Thanks BBW!
Interesting to see that the Yugoslav Air Force got to use both Bf-109E's and Hurricanes - I gather some of the latter were even licence-built by Rogožarski.
Yes, we're getting along quite well. I'll do my usual end-of-month report when the end of November 42 rolls round. The Pacific has gone very quiet, but there have been numerous air battles over Burma, and the ground war in North China is looking promising. The Japanese are holding a good position on the right bank of the Hwang Ho opposite Kaifeng, with a threat developing towards Honan.
And Musashi commissions in a few days time[:)]
Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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Local Yokel
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BigBadWolf
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: October 1942
Yeah, it is somewhat weird to see them wearing the same markings. Actually, Zmaj licensed built 16 of them, not Rogozarski, but the fact you even heard of Rogozarski impresses me deeply 
Anyway, back to topic. How about Burma update?
Anyway, back to topic. How about Burma update?
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: October 1942
By special request from BigBadWolf, an update from the front in Burma!
Since the campaign in this theatre has extended over weeks and months, as compared with the few days of a major naval clash, it doesn’t readily lend itself to my usual narrative style. Nonetheless, I don’t want to describe it by publishing endless reams of accumulated combat reports. Instead, I will try to give an impressionistic view of how the campaign has developed, and to describe how and why I have conducted operations as I have, with particular emphasis on air ops. Please feel free to point out the errors I have made – I am sure there are plenty, since this is my first game against a human opponent – and to suggest how I might improve the Japanese conduct of operations.
Japan’s invasion of Burma was conducted strictly on a shoestring, with initially little more than two divisions, a brigade and an armoured regiment as the main hitting power. The objective of the Japanese plan was to occupy the Irrawaddy basin and capture Myitkina, thereby severing the Burma Road. Additionally, Akyab was seized by a coup de main staged by naval paratroops. Attainment of all these Japanese objectives was assisted by an Allied command decision to stand at Imphal and Kohima rather than on the banks of the Irrawaddy, although modest Allied forces were trapped and annihilated at Rangoon. By mid-1942, Chinese forces had been ejected onto the trails leading east from Lashio, whilst a contingent of Yokosuka SNLF paratroops sufficed to seize Myitkina, where they were initially reinforced by nothing more than an army base force. Thus, the entirety of the Japanese garrison of Burma remained confined to the excellent internal transport net that extends as far as Myitkyina from Rangoon. The only exception to this was the garrison at Akyab, which was progressively enlarged to weak divisional strength.
The Japanese command has throughout remained acutely aware of the nightmare predicament in which an amphibious attack into the Gulf of Martaban might place its army in Burma. Hence, steps have been taken to bring forward ample supplies to the dumps at Rangoon and Mandalay (where Burma Area Army now has its HQ), and to provide an adequate garrison against such an attack at both Rangoon and Moulmein. The capacity of the available forces to resist an attack against Moulmein in particular is a continuing source of concern, and it is relative to this concern that all forward deployments of Japanese troops to the north and east of Mandalay have to be assessed.
The problem of avoiding exposure of Rangoon/Moulmein became the more acute when, with the onset of autumn, Allied columns were observed to be moving south both from Imphal towards the Irrawaddy crossings and from Ledo towards Myitkyina. The force coming down from Ledo is substantial, including 18th British Div, a Chindit brigade and a substantial armoured unit. Not yet being ready to permit re-opening of the Burma Road, the Japanese move the best part of two divisions to Myitkyina plus substantial engineering and anti-aircraft contingents as soon as it became clear that this base was the focus of the growing Allied offensive effort. And so began a protracted aerial struggle, in which the Allies have variously sought to close the airfields at Myitkyina or to write down the strength of the Japanese defenders. The Japanese have responded by seeking to take the sting out of the Allied bombers’ onslaught, whilst avoiding significant losses through attrition.
The means by which the Japanese have sought to achieve their objectives in the air battle are as follows:
First, they have depended heavily upon the services of their most highly skilled army fighter pilots, so far as possible deploying only sentais whose experience levels are in the high seventies or better. They have been only partially successful in this: the introduction of some less experienced units has proved unavoidable, though the lowest experience level of any unit employed has been 73.
Second, the Japanese have concentrated their best army fighter equipment on this front. No Type 1 fighters now operate in the theatre; all are Types 2 and 3 (Shoki and Hien). My subjective impression is that the Type 2 Shoki is the better aeroplane: it hits more often with its centre line gun and seems to enjoy better serviceability rates than the Type 3 Hien.
Third, the Japanese have done their utmost to avoid accumulations of damaged machines at bases vulnerable to Allied attack. In this they are assisted by the Allied concentration upon the strips at Myitkyina and comparative disregard of other Japanese fields. As soon as a fighter unit’s flying strength drops appreciably it has been rotated out of its forward base completely, damaged machines being simultaneously transferred overland to the rear base for repair and recuperation. The pattern has been for the replacement unit to stage forward initially to Mandalay, then making the short onward hop to Myitkyina with minimal fatigue when the unit it is to replace is rotated out. This ceased to be feasible once the Allied point unit entered the Myitkyina hex, so that LRCAP operations above that base have now become the order of the day.
Fourth, the Japanese have confined themselves strictly to fighter defence of their own bases rather than offensive sweeps, thereby seeking to conserve precious pilots from loss over enemy territory.
Finally, the Japanese have mounted intensive reconnaissance against an ever-changing range of Allied bases so as to conceal the identity of those targets against which the Japanese send an occasional raid. Again, the Japanese have been assisted by an Allied tendency to over-concentrate their four-engined bombers at Chittagong with inadequate fighter defence. On two occasions this has permitted the Japanese to mount raids of 70-80 Type 1 Navy Land Attack aircraft against Chittagong’s airfields with good results. The principal deterrent to such operations has been the abominable weather that cloaks this theatre for so much of the time, and the need to disperse the attackers immediately following a strike. As an example of such a strike:
11/10/42
Day Air attack on Chittagong , at 31,25 (at 11000 feet)
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
G4M1 Betty x 76
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 30 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Liberator III: 5 destroyed
A-20B Boston: 2 destroyed
P-38F Lightning: 2 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
59 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 47
In fact results were much better than this, a dozen or so Liberators having been destroyed on the ground in this raid alone. The damage done to Allied aircraft also tends to produce a lessening in the intensity of the Allied attack in the days following the raid. I think he also has some serviceability and/or aircrew morale problems.
To conclude, I’ve included a graphic showing comparative losses with their causes for those aircraft most active in this theatre Almost all Liberator III and A-20 casualties and most Ki-44 losses to date have occurred in this theatre, so the table may help to give some indication of the combatants’ relative success.
Since the campaign in this theatre has extended over weeks and months, as compared with the few days of a major naval clash, it doesn’t readily lend itself to my usual narrative style. Nonetheless, I don’t want to describe it by publishing endless reams of accumulated combat reports. Instead, I will try to give an impressionistic view of how the campaign has developed, and to describe how and why I have conducted operations as I have, with particular emphasis on air ops. Please feel free to point out the errors I have made – I am sure there are plenty, since this is my first game against a human opponent – and to suggest how I might improve the Japanese conduct of operations.
Japan’s invasion of Burma was conducted strictly on a shoestring, with initially little more than two divisions, a brigade and an armoured regiment as the main hitting power. The objective of the Japanese plan was to occupy the Irrawaddy basin and capture Myitkina, thereby severing the Burma Road. Additionally, Akyab was seized by a coup de main staged by naval paratroops. Attainment of all these Japanese objectives was assisted by an Allied command decision to stand at Imphal and Kohima rather than on the banks of the Irrawaddy, although modest Allied forces were trapped and annihilated at Rangoon. By mid-1942, Chinese forces had been ejected onto the trails leading east from Lashio, whilst a contingent of Yokosuka SNLF paratroops sufficed to seize Myitkina, where they were initially reinforced by nothing more than an army base force. Thus, the entirety of the Japanese garrison of Burma remained confined to the excellent internal transport net that extends as far as Myitkyina from Rangoon. The only exception to this was the garrison at Akyab, which was progressively enlarged to weak divisional strength.
The Japanese command has throughout remained acutely aware of the nightmare predicament in which an amphibious attack into the Gulf of Martaban might place its army in Burma. Hence, steps have been taken to bring forward ample supplies to the dumps at Rangoon and Mandalay (where Burma Area Army now has its HQ), and to provide an adequate garrison against such an attack at both Rangoon and Moulmein. The capacity of the available forces to resist an attack against Moulmein in particular is a continuing source of concern, and it is relative to this concern that all forward deployments of Japanese troops to the north and east of Mandalay have to be assessed.
The problem of avoiding exposure of Rangoon/Moulmein became the more acute when, with the onset of autumn, Allied columns were observed to be moving south both from Imphal towards the Irrawaddy crossings and from Ledo towards Myitkyina. The force coming down from Ledo is substantial, including 18th British Div, a Chindit brigade and a substantial armoured unit. Not yet being ready to permit re-opening of the Burma Road, the Japanese move the best part of two divisions to Myitkyina plus substantial engineering and anti-aircraft contingents as soon as it became clear that this base was the focus of the growing Allied offensive effort. And so began a protracted aerial struggle, in which the Allies have variously sought to close the airfields at Myitkyina or to write down the strength of the Japanese defenders. The Japanese have responded by seeking to take the sting out of the Allied bombers’ onslaught, whilst avoiding significant losses through attrition.
The means by which the Japanese have sought to achieve their objectives in the air battle are as follows:
First, they have depended heavily upon the services of their most highly skilled army fighter pilots, so far as possible deploying only sentais whose experience levels are in the high seventies or better. They have been only partially successful in this: the introduction of some less experienced units has proved unavoidable, though the lowest experience level of any unit employed has been 73.
Second, the Japanese have concentrated their best army fighter equipment on this front. No Type 1 fighters now operate in the theatre; all are Types 2 and 3 (Shoki and Hien). My subjective impression is that the Type 2 Shoki is the better aeroplane: it hits more often with its centre line gun and seems to enjoy better serviceability rates than the Type 3 Hien.
Third, the Japanese have done their utmost to avoid accumulations of damaged machines at bases vulnerable to Allied attack. In this they are assisted by the Allied concentration upon the strips at Myitkyina and comparative disregard of other Japanese fields. As soon as a fighter unit’s flying strength drops appreciably it has been rotated out of its forward base completely, damaged machines being simultaneously transferred overland to the rear base for repair and recuperation. The pattern has been for the replacement unit to stage forward initially to Mandalay, then making the short onward hop to Myitkyina with minimal fatigue when the unit it is to replace is rotated out. This ceased to be feasible once the Allied point unit entered the Myitkyina hex, so that LRCAP operations above that base have now become the order of the day.
Fourth, the Japanese have confined themselves strictly to fighter defence of their own bases rather than offensive sweeps, thereby seeking to conserve precious pilots from loss over enemy territory.
Finally, the Japanese have mounted intensive reconnaissance against an ever-changing range of Allied bases so as to conceal the identity of those targets against which the Japanese send an occasional raid. Again, the Japanese have been assisted by an Allied tendency to over-concentrate their four-engined bombers at Chittagong with inadequate fighter defence. On two occasions this has permitted the Japanese to mount raids of 70-80 Type 1 Navy Land Attack aircraft against Chittagong’s airfields with good results. The principal deterrent to such operations has been the abominable weather that cloaks this theatre for so much of the time, and the need to disperse the attackers immediately following a strike. As an example of such a strike:
11/10/42
Day Air attack on Chittagong , at 31,25 (at 11000 feet)
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
G4M1 Betty x 76
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 30 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Liberator III: 5 destroyed
A-20B Boston: 2 destroyed
P-38F Lightning: 2 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
59 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 47
In fact results were much better than this, a dozen or so Liberators having been destroyed on the ground in this raid alone. The damage done to Allied aircraft also tends to produce a lessening in the intensity of the Allied attack in the days following the raid. I think he also has some serviceability and/or aircrew morale problems.
To conclude, I’ve included a graphic showing comparative losses with their causes for those aircraft most active in this theatre Almost all Liberator III and A-20 casualties and most Ki-44 losses to date have occurred in this theatre, so the table may help to give some indication of the combatants’ relative success.
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BigBadWolf
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: October 1942
Thank you [&o]
You seem a bit underpowered in Burma, any plans to reinforce your positions there? Also, a lot of op losses for both of you, especially his bombers. Looks like you really cratered Chittagong field. How many heavies does he have there?
You seem a bit underpowered in Burma, any plans to reinforce your positions there? Also, a lot of op losses for both of you, especially his bombers. Looks like you really cratered Chittagong field. How many heavies does he have there?
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Without going into too much detail, I'm now happier with force levels in Burma, as some reinforcements have indeed been committed to the theatre. Whether they will suffice remains to be seen. I think the trick will be in determining correctly when to re-deploy additional forces from China, where I still have some accounts to settle.
Meanwhile, far away in the Pacific...
27 November 1942 dawns soggy and overcast for Cdr Toshio Matsubara’s C-1 class submarine I-18 as she patrols an area some 8 degrees north of the equator and 600 miles west of Palmyra Atoll. The bridge lookouts peer through curtains of rain as the boat rides a gentle swell, slowly setting eastward against the fitful trade winds under the impetus of propellers turning at minimum revolutions necessary for maintenance of steerageway.
Presently the port lookout sights a small steamship, rendered indistinct in the rain by her grey wartime livery. Matsubara, summoned to the bridge, takes in the merchantman’s antiquated features and notes with interest the shrouded shapes of aircraft on her weather deck. A freighter on independent passage, and one bearing a choice cargo of warplanes: I-18’s commander does not hesitate to engage!
As the I-boat closes its prey, Matsubara notes the absence of defensive armament on the freighter and elects to remain on the surface for his attack. The crew serving I-18’s 5.5-inch deck gun blaze away at the target and are soon rewarded with two strikes. But it is the submarine’s salvo of four Type 95 Mod 1 torpedoes that do the real damage: three of them strike home, and 1,215 kilograms of explosive are more than enough to dispose comprehensively of this small and lonely voyager who will never see port again. And although Matsubara could not identify them, cocooned as they were, down with the sinking merchantman go eighteen Douglas dive-bombers that will never now have their chance to plant a payload in a Japanese vessel.
Sub attack at 100,89
Japanese Ships
SS I-18
Allied Ships
AK Empire Scout, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks*)
Meanwhile, far away in the Pacific...
27 November 1942 dawns soggy and overcast for Cdr Toshio Matsubara’s C-1 class submarine I-18 as she patrols an area some 8 degrees north of the equator and 600 miles west of Palmyra Atoll. The bridge lookouts peer through curtains of rain as the boat rides a gentle swell, slowly setting eastward against the fitful trade winds under the impetus of propellers turning at minimum revolutions necessary for maintenance of steerageway.
Presently the port lookout sights a small steamship, rendered indistinct in the rain by her grey wartime livery. Matsubara, summoned to the bridge, takes in the merchantman’s antiquated features and notes with interest the shrouded shapes of aircraft on her weather deck. A freighter on independent passage, and one bearing a choice cargo of warplanes: I-18’s commander does not hesitate to engage!
As the I-boat closes its prey, Matsubara notes the absence of defensive armament on the freighter and elects to remain on the surface for his attack. The crew serving I-18’s 5.5-inch deck gun blaze away at the target and are soon rewarded with two strikes. But it is the submarine’s salvo of four Type 95 Mod 1 torpedoes that do the real damage: three of them strike home, and 1,215 kilograms of explosive are more than enough to dispose comprehensively of this small and lonely voyager who will never see port again. And although Matsubara could not identify them, cocooned as they were, down with the sinking merchantman go eighteen Douglas dive-bombers that will never now have their chance to plant a payload in a Japanese vessel.
Sub attack at 100,89
Japanese Ships
SS I-18
Allied Ships
AK Empire Scout, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (*sinks*)
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
The end of another month of our game has come round, so here is a series of posts dealing with developments during November 1942.
Naval Construction
First, details of ships currently under active construction, ordered by Delay/arrival date. During November the IJN took delivery of carrier Ryuho and battleship Musashi, so releasing a bunch of construction points I've used to accelerate destroyers, ASW ships and two of the late arriving carriers. The effect is maximise use of naval construction points without having to dip into the pool.
Incidentally, in my CHS version of the world, the Mitsubishi yard at Nagasaki made a serious boo-boo in Musashi's construction, fitting her out with NO starboard side 6-inch turret, and instead installing an aft-facing battery of TWO 6" triples!
<speling>
Naval Construction
First, details of ships currently under active construction, ordered by Delay/arrival date. During November the IJN took delivery of carrier Ryuho and battleship Musashi, so releasing a bunch of construction points I've used to accelerate destroyers, ASW ships and two of the late arriving carriers. The effect is maximise use of naval construction points without having to dip into the pool.
Incidentally, in my CHS version of the world, the Mitsubishi yard at Nagasaki made a serious boo-boo in Musashi's construction, fitting her out with NO starboard side 6-inch turret, and instead installing an aft-facing battery of TWO 6" triples!
<speling>
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Aircraft Production and the Economy
Next, details of the current state of aircraft production capability, and a snapshot of the entire Japanese aircraft pool. A lot of the production capacity is actually standing idle at present as part of my drive to boost the HI pool, e.g. the only aircraft with Mitsubishi engines currently being produced are the E13A (Jake) and L2D2 (Tabby).
Shortly to come on stream are the D4Y Suisei (Jan '43) and B6N Tenzan (Feb '43), as replacements for the D3A (Val) and B5N (Kate) respectively. As both of the earlier types upgrade to the later, I have enlarged the production capacity of both but shut down their production. I'm hoping that when the factories convert this will give me a one-to-one conversion of production capacity to the new types. When added to factory capacity already dedicated to the Suisei and the Tenzan this should enable me to stage a production surge and hence a rapid replacement programme for the carrier bomber/attack wings.
Next, details of the current state of aircraft production capability, and a snapshot of the entire Japanese aircraft pool. A lot of the production capacity is actually standing idle at present as part of my drive to boost the HI pool, e.g. the only aircraft with Mitsubishi engines currently being produced are the E13A (Jake) and L2D2 (Tabby).
Shortly to come on stream are the D4Y Suisei (Jan '43) and B6N Tenzan (Feb '43), as replacements for the D3A (Val) and B5N (Kate) respectively. As both of the earlier types upgrade to the later, I have enlarged the production capacity of both but shut down their production. I'm hoping that when the factories convert this will give me a one-to-one conversion of production capacity to the new types. When added to factory capacity already dedicated to the Suisei and the Tenzan this should enable me to stage a production surge and hence a rapid replacement programme for the carrier bomber/attack wings.
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BigBadWolf
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
You haven't put a single Ki-44 II out on the field? Are they that worthless?
Can you tell me what is your total LBA number on the map?
Can you tell me what is your total LBA number on the map?
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Just back from quick excursion to local airport.ORIGINAL: BigBadWolf
You haven't put a single Ki-44 II out on the field? Are they that worthless?
Can you tell me what is your total LBA number on the map?
BBW, on the contrary, take a look at 4th a/c in the list: the Type 2 Shoki is very prominent in the JAAF inventory and has given me excellent service.
LBA: 4179 total deployment, 3812 serviceable, 367 damaged. Interestingly, the top 5 slots for damaged a/c are occupied by units equipped with the Type 3 Hien. This is not due to such units being in the course of re-equipping (only one is in that state); for some reason I get lower serviceability from the Hien than from other fighters. I can't remember whether this is something explicitly built into the game, but it clearly seems to be the product of some aspect of how the game works. Granted, nearly all the Type 3 units are in action at the front, but the Type 2's are equally heavily committed yet seem to recover from damage more readily. Explanation?
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Aero-engine Production
The next graphic is derived from Tracker and shows the current state of the Japanese aero-engine industry. My purpose is to show the progress made in the switch-over from early Nakajima/Mitsubishi production to their advanced successors. Production of the Nissan/Adv Mitsubishi begins on 1 December 1942, and, as can be seen, 316 out of a current total of 325 production capacity is ready to go. First recipients will be the Ki-46-III Command Reconnaissance Plane which begins production in January '43, but manufacture of this engine is primarily targetted at the J2M Raiden, which begins to deliver in March '43. By then a pool IRO 900 Adv Mitsubishi engines to power these new interceptors should be in place.
The more critical changeover is the switch to the Adv Nakajima engines, for which just short of 400 factories are currently allocated, of which more than half have yet to repair. Ideally I would like to raise production capacity for these to something close to the current level of Nakajima engines, as the Advanced version is needed to power such critical types as the Army Type 4 Hayate.
What this implies is a total repair cost of not less than 1,000,000 supply points to effect the changeover so as to provide a total of 1100-1200 Advanced engine production points (in this version of CHS you start with just 180 functional production capacity points for the advanced engines), so successful management of this is a non-trivial exercise.
The next graphic is derived from Tracker and shows the current state of the Japanese aero-engine industry. My purpose is to show the progress made in the switch-over from early Nakajima/Mitsubishi production to their advanced successors. Production of the Nissan/Adv Mitsubishi begins on 1 December 1942, and, as can be seen, 316 out of a current total of 325 production capacity is ready to go. First recipients will be the Ki-46-III Command Reconnaissance Plane which begins production in January '43, but manufacture of this engine is primarily targetted at the J2M Raiden, which begins to deliver in March '43. By then a pool IRO 900 Adv Mitsubishi engines to power these new interceptors should be in place.
The more critical changeover is the switch to the Adv Nakajima engines, for which just short of 400 factories are currently allocated, of which more than half have yet to repair. Ideally I would like to raise production capacity for these to something close to the current level of Nakajima engines, as the Advanced version is needed to power such critical types as the Army Type 4 Hayate.
What this implies is a total repair cost of not less than 1,000,000 supply points to effect the changeover so as to provide a total of 1100-1200 Advanced engine production points (in this version of CHS you start with just 180 functional production capacity points for the advanced engines), so successful management of this is a non-trivial exercise.
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BigBadWolf
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
ORIGINAL: Local Yokel
Just back from quick excursion to local airport.ORIGINAL: BigBadWolf
You haven't put a single Ki-44 II out on the field? Are they that worthless?
Can you tell me what is your total LBA number on the map?
BBW, on the contrary, take a look at 4th a/c in the list: the Type 2 Shoki is very prominent in the JAAF inventory and has given me excellent service.
LBA: 4179 total deployment, 3812 serviceable, 367 damaged. Interestingly, the top 5 slots for damaged a/c are occupied by units equipped with the Type 3 Hien. This is not due to such units being in the course of re-equipping (only one is in that state); for some reason I get lower serviceability from the Hien than from other fighters. I can't remember whether this is something explicitly built into the game, but it clearly seems to be the product of some aspect of how the game works. Granted, nearly all the Type 3 units are in action at the front, but the Type 2's are equally heavily committed yet seem to recover from damage more readily. Explanation?
Sorry, mate, stupid typo on my part. I meant Ki-43 II, of course.
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Tracker Economics
Next, my usual post of the economy's overall state as seen in the Tracker flow diagram. Another 30 resource points have come on line due to repairs at Soerabaja, and I've pared another 148 HI points off production by further cutbacks in engine and armament production. For the time being, I'm living off my fat so far as armament points are concerned, although I switched in some extra vehicle production during the month to ensure the 3rd Tank Div arrived at full establishment in China.
I now propose to maintain minimal vehicle production until Jan '43 when the Type 3 Medium Tank begins to produce. I'm looking forward to getting these vehicles issued to my armoured regiments en masse, given that their anti-armour rating permits them to go toe-to-toe with the M4 with at least some prospect of success. Actually, I think in CHS the Type 3 arrives rather sooner than it did IRL but hey, I'm not going to look a gift horse...
Next, my usual post of the economy's overall state as seen in the Tracker flow diagram. Another 30 resource points have come on line due to repairs at Soerabaja, and I've pared another 148 HI points off production by further cutbacks in engine and armament production. For the time being, I'm living off my fat so far as armament points are concerned, although I switched in some extra vehicle production during the month to ensure the 3rd Tank Div arrived at full establishment in China.
I now propose to maintain minimal vehicle production until Jan '43 when the Type 3 Medium Tank begins to produce. I'm looking forward to getting these vehicles issued to my armoured regiments en masse, given that their anti-armour rating permits them to go toe-to-toe with the M4 with at least some prospect of success. Actually, I think in CHS the Type 3 arrives rather sooner than it did IRL but hey, I'm not going to look a gift horse...
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Local Yokel
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
ORIGINAL: BigBadWolf
Sorry, mate, stupid typo on my part. I meant Ki-43 II, of course.
You missed it, the Ki-43-IIa's right at the top of the production rate table! Production commenced at the start of November, and the mass of Ki-43-1b factories switched to the new model promptly, so that I have a pool of 192 of these machines after one month's production. For some reason the Ki-43-1b pool is missing from the screenie; I have a pool of 255. These are replacing casualties amongst the units training/fighting in China.
For the Ki-43-IIa there's a TBO of 360 machines theoretically required. However, given that the units to be so equipped arrive over a period of more than 1.5 years, it's not essential to build this many, as I can upgrade the units that arrive early with this model and so release a quantity back into the pool, thereby limiting the draw on Nakajima engines to power an obsolescent fighter.
By having an initial production surge of the Ki-43-IIa, I can also free assembly lines for better airframes sooner than would otherwise be the case.
<Edit: Sorry BBW, I overlooked the point your were actually making. If you compare the stats, the only things really going for the Ki-43-IIa are its manoeuvrability and ability to tote a 250kg bombload. The Type 2 and Type 3 have better guns, better durability, better speed and better climb rate. In short, they're better fitted to meet both Allied bombers and fighters in the air, so I've no immediate plans to put them into the front line. For the Japanese, the ability to mount fighter-bomber operations with these later versions of the Type 1 is an unaffordable luxury.>
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
- Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:55 pm
- Location: Somerset, U.K.
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
The Heavy Industry Pool
Right, last in this short series of Economics for Yokels, 101. This time the graphic is from Decoder, and shows the growth of the pool of HI points.
As I see it, the third quarter of 1942 is Japan's economic Happy Time. The riches of the Indies should be rolling in, and her industry should not yet be exposed to air attack. Moreover, the advanced aircraft with which she must re-equip her units are for the most part not yet in production, so she can afford to cut war material production to the bone in order to build an HI reserve against the lean times ahead. With that objective in view I have been aiming to build a million-point HI pool, and the Decoder graph shows the progress so far made.
Throughout November a surplus of between 4400 and 4900 HI points per day has been added to the pool, continuing a process begun in mid-September. This rate of growth can't be sustained much longer unless I chose to make cutbacks in ship production, as I now have to re-start some engine assembly lines, and, come January 43, some aircraft and vehicle production factories that currently stand idle. However, there IS fat in the merchant shipbuilding programme, and it will compete for fewer HI points in any event when 4 new repair ships commision in December.
For this reason, I think a million point HI reserve may, after all, be attainable by mid 1943, assuming no cataclysmic military events occur.
Right, last in this short series of Economics for Yokels, 101. This time the graphic is from Decoder, and shows the growth of the pool of HI points.
As I see it, the third quarter of 1942 is Japan's economic Happy Time. The riches of the Indies should be rolling in, and her industry should not yet be exposed to air attack. Moreover, the advanced aircraft with which she must re-equip her units are for the most part not yet in production, so she can afford to cut war material production to the bone in order to build an HI reserve against the lean times ahead. With that objective in view I have been aiming to build a million-point HI pool, and the Decoder graph shows the progress so far made.
Throughout November a surplus of between 4400 and 4900 HI points per day has been added to the pool, continuing a process begun in mid-September. This rate of growth can't be sustained much longer unless I chose to make cutbacks in ship production, as I now have to re-start some engine assembly lines, and, come January 43, some aircraft and vehicle production factories that currently stand idle. However, there IS fat in the merchant shipbuilding programme, and it will compete for fewer HI points in any event when 4 new repair ships commision in December.
For this reason, I think a million point HI reserve may, after all, be attainable by mid 1943, assuming no cataclysmic military events occur.
- Attachments
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
- Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:55 pm
- Location: Somerset, U.K.
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Intelligence Summary
A relatively quiet month after October's excitements, but the Intelligence screen still presents a hearteningly positive picture. In the air the Japanese are still giving somewhat better than they get, and I've managed to keep operational losses within acceptable limits, notwithstanding that in general I am currently mounting a higher sortie rate than my opponent.
USS Honolulu, hit off Efate by the massive KB strike that sank Yorktown, ultimately succumbed whilst docked at Palmyra - glad to see the back of another Brooklyn. USS Barb sank south of New Britain after lingering too long in the approaches to Simpson Harbour, where a Type 99 planted a 250kg bomb on her.
In China every available unit of the KMT seems to be bombarding the Japanese forces. With the Burma Road closed where do they get the supplies for this?! Meanwhile, at Kaifeng the Japanese have repeatedly attempted in vain to eliminate the six Chinese units they have pocketed there. Thus the Japanese LCU losses top 300 this month, but the Allied LCU loss rate is still greater.
A relatively quiet month after October's excitements, but the Intelligence screen still presents a hearteningly positive picture. In the air the Japanese are still giving somewhat better than they get, and I've managed to keep operational losses within acceptable limits, notwithstanding that in general I am currently mounting a higher sortie rate than my opponent.
USS Honolulu, hit off Efate by the massive KB strike that sank Yorktown, ultimately succumbed whilst docked at Palmyra - glad to see the back of another Brooklyn. USS Barb sank south of New Britain after lingering too long in the approaches to Simpson Harbour, where a Type 99 planted a 250kg bomb on her.
In China every available unit of the KMT seems to be bombarding the Japanese forces. With the Burma Road closed where do they get the supplies for this?! Meanwhile, at Kaifeng the Japanese have repeatedly attempted in vain to eliminate the six Chinese units they have pocketed there. Thus the Japanese LCU losses top 300 this month, but the Allied LCU loss rate is still greater.
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BigBadWolf
- Posts: 584
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:01 am
- Location: Serbia
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
ORIGINAL: Local Yokel
ORIGINAL: BigBadWolf
Sorry, mate, stupid typo on my part. I meant Ki-43 II, of course.
You missed it, the Ki-43-IIa's right at the top of the production rate table! Production commenced at the start of November, and the mass of Ki-43-1b factories switched to the new model promptly, so that I have a pool of 192 of these machines after one month's production. For some reason the Ki-43-1b pool is missing from the screenie; I have a pool of 255. These are replacing casualties amongst the units training/fighting in China.
For the Ki-43-IIa there's a TBO of 360 machines theoretically required. However, given that the units to be so equipped arrive over a period of more than 1.5 years, it's not essential to build this many, as I can upgrade the units that arrive early with this model and so release a quantity back into the pool, thereby limiting the draw on Nakajima engines to power an obsolescent fighter.
By having an initial production surge of the Ki-43-IIa, I can also free assembly lines for better airframes sooner than would otherwise be the case.
<Edit: Sorry BBW, I overlooked the point your were actually making. If you compare the stats, the only things really going for the Ki-43-IIa are its manoeuvrability and ability to tote a 250kg bombload. The Type 2 and Type 3 have better guns, better durability, better speed and better climb rate. In short, they're better fitted to meet both Allied bombers and fighters in the air, so I've no immediate plans to put them into the front line. For the Japanese, the ability to mount fighter-bomber operations with these later versions of the Type 1 is an unaffordable luxury.>
Yes, I saw that, but you have zero used, so I figured you are not assigning them to the daitais.
Edit: I missed your edit
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
- Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:55 pm
- Location: Somerset, U.K.
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
The Campaign in North China, Autumn 1942
This is a summary of operations that have taken place in North China between September and mid-December 1942.
The initial Japanese plan was not only to capture Yenan, but also to eliminate its communist defenders. For this purpose, the Japanese plan was to throw an force of two tank regiments around the north and west sides of the city, thereby severing the defenders’ supply path. Thereafter, it was intended that a powerful force of infantry divisions would invest and progressively reduce the city.
However, the Japanese command underestimated the difficulty in bringing adequate supply forward to the besiegers (the presence of North China Area Army HQ notwithstanding), and circumstances, in the shape of Chinese counter-moves, intervened to lead to a somewhat different outcome to that intended.
The Japanese opening move was to deliver a quick punch to the sizeable but isolated force located at hex 52,25. This attack went in on 5 September:
Ground combat at 52,25
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 49385 troops, 139 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1234
Defending force 17331 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 564
Japanese max assault: 1034 - adjusted assault: 759
Allied max defense: 434 - adjusted defense: 4
Japanese assault odds: 189 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
721 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
2191 casualties reported
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
The Japanese command’s assessment was that these Chinese forces, having been pushed off their local supply dumps, would be in no position to mount a threat to the Japanese northern flank as its troops drove west and south around the Chinese northern perimeter at Yenan. So far the assessment seems to have been proved correct, as nothing further has been heard from the Chinese units concerned.
The Japanese thereafter launched their armoured drive to isolate Yenan, to which the Chinese mounted no opposition [(1) on the accompanying plan]. Instead, KMT forces supporting Mao Tse-Tung in the beleaguered city moved NE and W to recapture ground taken by the Japanese armoured drive and re-open a corridor in the direction of Kungchang (2).
Hoping to move the main sally force away from Yenan, the Japanese committed three under-supplied divisions to an attack upon them at hex 49,28 on 28 October. The results were discouraging, to say the least:
Ground combat at 49,28
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 65019 troops, 304 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 1444
Defending force 30866 troops, 144 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 937
Japanese max assault: 1362 - adjusted assault: 1348
Allied max defense: 940 - adjusted defense: 1085
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1453 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Allied ground losses:
347 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
The real problem arose from the fact that a single Chinese corps was still holding its position east of the Hwang Ho at hex 49,30, thereby preventing the Japanese from bringing forward supplies to renew the attack. Consequently, the Japanese settled for a critical position astride the Yenan-Sian road [hex 48,29], whilst painfully withdrawing the bruised attackers towards Yangku. Eventually the Chinese corps east of the river was ejected, but by this time the Japanese 15th Tank Regt had impetuously crossed the Wei Ho just north of its confluence with the Hwang Ho, only to find itself totally out of supply (4).
As the Imperial tanks struggled in vain to re-cross the river, they were caught by Chinese forces moving south from Sian, who staged a fierce counter attack on 4 November (5):
Ground combat at 48,30
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 13502 troops, 54 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 401
Defending force 2992 troops, 0 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 78
Allied max assault: 770 - adjusted assault: 871
Japanese max defense: 70 - adjusted defense: 29
Allied assault odds: 30 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Regrettably, this attack forced Colonel Oka’s men and fuel less tanks into the mountains SW of Sian, whence they have subsequently made slow and painful progress back towards the Japanese MLR east of the river.
Oka’s push across the river was clearly an ill-advised move, but fortunately for the Japanese their opponents were equally prone to error, and made to pay for it more severely.
On 3 October the Japanese defenders of Kaifeng were astonished to find themselves confronted by a Chinese assault crossing of the Hwang Ho (6). Although this onslaught came as a complete surprise to the Japanese, it is possible that the Chinese were taken equally by surprise at the substantial size of the defending garrison. Since Kaifeng had been seen to be a potential weak point in the Japanese line that might, in turn, lead to exposure of the main Peking-Shanghai railway – a vital artery – the defence had been strengthened so as to include 2 full divisions and a brigade of infantry. The consequences for the Chinese infantry struggling across the river were moderately unpleasant:
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 9353 troops, 53 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 823
Defending force 59366 troops, 225 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 1196
Allied max assault: 258 - adjusted assault: 15
Japanese max defense: 1295 - adjusted defense: 6064
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
880 casualties reported
Guns lost 35
Surprised though the Japanese may have been, they rapidly appreciated that they had been presented with a priceless opportunity to destroy the attacking forces. Whilst Japanese artillery bombarded the Chinese attackers in Kaifeng to pin them in place, counter-attack forces assembled in Sinyang marched up the right bank of the Hwang Ho and ultimately crossed it NW of Kaifeng so as to seal that city’s attackers into a pocket (7).
To cut in behind the Chinese forces in Kaifeng, the Japanese had first to thrust aside their colleagues defending the west bank of the river:
[24 October 1942]
Ground combat at 49,33
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32028 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1224
Defending force 21032 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 578
Japanese max assault: 185 - adjusted assault: 123
Allied max defense: 415 - adjusted defense: 191
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
208 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Allied ground losses:
96 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
[27 October 1942]
Ground combat at 49,33
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 53338 troops, 224 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 1203
Defending force 20543 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 571
Japanese max assault: 2320 - adjusted assault: 3680
Allied max defense: 459 - adjusted defense: 121
Japanese assault odds: 30 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1536 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
329 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
[12 November 1942]
Ground combat at 50,32
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 52472 troops, 222 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 1175
Defending force 23996 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 699
Japanese max assault: 1157 - adjusted assault: 1673
Allied max defense: 538 - adjusted defense: 341
Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
991 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
503 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
This third battle on the river bank due west of Kaifeng sealed the fate of the city’s Chinese attackers. With a single Japanese brigade dispatched to the NW of the city so as to seal off any potential escape route, the Imperial forces began their final assaults to eliminate the pocketed troops on 28 November:
[28 November 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 74220 troops, 285 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1311
Defending force 23875 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 435
Japanese max assault: 1355 - adjusted assault: 1126
Allied max defense: 280 - adjusted defense: 88
Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
903 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
781 casualties reported
[30 November 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 70275 troops, 272 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1290
Defending force 22508 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 420
Japanese max assault: 1330 - adjusted assault: 1469
Allied max defense: 243 - adjusted defense: 46
Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
546 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
453 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
[2 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 68919 troops, 272 guns, 239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1245
Defending force 22034 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 414
Japanese max assault: 1257 - adjusted assault: 1047
Allied max defense: 268 - adjusted defense: 45
Japanese assault odds: 23 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1210 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
461 casualties reported
On 6 December, a desperate throw by the encircled Chinese [X(]:
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 19604 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 386
Defending force 75826 troops, 272 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1229
Allied max assault: 155 - adjusted assault: 7
Japanese max defense: 1291 - adjusted defense: 3571
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 6)
Japanese ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Allied ground losses:
1528 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
[7 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63415 troops, 258 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1215
Defending force 19169 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 217
Japanese max assault: 1235 - adjusted assault: 1327
Allied max defense: 124 - adjusted defense: 18
Japanese assault odds: 73 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
193 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
1485 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
[Surrender of Chinese 10th War Area HQ]
[8 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63364 troops, 260 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1212
Defending force 18578 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 204
Japanese max assault: 1236 - adjusted assault: 1782
Allied max defense: 111 - adjusted defense: 9
Japanese assault odds: 198 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
233 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
3842 casualties reported
[Surrender of Chinese 3rd Group Army HQ and 27th Guerilla Corps]
[9 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63372 troops, 258 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1212
Defending force 16510 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 193
Japanese max assault: 1227 - adjusted assault: 1856
Allied max defense: 106 - adjusted defense: 6
Japanese assault odds: 309 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
316 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Allied ground losses:
21288 casualties reported [:)]
Guns lost 45
So concluded this Japanese application of Vernichtungsgedanke, incidentally also providing a useful training opportunity for the Imperial forces’ 3rd Tank Division, which arrived in time to lend weight to the final reduction of the Chinese attackers at Kaifeng.
On to Honan!
This is a summary of operations that have taken place in North China between September and mid-December 1942.
The initial Japanese plan was not only to capture Yenan, but also to eliminate its communist defenders. For this purpose, the Japanese plan was to throw an force of two tank regiments around the north and west sides of the city, thereby severing the defenders’ supply path. Thereafter, it was intended that a powerful force of infantry divisions would invest and progressively reduce the city.
However, the Japanese command underestimated the difficulty in bringing adequate supply forward to the besiegers (the presence of North China Area Army HQ notwithstanding), and circumstances, in the shape of Chinese counter-moves, intervened to lead to a somewhat different outcome to that intended.
The Japanese opening move was to deliver a quick punch to the sizeable but isolated force located at hex 52,25. This attack went in on 5 September:
Ground combat at 52,25
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 49385 troops, 139 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1234
Defending force 17331 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 564
Japanese max assault: 1034 - adjusted assault: 759
Allied max defense: 434 - adjusted defense: 4
Japanese assault odds: 189 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
721 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
2191 casualties reported
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
The Japanese command’s assessment was that these Chinese forces, having been pushed off their local supply dumps, would be in no position to mount a threat to the Japanese northern flank as its troops drove west and south around the Chinese northern perimeter at Yenan. So far the assessment seems to have been proved correct, as nothing further has been heard from the Chinese units concerned.
The Japanese thereafter launched their armoured drive to isolate Yenan, to which the Chinese mounted no opposition [(1) on the accompanying plan]. Instead, KMT forces supporting Mao Tse-Tung in the beleaguered city moved NE and W to recapture ground taken by the Japanese armoured drive and re-open a corridor in the direction of Kungchang (2).
Hoping to move the main sally force away from Yenan, the Japanese committed three under-supplied divisions to an attack upon them at hex 49,28 on 28 October. The results were discouraging, to say the least:
Ground combat at 49,28
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 65019 troops, 304 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 1444
Defending force 30866 troops, 144 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 937
Japanese max assault: 1362 - adjusted assault: 1348
Allied max defense: 940 - adjusted defense: 1085
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1453 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Allied ground losses:
347 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
The real problem arose from the fact that a single Chinese corps was still holding its position east of the Hwang Ho at hex 49,30, thereby preventing the Japanese from bringing forward supplies to renew the attack. Consequently, the Japanese settled for a critical position astride the Yenan-Sian road [hex 48,29], whilst painfully withdrawing the bruised attackers towards Yangku. Eventually the Chinese corps east of the river was ejected, but by this time the Japanese 15th Tank Regt had impetuously crossed the Wei Ho just north of its confluence with the Hwang Ho, only to find itself totally out of supply (4).
As the Imperial tanks struggled in vain to re-cross the river, they were caught by Chinese forces moving south from Sian, who staged a fierce counter attack on 4 November (5):
Ground combat at 48,30
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 13502 troops, 54 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 401
Defending force 2992 troops, 0 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 78
Allied max assault: 770 - adjusted assault: 871
Japanese max defense: 70 - adjusted defense: 29
Allied assault odds: 30 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Regrettably, this attack forced Colonel Oka’s men and fuel less tanks into the mountains SW of Sian, whence they have subsequently made slow and painful progress back towards the Japanese MLR east of the river.
Oka’s push across the river was clearly an ill-advised move, but fortunately for the Japanese their opponents were equally prone to error, and made to pay for it more severely.
On 3 October the Japanese defenders of Kaifeng were astonished to find themselves confronted by a Chinese assault crossing of the Hwang Ho (6). Although this onslaught came as a complete surprise to the Japanese, it is possible that the Chinese were taken equally by surprise at the substantial size of the defending garrison. Since Kaifeng had been seen to be a potential weak point in the Japanese line that might, in turn, lead to exposure of the main Peking-Shanghai railway – a vital artery – the defence had been strengthened so as to include 2 full divisions and a brigade of infantry. The consequences for the Chinese infantry struggling across the river were moderately unpleasant:
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 9353 troops, 53 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 823
Defending force 59366 troops, 225 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 1196
Allied max assault: 258 - adjusted assault: 15
Japanese max defense: 1295 - adjusted defense: 6064
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
880 casualties reported
Guns lost 35
Surprised though the Japanese may have been, they rapidly appreciated that they had been presented with a priceless opportunity to destroy the attacking forces. Whilst Japanese artillery bombarded the Chinese attackers in Kaifeng to pin them in place, counter-attack forces assembled in Sinyang marched up the right bank of the Hwang Ho and ultimately crossed it NW of Kaifeng so as to seal that city’s attackers into a pocket (7).
To cut in behind the Chinese forces in Kaifeng, the Japanese had first to thrust aside their colleagues defending the west bank of the river:
[24 October 1942]
Ground combat at 49,33
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32028 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1224
Defending force 21032 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 578
Japanese max assault: 185 - adjusted assault: 123
Allied max defense: 415 - adjusted defense: 191
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
208 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Allied ground losses:
96 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
[27 October 1942]
Ground combat at 49,33
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 53338 troops, 224 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 1203
Defending force 20543 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 571
Japanese max assault: 2320 - adjusted assault: 3680
Allied max defense: 459 - adjusted defense: 121
Japanese assault odds: 30 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1536 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
329 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
[12 November 1942]
Ground combat at 50,32
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 52472 troops, 222 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 1175
Defending force 23996 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 699
Japanese max assault: 1157 - adjusted assault: 1673
Allied max defense: 538 - adjusted defense: 341
Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
991 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
503 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
This third battle on the river bank due west of Kaifeng sealed the fate of the city’s Chinese attackers. With a single Japanese brigade dispatched to the NW of the city so as to seal off any potential escape route, the Imperial forces began their final assaults to eliminate the pocketed troops on 28 November:
[28 November 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 74220 troops, 285 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1311
Defending force 23875 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 435
Japanese max assault: 1355 - adjusted assault: 1126
Allied max defense: 280 - adjusted defense: 88
Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
903 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
781 casualties reported
[30 November 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 70275 troops, 272 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1290
Defending force 22508 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 420
Japanese max assault: 1330 - adjusted assault: 1469
Allied max defense: 243 - adjusted defense: 46
Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
546 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
453 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
[2 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 68919 troops, 272 guns, 239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1245
Defending force 22034 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 414
Japanese max assault: 1257 - adjusted assault: 1047
Allied max defense: 268 - adjusted defense: 45
Japanese assault odds: 23 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1210 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
461 casualties reported
On 6 December, a desperate throw by the encircled Chinese [X(]:
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 19604 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 386
Defending force 75826 troops, 272 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1229
Allied max assault: 155 - adjusted assault: 7
Japanese max defense: 1291 - adjusted defense: 3571
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 6)
Japanese ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Allied ground losses:
1528 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
[7 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63415 troops, 258 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1215
Defending force 19169 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 217
Japanese max assault: 1235 - adjusted assault: 1327
Allied max defense: 124 - adjusted defense: 18
Japanese assault odds: 73 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
193 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
1485 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
[Surrender of Chinese 10th War Area HQ]
[8 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63364 troops, 260 guns, 244 vehicles, Assault Value = 1212
Defending force 18578 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 204
Japanese max assault: 1236 - adjusted assault: 1782
Allied max defense: 111 - adjusted defense: 9
Japanese assault odds: 198 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
233 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
3842 casualties reported
[Surrender of Chinese 3rd Group Army HQ and 27th Guerilla Corps]
[9 December 1942]
Ground combat at Kaifeng
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63372 troops, 258 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 1212
Defending force 16510 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 193
Japanese max assault: 1227 - adjusted assault: 1856
Allied max defense: 106 - adjusted defense: 6
Japanese assault odds: 309 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
316 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Allied ground losses:
21288 casualties reported [:)]
Guns lost 45
So concluded this Japanese application of Vernichtungsgedanke, incidentally also providing a useful training opportunity for the Imperial forces’ 3rd Tank Division, which arrived in time to lend weight to the final reduction of the Chinese attackers at Kaifeng.
On to Honan!
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Operations in North Australia, November – December 1942
After the Japanese descent on Darwin in May 1942, and their substantial desert victory that eliminated all of N Australia’s defenders as well as ANZAC HQ, this theatre fell quiet for several months.
The Japanese chose not to press on into the Australian interior. They seized Alice Springs by parachute assault, and retained it until 21 September 1942, when it was retaken by the lead elements of an Australian militia force heading north from Adelaide. The Japanese had maintained minimal contingents at both Alice and Tennant Creek, and both of these were extracted by air without loss as the Australians approached. Tennant Creek returned to Australian control on 16 October, and the militia troops then advanced towards Daly Waters – where the Japanese, according to plan, awaited their arrival.
In the months before the northward Australian advance the Japanese had not been idle. Judging that its enemy would have considerable difficulty in nourishing an attack across the desert from Alice, Japan shipped in substantial engineer contingents and set about building defences to obstruct the road to Port Darwin. By the time of the militia’s arrival, Daly Waters’ defence works had been enlarged to the fullest extent possible, whilst its airstrips had grown to their standard potential size (5). Now a proportion of the engineers fell back to Katherine and began to repeat their programme of defensive works. Darwin, too, was being readied for siege.
In addition, Japanese armoured units had conducted extensive manoeuvres in the outback to the south of Daly Waters, establishing a ‘presence’ over many thousands of square miles in this area. If nothing else, the measures taken would help to give notice of enemy units attempting to outflank the main position at Daly Waters.
Intensive sorties flown by IJAAF Type 100 Command Reconnaissance aircraft gave ample notice of the approaching enemy’s strength. It was not until 16 October that the lead Australian unit bumped the Japanese perimeter at Daly Waters, by which time the Japanese had in place to meet them the crack 18th Infantry Division, supported by 2 tank regiments and a further experienced infantry brigade, with 4th Mixed Regt en route forward from Kendari, all under the competent command of Major-General Mabuchi Itsuo’s 16th Army HQ.
The Japanese reacted violently and immediately to the initial probes of the militia cavalry division. Heavily outgunned, the cavalrymen were summarily expelled from the Japanese lines and forced 50 miles back down the road to Tennant Creek:
Ground combat at Daly Waters
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 60676 troops, 194 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1140
Defending force 6693 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 142
Japanese max assault: 1153 - adjusted assault: 1965
Allied max defense: 77 - adjusted defense: 36
Japanese assault odds: 54 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
841 casualties reported
Guns lost 46
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Following this rebuff the Australians proceeded more circumspectly. The Matildas of 1st Australian Army Tank Bn in particular made a wide sweep through the outback. Evidently they were looking for a means of outflanking and isolating the Daly Waters garrison and in the process penetrated within approximately 100 miles of Katherine before pulling back on 17 November, possibly on account of the repeated air attacks of the 100 Shiki Donryu of 62nd Heavy Sentai, or alternatively for want of supply. Meantime, the Japanese had deployed their armour to block the threat to the Katherine-Daly Waters road.
All the while the Shin Shi-tei of the 8th and 81st Reconnaissance Chutai went steadily about their work of monitoring the Australian advances, and at length presented a picture of enemy dispositions in which Mabuchi discerned an opportunity.
The Australians had come with two full infantry divisions in addition to the cavalrymen, the 1st Army Tank Bn, and an anti-tank regiment, and it emerged that the somewhat less well-equipped 1st Aus. Infantry Division had deployed on the Australian left wing, to the west of the Tennant Creek-Daly Waters road, whilst the more potent 2nd Division had taken the right wing position to the east of the road, supporting the tank battalion. The Australian centre was composed of the cavalrymen with the anti-tank gunners in support.
Here, Mabuchi believed, lay his chance. The Australian cavalry had been severely handled by his 18th Division at first contact, and there was a fair chance they had yet to recover fully. Leaving two brigades within the Daly Waters fortress, he would drive south with 18th Div., 4th Mixed Rgt and two tank regiments and immediately deliver a further sharp punch to the Australian cavalry [(1) on the accompanying plan]. His tanks would seek to take the enemy by storm, exploiting any Australian withdrawal by hot pursuit. If the enemy could be bounced out of their position on the road there was a prospect of cutting communications with the flank infantry divisions. Therefore, if the cavalrymen could be forced back, 18th Div and 4th Mixed would immediately wheel 90 degrees right and launch themselves into the right wing of the Australian 1st Division, hoping to catch it in a state of isolation from the other Australian forces (3).
Mabuchi’s sally force arrived in the vicinity of the militia cavalry on 11 December. Predictably, the supporting Australian air units launched frantic ground attack missions, but these were hampered by the absence of advance reconnaissance and achieved relatively little:
12/12/42
Day Air attack on 18th Division, at 35,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIF x 3
Vengeance I x 8
A-20B Boston x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 21
B-24D Liberator x 24
P-38F Lightning x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter VIF: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Day Air attack on 4th Mixed Regiment, at 35,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
A6M3a Zero x 5
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 10
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 18
B-24D Liberator x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Boston: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 7 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Undiluted by these attacks, the Japanese blow sent the cavalrymen into pell-mell retreat:
12/08/42
Ground combat at 35,91
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 40172 troops, 147 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 824
Defending force 4959 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 102
Japanese max assault: 738 - adjusted assault: 1204
Allied max defense: 104 - adjusted defense: 47
Japanese assault odds: 25 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
433 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
723 casualties reported
Guns lost 27
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Exultantly the two Japanese tank regiments followed so closely at their heels that they were in position to deliver a second blow on the following day (2):
Ground combat at 35,92
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6446 troops, 7 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 162
Defending force 2816 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 53
Japanese max assault: 298 - adjusted assault: 558
Allied max defense: 40 - adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 558 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
450 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Given that the enemy appeared to be holding at least one full division in reserve at Tennant Creek, Mabuchi had issued instructions to his armoured commanders that they were not to exploit more than 100 miles south of Daly Waters. As it was, and despite the best efforts of Daly Waters’ contingent of IJAAF fighters, the Japanese armour received a series of effective attacks from the aircraft massed at Tennant Creek during the days that followed. Nevertheless, they had achieved the goal of breaking the Australian centre and isolating, at least temporarily, the militia infantry divisions on each wing.
Only time would now tell whether Mabuchi could redeploy his main striking power in the shape of 18th Div. and 4th Mixed so as to hit 1st Australian before it could regain touch with Tennant Creek…
After the Japanese descent on Darwin in May 1942, and their substantial desert victory that eliminated all of N Australia’s defenders as well as ANZAC HQ, this theatre fell quiet for several months.
The Japanese chose not to press on into the Australian interior. They seized Alice Springs by parachute assault, and retained it until 21 September 1942, when it was retaken by the lead elements of an Australian militia force heading north from Adelaide. The Japanese had maintained minimal contingents at both Alice and Tennant Creek, and both of these were extracted by air without loss as the Australians approached. Tennant Creek returned to Australian control on 16 October, and the militia troops then advanced towards Daly Waters – where the Japanese, according to plan, awaited their arrival.
In the months before the northward Australian advance the Japanese had not been idle. Judging that its enemy would have considerable difficulty in nourishing an attack across the desert from Alice, Japan shipped in substantial engineer contingents and set about building defences to obstruct the road to Port Darwin. By the time of the militia’s arrival, Daly Waters’ defence works had been enlarged to the fullest extent possible, whilst its airstrips had grown to their standard potential size (5). Now a proportion of the engineers fell back to Katherine and began to repeat their programme of defensive works. Darwin, too, was being readied for siege.
In addition, Japanese armoured units had conducted extensive manoeuvres in the outback to the south of Daly Waters, establishing a ‘presence’ over many thousands of square miles in this area. If nothing else, the measures taken would help to give notice of enemy units attempting to outflank the main position at Daly Waters.
Intensive sorties flown by IJAAF Type 100 Command Reconnaissance aircraft gave ample notice of the approaching enemy’s strength. It was not until 16 October that the lead Australian unit bumped the Japanese perimeter at Daly Waters, by which time the Japanese had in place to meet them the crack 18th Infantry Division, supported by 2 tank regiments and a further experienced infantry brigade, with 4th Mixed Regt en route forward from Kendari, all under the competent command of Major-General Mabuchi Itsuo’s 16th Army HQ.
The Japanese reacted violently and immediately to the initial probes of the militia cavalry division. Heavily outgunned, the cavalrymen were summarily expelled from the Japanese lines and forced 50 miles back down the road to Tennant Creek:
Ground combat at Daly Waters
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 60676 troops, 194 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1140
Defending force 6693 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 142
Japanese max assault: 1153 - adjusted assault: 1965
Allied max defense: 77 - adjusted defense: 36
Japanese assault odds: 54 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
841 casualties reported
Guns lost 46
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Following this rebuff the Australians proceeded more circumspectly. The Matildas of 1st Australian Army Tank Bn in particular made a wide sweep through the outback. Evidently they were looking for a means of outflanking and isolating the Daly Waters garrison and in the process penetrated within approximately 100 miles of Katherine before pulling back on 17 November, possibly on account of the repeated air attacks of the 100 Shiki Donryu of 62nd Heavy Sentai, or alternatively for want of supply. Meantime, the Japanese had deployed their armour to block the threat to the Katherine-Daly Waters road.
All the while the Shin Shi-tei of the 8th and 81st Reconnaissance Chutai went steadily about their work of monitoring the Australian advances, and at length presented a picture of enemy dispositions in which Mabuchi discerned an opportunity.
The Australians had come with two full infantry divisions in addition to the cavalrymen, the 1st Army Tank Bn, and an anti-tank regiment, and it emerged that the somewhat less well-equipped 1st Aus. Infantry Division had deployed on the Australian left wing, to the west of the Tennant Creek-Daly Waters road, whilst the more potent 2nd Division had taken the right wing position to the east of the road, supporting the tank battalion. The Australian centre was composed of the cavalrymen with the anti-tank gunners in support.
Here, Mabuchi believed, lay his chance. The Australian cavalry had been severely handled by his 18th Division at first contact, and there was a fair chance they had yet to recover fully. Leaving two brigades within the Daly Waters fortress, he would drive south with 18th Div., 4th Mixed Rgt and two tank regiments and immediately deliver a further sharp punch to the Australian cavalry [(1) on the accompanying plan]. His tanks would seek to take the enemy by storm, exploiting any Australian withdrawal by hot pursuit. If the enemy could be bounced out of their position on the road there was a prospect of cutting communications with the flank infantry divisions. Therefore, if the cavalrymen could be forced back, 18th Div and 4th Mixed would immediately wheel 90 degrees right and launch themselves into the right wing of the Australian 1st Division, hoping to catch it in a state of isolation from the other Australian forces (3).
Mabuchi’s sally force arrived in the vicinity of the militia cavalry on 11 December. Predictably, the supporting Australian air units launched frantic ground attack missions, but these were hampered by the absence of advance reconnaissance and achieved relatively little:
12/12/42
Day Air attack on 18th Division, at 35,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIF x 3
Vengeance I x 8
A-20B Boston x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 21
B-24D Liberator x 24
P-38F Lightning x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter VIF: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Day Air attack on 4th Mixed Regiment, at 35,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
A6M3a Zero x 5
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 10
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 18
B-24D Liberator x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Boston: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 7 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Undiluted by these attacks, the Japanese blow sent the cavalrymen into pell-mell retreat:
12/08/42
Ground combat at 35,91
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 40172 troops, 147 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 824
Defending force 4959 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 102
Japanese max assault: 738 - adjusted assault: 1204
Allied max defense: 104 - adjusted defense: 47
Japanese assault odds: 25 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
433 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
723 casualties reported
Guns lost 27
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Exultantly the two Japanese tank regiments followed so closely at their heels that they were in position to deliver a second blow on the following day (2):
Ground combat at 35,92
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6446 troops, 7 guns, 160 vehicles, Assault Value = 162
Defending force 2816 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 53
Japanese max assault: 298 - adjusted assault: 558
Allied max defense: 40 - adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 558 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
450 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Given that the enemy appeared to be holding at least one full division in reserve at Tennant Creek, Mabuchi had issued instructions to his armoured commanders that they were not to exploit more than 100 miles south of Daly Waters. As it was, and despite the best efforts of Daly Waters’ contingent of IJAAF fighters, the Japanese armour received a series of effective attacks from the aircraft massed at Tennant Creek during the days that followed. Nevertheless, they had achieved the goal of breaking the Australian centre and isolating, at least temporarily, the militia infantry divisions on each wing.
Only time would now tell whether Mabuchi could redeploy his main striking power in the shape of 18th Div. and 4th Mixed so as to hit 1st Australian before it could regain touch with Tennant Creek…
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
- Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:55 pm
- Location: Somerset, U.K.
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Operations in North Australia, November – December 1942: Part II
As they leave the road to execute their right wheel into the flank of 1st Australian Infantry Division, the rate of advance of the Japanese forces south of Daly Waters slows considerably, and they do not make contact with the Australians’ outposts until 15 December. Now both sides’ air forces mount ground strikes against their opponents. Doubtless the Japanese plan has now become apparent to the Allied command, and presumably their air strikes are mounted in the hope of so disrupting the Japanese attack as to forestall it. By 20 December, however, the Japanese preparations are complete, and impetuously they fall upon the Australian 1st Division:
12/20/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 47604 troops, 187 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 969
Defending force 13835 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 345
Japanese max assault: 1100 - adjusted assault: 2200
Allied max defense: 324 - adjusted defense: 41
Japanese assault odds: 53 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1362 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Allied ground losses:
573 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
Good odds for Japan, but insufficient to fulfil its hopes of blowing the defences away. Thereafter the Japanese command proceeds with greater caution, whilst reinforcements in the shape of 2 armoured regiments are summoned forward from Daly Waters. Fortunately for the Japanese their supply organisation is operating efficiently enough for a further attack to be mounted within 2 days:
12/22/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 45797 troops, 168 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 967
Defending force 13007 troops, 55 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 310
Japanese max assault: 737 - adjusted assault: 1081
Allied max defense: 238 - adjusted defense: 23
Japanese assault odds: 47 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
348 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Allied ground losses:
989 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
The odds have reduced but the remorseless, grinding attack by 18th Division and its supporting cast is clearly taking effect as Australian combat power ebbs away with dwindling supply.
Christmas Eve 1942 is not an auspicious day for the Allied cause. 18th Div., 65th Bde, 4th Mixed Rgt and 2nd Tk Rgt, with 8th Tk Rgt newly arrived in reserve, commence their final assault on the embattled militia troops SW of Daly Waters. This third attack is more than the Australians can withstand. In the late afternoon Divisional HQ goes off air as it is stormed by lead elements of 65th Bde’s 122nd Infantry Regiment, following which the Australian formation’s sub-units swiftly capitulate, their meagre remaining stocks of ammunition now wholly expended:
12/24/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 48983 troops, 178 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1040
Defending force 11284 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 229
Japanese max assault: 852 - adjusted assault: 2215
Allied max defense: 155 - adjusted defense: 7
Japanese assault odds: 316 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
13224 casualties reported
Guns lost 52
Their mission accomplished, the Japanese attackers immediately begin their return march to the Daly Waters fortress. As for their opponents, of the three divisions despatched towards Daly Waters one (1st Aus. ID) has been eliminated entirely, and one (the cavalry division) has been driven back thrice, apparently with significant loss. Only the 2nd Aus Infantry Division, now some 150 miles SE of Daly Waters, remains intact. Why that division did not re-open a line of retreat for its comrades in 1st Division is a mystery – possibly it was prevented from doing so by supply shortages induced by the tenuous transport links northwards from Alice Springs. Whatever the reason, events seem to have vindicated the Japanese command’s belief that their stand at Daly Waters poses problems for Australian attackers to which they have yet to find solutions.
As they leave the road to execute their right wheel into the flank of 1st Australian Infantry Division, the rate of advance of the Japanese forces south of Daly Waters slows considerably, and they do not make contact with the Australians’ outposts until 15 December. Now both sides’ air forces mount ground strikes against their opponents. Doubtless the Japanese plan has now become apparent to the Allied command, and presumably their air strikes are mounted in the hope of so disrupting the Japanese attack as to forestall it. By 20 December, however, the Japanese preparations are complete, and impetuously they fall upon the Australian 1st Division:
12/20/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 47604 troops, 187 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 969
Defending force 13835 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 345
Japanese max assault: 1100 - adjusted assault: 2200
Allied max defense: 324 - adjusted defense: 41
Japanese assault odds: 53 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1362 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Allied ground losses:
573 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
Good odds for Japan, but insufficient to fulfil its hopes of blowing the defences away. Thereafter the Japanese command proceeds with greater caution, whilst reinforcements in the shape of 2 armoured regiments are summoned forward from Daly Waters. Fortunately for the Japanese their supply organisation is operating efficiently enough for a further attack to be mounted within 2 days:
12/22/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 45797 troops, 168 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 967
Defending force 13007 troops, 55 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 310
Japanese max assault: 737 - adjusted assault: 1081
Allied max defense: 238 - adjusted defense: 23
Japanese assault odds: 47 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
348 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Allied ground losses:
989 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
The odds have reduced but the remorseless, grinding attack by 18th Division and its supporting cast is clearly taking effect as Australian combat power ebbs away with dwindling supply.
Christmas Eve 1942 is not an auspicious day for the Allied cause. 18th Div., 65th Bde, 4th Mixed Rgt and 2nd Tk Rgt, with 8th Tk Rgt newly arrived in reserve, commence their final assault on the embattled militia troops SW of Daly Waters. This third attack is more than the Australians can withstand. In the late afternoon Divisional HQ goes off air as it is stormed by lead elements of 65th Bde’s 122nd Infantry Regiment, following which the Australian formation’s sub-units swiftly capitulate, their meagre remaining stocks of ammunition now wholly expended:
12/24/42
Ground combat at 34,91
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 48983 troops, 178 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1040
Defending force 11284 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 229
Japanese max assault: 852 - adjusted assault: 2215
Allied max defense: 155 - adjusted defense: 7
Japanese assault odds: 316 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
13224 casualties reported
Guns lost 52
Their mission accomplished, the Japanese attackers immediately begin their return march to the Daly Waters fortress. As for their opponents, of the three divisions despatched towards Daly Waters one (1st Aus. ID) has been eliminated entirely, and one (the cavalry division) has been driven back thrice, apparently with significant loss. Only the 2nd Aus Infantry Division, now some 150 miles SE of Daly Waters, remains intact. Why that division did not re-open a line of retreat for its comrades in 1st Division is a mystery – possibly it was prevented from doing so by supply shortages induced by the tenuous transport links northwards from Alice Springs. Whatever the reason, events seem to have vindicated the Japanese command’s belief that their stand at Daly Waters poses problems for Australian attackers to which they have yet to find solutions.
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Local Yokel
- Posts: 1494
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel: November 1942
Tit for Tat at Abemama
On 20 December 1942, whilst on passage to hunting grounds between the Phoenix and Ellice groups, submarine I-9 encounters a small American convoy in the approaches to Abemama Atoll. Engaging the unescorted enemy force in surface gun and torpedo action, I-9 puts three torpedoes into the side of transport San Lucas, which soon sinks. Shortly thereafter the local representative of Japanese South Seas trading companies on Abemama confirms the alarm by reporting that US ships have entered the lagoon and commenced unloading troops. Contact with the atoll is soon lost as a consequence of its seizure by the US Navy’s 20th Naval Construction Battalion.
The loss of Abemama triggers a minor crisis in 4th Fleet HQ at Truk. The atoll offers favourable facilities for quite extensive airfield construction, and the American landing threatens development of a base capable of dominating the airspace over the Gilberts. This the Japanese cannot tolerate, and a recovery operation is immediately launched.
Initially the Japanese response involves the ill-considered embarkation of a full infantry division in the fastest transports available at Truk, but gradually it sinks in that application of nearly half the strategic reserve in the Central Pacific is taking a sledgehammer to a nut. 4th Fleet planners decide instead to despatch the 19th Naval Guard as the landing force, and this unit is rapidly loaded into the slower transports that now remain at Truk, whilst the Japanese naval covering forces sortie in the direction of the Marshalls. Meanwhile the contingent of 1st Tank Regt’s armour based at Rabaul is also loaded and despatched eastward with the intention of effecting a rendezvous with the 19th NG convoy off Nauru Island.
In the course of the following week a range of Japanese air and naval assets converge on the southern Marshalls, whilst submarines move into the open ocean spaces south and east of Abemama. All these measures are taken in anticipation of an American counterstroke against Japanese forces committed to the atoll’s recapture. On 23 December submarine I-26 encounters transport Olopana, one of the vessels used in the American landing and now retreating towards the US base at Baker Island. I-26 puts a torpedo into the merchantman and leaves her afire. The following day Olopana is found again, this time by I-165. The Japanese submarine puts two more torpedoes into the hapless transport, concluding her career.
On a daily basis pending arrival of the Japanese counter-landing, Rikkos operating from Taroa airfield on Maloelap bomb the Sea Bees on Abemama, whilst Navy Type 2 Reconnaissance aircraft of the Tainan Air Corps scout the atoll and its neighbours from the primitive airstrip the Japanese have constructed on Makin. Their activities indicate that the Americans have deployed torpedo boats at Nanumea, but reveal no naval protection for the isolated construction force on Abemama.
By 29th December the Japanese have attained position for launching their counter-landing. Shortly after midnight R Adm Takeda’s Bombardment Group shells the defenders to moderate effect (for reasons unknown, battleship Haruna made no contribution, so that only cruisers Suzuya and Kinugasa engaged). Immediately thereafter Daihatsu landing craft begin ferrying ashore the troops of 19 NG from the ships of R Adm Shibasaki’s Abemama Landing Force. With so little time to prepare for the operation the Guard’s landing is fairly disorganised and the source of some casualties, but apparently the opposing Sea Bees have been sufficiently disrupted by Japanese preparatory measures to be incapable of interference. By mid morning Shibasaki’s forces ashore have overcome American resistance and the Rising Sun flag once more flies over the atoll:
12/29/42
Naval bombardment of Abemama, at 85,98
Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
CA Suzuya
Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2
TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 85,98
Japanese ground losses:
500 casualties reported
TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 85,98
Japanese ground losses:
65 casualties reported
Ground combat at Abemama
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 3317 troops, 15 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 106
Defending force 160 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Japanese max assault: 184 - adjusted assault: 171
Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 171 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Abemama base !!!
Allied ground losses:
565 casualties reported
On 20 December 1942, whilst on passage to hunting grounds between the Phoenix and Ellice groups, submarine I-9 encounters a small American convoy in the approaches to Abemama Atoll. Engaging the unescorted enemy force in surface gun and torpedo action, I-9 puts three torpedoes into the side of transport San Lucas, which soon sinks. Shortly thereafter the local representative of Japanese South Seas trading companies on Abemama confirms the alarm by reporting that US ships have entered the lagoon and commenced unloading troops. Contact with the atoll is soon lost as a consequence of its seizure by the US Navy’s 20th Naval Construction Battalion.
The loss of Abemama triggers a minor crisis in 4th Fleet HQ at Truk. The atoll offers favourable facilities for quite extensive airfield construction, and the American landing threatens development of a base capable of dominating the airspace over the Gilberts. This the Japanese cannot tolerate, and a recovery operation is immediately launched.
Initially the Japanese response involves the ill-considered embarkation of a full infantry division in the fastest transports available at Truk, but gradually it sinks in that application of nearly half the strategic reserve in the Central Pacific is taking a sledgehammer to a nut. 4th Fleet planners decide instead to despatch the 19th Naval Guard as the landing force, and this unit is rapidly loaded into the slower transports that now remain at Truk, whilst the Japanese naval covering forces sortie in the direction of the Marshalls. Meanwhile the contingent of 1st Tank Regt’s armour based at Rabaul is also loaded and despatched eastward with the intention of effecting a rendezvous with the 19th NG convoy off Nauru Island.
In the course of the following week a range of Japanese air and naval assets converge on the southern Marshalls, whilst submarines move into the open ocean spaces south and east of Abemama. All these measures are taken in anticipation of an American counterstroke against Japanese forces committed to the atoll’s recapture. On 23 December submarine I-26 encounters transport Olopana, one of the vessels used in the American landing and now retreating towards the US base at Baker Island. I-26 puts a torpedo into the merchantman and leaves her afire. The following day Olopana is found again, this time by I-165. The Japanese submarine puts two more torpedoes into the hapless transport, concluding her career.
On a daily basis pending arrival of the Japanese counter-landing, Rikkos operating from Taroa airfield on Maloelap bomb the Sea Bees on Abemama, whilst Navy Type 2 Reconnaissance aircraft of the Tainan Air Corps scout the atoll and its neighbours from the primitive airstrip the Japanese have constructed on Makin. Their activities indicate that the Americans have deployed torpedo boats at Nanumea, but reveal no naval protection for the isolated construction force on Abemama.
By 29th December the Japanese have attained position for launching their counter-landing. Shortly after midnight R Adm Takeda’s Bombardment Group shells the defenders to moderate effect (for reasons unknown, battleship Haruna made no contribution, so that only cruisers Suzuya and Kinugasa engaged). Immediately thereafter Daihatsu landing craft begin ferrying ashore the troops of 19 NG from the ships of R Adm Shibasaki’s Abemama Landing Force. With so little time to prepare for the operation the Guard’s landing is fairly disorganised and the source of some casualties, but apparently the opposing Sea Bees have been sufficiently disrupted by Japanese preparatory measures to be incapable of interference. By mid morning Shibasaki’s forces ashore have overcome American resistance and the Rising Sun flag once more flies over the atoll:
12/29/42
Naval bombardment of Abemama, at 85,98
Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
CA Suzuya
Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2
TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 85,98
Japanese ground losses:
500 casualties reported
TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 85,98
Japanese ground losses:
65 casualties reported
Ground combat at Abemama
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 3317 troops, 15 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 106
Defending force 160 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Japanese max assault: 184 - adjusted assault: 171
Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1
Japanese assault odds: 171 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Abemama base !!!
Allied ground losses:
565 casualties reported
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