At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: desicat

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

State Farm sends me this email:

Mr. Mandrake;

Are you at risk for a tip-over accident?

How the Hell did they know? [:D]

You had better check the troop compliments assigned at Guam, you don't want to overload the island.

It might tip over![;)]

[Cap Mandrake]

Without even looking at that I am pretty sure it is from the Geology Oversight Committee of Congress. If I were the witness I don't think I would have been able to suppress the giggling. Your tax dollars at work.

[Cap Mandrake]

Another thing occurs to me. JJ would not have been able to recon Melbourne before with proper recon aircraft. I suspect they may be surprised by 4 US regiments. What if we get a regiment into Hobart and build it up for heavies and an ammo resupply port for our
"useless" prewar BB's?

Of course, there is a whole other IJA army HQ prepped for Melbourne. Maybe there is a second wave or they are going to come overland?

We shall have to appeal to the League of Nations to get all the poor civilians out of Melbourne and Sydney.

[Cap Mandrake]

Tomorrow is another day.[:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

***********March 17, 1942(e)************

Succinctly? We get our booties kicked.

[Cap Mandrake]

****************Bridge of RNN Piet Hein, 00:20, March 17, 20 miles S of Melbourne************

Cdr. Heidkamp: <over loudspeaker> Humm...<cough> Mu...mu..Men of the Royal Nu--nu--Netherlands Navy. Queen Bu...bu...
Beatrice expects every man to du...du....du...du...do his du...du...duty. <turns off mic and turns to XO> How was that?

XO: Splendid sir, but I think you might want to examine the situation off our port quarter.......

[Cap Mandrake]

Night Time Surface Combat, near Geelong at 81,170, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Maya
CA Chokai, Shell hits 1
CL Yubari
DD Suzukaze
DD Hatsushima
DD Inazuma
DD Shinonome
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 7, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

A chance at glory...missed.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Flinders Island at 83,174, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu
CV Shokaku
CV Zuikaku
CV Akagi
CVL Shoho
CS Chitose
CS Chiyoda
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
DD Yugumo
DD Oyashio
DD Arashio
DD Kasumi
DD Harukaze
DD Yunagi

Allied Ships
PC Wilcannia

[Cap Mandrake]

This might have actually worked if they had arrived during the night with 0% moonlight. Look at all those ships....drool.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Geelong at 81,170, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVE Hosho
CVE Taiyo
CL Natori
DD Uzuki
DD Mikazuki
DD Yugao
DD Tsuta
DD Yomogi
DMS W-11
AK Sagami Maru
AK Sakito Maru
AK Sakura Maru
AK Sasako Maru
AK Kaga Maru
AMC Kinryu Maru
AK Tosan Maru
xAK Ayatosan Maru
xAK Kashii Maru
xAK Aobasan Maru
xAK Asakasan Maru
xAK Kinugawa Maru
xAK Tamagawa Maru
xAK Yamazato Maru
xAK Yodogawa Maru
xAK Nitti Maru
xAK Nitisan Maru
xAK Mikage Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
xAP Asama Maru
xAP Tatsuta Maru
xAP Argentina Maru
xAP Hikawa Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hakozaki Maru
xAP Huzi Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Yoshino Maru
xAP Kanzyu Maru
xAP Montevideo Maru
xAP Koan Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Huso Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Kachidoki Maru

Allied Ships
PT-21
PT-27
PT-28
PT-59, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-60
PT-61, Shell hits 1

[BBfanboy]

Embedding CVEs with slow-moving transports is bad joss![:-]
Show them!

[Cap Mandrake]

12th Lorried Machine Gun Regt (- Lorries) is just trying to drag its sorry ass back to Adelaide and half the Japan-mens bombers attack.



Morning Air attack on 12th LH Cav Regiment, at 88,166 (Katoomba)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 26
G4M1 Betty x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
195 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (7 destroyed, 3 disabled)

"YOU MEN! LINE UP SMARTLY SO 12TH LHMG REGIMENT LOOKS GOOD WHILE UNDER ATTACK!"

Morning Air attack on 12th LH Cav Regiment, at 88,166 (Katoomba)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 33

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
106 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

[Cap Mandrake]

6th Brigade gets roughed up. You can pretty much guess what is going to happen.

Morning Air attack on 6th Australian Brigade, at 81,170 (Geelong)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 12
A6M2 Zero x 4
B5N1 Kate x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Armidale. I think the strategy is for the Japs with the funny pants to "lay a carpet of airborne troops for XXX Corps"

These lads are properly hunkered down and still get squashed.

Morning Air attack on 2/4th Ind Coy , at 92,163 (Armidale)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 23
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 6 damaged

Allied ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Tasmania: LOOK OUT! HERE COME THE TASMANIACS!

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Launceston at 82,176

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 24 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Yura

DIE! YOU LITTLE YELLOW BASTARDS!

Afternoon Air attack on 144th Infantry Regiment, at 82,176 (Launceston)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 6

No Allied losses

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

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Wirraway bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 100 lb GP Bomb
6 Medium Mail Bags (Second Class) (Second Class)

[Cap Mandrake]

TWO regiments ashore in Tasmania. Uggh.

Ground combat at Launceston (82,176)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7602 troops, 66 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 237

Defending force 1309 troops, 6 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 41

Japanese adjusted assault: 194

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Launceston !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
125 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
727 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
146th Infantry Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
41st JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
22nd LH MG Regiment
Launceston RAAF Base Force

[Cap Mandrake]

Geelong (the main event): Look at all these damn torpedo bombers

Afternoon Air attack on 6th Australian Brigade, at 81,170 (Geelong)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 3
A6M2 Zero x 48
B5N1 Kate x 9
B5N2 Kate x 99

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged

Allied ground losses:
145 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 11000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

I think the idiots of 7th Brigade drove through the battle area in march mode. Damnit! You would think the AI would plot unoccupied hexes if a choice existed. What a waste.

Ground combat at Geelong (81,170)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 41165 troops, 386 guns, 270 vehicles, Assault Value = 1433

Defending force 5953 troops, 91 guns, 72 vehicles, Assault Value = 164

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1954

Allied adjusted defense: 19

Japanese assault odds: 102 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Geelong !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
166 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2968 casualties reported
Squads: 130 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 104 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 27 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 55 (47 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 49 (47 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
19th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th Division
16th Division
8th Tank Regiment
18th Division
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
23rd JAAF AF Bn
36th JAAF AF Bn
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
16th Army
12th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
6th Australian Brigade
7th Australian Brigade

[Cap Mandrake]

Damn that is annoying.

[Cap Mandrake]

Koumac: Another DD falls to the minefield at Koumac.

TF 389 encounters mine field at Koumac (113,156)

Allied Ships
DD Brooks, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

USS Concord, coming in from the East, stumbles into the retreating Jap BB's that bombarded Tanna

Night Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,156, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
DD Ayanami
DD Amagiri
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi

Allied Ships
CL Concord, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1

Nevada bombards Koumac. Not as effective. Maybe the Zeroes are mostly evacuated?

Naval bombardment of Koumac at 113,156

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Nevada
DD Crane
DD Dent

Japanese ground losses:
280 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 10
Port hits 3

BB Nevada firing at 33rd/C Division
DD Crane firing at 33rd/A Division
DD Dent firing at Koumac

[Cap Mandrake]

La Foa: 4th IJA Div is not going to be worth very much pretty soon. Neither is 33rd Div.

Afternoon Air attack on 4th/C Division, at 114,159 (La Foa)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 20
LB-30 Liberator x 3
P-40B Warhawk x 5
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[desicat]

When King George VI finds out that Southern Australia and Tasmania (of all places) have been invaded he is going to have strong words for the Lord Admiral (or maybe even make another Kings Speech).

Where is repeat where is (the British equivalent of) Task Force 34? The world wonders....