RHS TEST 6A: RAO V OSO (back in play)

[el cid again]

The day (night actually) began with two IJN counter mine operations - reminding me that his minelaying is a constant irritant - and glad I am they are combat ineffective. At Taan a MS group cleared out a field - in one or two days. At Kuching a new one was detected by landing ships. Neither hit anything - as usual. [If someone figures out how - hmmm - maybe I just did - maybe we can fix this WITHOUT Matrix - well the effect of the mines anyway - they will still sweep to easy, be too hard to reload, and not be laid by most planes in most years]

A small ASW group engaged and hit Dutch KXV at Sarawak - it may have laid the mines we just found. More troops landed. Day air strikes managed to hit Hosho - the second and last CVE in the San Butai - the other one is laid up at Saigon from a similar bomb hit a week ago. But this force achieved its mission goal: Kuching fell to the combined assault today - and they managed to discourage enemy surface raiders and gave bombers targets other than transports. We are moving some of the 7 land units to Brunei - and 2 others are persuing the Sarawak Force into the Jungle - toward Sankawang - which we might take by land (except I am not likely to wait that long). 4th Mixed Regiment and a mortar unit are assigned that task.

Nagato and Mutsu hit Rabaul. So did bombers from part of KB. It was too much - and it fell - at last. So the day in this area was spend moving things to new positions - and the campaign for Port Moresby will begin in earnest (we have taken preliminary positions near it).

A tiny bombardment of Pakhoi (S China) went in. So did small air attacks. But the position did not yield to ground attack - it will after a few days with few supplies. There is one weak field army and one very weak guerilla regiment there. Another weak field army is at a nearby town - connected by trail few if any supplies will move - since most or all will go to the immediately present field army. Since Pakhoi has such a trail - the units there will eventually retreat - and we will have to wipe them out on the coast - right next to Hainan Island. But that is easier than wiping them out at Pakhoi - I think.

Nells out of Cagayan managed to put two torpedoes into a transport in port at Cebu - 3 P-40s opposed without effect. I noticed aircraft at Davao - seems odd (is there air support there? Is there supply there?) - so the Cagayan air units will hit it tomorrow. We also divided the infantry brigade and headed out from Cagayan to clean up the Philippine Army units on the island - and capture supply source hexes. We should have done this before. I was not able to see anything at Davao - I thought it was abandoned. Guess not.

Betty's out of Truk hit PM - without effect - and without opposition. Not sure why - Ansons are attacking out of there.

A deliberate attack reveals Kuala Lumpur is very weak - it took big losses - and is likely to fall to the next attack - in a day or two - which will be by a still stronger force. [When they lose ten times as many men the position will fall soon] A similar attack by a reinforced 5th Division at the bottom of the central Rail line of Malaya failed - badly - and we are sending HQ and artillery support there - to engage in two days with better air support. We moved up Ki-51s to Kuantan to help. THIS seems to be the point where he is making a stand - two hexes from Singapore - everyone fell back there and rebuilt morale and supplies.

Allied air strikes at uncovered ships at Manado badly damaged two ships - I scuttled one - but the CSNLF was entirely ashore - and only supplies were lost. I worried about inbound ships and rerouted them back to Jolo - and sent the rest away. We will airlift in ground support and turn it into an airbase - and THEN send in more supplies and garrison - and pull the CSNLF out.

65th Brigade needs one more day to get to unite at San Fernando. It will move for Linguyan after that. An advance party of an SNLF and support units of several kinds jumped off today - to stop supplies being generated there - and maybe entice him to attack - taking losses. We sent in air strikes to Bataan - which seems to have become an airbase for some reason. And we are sending still more supplies by air and sea to the Philippines - and support units - and transferring in air units. In about two or three days we will hit both Linguyan and Clark in earnest.
Naga is holding us up. Air units at Legaspi are sub hunting - and transports are hiding in port - offloading slowly.

In China we are engaging one of the isolated field armies near Shanghai - supported by massive air strikes out of Shanghai. We are trying to make the central Wuhan position stronger logistically - removing units and sending in ships - it needs a better rail LOC - which we are working on. In the North we are moving to engage guerillas and build strong logistical positions for a campaign to clear the N-S LOC. We have not yet cought up with running guerillas in wilderness - and we are not strong enough to engage major forces on the last two LOC hexes - yet.

In Thailand we took another town in the central area. The RTAF is still repairing up - and yet another element appeared today (we only get one per day due to limited Hawks in the pool).

[el cid again]

The night phase began with a minefield attack on ships unloading at Kota Bahru - and it was unsuccessful. Dutch submarine KXIV attacked at Miri - also unsuccessfully. A heavy task force bombarded Brunei - and Suzukazi got badly hurt by two hits. A medium TF also bombarded Brunei - but the guns must have been out of ready ammunition - or they failed to detect - or they were out of action - for no shots were fired at the second bombardment. Another mine attack occurred vs a MSW TF at Cam Rahn Bay - which cleared it in one 12 hour phase - night phase at that - which any Mine Warfare School graduate will tell you is nonsense in all eras. Later in the day a Japanese ASW TF at Miri scored 2 hits on KXIV.

An air attack and recon of Davao revealed 3 recon planes stationed there - presumably PBYs - and 3 ships in port - 2 reported as AP and AK - and only about 3000 men in the weak defense. The third ship is likely an AV or AVD - since there is no air support unit.

15 Zeros took on 2 P-40s over Manila - but nobody was even damaged. 58 Ki-27s led 16 Ki-51 dive bombers over Olongapo/Bataan - and found the nominal air base without aircraft - but 3 fighters and 2 bombers were destroyed by relatively heavy FLAK. 69 Zeros led 19 Nells on a follow up raid - losing 4 fighters and 3 bombers. Airfield damage was 32 hits in the first raid and 15 in the second - the dive bombers being more accurate than the horizontal bombers.

6 Betty's hit Port Moresby, causing 2 runway hits. This area is about to heat up. Only a day after Rabaul fell, half the KB is approaching from the East and the Thursday Island Force is approaching from the West (North - down the backside of New Guinea - having dallied for a while picking up airborne at Timika). The SNLF goes ashore tomorrow. If he reacts, reaction forces may encounter heavy carrier air - and PM may be up for air strikes (IF we can find any bombers in this command with good morale). There are a pair of transports at PM - and a DD and DM at Thursday island. Half a dozen IJN subs are in the area. Minor TFs strung all the way back to Truk have started the stream of units for Kappa Kappa and Port Moresby - units landed at Buna will be replaced by embarking Nanyo Detachment there - and it will become the main PM assault unit. This is the first time I have hit Thursday before Port Moresby in this test series - and it is two or three days behind plan (because I forgot the TF at Timika for a while). He either never detected the raiders - or was unable to react to the detection - or we are walking into a trap. The presence of half of KB and a heavy surface force was not planned - but it is great insurance.

Most Allied anti naval air strikes were small and ineffective - but one hit was scored and one B-10 was lost. A single Japanese anti naval air strike at Rangoon scored two hits on river craft. PBYs and Dornier flying boats did a strange attack in Malaya - vs a ground AA unit - and suffered 1 lost and 1 damaged. This vs a weak Machine Cannon unit unable to fire at high altitude targets.

Japanese ground attacks - supported by air strikes - on Luzon at Clark and Naga were ineffective - and in both cases the IJA is withdrawing ALL units from the field (hex). I don't like slogging it out with poor units - so they will rebuild - and the Northern Group will change tacks and try coming down the coast - where there is little opposition. Most of the Philippine Army and USAFFE seems to be at Clark.

A ground attack at Kuala Lumpur failed - but achieved a good loss ratio - indicating tired opposition. The other front spent the day bringing up more troops and supplies - and will have a go tomorrow - only two hexes from Singapore.

[el cid again]

26 Dec 1941

A Japanese AP at Kuching hit a mine - pesky things.

An Allied AK at Banka got torpedoed by I-157. The escort failed to detect the submarine. A second attack by I-157 later in the day missed a second AK.

The Thursday Island Raiders landed - and ultimately took the place - supported by a force of 2 CVLs and one CS - but both transports were badly damaged by coast defense guns. The force will retire toward PM - and elements of KB and a heavy SAG are inbound from Rabaul. It appears PM can fall early too - if we can find a way to assemble ships enough to lift the Nanyo Detachment (scattered from Buna to Rabaul).
The Gulf of Carpenteria is the direct route from the Aussie East Coast to points north - and it must now be avoided by Allied transports and tankers - imposing inefficiency on cargo lifting of all kinds. Which is the main reason to be here. If we get the forces we also will move on to occupy Darwin and bases in the North - to prevent their early use as bomber bases - and to fight over stuff we don't need (as opposed to stuff we do need). I love to fight battles I don't need to win that mean he cannot fight where it matters.


A tiny strike of 5 Ki-48s hit Rangoon - scoring 6 runway hits - and revealing surprisingly little opposition - no planes - little AA.


Buffalos and Whiraways hit the central Malaya drive - picked on a light AA unit - suffered 4 destroyed and did no damage. Blenheims - escorted by Buffalos - repeated the process - 2 lost - 4 damaged - but the Buffalos shot down 2 Claudes on long range CAP duty. No damage on the ground was scored. This anti-ground stuff didn't work out today for the Allies. I like the impact of sending AA units in the advance force.

Six Allied anti-naval strikes were combat ineffective. One at Kuching scored one hit on an AK, but two B-10s were lost to fighter cover (flying long distance out of Miri). A Japanese air strike on Davao scored 1 Port Hit - but failed to hit (or find) ships reported there. Nells out of Sinkawang put four bombs into PG Scorpion (the base is too small to permit torpedo loading).

A tiny sweep of Manila by 5 Zeros found 2 fighters - and everybody went home OK on both sides. Strange action.

Udan Thani was occupied by Thai 2nd Division troops.

[el cid again]

27 December 1941

The turn began with an univentful, unopposed Japanese landing at Jesselton, British North Borneo. It will be attacked and annexed tomorrow.

Japanese submarine Ro-33 torpedoed an AK with a Japanese sounding name - Sarangami.

23 B-17s of two marks attacked the air base at Kuching. In a somewhat dramatic air action only one was shot down (for two Zeros - we used to say in UV days ' the best fighter is a B-17 ' ) - and 2 Nells and 1 Ki-46 were destroyed on the ground. 11 Zeros were on CAP and there are AA units present - but they did no good - only the fighters hurt the enemy - 1 was also damaged by fighter fire.

13 Allied bombers attacked the 3rd Tank Brigade in Malaya - the only tank Brigade in the SRA (in the game or IRL) - but one was shot down and 2 were damaged for no effect on the target. This is partly because of a flaw in this particular file: half the tanks are missing and in their place are AA guns. Even so - there is area AA in the hex - and organic AA in the brigade - so it is not entirely a function of this problem (which was corrected 5 or 6 updates ago - detected in test game 6B with OSO).

Two of four air strikes on units at Kuala Lumpur were ineffective - the other two caused slight casualties. The ground attack failed to take the place - in spite of opposition by very little except the static units. This is the old, gigantic supply sink KL location. We will hang out for a while and reduce it. We are three hexes South of KL on the other front - and most effort is diverting there - where there are three air bases and some sort of bastion at the base of Malaya. Exept for one tiny air station base force - everything mobile is in that pocket - the tiny base force is at KL - possibly to permit recon flights from the place. We are still badly strung out along the Malaya penninsula and need a couple of days to get maximum power at the tip of the spear. KL needs a little time to supply deplete too - so we won't attack again right away. I just wanted to attack as a test that it would not fall to a reinforced division attack on the first knock (as it does NOW - with the smaller sink - see test 9 with Historiker). The KL ground attack cost only 3 Japanese casualties - inflicted 262 on the Allies - very unusual for 0 to 1 odds - and indicating the units are large but very weak.

Two small Allied anti naval air strikes were combat ineffective. A still smaller one - with only 2 Ansons - put a bomb in Patrol Boat No 31 (an APD). A larger JAAF anti naval strike with 11 Sally's put 5 bombs into the Commonwealth Mandalay Dhou Group (I love the names of minor RHS units). This is a composite unit of a couple of dozen traditional native cargo craft operating together. In the afternoon the Ki-48s returned and put 13 more bombs in the (now slower) dhou group. Then a small unit of RTAF added insult to injury - scoring 9 more hits. It will probably burn out or flood out.

A recon Betty looking at Davao was damaged by 6 P-40s - which engaged her there. He has NOT abandoned the PI entirely. Maybe they are en route to NEI???

Here is a very strange one: 25 Ki-27 Nates - sweeping Manila - ran into a SINGLE P-40B (the earliest mark we have) - no less than 3 were shot down and the P-40 retired undamaged. He repeated the performance in the afternoon - taking on 24 Nates - fighting them to a standstill - and retired - again undamaged. Somebody should give that guy the air medal.

3 Claudes led 39 Vals and 30 Kates into Port Moresby - doing 42 hits of damage - with one Val lost to AA fire - no air opposition. The carrier forces (two of them) are meeting here - covering the retiring Thursday Island raiders - whose existence must now be known (since Thursday Island and Horn Island fell yesterday).

Three afternoon Allied anti naval strikes were combat ineffective. One more by 6 Buffalos of two different kinds put a bomb into Kamakaze Maru. The AK did pretty good - killing a plane with its single AA gun. A fifth attack by only 2 B-10S was frustrating because - in spite of 9 Zeros flying CAP - it hit ML Kamome, starting a fire, causing heavy damage - and neither bomber was even damaged. The attack was at 6000 feet - game default altitude for bombers - no resort to skip bombing - it was just a good raid. Then came a daring raid by 3 Nells escorted by 6 Zeros into Singapore - they were hunting HMS Scorpion - a damaged gunboat. In spite of massive fighter opposition they got through - becaue this was a low level torpedo attack - and they seem to have scared the target into sinking itself: it sank graphically before any hits were scored. That means the code just figured out "this ship already has fatal damage" Carriers SW of PM found an escorted AK fleeing the area - and sank them both - of course.

The attack at the bottom of Malaya pitted 31 000 Japanese vs 14 000 Allies - and 706 guns vs 298 - and 858 vehicles vs 141 - because this is the only motorized Class A division there is - but 0 to 1 odds were all we got (I don't like this land combat system). 653 casualties demoralized 5th Division and 3rd Tank Brigade - inflicting only 39 on the Allies. We need more troops and lots of air support here.

An attack on a Chinese guerilla regiment achieved 19 to 1 odds - but only inflicted 40 casualties.

A ground attack at Pakhoi south China pitted 11 000 Japanese vs 4 000 ROC - but the fortified position worked for them - and the attack failed. We will keep pounding with air power and keep sending in more small units - coming down the road. Being in the town means they have no supply source - so the outcome is foreordained.

Vientianne Laos fell to a regimental task force of a Royal Thai division. It was not defended.

[el cid again]

28 December 1941

General comment: OSO did a Sir Robin in Malaya - resulting in our fighting at the base of the penninsula - and all of his three hexes down there are turning black (lack of supply). He did NOT do this on Luzon - and is holding very well - although he didn't fight for the high ground (we hold it now) and is under strength in Linguyan - so we may break his line (we will see).

Three IJN DD attacked Dutch sub KXV at Brunei - and hit it twice. Looks like DD get better as experience goes up. This was too easy and implausible IMHO.

We finally cleared the minefield at Saigon today. We continue to clear mines at Bangkok, but didn't get them all. We sent a dozen damaged ships from there to Nagasaki for repairs - including a small carrier.

Ancient cruisers and gunboats on the Yangtze inflicted 250 casualties at the one hex of Wuhan which remains contested.

Nagato Task Group bombarded PM - which has no planes - and which is showing 33 per cent damaged infrastructure. This group - and both carrier groups - with retire toward Rabaul. A transport stream is starting to bring in 144th RCT (Nanyo Detachment) and a tank regiment - which will invade shortly. We feel too successful too soon - and need bases and CD units in this area badly. Rabaul is still too damaged to fly planes - although that changes tomorrow. The carriers bombed PM again - as did land based bombers out of Truk.

Three transport TF landed troops at Brunei. One of these encountered a minefield and an AK was hit. The troops that did manage to land took the place. We are consolodating basses all along the top of New Guinea just now - and sending supplies to them. We need to figure out what to do next? We will jump off from here - using Brunei as a fuel point.

27 Nates went back to Manila again on a sweep - and killed the P-40 which had tormented them so yesterday. Now he is dead - something that matters to Japan - we will honor him as a true samorai - and probably award him the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthimum.

15 Allied bombers and 3 flying boats (recon??) attacked the First Machine Cannon battalion - and no less than 4 were destroyed - and 4 more damaged - for 20 casualties inflicted. I will glady accept that exchange rate. This is in Malaya where we are only two hexes from Singapore - because he let us come - we could barely march fast enough and are still gathering strength in this area.

After massive air bombardment we attacked ROC 25th Field Army near Shanghai. It is isolated and it lost the fight - but it did not retreat - and I consider its casualty rate too low for the effort expended. At this rate it will take months to reduce to zero. But in this game system, a few days of pressure will break it - without supplies. It may be sucking from a nearby field army - equally isolated. [44 Japanese were lost to get 79 Chinese]

Six small Allied anti naval strikes failed. A Japanese anti-naval strike hit 2 river AKs in Malayian waters, sinking both. Another Japanese strike damaged a barge group - also near Malaya.

A ground attack on Guam failed miserably. We waited too long - and the defense unit there rebuilt too high. Guam is really defended by a composite unit which includes a supply sink, a naval ground base element, a marine detachment, and a militia formation. It is not strong - but because of squad count - it takes a lot of engagement to break. We bomb every day out of Saipan - just on principle. It helps.

An engineer unit captured undefended Jesselton - and will now start to build fortifications there.

ROC attacked at Wuhan - and lost 331 men and 9 guns (vs 68 Japanese casualties and no guns lost). It was unexplainable - he is outnumbered and outgunned - so why attack?

Tavoy fell when the First Airborne Brigade air assaulted. A small air base force was lost in this effort.

[el cid again]

29 December 1941

The turn began with more landings at Brunei - and an AK hit a mine at Miri - almost sinking itself. DD Mirakaze also hit a mine at Brunei - he loves mines. Later in the day Brunei was assaulted and it fell. Aircraft moved in - and air support is transferring over from Miri - by ship. Just in time - we see a surface action group running from the Philippines - so we also set planes at Legaspi and Cayagan to naval attack (vice sub hunting). Brunei and Kuching complete the coverage - and we sent in flying boats to Cayagan as well. We might get some recon coverage from Palau - where we turned off most of the air transport bridge (low morale anyway) to Manado. Convoys begin arriving there today - so air supply is not required - and we sent in the first fighter unit to the repairing up airfield there.

DM Hatsutaka ran into a squadron of ASW boats at Banka - they didn't quite fight but thought about it for a couple of rounds - and it laid its mineload. One of the OJR vessels hit a mine a few hours later. Several air strikes tried to get her - but Hatsutaka escaped unharmed (so far).

15 Zeros led 17 Nells into Singapore - something prevented the more massive attack ordered (supplies?) - encountering 24 Buffalos. 1 Nell was lost and so were 5 Buffalos. A total of 9 hits were scored.'

Ki-48s scored 9 hits on two barge groups in separate attacks at Bassein and Prom. These were different attacks by the same (now experienced) unit operating out of Thailand - at Pisanoluke (however it is spelled).

2 Ki-27s were lost in three attacks on ROC positions. Modest casualties were inflicted. Most Allied bombardment attacks there failed to do damage. A general attack on an isolated field army cost it 134 casualties - and us 54 - in spite of immense odds. It cannot retreat and it is hard to kill - until it gets demoralized.

I-156 was hit twice in an ASW attack at Banuwangi, Java.

A general attack at Linguyan failed, in spite of air support. I failed to provide heavy battleship support. Meanwhile some pesky unit went to Baguio City - so we will try to eat it - otherwise eject it - tomorrow. We lost 776 men to 62.

Ye Burma fell to airborne assault. We will reinforce it by air bridge with more of the brigade. The element at Tavoy is walking up. In about two days major forces start arriving out of the Jungle at Tavoy. We cancelled one of three units walking to Moulmein via the jungle - we will fly in instead. Two other units will walk out up there in a couple of weeks.

In Malaya 3 bombers were lost and 6 damaged when the Allies attacked the Imperial Guards Division at KL. They achieved nothing - fine by me. We will try a dual attack tomorrow - premature in center but he looks weak and we look strong.

[el cid again]

30 December 1941

Poly reported a ground unit appearing at New Orleans - units in this column (also including Salt Lake) do not behave properly - so it will be changed to Colon Panama. Investigation revealed all independent regiments could benefit from name enhancements, and many from better date and/or location of arrival data - and getting rid of blank lines between devices.

The night turn began with many DD at Kwajaleing trying to hunt old S-35 - and they all failed. That was the only night event - the shortest night turn I ever saw.

The day turn began with 6 bombers - apparently out of Singapore - hitting IJA 5th Division. Opposed by 3 Claude CAP - they all penetrated - but inflicted only 5 casualties and 1 gun lost. Next came 3 JAAF attacks on Chinese field armies - 1 ineffective - 1 causing just 7 casualties - one 40 casualties plus 1 gun lost from 25th. Then there were four attacks on Philippine Divisions and one on the Guam Insular Force - all with small or moderate impact.

Next 7 Nells escorted by 6 Zeros put a bomb into a tanker at sea (a bomb because the bases on Borneo are too small to handle torpedoes - something I did at the suggestion of Andrew Brown). Then 3 Hudsons put a bomb into CL Isuzu at Kuching - in spite of 6 Zeros on CAP. Two more Hudsons put a bomb into DE Fuyo at sea NE of there - these planes are getting way too good. These from 6000 feet - no cheating with skip bombing - just good hitting. Next 4 B-10s - escorted by 3 Dutch Buffalos - were not so lucky: attacking DM Hatsutaka at Kuching they lost a fighter to the CAP and scored no hits. 2 Claudes out of Legaspi straffed a PT boat near Massin - but missed it. 10 more returned later - and found 2 PT units - but missed both. [Claudes have - in CVO family - 3 .30 cal MG - and are not good strafers]

Next came a surprisingly effective series of strikes on barges: 16 Ki-48s hit 16 times in North China, 20 Ki-48s hit 16 times near Hinzada, and 15 Ki-48s hit 13 times at Prome. Meanwhile 6 Ki-48s out of Brunei hit a DMS twice - near Muntok on Banka Island.

Next came a ground assault at KL - 1:1 was achieved - over 300 casualties inflicted - and no units were disrupted. We can continue to put pressure on this place until it crumbles. I added more bombers to the pile today. The 5th Division Task Force attacked at a hex two hexes North of Singapore - with 36,000 men vs 15,000 - but failed to get 1:1 odds - lost 676 to 117 casualties - and needs to rest for a day before another attack occurs. This shows that good units can stop the Japanese cold at least briefly - if supplied - and without any support by HQ or supply sink.

The First Viet Ming battalion at Dienbienphu was driven out by a naval landing party - supported by minimal air (12 fighters) - and it retreated to Luanprabang - which is about to be assaulted by a strong force. Poor major Giap - he has only 150 men - but he inflicted 22 casualties on the Japanese and lost NONE of his own. Losses were even 171 men and 4 guns vs 183 men and 4 guns.

The turn ended with about 8 Allied bombardment attacks - most causing minor casualties.

[el cid again]

31 December 1941

The night turn began with detection of a minefield at Bangkok by DD Sigiri. OSO loves to lay mines.

Next BB Yamashiro led a bombardment group at Linguyan Gulf, Luzon. Many air strikes are following up - and a deliberate attack will follow - tomorrow. Allied positions in Luzon are turning grey - so maybe it is time to proceed?

Next a minor landing at abandoned Xuwin South China - an engineer unit will take it tomorrow. Nearby - at Pakhoi - we did a deliberate attack after air support - and failed to take it - but came close. Units are not disrupted - and we will try again tomorrow. We never did bring in the brigade tasked as the main force here - and will send it to Nanning instead - with armor support - if we take Pakhoi tomorrow.

The day turn begain with 9 Buffalos attacking a Japanese unit in the main (central) offensive in Malaya - they failed to do any damage - and nobody got shot down when they tangled with 6 Claudes. Next 7 bombers escorted by 6 Buffalos attacked 5th Division in the same force - 2 bombers were lost - but again no damage at all to Japanese forces. The Claudes were more effective vs bombers than vs fighters. Later in the day 11 Buffalos repeated the performance - complete with no losses.

JAAF attacks on the Viet Ming 1st Battalion were combat ineffective. Similar attacks vs an isolated ROC Field Army caused only 4 casualties. A strike on Philippine 31st Division at Linguyan was more effective: 41 casualties. A small JNAF attack on the Guam Insular Force caused 8 casualties - but another ground assault failed - and the IJA Guam garrison unit appeared in the wrong place (Tokyo ) - so I will delay it a month (making it more than twice as much playtime - 7 weeks vs 3 weeks into the game). In spite of 0 to 1 odds, all the casualties are Allied - so Guam will probably fall soon.

5 Hudsons out of Singapore attacked two warships at Kuching - and in spite of 6 Zeros on CAP badly damaged DE Tsuga with a single 250 pound bomb hit - setting her afire. 6 SB-2s attacked 2 AKs at Wuhan - but missed them.

16 Ki-48s put 6 bombs into a barge group at Bassein Burma.


56,000 men - two reinforced divisions - took Kuala Lumpur on the second deliberate attack - vs 88,000 defenders. No damage was done to airfields or port facilities, but some resource centers and oil centers were damaged by the engineers in the sink or garrison units. This was a fairly hasty attack because the position appeared weak - and KL was not isolated. The one mobile unit present retreated to the South.

Oboto Mongolia was taken by a Mongolian Cavalry brigade.

A second attack on a Philippine battalion at Catarman Samar also failed - in spite of superior numbers. We must support these light naval infantry guys I guess.

[el cid again]

New Year's Day 1942

OSO has a new machine and submitted a turn. This is the result.

Allied mineclearing occurred at Batavia. Japanese mineclearing occurred at Kuching and Bangkok.

Fuso and Yamashiro each led bombardment groups at Linguyan.

23 Ki-48s attacked the port at Yenan Central China - putting one bomb into the Yellow River Transport Group - but losing 2 of their number to AA fire.

11 B-17s - probably from Batavia- attacked Kuching - encountered 7 Zeros but managed to destroy 1 Ki-21 on the ground and score 6 other hits without damage or losses.

25 Ki-48s scored 1 port hit at Hinzada Burma - the targets there having either sunk or fled.

2 Allied ground attacks in Burma and Malaya were ineffective. A JAAF strike on the 21st Field Army with 10 Ki-51s scored 11 casualties. 7 Ki-30s also caused 11 casualties to the ROC 48th Guerilla Regiment. 10 Kates caused 15 casualties to the Guam Insular Force - which continues to have a strong position.

15 Sallys escorted by 12 Zeros encountered 10 fighters of 2 types at Palembang. 2 Hawks were shot down and 6 bombs were put into Tanker Talang Akar. 2 Allied anti naval strikes were ineffective, but 3 Hudsons put a bomb into CL Isuzu at Kuching. 18 Sallys from Kuching covered by the same 12 Zeros returned to Palembang. They met 14 fighters of 2 types this time - failed to shoot down any - but put 4 bombs into a PC unit and tanker Anglo Indian, setting both on fire. No Japanese aircraft were damaged or lost. 21 Ki-51s (escorted by 2 Claudes) put 7 bombs into PG Dragonfly at Singapore - which has no fighter cover. 1 Ki-51 was damaged. 1 Sally (of 3) was lost attacking PC Cerce near Toboali on Banka Island.

2 RN divisions of PT boats apparently tried to intercept transport groups nearing Davao. Both were surprised by a small surface action group - one was sunk and one took 4 hits.

At the point of the spear in Malaya, two hexes North of Singapore, Japanese artillery caused 49 casualties when it bombarded 6 units on the main rail line.

9300 troops attacked over 14000 at Linguyan - apparently some of these came in by rail - and it naturally didn't work out very well: 525 Japanese casualties to 76 Allied.

A ground assault on a guerilla regiment in China achieved a surprising 35:1 odds - and the unit surrendered (706 casualties). The unit had been isolated for a long time. 10800 Japanese attacked 8300 Allies at Pakhoi South China - and they retreated to Nanning - in spite of no LOC.
655 Japanese casualties to 133 Allied. A second attack on a guerilla regiment which was not isolated forced it to retreat - but it inflicted 33 casualties losing only 25 in exchange. Xuwin - which was abandoned by the Allies in favor of defending Pakhoi - fell to assault by 1000 troops. All the South China coast is now Japanese and only Nanning and a unit on a trail North to Kunming remain in the area as Allied positions - although there continue to be forces near Canton.