War in the Pacific as the Japanese Planned It

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Harry that looks like a breakthrough with over-runs and encirclements achieved in various sectors. I would rationalize many of the destroyed squads as "captured", because the game doesn't display "captured" unless the whole unit surrenders.

To me it looks like a model with a large VC dimension. It can fit almost any historical battle perfectly, but if you shade an input parameter or change a random number draw by just a little, the outcome is very different. That--in essence--was my criticism of the early QJM model.

[herwin]

Changsha falls to the Japanese.

Marine paratroopers almost capture Lunga. Perhaps the next turn.

Japanese battleships sortie from Rabaul towards the eastern tip of New Guinea, carriers following. Hatches are battened down and operational PM aircraft are pulled out to Northern Australia. Heavy and medium bombers prepare for naval attacks and a hundred PBYs load torpedoes.

[herwin]

October 1/2 1942

The Japanese battle fleet encounters one of my subs in the Deboyne Islands and spends both the night and day attacking it.

Japanese light SAG off PM attracts attention. Nothing sunk. Pity I ran out of bombs.

No Japanese bombardment attacks on PM, so I have a chance to rebuild my air units there.

The Marines at Lunga fail to capture the position. Time to reinforce!

The Japanese use about 200 bombers to keep the 7th Armoured Brigade from entering Bassein.

[herwin]

October 2/3 1942

I moved my PBYs to Cooktown and armed them with torpedoes for a naval strike. Meanwhile, I started loading up a landing force for Lunga and sent the Allied forces north to operate between Kirakira and Ndeni.

Japanese landing force with the 9th Division is off Port Moresby. Night naval bombardment on PM hits the airbase and one of the brigades. The 32nd Division is not detected.

Japanese light SAG off Buka.

Continued bombing of the 7th Armoured Brigade on the outskirts of Bassein.

AKLs at Milne Bay attacked by PBYs. Several hits.

F4Fs based at Kirakira give Nells and Betties a hard time at Lunga.

The torpedo-armed PBYs at Cooktown remain quiet.

[herwin]

October 3/4 1942

I'm trying to cut my opponent's legs off at the knees in Burma. I've managed to insert a full army at the latitude of Prome and he's frantically trying to hold his supply lines open. Meanwhile I'm advancing on Shwebo from the north with another army.

I'm trying to steal Lunga from him and quickly build it up.

Meanwhile, he's about to land the 9th and 38th Divisions at Port Moresby from xAPs and xAKs, where I have a full division that he doesn't know about. I have about 100 PBYs loaded for bear (torpedoes) in the area. He's supporting the PM landing with most of the Combined Fleet, including all his carriers. There are also mines at PM.

So let's see what has happened this turn...

His battleships do a second night bombardment on PM. It sounds like something hit a mine... 358 CD guns reply. My division shows up. Little damage.

Here comes the landing!

Betties and Nells hit PM. That means Lunga is immune.

100 bombers hit the 7th Armoured Brigade in Burma.

Catalinas hit a Japanese convoy near Tulagi.

Heavy bombers hit the PM invasion convoy.

KB hits PM air base (evacuated).

OK, he has managed to reinforce Lunga. I guess I'll need my reserve USMC regiment.

I need to resupply PM, so I'll take my PBYs off torpedo duty.

[herwin]

October 4/5 1942

Now to see whether he emptied Tassafaronga to kick me out of Lunga. My PBYs are redirected to supply PM, and I continue my moves in Burma.

His comment: "A very ineffective strike by KB. My pilot quality is deteriorating." I'm interested in finding out what he means by that.

Bassein is occupied. The landing continues at PM. Heavy air attacks follow the 7th Armoured Brigade into Bassein. That does have the advantage of leaving the rest of Burma to my aircraft.

My army sitting in the Hankow suburbs continues under air attack.

The KB hits the Horn Islands where I have a light SAG lurking. Damage to one old cruiser. That TF was supposed to be further back.

Found some zeros on long range CAP over Lunga. Put them down.

He had Tassafaronga garrisoned. I need to do a beach landing.

[herwin]

Should be a quiet turn. I'm resupplying PM and trying a probe at Shwebo.

The usual bomber attacks on the 7th Armoured Brigade, now at Bassein.

His ships depart from PM. The KB air groups drop bombs on a bean field.

Some of my bomber pilots are approaching ace status.

The probe results in the disabling of a division. I need to maneuver some.

[herwin]

October 6/7 1942

I shifted my bombers in Burma to night air attacks on the primary Japanese base at Magwe.

Resupplying PM by PBY.

Preparing a naval landing at Lunga.

Let's see what happened:

KB remains off PM. Day-time landings.

Japanese deliberate attack at Buna. 1-2.

[herwin]

October 7/8 1942

Let's see what's happening at Buna, Burma, and PM. I have scheduled some landings around Tulagi. Let's see how Japan reacts.

He's landing a lot of troops at PM. He's also landing at Manus.

My night bombardments of Magwe take out four planes.

He seems focussed on Bassein and is ignoring the six divisions moving to Pegu and points north.

Japanese bombardment at PM has limited effect.

I capture Auki and land at Rennell Island. Let's see if that attracts his attention.

[herwin]

October 8/9 1942

Watching the same places: PM, Burma, and Buna. Landings around Tulagi. Moving some engineers in using one of my remaining APDs.

As soon as he clears PM, I'll fly in more supply. If his carriers head east, I'll order up some PBY torpedo attacks.

More landings at PM.

His heavy BBs hit my troops at Buna. I need to refresh the minefield there. Not much damage.

I bomb Magwe. Bassein keeps his attention. Fighter duels over Lunga and Tulagi. KB two hexes south of PM.

Japanese deliberate attack at PM. 1-2 odds.

[herwin]

October 9/10 1942

I organise two amphib TFs, each with two APs and two AKs to deliver pairs of CB battalions to Rennell Island and Auki. I send the carriers out to augment the air cover provided by Kirakira.

In Burma, my troops keep moving. With luck I'll have his glands cut off before he realises I'm infiltrating his position.

I shift my PBYs to move supply directly into PM.

Let's see what happened.

Swirling air battles over Lunga. Since Lunga is not currently a target and it's my F4F4 sweeps against his Zeros, that's fine.

His ships are clearing out of the Coral Sea, so I can run some AKLs into PM.

I conduct some disorganised sweeps of Magwe. The 22nd Brigade occupies Toungoo, while the III Indian Corps crosses the Irrawaddy east of Prome.

Japanese deliberate attack at Shwebo (2-1) is a draw.

Japanese capture Salamaua.

Plans for next turn--resupply PM, continue operations around Tulagi, send the 22nd Brigade to Pegu and the III Indian Corps to Rangoon.

[herwin]

October 10/11 1942

He didn't realise I was cutting him off in Burma until he felt the blade. There will be a bit of thrashing around now.

Otherwise as noted on the previous turn. Let's see what happened. My big concern about Tulagi is that the KB will divert to interfere. I now have some shipping headed to PM.

No night bombing in Burma. Sweeps are uncoordinated. Japanese bombers intervene in the south. My heavy bombers hit Magwe at high altitude.

Japanese APDs at PM. I guess I need to load torpedoes on my PBYs.

Japanese deliberate attack at Buna repulsed. Shock attack at Siangtan hits fortifications. Japan captures Changteh. Recaptures Bassein.

A peek at the next day shows the KB headed to Rabaul.

[herwin]

How do I supply the operations in Burma?

1. I develop *every* available base and dot base.

2. I'm using Ramree Island and Akyab to stage in supply via TFs.

[herwin]

October 11/12 1942

My opponent messaged me: "Aircover failed me at PM"

Since I was flying my PBY torpedo strike at 4000 feet to come in below his CAP, I suspect I know why. Let's find out.

Yes, he left a TF in the harbor... Sunk now.

He caught one of my sneaker TFs approaching PM.

Lots of bombers hit Toungoo.

IV Corps pushed out of Shwebo. Reinforcements coming, though.

Deliberate attack at PM. 1-2 odds.

Landing at Saumlaki.

Plans--SAG to visit Saumlaki, resupply PM, watch for the KB at Tulagi. Wait for reinforcements in N. Burma. Advance to Pegu and Rangoon in S. Burma.

[herwin]

October 12/13 1942

This could be an unpleasant turn.

Looks like the AMC Kongo Maru is on its side out in the PM harbor.

Bombers galour at Toungoo. Meanwhile my other units advance undisturbed.

I seem to be getting some heavy bomber aces.

[bigred]

Hi Harry..  How much extra supply do u think is needed at akyab/cox/ramree to sustain your offensive?

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: bigred

Hi Harry..  How much extra supply do u think is needed at akyab/cox/ramree to sustain your offensive?

I'm currently running two APDs and 11500 tons of AKLs into Ramree. I'm using amphibious TFs for the AKLs.

[herwin]

October 13/14 1942

I'm trying some time-critical things in Burma, resupplying PM, and pulling back from Auki and the Russell Islands until the KB goes back to sleep.

He's snooping Kirakira with Betties and bombing my troops at Buna heavily.

I slip a lot of bombers into Shwebo.

The KB hits Kirakira, sinking two yard minesweepers.

Bombardment at PM and Shwebo. That's nice.

Deliberate attack at Davao takes the ruins.

I'll wait out the KB at Kirakira and then continue my landings.

Since he knows my carriers are present, I have them go to Nadi.

[herwin]

October 14/15 1942

Kongo Maru serves as a target.

My division is ejected from Buna.

[herwin]

October 15/16 1942

The Japanese capture PM and force the Allied forces back towards Terapo.

The Japanese capture Siangtan.

The Japanese force the IV Corps back from Shwebo.