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In the meanwhile, the Ambon invasion is developing. 3 SNLF units are being loading at Kendari and will join, in two days, 2 Infantry regiments, an arty unit and some engineers already aboard transports. The amphib TF will be reinforced by 2 old BBs, while 2 strong SCTFs (one composed of CA+DDs and one of BBs+DDs) will cover. Kaga's CVTF, 188 planes strong, will provide air cover, while 120 long range torpedo bombers and 27 zeros from Menado will provide assistance in case the Allied Navy wants to come out and play.
 
At Horn Island the situation is getting everyday more critical. In the last two days a dedicated recon mission discovered that there are more than 5300 men divided in 5 units, instead of the 2 units for 2000 men spotted by the Mavis unit in the last week.... Gosh, it's an atoll and i'm a bit scared of attacking it with the tiny forces i have in SWPAC right now (2 regiments and a SNLF unit)....
 
Tomorrow, 18 brand new recon planes and 8 Mavis will be based at Kendari. These guys will provide us usefull infos on Timor and also we'll be able to search in the seas around Darwin where i fear the enemy's fleet is hiding....

SUB WARFARE
 
the first month and half of war has been largely disappointing for what concerns my subs' results.
I think it's mainly due to the ability of QBall to know which are the most common sealanes and to avoid them, while i've been very predictable for what concerns the positioning of my subs.
 
I've so decided to call back all my subs and to reorganize them in a more rational way.
Now i'm creating 4 different flottillas.
One will be based at Kwalejein (Marshalls).
One will be based at Rabaul.
One will be based at Camra Bay (later at Singapore).
And one will be based - in reserve - at Saipan.
 
The idea is to have at least one glenn-equipped sub in each flottilla and to operate them "carpet-flooding" different portions of the map, hoping to catch a convoy and repeatetly attack it. Kind of german wolfpack tactics.
 
Possibly, at least in CENTPAC, the flottillas will operate along with a float plane equipped AMC or AV...hoping to so provide more chances of spotting the enemy.
 
 

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Night Naval bombardment of Adak Island at 162,52 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
CA New Orleans
CA Chicago
CA Portland
DD Selfridge
DD Porter

This tells me he detached these ships from a CV TF to use for this mission. That number of American CAs this early in the war indicates this happened, IMO. So, he still has a CV in the Aleutians.

Well, if your assumption is right...that's a good info Micheal!
If his CVs are still in the right part of the map, that means i can keep pushing towards Ambon-Timor-NE Oz without much problems, other than his DEI surface assets (Forze Z is still lingering somehwere beyond my naval search range).

However, i'm seriously considering a conservative strategy in the pacific and an strong effort towards China.

For what concerns Burma, he doesn't seem to have fortified it much...I'm thinking of sending 3 divisions and a couple of tank regiments towards Pegu once Singapore is captured, and a combined landing at Akyab with some minor units. I need to cut the Burma road asap if i want to have some hopes in China.

The invasion of Java is almost ready. All my troops devoted to the first wave are in their place and the transports too. But first i need to finish Ambon, Mereuake and Horn Island, so that then i'll be free to use all my CVs to cover the landings (In Java he has now nearly 100 fighters and 70 bombers)

Burma - China
I would strongly suggest sending in at least a division into western China from Burma. You need the first two bases to take away a base for his transport planes from Ledo to drop off supplies. This may be weeks away from happening, but I would plan on doing this.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Burma - China
I would strongly suggest sending in at least a division into western China from Burma. You need the first two bases to take away a base for his transport planes from Ledo to drop off supplies. This may be weeks away from happening, but I would plan on doing this.

Not exactly. Kunming is 10 hexes away from Ledo, so inside the normal range of C-47. Once it is taken, Chengtu is in extended range.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

In the meanwhile, the Ambon invasion is developing. 3 SNLF units are being loading at Kendari and will join, in two days, 2 Infantry regiments, an arty unit and some engineers already aboard transports. The amphib TF will be reinforced by 2 old BBs, while 2 strong SCTFs (one composed of CA+DDs and one of BBs+DDs) will cover. Kaga's CVTF, 188 planes strong, will provide air cover, while 120 long range torpedo bombers and 27 zeros from Menado will provide assistance in case the Allied Navy wants to come out and play.

At Horn Island the situation is getting everyday more critical. In the last two days a dedicated recon mission discovered that there are more than 5300 men divided in 5 units, instead of the 2 units for 2000 men spotted by the Mavis unit in the last week.... Gosh, it's an atoll and i'm a bit scared of attacking it with the tiny forces i have in SWPAC right now (2 regiments and a SNLF unit)....

Tomorrow, 18 brand new recon planes and 8 Mavis will be based at Kendari. These guys will provide us usefull infos on Timor and also we'll be able to search in the seas around Darwin where i fear the enemy's fleet is hiding....

Maybe it is feasible to bypass Horn Island for now and land at Merauke? Horn Island's value is in its airfield and any patrol aircraft that might operate from there. From Port Moresby and Merauke you should be able to bomb the h*** our of it and isolate it from resupply. Makes a nice POW camp ....[:D]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 22, 42

Finally one of my subs hit something.... CL Perth is torpedoed near Exmouth (NW corner of Oz)...which explains where his Navy has vanished: PERTH!
Timor seems to be abbandoned....while we're two days from the landings at Ambon.

In China we've observed a general retreat from the whole Chenchow-Nyanang sector. He's probably moving back to the woods south of Sian.
Our tanks are moving fast. We're getting closer to Nyanang and it seems that we can trap a good bunch of enemy troops in the up-forming pocket!

It also seems that he abbandoned the idea of making an attempt to recapture Tsuyun... while from Changsha sector many units are moving back. This may become the easiest and cheapest way to capture the Chansgha industries[:D]

Horn Island, i'm sure, can be a nail on my side. I wanna have that door towards Darwin closed ASAP.

In fact i'm thinking to devote "only" 1 regiment and 3 SNLF units for Ambon and give a boost to the Horn Island invasion force that will be so composed by 3 regiments, 1 SNLF unit, 1 Arty unit and 1 Indipendent Eng regiment (backed up by 4 Old BBs)... not bad i'd say


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Sub attack near Truk at 112,110 OH, COM'ON!!!!!![:@]

Japanese Ships
xAK Nisso Maru, Torpedo hits 1
PB Keijo Maru
xAK Gyoko Maru
PB Kosin Maru #3
PB Tosho Maru
PB Nishho Maru

Allied Ships
SS Tambor

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




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Sub attack near Exmouth at 50,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
CL Perth, Torpedo hits 1[8D]
DD McCall
DD Bulmer
DD Barker




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Ground combat at 89,40 (near Taiyuan) ......we're opening the mountain road towards Sian...

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 30887 troops, 263 guns, 40 vehicles, Assault Value = 967

Defending force 11709 troops, 86 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 308

Japanese adjusted assault: 601

Allied adjusted defense: 262

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
698 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Allied ground losses:
3665 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 97 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 14 (3 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
37th Division
41st Division
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st Army
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
33rd Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
7th Group Army

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


I'm trying to do that. India is a "mirage" at the moment, so i better not to even think about it. Better to concentrate on finishing the DEI in time and to keep on pushing in China. A decent China-dedicated strategy, at this point, could be a wise move for my first japanese campaign...

I like the China first strategy. If you can clear the rail line and road to indochina, resources, fuel and oil will flow all the way to Korea. You can build up the southern ports of Korea and Haiphong and make supplying the Home Islands with raw materials much easier. You can also expand HI in Southern China and Korea. Getting the oil from Sian north is also a significant advantage to your war effort.

How much supply are you shipping to your Armies in China at the moment?

.

ORIGINAL: Wirraway_Ace

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


I'm trying to do that. India is a "mirage" at the moment, so i better not to even think about it. Better to concentrate on finishing the DEI in time and to keep on pushing in China. A decent China-dedicated strategy, at this point, could be a wise move for my first japanese campaign...

I like the China first strategy. If you can clear the rail line and road to indochina, resources, fuel and oil will flow all the way to Korea. You can build up the southern ports of Korea and Haiphong and make supplying the Home Islands with raw materials much easier. You can also expand HI in Southern China and Korea. Getting the oil from Sian north is also a significant advantage to your war effort.

How much supply are you shipping to your Armies in China at the moment?

I've shipped 200k supplies so far and planning to ship 100k more within the next 2 weeks...but Japan supply reserves are less than 600k at the moment so i'd like not to exagerate too much

(Forze Z is still lingering somehwere beyond my naval search range).

At any rate, what are the chances of a KB raid on Perth at this time?

ORIGINAL: TheLoneGunman

(Forze Z is still lingering somehwere beyond my naval search range).

At any rate, what are the chances of a KB raid on Perth at this time?

KB is at Rabaul at the moment. I won't be able to reach Perth unseen in a decent time....and i will burn all the fuel i've kept in reserve aboard my oilers... if i take the shortest route (via Horn Island and Darwin) he will spot me and act accordingly... how could i do that raid?

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

KB is at Rabaul at the moment. I won't be able to reach Perth unseen in a decent time....and i will burn all the fuel i've kept in reserve aboard my oilers... if i take the shortest route (via Horn Island and Darwin) he will spot me and act accordingly... how could i do that raid?

Perhaps instead of outright raiding, you could make Q-Ball think you're launching a raid. Funnel his ships out of Perth and into the jaws of a trap.

My intitial point is, if you know where his warships are, what are you planning on doing about it, if anything?

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

.

Are you in a position to shift major forces for a drive on Kweiyang?

Congrats on China

Hmm, the dangers of fighting too far forward, and hanging around a bit too long could well cost him dear

congrats on setting up a classic hammer and anvil in southern China, now its a question if you can clear the road to Tuyun before he smashes your anvil. ( my favorite airlifted defenders are the Navel Guard units I think they are the biggest unit which can be entirely fit into cargo planes)

In northern China my thinking is that minor railroad which runs threw the mountains from Taiyuan almost to Sian is key because even though your troops can't use it... it is still the best rout for your supply to flow. and before you think about Chunking first you need to cutoff all fuel to its HI.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 23, 42

Thanks guys!

things are proceeding fast in China. We have closed the first pocket south of Nanyang, closing the door in the face of 40,000 enemy troops. 96,000 are now in Nanyang, where my tanks already arrived. Another tank corp is running to close the other pocket.... we have the best road so i think we should be able, with the help of the air army, to grab at least half of those 120,000 chinese troops.

In the mountain road, we cleared the way for a 1000 AV army that will now push forward. Another Sally sentai has been bought from Kwanthung and will help the advance.



In the south of China, from Canton are now moving 4 tank units, along with 2 Infantry regiments, just arrived from Luzon. We should conquer Liuchow tomorrow and we have already broke the RR at Kweiling.

At tsuyun now i have 220 AVs and 2 forts. More than enough to hold untill my forces clean up the road between Tsuyun and Liuchow.

Tomorrow we'll land at Ambon with 3 SNLF units. Let's see if it's enough...if not, i have many units already aboard just parked 1 hex south of Ambon.

The Java invasion will wait for Ambon to be cleared.

At Jahore Baru i made another mistake...overstacked and burnt lots of supplies[:@]...i think only 4 divisions will be able to cross the line for the first assault...[:(]


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Ground combat at 86,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2372 troops, 2 guns, 314 vehicles, Assault Value = 384

Defending force 11469 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 375

Japanese adjusted assault: 196

Allied adjusted defense: 72

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), leaders(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units pursuing 5


Allied ground losses:
4357 casualties reported
Squads: 125 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 104 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
5th Tank Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
5th Armored Car Co
9th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
90th Chinese Corps


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Ground combat at 82,53 (near Changsha)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22132 troops, 186 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 598

Defending force 31024 troops, 245 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 759

Japanese adjusted assault: 315

Allied adjusted defense: 701

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
912 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 113 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
486 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled


Assaulting units:
39th Division
3rd/A Division
3rd/C Division

Defending units:
21st Chinese Corps
37th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
23rd Group Army
30th Group Army


The first bloody nose near Chansha...[:o]

.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

.
Are you in a position to shift major forces for a drive on Kweiyang?

No...not at the moment...I've already devoted as much as possible to this sector bringing 2 regiments and 4 tank units from Luzon....untill the RR from Chansgha is cleared i won't be able to shift anything from other sectors...

My Ser Greyjoy, nicely done in China.
 
Now, about Singapore.  Naughty boy, overstacking and gobbling rice balls by the score is not good.  Be judicious in your zeal to advance, young Jedi.  You are not behind "schedule".  You're doing well and I am sure Admiral Q-ball is in a bit of a scramble in China and elsewhere.
 
He is having rather good luck with his subs.  A little route redesign might be advisable.  Use those waypoints to travel the roads not taken.