At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

JJ stationed some Helens at Medan AF (level 2) so we attack there two. I don't even think they can operate there. Maybe just a distraction?

Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 7

[Cap Mandrake]

New Guinea: We wipe out the main body of 1st Raiding Regiment at Biak. Engineers being pushed up toward Samri and Biak to build up those AF further. Hollandia reaches its maximum level 8.

Ground combat at Biak (87,110)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3999 troops, 78 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 156

Defending force 527 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Allied adjusted assault: 60

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 60 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
7th Marine Regiment
44th British/B Division

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

We recon everything in the area from Ulithi westward

Ulithi...no garrison, no AF
Yap....level 2 AF, 480 troops? Sounds like Koreans in diapers
Bealzebob...28K plus...jungle hex, level 5 AF....a beast. This would require a multidivisional landing
Peleliu.....4K troops.. level 1 AF..atoll...probably a beast
Morotai (Moluccas)...8K troops..Jungle rough..level 2 AF...forget it
Lolobatio (Moluccas)...3K...jungle rough...level 3...forget it
Tailud-elenaden (eastern end of Celebes Sea)...6K+ troops...jungle...forget it

Judging from these dispositions, JJ is anticipating a push up the Moluccas/Bealzebob axis to Mindanao. That might have worked 3 months ago if we had the resources but now it is a nightmare.

The plan is to reduce Truk AF by air and then drive right toward Truk...but sail right by toward Guam while the Eastern arms sails from Midway and Pearl. There will be a carrier battle and if the USN wins we keep going. [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

SE Asia: JJ has brought up 3-4 divisions to our blocking position in Laos. Time to get help from the Allied air forces/

Morning Air attack on 41st Division, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 5
Wellington Ic x 9

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

It's jungle so they are not easy to hit

Morning Air attack on 41st Division, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 3

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 5
Mitchell II x 10
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Morning Air attack on 116th Division, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 28

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 22
Vengeance I x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 4 destroyed

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

[Cap Mandrake]

They are fling ether from Vinh or Haiphong and we are flying from Nakon in Siam

[Cap Mandrake]

Oz: Sanitizing the last bits of Northern Oz.

Ground combat at Broome (62,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3955 troops, 63 guns, 72 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Defending force 1360 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 25

Japanese adjusted defense: 9

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
124 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
7th Australian Brigade
101st LH Motor Regiment

Defending units:
21th JNAF AF Unit

[BBfanboy]

Cap Mandrake: Supply is bad.

This is obvious Russian disinformation meant to disrupt our favorite pastime. [:-]
Supply is NOT bad. Lack of supply is bad!

[Cap Mandrake]

Where do RN ships have to go for withdrawal. I know Colombo works but where else?

[RangerJoe]

San Francisco, Cape Town, Sydney, the East Coast, the UK.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

San Francisco, Cape Town, Sydney, the East Coast, the UK.

Thx..Sydney OK for USN too?

[RangerJoe]

Yes.

edit: An easy check is to see if any ships that are in a size 9 or 10 port that are due to withdraw at some point in the game, can be withdrawn.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************May 4, 1943(e)**************

Sumatra: The brief, but proud tenure of Taenjoebalaljabally AF

Night Naval bombardment of Tandjoengbalai at 47,78

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 4 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Atago
DD Nagatsuki
DD Shinonome
DD Ikazuchi
DD Nenohi
DD Makinami
E Kiji

Allied ground losses:
188 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 31
Port hits 40
Port supply hits 12

[Cap Mandrake]

<makes labial fricative sound> Hmm, wonder what happened to the fighters. [:D]

Morning Air attack on 225 Group Base Force, at 47,78 (Tandjoengbalai)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged

[Cap Mandrake]

THIS is a proper air attack.

Morning Air attack on 91st Naval Guard Unit, at 44,70 (Sabang)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 6
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

And more

Morning Air attack on Ichiki Det. , at 44,70 (Sabang)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6

No Allied losses

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

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ichiki Det. , at 44,70 (Sabang)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 5

No Allied losses

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

[Cap Mandrake]

OK, OK, relax...it was just a joke...look we start moving out tomorrow, OK?

Afternoon Air attack on Tandjoengbalai , at 47,78

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 23,810 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 45

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
45 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 22810 feet



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Tandjoengbalai , at 47,78

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 27,810 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 45

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
45 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 22810 feet



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Tandjoengbalai , at 47,78

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 36

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 10

[Cap Mandrake]

Take that!

Afternoon Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 39

[Cap Mandrake]

We take Nias, South of Sinabang and North of Batoe-elanden. This unquestionably annoys the Hell of the Empire. [:)]

Ground combat at Nias (42,79)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 48 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

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

Allied adjusted assault: 6

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nias !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
77th LRP Bde /1