re: the SIGINT, having aircraft with the right equipment on patrol can help pick up SIGINT. I know the Cats are one of these, but it might be a later model. But even the early models doing a patrol near a busy Japanese base should pick up the Heavy Volume of Radio Traffic info.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
As the lull goes on, I resort to desperate measures - like a current China map.
Enemy has stopped pushing hard SE of Sian now, only the occasional bombardment which ususally shows raw AV ratios of about 2:1 in his favor, both sides increasing. I have little supply but many support troops at Sian, where I have some units trying to recover from the hits they took from the monster stack. Progress is slow, but measurable.
My roadblock on that road NE of Nanyang is a healthy consolidated corps which has started to dig in nicely. IJ brought a Division into the hex from Nanyang, but that should not suffice.
Unfortunately, the unit which was supposed to enter the woods west of that blocking position was caught just in time by another IJ division in the hex W of Nayang after being slowed down by air strikes, so now I am marching a unit across the river. I am still not sure whether this part of the operation will be worth what I invested. one consolidated corps was mostly thrashed from the air, but only after breaking two RGC divisions, so VP wise the answer may even be yes, but i got a lot of disablements in the units that were used (now back in the woods on the dirt road 2 hex W of Nanyang). I allowed IJ to bring a division in and thrash the units I used there, because that bought time to insert units for the (failed) attempt to occupy the hex west of the blocking position and moving one to the south, where it is still sitting on the railway SW of Sinyang (you can see a combat symbol, not the unit), but not much lower in view of enemy air power and a unit in the hex.
In the north, I will reopen the road to Lanchow next turn which should make fuel flow to Chungking again.
Feel free to comment if you wish. Ground combat is definitely not my forte, especially in China when supply is hard to get by.
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Well if he does not commit to India soon he must have some other target in mind.
Re: the SIGINT, having aircraft with the right equipment on patrol can help pick up SIGINT. I know the Cats are one of these, but it might be a later model. But even the early models doing a patrol near a busy Japanese base should pick up the Heavy Volume of Radio Traffic info.
I did not know about that benefit of nav search, but have almost everything on search I have - including the few British Cats (most of which unfortunately withdraw by June 1st) - anyway. Almost, because I had another job to do, see picture below [:D] A nice example why manpower is a target worth chosing.
What you can also see on that picture is that BBfanboy was rigth in principle, but just a day too early with his guess about the move of mini KB to the West. It moved SE when he made his guess, but now it is in fact moving West and entered the search arc of planes located at Addu. Mouseover does not show accompanying TFs, but we'll see.
With respect to the commitment - he would need the PI troops, I guess, which started moving from Bataan (to Manila?) on April 18th. A week for the trip Manila-Singapore, another 10-14 days (Port Blair is still mine, so he will probably sail around it) - I think he could still need some days to arrive if he comes.
I did get some new SigInt about troops from the Bataan siege (a Tk Rgt and a division) prepping for Noumea last turn, though.
Oh, and one more thing - enemy reacted promptly to the reconquest of Salamaua, by counterinvasion.
Pre-Invasion action off Salamaua (98,127)
3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mogami
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Maya
CL Nagara
DD Natsugumo
DD Okikaze
CA Aoba firing at 15th RAAF Base Force
CA Kumano firing at Port Moresby Brigade
CA Suzuya firing at Port Moresby Brigade
CA Mogami firing at Port Moresby Brigade
CA Ashigara firing at 15th RAAF Base Force
CA Nachi firing at Port Moresby Brigade
CA Maya firing at Port Moresby Brigade
CL Nagara firing at 15th RAAF Base Force
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Salamaua (98,127)
TF 29 troops unloading over beach at Salamaua, 98,127
Japanese ground losses:
218 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (0 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Fine with me, because I got the job done I wanted to have done - flip the part of PM brigade at Horn Isl from /1 to main unit (I needed to have the unit on a coastal hex or at a base, even got both ). Plus making the enemy react and use something to counter an essentially meaningless action is also good.
this AAR still suffers from thing worth reporting, which is why it went silent for a while. But the game is progressing with decent speed (for typical turn rates I manage to do), May 14 42 is the last executed turn.
The tidbit I can report is that on said day the last Allied base on Ceylon, Koggala, fell to the first attack. The three Indian Brigades that defenden Ceylon never had a chance against four IJ division plus supporting units employed to conquer the island. So another bunch of almost 400 LCU points harvested by IJ; VP ratio is 2.85:1 in IJ favour now.
Other than that, I still do not see enemy activity. Over the last few days, I got some indications that at least troop transfer from the PI may not have been completed, there is still a large number of LCUs reported at Manila, and last turn SS Sturgeon snuck into Manila and torpedoed a destroyer that was part of a major, well-escorted xAP TF. So I'm still waiting for the hammer to fall and working on infrastructure and logistic prerequesites for implementation of my plans.
One more bit of information that I received is that my opponent will likely go after Noumea. I have now sigint of 3 IJ divisions plus 1 Tk Rgt preparing for that base, plus there is increasing enemy sub activity in the region.
I'll keep you posted if anything of interest occurs.
. This corresponds to Ashagira's plane complement at the start of the game.
" - BBfanboy
). Plus making the enemy react and use something to counter an essentially meaningless action is also good.