Australia Invaded!! NY59Giants (A) vs Olorin (J)

[obvert]

Nice he let you know how you're going to succumb! [:D]

Looks like a concerted effort to send 800 AV to Perth would work right now. How are the forts there?

[ny59giants]

April 8th - Western Australia only

Subs:
Pike @ 48, 132 (off Carnarvon) misses a DD that was damaged
Seawolf misses a PB off Exmouth
S-39 @ Geraldton avoids ASW attacks

Geraldton:
50 Zero from Mini-KB are on LRCAP to intercept my 2 P-39 escorting in 5 Hudson III (LR). I lose 2 planes.
Two TFs unload the 48th Div and Imperial Guards Div.

Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8957 troops, 185 guns, 121 vehicles, Assault Value = 276

Defending force 17775 troops, 144 guns, 38 vehicles, Assault Value = 826

Japanese ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
3rd Australian Brigade
10th Cav Recce Regiment
13th Australian Brigade
Geraldton Fortress
9th Avn Sup Afd
2/16th Field Regiment
108th Anti Tank Regiment
10th Avn Sup Afd
1st RAAF M/W Sqn
A/B Battery Heavy Coastal Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
20th Infantry Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
48th Div /1
2nd Raiding Regiment
Imperial Guards Div /1

Forces:
Kalgoorlie - 98 AV, F2 (90%)
Esperance - BF only
Albany - 45 AV, P5, AF3, F2 (91%)
Perth - 615AV, P6, AF6, F4 (23%), 51k Supply with 18th UK Div anchoring the defense
Geraldton - 266 AV, F3 (71%)

Notes:
Geraldton will fall in days. Then what??
Do I get them back to Perth and hold out as long as possible and sacrificing them??
Do I get them over to Kalgoorlie and then use Strategic Mode to get them over to Port Augusta??
How would you defend this area??

[Q-Ball]

This is interesting, and I agree on Western Australia; it's an important take, and Perth in particular is critical to the Allies if you ever hope to threaten the Southern DEI.

I think he started the Australian Invasion too late to take it. IMO, you need to be landing in force no later than March 1 or so, as time is so critical for the Allies to build proper defenses. Sydney in particular is very very tough, and I just don't see how an alert Allied player can lose it. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

In terms of initial Allied infantry commitments, I think sending the 18th UK and the 2 Australian Divisions to India is the right call. India is more vulnerable, IMO, than Australia, and these 3 division should be enough to prevent the Japanese from clearing it completely.

I would send the San Diego marines, and anything else you can, to Australia in the first 2-3 months of the war. That can include 2 Marine Regts, a Tank Bn, some base forces, some fighter units and DBs, and maybe a US Infantry Division, like the 41st. You get basically another US Infantry division in March in Australia, 2 Regts of the Americal Division. These forces are strong, and coupled with the Australian Militia, should be enough to hold key points.

He'll probably push you back into SE Australia, but you can hold it. And at some point, he'll have to simply withdraw from Australia, or risk a landing in his rear.

[ny59giants]

April 9, 10, & 11 - Brisbane and Geraldton reinforced by Japan
Key - bb = ground bombardment; r = runway hits; s = supply hits; b = base hits; DC = Depth Charges; TT = torpedo

Subs:
Gar gets a TT to hit and actually explode on an xAK off Bundaberg [:D]
Seawolf off Carnarvon gets a TT hit on an xAK
S-39 gets into transports at Gerladton and hits an xAK
I-26 is found 3 hexes SW of Pearl by 2x 3 ship ASW TFs. She is not hit by DC. [:(]
I-154 is hit once by 3 Brit DDs to NW of Colombo
Sailfish at Rockhampton gets a TT hit on a DMS. She sinks!!

India/Burma: [>:]

China:
Yenan - daily bombing run on AF. The base is without supply.
Near Ichang - bb

Sieges:
Manila - up to 50 bombers hit the AF when weather permits. The base is without supply and most of the LCUs have very little or none. A couple deliberate attacks would take the base freeing up two divisions plus support units.

Batavia - just a sweep by 8 Zeros daily, The bombing runs have stopped. I think he just wants my supply to be slowly eaten up.

Western Australia:
Landings continue at Geraldton with the Allied navy attempting to intervene on 9th. The few CD guns continue to get their shots in daily.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Geraldton at 49,141, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 3
CA Nachi, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Yura, Shell hits 1
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Murasame
DD Yamakaze
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 1
CL Dragon, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
CL Durban, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Dauntless, Shell hits 1
DD Stuart, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
DD Kortenaer
DD Scout, Shell hits 1
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1

The Allies did well in a relatively even fight. I was unable to reload torpedoes at Perth after the last battle, so I went in with what I had. Nick commented that the leader of BatDiv2 will go into retirement after the battle as he left the landing area.

Perth - (9th)

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Perth at 49,147
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 87 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
B5N2 Kate x 63
D3A1 Val x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Dragon, Bomb hits 4
CL Durban, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CL Danae, Bomb hits 2
CL Dauntless, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kortenaer, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Scout
DD Tenedos

Mini-KB is 7 hexes due NW of Perth. Thus, the Vals only drop their reduced bomb loads of 60kg. The Kates get only 3 of 63 hits from their torpedoes. [:D] The two heavily damaged CLs are left at Perth while the others head for Albany and beyond. Just a hex closer would have increased damage significantly.

Geraldton - a BF 'accidently' starts to unload two hexes to NW in a desert hex. All players have seen this happen. [:D]

Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 34175 troops, 325 guns, 166 vehicles, Assault Value = 1170

Defending force 10634 troops, 193 guns, 150 vehicles, Assault Value = 270

Japanese adjusted assault: 562

Allied adjusted defense: 183

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1057 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 113 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 31 (3 destroyed, 28 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
919 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 28 (1 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (3 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Assaulting units:
8th Tank Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
48th Division
20th Infantry Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment
17th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
13th Australian Brigade
10th Cav Recce Regiment
3rd Australian Brigade
Geraldton Fortress
9th Avn Sup Afd
108th Anti Tank Regiment
1st RAAF M/W Sqn
2/16th Field Regiment
10th Avn Sup Afd
A/B Battery Heavy Coastal Artillery Regiment

Troops are ordered to head towards Perth after this attack on 11th.

Eastern Australia:
Sydney - Mines spotted and eventually swept.

Townsville - landing continues along with daily 'bb' attacks.

Brisbane - over 90 2e bombers hit troops here. 33 Zeros sweep either before or after bombers and their Oscar escorts. There are 17 units there by 11th. I order them south one hex were stacking limits will help me.

South Pacific:
Tanna - About 40 4e bombers hit Tanna daily against no opposition. Need the experience for my pilots and don't want a level 2 AF within Zero range of Suva.

Suva - a TF is one day out with rest of 40th Div, 2 FA, and SB (SeaBees) along with 40k in supply.

Notes & Plans:
Fuel - the life blood of a modern navy.
NZ - 190k
Vava'u - 18k with 5 fast (18 spd) AOs and 75k fuel. Another fully loaded fast AO is leaving Panama channel.
TF with 178k is 2 days out from Vava'u.
TF with 251k to west of Bora Bora headed for NZ
Christmas Island - 110k

So, when I get my CVs and escorts done with upgrades, I should have enough fuel to operate in South Pacific to Australia for some time.

I use my dual capacity xAKs (any xAK with a liquid capacity) as TKs to move fuel. I had 13 of the fast (spd 17) loaded with fuel at San Fran. Now, they are unloaded and reloaded with supplies. They will head to Pearl, unload some supply, and load 5x fighter air groups for Australia (125 fighters). Some fast xAPs will load 2 of the MAG (Aviation Support 75 and torpedo capable). Then, pick up another 2x air groups from Christmas. They will be joined by 32nd Div TF after division arrives at San Fran in 10 days. The third part of Americal Div was bought out (PP) last turn.

[ny59giants]

April 12, 13, 14: Geraldton Falls!!
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged

Subs:
Swordfish @ Rockhampton gets a TT hit on an xAK.
I-28 is 3 SW of Pearl where she gets a TT hit on DD Grayson. I manage to get her to port, but she sinks in the harbor. [:(]
S-41 @ Rockhamopton gets a TT hit on DD Asashiro. I don't hear any sinking sounds, so she will be in port for weeks.
Pickerel @ Geraldton is DC and hit once.
Sailfish @ Rockhampton is DC and hit once.

India/Burma:
Myitkyina - 112th Inf Rgt bb base that is defended by BF

China:
Yenan - about 20 Sally hit the AF daily.

@ 83,45 [trail that leads to Ankang which is Wood/Rough (x3)] - bb 981:601, I'm well dug in here.

Sieges:
Batavia - daily sweep by 8 Zeros, nothing else.

Manila - up to 50 1e bombers followed by a bb. I'm out of supply and I'm losing about 10 AV per day.

Western Australia:
Geraldton - falls on the 13th. Looks like three divisions worth of troops devoted to this area.

Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26820 troops, 245 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 1104

Defending force 9810 troops, 192 guns, 127 vehicles, Assault Value = 201

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 517

Allied adjusted defense: 168

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Geraldton !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
515 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3561 casualties reported
Squads: 29 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 245 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 76 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 57 (47 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 112 (108 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 7
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
48th Division
Imperial Guards Division
8th Tank Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment
17th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
13th Australian Brigade
3rd Australian Brigade
Geraldton Fortress
9th Avn Sup Afd
108th Anti Tank Regiment
10th Avn Sup Afd
1st RAAF M/W Sqn
2/16th Field Regiment
A/B Battery Heavy Coastal Artillery Regiment

Carnarvon - Mini-KB is just off shore.

Eastern Australia:
Townsville - 8 Betty hit the troops. A deliberate attacks takes the base on the 12th (356:1). Troops were 4th Div, 65 Bde, Gds Mixed Bde.

Brisbane - over 90 Helen and Sally hit the base and/or troops. Around 30 Zero sweep the base. My non-static units are ordered to pull out.

Alice Springs - three hexes north is the 16th Recon. It is attacked by two groups of Hudsons to allow retreating BF from Tennant Creek to get back.

Charters Towers - 6 Betty from Port Moresby hit the 1st Motor Bde. 4th Tank Rgt is not enough to take base.

Toowoomba - 25 (out of over 90) bombers that have been hitting Brisbane are sent here on the 14th to hit AF.

South Pacific:
Tanna - up to 50 LB-30 and B-17E hit the AF and I may encounter a CAP of Zeros.

Notes & Plans:
Perth - to defend or not to?!? I go back and forth in my mind about defending this base or pulling the 18th UK Div back with other troops to Port Augusta or beyond. After looking at the map, I decide I cannot give this area up. It would be extremely difficult to take back as the closest base, Ceduna, is 16 hexes from Esperance. The 4th Australia Division is the first to upgrade to AMF Inf Sect 42 and with its reduce strength (239 AV) it is ordered to head for Kalgoorlie.

Pearl - CVs will be ready in 13 days.
San Fran - 32nd Div arrives in 7 days.
Cape Town - 6th Australian Div TF is 13 days out.

[ny59giants]

April 15, 16, 17: Brisbane Falls!!
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged

Subs: [>:]
Most are at or headed for a large port for their 4/42 upgrades. The first group is done at Pearl and headed for a blockade around Truk (11 subs).

India/Burma:
Myitkyina - falls with 112 Inf Rgt vs BF.

China:
Yenan - about 20 Sally hit AF daily.

83,45 (2 due west of Nanyang) - bb yields 1056:603. Over 60 1e bombers hit the troops from 10k on 17th and inflict NO casualties. [:D]

Sieges:
Batavia - 8 Zero sweep daily.

Manila - about 50 1e bombers hit daily followed by bb attacks that continues to kill 10 AV worth each time.

Western Australia:
Mini-KB moves to just off Geraldton on 16th and launches attack on Perth from 7 hexes away. What is he afraid of?? [&:]

Afternoon Air attack on Perth , at 49,147

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 88 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 77
B5N2 Kate x 63
D3A1 Val x 25

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson III (LR): 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Durban, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 17

Outside Geraldton - 17 Sally hit retreating troops on 17th.

Perth - 37 Zeros sweep on 17th.

Eastern Australia:
Brisbane - 30 Zeros sweep. 85 Sally/Helen hit base (AF & Troops). Falls on 16th!! The 5th Aussie Div would have been made combat ineffective for weeks and weeks if they had stayed here with 1900 adjusted AV for the Japanese. I cannot afford it now!

Ground combat at Brisbane (96,160)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44822 troops, 532 guns, 594 vehicles, Assault Value = 1409

Defending force 4661 troops, 21 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1900

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 380 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Brisbane !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
58 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2207 casualties reported
Squads: 40 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 141 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 45 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 23 (23 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Tank Regiment
5th Guards Engineer Regiment
5th Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th Tank Regiment
6th Guards Division
6th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
5th Division
56th Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
15th Guards Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
26th Fld AA Gun Co
21st Fld AA Gun Co
21st Army

Defending units:
Brisbane Fortress
Brisbane Base Force

Toowoomba - 25 Sally hit AF. Over 110 Sally/Helen hit the troops just south of base that is now empty. I'm slowly retreating.

Alice Springs - 16 Hudson hit 16th Recon 2 hexes north.

Charters Towers - 8 Betty hit troops.

South Pacific:
Tanna - 13 Zero on CAP vs 39 LB-30/B-17s. Losses 1:1.

Notes & Plans:
Two groups of AVG are back into China from Ledo after taking the last of the H81 airframes from the replacement pool.

Australia airgroups - Just in case you are wondering why my air force in Australia is not doing very little. Here is what I have there now - Kittyhawks x3; P-39 x3; Beaufighter x1; PBY x3; Wirraway x5 (ASW trained); B-26 x5 (1 Dutch); B-17 x3, Hudson x4. Lots of training still and my AFs are too far from front lines around Brisbane now (he took base with AF7). Hopefully, that will change in less than 6 weeks when the major reinforcements from Pearl and USA arrive.

3rd Australian Div at Melbourne completes upgrade to 'AMF Inf Sect 42' squads and is ordered to front lines below Brisbane while the rebuilt, but very weak (80 AV) 8th Australian Div is ordered back to Melbourne. The 1st Div at Sydney should be done in the next week as I have 88 of needed 90 squads in pool.

[obvert]

In my game with Jocke I felt two complete divisions plus support could not take Perth, so I tried to go around and be able to cut reinforcements from Esperance and Albany. That didn't work, and by the time I had a good amount of troops ready he'd reinforced with strength. I'm not sure this little force at Geraldton will be enough to kick two divisions plus a few tattered brigades from Perth if you have forts and good supply there. I guess it's tougher though as you're beset on all sides and don't have so much to send in. 800 AV though of decent Allied units should be more than enough with forts 4+.

[witpqs]

[s]Western[/s]Eastern Australia:
Brisbane

[ny59giants]

witpqs - Fixed! [:D]

Obvert - I cranked up the supply request for Perth to +15k. I hope Sydney gives up some of the 600k it has there. [;)] How many days does it take for this to happen??

[JohnDillworth]

Anyone know where the "Line of Death" in Australia that triggers reinforcements?

[ny59giants]

Anyone know where the "Line of Death" in Australia that triggers reinforcements?

One hex SOUTH of Brisbane.

tm.asp?m=2617094&mpage=1&key=Emergency% ... 2365533%3B

tm.asp?m=3064244

[JohnDillworth]

One hex SOUTH of Brisbane.

Thanks, As has been said before, it would be nice if that line was slightly random. Still, this is a pretty stiff commitment to Australia by the
IJA

[ny59giants]

April 18, 19, 20: Para drops in western Australia & CVs spotted!!
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged

Subs:
KXIV hit once @ Geraldton

India/Burma: [>:]

China:
Yenan - daily bombing by about 20 Sally

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1537 troops, 127 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1884

Defending force 24346 troops, 157 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 610

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
34th Division
3rd Division
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
13th Tank Regiment
35th Division
12th Tank Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
6th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
30th Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps

My three Corp are in WR (x3), over 50 experience, 2 of 3 are F4 (the other is F2), and a fourth Corp is less than a week out. The stacking limit is 40k and IMO, he is way over. "IF" he gets an adverse result on a deliberate attack, his units will be hurting badly. [:D]

2 No Ichang - up to 60 1e bombers hit troops with very light casualties daily .

Changsha - Oscars sweep on 20th. My I-15s lose 7 to 4 Oscars. AVG is moved in.

Sieges:
Batavia - 8 Zeros sweep, nothing else.

Manila - daily bb have my AV down to 1331. I've lost 40 AV in three days. Over 50 1e bombers hit daily when weather permits.

Western Australia:
Perth - 37 Zeros from Mini-KB sweep the empty air (operating one hex west of Geraldton) on 18th. Then another 39 Zeros escort in 24 Val and 45 Kates to hit AF which is light as base is repaired by next day.

Between Geraldton and Perth - 14 Sally hit the retreating Aussie Bde. Then....

Ground combat at 50,143 (near Geraldton)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 384 troops, 0 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 885

Defending force 4818 troops, 72 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 110

Japanese adjusted assault: 12

Allied adjusted defense: 104

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 8

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Assaulting units:
48th Division
Imperial Guards Division
2nd Tank Regiment

Defending units:
13th Australian Brigade
3rd Australian Brigade

Kalgoorlie - 9 Zero sweep against my CAP of 5 P-39. We each lose one. Paras are dropped on 18th. A shock attack wipes them out on 19th. [:)]

Ground combat at Kalgoorlie (56,147)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 313 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Defending force 6528 troops, 35 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 151

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 157

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: op mode(-), shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
205 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
Makassar Garrison Battalion
Timor Garrison Battalion
44th Australian Battalion
30th Base Group
12th Avn Sup Afd
12th RAAF Base Force

Cunderdin (2 east of Perth) - Para drop on 19th to find Recce Rgt there. [:D] Nick stated they were not there yesterday. They were moving towards east and got to be at the right place at the right time. [:D] Shock attack gets me 9:1 odds, but his paras remain. Will try again.

Eastern Australia:
1 hex SW of Toowoomba - over 110 2e bombers (Sally & Helen) hit my troops attempting to dig in (20c). Note - they came in at 1000' so they probably used a very poor LowG skill.

Emerald - my Recon is pushed out by a Tank Rgt

Outside Alice Spring - 16th Recon hit by 18 Hudson

Charters Towers - falls as its empty.

South Pacific:
Tanna - 40 LB-30/B-17s hit AF against no opposition (light damage). Rested on 20th.

Notes & Plans:
Brisbane - almost 40 LCUs in this general area

1st Aus Div completed upgrade and is recombined at Sydney.

CVs spotted @ 121,169 (16 NNE of Aukland) headed SE. I suspect KB (minus Kaga) looking for shipping. North Island NZ is emptied and along with Vava'u. Suva and Vava'u have 80 fighters put on 60% CAP.

32 Div arrives at San Fran and is ordered to prep for....(yes, this is a tease!!)
CVs are 7 days until upgrade complete @ Pearl
6th Aus Div TF is 7 days out from Cape Town.

1st Allied operation is in planning stages, but needs a lot of things to go right. Stay tuned!! [;)]

[ny59giants]

April 21, 22, 23: KB in South Pacific!!
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged; (*) = destroyed aircraft;

Subs:
I-165 gets a TT hit into the damaged CL Dauntless trying to get from Perth to Albany
Geraldton - KXIV get a TT hit on CA Takao [:)] S-39 gets a TT hit on a PB.

CVs:
21st - KB (102F, 241B, 53 Aux) @ 129, 198 (1 SE Raoul Island)
22nd - KB (91F, 195B, 58 Aux) @ 123, 174 (13 NE Aukland)
23rd - KB (83F, 227B, 58 Aux) @ 118, 165 (6 SE Noumea) & Mini-KB @ Soerabaja

India/Burma:
Warazup - Captured!!

China:
Changsha - 10(3) Oscar sweep in to face off against 16(1) H81. 2 more Oscars vs 7(1) H81.

Yenan - up to 20 Sally bomb AF daily

2 North Ichang - 30 Oscar and 70 1e bombers hit troops with few casualties daily.

3 SE of Ankang - shock attack on 21st yields 2203J:1435A. My three corps hold, for now.

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Shock attack on 23rd

Attacking force 59761 troops, 591 guns, 237 vehicles, Assault Value = 1734

Defending force 22989 troops, 155 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 447

Japanese adjusted assault: 1831

Allied adjusted defense: 883

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
4819 casualties reported
Squads: 61 destroyed, 126 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 34 disabled
Guns lost 27 (7 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 101 (51 destroyed, 50 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
2466 casualties reported
Squads: 155 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 167 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 20 (9 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
35th Division
9th Armored Car Co
13th Tank Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
34th Division
3rd Division
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
6th Division
12th Tank Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
30th Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps

I come out on the wrong side of 2:1 odds. Why am I still in the hex?? I have only the Corps with forts at 2 retreated with the other two Corps who have forts at level 4 remaining with high casualties and fort levels unchanged?!? [&:] Help is marching towards this hex.

Sieges:
Batavia - 17 Sally hit AF with moderate damage. On 22nd, 9 Lily are added along with 8 Zeros sweeping.

Manila - daily bb bring my AV down to 1297. A few deliberate attacks will take the place now.

Western Australia:
Kalgoorlie - 9(4) Zero vs 14(2) Kitty & 1 P-39

Cunderdin - another shock attack gets me 16:1, but the paras remain. Again on the 22nd and 23rd, we do not do well enough to destroy them. [X(]

Perth - Outside the base, 17 Sally hit my retreating brigade

Eastern Australia:
Tamworth - 36 Oscars sweep the empty skies. On another day, it is 36 Zeros.

Sydney - 36 Zero sweep on 21st, 31 Zeros on 22nd, and on the 23rd 29 Zeros sweep empty skies. However, they are followed by 42 Oscars escorting in 69 Sally/Helen at 6k. The AF is hit hard (16b, 1s, 72r). 27 Helens follow up. Afterwards, I see that I have 0 AA units here! YIKES!! . Base damage is 0-42-68.

Toowanda - Captured!!

Assaulting units:
6th Guards Division
23rd Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
5th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
15th Guards Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Fld AA Gun Co

Mornington Island - dot base off Normanton captured.

South Pacific:
Efate - 37 LB-30/B-17 get by 5 Zero to get two bomb hits on unloading transports.

Notes:
Due to KB in SoPac, ships at NZ and Vava'u are ordered out to sea.

Transport TF loading at both San Fran and Pearl.

[ny59giants]

April 24, 25, 26: KB leaves South Pacific
Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged; (*) = destroyed aircraft;

Subs: [>:]
Most are either getting upgrades, going to get them, or have completed upgrades and are on way to patrol zones.

CVs:
24th - KB @ Noumea
25th - KB @ Noumea & CVs @ Soerabaja
26th - KB @ 115, 154 (6 North Noumea)

India/Burma: [>:]

China:
Yenan - the usual 20 or so Sallys.

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Shock attack on 25th

Attacking force 46671 troops, 504 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 1413

Defending force 11303 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 296

Japanese adjusted assault: 1229

Allied adjusted defense: 406

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2817 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 165 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 20 (9 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 77 (50 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
960 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Assaulting units:
6th Division
35th/A Division
12th Tank Regiment
13th Tank Regiment
35th/B Division
34th Division
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
3rd Division
15th Tank Regiment
35th/C Division
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
55th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps

Another Corp is on the trail headed towards this hex, but I cannot give it orders to move here!! [:@] Next turn, I am allowed to give it this hex for a destination. If it resets again, I will be heard screaming.

2 SE of Ankang - 14 1e bombers hit the troops trying to get to the big battle and reset the movement on 26th.

Siege:
Batavia - 21 Lily/Sally hit AF [3b, 2s, 4r] followed by 8 Zero (I guess they get to sleep in [:D]);

Manila - 52 Lily/Sally hit AF [8b, 1s, 31r]; AV is down to 1243

Western Australia:
Perth - 24 Sally hit AF [4b, 8r]; 25 Sally hit AF on 25th [4b, 1s, 22r]; 25 Sally hit the AT Rgt to the east of base.

Cunderdin - a shock attack finds the para now have a tank regiment there. Odds are 16A:26J and further attacks are cancelled. The base falls on 25th due to shock attack, 76J:5A.

Eastern Australia:
Sydney - 30 Zero sweep; 66 Zero come in on 24th followed by 121 Sally/Helen to get slight damage on AF; 29 & then 24 Zeros sweep, but no bombers on 26th. Base damage is down to 0-75-79

Tamworth - 36 Zero sweep followed by 42 Oscars and 118 Sally/Helen [31b, 2s, 28r];

Normanton - landings

1 SW of Toowoomba - on 26th the troops are hit by 11 Betty, 117 Sally/Helens escorts by 42 Oscars.

Ground combat at 94,160 (near Toowoomba)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 49100 troops, 478 guns, 634 vehicles, Assault Value = 1736

Defending force 18545 troops, 285 guns, 655 vehicles, Assault Value = 633

Japanese adjusted assault: 1621

Allied adjusted defense: 1039

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1499 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 153 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 29 destroyed, 28 disabled
Guns lost 16 (3 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 39 (2 destroyed, 37 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
831 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 93 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 128 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 37 (2 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Vehicles lost 231 (91 destroyed, 140 disabled)
Thankfully, these are mainly the old tanks and not my Matilda II. I get another 98 Matilda II on May 1st at Cape Town. [:)]

Assaulting units:
5th Guards Engineer Regiment
15th Guards Regiment
16th Guards Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
6th Guards Division
1st Tank Regiment
5th Division
5th Tank Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
17th Indpt Guards Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Army
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
21st Fld AA Gun Co

Defending units:
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2nd Australian Division
2/11th Armoured Car Regiment
2/4th Armoured Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
2/8th Armoured Regiment
2/7th Armoured Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
70th Coast AA Regiment
2nd KNIL AA Battalion
109th Anti Tank Regiment
810th Aviation Engineer Battalion
Northern Territory
21/22 Field Regiment

Orders are given to retreat one hex. I need to see if he is going to keep pushing past the Emergency Reinforcement line.

Charleville - Tank Rgt pushes out my retreating Air HQ and RAN BF to capture base.

South Pacific: [>:]
My LB-30/B-17s are doing some training in NavB so they can at least harass any shipping in the area.

Notes:
25th - transports leave San Fran

26th - transports leave Pearl

These transports will not get to OZ till June.

Nick loves to place large amounts of both armor and artillery in his attacks that are often shock attacks. Now, how to use that against him??

I don't have enough fighters to challenge him in Australia. Those I have, need more training. 175 are on transports leaving Pearl. 4 AA are at Wellington and when the Brit CV/CVLs get there, they will be escorted to Melbourne. Australia will see a long month of May before significant help arrives.

[ny59giants]

First counterattack is being planned. I recently received the 32nd Division at San Fran (loaded and headed for OZ). 6th Aussie Div is almost to Cape Town. Both are heading for or will be in days to reinforce Australia. However, John 3rd has been a 'bad' influence on me and they have started prepping for GERALDTON. I have some additional support troops also prepping. The WHOLE Allied fleet will be there to support (5 American CVs, 3 Brit CVs, 1 CVL). I know a lot of things need to happen before then, but it is an idea as it would not take place till mid-June.

What say you?!?

[JocMeister]

How are you planning to go in? Zoom in, unload and zoom out? Or will you stay and fight when the KB shows up? Unless you have a firm hold on western OZ I don´t think counter landing is the best idea!

Also, how are your feelings about the rest of OZ? Is there any real danger of you loosing eastern OZ? If so I would rather send the two divisions to reinforce than to counter attack at this stage.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

First counterattack is being planned. I recently received the 32nd Division at San Fran (loaded and headed for OZ). 6th Aussie Div is almost to Cape Town. Both are heading for or will be in days to reinforce Australia. However, John 3rd has been a 'bad' influence on me and they have started prepping for GERALDTON. I have some additional support troops also prepping. The WHOLE Allied fleet will be there to support (5 American CVs, 3 Brit CVs, 1 CVL). I know a lot of things need to happen before then, but it is an idea as it would not take place till mid-June.

What say you?!?

The counter-landing makes PERFECT sense. It will take quite a while to grab the continent (I KNOW all about this READ: Racing the Sunrise AAR) and if Michael fights a solid delaying action he will stand an excellent chance of tying down the bulk of the IJA for ages. If enough time goes by then there might be a true chance of defeating the IJA in detail.

Your opponent made a huge mistake in that he didn't go all in with this campaign's opening moves. He should have landed much further south and grabbed either Melbourne or Sydney. Not doing that makes this a dicey gamble at best.

Michael: Don't forget Tasmania. You can begin building it up and it can be used to support your mainland defense.

[ny59giants]

I ran the last turn's replay and Perth now 79k in supply with Stockpile ON. The 18th UK Div anchors the defense with level 4 forts. The 4th Aussie Div holds Kargoolie with some support. The AF went to 2 last turn, so back to building forts. I think I can hold for about another 6 weeks at least.

Like John said, Nick has yet to go past the southern line under Brisbane to trigger Emergency Reinforcements. I've had my 'spidey senses telling me for days that he will not do so. He wasn't aggressive enough at start to isolate either Mlbourne or Sydney. I have two divisions in the west with four in the east and most of the Americal Division rebuilding at Melbourne (the rest of the Americal has just left San Fran). By June, the situation should get better here regardless as I still have the two main bases garrisoned.

[JocMeister]

If you feel confident I think you should go for it! Your judgement have been proven correct on many occasions! [:)]