Awakening the Giant - DesertWolf101 (A) vs szmike (J)

[DesertWolf101]

December 8, 1941

Submarines

Near Midway, the Argonaut puts three fish into AK Taifuku Maru and sends her to the bottom.

AVP Poolster, two AKLs, and the small AP Legaspi, were sunk by Japanese subs around in the SRA.

Central Pacific

The Lexington task force is in position to strike north towards Midway next turn where the Japanese invasion fleet is still present. Heavy cruiser Louisville in turn will attempt to strike at the Japanese force that just dropped off a naval guard unit to take Ocean Island.

Japanese forces take Guam.

China

Large number of harassing raids by Japanese bombers hit Chinese forces all across the country. 21 Idas however are shot down by a CAP of P-40E fighters near Canton.

South China Sea

Betty and Nell bombers from Formosa largely destroy the Hong Kong merchant fleet as it attempts to escape southwards.

Borneo

Kingfisher float planes attack and sink AK Igasa Maru off the coast of Brunei.

Japanese forces take Miri, Brunei, and Jesselton.

Malaya

Japanese bombers prep the way for a successful attack on Kota Bharu which falls into enemy hands

Philippines

A foray by torpedo armed Catalinas fails to score any successful hits on Japanese cruiser forces in the Philippine Sea. The Japanese air force meanwhile heavily bombs Clark Airfield but finds no opposition.

Philippine Sea

Light cruiser Boise and heavy cruiser Houston set out into the night in an attempt to intercept previously detected Japanese convoys approaching Leyte Gulf. It is also hoped that this foray could create an opening for the Asiatic Fleet to escape from Manila.

Unfortunately, the Japanese fleet was present in force in the area. Boise first encounters a powerful surface force of two heavy cruisers, a light cruiser, and five destroyers. Boise successfully dodges the plethora of torpedo salvoes and escapes through unharmed. She then finds a Japanese troop convoy but disengages very early after only heavily damaging a patrol boat.

During the day, yet another similarly composed Japanese surface force joins the first and together hunt down and sink both Boise and Houstin in a series of running engagements. The end result here is a clear naval defeat for the allies but with some silver linings. A number of Japanese destroyers were badly damaged with heavy fires and the two Japanese forces undoubtedly have depleted their ammo and torpedoes and will need to rearm, giving much needed time for the Asiatic Fleet.

[DesertWolf101]

December 9, 1941

Submarines

Dutch subs perform poorly today. Two of them attack and fail to score hits on two Japanese AKs, and the third, O20, first attacks and AKL and misses and then surfaces to engage with her deck gun but is beaten back by the small Japanese ship. How embarrassing lol. Determined to restore some honor, O20 sinks another AKL in the same area later in the day.

I-26 sends AK Montgomery City to the bottom near San Francisco. In the SRA, I-124 sinks the small AP Candioa.

Central Pacific

The Lexington task force gets within range of the Japanese shipping around Midway but fails to launch airstrikes, likely due to weather. Time to get out of doge as the task force has been sighted.

Heavy cruiser Louisville charges in towards Ocean Island, first encountering a small Japanese task force composed of a CM, a PB, and an AK which avoid it. She then finds the large AK Tenyo Maru and skinks her.

Japanese troops land on and take Nauru Island.

South China Sea

The Japanese light cruiser Kuma and four destroyers tangle with British MTBs and US PT boats near Iba during the night and day. A large number of MTBs and PT boats are sunk but in return Kuma gets two torpedoes into her side leaving her limping and with heavy damage.

Philippines

More heavy bombing of Clark airfield. Japanese troops take Vigan.

Meanwhile, the Asiatic Fleet makes good progress towards safe waters.

Malaya

Buffalo fighters ambush a large force of Sally bombers over northern Malaya, shooting down ten and damaging a number of others.

[RangerJoe]

Doge? I don't know where that is but the Lexington and her escorts should probably leave Dodge, post haste.

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Doge? I don't know where that is but the Lexington and her escorts should probably leave Dodge, post haste.

[:D] A common mistake on my part I have to say

[RangerJoe]

You see, the Doge is the Venetian Duke. The title as also used in Genoa. But I don't think that you meant a male individual. [;)]

[DesertWolf101]

December 10, 1941

Central Pacific

Fleeing from Guam, AM Penguin encounters a small Japanese invasion force of two AKLs and engages them in a surface fight north of New Guinea. Non-fatal damage was sustained by both sides before the fight broke off.

Philippines

The Japanese 65th Brigade lands at Davao.

Roving Japanese destroyers sink two AKLs.

Malaya

The Japanese air forces plaster Taiping airfield with large bombing raids.

China

Battleship Fuso, two light cruisers, and five destroyers laid waste to Wenchow with a bombardment. Mike detected the presence of my fighter aircraft at the base during the last turn, but I had fortunately moved them away anticipating such a move on his part.

[DesertWolf101]

December 11, 1941

So far the Empire is progressing at a steady clip at the usual locations. The goods news is that thanks to the sacrifice of the Boise and Houston, the bulk of the Asiatic Fleet appears to have made it through to safer waters.

Submarines

Near Patani, SS KXVII puts a torpedo into AK Ayato Maru and heavily damages the ship. Nearby, SS KXI attacks AP Koan Maru on the surface but fails to score any hits.

Central Pacific

Two Japanese heavy cruisers and two destroyers bombard Wake Island for minor damage.

Philippines

Zero fighters clean up the sky over Manila, inflicting significant losses on the defending Allied fighters.

Japanese forces land at Legaspi. San Fernando is lost to the Empire and in the south, the 65th Brigade takes Davao.

Malaya

Zero and Oscar sweeps fly over Singapore but encounter no resistance. Meanwhile, Japanese bombers pound my forces in northern Malaya and British bombers return the favor by hitting Japanese troop concentrations at Kota Bharu.

DEI

Japanese forces take Ternate.

China

The first Japanese assault, preceded by IJAAF bombing, goes against the Hong Kong defenses. Forts are knocked down from 3 to 2 and it doesn’t look like the garrison will hold out for long.

The Japanese 32nd Division assaults and takes Kweiteh.

[DesertWolf101]

December 12, 1941

Submarines

I-157 uses its deck gun to sink AKL Bust near Batavia, while I-165 uses its torpedoes to destroy AKL Sarangami near Tarakan. These vessels are some of the last remaining easy pickings the vast bulk of the Asiatic Fleet makes it to safe ports around Java.

Borneo

6 Dutch 139WH-3 bombers hit Brunei’s port in a low altitude raid and heavily damage AV Sagara Maru and an AKL.

Malaya

About 70 Nettie bombers hit Singapore’s airfield during the afternoon, damaging a number of Allied aircraft on the ground and causing some runaway damage but at a cost in lost bombers to the AA gunners. I suspect 6-10 Japanese bombers were likely lost in the raid.

Buffalo fighters swung into action near Alor Star and inflicted some losses on mixed Oscar/Sally formations attacking isolated Indian troops in the area.

Philippines

Mike followed up his successful sweeps of Manila last turn with some large escorted Nettie raids this turn. He should have swept for one more turn though as there were enough American fighters left around to inflict some notable losses on his formations. Approximately 10-15 Netties and Zeros were shot down for a few American fighters lost.

New Guinea

Wewak, Hollandia, and Manus are taken by small Japanese detachments.

Burma

Japanese forces take Victoria Point.

China

A CAP of 6 H81-A3 fighters intercepts Japanese bombing raids and takes a toll of escorting Nate fighters over Hong Kong as Mike seeks to take the city.

Wenchow gets hammered again by two Japanese battleships and their escorts.

[DesertWolf101]

December 13, 1941

Central Pacific

Two Japanese heavy cruisers and some destroyers bombard Wake Island.

Borneo

Kingfisher float planes put a couple of 250lb bombs into AKL Ryoyu Maru#21 near Brunei leaving her ablaze.

China

The Chinese 30th Corps threw back the Japanese 13th Tank Regiment north of Hankow in a shock attack but the 30th Corps is unfortunately likely to be soon cut off by advancing Japanese forces from all sides. Mike elected to send a lot of forces towards Ichang, so I have decided to not risk an all out assault on the position. There is a lot of jockeying around in China in these early days as we both try to gain advantageous positions.

Hong Kong was subjected to heavy aerial bombardment and the follow up Japanese assault took down the fortifications to level 1.

Sporadic aerial raids hit Chinese troops across the rest of China.

[DesertWolf101]

December 14, 1941

Submarines

S-38 on patrol near Formosa strikes AP Koan Maru with a fish. The Japanese AP is not heavily damaged though and should make it back to port ok.

Philippines

Large numbers of Zero fighters sweep Manila but encounter no resistance.

More Japanese forces land on Mindanao.

Thailand

5 B-17D bombers strike out from Singapore and score a couple of bomb hits on Bangkok’s heavy industry.

China

I was fairly sure that Hong Kong would fall this turn, but even with heavy aerial support the Japanese attack today knocked down forts to 0 but did not take the base. I probably got a good roll here and will take advantage to set up a CAP trap next turn as Mike finishes off the garrison.

[Sardaukar]

APAs and LSIs are priceless.

AR and AS great to have.

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

APAs and LSIs are priceless.

AR and AS great to have.

Yes that is why I am glad I managed to extract almost all of the key logistics vessels from the danger area. Will be crucial for the operations to come.

[DesertWolf101]

December 15, 1941

Submarines

S-38 sinks a Japanese medium sized AK south of Formosa.

Philippines

Yet another landing in Mindanao by Japanese forces, this time a fast transport task force lands a small unit at Cotabato.

Malaya

Georgetown is seized by fast moving Japanese armored formations. A couple of my Indian Brigades did not make it out in time and are now stuck behind enemy lines in Alor Star.

China

I correctly judged that today is the day that Mike would stop assigning Zero escorts to his bombing raids on Hong Kong. His unescorted bombing raids on the city were met by a substantial CAP that knocked out almost ten Lily and ten Sonia bombers. I was also lucky the sweep by the experimental Tojo squadron arrived late in the day when most of my fighters had already done their work and gone back to base. A few H-81-A3 fighters are lost to the Tojos, and at the end of the turn the Hong Kong garrison is finally overwhelmed by the Japanese.

In the rest of the country, the usual bombing raids by both the Japanese and the Chinese are ongoing.

[DesertWolf101]

December 16, 1941

Submarines

South of Hawaii, I-175 catches SS Grayling unawares and sinks her with two torpedoes. The first submarine on submarine kill of the war goes to Mike’s forces.

Central Pacific

Supported by naval guns and air raids from at least four of the KB flattops, a Japanese SNLF goes ashore at Wake and seizes the atoll in a shock attack. The defenders had no chance. Luckily, the Wildcat detachment had already been evacuated.

Malaya

The Japanese launch a determined effort to clear the skies of Singapore of Allied fighters. About 55 Zero and Oscar fighters sweep over the island in three waves. The defending Buffalo fighters do really well against the first wave of Zero fighters but are exhausted in the process and are battered by the subsequent Oscar sweep. The third and final sweep of more Zero fighters finds no more resistance. At the end of the day, 20 Buffalos are lost for about 10 Zeros. Call me crazy but I would take this trade, especially since only one Buffalo pilot was lost, the rest being wounded or unscathed.

British bombers target the heavy industry captured by the Japanese at Georgetown and score a few good hits.

Philippines

A large sweep of 45 Zeros goes over Manila but encounters no resistance.

Japanese forces take Cabanatuan and arrive at the gates of both Clark and Manila.

In Mindanao, a portion of the 81st Naval Guard unit attempts to take Cotabato but is repulsed by the 101st PA Infantry Regiment.

Borneo

B-17D bombers brush aside a CAP of Nate fighters and score 8 hits on the oil at Brunei.

China

P-40E fighters swing into action in northern China, shooting down almost ten Sally bombers that were targeting Chinese forces attempting to withdraw ahead of a Japanese advance in the mountains. I did however lose three SB-III bombers near Hankow that were caught by some Nates on CAP.

Also near Hankow, the 6th Japanese division mauls the exposed 30th Corps and sends it reeling back. Fortunately, it retreats into the forests northwest of Sinyang which gives the battered Corps a small chance to get out of the danger zone.

[Bif1961]

You are not crazy a loss rate of 2 to 1 vice Zeros while losing only one pilot is a victory. All your Buffs are already in the pipeline but he has to build new Zeros and he hates to lose 10 to Buffs all war let alone over your base in one day. It was a major victory in precious Zeros pilots alone over your base.

[mind_messing]

The Japanese launch a determined effort to clear the skies of Singapore of Allied fighters. About 55 Zero and Oscar fighters sweep over the island in three waves. The defending Buffalo fighters do really well against the first wave of Zero fighters but are exhausted in the process and are battered by the subsequent Oscar sweep. The third and final sweep of more Zero fighters finds no more resistance. At the end of the day, 20 Buffalos are lost for about 10 Zeros. Call me crazy but I would take this trade, especially since only one Buffalo pilot was lost, the rest being wounded or unscathed.

I'd be inclined to agree, but in my experience it's hard to get that sort of performance out of the Buffalo's consistently. You'll take one or two good exchanges and then the bottom tends to fall out of the squadrons and it's downhill from there.

I'd get them out of Singers if possible for a few days to recover (if they need it, they may not).

[DesertWolf101]

Don't get me wrong, I am not being overconfident with the capabilities of my buffalos, I was just happy with that trade. I certainly don't want to go head to head with his fighters where I can avoid it - instead I am playing mind games with Mike trying to stay one step ahead of where he is planning to strike and in where I place my fighters.

[DesertWolf101]

December 17, 1941

Philippines

By now I had pulled out most of my air squadrons from the Philippines and sent them to other areas. I left the P-40B and P-35A fighter squadrons in Manila as I hope to catch Mile’s air raids in between his fighter sweeps. No such luck, I lost about 15 fighters to a Zero sweep over Manila this turn for only a couple of Zeros shot down. Subsequent Japanese air raids during the day finished off an assortment of six ships and a submarine from the Asiatic Fleet, for the most part minor ones, that were too damaged to leave port and were left behind in Manila.

Borneo

I correctly anticipated a Japanese bombing raid was going to strike Kuching this turn and dispatched some Buffalos to interdict. 25 Bettys came over and were met with stiff resistance from some Aussie fighter boys, knocking out ten of the ‘cigars’ out of the sky.

B-17 bombers brush aside Japanese fighter resistance and strike the Miri oil fields. Luckily Mike did not bring any AA which greatly facilitates the heavy bomber operations.

China

7 Sonia light bombers were destroyed when caught by an American CAP trap near Pakhoi.

[DesertWolf101]

December 18, 1941

A significant decrease in the pace of Japanese air operations - maybe Mike is resting his air forces for a more concerted push somewhere.

Malaya

Japanese forces capture Taiping in their advance southwards towards Singapore.

Borneo

More B-17 bombing raids push past Japanese fighter resistance, including Zeros, and plaster the Miri oil fields. I am quickly racking up the number of damaged oil wells here.

China

Elements of the Chinese 64th Corps arrive at Kwangchowan and eliminate a small portion of the 3rd SNLF that had landed there.

[DesertWolf101]

December 19, 1941

Submarines

On a patrol in the South China Sea, SS Pickerel spots CVE Taiyo and launches a spread of four fish at her. Unfortunately, the torpedoes either miss or are defective, and no hits are scored.

Borneo

My float planes spotted a Japanese surface warship force north of Borneo and I figured Mike was probably going for a naval bombardment of Kuching. I pulled out my air units from the base which prevented their destruction when he hit the base with two heavy cruisers and destroyer escorts.

More successful B-17 raids on the Miri oil fields. I anticipate that Mike is probably hustling to bring in some AA units to the base.

Thailand

Blenheim IV bombers knock out a couple of heavy industry points at Bangkok with a daring low altitude raid. One bomber is lost to Nates on CAP.

Burma

Japanese forces take Tavoy in the far south.