War in the Pacific as the Japanese Planned It

[herwin]

July 6/7 1942

Deliberate attack at PM

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 22108 troops, 197 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 606
 
Defending force 12649 troops, 215 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 281
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 266
 
Allied adjusted defense: 895
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 1)
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      1309 casualties reported
         Squads: 3 destroyed, 120 disabled
         Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 92 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
      Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      407 casualties reported
         Squads: 6 destroyed, 28 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled
         Engineers: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
 
 
Assaulting units:
    9th Division
    38th Division
 
Defending units:
    148th Infantry Rgt /1
    30th Australian Brigade
    24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
    49th Australian Battalion
    2/6th Ind Coy
    2/8th Ind Coy
    2/2nd Ind Coy /1
    15th RAN Base Force
    2nd Medium Regiment
    307th Base Group
    13th Field Regiment
    808th Aviation Engineer Battalion
    1st Medium Regiment
    21/22 Field Regiment

Note that Allied reinforcements are arriving...

[herwin]

July 7/8 1942

I caught an IJN sub in PM harbour and sent it on its way.

Otherwise air ops and a Japanese deliberate attack on the Sian highway.

Ground combat at 85,44 (near Nanyang)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 175919 troops, 1561 guns, 706 vehicles, Assault Value = 5538
 
Defending force 81653 troops, 546 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2169
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 3540
 
Allied adjusted defense: 4873
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      12571 casualties reported
         Squads: 21 destroyed, 794 disabled
         Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 601 disabled
         Engineers: 1 destroyed, 59 disabled
      Vehicles lost 130 (12 destroyed, 118 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      7280 casualties reported
         Squads: 71 destroyed, 212 disabled
         Non Combat: 55 destroyed, 220 disabled
         Engineers: 2 destroyed, 24 disabled

[herwin]

July 8/9 1942

Routine air ops.

[herwin]

July 9/10 1942

Routine air ops.

[herwin]

July 10/11 1942

A successful turn.

Japanese airstrikes on PM run into a circular saw.

Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
 
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
 
Raid detected at 153 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 53 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M2 Zero x 35
      G4M1 Betty x 44
 
 
 
Allied aircraft
      Kittyhawk IA x 30
      P-40B Warhawk x 34
 
 
Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
      G4M1 Betty: 18 destroyed, 5 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
      Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
      P-40B Warhawk: 3 destroyed
 
 
 
Runway hits 1
 
Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 13000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
       7 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 13000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
 
CAP engaged:
No.75 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 8 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 20000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
      10 planes vectored on to bombers
No.76 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (2 airborne, 5 on standby, 7 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 13000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
      6 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/44th FS with P-40B Warhawk (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 4 scrambling)
      1 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 16000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
      3 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/73rd FS with P-40B Warhawk (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 6 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 18000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
      5 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40B Warhawk (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 6 scrambling)
      0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 14000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
      7 planes vectored on to bombers
 
 
 
---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130
 
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
 
Raid detected at 147 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 58 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M2 Zero x 23
      G3M2 Nell x 24
 
 
 
Allied aircraft
      Kittyhawk IA x 19
      P-40B Warhawk x 17
 
 
Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
      G3M2 Nell: 6 destroyed, 8 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
      Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
 
 
 
Runway hits 2
 
Aircraft Attacking:
       9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 13000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
       5 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 13000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
 
CAP engaged:
No.76 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      4 plane(s) intercepting now.
      2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 13000 and 20000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
      4 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/73rd FS with P-40B Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 17000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 57 minutes
      5 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40B Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 13000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 56 minutes
      6 planes vectored on to bombers
No.75 Sqn RAAF with Kittyhawk IA (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 13000 and 19000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
      6 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/44th FS with P-40B Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      1 plane(s) intercepting now.
      2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes
      1 planes vectored on to bombers

Shore bombardment against the IJA divisions at PM. I'm curious--what advantage is there to breaking down?

Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130
 
Allied Ships
      BB Resolution
      BB Ramillies
      BB Royal Sovereign
      BB Revenge
      BB Warspite
      CL Capetown
      CL Newcastle
      CL Ceres
      CL Danae
 
Japanese ground losses:
      176 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

The KB is headed towards Ndeni from Rabaul. Time to drop back to Noumea.

[witpqs]

Breaking down divisions into three pieces? The only one that I know of is that they might repair faster and/or take replacements faster in aggregate than the monolithic division.

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Breaking down divisions into three pieces? The only one that I know of is that they might repair faster and/or take replacements faster in aggregate than the monolithic division.

I think he's nearly out of supply, and unless the Combined Fleet escorts a convoy to PM, he'll be staying that way.

[herwin]

July 11/12 1942

Davao becomes untenable for cargo operations. I'll need to redeploy some air cover there.

It appears he's sending a fast transport convoy into PM. It will have to run a gauntlet of four light SAGs.

[herwin]

July 12/13 1942

Sub torpedoes miss both sides.

The Nell/Betty losses he took mean that his air operations over PM are restricted to sweeps. About 90 Zeros participate. I've pulled my aircraft out, except for some recon.

Hyuga and Ise spotted off the tail of New Guinea. That suggests there is a bombardment or resupply mission headed to PM. The five light SAGs patrolling between Cooktown and PM prepare for action. No CAP, which is good.

[herwin]

July 13/14 1942

More sweeps on PM.

Nothing significant happens.

[herwin]

July 14/15 1942

115 Helens hit the dispersal strip (size 1 with 8 Hurricane Is) at Ramree Island. I suppose I touched a raw nerve.

[herwin]

July 15/16 1942

My opponent's comment: "IJN still rocks."

The Combined Fleet reappears at PM. More landings there. He ran into my light SAG, whose job was to go into harm's way.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 8,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 8
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako, Shell hits 1
CL Natori
CL Kinu
CL Tama
CL Kiso
CL Yubari
DD Hatsuharu
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 1
DD Shikinami
DD Ayanami, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Asagiri
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
CA Houston, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
CA Astoria, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Dunlap
DD Case, Shell hits 2, heavy damage
DD Conyngham, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Perkins, Shell hits 1, on fire

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 97,132

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
G3M2 Nell x 12



Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 7 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire
CL Hobart, Torpedo hits 1
CA Devonshire

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 97,131

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 103 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
G3M2 Nell x 12



Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Case, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Dunlap, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[ADB123]

Did the Japanese BBs get any hits in, or was it solely the lighter ships?

Thx -

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: ADB123

Did the Japanese BBs get any hits in, or was it solely the lighter ships?

Thx -

The BBs did the heavy hitting. The KB is lurking off Buna.

[ADB123]

ORIGINAL: herwin

ORIGINAL: ADB123

Did the Japanese BBs get any hits in, or was it solely the lighter ships?

Thx -

The BBs did the heavy hitting. The KB is lurking off Buna.

Ah, that's interesting to know. I usually have difficulty getting my BBs to join the action. I guess that Daylight in Rain did the trick.

Thx -

[herwin]

July 16/17 1942

Lost some more cruisers in night actions...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 98,130, Range 7,000 Yards
 
Allied aircraft
      no flights
 
No Allied losses
 
Japanese Ships
      BB Ise, Shell hits 1
      BB Hyuga, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire
      CA Aoba, Shell hits 1
      CA Kinugasa
      CA Furutaka
      CA Kako
      CL Natori
      CL Kinu
      CL Tama
      CL Kiso
      CL Yubari
      DD Hatsuharu
      DD Akatsuki
      DD Hibiki
      DD Shikinami
      DD Asagiri
      DD Sagiri
 
Allied Ships
      CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
      CA Devonshire, Shell hits 2,  on fire
      CL Achilles, Shell hits 2

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 1,000 Yards
 
Allied aircraft
      no flights
 
No Allied losses
 
Japanese Ships
      BB Nagato
      BB Yamato
      CA Atago
      CA Maya
      CA Chokai
      CA Mikuma
      CA Suzuya
      CA Kumano
      CL Kitakami
      CL Oi
      DD Harusame
      DD Kawakaze
      DD Umikaze
      DD Suzukaze
      DD Usugumo
      DD Murakumo
      DD Uranami
 
Allied Ships
      CA Devonshire, Shell hits 43, and is sunk
      CL Achilles

Bombardment of PM. I wonder if they encountered the minefield.

TF 42 encounters mine field at Port Moresby (98,130)

Japanese Ships
      CL Kitakami, Mine hits 1


Japanese Ships
      BB Yamato
      BB Nagato
      CA Kumano
      CA Suzuya
      CA Mikuma
      CA Chokai
      CA Maya
      CA Atago
      CL Oi
      DD Uranami
      DD Murakumo
      DD Usugumo
      DD Suzukaze
      DD Umikaze
      DD Kawakaze
      DD Harusame
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      157 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
         Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 11 disabled
         Engineers: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
      Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 11 (7 destroyed, 4 disabled)
 
 
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 27
Port hits 12
Port supply hits 1

---------------------------------------------

Night Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130
 
Japanese Ships
      BB Ise
      CA Kako
      CA Furutaka
      CA Kinugasa
      CA Aoba
      CL Yubari
      CL Kiso
      CL Tama
      CL Kinu
      CL Natori
      DD Sagiri
      DD Asagiri
      DD Shikinami
      DD Hibiki
      DD Akatsuki
      DD Hatsuharu
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      62 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
 
 
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 17
Port hits 7
Port supply hits 2
 
Air strikes on PM

Morning Air attack on 49th Australian Battalion, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)
 
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
 
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M2 Zero x 29
 
 
 
No Japanese losses
 
 
 
Aircraft Attacking:
      29 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 19000 feet
               Ground Attack:  2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
 
Also attacking 24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment ...
Also attacking 49th Australian Battalion ...
 
 
---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on 49th Australian Battalion, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)
 
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
 
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M2 Zero x 109
      B5N2 Kate x 192
      D3A1 Val x 146
 
 
 
Japanese aircraft losses
      B5N2 Kate: 10 damaged
      D3A1 Val: 5 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      127 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Deliberate attack on the Sian road.

Ground combat at 85,44 (near Nanyang)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 165449 troops, 1461 guns, 616 vehicles, Assault Value = 5251
 
Defending force 81166 troops, 552 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2215
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 2876
 
Allied adjusted defense: 5107
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      8258 casualties reported
         Squads: 17 destroyed, 345 disabled
         Non Combat: 56 destroyed, 350 disabled
         Engineers: 2 destroyed, 52 disabled
      Vehicles lost 81 (43 destroyed, 38 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      6616 casualties reported
         Squads: 129 destroyed, 74 disabled
         Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 197 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled

[herwin]

July 17/18 1942

Japanese still reacting to the dispersal strip at Ramree Island.

What I'm doing to sustain PM is flying about 50-60 planeloads of supply in each day plus a fast TF every three or four days.

[herwin]

July 18/19 1942

Lots of air activity with marginal results.

[herwin]

July 19/20 1942

More air activity. I like it when he masses his aircraft against airfields with a very small number of decoys.

Deliberate attack at PM bites on a rock.

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 23443 troops, 196 guns, 35 vehicles, Assault Value = 684
 
Defending force 16769 troops, 280 guns, 185 vehicles, Assault Value = 418
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 332
 
Allied adjusted defense: 811
 
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)
 
Japanese ground losses:
      2961 casualties reported
         Squads: 4 destroyed, 125 disabled
         Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 109 disabled
         Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      397 casualties reported
         Squads: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 35 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
 
 
Assaulting units:
    9th Division
    38th Division
 
Defending units:
    148th Infantry Regiment
    24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
    49th Australian Battalion
    2/8th Ind Coy
    30th Australian Brigade
    2/2nd Ind Coy
    2/6th Ind Coy
    145th Infantry Rgt /1
    13th Field Regiment
    808th Aviation Engineer Battalion
    2nd Medium Regiment
    307th Base Group
    15th RAN Base Force
    1st Medium Regiment
    21/22 Field Regiment

[ADB123]

What I'm doing to sustain PM is flying about 50-60 planeloads of supply in each day plus a fast TF every three or four days.

He's not trying to intercept your transports? Does he have any level 2 airfields near by?