Beer made me do it.

[mogami]

Hi, How much infantry do I need to get 2-1 on SF? Currnetly embarked for USA Japanese force is in excess of 300,000 troops but only around 90,000 are infantry.
500 tanks and 2600 guns also embarked.
There remain another 50,000 Infantry currently assigned defense of supply line. And 25,000 troops in reserve. (I am arranging for transports to be standing by to move these units should it become apparent invasion force is too small (Or if something should happen to an assault unt)

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, How much infantry do I need to get 2-1 on SF? Currnetly embarked for USA Japanese force is in excess of 300,000 troops but only around 90,000 are infantry.
500 tanks and 2600 guns also embarked.
There remain another 50,000 Infantry currently assigned defense of supply line. And 25,000 troops in reserve. (I am arranging for transports to be standing by to move these units should it become apparent invasion force is too small (Or if something should happen to an assault unt)

General Tabpub reading this latest Japanese propaganda statement:

[mogami]

Hi, Anyone recall the TV comercial where a herd of cats was being driven accross the country? Invading the USA is like trying to herd cats. TF runout of of fuel, begin to retire, get mixed up. The sheer number of TF is daunting.

Japan has a supply line (long and shakey) from Home Islands to West Coast.
I have a airfield (currently size 3 but can grow to size 4) and a port to refuel/rearm/repair at.

Of the 12 div and 7 Bde assigned to Southern Area Army on Dec 7 1941 10 Div and 6 Bde are either currently embarked on transports or unloaded at captured bases. (units used to capture bases require a period to recover from the landing/combat.
Units used so far for this include 3 Div and 1 Bde.

Now the problem of course is to actually mount the major landings on the actual west coast. I'm not going to simply sail in SF harbor and commence unloading 300,000 troops. (I wonder if that would work)

[Bradley7735]

Hey Mogami or Tabpub,

If you have a moment, could you post what Eastern Pacific bases have been occupied by Japan? I have no idea what Japan has invaded so far.

Thanks, BC

[anarchyintheuk]

Great commercial. Think it was for EDS.

[mogami]

Hi, Wake,Midway, Kodiak,Siska

[EUBanana]

I think you'll have problems, the US reinforcements when you land on the West Coast are of the order of six divisions or so IIRC, from reading Luskans old joke AAR a while back.

The US west coast forts are pretty powerful units as well.

[EUBanana]

"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

[witpqs]

Do you plan to come ashore astride SF then, or at another city (Seattle)? I think you're right, landing right at SF will be pretty tough. Landing at another city will get you a place for land based air prior to the suici- I mean assault on SF.

On second thought, maybe the only way to actually take SF is to land and take it on the same turn, before the reinforcements arrive (they arrive in SF). Can you force a shock attack upon landing?

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, Wake,Midway, Kodiak,Siska

Hi,
So is that last one Kiska or Sitka?

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Do you plan to come ashore astride SF then, or at another city (Seattle)? I think you're right, landing right at SF will be pretty tough. Landing at another city will get you a place for land based air prior to the suici- I mean assault on SF.

On second thought, maybe the only way to actually take SF is to land and take it on the same turn, before the reinforcements arrive (they arrive in SF). Can you force a shock attack upon landing?

I don't think so. Landing in the States is supposed to advance all release date troops/air units of one year, but depending hoiw it is done, these troops may appear the evening of the landing or the evening after. In the first case there is no attack possible, in the latter it is.

My own idea of an invasion of the States is to go for Seattle... it is far away enough from the south to give you a chance to grab Seattle and Portland. And seizing them will divide sharply the output of US heavy bombers.... I think landing on the railway between Vancouver, Seattle and Portland will give the opportunity to seize at least one of these cities.

[Nikademus]

They appear immediately.

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: Bradley7735

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, Wake,Midway, Kodiak,Siska

Hi,
So is that last one Kiska or Sitka?

It's both! He had taken Sitka a couple of days ago, and just today forces landed on Kiska (evidently to provide a. another base for anti sub operations and b. another base to stage a/c thru to the northern front). So, the SISKA was true in a way....

[mogami]

Hi, Yes Kiska was required for air transfer due to range limits. A great many groups were lifted by AK however follow on forces required a closer base.

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Do you plan to come ashore astride SF then, or at another city (Seattle)? I think you're right, landing right at SF will be pretty tough. Landing at another city will get you a place for land based air prior to the suici- I mean assault on SF.

On second thought, maybe the only way to actually take SF is to land and take it on the same turn, before the reinforcements arrive (they arrive in SF). Can you force a shock attack upon landing?

I don't think so. Landing in the States is supposed to advance all release date troops/air units of one year, but depending hoiw it is done, these troops may appear the evening of the landing or the evening after. In the first case there is no attack possible, in the latter it is.

My own idea of an invasion of the States is to go for Seattle... it is far away enough from the south to give you a chance to grab Seattle and Portland. And seizing them will divide sharply the output of US heavy bombers.... I think landing on the railway between Vancouver, Seattle and Portland will give the opportunity to seize at least one of these cities.

First all the US/Candadian air/ground units gain -180 days on the reinforcement schedule; any unit at zero or less appears then. Trigger is the movement of IJA ground units into the 132 line or beyond.

Second, I highly doubt that a smash and grab on SF would succeed, as displayed in the prior AAR by Nik; the fleet carriers of the IJN are good, but not against the combined land and naval air of the US. And that is not Mog's style either (though he is welcome to try it....eh B'rer Mog, come on down to the Briar Patch....)

Third, IJAF and IJN air and ships need somewhere to go too when tired, empty and disabled. Ergo, he has been grabbing the above subsidiary bases for this and to provide an air route for LBA w/o need for shipping and the risks that entails. Bases also provide some semblance of cover for resupply and empties running to and from the homeland.

So, he is in Sitka now. It's Jan 16. On the 15th Soryu was seen in Kodiak and on the 11th Akagi was sighted by sub in Midway. Older BBs seem grouped around Kodiak, though the Fuso was bombed ineffectually of Sitka yesterday.

General consenus among my brain cells makes Prince Rupert the next target on his hit parade; 1 - to get rid of it as a base vs his Sitka units
2- provides a base that is within range of the Vancouver/Seattle area for his longer ranged air units
3- is the logical progression

Elsewhere, not much to speak of. Nothing happening anywhere offensively by the IJ. B17's out of Appari have bombed his "oil" in Formosa, resulting in a counter strike by his Formosa groups that did little. Same bombers savagely attacked a troop TF in the South China Sea a couple of days ago, hurting one and leaving another in what appeared to be sinking condition (5-6 bomb hits), but subs could not find them yesterday, they might have changed course (I know I would have).

The British and Dutch continue to sit on their collective arses, which is not surprising. Some harrassing raids have been done, but they are pretty well tied down watching for any IJN movements. Movement by them or the Australians to directly help the Americans would merely allow any light IJN/A force to take their territory and with the distance involved, they would not get anywhere near the WC in time and it would be so gamey that I couldn't live with the smell.....[:o] And the Chinese front is quiet for now; no need to stir up anything at the moment.

Here is what happened yesterday, nothing much of note:

01/16/42
Day Air attack on Anchorage , at 111,31
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Ki-15 Babs x 3
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 21
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet
=============================================
01/16/42
Day Air attack on Aparri , at 46,49
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G4M1 Betty x 53
Allied aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
B-17C Fortress: 2 destroyed
Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Aircraft Attacking:
18 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
20 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
=============================================
01/16/42
Sub attack at 67,44
Japanese Ships
AK Junpo Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS Saury
Japanese ground losses:
109 casualties reported
=============================================
I almost forgot that Saury had sunk this ship off Tokyo; that's one that won't be at the party later.....

[EUBanana]

In addition to that 180 days thing you also get some addition US divisions on top of that, though, IIRC.

Quite a few. [;)]

Still, I suppose someone had to test it, and who better than Mog? [:D]

[mogami]

Hi, The Junpo Maru was loaded with Allied POW captured at Wake and Midway. These men were being moved to Tokyo for medical attention and release on parole.

[Mike Solli]

[:D]

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, If I thought there was anything special about the CA Mogami in WITP it would not have been in that TF.
(CA Mogami was put into a TF assigned a mission that was 100 percent likely to engage the enemy. It is therefore nothing remarkable to see it sustain damage)
The vital knowledge of the whereabouts of the USN CV was obtained as a result of this action. The mission of this force was to obtain that data.

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, The Junpo Maru was loaded with Allied POW captured at Wake and Midway. These men were being moved to Tokyo for medical attention and release on parole.

ORIGINAL: EUBanana

Still, I suppose someone had to test it, and who better than Mog? [:D]

One thing is sure: Mog is the best Japanese propagandist on this board [&o]

[mogami]

Hi