[font="Times New Roman"]March 26 - 28, 1943[/font]
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INDIA: [/font] Small strikes go against all Ceylon bases on the 26th, but the air strikes against Trincomalee are hampered by weather, and the base seems to recover a bit, still showing damage in the 70s. Later strikes in succeeding days are again hampered by weather at Trincomalee and others not able to fly due to weather at home bases. Feeling uneasy here.
I also see a CV TF moving in the IO, and I'll send subs running, but also limit strikes to Trin in case of a massive LR CAP and CV CAP there.
On the other side of India, strikes are launched against Patna as that thorn in the side of the Allied offensives is emptied of fighters, most likely to support operations at Madras and Ceylon. The recon shows troops leaving the base. Is this a pull-back? We drop a good hit on the fields with the dregs of the Allied arsenal plus a few 4Es. The flak is murderous here, as Japanese anti-aircraft still seems equal or perhaps slightly stronger than Allied equivalents, most likely due to experience levels of these well used units.
Colombo harbor is swept for mines and the AMc are hit by CD gun fire. I lose two of them.
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SO PAC: [/font] At Buin on the 25th our AM manages to clear some mines right under the nose of the Japanese. For god measure it damages the I-122 with 5 hits as well. Judys then come in escorted by Oscars and nail it, but with significant Oscar losses and a few DB lost as well. VPs to the Allies and a path cleared for the future here. But ...
Georges are here!! They show up dramatically, sweeping away air cover around Shortlands. This leaves the door open to take advantage of my mistake in forgetting to send cruisers at Shortlands on their intended bombardment of Buin. A group of Lilys comes in, which at first makes me very happy, since it was not the Judys. However, five 100kg hits later and the CA Cornwall is in danger with 72/47(17)/23(12) and 37 fires still burning!! From these not so big bombs. [:(]
I realize later that these RN CA have only 25 deck armor, but still this is a minimal strike to get so much on a CA. I disband it in Shortlands and hope of the best.
The Cornwall is hit but still able to move well enough and it should get away, but DD Duncan looks bad too with big fires. I'll send in another TF to cover the retreat and hit Buin for the 28th.
On the 27th a Fiji brigade takes Choiseul easily. Now at the defensive line of the Japanese, with Buin and Torokina defended well. I'l take some time here to build bases and pick away, while concentrating on SW Pac more for a week or two.
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CHINA: [/font] Kunming suffers through three days of attacks, but holds.
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OZ:[/font] Troops moving toward Perth.
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SIGINT:[/font] Looks to me like an evacuation may be in the works. I'm wary of an all-out blitz to either Trin or Madras, as there are now 500-700 fighters in Madras, and i can't seem to get the slid kill shot to Trincomalee fields no matter what I set to hit there due to weather and defensive flak. I'll have to rely on subs to do something, but if this is a pull-back, then the efforts at Ceylon have been a success even if units are not trapped there or at Madras.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]AK Tosan Maru is moving to 44,57.
AK Nichiyu Maru is moving to 45,56.
Radio transmissions detected at 44,61.
PB Kenkon Maru is moving to Madras (35,40).[/font]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 25, 43
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TF 236 encounters mine field at Colombo (29,48) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
17 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
AMc Randas, Shell hits 6, on fire
AMc Cuttack, Shell hits 4
Japanese ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
3rd Provisional Base Force firing at AMc Randas
AMc Randas firing at 3rd Provisional Base Force
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Morning Air attack on Patna , at 54,30
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Allied aircraft
A-29A Hudson x 12
I-15-III x 12
P-66 Vanguard x 4
Beaufighter VIf x 7
Beaufighter VIc x 16
Mohawk IV x 10
Wellington Ic x 11
B-24D Liberator x 3
Allied aircraft losses
A-29A Hudson: 6 damaged
A-29A Hudson: 1 destroyed by flak
Wellington Ic: 6 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x A-29A Hudson bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
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Morning Air attack on Colombo , at 29,48
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 30
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 11
Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington Ic bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on Trincomalee , at 31,47
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 14
B-26 Marauder x 6
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 3 damaged
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Vengeance I bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 15000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on Trincomalee , at 31,47
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 18
Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 7 damaged
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on Trincomalee , at 31,47
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 9
No Allied losses
Port hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 15000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Ground combat at Kunming (69,48)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15246 troops, 318 guns, 922 vehicles, Assault Value = 577
Defending force 31965 troops, 207 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 555
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 510
Allied adjusted defense: 565
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
482 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Allied ground losses:
504 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (3 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Assaulting units:
2nd Tank Division
Guards Tank Division
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
64th Chinese Corps
73rd Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
33rd Base Group
11th Group Army
10th Construction Regiment
9th Group Army
88th Chinese Division
102nd RAF Base Force
5th Group Army
56th AT Gun Regiment
16th Chinese Base Force
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 27, 43
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TF 322 encounters mine field at Colombo (29,48) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
11 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
AMc Victoria Marie, Shell hits 3, on fire
AMc St Anthony, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Baroda, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc St Anthony firing at 3rd Provisional Base Force
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Buin at 109,131
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 36
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 36
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 28
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 6 destroyed
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
AM Chignecto, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
29 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
13 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 10000 feet
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Morning Air attack on 18th/C Division, at 29,48 (Colombo)
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 10
TBF-1 Avenger x 18
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
18 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 9000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Also attacking 18th/B Division ...
Also attacking 18th/C Division ...
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Ground combat at Kunming (69,48)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14819 troops, 318 guns, 922 vehicles, Assault Value = 533
Defending force 31011 troops, 203 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 492
Japanese adjusted assault: 385
Allied adjusted defense: 310
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
675 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 21 (3 destroyed, 18 disabled)
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Ground combat at Choiseul Bay (111,132)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 2989 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 110
Defending force 234 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8
Allied adjusted assault: 49
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 49 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Choiseul Bay !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Fiji Brigade
Defending units:
4th Raiding Rgt /1
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 28, 43
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Morning Air attack on Shortlands , at 110,132
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 40
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 11
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 4 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
35 x N1K1-J George sweeping at 25000 feet
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 110,132
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 17
Ki-48-IIb Lily x 22
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 14 damaged
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 2 destroyed by flak
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CA Cornwall, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Lardner
CL Leander
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
9 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
CAP engaged:
347th FG/339th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 25000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 45 minutes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Cornwall
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Morning Air attack on Trincomalee , at 31,47
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Hurricane IIc Trop x 20
B-24D1 Liberator x 17
B-25C Mitchell x 29
B-25D1 Mitchell x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 25
P-400 Airacobra x 25
P-40E Warhawk x 24
P-40K Warhawk x 12
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 6 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 110,132
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 17
Ki-48-IIb Lily x 16
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 7 destroyed
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 9 damaged
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 1 destroyed by flak
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
CL Leander, Bomb hits 1
CA Canberra, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DD Duncan, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
4 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
1 x Ki-48-IIb Lily releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 2 x 100 kg SAP Bomb
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Ground combat at Kunming (69,48)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 14652 troops, 317 guns, 921 vehicles, Assault Value = 515
Defending force 30001 troops, 199 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 421
Japanese adjusted assault: 510
Allied adjusted defense: 265
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
482 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Allied ground losses:
766 casualties reported
Squads: 47 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 25 (23 destroyed, 2 disabled)
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Tough to do anything with 750 fighters!! [/font]
