[font="Times New Roman"]Jan 31, 1942[/font]
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SUBS: [/font]Damn. The I-157 starts the turn for Japan with a fish in the side of Sara. She's got 19 float damage and can make good speed so should be able to get out if no other boats are encountered. Have two dedicated ASW TFs here and the Soviets are sending in another. An I-boat also sinks an xAKL on the Canadian west coast. Good to see them here rather than chasing my CVs.
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PACIFIC: [/font] The CVs near Japan whiff, not even getting a sighting of the damaged ships from the previous day, and are swarmed by well escorted Betties. The results are predictable, and Halsey decides to flank out to hopefully remove the CVs from any more strikes. The Warspite is actually worst off with 39 float damage and some to engines, limiting to 4 hexes per phase, but if she can get out of range should be fine to make it home. Finger crossed for tomorrow.
The Russians will try to help out by sending in their fast DDs for a bombardment on Bihoro, where the main strike originated. I'll also put on some night bombing of the airfield. Even a few hits could lower morale and affect any strike that come out, likely reducing their effective range. No Kuril bases have strike ability other than for FP or patrols, but hopefully we can handle the little FPs and big Mavis if they come.
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DEI: [/font] P-38s hit Djambi again, wiping out another 10 or so A6M2. They get a 5:1 on the day. I'm wondering if pilots skill is beginning to drop on the Japanese side. I'll keep it going and add some 4E to hit the oil tomorrow.
It's a new month, and while not much extra is coming the Dutch get some Hurri IIb which cold really help here. I'd like to focus on Sumatra, working on the airframe pools and pilot reserves, then after the current supply mission for Banjarmasin props that base up into some usefulness, begin sweeping and hitting Balikpapan hard. The Dutch have NO engineers, so I have to use bought out US and RAF base forces to fix up fields everywhere.
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CHINA: [/font] Two tank regiments have moved to Kiuchuan in the Chinese West and our two Corps are 2-3 days out. There is a base force and one fort in the x2 territory, and our bombers struck for 4-5 vehicles on the day. More are now in place and I'll try to thwart this incursion with air strength before the Corps can arrive to save the day. A base force is also coming up the road so there is the possibility of trapping these units or bombing them to dust if they can't win the base. Pray for good weather, although we are bombing from three separate bases, so something should fly.
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SOVIETS:[/font] The industry bombing takes to the night while the moon is bright and some fires are started at Mukden and Harbin. I'll keep working the bases and eventually this will all accumulate to hurt the Japanese economy white a bit I think.
The ground forces kill off the border fortress and will now move to Rashin. He seems to be sending a bunch of troops into the coastal base next door, so we may not be able to get there before it's built up to strength. The IJA forces in Koutou will be cut off tomorrow by our forward tanks if they don't rail out immediately. They have movement showing, but not sure when they were set. There is one division outside the base which is looking pretty vulnerable now as bombing commences on it and it's main supply line is about to be cut.
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SIGINT:[/font] Some interesting notes here. The Japanese are still moving troops to Malaya, so this campaign may be a long one. I've just loaded up a fast 17 knot xAK and will try to begin sneaking supply into Singers while he's not looking.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]3/144th Infantry Regiment is loaded on xAK Nishimi Maru moving to Kota Bharu.[/font]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 31, 42
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Submarine attack near Annette Island at 196,43
Japanese Ships
SS I-3
Allied Ships
xAKL Columbian, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Columbian is sighted by SS I-3
SS I-3 attacking on the surface
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Sub attack near Kushiro at 125,56
Japanese Ships
SS I-157
Allied Ships
CV Saratoga,
Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Warspite
DD Preston
DD Hughes
DD Kilty
DD Clark
DD Perkins
DD Cushing
Fuel storage explosion on CV Saratoga
SS I-157 launches 6 torpedoes at CV Saratoga
I-157 diving deep ....
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Night Air attack on Harbin , at 109,39
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
TB-3 x 5
No Allied losses
Manpower hits 11
Fires 3675
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x TB-3 bombing from 8000 feet
City Attack: 8 x 250 kg GP Bomb
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Night Air attack on Mukden , at 104,42
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Allied aircraft
DB-3M x 8
No Allied losses
Manpower hits 6
Fires 1465
Aircraft Attacking:
8 x DB-3M bombing from 8000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 100 kg GP Bomb
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Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
Ki-27b Nate x 11
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-27b Nate: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
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Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
Ki-27b Nate x 5
Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 13
Hurricane IIa Trop x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-27b Nate: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Hurricane IIa Trop sweeping at 22000 feet *
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Morning Air attack on Djambi , at 48,88
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 1
Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 27000 feet
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 125,56
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 58 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 20
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19
Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 39
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown,
Torpedo hits 1
BB Warspite,
Torpedo hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
19 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
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Morning Air attack on 15th Tank Regiment, at 82,26 (Kiuchuan)
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 5
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Blenheim I bombing from 5000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
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Morning Air attack on 11th/A Division, at 116,41 , near Bikin
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
I-15bis x 21
SB-2 x 27
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
223 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
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Morning Air attack on 15th Tank Regiment, at 82,26 (Kiuchuan)
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes
Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 7
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 125,56
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 60 NM, estimated altitude 26,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G4M1 Betty x 9
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 5
Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
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Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1014 troops, 92 guns, 93 vehicles, Assault Value = 471
Defending force 22489 troops, 327 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 718
Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Assaulting units:
48th Division
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
11th PA Infantry Division
301st Construction Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
31st PA Infantry Division
31st Infantry Regiment
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
21st PA Infantry Division
1st Constabulary Regiment
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
Far East USAAF
24th PS FA Regiment
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
I Corps
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp
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Ground combat at 110,45 (near Rashin)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 48212 troops, 765 guns, 1600 vehicles, Assault Value = 1758
Defending force 1649 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21
Allied adjusted assault: 983
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 983 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1681 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 103 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (19 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Assaulting units:
77th Tank Brigade
46th Engr-Sapper Bde
1st Amurskaya Tank Brigade
76th Tank Brigade
126th Rifle Division
75th Tank Brigade
47th Engr-Sapper Bde
72nd Tank Brigade
105th Rifle Division
190th Rifle Division
3rd Amurskaya Tank Brigade
215th Howitzer Regiment
15th Army
1132nd Howitzer Regiment
1132nd Howitzer Regiment
1192nd BM Howitzer Regiment
424th Hvy Howitzer Regiment
52nd Cannon Regiment
1134th Howitzer Regiment
199th BM Howitzer Regiment
78th/186th PVO AA Battalion
1194th BM Howitzer Regiment
145th Howitzer Regiment
Defending units:
9th Border Defense Fortress
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Pretty good day in the air again. Lots of Wildcat ops losses, probably due to the days they've been on CAP duty here. Gotta get out and replenish, although there are NO USN fighters available until the F4F-4 begins production in a month. [:(][/font]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
