Bo...oops in the South Pacific - LST (A) vs SierraJuliet (J) Bottlenecks Mod

[LargeSlowTarget]

Thx for the feedback, Mundy.

Dec 16th, 1941

Bases liberated
Ichang reoccupied by the Allies, the Japanese garrison has evacuated that outpost.

Bases lost
Japanese forces CAPTURED Davao.
Japanese forces CAPTURED Claveria (Northern Luzon)
Catbalogan (on Samar) occupied by the Japanese Row Boat Corps.

Sub War
SS KXVI has torpedoed and damaged AS Rio de Janiero Maru and AO Erimo near Peleliu / Angaur.
SS KVIII operating in the same area then picked-off AO Erimo with two more torpedoes.

CONUS
Ships continue arriving from the world in dribs and drops and entering the yards for arming.
A first convoy with ground forces for the PTO has been dispatched from SF with the general order to “go south”, but the final destination has not been decided – that depends on where KB decides to go after Johnson Is. and what other bases in the area might fall to the enemy during the transit time.

NoPac
Nothing to report.

CentPac
KB off Johnston Is. and all subs in the wider vicinity of PH have all vanished – they have simply disappeared without a trace.
After verification, there might be a connection with the fact that I have set all air groups at Pearl Harbor to rest by accident… Oops!
As a precaution against another port strike at PH – Johnston is just a day spring away for KB - shipping at PH has been evacuated again and sent to the opposite direction.

SoPac
Nothing to report.

SWPac
The PM garrison has been reinforced to two brigades with the arrival of two Bn from the 30th Brigade and the three "Bird" Bns from Darwin and Rabaul. Alas, not enough PPs to change the HQ in order to recombine the three "Birds" yet.

PI
xAKL Governor Taft has been sunk by air attack in Manila Bay.
Davao fell easily to the Japanese 56ID 146th Infantry Regiment, the small US base force element suffered heavy losses and evaporated.
At Lingayen, enemy bombers have caused slight losses among the US tank units. The Japanese Recon Rgt has been reinforced by the 65th Bde and by two Parachute Infantry battalions, apparently dropped as emergency reinforcements. This paradrop has triggered a Japanese shock attack, which has been defeated single-handedly by the US tanks and arty - 249 casualties inflicted on the Japanese (incl. 13 squads destroyed) and only 3 casualties (disabled) suffered. The US units even counter-attacked and added another 152 casualties on the Japanese side - including 7 squads and 2 guns destroyed - while suffering 7 more tanks disabled. I figure that the 65th Bde had just arrived and did not participate in the fight. The US force will now retreat, but will surely suffer more heavily next turn.

DEI
Nothing to report.

Malaya / Burma / India
Bombing attacks from both sides against ground forces protected by the jungles of Central Malaya have yielded no results, except one enemy fighter downed by our escorts. Bombing ground units is a waste, unless they are in open terrain, but here the aim is to maybe force the enemy tanks West of Kuantan into combat mode to slow them down. Reinforcements have railed into Jerantur, but need time to switch from strategic to combat stance.
A group of four Japanese bombers bearing markings of the Thai Air Force have tried to bomb ships near Rangoon. Five British Buffalos on CAP over Rangoon have splashed one attacker and chased away the rest.

China
With only 3% moonlight promising protection, five British MBTs based at Hong Kong have sneaked into the Taiwan Straits, looking for Japanese convoys. Instead, they bumped into six Japanese DDs. Only MTB-7 survived. On the way back, it found a weakly protected convoy, but having no torpedoes left, it evaded combat and returned to base.
The enemy continues to unload at Wenchow and to bomb Wenchow and Changhsa.
A large concentration of enemy ground units – 14 different units so far – has been detected at Singyang.
A shock attack at Hong Kong has been defeated “in extremis”, with 1047 casualties on the Japanese side and 886 on the Allied side. The Hong Kong garrison is hanging on by the skin of its teeth, but for how much longer?

[LargeSlowTarget]

Dec 17th, 1941

Bases lost
Japanese forces (16ID Kimura Det) CAPTURED Naga
Kemapyu" is occupied by the Japanese

Sub War
SS S-38~ has torpedoed xAK Izumo Maru off Laoag.
SS KX has sunk xAKL Yamafuku Maru at Koror / Babeldaob, apparently the ship carried troops.

CONUS
Nothing to report.

NoPac
Finally something to report – the first ship with eagerly awaited supplies has arrived at Dutch Harbor.

CentPac
Wake Island raided by a dozen Kates with escorts – not enough for KB, maybe just Zuiho?

SoPac
Nothing to report.

SWPac
Nothing to report.

PI
The patrol yacht PC Fisheries II on a watch position near Siquijor has spotted a Japanese SAG (CL Jintsu, CL Nagara, 4DD) and paid the price.
xAPc Santo Domingo has been attacked In Manila Bay by three “Betty” bombers and collected three torpedo hits – 100% accuracy!
xAPc Compagnia Filipinas has been heavily damaged by a bomb hit – apparently the Japanese have run out of torps?
Lingayen bombed again, 20 casualties reported.

DEI
The first supplies from Colombo have arrived in Batavia to replenish stocks. Some supplies will transship to Singers.

Malaya / Burma / India
The combined Allied bomber fleet had another go at Kongo and Haruna, with no other results than a 139WH-3 lost and several other bombers damaged by AA.
A small raid of 12 Buffalos and 3 139WH-3 went for enemy ships spotted at Kuantan, but ran into 13 Zeros on CAP – 5 Buffalos lost.
Enemy bombers have hit the 3rd ISF~ Base Force which is withdrawing painfully slow from a position SW of Kota Bharu along the railroad tracks south, over 30 casualties reported.
Another group of enemy bombers have attacked the 9ID 22nd Indian Brigade at Jerantur / K. Lipis – no losses.
Thai bombers have attacked the 108th RAF Base Force at Moulmein – no losses.

China
Wenchow and Wuchow bombed.
The last ships remaining at Hong Kong – a tug and several mine tenders – have been ordered to flee south, the fall of the base being imminent. ACM #Watergate and ACM #Barlight got intercepted and sunk by Betty bombers and sunk. However, the Japanese contended themselves with a bombardment attack at Hong Kong. Idem at Wenchow.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Dec 18th, 1941

Bases lost
Japanese forces CAPTURE Changzhi !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Lingayen !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kwangchowan !!!
Catanduanes is occupied by the Japanese

Sub War
A few contacts on both sides, but no successful attacks.
Of note, SS I-5 has been located by PC Hermes off Astoria.

CONUS
Nothing to report.

NoPac
Nothing to report.

CentPac
Wake Is. has again been attacked by a dozen “Kate” bombers, 15 casualties reported.
Air search has resumed from PH, but not a single submarine has been found in Hawaiian waters. I am sure my ships will find them somewhere else.

SoPac
Nothing to report.

SWPac
Nothing to report.

PI
Damaged yesterday by air attack, xAPc Compagnia Filipinas sank in port today.
Air attacks sank xAKL Perla in Manila Bay.
Between enemy bombing raids and attacks by overwhelming ground forces, the US tanks at Lingayen had to beat a hasty retreat, leaving behind many damaged and knocked-out tanks. Only about 30 tanks remain operational in the two battalions. Yet the US force managed to cause 233 Japanese casualties.
Enemy amphibious Assault at Dadjangas.
I have ordered the surface assets of the Asiatic Fleet, reinforced by the Dutch and based at Balikpapan, to attack the Allied invasion force at Davao. However, the TF is just sitting in the middle of the Celebes Sea, doing nothing.

DEI
xAK Mayon has been sunk by torpedo bombers near Menando – the ship was tasked to run supplies into Mindanao. Apparently enemy carriers are operating in the Celebes Sea.

Malaya / Burma / India
3rd ISF~ Base Force bombed near Kampar, 15 casualties.
An air attack against Jerantur / K. Lipis by about 30 enemy aircraft caused no damage, but one enemy “Lily” bomber was shot down.
Thai single-engine bombers have been intercepted over Moulmein, one bomber downed.

China
Changhsa and Wenchow bombed, slight airbase damage.
The 1st Raiding Rgt has dropped into French-owned and undefended Kwangchowan.
The Hong Kong garrison has stopped another Japanese deliberate attack, causing 290 casuakties – but suffering 480 casualties itself, mostly destroyed squads. The end is near.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Dec 19th, 1941

Bases lost
Japanese forces CAPTURE Taiping (Malaya)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Digos / Malalag Bay (Mindanao)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Dadjangas !!! (Mindanao)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Mauban (Luzon)
Papun" is occupied by the Japanese (Burma)

Sub War
SS O19* lays minefield at Kuantan.
SS KXIII has suffered heavy damage in an ASW attack at Kuantan and has to RTB.
SS Spearfish~ suffered damage in an ASW attack off Vigan.
SS Pike~ missed DD Kuroshio near Zamboanga.
SS I-4 has been spotted by DM Breese near Fort Ord and later in the day by DD Jarvis near San Francisco.
SS I-9^ has been engaged by KV Dawson near San Francisco.
SS I-2 has been spotted by PC Daphne near the Channel Islands.


CONUS
All shipping in CONUS area are held in port until ASW escorts can be provided.

NoPac
Nothing to report.

CentPac
Wake Is. bombed again by a dozen “Kate” bombers, escorted by a dozen “Zero” fighters. The airbase suffered slight damage.
The Marine fighter detachment – 4 lone Wildcats – have been collected and shipped-out by a merchant ship a week ago. They would have been easy meat.

SoPac
Nothing to report.

SWPac
Numerous conversions of minesweepers into mine tenders have been completed and the ships will be assigned to maintain the minefields protecting the principal port of Australia.

PI
Undefended Mauban SE of Manila has been occupied by the 16ID Miura Det.
Manila has been declared an open city. Only units of the PI Constabulary will remain to keep order. All other units are digging-in at Clark Field.
Clark Field expands fortifications to size 3 – because enemy bombers are hunting small ships, our engineers at Clark remain unmolested and can build forts.

xAKL Bohol II and xAKL F Escano have been sunk by air attack in Manila Bay.
ACM #Aldgate and YP _Margaret Moller, fleeing from Hong Kong, have been sunk by air attack off Northern Luzon.
ACM Redstart, fleeing from Hong Kong, has crossed the path of three Japanese DDs off Dasol and got sunk.
xAKL Corregidor, on a supply run to Bataan, has encountered CL Jintsu, CL Nagara and four DDs and got sunk.
Mini-KB, covering the landings on Mindanao, was intercepted by the USN Asiatic Fleet near Basilan and got sunk.

Yes, CA Houston, CL Boise, CL, Marblehead and 11 four-stackers, reinforced by the Dutch CLs De Ruyter, Java and Tromp, have run into CVL Ryujo, CS Mizuho and CS Chitose, escorted by four DDs. The Asiatic Fleet had been sitting in the middle of Celebes Sea for two days, refusing to carry out its orders of conducting a full-speed-run to Davao. It had not been tagged as spotted, so I fiddled around with different home ports and routing instructions to make it move. Well, in this moonless night, it reacted to Mini-KB passing by. In three separate engagements, the old VAdm Brown managed to cross the T three times, starting the engagements at a mere 5k yards distance. The Japanese fought back as good as they could – heck, you don’t see a CVL engaging a cruiser with gunfire every night – instead of trying to run for it.

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Only CS Chitose has been observed sinking, but the other two bird farms were left burning brightly, and “ground losses” of aircraft confirm that CVL Ryujo and CS Mizuho have gone down as well. DD Suzukaze suffered heavy damage and burned fiercly. Return fire damaged DD Barker~, DD John D Ford~ and DD Pope~, the latter had to leave the TF, escorted by DD Parrott~, but succumbed to wounds later.
So far so good. But with the rising sun, revenge arrived in the form of CAs Myoko, Haguro and Nachi plus four DDs. The US Asiatic Fleet got surprised by shells raining down on her from 23k yards, but quickly fought back tenaciously, with actions being fought as close as 6k yards.
Alas, CA Houston attracted most of the fire, collected 19 hits and went down fighting, DD John D Edwards~ was hit three times, burned and listed and went down as well. 4 more DDs sustained serious damage: DD Barker~ (25 float, 42 fire), DD Bulmer~ (64 float, 73 fire), DD John D Ford~ (18 float) and DD Whipple~ (20 float). On the other side, DD Hayashio got hit 31 (!) times and sank, while CA Nachi got hit 31 (!) times as well and was last seen burning heavily, CA Haguro and DD Amatsukaze were on fire as well.
To sum up, 1 CVL, 2 CS, 1 DDs sunk for sure and 1 CA and 2 DDs in bad enough shape to hope they will go down, for 1 CA and 2, maybe 4 old DDs lost. This early in the war, this is a morale boost for the USN.

DEI
Nothing to report.

Malaya / Burma / India
Undefended Taiping has fallen to elements of the IJA 5th Infantry Division.
Numerous conversions of minesweepers into mine tenders have been completed and the ships will be assigned to maintain the minefields protecting the principal port of India and Ceylon.
Betty bombers have sunk xAKL Toboali near Port Swettenham.

The Thai air force continues to harass shipping and ground forces in southern Burma, and keeps losing aircraft. Today, a Japanese-build “Ann” bomber was shot-down over Martaban.
In fact, No.67 Sqn RAF flying CAP over Rangoon has scored eight out of nine air-to-air kills so far – and one of its pilots is a particular hotshot :
FO Wigglesworth JS of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
FO Wigglesworth JS of No.67 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!
Today’s Ann is his kill number 6.

China
Wenchow bombed, slight airbase damage. The lone Japanese Infantry division sitting on the invasion beaches does not dare to attack.
At Hong Kong, an artillery attack has caused 49 casualties, mostly destroyed squads. The defence is a house of cards, the base will fall in the next serious ground attack.

[zebrazwo]

You an handle the losses better than the Japanese can. Can imagine there must have been a few choice words from the Japanese commander after the battle.

Wigglesworth doing much better in game than he (unfortunately) did in real life. Astounding accuracy AE has with names.

https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Wigglesworth.htm

[LargeSlowTarget]

Thanks for the BBM link, @zebrazwo - it is interesting to learn more about the human being behind the 'name in the game', especially when it is a "numbers game" like AE where individuals tend to get reduced into statistics. The personal letters are very touching.

[zebrazwo]

No problem at all.

That site is a rabbit hole waiting to be explored...

[LargeSlowTarget]

Dec 20th, 1941

Bases lost
Japanese forces CAPTURED Hong Kong.
Batangas is occupied by the Japanese.

Sub War
SS Skipjack~ collected 6 hits in an ASW attack by SC Ch-5 near Vigan and has to RTB.
SS S-40~ launched 2 torpedoes at DMS W-16 near Vigan and missed.
SS KXV launched 4 torpedoes at DD Uranami and missed.
SS I-4 launched 2 torpedoes at DD Bagley near San Francisco and missed.
In two attacks, SS I-10^ has sent three torps into CM Bungaree near Coffs Harbor. Port Moresby will not receive its planned minefield.
SS I-123* sank xAKL Dai Lee near Puerto Princesa.
SS RO-34 engaged xAKL Paz in a gunfight, hitting the hapless victim 20 times.

CONUS
Nothing to report.

NoPac
Nothing to report.

CentPac
Nothing to report.

SoPac
Nothing to report.

SWPac
Japanese subs operate off the East Coast. More ASW escorts are required.

PI
Nothing to report.

DEI
Nothing to report.

Malaya / Burma / India
The main show this turn has centred around Mersing. A “Mersing Gambit” two weeks into the war is late by normal standards, I have nonetheless kept in mind the possibility and had ordered the Australians and a regiment of Armoured Cars to keep a watch over that base. I also kept Force Z at Singers on a short lash, with its reaction range limited to include Mersing but not beyond. When naval search picked-up enemy TFs last turn to the NE of Mersing, I sent a tripwire in form of motor gunboat MGB ML-310 to Mersing. It promptly got triggered by BBs Kongo and Haruna and their escorts. Haruna managed to hit and sink the motor gun boat with a hit from 9k range, but not before wasting a lot of ammo.
Next came CA Kumano and CA Mikuma, bombarding Mersing but causing only 6 casualties among the Australians.

Meanwhile, Force Z moved towards Mersing, running over SS RTN Sinsamudar near Tioman Island (DD Express and DD Encounter landed three hits before pressing on) and negotiated a minefield, DD Electra spotting and destroying one mine.
Then in the first light of the morning, Force Z bumped into a Japanese SAG. In the rush to engage the enemy, DD Piet Hein collided with DD Jupiter, and soon everybody present was happily blasting away:

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 7
BB Ise, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Yura, Shell hits 6
CL Kinu, Shell hits 9, heavy fires
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame, Shell hits 2
DD Harusame, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 2
DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1
DD Shirakumo
DD Yugiri
DD Amagiri, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hakaze, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 8, on fire
BC Repulse, Shell hits 8, on fire
CA Exeter, Shell hits 3
CL Danae~, Shell hits 3
CL Dragon~, Shell hits 2
CL Durban~, Shell hits 2
CL Mauritius~
CL Glasgow~, Shell hits 3
CL Caledon~, Shell hits 2
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Kortenaer
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1
DD Witte de With, Shell hits 1
DD Van Nes, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Banckert
DD Electra, Shell hits 1
DD Encounter
DD Express, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Isis~, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Jupiter, Shell hits 3, on fire

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The Japanese force decided to disengage, in the confusion CA Exeter managed to collide with DD Isis~.
This opened the way for Force Z to engage a Japanese invasion convoy:

Japanese Ships
DD Shinonome, Shell hits 23, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Murakumo, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
PB Eifuku Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Eiko Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Nako Maru #2, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
PB Tokotsu Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
AV Sanyo Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
xAK Kenyo Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Teiyo Maru #2, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tatumiya Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Noto Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nissyu Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Koryu Maru #1, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
xAK Kokai Maru
xAK Eihuku Maru #1, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Mikasa Maru #1, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
xAK Aso Maru, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Zyunyo Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Chihaya Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Hokuriku Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Kuroshio Maru #2, Shell hits 5, heavy fires

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, on fire
CA Exeter, Shell hits 1
CL Danae~
CL Dragon~
CL Durban~
CL Mauritius~
CL Glasgow~
CL Caledon~
DD Kortenaer
DD Evertsen, on fire
DD Witte de With, on fire
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Electra

Japanese ground losses:
1204 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 98 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 65 disabled
Guns lost 54 (17 destroyed, 37 disabled)
Vehicles lost 38 (14 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Next came a kind of interlude:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,82, Range 21,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
TB RTN Surasdra, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
TB RTN Trad, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
BC Repulse, heavy fires
DD Piet Hein, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Van Nes, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Encounter
DD Express, on fire
DD Isis~, heavy fires
DD Jupiter, heavy fires, heavy damage

Now Kongo and Haruna returned to expend what little ammunition they had left after gunning down MGB ML-310:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,82, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna, Shell hits 2
CA Takao, Shell hits 1
CA Atago, Shell hits 1
CA Chokai, Shell hits 2
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Asashio

Allied Ships
CA Exeter
CL Danae~, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Dragon~
CL Durban~, Shell hits 1
CL Mauritius~, Shell hits 2
CL Glasgow~
CL Caledon~, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kortenaer
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Witte de With, on fire

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Then LBA lent a hand:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kluang / Kahang at 50,81
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Rikko x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Rikko: 3 damaged
Allied Ships
CL Glasgow~
CL Danae~, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Finally, three gutsy Japanese DDs punched way above their weight:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,82, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Yakaze, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Kuretake, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Encounter, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Express, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isis~, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DD Jupiter, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

m4.jpg (252.29 KiB) Viewed 10 times

The butcher bill:
Sunk:
DD Ikazuchi
DD Murakumo
PB Nako Maru #2
xAK Aso Maru

CL Danae~ (scuttled)
DD Jupiter
DD Isis~
DD Express
DD Encounter
DD Van Nes
DD Piet Hein
MGB ML-310[/quote]


Potentially lost:
BB Ise
DD Harusame
DD Amagiri
DD Hakaze
DD Shinonome
DD Kuretake
TB RTN Surasdra
PB Eifuku Maru
PB Eiko Maru
PB Tokotsu Maru
xAK Kenyo Maru
xAK Teiyo Maru #2
xAK Noto Maru
xAK Nissyu Maru
xAK Zyunyo Maru
Four more merchantmen may burn to death.

On the Allied side, I may potentially lose all remaining ships of Force Z. BC Repulse is still at Mersing, all alone, with 67 float damage and a max speed o fjust 5 knots. The other surviving ships of Force Z have retreated to the NW instead of south towards Singers. DD Banckert has 56 float damage and can do only 13 knot full speed; the rest can do 20 knots. All ships are reduced to firing practice ammo and throwing spuds. If SJ has forces with ammo left – like another set of three motivated DDs – I will lose them.

m5.jpg (70.58 KiB) Viewed 8 times

While this happened, the Japanese invasion convoy returned to Mersing and continued unloading. Now, because this Mersing Gambit did not come in the first days, I have left substantial forces in Central Malaya to give the ex-Kota Bharu garrison a chance to withdraw south over the Eastern railroad track. I hope that the Aussies will hold long enough toallow a general retreat to Singers.

China
As predicted, the defence of Hong Kong collapsed today.

[zebrazwo]

Malayan bloodbath for both sides. Wow.