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December 19th

I am now four turns behind the action, and it's not going how I would like it, but that is WITP:AE.

The remainder of his CVLs, CSs, and CVEs shot past Java to hunt down shipping that continues to flee. I am now hitting the forces he has left behind.....

As he moved into Palembang, while the Gurka Bde got there, the minelayers I was using were sunk on the way out.

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Invasion Support action off Palembang (48,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

17 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Yoshino
CA Miyako
CL Ishikari
CL Chikuma
CL Tone
DD Yudachi
DD Arare
DD Hagikaze
DD Maikaze
DD Kuroshio

Allied ground losses:
296 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

TF 7 encounters mine field at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-4
DMS W-1
CA Mogami, Mine hits 1
DD Nowaki, Mine hits 1

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

4 mines cleared

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Invasion Support action off Palembang (48,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Takao
CL Abukuma
CL Yura
CL Natori
CL Isuzu
CL Jintsu
CL Naka
DD Aoi
DD Usugumo

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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TF 8 encounters mine field at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-6
DMS W-5
CA Atago, Mine hits 1

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

13 mines cleared

December 20th

I am now three turns behind the action, and it's not going how I would like it, but that is WITP:AE.

Landings at Wake and the first Japanese assault on Palembang go my way.

Wake
The PT fights three rounds with the landing ships.

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Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)
Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 7112 troops, 116 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 200
Defending force 3251 troops, 66 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Japanese adjusted assault: 64
Allied adjusted defense: 40
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
647 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 16 (5 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
259 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

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Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6409 troops, 61 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 158
Defending force 3664 troops, 35 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 68
Japanese adjusted assault: 65
Allied adjusted defense: 25
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
213 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
124th Infantry Regiment
9th Base Force

Defending units:
Lahat Cdo
Palembang Cdo
48th Gurkha Brigade
224 Group RAF
Palembang ML Base Force
PBg-Ld AA Afd

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lingga at 51,87

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete x 1

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
Vildebeest III x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Suzuya

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 51,82

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
E7K2 Alf x 1
F1M2 Pete x 1

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 5
Swordfish I x 2
Vildebeest III x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
Swordfish I: 1 damaged
Vildebeest III: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Miyako
xAP Mizuho Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

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

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Oosthaven at 46,97

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 16

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Yura
DD Shinonome
CA Takao, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Takao

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Oosthaven at 46,97

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 16

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
CL Abukuma
DD Usugumo
DD Shirakumo
DD Shinonome

Magazine explodes on CA Takao

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Oosthaven at 46,97

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 8

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Yura

December 20th

I am now one turn behind the action, and it's not going how I would like it, but that is WITP:AE.

The second round at Wake goes my way, and Palembang falls.

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Billiton at 52,92

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 24

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma, Bomb hits 1
DD Shinonome
CL Yura

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Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 6509 troops, 112 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 133

Defending force 2829 troops, 64 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 48

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
218 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st China Assault Division
12th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
Wake (Det.) Defense Battalion
141st USN Stn Base Force
13th Marine Defense Battalion

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Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 6064 troops, 61 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 125

Defending force 3609 troops, 35 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Japanese adjusted assault: 104

Allied adjusted defense: 25

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Palembang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1293 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 61 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 23 (23 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (9 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
124th Infantry Regiment
9th Base Force

Defending units:
Lahat Cdo
Palembang Cdo
48th Gurkha Brigade
Palembang ML Base Force
224 Group RAF
PBg-Ld AA Afd

Taking a Step Back, the Thundering Herd from the Philipines

When playing this mod, there are a number of things an Allied player must come to an understanding, that the Japanese player had a tremendous number of assets to bring to bear on day 1.

This "understanding" is both intellectual and emotional. I am still working on the emotional side.

What I did...
I used Routes 1 and 2 and then split some Route 2 to move along Route 3.
I split most of the units into single-ship task forces, but not all of them.
I did not set the orders to direct, costal or absolute.

What happened...
With all the extra assets, the task forces bumped back and forth to get smashed like ping-pong balls.
The CLV, Charlotte, did make it out without any damage.

What I should have done
Used all the routes on the screen.
Split all ships into a single-ship task force.
Set all orders to direct and absolute.
Along these purple lines, used costal orders.

Learn from what I did.

Thoughts?

Single TF's, along the N and S coast of Borneo, generally head SE. If you give them some cover, say from Panay, Tarakan etc, that helps. Even Dutch fighters from Java are good enough to intercept unescorted Netties. Put 2-3 of the slow xAK's together & put a CAP over them just beyond escort coverage from Cam Ranh Bay

I tend to try & spread them so there are as few ships as possible in the same hex, going full speed for the first day or two. If is really just a bit of fun & making him work for bagging those ships.
And, yea, direct routing with absolute threat tolerance is kind of a must.

It takes a long time to create all of those single-ship TFs from Manila. The route to the north and then east seems to work best for me, but yes, you do need to send some in the other directions, too.

Have you tried parking some in dot bases while the threat is nearby? I don't know if that's futile or not. The whole thing is demoralizing.

Good one bagging CAs this early in the campaign. Those are precious to the IJN.

What's the Nav Bombing skill on those A-24 pilots?

Cheers,
CB

Dear AFB, your opponent is asking about you (through his AAR).
Checking if all is well with you!