3rd November, 1942.
How time flies.
Not many combat reports these days as most of the action seems to be a slow attritional thing rather than short, decisive operations.
BURMA/INDIA
I now have 64 Mitchells at Bangalore, which is a position from which they can actually seriously help out, by bombing Ceylon to tar. I've got them mostly going for his ground units at Colombo. 24 heavy bombes (the rest are in China) have been keeping his airfield at Trimcomalee wrecked, assisted every so often by 30 or so Beauforts out of Mannargudi, which are close enough to target the entire island.
His troops are supermen though, I outnumber him massively and yet only just manage to force a retreat. He currently has about 10,000 men in Colombo who have not yet been pushed out, I now have 70,000 men there and about 600 guns. I've had to pull out one Indian division from the cauldron of battle as its assault value was around 70, thats now in AKs and is almost at Diamond Harbour to be restored.
I'm rotating in a SEAC Chinese division which is now fully fixed on 155 assault.
This Ceylon thing is going to take a long, long time to resolve, I can see.
The RN in India (2 BB, 1 CV, 1 CVL) is a bit beefier than it has been in the past, and is holed up in Diamond Harbour. Sys damage is <5, so I could use them if need be. He has a lot of ships at Rangoon and I really want to raid him, but he has Betties there and I cant shut down Rangoon airfield, so it tempts me but I do not act.
CHINA
I'm starting to hit back but the balance of power is still with him. Chengtu is now a heavy bomber airfield, well covered with Spitfires, and I have concentrated my heavies there. My earlier tactic of splitting the heavies throughout China failed, as it means they attack piecemeal and get cut to pieces. Today saw a 60 bomber raid on his main airfield at Homan that destroyed 50 Zeroes on the ground.
The attrition for my bombers is very bad though, I lost 10 heavies today out of 70. A third of my force is damaged, and thats despite only attacking once every three or four days.
As for Japan, his attacks look like this :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lanchow , at 45,25
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 186
Ki-48 Lily x 27
Ki-49 Helen x 26
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5
No Japanese losses
Resources hits 39
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
10 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He got 250 runway hits the day before when he wanted to close the airfield. He is really going for China in a big way.
My strategy remains unchanged, as there is little more I can do. I'm moving some Spits forward to Sian in a daring move, planning on a few sweeps over Homan to break up his fighter CAP. He has Tonies and Tojos there now, but the Spits have reamed him every time they have met - I assume his experience is quite low.
DEI/SWPAC
Movement of units around in northern Aus. I'm moving my main base from Derby (malarial) to Darwin (not malarial). I didn't envisage staying in Aus for long, now he's garrisoned Bali thats changed so I need somewhere I can rest.
Thunderstorms day after day have limited operations here again. Raba is becoming a PT base, regular APD runs bring fuel and the PTs can raid Kendari and Bali at will. The US battleships, 3 x BB with one of them the fast Washington, are one day out from Derby. The total Allied naval force there is now about 50 warships of all types bar CVs, unfortunately. I hope to cover them with Lightnings out of Timor in the event, now I plan on slow creeping up the island chain LBA alone should be sufficient, we hope.
SOPAC
It is a backwater - but I have been slowly reinforcing Noumea with the SOPAC units that pour in. Mostly marine raiders and paratroopers. I've finally decided to act. Shortland Island is my target, a marine raider group is headed over there to bag it. Lightnings based in Lunga will cover the transports as they unload. The 21 Marauders at Lunga are being reinforced to a full 64, though it'll take a while (AK leaving Brisbane today).
I have a lot of Seabees in Noumea, and an RCT, this will be used to reinforce Shortland once the marines have a toehold.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
I raided Kwajalein with battleships and carriers but it was a disaster. BB Idaho hit one of my own mines, and while she'll make it home she's out of the war for months. The carrier air was grounded by horrible weather. Damage to Kwajalein was negligible, and it cost me a battleship, grr.
Wake is now an airfield 4. Canton Island is being stripped and the av units being sent there. I'm still undecided on the next move. What I have decided is that I'll wait until 1943 before I make the next move, whatever it may be. We're almost there now, and we may as well have his carrier performance go down and mine go up before we make moves.
EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
RE: Back to the grind
I think we're at a hesitant stage now.
Basically it seems that Japan and the Allies are probably about equal in power now. We can both make offensive operations but only at considerable risk.
As a result, we're both looking at each other suspiciously and not really making any moves.
Over the next 80 days I get 2 more CVEs and CV Essex - that'll mean we got 9 CVs and 4 CVEs in the Pacific (if Long Island counts anyway :p) - I think then we'll make our move, either for Marcus or probably Bikini Atoll of all places.
Basically it seems that Japan and the Allies are probably about equal in power now. We can both make offensive operations but only at considerable risk.
As a result, we're both looking at each other suspiciously and not really making any moves.
Over the next 80 days I get 2 more CVEs and CV Essex - that'll mean we got 9 CVs and 4 CVEs in the Pacific (if Long Island counts anyway :p) - I think then we'll make our move, either for Marcus or probably Bikini Atoll of all places.
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: EUBanana
I think we're at a hesitant stage now.
Basically it seems that Japan and the Allies are probably about equal in power now. We can both make offensive operations but only at considerable risk.
As a result, we're both looking at each other suspiciously and not really making any moves.
Over the next 80 days I get 2 more CVEs and CV Essex - that'll mean we got 9 CVs and 4 CVEs in the Pacific (if Long Island counts anyway :p) - I think then we'll make our move, either for Marcus or probably Bikini Atoll of all places.
Yeah, don't commit yourself piecemeal, it's a japanese dream that the allied opponent would send his carriers out to be sunk in batches of 4-5 as they come online. Gather your strength, plan and set objectives for LCU's for a several stage offensive in SRA. Then send the carriers there and with the combination of LBA and carriers move up through macassar, balikpapan, banjarmarasin and tarakan to close the lifeline to Palembang and Java.
In february you'll also get corsairs, have groups ready to upgrade in northern australia. If you are using the original map then it's quite easy to advance out of Darwin. I haven't watched this AAR for a long time.. does he hold PM?
If he does, neutralize it with heavies from Cooktown and Cairns. If he doesn't all the better. You can move your carriers to northern OZ by the short route.
Surface combat TF fanboy
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: StringORIGINAL: EUBanana
I think we're at a hesitant stage now.
Basically it seems that Japan and the Allies are probably about equal in power now. We can both make offensive operations but only at considerable risk.
As a result, we're both looking at each other suspiciously and not really making any moves.
Over the next 80 days I get 2 more CVEs and CV Essex - that'll mean we got 9 CVs and 4 CVEs in the Pacific (if Long Island counts anyway :p) - I think then we'll make our move, either for Marcus or probably Bikini Atoll of all places.
Yeah, don't commit yourself piecemeal, it's a japanese dream that the allied opponent would send his carriers out to be sunk in batches of 4-5 as they come online. Gather your strength, plan and set objectives for LCU's for a several stage offensive in SRA. Then send the carriers there and with the combination of LBA and carriers move up through macassar, balikpapan, banjarmarasin and tarakan to close the lifeline to Palembang and Java.
In february you'll also get corsairs, have groups ready to upgrade in northern australia. If you are using the original map then it's quite easy to advance out of Darwin. I haven't watched this AAR for a long time.. does he hold PM?
If he does, neutralize it with heavies from Cooktown and Cairns. If he doesn't all the better. You can move your carriers to northern OZ by the short route.
He has Port Moresby, thats the main reason there are no CVs in the DEI at the moment. At the moment my strategy has been a bit haphazard as a result, I would like the heaviest weight to land on him at Bali really, as I'm not playing around, I'd like to hit him where I can really hurt.
PM has a lot of fighter CAP and neutralising it won't be easy. I tried that in the past and didn't get very far. Hence the plan to try and use Lightning LRCAP instead of CVs, there are ample airbases in the DEI for me to creep forward under LBA cover.
...do you think this is foolish? I was going to rely on LBA in the DEI and keep the CVs in the Pacific.
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: EUBanana
ORIGINAL: StringORIGINAL: EUBanana
I think we're at a hesitant stage now.
Basically it seems that Japan and the Allies are probably about equal in power now. We can both make offensive operations but only at considerable risk.
As a result, we're both looking at each other suspiciously and not really making any moves.
Over the next 80 days I get 2 more CVEs and CV Essex - that'll mean we got 9 CVs and 4 CVEs in the Pacific (if Long Island counts anyway :p) - I think then we'll make our move, either for Marcus or probably Bikini Atoll of all places.
Yeah, don't commit yourself piecemeal, it's a japanese dream that the allied opponent would send his carriers out to be sunk in batches of 4-5 as they come online. Gather your strength, plan and set objectives for LCU's for a several stage offensive in SRA. Then send the carriers there and with the combination of LBA and carriers move up through macassar, balikpapan, banjarmarasin and tarakan to close the lifeline to Palembang and Java.
In february you'll also get corsairs, have groups ready to upgrade in northern australia. If you are using the original map then it's quite easy to advance out of Darwin. I haven't watched this AAR for a long time.. does he hold PM?
If he does, neutralize it with heavies from Cooktown and Cairns. If he doesn't all the better. You can move your carriers to northern OZ by the short route.
He has Port Moresby, thats the main reason there are no CVs in the DEI at the moment. At the moment my strategy has been a bit haphazard as a result, I would like the heaviest weight to land on him at Bali really, as I'm not playing around, I'd like to hit him where I can really hurt.
PM has a lot of fighter CAP and neutralising it won't be easy. I tried that in the past and didn't get very far. Hence the plan to try and use Lightning LRCAP instead of CVs, there are ample airbases in the DEI for me to creep forward under LBA cover.
...do you think this is foolish? I was going to rely on LBA in the DEI and keep the CVs in the Pacific.
If you think that he can mount an offensive in the pacific while your carriers are away, then yes keep the in pac. However if you have your important bases fortified enough then use them first to neutralize PM (It's actually range 9 from Cooktown or cairns, which ever is the northernmost AUS base so you can escort your heavies with P-38's too) and when the airfield is down, move your carriers first SE and then loop back unseen to SRA. Position your carriers so that the returning bombardment groups from PM would end up in their hex during the day. Try to set their home base so the route would be a direct line along the hexes if possible, you know the drill. Then use your cruisers to bombard the airfield from sea and carriers from air, along with heavies. Should shut down the base in no time. No need to invade it just yet, just to keep it down so you can send your transports with supplies to Darwin. Organize several BIG convoys with 600k+ supplies and fuel in each and send them to darwin together. Unload only one of them and keep the rest of the supplies as a reserve. You're gonna need them for the offensive. Be aware of the potential surface threat and keep several BB's to guard them .
Surface combat TF fanboy
RE: Back to the grind
I've got a vast mountain of supply and fuel in northern Australia. Throughout the year I've been using pretty much all the British merchant fleet to move supply from Karachi to Australia.
The problem is more getting the combat units there. Cairns is already a big airbase with av support, I was poking at PM from Cairns before, but you are right, now I have Lightnings it might be a different ballgame.
I don't think he's aware of my buildup on the north coast of Australia. Just about every SWPAC unit is now at Derby or Darwin. In the light of that my raid on Shortlands might be a good idea, it means any bombing of PM might be considered to be part of an offensive in SOPAC rather than merely a device to bring more force to northern Australia.
The problem is more getting the combat units there. Cairns is already a big airbase with av support, I was poking at PM from Cairns before, but you are right, now I have Lightnings it might be a different ballgame.
I don't think he's aware of my buildup on the north coast of Australia. Just about every SWPAC unit is now at Derby or Darwin. In the light of that my raid on Shortlands might be a good idea, it means any bombing of PM might be considered to be part of an offensive in SOPAC rather than merely a device to bring more force to northern Australia.
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: EUBanana
I've got a vast mountain of supply and fuel in northern Australia. Throughout the year I've been using pretty much all the British merchant fleet to move supply from Karachi to Australia.
The problem is more getting the combat units there. Cairns is already a big airbase with av support, I was poking at PM from Cairns before, but you are right, now I have Lightnings it might be a different ballgame.
I don't think he's aware of my buildup on the north coast of Australia. Just about every SWPAC unit is now at Derby or Darwin. In the light of that my raid on Shortlands might be a good idea, it means any bombing of PM might be considered to be part of an offensive in SOPAC rather than merely a device to bring more force to northern Australia.
Good idea with shortlands. I would suggest however moving those forces from Derby (malarial base iirc) to darwin, which is normal.
Also as I understand you control Timor, which makes Wyndham a good place to collect ships, as timor shields it from japanese more or less.
The problem with combat units is a valid one. One option ofcourse is to transport them to Brisbane or townsville and then send them overland to Darwin, should take about a week or two on normal map. This ofcourse will leave the matter of shipping, so it would be perhaps faster to just compose the nessecary shipping at Noumea for instance and when PM is neutralized, move it to Darwin.
How many AP's and landing craft do you have? You need atleast the unit's load cost divided by 400 ships to land 90%+ of your forces in one turn. This makes approx 60 AP's per a large division.
Anyway, use overwhelming force and make plans before hand. Set objectives for each unit, and compose your fleets so that you can reroute units to different targets if nessecary. If you haven't done it yet then start sending recce flights to japanese positions all over the map, so as to not to reveal your true interests. If your house rules allow and you don't consider it too gamey, then also send sub commando raids (for recon) from Wake to Andaman islands..
Surface combat TF fanboy
RE: Back to the grind
8th November, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
All Japanese troops on Ceylon have been pushed back to Trimcomalee. 7th Armoured and the other Indian armoured division are already at Trimcomalee bombarding them. Another 2 Indian Divisions are on the railroad, along with a ground unit HQ and pretty much all those British howitzer and field arty units. A UK division at Colombo is being withdrawn to Trimcomalee, assault strength on half, though its mostly disablements so in three months or so it'll probably be good to go again.
Mitchells, Blenheims, Vengeances and Beauforts make his life miserable every day. But I imagine Fortress Trimcomalee will hold for a long time, given the Jap propensity to fight to the last man.
CHINA
Today 7 Fortresses were shot down in exchange for 60 Jap aircraft destroyed, mostly on the ground, 20 of them Sallies. Excellent. Starting to fight back even if it is nothing like the devastating aerial bombardments he's inflicting upon me.
Supply is very bad in China aside from at Chengtu where my bomber base is, which is being supplied aerially from Ledo.
DEI
Submarines with radar sets are starting to replace those without. I'm slowly rotating the sub fleet back to the West Coast as and when the subs require refit. Today USS Runner had a go at a Jap tanker near Saigon but missed, thats one of my radar subs.
I've been raiding Soerabaja and Kendari with bombers but his air defence at Soerabaja is quite stiff so results have been generally pretty iffy. My PT boats are still in place at Reba, which is being supplied by APDs with fuel still. There is a lot of reorganisation on the north coast of Australia, LCUs moving up to Darwin in readiness.
Transport is currently lacking, just 12 APs in theatre here. So operations will have to wait for a while yet. I'm probably going to end up using a lot of AKs, like 100 or so, taken from India. Not ideal but its what we have.
SOPAC
First minor offensive op here since the recapture and fortification of Lunga about six months ago. Vella Lavella turned out to be the eventual target, he has garrisons throughout the Solomons but that one was empty. Its within comfortable range of Lunga so my level bombers can mess him up if he tries to intervene navally.
Lightnings from Lunga have been LRCAPping the small convoy - 2 APs, 1 MSW, DD Gridley - which moved the marines. Betties out of Rabaul with Zero escort have been trying to prevent the op. So far 1 AP has been torpedoed twice but thats a pretty easy run given the many, many attacks. The Jap pilots must be low quality, my fatigue 25 Lightnings managed to mostly hold him off.
Looks like the overall cost of the op will be just one AP.
5 DD/DMS/APD are being moved to Lunga for supply and reinforcement of my forward point. Next thing to do, insert SeaBees via fast transport, and maybe an RCT fragment.
For the curious Lunga is my only important base in the South Pacific now north of Luganville, and its garrison is 60 medium bombers, 24 lightnings, 24 wildcats, Vandegrifts powerful USMC division and adequate support, so its fairly hefty.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Still working on reinforcing Wake. APs are busy moving LCUs around the islands too. The focus is going to shift to DEI soon and I want CentPac left in good shape while the fleet and APs are elsewhere.
BURMA/INDIA
All Japanese troops on Ceylon have been pushed back to Trimcomalee. 7th Armoured and the other Indian armoured division are already at Trimcomalee bombarding them. Another 2 Indian Divisions are on the railroad, along with a ground unit HQ and pretty much all those British howitzer and field arty units. A UK division at Colombo is being withdrawn to Trimcomalee, assault strength on half, though its mostly disablements so in three months or so it'll probably be good to go again.
Mitchells, Blenheims, Vengeances and Beauforts make his life miserable every day. But I imagine Fortress Trimcomalee will hold for a long time, given the Jap propensity to fight to the last man.
CHINA
Today 7 Fortresses were shot down in exchange for 60 Jap aircraft destroyed, mostly on the ground, 20 of them Sallies. Excellent. Starting to fight back even if it is nothing like the devastating aerial bombardments he's inflicting upon me.
Supply is very bad in China aside from at Chengtu where my bomber base is, which is being supplied aerially from Ledo.
DEI
Submarines with radar sets are starting to replace those without. I'm slowly rotating the sub fleet back to the West Coast as and when the subs require refit. Today USS Runner had a go at a Jap tanker near Saigon but missed, thats one of my radar subs.
I've been raiding Soerabaja and Kendari with bombers but his air defence at Soerabaja is quite stiff so results have been generally pretty iffy. My PT boats are still in place at Reba, which is being supplied by APDs with fuel still. There is a lot of reorganisation on the north coast of Australia, LCUs moving up to Darwin in readiness.
Transport is currently lacking, just 12 APs in theatre here. So operations will have to wait for a while yet. I'm probably going to end up using a lot of AKs, like 100 or so, taken from India. Not ideal but its what we have.
SOPAC
First minor offensive op here since the recapture and fortification of Lunga about six months ago. Vella Lavella turned out to be the eventual target, he has garrisons throughout the Solomons but that one was empty. Its within comfortable range of Lunga so my level bombers can mess him up if he tries to intervene navally.
Lightnings from Lunga have been LRCAPping the small convoy - 2 APs, 1 MSW, DD Gridley - which moved the marines. Betties out of Rabaul with Zero escort have been trying to prevent the op. So far 1 AP has been torpedoed twice but thats a pretty easy run given the many, many attacks. The Jap pilots must be low quality, my fatigue 25 Lightnings managed to mostly hold him off.
Looks like the overall cost of the op will be just one AP.
5 DD/DMS/APD are being moved to Lunga for supply and reinforcement of my forward point. Next thing to do, insert SeaBees via fast transport, and maybe an RCT fragment.
For the curious Lunga is my only important base in the South Pacific now north of Luganville, and its garrison is 60 medium bombers, 24 lightnings, 24 wildcats, Vandegrifts powerful USMC division and adequate support, so its fairly hefty.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Still working on reinforcing Wake. APs are busy moving LCUs around the islands too. The focus is going to shift to DEI soon and I want CentPac left in good shape while the fleet and APs are elsewhere.
RE: Back to the grind
12th November 1942
A black day indeed for the Allied airforce.
30 heavy bombers were shot down today, mostly over Homan. Morale is really suffering. Going to have to reduce the tempo of operations significantly, as these losses are unsustainable, to put it mildly.
BURMA/INDIA
The British are now camped outside Trimcomalee and bombarding the Jap there. The combat results make me think that they are down to a few rounds per man, and hardly surprising given they've been softened thoroughly by heavy bombes for months.
70,000 Japanese personnel are trapped on Ceylon. Reducing them is going to be a mammoth task. I don't think the British are up to it on their own but we'll see, one thing the Brits aren't short of is artillery, and there are a lot of arty units in Trimcomalee now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 20185 troops, 97 guns, 993 vehicles
Defending force 69828 troops, 546 guns, 22 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 6805 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 49029 troops, 266 guns, 993 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
My restlessness forces me to probe for offensive options. So to that end Beauforts out of Akyab are going to start reconning Rangoon, I wanna see how tough that place is. Maybe we can raid with our CV + CVL + battleships.
CHINA
The situation here is rapidly growing untenable. My 80 heavy bombers are spent and the Japanese air juggernaut hasnt been dented. In fact its getting stronger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sian , at 47,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 71
A6M3 Zero x 16
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 15
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 7
Ki-21 Sally x 158
Ki-48 Lily x 17
Ki-49 Helen x 21
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2
Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vb: 7 destroyed
Resources hits 34
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
13 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
9 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China is on the verge of total collapse as far as supplies are concerned, though it looks like his own forces are ill supplied as the ground combat still seems to be going my way.
I might reassign the heavies to Burma again and have them work on Rangoon so we can raid it without being Bettied. Probably a more profitable use of them.
And I need to divert some Lightnings to China so we can have some escorted bomber raids. That won't happen for months unfortunately.
China is FUBARred.
DEI
Got cut to ribbons over Soerabaja today despite increasing the altitude to 25,000'. Gonna have to stop the pressure, its hurting me more than him.
Still we are slowly feeding engineers into the island chain to get that Lightning base. 15 DDs are now fasttransporting Aussie AF construction units to Flores I think it is, 5 APDs are carrying another one. If I keep within range 4 of Koepang massive LRCAP can be supplied if he tries it on.
Hopefully in a couple of months we'll have results.
SOPAC/CENTPAC
APs are loading up Seabees at Lunga still in readiness for the trip to Vella Lueva or whatever its called, one hex SE of Shortlands. About a dozen light ships are being moved here for fast transport duty. Been no Jap response at all so far, who knows whats going on.
I've stripped some of my minor garrisons, I had a small force on Upolu for example, and moved them to Noumea. That work is now done so I'm beginning to move APs towards Darwin. The long way, via Perth.
Major Central and South Pacific garrisons are currently
Lunga
Noumea
Tarawa
Pearl Harbor
with smaller but still significant garrisons at
Wake
Midway Island
Palmyra
The SC has decided that the Allied hammer will fall in the DEI, everything we got. No more advances in CentPac are planned for the foreseeable future.
A black day indeed for the Allied airforce.
30 heavy bombers were shot down today, mostly over Homan. Morale is really suffering. Going to have to reduce the tempo of operations significantly, as these losses are unsustainable, to put it mildly.
BURMA/INDIA
The British are now camped outside Trimcomalee and bombarding the Jap there. The combat results make me think that they are down to a few rounds per man, and hardly surprising given they've been softened thoroughly by heavy bombes for months.
70,000 Japanese personnel are trapped on Ceylon. Reducing them is going to be a mammoth task. I don't think the British are up to it on their own but we'll see, one thing the Brits aren't short of is artillery, and there are a lot of arty units in Trimcomalee now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 20185 troops, 97 guns, 993 vehicles
Defending force 69828 troops, 546 guns, 22 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 6805 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 49029 troops, 266 guns, 993 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
My restlessness forces me to probe for offensive options. So to that end Beauforts out of Akyab are going to start reconning Rangoon, I wanna see how tough that place is. Maybe we can raid with our CV + CVL + battleships.
CHINA
The situation here is rapidly growing untenable. My 80 heavy bombers are spent and the Japanese air juggernaut hasnt been dented. In fact its getting stronger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Sian , at 47,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 71
A6M3 Zero x 16
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 15
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 7
Ki-21 Sally x 158
Ki-48 Lily x 17
Ki-49 Helen x 21
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2
Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vb: 7 destroyed
Resources hits 34
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
13 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
7 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
9 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China is on the verge of total collapse as far as supplies are concerned, though it looks like his own forces are ill supplied as the ground combat still seems to be going my way.
I might reassign the heavies to Burma again and have them work on Rangoon so we can raid it without being Bettied. Probably a more profitable use of them.
And I need to divert some Lightnings to China so we can have some escorted bomber raids. That won't happen for months unfortunately.
China is FUBARred.
DEI
Got cut to ribbons over Soerabaja today despite increasing the altitude to 25,000'. Gonna have to stop the pressure, its hurting me more than him.
Still we are slowly feeding engineers into the island chain to get that Lightning base. 15 DDs are now fasttransporting Aussie AF construction units to Flores I think it is, 5 APDs are carrying another one. If I keep within range 4 of Koepang massive LRCAP can be supplied if he tries it on.
Hopefully in a couple of months we'll have results.
SOPAC/CENTPAC
APs are loading up Seabees at Lunga still in readiness for the trip to Vella Lueva or whatever its called, one hex SE of Shortlands. About a dozen light ships are being moved here for fast transport duty. Been no Jap response at all so far, who knows whats going on.
I've stripped some of my minor garrisons, I had a small force on Upolu for example, and moved them to Noumea. That work is now done so I'm beginning to move APs towards Darwin. The long way, via Perth.
Major Central and South Pacific garrisons are currently
Lunga
Noumea
Tarawa
Pearl Harbor
with smaller but still significant garrisons at
Wake
Midway Island
Palmyra
The SC has decided that the Allied hammer will fall in the DEI, everything we got. No more advances in CentPac are planned for the foreseeable future.
Pucker factor is high
15th November, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
Recon revealed no CAP over Rangoon, though there are Japanese ships in the bay.
Two TFs have cautiously inched forward, one has Illustrious and Hermes, the other, Warspite and Valiant. They are now 5 hexes from Rangoon, and have not been attacked yet.
Today is the day the battleships rush into the harbour intent on sinking ships, and Illustrious and Hermes move to 2 hexes range on naval attack. Raid time!
~40 Fortresses will hit Rangoons airfield today as well.
Hopefully he just isnt prepared and we'll add a few ships to the tally. Otherwise, well. Better hope that belt armour works...
Trimcomalee continues to be battered.
CHINA
He tried to air atatck Chungking today but he met 20 Tomahawks and 16 Spitfires and got roasted. End result : 48 Japs shot down in air to air for 6 Allied. The Spits in particular were playing with his Zeroes like cats.
The 150 strong bomber swarm was broken up a bit and damage was acceptable. Hopefully he won't be doing that again.
DEI
Slow progress beign made, fast transports now have 2 AF construction battalions on my selected forward base. Supply is a problem, they are being air supplied by Beauforts mostly (!).
And the SC has miscalculated, not a single AK in theatre. Only APs and fast transports. There is another 200k supply convoy coming down from Karachi but its a couple of months away. Looks like I'll have to APD a lot.
SOPAC
The last few days has seen me attempt to put Seabees on Vella Lavella. A fast transport unit dropped off a couple of engineer vehicles no problem. An AP is carrying the bulk of the unit though. Today an MSW escorting the AP got torpedoed by Betties, but it might actually survive. I was saving on LRCAP until unloading day, which is tomorrow, so the Lightnings are on top cover now.
A lot of engineer units are being diverted to Cairns? the northernmost SE Aus base, to build it up for PM suppression.
CENTPAC
Convoy is spotted at Eniwetok by my CL + DD raiding force. So happens I was out on the prowl with them between Wake and Kwajalein so its only one days steaming. Hopefully tomorrow we'll see another surface action. That spot of map is currently devoid of air power for either side, Kwajalein is bombed flat and its out of range of my bombers, so the only force projection I have is 6" guns. Makes a nice change. [:D]
Meanwhile Wildcats are transferred from CVE Long Island to Wake Island, and base forces are nearing their Midway/Wake destinations. Soon Tarawa, Wake and Midway will all be mighty fortresses.
At Pearl my 8 CVs are almost completely fixed. We'll be relocating them to Darwin fairly soon.
BURMA/INDIA
Recon revealed no CAP over Rangoon, though there are Japanese ships in the bay.
Two TFs have cautiously inched forward, one has Illustrious and Hermes, the other, Warspite and Valiant. They are now 5 hexes from Rangoon, and have not been attacked yet.
Today is the day the battleships rush into the harbour intent on sinking ships, and Illustrious and Hermes move to 2 hexes range on naval attack. Raid time!
~40 Fortresses will hit Rangoons airfield today as well.
Hopefully he just isnt prepared and we'll add a few ships to the tally. Otherwise, well. Better hope that belt armour works...
Trimcomalee continues to be battered.
CHINA
He tried to air atatck Chungking today but he met 20 Tomahawks and 16 Spitfires and got roasted. End result : 48 Japs shot down in air to air for 6 Allied. The Spits in particular were playing with his Zeroes like cats.
The 150 strong bomber swarm was broken up a bit and damage was acceptable. Hopefully he won't be doing that again.
DEI
Slow progress beign made, fast transports now have 2 AF construction battalions on my selected forward base. Supply is a problem, they are being air supplied by Beauforts mostly (!).
And the SC has miscalculated, not a single AK in theatre. Only APs and fast transports. There is another 200k supply convoy coming down from Karachi but its a couple of months away. Looks like I'll have to APD a lot.
SOPAC
The last few days has seen me attempt to put Seabees on Vella Lavella. A fast transport unit dropped off a couple of engineer vehicles no problem. An AP is carrying the bulk of the unit though. Today an MSW escorting the AP got torpedoed by Betties, but it might actually survive. I was saving on LRCAP until unloading day, which is tomorrow, so the Lightnings are on top cover now.
A lot of engineer units are being diverted to Cairns? the northernmost SE Aus base, to build it up for PM suppression.
CENTPAC
Convoy is spotted at Eniwetok by my CL + DD raiding force. So happens I was out on the prowl with them between Wake and Kwajalein so its only one days steaming. Hopefully tomorrow we'll see another surface action. That spot of map is currently devoid of air power for either side, Kwajalein is bombed flat and its out of range of my bombers, so the only force projection I have is 6" guns. Makes a nice change. [:D]
Meanwhile Wildcats are transferred from CVE Long Island to Wake Island, and base forces are nearing their Midway/Wake destinations. Soon Tarawa, Wake and Midway will all be mighty fortresses.
At Pearl my 8 CVs are almost completely fixed. We'll be relocating them to Darwin fairly soon.
The gamble pays off!
16th November, 1942
A quickish post to explain the results of the above gamble - a raid upon Rangoon. Also the action at Eniwetok happened as calculated.
Bottom line is - massive Allied victory.
The Americans cleaned out the Japanese convoy at Eniwetok, literally, pounding them day and night and sinking almost the entire thing. Improving my raiders with the addition of some CLs really paid off. Theres a big difference in the firepower of a CL and a DD.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Eniwetok at 76,74
Japanese Ships
MSW Fuji Maru
MSW Fukeui Maru #7, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
MSW Keinan Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
PG Magan Maru, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PG Shinko Maru #2, Shell hits 4
PG Yoshida Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
PG Zuiko Maru
AK Taki Maru
AK Katsukawa Maru
AK Arisan Maru
AK Teikai Maru
Allied Ships
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Boise, Shell hits 1
DD Nicholas
DD Phelps
DD Lawrence
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Eniwetok at 76,74
Japanese Ships
MSW Fuji Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PG Shinko Maru #2, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
PG Zuiko Maru, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
AK Taki Maru, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Katsukawa Maru, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
AK Arisan Maru
AK Teikai Maru, Shell hits 18, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Boise
DD Nicholas
DD Phelps
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 1
Roasted! that convoy was left in flames. Most of the shell hits are 6". Those ships have to scurry back to Midway to rearm now.
And at Rangoon, an even more ballsy move. Illustrious and Hermes launched Swordfish raids which put five torpedoes into the Furutaka before the real action was joined, in a daytime battle in which the Royal Navy's Indian fleet cleaned Rangoon out, literally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 3 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Hayashio, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Michishio, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
DD Yugure, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 6
BB Valiant, Shell hits 3
CL Emerald
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Paul Jones
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 1
DD Decoy, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Electra, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Fortune
DD Griffin
DD Nepal, Shell hits 1
The 15" guns got a lot of practice in that one. Boom!
We like a bit of surface combat. Especially when it goes our way.
I splattered Rangoon airfield with heavy bombers - no CAP, but there are Betties there. They just didn't fly for whatever reason.
Must have caught him napping. [:D]
A quickish post to explain the results of the above gamble - a raid upon Rangoon. Also the action at Eniwetok happened as calculated.
Bottom line is - massive Allied victory.
The Americans cleaned out the Japanese convoy at Eniwetok, literally, pounding them day and night and sinking almost the entire thing. Improving my raiders with the addition of some CLs really paid off. Theres a big difference in the firepower of a CL and a DD.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Eniwetok at 76,74
Japanese Ships
MSW Fuji Maru
MSW Fukeui Maru #7, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
MSW Keinan Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
PG Magan Maru, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PG Shinko Maru #2, Shell hits 4
PG Yoshida Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
PG Zuiko Maru
AK Taki Maru
AK Katsukawa Maru
AK Arisan Maru
AK Teikai Maru
Allied Ships
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Boise, Shell hits 1
DD Nicholas
DD Phelps
DD Lawrence
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Eniwetok at 76,74
Japanese Ships
MSW Fuji Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PG Shinko Maru #2, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
PG Zuiko Maru, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
AK Taki Maru, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Katsukawa Maru, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
AK Arisan Maru
AK Teikai Maru, Shell hits 18, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Boise
DD Nicholas
DD Phelps
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 1
Roasted! that convoy was left in flames. Most of the shell hits are 6". Those ships have to scurry back to Midway to rearm now.
And at Rangoon, an even more ballsy move. Illustrious and Hermes launched Swordfish raids which put five torpedoes into the Furutaka before the real action was joined, in a daytime battle in which the Royal Navy's Indian fleet cleaned Rangoon out, literally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 3 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Hayashio, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Michishio, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
DD Yugure, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 6
BB Valiant, Shell hits 3
CL Emerald
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Paul Jones
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 1
DD Decoy, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Electra, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Fortune
DD Griffin
DD Nepal, Shell hits 1
The 15" guns got a lot of practice in that one. Boom!
We like a bit of surface combat. Especially when it goes our way.
I splattered Rangoon airfield with heavy bombers - no CAP, but there are Betties there. They just didn't fly for whatever reason.
Must have caught him napping. [:D]
RE: The gamble pays off!
18th November, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
Hermes, Illustrious and the Ship of the Game, Warspite, legged it from Rangoon after the earlier victories. A swarm of Betties chasing them. The crappy Fulmars got wiped by Zeroes and a lot of Betties got through but by good fortune there was only a single torpedo hit on Hermes and it's not bad (15 sys).
I asked Simon what his Betties were doing, he had them on ASW patrol apparently. Its true there are a lot of Allied subs in the Bay of Bengal (3 marking Rangoon, 4 marking the Macassar Straits, 2 marking Trimcomalee) so I guess they had a force multiplier effect beyond simple torpedoes. [:D]
CHINA
He's back to flattening resources. To be honest I think I've given up trying to stop him. Theres no way I can put up enough fighters to stop 150 bomber raids. I shoot down a lot of aircraft but the bombers get through, that'll have to do. At least it's attrition.
DEI
Still fast transporting things around, supplies now mostly. I got a lot of DDs in theatre here precisely for that reason. Its going to be months before my base is up and running though, EAB units and Aussie engineers = few engineer vehicles, and the target airfield is unsuitable (its the airfield 1 on Flores, which is just about in Lightning range of Soerabaja).
SOPAC
SeaBees pour into Cooktown, hopefully it'll be a suitable Lightning base to hit Port Moresby fairly soon. We've still not seen a single escorted US heavy bomber raid yet, we gotta change that.
Over in the Solomons my attempts to supply Vella Lavella with an AP under LRCAP have failed, my luck ran out and it got torpedoed, leaving a lot of drowned SeaBees around the island. From now on all supply runs will be handled by fast transport. Half a dozen DDs are at Lunga for that duty, another 12 or so are nearing Noumea having been diverted from Pearl for this duty.
The SC likes fast tranport. [:D]. Only problem is the SeaBees engineer vehicles are hard to move on a destroyer.
CENTPAC
Relocating a SOPAC division which was at Pearl to Noumea, and in the process diverting another 10 or so APs in that direction. I've got about 30 APs currently making their way, by circuitous route, to Darwin now.
My raiding Kiwi navy is back at Wake Island, rearmed. Wake Island's baseforce has almost arrived, the huge number of engineers there is busy fortifying now. Wake has over 4000 mines around it. I'm gonna wait till it's up to 6000 and then declare Wake secure.
NORPAC
All quiet. Got an MLE at Attu Island though. Tempted to try some offensive mining missions up there when my DMs in CentPac are freed up.
BURMA/INDIA
Hermes, Illustrious and the Ship of the Game, Warspite, legged it from Rangoon after the earlier victories. A swarm of Betties chasing them. The crappy Fulmars got wiped by Zeroes and a lot of Betties got through but by good fortune there was only a single torpedo hit on Hermes and it's not bad (15 sys).
I asked Simon what his Betties were doing, he had them on ASW patrol apparently. Its true there are a lot of Allied subs in the Bay of Bengal (3 marking Rangoon, 4 marking the Macassar Straits, 2 marking Trimcomalee) so I guess they had a force multiplier effect beyond simple torpedoes. [:D]
CHINA
He's back to flattening resources. To be honest I think I've given up trying to stop him. Theres no way I can put up enough fighters to stop 150 bomber raids. I shoot down a lot of aircraft but the bombers get through, that'll have to do. At least it's attrition.
DEI
Still fast transporting things around, supplies now mostly. I got a lot of DDs in theatre here precisely for that reason. Its going to be months before my base is up and running though, EAB units and Aussie engineers = few engineer vehicles, and the target airfield is unsuitable (its the airfield 1 on Flores, which is just about in Lightning range of Soerabaja).
SOPAC
SeaBees pour into Cooktown, hopefully it'll be a suitable Lightning base to hit Port Moresby fairly soon. We've still not seen a single escorted US heavy bomber raid yet, we gotta change that.
Over in the Solomons my attempts to supply Vella Lavella with an AP under LRCAP have failed, my luck ran out and it got torpedoed, leaving a lot of drowned SeaBees around the island. From now on all supply runs will be handled by fast transport. Half a dozen DDs are at Lunga for that duty, another 12 or so are nearing Noumea having been diverted from Pearl for this duty.
The SC likes fast tranport. [:D]. Only problem is the SeaBees engineer vehicles are hard to move on a destroyer.
CENTPAC
Relocating a SOPAC division which was at Pearl to Noumea, and in the process diverting another 10 or so APs in that direction. I've got about 30 APs currently making their way, by circuitous route, to Darwin now.
My raiding Kiwi navy is back at Wake Island, rearmed. Wake Island's baseforce has almost arrived, the huge number of engineers there is busy fortifying now. Wake has over 4000 mines around it. I'm gonna wait till it's up to 6000 and then declare Wake secure.
NORPAC
All quiet. Got an MLE at Attu Island though. Tempted to try some offensive mining missions up there when my DMs in CentPac are freed up.
-
Rob Brennan UK
- Posts: 3685
- Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2002 8:36 pm
- Location: London UK
RE: The gamble pays off!
If you have any APD's handy i 'think' they can move the bulldozers. I'm going to try in my PBEM soon .. i'll et you know if its possible .. Real pain having bulldozer fragments that cant be sent where u need them ..
anyway .. great AAR by the way .. have been following and lurking .. now that i think i can contribute ..
Good Luck .. and i LOVE the anti-EU sentiment [;)]
KEEP THE POUND !
anyway .. great AAR by the way .. have been following and lurking .. now that i think i can contribute ..
Good Luck .. and i LOVE the anti-EU sentiment [;)]
KEEP THE POUND !
sorry for the spelling . English is my main language , I just can't type . and i'm too lazy to edit 
RE: The gamble pays off!
ORIGINAL: Rob Brennan UK
If you have any APD's handy i 'think' they can move the bulldozers. I'm going to try in my PBEM soon .. i'll et you know if its possible .. Real pain having bulldozer fragments that cant be sent where u need them ..
anyway .. great AAR by the way .. have been following and lurking .. now that i think i can contribute ..
Good Luck .. and i LOVE the anti-EU sentiment [;)]
KEEP THE POUND !
I got APDs mixed in, yup. I think they are the ones moving the very few bulldozers I've got into theatre.
I think this is a good AAR for Brits, the Royal Navy (and the Brit army too for that matter) has been kicking arse big time. [:D]
As for the EU, down with the Man!
RE: The gamble pays off!
21st November, 1942
Trimcomalee has fallen and the Union Flag flies over the city once more. Its fortification level was 0, despite the many Jap engineers there. Those heavy bombers work!
The Japs are camped outside, about 3 divisions worth, and are being relentlessly mauled by wave after wave of Beauforts, Vengeances and Hurricanes on ground attack. I wonder if he'll try for a rescue? A warm welcome is being prepared, to spank him again if so.
Trimcomalee has fallen and the Union Flag flies over the city once more. Its fortification level was 0, despite the many Jap engineers there. Those heavy bombers work!
The Japs are camped outside, about 3 divisions worth, and are being relentlessly mauled by wave after wave of Beauforts, Vengeances and Hurricanes on ground attack. I wonder if he'll try for a rescue? A warm welcome is being prepared, to spank him again if so.
RE: The gamble pays off!
24th November, 1942
If Winston doesnt want ships in December, I'll have positive PPs by 1943. Yay!
If that happens, first thing to do is put some decent sub drivers in my subs.
BURMA/INDIA
Stillwells heavy bombers are now based at Chandpur, a much better base than Chengtu will ever be. And Rangoon is an easier target than Homan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 15
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 6
B-17E Fortress x 62
B-24D Liberator x 46
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 6 destroyed, 13 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 11 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 9 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed, 34 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 33 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
214 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Airbase hits 32
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 136
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recon gives me airfield damage of 50 on Rangoon. With the fly every other day routine Rangoon should be closed down in a week, giving me room to maneuver and possibly reinforce Akyab by sea.
On Ceylon I'm about to put in a fresh UK division. I got 2 divs + 2 armoured divs vs 4 Jap divs, they got no supply but the two Indian infantry divisions there are half disabled. One UK division has already been evacuated and is in Calcutta recovering.
CHINA
Been quiet here. He must be winding up for another big attack. He's been reconning Chengtu and Chungking so I imagine he'll be going for one of those soon.
Supply in China is fine now aside from the north east around Sian. Still got the Burma Road open, still got 150 Dakotas supplying the place.
DEI/SWPAC
My heavies have been targeted on Bali for days now but bad weather kept grounding them. My forward base on Sumta is well supplied by fast transport and bombers on air supply, and the airfields there are beginning to go up. Meanwhile at Darwin SWPAC HQ has arrived and there are about four US baseforces nearing the place ready to be transported over to Timor/Sumta.
SOPAC
Similar tales here, Vella Lavella isnt as well supplied though. 64 Marauders keep a trickle coming in, as do five destroyers, but its not really enough. On the plus side two SeaBees units are now in position there and supply, while low, is in the white so the airfield is at least building.
Reinforcements from the West Coast - more SeaBees and another baseforce - are now passing Luganville, headed for Guadalcanal. Soon I'll have spare aviation support to plonk a base force on Vella Lavella - then I can move Wildcats up, and we might possibly be able to bring in supply on something more substantial than an APD.
CENTPAC
Wake Island now has 6000 mines around it and lots of aviation support, >270. I'm going to move half the heavies to Wake (so half at Tarawa, half at Wake) and am working on stocking both of these forward atolls with anti ship aircraft - Dauntlesses mostly it seems are the ones available to me.
I'm not going to move the fleet from Pearl until CV Essex arrives.
NORPAC
All quiet. Vast numbers of SeaBees twiddle their thumbs.
If Winston doesnt want ships in December, I'll have positive PPs by 1943. Yay!
If that happens, first thing to do is put some decent sub drivers in my subs.
BURMA/INDIA
Stillwells heavy bombers are now based at Chandpur, a much better base than Chengtu will ever be. And Rangoon is an easier target than Homan.
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Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 15
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 6
B-17E Fortress x 62
B-24D Liberator x 46
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 6 destroyed, 13 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 11 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 9 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed, 34 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 33 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
214 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Airbase hits 32
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 136
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
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Recon gives me airfield damage of 50 on Rangoon. With the fly every other day routine Rangoon should be closed down in a week, giving me room to maneuver and possibly reinforce Akyab by sea.
On Ceylon I'm about to put in a fresh UK division. I got 2 divs + 2 armoured divs vs 4 Jap divs, they got no supply but the two Indian infantry divisions there are half disabled. One UK division has already been evacuated and is in Calcutta recovering.
CHINA
Been quiet here. He must be winding up for another big attack. He's been reconning Chengtu and Chungking so I imagine he'll be going for one of those soon.
Supply in China is fine now aside from the north east around Sian. Still got the Burma Road open, still got 150 Dakotas supplying the place.
DEI/SWPAC
My heavies have been targeted on Bali for days now but bad weather kept grounding them. My forward base on Sumta is well supplied by fast transport and bombers on air supply, and the airfields there are beginning to go up. Meanwhile at Darwin SWPAC HQ has arrived and there are about four US baseforces nearing the place ready to be transported over to Timor/Sumta.
SOPAC
Similar tales here, Vella Lavella isnt as well supplied though. 64 Marauders keep a trickle coming in, as do five destroyers, but its not really enough. On the plus side two SeaBees units are now in position there and supply, while low, is in the white so the airfield is at least building.
Reinforcements from the West Coast - more SeaBees and another baseforce - are now passing Luganville, headed for Guadalcanal. Soon I'll have spare aviation support to plonk a base force on Vella Lavella - then I can move Wildcats up, and we might possibly be able to bring in supply on something more substantial than an APD.
CENTPAC
Wake Island now has 6000 mines around it and lots of aviation support, >270. I'm going to move half the heavies to Wake (so half at Tarawa, half at Wake) and am working on stocking both of these forward atolls with anti ship aircraft - Dauntlesses mostly it seems are the ones available to me.
I'm not going to move the fleet from Pearl until CV Essex arrives.
NORPAC
All quiet. Vast numbers of SeaBees twiddle their thumbs.
RE: The gamble pays off!
28th November, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
The Japs at Trimcomalee are in a bad way. I get 400+ casualties a bombardment now. Round the clock bombing with about 100 medium bombers continues day after day.
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 63278 troops, 469 guns, 990 vehicles
Defending force 61810 troops, 240 guns, 19 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
418 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
A fresh UK division just unloaded at Trimcomalee. Another fresh armoured division is being loaded. Medium artillery moved up the trail today to Trim. In short, even more firepower is being arrayed against them. I'm trying a deliberate attack for tomorrow.
About 6 divisions are now allocated to Ceylon. Maybe a little too many, but I want to see if I can crush these Japs.
A worry - two Japanese submarines turned up at Trimcomalee harbour today. I've not seen a Jap submarine for months. Why are they here? Just trying to get my convoys? One is a Glen boat.
3 Flower class corvettes have been dispatched from Madras.
The air offensive against Rangoon has been delayed slightly. His Nates and Oscars didnt shoot down many bombers but they damaged almost all of them, so there is a lot of fixing going on.
CHINA
Not much change. His air offensive has switched to ground support, bombing the tar out of troops around the Sian area. I breathe a sigh of relief for that.
DEI
Bombing of Bali has begun in earnest now. 80 Liberators and 40 Fortresses a raid, and its had two raids so far. Its already a wreck. My Hudsons are busy bombing Kendari, which is still a wreck from the raids months ago, just to keep it wrecked. A base force is in the process of being fast transported to Sumta.
SOPAC
Cooktown is level 3 airfield almost 4, and baseforces are a day or two out. 72 Lightnings are being upgraded at Brisbane, still a lot of damaged frames unfortunately. We'll run a few days of sweeps over PM with them before we begin bombing in earnest.
In the Solomons I'm having a real problem moving engineer vehicles up. Experimentation reveals that APDs can carry them but DDs and CLs cannot, and I only have a single APD in theatre. APDs are precious right now, I like fast transport after all - most of them are at Darwin being used to ferry things to Sumta - so that one APD in the Solomons is going to get a lot of work.
I'm moving a base force up to Vella Lavella today though, when thats in position I can put up Wildcats over the place. Then we'll try an AK convoy.
CENTPAC
Usual stuff. The raiders at Wake Island got reinforced with CA Salt Lake City and two DDs, so its now quite a powerful cruiser force. That means its about on cue for the KB to turn up and sink the lot.
Lot of subs arriving at Pearl, the next wave of radar upgrades is being done.
Looks like everything is coming together nice, by the time Essex arrives Port Moresby should be getting mauled by escorted heavy bombers, and by the time we begin our invasion of Bali, with full carrier support, Sumta should be up and running.
BURMA/INDIA
The Japs at Trimcomalee are in a bad way. I get 400+ casualties a bombardment now. Round the clock bombing with about 100 medium bombers continues day after day.
Ground combat at Trimcomalee
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 63278 troops, 469 guns, 990 vehicles
Defending force 61810 troops, 240 guns, 19 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
418 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
A fresh UK division just unloaded at Trimcomalee. Another fresh armoured division is being loaded. Medium artillery moved up the trail today to Trim. In short, even more firepower is being arrayed against them. I'm trying a deliberate attack for tomorrow.
About 6 divisions are now allocated to Ceylon. Maybe a little too many, but I want to see if I can crush these Japs.
A worry - two Japanese submarines turned up at Trimcomalee harbour today. I've not seen a Jap submarine for months. Why are they here? Just trying to get my convoys? One is a Glen boat.
3 Flower class corvettes have been dispatched from Madras.
The air offensive against Rangoon has been delayed slightly. His Nates and Oscars didnt shoot down many bombers but they damaged almost all of them, so there is a lot of fixing going on.
CHINA
Not much change. His air offensive has switched to ground support, bombing the tar out of troops around the Sian area. I breathe a sigh of relief for that.
DEI
Bombing of Bali has begun in earnest now. 80 Liberators and 40 Fortresses a raid, and its had two raids so far. Its already a wreck. My Hudsons are busy bombing Kendari, which is still a wreck from the raids months ago, just to keep it wrecked. A base force is in the process of being fast transported to Sumta.
SOPAC
Cooktown is level 3 airfield almost 4, and baseforces are a day or two out. 72 Lightnings are being upgraded at Brisbane, still a lot of damaged frames unfortunately. We'll run a few days of sweeps over PM with them before we begin bombing in earnest.
In the Solomons I'm having a real problem moving engineer vehicles up. Experimentation reveals that APDs can carry them but DDs and CLs cannot, and I only have a single APD in theatre. APDs are precious right now, I like fast transport after all - most of them are at Darwin being used to ferry things to Sumta - so that one APD in the Solomons is going to get a lot of work.
I'm moving a base force up to Vella Lavella today though, when thats in position I can put up Wildcats over the place. Then we'll try an AK convoy.
CENTPAC
Usual stuff. The raiders at Wake Island got reinforced with CA Salt Lake City and two DDs, so its now quite a powerful cruiser force. That means its about on cue for the KB to turn up and sink the lot.
Lot of subs arriving at Pearl, the next wave of radar upgrades is being done.
Looks like everything is coming together nice, by the time Essex arrives Port Moresby should be getting mauled by escorted heavy bombers, and by the time we begin our invasion of Bali, with full carrier support, Sumta should be up and running.
-
Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: The gamble pays off!
Personally I would be putting more US effort into the Solomons, including the CVs, and less in the NEI.
I know why your moving up the Islands towards Java, and it's an intelligent move. But here is my reasoning for the Solomons.
If the Japanese have PM it's very difficult to get enough men, planes and supplies into the NEI. You either have to fight them past PM or run them round Australia.
If you work your way up the Solomons your much closer to your source of re-inforcements and supply. Not only do units get into action sooner, but merchant shipping is used more efficently. You can hit the enemy harder, with more, faster.
In the Solomons you can combine LBA and the CV fleet. Frankly I am suprised you have not done this already. If you have the US CVs operating in an area with 150 fighters and another 150 bomber KB has to be very careful about coming out to play.
Your going to try to overwhelm Port Moresby with Carrier based planes. But if you don't you will end up in a reverse version of the battle of Guadalcanal, with your planes flying 500 miles to hit the Japanese base. In the Solomons you can hop up the island chain to Rabaul, and then you have Port Moresby from the rear.
I was starting on this offensive when Blackwatch got sick and our game stopped. SO I have no idea how difficult it is[8|]. But I think it would be more effective than trying to move into the NEI.
Just my thoughts.
Tom
I know why your moving up the Islands towards Java, and it's an intelligent move. But here is my reasoning for the Solomons.
If the Japanese have PM it's very difficult to get enough men, planes and supplies into the NEI. You either have to fight them past PM or run them round Australia.
If you work your way up the Solomons your much closer to your source of re-inforcements and supply. Not only do units get into action sooner, but merchant shipping is used more efficently. You can hit the enemy harder, with more, faster.
In the Solomons you can combine LBA and the CV fleet. Frankly I am suprised you have not done this already. If you have the US CVs operating in an area with 150 fighters and another 150 bomber KB has to be very careful about coming out to play.
Your going to try to overwhelm Port Moresby with Carrier based planes. But if you don't you will end up in a reverse version of the battle of Guadalcanal, with your planes flying 500 miles to hit the Japanese base. In the Solomons you can hop up the island chain to Rabaul, and then you have Port Moresby from the rear.
I was starting on this offensive when Blackwatch got sick and our game stopped. SO I have no idea how difficult it is[8|]. But I think it would be more effective than trying to move into the NEI.
Just my thoughts.
Tom
RE: The gamble pays off!
I agree with you about the difficulty of having the main Allied thrust aimed at Java.
But the main problem with work in the South Pacific is that he's massively garrisoned it. Port Moresby has about 3-4 divisions there. Recon over Rabaul suggests its packed as well. Taking those are going to be pretty much impossible with the units available to me at the moment. Whereas Bali has a single unit defending it, and no air cover, and I have an enormous base at Timor filled with ABDA units which I can't actually redeploy anywhere else. And New Guinea is malarial so I'd really like to just let him rot there.
The carriers have been at Pearl all this time as a fleet in being protecting my ops in the Central Pacific, and also to refit, as I want them all on 0 sys damage before I send them on the long haul to Darwin (the other problem with a DEI assault is that there are no big Allied ports there).
...but that said, I have been making small moves towards him in the Solomons, but on a shoestring and wholly reliant on LBA. I don't think this is really such a problem - his forces there don't seem to be very mobile, I ringed Truk with subs a long time ago and I've detected no naval activity either there or in SoPac for months. His defences seem to be mainly just lots of LCUs and a single flight of Betties at Rabaul. Port Moresby has a 12 Zero CAP - fairly soon 50 Lightnings are going to show up and crash the party.
But the main problem with work in the South Pacific is that he's massively garrisoned it. Port Moresby has about 3-4 divisions there. Recon over Rabaul suggests its packed as well. Taking those are going to be pretty much impossible with the units available to me at the moment. Whereas Bali has a single unit defending it, and no air cover, and I have an enormous base at Timor filled with ABDA units which I can't actually redeploy anywhere else. And New Guinea is malarial so I'd really like to just let him rot there.
The carriers have been at Pearl all this time as a fleet in being protecting my ops in the Central Pacific, and also to refit, as I want them all on 0 sys damage before I send them on the long haul to Darwin (the other problem with a DEI assault is that there are no big Allied ports there).
...but that said, I have been making small moves towards him in the Solomons, but on a shoestring and wholly reliant on LBA. I don't think this is really such a problem - his forces there don't seem to be very mobile, I ringed Truk with subs a long time ago and I've detected no naval activity either there or in SoPac for months. His defences seem to be mainly just lots of LCUs and a single flight of Betties at Rabaul. Port Moresby has a 12 Zero CAP - fairly soon 50 Lightnings are going to show up and crash the party.