East Wind Gives Me the Chills - Chuck vs. Pat - Allied Side

[ctangus]

4/25/42

Bloody day in the air war. 25 allied planes were lost (18 A2A) vs. 47 Japanese (23 A2A).

No Pac

B-25s put a bomb into an AK unloading at Adak.

DEI

Another Jap AP sinks. Bandjermasin falls. The Japanese conducted air raids against Batavia, Kendari, Palembang & Soerabaja where I continue to lose fighters at a unsustainable pace:

Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 50
G3M Nell x 30
G4M1 Betty x 28
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M Nell: 4 destroyed, 13 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 17 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed Bah
Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 24

My heavies launched a counter-strike against Balikpapan without much success:

Day Air attack on Balikpapan , at 31,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
Allied aircraft
B-17C Fortress x 9
B-17E Fortress x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged
Runway hits 1 Might take a while to close it at this rate

I may pull the 4E planes out soon & rebuild them in India. I have a B-26 group at Darwin that I would fly in to replace them. I might bring a P-39 group in too, just to have another pool to draw from.

Palembang's now held for 20 days - that's 18,000 resources & 84,000 oil not produced. [:)]

China

Big air battle over Changsha:

Day Air attack on Changsha , at 45,37
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 32
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 35
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-49 Helen x 15
Ki-15 Babs x 5
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 40
I-16c x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 7 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 8 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 6 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 8 destroyed, 24 damaged
I-16c: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

An IL-4, flying out of Nanchang, puts a bomb into a tanker in the East China Sea.

Pic of the day is the current scene in the DEI:

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

Its pretty hadr to keep them off the Burma road. The only real holding point is Mandalay...and thats pretty darn hard to hold. What makes it worse, is those jungle tracks a bit north which make withdrawal a beast.

Yea - I've been fortunate in this game to have time to dig in at Mandalay. Pat could've brought 3 Divs & a tank regiment against it a month or so ago & I don't think it would have held but by the time he musters those forces again I'll be dug in enough to at least put up a good fight.

[ctangus]

4/26 - 4/27/42

Oops.

West Coast

Arizona finally made it down to 0 sys from her April upgrade. She & the recently arrived Idaho are on their way to join my southern fleet.

Cent Pac

SS I-16 sinks from depth charge hits scored on the 18th.

North Pac

Haruna makes her first appearance since eating a Dutch torp in late December. My escorts do their job and mostly keep the enemy from the transports:

04/27/42
Night Time Surface Combat, near Umnak Island at 101,37
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
CL Katori, Shell hits 12, on fire Multiple penetrating 4" rounds from Southard
DD Makigumo
Allied Ships
DMS Southard, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage Sinks
MSW Finch, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage 96/68/27
AK American
AK Columbian
AK Mexican
AK Trento, Shell hits 1 8/0/3
AK Susan Luckenbach
AK Silverado
AK Red Jacket
AK Gandara
AK City of Manchester, Shell hits 2, on fire 36/0/11

Also in the north, AK Tainan Maru sinks after B-25s pound her with 11 500-lb bombs over 3 days.

DEI

The Boise TF, instead of attacking shipping off Bandjermasin during the night, decides to take a pleasure cruise there during the day. (I forgot to set retirement allowed. [:(]) My ships dodge multiple attacks by Betties & Nells, but Baby KB showed up nearby as well:

04/27/42
Day Air attack on TF, near Bandjermasin at 27,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
B5N Kate x 34
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 3
Brewster 339D x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 26 damaged
Allied Ships
CL Boise
CL St. Louis, Torpedo hits 1 38/28/10
DD Porter
DD Alden

The damage could have been worse, but after surviving the aerial attacks, the TF didn't attack the unescorted Jap shipping. Capt. Rood will be sacked as soon as he gets back to port. In the meantime I split up the TF. St Louis is retiring escorted by 1 DD. Boise & another DD will attack at Bandjermasin in case the shipping continues to unload. Two DDs will attempt a mid-ocean intercept in case the shipping retires.

Beauforts did put multiple bombs into 3 Jap APs here over the last two days, and another hit a mine.

Elsewhere in the theater: 2nd UK Div has safely unloaded all but 18 support squads who will disembark at Tjilitjap tonight. 2 Jap APs & 1 APD sink from earlier damage. There's no more Jap shipping unloading at Palembang - with that in mind I expect another ground assault so I'm ordering 2 Dutch bomber squadrons onto ground attack.

[ctangus]

4/28 - 4/29/42

Almost into May. [:)]

DEI

Again, where most the action is. Boise has some success, I might just let the captain keep his job:

04/28/42
Night Time Surface Combat, near Bandjermasin at 27,64
Japanese Ships
AP Dainiunyo Maru, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
AP Heian Maru
AP Iwaki Maru
AP Kaedesan Maru
AP Kaihei Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
AP Kakyu Maru, on fire, heavy damage Sinks on 29th - She had taken 4 500 lb. bombs
AP Keizan Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Komeyama Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
Allied Ships
CL Boise, Shell hits 8 Sys damage up from 6 to 7
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 2

Another Jap AP also sinks near Singers.

Jap naval air tries for revenge:

04/28/42
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 23,66
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
G3M Nell x 6
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 7
Brewster 339D x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
CW-21B Demon: 1 damaged
Brewster 339D: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
CL Boise
DD Bulmer, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Sinks on the 29th

Nells also sank 2 Dutch minelayers on the 29th. [:(]

Also of note, Jap LBA has been attacking Kai island for the last two days & my pilots are reporting some (3) transports about 300 miles north. My troop strength is enough to hold off a small invasion (180 AV, forts 4) but the supply sit is worriesome (less than 1K!). I'm flying some in & also flew some LBA in to the airbase.

CBI

Scene of heavy air battles. 26 allied vs. 38 Japanese lost on the 29th. (17 to 21 A2A.) I forget exactly but losses were similar on the 28th.

In Burma:

04/29/42
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 30
Ki-49 Helen x 81
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 13
Hurricane IIb x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 25 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
Hurricane IIb: 8 destroyed, 10 damaged
Runway hits 3

Hopefully he comes back - I have a high-exp P-40 squadron waiting.

In China:

04/28/42
Day Air attack on Nanchang , at 48,38
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 23
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 32
Ki-30 Ann x 3
Ki-51 Sonia x 17
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-49 Helen x 32
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-30 Ann: 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged
Allied ground losses:
110 casualties reported
Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 36

I intended to add some LRCAP for the 29th. My subordinates refused to relay my orders, however. (I forgot to issue them.) Still, it could have been worse:

04/29/42
Day Air attack on Nanchang , at 48,38
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 29
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 31
Ki-30 Ann x 3
Ki-51 Sonia x 17
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-49 Helen x 27
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 8
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
IL-4c: 1 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15

[ctangus]

4/30/42

No ships sink anywhere (for a change), but it was a fine day in the air war. 40 to 9 for the good guys (32 to 5 air-to-air).

So Pac

An Aussie ASW TF reports 7 near-misses against a RO-boat near Noumea.

China

The daily raid over Nanchang scores 8:1 in my favor -

Day Air attack on Nanchang , at 48,38
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 23
Ki-30 Ann x 3
Ki-51 Sonia x 16
Ki-21 Sally x 26
Ki-49 Helen x 22
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 2 destroyed, 10 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 8 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 30

Burma

12 to 1. You have to like it. [:)]

Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 19
Ki-49 Helen x 76
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 6
Hurricane IIb x 26
P-40E Warhawk x 19
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 12 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 9 destroyed, 26 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 2 damaged
Hurricane IIb: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 5

DEI

The invasion of Kai Island seems to be a larger operation than I suspected. 10,000 men of the Japanese 2nd Div (last on Luzon) have already landed. Two more transport TFs are approaching. Baby KB seems to be approaching in support, though it's still a few days away.

My LBA at Kai didn't fly on the 30th so I've sent more escorts. I'm also staging more LBA from both Kendari & Koepang to try to ambush Baby KB. The entire Lexington airgroup is included.

I'm also sortieing my CVs in the area & some of the smaller ships of Force Z. They'll head to a point just out of escorted-Betty range from Amboina. I want to have the chance to ambush either Baby KB or the Kai invasion force, but I'll decide in a few days. I might yet withdraw but we also could have our own Coral Sea battle in the Banda Sea. The next few days should be interesting at least.

[ctangus]

Monthly Update

Zero bonus gone! Brits can upgrade!

I'm considering April a successful month. The Phillipines fell but that was inevitable sooner or later. I still hold half or so of the DEI. Airplane losses were in my favor. So Pac & SWPAC are building up nicely. BB Ise sunk.

Here's the intel screen:



Looking at it I need to kill both more Japanese troops & planes on the ground. Otherwise I'm very pleased.

It was certainly the bloodiest month in the air so far - 523 allied vs. 553 Japanese. I exceeded the 1:1 ratio I hoped to achieve! [:)] Also Zero losses were high - 123 were destroyed (vs. 147 in the entire war before April). 91 were lost A2A (only 33 total in previous months). I think I'm already seeing the Japanese pilot quality attriting.

32 Japanese ships sunk vs. 15 allied. Here's the breakdown:

Code: Select all

      Japs      Allied
 BB   1 (+1)
 CA             1
 CL             1
 DD   14 (+1)   3 (+1)
 APD  1 (+1)    1 (+1)
 AP   64 (+19!) 7 (+1)
 AK   42 (+5)   49 (+4)
 AO             1
 TK   9 (+1)    3
 SS   16 (+2)   4 (+1)
 Aux            7
 Mine 14 (+1)   11 (+5)
 Pat  13 (+1)   18 (+2)
 

[ctangus]

5/1/42

I don't have time for a full update - lots of air combat in China, Burma & DEI. 66 allied planes destroyed vs. 36 Japanese.

The big news is KB (or most of it) showed up off Darwin. Planes from Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku & Zuikaku were identified. If he comes west we'll have a CV battle tomorrow. If he sticks around a couple days I'll probably force the issue. Two B-17 groups will fly into Darwin tomorrow.

Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
D3A Val x 82
B5N Kate x 69
Allied aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 7 destroyed, 53 damaged I'd like to strike while they're still damaged
B5N Kate: 21 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed
PB2Y Coronado: 3 destroyed
C-47 Dakota: 7 destroyed
Wirraway: 2 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
69 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 89

[ctangus]

Coral Sea battle in the Timor Sea?

I'll try to do more of an update soon (well maybe not, my losses were heavy [;)]), but I'm going to hold onto this turn for a while so any feedback in the next hour or two would be appreciated. (I'll probably ignore it, but it will at least get me thinking. [:'(])

KB & my DEI carrier fleet ended up 6 hexes from each other this turn. I want to force an engagement as I think I have a relatively good chance and it would be fun to have a "Coral Sea" type battle near to the date of the real Coral Sea battle.

Enemy forces:

No CVs have been positively identified, but for two turns airgroups from only Carrier Divs 2 & 5 have been recognized. That's 270 aircraft at max strength but between losses & damaged planes I estimate 210-220 operational aircraft, in one task force. Fatigue is certainly higher than mine, with an air-raid on Darwin and then a strike against a supply convoy.

They're all in one TF so a successful strike by the good guys could hit multiple CVs.

Baby KB is nearby (another 150-200 planes?) but appears to be going to cover the Kai Island invasions.

Friendly forces:

I have 173 operational planes on my CVs right now.

I lost a few Sea Hurricanes to leaky CAP over a transport TF. (It was bringing supplies from Darwin to Koepang.) I also lost 3 AKs (another severely damaged) and an escort to that strike. The losses aren't horrible but my opponent should know now that I have carriers in the area.

I've been negligent on supplying Luatem & Koepang & neither can be counted on to support LBA. (Lautem has 1 supply point!!!) Both Derby & Darwin could support LBA, however, and there's 2 B-17 groups I can fly in to either airfield. (Fatigue would be high.)

My TF composition:

1: 1 CVL (Hermes), 1 CLAA, 3 DD
2: 2 CVs (Formidable, Indomitable), 1 CA, 1 CL, 1 CLAA, 8 DDs
17: 1 CV (Saratoga), 3 CAs, 9 DDs

Map

The green line roughly shows Zero range from Amboina. Bettys & Nells most likely won't attack my CVs beyond that point without escort.

Probable Plan

Move my major CV forces 1 hex east. Move Hermes 2 hexes east. All will be on max react 1, to hopefully avoid a "Range 5" slaughter.

1 Wildcat squadron would be on 30% CAP. 1 Martlett Squadron the same. A Sea Hurricane Squadron would be on 50-60% CAP. (I'm more interested in busting through the opposing CAP than defending my carriers.)

I'd also send 2 B-17 groups to Darwin on naval attack. They might fatigue the Japanese CAP some.

Feedback appreciated!

[ctangus]

Well, the turn's sent now & I'm going for it... Wish me luck!

[ctangus]

5/3/42

Well, KB seems to be retiring - again our lead elements end up 300 miles from each other. I'm not going to chase. While I think my ships were unspotted, chasing would expose them to both Jap LBA & potentially Baby KB. Not worth it over Kai Island IMO.

Elsewhere, a Jap AP sinks, subs & LBA beat up on more Japanese ships, fierce air battles over Burma & China. I don't have time for more of an update than that.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Definately dont persue ! .. got a replenishment group nearby so you can keep the CV's on station longer ? might help.

[ctangus]

Yea. I don't mind taking risks, but at this point it's a pointless & dangerous risk. I'm sure I'll have more chances for a CV battle on better terms when he comes towards Timor or Java.

I do have a replenishment TF but I decided to go back to Derby. I'll take on replacements and maybe give my crews a few days to scrape barnacles off their ships. I'll also upgrade Sara's VF squadron from F4F3s to F4F4s.

[ctangus]

5/4/42

I need to do a more comprehensive update, because there's a lot going on in areas other than the DEI, particularly in Burma & China.

DEI

The main news is that Dutch (& some Aussie) infantry repel a couple Japanese attacks:

Ground combat at Kai Island
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 31299 troops, 210 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 564
Defending force 11748 troops, 135 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 211
Japanese max assault: 976 - adjusted assault: 268
Allied max defense: 209 - adjusted defense: 271 That was close!
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese ground losses:
697 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

On the negative side, Kai Island is extremely low on supply & Darwin (I was flying in supplies from there) was plastered again by Japanese LBA.

Ground combat at Palembang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 53596 troops, 357 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 904
Defending force 12519 troops, 93 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 132
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5 [:(]
Japanese max assault: 822 - adjusted assault: 321
Allied max defense: 130 - adjusted defense: 991
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 5) [:)]
Japanese ground losses:
314 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Allied ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Allied ground losses:
220 casualties reported
Guns lost 35

All in all good news. 3 Jap divs, a brigade and supporting forces are involved in the above two assaults. Intel also reports that Admiral Patamoto is worried about the Japanese ability to fully secure the DEI. (My opponent's e-mail stated "I think I'm encountering big problems in the DEI. ")

I've just started to think that I might be able to hold onto Java permanently. I have 3+ Divs worth of troops there now and lots of supply & forts. To keep it, I'd probably have to send major reinforcements to the Timor area in order to keep an air-line of communication open.

Another possible plan is to not reinforce anymore at all, but try to keep major Jap LCUs in the DEI with the forces currently available. And then stage an early offensive somewhere in Cent Pac/So Pac/SW Pac.

The first idea seems safer to me. The second seems to offer more potential gain. I'd like to decide on a definitive course of action before the 1st USMC Div arrives (it's currently on trains that are 6 days away from San Francisco.) Thoughts/suggestions are welcome!

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: ctangus

I have 3+ Divs worth of troops there now and lots of supply & forts.

About how much supply are we talking here? Your opponent can use KB to block the approaches to Java indefinitely (although this would mean forfeiting any further Japanese offensive in the Pacific), and several divisions engaged in combat burn through supplies like nothing.

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

About how much supply are we talking here?

81K at Soerabaja. About 25K total at the other bases. 22K on its way from India.

ORIGINAL: VSWG
Your opponent can use KB to block the approaches to Java indefinitely (although this would mean forfeiting any further Japanese offensive in the Pacific)

I'd welcome that. He'd have to expose KB to LBA (and/or carrier-based) ambushes. Even if I didn't get lucky with that, it would forfeit further Jap offensives in the Pacific as you mention. And it would make it easier for me to get frisky there, too... [;)]

More in a bit if my other opponent doesn't get a turn back to me first.

[ctangus]

5/1 - 5/6/42

I'm going to try to do more of a comprehensive update.

Cent Pac/No Pac/West Coast

Quiet.

So Pac

Also mostly quiet, but I spotted the following on the 5th. Either they just got lost or Pat's headed towards Christmas Island - which is about the only target anywhere close to that destination. I've sortied a BB TF and a CL TF from Pearl.





Also, the 32nd USA Div is now mostly unloaded at Koumac, New Caledonia. That gives me almost 4 divs worth of troops on New Caledonia.

[ctangus]

SW Pac

Quiet, though SS Salmon, damaged a number of days ago, sank. [:(]

DEI

I've already recounted the most important action, but there was a bunch of action in the air, too.

Air raids against Kendari destroyed a number of the planes from Lexington's airgroup. Only a couple pilots have died, though and most of the group has successfully withdrawn to Koepang.

Multiple airraids against Batavia. Not much damage to either side.

Multiple airraids against Palembang. The AF remains closed. However, I've now held there for a month. Not only has that stopped the production of 27K resources & 126K oil, but also I've destroyed tons of Japanese shipping there.

I've only sunk 3 Jap transports since the beginning of the month but bombers based on Kai Island and Java have damaged at least 3 times as many. At least 2 more are sure to sink.

Darwin's been painful as daily airraids have destroyed tons of my planes, including many hard-to-replace P-40s & B-17s. Here's one raid:

05/02/42
Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 49
G3M Nell x 41
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 27
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 17 destroyed I mentioned a few days ago that I thought Jap quality was already declining. Maybe not! [;)]
C-47 Dakota: 2 destroyed
PB2Y Coronado: 1 destroyed
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 12

Just in the first 6 days of May I've lost 196 planes vs. 146 Japanese.

Burma

I've been doing better, here. Pat keeps beating his head against my CAP at Mandalay. The most recent example:

05/06/42
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Ki-49 Helen x 48 Only 2 made it through the CAP to drop their bombs
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 42
P-40E Warhawk x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 19 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb: 1 destroyed, 18 damaged 6:1 in my favor. Actually, one of the worst ratios over Mandalay in May. I had 10:1 one day.
P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged
Runway hits 1

South China

I lost several more P-40s in a protracted air battle over Nanchang. I've decided to withdraw from there.

I've decided against Operation Choo-Choo (to try to clear the rail line). 18 units are now in Hankow (an urban hex). However I brought reinforcements to the adjacent swamp hex and there's 9 units I should be able to retreat shortly. I bombarded on the 6th, will rest on the 7th to allow supplies to be brought forward, and attack on the 8th.

See pic:

[ctangus]

North China

I've now fully surrounded about 6 divs worth of troops at Yenan. I bombard them whenever I have sufficient supply. Here's the last. Comments in bold note changes from a month ago:

05/06/42
Ground combat at Yenen
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 45412 troops + 3800, 325 guns + 35, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1359 + 140
Defending force 112303 troops - 2600, 951 guns -160, 6 vehicles + 1, Assault Value = 2298 + 30???
Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

I have a corps about a week away. Once it arrives, I'll start deliberate attacks. It might take 3-4 months but I'd like to eliminate those Jap units.

To succeed at that, I think I need to rescue my 3 cut-off Corps at Chengting. Here was the last attack against them:

05/06/42
Ground combat at Chengting
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 43140 troops, 388 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 632
Defending force 20552 troops, 60 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 498
Japanese max assault: 501 - adjusted assault: 505
Allied max defense: 466 - adjusted defense: 167
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Allied ground losses:
357 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

I have a unit marching to clear a retreat path for them, but it's still 90 miles away:

[ctangus]

5/7 - 5/8/42

Mostly quiet. I'm starting to do some offensive planning.

So Pac/SW Pac

SS Stingray engages, but misses, a Jap AP 240 miles west of Truk.

I've also received Sigint that the 4th Division (last seen at Manila) is sailing to Truk. That would seem to indicate a further move by the Japanese in this theater soon. I frankly think that would be a mistake with Java still in my hands.

DEI

Two more japanese transports sink and several more are hit by bombs. My last minelayer in the area was sunk, but there are now over 10K mines defending the various ports of Java. O-19 & O-20 are continuing to work hard as well.

KB appears to have replenished at Balikpapan & is now headed west. Any closer and I might stage a nice LBA ambush. See pic.



Burma

B-17s in Calcutta are ordered to bomb Rangoon's airfields tomorrow.

South China

Shock attack ordered in the swamp hex near Hankow.

North China

The encircled Japanese at Yenan make a desparate bid to break out:

05/08/42
Ground combat at Yenen
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 110670 troops, 928 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 2295
Defending force 61109 troops, 341 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1364
Japanese max assault: 4060 - adjusted assault: 986
Allied max defense: 1432 - adjusted defense: 2847
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 9)
Japanese ground losses:
1322 casualties reported
Guns lost 72
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
1170 casualties reported
Guns lost 19

My reinforcements haven't arrived yet, but I'm trying a deliberate attack tomorrow just for kicks.

[ctangus]

Future Offensives

I've been giving a lot of thought over the last week or two of game time to future (late-'42) offensives. I'd like to get something started in late July or early August, like the real-life Operation Watchtower.

First here's operations I considered but discounted:

Midway - Useful as a sub base but Dutch Harbor is almost as good. It's an atoll. Recon reports 6 units & 15K men there currently. Nells are currently based there.

Canton Island - Useful to improve communications between Cent Pac & So Pac. However, it can be neutralized by heavies in Samoa (once those AFs build up more). It's also an atoll. Recon reports 10 units & 23K men. (In our last game I re-took Canton Island in Feb - Pat knows I consider it important.)

Gilberts, driving north from the Ellice Islands - I could move forward under LBA cover. I don't believe the two Japanese islands south of Tarawa are heavily garrisoned. They're also atolls, however, and are within escorted Betty range of Tarawa (size 5 AF).