Matrix Games Forums

1/31 - 2/1/42

CENTPAC

My ASW efforts continue to have some success. SS I-4 is sunk NW of Hawaii. Jap sub number 9. [:)]

At Palmyra, CL Oi hits a mine. That's followed by a bombardment by two BBs & two CLs. (Oi reported on fire.) I've lost more planes here in the last 3 days than I care to count. [:(]

DEI

Renewed Jap offensives toward the SRA appear.

Samarinda is invaded and taken on the 1st. Both Samarinda & Balikpapan were bombarded by a TF with one BB (Kongo). I lost a ton of planes there, too. Boela was also invaded & taken.

The Borneo invasion is supported by Baby KB & I my planes did launch on the 31st:

01/31/42
Day Air attack on TF at 35,64
Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 15
A6M2 Zero x 27
Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 12
T.IVa x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
T.IVa: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVL Shoho
CVL Ryujo

Force Z has sortied & is ordered to interrupt the landings. I'm hoping the Kongo TF shows up as I think I'll get the better of that.

I decided to send Sara & Lex through the Torres straight to Darwin. Indomitable is ordered to the area also. (Winston decided the defense of India starts in the DEI.) Hermes is already on the way. With KB occupied in Cent Pac, I might have an opportunity or two here.

PHIL

Some bad news here. I retreated from San Marcelino but my supplies (about 10K) didn't follow. There's only about 8500 supplies total on Luzon now, although I have 5500 two days out and more on the way. I've flown some P-35s into Bataan to LRCAP the transport. They'll be slaughtered against an escorted strike but hopefully will deter an unescorted one.

My goal here is to hold until the middle of March. Not looking likely however, unless I can get 1 or 2 of those transports unloaded. If I can hold until mid-March those troops will be invading Java or Sumatra after the invasion bonus disappears.

CHINA

We've been having some fierce air battles over Changsha. This is typical:

02/01/42
Day Air attack on Changsha , at 45,37
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 4
Ki-51 Sonia x 2
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 10
I-153c x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
SB-2c: 1 destroyed
Runway hits 1

Map shows both Phil & Borneo:

Monthly update for January, including intel screen.

The ship losses were a lot lighter than Dec. We each lost 16 ships:

US Losses

CAs - 1
CLs - 1
DDs - 2
AP/AK - 21 +11
TK/AO - 4 +1
SS - 3 +1
Aux - 20 +3. Includes 9 PT boats

Jap losses

DDs - 5 +1
AP/AK - 53 +6
TK/AO - 8 +1
SS - 8 +4
Aux - 22 +4

Airplane losses for Jan were slightly in the allied favor: 364 vs. 370. I'll take it this early.

Despite moments like below, I'm really enjoying this game.

Lots of cat-and-mouse movements in Cent Pac, Solomons, DEI. A big battle is looming in the latter soon. I'll provide a 3 day update shortly.

2/2 - 2/4/42

CENT PAC

Some more ASW success: 2 Japanese subs near Hawaii receive direct hits, but neither are reported sunk.

Near Palmyra both KB & the Jap bombardment force have disappeared. I'm rushing in more troops & supply. In a week I'll feel (relatively) secure here but I'm not sure I'll have that much time.

There's also a Marine Def Bn unloading at Christmas Island.

SOPAC/SWPAC

I raided Lae on the 3rd:

02/03/42
Day Air attack on Lae , at 56,90
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Hurricane IIb x 9
Hudson I x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 6

It wasn't that successful & I expected Pat would reinforce, so I stood down & only flew recon. 30 Zeros were on CAP on the 4th.

Bettys based there were seen over my CVs heading through the Torres straight. I'm not sure if they spotted the CVs, however, or just some escorts or the replenishment TF traveling with them.

Bettys also attacked a small surface TF I had at Milne Bay. No hits. I wasn't too worried at first but somehow I missed that Lae is now a size 4 AF! I'm executing Operation Runaway.

DEI

Force Z tried to catch the invasion TF at Samarinda on the 2nd, but the Japs had already left. [:(] It's currently at Soerabaja. Repulse is at 10 sys & 25 knots and I'd like to repair a point or two.

Amboina was invaded on the 4th but is still in allied hands. Baby KB and a TF of 4 Jap BBs & 5 CAs are in support. I'd love to ambush that force with Sara & Lex, but I think I'll be a few days too late.

PHIL

An AK has unloaded 1500 supply at Manila and total supplies on Luzon are now back up to 8800. I'm still worried here, however.

CHINA

One minor success in the ground war as I route a Japanese brigade (previously expelled from Nanning):

02/02/42
Ground combat at 40,40
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8791 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 266
Defending force 5106 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Allied max assault: 259 - adjusted assault: 412
Japanese max defense: 54 - adjusted defense: 11
Allied assault odds: 37 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
118 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
77 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

I've decided to chase into the hinterlands. That will mean a Chinese Corps off the road network for a month or so, but I'll route that brigade at least once, if not twice, more and it will be combat ineffective for much longer than that month.

Also in China, my northern counter-offensive will start heating up soon. I'm reconsidering my plans in the south - more on that later.

2/5 - 2/7/42

Mostly quiet, but tense. I've been reorganizing my sub forces & planning my southern China offensive.

CENT PAC

SS I-3 was sunk by ASW NE of Hawaii. The japs have now lost 11 subs.

Troops & supplies are currently unloading at Palmyra. While it's not secure yet, it should at least be able to put up a fight now.

SW PAC

Some reinforcements & supplies have made it to Port Moresby.

DEI

A Jap unit unloaded at Amboina several days ago but hasn't attacked yet. (Low on supplies?) The escorting BBs & Baby KB have disappeared.

A couple previously damaged Jap ships sink and the total is now 100. (Mostly AKs).

PHIL

A transport has now unloaded 4500 supply at Manila. Total supplies on Luzon are now back up to 11K plus. Another transport is 3 days out. I'm starting to get optimistic about holding until at least 15 March again.

CHINA

2 2/3 Chinese Corps enter Yangku. I'll bombard today & if favorable attack tomorrow. However, there's now 4 Japanese units reported there.

I'm also a day out from entering Tabun-Nur (undefended) with a brigade of the Hopei Div.

I've also decided to postpone Operation Bordello indefinitely, despite the fact that the 2nd Marine Paras are 4 days away from arriving at Chungking. Instead I'll be launching Operation Rice Bowl. I'll grab the resources & HI at Nanchang and cause some general havoc as well. More details soon.

2/8/42

Pat's going on vacation for four days so this will be the last update for a bit.

WEST COAST

The first Pearl Harbor victim (Nevada) is fully repaired and heading back to Pearl. Arizona is down to 8 sys.

Once Hornet arrives (4 days) she'll go to So Pac along with a 2 ship BB division. A 3 ship BB div will remain based at Pearl, along with Yorktown & Enterprise. I'll send the 2 New Mexico class BBs to So Pac. They're effectively 1 hex faster than the other operational BBs and I think they're more likely to see action. Also they don't have an upgrade scheduled until October while my other BBs have an April upgrade coming up soon.

CENT PAC

SS I-172, previously damaged by an A-20, sank. [:)] That's 12 Jap subs destroyed by my valiant ASW forces. I forgot to mention that on the 7th SS I-24 hit a sub-laid mine at Palmyra (still afloat as of now).

I haven't seen KB or the bombardment TF that hit Palmyra since the 1st. Palmyra's getting more secure every day - 150 AV, 8 CD guns, 400 mines, 8K supply (more unloading).

SW PAC

An AK unloading supplies at Port Moresby was sunk by Lae based Bettys. I want to close Lae down so I can keep the Torres straight open, but I'll need to get some more aviation support to Port Moresby first.

DEI

The Sara, Lex & Boise TFs docked at Darwin. Hermes is a day out from Koepang. Force Z is at Soerabaja where Repulse repaired a point of sys damage (down to 8).

Pat's recent moves caught me off balance, but I should be prepared for further moves in this area. I expect the next major attacks to be towards either Kendari or Timor. Patrol planes did spot an unescorted TF heading towards the Balikpapan/Samarinda area, however. Since they're unescorted I think they're reinforcements for Samarinda and not an invasion of Balikpapan but either way I'm going to try to hit them with both air & naval forces.

PHIL

Nells sank the transport unloading at Manila and damaged another two days out. I have one more AK about two weeks out but won't send anymore. I did just upgrade a PBY squadron to Coronados at Soerabaja. Once repaired they'll fly supply into Manila from Balikpapan.

Supplies on Luzon are now about 11 1/2K. Most, though not all, of the troops are already on half rations.

MALAYA/BURMA

Pat continues to bomb my AF's and troops in Malaya & I continue to bomb his troops advancing into Burma.

CHINA

Minor success at Yangku as my troops repulse an attack:

Ground combat at Yangku
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 30371 troops, 372 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 599
Defending force 25674 troops, 185 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 806
Japanese max assault: 1226 - adjusted assault: 272
Allied max defense: 791 - adjusted defense: 366
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
1866 casualties reported
Guns lost 46
Allied ground losses:
272 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

There's two Japanese brigades and two base forces there. More than I hoped, but I'm going to shock attack in return. There won't be a better chance for me - my supplies are already getting low and his disruption must be high.

I've also done some more planning for Operation Rice Bowl. More in the next post.

CHINA & OPERATION RICE BOWL

I checked out my supply situation in China for the game thus far:

7 Dec - 67940
1 Jan - 95206 (+27.3K)
1 Feb - 121851 (+26.6K)

While it's still increasing the rate of gain has slowed and I ordered replacements off for any unit that didn't have its minimum supply requirement.

I'm also planning Operation Rice Bowl. The major goal is to take Nanchang & grab the resources & HI there, thus improving the supply situation more.

Thanks to sigint intercepts and a member of my intelligence staff - LCDR Bodhi - I have a fairly good idea of the Japanese strength in South China. (See map.)

The Fourth Marines (almost completely transported to Pakhoi now) will go in with the Nanchang assault - I'll likely need their engineers. Plus they want to open up the road back to Shanghai. The China HQ is heading towards Changsha to pull extra supply there in support of the offensive.

This won't launch for a month or two as I need to reorganize forces and build up some prep points.

Pat's back home & we've done a couple more turns.

2/9 - 2/10/42

CENT PAC

Very quiet. I haven't seen KB since the beginning of the month. Palmyra (where he was last raiding) is now up to fort level 2, 150 AV, a bunch of mines & CD guns and 12K supply. It won't stop a multi-div assault but I still don't think he can mount that right now.

I'm considering leaving only one CV in this theater and sending 2 to So Pac. Hornet arrives in 2 days. I'll send her to Pearl and then decide.

DEI

Two Jap naval guard units land at Balikpapan. Force Z sorties but is too late. Soerabaja-based B-17s are sent on ground attack, striking both enemy units & increasing their disruption. Some reinforcements were also sent here earlier and the valiant Dutch repulse the initial Japanese attack:

02/10/42
Ground combat at Balikpapan
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 5320 troops, 25 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 150
Defending force 4100 troops, 54 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 52
Japanese max assault: 206 - adjusted assault: 34
Allied max defense: 45 - adjusted defense: 45
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
241 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
Allied ground losses:
42 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

PHIL

Scouts report the 38th Jap division reinforcing the attack at Naga, but the Filipinos hold their positions:

02/10/42
Ground combat at Naga
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 49386 troops, 484 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 1049
Defending force 11163 troops, 129 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 316
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 69% back up to 3 now
Japanese max assault: 988 - adjusted assault: 318
Allied max defense: 318 - adjusted defense: 675
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
870 casualties reported
Guns lost 40
Vehicles lost 6
Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

For bad news here, the supplies on Luzon are now down to @9K. Another AK which was shipping medicine and clothing to the starving children of Manila has been sunk. However I did just notice that Coronados can reach Manila from not only Balikpapan (about to fall) but also Tarakan (no threat yet).

CHINA

My thrust in northern China is repulsed:

02/09/42
Ground combat at Yangku
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 25153 troops, 172 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 779
Defending force 28114 troops, 302 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 493
Allied max assault: 1302 - adjusted assault: 112
Japanese max defense: 319 - adjusted defense: 133
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese ground losses:
223 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Allied ground losses:
1054 casualties reported
Guns lost 19

I hoped to take the city, but I've accomplished my major goal of cutting Pat's supply lines to Yenan.

I also fail in an attack against Tabun-Nur. My opponent got troops there just in time.

I'm continuing to prepare for Operation Rice Bowl. My plans are changing a bit - I'll be sending fewer troops towards Canton and more towards Nanchang which is my main objective.

2/11 - 2/14/42

Mostly quiet.

Cent Pac

Well, this game started out with a scare to Hawaii, but I now have officially proclaimed Pearl safe. @1250 AV (with forts, HQs, terrain, etc. an effective AV of @15000). Forts 9, 10K + mines, 300,000 + supply.

I'll be sending one of the 3 Divs defending Hawaii to So Pac soon. I'll probably start building up in Samoa but since I don't have the shipping available anyway I'll wait a week or two before I decide exactly where it goes. Fiji is mostly empty as well.

Another Jap sub sinks. Nells from Midway hit a convoy transporting a base force to French Frigate Shoals, but fortunately no troops were lost. (One AK likely to sink, another should be ok but will be out of action for a while.)

South Pac/SW Pac

A Jap cruiser TF bombarded my floatplane base at Tulagi. I've established new bases at both Luganville & Ndeni.

The 7th Aussie Div arrives in a little less than a month. I had been planning to send it to Port Moresby, but I'm starting to consider sending it to Java.

DEI

My opponent dropped paratroops to reinforce his attack at Balikpapan. They weren't very successful:

02/12/42
Ground combat at Balikpapan
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 427 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 130
Defending force 4148 troops, 55 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 51
Japanese max assault: 22 - adjusted assault: 9
Allied max defense: 46 - adjusted defense: 53
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

The base was also just bombarded by 4 BBs & another naval guard unit was landed. I probably won't hold here much longer but every day is now a day those resources/oil aren't producing.

Phillipines

The Japs attack at Naga again:

02/14/42
Ground combat at Naga
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 46767 troops, 418 guns, 19 vehicles, Assault Value = 957
Defending force 11083 troops, 130 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 316
Japanese max assault: 862 - adjusted assault: 646
Allied max defense: 319 - adjusted defense: 693
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
759 casualties reported
Guns lost 37
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

I'm sending a Philipino div from Clark to reinforce Naga.

For bad news, the supplies on Luzon are down to about 8K.

Burma

The Japs have taken Taung Gyi and I think I've been out-maneuvered here. [:(] More details soon, but I have another turn in the in-box.

What troops do you have on Java, and how much supply? Those B17s burn a lot of supplies, is there enough for another Aussie division?

A close battle at Naga! You might want to retreat into Manila soon, before he can break through to the city at one front and block the retreat path of the second front. His troops should be in bad shape after those failed attacks in malarial hexes, while your troops can recuperate in Manila. If you can manage an orderly retreat to Manila your situation is IMO very good, despite your relatively low supply level.

In Java I have the initial garrison and 2 additional Dutch battalions brought in from remote locations. I believe an extra base force or two, also. I'm flying the B-17s only 2, at most 3, times a week which keeps the supply consumption down. Currently 50K+ supply in Soerabaja and maybe another 20K throughout the island.

I've sent one or two supply convoys from Karachi to Soerabaja and the next one I load will come here also.

I'm still debating sending the Aussie div here. I like the idea - partly because that div was historically intended to reinforce the DEI. But also it should slow my opponent down. I'd like to hold Java until mid-June which should give me plenty of time to build up my strongpoints in So Pac & SW Pac. (It would also make an India gambit extremely risky for Pat.) I'll decide for certain when it arrives - if I still hold on both Luzon & Singapore I'll almost certainly send it to Java. I'm starting to organize the shipping now.

In the Phillipines the Clark field front won't break soon. The Naga front could, though reinforcements are on their way. If I'm routed out of Naga I'll retreat from Clark & should have time to get most/all of my forces back to Manila. At least I hope. [;)] I'll leave a brigade of Filipino troops in both locations to act as rearguards - that should buy me an extra day or two, though I'll most likely lose the troops.

2/15 - 2/16/42

Still mostly quiet but tense. The historic fall of Singapore passes & I still hold at Johore Bahru. I also think we'll see a big naval battle or two in the DEI within a week or two.

Cent Pac

I'm starting to prep a lot of the troops near Hawaii for other locations, but still lack the shipping to send them off.

I tend to use lots of small TFs instead of a few big ones. Occasionally I lose track of one & they wind up within 300 miles of Wake Island. Oops:

02/16/42
Day Air attack on TF at 89,71
Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 21
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Mercury, Bomb hits 14, on fire, heavy damage Remarkably she's still afloat but likely not for long

So Pac/SW Pac

A Jap BB TF sinks an AVD I had in the Ellice Islands. Tulagi is invaded by the evil Japanese hordes.

Bettys, escorted by Zeros, attack the airfield at Port Moresby & I lose more planes than I care to count. The AF is still intact however & I might be able to stage an ambush with Hurricanes & P-40s within a week or so.

DEI

I had stopped the AF building of Kai island 1 day short of level 2, but my opponent started to fly recon against it and should be getting reports of 8 units there. I'd been hoping to keep my buildup there secret a little while longer, but since the surprise is gone I started the AF building again (now level 2) & flew in a couple squadrons.

I'm still holding at both Amboina & Balikpapan, keeping those oil & resources from producing.

I now have 3 CV TFs at Darwin (2 US, 1 Brit). That should be more than enough (despite zero bonus) to stand up to the Baby KB which is all I think he has deployed in this theater.

Burma

I think I screwed this up, but I should have time to fix it. A Jap div & Tank Rgt have taken Taung Gyi while the rest of his forces are still weeks away from Moulmein. This could potentially cut off 4 brigades. (See pic.)

I hate to retreat without a fight but I think I have to. The brigades in Rangoon would go to Mandalay & the Moulmein brigades, currently suffering from malaria, would go to India to recover.

On the plus-side: Pat has few operational AFs nearby & I should be able to close the Taung Gyi airfield even before he gets a base force there. Also, he has 60 more miles of trail to cross before he can threaten me elsewhere. That gives me a few more days to decide what I want to do.

2/17 - 2/18/42

4 more Japanese destroyers have become diving attractions. [:)]

Cent Pac

Hornet's two days out from Pearl. Once she arrives she, Yorktown, New Mexico, Mississippi & escorts head to So Pac. Enterprise will remain in Pearl so her crew can scrape off barnacles that accumulated in her earlier running around. I'll probably leave her here until the April upgrade, then rotate the Yorktown class carriers through.

Arizona is down to 5 sys damage at San Francisco & will join the South Pac BB division once she's fully repaired.

DD Mochizuki hits a sub-laid mine at Kwaj.

South Pac

Tulagi falls. The Japanese also land at Lunga. Most of the 2nd Marine Div has now arrived at Noumea and NZ troops are also on their way to Efate.

DEI

This is where the fun was. I spotted a Jap reinforcement convoy heading to Amboina in time to do something about it. First, a Dutch cruiser TF attacked in the night:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 40,74
Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze
DD Asagao
DD Fuyo, Shell hits 73, on fire, heavy damage Sinks
DD Karukaya, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Arabia Maru
AP Argentina Maru
AP Atuta Maru
AP Baikal Maru
AP Denmark Maru
AP Horaisan Maru
AP Ryotaku Maru, on fire
AK Sinsei Maru
AP Victoria Maru
Allied Ships
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
DD Pillsbury
DD Pope
DD Evertsen
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1, on fire 35/0/8 - will go to Sydney for repairs

Carrier-based planes from Sara, Lex & Indomitable then strike in the morning:

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 4
Albacore x 22
F2A Buffalo x 27
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
SBD Dauntless x 32
TBD Devastator x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Albacore: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
F2A Buffalo: 4 destroyed, 7 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 3 damaged
TBD Devastator: 4 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Karukaya, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Minekaze, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Horaisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Baikal Maru
AP Denmark Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Atuta Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
DD Asagao
AP Arabia Maru, Torpedo hits 1
AP Ryotaku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Follow-up strike:

Day Air attack on TF at 39,75
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD Dauntless x 15
TBD Devastator x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Victoria Maru
AP Atuta Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Horaisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Sinks
DD Asagao
DD Karukaya, on fire, heavy damage Sinks after this combat

Altogether the Zeros on LRCAP shot down 4 Buffalos, 2 Wildcats & 1 Dauntless for the loss of 2 Zeros. Interestingly Buffalo pilots from VF-2 are claiming both kills.

Finally, the Dutch cruiser TF runs into the Japanese again, 60 miles SW of Amboina:

Day Time Surface Combat at 39,75
Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Asagao, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
AP Arabia Maru, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
AP Argentina Maru, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
AP Atuta Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Baikal Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Denmark Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ryotaku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sinsei Maru
AP Victoria Maru
Allied Ships
CL Java, Shell hits 2
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp, Shell hits 1
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 1
DD Pope, Shell hits 1 11/4/7 Damage to all other ships is negligible
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1

I think (hope?) KB's near the Solomons covering the landings there. I know that Baby KB is nearby but if Pat commits it I'll outnumber it & the fatigue of my pilots is still low. With that in mind I decided to stick around one more day. The Dutch will try for a mid-ocean intercept during the night then retreat towards Darwin. The CVs will move 60 miles east to be in position to finish off the convoy whether it moves back towards Amboina or NE towards safety. Regardless of outcome the CVs will bolt after tomorrow.

If I'm wrong about KB it could get exciting! React setting is at 5, to avoid a Japanese strike without a possibility of a counter-strike.

Elsewhere in the DEI Jap reinforcements are also approaching Balikpapan. Subs & LBA will try to stop them.

Burma

I've decided to abandon Rangoon & Moulmein without a fight. [:(] Of 4 brigades there the two in Rangoon will march to Mandalay and the Royal Navy will pick up the two in Moulmein and bring them to India.

Nice!! Were those APs carrying troops?

Unfortunately not the APs I hit on the 18th.

I neglected to mention that Kai-based Hudsons also attacked that convoy on the 17th, scoring two hits & killing a few troops. They then unloaded at Amboina on the 18th.

I'm hoping my ambush will have his troops in low supply, however, buying another week or two for Amboina.

Just ran the turn - quick update:

I finished off most of that convoy, but Lady Lex ate two torps from land-based Bettys. [:(] 21/41/25 damage so it's not disastrous so long as she makes Darwin. More in a bit.

02/19/42

Battle of Amboina, Day two

My mid-ocean intercept worked, at least in part:

Night Time Surface Combat at 40,75

Japanese Ships
AP Victoria Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
DD Pillsbury
DD Evertsen

Just after this, however, a lone Japanese transport was reported unloading at Amboina.

Then, north of Amboina a dutch sub attacked a lone transport, presumably bringing more supplies:

Sub attack at 43,72

Japanese Ships
AK Naniwa Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
SS O24

Two previously damaged jap transports also sink during the night.

The allied carriers then launch a total of five strikes, sinking four more Japanese APs, though unfortunately the one unloading at Amboina was covered by clouds all day - it's currently the lone survivor.

Towards the end of the day Manado-based LBA struck the Lexington TF. Except for 3 Nells shot down, all bombers made it through the CAP:

Day Air attack on TF at 40,77

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
G3M Nell x 6
G4M1 Betty x 13

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 26
F4F-3 Wildcat x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Sea Hurricane Ib: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Pensacola
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 2, on fire

As I mentioned, Lex is at 21/41/25 damage. She can make 19 knots & is heading to Darwin - will be there in two days. The Indomitable & Sara TFs are covering. I've upped the naval search % of all bombers & put 1 Dauntless squadron on ASW.

Fragments (now ABDA command) landed on Amboina. They've been transferred to Kai Island where ironically I just built the AF up to size 2 and was looking to station single-engine bombers there.

Through the Swiss embassy (my email) the Japanese high command has been fed the disinformation that Lady Lex will be in repair yards for at least a year.

I'm sending the Dutch cruiser TF in one last time to nail that final transport.

Elsewhere

A few random bombing raids. More Jap transports are unloading at Balikpapan after Martins failed to hit them.

In Malaya, the forts come down again at JB. I'll withdraw once they're down to 2:

Ground combat at Johore Bahru

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 132687 troops, 1292 guns, 431 vehicles, Assault Value = 2544

Defending force 32138 troops, 149 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 581

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese max assault: 2540 - adjusted assault: 1769

Allied max defense: 564 - adjusted defense: 1301

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
2188 casualties reported
Guns lost 71
Vehicles lost 6

Allied ground losses:
1785 casualties reported
Guns lost 53

2/20/42

A little anti-climactic.

Battle of Amboina, Day Three

The Dutch cruiser TF goes in once again, and sinks the final transport of the task force I was targetting:

02/20/42
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 40,74
Japanese Ships
AK Sinsei Maru, Shell hits 36, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
DD Pillsbury
DD Evertsen

They're heading to Darwin where there's an AD that can replenish their torpedos, then probably back to Koepang.

Lexington is now at 29/38/9 and one day out from Darwin.

Nearby some Beauforts torpedoed a troop-laden AK unloading at Sorong.

Elsewhere

Dutch Martins place a bomb into a transport unloading at Balikpapan. Hornet, Lexington & a BB division leave Pearl for So Pac. A few random airraids around the map.

2/21 - 2/22/42

Lady Lex update

2/21 - 38/41/6, disbands at Darwin. (Sys damage went up 9 points!)
2/22 - 41/37/0

Her air group (the parents) have all safely disembarked and are currently at Kai Island. On the 22nd VB-2 puts 3 500 lb. bombs into a Jap AK carrying troops towards Babo on northern New Guinea.

One interesting thing: the fragments which left Lexington when she was damaged changed to ABDA command. Now that they've re-combined with the parents, they are all independent command again.

DEI

More transports are unloading at Balikpapan, dodging bombs from some Dutch Martins. Subs fail to intercept as well. 4Es strike Japanese ground forces just before they launch an assault:

02/22/42
Ground combat at Balikpapan
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 6120 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 147
Defending force 3747 troops, 48 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 49
Japanese max assault: 98 - adjusted assault: 73
Allied max defense: 44 - adjusted defense: 89
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Allied ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

I suspect Balikpapan is becoming a thorn in my opponent's side.

2Es also target the Japanese troops at Amboina, to increase their disruption. The Japanese are content to hold onto their beachhead for now, though, and launch no assault.

Malaya

Near disaster at JB:

02/22/42
Ground combat at Johore Bahru
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 130258 troops, 1200 guns, 430 vehicles, Assault Value = 2423
Defending force 29524 troops, 94 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 487
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese max assault: 2401 - adjusted assault: 3619
Allied max defense: 468 - adjusted defense: 1041
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Japanese ground losses:
1118 casualties reported
Guns lost 35
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
2023 casualties reported
Guns lost 20

A general retreat is ordered. Usually my opponent rests between attacks. I hope he does here or Singapore could be in trouble. Some of my troops should be able to cross the causeway today, though.

Transports flying the hump have been ordered towards Sumatra. There's a couple combat-ineffective brigades (2 AV) which I'll try to evac in full. Up to now while I've pulled some base forces I haven't pulled any combat troops (or fragments) out of Malaya.

General Planning

I've been looking over reinforcement schedules, etc., and have put the finishing touches on my defensive plan. Basically I'll create several corps strength strongpoints interspersed with several divisional strength strongpoints. The map below shows the controlling HQs & the infantry units I plan to use. (Mainly for my later reference.) It should all be in place by the beginning of June.

I may change the composition of the Aussie I corps - I'm still a little undecided on that.