Argentina vs. Slovakia (Aurorus against 821Bobo)

[Aurorus]

Malaysia

The Japanese are consolidating their forces at Malacca, resting up, with Southern Army present under the personal command of Tojo and his high inspiration to help offset the effects of the malaria zone. The final push on to Singapore awaits.

DEI

Daylight over the DEI sees the action shift to Ambon. A Japanese CV TF has moved into position north of Ambon and sortied over the coastal guns. Land-based Nells from Manado supported the action.

Afternoon Air attack on 4th Coastal Gun Battalion, at 76,109 (Ambon)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
G3M2 Nell x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 9000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Ambon , at 76,109

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
B5N2 Kate x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAKL Bintoehan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 13
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
25 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb

Recon shows 4 units in the hex and 3 ships in port. Is one an ACM? Ambon has been under near constant float plane search since the beginning of the war, but that does not mean that the allies could not have slipped a CM or two into the port to leave a surprise for the Japanese.

[Aurorus]

Phillipines

The 11th PA division, which was cut off at San Fernando on December 8th, after the Japanese took Cabantuan and Lingayen, moved down to Cabantuan on the 3rd of January. They took the base on the 4th threatening the Japanese rear. Recon and armor units, mostly from Manila were dispatched to deal with the threat and supported by Betties and Sallies from Takao.

Morning Air attack on 11th PA Infantry Division, at 80,76 (Cabanatuan)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 19

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
orning Air attack on 11th PA Infantry Division, at 80,76 (Cabanatuan)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
29 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Ground combat at Cabanatuan (80,76)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5301 troops, 12 guns, 462 vehicles, Assault Value = 303

Defending force 2886 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 115

Japanese adjusted assault: 201

Allied adjusted defense: 2

Japanese assault odds: 100 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Cabanatuan !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1525 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 68 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 29 (29 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
16th Recon Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
48th Recon Regiment
7th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
11th PA Infantry Division

I did not realize how badly depleted this unit had become during its month in exile. I should have shock attacked.

[Aurorus]

China

The Japanese drove north and east along the clear terrain west of Sinyang and along the road south of Chengchow to form a line that borders the Nanyang region. That has been the situation for a week or so. In the past week, the Japanese have moved sufficient force to the hex to the west of Chengchow and Loyang to place the Chinese units at Chengchow in jeopardy. As Japan was manuevering to take up this position, the allies withdrew the bulk of their units from Chengchow, leaving only a small garrison in place. On the 5th, the Japanese took Chengchow without much fighting.

Attacking force 25064 troops, 213 guns, 213 vehicles, Assault Value = 945

Defending force 6994 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 191

Japanese adjusted assault: 589

Allied adjusted defense: 20

Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Chengchow !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
4327 casualties reported
Squads: 157 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 72 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 4

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
110th Division
36th Division

Defending units:
15th Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
8th New Chinese Corps
24th Group Army

That is the general idea. When possible, I want try to take objectives with as little fighting as possible.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
That is the general idea. When possible, I want try to take objectives with as little fighting as possible.

But the objective in China is to obtain VPs by killing as many Chinese as possible, so fighting should be welcomed when on clear terrain like Chengchow. I know that it is hard/impossible to prevent Chinese retreat into Wd/WR if them decide to do it at start. But in this particular case Chinese timely retreat is bad rather than good for you

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
That is the general idea. When possible, I want try to take objectives with as little fighting as possible.

But the objective in China is to obtain VPs by killing as many Chinese as possible, so fighting should be welcomed when on clear terrain like Chengchow. I know that it is hard/impossible to prevent Chinese retreat into Wd/WR if them decide to do it at start. But in this particular case Chinese timely retreat is bad rather than good for you

Bob knows what he is doing in China. He is giving ground as he is forced to, without a complete dash for the hills and jungle. However, he was not going to allow a lot of units to get trapped in Chengchow, no matter what I did. So I encouraged him to hurry the retreat by threatening to pocket the units there: nothing more.

He is also, it seems to me, leaving some units exposed as bait for my bombers. It looks like 2 squadrons of AVG are stalking the Central Chinese plain trying to catch my bombers. There are a handful of Oscars there, but Nates are escorting the bombers... so it has been a chess match of using the bombers for ground support without running afoul of AVG and trying to catch one squadron of AVG on LRCAP with the Oscars. Since he netted a small squadron of Sonias, he has come up empty with AVG, and I have come up empty with the Oscars.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
Bob knows what he is doing in China. He is giving ground as he is forced to, without a complete dash for the hills and jungle. However, he was not going to allow a lot of units to get trapped in Chengchow, no matter what I did. So I encouraged him to hurry the retreat by threatening to pocket the units there: nothing more.

My view is more of letting Chinese fight when terms are favourable for Japan, and not scaring them away too early with encirclements. It's best to have Chinese LCUs beaten up and not killed outright cause in the latter case they will just be revived for free. Incurred losses and disablements are there to stay, Chinese would not be able to repair them much. In case of Chengchow I wonder if he would have let you do some frontal attacks (and do some damage!) if you did not threaten encirclement.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

ORIGINAL: Aurorus
Bob knows what he is doing in China. He is giving ground as he is forced to, without a complete dash for the hills and jungle. However, he was not going to allow a lot of units to get trapped in Chengchow, no matter what I did. So I encouraged him to hurry the retreat by threatening to pocket the units there: nothing more.

My view is more of letting Chinese fight when terms are favourable for Japan, and not scaring them away too early with encirclements. It's best to have Chinese LCUs beaten up and not killed outright cause in the latter case they will just be revived for free. Incurred losses and disablements are there to stay, Chinese would not be able to repair them much. In case of Chengchow I wonder if he would have let you do some frontal attacks (and do some damage!) if you did not threaten encirclement.

I doubt it. He started to withdraw from Chengchow almost immediately when I started the pincer move through the plain south. When he saw that I was driving to close the line, instead of advancing directly on Chengchow, he stopped the withdrawal. Then, when he saw the numbers of units increasing toward the east of the plain, he immediately started withdrawing again. His thinking, as far as I can tell, was to deny me the hex if I wanted to move one division in there and take it on the cheap, but at the same time, he kept movement arrows going out of the hex to get out once it became an untenable position.

BTW, I agree with you about the shattered units. It is better to shatter Chinese units than destroy Chinese units.

I have a plan for China, both a short-term and long-term plan, and you may see a large engagement there yet on favorable terms for the Japanese soon. We shall see. I will upload a screenshot of central China, which should not reveal too much that Bob does not already know, on my next update.

[Aurorus]

Jan. 6th and what is this? Sneaky allies try to lay a minefield with subs at Truk while CVs are nearby.

TF 256 encounters mine field at Truk (112,108)

Japanese Ships
AMc Nichinan
AMc Toyokuni Maru
AMc Yachiyo Maru
AMc Tamo Maru #7

16 mines cleared

By chance, a group of AMcs happened to be on hand the moment those sneaky allies tried their dirty tricks. Bob likes to try all manner of little things and use every resource available to molest the Japanese.

[Aurorus]

DEI

Chokai and Takao, sans their dear sister Atago, who took a bomb at Ternate, bombard Ambon.

Night Naval bombardment of Ambon at 76,109

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CA Takao

Allied ground losses:
126 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 18
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 4

CA Chokai firing at Ambon
CA Takao firing at Ambon

These are not the best heavy cruisers Japan has, but they are my favorite, especially Chokai, which always seems to be my most productive heavy cruiser in every game I play, whether PBEM or against the AI.

[Aurorus]

Allied subs find another AMC near Kwajalein.

Submarine attack near Bikini at 130,111

Japanese Ships
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Triton

AMC Kiyosumi Maru is sighted by SS Triton
SS Triton launches 4 torpedoes at AMC Kiyosumi Maru


The Triton finished off the Kiyosumi Maru later that night. It has been a hard war for AMCs. I did not think that Bob had any subs north of Kwajalein. I will have to be more careful in near every major port. The Kiyosumi was returning from exile to Saipan, where she spent the beginning of the war, waiting for the U.S. CV threat to disappear.

[Aurorus]

The Japanese finally managed to take Guam. I had landed there in the first week of the war with the small SNLF that starts in Saipan. I reinforced gradually with each element of the crack 84th that appears in 3 elements. The spirited defense of Guam required the full force of the 84th and the 2nd SNLF to take the base. After the long siege of Guam, Tokyo Rose felt it important enough to inform the allies of its fall.

Ground combat at Guam (106,95)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1539 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 61

Defending force 672 troops, 0 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Japanese adjusted assault: 42

Allied adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Guam !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
460 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 51 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 31 (31 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
84th Naval Guard Unit
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy

Defending units:
Guam USN Base Force

The 2nd gained 2 point of experience in the battle and is now an exp. 92 unit. What a shame that it has 15 AV.

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

Jan. 6th and what is this? Sneaky allies try to lay a minefield with subs at Truk while CVs are nearby.

TF 256 encounters mine field at Truk (112,108)

Japanese Ships
AMc Nichinan
AMc Toyokuni Maru
AMc Yachiyo Maru
AMc Tamo Maru #7

16 mines cleared

By chance, a group of AMcs happened to be on hand the moment those sneaky allies tried their dirty tricks. Bob likes to try all manner of little things and use every resource available to molest the Japanese.

He's a damend rat-bstr of an opponent. Super aggressive and thoughtful.

wow

[Aurorus]

Jan. 7th was a slow day in the war. There was no land combat for the first time since the war began. The only major action were air raids at Clark and an attempt to get at AVG. At least 1 squadron of AVG had been stationed at Loyang, and it was making air operations difficult. I could not do what I wanted to do often because I was worried about having my Sallies, escorted by Nates, intercepted by AVG. What is more, Japan starts with no air HQ in China, which is very annoying and makes air coordination difficult in China. This can be offset some by placing a decent air commander in the Chinese Army HQ, but this does not substitute for a real air HQ with a real air commander. So, I decided to go after AVG directly, hoping that only 1 squadron was at Loyang and not 2. I sent in the Sallies and some Sonias (which failed to fly) at night over the airfield and then swept during the day with the small squadron of Oscars available. Bob sensed the move and AVG left Loyang that day, so the raids and sweep came up empty. Probably for the best, since there were storms and the night bombing was not very effective, so I doubt I would have disabled more than 3 or 4 of AVGs planes before the Oscars came in. They probably would have been outnumbered.

[Aurorus]

Jan. 8th.

The Japanese can do sneaky port attacks too. In retaliation for the mines laid at Truk on the 6th, this happened at Pearl on the 8th (of January, not December)

NAVAL MOVEMENT PHASE
I-22 launches midget submarine Ha-4 to attack Pearl Harbor
SSX Ha-4 hits a mine and is destroyed at Pearl Harbor

After launching his midget, I-22 launched some fish.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Pearl Harbor at 180,107

Japanese Ships
SS I-22

Allied Ships
AMc Condor, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

SS I-22 launches 2 torpedoes at AMc Condor
I-22 bottoming out ....
Escort abandons search for sub

[Aurorus]

The Ambon landing came off without major incident. The coastal guns were disrupted some from three days of air attacks and heavy CA bombardment. The hit on the AK was a 155, so it was more serious. The hit on the AP was a 40mm bofors and inconsequential.

Pre-Invasion action off Ambon (76,109) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

50 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CL Jintsu
xAP Takatiho Maru, Shell hits 1
DD Hasu
xAK Azumasan Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Yoshino Maru
APD Hagi
DD Suzukaze
DD Tsuga

Japanese ground losses:
68 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

The allies reinforced the Dutch position with the Australian Gull Battalion, so it is going to be a tough fight and may be too much for the 146th.

[Aurorus]

Off Truk, a Japanese ASW encountered an allied sub, which had been spotted (and reported hit) by Vals the day before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Truk at 111,108

Japanese Ships
DD Kasumi
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
SS Gudgeon, hits 1


This is much worse for the Gudgeon than it looks. She was reported to be leaking oil badly. I have had this happen to subs and they go to 0 endurance 3 days later. Of course, they do not always go to 0 endurance in 3 days, but The Gudgeon may be in serious trouble. It has been a tough war for allied subs, and the first group of Japanese DDs are upgrading now to the Type 2 depth charges, which do not always explode above the depth of the allied subs.

[Aurorus]

With a CV group near Ambon, hitting the coastal guns there, another CV group on station southeast of Tarakan launched on the airfield at Balikpapan, which recon showed having bombers on the runway.

Afternoon Air attack on Balikpapan , at 64,97

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 13
A6M2 Zero x 14
B5N1 Kate x 26

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 7 damaged
139WH-3: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

[Aurorus]

In South China, the allies have withdrawn behind the river line, but left a small unit behind in Kahnsien.

Ground combat at Kanhsien (81,57)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13127 troops, 144 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 459

Defending force 4464 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 160

Japanese adjusted assault: 445

Allied adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 27 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kanhsien !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2549 casualties reported
Squads: 71 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 76 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 15 (8 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
22nd Division
51st Engineer Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
49th Chinese Corps

The lines in South China are formed, for the most part, with the river dividing the two armies.

[Aurorus]

Action resumes at Clark with a heavy Japanese artillery barrage, accompanied by multiple airstrikes. This time, the artillery exchange favors the Japanese, with more heavy guns in position. The current disposition of forces at Clark.

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Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 80123 troops, 915 guns, 474 vehicles, Assault Value = 3071

Defending force 22133 troops, 383 guns, 376 vehicles, Assault Value = 600

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Infantry Regiment
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment
47th Infantry Regiment
2nd Formosa Inf. Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
4th Division
33rd Division
65th Brigade
48th Engineer Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Engineer Regiment
38th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
21st Division
7th Tank Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Army
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
31st PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
4th Marine Regiment
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
14th PS Engineer Regiment
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Subic Bay Defenses
USAFFE
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

Off Truk, a Japanese ASW encountered an allied sub, which had been spotted (and reported hit) by Vals the day before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Truk at 111,108

Japanese Ships
DD Kasumi
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
SS Gudgeon, hits 1


This is much worse for the Gudgeon than it looks. She was reported to be leaking oil badly. I have had this happen to subs and they go to 0 endurance 3 days later. Of course, they do not always go to 0 endurance in 3 days, but The Gudgeon may be in serious trouble. It has been a tough war for allied subs, and the first group of Japanese DDs are upgrading now to the Type 2 depth charges, which do not always explode above the depth of the allied subs.

did you create an asw group specifically to hunt this fellow over there, or does it patrol that area regardless?

i'm writing this because I run usually very short of good hunting vessels out of their convoy escort duties, or even if I have, I'm usually unable to keep the track of all this.