Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)

[AmiralLaurent]

12 December 1942

I did this turn a survey of the supply situation of my bases and found one in red status and 7 in pink. Three of the latter were inland (Homan and Kuikang in China, Mutanchiang in Manchoukuo) and I could do nothing, the AI was supposed to take care of them (supply was available nearby in all cases). The other bases were all ports and will be described below.

Northern Pacific

This sector finally moved. Two TF of four barges each left Paramushiro Jima with SNLF troops to occupy Attu and Kiska and set outposts here to report Allied activity. Mavis recon flights showed that both islands were empty but couldn’t be considered as valid intelligence. I wonder how my opponent will react to this move. It will probably provide a target for his aircraft, but in Alaskan weather operational losses should be heavy.

Southern Pacific

Maloelap was found to be in pink status for supply and a 7000-ton AK left Kwajalein to supply it.

New Zealand

The landing in New Zealand continued. Allied defenders fired 130 shots during the night, and 37 during the day. Landing casualties were limited to 212 men and 2 tanks, as most of the troops has already landed, but an AP was very seriously damaged and will probably sink (damage 59/64/28) and a PG was less heavily damaged. Return fire hit 6 New Zealander. Dunedin was also bombarded during the night by 2 BB, 4 CA and 2 CL that scored 57 hits on the airfield (4/2/51) and 30 on the port (17/8/5) and disabled 259 men and 14 guns.
The troops of the Dunedin Fortress were attacked during the day by 84 Kates and 65 Vals launched by the CV cruising west of the base (with an escort of 10 A6M2) and then by 19 Betties, 7 Nells and 5 escort A6M2 from Wellington. Bombs hit 165 men and 2 guns in these attacks.
And then Japanese troops (65th Bde and 7th Tk Rgt) attacked. They had not fully landed (so were fragments, even if at 90+% of OOB), were lacking supplies and were not prepared for Dunedin (but for Noumea 100%), so the attack wasn’t launched in the best conditions. On the other hand, the fort level in Dunedin was only 3 (Allied probably started to build them when the invasion of New Zealand began). The assault value was of 129 to 19 in Japan favour, and was adjusted to 37 to 14. So the deliberate attack was at 2 to 1 and reduced the fort level to 2. Japanese lost 49 men, Allied 197 men and 2 guns.
The attack will continue tomorrow and will again be supported by the BB TF and airmen from the KB and Wellington. Dunedin should fall tomorrow.

Christchurch was also bombarded during the night by 2 BB, 1 CA and 1 CL that scored 10 hits on the airfield (3/1/6) and 7 on the port (4/2/1). Allied casualties were 58 men and 2 guns. A Japanese artillery unit reached the city and only the 27th Eng Rgt still was away from the city, delaying the attack. Both sides exchanged artillery fire and 122 Allied men and 5 guns were hit while Japanese had no losses.

The first troops to arrive in Auckland (2 reinforced divisions) bombarded and reconned the city, while more troops arrived during the day. The Allied garrison also pounded them but lost the artillery duel. Japanese losses were limited to 9 men, while Allied losses were 437 men and 31 guns. The big surprise of the day was that Auckland was not held by 2-3 Bdes as thought before but by five of them (see pic below). They had 631 ASS points, and Japanese troops sent there will have around 2800 (already 2317 in place). So finally I probably didn’t do an overkill here but sent just enough troops to do the job.



The CV TF that returned to Wellington yesterday sailed NE along the New Zealand coast and in the evening was in position to welcome 22 A6M2 from Suva, that will fly tomorrow to Wellington. The CV were also in range of Auckland and 2 Vals attacked Allied submarines near the port but missed them. More Zero will come in the following days by the same way.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

Kavieng was the base that was in a red condition for supply, because of the arrival of the Ki-61 Sentai here yesterday. The fighters were ordered to still fly local CAP and 3500 supplies were already on the way and should arrive in 2-3 days from Truk. Rabaul wasn’t bombed today for a change.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

There was no raid either in this area, only a patrolling B-25C that sank a barge off Lautem. Menado was found to be in pink status and an AK with 3500 supplies was sent from Palau. Also this base has several Naval infantry units that will be sent more south in the following days.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy with 9k fuel left Haiphong for Toboali, another with 10k fuel left Saigon for Kuching.

Burma

The day was perfectly quiet and tomorrow will be a good weather day (only overcast, that is good enough for Burma). A recon today again reported Hurricane defending Chandpur and an APD docked here. So Rangoon Nell will raid the port tomorrow, escorted by 2 Daitai of A6M3a and one of A6M2. The main goal of the operation will be to kill Allied fighters.

Rangoon fortifications were finished (level 9) and the engineers troops building them were scattered. The 4th Eng Rgt had begun since two days to be carried by air to Akyab and will continue. Two of the 4 Const Bns in Rangoon will remain to expand the airfield (size 7 now, objective is 9), one will go to Pagan and the other to Taung Gyi to accelerate fort building in both these places.

China

In the north, Lanchow Allied airmen shot down a Ki-46 Dinah and attacked nearby Japanese troops with 36 Hurricane and 6 Spitfire, hitting 52 men and 2 guns. Zeroes from Yenen will LRCAP again the area tomorrow.

Other than that the activity in China was limited to Japanese artillery fire in Lanchow (11 Chinese hit), Kungchang (6 Chinese hit), Kweilin (121 Chinese hit) and west of Kweilin (25 Chinese hit).

Two coastal Chinese cities were in pink condition for supply: Foochow and Hanchow. Two small AK loaded with supplies left Osaka to supply them.

[AmiralLaurent]

13 December 1942

Central Pacific

The usual minelaying took place in Hawaii and surrounding islands. Japanese SIGINT reported 56 Allied units in San Francisco, and reported 49 last week. If these numbers are reliable, that probably means that my opponent didn’t redirect US HQ to India to send more troops here, but that Allied troops still arrive on the West Coast.

Southern Pacific

A Glen reported an Allied “CA” NW of Norfolk Island sailing W, so probably returning to Brisbane from Noumea.

New Zealand

The defenders of Dunedin were broken after the first day of the battle. During the night and day, only 10 CD shells targeted the last landing troops and Japanese ships and did no damage (there were 63 landing casualties). Dunedin itself was bombarded during the night by the same TF as the night before (2 BB, 4 CA, 2 CL) that was now seriously lacking shells and only scored 15 hits on the airfield (0/1/14) and 3 on the port (1/1/1), doing 88 casualties. After dawn the Dunedin Fortress was bombed by 83 Kates and 62 Vals launched by Japanese CV (with an escort of 10 A6M2) that hit 160 men and 1 gun. Two Vals were shot down by AA fire. No attack came from Wellington airfield to support the attack too as planned, but the Japanese troops easily took the base (at 38 to 1) and captured the Dunedin Fortress and 104 RNZN Base Force. Japanese casualties were limited to 16 men and 1 gun while New Zealander ones were 6563 men and 14 guns.
The base was heavily damaged (30/43/89). First the three most heavily Japanese ships hit during the landing (2 AP and 1 PG) entered the port to try to stop them burning and sinking but one of them, a 3000-ton AP, was probably already doomed (damage 76/81/13). The 65th Bde and 7th Tk Rgt had about 25% of disabled squads and will recover there until operations against New Caledonia will begin (both were 100% prepared for Noumea). All warships bigger than PC/PG and both CV TF having supported the operation will return to Wellington. The few fuel captured in Dunedin (around 1k) was used by some DD to refuel.

In Christchurch artillery exchanges saw the loss of 300 Allied men and 1 gun, and of 48 Japanese.

Japanese troops continued to reach Auckland and to pound it with shells, hitting 88 men and 3 guns and losing 137 men under Allied return fire. Only the 56th Div, one ART Rgt and an Eng Rgt had not yet reached the city, but a major problem was the lack of supplies of the Army. Despite being linked with a railroad to Wellington, where 273 000 supplies had been unloaded to support the Army (at bit too much OK… But I wanted to be sure I will have enough, and supply isn’t a problem anywhere in the Empire.), most units near Auckland have only 50% of their required supplies.

The CV TF west of Northern Island continued to sail closer from Suva but didn’t close enough to allow A6M3 to reach them from this base. The 22 A6M2 that reached the CVs yesterday flew to Wellington and 27 more A6M2 arrived aboard the CV from Suva.
A convoy with 64k fuel arrived in Wellington (where there was no more) and started unloading. Another left Suva for the same base with 28k fuel.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

A Hudson I flying recon over Rabaul in the morning reported 11 Ki-61 chasing it and then disappeared. It was shot down by AA fire. In the afternoon 17 B-24D from Port Moresby attacked as usual Rabaul airfields and reported no CAP. They scored 7 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 14 on the runways, disabling 87 men and 1 gun.

The Tonies reported in the morning were leakers from Kavieng CAP. This base still had too few supplies. Even if a 3500-ton AK loaded with supplies arrived in the evening, it hadn’t started to unload yet. The 30 fighters in Kavieng were all sent to Rabaul and ordered to fly maximum CAP over the airfield.

In Truk, both Japanese Parachute Regiments had been recovering and resting since the fall of Rabaul (where part of them were used). The 1st Para Rgt received today orders to prepare for the Australian city of Newcastle (that may be reached by Japanese transport AC from New Zealand) and boarded a convoy that will bring it to New Zealand via Tarawa and Suva to avoid Allied bases. The 2nd Parachute Regiment will be used in the invasion of New Caledonia, and will train for La Foa.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon Lautem was attacked by 28 B-25C from Darwin that did no damage at all.

The long awaited reorganisation of the Japanese forces in the area began. A convoy loaded a Naval Guard Unit in Menado and will bring it to Amboina. A solitary small AP started to load part of a small BF in Kendari to bring it to Koepang. Also a 7000-ton AK will carry supplies from Kendari to this same base, that had not been bombed for some times. The runways were fully repaired, and only the airfield services were damaged at 52%. Next month it is planned to have again Japanese aircraft based here and raiding Derby. To prepare this the Nell Sentai in Kendari was divided in 3 and given orders to fly recon with no target given, so it is hoped they will recon most of the NW Australia bases without raising too much attention.

Southern Resource Area

In Palembang, the 1st Sentai converted from his old Nates, and was the second unit to receive the Ki-43-IIa Oscar.

Two convoys started to load respectively 36k oil in Brunei for Japan and 7k resources in Manila for Japan.

Burma

45 Nells took off from Rangoon to raid Chandpur port. I planned to escort them with A6M3a and A6M2. The latter didn’t flow for an unknown reason, and were replaced by… Ki-43-IIa. I just forgot that their greater range will allow them to reach the target too. So 8 Oscar II were the first to engage the Allied CAP, 16 Hurricane II of 20 Sqn RAF, and the new IJAAF fighter began well by shooting down one Hurricane. But the final score was 3 Oscars lost for only one victory. 51 A6M3a (2 Daitais) also escorted the raid and shot down 14 Hurricane without any loss or damage. Guess what ? The Japanese top ace, End Sugio S. of F1/3rd, again scored a double victory and raised his score to 32. Two A6M3a (flown by “ordinary” pilots, not aces) were lost in crashes but one pilot returned unhurt to his unit. The bombing was a failure, the Nells only scored 4 port hits and lost 3 of their number to AA fire. Allied ground casualties were 113 men and 2 guns. Japanese airmen will revert to “normal” activities (CAP and naval search) tomorrow.
The only Allied raid of the day in the area saw 24 Vengeance I from Imphal attack Japanese troops SE of their base under escort by 8 Spitfire and 6 Hurricane, and they hit 91 men and 1 gun. A Catalina I was shot down by the Japanese CAP over Rangoon.

Five ML left Singapore toward Victoria Point where they will refuel before sailing to Andaman Islands and lay minefields here. Two MSW were sent from Rangoon to first sweep these waters in case an Allied submarine had mined them before.

China

In the North, 15 A6M2 from Yenen flew LRCAP over Lanchow and intercepted two waves of bombers coming from Ledo, for a total of 21 B-17E, 11Il-4c and 7 Wellington III. They totally ignored the Fortress and attacked easier targets, shooting down 3 Wellington and 3 Il-4c without loss. Allied bombers still attacked Japanese troops and hit 140 men and 2 guns. Two A6M2 ran out of fuel while returning to base and were lost but one pilot returned unhurt to his unit. Tomorrow there will again be no CAP over Lanchow.
Japanese artillery fire hit 7 men and 1 gun in Lanchow, and 97 men in Kungchang.

In the south Chinese troops in Kweilin were bombed by 58 Ki-48 (one lost in a crash), 33 A6M2 and 24 Ki-51 from Canton, and by artillery and lost a total of 239 men and 1 gun. West of the city the 60th Div still pounded surrounded Chinese units and hit 27 men.

Japan

In the evening, an ASW group (3 PC and 3 PF) unsuccessfully chased the SS USS Sunfish 180 miles west of Tori Shima.

The fuel situation in South Pacific, and especially New Zealand, was still bad and a new convoy left Kitakyushu with 87k fuel for this area. Two other convoys were on the way (but only around Marianas) with a total of 130k.
A survey of the Korean ports showed that five (Pusan, Luda, Inch’on, Seoul and Hungnam) had more than 40k fuel, and little use for it. A TF was formed with 24 3500-ton AK in Osaka and will ferry fuel from Korea to Japanese bases.
The HQ 7th Air Div was created in Tokyo and ordered to prepare for Rabaul. A fast AP convoy will arrive in Tokyo tomorrow and will carry it to Truk.

[AmiralLaurent]

14-15 December 1942

Northern Pacific

On the 14th, 3 barges carrying a detachment of naval infantry left Paramushiro Jima for Komandorski Island. The barges that left two days ago will reach Attu and Kiska tomorrow or the day after.

New Zealand

After a quiet day on the 14th, the Japanese airmen of Wellington raided Auckland on the 15th with 25 Betties and 8 Nells escorted by 46 land-based A6M2. Their goal was to destroy Allied aircraft in the air and on the ground but it was a failure. Six Kittyhawk I of 17 RNZAF Sqn bounced them and shot down 5 A6M2 for only one loss. The bombers only scored 1 hit on a supply dump and 9 on the runways. Another A6M2 and a Nell were lost in crashes.

At sea, all ships that supported the attack of Dunedin returned to Wellington, while the last CV TF was still NW of New Zealand and allowed 27 more A6M2 and 21 A6M3 to reach Wellington. The CVE Chuyo was detached with two DD and will sail to Suva. The other CVs sailed toward Auckland on the 15th but after the losses of the land-based raid were ordered to return to Wellington.

This order was given after the Southern Army commander had decided that Auckland will be attacked first without any sea or air support. The last two days of artillery fire were clearly in Japanese favour, both in Christchurch (569 Allied men and 14 gun lost vs. 23 Japanese men and 1 gun) and in Auckland (1161 Allied men and 33 guns lost against 22 Japanese men). And both cities will be attacked tomorrow, as all Japanese troops were now in place and well supplied.
In Christchurch, 2 Div, a Bde, 2 Eng Rgt and 1 Tk Rgt will attack an Inf Bde, a Cav Bde, a Fortress unit and a RNZN Base Force. The assault ratio is 1341 vs. 221 in Japan favour, and the attack will be supported by two bombardment TF coming from Wellington with a total of 5 BB, 8 CA and 5 CL, by the Betties and Nells of Wellington and by Vals and Kates of two CV TF that will sail off Christchurch.
In Auckland, the Southern Area Army had 6 Inf Div, 1 Tk Div and more than a dozen support units for a total of 3580 ASS points, opposed to four Inf Bdes, 1 Cav Bde, 1 Fortress unit and 1 RNZN BF, having 607 ASS points.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

In the afternoon of the 14th, 12 B-24D from Port Moresby attacked Rabaul again and were intercepted by 22 Ki-61 of 203 Sentai. The Japanese fighters shot down one Liberator but didn’t stop the others that attacked the airfield, destroying a Tony on the ground, disabling 37 men and 1 gun and scoring 4 hits on buildings, 1 on supplies and 6 on the runway. The Tonies remained in place but there was no raid the next day. Fearing a new concentration of heavy bombers that will again crush Rabaul airfield, the 203 Sentai moved in the evening of the 15th back to Kavieng and will LRCAP Rabaul tomorrow.

In the Solomons, the convoy carrying the 33rd Special Base Force reached Lunga on the 14th and began to unload. The NLF that occupied Munda and Russel Island received orders to prepare respectively for La Foa and Koumac in New Caledonia.

East of Brisbane, the SS I-10 followed for two days the “CA” reported the day before by her Glen, probably a damaged warship coming from Suva, but didn’t manage to attack.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Lautem was attacked on both afternoon by B-25C from Darwin, for a total of 58 sorties, but they scored only 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 1 on the runway, doing 12 casualties. On the 15th, 7 Brewster 339D also attacked without success barges north of Lautem.

Kendari Nells began to fly recon on the 14th but so far have only targeted Tenimbar Island, reporting here 3 Allied units (two identified as the 3rd DAF BF and the Gull Force, 4060 men in all) and a PBY base.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 17k resources in Toboali for Singapore, another 10k fuel in Bangkok for Kuching. And Japanese engineers expanded both the port and airfield of Saigon to size 7.

Burma

Allied airmen were the only busy these two days. Imphal airmen attacked the airfield of Mandalay on the 14th (with 59 SB-2c, 28 Beaufort V-IX and 27 Beaufort I escorted by 55 P-40B, disabling 27 men and 1 gun and scoring 20 hits on the airbase, 9 on supplies and 57 on the runway) and Myitkyina on the 15th (with 47 SB-2c, 23 Beaufort V-IX and 22 Beaufort I escorted by 49 P-40B, disabling 32 men and 2 guns and scoring 9 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 42 on the runway) and attacked on both days the 81st Naval Guard Unit SE of their base (with a total of 50 Vengeance I escorted by 16 Spitfire and 12 Hurricane), hitting 156 men and 1 gun. And Dacca airmen attacked twice Akyab (with a total of 116 B-25C and 104 Blenheim IV sorties escorted by 72 P-40B) and scored 21 hits on the airbase, 16 on supplies and 157 on the runway, disabling 55 men and 1 gun. Despite the engineers carried by transport aircraft from Rangoon since several days, Akyab airfield was severely damaged (40/55) at the end of these two days, and Mandalay and Myitkyina airfield were also damaged. But that was not achieved without losses. The two days cost the Allied a Beaufort V-IX and a SB-2c shot down by AA fire, and 3 P-40B, 3 SB-2c, 2 Beaufort V-IX, 1 Hurricane II and 1 B-25C lost in accidents.

On the Japanese side, the 21st Mixed Bde left Myitkyina (leaving here the 4th Rgt to defend the city) and will be divided and go to reserve positions in Lashio and Taung Gyi, so protecting these bases from a paratroops assault.

China

Air activity over China was reduced on the 14th to recon flights and an Allied fighter coming from Lanchow shot down a Ki-15 over Kungchang. The next day, Japanese troops near Lanchow were bombed by 34 Hurricane II of the local base escorted by 9 Spitfire, and by 27 B-17E, 9 Il-4c and 7 Wellington III from Ledo (in 2 waves) and lost 141 men and 3 guns, while a Wellington was lost in a crash. The only Japanese raid was in the south when 42 Ki-48, 32 A6M2 and 21 Ki-51 from Canton bombed a Chinese Corps defending Kweilin, hitting 67 men and 1 gun.

The land activity was still limited to Japanese artillery fire in Lanchow (80 Chinese men and 2 guns hit in 2 days), Kungchang (145 men hit), Kweilin (313 men and 2 guns hit) and west of Kweilin (68 men hit).

Of the Japanese troops earmarked for the attack of Kweilin, only a half Bde had not arrived and will reach the target in 1-2 days. To support the attack, Canton airmen were reinforced in the evening of the 15th by two Sentais of Ki-48 that became operational (were created in the game) in Japan the day before.

Japan

The ASW group based in Bonins (3 PC and 3 PG) attacked and scored a direct hit on the SS USS Sunfish 180 miles W of Tori Shima on the evening of the 14th and then chased the next night the SS USS Shad 120 miles NW of the same island.

A strange thing happened in Osaka. The F2/6th Daitai arrived as reinforcements in Osaka with a full roster of pilots having around 75 exp. I am quite sure I disbanded this unit (it has already 33 kills), and it should have come back with 0 pilots as usual. So is it a bug or a new feature? I don’t know, but the IJNAF pool is empty since January 1942 and F2/6th should not have been operational before 3-4 months of training in Japan and China.

A fast AP convoy loaded in Tokyo the HQ 18th Army and HQ 7th Air Div and will bring them to Truk. A slow AP convoy loaded in the same port two small BF and will bring them to Songkhia. In this area three nearby bases (Songkhia, Alor Star and Georgetown) had Special Base Forces and two of these will be more useful elsewhere.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

A strange thing happened in Osaka. The F2/6th Daitai arrived as reinforcements in Osaka with a full roster of pilots having around 75 exp. I am quite sure I disbanded this unit (it has already 33 kills), and it should have come back with 0 pilots as usual. So is it a bug or a new feature? I don’t know, but the IJNAF pool is empty since January 1942 and F2/6th should not have been operational before 3-4 months of training in Japan and China.

Maybe you withdrew the unit (by accident or on purpose) instead of disbanding it?

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

A strange thing happened in Osaka. The F2/6th Daitai arrived as reinforcements in Osaka with a full roster of pilots having around 75 exp. I am quite sure I disbanded this unit (it has already 33 kills), and it should have come back with 0 pilots as usual. So is it a bug or a new feature? I don’t know, but the IJNAF pool is empty since January 1942 and F2/6th should not have been operational before 3-4 months of training in Japan and China.

Maybe you withdrew the unit (by accident or on purpose) instead of disbanding it?

Well I had two A6M3 units and when the total number of experienced pilots of both combined fell under 30, I combined them (ie pilots of the smaller went to the bigger one). I'm pretty sure this is what happens when you disband a unit, and that was what I wanted to do. And even if I the wrond button, only about ten pilots should have high 70+ exp.

No, it's definetly strange. Maybe the pilots are coming from the named pilot pool, but I never intended to use it, and never learned to use it anyway.

[PzB74]

I have also experienced this Laurent! 2 crack carrier Zeek Daitais with 75-78 avg exp + one 36 ac Tony Sentai
with 75 avg exp. You take what you get [;)]

[AmiralLaurent]

PzB, in my situation I don't need these pilots ASAP and will keep them in Japan for 3-4 months (the usual training time for my unit) before using them. In 1944 I don't know if I will do the same, Allied CAP is so awful that even crack pilots are slaugthered...

16-17 December 1942

With the end of the campaign of New Zealand (one month earlier than what was planned), Japan is again above 5 to 1 on the scoreboard. In the evening of the 17th, Japan has 43 356 points, the Allied have 8089.

Northern Pacific

On the 17th barges unload Japanese marines in Attu (83 casualties) and Kiska (120 casualties). In blizzard conditions communication problems and confusion won’t allow troops to do more than reorganize (in real life I forgot to give them orders to attack to take the islands).

New Zealand

Auckland was attacked on the 16th by the Southern Area Army (6 Inf Div and 1 Tk Rgt, with about twenty smaller units supporting them) and fell (fort 8 reduced to 7 by engineers, ratio was 10 to 1 with nominal ASS value 3567 to 581, modified ones 3322 to 324). Japanese losses were heavy (1429 men, 69 guns and 6 tanks) but the New Zealander lost 29 082 men, 74 guns and 1 vehicle. The New Zealand Command, Auckland Fortress, 1st, 2nd and 14th NZ Bde, Fiji Bde, 1st NZ Cav Bde and 101 RNZN Base Force surrendered, and 5 Kittyhawk I were found on the airfield. Japanese discovered that the New Zealander government, quite upset by the lack of support from his Allies, was still in Auckland and had ordered his troops to not fight on the streets of Auckland but only to defend the approaches of the cities. So Auckland was spared the fate of Manila, Yenen, Oahu and other cities devastated by weeks of battles… The base was taken intact with 12k fuel. 228 mines were reported around the base and 2 MSW TF sent from Wellington to deal with them. Japanese engineers began at once to build fortifications and expand the airfield (currently size 6).

Christchurch held just one more day. On the afternoon of the 16th it was bombed by 2 BB, 4 CA and 3 CL that scored 11 hits on the airfield (3/1/7) and 11 on the port (8/0/3) and disabled 136 men and 4 guns. Japanese airmen were supposed to support the attack, but only recon flights were flown and a Pete was shot down by Allied AA fire. Then Japanese troops (18th and 53rd Div, 56th Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt, 1 HQ, 1 ART unit) attacked and reduced the forts of one level (to 6) but only achieved a ratio of 6 to 1 and the city held. Japanese losses were 191 men, 10 guns and 1 tank while the New Zealanders lost 851 men, 13 guns and 1 vehicle.
The next night the other Japanese bombardment TF (3 BB, 4 CA and 1 CL) bombed the city, destroying 1 Hudson I on the ground, disabling 306 men, 3 guns and 2 vehicles and scoring 31 hits on the airfield and 26 on the port. After dawn the 3rd NZ Cav Bde, one of the units defending the city, was bombed by 84 Kates and 64 Vals launched by Japanese CV off the port and then by 13 Betties and 4 Nells from Wellington and lost 163 men and 1 gun. The defenders of Christchurch had the same orders as those of Auckland, not fight in the city itself, and when their lines were pierced on the second day of the attack (engineers reduced fort to 5, ratio was 20 to 1), they surrendered. That was the end of New Zealander Army, and more precisely of the 3rd NZ Bde, 3rd NZ Cav Bde, Christchurch Fort and 103 RNZN Base Force. Japanese losses were 307 men, 4 guns and 3 tanks, Allied ones were 12169 men and 39 guns. 15 Hudson I were captured on the airfield. It seems to me they had the range to flee to Noumea but were kept in NZ due to political reasons (my wild guess being that my opponent had a negative score in PP after keeping capital British ships in the game). Christchurch was not intact due to two days of bombing (damage 46/7/0).

As I said one week ago, I expected the NZ campaign to last until mid-January, with operations against Australia, Noumea and Hebrides to start after this date. The plan will remain the same but one month earlier than planned. Not a problem as all forces that will be used in the operations are already in the area, and supplies and fuel to do them is on the way.

So all units in New Zealand, except the garrison troops (56th Bde, several Naval Guard Units, 2 Eng Rgt, a big Base Force and 7 small ones), received orders to prepare for Luganville (2 Div and 1 Eng Rgt), Efate (1 Div and 1 Eng Rgt) and Noumea (all the other units).
The base forces that were all in Wellington left for their garrison bases. The big Base Force will remain in Wellington, 4 small will march to Auckland, 2 will be shipped to Christchurch and 1 to Dunedin.
All ships that supported the Christchurch attack will return to Wellington to refuel, and the Kido Butai fighter units will be upgraded to the A6M3a (that had been kept in reserve for it, except for the two best land-based Zero units). The CV TF that didn’t participate to this battle, but cruised some days ago off Auckland, had already reached Wellington and replaced all A6M2 with A6M3a.

Two convoys left on the 17th Suva for Auckland, one carrying 2 Naval Guard Units, the other 42k of fuel. Three ML escorted the first and will be based in Auckland and lay defensive minefields around the contry.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

On the 16th, Rabaul was again attacked by 11 B-24D from Port Moresby that were intercepted by 13 Ki-61 of the 203 Sentai flying LRCAP from Kavieng. The Tonies shot down 3 Liberators for one loss to return fire and another to engine failure. The bombers scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 3 on the runways, disabling 29 men and 1 gun.
At the same time, 50 B-17E also coming from PM raided Kavieng. The 203 Sentai’s commander feared half of his fighters will be caught on the ground, as there was no CAP, but his unit escaped unscated (maybe due to bad Allied intelligence, as there had been no recon of Kavieng for a long time). The bombers scored 3 hits on supplies and 9 on runways and destroyed a Jake floatplane.
Having fulfilled its role to draw Allied bombers to this area and shot down some, the 203 Sentai flew the same evening back to Truk, leaving 4 damaged machines in Kavieng.

The next day, Rabaul was bombed by 48 B-17E and 8 B-24D from PM that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 25 on the runways. Japanese losses were 164 men and 1 gun.

In Truk the 2nd Parachute Regiment received orders to prepare to attack Koumac, in New Caledonia.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Darwin B-25C continued to bomb Lautem (25 aircraft on the 16th and 24 on the 17th with low results, scoring only 1 hit on a building, 1 on a supply dump and 1 on a runway and wounding 3 men in two days, while AA fire shot down one of them on the 16th. This same day seven Brewster 339D from Darwin attacked barges off Lautem and sank one.

Japanese aircraft began to be active again in the area. On the 16th two Petes flew into Koepang (now down to damage 32 for services) just to check if Allied bombers will attack. If not Japanese aircraft will fly in. On the 17th Kendari Nells began to fly recon over Australian bases and reported two surface TF and a CAP of 25-30 Kittyhawk I and 30 P-40E at Darwin, 13 Hurricane flying CAP at Wyndham and a CAP of around 40 over Derby (evenly divided between Hurricane, Spitfire and Kittyhawk). Such defences were judged a bit too high to raid Derby or Darwin, but implied that SW Australia was probably defenceless and so may be raided by the Kido Butai without risk.

Southern Resource Area

Two convoys started to load in the period. One will carry 105k oil from Palembang to Japan, the other 14k resources from Soerabaja to Japan.

Burma

Air activity was reduced these two days. Only the 81st Naval Guard Unit was bombed twice SE of Imphal by Imphal airmen (total of 47 Vengeance I escorted by 81 P-40B and 12 Hurricane II sorties) and lost 76 men and 1 gun. One F-5A Lightning was shot down by Japanese AA fire over Rangoon on the 17th.

China

China was also rather quiet. In the north, Japanese troops near Lanchow were bombed twice by local Allied airmen (total of 82 Hurricane II and 20 Spitfire Vb) and lost 61 men and 2 guns while a Hurricane was lost in a crash. Japanese guns hit in two days 10 men and 1 gun in Lanchow and 144 men in Kungchang. Tomorrow Yenen airmen will attack with all available aircraft the RAF airfield at Lanchow.

In the south, Chinese troops were bombarded at Kweilin by Japanese artillery (369 men and 1 gun hit in 2 days) and by Canton airmen (total of 125 Ki-48, 65 A6M2 and 24 Ki-51 all flying ground attack and hitting 120 men and 3 guns while losing a Ki-48 and a Zero in crashes). W of Kweilin, the 60th Div continued to bombard surrounded Chinese troops and hit 13 men in two days.
The last unit planned to take part to the attack of Kweilin (half of the 18th Bde) reached the city on the 17th. But as most of the units had preparation under 50%, aerial support was thought to be mandatory to launch the offensive and so the Army will wait for a good weather day (thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow) and will continue to prepare in the mean time.

Japan

In the evening of the 17th, the SS USS Sunfish tried to attack a Japanese convoy 180 miles west of Tori Shima but was seen and chased by the escort (1 PG and 2 MSW).

[PzB74]

I still got the pilots in Japan, 2 months after their arrival. Strategic reserve....planning to put the Zekes on
my carriers when they get out of the yards. And that takes time; even with several hundred repair points in a size 9-10
port, aditional AR ship and Naval HQ present a fleet carrier barely repairs 3-4 sys damage points pr week.

As you may remember I also received a NZ Kittyhawk III Squadron with 16 ac in Java.
Considering to deny the unit replacements and use it as a special one shot voluenteer unit [;)]
It's more show than anything else; the furious pace of 1944 air combat has already flooded our pilot array and a handful
of ac too and from doesn't matter much.

You don't have much left to conquer in the Pacific AL, how's your opponent hangin' in there? [:)]

[AmiralLaurent]

My opponent is still hanging... He suffered for so long that now he will last until he can kick my a... with Essex, Corsairs, Thunderbolts and so on...

On a sidenote I began to read an AAR I had not watched yet and as always I find very difficult to understand what is going on, and how the players managed to arrive in the current situation. And I thought it was the same for all AAR, including mine.

So I edited the 2nd post of this AAR (the first lists the players, home rules and my initial plan) to write a sum-up of the game. I began to write it and will like your comments about the idea, and the realization.

[AmiralLaurent]

18 December 1942

Northern Pacific

Barges unload naval troops in Komandorski Island (47 casualties). My opponent remarked later that they were Soviet territory, but here they will be considered as American one.

Orders were finally issued in the evening to occupy the three islands invaded in the area.

Southern Pacific

In the evening, the whole Kido Butai was gathered in Wellington port and 130 more A6M3a replaced A6M2 in the CV fighter units (leaving the pool at 0).

A TF of AK and TK left Suva for Canton. Fuel reserves of the first were almost gone, while there were 60k in the last and some of these will be shipped to NZ.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

In the afternoon, Rabaul was attacked by 34 B-17E and 6 B-24D from Port Moresby that scored 6 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 15 on runways. Japanese losses were 46 men and 1 gun, while a B-17E was lost to engine failure and a Hudson I flying with the raid to take pictures was shot down by AA fire.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon, 23 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and scored 4 runway hits. There had been no reaction to the return of Japanese aircraft symbol (2 Petes) in Koepang, and in the evening two other Petes flew to Lautem for the same reason (having an aircraft symbol here, enabling to move in other aircraft later).

Southern Resource Area

A convoy with 14k supplies left Toboali for Rangoon.

Burma

Nothing to report.

China

In the north, 38 Hurricane from Lanchow attacked under escort by 10 Spitfire the troops near their base. The raid planned against Lanchow airfield in the afternoon was cancelled due to the bad weather over Yenen, and Japanese activity in the area was limited to artillery fire in Lanchow (7 men and 1 gun hit) and Kungchang (19 casualties).
Orders for tomorrow remained the same: an afternoon raid on Lanchow airfield with all available aircraft.

In the south, Japanese guns hit 103 men and 1 gun in Kweilin and 15 men in the woods west of it. Weather forecast for tomorrow still being bad, the attack on Kweilin was again postponed.

Japan

During the night, the ASW group based in Bonins chased unsuccessfully the SS Gurnard NW of Iwo Jima.

Two convoys left to bring fuel to South Pacific, the first with 102k from Kure and the second with 70k from Nagoya. Another convoy loaded the 25th Eng Rgt in Osaka to bring it to China for the Kungchang battle.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

On a sidenote I began to read an AAR I had not watched yet and as always I find very difficult to understand what is going on, and how the players managed to arrive in the current situation. And I thought it was the same for all AAR, including mine.

So I edited the 2nd post of this AAR (the first lists the players, home rules and my initial plan) to write a sum-up of the game. I began to write it and will like your comments about the idea, and the realization.

It's great! You could add links to the different parts of the AAR, too (is it possible to link to a specific post?). Be sure to mention further additions to your summary in your current updates, though, otherwise they might remain unnoticed.

[AmiralLaurent]

VSWG, I will continue the sum-up when I will have time. I tried to put a link on it, but it didn't appear as a link for some reason, so I decided to give the number of pages of the AAR to check. By the way I just saw a button 'link' in the message editor of this forum , so I will also try this.

19-20 December 1942

Northern Pacific

Japanese troops finished to occupy the undefended Attu, Kiska and Komandorski Islands. Barges will pick them up, leaving only small listening posts in place.

Southern Pacific

In New Zealand, Japanese MSW arrived in Wellington and swept roughly half of the 200 Allied mines remaining there. The wreck of a scuttled TK was reported in this port.
One of the two AR based in Wellington sailed south with 3 escorts to Dunedin, where two ships damaged here during the landing are still in danger of sinking (75 and 50 FLT).

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

Each afternoon, Rabaul was bombed by B-24D from Port Moresby, 12 on the 19th and 13 on the 20th. They disabled in two days 170 men and 1 gun and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 20 on the runways, while losing one of them in a crash.
Now that Kavieng was well supplied, the 203 Sentai’s Ki-61 flew in the evening of the 20 back to this base from Truk and will LRCAP again Rabaul in the future. The transport that brought supplies to Kavieng then loaded a fragment of the 1st Para Rgt forgotten here and sailed with it to Southern Pacific.

Minor operations will include tomorrow the laying of a defensive minefield off Lunga (where a Special Base Force has been fully unloaded) and a landing by barges on the dot near Rabaul by troops of the 5th Div to chase coast watchers.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Lautem was bombed on the 19th and 20th respectively by 23 and 20 B-25C from Darwin that scored in two days 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 12 on the runway and did 21 casualties but lost one bomber shot down by AA and two in crashes.

The departure of the Allied heavy bombers from this area (to Port Moresby) will allow more operations from Timor, and more and more convoys were sent to the island. On the 19th two 3500-ton AK left Kendari with supplies for Koepang and Dili. The next day 7 new barges were launched in Kendari and joined the barge train for Lautem. Also a FT TF was formed with 2 CL and 2 DD and will carry supplies to Lautem.

Southern Resource Area


Burma

A Ki-46 was shot down by Allied CAP over Imphal on the 19th, and the next day a F-5A Lightning was shot down by AA fire over Rangoon. Also on the 20th, 24 Vengeance I from this bases escorted by 43 P-40B and 6 Hurricane attacked Japanese troops SE of their base and hit 102 men and 1 gun.

Japanese engineers expanded Taung Gyi airfield to size 4 and will now only build fortifications here.

China

In the north, Lanchow was crushed by two days of Japanese air raids.
On the afternoon of the 19th, 50 Ki-21 and 49 Ki-49 escorted by 88 Ki-44, 60 A6M2 and 27 Oscar Is took off from Yenen to attack the RAF base. 42 Hurricane II and 11 Spitfire Vb intercepted the raid… and they were all shot down (hmm… did I already say WITP A2A model is far too bloody?). The kill ratio was not 53 to 1 as it will be later with Corsairs anyway and Japanese losses were 19 Ki-44, 6 Ki-43 and 1 A6M2 in the air battle and 1 A6M2 and 1 Ki-49 in operational losses. The bombers were unscathed and reached the airfield, destroying 13 Hurricane and 1 Spitfire on the ground and scoring 8 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 45 on the runway.
Japanese airmen returned to this target next morning with 50 Ki-21, 48 Ki-49 and 21 Ki-43 (now carrying bombs, as they had not performed well as escorts) escorted by 56 A6M2, 37 Ki-44 and 12 Ki-61. From the battered airfield 16 Hurricane and 4 Spitfire opposed them. This time they were two Allied survivors, 1 Hurricane that fled and 1 Spitfire that reached the bombers but hit none. The 15 other Hurricane and 3 Spitfire were shot down by the escort at the cost of 3 Ki-44 and 1 A6M2. Bombers then plastered again the airfield, destroying this time 36 Hurricane and 11 Spitfire on the ground and scoring 9 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 89 on the runways. Japanese crews began to be tired and this second day of raid cost 8 aircraft lost in accidents (4 Ki-49, 2 A6M2, 1 Ki-21 and 1 Ki-44), but most crew were saved.
So in two day, for 40 losses (30 A2A and 10 op), the Yenen airmen destroyed 71 RAF fighters in the air and 61 in the ground, a ratio better than 3 to 1 that is very good in late 1942. The results in air combat for each fighter unit were the following:
70 Sentai (Ki-44): 20 victories/10 losses
85 Sentai (Ki-44): 8 victories/5 losses
87 Sentai (Ki-44): 17 victories/6 losses
248 Sentai (Ki-43-I): 2 victories/6 losses
10 Chutai (Ki-61): 1 victory
F4/Toko (A6M2): 18 victories/1 loss
F3/Yokosuka (A6M2): 1 loss
F2/Genzan (A6M2): 5 victories
On the ground, the Allied situation also worsened on the 19th when half of a Japanese Bde cut the Sining-Lanchow road, having marched through woods from the road NE of Lanchow. More troops will follow and then a unit will keep the road and the other march to Sining and attack it. Japanese artillery fire hit in two days 111 men and 4 guns in Lanchow and 306 men and 1 gun in Kungchang.
South of Kungchang, Chinese troops continue to advance. Two of the 9 Chinese units on the mountain 120 miles S of Kungchang moved NW and arrived just near the besieged city, but on the wrong side of a river. I don’t know what my opponent wants to do with these troops. Their best use will be to reinforce Lanchow (where only one Corps is) so I have less than two months to take the town (that is under siege for longer than that).

In the south, Chinese troops in Kweilin were bombed on the 19th by 84 Ki-48, 33 A6M2 and 6 Ki-51 and lost 19 men and 2 guns, while a Ki-48 was lost in a crash. Bad weather then cancelled again operations, and the attack of the city was again postponed. Japanese artillery hit in two days 308 men and 1 gun in Kweilin and 17 men in the woods west of it.
In the evening of the 20th, 2 Sentai of Ki-48 and one of Ki-51 left Canton to provide room for airmen arriving from Japan for operational training (36 A6M2, 26 Vals and 9 Kates, with exp 43-45 after training in Japan). And a Chutai of A6M2 flew from Canton to Yenen and was disbanded here to reinforce a under strength Daitai.

Japan

Three more disbanded units were reformed on the 19th in Osaka (a Zero Daitai and two Kate Chutai) and again all received experienced pilots (exp from 60 to 85), and will stay in Sasebo for 3-4 months for “training”.

In the evening of the 19th, the SS Gurnard attacked NW of Iwo Jima the Bonins ASW group but missed a PC with here torpedoes. She then escaped without being detected by the Japanese ships (3 PC and 3 PG).

[AmiralLaurent]

21-22 December 1942

Northern Pacific

The first Allied reaction to the Japanese advance was on the 21st, 10 B-26B from Adak bombing Kiska without hitting anything.

Barges returned to the 3 occupied islands in the evening of the 22nd and will evacuate all combat troops back to Paramushiro Jima, leaving only “coast watchers”.

Southern Pacific

Japanese engineers expanded Auckland airfield to level 7 (+ 150 points..), while in Wellington 25 more A6M3a replaced A6M2 aboard the Kido Butai, leaving only one A6M2 unit. The CV and BB TF and most of the transports left Wellington on the evening of the 21st to sail to Auckland and use the better facilities of this bigger port.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

Ten B-24D from PM raided Rabaul on the 21st, scoring 1 hit on a building and 11 on runways and doing 24 casualties. The next day Tonies from the Kavieng-based 203 Sentai flew LRCAP over Rabaul but there was no raid, even if a Hudson I flying a recon flight was shot down by AA fire. Tomorrow the 203 Sentai will fly CAP over Kavieng only.

On the 22nd, the SS I-160 was bombed by a B-17E 240 miles NW of Cooktown and lightly damaged (16/4/0). She will return to Truk for repairs.

Some barges brought a little detachment of the 5th Div from Rabaul to Samo, New Ireland, and the empty spot will be occupied tomorrow.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Lautem was bombed in the afternoon of the 22nd by 21 B-25C from Darwin that scored 2 runway hits.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 18k oil in Miri to bring them to Saigon. In Batavia the local defence fighter unit, the 77 Sentai, converted from Ki-27 Nate to the Ki-43-II Oscar.

Burma

Only Allied airmen were active, and on a small scale. The 81st Naval Guard Unit SE of Imphal was bombed twice by aircraft from this base (for a total of 47 Vengeance I, 90 P-40B and 12 Hurricane II sorties) and lost 107 men and 3 guns. Two F-5A Lightning were lost over Rangoon, one to AA fire on the 21st and the other shot down by the CAP the next day.

China

In the north, bad weather cancelled the raid on Lanchow planned again on the 21st. Recon aircraft reported that the base was evacuated, and no raid was planned on the 22nd but the Oscar Sentai didn’t receive the order. So 21 Oscar I escorted by 19 Ki-44 attacked the airfield on the 22nd and destroyed a Spitfire on the ground, scored one hit on a building and four on the runways and lost one Oscar to AA fire.
Hurricane of Sining flew on both days (for a total of 34 sorties) against the half-brigade that cut the Sining-Lanchow road and hit 59 men and 4 guns.

In the south, the 46th Chinese Corps was bombed on the 22nd by 55 A6M2, 50 Ki-48, 23 Vals and 8 Kates from Canton and lost 34 men and 2 guns. Almost all crews were trainees and operational losses were heavy: 2 Ki-48, 1 A6M2 and 1 Kate.

On both northern and southern front, the ground troops still waited for good weather to launch an attack but forecast remained the same: thunderstorms. So their activity was reduced to artillery fire, hitting in two days 157 men and 6 guns in Lanchow, 461 men in Lanchow, 340 men and 1 gun in Kweilin and 15 men in the woods west of Kweilin.

Japan

On the 21st the SS Gurnard was again chased by the Bonin ASW group NW of Iwo Jima and again escaped undamaged.

Another disbanded unit (a Zero Chutai) was reformed in Osaka on the 21st, the experience of the pilots was between 49 and 57, so it seems to me that the ‘named pilot’ pool is running out and we will soon see “normal” experience level (30-40) for reformed units.

A new MLE was launched in Osaka and sailed with 4 ML and 3 AK laden with fuel to Eforoto Jima, in the Kuriles. They will lay mines in this area.

Two convoys left Japan, one with 80k fuel and 2 AR from Osaka to Southern Pacific and the other with 14k supplies from Kitakyushu to Tientsin, China.

The last Eng Rgt of the Kwantung Army, the 5th, was assigned to the 4th Fleet and boarded ships in Inch’on to sail to Southern Pacific and take part in the attack of Noumea (being 100% prepared for this target).

[AmiralLaurent]

But tomorrow should see battles over India, Rabaul and two big offensives in China

23 December 1942

Northern Pacific

As two days ago, 10 B-26B took off in the afternoon from Adak to bomb Kiska but only three found the target and missed it.

Southern Pacific

The convoy bringing a Base Force from Wellington to Dunedin reported an Allied minefield off its destination but no ship was damaged.

The Betty Daitai based in Wellington flew to Auckland, where base forces arrived by train, and will fly recon from there (I divided it in 3 and gave no target).

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, 11 B-24D from Port Moresby raided as usual Rabaul. The AA fire shot down one and damaged half of the other, while the bombs disabled 55 men and 2 guns and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 8 on the runways. Tomorrow Tonies from Kavieng will again LRCAP Rabaul.

The little detachment of the 5th Japanese Div that landed near Samo, New Ireland, two day ago occupied this undefended village east of Rabaul.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Nothing to report

Southern Resource Area

A convoy started to load 63k resources in Singapore for Japan, another 17k supplies in Kuala Lumpur for Rangoon.

Burma

A new F-5A Lightning was shot by a Japanese fighter over Rangoon. In the north 24 Vengeance and 7 Hurricane from Imphal escorted by 46 P-40B bombed Japanese troops in the mountain SE of their base and hit 45 men.

Tomorrow will be a good weather day (only partly cloudy) and Nells and Zeroes from Rangoon will raid Chandpur again, this time targeting the airfield and hoping to catch some Allied aircraft on the ground and in the air, leaking from Dacca.

China

Yenen airmen didn’t fly, but Allied airmen did. The half brigade between Lanchow and Sining lost 28 men when it was bombed by 16 Hurricanes from Sining, one of them being lost in a crash, while two divisions on the Kungchang front were attacked by 27 B-17E and 8 Il-4c from Ledo and lost a total of 233 men and 4 guns. Japanese artillery hit 25 men and 2 guns in Lanchow, and 8 men in Kungchang.

In the south, a Chinese Corps in Kweilin was bombed by 54 A6M2, 24 Vals, 20 Ki-48 and 7 Kate and lost 22 men while a Zero was lost in a crash. Japanese shells hit 142 men in Kweilin and 8 in the woods west of this city.

At least the weather forecast for tomorrow over both parts of China was ‘partly cloudy’ and orders were sent to attack tomorrow both in Kweilin and Lanchow.
In Kweilin, 3 Chinese Corps and 2 HQ (ASS 717) will be attacked by 5.33 Div, a half Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, 3 ART units and 2 HQ (ASS 2557) with support of the training units based in Canton and of two Ki-48 Sentai based in Wuhan. When the Japanese reached the city three weeks ago, the ASS value of the garrison was 788.
In Lanchow, a Chinese Corps and a Base Force (ASS 322) will be attacked by 4 Div, a half Bde, 2 Eng Rgt and 1 Tk Rgt (ASS 1974) with the support of Yenen airmen. Japanese troops here are lacking support but are fully supplied for the first time of the long Lanchow battle, while the Chinese are probably lacking supplies. One month ago, their ASS value was 376.

Japan

The stock of Mitsubishi engines went over 6000 and so orders were given to stop three Mitsubishi factories of size 80 each.

[AmiralLaurent]

At the start of this turn, I was confident, one minute later I was watching an incoming disaster and in the end I was triumphant. WITP for ever...

24 December 1942

Northern Pacific

Seven B-26Bs from Adak attacked Kiska and scored one hit on the empty airbase.

Southern Pacific

Several Betties from Auckland flew recon over Noumea. One was shot down by AA fire but the other reported a CAP of 15 P-38G, 12 units holding the base with 42 640 men, 542 guns and 46 vehicles, 203 aircraft (57/90/56) and 3 docked ships (1 CA, 2 APD). Recon flights will target all New Caledonia bases tomorrow.

In New Zealand, for some reasons, Japanese MSW didn’t sweep Allied mines off Auckland but all Japanese ships sent to this port entered it without problems. The warships used all available fuel without filling their tanks, but 78k of fuel will arrive in some days. And the last A6M2 unit of the KB was converted to A6M3a.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

Ten B-24D from Port Moresby attacked Rabaul in the afternoon but were bounced by 13 Ki-61 of 203 Sentai flying LRCAP from Kavieng that shot down four bombers for the loss of one of their number to engine failure. The bombers scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 5 on the runways and did 32 casualties. Tomorrow the Tonies will fly local defence over Kavieng.

The detachment of the 5th Div that occupied Samo boarded barges again and sailed to Mussau Island, the last Allied dot in the area.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

31 B-25C took off in the afternoon from Darwin to attack Lautem but only 15 found it, scoring 4 hits on the runway and wounding 5 men. Shortly later 7 Brewster 339D strafed barges off this base without success.

Supplies are slowly growing in Timor. Koepang and Dili, both supplied since some days by solitary AKs, have now 3600 and 350, while Lautem, where only a FT TF and barges go, has 1300.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 21k resources in Saigon for Japan, while 4 empty AKs left Soerabaja under escort for Balikpapan to load more resources here. Also 3 MLs left Soerabaja to lay a defensive minefield off Maumere.

Burma

The day began with a dawn attack on Myitkyina airfield by 61 SB-2c, 28 Beaufort V-IX and 25 Beaufort I from Imphal escorted by 51 P-40B. They scored 9 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 75 on the runway but lost 1 SB-2c shot down by AA fire and 1 Beaufort V-IX in a crash.

At the same time 46 Nells, 50 A6M3 and 22 A6M2 took off from Rangoon to raid Chandpur airfield. The aces of the F1/3rd Daitai reached the area first, still wondering if they will have the chance to meet some Hurricane or Mohawk to raise their score. Well, they did. In fact during the night all Allied aircraft based in Dacca had moved to Chandpur for operations against Akyab, and the Japanese raid had been detected by radar, so 56 P-40B of the 23rd FG, 30 Mohawk IV of 5 and 155 Sqn and 13 Hurricane II of 20 Sqn intercepted the raid.
The F1/3rd Daitai was surprised to meet so much aircraft in the air and was soon overwhelmed and decimated. It shot down 11 P-40B, 9 Mohawk and 5 Hurricane but only 6 pilots came back. The unit had lost 18 A6M3a and almost all their pilots, including 7 aces and among them the top Japanese ace, Ens Sugio S, that scored his 33rd and 34th victories in the battle before being shot down and captured.
The two other escort units fared better. The F2/Ominato Daitai lost 11 A6M2 while shooting down 4 Hurricane, 3 Mohawk and 1 P-40B, while the F2/1st Daitai lost only 5 A6M3a and shot down 14 Mohawk, 6 P-40B and 1 Hurricane.
Total fighter losses were 35 Japanese and 54 Allied, not too bad considering the number involved, but F1/3rd, one of the two best Japanese units, was destroyed in the battle and was disbanded in the evening, the 6 remaining pilots (4 aces) joining the F2/1st.
The Allied fighters also attacked the Nells but again Japanese losses were inferior to what I thought when I saw the CAP screen the first time. Anyway 9 Nells were shot down or crashed later from damage taken in fighter attack. The surviving bombers hit hard the runway and destroyed on the ground 16 aircraft (8 B-25C, 4 Wellington III, 3 Blenheim IV and 1 P-40B), scored 7 hits on buildings and 22 on runways and disabled 26 men and 3 guns.

A last raid in the morning hit the 81st Naval Guard Unit SE of Imphal that was attacked by 24 Vengeance I and 6 Hurricane escorted by 5 Spitfires and lost 30 men and 1 gun.

In the afternoon, the Allied airmen of Chandpur attacked Akyab with 40 B-25C, 36 Blenheim IV and 6 Wellington III escorted by 21 P-40B. They scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 28 on the runway and did 18 casualties.

The Zero losses over Chandpur were too high to enable another raid on India in the near future and Japanese airmen will revert to defence for some time. Both Nell Daitais based in Rangoon flew to Bangkok for R&R, while 27 A6M2 flew in from Yenen, China, to reinforce the CAP and replace losses. Also 4 Ki-46 were sent from Rangoon to Lashio but one was lost with its crew during the flight. This brought the aircraft losses for the day in the area to 45 Japanese and 72 Allied, but pilots and crew losses were heavier on the Japanese side.

China

Ledo airmen tried again to support the Chinese troops in Northern China, attacking a division near Kungchang with 18 B-17E and 14 Il-4c and hitting 67 men and 4 guns. More north 19 Hurricane II from Sining attacked the half brigade that cut the Sining-Lanchow road several days ago and hit 43 men.

But both raids hit the wrong place. This day saw the Japanese troops launch another attack on Lanchow. The 5th New Chinese Corps defending the town lost only 11 men and 1 gun when it was bombed by Yenen airmen (43 Ki-21 and 24 Ki-49 escorted by 19 Ki-44) but was then unable to stop the attack. Japanese engineers reduced the forts to 6 and the assault succeeded at 12 to 1. Japanese casualties were 310 men and 9 men while the Chinese units (the Corps, and the 6th Chinese Air Base Force) lost 668 men and 15 guns in the battle and retreated southwest of the town, leaving around 1300 POWs in Japanese hands. Twenty damaged RAF fighters (16 Spitfire Vb and 4 Hurricane II) were found on the airfield. The base was taken almost intact (only 8 damage to airfield services) and with 63k oil. 82 of the 90 HI, 164 of the 180 resource and 93 of the 125 oil centers were intact. This battle had begun on 24 June and lasted for 6 months.

And the day wasn’t over, because at the same time in the south, the Chinese troops defending Kweilin (46th, 64th and 83rd Corps, 11th and 16th Group Armies) were also bombarded by aircraft from Canton and Wuhan (total of 80 Ki-48, 58 A6M2, 27 Vals and 8 Kates, 1 A6M2 and 1 Ki-48 lost in crashes) and lost 45 men and 2 guns and were then attacked by the Southern China Army (5.33 Div, a half Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, 3 ART units and 2 HQ). Again engineers reduced fort from one level, to 8, and the assault succeeded at 17 to 1 (Chinese troops were probably under supplied). Japanese losses were heavier than in Lanchow: 1183 men, 44 guns, 2 tanks, while the Chinese lost 6 guns, 241 killed and wounded and around 2400 POWs during their retreat eastwards to Hengchow. The base was intact when Japanese troops occupied it.

Japanese artillery fire also continued in Kungchang (9 casualties) and in the woods west of Kweilin (6 casualties).

The fall of these two cities marked the end of a phase in the China campaign.
In the north, the capture of Lanchow will allow Japanese troops to move first to Sining and then to Kungchang and to take both cities. As Sining was only held by a Base Force according to the last reports, only the 27th Div and the 8th Eng Rgt will go there and attack it. The 13th Tk Rgt, reduced to 8 tanks in the Lanchow battle, will go back to Peking for R&R. The other troops (6th, 35th and 37th Div, 2nd Eng Rgt and 15th Tk Rgt) will recover in Lanchow and prepare for Kungchang, and once Sining will be taken the 27th Div will garrison both this city and Lanchow and other troops will march south to Kungchang and take it with the forces already there. To protect Lanchow from bombers based in Ledo, 12 Ki-61 and 33 Ki-44 (one crashed, pilot survived) flew from Yenen to the new airfield. 22 Ki-57, 22 Ki-59 and 12 L1N1 will transport two small base forces by air to provide them with support. Only one was from a mobile Command, the other was converted from China Command to Burma Army to allow it to be transported by air.
In the south, Japanese offensive operations will stop, except to reduce the pocket west of Kweilin where two Chinese Corps and a division were surrounded. The HQ 12th Army and the 69th and 70th Div will go there. Troops scheduled to leave the area for other theatres (17th and 104th Div, 22nd Bde) received orders to prepare for their future position, respectively Myitkyina, Kendari and Midway. Only the 17th Div started immediately to march to Canton, the other troops will remain in the area until the 3 Div used to reduce the pocket will have finished and will have returned to the railway/road network from the woods. Wuchow will become the main airfield in the area, and be used by operational training units to bomb nearby surrounded troops. Four small base forces left Canton to march to Wuchow.

The map below will show you the current operations and the planning of the next ones.

[AmiralLaurent]

25 December 1942

Northern Pacific

Five submarines, including the two remaining minelayers and two brand new just commissioned (I-177 and I-178), left Tokyo for Paramushiro Jima and will operate in Aleutians.

Southern Pacific

Betties and Nells from Auckland flew more recon over New Guinea. One Betty was lost to AA fire. The other reported two units in La Foa, none in Koumac. The number of AC in Noumea increased to 232 and some P-39D were seen flying CAP with P-38G over the base.

Some of the units based in Kwajalein received orders to prepare to defend other bases. A CD Rgt and a Naval Guard Unit will go to Christmas Island, another CD Rgt to Pago-Pago. There was not enough shipping to move them all and so only the two CD units boarded ships, the infantry will wait for some APs to arrive in some days.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, 54 B-17E and 11 B-24D from Port Moresby attacked Rabaul, scoring 10 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 45 on runways. Japanese losses were 234 men and 3 guns, while 1 B-17E hit by AA fire crashed and two other Fortresses were lost in accidents.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the morning a barge convoy was attacked off Lautem by 7 Brewster 339D from Darwin. One barge was sunk and another heavily damaged was left burning and drifting.
In the afternoon, 30 B-25C from Darwin attacked Lautem and scored 1 hit on a building and 5 on the runway.

Burma

55 SB-2c, 27 Beaufort I and 23 Beaufort V-IX from Imphal escorted by 51 P-40B attacked in the morning Lashio airfield and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on the runway, doing 36 casualties. 26 Vengeance I escorted by 8 Spitfire and 7 Hurricane bombed troops SE of Imphal, hitting 38 men. In the afternoon, Akyab was attacked by 33 B-25C, 29 Blenheim IV and 3 Wellington III escorted by 59 P-40B. They disabled 19 men and 1 gun and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 30 on runways.
Total Allied losses during these operations were two patrolling Blenheim IV shot down by Japanese fighters near Rangoon, another shot down by AA near Akyab, and 3 P-40B and 1 Beaufort V-IX lost in accidents.

China

In the north, a Japanese division near Kungchang was bombed by 17 B-17E and 12 Il-4c from Ledo and lost 156 men and 4 guns. Japanese recon aircraft reported a CAP of 18 Hurricane over Sining. Japanese artillery hit 73 men in Kungchang.

In the south, Japanese troops continued to slowly redeploy from Kweilin. The guns of the 60th Div hit 17 Chinese in the woods west of this town.

[veji1]

do you know how many troops he has in PM ? The dateline after which you cannot go on the offensive anymore is june 1943 (IIRC) when allies get the CSP-1 radar, as shown by Andy Mac's tests, after this date you cannot expect to beat their CAP if you don't have overwhelming ( ie at least 8/10 to 1 ) numbers...

You have told us about your plans to destroy troops in New Caledonia and Luganville and Efate... But if he has PM, whenever he gets the Radar he can start attacking and flattening Rabaul and such... and holding PH won't help you much in this case... But if you could snatch PM before this fatidic 6/1943, it would give you time... Is this feasible ?

How are your defensive deployments going in Burma ? It is the most dangerous place for you because allies can attack with a combo of Air/land without their naval weakness being exposed...

[AmiralLaurent]

26-28 December 1942

Hi, vej,

I won't take Port Moresby. First because Rabaul and the Solomons are clearly a backwater area in my Empire, and I don't care at all if he takes back this area in the second half of 1943. And he can bomb it as far as he wants, there are no resource or oil here... and enough engineers to repair the base each evening anc continue to slowly build forts.
Second because I think PM is far more difficult to take than Noumea-Efate-Luganville as it can be supported from Australia. And it is at least held by as many troops than Noumea, and defended by more fighters, and easier to reinforce by air.
Third because once I will have PM Allied airmen will still be able to bomb one of my base, just replacing Rabaul by Port Moresby, and easier, because supplies will arrive more easily in Cooktown than in PM. And PM is a costly place to supply for Japan.
Four because I won't have the time to take Noumea-Efate-Luganville and PM and surrounding bases. The KB will go to Japan to do the spring 1943 update, and I then want it available in mid-1943 around PH (it will probably be based in Jonhston Island).
I still think that the Allied offensive should be in Central or S Pacific in mid-1943. If I kill the 3 US divisions in Noumea, Efate and Luganville, Southwest Pacific won't have enough mobile troops to attack anything held in force, and so won't be able to take back Rabaul. Also Allied air units in the area are still limited as no convoy can come from the West Coast to bring more of them. I should admit that I don't know if US reinforcements in 1943 may arrive directly in Australia rather than on the West Coast (not a problem, they may have come via the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, just I don't know if they may do it or not).

Burma will be reinforced shortly by a 3rd Inf Div and an Army HQ, and in 2-3 months by a fourth Div. Almost all bases have fort 9, and Rangoon is an active airfield whose CAP is able to defeat Allied bombers. And pickets troops will detect any Allied land advance, giving me two months to bring reinforcements. With the fact that several Allied brigades were surrounded and destroyed during the Burma campain, and others were repulsed to China and are probably starving in China, I am thinking I have my chances (and by the way, after the Noumea operation, at least 1-2 more Div will go there)

A Japanese submarine sank a ship on the 28th. This is a rare occurrence, as only 21 Allied ships were sunk by my submarines in one year. Only one scored more than one kill, the I-16. It sank an AK and the CL HMS Dragon.

Southern Pacific

During the early hours of the 28, the SS I-10 attacked on the surface the AK Juan Cabrillo 360 miles east of Brisbane and sank her with 8 shells and 3 torpedoes. Her Glen reported during the day a convoy with 6 AP and 3 APD 120 miles more east, and the submarine sailed to Auckland in the evening to refuel and replace expended torpedoes.

Two laden AO left Suva for Auckland, while a TK and several AK loaded 26k of fuel in Canton Island and will also sail to New Zealand.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

On the afternoon of the 26th, Kavieng was attacked by 40 B-17E and 17 B-24D from Port Moresby. 20 Tonies of the 203 Sentai intercepted them and shot down 4 B-17E and 3 B-24D for 4 losses (two to return fire and two in crashes). The bombers destroyed a Jake on the ground, wounded 6 men and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 14 on the runway. The 203 Sentai moved this evening to Rabaul.
The next day, 37 B-17E and 13 B-24D raided again Kavieng, scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 19 on the runway and doing 15 casualties, while losing a B-17E in a crash. This evening the 203 Sentai (reduced to 25 Ki-61 and pilots) flew back to Truk for R&R.
So when on the 28th Rabaul was attacked by 36 B-17E and 15 B-24D there was no Japanese AC loss. But there were 145 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 38 on runways.
Japanese AA fire shot down two Hudson I flying recon over Rabaul on the 26th and 27th.

A detachment of the 5th Div occupied Mussau Island north of Kavieng on the 27th and 28th, suffering 9 landing casualties.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Allied patrol aircraft apparently increased their patrols in Timor area and finally reported the solitary AK unloading supplies in Koepang and Dili on the 26th (other had done that for a dozen of days without being detected). But these ships weren’t attacked and continued unloading, as did barges and the FT TF (2 CL and 2 DD) going from Kendari to Lautem every four days. An abandoned barge was sunk on the 26th by 7 Brewster 339D off Lautem.

Lautem airfield was bombed each afternoon by B-25C from Darwin for a total of 75 sorties without loss that scored 1 hit on supplies and 12 on the runway and did 10 casualties.

Southern Resource Area

The following convoys started loading: 9k oil from Brunei to Formosa, 28k resources from Bangkok to Japan and 28k resources Balikpapan to Formosa. And the 3 ML based in Soerabaja were sent to lay a minefield off Malang, on the southern coast of Java.

Burma

Burma skies were left to Allied airmen. For some reason, Imphal airmen concentrated on Lashio and bombed it on all 3 days (total of 149 SB-2c, 67 Beaufort I and 60 Beaufort V-IX bombing sorties and 147 P-40B escort sorties). They scored a total of 13 hits on the airbase, 12 on supplies and 130 on the runway. Japanese losses were 26 men.
The other main target was Akyab, that was bombed on the afternoon of the 26th and the 27th by a total of 38 B-25C, 39 Blenheim IV and 2 Wellington III escorted by 19 P-40B. They scored 8 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 23 on the runway and did 11 casualties.
SE of Imphal the 81st Naval Guard Unit continued to slowly march back to the railway and was bombed daily by Imphal airmen (total of 71 Vengeance I, 26 Spitfire and 24 Hurricane sorties) and lost 208 men and 1 gun.
Operational Allied losses in 3 days were 4 SB-2c, 2 P-40B, 1 B-25C and 1 Beaufort I.
Both side continued to fly recons. Allied CAP shot down a Ki-15 over Chandpur on the 26th, while a F-5A was shot down by AA fire over Rangoon on the 27th.

Japanese engineers expanded on the 28th Rangoon airfield to size 8. Forts were already level 9 and they will continue to expand the airfield.

A Nate Chutai still based in Rangoon left for Singapore on the 28th and will be disbanded here into a Sentai (coming from Kendari) before the full strength unit will be converted to the Oscar II.

China

In the north, bombers from Ledo continued to bomb daily Japanese troops near Kungchang for a total of 57 B-17E and 25 Il-4c sorties. One Il-4 was shot down by AA fire on the 26th but these raids were highly efficient and hit 315 men, 11 guns and 1 tank, and reduced the efficiency of Japanese artillery fire that only hit 7 Chinese in 3 days. For the fist time since the start of the battle, the assault valued of the Chinese garrison increased on the 28th, so probably supplies managed to reach the city trough the mountain or by air. The new assault value was 2300 (2393 the day before, 2601 one month ago, 2999 two months ago, 3275 three months ago.
More north, Japanese troops (27th Div and en Eng Rgt) left Lanchow and began to march to Sining. They will reach it in 2-3 days. The half Bde holding the Lanchow-Sining road was bombed on the 26th by 14 Hurricane from Sining and lost 29 men and 1 gun. This evening, 14 more Ki-44 arrived in Lanchow from Yenen, and they flew LRCAP over these troops the next day. The intercepted 15 Hurricane but were unable to shot down one, while the RAF pilots shot down a Tojo and hit 9 men on the ground. There was no RAF raid the next day.
The air ferry of base forces from Yenen to Lanchow continued during these three days and only cost a Ki-57 lost in a crash. The 25th Eng Rgt coming from Japan finished to unload in Tientsin on the 27th and boarded trains to go to Yenen and then Kungchang.
Tomorrow, there will be no LRCAP north of Lanchow but Ki-44 and Ki-61 will defend troops near Kungchang, while a Sentai of Ki-44 will continue to fly CAP over Lanchow.

In the south, the Chinese troops surrounded west of Kweilin lost 46 men in 3 days under the artillery fire of the 60th Div. The 70th Div was the first of the Japanese reinforcement to reach the area, on the 28th, and will join the bombardment while waiting for the HQ and the other divisions planned to take part in the reduction of this pocket.
The Base Forces were now in place in Wuchow and 70 aircraft of operational training units (34 A6M2, 27 Vals and 9 Kates) flew from Canton to this base (one Kate crashed). They will fly against the nearby Chinese pocket to gain more experience.

Japan

Almost one month after its scheduled formation date, the 16 Sentai was officially constituted in Osaka with 36 Ki-45 night fighters. The production only started this month and so the crew waited their aircraft for four weeks. They will be used to defend bases in range of Allied heavy bombers but out of range of Allied escorts, probably first in Kendari or Amboina.

The HQ 28th Army was constituted in Tokyo on the 28th and boarded immediately a convoy that will bring it to Burma, where it will be responsible for holding Akyab.

[AmiralLaurent]

29 December 1942

Southern Pacific

One Betty from Auckland was shot down by the Allied CAP over Noumea during a recon flight.
In Auckland, the Japanese warships continued to do small repairs, refuel when fuel-carrying ships arrived (using all arrivals as soon as they reached the port) and integrated the few trained IJNAF pilots available (all new pilots were sent to the fighter units of the KB).

A small AP convoy reached Kwajalein and loaded the 53rd Naval Guard Unit scheduled to go to Christmas Island.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea.

The usual recon of Port Moresby by Betties from Truk reported a small convoy (4 ships, 2 “DE” identified) off this base.
An AK picked up the last paratroops (of the 2nd Rgt) remaining in Rabaul to bring them to Truk where the main body of the unit was.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

In the afternoon, a Ki-21 bombed and hit the American submarine S-40 east of Kendari. Patrolling B-17E were reported over Timor. 22 B-25C from Darwin bombed Lautem and scored 1 hit on supplies and 7 on the runway, doing 22 casualties.

In the evening, the supply situation in Timor was the following: Koepang 8600, Dili 2700, Lautem 2300.

Southern Resource Area

A small TK began to load 9k oil in Bankha, Sumatra, for Singapore.

Burma

24 Vengeance I and 8 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40B attacked the 81st Naval Guard Unit SE of their base in the morning and hit 53 men.
In the afternoon, Mandalay was attacked by 53 SB-2c, 26 Beaufort V-IX, 25 Beaufort I, 15 Blenheim IV and 12 Wellington III from Imphal escorted by 48 P-40B that scored 8 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 39 on the runways and did 15 casualties, while Akyab was raided by 32 B-25C and 23 Blenheim IV from Chandpur escorted by 21 P-40B that disabled 36 men and 1 gun and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 35 on the runway. Four Allied bombers were lost in accidents: 1 SB-2c, 1 Beaufort V-IX, 1 Wellington III and 1 B-25C.

China

Tonies and Tojos were supposed to fly LRCAP over Kungchang, but finally 18 Tojos flew north of Lanchow to cover the troops marching towards Sining and intercepted 16 Hurricanes from this base attacking troops and shot down 8 for one loss. Only two men were hit by the Hurricanes.
Only 8 Tonies were over Kungchang when 18 B-17E and 9 Il-4c from Ledo arrived to bomb Japanese troops. They attacked the Fortresses and shot down four for one loss (a pilot scored kills 8 and 9) and all surviving B-17 turned back. The IL-4c were not intercepted and bombed a division, hitting 24 men and 3 guns.
Japanese artillery hit 154 men in Kungchang, where the Chinese assault valued decreased again (-6 points).

In the south, two of the three Chinese units surrounded west of Kweilin were bombed by 60 Ki-48 from Canton and lost 103 men, and then bombarded by Japanese guns and lost 80 more men. A third Japanese division and an Army HQ reached the Chinese lines. All troops scheduled to eliminate this pocket were now in place, but none had full supplies and it was decided to only bombard the enemy lines until supplies will reach them.

Japan

The convoy bringing fuel from Korea to Japan loaded 40k of fuel in Inch’on and sailed for Osaka. A large AP convoy left Osaka under escort for Hong Kong, where it will divided to carry the 17th Div and 22nd Bde respectively to Burma and Midway.

Two Zero Chutais were reformed in Osaka. Again the game gave them experienced pilots (both had a mean exp of 66) rather than newbies, and both units were sent to Maizuru and will spend 3 months “training” there before I used them somewhere.

Three new small Base Forces were created in Tokyo and received orders to prepare for Kuching, Baker Island and Tugueragao. I have a home rule that said that all bases with resources should be garrisoned, and Tugueragao is currently held by two Const Bns that will be more useful elsewhere.

[AmiralLaurent]

30 December 1942

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, 14 B-24D took off from Port Moresby to attack Rabaul but only 9 found it. They did 51 casualties and scored 2 hits on building and 7 on runways.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

A 3000-ton AP loaded in Kendari the second half of an IJN Base Force and will bring it to Koepang. A convoy left Palau with 28k supplies to Amboina, to continued repairs of the oil fields here.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 10k resources in Manila for Japan.

A Nate Sentai arrived in Singapore from Kendari (via Tarakan and Miri), was reinforced with a disbanded Chutai coming from Rangoon to give it a full complement of experienced pilots and then converted to the Oscar II.

Burma

In the morning Japanese troops SE of Imphal were bombed by 24 Vengeance I and 8 Hurricane escorted by 48 P-40B and lost 20 men and 1 gun. In the afternoon, Pagan was bombed and missed by 7 Beaufort V-IX from Imphal, and Mandalay was again attacked by 35 SB-2c, 12 Blenheim IV, 12 Beaufort I, 8 Wellington III and 7 Beaufort V-IX from the same base, escorted by 52 P-40B. They scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 24 on the runways. Allied operational losses were 1 SB-2c, 1 Beaufort I and 1 P-40B.

China

In north China, the only activity was Japanese artillery hitting 176 Chinese in Kungchang. The 27th Japanese divisions reached Sining and will attack tomorrow without waiting for the 8th Eng Rgt. It will be supported by airmen from Lanchow (Ki-61 and Ki-44 will sweep the sky over the base) and Yenen (52 Ki-21 and 46 Ki-49 escorted by 41 A6M2 will bomb the troops). The aim is to take the base still in 1942 and increase a bit the score ratio.

In the south, the 3 Chinese units surrounded west of Kweilin were bombed by 30 A6M2, 24 Vals and 7 Kates from Wuchow and lost 23 men, and then bombed by Japanese guns and lost 62 more. Japanese troops surrounding them were supplied today and will attack tomorrow with air support from Wuchow and Canton.

Japan

A convoy bringing 56k supplies and 27k fuel left Nagoya for Truk (where both supplies and fuel were now under 100k), another loaded 32k oil in Sasebo to bring them to Hungnam, Korea.

Four Chutais of Kates and two of Vals were reformed in Osaka. Again their crews were experienced (unit exp ranging from 65 to 76) and they will be “forgotten” in Maizuru for some months.