Haddo fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Murakumo at Tanna. All missed. Haddow was hit by a depth charge in return. AMc Tamazono Maru cleared some of the mines at Tanna. 12 Catalinas attacked 2 DMS at Tanna, and DMS W-17 was sunk by a torpedo. There was also a dud hit. This is OPilot's first use of Catalinas for naval strikes. They can do good work, with long range and torpedoes, in the hands of a skilled crew, but if there are any enemy fighters at the target, the Cats are in trouble.
Northwest of Kunming, we fall short again. OPilot reinforced with the 23rd Chinese Corps. The odds and results were ok though, so we continue after resupply.
Ground combat at 68,47 (near Kunming)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18029 troops, 245 guns, 466 vehicles, Assault Value = 585
Defending force 21924 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 448
Japanese adjusted assault: 377
Allied adjusted defense: 244
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
346 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (2 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
623 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Assaulting units:
14th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
33rd Division
15th Army
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
Defending units:
23rd Chinese Corps
54th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
11th Group Army
And now for the second offensive to begin at Tuyun. 3 infantry divisions, a HQ and 18 artillery units will attack 6 Chinese corps, 2 HQ and an artillery regiment. I will push the attack until my divisions are depleted, then replace them with 3 fresh divisions and add a tank division. Hopefully that will be enough.
In the far, far north of China, Urumchi is captured.
Ground combat at Urumchi (79,11)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 768 troops, 0 guns, 142 vehicles, Assault Value = 80
Defending force 2304 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 82
Japanese adjusted assault: 57
Allied adjusted defense: 15
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Urumchi !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), leaders(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Allied ground losses:
707 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
Defending units:
259th Brigade
