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In Malaya we continue to plod forward. Still a few days from any real combat.

The weather looks better next turn, so hopefully I will be able to get some concentrated air attacks in and attrit more of his air force in Russia.

Finally, my ops report brought news that we have had an advance in research on one of our engine projects.

Those Russian bases on the Railway line look very tempting for an airborne operation when your "Northern Force" gets close.

Seydlitz, you should give house rules a try for the PBY. They seem completely broken to me, we have a discussion about that on the forum right now. I mean, they sound like better than harpoon missiles till now, which is completely out of proportions considering their crew's naval rating and their actual use. Black Cats are nice, but yours are just Patrol PBY rushed into naval use without radar, while still hitting with a better accuracy at 6000 feet than a Mitchell crew. I bet they even fly drunk just to add injury to insult.

How is your supply in yor unit(s) advancing Ulan Bator?

Great AAR.

ORIGINAL: bklooste

Those Russian bases on the Railway line look very tempting for an airborne operation when your "Northern Force" gets close.

Yes they do. However I anticipate using all of my airborne units down south for the next three months. One unit is currently enroute to Miri so that I can drop then in at Tarakan, and the other two are on Luzon.

I also wonder what type of garrisons are stationed at those railway outposts. So far there have been experienced Russians behind every tree.

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

Seydlitz, you should give house rules a try for the PBY. They seem completely broken to me, we have a discussion about that on the forum right now. I mean, they sound like better than harpoon missiles till now, which is completely out of proportions considering their crew's naval rating and their actual use. Black Cats are nice, but yours are just Patrol PBY rushed into naval use without radar, while still hitting with a better accuracy at 6000 feet than a Mitchell crew. I bet they even fly drunk just to add injury to insult.

I will let him have his moment of glory and take the PBYs out by eliminating their base or shooting them down. I think that he needs to spend the points to pull them out if he is able, then pin medals on their chest.

I wouldn't doubt that those planes are being flown by John Wayne, Cary Grant, and Van Johnson.

I admit that I am in envy because I never could get my patrols to do anything like that. He must have a leader with an aggressive rating of 99 and inspiration of 70+ to get them to fly these missions.

ORIGINAL: Monter_Trismegistos

How is your supply in yor unit(s) advancing Ulan Bator?

Great AAR.

Haven't checked it lately but will do so next turn. I should be ok since I am advancing along widened goat paths. This will be a concern after I get up north, however.

Thanks for bringing it up.

Oh my, the Mongolian capital city is doomed. [:)]

It looks like that region fortress was not only static, everyone in it was staked to the ground! Well, at least you are through that now and can continue the advance. Plus, all the other static forts will just sit there on the border doing nothing while you attack behind them.

Turn 33 Jan 8, 1942

The turn opened with a bang...but not the one that I wanted.

A surprise night time naval attack on a convoy at anchor at Kanko in Korea.

The situation went from bad to worse with several ships being torpedoed before they could get underway.

In fact, the navy did not give a good account of itself in this action, and this failure will certainly cause a shock in Japan as mighty as that in Britain after the American frigates defeated the British Frigates in individual actions during the War of 1812.

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Kanko at 105,47, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Tachikaze, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
TB Chidori, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
TB Hatsukari, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
TB Tomozuru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Brisbane Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Hawaii Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
xAK Kano Maru, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Ryanyi
DD Rezhtelnyi
DD Buistro
DD Stalin
DD Revanch



Reduced sighting due to 64% moonlight...
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 64% moonlight: 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards......
Range closes to 2,000 yards......
Range closes to 1,000 yards......
DD Tachikaze engages DD Revanch at 1,000 yards...
TB Tomozuru engages DD Revanch at 1,000 yards...
TB Hatsukari engages DD Revanch at 1,000 yards...
DD Rezhtelnyi engages DD Tachikaze at 1,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Kano Maru at 1,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 1,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Brisbane Maru at 1,000 yards...
Range increases to 2,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages DD Tachikaze at 2,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages DD Tachikaze at 2,000 yards...
TB Chidori engages DD Rezhtelnyi at 2,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
xAK Brisbane Maru sunk by DD Buistro at 2,000 yards...[:@]
Range increases to 4,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages DD Tachikaze at 4,000 yards...
DD Tachikaze engages DD Stalin at 4,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages DD Tachikaze at 4,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages TB Chidori at 4,000 yards...
DD Tachikaze sunk by DD Ryanyi at 4,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages TB Tomozuru at 3,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 3,000 yards...
TB Tomozuru sunk by DD Rezhtelnyi at 3,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages TB Chidori at 3,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 3,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 3,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages xAK Kano Maru at 3,000 yards...
Range increases to 4,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 4,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Kano Maru at 4,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 4,000 yards...
DD Rezhtelnyi engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 4,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages TB Chidori at 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
TB Chidori sunk by DD Revanch at 2,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Rezhtelnyi engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages xAK Hawaii Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Rezhtelnyi engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Stalin engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
DD Ryanyi engages xAK Kano Maru at 2,000 yards...
Range increases to 3,000 yards...
DD Revanch engages xAK Kano Maru at 3,000 yards...
DD Buistro engages xAK Kano Maru at 3,000 yards...
xAK Kano Maru sunk by DD Ryanyi at 3,000 yards...
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk......

Of course, our press release will not mention that we were defeated in battle by the Russians and by a ship named STALIN in particular....

The storm story is very believable. In 1934 Tomozuru was a new ship and was caught in a gale that damaged several ships. She capsized with significant loss of lift. The navy towed the capsized destroyer back to port, righted it, and determined that there was too much topweight (in the form of guns and torpedoes) for the limited displacement. They had to rework all ships of the class.

But enough history....

I followed up with multiple night bombing attacks on Vladivostok where I did significant damage to anchored ships.

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Night Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46

Weather in hex: Light rain

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 42


Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 10 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-153: 2 destroyed on ground
I-16m24: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
DD Rekordnyi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Voronov, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS ShCh-105, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage



Repair Shipyard hits 1
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 23
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Night Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46

Weather in hex: Light rain

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 16
G4M1 Betty x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Rekordnyi, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AM Podsekate, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Voronov, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 1

Inspired by this action, My Lily bombers made a night attack on Cavite Port (Manila) in Luzon and also had success.

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Night Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 5000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet....
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes...

It appears that DD Thanet had limped in there after being hit during her escape from Hong Kong.

The day dawned with my fighter sweeps again appearing over Vladivostok, guided by the smoke from the strikes during the night. This inspired my pilots and we scattered the Russian pilots like cherry blossom petals blowing in the storm winds.

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Morning Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31



Allied aircraft
I-153 x 14
I-16m24 x 7


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
I-153: 4 destroyed
I-16m24: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
24 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 16000 feet

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Morning Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 16 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9



Allied aircraft
I-15bis x 13
I-153 x 19
I-16m24 x 1


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
I-15bis: 1 destroyed


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Morning Air attack on Vladivostok , at 112,46

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8



Allied aircraft
I-15bis x 2
I-153 x 13
I-16m24 x 1


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
I-15bis: 1 destroyed
I-153: 1 destroyed
I-16m24: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet *

He did conduct bombing attacks on my ground units north of Rybilov, at Birobidzhan, and east of Hailar. I had a range of Sally attacks scheduled for Birobidzhan but thanks to the weather they did not fly.

Accordingly, my ground units there attacked without air support and were not successful.
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Ground combat at Birobidzhan (117,39)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21905 troops, 199 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 667

Defending force 31208 troops, 495 guns, 706 vehicles, Assault Value = 711

Japanese adjusted assault: 229

Allied adjusted defense: 2560

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 11 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
873 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 81 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
362 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (0 destroyed, 16 disabled)


Assaulting units:...
10th Division...
23rd Tank Regiment...
8th Garrison Unit ...
24th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
10th Mortar Battalion...
10th Mortar Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
1st Amurskaya Tank Brigade...
102nd Region Fortress...
44th NKVD Regiment...
34th Rifle Division...
3rd Amurskaya Tank Brigade...
15th Army...
46th/302nd AA Battalion...
129th Engineer Battalion...
145th Howitzer Regiment...
1121st Cannon Regiment...
424th Hvy Howitzer Regiment...
52nd Cannon Regiment...
147th/155th PVO AA Battalion...
70th VVS Base Force...


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He of course counterattacked but did not drive me from the hex. However, I plan to pull back to the woods hex to the NW. No point in taking excess casualties when I do not have enough forces to drive him from the hex.

Here is the situation in Manchkuo