Wait... What! (NO Chris)

[Uncivil Engineer]

Dec 9

Malaya

The Kuantan assault force finished unloading, cruisers bombarded the base, a 6:1 deliberate attack overcame the level 2 forts, 22 Indian Bde surrendered, and the 2 other defenders (base force and AA regt) retreated NW toward Temuloh.

The Mersing assault force went in and unloaded most of 5 Div, losing a DMS to a Dutch sub; a small minefield was detected and CL Yura cleared one mine with its bow (17 float damage). The Allied bombardment showed that the deliberate attack planned for Dec 10 should succeed:

Ground combat at Mersing (51,82)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2356 troops, 22 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 91

Defending force 19468 troops, 199 guns, 278 vehicles, Assault Value = 464

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
22nd Australian Brigade
30 Battery/3 HAA

Defending units:
5th Recon Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Infantry Rgt /1
42nd Infantry Rgt /1
18th JAAF Base Force
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
53rd Const Co
34th Field AA Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
55th Const Co
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
54th Const Co
25th Army /2

Allied aircraft from Singapore conducted search, but no attacks at either Kuantan or Mersing.

Meanwhile, 3 Air HQ unloaded at Kota Bharu and some Nells restationed there.

Luzon

An MTB TF (from Hong Kong?) tried to interfere with the assault landing at San Fernando, and lost 2 to a Japanese cruiser TF:

Day Time Surface Combat, near San Fernando at 80,74, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CA Ashigara
DD Harukaze
DD Matsukaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Tachikaze

Allied Ships
MTB 7, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 10
MTB 11
MTB 12
MTB 26, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied subs had some success in the waters off Luzon, putting a torpedo in CL Kuma (61 float damage) and sinking a small xAKL.

Elsewhere

Tarawa, Nauru, Beaufort, and Calayan were captured. Burias (near Naga) flipped. After an unsuccessful attack at Hong Kong (1:2), we will bombard until reinforcements arrive tomorrow.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Dec 10

Malaya

The 5 Div(-) finished unloading at Mersing while CAs bombarded the base. A detached group of DMSs swept mines (not quite all of them). A 11:1 deliberate attack captured the base and forced the Aussie Bde and AA to retreat to Johore Bharu. It seems I messed up the transport shuffle at Samah back on Dec 7; the 5 Div engineers went to Singora and the division artillery went to Kuantan, not Mersing as intended, so I can't reform the division. Anyway, from Mersing the 5 Recon Rgt and some artillery will move west to block the rail line, while everything else moves on the minor road directly to Johore Bharu, where now 8 Allied units await. The 2 Indian Bdes that started at Alor Star seem to have left that base; I suspect they are at either Johore Bharu (exactly 2 days rail trip from Alor Star) or Singapore. More Nells are flown into Kota Bharu. There was no daytime CAP over Singapore! The absent elements of 5 Div will be picked up and amphibed (is that a word?) down to Mersing.

Borneo

CarDivs 2 and 3 move SE from their position off Kuantan to provide LRCAP for tomorrow's invasion at Kuching. A BB TF leads the amphib force, but will not bombard (since until I get some AKEs converted or Hong Kong captured they would need to return to Takao to rearm). Cam Ranh Bay is the other choice, but I don't think there's enough naval support there until the port gets leveled up to 6.

Luzon

The 7 Tank Rgt crossed the river from Aparri to Tuguegarao and paratroops from Kagi jumped in, but the base was empty and flipped before the shock attack happened. Once consolidated the parachute SNLF will jump into Taytay to put the Allied base force on Palawan out of supply.

The highlight for the day was the Japanese attack at Atimonan. A US tank battalion apparently railed in, but had insufficient time to return to combat mode. When attacked it surrendered!

Ground combat at Atimonan (80,79)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4038 troops, 51 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 144

Defending force 749 troops, 0 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Japanese adjusted assault: 51

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Atimonan !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 142 (142 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
Kimura Det
Kure 1st SNLF
1st Naval Construction Battalion

Defending units:
192nd Tank Battalion

A 2:1 deliberate attack at San Fernando by 48 Div(-) captured that base.

Hong Kong

Only a bombardment attack today, but the reinforcements have arrived from Canton, so tomorrow will be a DA with an AV ratio of approximately 838 to 167. Hopefully, the level 3 forts will be reduced, if not more.

Dec 11 will see attacks at Groot Natoena, Talaud-eilanden, Victoria Point (which appears to have been reinforced), Guam, and various places in China. Sinyang has been reinforced from Hankow to speed up clearing that rail line and capturing Chengchow.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Some odds and ends from the last few days:

1) 1st Raiding Rgt has been flown from Kagoshima to Nanking; their aircraft followed. I have no specific plans for this unit, yet.
2) The balance of 16 Div is 1+ days out from Atimonan; the parts currently on the ground are advancing on Lucena to the west; the 16 Div will reform there before moving on Batangas and Manila.
3) Amphib TFs bound for Davao and Dadjangas have Cagayan set as destination, with the true objectives as waypoints. Neither has a combat TF escort, as nothing is available.
4) 48 Div is advancing on Lingayen from San Fernando and Vigan; it will reform there before moving on Clark Field. Clark now has only 1 US tank battalion.
5) Aircraft research is as follows (all 0(30) or 1(29)): x8 Rufe, x9 Sam, x6 Jill 1, x6 Judy 1, x6 Tojo, x9 Frank, x9 George. Either Ki-83 (same engine as Sam) or Ki-94-II (same engine as Jill 1) will be late war fighter.
6) Bataan appears to be unoccupied. That becomes a potential objective for 65 Bde. Or 38 Div after Hong Kong falls. Or either or both of the SNLF parachute units assembling at Vigan and Tuguegarao.

[Bif1961]

Depending on what your main axis of advance is for taking Chungking and China, you might consider using the 1st Raider Rgt on Ankang. It cuts a 2nd supply route and he will be forced to dig you out of there. The best part is that with your control of the air you can fly in additional troops,supplies and engineers to exploit the dropping of the 1st Raider Rgt on it. If you can hold and expand Ankang you will have a major base due west of Sian and may undermine his defense around it, since you will be in his rear.

[Uncivil Engineer]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Depending on what your main axis of advance is for taking Chungking and China, you might consider using the 1st Raider Rgt on Ankang. It cuts a 2nd supply route and he will be forced to dig you out of there. The best part is that with your control of the air you can fly in additional troops,supplies and engineers to exploit the dropping of the 1st Raider Rgt on it. If you can hold and expand Ankang you will have a major base due west of Sian and may undermine his defense around it, since you will be in his rear.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Dec 11

Malaya

5 Recon Rgt moves west from Mersing cutting the rail line from the north.

Borneo

The first B-17 strike hits Miri, but targets the airfield, not the oil. BTW, capture of the base left 178 oil and refinery points damaged, compared to the typical 150 of each. No repairs will occur until Miri is out of range of B-17s.

Other Places

Talaud-eilanden and Groot Natoena were captured unopposed; Camiguin flipped. Japanese forces landed at Guam, Balabec, Hollandia, Wewak, Kavieng, Manus, and Kuching. A Japanese DD hit a mine at San Fernando and sank. Japanese ASW has been performing well, getting more hits on Allied subs than the other way around. Submarines detected a CV east of Wake (probably Lexington); CarDiv 1 will stop at Saipan tomorrow, refuel, and change TF commanders before proceeding east.

Both of us have been traveling, so this is a delayed report, and I just got the Dec 12 turn back.

[jdsrae]

If you move HQ 2nd Fleet from Saigon to join HQ Southern Fleet at CRB you will have just enough Naval Support there to rearm all but the Nagato class.
I’m in early Jan 42 in a new game and only just crunches the numbers on this. Next time I’ll move it on 7 Dec!

[Uncivil Engineer]

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

If you move HQ 2nd Fleet from Saigon to join HQ Southern Fleet at CRB you will have just enough Naval Support there to rearm all but the Nagato class.
I’m in early Jan 42 in a new game and only just crunches the numbers on this. Next time I’ll move it on 7 Dec!

Great! It's on the way.

[Uncivil Engineer]

2nd Fleet is at Samah, so it can't walk, but will be transported soon.

[Uncivil Engineer]

12 Dec

Malaya

1 Tank Rgt reaches Alor Star and finds it vacant. Imperial Guard Division and 14 Tank Rgt will arrive there by rail tomorrow. 114 Inf Rgt will arrive at Georgetown tomorrow. There will be a battle west of Mersing tomorrow - 5 Tank Rgt + artillery vs. 1 unknown allied unit. Seven more (small) allied units are at Malacca moving SE, but only 7 AFVs (if the mouse-over is accurate). The 5 Div units at Mersing are 2 days from Johore Bharu, where 9 Allied units await. A Japanese DD hit the last mine at Mersing (27 flotation damage) and will return to Saigon. CV Vals sank DD Encounter at Singapore.

Borneo

More engineers will arrive at Miri tomorrow to work on the airfield, port, and forts. An 18 plane Zero Sentai provides CAP. Kuching was captured.

Luzon

16 Div units continue unloading at Atimonan while moving west toward Lucena. Legaspi flipped. More aviation support is inbound to Naga. 7 Tank Rgt has reached Bayombong and will attack tomorrow.

Mindanao

Japanese units will land at Davao and Dadjangas tomorrow. Two battalions, a tank Rgt, and engineers are 3 days out from Cagayan, but will only disembark there if there are no Allied naval combat units in the area. Neither CA Houston nor CL Boise have been seen since Dec 7.

Other places

Guam, Kavieng, Hollandia, Manus, Wewak, and Balabec were captured.

China

Probing attacks east of Changsha and west of Sinyang failed to push out the defenders.

[jdsrae]

I must have moved it to Saigon first. My thinking was to boost the repair shipyard capability with the NS squads, but with the BBs unable to sail up the river CRB became the fleet base. I will build the Port up too so I can move those naval HQ forward somewhere in a month or two.
If your ships are all busy you could fly them in

[Uncivil Engineer]

I had enough ships available to pick them up. The first wave ships are returning to Saigon, CRB, and Samah as soon as they unload at Malayan ports. I always up the ports at Saigon AND Cam Ranh Bay to 6 as soon as possible.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Dec 12 continued

4 Div, 33 Div, and 56 Div(-) are passing through the Luzon Strait bound for Palembang and Mersing, but showing Kota Bharu, Patani, and Singora as destinations.

CV Lexington and escorts are 3 hexes SW of Wake, perhaps looking for the Wake invasion forces that landed at Guam and Tarawa. CarDiv 1+ departs Saipan with Yamaguchi now leading the TF, heading SE to cover Truk and then Kwajalein. Subs just returned from Pearl Harbor sortie north from Kwajalein to intercept. Subs east of Wake follow Lex. Non-essential naval assets at Kwajalein depart for Truk in case he decides to try to challenge the Nells at Roi-Namur and attack Kwajalein.

[Bif1961]

I lost the Enterprise, to a sub, near Roi-Namur when I went to raid in the Marshalls with it and the Lexington, the first week of the war. It was a bad way to start.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Dec 13

Malaya

1 Tank Rgt captures Alor Star unopposed. Infantry regiments advance into Georgetown and toward Temuloh and will attack on the 14th. Near Mersing, the 5 Recon Rgt attacked 3 small units (2 BF and 1 Avn Spt); 1 retreated to Johore Bharu. Allied units continue to show movement SE from Malacca to 5 Recon's battle space and they continue to be bombed by Sallies and Nells from Kota Bharu. The 5 Div infantry regiments at Mersing will advance into Johore Bharu on the 14th and attack on the 15th. CarDivs 2 & 3 have been providing CAP over the landings at Mersing and Kuching, moving back and forth as needed. They will position to provide CAP over the coming landing at Singkawang.

Luzon

7 Tank Rgt captures Bayombong and forces the defending battalion to retreat to Cabanatuan. Japanese units advance into Lingayen and Lucena and will attack on the 14th. Plentiful engineer and artillery reinforcements unload at Vigan. An amphib TF carrying 65 Bde will land at Iba on the 14th, putting Clark Field at risk, especially after the adjacent Lingayen base is captured. Sweeps of Clark and Manila have continued, just in case, but there's no CAP there.

Mindanao

Japanese units land at Dadjangas and Davao and will attack on the 14th. An air HQ and base force begin loading at Takao, with Cagayan as their expected destination. There are a lot of single ship Allied TFs in the Sulu Sea, but I don't see anything that would prevent an amphib landing there.

China

Kwangchowan flipped. Two divisions at Wuchang on Dec 7 railed to Sinyang and will move east and NW from that base on the 14th and attack on the 15th. These attacks should totally disrupt the Chinese defense around Sinyang and expedite clearing the rail line from Chengchow to Hankow. In north China the Chinese units are running to the rear, so no battles have occurred. Tsiaotso is entered by 2 brigades, but deliberate attacks will not be undertaken, as this is only a blocking position. The main attack on Chengchow should occur within the week.

East of Changsha, in the woods, single division attacks at 1:1 are wearing down the defenders, and I hope lulling my opponent into a false belief that that defensive line is secure. Once Chengchow is taken, several divisions will join in the push in the south to swing around the Chinese right (southern) flank.

ASW

ASW continues to perform well, with naval ASW getting 4 or 5 hits on Allied subs, and no damage to Japanese assets.

CV Lexington

This TF has retired east of Wake Island, and only a single PT boat is seen at the island. Subs will continue to pursue, while CarDiv 1+ (Akagi, Kaga, Ryujo) moves east.

SoPac

Part of a naval guard unit will land at Namatanai tomorrow. The SNLF unit that captured Tarawa is starting to reload on transports to participate in the liberation of Wake Island. The 144 Rgt that captured Guam will lead this assault.

Hong Kong

Deliberate attacks on the 11th (1:2) and 13th (2:1) reduced the British forts from 3 to 2 to 1. These attacks will now continue uninterrupted until the base is captured.

[Veloz]

ORIGINAL: Uncivil Engineer

Dec 13

Malaya

1 Tank Rgt captures Alor Star unopposed. Infantry regiments advance into Georgetown and toward Temuloh and will attack on the 14th. Near Mersing, the 5 Recon Rgt attacked 3 small units (2 BF and 1 Avn Spt); 1 retreated to Johore Bharu. Allied units continue to show movement SE from Malacca to 5 Recon's battle space and they continue to be bombed by Sallies and Nells from Kota Bharu. The 5 Div infantry regiments at Mersing will advance into Johore Bharu on the 14th and attack on the 15th. CarDivs 2 & 3 have been providing CAP over the landings at Mersing and Kuching, moving back and forth as needed. They will position to provide CAP over the coming landing at Singkawang.

Luzon

7 Tank Rgt captures Bayombong and forces the defending battalion to retreat to Cabanatuan. Japanese units advance into Lingayen and Lucena and will attack on the 14th. Plentiful engineer and artillery reinforcements unload at Vigan. An amphib TF carrying 65 Bde will land at Iba on the 14th, putting Clark Field at risk, especially after the adjacent Lingayen base is captured. Sweeps of Clark and Manila have continued, just in case, but there's no CAP there.

Mindanao

Japanese units land at Dadjangas and Davao and will attack on the 14th. An air HQ and base force begin loading at Takao, with Cagayan as their expected destination. There are a lot of single ship Allied TFs in the Sulu Sea, but I don't see anything that would prevent an amphib landing there.

China

Kwangchowan flipped. Two divisions at Wuchang on Dec 7 railed to Sinyang and will move east and NW from that base on the 14th and attack on the 15th. These attacks should totally disrupt the Chinese defense around Sinyang and expedite clearing the rail line from Chengchow to Hankow. In north China the Chinese units are running to the rear, so no battles have occurred. Tsiaotso is entered by 2 brigades, but deliberate attacks will not be undertaken, as this is only a blocking position. The main attack on Chengchow should occur within the week.

East of Changsha, in the woods, single division attacks at 1:1 are wearing down the defenders, and I hope lulling my opponent into a false belief that that defensive line is secure. Once Chengchow is taken, several divisions will join in the push in the south to swing around the Chinese right (southern) flank.

ASW

ASW continues to perform well, with naval ASW getting 4 or 5 hits on Allied subs, and no damage to Japanese assets.

CV Lexington

This TF has retired east of Wake Island, and only a single PT boat is seen at the island. Subs will continue to pursue, while CarDiv 1+ (Akagi, Kaga, Ryujo) moves east.

SoPac

Part of a naval guard unit will land at Namatanai tomorrow. The SNLF unit that captured Tarawa is starting to reload on transports to participate in the liberation of Wake Island. The 144 Rgt that captured Guam will lead this assault.

Hong Kong

Deliberate attacks on the 11th (1:2) and 13th (2:1) reduced the British forts from 3 to 2 to 1. These attacks will now continue uninterrupted until the base is captured.

Thanks is help me a lot

[Bif1961]

Very thorough deliberate attacks, plans and operations. The old saying is any plans last until first contact. The longer you can make him follow your concept the more his neck will be in the noose.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Here's a map with the actions in China since Dec 7, and planned movement and attacks for the next 2 days:

[Uncivil Engineer]

The situation on Luzon before the Dec 14 turn is run:




and planned moves and attacks for Dec 14 and beyond.

[Uncivil Engineer]

The situation on Malaya and Borneo before the Dec 14 turn:




If I had a do-over (and I might eventually), I'd land a tank regiment at Patani instead of infantry. On that major road tanks can cross to Georgetown in 3 days instead of 6. And, as I've stated previously, make sure all 5 Div sub-units go to Mersing so that the division can be reformed.

Edit to add: Yes, I know the track shows 6 Tank Rgt going to Kuantan, not Mersing, but that's part of the deception plan.