Shattering the Sword. Cantona2 (a) vs Herbiesan (j)

[cantona2]

Secondly, the USN had been eyeing an attack on the flank of either the Solomon or Marshall Islands. Nauru Island is now a fortified and well garrisoned base that already hosts a fighter strip and is alomst ready to base single engined bombers. Strategically the 2nd Marine Division was moved from Suva to Lugnaville and the Americal is still at Noumea. This last base is a substantial hub of Allied forces and, along with Suva, can act as supplyheads for any offensive operations in the area. Any operation here would mean a mass deployment of all USN Carriers as Herb has developed a strong number of bases in the islands. The way it looks at the moment an assault on Jaluit or Majuro seems the likeliest option. My bombers based in Wake Island and the Gilberts have meant he has had to retreat all his shipping from Kwajalein and operate from bases futher behind the front. I have also noticed that all resupplying of bases in the Marshalls has been carried out by barges. Jaluit and Majuro are very tasty and tempting targets but I am wary of being drawn into a trap where I am caught between the airfields of Kwajalein and Maleolap and the KB. Like the Solomons, any operation here would require a mass deployment of all fleet carriers, 5 left, plus any ancilliary carrier craft as well.





1) Possible axis of attack on the Solomon Islands.

2) Possible attacks on Jaluit and Majuro.

[cantona2]

Thirdly China.

Massive forces are on the move in China. 3 armoured and 2 Infantry Divisions sit astride the railway the the north east of Changsha (1). To the south east, a large stack menaces to attack the city itself, but i have a well entrenched army there, well supplied and supported. A reinforced Chinese army with three corps (2) is marching towards the north east of Changsha to try and kerb the Japanese advance and threaten the flank of the Japanese in this area of China. They have concentrated their premium fighting formations here but then again so have I, leaving little opportunity for attacks on the flanks. The earlier Japanese push on Sian seems to have been abandonded in favour of a direct assault on Changsha. As in earlier operations on the Chinese mainland, the forces at Kanhsien have been withdrawing in good order before they are cut off. Two corps remain, one will stay as a rearguard while the other is making its way to Changsha to rejoin the other Kanhsien corps that is already manning the lines there.

[Alfred]

cantona2,
 
From post #401, you seem to have a few green dots in the Solomons.  Have you considered the possibility of developing them (particularly those south/east of Guadalcanal) into useful airbases first before moving to land on enemy territory?  That way you would reduce the need to massively rely upon USN CV force to support offensive operations.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

cantona2,

From post #401, you seem to have a few green dots in the Solomons.  Have you considered the possibility of developing them (particularly those south/east of Guadalcanal) into useful airbases first before moving to land on enemy territory?  That way you would reduce the need to massively rely upon USN CV force to support offensive operations.

Alfred

A lot of those dots are 0/0 bases. Though i suppose i could land a SeeBees unit and see to what level an AF can be developed. Size 1 could host P-38's to fly LRCAP over the Solomons.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: cantona2

ORIGINAL: Alfred

cantona2,

From post #401, you seem to have a few green dots in the Solomons.  Have you considered the possibility of developing them (particularly those south/east of Guadalcanal) into useful airbases first before moving to land on enemy territory?  That way you would reduce the need to massively rely upon USN CV force to support offensive operations.

Alfred

A lot of those dots are 0/0 bases. Though i suppose i could land a SeeBees unit and see to what level an AF can be developed. Size 1 could host P-38's to fly LRCAP over the Solomons.

Exactly! People seem to automatically overlook the potential value of 0/0 bases. The Allies get so many SeeBees, engineers etc that it can actually be difficult to employ them all if such bases are not built up.

With a level 2 AF you can engage in offensive air operations, which will keep the KB honest.

Build up the port as well and you can start using them as PT hornets nests to strike nearby enemy bases - also you can start to employ Allied barges in the Solomons distributing supplies/troops from these small local depots.

And finally, you even build up Allied VPs!

Alfred

[cantona2]

Thanks for the advice Alfred

[cantona2]

Jaluit and Majuro have been chosen as the targets after some consideration. Recent events have indicated that the Japanese High Command is expecting an attack on Timor and has redployed and reinforced as such. I have two divisions, one Army one Marine, in the immediate vicinty of Jaluit and Majuro and three heavt bomber bases within range of Jap airfields in the Marshalls. I hope to start offensive operations in a fortnight. 3 US fleet carriers and 3 CVE's are immediately available and so is the whole of the US Surface Pacific Fleet.

[cantona2]

SS KVII intercepted the CVL Ryuho and her escorts passing to the east of Saipan. The three torpedoes fired all missed, thats the second time the Ryuho escapes unscathed from an allied sub's periscope [:@] I have a hunch she may be enroute to Truk where i am assuming elements of the KB or other Japanese carrier elements are concentrated.

The Majuro/Jaluit operation has been given the codename Thor's Hammer. Enterprise, Hornet and Yorktown have left Pearl Habour and are heading to Canton Island and the initial troop convoys are gathering at Abemama. With plenty of LBA support the carriers will hold off should the IJN sortie its carriers in defence of the Marshalls. If they did not fight for Tarawa or Nauru, I fell they will have to make a stand at Majuro and Jaulit or Kwajalein will be as good as mine.

Once all the pieces are in place i shall provide a tactical appraisal of Operation Thor's Hammer.

[cantona2]

End of Jan 43 SitRep

January 1943 has been a quiet month characterised by heavy allied losses in air-air combat but compounded by Japanese losses at sea and on the ground. Though the Japanese fighter pilot has the measure of his allied counterpart he has yet to find an answer to allied bombers!

The large number of allied air-air losses in the screenie are mostly from the 2nd AVG that got jumped over Chittagong by Tonys at a 4-1 numerical disadvantage. The 31st January 1943 also saw the first active Marine F4U Corsair Sqaudron that relieved the 331st Fighter (P-38) at Portland Roads.

[rsallen64]

Terrific AAR, so thanks for that so far! I have to ask, though, where you got the map mods? They're the best I've seen so far! [&o]

[Fishbed]

So what's next! 3 days and nothing, how can it be?!

[cantona2]

@rsallen thanks

@Fished very hectic week at work with Parents Evenings and school trips!

[Fishbed]

I can only paraphrase Ken Loach: looking for Eric!!! [;)]

[cantona2]

Operation Thor's Hammer and Operation Furie - The Assaults on Majuro, Jaluit and Mili.

US 6th Army, comprising of US XIV Corps has been planning the assault on the Japanese held islands of Majuro and Jaluit. Codenamed Thor and Hammer the combined operation was given the codename Thor's Hammer. Operation Furie, the para drop into Mili resulted as an after thought as part of the overall combined assault. XIV Corps would divide its forces into two pincers. The left pincer, the attack on Jaluit, would comprise the veteran 25th Infantry Divison that had captured Tarawa landing in the first wave supported by the green 150th RCT just arrived from Panama. The initial support elements would come from the guns of the 131st Field Artillery and the engineers of the 37th Sea Bees. Once the beachead had been secured the 53rd Base Force would start clearing up the area.

The right pincer, the attack on Majuro would comprise of the 1st Marine Division, now blooded and rested from its assault on Nauru Island. The Shermans of the 1st Medium Marine Tank Battalion will also accompany their footslogging brothers in the first wave. The 11th Combat Engineers will also land as well as the 35th Sea Bees as its widely believed that the Japs have fortified Majuro and thus the combat engineers will be better deployed here. The 198th Field Artillery will provide direct fire support while the 124th USN Base Force will follow up.

The 3rd Marine Raider Battalion will para drop into Mili and no opposition is expected. Once they have secured the atoll barges will redploy them to either Jaluit or Majuro.

Intelligence puts at least one divisonal sized unit on Majuro and one brigade sized unit on Jaulit. Since the capture of Tarawa and Nauru Island the resupplying of these outposts has been carried out by barges that have been regularly been interdicted by the Lightnings at Tarawa. Its is expected that the approaches to each island have been mined heavily and as such extensive sweeping operations will spearhead the assault ships.

Operation Thor's Hammer is roughly at D-Day minus 5

[cantona2]

The US Navy's copntribution to Operation Thor's Hammer will be extensive. US CV's Enterprise, Hornet and Yorktown (all veterans of earlier actions in the Gilberts) will provide the covering force. All the 3 task forces are currently at Canton Island. CVE's Sangamon and Chenango will escort the 25th Infantry Division to Jaluit while the Altahama, veteran of Nauru Island, will once again escort the Marines. The 1st Bombardment Force (J Force) is based around the Idaho and New Mexico while the 2nd Bombardment Force (M Force) is based around the guns of the Colorado and the Maryland, once again into the fight after recovering from the wounds from her battle against the Nagato. The 1st Strike Force is gathered around the Indiana while the 2nd Strike Force has the Tennessee as its flagship. Along the capital ships 15 MSWs and DMS will sweep the minefields and then provide ASW escort while 10 destroyers will provide close in support and escorts as the landings begin.

In reserve i have 3 more carriers at Pearl Harbour plus the Wake Island Squadron as well as two battleships based at Noumea that could be called in should things get sticky.

[cantona2]

The USAAF will have the most important initial job of Operation Thor's Hammer. Their targets upto now have been bombing and gathering intel on the garrisons in the target islands. There are 2 Liberator Squadrons on Tarawa and another two on Abemama. One squadron of B-25's is on Tarawa and 2 A-29 units operate out of Nauru. 2 P-38 units operate out of Tarawa while another rests in Abemama and one is enroute from Pearl. 2 more Wildcat units as well as RNZAF Kittyhawks augment my fighter force. One unit of Kingfishers has been operating from Makin and the fighter strip there is almost complete which will mean 3 strips easily within P-38 range of Jaluit and Majuro by D-Day. The heavy bombers at Wake Island will also have a role to play when it comes to harassing the air strips on Kwajalein.

However the most important strategic role will be played by the Catalinas and Mariners stationed on Nauru Island, Wake Island and Tarawa as they will be our eyes and ears searching for a KB that will sure as hell come acalling. They shall join their silent brothers under the sea that are already staking out the likely avenues of approach to the future combat area.

[Fishbed]

Canto, why are you keeping three of your CVs away from the battlefield on the eve of such an encounter?

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

Canto, why are you keeping three of your CVs away from the battlefield on the eve of such an encounter?

Very true. 2 more CV's have been dispatched post haste to the area of operations.

[cantona2]

Two things have happened today that may help Thor's Hammer. Herbie stated in his last mail that he'd had two sightings of my CV's this last turn. Impossible as all my CV's are currently in waters outside the range of any Japanese search plane. Indeed Colonel Nakamura is also convinced that USN CV's are at Luganville. The erstwhile flyer might be extremeley disappointed to know that the only allied shipping in Luganville are barges supplying the bases that are buidling up at Vanikoro and Ndeni 

Secondly Makin now hosts a fighter strip that for the time being is being used by a second unit of Kingfishers. Once the main op gets underway a squadron of P-38's will take residence here. So far so good, what with a little help from Japanese recon pilots with very poor recognition skills [:D]

[cantona2]

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