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

[witpqs]

1944 September 24

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Probolinggo

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Probolinggo

Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:



Our subs recorded weather data and sparred with ASW forces near the Formosa Strait.

Quiet in China.

Good attacks all around in the SEAC areas. The 29th is now being cut down. Our lone tank unit on the Peninsula harried the retreating Imperials and there will be 6 of them doing more serious work tomorrow. The 81st West African cleared the road to Langsa. The 53rd is still recalcitrant but is completely surrounded.

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Ground combat at 60,51 (near Chiang Mai)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21715 troops, 393 guns, 242 vehicles, Assault Value = 461

Defending force 7898 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Allied adjusted assault: 324

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 81 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
722 casualties reported
Squads: 58 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
23rd Indian Division
17th Indian Division

Defending units:
29th Division


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Ground combat at 51,69 (near Nakhon Si Thammarat)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 920 troops, 0 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 685

Defending force 8040 troops, 72 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Allied adjusted assault: 29

Japanese adjusted defense: 67

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
99 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
150th RAC Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
18th Cavalry Regiment
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
254th Armoured Brigade
Gardner's Horse Regiment

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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Ground combat at 44,71 (near Sabang)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10639 troops, 144 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 370

Defending force 1064 troops, 22 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Allied adjusted assault: 168

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 168 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), fatigue(-), morale(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
777 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 86 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (15 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

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

Assaulting units:
81st (West African) Division

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


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Ground combat at 59,53 (near Chiang Mai)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10686 troops, 114 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 285

Defending force 7600 troops, 4 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Allied adjusted assault: 146

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 36 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
162 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
133 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/15 Punjab Battalion
22nd (East African) Brigade
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd Burma Brigade
1st Burma Brigade
14th LRP Brigade

Defending units:
53rd Division


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Illustrious has made it to Colombo and the news is bad: 167 days estimate. There are still 6 more minor engine damage points to sort out, so she will remain ready at Colombo for a few days to try and increase her speed for the journey to the larger yard at Cape Town.

Still taking time to gather force before attacking stragglers north of Saigon so we destroy them rather than allow them to snake their way into the jungle again.

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Ground combat at 62,66 (near Pakse)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3025 troops, 46 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 93

Defending force 1863 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Assaulting units:
11th Airborne/C Division

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


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Those massive movements are still underway in SWPac's drive on China. The first of the Chinese Army units has reached Saigon and is boarding trains for the journey to Hanoi.

Probolinggo was indeed empty and is ours. Now to keep it!

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Ground combat at Probolinggo (56,105)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 127 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied adjusted assault: 11

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Probolinggo !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
1st Australian Para Bn /1


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We weren't really ready for Probolinggo, but what are we going to do, give it back?! Two convoys are loading with support units to get that airbase built and operating. Another will begin loading with another paratroops Bn the day after, and more troops will follow. Recon will (I hope) find all adjacent enemy. Air groups begin striking known targets nearby tomorrow. D-Day at Sandakan is tomorrow or possibly tonight.

All of the B-29s are back in the Marianas. The last big group of APA will get back to Guam in about 4 days. At that time we will take a close accounting of the attack transport capacity there and see if we form convoys to load or wait a few more days.

Indochina.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Coupe de main south of Lang Son! Oh my![X(]

I figure they will get away on account of the road and promptly starting once our plan became apparent. But maybe we'll get to retreat them at least once?

[witpqs]

1944 September 25

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Sandakan

Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:



Our subs tangled with a convoy evacuating Medan and making for Singapore. They also spotted the infamous DD Hamanami just west of Hong Kong. Is she on another bombardment run? A CL TF patrol has been shifted north from Hue to stand just SE of Haiphong.

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ASW attack near Tandjoengbalai at 47,79

Japanese Ships
PB Kaisho Maru
PB Hakka Maru
APD Nadakaze
APD Shimakaze
AK Amagisan Maru
AK Sado Maru
xAK Toryu Maru
xAK Ujigawa Maru
xAK Hakodate Maru
xAK Atlantic Maru
xAK Turuga Maru
xAK Kasagi Maru
xAK Akasisan Maru
xAK Kimishima Maru
xAK Melbourne Maru
E Hato
E Karukaya
E Asagao

Allied Ships
SS Zwaardvisch, hits 3

SS Zwaardvisch is sighted by escort
Zwaardvisch bottoming out ....
E Hato fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Karukaya fails to find sub and abandons search
E Asagao fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Hato fails to find sub and abandons search
E Asagao fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Asagao attacking submerged sub ....
E Asagao fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Asagao fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Hong Kong at 76,61

Japanese Ships
DD Hamanami

Allied Ships
SS Runner

SS Runner launches 4 torpedoes
Runner bottoming out ....
DD Hamanami fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamanami fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamanami fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamanami fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamanami fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Quiet in China. Just SW of Mengtze the single enemy unit that has been entrenched on the Chinese Army's right flank is now seen to be withdrawing. Our forces will attack tomorrow. The increased flow of supplies into Mengtze enabled by the new airfield and availability of more transports dedicated to that base is feeding units long starved within the base. And making more supply available to those outside the base, such as those that will attack tomorrow.

Another leg on the peninsula road is open and continued goodies near Chiang Mai.

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Ground combat at 51,69 (near Nakhon Si Thammarat)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8742 troops, 36 guns, 956 vehicles, Assault Value = 1000

Defending force 8174 troops, 79 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 66

Allied adjusted assault: 476

Japanese adjusted defense: 71

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3111 casualties reported
Squads: 74 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 167 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 18 (16 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 6

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

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
255th Indian Tank Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
150th RAC Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
18th Cavalry Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
Gardner's Horse Regiment

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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Ground combat at 60,51 (near Chiang Mai)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21737 troops, 393 guns, 242 vehicles, Assault Value = 463

Defending force 7241 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 313

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 78 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
764 casualties reported
Squads: 92 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Indian Division
17th Indian Division

Defending units:
29th Division


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Ground combat at 59,53 (near Chiang Mai)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9344 troops, 110 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 281

Defending force 7470 troops, 3 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 38

Allied adjusted assault: 76

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 19 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
299 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
2nd Burma Brigade
2/17 Dogra Battalion
22nd (East African) Brigade
2/15 Punjab Battalion
1st Burma Brigade
14th LRP Brigade

Defending units:
53rd Division


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The armour will proceed to Nakhon Si Thammarat and begin attacking while the infantry catches up.

A change of plan with Illustrious. She will move into the shipyard at Colombo. Considering the travel time, the 80 kton versus 40 kton shipyard might not be a net savings.

Just a few more days of movement near Saigon before reduction begins.

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Ground combat at 61,65 (near Pakse)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6093 troops, 92 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 187

Defending force 2636 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 68

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

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

Defending units:
17th Ind.Mixed Brigade


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Ground combat at 62,66 (near Pakse)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3033 troops, 46 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 93

Defending force 1859 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Assaulting units:
11th Airborne/C Division

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


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The first of the armored units has contacted the Imperial main defense just east of Hanoi and the rest will arrive tomorrow. Already their lead elements are in Lang Son. Our divisions east of Haiphong are coming under IJA air strikes to slow their progress. CAP is being rearranged and with today's successful sweeps of Canton, tomorrow could be a bad day for IJA bombers.

If the Empire is pulling back through Lang Son, which appears to be the case, then all 4 divisions east of Haiphong will move on Pakhoi instead of 2 of them moving to block the road behind Lang Son. They would not be in time anyway and support units can be quickly brought into Pakhoi from Haiphong by small craft.

The Torres Strait Bn is ashore at Sandakan and resistance looks light as there was no bombardment. They attack tomorrow. More troops dropped on Probolinggo while other transports dropped supplies. Help is on the way.

Indochina.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Borneo.

[witpqs]

Java. Reinforcements and support units are on the way, either at sea already or loading at the sources indicated.

[witpqs]

It looks like today's sweeps of Canton were about 32 to 4 in our favor. About half of our arriving flights did not find any opposition but all are tired. They will hit the skies over Hong Kong tomorrow. A planned sweep of Manila was scrubbed by weather at both ends.

[Lowpe]

You are playing the air mod right, where those Georges are real screamers?

I feel strongly now that Japan in a PBEM, needs the Jack moreso than the George although my favored approach is produce both but put the emphasis on Jack. The earlier arrival dates are so key & the engine being in production from Dec 7 are two advantages that are hard to overlook! However, it is the opposite, most JFBs go for George heavily. Most, not all.

Anyhow, it is nice to see the next George model fighting, I think it has a SR2 in this mod.

Here we come Hong Kong and Canton. All those IJA troops formed up against the Chinese are in deep trouble.[X(]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

You are playing the air mod right, where those Georges are real screamers?

Sort of. JWE redid the air stats, then he modified them ~a month later based on feedback, and those became part of DBB standard (AFAIK) and maybe even Stock(?). We have that first cut and never upgraded to the post-feedback version. So the IJ aircraft are even better than in DBB current standard. Woe is me! But it's all in good fun.

I feel strongly now that Japan in a PBEM, needs the Jack moreso than the George although my favored approach is produce both but put the emphasis on Jack. The earlier arrival dates are so key & the engine being in production from Dec 7 are two advantages that are hard to overlook! However, it is the opposite, most JFBs go for George heavily. Most, not all.

Anyhow, it is nice to see the next George model fighting, I think it has a SR2 in this mod.

I'll keep all that in mind. I'm not sure how the mod affected Walter's decisions because we added it in when we were well underway. Might have been too late for him to change some things.

Here we come Hong Kong and Canton. All those IJA troops formed up against the Chinese are in deep trouble.[X(]

I hope so! The entire Indochina campaign has been the Allies continually revealing themselves to have more strength than it looked like they had on hand. The next surprise might be that repatriated Chinese Army units are on hand to hold the flank of the advance while the spearhead takes Canton and Hong Kong.

BTW, I'm thinking that crossing into Wuchow makes the most sense because it is clear terrain. Canton is urban heavy and ground units can't even cross into Hong Kong (also urban heavy) from the west.

Pushing hard down the Malay Peninsula to free up those divisions and armour as soon as possible.

[Xilana]

Outsider looking in, but it seems like the Chinese front is about to explode open for the Allies. If this were to occur would you reconsider Okinawa?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: venividivici10044a

Outsider looking in, but it seems like the Chinese front is about to explode open for the Allies. If this were to occur would you reconsider Okinawa?

No. Because Okinawa is much closer to Japan. The Okinawa operation will take 7 bases, including 2 on Okinawa. The Okinawa operation and the Formosa operation afterwards will provide control of the seas and air right along the Chinese coast and thereby support the breakthrough in China. It's going to take time to march through the bases/cities on and near the coast against resistance. I believe that I have enough forces committed to that at least through the capture of Canton and Hong Kong, and probably somewhat farther.

Capturing the Okinawa region and invading Formosa while the advance through Canton/Hong Kong takes place is a better option than bottling up greater forces behind that front. And landing along the coast of China now would be done without LCU preparation and be much closer to more and larger bases for kamikaze and conventional strikes. I showed the surrounding bases a while back, sorry I forget the date but if you can find it that will help to explain my thinking.

There are other options that I can draw on for flexibility. For example, I could pull 6 divisions from the Singapore offensive and still have the 3 divisions currently engaged. I am hoping that I can push down the Malay Peninsula fast enough to engage Singapore's defenders before that is necessary.

The IJA 29th Division is looking like it will be destroyed within a couple of days, before it can move away. That will free up 2 divisions and numerous smaller units, plus 1 Chinese Army division and 1 large Chinese Army corps.

There are still 2 Allied divisions with the Chinese Army in the mountains. When the IJA in front of them starts pulling back they will provide offensive power for the advance.

Okinawa is not going to get easier later, only harder. And units which invade Okinawa now instead of later will be able to start recovery at an earlier date, making them available sooner for future operations. Such as the invasion of the HI.

[Lowpe]

I think you are wise to bolster the Chinese troops with units that have some offensive staying power. And, as always, I can't wait to see the Okinawa invasion.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I think you are wise to bolster the Chinese troops with units that have some offensive staying power. And, as always, I can't wait to see the Okinawa invasion.

IIRC I had at least 4 more Allied divisions plus some armored units in there too. After things really stabilized and the Chinese Army units did some rebuilding, etc. I was able to start pulling them out for use in the offensive. You might recall I did try advancing with them in the mountains, but it just wasn't happening. As the legs get swept out from under the units opposing us in the mountains I think things will change.

[zuluhour]

Incredible logic, I see why your smiling.[;)]
You have me staring at the map, Okinawa is.......really close to gold.....

**I am not familiar enough with the IJ OOB. Does he have a lot of static units or can he play chess as he
pleases when it comes to the home islands?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Incredible logic, I see why your smiling.[;)]
You have me staring at the map, Okinawa is.......really close to gold.....

**I am not familiar enough with the IJ OOB. Does he have a lot of static units or can he play chess as he
pleases when it comes to the home islands?

Whoa, you've got me. Lowpe!??

[zuluhour]

I would have to hope quite a few are static. My less than stellar knowledge of the IJA
supposes large forces are specifically ear marked to prefectures.

[Lowpe]

It takes an awful lot of land units to defend the HI. The Depot divisions help to fill space but really stink TOE wise; and thankfully Japan does get lots of land reinforcements both restricted to General Defense (which still can be flown to garrison some of the Japanese Islands and even to Formosa) and unrestricted troops. Most full division reinforcements are restricted, and often to commands below General which makes transporting by plane impossible without PP cost. But no worries in this game for free troops I suspect.[;)]

Because, in this game, given the god awful destruction in Burma and Thailand, I suspect the HI is brimming with rebuilt troops with no restrictions. So the shrinking of the Empires borders make future attacks harder.

Of course, the advantage lies with the attacker especially given the wonderful sigint and recon abilities of the Yanks. And it will be interesting to see if WITPQS falls into any land combat quagmires of which I think there are many possible pitfalls.

Okinawa does spawn some troops, as does Formosa and to a lesser degree the Japanese Isles. Okinawa is such an iconic base, it is usually built up early and often by JFBs and can be quite tough to take... think forts 6+; however it does have one weakness. It is very hard to get kamikazes within ranges of the landing beaches from other airbases off island.

So, I guess the answer is he can play Chess...but China is one awful tactical mess for Andav. I suspect the advance here is going to be very disheartening, but educational, for any JFB.[&:]

Mounting an air campaign against Honshu from Okinawa, Marianas, and Luzon is still very difficult to do and WITPQS needs to get even closer. Even additional bases like Foochow will help, but present another set of difficulties, i.e. the supply sink that is China.

Andav by no means has lost this game even with the clear initiative towards the Allies...but a lot depends on what he did industrially.

[zuluhour]

Very enlightening, I had not even thought of the reconstitution of destroyed units in Asia. I would assume then a "purchased" unit from Manchuria and destroyed in Thailand will be rebuilt in Japan as unrestricted. Good to know that a fair portion will be somewhat static and unable to deploy out of mainland Japan. I have to open the editor and take a look at late war IJA garrison units as well. I noticed in my game when I lost Chesty, Magata, and others, they reappeared in my leader replacements after being "KIA" on Wake. I wondered what would keep an IJ player from just stacking the landing hexes to ridiculous levels. You got me thinking in many directions.