Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[Lowpe]

Perhaps Lang Son line is the line in the sand.[&:] What wonderful terrain to defend in, too. Especially if the troops have time to dig in. I know Lang Son is out of the malaria belt, but I am not sure about those three hexes.

A funny thing about IJA troops, the Brigades and Regiments dig in much faster in these non-base hexes than does an IJA Division. RTA troops, something you don't have to fear anymore, can dig in quite quickly too.

Another great thing about digging in non-base hexes is the forts never get destroyed from combat. That level 4 fort will stick around. There are drawbacks too.

Seeing this line, will you change your attack plans?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Perhaps Lang Son line is the line in the sand.[&:] What wonderful terrain to defend in, too. Especially if the troops have time to dig in. I know Lang Son is out of the malaria belt, but I am not sure about those three hexes.

A funny thing about IJA troops, the Brigades and Regiments dig in much faster in these non-base hexes than does an IJA Division. RTA troops, something you don't have to fear anymore, can dig in quite quickly too.

Another great thing about digging in non-base hexes is the forts never get destroyed from combat. That level 4 fort will stick around. There are drawbacks too.

Seeing this line, will you change your attack plans?

No, this line is very much in the sweet spot of the diagrammed plan. 5x divisions plus much armor crossing NE of Hanoi should crush 6,300 troops, maybe even on the crossing turn. 4x divisions crossing E of Haiphong should have an easy enough time with 6,000 troops there. The likely adjustments will come when DAW HQ reacts to the encirclement maneuvers that follow.

[zuluhour]

supply?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

supply?

At the moment 30k at Hanoi & 38k at Haiphong. Plenty coming in through Victoria Point and Cam Ranh Bay. Is that what you mean?

[zuluhour]

yep, I was wondering how much you could squeeze through Victoria Pt. or more precisely, how fast. I assume
your running resupply convoys across the South China Sea. I really like your approach, the two direction thingy.[:)]

[witpqs]

1944 September 16

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Sabang

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Ternate
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Ternate


Our subs harassed an AMc leaving Sabang.

Quiet in China.

Sabang is ours! Surat Thani is weakening.

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Ground combat at Sabang (44,70)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1846 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 72

Defending force 10629 troops, 144 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Assaulting units:
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
35th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
81st (West African) Division


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Ground combat at Sabang (44,70)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10629 troops, 144 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Defending force 2833 troops, 27 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 72

Allied adjusted assault: 318

Japanese adjusted defense: 22

Allied assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied forces CAPTURE Sabang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), morale(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1103 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 24 (7 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
81st (West African) Division

Defending units:
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
35th JAAF AF Bn


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Ground combat at Surat Thani (51,68)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24729 troops, 413 guns, 281 vehicles, Assault Value = 1027

Defending force 14425 troops, 130 guns, 63 vehicles, Assault Value = 286

Allied adjusted assault: 217

Japanese adjusted defense: 367

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
995 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 13 (8 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
495 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Assaulting units:
20th Indian Division
26th Indian Division
5th Indian Division
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment
11th/A Division
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
11th/C Division
29th Army
32nd Field AA Battalion


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Surat Thani was a two-division attack and tomorrow will be a one-division attack to keep the pressure on.

Meanwhile, at sea...

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Sub attack near Langsa at 46,73

Japanese Ships
ACM Wa 14

Allied Ships
SS O16

SS O16 launches 2 torpedoes
O16 bottoming out ....
ACM Wa 14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
ACM Wa 14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
ACM Wa 14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
ACM Wa 14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
ACM Wa 14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Sabang at 45,70, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone, Shell hits 8
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 2, heavy fires

Allied Ships
CV Victorious
CV Indomitable, Shell hits 1
CV Illustrious, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Hermes
CVL Unicorn
CVE Battler
CVE Shah
CVE Ranee, Shell hits 2
CLAA Argonaut, Shell hits 2
CLAA Van Heemskerck, Shell hits 1
DD Napier
DD Nizam
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Pathfinder
DD Petard
DE Tisdale
DE Flamingo
DE Cauvery
DE Kistna

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 25,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 25,000 yards
CA Tone fires at CV Illustrious at 25,000 yards
CA Tone fires at CV Victorious at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages CV Illustrious at 21,000 yards
CLAA Argonaut engages CA Tone at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Argonaut at 18,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages CV Illustrious at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Argonaut at 16,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yudachi at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yudachi at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages DD Nizam at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages DE Flamingo at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 10,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Napier at 10,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Petard at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 9,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Petard at 9,000 yards
DD Petard engages DD Yudachi at 9,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Pathfinder at 9,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Pathfinder at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 12,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Napier at 12,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Isaac Sweers at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages DE Kistna at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 11,000 yards
CA Tone engages CVE Shah at 11,000 yards
CA Tone engages DE Flamingo at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CV Illustrious , CV Indomitable , CV Victorious ,
CVL Unicorn , CVL Hermes , CVE Ranee ,
CVE Shah screened from combat
- escorted by DD Petard , DD Pathfinder , DD Isaac Sweers ,
DD Nizam , DD Napier , DE Kistna ,
DE Cauvery , DE Flamingo
CA Tone engages CLAA Van Heemskerck at 11,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Argonaut at 11,000 yards
CA Tone engages DE Tisdale at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CV Illustrious , CV Indomitable , CV Victorious screened from combat
- escorted by DD Petard , DD Pathfinder , DD Isaac Sweers ,
DD Nizam , DD Napier , DE Kistna ,
DE Cauvery , DE Flamingo , DE Tisdale
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 12,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages CV Illustrious at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages CVE Ranee at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages CVE Battler at 12,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Argonaut at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 16,000 yards
CV Illustrious , CV Indomitable , CV Victorious ,
CVL Unicorn , CVL Hermes screened from combat
- escorted by DD Petard , DD Pathfinder , DD Isaac Sweers ,
DD Nizam , DD Napier , DE Kistna ,
DE Cauvery , DE Flamingo , DE Tisdale
CA Tone engages CVE Ranee at 16,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Van Heemskerck at 16,000 yards
Range increases to 20,000 yards
CV Illustrious , CV Indomitable , CV Victorious ,
CVL Unicorn , CVL Hermes screened from combat
- escorted by DD Petard , DD Pathfinder , DD Isaac Sweers ,
DD Nizam , DD Napier , DE Kistna ,
DE Cauvery , DE Flamingo , DE Tisdale
CA Tone engages CV Illustrious at 20,000 yards
CA Tone engages CLAA Van Heemskerck at 20,000 yards
CLAA Argonaut engages CA Tone at 20,000 yards
Range increases to 24,000 yards
CA Tone engages CV Indomitable at 24,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
CV Illustrious , CV Indomitable , CV Victorious ,
CVL Unicorn , CVL Hermes , CVE Ranee ,
CVE Shah , CVE Battler screened from combat
- escorted by DD Petard , DD Pathfinder , DD Isaac Sweers ,
DD Nizam , DD Napier , DE Kistna ,
DE Cauvery , DE Flamingo
CA Tone engages CLAA Argonaut at 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Langsa at 46,73

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Barracuda II x 10
Hellcat I x 6
Seafire IIC x 5
Wildcat V x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
ACM Wa 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Barracuda II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo



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Tone is getting under my toenails! She sails right through the best crewed and led battleships in the world and lays steel on our carriers. Crikey! And weather protected her from retribution.

Blocking of buggers north of Saigon complete.

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Ground combat at 62,66 (near Pakse)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3033 troops, 46 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 187

Defending force 2038 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Assaulting units:
11th Airborne/A Division
11th Airborne/C Division

Defending units:
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
33rd Division


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Soon the reduction of those in contact will commence. All divisions at Hanoi are ready and all five now begin moving NE. They will do so in move mode tomorrow (under heavy CAP), then switch to combat mode for an estimated 3 days march. The armor will sit today, then move in combat mode for an estimated 2 days. Any units lagging behind could be put in movement mode for the last day to catch up. The 3 units across the river are now showing as close to 10,000 troops. Likely the 3 units E of Haiphong will show the same, accounting for a drop from 50-54k down to 40k E across the river from Hanoi. Tomorrow the two USA B-17 groups will strike troops E of Hanoi to impede movement (although none seen currently) and the RAF Liberators will strike the troops NE of Hanoi. The USA B-24 groups will continue training while that can afforded.

Ternate's ex-defenders show the same elan as before.

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Night Naval bombardment of Ternate at 78,102

Allied Ships
CA Boston
CA Northampton

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

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Boston
CA Boston firing at 12th Garrison Unit
CA Northampton firing at 12th Garrison Unit


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Night Naval bombardment of Ternate at 78,102

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma

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

BB Oklahoma firing at 12th Garrison Unit


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Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4431 troops, 178 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 102

Defending force 3561 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 62

Allied adjusted assault: 82

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 20 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
108 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

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

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
260th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
12th Garrison Unit
2nd JNAF AF Unit


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Indochina.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Illustrious is hurt and will make for Colombo.

[witpqs]

Sabang was captured intact, in spite of level 6 fortifications!

[witpqs]

China. Just SE of Kunming, is that more units being pulled back from the front?

[Lowpe]

Go Tone![:)] A ray of light, in what is otherwise a pretty bleak Japanese picture.

If the Lang Son line is so weak...then I wonder what is waiting for you at Nanning?

It is not like the line east of Lang Son is tough either...

All those IJA troops guarding the western passes against the Chinese are in serious danger, IMHO.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Go Tone![:)] A ray of light, in what is otherwise a pretty bleak Japanese picture.

If the Lang Son line is so weak...then I wonder what is waiting for you at Nanning?

It is not like the line east of Lang Son is tough either...

All those IJA troops guarding the western passes against the Chinese are in serious danger, IMHO.

I forget the count, but there are a lot of troops at Nanning. I plan to stiff-arm them and march right by to the south. By the time it's clear they either attack or are irrelevant, many Chinese Army units will be in the area. The first ones are disembarking from trains now to walk to Saigon where they will board the China Express. [:'(]

[witpqs]

Oh, and Wa pointed out that the destroyer Yudachi got that torpedo hit from 16,000 yards! Just for anyone who says that the Long Lance can never hit from long range.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I forget the count, but there are a lot of troops at Nanning. I plan to stiff-arm them and march right by to the south. By the time it's clear they either attack or are irrelevant, many Chinese Army units will be in the area. The first ones are disembarking from trains now to walk to Saigon where they will board the China Express. [:'(]

I think every JFB knows the Allied proclivities for clear terrain in 44. Doubt that will surprise him much, but not sure what Japan can do about it other than threaten your supply line.

[BBfanboy]

Can you fly off Illustrious' air group - just in case?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Can you fly off Illustrious' air group - just in case?

No, I don't think she can operate planes.

[Drakanel]

Well, what can be said is that these japanese CAs are really living the BANZAI spirit. To sail right through your escorts like that!

It seems like the Illustrious should make it... And if it does not, I expect the royal navy to mount an immediate and direct amphibious landing at Singapore for retribution. Right? [:D]

That said, everything is going smoothly in indochina. I wonder whether your opponent plans to eventually weaken the Kunming front or not...

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Drakanel

That said, everything is going smoothly in indochina. I wonder whether your opponent plans to eventually weaken the Kunming front or not...

There is no doubt that he is trying to pull his troops back to bolster the Lang Son/Nanning area but marching in mountain terrain is slow business. All the decent roads lead away from the direction he wants to go.

[Lowpe]

I was worried about the IJA troop losses you have inflicted so far, especially the huge pocket. Do you have a breakdown of what units you destroyed there?

Still, the last scoresheet post has only 11K IJA land losses which isn't all that super high. At least I don't think so....but I worry that another pocket, isolating all those northern Chinese units will be the final nail in the coffin.