Matrix Games Forums

Is our Shogun becoming pessimistic? How can the situation in New Cal so perillous? Got no troops anymore because of a way too far-streched empire? [&:] [:(]

I won't say that the situation in Noumea is perillous but that I am not sure that I will have enough troops to take it in time. I may take it but the question is: can I afford to spend a month or more here with the KB to support it ? Can I afford to wreck more or less 2/3 of the Southern Army in failed 0 to 1 attacks ?

The answer is probably yes, destroying two US divisions will be worth it. Depending of the time spend and losses suffered I am not sure I will then invade Efate and Luganville. Anyway the plan now is to blast Noumea airfield completely while ignoring the heavy AA losses, then to pound Allied troops while Japanese troops will shock attack again. Then we will see if we manage to do better than 0 to 1. If not I think I will seriously think about retreating in order.

As for bringing new troops, it will take more than a month... The closest available divisions are in Java (1) and Pearl Harbor (2), and will remain here to keep these strategic places. The only reserve of the Southern Army is the 104th division in Singapore, and it may be needed in Burma at any time now.

2 March 1943

New Caledonia

During the night, the SS Seadragon tried to attack a DD off Noumea but was unable to reach a firing position. She was not detected by Japanese sailors. A scout TF (CL Yura and 6 DD) engaged the last 4 PT boats defending the base and sank them all, but three of its destroyers were damaged, the Uranami by a torpedo (damage 32/49/6), the Kamikaze by two 20mm bursts (45/16/27) and the Namikaze by two Browning bursts (20/2/2).
The three BB TF then pounded the base (with a total of 3 BB, 3 CA and 7 CL) but results were bad: 1 P-38G and 1 A-20G destroyed on the ground, 3 hits on a crippled TK in the port, 192 men and 2 guns disabled, 1 hit on the airbase, 7 on the runways and 6 on the port.

In the morning, all three BB TF sailing eastwards to Suva and the SS USS Hoe tried to attack one 120 miles SE of Noumea but was chased by 5 DDs. The scout TF sailed to La Foa but on arrival the flagship, the CL Yura, hit a VH2 mine. Damage was not serious (18/19/7). She was attacked later during the day by the SS O21 but the Dutch torpedoes missed. The submarine was searched by two DDs but wasn’t detected.

A dawn raid was launched against Noumea airfield by La Foa airmen with 84 Ki-21 escorted by 32 A6M2, 9 Ki-61, 8 A6M3a and 4 A6M3. The base was defended by 25 P-38G and 10 F4F-4 that shot down 23 Japanese aircraft (12 A6M2, 6 Ki-61, 3 Ki-21, 1 A6M3a, 1 A6M3) for 9 losses (5 F4F-4, 4 P-38G). AA fire then destroyed two more Ki-21 but the other destroyed 11 aircraft on the ground (5 A-20G, 2 B-25C, 2 B-25J and 2 P-38G) and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 11 on the runways.

There was no Allied raid this day in this area. Noumea CAP shot down a Jake but a Val hit the SS Halibut near this base, and attacked two other submarines without result here. Japanese CAP shot down an A-20G and a B-25C getting too close from Japanese ships.

On the ground, both sides exchanged shells in Noumea and Allied losses were 458 men and 6 guns, while Japanese lost 58 men.

The badly damaged DD Hato was scuttled off La Foa, while the warships damaged today were all integrated to the escort TF here. Engineers will expand La Foa port to size 3 tomorrow.

This night, Noumea will be bombarded again, this time by 3 CA and 1 CL detached from the three CV TFs of the KB with 6 DDs. Two DD TF (3 and 2 DD) will sweep Noumea waters to chase PT boats first.
22 Betties from Suva and 18 Ki-49 from Auckland flew to La Foa this evening. Tomorrow morning, almost all airmen of this base, except a Zero Daitai kept on local CAP, will raid Noumea airfield at the same time as the KB, that will sail 60 miles NE of Noumea and attack it with all available Vals and Kates and 50% of its Zeroes. The goal of the operation is to crush once and for good the airfield of the base, and win air superiority, so then all these aircraft will bomb Allied troops when the Japanese offensive will restart.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, Rabaul was bombed by 50 B-24D from PM that scored 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways, and disabled 71 men and 1 gun. At the same time 12 Beaufort V-IX and 21 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

In the evening 32 Nicks flew from Truk to Kavieng to fly LRCAP over Rabaul tomorrow.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The only Allied air attack was a raid by 7 Brewster 339D against barges off Lautem, sinking one. The Japanese engineers used well this truce, and increased the fortification level in Koepang to 3.

Burma

Nothing to report

China

The Oscar II units flying LRCAP over Chengtu, Chungking and Kunming reported no Allied aircraft and lost 3 fighters in accidents, but the Chutai patrolling Yunan intercepted Allied transports and shot down 2 C-47 and 1 C-60A Lodestar.

The 49th Chinese Corps holding Ichang was bombed by 63 Ki-44, 30 Oscar I, 28 Ki-48, 26 Vals, 11 Oscar II and 6 Kates from Wuhan and lost 50 men, and was then attacked by the 11th Army (13th Div and 12th Bde) and defeated at 14 to 1 (fort 9). Ichang was taken for the loss of 1487 Japanese men and 29 guns. The Chinese retreated westwards and their losses were 119 killed and wounded and more than 700 POWs. The 13th Div and half of the 12th Bde will pursue them.

51 Ki-51 from Sian bombed a Chinese Corps SE of the cross-roads Sian-Ichang-Chungking and hit 58 men. At this cross-roads, the Japanese forces (4 Div, 1 Tk Div, 1 Tk Rgt) attacked the Chinese troops that moved here yesterday and today from the Ichang road and defeated the 78th Corps and 4th Air Base Force at 434 to 1 for the loss of 330 Japanese men, 10 guns and 1 tank. The Chinese retreated westwards and their losses were 648 killed and wounded and more than 600 POWs. Troops received the same orders as two days ago, the Tk units will try to move SE before the last Chinese unit there moves to the cross-roads while 2 Div will march to the mountains westwards.

West of Ichang, Japanese forces continued to bombard a Chinese Corps and hit 24 men.

In the evening 20 A6M3a left Kungchang to go to New Caledonia. Their first stop was in Clark Field, Luzon, and one was lost in an accident.

Japan

The Japanese airfields were almost overcrowded with training units. All transport units were sent to Luzon (Manila and Clark Field), leaving enough room in Japan for all other units.

3 March 1943

A good day for the air war, with an heavy bombing of Noumea. 73 Allied aircraft (52 ground, 17 A2A, 4 ops) and 28 Japanese (21 AA, 6 A2A, 1 ops) were lost.

New Caledonia

The DD TF sent to Noumea found no PT boat here but lost the DD Kamo that blew up and sank after hitting a VH2 mine. The CA Kako, Tone and Ashigara and the CL Nagara then bombarded the base but with very limited results, hitting only 69 men and 1 vehicle. The SS Seadragon then attacked a DD off Noumea but its torpedo failed to detonate. She escaped unseen.
Also during the night, at 360 miles ESE of Noumea the SS Trout tried twice to engage BB TFs returning to Suva but was chased twice by the escort and damaged by a depth charge hit and a near-miss.

In the morning, the DD TFs returned to La Foa, evading a submarine on the way and destroying some mines off La Foa, while the CA sailed to Suva.

After dawn both La Foa and the KB were supposed to launch a combined air attack on Noumea but La Foa was closed by bad weather and the CV airmen attacked alone with 115 Kates and 115 Vals escorted by 101 A6M3a. The met over the target 10 P-38G and 9 F4F-4 and the Zeroes protected perfectly the bombers shooting down 8 Wildcats and 7 Lightnings for 4 losses. The bombers suffered heavy AA losses (15 Vals and 6 Kates) but destroyed 52 aircraft on the ground (18 P-38G, 11 B-25C, 10 F4F-4, 6 B-25J, 6 A-20G and 1 PBY), scored 18 hits on the airbase, 14 on supplies and 135 on the runways. Allied ground losses were 90 men, 1 gun and 2 vehicles. The runways were badly cratered and during the day a P-38G and a B-25C returning from patrols were wrecked on landing accidents.
But Noumea airfield wasn’t closed and in the morning 9 A-20G escorted by 8 P-38G attacked the CA TF that bombed during the night their base. They found them 360 miles ESE of Noumea but didn’t score any hit.

During the day, Noumea CAP shot down two patrolling aircraft (a Val and a Jake) but Vals launched 15 attacks on 7 different Allied submarines off Noumea and hit the Salmon, Saury and Seadragon. KB CAP shot down 2 patrolling A-20G.

Troops continued to exchange shells in Noumea. Allied lost 483 men and 5 guns, Japanese lost 63 men.

Japanese engineers expanded the port of La Foa to size 3 but too late to save the DD Mikazuki and the 3000-ton AP Kozui Maru that were both scuttled during the day.

Tomorrow Noumea airfield will again be bombed by the Kates of the KB, combined with the LBA of La Foa. Vals suffered too much from AA fire and will fly 60% naval search to kill the numerous submarines in the area.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

A barge was sunk by a Mk 10 mines off Suva. Two MSW TF (of 5 MSW each) will sweep them tomorrow before the BB TFs arrived from New Caledonia.

Tinas from Suva will start tomorrow to ferry the 25th Aviation Unit to La Foa.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

There was no raid on Rabaul today and the Nicks that patrolled here saw nothing while one was lost in a crash, but the crew was saved. They returned to Truk in the evening.
11 Beaufort V-IX and 30 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

In the Solomons, barges were launched in Lunga and will pick up troops holding Russel Islands and Munda (two SNLFs) to bring them to Guadalcanal.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The barge TF returning from Lautem hit a Catalina with AA fire and was then searched but not found by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin. That was twice more Brewster as usual.

Burma

During the night, the 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal raided Rangoon and scored a runway hit. This is their first result after 19 raids and 6 losses to AA fire and accidents.

China

47 Ki-51 from Sian bombed the last Chinese unit SE of the cross-roads, doing 22 casualties, but she reached it during the day, before Japanese units moved. They will attack it tomorrow and chase it westwards.

West of Ichang, Japanese forces continued to bombard a Chinese Corps and hit 78 men.

Japan

It was a day of major changes in the industry. The factories producing the Betty, Rufe, Sally and Jake were all restarted. I also checked the two factories producing the Ki-46-III Dinah and found that one was stopped, and restarted it.
The research factory producing the nightfighter version of the Irving was ordered to start repairs, so it will be ready when the type will be available next month.
Two small factories (size 5 each) producing L1N1 Thora in Tokyo and Alf in Osaka were both converted to Jill and expanded to size 24.
The heavy industry in Aomori, northern Japan, was doubled, from 60 to 120.

A convoy loaded 7k supplies and 54k fuel in Hiroshima and will drop them in Canton, China, before continuing to Singapore to pick oil and resources.

the Kamikaze by two 20mm bursts (45/16/27) and the Namikaze by two Browning bursts (20/2/2).

These numbers are a bad joke, but the question is to know what is the problem - the DD armor or the penetration power of the 20mm and .50?

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

These numbers are a bad joke, but the question is to know what is the problem - the DD armor or the penetration power of the 20mm and .50?

1) DD should have armor being able to stop part of the small caliber hits.
2) the probability of a critical hit should depend of the caliber of the weapon. Right now it seems to me that a 16in shell and a Browning bullet have the same probability to score a critical hit.
3) last but not least the accuracy of the fire by PT boats is way too high.

4 March 1943

Today, 75 Allied aircraft were lost (57 ground, 12 A2A, 6 ops) against 16 Japanese (8 AA, 6 A2A, 2 ops).

Northern Pacific

18 Rufes flew from Ominato to Toyoha, Sakhalin Island, and will in some days fly to Paramushiro Jima to provide some form of CAP here.

New Caledonia

In the morning, Jake and Vals chased Allied submarines off Noumea, the CAP shot down a Jake and another was lost in a crash but Vals damaged the SS Salmon and Seadragon and missed another.
And then the crushing raid that was hoped yesterday was launched on Noumea airfield. 95 Kates, 79 Ki-21, 68 Vals (I forgot to change orders for all units), 22 Betties and 18 Ki-49 from La Foa and Kido Butai attacked, escorted by 116 A6M3a, 33 A6M2 and 4 A6M3. Twelve P-38G were flying CAP and 10 were shot down for the loss of 3 A6M2 and 2 A6M3a. The two remaining didn’t reach the bombers and their only losses were due to AA fire: 6 Vals, 1 Kate and 1 Ki-21. But that was worth it, because the airfield was devastated again: 57 aircraft were destroyed on the ground (24 F4F-4, 18 A-20G, 10 P-38G, 4 B-25C and 1 PBY), 104 men, 1 gun and 1 vehicle disabled and 11 hits scored on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 143 on the runways.
In the afternoon there was no more CAP over Noumea and the Vals continued to chase Allied submarines hitting the USS Saury and missing 4 others. During the day the CAP of the KB shot down 2 PBY Catalina getting too close.

On the ground the Japanese artillery again won the day in Noumea, hitting 526 men, 7 guns and 2 vehicles while Japanese losses were 132 men.

Off La Foa the damaged 7000-ton AK Alaska Maru sank.

Tomorrow will be the decisive day in New Caledonia. The Japanese Southern Army is in a shape as good as it can be: disruption between 10 and 20, fatigue between 40 and 60, all units fully supplies and enough support squads for all units (thanks to the losses already suffered). Except some units preparing for Luganville and Efate, all others are now 100% prepared for Noumea. So tomorrow a new shock attack will be launched.
The success of this attack will be linked to the efficiency of the air support. To be sure that a maximum of units will be hit, and that the KB won’t be covered by clouds, the 3 CV TF will sail each to a different hex, at range 1, 2 and 3. Their fighters will fly 90% CAP to be sure no bomber from Efate or Luganville will reach the CVs.
31 Ki-21 from La Foa will bomb Noumea port under escort by 50% of the fighters of this base in sweep mode. Then all other bombers based in La Foa, all Kates and Vals of the Kido Butai and even 9 Betties based in Suva will bomb Allied troops. It is hoped that both US divisions will be disrupted by the bombings, enabling the attack ratio to be over 1 to 1.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

During the night 5 MSW swept Allied mines off Suva.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

9 Beaufort V-IX and 17 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

A convoy arrived in Truk from Korea with two AA Bns aboard and was ordered to continue southwards and unload them to Rabaul. In this base engineers that were only building fortifications received orders to expand the port and the airfield.

Two barge TF left Shortlands with parts of the Sasebo 6th SNLF and will occupy Gili-Gili and Ferguson Island east of it.

In the evening 26 Ki-21 flew from Truk to Lunga, on their way to New Caledonia.

Burma

Another night raid by 5 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal targeted Rangoon. It was back to the norm: no damage done.

In the morning the 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of Imphal was bombed by 20 Beaufighter VIC, 9 Mk 21 and 10 Vengeance I from this base escorted by 40 P-40B and lost 69 men and 3 tanks, but three Allied aircraft (a P-40B, a Vengeance and a Beaufighter VIC) were lost in accidents.

China

The Japanese forces (4 Div, 1 Tk Div and 1 Tk Rgt) holding the cross-roads of the Sian-Ichang-Chungking roads chased the last Chinese unit that arrived from Ichang yesterday, the 70th Corps, with a deliberate attack at 1008 to 1. The Chinese lost 428 killed and wounded and more than 600 POWs and retreated westwards. Japanese losses were 132 men, 3 guns and 1 tank.
In the evening these troops again received march orders. The two tank units and a regiment will march SE to open a supply path from Ichang and finish to surround the Chinese troops W of Sian from the SW. Three divisions will march westwards to the mountains NE of Chungking to pin down Chinese troops here.

West of Ichang, the 1st New Chinese Corps was joined by the 8th Corps going out of the mountains. Both were bombarded by Japanese artillery and lost 61 men. The main body of the Northern China Army more west sent to this point all ART units, 1 Bde and 1 Army HQ.

More north, the 32 000 Japanese holding Kungchang (a half Bde, 2 Eng Rgt, 1 parachute SNLF, 3 Base Forces, 2 Const Bn, with fort 4) had the surprise to be attacked by the 850 remaining men of the 6th Chinese Air Base Force that crossed the river from the western side. Of course the attack was a failure at 0 to 1. 70 Chinese were killed and wounded and then a message I had never seen before in WITP appeared on the screen: “Allied Unit(s) surrounded at Kungchang”. Apparently the Chinese unit surrendered, at least it was gone at the end of the turn, and the troops points seem to indicate that it was destroyed.

Recon crews reported 34 Chinese units in Chungking.

Japan

The Aichi factory in Nagoya was expanded from size 20 to 40.

Both naval and merchant shipyards points dropped below 500 points, and the construction of two I-boats and 7 AKs was suspended.

5 March 1943

21 Japanese aircraft were lost today (19 to AA and 2 in accidents) against 6 Allied (4 ops, 2 A2A) but that was the price to pay for a successful attack on Noumea.

New Caledonia

During the night the SS USS Gudgeon attacked a CV TF 180 miles ESE of Noumea and hit with one torpedo the DD Nenohi that sank before dawn. The submarine escaped undetected.

Noumea AA defences were again on their top level and shot down during the day 8 Vals, 4 Kates, 4 Ki-21, 1 Betty, 1 Ki-46-III and 1 Irving. Four raids targeted the area, 24 Ki-21 bombing the port (3 hits on two crippled TK and 5 on the port), 45 Vals, 31 Kates, 9 Ki-21, 9 Betties and 3 Ki-49 attacking the Americal Division (74 men and 4 guns lost), 22 Ki-21, 13 Ki-49 and 12 Betties the 9th USMC Defence Bn (31 men and 1 gun lost) and 20 Kates and 11 Vals the 1st USMC Div (24 men and 2 guns lost). One of the three Japanese CV TF was covered by clouds and didn’t launch a raid.
There was no CAP still over Noumea and that allowed some Vals to attack 2 Allied submarines off Noumea and to hit again the USS Saury. Fighters flying CAP over Koumac shot down 2 PBY.

In the evening, the SS Gudgeon tried again to attack the IJN CV TF 180 miles ESE of Noumea but was unable to find a firing position on CVE Hosho and left behind by the Japanese fleet that once again didn’t detect her.

And then the news about the ground offensive reached the Japanese command. Japanese engineers had broken two Allied lines of defence (reducing forts from 8 to 6) and the troops exploited these breaches to advance successfully (ratio of attack was 2 to 1). Losses were not so serious as before on the Japanese side: 2894 men, 92 guns and 16 guns, while the Allied lost 1170 men, 49 guns and 5 vehicles.

The offensive will continue tomorrow with as much air supply as possible. 26 Ki-21 arrived in the evening from Lunga in La Foa and will join the units bombing American troops. All three CV TF will gather 120 miles E of Noumea and attacks troops with Kates, while Vals will fly 60% naval at 5000 feet to chase submarines that were swarming the area.



New Zealand- Southern Pacific

The four surface TF coming back from New Caledonia all refuelled and then were combined into only 2 TFs, more powerful, as successive bombardment seemed to be inefficient. They sailed in the evening back towards Noumea.

In New Zealand, the AKs sent from Auckland to Wellington arrived, unloaded their fuel cargo and started to load supplies for the “starving” bases of Dunedin and Christchurch.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

9 Beaufort V-IX and 18 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

Of the two Ki-46 Chutai based in Truk, one upgraded to Ki-46-III and the other flew to Lunga and will then fly to New Caledonia.

Southern Resource Area

The BB TF sailing from Singapore to South Pacific reached Soerabaja, refuelled and integrated one more DD and 3 of the 4 CA based here, the Takao, Atago and Haguro. The Suzuya will remain here as the main warship in the area. The BB TF then left for its next refuelling stop, Menado.

A convoy loaded 10k resources in Batavia for Singapore.

Burma

During the night, the 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal that raided Rangoon hit nothing. In the morning the 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of Imphal was bombed by 18 Beaufighter VIC, 9 Mk 21 and 11 Vengeance I from this base escorted by 40 P-40B and lost 11 men and 1 tank.

In the evening 22 Nells flew from Singapore to Rangoon to continue raids on Indian resource centers, but one was lost in a crash.

China

Japanese forces continued to bombard Chinese troops west of Ichang and hit 14 men. More west both tank units advanced finally SE of the cross-roads and the 15th Tk Rgt will now drive NE in clear terrain to close the Chinese pocket W and NW of Sian from the SW.

The last recon unit of the IJNAF using the C5M Babs was converted to the Irving in Shanghai.
Japan

The Nenohi was the 9th destroyer lost in the New Caledonia operation (together with a CL, 1 SS, 2 AP, 1 AK, 4 PG and 1 PC) and a new naval priority was established for this kind of warship (coming after CV anyway). So the construction of seven I-boats was suspended, and seven DDs were accelerated (all that were possible to accelerate). By the way all DD lost off new Caledonia were old ones, the best being of Fubuki class.

Your AAR has been wery informative to say the least. Thanks for that. Very Noobiee question: Just curious on your China policy; you seem to keep garrison on your supply lines. What is the Assault Value of those units? Are there any general rules or does it go case-by-case?

ORIGINAL: Pertti Mikkonen II

Your AAR has been wery informative to say the least. Thanks for that. Very Noobiee question: Just curious on your China policy; you seem to keep garrison on your supply lines. What is the Assault Value of those units? Are there any general rules or does it go case-by-case?

My opinion is that the China theater is easier in WITP than it was IRL. To try to simulate the need of garrison against partisans, and the fact that Japanese can't occupy all China, I have an home rule (in all my PBEM) that each city, road and rail hex under Japanese control should be held by at least 25 ASS points. Cities should be held by the number of points given by the game, that is often higher than 25 points, or by 25 points if the game score is lower than that.
So for example all Mongol Cav Div are used to keep roads and rails (3 hex by Div). Other hexs are held by SNLF, and then Bdes and Div also divided.

In late October 1942 (last time I did a survey of this), the China rear area (including towns not on the frontline) was held by 3.33 Div, 13 Bde, 3 Rgt, 10 Mongolian Cav Div. Since then Homan, Sian, Kungchang, Lanchow and Sining have been taken and several more Div and Bdes are used to garrison the conquered areas. So if Chinese units are able to advance to 180 miles of Chungking (where they are now), they won't be able to attack it in force. Just advancing to the city will need a Div to hold the road.

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent


1) DD should have armor being able to stop part of the small caliber hits.
2) the probability of a critical hit should depend of the caliber of the weapon. Right now it seems to me that a 16in shell and a Browning bullet have the same probability to score a critical hit.
3) last but not least the accuracy of the fire by PT boats is way too high.

Comments:

1) DD's were and are very vulnerable to 20mm and .50cal. The range of these weapons is a limitation - see #3.

2) The 20mm and .50cal are considered in bursts vs the 16in as one shell per hit. Still, the 16in should (I assume) get a greater chance of making a critical hit.

3) No comment about PT boat accuracy in general, as I do not know. It does seem that the PT boats must have gotten very close to do this damage. Usually they will not. Then again, I think in stock the 20mm and .50cal might have longer ranges than IRL.

The problem I have with PT boats is that there is no example AFAIK of a DD ever disabled by PT boat 20mm or MG fire. I agree that such fire may have damaged the DD but it should almost only cause SYS damage... Few chance of FLT damage or serious fire with small calibers hits. While what we see in WITP are WITP sinking after being strafed by a PT boat some days before... I think even a DD should have armor to stop a 05in bullet fired at 1000 or 2000 yards.

When I speak of accuracy, what I wanted to say is that anybody that had been on a high-speed low boat rushing at sea will agree with me that it is a poor fire platform, as it will bouce on the sea at each wave.

6 March 1943

New Caledonia

During the night, the Dutch submarine O21 tried to attack the Japanese escort TF off La Foa but was detected by the strong escort and heavily damaged by the DD Ikazuchi that scored two direct hits and two near-misses with depth charges.
It was another bad day for Allied submarines, Kido Butai airmen launched 11 attacks against them off Noumea during the day and hit the Seadragon (twice), the Tambor and the Gar, for the loss of a Val lost in a crash.
But the main objective of Japanese airmen was again the support of the offensive on Noumea. Like the day before, the first raid targeted the port with 13 Ki-21 covered by a sweep of 21 A6M2, 6 A6M3a, 5 Ki-61 and 3 A6M3 from La Foa. They met no CAP and scored 3 hits on the docks and 1 on supplies. Then both US divisions were attacked, the Americal by 35 Ki-21, 10 Betty and 9 Ki-49 from La Foa and the 1st USMC Div by 96 Kates from the Kido Butai. AA fire shot down 7 Kates, 2 Ki-21 and 1 Betty, while two more Kates were lost in accidents. Bombs hit 127 American men and 7 guns.
And indeed the air support may have done the trick, because the shock attack of the day achieved a ratio of 8 to 1… against forts level 6….taking the base. The Japanese commander couldn’t believe that. Then reports came. Japanese losses in the last day were 2728 men, 60 guns and 8 tanks, while Allied losses were given as 27 873 men, 231 guns and 56 vehicles (strange numbers because the combat report showed 47 242 men, 560 guns and 104 vehicles, and all Allied troops were destroyed… I scored 1050 troop points, so killed around 3150 squads = 38000 men ?).
The destroyed Allied units were the HQ South Pacific, Americal Div, a part of the 1st USMC Div (cadre evacuated?), 1st and 2nd USMC Raider Bns, 1st USMC Para Bn, 7th, 8th and 9th USMC Defence Bns, 72nd USA Field Artillery Rgt, 811th and 813th Engineer Aviation Bns, 117th USN Base Force, 30th Naval Base Force and 5th Naval Construction Bn.
17 unserviceable aircraft were found on the airfield (9 PBY, 4 A-20G, 3 P-38G and 1 B-25J) while two crippled TK were scuttled in the port before the surrendering.
By the way I checked all units involved in the battle. All were at 100% OOB or more before the attack. At the end of the battle, 387 squads were missing from the cumulated OOB of the units (not counting the extra squads that I didn’t list before the battle) and 2157 were disabled. So if we count 12 men per squads, like above, Japan lost around 4500 killed and 25000 wounded in the battle of Noumea.
Noumea was seriously wrecked (port 100% damaged, airfield services 62%, runways 54%) but 1047 engineers squads were in the city and will quickly repair it.

The news were quickly sent to the naval commander aboard the Kido Butai, and orders of the fleet were quickly changed. The CV TF will sail south of New Caledonia and chase submarines with Vals and Kates. The replenishment TF will remain at sea with the BB TF, and will wait for MSW to arrive from Suva (6 fast MSW left this evening) and Auckland (5 slow ones).
La Foa airmen will fly tomorrow CAP and naval search, recon of Efate and Luganville.
Southern Army troops in Noumea also received new orders. The next step will be the attack of Luganville and Efate. Both will be simultaneously invaded to reduce the time spent here by the Kido Butai (that should allready by leaving according to the original plan).
The 65th Bde and the 17th Army HQ will garrison Noumea.
Troops already prepared at 100% for Luganville were the 18th and 53rd Div, the 27th Eng Rgt, the 14th Army HQ and 1 ART units. Three move Div (2nd, 48th and 56th), the 5th Eng Rgt, the 4th Tk Rgt and 1 ART unit received orders to prepare quickly for this operation.
Efate was also the target of some units, but far less, only the 20th Div and the 23rd Eng Rgt. And it will be the harder target, so more units having Noumea as their former target were ordered to prepare for it: 3 Div (21st and 38th Div, 1st Tk Div), 2 Eng Rgt (1st and 21st), 7th Tk Rgt, 4 ART units and the 13th Army HQ.
The plan is to invade both places at the same time with BB, KB and LBA (from New Caledonia) support, around the 20-25 March. Troops in Luganville will try to take the island fast, using the fleet support. As soon as it will have fallen, a part of the troops will be sent to Efate, where troops will have only bombarded Allied lines until now while continuing to prepare, and will attack it. At this stage most of the warships will have left the area.



New Zealand- Southern Pacific

During the night, 5 MSW swept again Allied mines off Suva. Of the two MSW TF off this base, each swept mines one day (on the 4th or the 6th) and none worked on the 5th. I should admit I had never understood how MSW TF work in WITP. Things that work once… work once, and don’t work the next time.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

11 Beaufort V-IX and 26 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

In the evening 33 Nicks flew from Truk to Rabaul to cover the incoming convoy bringing two more AA Bns here. I then discovered that night-fighters are not allowed in WITP to LRCAP TFs, even by day. So they will fly CAP over Rabaul tomorrow.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Lunga to size 3.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

131 B-17E from Darwin attacked again Amboina and this time disabled the 10 resource centers of this base (that were all working before the raid). Weather conditions were bad and 6 heavy bombers didn’t return from this raid, all for operational reasons.

Burma

During the night, 5 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal attacked Rangoon but hit nothing.

In the morning Lashio was bombed by 27 B-17E, 16 Beaufort I and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 4 P-40B. They scored 2 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 10 on the runway.
120 miles SE of Imphal the 1st Tk Rgt was bombed by 20 Beaufighter VIC, 9 Mk 21 and 10 Vengeance I from this base escorted by 37 P-40B and lost 33 men and 2 tanks, but one P-40 was lost in a crash..

In the Japanese rear area, the Burma Naval Squadron arrived in Singapore, refuelled and disbanded. All ships will have minor repairs, and two Kagero-class DDs will be upgraded. And the 3 AA Bns that were sent from Korea to Burma finished landing in Bangkok and will go by road and train to Mandalay.

China

There was no air raid over China today. The 13th Div marched west from Ichang and reached the retreating 49th Chinese Corps. It will attack it tomorrow to open the road leading north.

Japan

The news of the fall of Noumea arrived at the end of the celebrations of the first anniversary of the fall of Pearl Harbor (on 4 March 1942 IIRC). And a new period of official celebrations was opened by the Emperor's government.

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

But the main objective of Japanese airmen was again the support of the offensive on Noumea. Like the day before, the first raid targeted the port with 13 Ki-21 covered by a sweep of 21 A6M2, 6 A6M3a, 5 Ki-61 and 3 A6M3 from La Foa. They met no CAP and scored 3 hits on the docks and 1 on supplies. Then both US divisions were attacked, the Americal by 35 Ki-21, 10 Betty and 9 Ki-49 from La Foa and the 1st USMC Div by 96 Kates from the Kido Butai. AA fire shot down 7 Kates, 2 Ki-21 and 1 Betty, while two more Kates were lost in accidents. Bombs hit 127 American men and 7 guns.
And indeed the air support may have done the trick, because the shock attack of the day achieved a ratio of 8 to 1… against forts level 6….taking the base. The Japanese commander couldn’t believe that. Then reports came. Japanese losses in the last day were 2728 men, 60 guns and 8 tanks, while Allied losses were given as 27 873 men, 231 guns and 56 vehicles (strange numbers because the combat report showed 47 242 men, 560 guns and 104 vehicles, and all Allied troops were destroyed… I scored 1050 troop points, so killed around 3150 squads = 38000 men ?).
The destroyed Allied units were the HQ South Pacific, Americal Div, a part of the 1st USMC Div (cadre evacuated?), 1st and 2nd USMC Raider Bns, 1st USMC Para Bn, 7th, 8th and 9th USMC Defence Bns, 72nd USA Field Artillery Rgt, 811th and 813th Engineer Aviation Bns, 117th USN Base Force, 30th Naval Base Force and 5th Naval Construction Bn.
17 unserviceable aircraft were found on the airfield (9 PBY, 4 A-20G, 3 P-38G and 1 B-25J) while two crippled TK were scuttled in the port before the surrendering.
By the way I checked all units involved in the battle. All were at 100% OOB or more before the attack. At the end of the battle, 387 squads were missing from the cumulated OOB of the units (not counting the extra squads that I didn’t list before the battle) and 2157 were disabled. So if we count 12 men per squads, like above, Japan lost around 4500 killed and 25000 wounded in the battle of Noumea.

I told you so... [8D]

BANZAI!!!


Congratulations - the Emperor will be very pleased!


Leo "Apollo11"

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

The problem I have with PT boats is that there is no example AFAIK of a DD ever disabled by PT boat 20mm or MG fire.

Recently the USN conducted tests on a number of obsolete vessels (I posted the news this past summer, look on strategypage.net for the news archive). 20mm and .50cal did disable DD's. I do not know if that ever actually happened in WWII (that test was only to see the weapons effects). I suspect you are correct about the accuracy issue on PT boats, plus if the range of the weapon is defined as being too great in WITP stock then the PT boat will be able to do much greater harm to the DD, when in reality the DD would have smeared the PT all over the ocean. I think the result you got is out of whack. Especially since two DD's got smoked. If it was only one I would chock it up to that 'got in close' by chance die roll, but not for two DD's in the same battle without surprise. With surprise could be different. Anyway, I was only commenting on the physical effect of the weapons FYI. I think the results were too extreme to simulate real life.

7 March 1943

Northern Pacific

41 B-26B from Adak Island bombed the empty airfield of Kiska, scoring 2 hits on supplies and 3 on runways.

New Caledonia

During the night, the SS USS Pike tried to engage the Kido Butai passing SE of Noumea but was chased by the escort of two TF. First the DD Susuzuki using the modern Type 2 depth charges scored one hit and two near misses, then the DD Kawakaze and Onami scored 2 more near-misses with Type 95 DCs.
The revenge of the KB came after dawn, Vals sinking in the morning SW of New Caledonia the already damaged SS Saury and hitting three other submarines, the Halibut, Gar and KXVII. 1 Val was lost in an accident. In the afternoon, it was the turn of the LBA to strike. The SS Pike was achieved SE of Noumea by a Ki-21 and a Ki-49, while other Sallies damaged the Gato and Permit SW of New Caledonia.

Recon flown over Luganville and Efate reported 1 P-40E on Cap over the former, and 3 P-40E and 2 F4F-4 over the latter.

During the day the DD Shirakumo was scuttled off La Foa. Engineers had already repaired the runways in Noumea and a part of the services (33% now) and the Air HQ and a part of the base forces in La Foa were ordered to move to Noumea.

The Kido Butai will sail westwards to chase Allied submarines retiring towards Australia.



New Zealand- Southern Pacific

During the night 4 MSW swept the last Allied mines off Suva.

Several TF were formed to sail to Noumea for the next step of the operations. From Suva two transport TF (one with 90 AP and 6 escorts, the other with 62 AP and 6 escorts) sailed empty and will load troops and supplies in Noumea. In Auckland, 3 TFs were formed: first 5 MSW will sail immediately to Noumea, followed by a transport TF (22 AP, 10 AK, 1 AS, 1 AE and 5 escorts), and later by a TK TF (4 TK and 2 escorts) that will load 64k fuel in Auckland and bring them to Noumea.

One Allied submarine was reported north of Eniwetok, in the Marshalls. It was a rare occurrence but no action was launched against it as no ASW ship was available in this area.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

In the afternoon, 32 B-24D from PM attacked Rabaul but met 32 Ki-45Ia Nick flying CAP (maximum effort by the 45th Sentai). Once again Nicks performed poorly. 14 were damaged to score hits on 3 bombers, one of which crashed later. The bombers scored 3 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 21 on runways, doing 23 casualties, but there was no Nick loss. The convoy with both AA Bns will reach Rabaul tomorrow and the Nick unit will remain there to cover it.

14 Beaufort V-IX and 16 P-40E from PM flew a training mission against Goodenough Island.

Barges unload a company of the Sasebo 6th SNLF in Gili-Gili and another in Ferguson Island east of this base. Both locations were undefended and will be occupied tomorrow.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

Nothing to report

Southern Resource Area

Convoys loaded 57k oil in Palembang for Japan, 10k resources in Palembang for Singapore and 7k supplies in Soerabaja for Koepang.

Burma

During the night, 5 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal attacked Rangoon but hit nothing. In the morning the 1st Tk Rgt was bombed 120 miles SE of Imphal by 17 Beaufighter VIC, 9 Mk 21 and 10 Vengeance I from this base escorted by 37 P-40B and lost 59 men and 3 tanks.

China

West of Ichang, the 49th Chinese Corps was bombed by 58 Ki-44, 43 Oscar II and 27 Oscar I from Wuhan (34 casualties, 1 Tojo and 1 Oscar I lost in accidents) and then was attacked by the 13th Div and defeated at 236 to 1. Chinese lost 110 killed and wounded and more than 500 POWs and retreated SW towards Changsha. Japanese troops lost 70 men and 2 guns. The road to the north was now open, and the 13th Div will continue north to open a supply path for the Northern China Army cut from its rear base in Sian.

Japanese forces continued to bombard Chinese troops west of Ichang and hit 53 men.

Due to heavy family commitment on my part in the next days, the game will advance slowly until next week.

8-9 March 1943

Northern Pacific

On the 8th, 51 B-26B from Adak attacked the airfield of Kiska Island, scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on the runway.

18 Rufes arrived in Paramushiro Jima and will defend this base.

New Caledonia

During these two days, Japanese airmen from the Kido Butai and those based in Koumac both chased Allied submarines off New Caledonia. On the 8th, they launched 27 attacks but scored no hit. The next morning the fast MSW TF sailing from Suva to Noumea met the SS USS Gudgeon 180 miles ESE of Noumea and attacked her. The MSW W15 scored two near-misses, lightly damaging the submarine. This same day, Japanese airmen launched again 27 attacks against Allied submarines in the area and hit four of them (USS Guardfish, Haddock and S-42 and the Dutch O-24) but all survived. Tomorrow the Japanese fleet will gather south of Noumea and the sub hunt will continue.

Japanese airmen also flew recon over Luganville (CAP 3 P-40E) and Efate (CAP 6 P-40E, 6 F4F-4, that shot down a Ki-46-III on the 9th).

The surface TFs sailing from Suva back to the area had the surprise to meet in the evening of the 8th a lonely damaged PT (PT-178) 360 miles ESE of Noumea. Despite being out of fuel, the PT surprised a BB TF and torpedoed an escort, the DD Mishichio (damage 48/46/30), before being sunk by another DD. The damaged ship sailed back alone to Suva but hadn't reached it yet.

In New Caledonia, the base of Noumea was fully repaired and as the first base force arrived there on the 9th, half of the air units of La Foa moved to this base. The escort TF was still off La Foa waiting for the MSW to arrive at Noumea from Suva (tomorrow). On the 9th an heavily damaged 7000-ton AK was scuttled off La Foa.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

The convoy bringing to Rabaul two AA Bns arrived on the 8th and started to unload. It wasn't attacked for two days, and neither was the base. In the evening of the 9th all troops were ashore and the convoy will now unload supplies.

11 Beaufort V-IX and 2 P-40E from PM flew a training missions against Goodenough Island on the 8th.

Parts of the Sasebo 6th SNLF occupied on the 8th the undefended locations of Gili-Gili and Fergusson Island. The barges returned to this place the next day and reloaded all troops, that will be landed now in Normanby and Deboyne Islands.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

The only activity was an unsuccessful strafing attack against barges by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin off Lautem on the 9th.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 32k oil in Soerabaja for Singapore and another 17k resources in Toboali for the same base. Also a convoy supposed carrying oil from Palembang to Japan was discovered sailing empty SE of Singapore and was sent again to Palembang.

Burma

During the night of the 7th-8th, 7 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal attacked without success Rangoon.
After dawn, 28 B-17E, 20 B-25J, 16 Beaufort I and 15 Blenheim IV escorted by 42 P-40B from Imphal attacked Mandalay, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 59 on the runways, doing 123 casualties. Two P-40s and a Beaufort were lost in crashes. The next morning, the same air units (this time with 30 B-17E, 14 Blenheim IV, 13 Beaufort I and 12 B-25J escorted by 39 P-40B) attacked Lashio, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 85 on the runways for the loss of a P-40B in an accident.

On both days the 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of Imphal was attacked by aircraft from this base (total of 36 Beaufighter VIC, 20 Vengeance I and 18 Beaufighter Mk 21 escorted by 13 Spitfire Vb) and lost 54 men and 4 tanks.

Japanese engineers finished to build fortifications in Akyab (level 9).

Tomorrow a Nell Daitai will bomb again the resource centers of Jamshedpur.

China

The only ground action was west of Sian, where Japanese artillery bombarded Chinese troops and hit 108 men in two days. Elsewhere Japanese troops were slowly moving to their new positions to complete the surrounding.

On the 9th, Lanchow bombers were supposed to bomb Chengtu resource centers (biggest remaining in Nationalist China) but didn't fly. Oscars II flew LRCAP over Yunan, Kunming, Chungking and Chengtu (one Chutai each) and without loss shot down 3 C-47 over the latter town (only place where there was an interception).
Japanese engineers expanded both airfields of Wuchow and Kweilin (only to score points).

Japan

Finally, there were enough space in naval shipyards to resume the construction of three of the I-boats stopped in the last days.

Your ASW air attack seems to be very sucessfull.
What settings you use for your airgroups?

ORIGINAL: VALEA VERDE

Your ASW air attack seems to be very sucessfull.
What settings you use for your airgroups?

50-80% naval search at 5000 yards. All units have exp over 80, and around 250 Vals-Kates and 100 LBA bombers are involved.
Also the submarines attacked are always several in the same hex, that helps detecting them.

I was busy in real life and the game was slower than usual. Nothing spectacular happened during these 7 turns, so the AAR will combine them in one post and will so reach the same date than the game.

10-16 March 1943

Northern Pacific

Both sides were getting ready here. I don’t know if this theater will become active, but this week both the Japanese airfield in Paramushiro Jima and the Allied one in Amchitka Island reach size 4. Japanese engineers will now expand the port (size 1 now) of Paramushiro Jima (fort are already level 9).

Central Pacific

Still laying mines all around Hawaii and nearby islands…

New Caledonia

The Japanese fleet began this week by continuing to chase Allied submarines off New Caledonia with the help of LBA. There were 25 attacks and 3 hits (on the Snapper, Haddock and S-42) on the 10th. The next day most of the Allied submarines were gone elsewhere and there were only 5 attacks and 1 hit on the Stingray. The next night (11th-12th) the SS USS Seal tried to attack the CV Zuikaku 180 miles SW of Efate but was chased by the escort and after dawn was attacked nine times by KB airmen and was sunk by two hits scored by Vals. This day there were 11 more attacks on other submarines but only the Stingray was hit W of New Caledonia. The SS Haddock that was hit several times during the last days sank on the way to Brisbane, and the SS Seadragon suffered the same fate the next day.

Allied airmen were still active from Efate, a Ki-46-III being shot down by the CAP over this base on the 11th. The next day a daring PBM Mariner attacked the ASW TF following the KB and damaged the DD Hibiki (damage 20/20/20) before escaping. This day the KB CAP shot down a Mariner and an A-20G. And the next night (12th-13th) Efate suffered the revenge of the IJN, when two TF bombarded the base with a total of 3 BB (Musashi, Hiei, Ise, 6 CA and 8 CL). Both attacks destroyed 43 aircraft (24 F4F-4, 12 PBM, 6 P-40E and 1 A-20G), disabled 1950 men, 12 guns and 27 vehicles and scored 40 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies, 275 on the runways and 1 on the port. The airfield only reopened on the 16th where a P-40 was seen flying CAP and some Mariner reported near the KB.
The morning after the pounding of Efate, Luganville was attacked by 47 Kates from the KB under escort by 4 A6M3a (well, all Kates and 30% of the Zeroes were supposed to fly this raid). They destroyed on the ground 3 B-24D and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 32 on the runways for the loss of a Kate to AA fire.
The next days saw the Japanese BB sail to Noumea to refuel and rearm, while the KB remained between Efate and Noumea for an uneventful patrol until the 16th where a Mariner was shot down by the CAP. This evening, the KB received orders to sail to Noumea to receive replacement aircraft, as 15-20 pilots had no aircraft aboard the various CVs, and also to refuel and complete supplies before incoming operations.

Japanese MSW swept mines day and night off Noumea until the 14th, then stopped without having finished the job, as the green mine symbol was still there. Anyway none of the Japanese ships entering the port hit a mine this week. The escort TF made of the damaged ships off La Foa reached Noumea on the 11th and disbanded and all remaining ships will be saved. Also all Japanese aircraft and base forces left La Foa for Noumea during this week.

The various transport TF sent from Suva and Auckland reached Noumea on the 13th and 14th. While two unloaded fuel, the other started on the 15th to load the troops for the invasion of Luganville (5 Div + support units) and Efate (3 Div, 1 Tk Div and support units). On the 16th, 18 AK were sent from Noumea to Koumac to load supplies here, together with 5 MSW (just in case).

This night both BB TF will again pound Efate.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

Some APs loaded in Tarawa troops and will bring a Naval Const Bn to Pago-Pago and a small Base Force to Tongatapu.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

The convoy unloading off Rabaul finished without being attacked, but on the 11th 74 B-24D from Port Moresby attacked the base and met the 33 Nicks of the 45th Sentai sent there to cover the ships. The Nicks scored 2 victories for one loss to engine failure, but 27 were damaged and 22 were unserviceable in the evening. The raid disabled 70 men and 3 guns and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 52 on the runways.
All able Nicks were flown out to Truk, as a follow-on raid was expected to crush the base. It didn’t come until the 16th, and by this time 15 more Nicks had been repaired and flown to Truk. This new raid was flown by 79 B-24D and destroyed 4 of the seven remaining Nicks, disabled 147 men and 1 gun and scored 11 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 26 on the runways. The AA defences (reinforced by the last convoy) shot down 3 Liberators.

Daily training raids (except on the 15th) from Port Moresby were flown against Gili-Gili with a total of 74 Beaufort V-IX and 83 P-40E with the loss of 3 P-40 in accidents.

Detachments of the Sasebo 6th SNLF landed on the 10th on Normanby and Deboyne Islands (63 casualties) and occupied them the next day. They were then picked up again by the barges that brought them and sailed back to Shortlands.

A convoy with fuel arrived in Lunga and 3 MLs laid a minefield here before sailing back to Truk without waiting for the rest of the convoy. Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Lunga to size 4, and will now expand the port (now level 1) and the fortification (level 2).
An AK left Truk with 7000 supplies for Kavieng on the 13th.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

There was only one Allied raid. On the 12th, 118 B-17E from Darwin attacked Lautem, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 34 on the runways. Japanese losses were 41 men and 1 gun, Allied ones one Fortress lost to engine failure.

The BB TF sent from Singapore refuelled in Menado on the 10th and then sailed towards Truk.

Southern Resource Area

The following convoys were created this week: 128k oil and 49k resources from Singapore to Japan, 57k oil from Palembang to Japan (this convoy was the one that sailed empty some days before), 14k resources from Rangoon to Singapore, 35k resources from Tarakan to Japan, 10k supplies from Toboali to Batavia, 9k oil from Rangoon to Singapore, 21k resources from Swatow to Japan and 28k resources from Canton to Japan.

In Java Japanese engineers finished the fortifications of Soerabaja (level 9) and will now expand the AF from size 4 to 6.

Burma

Beaufighter VIF from Imphal attacked Rangoon each night, except on the 12th and 16th. They flew a total of 28 sorties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 1 on a runway for two losses to AA fire.

There was only one raid on a Japanese base this week. Lashio was attacked on the 16th by 31 B-17E, 31 B-25J, 16 Blenheim IV and 15 Beaufort I from Imphal escorted by 39 P-40B and reported losses of 50 men and 1 gun and 12 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 29 on the runway.
In Northern Burma, the 1st Tk Rgt guarding the trail to Imphal was bombed on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 16th by a total of 72 Beaufighter VIC and 36 Mk 21, and 41 Vengeance I from Imphal (escorted by a total of 112 P-40B and 9 Spitfire V) and lost 199 men and 13 tanks hit. Allied losses were a Vengeance I and a Beaufighter VIC lost in crashes.
Japanese airmen flew also only one raid. 13 Nells from Rangoon bombed Jamshedpur resource centers on the 10th and scored two hits but did no new damage.

The three AA Bns sent from Korea (by ship to Bangkok first) were now on the railway south of Mandalay and will reach it in some days. An air ambush over this city will be possible against a raid of the size reported on the last weeks. Fighter reinforcements (27 A6M2 and 22 A6M3a) arrived on the evening of the 16th in Rangoon from China and Manila, and in some days around 90 fighters will move forward from Rangoon to Mandalay and wait the Allied bombers here.

China

The main operation in China was still the reducing of the Chinese pocket NW of Sian. A Tk Rgt closed the ring on the SW of the pocket on the 10 and two Rgts will close it on the W around the 25th. In the meantime, troops will march to their ordered positions and the two Chinese Corps that advanced out of the mountains W of Sian were bombed daily by Japanese guns and lost in a week 843 men.

NE of Chungking, the Japanese troops moving west to the mountains (3 Div) were stopped on the 11th when a Chinese Cav Corps came on the other way, stopping their move. They defeated it the next day (at 2969 to 1) and repulsed it westwards. Japanese losses were 26 men and 4 guns, Allied ones 632 killed and wounded, 1 gun and more than 150 prisoners. The Japanese troops then started again to march westwards, joined later by the 3rd Tk Div coming back from securing the road to Ichang.

Japanese airmen flew two noticeable operations. The first was a raid against the resources centers of Chengtu by 30 Ki-21, 12 Ki-49 and 6 betties from Lanchow but failed to do any new damage. On the 16th, 6 Chutais of Oscar II flew LRCAP over the Chinese airfields of Chengtu, Chungking, Yunan, Kweilin and Kweiyang. Two were over Chengtu and found Allied transport AC here, shooting down 3 C-47. One Oscar II was lost to engine failure during this operation, while two Dakota I landing in a hurry were lost in crashes.
On a rare occurrence, a Ki-15 flying recon over a Chinese unit was shot down by AA fire on the 13th.

The airmen in Wuhan flew training missions against Chinese troops NW of Changsha on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th with a total of 171 Tojos, 114 Oscar II and 78 Oscar I and hit 106 men for the loss of a Ki-44 in a crash. 27 Vals and 9 Kates left this base, their training finished, and a Kate was lost in a crash on the first step of their flight towards the KB. They wee replaced by 27 A6M2 and 27 A6M3a that arrived on the 16th from Japan to fly operational training here.

By the way Japanese engineers were busy on all conquered bases and this week expanded the airfields of Sian (size 3), Kweilin (5), Kungchang (5) and Lanchow (7).

The 31st Div of the Burma Army was declared operationnal (created in the game) in Shanghai on the 13th and immediately received orders to prepare for Mandalay and boarded the APs waiting it in the port to be shipped to Rangoon.

Japan

The convoys that left Japan this week were the following: 28k supplies from Osaka to Canton (China), 14k supplies from Kitakyushu to Mindanao (for the bases of Davao and Cagayan), 112k supplies from Osaka to Rangoon (these AKs will load resources in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore on the way back) and an AP convoy bringing the 14th Area Army to Kendari.

The 13th saw the creation of two units that will remain in Japan for defensive duties: the 61st Div will defend Ominato, and the 26th Aviation Unit will be based in Tokyo. Three small BF received orders to prepare for Paramushiro Jima, in the Kuriles.

On the industrial side, the output of the A6M3a was reduced by 40% on the 16th (when the pool reached 500). I also realised that I can now produce the J2M Jack but the first unit using it will arrive in 8 months so I didn’t launch the repair of the factory yet.

Is this game still going, Amiral?

Yes, this game is going on, but with a busy life I have not the time to play the game and complete the AAR. The game is now nearing the end of March.

Here are three days, and the 19th was the day where the Japanese score went over the 50,000 points mark.



17-19 March 1943

Northern Pacific

Starting on the 17th, Avenger from the new Allied airfield of Amchitka Island began to fly recon missions over the (empty) island of Kiska. The next day Mavis from Paramushiro Jima began to fly daily recon of Amchitka and reported there 3 units and no CAP.

New Caledonia – New Hebrides

During the night of the 16th-17th, Efate was bombarded by two Japanese TF. First the BB Musashi and Ise, 2 CA and 3 CL engaged the coastal defences, hitting 151 men and 5 guns, and then the BB Hiei, 2 CA and 3 CL pounded the base, disabling 209 men and 7 guns, and scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 30 on the runways, 11 on the port and 5 on supplies. Both TF then returned to Noumea.
After dawn, Luganville was attacked by 68 Ki-21, 25 Betties and 17 Ki-49 from Noumea escorted by 11 A6M2. They destroyed on the ground 1 A-20G, 1 P-40E and 1 Mariner, did 11 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 94 on runways.
There were no more air action the next two days, except a PBM Mariner shot down by Japanese CAP near Noumea on the 19th.

On the 17th, the AK convoy sent to Koumac arrived here before the MSW TF and the PC Shonan Maru 7 hit a VH2 mine and sank the next day while trying to return to Noumea. The minefield was cleared the same day and the transports began to load supplies.
Also on the 18th the American submarine S-42, badly hit off New Caledonia, sank 360 miles east of Brisbane.

In Noumea, the air units of the KB received 28 replacement aircraft (15 A6M3a, 7 Vals and 6 Kates), but the loading of troops for the invasion of Efate and Luganville (started on the 15th) was chaotic... to remain polite. On the evening of the 17th more than two divisions worth of troops were still waiting to board ships and space was running out… About twenty AP had just loaded supplies on the other hand ! They were ordered to unload, and other ships were ordered to board troops, but two days later it was still a mess and the fleet was still not able to sail north. By the way the BB returned to this port and used the last drops of fuel available.

New Zealand- Southern Pacific

To support the Luganville-Efate operation nine 7000-ton AK loaded with supplies and one AR left Suva for Noumea.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

The BB TF arriving from Singapore and Java reached Truk on the 17th and was disbanded here. It was no more needed more south and will wait for the Kido Butai to join it here.

Only raids flown were training missions from PM to Goodenough Island with a total of 25 Beaufort V-IX and 20 P-40E.

On the 19th some barges left again Shortlands with troops of the Sasebo 6th SNLF to occupy Rossel Island, the last Allied dot east of New Guinea.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

There were no Allied raids on Timor, except attacks by Brewster 339D from Darwin (14 on the 18th and 7 on the 19th) on barges in Lautem area. They damaged one that was left behind.

Southern Resource Area

The following convoys were created in 3 days: 9k oil from Medan to Singapore, 18k oil from Bankha to Singapore, 45 oil from Palembang to Singapore, 25k oil Tarakan to Japan, 27k oil from Brunei to Japan and 14k resources from Balikpapan to Japan.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Brunei to size 4 and will now work on the port (now size 4, max size 5).

Burma

Beaufighter VIF from Imphal flew too ineffective raids against Rangoon during the night of the 16-17 (7 AC) and 18-19 (5 AC) without loss.

All three days, Imphal airmen raided Lashio airfield, and attacked the 1st Tk Rgt 120 miles SE of their base. Lashio was targeted by a total of 234 bomber sorties (76 B-17E, 74 B-25J, 42 Blenheim IV and 42 Beaufort I) and 119 escort sorties (all by P-40B) and reported 48 casualties, 16 hits on the airbase,17 on supplies and 197 on the runway. Allied losses were 1 B-25J shot down by AA fire, and 3 other and a B-17 lost in crashes.
The Tk Rgt reported a total of 113 bomber sorties (54 Beaufighter VIC, 30 Vengeance I and 29 Beaufighter Mk 21) escorted by a total of 24 Spitfires, and lost 171 men and 10 vehicles, but 3 Spitfire Vb, 1 Beaufighter VIC, 1 Mk 21 and 1 Vengeance I were lost in accidents.

Japanese air force only flew recon, and lost a Dinah III shot down by Allied fighters over India on the 19th.

China

The situation in the north evolved a little, with Japanese troops finally reaching the mountains 120 miles NE of Chungking on the 17th (with the 35th Div). The next day, it was joined by the 34th Div and both rejected a counter-attack by the defending Chinese (8 Corps, 1 Cav Corps, 1 Air BF and 2 HQ) at 0 to 1 (adjusted ASS was 64 to 1492…). Japanese losses were 67 men and 3 guns, Chinese lost 783 men. The next day activity was reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 12 men, while the 3rd Tk Div also reached the area. A last division was on the way and a Japanese attack will be launched as soon as it arrived.
West of Sian, Japanese troops still bombarded Chinese units along the road and hit 400 men in 3 days.

Fighter bases in Wuhan continued to fly operationnal training attacks on Chinese troops NW of Changsha and flew 268 sorties on the 17th and 19th (100 Ki-44, 63 Oscar II, 30 Oscar I, 27 A6M3a and 24 A6M3a) to hit 62 men while losing an Oscar II in a crash.

Japanese engineers expanded Kaifeng airfield to size 5.

Japan

The convoy that was supposed to load 112k supplies in Osaka for Rangoon sailed empty and was recalled on the 17th, and returned the next day to Osaka, where it was again ordered to load supplies.

20 March 1943

New Caledonia – New Hebrides

During the night, 6 MSW again found some Allied mines off Noumea and swept them. In the morning, Efate was bombed by 88 Ki-21, 26 Betties and 17 Ki-49 from Noumea escorted by 9 A6M2. They scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 111 on the runways, doing 26 casualties. AA fire shot down 2 Sallies.

In the evening, it was still the mess in Noumea port, but the local naval commander had enough and decided to send both troops convoys towards their target even if the loading was not finished (about a division worth of troops still refused to board ships). Both convoys will meet the KB and the supply-laden AK from Koumac (that were also ordered to leave port this evening) 120 miles west of Efate.

Japanese engineers expanded La Foa port to size 4.

Bismarcks-Solomons-New Guinea

Eleven Beaufort V-IX took off in the afternoon from PM for a training raid on Goodenough Island, but only 5 found it.

Timor-Amboina-Australia

13 Brewster 339D from Darwin strafed unsuccessfully a damaged barge drifting off Lautem.

Southern Resource Area

A convoy loaded 17k supplies in Toboali for Kendari.

Burma

During the night, 10 Beaufighter VIF from Imphal raided Rangoon and scored one hit on the airbase.

This day, Japanese recon aircraft flew to the main Allied bases in India and reported more than 40 fighters on CAP over each of the bases of Ledo, Imphal and Chandpur. A Dinah II was shot down by a fighter during these missions.

The 1st Tk Rgt was as usual bombed by Imphal airmen (18 Beaufighter VIC, 9 Mk 21 and 10 Vengeance I escorted by 43 P-40B) but reported no loss, while a Beaufighter VIC was lost in a crash.

China

In the north, there was only Japanese artillery fire NE of Chungking (65 Chinese hit) and W of Sian (260 Chinese hit) but troops of both sides moved and tomorrow will see Japanese troops attack in three spots.
In the mountains NE of Chungking, a new Japanese divisions arrived, bringing the total here to a Tk Div and 3 Inf Div, and they will attack tomorrow the 12 units facing them with support of the bombers from Wuhan and Lanchow.
A Chinese unit marched out of the mountains and arrived on the Sian-Chungking road 120 miles west of Sian, stopping all Japanese moves from here. So the surrounding of the Chinese pocket was ordered from the north (see map below) and the Japanese troops in the “invaded” hex were ordered to chase the Chinese (that will retreat westwards towards Chungking).
West of Sian, the two surrounded Chinese Corps will also be attacked, as the surrounding plan is no more doable. Several divisions faced them and should easily crush the starving Chinese.

More south, a new training mission was flown from Wuhan with 60 Tojos, 31 Oscar II, 30 Oscar I, 27 A6M3 and 27 A6M3a and attacked a Corps NW of Changsha, hitting 28 men. An Oscar II and an A6M3a were lost in accidents.

Japanese engineers expanded Ichang airfield to size 2.