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Well, didn't mean you (or him, if it isn't you) died, but that he stopped posting - no need to go into why!  Your style & approach seem similar.  Remember some long threads on manoevre vs attrition.

Aye, what nick did you go by over there? I might remember you.

As to the "late"... I was just having a bit of fun with wordplay

I just realised that I had forgotten to actually attach the summary screen from 1st April to my post above... DOH!!!! A real Homer moment there.

Overall score is roughly 4600 Allied vs 22,500. That's just a bit under 5 : 1 but is also utterly meaningless for three reasons:

a) it doesn't include the impact of Singapore which will drop the Allied score by 2000 points when I get around to capturing it and

b) while a certain level of "good play" will be demonstrated by a greater than 4 : 1 victory ratio at the end of 1943 we aren't going to play for points.

c) the points ratio will fall significantly as future hard-fought ground invasions are launched in which it will prove impossible to kill the enemies at four or five times the rate they are killing my men.

If we were playing for points I'd never invade the Soviet Union or aim for Australia/New Zealand or anything else in the Pacific. i'd train my units and wait for the Allies to come to me....

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/02/42

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Naval bombardment of Bombay, at 20,10


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Dakota I: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Maya
BB Hyuga
BB Yamashiro
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato


Allied ground losses:
1255 casualties reported
Guns lost 21

Airbase hits 25
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 41
Port hits 36
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 20

Excellent supply hit results. The Allied support units also took a fair pounding. A major attack will go in today in order to capitalise on the effects of the naval bombardment. There will then be a significant operational pause while I build up Bombay and Ahmadabad, reduce the enemy forces elsewhere in the Indian theatre and bring in the Zeroes necessary to fully destroy the enemy CAP and then pound the airfield and port at Karachi into dust.

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ASW attack near French Frigate Shoal at 104,68

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
DD Monaghan
DD Tucker
DD Reid

In other news the long-awaited enemy moves against French Frigate Shoals and Palmyra/Xmas Island seem to be materialising. I won't oppose them strongly but will take a tithe of the forces committed when it is in my favour to do so. While it isn't at all necessary for me to oppose these forces at all to sit back completely would look far too suspicious and I think it is important to maintain the illusion of a strong desire to expand in the Pacific at this time. It will tend to slow the American counter-attacks and make them wary of falling into a trap.

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Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 7
Blenheim I x 28
Blenheim IV x 28
Wellington III x 48
Martin 139 x 3
Beaufort V-IX x 12
P-40B Tomahawk x 8


Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 1 damaged
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
143 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 26

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Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
Ki-27 Nate x 27
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 98
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-48 Lily x 63
Ki-49 Helen x 50

Allied aircraft
I-153c x 1
I-16c x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 1 destroyed
I-16c: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged
IL-4c: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 27
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 58

The strike on Chungking takes an unacceptable toll of my Lillys. They will, from now on, be relegated to strikes against weakly defended enemy ground forces while the Helens take the fight to his airfields.

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Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
C5M Babs x 1

No Japanese losses

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Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 73
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 22 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 76

These are, essentially, combat training attacks. My current policy is to replace my bomber losses with raw recruits ( 20 to 25 % experience) while reserving the 50% experience army pilots for my fighter squadrons. This seems to be working out fairly well with the majority of my bomber squadrons having average experience ( even taking into account 2 to 3 x 20 to 50% experience pilots) in the mid-80s. In fact in a few bomber daitais the majority of my pilots currently have more than 90% experience. Took me many months to get that but I expect it to pay dividends when I wear those groups into nothingness in the fights for Karachi/Chungking and Northern Australia.

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Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 29


No Allied losses

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7

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Day Air attack on 80th Chinese Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses

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Day Air attack on 23rd Indian Division, at 23,13

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 52

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported

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Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 39
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 22,4


Allied aircraft
Swordfish x 9
P-40B Tomahawk x 6


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near French Frigate Shoal at 104,68

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
DD Monaghan
DD Tucker
DD Reid
DD Cushing
DD Cummings
DD Mahan


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Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41139 troops, 717 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 1770

Defending force 74074 troops, 65 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 2162

Allied ground losses:
269 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Bombay

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100584 troops, 762 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 1768

Defending force 7370 troops, 0 guns, 333 vehicles, Assault Value = 116

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese max assault: 1586 - adjusted assault: 2421

Allied max defense: 97 - adjusted defense: 77

Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Bombay base !!!


Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Dakota I: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
250 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
7303 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 100

Well, this looks promising for the attack on Karachi. If my naval bombers can destroy the British naval elements guarding Karachi while my army bombers do the same to the airfields I should be able to recon it to the highest level and then launch a co-ordinated air and naval bombardment of defending ground forces followed up immediately by my ground forces. It'll take time to organise but I think its worth slowing down for a bit now and keeping my losses low so that when India falls my forces are in good enough shape to press on to Northern Australia almost immediately.

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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5302 troops, 182 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 2431 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported


In other news the CVL-KB has sortied from Kendari and is closing on Derby in Operation Stop The Barbie. Tomorrow the first airstrikes should go in. I'm still coming to terms with CV TF composition so am experimenting by putting most of the CVLs in one TF and the two CVs in another.


In the Central Pacific the CV-KB is going to motor slowly north-eastward in order to get within striking range of enemy forces at French Frigate Shoals. This is intended to be a low-risk, low reward operation in order to slow the exploitation of French Frigate Shoals and set the stage for a lot of attrition of American transport capability at low cost to Japanese forces. I think the American carriers are operating about 300 miles south-west of Johnston in a sort of covering role for the forces aimed at Palmyra. Unfortunately this puts them within a couple of hexes of most of one of my Brigades which is being transported to Johnston Island. I have split the transport TFs into single-ship TFs and ordered the ones farthest from Johnston to retire a few hundred miles. The ones closest to Johnston are to press on irrespective of enemy action. Some may question why I don't protect the transports with my own CVs... the answer is that my CVs are irreplaceable, my infantry are eminently replaceable. I would be risking a strategically decisive asset for one which would not be even operationally decisive and that simply wouldn't do. The Brigade will live or die as fate dictates. We'll see how this all works out tomorrow.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/03/42

I forgot to mention the massive boon to my supply which the capture of Bombay represents. Over 100,000 tons of fuel and 180,000 tons of supply have been captured. If supplies in Karachi follow a similar pattern I could be looking at capturing more than 500,000 tons of supply when Karachi falls. This would be an immense boost to my supply situation. At this rate it may be worth taking Australia just for the supplies. I have begun a programme of aggressive industrial and resource repair and repair shipyard expansion in Bombay and surrounding areas. I'm aiming for a total HI of about 18,000 prior to the conquest of the Soviet Union and even with the capture of all of India it will not prove possible to exceed 15,000 HI so the other 3,000 will have to come from industrial expansion. At present about 500 HI is in the process of expansion but the more supply I capture the more quickly I can continue the expansion and bring the rest of the required HI online.

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Night Air attack on Karachi , at 21,3

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 4
Ki-49 Helen x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 3 destroyed, 8 damaged

I tried a night attack on karachi but let's just say it won't be being repeated until conditions change somewhat.

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Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
Ki-27 Nate x 25
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 101
Ki-21 Sally x 21
Ki-48 Lily x 52
Ki-49 Helen x 55

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 9 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
74 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 135

Forgot about the Lillys last turn. Too many things to keep track of.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 28
Wellington III x 48
Martin 139 x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 16 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
Wellington III: 7 destroyed, 8 damaged
Martin 139: 3 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
1181 casualties reported
Guns lost 27

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 64

I forgot to put my Oscars on CAP. I had 27 Zeroes but 72 Oscars. I only set the Zeroes to CAP. Unfortunately that meant that my base got plastered. I will withdraw, accept the punishment and then come back with overwhelming force.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 22,4


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 6


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 42
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 11 damaged



Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 34

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 27


No Allied losses

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 46th Chinese Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 16th DAF Base Force, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 35
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Day Air attack on TF at 25,82

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 76

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 11
Kittyhawk I x 16
Hudson I x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 10 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 12 destroyed
Hudson I: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CV Soryu
BB Haruna

And the Allied strike came in first. The fighters were slaughtered but did their job in protecting the bombers, all 6 of whom dropped on my ships.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
D3A Val x 21
B5N Kate x 114

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 13
Kittyhawk I x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
D3A Val: 1 destroyed
B5N Kate: 9 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 7 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Success, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK Steel Traveler, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Virginian, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Santa Elisa, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK F.J.Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1
AK Steel Engineer, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Edward Luckenbach, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Delawarean, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Edgar Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

A 10% loss rate among my planes but 24 torpedo hits are scored. most of the enemy ships appear to be sufficiently heavily damaged to guarantee that they will either sink or be rendered ineffective for any amphibious invasion of Koepang.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 24

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 6
Kittyhawk I x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 17 destroyed


Allied Ships
AK Empire Hawk, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Morn

Hmm, it looks like the strikes from my CVL-KB went in almost entirely unescorted. Wonderful. Losses are extreme and results paltry. This will take quite a bit of rebuilding.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 24

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 6
Kittyhawk I x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 7 destroyed


Allied Ships
AK Empire Lough
AK Empire Lynx, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Oryx
AK Empire Resistance

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 66

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 4
Hurricane II x 7
Kittyhawk I x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 22 destroyed, 10 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Flamingo, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Morn
AK Empire Kingsley
AK Empire Raleigh
AK Empire Sunrise, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Carey, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

In total over half of my Kates launch without even a single escort... This is frustrating. Does anyone have any advice on how to minimise the problem of carrier planes launching without any escorts at all?

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Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
B5N Kate x 21

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 4
Hurricane II x 7
Kittyhawk I x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 1 destroyed
Hurricane II: 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Spray, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 18

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 3
Hurricane II x 7
Kittyhawk I x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 4 destroyed


Allied Ships
AK Empire Lynx, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

Yet more unescorted strikes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 149 troops unloading over beach at Raba, 26,71


Japanese ground losses:
79 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 94582 troops, 1363 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 1773

Defending force 73849 troops, 62 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 2166


Allied ground losses:
228 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 33,25

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1158 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

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

Japanese max assault: 21 - adjusted assault: 12

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1



Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5332 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 2440 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2


Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported


My convoys to Johnston seem to have escaped enemy detection and tomorrow I will consolidate my CVLs north of Derby into one mega-TF in an effort to completely overload my CV TF with Zeroes ( I am flying an extra Daitai of Zeroes in from Kendari to help). Given my Kate losses this will result in having almost two Zeroes per strike aircraft in this carrier TF. Hopefully this will be sufficient to prevent future, unescorted, strikes.

Below you can see the results of today's twin disasters ( Bombay CAP mistake and CV TF strikes flying without escorts) on my aircraft losses. I have sufficient reserves to recover from this but it will mean reducing my reserves to almost nothing and this is something I would have preferred to avoid at this stage. Still, needs must.

Question for the forum.

Assuming a Japanese force of 8 CVs, 3 CVLs and 3 CVEs ( the CVEs are optional) backed by 3 BBs, 3 CAs, 15 DDs ( including all of the AAA 135 and 90 ones) and 3 CS with expert search groups what would you guys think about going out to play with 5 American CVs within range of my own LBA (Bettys etc)?

My fighter and strike groups are generally of 80 to 90 experience and with this carrier strike force I think I can do a fair bit of damage... I would have another 150 Zeroes in reserve on nearby islands ready to fly out to my carriers to replenish my fighter force in order to maintain CAP over a multi-day battle. Also would have about 50 Vals and 50 Kates available for reinforcement also.


So, advisable or not and if advisable what sort of CV TFs would you advise? reading the forum it would seem that 3 TFs each comprising 2 to 3 CVs, 1 CVL, 1 BB, 1 CA and 5 DDs operating in the same hex would be optimal. What do you think about this? Worth doing?
 
P.s. I would envisage this battle occuring sometime in mid-May to mid-June...

Even though I have played exclusively as the Allies to date, I would say that any Jap player does well if "Midway" is done with their LBA in play. [&o]
The Allies get to expand their VF's from 27 to 36 in 7/42 and start getting the Avengers. Not enough to take on the KB in even terms, but it does help. [:D]  The Allied player needs to show restraint, but I beleive from your style of play, he wont have a choice but to try to engage you in unfavorable terms. [;)]

The Allies get to expand their VF's from 27 to 36 in 7/43 and start getting the Avengers. Not enough to take on the KB in even terms, but it does help.

I think you mean in July '42. (The reason for the VF expansion was the upgrade from the F4F-3 to the folding-wing F4F-4.)

Advice to Nemo: I would find out exactly what is causing those unescorted strikes. Not only do you have no fighters along, but the Kates and the Vals are going in separately, which gives the Allied CAP more opportunity. This could lead to extremely serious losses against 5 American CV's.

‚s‚ˆ‚… bigger question is why would a US commander feel compelled to attack on such unfavorable terms? Clearly much of your land assets are in India. You can feint (or even move) the KB to the Pearl area, but it is not obvious he needs to take the bait anytime soon (a few months after India falls it might be different). Bad enough to lose India...No point in taking on the ENTIRE IJN CV/CVE/CVL fleet as well.
 
 

Well, I have roughly 3,000 AV available for offensive action in the Central Pacific ( this is in addition to whatever AV are required for garrisoning duties) and sufficient shipping reserved to transport it en masse. My units are prepping for the most likely invasion sites.
 
My basic concept is that whenever the first MAJOR allied invasion goes in the entire KB will sortie and drive off Allied surface combatants, resupply convoys etc. I will then counter-invade. I expect that the Allies will, at the very least, try to resist this operation as not to do so would be to accept the loss of the ground combat units committed to his first major offensive and such a result would really tend to put him on the defensive for the rest of the year IMO.
 
Basically he'll be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.... If he does resist his fleet units and transports suffer, if he doesn't then his ground combat units get reamed. Either way my forces should do fairly well.
 
The problem is my understanding of carrier combat and the likely results of a clash. It LOOKS to me like the force correlation I can see there is very favourable but it is possible I am in error given my very basic understanding of carrier combat and the likelihood I'll mess things up somehow without realising it
 
 
In short it is a variant of pinning him in one place and giving him the option of engaging on unfavourable terms or writing off everything he has landed.

Much will depend on his intentions....If he has built up high level forts, puts in a few CD units, a ton of mines and is in LBA range of other US bases (so he can bomb your troops) he might be very content to see you burn a month or so sieging it...
 
That said, at some point he will decide to challenge...But I think he might well hang back with his CVs (so your LBA might not get involved)...
 
Also, he might decide that now is the time for the decisive battle.....
 
But if he builds up a high level base, it might be easier to get on then to get off.
Avengers start coming in July or August?
 
That is key for you......Attack with TBDs is suicidal.....

oops 60 kates down that hurts
good 1.801 is released otherwise that would be very painful
I assume you crossed malaya straits with india invasion force with singapore still fighting ,  right ?

Sneer,

Yes, I did leave Singapore for later although to say Singapore is "fighting" is a misnomer. It is still in existence but it is out of supply and an operational irrelevance. Mostly it just acts to train my bomber crews to be honest as it can't even mount much of a AAA defence.
 
Jeffs,
Yes. The reason I want to bring them to action prior to July is in order to get the battle before the better torpedo bombers come into action and also in order to keep my timeline for Australia.

According to my data sheet, the TBF Avenger arrives in July '42. IIRC there were a few Avengers at Midway in June. Note also that the Avenger I arrives in December '42, which can turn the British CV's into more dangerous opponents.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/04/42

After the disappointing results from yesterday's strikes I am reconsolidating my carriers into a single division, have flown in my "ready reserve strike squadrons" and a Zero daitai from Kendari. I will see if this solves the unescorted strike problem.

In the meantime my Bettys and Nells from Kendari and the escorts from the CV TF will be asked to carry the load and my anti-shipping operations on other fronts continue apace. I've calculated that if I can keep a steady attrition of 2 ships per day ( on average) then I can cripple any Allied offensive prior to mid-43. Even achieving 1 sinking every day will seriously hurt the Allied ability to transport sufficient supplies for major offensives. So, 304 ships sunk by 1st April. The target for the end of April is 360.

If Trey hangs back I doubt I can achieve more than 1 sinking a day on average but if he takes the offensive fully then I think 2 sinkings per day is quite doable as he will have to uncover more of his forces and I should get more opportunities for asymetric attrition.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara

Allied Ships
AK Oklahoman
AK Virginian, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
AK Santa Elisa, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
AK Steel Engineer, heavy damage
AK Steel Traveler, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK F.J.Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

yet again ueber-manoeuvreable merchant ships flee at half the speed of their pursuers and get away . While one could certainly argue that Oklahoman might have gotten lucky and slipped away in the dark of night I find it somewhat more difficult to believe that the crippled Steel Engineer and Steel Traveller evaded the Japanese. Still 3 out of 6 sunk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara

Allied Ships
AK Empire Sunrise, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Empire Carey, on fire, heavy damage

Ah yes, in the middle of the night the crippled transport, Empire Carey, probably capable of making no more than 5 knots and ablaze from stem to stern manages to evade one of the premier surface combat components of the Imperial Japanese Navy . I am ordering the carrot ration for my night lookouts to be doubled.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Derby, at 24,85 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 3 destroyed
Hurricane II: 1 destroyed
Hudson I: 3 destroyed
Wirraway: 1 destroyed

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 2
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
AP Orungal, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Confidence, Shell hits 3, on fire
AD Black Hawk, Shell hits 2, on fire
AK Johanne Justesen, Shell hits 1, on fire
SS KXVI, hits 2, on fire
AK Empire Hope, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Mijer, Shell hits 1, on fire
TK Anastasia, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Raven, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Peri, Shell hits 1
AK Si Kiang, Shell hits 1, on fire


Allied ground losses:
321 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
Vehicles lost 4

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 11
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

managed to severely damage a submarine. The damage to transports etc shouldn't result in any sinkings but is useful in terms of damaging more of the shipping that may be used in the expected invasion of Koepang. If I destroy a lot of the shipping still at Derby I may forestall any such invasion and just move the forces I was holding at Kendari for a counter-attack to Koepang for an accelerated bombing campaign aimed at Northern Australia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
Ki-27 Nate x 31
Ki-48 Lily x 52
Ki-49 Helen x 54

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 3 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
SB-2c: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 130

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Derby , at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
D3A Val x 16
B5N Kate x 104

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 4
Hurricane II x 6
Kittyhawk I x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
B5N Kate: 9 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 3 destroyed
Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
Hudson I: 4 destroyed
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 40

The results of the airstrikes on Derby were highly disappointing. Just under 10% of the strike component was destroyed in combat. While this loss % is unsustainable it is still acceptable given the fact that I am learning a great deal about CV TF vs LBA combat dynamics in this risk-limited environment ( risk-limited since I'm staying out of range of the B-17s operating out of Darwin and of the Beauforts at Derby.

So far it seems that it is essential to destroy the fighter component before mounting major anti-shipping strikes and that more than 20% of a TF's fighters must be assigned escort duty if one wishes to adequately escort a given strike. My next trial will consist of a fighter sweep against Derby.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manchuria Adv Corps, at 40,34

Japanese aircraft
C5M Babs x 1
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 101

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 6th Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 30
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 106,68

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
D3A Val x 48

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Mapele, Bomb hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
AK Manini, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

News comes in later in the day that these two transports have sunk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10447 troops, 322 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1774

Defending force 73641 troops, 59 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 2161



Allied ground losses:
137 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Raba

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1248 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

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

Japanese max assault: 24 - adjusted assault: 4

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Raba base !!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 24,16

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 24275 troops, 283 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 500

Defending force 120 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese max assault: 474 - adjusted assault: 476

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 476 to 1


Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5352 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 2411 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported


In other news the sweep towards Yunan continues and in India things are very much proceeding according to plan. I am bringing sufficient Air HQ and aviation support units to allow me to operate three airfields of maximum size. My intention is to use an army fighter division and two naval fighter divisions to both protect my bases and reduce the aerial defences over Karachi while 6 Army Bomber Divisions (over 500 Sallys and Helens) will destroy the airbase and ground troops at Karachi and a Naval ( Betty) Bomber Division ( 90 Bettys) waits at Trimcomalee ( or preferably Colombo) in order to sink the Royal Navy as it attempts to flee to Karachi.

Below you can see the situation in India. As you can see the hold-outs at Diamond Harbour and Chandpur are well and truly bottled up. An Indian Division is attempting to interdict the route to Karachi at the very top of the picture but the 5 divisions making for Karachi should annihilate it easily. Elsewhere I have 48,000 tons of OIL 2 weeks from India. With their arrival the full productive potential of India should be harnessed and my HI levels should begin rising once again.

I've also docked my battleline at Bombay, am moving my crack APD-ASW TF in to cover them against submarine attack ( it seems that the Royal Navy has at least 5 submarines operating out of Karachi) and am expanding the naval repair yard there in order to have my battleline in the best shape possible when the time comes for it to bombard Karachi.

The game really is all about logistics and preparation.

" The game really is all about logistics and preparation. "

Bingo .. so was the real war (or any war for that matter)

Well , looking very good in India there Nemo. I'm suprised 5 subs from karachi, must be some dutch ones as brits only have 2, Truant and Trusty.. and i love them dearly ( apart from the range) [;)]

I'll be away for a while but I'm already looking forward to seeing how you progress when i get back ..

Good luck and above all .. enjoy it !

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/05/42

I was unhappy with the results from the last night's action so sent my surface combat elements in again while KB stood just far enough offshore to ensure Hurricanes cannot escort the bombers from Derby and attempted to interdict the enemy transports fleeing for Darwin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara

Allied Ships
AK Oklahoman, Shell hits 25, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Well, Oklahoman's luck runs out. It joins the 6 merchants confirmed sunk yesterday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara

Allied Ships
AK Steel Engineer, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
AK Steel Traveler, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 24,85

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara

Allied Ships
AK Empire Carey, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Derby, at 24,85


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CA Chikuma
CA Tone
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
AP Mijer, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Opossum, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Peri, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Raven, Shell hits 1
AK Empire Confidence, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1
Port hits 1

The results after these two days and nights of combat are much more acceptable. The surface combat TF sinks fully 10 enemy transports with a similar number sufficiently damaged as to greatly lessen their suitability for any invasion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
Ki-27 Nate x 28
Ki-48 Lily x 37
Ki-49 Helen x 41

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 3 destroyed
I-153c: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
54 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 67


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 22,4


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 7


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 72
Ki-46-II Dinah x 6

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 2

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 170

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 6 damaged


Allied ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 92

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 24

I have recently flown a Betty Chutai in to Port Moresby in order to take a tithe of any Australian shipping which seeks to flee to safety via the passage between north-eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Derby , at 24,85

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 7
Kittyhawk I x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hurricane II: 5 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

The sweep achieves excellent results. With roughly equal numbers the Zeroes, freed from the constriction of close escorting bombers, wreak havoc among the obsolescent Australian figher force. They destroy almost four times their number. I will repeat this test once more with a full TF sweep and if it is as succesful then my SOP for future invasions/coverage of ship movements will be as follows:

1. Slow movement into range of the targetted enemy base with a view to drawing the enemy's long-range land-based bombers onto the CV TF. Let them impale themselves on maximum CAP.

2. As the CV TF moves closer a strong sweep of the enemy airbase will be ordered.

3. A strike against the enemy airfield by Vals while the Kates remain on naval attack.

4. Hunting down the cripples/further strikes as dictated by circumstances ( e.g port attacks if an invasion ( or invasion maskirovka) is planned, airfield attack if the requirement is to cover the passage of other shipping etc etc).

Anyone see any major flaws in this?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 50th Chinese Corps, at 40,34

Japanese aircraft
C5M Babs x 1
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 103

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 39th Chinese Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 35
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,83

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
D3A Val x 10
B5N Kate x 29

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Paul Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Dawn, Bomb hits 1
AK Empire Hawk, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Morn, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Wagtail
AK Empire Kingsley, Torpedo hits 1
AK Empire Raleigh, Bomb hits 2, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,83

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
B5N Kate x 32

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Morn, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Raleigh, on fire
AK Empire Kingsley, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Dawn, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Wagtail, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,83

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Morn, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Kingsley, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Another unescorted strike. I can see no reason for it other than that the first strikes encountered no CAP and so, perhaps, the TF commander knew that no escorts were required.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 27,80


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 20


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,83

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
B5N Kate x 14

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Wagtail, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Kingsley, on fire, heavy damage

All 7 enemy transports attacked in the morning are sunk. Unfortunately more than double their number continue to race west as fast as possible. Since I don't want to get into range of a B-17 strike I will not be following them too closely. Almost a score of transports have been dispatched and I think that will prove sufficient to forestall any invasion of Timor in the forseeable future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,83

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20

No Japanese losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 40,34

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 109694 troops, 803 guns, 547 vehicles, Assault Value = 2070

Defending force 38992 troops, 31 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1047

Japanese max assault: 3300 - adjusted assault: 953

Allied max defense: 937 - adjusted defense: 220

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
2172 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 16

Allied ground losses:
1532 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

The Chinese continue to be pushed back towards Yunan. Japanese losses continue to be heavy but, given the strategic position being gained, acceptable.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10464 troops, 323 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1774

Defending force 73188 troops, 55 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 2148


Allied ground losses:
157 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5352 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 2370 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2


Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/06/42

Possibly the quietest day yet.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
Ki-27 Nate x 31
Ki-48 Lily x 69
Ki-49 Helen x 52

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 11 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 79

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 24


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 50th Chinese Corps, at 39,33

Japanese aircraft
C5M Babs x 1
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 80

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lucknow

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1030 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 27

Defending force 7624 troops, 10 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 7


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10464 troops, 323 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1780

Defending force 72969 troops, 52 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 2141


Allied ground losses:
308 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kunming

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8465 troops, 7 guns, 535 vehicles, Assault Value = 275

Defending force 37555 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 738

Japanese max assault: 518 - adjusted assault: 304

Allied max defense: 643 - adjusted defense: 281

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 6

Allied ground losses:
476 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

I tried a quick Shock Attack with my provisional Tank Division and while I got a 1:1 Kunming remains in Chinese hands. On the other hand this result promises a quick resolution to the siege once the infantry divisions committed to this axis arrive.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/07/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1064 encounters mine field at Palmyra (106,85)

Allied Ships
DMS Perry

And what I think is the only DMS left in the American fleet sorties to Palmyra to clear some mines there. There are barely 2,500 mines left there so I don't expect them to do much good if a landing is attempted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 9
Blenheim I x 22
P-40B Tomahawk x 10
P-40E Warhawk x 6


Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
21 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 21
Wellington III x 47

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 destroyed
G3M Nell: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Wellington III: 4 destroyed, 10 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
553 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 28

Two Zero daitai were present but I forgot to set one on CAP... and paid the price.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 22,4


Allied aircraft
Lysander I x 51
Buffalo I x 10


No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 12

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 81
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 5
Hurricane II x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 3 destroyed, 27 damaged


Allied ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 68

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 176

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 6 damaged


Allied ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 95

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 80th Chinese Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Zuid Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 9
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 31
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 149 troops unloading over beach at Maumere, 28,73


Japanese ground losses:
75 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10453 troops, 321 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1784

Defending force 72827 troops, 49 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 2133


Allied ground losses:
207 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kunming

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8315 troops, 5 guns, 523 vehicles, Assault Value = 1286

Defending force 36901 troops, 31 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 730

Japanese max assault: 456 - adjusted assault: 197

Allied max defense: 653 - adjusted defense: 199

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
103 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 8

Allied ground losses:
427 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

197 to 199. Close but no cigar. Again, due to the very ungraduated manner of the ground combat model less than a 1% difference in effective AV results in a force as badly thrashed as though it attacked against an enemy fivefold as strong. Very suspect design.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5372 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 2400 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2



Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/08/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near French Frigate Shoal at 104,68

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
AV Curtiss

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 3
Blenheim IF x 7
Blenheim I x 21
P-40B Tomahawk x 7


Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 20
Wellington III x 44

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Wellington III: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
318 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 22,4


Allied aircraft
Lysander I x 51
Buffalo I x 9
P-40B Tomahawk x 3


No Allied losses

Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 10

Lots and lots of sorties from Karachi. That airfield must be loaded to the gills. Of course I'm sure Trey hasn't shown me his most decisive forces yet. To hit me with everything he has got now would be premature. No, the correct course of action is to wait for me to commit my main force and only then to unmask his own main force.

I'll commit half my strength in order to draw a maximal response and allow me to accurately gauge his SOP and maximum effort. Once that's know I can rebuild the forces lost in the probe and use the intelligence gained to commit the entire force with maximum effect. Since I can only defeat enemy four-engined bombers on the ground and don't want to commit my main bomber force until I know what sort of maximal effort the British can mount the easiest targets for me to eliminate will be enemy fighters so the probe's limited aim will be to maximise attrition of British fighter units and pave the way for the next phase at the beginning of May.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 177

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged


Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 80

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 14


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Runway hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Chinese Corps, at 40,36

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
C5M Babs x 2

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 50th Chinese Corps, at 39,33

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 9
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20
Ki-48 Lily x 26
Ki-49 Helen x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 6th Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 45,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 18,56

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 40
Ki-15 Babs x 2

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 804th Engineer Aviation Battalion, at 104,68

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Interesting. The strongest ground combat unit at French Frigate Shoals is an Engineer Bn. I just may be able to retake this place at acceptable cost... assuming adequate cover for my invasion transports can be arranged. I have ordered one of my nodal infantry regiments to begin prepping for French Frigate Shoals. In the meantime my forces will concentrate on sinking the transports bringing supplies and reinforcements to French Frigate Shoals. Thi will help limit the resistance to my invasion AND continue the asymetric attrition of the enemy surface fleet.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 16th Chinese Air Base Force, at 39,33

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 73
Ki-48 Lily x 32
Ki-49 Helen x 23

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
77 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near French Frigate Shoal at 104,68

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Aldebaran, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Bridge, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Betty strikes sink one of the transports bringing supplies to French Frigate Shoals... The obvious counter to this is to build a Level 1 airfield and base some of his better fighters there. I will not interfere with this as I wish to test my Zeroes against what Trey considers his best but I will attempt to carry out the counter-invasion before the airfield reaches Level 2 ( and numerous divebombers and torpedo bombers can be flown in... something which would prove most inconvenient to my minelaying operations around Johnston Island).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Darwin at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 4
G4M1 Betty x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Robert Luckenbach
AK Empire Seal, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Resistance, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Scout, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Voice, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Darwin at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Steel Inventor
AK Empire Razorbill, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near French Frigate Shoal at 104,68

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
AK Aldebaran, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

I 168 delivers the coup de grace to the little transport TF a French Frigate Shoals. Both transports are reported as having sunk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10470 troops, 322 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1784

Defending force 72680 troops, 42 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 2132


Allied ground losses:
108 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Maumere

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1068 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 26

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

Japanese max assault: 19 - adjusted assault: 6

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Maumere base !!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5372 troops, 183 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 2350 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Tomorrow, after the requisite period of rest and recuperation, my forces will attack Kunming. I expect it to fall relatively quickly and will then drive for Yunan. Hopefully the Chinese forces are forced to retreat towards Yunan and not toward Chungking when they reach the very literal "fork in the road".