Attack Attack Attack - a Hotseat AAR

[Remington700]

Dutch East Indies
The Zuiho CVL taskforce is refueled in Singapore. They remain a couple of weeks longer to lower oil consumption. As mentioned before, time will tell if I am too worried about Japan’s oil stockpile.

[Remington700]

South Pacific
The 1st Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) is escorted to the New Hebrides Islands for invasion. The Australian 1st RAAF responds but is ineffective. After multiple ground strikes the 1st SNLF hits the beach at Port Vila. The island should fall within a couple of weeks. The plan is to use it as a staging area for air units to support the invasion of New Caledonia.

[Remington700]

Builds
Builds are 1 group of supply trucks.

[Remington700]

Allied May 10th

Burma
The lack of an attack on my line allows time for it to grow stronger. The Lahore Division is railed in from Bombay as a reserve. The 11th East African Division lands in Madras. This is a mistake as Bombay is left undefended. The 1st IAF receives more planes and are set to fly CAP missions over the line.

The Chinese 5th Army group retreats across the Yom River back into China. The 4th Army group heads north along the border looking for an opportunity to capture Ledo.

[Remington700]

South China
The 33rd Army group comes under attack from 3 Japanese armies in the rain. Casualties are light and no ground is lost. Preattack bombing runs were ineffectual. I need to hold this position but am hesitant to give a “stand your ground” order. The 23rd air group is ready to fly CAP when needed. I want to hold down air losses so they can impact the upcoming battle for Changsha. At some point this rain is going to stop.

[Remington700]

Coral Sea
I am taking a risk. I don’t want to give up New Caledonia without a fight. I have been doing too much of this lately. The US CV taskforce steams south of Noumea where they are spotted by land-based air on Espirito Santo. The 1st RAAF is put on ready but do not attack the Japanese carriers. I am going for an ambush and want them fresh to attack damaged carriers. The bad news is my force has been spotted and 6 CVs with 3 BBs are close to my position. The next turn should be interesting.

The Australian 112th Division takes the opportunity to slip out of Port Vila and heads to New Castle for refit and resupply. I don’t want to lose a much-needed division trying to save a 20-supply point island.

[Remington700]

Builds
The US builds a Naval Dive bomber, the 1st Marine Div and 2 landing ships. Plus, a supply truck and an Oiler.

The UK has no builds as they are banking production points. See the screen shot below.

[Remington700]

Japan May 24th

Burma
The Imperial Guards with the 12th and 24th divisions guard northern Burma and secure Ledo. The 15th, 25th and the Indian National Army hold their positions to regroup and resupply.

[Remington700]

South China
Partisans break the supply net. Multiple coordinated rail attacks cutoff three divisions and the South China HQ. No activity until supply can be restored.

[Remington700]

Dutch East Indies
I am worried about defending my oil supply from Sumatra and Borneo. I move the 1st Tactical Air Division from Indochina to Bandar Lampung and refitting for Naval air attack. Training is needed with the new loadout. The 10th Air Division arrives at Batavia to provide CAP in the area. With the 2nd Tactical Air based at Surabaya I feel much better about this defense. But I am unsure how long I can leave this many air assets on station in a non-combat zone.

[Remington700]

The Battle of Coral Sea
The Kido Butai steams south to engage the US carriers but are first hit by low flying RAAF torpedo planes. The attack is uncoordinated and the bombers are shot from the sky like clay pigeons at the end of their arc. 4 SPs are lost.

[Remington700]

Round 2
AMBUSH! US dive bombers and torpedo plans strike from the east. The Kaga is sunk! The Hiryu is on fire, trailing oil. Both the Shokaku and Zuikaku are hit but damage control parties worked surprisingly well to keep them operational. The IJN is in shock.

[Remington700]

Round 3
The US carriers focus their CAP to the west to intercept IJN carrier-based planes. This leaves the enemy’s right flank unprotected. Land-based Nakajimas from Espirito Santo hit the US carries unopposed and sink the Lexington!

During the battle the 1st SNLF captures Port Vila.

[Remington700]

Builds

No Japanese builds this turn.

[Remington700]

Round 4
The 1st RAAF from Noumea sends more land-based bombers equipped with torpedoes to hit the Japanese 1st Air Fleet. The bombers are met with CAP and heavy AA fire. They take another 3 SP of damage without scoring a hit on the damaged carriers.

[Remington700]

Round 5
After the Lexington was hit hard by “Kate” torpedo planes using a simultaneous “anvil” attack on both the port and starboard side of the ship, damage control crews were able to get flooding and fires under control in record time. It looked like the Lexington would resume operations however the fumes from leaking aviation fuel tanks started a firestorm and the ship is lost.

I could not resist paraphrasing some of Ian Toll’s account of the battle of the Coral Sea. After all, in my game it is May of 1942 in the Coral Sea, and the Lexington is sunk with the Yorktown sustaining heavy damage. Plus the Japanese lose a carrier – just too strange to ignore!

US Dive bombers and escorts cross within miles of Japanese carrier-based planes, each in search of targets. The US finds the 1st Air Fleet and sets the Mutsu on fire but were unable to hit the damaged Hiryu. Japanese D3A “Val” dive bombers find the US fleet, sinking the Battleship Mississippi and further damaging the Yorktown.

[Remington700]

Finale
The 1st RAAF flies one more sortie against the Japanese fleet. They find and hit the Zuikaku but cannot sink her. This ends my version of the Battle of Coral Sea. Unlike history, the US loses the strategic advantage and steams to Fiji for repairs.

[Remington700]

Allied May 24th

Burma
The Lahorne Division is attached to 4th Corps further strengthening the line just north of Dacca. 3rd Crops advances east turning the Indian National Army’s right flank. The line is strong, backed by Hurricanes flying CAP along the rail line and the Brahmaputra River.

The ABDACOM command is dissolved and replaced by the Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) which rails to Bombay. With low level recon in the area the headquarters will look like any other ground unit. This frees up the East Africa Division to rail to Calcutta. India Command HQ rails to the outskirts of Petna to improve supply to the 1st IAF.

Chaing Kai-shek takes control of the 2nd War Area command at Lijiang. The Chinese 5th Army pulls back to maintain close contact with headquarters. The 4th Army continues north to the Himalayas. There might be a way to pressure Ledo.

I worry my line is too strong. Calcutta is a concern as it may now be looked at as a viable option for invasion. It is the weakest position in the area. I need to do something about this soon.

[Remington700]

South China
The 22nd Army group rails from Kweiyang to the outskirts of Changsha to be held in reserve. Rain continues to hamper Japanese operations – I wonder when it will end. The 23rd air group is at full strength and flies CAP over Changsha.

[Remington700]

West Coast and Hawaii
MacArthur takes command of the 1st US Army and heads to Australia, joined by the 4th bomber group and the 32nd Division. They are escorted by the 17 DD squad.

US code breaking attempts fail once again. HYPO goes back to the drawing board to start again.