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1/6-1/7/42



CBI


When the Chinese Nanyang army finally launches its shock attack only the IJA 32nd Division is left in thje hex and it takes a beating:


Ground combat at 87,44

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 49770 troops, 340 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2525

Defending force 13190 troops, 114 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 498

Allied adjusted assault: 1609

Japanese adjusted defense: 132

Allied assault odds: 12 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
6147 casualties reported
Squads: 107 destroyed, 150 disabled
Non Combat: 114 destroyed, 125 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 13 (7 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 19 (6 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units retreated 2


Allied ground losses:
1841 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 143 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 75 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
39th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese/B Corps
92nd Chinese/B Corps
55th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese/C Corps
48th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese/B Corps
36th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese/A Corps
67th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese/A Corps
92nd Chinese/C Corps
77th Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese/C Corps
30th Chinese/B Corps
59th Chinese/C Corps
5th War Area
2nd Group Army
22nd Group Army
21st Group Army
33rd Group Army

Defending units:
32nd Division
15th RGC Temp. Division


The 32nd Division will be out of action for awhile now.


Meanwhile, Japan takes out the Chinese roadlock NW of Kaifeng:


Ground combat at 88,43

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12357 troops, 112 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 449

Defending force 617 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Japanese adjusted assault: 234

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 234 to 1

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

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


Allied ground losses:
542 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
36th Division
5th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
43rd Chinese/B Corps


Now Japan has both another division to reinforce Chengchow plus direct highway access across the river into Chengchow.


Erstad invades the Free french port at Kwangchowan.....this caught me a bit by surprise. Kwangchowan is the soft underbelly of Chinese defenses in the south. Not only is there no garrison at Kwangchowan....there arent very many Chinese troops in the region. I will need to railroad some of the reserves at Hengchow to Liuchow and march them towards Kwangchowan from there. Again it remains to be seen how much force Erstad decides to ship there once he captures the port next turn.


In Burma, Japanese paratroops and air lifted troops kick the Chinese besiegers out of Lashio:


Ground combat at Lashio (62,46)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4430 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 214

Defending force 1068 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 38

Japanese adjusted assault: 48

Allied adjusted defense: 4

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
414 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st Raiding Rgt /1
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
4th Ind.Mixed Rgt /1
34th Road Const Co /2

Defending units:
88th Chinese Division


Erstad is moving at will through Burma...there really isnt much there to stop him.



DEI


Japan invades at Camiguin and Ketapang.

Kolaka, Denpasar, Billiton and Tandjoengselor all surrender before the Japanese onslought.


An IJN TF with 3 BBs bombards Batavia:

Night Naval bombardment of Batavia at 49,98 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 destroyed on ground
139WH-3: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
B-339D: 1 destroyed on ground
Vildebeest III: 1 destroyed on ground
CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed on ground
L-212: 1 destroyed on ground
FK-51: 1 destroyed on ground

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
DD Kuretake
DD Wakaba


Allied ground losses:
180 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 26

E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Ise
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion firing at BB Ise
BB Ise firing at Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Fuso
BB Fuso firing at Batavia
BB Nagato firing at Batavia
DD Kuretake firing at Batavia
DD Wakaba firing at 1st KNIL Regiment


I think that we are about to reach the climatic phase of the battle for the DEI. Its time for me to disperse the Allies air forces on Java.

The Japanese asault at Tarakan is again thrown back with heavy Japanese losses.



MALAYA


The IJA 5th Recon Regiment captures Kuala Lampur.

The daily aerial bombardments of Singapore seem to be growing in intensity.



CENTPAC/SOPAC

The outnumbered US troops on Guam again repulse the Japanese assaults even though they have reinforced.

BB Mississippi arrives at San Francisco. The Allies now have 3 operational BBs in the entire PTO....BB PoW, BB Warspite and BB Mississippi. It seems to me that the USN normally has more old BBs available at this point of the war but we are playing with very variable reinforcements so maybe they have been delayed.



PHILIPPINES


Ive attached a screeenshot of the current situation in the Philippines. Unlike the DEI where Japan has almost completely overrun Borneo and the Celebes ..... there have no major landings in the central or southern Philippines and evidently very minimal forces have been committed to Luzon. I have several regiments at Batangas now that are marching down to Atimonan.....the Allied forces will mass here and then assault Naga and Legaspi.

1/8-1/9/42



DEI


Japan invades at Tapul, Boela and Koepang. KB is covering the landings at Koepang.

Japan captures Pare, Hollandia and Ketapang. After over a week of resistance the Dutch capitulate at Tarakan.

After the naval bombardment of Batavia and the arrival of KB Ive dispersed Allied air forces in the DEI. The P-40Es and USMC Vindicators begin to withdraw towards Australia while the British torpedo bombers withdraw towards Burma. The Dutch Air Force is basically on its own now.



SWPAC

The 144th Regiment bombards the Aussie defenders of Port Moresby. PBYs continue to fly in reinforcements to Port Moresby from the mainland and the Allied AV is now at 180.

Japan at Buna and New Hanover Island.

I nearly had a heart attack when I got a sighting of a Japanese torpedo bomber off Sydney but I think(hope) that its just a mis identified Glen float plane.



PHILIPPINES


Japan captures Balabac and Camiguin.

American/Philippino troops close in on Naga.



CBI


Japan captures Kwangchowan.

Erstad has cleared the railroads leading into Chengchow and Kaifeng and it appears that several IJA formations are now massing in the area.

I have over 6500 AV within 2 hexes of Loyang but my Nanyang army....2500 AV just SW of Loyang...is horribly exposed in clear terrain. Ive split the Nanyang army up.....1000 AV will retire back to Nanyang while 1500 AV will reinforce Loyang......giving the Allies some 3900 AV there. Erstad hit the Nanyang army repeatedly this turn with medium bombers and DBs and the Chinese sufer 1000 casualtiesw from airstrikes alone. The 3 AVG squadrons cant be everywhere and Im impatiently awaiting the arrival of the first Hurricane squadron in India later this week.

IJA armor overruns deserted Pegu over in Burma.



REVISED INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATES


A veritable flood of sigint reports are coming in now painting a much clearer picture of future Japanese intentions.

The IJA 21st and now 33rd Divisions are still reported to be en route to Singora. Moreover, the 2nd Division is quietly resting in Kota Bharu while the 5th and 18th Divisions are continuing the advance on Singapore. Ive lost track of the 56th Division which was landed in Malaya but has not seen combat in a couple of weeks.

In addition, sigint reports that 21st Division is planning for Oosthaven while the 65th Brigade is planning for Tilatjap. It looks to me now that the TFs carrying 21st and 33rd Divisions will link up with a TF loading 2nd Division....and then a 3 division assault on Palembang after initial landings in Oosthaven. I now suspect that these landings will start prior to landings on Java...probably within the next week or 2. No reason now for a beefier fortress Palembang strategy .....this will happen too quickly.

In regards to Java....I was a bit surprised by the choice of Tilatjap for 65th Brigade.....it may be misdirection on Erstad's part. If true, 16th Division would be available for a Java invasion as would possibly the 56th and Imperial Guards Divisions.

Looks like its just 48th Division, some tank regiments, and smoke and mirrors on Luzon. After taking Naga/Legaspi I will rail the US/Philippino foces in SE Luzon back to Manila and begin to squeeze the IJA troops in the north.

1/10-1/11/42



CBI


Ive massed nearly 4000 AV at Loyang and am ready to square off against the IJA stack in Chengchow. The remainder of the Nanyang army should make it back to the fortifications of Nanyang this turn and then Chinese defenses should be pretty well set to the S of Sian. Erstad has now reopened all the railroads into Kaifeng and overrun all the Chinese roadblocks on the Chengchow/Sinyang highway so he can pretty much move unhindered any direction he chooses in central China.

With the Japanese army pretty much stalemated on the ground Erstad has unleashed an aerial blitzkieg across China. he is pounding every LCU/stack he finds in clear terrain...this turn he caused another 1000 casualties to a Chinese stack just NE of Ichang. He also hit the airfield at Sian pretty hard in an attempt to achieve even greater air superiority for the upcoming battle at Loyang. Ive got 2 Chinese engineer units at Sian so Im flying 2 squadrons of P-40s over the base this turn to give the engineers a chance to repair all the damage.

Sigint reports that the RGC Army HQ is planning for Changsha and that the 4th Tank Regiment is loaded on an AK for Canton. I consider the planning for Changsha to be a secondary operation in case an opening develops for China in that area. I am a bit more concerned about the armor being sent to Canton. That....in conjunction with the sigint report of paratroops on an AK being sent to Haiphong........the Yokohama 1st SNLF.....makes me think that Erstad wants some manuver units to get in my rear areas in southern China.....I will have to make certain that very base and dot hex in southern China is garrisoned.


In Burma, the Japanese troops airlifted to Lashio are moving in multiple directions. One LCU is trying to cut the main highway through Mandalay to prevent me from withdrawing the last Allied rear guard units in southern Burma while additional LCUs are trying to prevent my Chinese division from retreating through the jungles to Myitkina.


In India, reinforcements are pouring into Karachi. Much of III Indian Corps that was withdrawn from Malaya on 12/9/41 has now reached safety in India and are taking on replacements. I Australian Corps units are arriving in Aden nearly every turn now and several are in transit to Karachi. The first Hurricane squadron arrived in crates at Karachi this turn and is sent immediately to Calcutta. Erstad has little air activity over Malaya and Burma as most of his far eastern air forces have been commited to China. I need to get the Hurricanes to China ASAP.



NOPAC/SWPAC


Japanese troops invaded Attu this turn. I got some sigint a couple turns ago that "xxxBattalion is planning for Dutch Harbor" and promptly disregarded it.....now I believe it. In over 30 campaign games of WitP/AE Ive never fought in the Aleutians. Im not sure that I want to send scarce resources up there at this point in the war.

In the AE tournament we did the 1000 Mile War scenario for the 2nd round. I promptly built up a big airfield on Adak in hopes of pummeling Attu and Kiska with medium bombers and 4Es but it never happened. Even though it was June/July.....the weather was almost always bad and if the bombers flew even once a week the bomb damage was negligible. So I dont see the point of commiting resources up there at this time. I could lose my newly opened sub base at Dutch Harbor but Midway Island's sub base is nearly equidistant from Japan.


Japan captures Buna and New Hannover Island as the noose tightens around Port Moresby. All quiet at Port Moresby as the Aussies continue to fly in reinforcements there.


PHILIPPINES

The US 192nd Tank Regiment reached Naga this turn and will retake the town next turn. The Philippino infantry should arrive in Naga the turn after that and then we will assault Legaspi...there is only a single Japanese unit(BF) in Legaspi.

Then most everyone in SE Luzon will be railed to Manila. The 48th Division is sitting by itself in Vigan with some armor for a supporting cast. I had to retreat from Lingayen earlier in the war as 48th Division starts prepped for Lingayen. However I doubt that 48th Division is prepped for Vigan. I need to cut 48th Division off from Lingayen and isolate it in Vigan. I might actually have a little fun here in Luzon over the next couple of weeks.

Japan takes Balabac.



DEI


Japan invades at Tawau, Madang and Aitape while capturing Kaoping, Taplu and Boela. I dont know where half of these placenames are....they usually fall to Japan by osmosis but Erstad is assaulting each and every one individually.

The IJA 9th Regiment captures Koepang. The IJA 16th Division is now scattered all over the DEI and Im sure will need to rest and prep before invading Java. I was a bit surprised that Erstad bypassed Ambon to take Koepang but Im sure he was concerned about completing the isolation of the DEI. The reality is that there is virtually nothing left to withdraw from the DEI. There is a single P-40B squadron still on Java and I will probably have them fight to the bitter end. Kendari and Ambon are the only major bases remaining for the Allies in the southern/eastern DEI. I suppose the capture of Koepang gives Erstad a head start on the aerial neutralization of Darwin.


Regretably.....KB disappears from our naval search screen this turn. Im sure that the next time we spot KB it will be coming out of nowhere to say BOO!

1/12-1/13/42



CBI


The Chinese dig in at Loyang while next door at Chengchow Erstad continues to mass his forces. He can rail in reinforcements to Chengchow now and there is now a 21 unit telephone pole there...I wish my recon was a bit more accurate here. I guessed right on my CAP placement this turn and over a dozen Japanese bombers are shot down.

In Burma, Japan has captured Rangoon and is on the outskirts of Mandalay. With Burma a lost cause.....the last AVG squadron is staged into China. We completed the evacuation of the last of the torpedo bombers from Java through Mandalay this turn and all the TBs are now training and rebuilding in India.


Reinforcements are pouring into Karachi...the 2nd Hurricane squadron arrived this turn as did an Aussie brigade and 7th Armored.



NOPAC

Japan captures Attu. I feel that this is just a diversion as it was in the real war. We will see what further advances Erstad has planned.



PHILIPPINES


The 192nd Tank captures Naga. The Philippino infantry will arrive shortly and then we will assault Legaspi.



DEI


Japan takes Pontianak and Tawau.



MALAYA


The 5th Recon captures Malacca while 41st Regiment overruns Temuloh.

The Allies dig in at Johore Bharu and Singapore.



SWPAC

KB suddenly appears in the Coral Sea to support additional landings Port Moresby, Terapo and Umboi. Erstad even invaded the Australian mainland this turn at Portland Roads.

I had been reinforcing Port Moresby to force Erstad to commit an additional regiment here. Erstad actually reinforced with the 4th Division which is better than I had hoped for. The 4th Division has little or no prep for Port Moresby so it should be heavily disrupted from the opposed landing and will take some time to rebuild following the operation.

Erstad is obviously taking every little base and dot hex around Port Moresby so I cant use them for future airfields to pummel Port Moresby. Im a bit surprised about the Australian invasion at Portland Roads. Japan wont have any large units available to maintain its presence on the Aussie mainland until SAA divisions have completed offensive operations in the SRA.

I landed the 18th UK Division at Perth last week and will rail it to Brisbane. Some of the armor that was being sent up to darwin will now be diverted to NE Oz.

1/14-1/15/42



DEI


Japan captures Bandjermasin and invades at Ambon.

Erstad's strategy in the DEI makes total sense now. He took the bases on the far periphery of the DEI like Denpasar and Koepang first and then staged in naval search planes and Bettys. That allowed him to release KB for ops off NE Australia and he can then take the bases he bypassed like Ambon and kendari at his leisure without carrier cover.

To fight this strategy....virtually every Allied bomber left on Java hit Denpasar hard this turn:


Morning Air attack on Denpasar , at 58,108

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 35
B-339D x 6
CW-22 Falcon x 14
L-212 x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 1 damaged

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



Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 44

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
7 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
2 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
7 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
7 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb
7 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb
7 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb
6 x L-212 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Denpasar , at 58,108

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
75A-7 Hawk x 6


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 75A-7 Hawk sweeping at 31000 feet



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Denpasar , at 58,108

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 5


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x CW-21B Demon sweeping at 20000 feet



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Denpasar , at 58,108

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 3


No Allied losses



Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 3 x 300 kg GP Bomb



Morning Air attack on Denpasar , at 58,108

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 8


Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

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



Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 17

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb




After 2 days of these aerial attacks on Denpasar Japan is temporarily blinded in this part of the DEI. I can resume pulling cadres out of Java now.



SWPAC


Japan captures Port Moresby, Portland Roads, Terapo and Talasea. Erstad invades Horm Island with the 33rd Regiment. He split up 33rd Regiment by landing 72 AV at Ambon and 53 AV at Horn Island...he must be in a hurry.

Erstad really doesnt like Townsville....he swept it last turn and this turn he hit it with naval bombardment and KB's Vals....a couple of worthless Wirraways were destroyed but curiously the Vals conducted a city attack and knocked out a couple of resources.

Dave has at least 1 sub watching every Allied port in the SOPAC and SWPAC but at the large ports at Sydney and Auckland he has 2 glen equiped subs tag teaming each port...one does naval search and one does port recon. Im sure he spotted BB PoW at Sydney and I cleared out the harbor when KB showed up off Port Moresby 2 turns ago.



CBI


Relatively quietr this turn as Erstad continues to mass forces at Chengchow.

In Burma, Japan captures Toungoo.



MALAYA


Erstad stsrted off with a 4 division blitzkrieg here and virtually destoyed or isolated 3 Allied regiments in the first week of the war.

Since then, Japan has advanced south at a leisurely pace and conducted a half hearted invasion at Mersing. Here is a screenshot of the current situation in Malaya. Im garrisoning both Singapore and Johore Bharu to keep Dave guessing where I am going to make my major defensive stand. Besides the 3 IJA units at Mersing....probably building an airfield.....there are only 4 IJA LCUs.....all regiments....south of Kota Bharu.

[b1/16-1/17/42][/b]



PHILIPPINES


The 192nd Tank Regiment enters Legaspi. The Philippino infantry should arrive next turn and then we will attack.

My supply storage on Luzon seems to be holding steady at 50-55,000. Manila has 100 light industry so it is kicking out 100 supplies per turn and has 16,000 resources stored...plus we pick up the resources now from Naga. Now all I have to figure out is how I can get some extra attack supply landed on Luzon and we should be in business for an offensive in the north. Im all done with airlifting troops in Malaya and the DEI so Ive staged the CNAC transport AC to Luzon and Im pulling in troops from surrounding islands. So far Ive pulled in 1 regiment over the last 6 days and there are another 8 regiments Id like to airlift to Luzon....could eventually gain me another 450 AV.

Erstad seems content to pick off the smaller, isolated bases in the PI and this turn captures Taytay while invading at Zamboanga, Dinagat and Puerto Princessa. Up until Zamboanga, Japan had attempted no landings on Mindanao.



DEI


Japan captures Watampone, Dobo and Dongalla. Ija troops land at Toboali. Japan is repulsed in a 1:2 attack at Ambon.

The Dutch bombers hammer the Japanese AF at Denpasar again and leave it 60% damaged. With the seaplane base knocked out Ive completed pulling out the last of the cadres from Java.



MALAYA


What a difference a single turn makes. Erstad rails 37 LCUs into Malacca. Im glad that I still hold Johore Bharu as the IJA forces have to march overland from Malacca to Johore Bharu. That will give me about a week to withdraw everyone from Johore Bharu to Singapore and continue to dig in. I was mistaken in thinking that Erstad would siege and starve here and I had shut off replacements in most units to conserve supplies. Now I will turn replacements on for everyone and try to take on as many devices as possible before the final battle for Singapore commences. I may be able to build level 4 forts before the Japanese arrive here.

Its possible that Erstad has sent forces earmarked for Burma to help finish off Singapore as he was able to cut the Burma Road early on with paratroopers and air lifted infantry into Lasio. His overland assault in Burma from the south has slowed to a crawl. Now I have 4 decent Burma Corps brigades on the march through the jungle from India to Burma. When they arrive.....I may be able to go on a counteroffensive with them and also the 650 AV of cruddy Burma Corps units currently resting in Myitkina.



CENTPAC/SWPAC


Japan invades at Cape Gloucester and Finschafen.

KB disappears again without a trace.....Erstad is very good at this. I have dozens of B-17s and PBYs searching the Coral Sea and the waters off northern, northeatern and eastern Australia and no sightings of KB or nher surface TF escort or even her oilers.

I left a squadron of B-17s on ground bombing of the 4th Division from last turn and they actually shot down 2 A6M2s while losing none of their own....that unit will get a Distinguished Service Cross.



Farther north, Japan finally captures Guam after 2 invasions and a couple weeks of fighting.




NOPAC



Japan invades Amchitka Island.

I still think that this is just a diversion but Im gonna try to reinforce with a couple of battalions in the Aleutians in the next couple of weeks.



TEXAS FOLD 'EM IN CHINA


Japan has been able to rail reinforcements into Chengchow from all over northern China and now has a telephone pole of 41 units there. I have 4000 AV next door in Loyang, 1300 AV 2 hexes west of Loyang in the rough/woods and another 2000 AV at Nanyang. Ive only got one recon unit in the entire far east and its been reconning Chengchow every turn along with a bomber squadron but I cant get an estimate of how many IJA troops have massed there.

Higher stakes poker than before as Erstad has again upped the ante. If I stay and fight at Loyang and lose then Japan will take Sian and all the north. If I stay at Loyang and Japan shock attacks me and loses and then I countershock him I could eliminate the Japanese offensive threat in China for at least the next 3 months.....but it would not open up a significant offensive opportunity for me other than retaking Chengchow.....and now Chengchow has been damaged and only puts out 30 supplies/turn.

If I retreat the 4000 AV from Loyang to the rough/woods and have over 5000 AV tripled I think Erstad will probably give up on an offensive towards Sian. But then Dave could turn his Chengchow army on Sinyang and if he kicks me out of Sinyang....then he has a railroad between the north and Hankow/Wuchow and and he could instantly move thousands of AV from one front to another. Changsha could suddenly be in peril.

At Loyang, the average experience of my troops is in the high 30's and my average morale is in the 50s....while I estimate that Dave's Chengchow army....most of which had been quietly resting in the cities.....now has an average experience in the 60s and an average moral in the 80's. My trump card is that 2000 AV of the 4000 Chinese AV is 80-100% prepped for Loyang. I have level 3 forts at Loyang now but Dave is bombing the base pretty hard and I doubt that I will be able to complete any futher fort construction.

Dave's trump card is that he can apply a huge air force against the Chinese...and Ive suffered thousands of casualties out in open terrain from Japanese bombers over the last few turns.

I debated over this decision for quite some time....Ive had my movement orders to exit the Loyang hex the last 3 turns but reset my movement every turn.

This turn Ive finally folded....Im not resetting my movement orders and I will walk away from my level 3 forts at Loyang next turn.....its just too much to risk mauling/disrupting some 4000 AV and lose all of northern China.

In addition, Ive begun shifting more troops from the north to the south and specifically towards Changsha.

1/18/1/19/42


PHILIPPINES


Japan captures Puerto Princessa, Zamboanga and Dinagat.

Erstad pulled his BF out of Legaspi with transport AC this turn so we will secure the open city tomorrow. With decent supply coming out of Manila Ive turned replacements on for most of my units on Luzon.



CBI

We complete the withdrawal from Loyang this turn and will have over 5000 AV in the rough/woods hex due west of the town.

A strange quiet pervades the rest of the country.

Erstad only landed a single naval guard unit at Kwangchowan and did not reinforce...its strictly a diversion. Im bombing the heck out of the unit now and am moving 2 corps down to the coast to eliminate it.

Its been a strange war in China so far....no massive pitched battles....its been mostly a war of manuever. Erstad hammered one of my calvary corps and Ive decimated one of his IJA divisions. I took Ichang and Kweisui with manuever and now Erstad has taken Chengchow and Loyang by manuever. Thats ok for the Allies. each day in China we grow stronger. My total China Army AV has increased at least 25-30% since 12/7/41 and should increase another 2500 AV over the next 2 months just by resting and picking up disablements. Experience and moral should also max out over the next 2 months.


In Burma, Im pretty sure that Erstad recently made a decision to go all out in taking Singapore and he has withdrawn most of his Burma army to support that initiative. Dave has a couple of brigades assaulting a crap Burmese unit in Mandalay this turn. For the 1st time in the war, Im unleashing all my newly arrived medium bomber squadrons in India to hammer the IJA units out in the open in Mandalay.

The retreat in Burma stops now. As on Luzon....we will go on the counteroffensive and several units will rail into Schwebo this turn....just across the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay. I marched in all the Burma Corps units that start at sea through the jungle from India to Burma. The 48th Gurkha Brigade reached the Myitkina/Mandalay highway this turn and will now motor towards Schwebo......3 other Burma Corps brigades are right behind.



DEI



Japan captures Hansa Bay and Toboali. IJA troops storm ashore at Kendari, Manokwari, Merauke, Loewoek and Madjene.

Erstad is again repulsed in a 1:2 attack at Ambon.


The shorter ranged Dutch bombers hit Denpasar again and the base is now 88% neutralized. The longer ranged Dutch bombers hit an undefended AF at Bandjermasin and destroy 15 Japanese AC on the ground. This was a good turn for Allied air forces......41 Japanese AC are destroyed vs 18 Allied AC.

All the cadres have been withdrawn from the DEI and there's not a whole lot goin on now besides digging in. Next turn the Manado garrison battalion will reach a still open base in the Celebes and all the PBYs will be tasked to pick up another 30 AV for the final defense of Festung Java.



SWPAC/NOPAC


Japan captures the frozen wasteland of Amchitka Is. A couple of eskimoes stumble out of their hut to see what all the commotion is about.


Farther south in SWPAC.....the Japanese invade at Long Island and New Yorkers are quite upset.

When Erstad split the IJA 33rd Regiment to invade both Ambon and Horn Island he couldnt take either one. This turn he reinforced the invasion at Horn Island with a SNLF unit and takes Horn Island. Japan also captures Cape Gloucester. Ive attached a screenie of SWPAC....all the bases seemed to have turned red from a couple of weeks ago.

1/20-1/21/42


Abbreviated AAR for a few days as a big surf contest is going on in nearby Huntington Beach.


MALAYA


The 25th Army reaches Johore Bharu this turn and my, oh my how large it has grown:


Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7039 troops, 323 guns, 150 vehicles, Assault Value = 2680

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

Japanese adjusted assault: 130

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 130 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Johore Bahru !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker:



Assaulting units:
21st Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
33rd Division
56th Recon Regiment
22nd Recon Regiment
21st Division
113th Infantry Regiment
2nd Engineer Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
III./4th Infantry Battalion
1st Tank Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
I./4th Infantry Battalion
55th Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
23rd AA Regiment
25th Army
22nd Air Flotilla
34th Field AA Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th AA Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment



Looks to me like Dave has commited 6 divisions here. I dont think that this was pre-programmed before the game started...I think that Dave is reacting to me and allocated DEI/Burma forces here to try to take Singapore in a coup de main since he was able to cut the Burma Road a couple weeks ago with paratroops/air mobile LCUs.

Im dug in with level 3 forts and over 50,000 supplies....all of the LCUs have been upgraded with commanders. His initial crossing of the causeway fom Johore Bharu into Singapore will be very bloody. My only 2 hopes here are:
1) Allied troops can hold until RL capitualtion date and
2)The IJA divisions suffer debilitating casualties in the assault.

Im actually pretty happy that Dave is going all in on Singapore at this date....Singapore is at almost 900 AV and is as strong as it will ever be.....it gives my troops at Palembang and on Java more time to dig in and raise their AVs.



CHINA


The Allies get their first 2 aces of the war in the AVG squadrons in China. If you subtract out the Allied losses from the sneak attack on 12/7/41 the Japanese have lost more AC than the Allies.

All of the Chinese troops from Loyang make it back safely to the woods/rough terrain. I have over 5000 AV 2 hexes W of Loyang......2200 AV at Nanyang and 1500 AV at Sinyang.

Now that I have withdrawn from the plains of central China and am defending in mostly 2x or 3x terrain.....how much AV does China really require in the north?

Erstad certainly didnt waste any time with my withdrawal....he sent a measly RGC division into Loyang while 3 divisions charge down the highway from Chengchow to Sinyang and 12 LCUs with 1100 vehicles move on Nanyang. Oh...and theres still 24 LCUs at Chengchow. I figured that he would send his armor after Nanyang and have the 2 Chinese antitank regiments dug in there.....ready to open up the thin sheet metal on his crappy tankettes.

I knew that he would go all out for Sinyang and am trying to withdraw the Sinyang forces to Ichang but Dave is bombing them heavily to slow them down. Ive already sent 1000 AV from the north to the south and would like to get the 1500 AV from Sinyang there also. If Im just defending in the forests around Sian I could probaly reduce my army from 7000 AV to 5000 AV but the alternative strategy would be to keep the 7000 AV around Sian to threaten Japan's rear if they move all their troops in central China to the south.

Decisions, decisions.....

CBI


In Burma......the Allied counteroffensive begins as medium bombers hit the IJA ground troops in Mandalay hard and LCUs begin to move into Schwebo. I think that Japan is really thin now in this theatre.


In China, Dave now has a dozen armor formations plus 5 1/2 infantry divisions bearing down on Nanyang....orders are given for the defenders of Nanyang to gradually withdraw into the forests north of them.

Im still trying to evacuate my Sinyang army to the south but Erstad hit them hard with aerial bombardments last turn so only half the army has made it out of the hex.

Farther south, we will be attacking the impudent naval guard unit that invaded in the Chinese rear at Kwangchowan.




DEI


Japan captures Babo, Madjene and Loewoek.

Dave is sweeping my CAP over Soerabaja again and Allied fighter strength in the DEI is dwindling rapidly.

All quiet over Sumatra as we await the big assault to the north at Singapore.



SWPAC


Erstad is gobbling up little dot hexes off the NE coast of Australia that Ive never heard of before.....Gove, Wessel Is. and Groote Eylandt? Im not quite sure how valuable these dot hexes could be to either side...most of them are rated 0(0) for ports. Japan also captures Munda, Tabor, Saidor and Fergusson Is.

Dave disbanded some ships in port at Port Moresby that had been damaged duringb the invasion there. B-17Es based at Townsville hit the port last turn and landed 500 lb bombs on DD Kamikaze and DMS W-14.

The IJA 4th Division has already reloaded onto transports at Port Moresby.....destination unknown.....

1/24-1/25/42



MALAYA


Im expecting the 6 IJA divisions in Johore Bharu come screaming across the causeway into Singapore next turn. I finally spent the PPs to sack Percival and Heath(very, very expensive!) and picked the best generals available.

Hopefully that buys the Malaya Army another week or two and inflicts a few thousand more casualties on 25th Army.



DEI


Dave continues to mop up the little dot hexes and no name bases but nothing ominous towards Java or Sumatra.

Mini KB showed up off Batavia so some 30 Dutch medium bombers will try a naval strike next turn....escorted by virtually all the remaining fighters I could scrape up in the DEI.


Dave reinforced his invasion of Ambon with some SNLF LCUs so we will see how much longer the Dutch can hold out.



REINFORCEMENTS


I got a ton of reinforcements last turn. Cv Indomitable arrived so that gives the Allies a total of 5 CVs and 1 CVE. Also BB New Mexico and BB Royal Sovereign showed up so that increases our BB strength 50% from 4 to 6 total. A half dozen fighter squadrons showed up and they are on their way to the front.

Sigint still shows that the IJA 4th Division is planning for Koumac so Im sticking to my early March guesstimate for an invasion of New Caledonia. Im reinforcing New Zealand/SE Oz/New Caeldonia with troops/engineers/AC from the US west coast hoping that these bases can mutually support each other if Japan shows up in the region.



CBI


Daves massive air force in China is tearing me up now. My 3 AVG and one 28thPG squadrons are at 50% strength or less and Chinese troop movement has been radically slowed by the incessant bombing. Some 140,000 IJA troops and 1100 tanks move in to threaten my Nanyang and Sinyang armies. The Nanyang army will withdraw north into the forest next turn but the Sinyang army is being fixed in place by the aerial bombardment. Last turn, everyone in the Sinyang army had evacuated the town except 1 1/3 corps that were left behind and then Dave shock attacked them with his Sinyang garrison....the Chinese suffer 3500 casualties there vs 1700 IJA casualties. Im trying to withdraw the Sinyang army west to join my troops E of Ichang but I think that I will only be bombed into oblivion and then crushed out in clear terrain by the advancing Japanese army......it might have been better just to leave them in Sinyang.

Im trying to create some diversions to get Dave to split up his massive IJA steamroller.....3500 AV is ordered to advance on Loyang from the forest E os Sian while Chinese troops in Tsiaotso are ordered to take the railroad junction E of Chengchow and N of Kaifeng.

1/26-1/27/42


DEI


Even though Dave reinforced at Ambon the Japanese are again repulsed in a 1:2 attack.

KB suddenly reappears in the Indian Ocean just south of Java. I forgot that I had left 2 Dutch subs in port at Soerabaja that had been effecting repairs and KB's Vals quickly sunk them...that really hurt.

Mini KB sails out of harm's way and the Dutch medium bombers sit idle at Batavia.



MALAYA


No assault on Singapore this turn. Erstad must have waited a couple turns to make sure enough supplies flowed from the north into Johore Bharu.




CBI


The Chinese Sinyang army is again hammered by Japanese bombers as it attempts to withdraw on Ichang.

Chinese troops at Nanyang complete their withdrawal into the forests south of Sian.


In Burma, Dave rails in most of 55th Division into Mandalay....guess the cupboard there in Burma wasnt as empty as I thought. Allied bombers massed at Myitkina and in India hammer the IJA formations in Mandalay.

Next turn the Allies with withdraw from Schwebo towards Myitkina under the cover of Allied bombers and fighters.....its nice having token air superiority in one theatre.

1/28-1/29/42



MALAYA


The Japanese 25th Army assaults Singapore this turn with no less than 7 divisions:


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 97541 troops, 997 guns, 541 vehicles, Assault Value = 3292

Defending force 35322 troops, 417 guns, 202 vehicles, Assault Value = 931

Japanese adjusted assault: 1465

Allied adjusted defense: 2523

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
4336 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 277 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 240 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 91 disabled


Allied ground losses:
2298 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 178 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 412 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (2 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Assaulting units:
18th Division
56th Division
33rd Division
Imperial Guards Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Division
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Division
2nd Division
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
27th Australian Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
1st Manchester Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
2/17 Dogra Battalion
1st Mysore Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
3rd SSVF Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
1st Malay Battalion
Singapore Fortress
2nd Argylls Bn /1
Malaya Army
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
112th RAF Base Force
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
30 Battery/3 HAA
III Indian Corps
110th RAF Base Force
111th RAF Base Force
Singapore Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
2nd ISF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
29 Battery/3 HAA
AHQ Far East
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
109th RN Base Force


Considering how much AV the Japanese had Im pretty happy with the result......guess it was worth all the PPs I spent on upgrading the unit and army commanders. Also nice was that 92 engineers were disrupted/killed and the fort level stays at 3.

I imagine that 25th Army is pretty heavily disrupted now and will have to rest for a turn or 2 before launching another assault.




DEI: INVASION JAVA


Dave is playing me like a violin on Java. First he shows mini KB off Batavia........I stage most of the Dutch medium bombers and fighters into Batavia to attack mini KB......and then mini KB sails away and in comes a bombardment TF with 2 BBs to work over the airfield at Batavia. I lose about a dozen AC on the ground but at least DD Wakaba hits a mine and sinks during the bombardment.

Dave gives me sigint like "65th Brigade is planning for Tilatjap" and I garrison Tilitlap and obvious invasion sites like Semarang .....but the under the cover of KB Dave invades at Djokjakarta with 4th Division on an undefended base. This really caught me by surprise.....Ive never seen anyone invade there before. Djokjakarta has a zero port rating so obviously this will not be the main Japanese landing site on Java. I imagine that 4rth Division will try to take Semarang or Tilitjap and then have the rest of the Java assault troops land there. But with 55th Division in Burma, 48th Division on Luzon, 16th Division spread out all over the DEI and 7 divisions at Singapore I dont think there will be a whole lot of reinforcements until Singapore capitulates.

I had been sailing most of the RN and Dutch surface TFs off the west coast of Oz to be available to repel a Japanese invasion on Java but with KB in the Indian Ocean its a no go.

In other news.....Japan captures Biak and at Ambon there is a relatively quiet turn with intermittent artillery fire.



PHILIPPINES


Japan captures San Jose and Roxas.



SWPAC


Japan captures Munda, Ontong Java and Feni Is.




CBI



Dave probably though that my Sinyang army would be running for its life in movement mode and ordered a quick assault in woods terrain:


Ground combat at 85,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21509 troops, 306 guns, 147 vehicles, Assault Value = 788

Defending force 41376 troops, 266 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1365

Japanese adjusted assault: 403

Allied adjusted defense: 1275

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
2216 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 178 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 152 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled


Allied ground losses:
853 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 78 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Assaulting units:
34th Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Tank Regiment
12th RGC Temp. Division
2nd Ind. Engineer Regiment
8th Ind. Engineer Regiment
22nd AA Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
7th Chinese/A Corps
13th Chinese/B Corps
12th Chinese/B Corps
12th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/A Corps
84th Chinese/C Corps
84th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/C Corps
85th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/B Corps
84th Chinese/B Corps
7th Chinese/B Corps
85th Chinese/C Corps
29th Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/B Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
12th Chinese/A Corps
13th Chinese/C Corps
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army


Fortunately the Chinese troops here were in combat mode. I would certainly order a Chinese shock attack here next turn if we were in clear terrain.


Dave's armor stack took out one of my rearguard roadblocks and is ready to pounce on the Sinyang army when they emerge from the woods next turn. I dont think that the 650 AV of IJA armor can retreat my Sinyang army but if any of the main Japanese army adjacent to Nanyang makes it over then I will be crushed. Dave sees my diversion this turn as Chinese troops emerge out of the woods adjacent to Loyang and Tsiatso troops cut the railine east of Chengchow. At least as my Sinyang army retreats to the west it will fall under the air cover that Changsha can provide. Next turn.....the Japanese air force will probably come into contact with my Hurricanes for the 1st time in the war.

Farther south.....the Chinese recapture Kwangchowan.



SOPAC

Ive attached a screenshot of the Allied "line in the sand" in the south Pacific. Im building up Koumac/La Foa/Noumea on New Caledonia and Nadi/Suva on Fiji. Eventually I will build up a base at Tanna....all of these bases should be mutually supporting should a Japanese invasion force arrive in March or April.

In addition...the aircraft on New Caledonia can readily be redeployed should Erstad invade Australia.

1/30-1/31/42


DEI


The IJA 4th Division makes it safely ashore at Djokjakarta although only 300 AV is present....not sure why 4th Division split up or where the other divisional fragment is.

Dutch fighters and medium bombers come into contact with KB and more unfavorable attrition occurs. I imagine 16th Division will be the next shoe to drop on Java once Dave gathers it together.

Dutch troops rail into Semarang and Tilitjap and wait to see where 4th Division will head.



MALAYA

Quiet turn as Dave rests his disrupted 25th Army at Singapore.



SWPAC


Japan invades at Mussau, Green Island and Choiseul Bay as it extends its reach in the Solomons.



CBI


Dave finally splits up the massive Japanese army in central China. 1800 IJA AV kill the 500 Chinese rear guard troops at Nanyang while the main body of Japanese troops heads east to face the Chinese diversions both west and east of Loyang. With the Japanese stack now split up I might be able to get favorable odds on either the Nanyang troops or the IJA armor stack S of Nanyang. The Chinese Sinyang Army should be able to withdraw now or even join up with the Chinese troops in the forest N of Nanyang if we go on the offensive. If the main body of the Japanese army moves off the main highway I may be able to go on the counteroffensive.


Hurricanes go into action for the 1st time this turn and sweeps over both Mandalay and the main body of the Japanese army in central China net 5 Oscars/Nates with no Hurricanes lost. As soon as I can save up 25 P-40Es I will switch one of the AVG squadrons to the P-40s and that should allow all 3 AVG squadrons to rebuild up to normal TOE.

2/1-2/2/42



MALAYA


Japan launches 2 more massive assaults on Singapore:


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 99469 troops, 1031 guns, 646 vehicles, Assault Value = 3338

Defending force 32498 troops, 416 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 750

Japanese adjusted assault: 1658

Allied adjusted defense: 1369

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
3760 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 245 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 278 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 58 disabled
Vehicles lost 32 (2 destroyed, 30 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
3841 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 113 disabled
Non Combat: 55 destroyed, 231 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (1 destroyed, 31 disabled)


Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Division
5th Division
56th Division
18th Division
1st Tank Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
33rd Division
2nd Division
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
3rd SSVF Battalion
2/17 Dogra Battalion
1st Malay Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
22nd Indian Brigade
1st Mysore Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
Singapore Fortress
1st Manchester Battalion
3/16th Punjab Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Malay Battalion
6th Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
2nd Argylls Bn /1
Singapore Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
110th RAF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
2nd ISF Base Force
112th RAF Base Force
30 Battery/3 HAA
29 Battery/3 HAA
11 Battery/3 HAA
Malaya Army
III Indian Corps
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
111th RAF Base Force
AHQ Far East
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
109th RN Base Force



Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 96675 troops, 1031 guns, 646 vehicles, Assault Value = 3176

Defending force 29830 troops, 414 guns, 198 vehicles, Assault Value = 611

Japanese adjusted assault: 1637

Allied adjusted defense: 945

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3335 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 152 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 169 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 55 disabled
Vehicles lost 51 (2 destroyed, 49 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
2297 casualties reported
Squads: 76 destroyed, 109 disabled
Non Combat: 78 destroyed, 226 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 6 (3 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 41 (10 destroyed, 31 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
1st Tank Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
56th Division
21st Division
Imperial Guards Division
33rd Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Division
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
18th Division
2nd Division
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
2nd Malay Battalion
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
3rd SSVF Battalion
1st Manchester Battalion
1st Mysore Battalion
8th Indian Brigade
28th Gurkha Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
1st Malay Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
Singapore Fortress
2nd Argylls Bn /1
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
112th RAF Base Force
Malaya Army
AHQ Far East
111th RAF Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
29 Battery/3 HAA
30 Battery/3 HAA
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
Singapore Base Force
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
110th RAF Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
2nd ISF Base Force
109th RN Base Force



The forts are now down to level 1 and Dave just missed getting a 2:1 in his last attack. barring a miracle......Singapore should fall next turn and that will release 7 IJA divisions for further conquests.



CBI


The situation has stabilzed somewhat in central China. Dave moved a lot of his army into the forest hex N of Sinyang hoping to destroy my Sinyang army.... he has a 28 unit telephone pole there now. Fortunately...virtually all of the Sinyang army cleared the hex......1 corps is left but should clear the hex before Japan can deliver the coup de grace.

So Ive been able to transfer 1500 AV from the center to the south....and I have the option with the Sinyang army now to send its 1500 AV south or keep it in central China. Ive got over 8000 AV threatening Nanyang/Loyang/Chengchow......Dave was able to take all 3 bases from me by manuvering but he will need to keep his huge army in central China if he wants to continue to hold all 3 cities. Meanwhile....Im content to rest the Chinese troops and watch the squad disablements drop each turn while experience and morale continues to increase.

So I think that we have a static situation in both the south and in central China now....but in the north Im starting to worry just a bit. I had moved in a 300 AV corps to Tatung that was 100% prepped for the base at the start of the war. Defending in rough terrain...Japan was unable to kick me out of Tatung and could only manage a series of 1:2 attacks. Then Dave resorted to hammering the Chinese troops in Tatung by air for over a month and now their AV has been reduced to 160....he got a couple of 1:1 attacks at Tatung last turn and will probably evict me from the base. Once Dave frees up Tatung he can bring more force to bear on Kweisui and Paotow....and a concerted effort there could unhinge the Chinese line in the north.

Ive got 4 Hurricane squadrons in the CBI now....1 in China and 3 in Burma. They have shot down over a dozen enemy fighters while not losing a single AC yet in A2A combat. I will probably transfer a 2nd Hurricane squadron to China to allow the AVG to rest and rebuild their depleted air groups.



DEI


KB covers further landings at Djokjakarta while its Vals pound Dutch airfields at Soerabaja. Four IJA units are ashore now on Java and the Dutch air force has been virtually crushed by the aviators of KB. I think that Dave will try to advance on Semarang to cut the island in half and open up the level 5 port there to allow further landings of men and materiel. Ive got over 450 AV at Semerang but its clear terrain.



SIGINT

Im not sure why I continue to read the sigint every turn.....sometimes I feel as if Dave is playing me like a violin here. There was absolutely no sigint on any large formations prepping for Singapore....yet Japan had 7 divisions prepping for Singers since the beginning of the war. I get the sigint that 4th Division was prepping for Koumac....and then 4th Division invades at both Port Moresby and now Djokjakarta.

Now I get sigint that some IJA naval guards are prepping for Kalidjati....that would make sense.....if Japan landing here they could prevent Dutch troops from withdrawing to Batavia.

More ominously...I received sigint this turn that 9th Regiment was planning for Busselton....so is Dave planning to invade Perth? Will Australia be the major Japanese objective for the war? That would tie in with the 4th Division planning for Koumac.....if Japan took Perth and New Caledonia then Australia would be cut off from supply and reinforcement. Its tough to stop a Japanese invasion of Perth at this stage of the war.....but I can certainly put up a strong defense of the sea lanes into eastern Oz.

I will continue to build up Allied defenses on Fiji and New Caledonia and consider a recall of I Australian Corps from India to defend their homeland.

2/3-2/4/42


MALAYA


Singapore holds for another turn as Dave rests his troops for the final assault.

Im staging several submarines towards Singapore now as Japan will will be bringing in a lot of troop transports to redeploy 25th Army.



DEI


KB remains offshore of Java as Dave reinforces his beachhead at Djokjakarta.

The Japanese are repulsed again at Ambon in a 1:2 attack.



CBI


Japan finally captures Tatung after a 2 month battle for the town. The best I can do in the north now is to try to maintain a roadblock between Tatung and Kweisui.

The situation in central China appears to have stabilized somewhat. The Chinese Sinyang army made good its escape and will join the Ichang army in the forest E of Ichang. Dave leaves only a single garrison unit in both Nanyang and Loyang....the rest of the Japanese army in central China sits on the
highways waiting for the Chinese should they emerge from the forest S of Sian. Im still threatening Loyang with over 3000 AV but I dont dare move too far away from the safety of the forest E of Sian.


In Burma, the IJA 55th Division sits in Mandalay as the Allies mass 1000 AV across the Irrawaddy River in Schwebo. Im waiting for 3 more Burma Corps brigades to arrive in Schwebo and then will try to manuver into the rear of the Japanese in Burma. Almost assuredly Dave will send a couple more divisions to Burma once Singapore capitulates so Ive got to move quick if I want to achieve anything in this theatre.

I lost 5 Hurricanes in A2A combat last turn but they killed an equal number of Japanese fighters.

2/5-2/6/42


MALAYA


Singapore still holds out after 2 more Japanese frontal assaults:


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 95790 troops, 1035 guns, 647 vehicles, Assault Value = 3136

Defending force 28362 troops, 403 guns, 191 vehicles, Assault Value = 563

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1277

Allied adjusted defense: 939

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
3059 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 111 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 159 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 44 disabled
Vehicles lost 20 (1 destroyed, 19 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
2707 casualties reported
Squads: 43 destroyed, 119 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 210 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Vehicles lost 37 (2 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
41st Infantry Regiment
21st Division
33rd Division
5th Division
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
18th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Division
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
2nd Division
23rd AA Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
25th Army
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
22nd Air Flotilla
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Air Division
5th Mortar Battalion
Southern Army
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
22nd Australian Brigade
1st Mysore Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
Singapore Fortress
8th Indian Brigade
22nd Indian Brigade
1st Manchester Battalion
3/16th Punjab Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
1st Malay Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
2nd Argylls Bn /1
AHQ Far East
111th RAF Base Force
29 Battery/3 HAA
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
110th RAF Base Force
2nd ISF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
30 Battery/3 HAA
Singapore Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
Malaya Army
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
112th RAF Base Force
109th RN Base Force



Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 93535 troops, 1035 guns, 648 vehicles, Assault Value = 3031

Defending force 26264 troops, 403 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 438

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1399

Allied adjusted defense: 915

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
2600 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 111 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 115 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (4 destroyed, 10 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
2597 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 72 destroyed, 163 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 18 disabled
Vehicles lost 25 (3 destroyed, 22 disabled)


Assaulting units:
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Division
Imperial Guards Division
33rd Division
56th Division
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
18th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
5th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
2nd Division
25th Army
3rd Air Division
5th Mortar Battalion
20th AA Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
23rd AA Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
22nd Air Flotilla
Southern Army
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
8th Indian Brigade
27th Australian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Gordons Battalion
1st Malay Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
1st Manchester Battalion
Singapore Fortress
3/16th Punjab Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
2nd Argylls Bn /1
11 Battery/3 HAA
29 Battery/3 HAA
Malayan Air Wing
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
110th RAF Base Force
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Malaya Army
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Singapore Base Force
111th RAF Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
112th RAF Base Force
III Indian Corps
AHQ Far East
30 Battery/3 HAA
109th RN Base Force



The Allies are down to 336 actual AV at Singapore. Japan has now suffered nearly 1000 killed/disabled squads in the assault and this turn actually had 76 destroyed squads. Even with 7 divisions attacking........ 1000 infantry squads is a lot......I imagine that Dave will need to rest 25th Army a bit after he takes Singapore. I still have a level 1 fort at Singapore with level 2 39% constructed.




SUBS


A pretty good turn for Allied submariners.

SS O23 sinks a fully loaded TK Nichiei Maru near Miri.

SS Argonaut sinks PB Nikki Maru off Wakkanai.

SS Sculpin sinks AK Tempei Maru by Sapporo.





DEI


Dave continues to land troops at Djokjakarta under the aerial umbrella of KB. Ive begun to withdraw the ground forces at Semarang towards Batavia to keep them from being cut off. Soerabaja is now nearly a ghost town so Dave knows by now that I will be making my final stand in Java around Batavia.

Japan launches yet another 1:2 assault at Ambon.....these Dutch troops are really hanging on.

Noemfoer and Dili are both captured by Japan this turn.




PHILIPPINES: MACARTHUR MOVES NORTH


The Allies now have over 2400 AV on Luzon. Transport AC are still hauling in Philippino troops to Luzon from the neighbor islands.

The American/Philippino troops begin to march north from their defenses at Clark/Manila. Initial targets will be to recapture Iba, Lingayen and Bayombong. I know that as soon as the troops reach clear terrain Dave will unleash a murderous aerial bombardment on them. Hopefully while he is bombing my ground forces I will have a chance to build up my fortifications in Clark.....suppressed so far by daily aerial bombardment.

The best thing about recapturing Naga/Legaspi is that it gives me a couple of ports on the far periphery of Japanese naval search based at Vigan. Ive been bringing in supplies from Hawaii via small xAKs(3200 capacity). Ive landed 10,000 supplies so far and the limiting factor is the small port facilities. I just moved the Cavite BF to Naga to speed up unloading ops. There is a chain of xAKs carrying supplies all the way across the Pacific from Luzon to Hawaii.

Has anyone else ever done a similar forward defense like this in the Philippines before? If you can get supply in, maybe some new aircraft can be spawned in Manila/Clark, and then Japan might be in for a more annoying fight than usual.

House Stark.....Im sure that a forward defense on Luzon has been done before. JFBs pretty much have it down to an exact science when the Allies will exhaust their supplies on Luzon. The key for the Allies is to bring in the outside supply. Ive moved the Cavite BF to Naga and Bataan BF to Legaspi. Supplies are now offloaded much more rapidly. As far as aircraft......Im pretty short of AC in all theatres due to the combat over China/Burma and the DEI. If Dave leaves Luzon alone for another month or two....building up the Allied air forces on Luzon may be a possibility. Japan will have 7 divisions available at Singapore in a couple of days for redeployment and I just want to create a situation where Dave feels motivated to move 1 or 2 of them to Luzon.



2/7-2/8/42



MALAYA


Singapore barely holds out against 2 more Japanese deliberate attacks:


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 88476 troops, 1000 guns, 623 vehicles, Assault Value = 2939

Defending force 24309 troops, 402 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 357

Japanese adjusted assault: 1449

Allied adjusted defense: 665

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1887 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 145 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 152 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Vehicles lost 50 (4 destroyed, 46 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
2153 casualties reported
Squads: 49 destroyed, 77 disabled
Non Combat: 102 destroyed, 164 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (13 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Assaulting units:
56th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
5th Division
Imperial Guards Division
1st Tank Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
18th Division
21st Division
33rd Division
2nd Division
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Air Division
23rd AA Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
25th Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
14th Shipping Engineer Regiment
20th AA Regiment
Southern Army
22nd Air Flotilla
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
27th Australian Brigade
1st Malay Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
1st Manchester Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
Singapore Fortress
3/16th Punjab Battalion
8th Indian Brigade
2nd Gordons Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
6th Indian Brigade
28th Gurkha Brigade
2nd Argylls Bn /1
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
110th RAF Base Force
AHQ Far East
29 Battery/3 HAA
III Indian Corps
111th RAF Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Malaya Army
Malayan Air Wing
112th RAF Base Force
Singapore Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
30 Battery/3 HAA
2nd ISF Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
109th RN Base Force



Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 86784 troops, 1003 guns, 625 vehicles, Assault Value = 2828

Defending force 22656 troops, 401 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 303

Japanese adjusted assault: 989

Allied adjusted defense: 353

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1682 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 112 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 43 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Vehicles lost 36 (7 destroyed, 29 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1663 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 79 destroyed, 150 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (6 destroyed, 6 disabled)


Assaulting units:
56th Division
5th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
18th Division
33rd Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Division
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
2nd Division
23rd AA Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th AA Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Shipping Engineer Regiment
3rd Air Division
Southern Army
22nd Air Flotilla
5th Mortar Battalion
25th Army
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
6th Indian Brigade
2nd Gordons Battalion
Singapore Fortress
8th Indian Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
28th Gurkha Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
2nd Argylls Bn /1
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
29 Battery/3 HAA
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
2nd ISF Base Force
110th RAF Base Force
30 Battery/3 HAA
Singapore Base Force
111th RAF Base Force
AHQ Far East
112th RAF Base Force
Malaya Army
109th RN Base Force


Dave almost got 3:1 odds in his last assault so I dont think the Allies will hold out much longer.

Japan has sustained over 1200 disabled/destroyed infantry squads in the assault so I imagine that at least 3 or 4 of the divisions at Singapore are really shot up and will require somwe rest. Nevertheless....Dave already has a shipping engineer regiment at Singapore so he must be planning on rapid redeployment.



DEI


Japan conducts a couple more 1:1 attacks at Ambon and invades Pamekasan.

On Java Im pulling back the Dutch troops to Batavia and Japan should be able to invade at will on the eastern half of the island.

On Sumatra.....Japan is starting to bomb Palembang more heavily so Dave must be anticipating shifting gears soon from Singapore to the DEI.


KB moves over to Christmas Island(IO) to cover an invasion there while continuing to work over Java and recon Cocos Is.



SWPAC


With at least 4 IJN CVs covering the invasion of Java......4 USN CVs are ordered to hammer the Japanese port of Rabaul next turn. Dave is massing his assault shipping at Rabaul....over 70 ships are in port......in preparation for future operations against SWPAC and SOPAC. If we can sufficiently damage IJN's forward shipping at Rabaul we can possibly delay the next round of Japanese advances in this theatre.

2/9-2/10/42


USN CARRIERS ATTACK JAPANESE SHIPPING OFF RABAUL


As the USN carriers do their fast run-in to Rabaul during the night of 2/9/42...the Enterprise/Saratoga ACTF somehow separates from the Lexington/Yorktown ACTF by a distance of over 90 miles. When Bettys show up on the morning of 2/9 the USN carrier CAP has been halved from over 80 fighters to a mere 43 fighters:


Morning Air attack on TF, near Green Island at 109,127

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28
G3M2 Nell x 29



Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
F4F-3A Wildcat x 16
F4F-3 Wildcat x 19


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 6 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise, Torpedo hits 1
CV Saratoga
CA Pensacola



Aircraft Attacking:
21 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo



Disaster has been narrowly averted......the Lucky E has merely 8 SYS and 16 FLT damage.


All 4 USN carriers conduct full launches and hit IJN TFs off rabaul and Shortlands:


Morning Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 109,131

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 9
SBD-1 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18
TBD-1 Devastator x 30


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Tokati Maru
AMC Akagi Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Seattle Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sakito Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Toyotu Maru
xAK Tyuwa Maru
xAK Manila Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Tacoma Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
AV Kimikawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Toko Maru
xAK Kinugasa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
8 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AK Sakito Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Manila Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Tacoma Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Kinugasa Maru


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

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes


Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 14
SBD-2 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 36


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 10, on fire
xAK Wakatu Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Oigawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tyoyo Maru, Bomb hits 8, and is sunk
PB Chohakusan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Toho Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Heiei Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Kurama Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Yoneyama Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Choko Maru #5, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage



Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
14 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Wakatu Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Oigawa Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Heiei Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Tyoyo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Toho Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Kurama Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Yoneyama Maru


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

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 6
F4F-3A Wildcat x 11
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
SBD-2 Dauntless x 36
SBD-3 Dauntless x 35
TBD-1 Devastator x 30


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 8, on fire
AMC Kinryu Maru
xAK Kiyoshima Maru, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
DD Yamakaze
AMC Kongo Maru
xAK Utide Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAKL Yamashimo Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAKL Hoko Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kiku, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Bizen Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yukaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Hishu
xAKL Tihuku Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
14 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
18 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Kiyoshima Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Utide Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Yamashimo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Mutsu
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Hoko Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kiku


After the USN carriers recover their aircraft a 2nd strike is launched in the afternoon:


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

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
SBD-2 Dauntless x 17
SBD-3 Dauntless x 16


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 7, on fire
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 8, on fire
DD Hishu



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
5 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Mutsu
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Yamashiro


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 109,131

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
SBD-1 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18
TBD-1 Devastator x 30


Allied aircraft losses
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Taikei Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AMC Akagi Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
xAK Tyuwa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tokati Maru
E Ishigaki
xAK Toyotu Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Toko Maru
PB Edo Maru
PB Saiko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
4 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Akagi Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Tyuwa Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Toyotu Maru


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

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 8
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-2 Dauntless x 36
SBD-3 Dauntless x 33


Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMC Kinryu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Yamakaze, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yoneyama Maru, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAKL Daitei Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
AMC Kongo Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
PB Kenkon Maru, Bomb hits 8, and is sunk
xAKL Heiwa Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kawakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Genmei Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Yukaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Sento Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
11 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Kinryu Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Yoneyama Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Daitei Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Heiwa Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PB Kenkon Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Genmei Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Kongo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kawakaze
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PB Sento Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 109,131

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
TBD-1 Devastator x 14


Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AV Kimikawa Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
14 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo



The two USN carrier ACTFs link up during the night of 2/10 and launch additional strikes the next day on Japanese shipping:


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

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 13
SBD-2 Dauntless x 51
SBD-1 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65
TBD-1 Devastator x 37


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 6, on fire
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 51, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Kinryu Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kawakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Juyo Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
E Ishigaki, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AMc Takasago Maru
DD Hishu, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Taganoura Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Yahonui Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
8 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
16 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
8 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
5 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
2 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
6 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-1 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Juyo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring E Ishigaki
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Mutsu
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Kawakaze
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Taganoura Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hishu


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 109,131

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 4
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Toko Maru, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Tokati Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
PB Edo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Toko Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Tokati Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PB Edo Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
13 x F4F-3 Wildcat sweeping at 20000 feet



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

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-2 Dauntless x 15
SBD-3 Dauntless x 29
TBD-1 Devastator x 3


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Yukaze, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
DD Kawakaze, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Takasago Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Yukaze


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 109,131

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 4
SBD-3 Dauntless x 17


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PB Edo Maru, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PB Edo Maru




Over 70 1000lb bombs hit BB Mutsu in addition to a torpedo. Unfortunately....1000lb bombs dont sink Jap BBs in WitP so BB Mutsu will still be around to torment the Allies as soon as she gets a new paint job. It seems like over 90% of my torpedo sorties(120 sorties) targeted xAKs/PBs/AMcs/DDs and the like.

This will probably be my best shot at hitting unprotected IJN shipping for the next year or two and I will regret doing this but regardless the USN carriers are ordered to withdraw next turn. Dave disbanded his transport TFs into port at Rabaul and with 18 LCUs/40,000 troops there Im afraid of finding a flak trap over the harbor....Ive had lots of sigint of IJA and IJN BFs heading to Rabaul. USN carrier AC have severely limited replacement rates and I dont want to be suffering from undersized air groups on my carriers for the first 6 months of the war from getting into an air battle with Japanese land based air. In addition...all 4 CVs are out of torpedoes so I can t really do anything to the IJN BBs......and finally I need to get torpedo damaged CV Enterprise back to port.



MALAYA


The Allies somehow hang on for yet another 2 days at Singapore:


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 74191 troops, 897 guns, 480 vehicles, Assault Value = 2749

Defending force 21345 troops, 400 guns, 163 vehicles, Assault Value = 237

Japanese adjusted assault: 991

Allied adjusted defense: 447

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1600 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 155 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 99 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1447 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 54 disabled
Non Combat: 86 destroyed, 109 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (5 destroyed, 17 disabled)


Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
33rd Division
56th Division
21st Division
18th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
5th Division
1st Tank Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Air Division
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field AA Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
23rd AA Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
Southern Army
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
20th AA Regiment
14th Shipping Engineer Regiment
22nd Air Flotilla
25th Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
6th Indian Brigade
28th Gurkha Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Gordons Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
Singapore Fortress
8th Indian Bde /3
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
2nd Argylls Bn /1
30 Battery/3 HAA
29 Battery/3 HAA
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
112th RAF Base Force
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
AHQ Far East
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
Singapore Base Force
III Indian Corps
110th RAF Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
111th RAF Base Force
Malaya Army
109th RN Base Force


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 73013 troops, 897 guns, 481 vehicles, Assault Value = 2683

Defending force 20123 troops, 400 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 205

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 804

Allied adjusted defense: 451

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1020 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 50 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 79 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1707 casualties reported
Squads: 62 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 124 destroyed, 79 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)


Assaulting units:
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
Imperial Guards Division
5th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
18th Division
56th Division
21st Division
1st Tank Regiment
2nd Division
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
Southern Army
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Air Division
23rd AA Regiment
22nd Air Flotilla
34th Field AA Battalion
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Shipping Engineer Regiment
25th Army
20th AA Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /2

Defending units:
3/16th Punjab Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
8th Indian Bde /3
6th Indian Bde /3
2nd Gordons Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
27th Australian Brigade
Singapore Fortress
22nd Indian Brigade
2nd Argylls Bn /1
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
Malayan Air Wing
111th RAF Base Force
III Indian Corps
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
30 Battery/3 HAA
112th RAF Base Force
Malaya Army
2nd ISF Base Force
AHQ Far East
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
29 Battery/3 HAA
Singapore Base Force
110th RAF Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
109th RN Base Force


I dont know how I get these good die rolls for adjusted AV....it must be from replacing Percival/Heath with top rated leaders.

Anyhow.......Japan suffers casualties of another 200 squads so that now makes over 1400 squads disabled/ destroyed......it almost seems like another IJA division gets trashed every turn the battle for Singapore continues.

I have no idea how long these troops can keep it up in the hopeless defense of Singapore biut I will take it.



PHILIPPINES


American/Philippino troops recapture Iba, Lingayen and Bayombong. Allied troops are ordered to invest San Fernando.

Dave got wise to my resupply efforts through naga/Legaspi and sent a pair of DDs there to sink xAK Californian.



DEI


Japan consolidated their position on Java at Djokjakarta and captures Christmas Is.(IO) and Pamekasan.

Ambon remains a standoff as Japan is content with a mere bombardment this turn.



RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS



The most surprising result of the carrier raid on Rabaul was the recon benefit. I knew about the 80 IJN ships in port but my naval search never picked up all the additional shipping at sea in the area. My whole purpose for the carrier strike was to hit IJN shipping in port at Rabaul but there was _SO_ much IJN shipping outside of the port that not one bomb found its way into Rabaul's port. The Japanese buildup for this portion of the Pacific has been nothing short of fantastical for the early date of 2/10/42......18 LCUs and 40,000 troops on Rabaul and another 11 LCUs and 11,000 troops on Shortlands. Already Shortlands has a level 3 AF and a level 3 port. This is a much bigger buildup than what Ive seen so far in the DEI for Java. I think that this really argues for an early Japanese thrust into SWPAC/SOPAC.

Additional sigint indicates that 28th Calvary Regiment is planning for Sydney and 90th Regiment is planning for Geraldton.....combine that with the previous sigint of 9th Regiment planning for Busselton and you can make a case for an all out Japanese move into Australia.

One result that caught my eye during the during the USN carrier strikes was "Direct hit by 1000lb bomb obliterates AMc"......Ive never seen that before.

I hate to talk trash about the game, but I've notice a huge tendency for my carrier torpedo bombers to target DD's and ignore the CA's and BB's (90% in most cases). My dive bombers select targets a lot more realistic (BB's more than CA's, and CA's more than DD's.) I've noticed it so much, I sometimes think there's coding making it happen. [;)] In February, your SBD's are more likely to sink a BB anyway. Count yourself extremely lucky you got one torp hit on the BB that was taking the most punishment.

I wouldn't give much hope for Mutsu surviving. In AI games, I sink BB's with 22-28ish 1,000lb bomb hits. You got a torp hit in there as well. I would be highly surprised if she survived. The other one probably survived because I didn't see "heavy damage" next to her. But, I would bet good money she's over 50% sys damage. She'll be out for the rest of 42, most likely. The only wild card on Mutsu is if she was in the Rabaul hex during the attacks. If he could disband her the first day, she might survive. But, you put in about double the amount of ordinance required to sink a BB. If you look at the last combat with the BB's, Mutsu wasn't targeted. I'm betting she sank that turn. I'd give her a 5% chance of surviving if she was in the Rabaul hex. 1% if she was not. Hopefully, FOW didn't account for 30 of those hits. [;)]

(I love the "target obliterated" messages. Ships under a certain size (100 tons?) get destroyed in one hit with large weapons. I've seen PT's, SC's, PB's and others with that message.)

Congrats on a highly successful February raid. I didn't count, but I'm betting 1 BB, 2-4 DD's, several escorts and tons of AK's. Even an AV. Wow. 2 day turns will hurt both of you during the war. Just be glad it worked very well in your favor. [8D] You well know from your previous long AAR that Japan's BB's are deadly. He only gets 12. Taking one out in Feb will reap rewards for 3 more years.