Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)

[MichaelU]

Feb 7, 1942

Not good enough, unfortunately. We knew the attack would be risky, but hoped low supply would hamper the Japanese defense, as it had on their first attack. But it was not to be.

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Ground combat at Suva (132,160)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9128 troops, 97 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 271

Defending force 7214 troops, 97 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Allied adjusted assault: 125

Japanese adjusted defense: 119

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
207 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
676 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled

What's weird in that result is despite scoring a 1-1, we took three times as many casualties. And more than a third of our combat squad casualties were outright destroyed. The Fiji battalions seem to have taken the brunt of the losses, maybe it is because they are such poor troops.

We have taken the opportunity of the Japanese carriers heading north to try run some troops into Noumea, but this doesn't go all that well.

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Sub attack near Noumea at 114,160

Japanese Ships
SS I-1, hits 1

Allied Ships
xAP Santa Inez, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
KV Dawson

Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

That really hurts. Not only do we a lose a very nice transport but a whole Marine air wing goes down with her. We're going to have to look elsewhere for an air HQ for Noumea.

We get a little bit of revenge by torpedoing an xAK off the Home Islands, our first hit in this area. We almost top that when the SS S-41 launches 4 torps at the CS Mizuho just north of Rabaul, but unfortunately there are no hits.

The defenders of Wenchow stop a very determined assault. Whew, glad we managed to see that one off.

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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39227 troops, 337 guns, 126 vehicles, Assault Value = 1143

Defending force 29534 troops, 185 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 760

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 559

Allied adjusted defense: 1621

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2222 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 349 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled

Allied ground losses:
741 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
19th Division
22nd Division

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
10th Group Army
3rd War Area
14th Chinese Base Force

That is a lot of Japanese divisions. Reinforcements, in the form of another corps, are rushing to Wenchow, and once they get there we should have about equal AV. I can't pack too much more into the city without overstacking.

Here's the bit I don't get. He attacks Wenchow and takes more than 2,000 casualties, but only has 13 squads destroyed. The Allied attack at Suva cost 600 casualties but had triple that number of squads destroyed. Wonder what factors decide the ratio of destroyed to disabled squads.

We also lose Langsa on eastern Sumatra, but Pontaniak on western Borneo holds, much to our surprise.

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Ground combat at Langsa (46,74)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4345 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 142

Defending force 2802 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 76

Japanese adjusted assault: 119

Allied adjusted defense: 21

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Langsa !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1231 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Rather than walking, his lazy troops have been hopping up the Sumatra coast on transports. With this in mind, some British CLs are lurking a bit out hoping some transports might present themsevles for an easy kill.

We're going to try get some more reinforcements into Noumea next turn. We've had intel that there is the China assault division loaded on an xAK headed that way, and we'd love to have a coastal arty unit in place before it gets there. 24 six inch guns would make a landing a lot more exciting.

[ny59giants]

Here's the bit I don't get. He attacks Wenchow and takes more than 2,000 casualties, but only has 13 squads destroyed. The Allied attack at Suva cost 600 casualties but had triple that number of squads destroyed. Wonder what factors decide the ratio of destroyed to disabled squads.

Don't get hung up on AV (Assault Value). Underneath there are factors like: morale, fatigue, disruption, experience levels, leaders, prep levels, terrain, HQs, support, supply, and the big two for me (anti-soft and anti-armor values). I forgot the all important die rolls. [:-] The AV you see here is only the total number of squads and/or devices that have an assault value (i.e. anti-soft and anti-armor). Hit the "D" button next orders phase and look at how both those values change over time for say an USMC Rifle Squad. They are OK right now, but by their '44 upgrade their values are down right NASTY!

[MichaelU]

Are you saying my NZ Militia squads are not a match for his veteran troops?

Good info, thanks.

[MichaelU]

Feb 8-9, 1942

Something is definitely brewing in the DEI. First off, one of Mike's subs spots the following TF east of Malaysia before being chased away by the escorts.

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ASW attack near Terempa at 55,82

Japanese Ships
xAP Katori Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hikawa Maru
xAP Argentina Maru
xAP Brazil Maru
xAP Kamakura Maru
xAK Azuchisan Maru
xAK Yahiko Maru
xAK Tatsuho Maru
xAK Nissen Maru #2
xAK Hokuriku Maru
xAK Tihuku Maru
xAK Victoria Maru
xAK Mogamigawa Maru
xAK Yamazuki Maru
xAK Tatumiya Maru
xAK Nankai Maru
xAK Arima Maru
xAKL Kasui Maru
xAKL Kashi Maru
xAKL Higashiyama Maru
xAKL Ayaha Maru
DD Shikinami

Allied Ships
SS O16

You don't bring that many transports unless you're planning something big. We're also been getting lots of reports of troops planning for Batavia, and also lots of loading going on in Cam Ranh Bay.

Adding to the suspicion, for the first time the Japanese put some serious pressure on Batavia. Over two days Zeroes sweep the skies while Bettys hit the port. Unfortunately for the Japanese player not in that order, so a heavy toll is taken on the Bettys. Tracker shows 28 downed in one day on Feb 9, after we put our British Hurricanes and US P40s in to the defend the port.

The US heavy cruisers have finally arrived in Soerebaja, and will join the Renown to form our core striking force to oppose the landing. We also have some Vildebees and Banshees.

We're not going to make it easy for him to get air superiority. More P40s are moving up from Australia. The first squadron will arrive in a couple of days after making the hop over from Darwin. Plus the B17s are on their way. We're going to do some deep strikes against Singkawang, which is where the Bettys are operating from.

The Bettys do manage to catch two our of British light cruisers in port at Batavia, and hit both with multiple bombs. Damage is in the 20s, so they're heading back to Soere to repair.

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Morning Air attack on Batavia , at 49,98

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 29

Allied aircraft
B-339D x 1
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CL Ceres, Bomb hits 8, on fire
CL Dragon, Bomb hits 5, on fire

The sad news is that two of the aces from the famous 232 Hurricane squadron are killed over Batavia, while a third is wounded. RIP PO Murray and PO Stevenson, who between them had accounted for 12 Japanese planes. There is a big difference between knocking down Nates and Oscars and trying to fend off sweeping Zeroes. Luckily Pinkney fights on. It would be a devastating blow to morale if he was shot down. Perhaps time to send him on a war bonds tour.

The Japanese have their best attack yet against Manila, but it still costs them 3,800 casualties to our 2,000. So they launch another one, and this time losses are 3,500 to 1,600. Let's hope they keep it up, because we're going to be out of supply soon so the more Japanese we can take down before that happens, the better. Supply is down to just over 7,000, although on the bright side we have less troops to supply after the recent fights.

In China the ground action continues. The Japanese try to support their assault on Wenchow with a bombardment of the port by the battleships Yamashiro and Fuso, but this causes only 75 casualties and the subsequent ground attack is easily repulsed, with heavy losses.

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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36684 troops, 337 guns, 126 vehicles, Assault Value = 875

Defending force 29062 troops, 185 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 701

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 258

Allied adjusted defense: 859

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1148 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 97 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
278 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
19th Division
22nd Division

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
10th Group Army
3rd War Area

Very interesting that the Japanese forces are showing a supply negative. As far as I can tell their three divisions have only opened one path into the Wenchow hex, and I now have the best part of a corps blocking that road and about to reinforce Wenchow. When the reinforcements arrive, I might try a speculative attack to test his supply levels.

In the southwest the Japanese cross the river into Nanning. They don't manage to force out the defenders, but should be able to do so fairly easily next turn as the place is lightly held. No plans for a serious attempt to stop the attack here.

There has been a fairly steady Japanese artillery bombardment near Kaifeng, and finally an assault is launched, but the 15th Group Army proves too much. That is a lot of destroyed Japanese squads, and an entire unit is wiped out. Nice.

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Ground combat at 88,43 (near Kaifeng)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 34958 troops, 228 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 1092

Defending force 31198 troops, 119 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 865

Japanese adjusted assault: 656

Allied adjusted defense: 1777

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2525 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 130 disabled
Non Combat: 60 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 15 (4 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
961 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 130 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
101st NCPC Route Brigade
59th Infantry Brigade
35th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
15th RGC Temp. Division

Defending units:
93rd Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
15th Group Army

Pretty happy with those two turns of ground combat. Between Wenchow, Kaifeng and Manila the Japanese lose more than 10,000 men, all on fights against Chinese or the doomed defenders of Manila.

It looks like the Japanese, having failed in their coup de main against Port Blair, could be sending in a transport group. Three British CLs are moving up to oppose them, but it's risky because we won't go in until we know what is there for sure. If we run into a group of Japanese heavy cruisers that could only end badly.

Around Suva things are quiet. The two forces have settled down to some desultory shelling while they wait for reinforcements. Japanese carriers hover northwest but don't come too close a base he now knows is packed with fighters. Our resupply run in to Noumea continues unopposed.

[BBfanboy]

If you leave your striking force at Soerabaja his recon will undoubtedly find it. If they are all fuelled/rearmed/patched up you should hide them in an inconspicuous dot base while waiting to strike.

[MichaelU]

Feb 10, 1942

Zeroes from KB sweep Suva, almost certainly preparatory to him reinforcing the land attack, and it is ugly. Our mediocre pilots in P40s are no match for his crack pilots.

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Morning Air attack on Suva , at 132,160

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 62

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 41

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 10 destroyed

At the end of the day tracker shows 23 P40s downed for 5 Zeroes, with the loss ratio in the air at 6-1. Both squadrons in Suva are shattered. They'll stand down for now, and we'll think about shipping in more P40s. While the fight is one-sided, we are losing replaceable pilots and he is not. We are going to run out of P40s pretty fast at this rate though, that is half a month's build knocked down in one day.

The carriers continue to hover about seven hexes away from Suva. They're actually pretty close to Noumea, where our transports, covered by three squadrons of P40s, manage to unload half a coastal artillery battery and some more AA. He could shut us down with ease, so we have only sent in ships we don't mind losing.

The transport group we thought might be threatening Port Blair has sailed right past and looks to be heading to Rangoon. Reinforcements, supply, or both. We're going to ambush it with some dive bombers, of which we have exactly 11 in Magwe. These will be the first US aircraft to go into action in the Indian subcontinent.

The Japanese continue to batter away at Manila, with pretty much the same result. Lots of destroyed squads.

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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 46964 troops, 475 guns, 233 vehicles, Assault Value = 987

Defending force 45995 troops, 434 guns, 147 vehicles, Assault Value = 607

Japanese adjusted assault: 192

Allied adjusted defense: 1181

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2247 casualties reported
Squads: 75 destroyed, 108 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 56 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 29 disabled
Guns lost 41 (9 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Vehicles lost 24 (4 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1425 casualties reported
Squads: 40 destroyed, 128 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 19 (3 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

There is another attack at Wenchow, and this goes really badly.

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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36060 troops, 337 guns, 125 vehicles, Assault Value = 808

Defending force 28785 troops, 189 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 660

Japanese adjusted assault: 170

Allied adjusted defense: 1402

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 8 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2850 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 170 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled

Allied ground losses:
246 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

It looks like the Japanese have seen the door about to snap shut on their attackers in Wenchow, because some reinforcements are spotted moving along the coastal road to open up a new supply route. We're trying to get part of a corps in position to block them, but it is going to be close.

[MichaelU]

Feb 11, 1942

It turns out that the force moving on Rangoon was actually a bunch of minesweepers. Geez, our Catalinas had been reporting multiple heavy cruisers, which is why I was so cautious to close. I'd love to have killed those guys before they got in and cleared the Rangoon minefield. And the dive bombers at Magwe don't attack. Will try nail these minesweepers on their way out, using the light cruisers currently lurking 4 hexes southwest of Port Blair.

The 3rd RTA Division has stepped out of the forests north of Toungoo, and runs straight into a storm of bombers. This is the biggest, but definitely not the only attack.

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Morning Air attack on 3rd RTA Division, at 58,48 , near Magwe

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 3
Blenheim IV x 23
Hurricane I Trop x 7
Hudson I x 10

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
112 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

If he can pound us in Manila, why shouldn't we pound him in Burma.

There are several sweeps of Suva, but our battered squadrons have gone to ground and don't try challenge the Zeroes. We'll be back though, oh yes we will.

There is no assault at Manila this turn, so clearly a couple of rounds of getting hammered has cooled the attacker's ardour. However, there is another attack at the hex east of Kaifeng, which results in another rattling repulse. The destroyed squads are just piling up. I don't know how many squads the Japanese get every month, but they must be going through quite a supply of them with these attacks in China.

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Ground combat at 88,43 (near Kaifeng)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 31515 troops, 224 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 823

Defending force 30404 troops, 119 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 773

Japanese adjusted assault: 595

Allied adjusted defense: 933

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3553 casualties reported
Squads: 104 destroyed, 184 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled

Allied ground losses:
491 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

[MichaelU]

Feb 12, 1942

I owe Mike a beer. He said the Japanese carriers would strike Noumea, I said they wouldn't, and offered to buy the first beer next time we were out for a drink if they did.

The carrier force splits in two, with one lot keeping an eye on Suva and the other sweeping Noumea. But unlike the vicious combined sweep over Suva, this lot comes in little packets which allows our P40s to gang up on them. This first attack is a good example of how that went.

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Afternoon Air attack on Noumea , at 115,160

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

At the end of the day tracker is showing 19 downed Zeroes for 6 P40s. That is the sort of loss ratio we can live with, especially against carriers.

The Japanese finally launch their assault on Kuala Lumpur, having first bombed and starved our defenders. Despite outnumbering them, we manage only a 1-2 and small losses. This isn't going to last long.

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Ground combat at Kuala Lumpur (49,79)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9191 troops, 117 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 279

Defending force 11011 troops, 78 guns, 47 vehicles, Assault Value = 354

Japanese adjusted assault: 97

Allied adjusted defense: 107

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
389 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
260 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
21st Infantry Regiment
6th RTA Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
8th Indian Brigade
1st Hyderabad Battalion
1st Mysore Battalion
1st Manchester Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
2nd Argylls Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
1st Malay Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
3/16th Punjab Battalion
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
2nd ISF Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
5th Field Regiment

What I'm wondering is where all the other Malaysia forces have gone. They're not at KL, they're not invading the DEI, so where could they be?

And that's it for the turn really.

Next turn should hopefully see some fireworks as our Port Blair light cruisers go looking for minesweepers. A task force is spotted 6 hexes off Rangoon, and despite our Catalina pilots again radioing in all sorts of nonsense about heavy cruisers, we know from our spies in Rangoon that it is a pure minesweeper force. The light cruisers split into hunting groups to try track them down. All AA guns are manned as the skies are nervously scanned for Bettys.

[MichaelU]

Feb 13-15, 1942

The plan to ambush the minesweepers retreating from Rangoon goes mostly according to plan. The bit where we run them down goes well, but not so much on the actual fighting. First up is CL Caledon, with trusty sidekick DD Napier. The battle takes place during a thunderstorm, reducing visibility to 4,000 yards. So basically the two forces blunder into each other, Napier takes a couple of shell hits and the British task force withdraws. Geez, what happened to toughing it out.

But maybe commander Cree had the right idea when he ordered the withdrawal, because CL Capetown runs into the minesweeper group on the following, moonless night. The combat opens at 2,000 yards, and it is short and deadly.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 14, 42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Victoria Point at 50,63, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Isonami, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Murakumo, Shell hits 1
DMS W-2
DMS W-3
DMS W-9, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DMS W-11
DMS W-12
DMS W-13
DMS W-14
DMS W-17
DMS W-18

Allied Ships
CL Capetown, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
DD Nestor

Note to self, wait until ships are equipped with radar before picking night fights with the Japanese.

That massive transport group is still wandering around between Thailand and Malaysia. You'd think all our subs had to do was launch a torpedo in their general direction and they'd have to hit something. But alas not. Would love to know where these guys are going, but our sigint team seems to be on extended holidays.

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ASW attack near Soc Trang at 59,76

Japanese Ships
BB Tosa
BB Hitachi
CA Mogami
CL Otonase
CL Ayase
CL Jintsu
TB Kari
PB Fuji Maru #4
PB Tokotsu Maru
PB Naruto Maru #3
PB Kantori Maru
PB Eiko Maru
AV Sagara Maru
AK Kaga Maru
AKE Arracca Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Hakusan Maru
xAK Shinwa Maru
xAK Nojima Maru
xAK Meigen Maru
xAK Gosei Maru
xAK Sumatra Maru
xAK Ikoma Maru
xAK Koto Maru
xAK Kosei Maru #2
xAK Monji Maru
xAK Kinsyo Maru
xAKL Hakka Maru
DD Akatomo
DD Mayakiri
DD Usugumo
DD Hatsuharu

Allied Ships
SS Pickerel, hits 1

In China there are a few small combats going on, in most of which we manage to hold our own. But at Nanyang the Japanese get a big breakthrough.

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Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27663 troops, 218 guns, 55 vehicles, Assault Value = 727

Defending force 17095 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 365

Japanese adjusted assault: 552

Allied adjusted defense: 99

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanyang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
562 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
6805 casualties reported
Squads: 249 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 284 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 24 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 36 (23 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
34th Division
32nd Division

Defending units:
12th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
5th War Area
3rd Group Army
15th Chinese Base Force

Luckily we have moved up another army to back up Nanyang, so hopefully we'll be able to stall this advance when the Japanese get into the forest south of Sian.

The Japanese are back at Meiktila, this time bringing two RTA divisions. But we have brought a Chinese corps, so we stop the assault. BUt this is a warning for us, because despite a big advantage in AV we only manage a 1 to 2.

Now that we are not in danger of having large numbers of troops cut off in Burma, the plan is to withdraw from Meiktila and Magwe and fall back on Mandalay. We're lining up the bombers so that when the Japanese take Magwe, they'd better get in air cover and AA straight away or we are going to bomb the place back to the stone age.

What is really freaking us out though is that KB has disappeared. The carriers moved south of Suva for the first time. It also put them within one good sprint of Auckland, which led to some panic. But the next turn, they vanished. Increasingly agitated requests for sighting info from HQ are met with bafflement from the numerous Catalina units in the area. Submarines in the area are reporting heavy cloud cover, so perhaps our Catalinas are being frustrated by this.

Just in case, we've got all our carriers parked just off Auckland, with 150+ land-based fighters and two squadrons of dive bombers in support. It would be a brave opponent who sailed straight into that, given any damaged carrier on our side can go back one hex to a major port, while he has a very long sail to get to Truk.

[MichaelU]

Feb 16-17, 1942

Some important ground battles are reaching critical points.

We're can't hold Suva forever, but what we can do is hold it long enough to be a) throw off the Japanese schedule b) suck up supplies and fuel c) divert troops that were meant for other invasions, buying us time to dig in at other targets and d) give us plentiful opportunities for sub strikes on carriers. Most of this is going according to plan.

We've been using our artillery to keep the Japanese units at Suva off balance and to inflict some light casualties. The Feb 16 bombardment shows us that the China Assault Division has arrived to support the attack, bringing Japanese AV above 400. Our poor NZ troops hunker down for the inevitable onslaught.

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Ground combat at Suva (132,160)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13486 troops, 193 guns, 20 vehicles, Assault Value = 403

Defending force 9601 troops, 105 guns, 91 vehicles, Assault Value = 253

Japanese adjusted assault: 173

Allied adjusted defense: 435

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
737 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 20 (13 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled

Whew, it is with some relief that we see this result. With a 1-2 and casualties heavily skewed in our favour, he is going to struggle to take the base without bringing yet more troops. Which means another long period of KB covering the landings, another long haul to fetch more men. Supporting two divisions plus assorted hangers on must be burning through supply, all of which has to be shipping a long distance.

The Japanese have also reinforced the fight at Wenchow, this time by sea. They lose 300 or so men during the unload, but really the Chinese don't have much they can shoot at an amphibious assault. A bombardment shows the 53rd Division has been added to the Japanese OOB.

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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 18859 troops, 133 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 763

Defending force 47528 troops, 441 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 1076

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

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
88th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
100th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
10th Group Army

Defending units:
19th Division
17th Division
53rd Division
22nd Division

That isn't a massive AV advantage, so we'll see next turn whether it is enought. It's also not clear how Japan is supplying its troops in the hex. They must also be heavily overstacked, because the Chinese forces are at the upper stacking limit and are outnumbered. If they don't win quickly, this could be a graveyard for a lot of Japanese troops.

Things were looking a bit dodgy south of Sian after Nanyang fell with heavy losses. Luckily another army group is in place in the forests behind Nanyang, and the situation stabilises are the victorious Nanyang column is bloody repulsed as it tries to continue pushing north.

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Ground combat at 85,44 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21181 troops, 168 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 552

Defending force 23784 troops, 134 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 573

Japanese adjusted assault: 87

Allied adjusted defense: 1486

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 17

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2533 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 263 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
383 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
34th Division
32nd Division

Defending units:
7th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
7th Construction Regiment
3rd Group Army
21st Group Army

How did even numbers turn into a 1-17 in favour of the Chinese? We're not complaining though. After losing 300 squads destroyed or disabled the Japanese aren't going to be attacking again for some time.

Kuala Lumpur is under sustained ground attack, and while the troops are holding, they are out of supply and being steadily chewed up. It is a matter of days before out last holdout in Malaysia succumbs.

Other action sees an unescorted convoy off Pearl Harbour picked up by two Japanese subs, both of which score kills. Mike is so short of escorts he is not bothering to cover low value targets, like the standard xAKs we seem to have in the thousands.

[MichaelU]

The bit that is not quite going according to plan is the sub attacks. Mike sent over this picture accompanied by a rather frustrated message. Despite hovering for ages in an area literally crawling with subs, the Japanese carriers seem to be living a charmed life.

[MichaelU]

Feb 18, 1942

The commander of SS Plunger puts in a very strong bid for the "Agressive Sub Captain of the Month" award. He surfaces off the coast of Japan and smashes up an unescorted xAK.

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Sub attack near Hamamatsu at 110,63

Japanese Ships
xAK Kosin Maru, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Plunger

SS Plunger attacking xAK Kosin Maru on the surface

What is so impressive about shooting up a cargo ship, you might ask? I watched the replay, and before that torpedo hit the Plunger put in 7, count them, 7 duds. But he wasn't going to give up, and kept firing until eventually he found a torp that worked.

The Japanese respond immediately by downing an xAKL off Pearl Harbour. Mike might have to rethink his escort policy.

There is no ground combat this turn at Wenchow, but there is some more unloading action and another bombardment from the Yamashiro and Fuso that does even less damage than the first one.

There is also a bombing run on Wenchow, but the AVG make short work of that, downing 11 Lily and Sally bombers for no loss. The AVG has been quiet for weeks, so he walked right into the air ambush.

Also notable is an air combat off west Sumatra. A group of Dutch fighters is covering the unloading of an RAF base group into the small port of Padang, which we're using to airlift out some of the troops trapped in KL. Two small flights of Nells come in to have a look, and the Dutch pilots account for 13 of them.

Otherwise all relatively quiet. There is a Japanese TF at Nadi, no doubt unloading supplies for the fight at Suva. We'd love to have a crack with our carriers, but his own carriers are dancing around north of the area and there is just too much risk we'd end up running into each other. We might though see if we can have a go at it with ground based dive bombers. We have two groups of Marine Vindicators in Auckland that would fit the bill nicely.

[MichaelU]

Something is puzzling Mike and I, and that is, what is keeping the Japanese ships at sea? While the boundary of empire now includes Tarakan, Balikpapan and Palembang, our extensive air search has failed to spot a single tanker using these ports. And he hasn't put up any fighter cover over them, so we are still merrily bombing the oilfields that we can reach, which is now down to just Palembang. There has been no move yet on Java, which we're draining steadily, leaving just enough fuel there to keep the Allied combat ships running.

Given he is running a major operation at long range from any major base, he has to be using up a fairly substantial chunk of fuel. The rate at which the Allied carrier groups burn through the stuff is scary, and I assume the Japanese carriers are just as thirsty.

[ny59giants]

April 42 - Major Allied upgrades...radar!

Oct 42 - Major upgrade for AA

Java - Take the oil out for Sydney's refinery. Drop it off at Perth and will migrate over.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

Something is puzzling Mike and I, and that is, what is keeping the Japanese ships at sea? While the boundary of empire now includes Tarakan, Balikpapan and Palembang, our extensive air search has failed to spot a single tanker using these ports. And he hasn't put up any fighter cover over them, so we are still merrily bombing the oilfields that we can reach, which is now down to just Palembang. There has been no move yet on Java, which we're draining steadily, leaving just enough fuel there to keep the Allied combat ships running.

Given he is running a major operation at long range from any major base, he has to be using up a fairly substantial chunk of fuel. The rate at which the Allied carrier groups burn through the stuff is scary, and I assume the Japanese carriers are just as thirsty.

Early in the game your Nav Search will often report AOs as CVs ...

[MichaelU]

My nav search was reporting minesweepers as heavy cruisers, so I have learnt not to overly trust it.

[ny59giants]

You don't see it now, but one of the first things I got John to do was significantly increase the number of recon airframes the Allies get in this mod. Look at the number of F-4 & F-5s coming in. [:)]

[MichaelU]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

You don't see it now, but one of the first things I got John to do was significantly increase the number of recon airframes the Allies get in this mod. Look at the number of F-4 & F-5s coming in. [:)]

I seem to have a large number of O-47s, whose utility is somewhat limited by their range, but am not building any. It looks like the F4s start rolling off the production line in September. That is a long wait for the first builds. Gulp.

[ny59giants]

F-4s - but rather than getting 4/month as Replacement, what is the number now? [;)]

[MichaelU]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

F-4s - but rather than getting 4/month as Replacement, what is the number now? [;)]

Six? That is a 50 pct increase.