Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A)

[pontiouspilot]

How are you doing for sorties and torpedoes remaining? It would be kinda shitty to get the battle you seek and run low!

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

How are you doing for sorties and torpedoes remaining? It would be kinda shitty to get the battle you seek and run low!

All 6 carriers in KB have just refueled completely from AOs at Belep Island, next to Koumac. Also, I have a couple of AKEs at Belep, so all carriers replenished their torpedoes and sorties. They are ready to go!

Hoping for better luck and another shot at the enemy carriers. I think they will run away. It's just a matter of which way they flee.

[pontiouspilot]

You are well organized to have your AKEs, or for that matter your fleet oilers that far afield this early on. I perhaps am overprotective and would leave further in the rear areas.

Is the full KB intact?.....sorry if stupid question as I'm a late follower.

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

You are well organized to have your AKEs, or for that matter your fleet oilers that far afield this early on. I perhaps am overprotective and would leave further in the rear areas.

Is the full KB intact?.....sorry if stupid question as I'm a late follower.

The AKEs are at Belep Island. Belep is a size 1 port and a size 0 airfield. OPilot has not done recon there, and task forces there haven't been seen yet. OPilot has done recon at Koumac and Noumea, and has bombed both at least once with B-17s from Suva/Nadi. I'm taking a risk with the AKEs. The AOs only recently arrived with much needed fuel. They are about half full now.

KB is intact but split into 2 task forces with 3 carriers each. I have 2 battleships in each task force to help soak up bombs.

Not stupid questions. I appreciate your interest.

[apbarog]

Finally, the carrier battle!

(pause for dramatic effect)

[Evoken]

Do we banzai yet ? [:)]

[apbarog]

13 May 42 - The Second Battle of Auckland

Well, the first didn't really happen weeks ago, due to weather. But the setup was excellent! Now for this.

KB moved to 6 hexes northwest of Auckland, as planned. For some reason, the cruiser force came up short and didn't factor into the fight.

The battle started in the morning with 18 Zeros sweeping Auckland. About a dozen P-400 were on CAP. The Zeros went in outrageously high, as I started to play the stratospheric game, due to always being lower than the enemy fighters. It's not realistic, and I hope that we both vary our approaches. I will. A couple planes went down on both sides.

36 A-24 Banshees then attacked KB, and ran into 53 Zeros on CAP. Every bomber was shot down. This was followed by 6 A-20s against 45 Zeros, and again, every bomber was shot down. The Zero CAP was weakened though. And that was the morning activity. Enemy carriers were spotted just northeast of Auckland and there were no strikes.

That changed in the afternoon. First, 36 Vals failed to link up and returned to base, as did 18 Kates. The enemy was in moderate rain.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Auckland at 116,184

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
B5N2 Kate x 116
D3A1 Val x 45

Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 8
F4F-4 Wildcat x 54

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 14 destroyed, 13 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 4 destroyed, 15 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga
CA Chester
CV Lexington
DD Anderson
DD Selfridge
CA Louisville
DD O'Brien

The enemy fighters did well. About 20 of them fought through the Zeros and got to the bombers. 85 Kates dropped torpedoes, and 40 Vals dropped bombs. And not a single hit! (My wife noted a few choice words were said.) Granted, the weather wasn't good, but I'd never seen so many bombers not get a single hit, bombers with the best of the best pilots. Such bad luck. Lots of Japanese bombers downed.

The enemy struck back, finding the Japanese carriers in severe storms.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 112,179

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 27
SBD-2 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 destroyed by flak
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 destroyed, 22 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Kaga
BB Kongo
CV Soryu
CV Hiryu
CV Shokaku
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 1

47 SBDs dropped bombs. The single hit did not penetrate. Bad luck for OPilot also. The Zeros did not do as good a job downing the bombers as the Allies had done.

But there was more to come.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 112,179

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27
SBD-3 Dauntless x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Kongo
CV Zuikaku
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 2
CL Tenryu
CV Soryu

The Zero CAP was really showing signs of fatigue by this point. 32 SBDs dropped bombs. Shokaku is SYS 14/FLOT 4-0/ENG 5-0/FIRE 0 and can make normal speed. The damage doesn't require a trip to a shipyard, which is good news. The 2 bomb hits on Haruna did not penetrate.

18 more SBDs came in, unescorted, and 12 dropped bombs, all which missed. Just 17 Zeros protecting by this point.

27 Vals then attacked, finding 27 Wildcats and 6 P-400s still up. Many Vals shot down, and no bombs were dropped. Then 27 more Vals, also unescorted, and every Val was shot down, with just one dropping a bomb, which missed. All 27 Vals from Kaga were shot down.

And that was it. Such a poor result, once again due to weather. Seeing how many bombers got through, both sides have reason to be unhappy with the result. But now what?

Total air losses were:

51 Vals
38 Kates
21 Zeros

36 A-26s
31 SBD-3s
24 F4F-4s
11 F4F-3s
6 SBD-2s
6 A-20s
4 P-400s

The sweep of Auckland would have been more effective if the enemy carriers had moved directly to Auckland, instead of adjacent to it. There were enough movement points for it to do so. OPilot chose to move adjacent benefit from the ranged CAP without taking the penalty for large carriers being in a base hex.

LT T. Tokaji, flying a Zero on Zuikaku, did become a double ace. Pilot losses were not catastrophic. Figuring on needing one pilot more than the number of aircraft in each squadron (an arbitrary choice), I need 6 Zero pilots, 29 Val pilots and 22 Kate pilots. That is manageable. Of course, I'll never have pilots as good as these original ones, and the Allies pilots only get better.

So Evoken, no banzai. I got into a good position, I think, but just haven't got the good roll of the dice. I will be back. After reconstituting the air groups, KB will stay in the South Pacific. I will get that decisive battle, one way or the other.

The offensive in northern China is about to start, and that will be evident in the next turn.

[pontiouspilot]

Where are the other 2-3 US CVs?

It proved worthwhile dragging the BBs along.

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Where are the other 2-3 US CVs?

It proved worthwhile dragging the BBs along.

Yorktown was sunk by a submarine. I don't know how many of them were in this fight.

[IdahoNYer]

well that was a tad disappointing! Was expecting a "BANZAI!!!" moment.....

Now that he knows the KB is lurking...I'm wondering if he'll just head to Auckland and disband his TFs, flying is planes from the airbase...which can't be sunk.

No Allied subs in the area I guess?

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

well that was a tad disappointing! Was expecting a "BANZAI!!!" moment.....

Now that he knows the KB is lurking...I'm wondering if he'll just head to Auckland and disband his TFs, flying is planes from the airbase...which can't be sunk.

No Allied subs in the area I guess?

Just the subs that you see on the map above. They were covering the northern approaches to Wellington, as I've thought that it was the port being used more. My guess is that he'll stay by Auckland for fighter cover, or flee to the open ocean to the southeast to disappear.

I'm striking Wellington's port if no enemy naval task forces are in range today. Then it's back to Belep Island for more aircraft, pilots, fuel and torpedoes.

[pontiouspilot]

I would be a little concerned that the CVs run, giving you no credible targets, but leave all their planes behind. In May '42 they will have army & Marine friends. Sinking a few miscellaneous hangers on won't mean much at end of day.

cheers

[apbarog]

14 May 42

I had a cruiser force moving with KB, but when KB sprinted south for the engagement near Auckland, the cruisers didn't move as far, lagging a few hexes behind. I ordered the cruisers back north to bombard Norfolk Island. I knew that there would be mines there. Destroyer Murasame hit a mine. It is SYS 29/FLOT 78-57/ENG 24-12/FIRE 0 and may not make it, with it barely able to move. The rest of the task force bombarded.

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 10 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 4 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 8 damaged

Allied ground losses:
272 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 15

A decent bombardment for 3 cruisers. With no ACMs currently at Norfolk, I'll know if the mines ever completely dissipate.

Zeros swept Magwe, in 2 big groups. 33 Hurricane IIb Trops defended. I tried to win the atmospheric sweep game, but the Hurri's were at 30000 and 15000, while the Zeros maximum height is 29000. 19 Hurricanes shot down for the loss of 12 Zeros. There are Flying Tiger P-40Es at Magwe, but they were sweeping over Japanese units south of Mandalay. 25 Sallys with 42 Oscars arrived with just a single Hurri still flying. Moderate base damage was done.

KB moved to the northwest of Wellington by 6 hexes, as planned. Allied carriers moved southeast just one hex, still adjacent to Auckland, just as I had predicted. This put the carrier task forces 8 hexes apart, with my carrier planes purposefully range limited to 7 hexes. I didn't want to attack carriers if they were at Auckland or adjacent to it.

Bad weather prevented any strikes from KB in the morning. In the afternoon, KB planes attacked Wellington's port in thunderstorms.

Afternoon Air attack on Wellington , at 112,191

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
B5N2 Kate x 46
D3A1 Val x 61

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged
D3A1 Val: 28 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Anna Odland, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AV Pocomoke, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Hugh L. Scott, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Fomalhaut, Bomb hits 1
AKV Kittyhawk, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1 (did not penetrate)
xAK Period, Bomb hits 1, on fire
KV Jasmine, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Perry, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Trenton, Bomb hits 1, on fire

18 Vals then attacked:

Allied Ships
AP Barnett, Bomb hits 1, on fire

17 Kates then attacked:

Allied Ships
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Aroona, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Exmoor, Bomb hits 1
xAK Vito, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Mundalla, Bomb hits 1
xAK Theofano Livanos, Bomb hits 1
AS Platypus, Bomb hits 1

Note that there were no fighters protecting Wellington. I had guessed that Auckland would get loaded up with all of the Allied fighters in the area, and I may have been right. An excellent recon of Wellington showed 99 ships in port! With Wellington being a size 6 port, few if any of these ships will sink. I think there could have been a lot more hits in better weather. But it is acceptable. A couple of CLs hit, and a couple of nice APs hit, as well as an AS. Nothing war-changing, but a consolation prize for not hitting any of the US carriers yesterday.

KB will now retire to the northwest and then to Belep Island. Shokaku, with some battle damage, and Zuikaku are due for a radar installation at the beginning of June. I'm considering whether to do that or not. It's a 21 day upgrade. It may be better to continue to try to hit the US carriers as soon as possible.

I did see 4 enemy carrier task forces by Auckland. Judging from the number of fighters and bombers shown for each task force, it looks like each task force has a single big carrier. This makes sense. Yorktown has been sunk, and the US would have 4 other big carriers at this point. KB with 6 carriers is better than KB with 4 carriers. I don't want anything close to an even fight, and 4 versus 4 doesn't appeal to me. I'll probably delay the carrier upgrades.

The first Japanese attack in far northern China. Units are still moving in from Paotow. 2 of the 3 divisions were in this attack, and the armor was set to pursue. All units will attack today. Bombers hit the Chinese. Considering the clear terrain, I expect B-17s to appear at Lanchow and hit the Japanese troops in this battle hex. I moved a big Oscar group to Paotow and will LRCAP. They won't shoot down many, if any, bombers, but they could disrupt the bombing. I will be moving Nicks to this area. The first Nate to Nick upgrade will occur today with a unit in Tokyo. It will move to Paotow when ready. I know that the enemy bombers will come to the clear terrain of the desert up there.

[apbarog]

15 May 42

Dili was invaded by a small Japanese unit. Dili is undefended. Koepang is lightly defended. 20 Hudsons from Darwin bombed the APDs involved in this invasion, but all bombs missed.

It is interesting to note that Melak, the only enemy base still held on Borneo, still has supply. Melak is near Balikpapan and is inland. OPilot either drew supply in when losing the nearby bases, or flew in supply. The defenders are weak but so will be my attackers. I'm bombing Melak to destroy the supply.

Sallys bombed refineries at Lanchow, destroying about 20 of them.

Near Magwe, about 60 Blens bombed Japanese troops advancing north, in the clear. Almost 400 casualties. This was inevitable. I put some Oscars at Toungoo with a ranged CAP of 2, but they won't do much. Can't LRCAP yet, as Toungoo is building but is still a level 1 airfield.

In far northern China, the one Chinese corps blocking the advance is defeated.

Ground combat at 91,33 (near Paotow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 35531 troops, 271 guns, 64 vehicles, Assault Value = 1051

Defending force 5912 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 181

Japanese adjusted assault: 812

Allied adjusted defense: 33

Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
202 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1384 casualties reported
Squads: 67 destroyed, 105 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 26 (7 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
68th Division
22nd Division
20th Recon Regiment
116th Division
12th Army
16th Field AA Machinecannon Company

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

Alarm bells are now ringing for the Allies. Movement out of the capital to the north is noted. OPilot is an expert at what it takes to fight around Lanchow. He tried and failed as the Japanese in our last game, getting to Lanchow but not having enough supply or troops to take it. He'll rush troops up north and will defend the area successfully. That's ok. My goal is to get him to send troops up north.

KB moved away from New Zealand and was spotted. It will continue north, and will bomb Norfolk Island today as it passes by.

[apbarog]

16 May 42

Zeros from Noumea swept Norfolk Island, finding P-39Ds and F4F-3As. The Zeros got hit hard. The Zeros pilots are poorly trained. I had pulled out the elite pilots, to save them for the carriers, and decided not to use them offensively any longer, training them up on CAP at Noumea. Then I used them offensively. Didn't work.

KB carrier aircraft attacked the airbase at Norfolk Island. Damage was light in moderate rain, and planes were lost. A couple enemy planes destroyed on the ground. A smaller strike, with most of the assigned planes not flying, attacked Norfolk Island's port. Vals were lost, the port was untouched, and the AVPs that had been there weren't seen, much less attacked.

43 Sallys bombed Yenan in northern China. Yenan is a size 1 airfield and is the only enemy airfield somewhat close to the new Japanese offensive. The airbase was moderately damaged. No CAP. Sonias bombed also.

Total air losses were 22 Zeros, 9 Vals and 1 Kate, while downing just 5 F4F-3As and 3 P-39s. The Norfolk operation was not worth it. That will probably be my last attempt at suppressing the base, unless I bring in another bombardment force, which would mean braving the minefields again.

[apbarog]

17 May 42

KB is heading north. Lots of enemy subs are in the area. No KB bombers are trained in ASW. Stingray fired 4 torpedoes at Zuikaku. One hit, but it was a dud. Stingray then fired 4 torpedoes at Hiryu, but all missed. Then, with an amazing 3 attacks in one day, Stingray fired 4 torpedoes at Akagi, and missed.

I-166 spotted an interesting convoy near Carnavon, Australia.

Sub attack near Carnarvon at 47,135

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
AGP Aldebaran
AD Black Hawk
AR Castor
AGP Eridanus
AM Eland Dubois

SS I-166 launches 2 torpedoes at AGP Aldebaran

I don't know if these ships are headed to or from Perth. A forward base on the northern Australian coast is possible.

OPilot made a major air effort over Tongoo. 12 Hurricanes swept at 34000(!) feet. 42 Oscars were on patrol at 11000. Lots of Oscars shot down and no Hurricanes lost. In my experience as the Allies, Hurricanes are good point defense fighters but do poorly on sweeps. Not in this case. The Oscar pilots were very good.

Next 21 P-40Es of the Flying Tigers arrived at 31000 feet. More Oscars shot down. No Warhawks lost.

Then the best Allied sweepers of all arrived: 19 B-17s. Lots of Oscars damaged. Just one Fortress damaged. The base was moderately damaged.

14 Hurricanes then swept at 31000 feet, finding just 6 or 8 Oscars left, and all Oscars were shot down.


51 Blens attacked the 6th Tank Regiment southwest of Magwe, on a trail in the clear. Massacre. 8 tanks destroyed and 43 disabled. I've accepted what was going to happen to these guys. They are the flanking threat to Magwe, but the real push is right up the middle, and I'd rather lose the tanks and rebuild the unit than have my main attacks be hit. But it was a massacre.

Total air losses were 24 Oscars for downing 3 Hurricanes.

Catalinas flying from badly damaged Koepang attacked subchasers south of and at Kendari. They attacked at 1000 feet.

3 Cats missed a subchaser.
3 Cats flew to Kendari after a subchaser. 3 CVLs are at Kendari, and 28 Zeros intercepted, but were flying at 20000 feet, and the Cats slipped in unscratched at 1000 feet. Bombs missed.
2 Cats sank Ch 17 south of Kendari, with 2 bomb hits.
2 Cats hit Ch 18 south of Kendari, with 1 bomb hit. Then 2 more Cats hit the same subchaser with a bomb, sinking it.

I-166 sank CMc Pro Patria near Carnavon.

Japanese troops at Meiktila, in Burma, had a very effective artillery bombardment, causing 374 casualties. They were awaiting another division to arrive, and it did so, and a deliberate attack is ordered.

[pontiouspilot]

If you are serious about China I would recommend clearing the inland ports in China, building up the port capacity and using them for most of your supplies. It seemed to greatly assist in a major inland china war. In my war with Herr Dirk I managed to destroy the last Chinese units in Chungking in late July '43.

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

If you are serious about China I would recommend clearing the inland ports in China, building up the port capacity and using them for most of your supplies. It seemed to greatly assist in a major inland china war. In my war with Herr Dirk I managed to destroy the last Chinese units in Chungking in late July '43.

In my upcoming offensive, I'll be pushing east from Vietnam and then north, along one good road. If I secure the bases I want, the road will be fine for my supplies there. I'm not planning a general offensive in China until after I truly cut off Burma from China. Then your suggestion will be a good one.

[apbarog]

18 May 42

I-10 hit CM Bungaree with 2 torpedoes south of Norfolk Island, sinking the minelayer. The sub then hit the minelayer's escort, PC Morris, and sank it with a torpedo. Very good day for I-10.

I-166 sank DD Voyager near Carnavon.

Sallys in China damaged some light industry at Chengtu. Lilys went to Shaoyang, also looking for light industry hits, but got none in severe storms. I'm spreading the raids around, going after light industry mostly. Bombers will go back to Lanchow today, aiming for the refineries again.

Blens hit the 55th Division south of Magwe. Clear terrain. 19 B-17s hit the 1st RF Gun Battalion at Meiktila, wrecking it. Also clear terrain.

Sallys on Java hit Christmas IO's port and sank 5 TM patrol boats. Recon had spotted them in a task force yesterday.

Meiktila was captured.

Japanese ground losses:
526 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2661 casualties reported
Squads: 100 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 183 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (7 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 58 (57 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Enemy carriers northwest of the Andaman Islands have pulled back closer to Ceylon. I do think they were looking for the Japanese cruiser force that had been based at Rangoon and had bombarded Akyab.

[apbarog]

19 May 42

Badly damaged destroyer Murasame was still moving towards Noumea when it was hit by a torpedo from Haddock. But it was a dud. Murasame is now just one hex west of Noumea and should make it into port.

I-168 fired 2 torpedoes at APD Manley just southeast of Norfolk Island. Torpedoes missed. Just APDs at Norfolk now, with about 30 fighters, but many task forces are now 4 hexes to the southeast of Norfolk, including multiple carrier task forces. As before, intentions unknown. What I do know is that from their current position, the carriers can move 8 hexes to the north and be 6 hexes from Noumea. I've had a big cruiser task force just sitting at Noumea, with about 30 Zeros there. If OPilot thinks that KB has left the area, a raid could be incoming. In fact, KB took on fuel, planes and pilots at Belep Island, and is now ordered to move south, and end up one hex east of Noumea. If the enemy carriers move into range of Noumea, they'll be in range of KB. Kates are flown back onto KB, having taken replacement planes on nearby bases. The replacement Kates themselves are still at those bases, and will join their squadrons over the next few days. But most of the Kates are now on the carriers. All KB bombers are set to range 7. A squadron of Zeros from Java just flew to Noumea from Port Moresby, sot there are 2 Zero units there, and they will fly ranged CAP over the carriers.

Some refinery hits were achieved by Sallys bombing Lanchow.

19 B-17s from India bombed the airbase at Meiktila, just captured by the Japanese. I moved Zeros in, and 22 Zeros intercepted. Many Zeros were damaged but none were destroyed, not even as ops losses. 3 B-17s were destroyed, 2 of them being ops losses. Light damage was done to the airfield. Bomber defense will improve a bit when I can start getting Nicks to the front. The first converted squadron is at Tokyo and is repairing.

The enemy left Taung Gyi in Burma just as the parts of a Thai division attacked. The base is taken.

On New Guinea, near Wau, the 63rd Naval Guard Unit is chasing a couple of Australian rifle companies. They caught up with C Coy/NG Rifles and destroyed the tiny unit, but another company escaped west further into the jungle. The chase will continue. The naval guard unit will continue westward with a long trek through the jungle to the west coast of New Guinea.

With the Japanese offensive in the far north exposed, I see 4 units leaving Chungking to the northeast, with about 55000 men. Also, I see units leaving Changsha to the west. They could be destined for the north also, using the rail line to move west and then north towards the capital. Too soon to know about these guys. I want as much as possible headed north. Units are assembling in the Hanoi area for the western China offensive.