October 31st 1943
More subs in the Celebes Sea etc., scored some minor hits, lost an Aden class xAK delivering supply to Davao.
An ACM fleeing Wake is sunk by the Allied carriers.
Allies try to clear mines at Rabaul. Does not go too well.
TF 437 encounters mine field at Rabaul (106,125) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
57 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
YMS-113, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
YMS-120
YMS-119, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
YMS-99, Shell hits 2, on fire
YMS-97, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
YMS-95, Shell hits 1, on fire
YMS-94, Shell hits 1, on fire
YMS-86, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
YMS-85
Sinking sounds suggest may have sunk one of them. However, 54 mines are lost.
Try a night strike with Nells against the packed Soerabaja port, 2 lost to flak, no hits scored.
Allied land at Wake, Tokyo Rose gets it right for once:
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Allied Ships
CA Vincennes, Shell hits 7
CA Quincy, Shell hits 1
CA Astoria
CA Indianapolis
APA Doyen
DE Lawrence
Japanese ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 36 (3 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
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TF 430 troops unloading over beach at Wake Island, 136,98
Allied ground losses:
1060 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 189 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 90 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 50 (1 destroyed, 49 disabled)
Vehicles lost 40 (1 destroyed, 39 disabled)
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Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 9415 troops, 206 guns, 123 vehicles, Assault Value = 274
Defending force 4995 troops, 53 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 132
Allied adjusted assault: 5
Japanese adjusted defense: 76
Allied assault odds: 1 to 15 (fort level 4)
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
272 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1357 casualties reported
Squads: 114 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 42 (18 destroyed, 24 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Div /7
Defending units:
113th Infantry Regiment
Wake Coastal Gun Battalion
85th JAAF AF Bn
The infantry regiment is still in good nick, supply is still okay, but the CD unit is largely disabled. I think MrKane will be doing more bombardments before future Atoll invasions.
The Ki-51b Sonia is available. Adds armour to the Ki-51 but is still ropey.
Winter arrives so I think the Kuriles should be safe from attack for another 4 months and during that time I get a couple of dozen brigades as reinforcements, most will be needed in the Philippines/Bonins but some can be sent there.