The Shattered Sword: John 3rd vs. Anachro--BTS

[Chickenboy]

Tenno Heiko! [&o]

I assume you'll pull out the 64th and 67th IDs and replace them soon? They look pretty moth-eaten / disrupted / fatigued at this point-especially after a shock attack.

[John 3rd]

June 26, 1943
China

As hoped, the fall of Kweiyang, CH creates an immediate crisis for the Chinese. The YELLOW arrows show an immediate retreat from lines that had been stable for nearly a year.

A mass exodus is occurring from Tuyun and the hex between Tuyun and Kweiyang. Four Japanese ID are moving due SSE in an attempt to get a solid whack at these fleeing units. If we can score here, it should drive them back into Tuyun and that would be excellent. We want Tuyun and to inflict as many Chinese casualties as possible.

Other Japanese units move to secure the hold on Kweiyang as well as block any troops coming from Kumming.

A bombardment (from the regular Japanese--Chinese Live) shows an opportunity to drive out units present there. Orders go out through the 11th Army HQ to attack. Three Artillery Regiments, two ID, and a Brigade get ready to leap over their Fortifications and attack.

China just became very fluid and the Chinese have NO SUPPLY...

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Tenno Heiko! [&o]

I assume you'll pull out the 64th and 67th IDs and replace them soon? They look pretty moth-eaten / disrupted / fatigued at this point-especially after a shock attack.

Yep! Order the Amphib TF that just dropped off the two IDs going to Hansa to head for Lae. I'll pull off the worst of the two IDs and bring it back for some R&R. WELL DONE to those troops!

The assault went in after three pretty ineffectual ship bombardments and NO AIR ATTACKS. Weather was terrible in the Lae hex this day so we got pretty lucky. The 2-1 was achieved with a final score of 352-139. I was pretty sure that they would hold but was ecstatic to see the 2-1 and surrender.

In the BIG picture it isn't much but a victory is a victory. Taking Lae back goes along way to making Hansa and Manus great big, plump cherries to be picked by Japan! Hansa has a Brigade of Inf and six support units while Manus has the 32nd US ID and 8-9 support units.

The attack at Cape Gloucester went pretty well. Lost 592 men on the landing (prep only 27%) but there was NO ALLIED BOMBARDMENT at the end of the turn. That has to mean that there is nothing a strength there...RIGHT???

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
In the BIG picture it isn't much but a victory is a victory. Taking Lae back goes along way to making Hansa and Manus great big, plump cherries to be picked by Japan! Hansa has a Brigade of Inf and six support units while Manus has the 32nd US ID and 8-9 support units.

I couldn't give a whit about Lae, Hansa or Manus. But when the Allies start leaving valuable LCUs in indefensible positions prone to liquidation, that's a very tempting target. A cut off American ID plus support units? On an island? Well behind my lines? Yum yum.

[John 3rd]

BANZAI BABY!

Get out the cleaning and skinning knives...


The enemy could come back at any time. Have NO IDEA as to why he has not but what the HE** lets go get 'em.

[John 3rd]

Got a second turn in today and ohhhhhhhhhh my golly. China is open for business. Haven't thought about the long-term effect upon the Chinese Army with no supply. Wow.

[John 3rd]

June 27, 1943

Lots of action this turn.

We'll start with the Coral Sea:
1. The Inf Brigade finishes unloading at Cape Gloucester. The BB TF hits base again doing 178 Cas, Supplies, and Port. Order a bombardment for next turn to see EXACTLY what is present here. I bet the Tank Bn is the biggest offensive unit here. If so, this fight will go pretty quickly.

2. Manus is hit by 38 Betty/Nell. With Lae done, we now will begin bombarding this base.

3. Finschaven gets the attention of 40 4EB. They are met by 23 Zero/Rex and nearly half-a-dozen fall. Target is the AF and not much damage is done.

4. Lae sees the arrival of AP/AK to pick-up the worst of the two IDs. The troops will be pulled back to Madang to join the attack on Hansa Bay. During the day a small strike of 3 Beaufighter come in and they are smashed by 45 Fighters.

SS Action
The USS Stingray is sunk at Lae. The USS Balao might be sunk at the same location. Three additional ASW Attacks occur from TFs while TEN SS are hit by Japanese Bombers.

The CRAPPY Part of this is IJN Hiyo takes a TT near Kavieng. Had pulled the CVs out of Rabaul and THOUGHT I got away. Grrrr...

Sea
CARDIV2 is ordered to leave the Addu area in the IO and make for Soerabaja then on to Truk. They will join the rest of the carrier fleet there.

As mentioned a while ago, the game is about little things. I pride getting my cripples home if possible. This turn sees the IJN Ise and a Command Cruiser limp into Singapore. They immediately begin repairs. Have six major warships in this Port repairing presently.

Air
In a totally depressing development, the P-47 JUG makes its war debut in Burma. Crap...

The enemy Sweeps Katha, the hex NW of Katha, and Magwe with 3-4 high performance Fighter Squadrons each. As stated earlier, I shall not contest the air unless forced to. There are 200 Fighters (all Army) at Rangoon. We'll see how quickly he comes after that.

Ground
Hex 76, 50 SE of Kweiyang is smashed open when two Japanese IDs and Artillery units crush two Chinese Corps in a 14-1 Shock Atack: Japan gets 493 Cas while the Chinese lose nearly 5,000. YIKES!

Two ID move into the hex south of Kweiyang and will Shock Attack the 16 units there. Ten of these units were in Kweiyang and forced out.

[John 3rd]

June 28, 1943
China

The Chinese Army is collapsing. It is that simple.

Hex 76,49 is taken by two Japanese ID in a 14-1 assault driving out 10 Chinese units. Japan loses 1,486 troops to a staggering 11,653 Chinese (1,044 Squads).

Hex 75,50 is almost taken by Japan but it misses a 2-1 by 25 lousy Assault Points. Casualties are Japan 2,436 to China's 1,966 (125 Squads).

There is a very real possibility that Japan can encircle roughly 30+ Chinese units west of Tuyun and then DESTROY them.


Scary thing is that I consider this much more important then the American CVs showing up below Port Moresby and sinking 15 or so Japanese ships. CRAZY!

[John 3rd]

June 28, 1943
Coral Sea

Without knowing it I spotted the Allied Carrier Force last turn. STUPID. Saw them at Townsville. During the night, the Americans do a high speed sprint to a hex outside of Port Moresby.

Dawn.

The American CVs go to work. Where ever they attack, they are met by Japanese Fighters. Problem is raw numbers. If I'd been smart enough to realize this chance, I would have consolidated everyone under higher Fighter protection. Oh well...

Lae
His BEASTS come in first as 44 4EB bomb Lae's 100% damaged AF. The Bombers are met by 53 Jacks and George's. Losses are pretty solid as the American Liberators lose 8-10 of their number.

In the bay are about 45 ships loading the 67th ID. Crap:

Morning Strike: 68 F, 93 DB, and 51 Av vs. 38 F
Afternoon Strike: 88 F, 112 DB, and 46 Av vs. 39 F

Japanese Losses: 13 AK, 2 AP, 1 PB, and 1 SC. The 67th is further degraded with 1388 Cas and 39 Guns lost.

On the BRIGHT side, his bombers really went after the dozen DDs present and didn't hit a single one of them.

Finschaven
17 Fighters fight 49 F and 16 DB. Two AKs are hit but don't sink

Cape Gloucester
Morning Strike: 21 F and 15 Av
Afternoon Strike: 121 F, 37 DB, and 64 Av vs. 21 Fighters

Losses: 2 PB and 2 AK

Not bad considering the numbers involved here!

SS Action
No Allied Sub attacks this turn for FIVE ASW TF attacks on subs. The Exocet is crippled with successful attacks upon the Balao, KXVI, Lapon, and S-34. Nine DB/TB hits are scored on Allied SS.

Two mine explosions are also heard.

Evening
Order everyone back to either Rabaul, Kavieng, or Madang. All ships will be under heavy Fighter Cover.

The Carriers are at Kavieng. Hiyo took that TT last turn and got SYS 22 and FLOT 32 damage from the hit. WE'll sit here for a day or two with her disbanded in Port.

Have moved the four IJA Bomber units from Horn to Hollandia and Kavieng. They will begin bombing Hansa Bay and Manus everyday.

There are 3 ID prepping for Manus and--thanks to good recon--START at 33%. I will wait until 50% then land there. I WANT that American ID and support troops.

Am mining the passage from Milne Bay--Buna to Manus. Those two hexes between New Britain and New Guinea are getting about 250 or so mines.

[RangerJoe]

If you want to take Chungking, wait until after it falls to destroy those units so you won't see them in Chungking.

Sometimes, we don't see the details because of the time involved and the big picture.

From what I see, you are doing very well.

[John 3rd]

Almost forgot Burma!

Opening the attack in China has awakened Allied air over the skies of Burma. The following bases are get Allied Sweeps:

Magwe TEN Sweeps
Katha One Sweep
NW Katha Two Sweeps

The afternoon sees a massed display of Allied Bombers hitting Magwe. A total of 93 4EB and 24 2EB hit this base. AF takes it on the chin but there are only Recon planes flying here.

Prepare Rangoon for the inevitable Assault from the air.

[John 3rd]

June 29, 1943

The Allies have been pretty successful in using their SS aggressively the last few weeks. Japan has taken hits with three CVs each taking a single TT.

Over the last 7-10 days, the tide has been turning. More-and-more SS are hit from ASW TF and from the air. Losses have begun to mount and the Allies MUST feel it. I know that the Americans produce about 5,000,149 SS during the war but these losses are really mounting up. That statement does not include the damaged boats.

Today sees an SS sink an AG entering Madang. In return the Americans lose TWO Fleet Boats as USS Barb and USS Whale are both forced to the surface and then sunk.

Want to see an interesting stat that I never seen in all my years? Look at how Barb was sunk!

[John 3rd]

Anyone ever seen an SS forced to the surface and then sunk by TORPEDO?

[RangerJoe]

If have seen them fired at subs, but I don't recall seeing one sunk but I am still relatively new to the game.

So the USS Barb will not invade Japan, blow up a train in Japan, nor dodge the Japanese retaliation for over an hour on the surface after visiting a Japanese held port.

[John 3rd]

June 30, 1943

USS Tunny AND KXVII are sunk near Palembang. Air Search detected them, I formed three ASW TF and they coordinated their attacks beautifully.

Add the Bouvier and the Cuttlefish heavily damaged near Rabaul and it is a pretty good last day of June 1943.




Here are the VICTORY POINTS for the month:

Japan
July 1st 48,687
June 1st 45,116
Gain 3,571 VP

Allies
July 1st 31,057
June 1st 28,618
Gain 2,439 VP

Japan GAINS 1,132 VP over the Allies for the month in which they launch a massed assault.

What will July bring? Sean tends to alternate his offensives and is a little predictable right now. Easy answer: Burma--Malaya--Sumatra. We are prepared and looked forward to a non-CV supported operation by the Allies! Will detail in a bit.

[John 3rd]

July 1, 1943
China

China has somehow become a desperate plight for the Allied Player. To be truthful, I had no real idea how much impact no supply had over MONTHS of time. I mean it is logical--Just didn't think about it.

The Chinese launch a surprise assault out of their position in Chungking where 5 IDs (broken into components to raise the Fort #s) and 5 Art Reg have encircled them for nearly a year. Forts are 4--nearly 5 on the Japanese entrenchments.

Something happens that I have not seen before. The attack occurs but the message 'assault collapses and attackers seek cover' appeared. I got no AV vs AV number simply: 2,100 Chinese Casualties (125 Squads) and 3 units destroyed. The message makes sense and sound terrible. Can anyone expound on it a bit?

[John 3rd]

July 1, 1943
Cape Gloucester

The Infantry Brigade that landed here several days ago launches its first assault. Under the cover of a Battlecruiser Bombardment and 68 Bombers attacking, it scores a 2-1 result and drops Forts to ZERO. Shift over to a Shock Attack for tomorrow, bring in another Bombardment TF, and add more bombers to the attack. Add LRCAP from Madang and Rabaul to deal with any 4EB that might appear.

Looks GREAT! Perhaps another surrender and 4-6,000 more troops enter the POW Camps??!! We shall see...

[John 3rd]

Here is the exact Combat Report:

[Canoerebel]

That looks like an attack by one unit, possibly to test the waters.

[durnedwolf]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

That looks like an attack by one unit, possibly to test the waters.

Combat report shows 3 allied units destroyed but it also shows only 1,960 troops and 49 guns attacked... I wonder why it shows an assault value of 4,854 VS 2,140 for the defenders when you've got like 35:1 in troops for that engagement. Are most of your troops resting or something?

I've never seen anything like that either but my WAG is that all of the Chinese units are under supplied and under strength. If they've been like that for 5-6 months then their moral is probably in the toilet.