Speedy vs Fabertong - time to smack back the Penguin

[Alfred]

Speedy,
 
A couple of questions.
 
(1)  The 3 troop carrying AKs you sank off Java.  Were the Allied planes only torpedo bombers with fighter escorts (presumably your extracted Singapore Buffaloes)?  Any other bomber types involved?
 
(2)  What exactly do you mean by making Norfolk and Raoul active?  They are such small islands that any garrison you place upon them will not repel a determined Japanese assault.  Nor am I certain that they are vital locations to station patrol planes to maintain a lookout.
 
BTW, Raoul Island is part of the Kermandec group.  A New Zealand family used to live there up to the start of the First World War.  They had been evacuated by the time the German raider SS Wolf visited in 1917 when the raider replenised its supplies of fruit, IIRC bananas.
 
Alfred

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi ny59 - it is tough. I agree. Especially when my boys are doing well and I think the natural approach at any stage in the game is you want to reinforce, support and grow areas. I have decided from the get go though that anything in the SRA is expendable (within reason of course) and not to send anything else to it.

Hi Alfred - Always happy to have questions and dialogue....much more interesting than 1 way diatribe[;)]

1.) All of the damage was caused by Vildebeast's escorted by Buffalo's. Approximately 20ish Dutch LBA and Hawk 75's were involved but they achieved absolutely nothing.All little pin pricks but overall the conquest of Java may cause Faber some decent overall damage as will be seen......

2.) I agree in that if Faber wants them he has control of the seas so he could have them! I do think they are 'crucial' in terms of scouting and keeping the lifeline between Australia-US open IF the Japanese has Noumea though. They're the only 2 islands flanking Noumea-NZ. Without scouting options there KB could freely roam inbetween Noumea-NZ at will. Didn't know that info on Raoul. Thanks. Always add more flavour when historical tidbits are known[:)]

--------------------------------

PI -

A quiet day compared to the previous few days. No air raids other than the redoubtable Allied FP's operating out of Bataan lobbing a few small bombs on some nearby AK and LSD Shimshu Maru.

--------------------------------

Malaya -

All quiet on the western front............

---------------------------------

Burma/India -

The Japanese spearhead sat outside of Meiktila today. Since it's a lone Tk Rgt Ihave ordered my 5 Burma Bn's (90ish AV) to attack tomorrow.

6th Australian Division is embarking up at Aden and will head to Ceylon where they will fortify the Island.

---------------------------------

Java -

The Japanese may be having it on land now - 514 AV (2 x Rgt's, 3 x NG, Miura Det + support) at Tjepoe but carange rains in the sea. After 2 days of heavy and bloody effort by the allied airforces it was the time of submarines and our PT's (little friends) to weigh in.........

2 squadrons of PT's steamed into the Tjepoe unloading area. Clearly catching the Japanese unawares within the space of a few minutes DMS W-18 exploded in a pall of fire and smoke. Before the other Japanese escorts could react Torpedoes slammed into 4 unloading AK's sinking 3 of them......their work done the PT's sped out of the area to rearm at Soerabaya....only PT TM-14 failed to return when DD Shirayuki located her with a searchlight and obliteratig nher with a 5" shell.......we go back in tomorrow.

The sub action will be detailed below[:)]

-----------------------------------

Submarine warfare -

After the chaos caused by the appearance of PT's SS O-21 was steathily patrolling off the coast located a massive target in the dawn gloom.....4 torpedos left her tubes and she dived away quickly expecting a heavy retribution......there was a deep dull rumble signifying a torpedo hat found it's mark damaging CV Zuikaku[8D]

Other successes in the day were achieved by SS S-38 damaging AK Yamahuku Maru in the Tjepoe staging area.

SS Sturgeon patrolling SW of Japan tracked a convoy heavily damagign AK Toho Maru with a torpedo and then later surfacing to duel with the remaining freighter AKL Honan Maru. A strange action occured as 9 x 3" shells slammed into the freighter (no noticeable damage) and 2 x 5" shells from the freighter landing near Sturgeon (2 FLT damage).

[ckammp]

Great job overall in Java. For whatever reason, it seems your opponent misjudged the amount of resistance he would meet; his attacks seem either hasty or poorly carried out, or both.
Gotta love those little PT boats, and special kudos to O-21; any idea just how badly damaged the Zuikaku was?

[Alfred]

Speedy,
 
More useless trivia regarding the Kerandec Group.
 
I was made aware of their existence many years ago when I came across a World War I movie (sorry can't remember the name) which starred John Wayne as a German captain of a german merchantman berthed at Sydney, Australia upon the outbreak of World War I.  My interest being piqued, after all how often did the Big Duke play for the other side (in military terms, of course), I watched fascinated as John Wayne left Sydney under cover of darkness, evaded RAN patrols in the Tasman Sea, and headed to (drum roll please) the Kermandec Group to replenish water supplies and cut down timber to supplement his half full coal bunkers (naturally he had left Sydney somewhat hurriedly before his coal bunkers had been fully replenished).
 
From the Kermandec Group (actually in the film they made all 3 islands into a single island) he rounded Cape Horn, steamed up the Atlantic, past Iceland, into Norwegian waters, and finally when just within 24 hours of reaching Kiel, his ship gets hit by a massive storm and sinks.  Of course he manages, whilst also saving the love interest, to swim ashore to safety in neutral territory.
 
With a story line like that I immediately thought it had to be inspired by a real life adventure, one which had a good German, otherwise the Big Duke surely could not have accepted the role.  Lo and behold I am convinced that the movie is clearly based on the german raider SS Wolf.
 
In real life, the Wolf left Kiel in 1916 and returned to Kiel to a great propaganda coup in late January 1918.  Her prize ship (which carried additional supplies etc and many of the captured ship crews and passengers) was separated from the Wolf due to heavy fog off Iceland.  It was 24 hours out of Kiel when it floundered on the Danish coast in a massive storm.  Her german crew (and captives) were able to be rescued by Danish surf boats and were put ashore for interment.
 
Most of the captured allied passengers/crews who wrote of their experiences spoke well of the fair treatment received from the Captain of the Wolf.  The german crew became particularly fond of the captured 6 year old.
 
Alfred

[ckammp]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Speedy,

More useless trivia regarding the Kerandec Group.

I was made aware of their existence many years ago when I came across a World War I movie (sorry can't remember the name) which starred John Wayne as a German captain of a german merchantman berthed at Sydney, Australia upon the outbreak of World War I.  My interest being piqued, after all how often did the Big Duke play for the other side (in military terms, of course), I watched fascinated as John Wayne left Sydney under cover of darkness, evaded RAN patrols in the Tasman Sea, and headed to (drum roll please) the Kermandec Group to replenish water supplies and cut down timber to supplement his half full coal bunkers (naturally he had left Sydney somewhat hurriedly before his coal bunkers had been fully replenished).

From the Kermandec Group (actually in the film they made all 3 islands into a single island) he rounded Cape Horn, steamed up the Atlantic, past Iceland, into Norwegian waters, and finally when just within 24 hours of reaching Kiel, his ship gets hit by a massive storm and sinks.  Of course he manages, whilst also saving the love interest, to swim ashore to safety in neutral territory.

With a story line like that I immediately thought it had to be inspired by a real life adventure, one which had a good German, otherwise the Big Duke surely could not have accepted the role.  Lo and behold I am convinced that the movie is clearly based on the german raider SS Wolf.

In real life, the Wolf left Kiel in 1916 and returned to Kiel to a great propaganda coup in late January 1918.  Her prize ship (which carried additional supplies etc and many of the captured ship crews and passengers) was separated from the Wolf due to heavy fog off Iceland.  It was 24 hours out of Kiel when it floundered on the Danish coast in a massive storm.  Her german crew (and captives) were able to be rescued by Danish surf boats and were put ashore for interment.

Most of the captured allied passengers/crews who wrote of their experiences spoke well of the fair treatment received from the Captain of the Wolf.  The german crew became particularly fond of the captured 6 year old.

Alfred

Even more useless movie trivia:

The movie you are referring to is "The Sea Chase", a 1955 movie with John Wayne playing Captain Karl Erlich, a anti-Nazi Prussian who tries to save his ship by sailing from Australia to Norway. His love interest is played by Lana Turner. Also in the cast, as members of the freighter's crew, are James Arness (Gunsmoke) and Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island).

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Thanks ckammp - I don't know. Faber is an experienced player as such I doubt it would be poorly carried out. Maybe jusrt mistimed? I personally think it's a risk to go after Java with large forces still engaged in Malaya, PI and Burma.

Having said that, although it may have been slightly costly, Java will now fall. With the additional Japanese forces landing at Tjepoe there is only scant Dutch resistance and forces left outside of Buitenzorg and Batavia. I will hold whilst I can and take what I can with me though.

The PT's are at Batavia now and will investigate reports of a Japanese TF unloading at Merak tomorrow.

The Japanese fleets moved away from Tjepoe NE towards Balikpapan. No idea how badly damaged CV Zuikaku is but I would say not too badly since there's no indication of any TF moving particularly slow. I just hope one of my other multitude of subs find's and puts another couple of fish into her. I've set them along a likely return path to Japan.

---------------------------

Malaya -

On the 20th the Japanese stormed over the Causeway onto Singapore Island. Heavy casualties were sustained although a beachhead achieved. On the 21st the Allied Commanders decided to attack the Japanese! The results were disatrous. Poorly led and trained they foundered under the experienced and co-ordinated fire of the Japanese leaving 7000 Allied casualties behind.

On the 22nd the Japanese renewed their assault on the reaming defences and positions. Fighting was heavy, and around 3000 casualties were sustained on both sides, and the Japanese pushed through and took more of the Island. Only 2 fortified regions remain so the end is nearish.

-----------------------------

PI -

The same could not be said of the Allied resistance at Clark Field. My men have acted stoutly and bloodily repulsed a Japanese attack on th 22nd:

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 58606 troops, 509 guns, 475 vehicles, Assault Value = 2067

Defending force 54982 troops, 949 guns, 616 vehicles, Assault Value = 2056

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese adjusted assault: 785

Allied adjusted defense: 4978

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
6585 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 463 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 560 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 38 disabled
Vehicles lost 114 (12 destroyed, 102 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1470 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 199 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 210 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 65 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 63 (4 destroyed, 59 disabled)

I was tempted to attack here on the 23rd but rejected the idea after seeing the recent poor performance of men on the attack. I will hold firm and take as many Japanese down with me as I can.

------------------------------

Burma -

The Japanese struck first at Meiktila on the morning of the 20th. They sliced through the Burmese positions like a hot knife through butter. The sight of 'tanks' had clearly routed my ill trained men.

Full retreat in Burma now......Forces from Prome are all marching overland to Akyab. Everything from Mandalay north is heading to Katha but hte Japanese may well outrun them......

--------------------------------

China -

China is a very active theatre at the mo with movements all over the place! I mistakenly attacked (meant to bombard not deliberate attack) 2 Japanese Divisions which had entered the perimeter of Chenchow! I lost 1700 men to 428 Japanese. The city is safe enough for now though.

I'm hoping to take back the city of Sinyang. We shelled and reconn'ed the defenders today and most of them were routed by this same force a week or so ago to the SW of Sinyang.....we attack tomorrow before Japanese reinforcements (closing in from th NW) arrive:

Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 30632 troops, 184 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1023

Defending force 10197 troops, 86 guns, 164 vehicles, Assault Value = 330

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


Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
7th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
20th Group Army
21st Group Army

Defending units:
12th RGC Temp. Division
13th Tank Regiment
14th RGC Temp. Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
18th RGC Temp. Division
52nd Road Const Co
11th Army
67th JAAF AF Coy

-------------------------------------

Submarine warfare -

SS Sturgeon blew up the small freighter Honan Maru neasr Nago on the 21st.

On the other side SS I-1 stalked a convoy nearing Penrhyn Island and broke in half DMS Hovey with a torpedo on the 22nd.

SS S-40 was heavily damaged by APD Tade's DC's off Tjepoe....she's limped into Soerabaya requiring 3 weeks work.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

All in all a quietish day with no signifgicant action over Malaya (except 3 x HDML/ML sunk by Netties fleeing Singapore area), PI or Java (except a failed attack by a Japanese Tk Rgt at Madioen).

As such I thought I would update on a few other things as well as China.......

The attack at Sinyang failed to break through the enemy defensive lines but took some positions:

Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 30678 troops, 184 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1033

Defending force 10261 troops, 86 guns, 165 vehicles, Assault Value = 332

Allied adjusted assault: 540

Japanese adjusted defense: 511

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
298 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1010 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 60 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Assaulting units:
8th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
20th Group Army
21st Group Army

Defending units:
14th RGC Temp. Division
13th Tank Regiment
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
12th RGC Temp. Division
18th RGC Temp. Division
52nd Road Const Co
11th Army
67th JAAF AF Coy

The losses I have taken though have reduced my AV by over 100 and I can't risk another attack. Also the Japanese reinforcements will likely arrive from the NW soon. Shame I couldn't take it outright but at least it ties up a few more Japanese units that were trying to march on Nanyang. I feel fairly safe up there now with over 1400 in Nanyang itself and especialyl after the reent faield Japanese assault at Loyang.

As you can see from the attached map there's a lot of movements and mini-battles occuring all over the place!

It looks as though Faber is massing (3 units so far) men in the south for a march on Kukong. 2 more Chinese corps are being sent to reinforce this scetor.

My next few moves are to push the Division SW of Wuchang back (awaiting a Chinese Cavalry Corps), move in Northern China - Paotow (awaiting a Rgt) and moving 1300 AV of troops to South of Chengchow friom Nanyang and Loyang......

-------------------------

Household stuff -

Some substantial reinforcements are on the move now:

6th Australian Division is leaving Aden.

CV Indomitable/BB Royal Sovereign are leaving Aden.

BB New Mexico and BB Mississippi arrive in San Francisco.

40th PG/40th BG are being earmarked to leave the US for Australia over the next week (awaiting spare AK's!)

Americal Division will head to SoPac within a month.

4 x BF's are loading up for SoPac - maybe 2 for CentPac Islands (noticed the Eng Bn's there 'disappear' within 6 months.)

Occupy Kiska with BF, Rgt and Engineers to biuld a forward base and ultimately a Sub base.

Oooh.....one of the Luckenbach AK's had a massive Explosion aboard during unloading at Suva.....58 SYS and 30 Fire. godo news is that all of the troops are ashore now just the supply and fuel to go. KB is still reported around Noumea.

[Speedysteve]

Question - can the other guy always see what base expansions you've done in their Ops report?

[Mike Solli]

I don't think so, Speedy.  So far in mine, I've only seen my base expansions.

[Speedysteve]

Hmm....I've seen seen of Faber's! I'll post a screenie when I next do! Anyone else?

[Mike Solli]

Well, that's interesting.

[vlcz]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Hmm....I've seen seen of Faber's! I'll post a screenie when I next do! Anyone else?

I get size increases reports in my opponents´s bases from time to time (very sparse)...I think it has to do with detection level

[Speedysteve]

Hi Mike......here you go from 7th January 1942.....Maizuru expanded......

[Mike Solli]

Hmm, I wonder if you see them all or just some of them....

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Hmm, I wonder if you see them all or just some of them....

My understanding is that it's just some of them, due to FOW.

[Mike Solli]

That makes sense.  Sorry for the intrusion, Speedy.

[crsutton]

Speedy,
 
Go ever each and every AK that you have in San Francisco and Los Angeles and convert any that can be converted to APs.  You don't need to worry about AEs and AKEs so much now. Convert a few of these but don't go crazy.
 
You will need every AP that you can lay your hands on. Don't worry, you will have plenty more AKs than you can use, so convert away.
 
One other note. Many of your pre war four stack DDs can be converted to APDs, DMs, APD, or DEs. This can happen in April or May. My advice is to convert any that you are allowed to (about six to eight of them) to DEs. These will be you most valuable American ASW ships for a long time to come, and I promise you, you will need ASW. Japanese subs are death stalkers in AE.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

I don't think so, Speedy.  So far in mine, I've only seen my base expansions.

enemy base expansions aren´t that rare in your own intel report (talking about the Allied side though, no idea if the Japanese side get´s them that often too)

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

crsutton - you must be pyschic! I was looking at the 4-stacker last night and mulling over which of the conversions would be best to proceed with. I had decided that DM's probably weren't worth it sicne the number of DM/CM's you get can easily cover the amount of mines you get, APD's I rarely use but I though some of them may be useful. DE's sound very useful as you say.

I am finding ASW to be very anaemic to say the least. Even US ASW reportedly hit's diddly squat at this stage of the war. In fact I don't recall any Japanese or Allied sub sinking due to enemy ASW. The only sub losses I 'know' of are 3 Jaopanese subs by mines.

Interesting views on converting to AP's also. I hadn't realised there was such a disparity between the 2 and what arrives/is needed. Ironically at present it's a lack of AK's I'm feeling.

------------------------

Malaya -

Japanese air attacks are constant now with no Allied olanes on the peninsula. I think we've just seen our first 'nuclear' bombardments attack by 7 IJA ART units:

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1977 troops, 209 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 1480

Defending force 37445 troops, 493 guns, 263 vehicles, Assault Value = 796

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


Allied ground losses:
513 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 24 (18 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)


Assaulting units:
143rd Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
21st Division
114th Infantry Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
25th Army
5th Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Sheesh........mute point anyway but the principal exists...........

------------------------------

PI -

Little action over here except the Japanese licking their wounds, a couple of P40's were shot down by Zeroes whilst on a training mission.

My little FP's out of Bataan still achieve 'miracles' hitting a troop laden freighter with 2 bombs near Laoag.

--------------------------------

Java -

Little action of movement by the Japanese here.

--------------------------------

Burma -

The Japanese stormed through Mandalay routing the Allied units there to Swebo.

An empty Prome was captured by elements of the IGD.

---------------------------------

SoPac -

Guards Bde capturd La Foa today and is 40 miles from Noumea which they'll easily capture. PBY's there are ferrying out what they can of the USAAF BF Personnel back to Suva.

----------------------------------

Submarine warfare -

On the 24th SS O23 blew the bow off the 1600 tonne Minelayer Katsuriki south of Balikpapan.

Om the 25th the only Allied success was the sinking of the small freighter Hinode Maru by SS Saury near Pescadores.

On the other side SS O-19 reportedly hit a mine trying to lay it's own minefield in Bangkok Harbour.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

I don't think so, Speedy.  So far in mine, I've only seen my base expansions.

enemy base expansions aren´t that rare in your own intel report (talking about the Allied side though, no idea if the Japanese side get´s them that often too)

I just saw an enemy base expansion last night in my PBEM. Sorry about the incorrect info.