More Variants - The Allies ride again - No xargun please

[Nomad]

September 23, 1942

Not much happened.

Weather grounded all my flights, but not Xarguns.
A night naval attack at Shortlands and night airfield attacks at Silchar came up mostly empty, a runway hit and a damaged B-17

Cleanup at Shortlands continues.

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[Nomad]

September 24, 1942

Wow, SS I-18 fires 6 torpedoes at APA Henderson and scores 4 hits.
Counter attack heavily damaged the sub, but did not sink it.

Sub attack near Shortlands at 109,131

Japanese Ships
SS I-18, hits 13, heavy damage

Allied Ships
APA Henderson, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Jarvis

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

SS I-18 launches 6 torpedoes at APA Henderson

More cleanup at Shortlands

Air attacks at Magwe score a number of reported gun, and other devices destroyed and disabled.
Air field and supply hit, keeping the airbase closed.

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[Nomad]

September 25, 1942

This was an oops turn. I did not intend to get so near to Rabaul since there were a lot of fighters listed by recon.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Rabaul at 106,125

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 41
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 36

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 52
F4F-3A Wildcat x 30
F4F-3 Wildcat x 60
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Brasil Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
998th Ku T-1/A with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
998th Ku T-1/C with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
13th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 13 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes
Chuyo-1 with A6M2 Zero (7 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 23000 , scrambling fighters between 13000 and 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes



---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rabaul at 106,125

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 32

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 52
F4F-3A Wildcat x 30
F4F-3 Wildcat x 56
SBD-3 Dauntless x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 2 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
998th Ku T-1/A with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (5 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
998th Ku T-1/C with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (5 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes
13th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 13 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
Chuyo-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 14 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 23000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes

That error cost me 18 SBDs, and 17 F4F fighters of all types. We only shot down a Tojo fighter. Oh well, another mistake, I will probably make more as the game goes on.

Wellingtons and B-17s hit Mandalay, closing the airfield and destroying 10 Thalia and 6 Dinahs on the ground.

Cleanup continues at Shortlands. My AMs found another minefield, it might have been laid by subs that were spotted in that hex.

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[Nomad]

September 26, 1942

All port and airbase damage at Shortlands is repaired. Continuing to eliminate the enemy force there.

All mines swept at Shortlands, a minefield found at Torokina. Partially swept, will finish tomorrow.

Lashio, Mandalay, and Shwebo all hit by bombers

This is a bit strange. I thought dive bombers would dive bomb from 10000 feet.

Night Air attack on TF, near Torokina at 109,130

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 67 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD MacDonough
xAP Rooseboom
xAP Mijer
xAP Siberg

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x D3A1 Val releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

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[BBfanboy]

Is there FOW present in the bombing altitude report? Maybe the Vals were really at 9000 feet?

[Nomad]

September 27, 1942

I really don't know BBfanboy, I do not remember ever seeing that, but then it is not something I really look at.

My size 300 minefield at Tulagi found some targets.

TF 45 encounters mine field at Tulagi (114,137)

Japanese Ships
SS I-26, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS I-25, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

Since he might have been laying some mines of his own I assembled a minesweeper TF to look for enemy mines.

I swept all the mines at Totokina

Cleanup of enemy units continues at Shortlands

A bombardment at Cox's Bazar shows I need more troops

Ground combat at Cox's Bazar (54,43)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 18019 troops, 418 guns, 403 vehicles, Assault Value = 757

Defending force 19123 troops, 166 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 668

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

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (5 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Assaulting units:
7th Armoured Brigade
18th British Division
23rd British Brigade
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
6th Heavy AA Regiment
35th Light AA Regiment
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
Imperial Guards Division
86th Naval Guard Unit
17th Indpt Guards Regiment

I did do a small Naval Bombardment at Cox's Bazar
It will help put the enemy units out of supply

Night Naval bombardment of Cox's Bazar at 54,43

Allied Ships
CA Devonshire
CA Dorsetshire
DD Jupiter
DD Isis
DD Inconstant
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Van Galen

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

Port hits 11
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 3

Xargun again tried night naval attack missions, he met no success.
He lost 13 Kate and betty bombers, mostly to flak

I swept Rabaul with some F4U-1 Corsairs from Shortlands

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 40,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 41
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 36

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 8 destroyed

CAP engaged:
998th Ku T-1/A with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
998th Ku T-1/C with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
13th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 13 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 32810.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
Chuyo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 23000 , scrambling fighters between 23000 and 32810.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes



---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Light rain

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

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 17

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x F4U-1 Corsair sweeping at 36000 feet

CAP engaged:
998th Ku T-1/A with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
998th Ku T-1/C with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
Chuyo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
11 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 23000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 32810.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
13th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 32810.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes

Tracker shows the air losses as
Xargun lost 20 Ki-44-IIc Tojo, 13 A6M2 Zero and I lost 13 F4U-1 Corsairs.
33:13 is not terrible, but I will have to do better. I am going to suspend that operation until I can build more Corsairs
and better train my pilots. The ones that flew those missions were good, but not as good as they need to be.

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[Nomad]

September 28, 1942

SS Halibut hit a tanker hard North of Truk

Sub attack near Truk at 111,105

Japanese Ships
TK Teiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AO Kyokuto Maru
AO Ken'yo Maru
TK San Ramon Maru
DD Kikuzuki

Allied Ships
SS Halibut

SS Halibut launches 4 torpedoes at TK Teiyo Maru

Another small Naval Bombardment of Cox's Bazar.

Continued the elimination of enemy forces on Shortlands. Soon that will be done.

[Nomad]

September 29, 1942

All enemy forces have been eliminated at Shortlands.

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[Nomad]

September 30, 1942

Not much happened today. The DS is off getting some minor damage repaired and picking up 2 more CVs that have been repaired.

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[Nomad]

October 1, 1942

Not much happening. Some night naval attacks by Xargun and some bombing of troops in India.
I have swept Cox's Bazar for a few turns, no opposition.

At this time my expansion in the South Pacific is on hold. I just do not have forces to continue and
as of yet I do not have a lot of engineers and so it takes time to build bases.

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[Nomad]

October 2, 1942

Nothing much happened, a bit of air attacks by Xargun.

At this point my South Pacific expansion is about done for the time being.
I am getting short on assets. I have plenty of air units and my aircraft pools are building,
but I am limited in engineers and base forces. They are on the way, but it will take a couple of months.

That said, both Rossel Island and Tagula Island are Japanese owned but unmanned. I might see about taking them.
They would be in the Southwest Pacific Command and that command does have some assets that could be used.
the SoPac command will have to lend assistance in APAs and CVs.

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[Nomad]

October 3, 1942

Little to report. SS O-24 is back on patrol in the Strait of Malacca. She fired off 2 torpedoes at a PB but missed.

Japan landed troops at Moa in the DEI, more cleanup.

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[Nomad]

October 4,1942

SS S-46 got a PB
Heard ship sinking sounds right after.

Sub attack near Truk at 109,113

Japanese Ships
PB Hakkaisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Keijo Maru
PB Kaiun Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-46

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

SS S-46 launches 2 torpedoes at PB Hakkaisan Maru

My bombers in India finally flew and bombed Cox's Bazar. The weather was thunderstorms so damage was minimal.

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[Nomad]

October 5, 1942

Not much. I had 3 different subs fire torpedoes at Japanese ships and all missed.

My bombers flew and attacked Cox's Bazar, hitting troops and port supply and port fuel.

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[Nomad]

October 6, 1942

Maybe this time it will stay sunk

Sub attack near Shortlands at 110,132

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63, hits 6, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Russell

SS RO-63 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Russell
DD Russell fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Russell attacking submerged sub ....
Debris floats to surface in area of attack!
Escort abandons search for sub

My air units conducted more bombings at Cox's Bazar.

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[Nomad]

October 7, 1942

Not much, I am still bombing Cox's Bazar, both the port and troops.

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[Nomad]

October 8, 1942

Not much.
I did a bombardment attack at Cox's Bazar to see what was there since a it seemed a unit had left
And yes, a Naval Guard unit has left the hex. Also there is a movement arrow out of Cox's Bazar to the SE.

Ground combat at Cox's Bazar (54,43)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 32917 troops, 698 guns, 737 vehicles, Assault Value = 1245

Defending force 17211 troops, 154 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 586

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

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
7th Armoured Brigade
2nd British Division
18th British Division
23rd British Brigade
35th Light AA Regiment
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
III Indian Corps
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Indian Coastal Artillery Regiment
6th Heavy AA Regiment
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
Imperial Guards Division
17th Indpt Guards Regiment

More aerial bombing of Cox's Bazar, hopefully his supply is dwindling.

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[Nomad]

October 9, 1942

Not much, more bombing in and around Cox's Bazar.

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[Nomad]

October 10, 1942

Not a lot happened. Bombing at Cox's Bazar again.

This bit if info, not sure if this TF is bringing in more troops, taking some out or delivering supply.
I have a CL based TF that will move in during the night and I have some aircraft on Naval Attack
to try and hit what is left.

421010 Cox's Bazar.png (555.92 KiB) Viewed 392 times

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[Nomad]

October 11, 1942

There are times that I know if I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all.
Weather grounded all my sweepers from Chittagong, but the bombers went in anyway because they flew
from a different base. Arg. 10 more Wellington Ics lost along with 6 P-38Es that were escorting them
and 5 B-25Bs. Xargun only lost 3 Zeros and 2 Oscars. The TF sighted last turn seems to have arrived at Akyab instead
of Cox's Bazar. My Naval Strikes did fly, but they were disrupted by CAP from somewhere. There were Zeros, Oscars and Nicks
on CAP, so LRCAP I suppose. I lost 9 Fulmar IIs that were on low naval attack, they hit nothing. I lost 1 Avenger I and they did not
get any hits. Ten B-25Bs that were trained in Low Naval Attack did get 2 bomb hits, one on DD Ariake and one on CA Mogami( that
was a 500 lb SAP and it penetrated the deck.

So all in all another sad day. I am sure Xargun is telling everyone how great his turn was.

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