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4/20-4/21/42



SUBS


SS I-165 continues the search for the RN CVs and ABDA surface fleets south of Java. She fires 4 torpedoes at CL Enterprise near Christmas Island(IO) but misses and the Allied ASW response is ineffective.

SS Truant takes 5 DCs from IJN ASW off the Celebes....she will make it back to port but some yard time will be needed.




CHINA


We launch a massive shock attack with 5 Chinese corps on the IJA force that was trying to outflank us SW of Kaifrng and cut the Sinyang/Chenchow highway. First the B-17s and medium bombers pound 35th Division and 13th Ind. Mixed Brgade....then the Chinese launch an 33:1 shock attack....when the smoke clears the Japanese have been retreated back towards Kaifeng with OVER 10,000 casualties while the Chinese suffer 500 casualties.

The shock attack in clear terrain thingy works both ways....what had been a 30,000 strong IJA formation barely 4 days ago now has fewer than 14,000 effectives.


With this force defeated, all of the 4Es and most of the mediums are placed on airfield attack at Hankow next turn...this will be our 1st MAJOR airbase suppression of the war. Lots of P-40Es and Hurricane IIb Trops flying sweeps and escort over Hankow also....recon indicates the Japanese have some 28 fighters, 18 bombers and 22 support AC at Hankow.

Recon also shows 2 AKs unloading at Hankow port.....looks like my 3 month effort to surround and isolate Hankow/Wuchang was a pipedream as Japan can move in all the supply they need by river....StoneAge broke my siege a couple weeks ago and it looks as if a further attempt to reinstate it would be pointless.

Anyway, a squadron of AVG P-40Es at Changsha will be put on Naval Attack tomorrow to see if they can actually sink some ships hundreds of miles inland from the ocean.

At Pingsiang it looks like StoneAge moved in some more heavy artillery...2 consecutive bombardments cause over 2000 Chinese casualties.



SOPAC

B-26s put a bomb on TK Syoyo Maru at Rabaul...it seems as if Im always catching these TKs with a full load of fuel as they always light up like a torch.

Looks like Japan is trying to build up a base at Lae. B-26s and SBDs at Port Moresby bomb the port/airfield/ground unit at Lae every day as they build up their experience.



DEI


StoneAge begins bombing the CD unit at Tarakan so I think an attack here will be forthcoming. This turn Japan invades on either side of Tarakan at Tandjoengselor and Tawau. SigInt says 24th IR is on the way to Tandjoengselor so my guess is that StoneAge intends to capture Tarakan by marching overland from Tandjoengselor and not risk another amphibious assault into CD guns.

Off the NW tip of Sumatra Japan captures Sinabang.

PLEASE MISTER WHIPPLE, DONT SQUEEZE THE CHARMIN

CL Colombo and DD Whipple show up at Sinabang right after its captured and annihilate the entire amphibious assault force....2 measly AKLs.
Bettys attack CL Colombo the next day but no hits are scored.

4/22-4/23/42



SUBS


SS Salmon puts a fish in AK Turung Maru near Ningpo.

SS I-165 continues the hunt for the RN CVs south of Java but runs into RN ASW TF instead and eats 2 DCs.

SS KXVI lands a torpedo and sinks TK Amatsu Maru off Miri...always good to sink a TK but since Miri is a small port its probably only one of those small 1250 capacity TKs I read about in the Japanese production threads.




CHINA


Allied heavy and medium bombers repeatedly pummel the airfield at Hankow and cause over 30% damage...altogether some 40 Japanese AC are destroyed today vs 34 allied ...15 Nates and 5 Oscars shot down in A2A so that should deplete their pilot pool a bit.

The P-40Es on naval attack dont hit anything at Hankow but StoneAge gets the message. He puts the 2 AKs in port so now we have the spectacle of Chinese medium bombers conducting a port attack hundreds of miles inland against Hankow next turn.


Another Japanese 1:2 deliberate attack at Pingsiang creates 1750 IJA casualties vs 1650 Chinese......I dont know why StoneAge just doesnt stand back and bombard Pingsiang every turn and cause 1000+ casualties for free...no need to assault and suffer Japanese losses.



DEI

I did the last turn in the middle of the night and forgot to move CL Colombo. This turn Sallys drop a bomb on CL Colombo and cause 23(s)/10(float)/5(E) damage....Colombo is scheduled to be withdrawn anyway in about 7 weeks so she will just go back to the Bombay shipyard for repairs and then be withdrawn.

Another Japanese 1:4 deliberate attack at Palembang collects 900 IJA troops vs 400 Dutch.

My Dutch fighters have done a good job in the attrition war over the DEI but now they are down to their last 13 replacements.



BURMA

Japan launches a 1:2 deliberate attack at Lashio.....900 Japanese casualties vs 300 Allied.


Ive been heavily bombing the the IJA besiegers at both Lashio and Myitkina every turn and now StoneAge is finally commiting his IJA fighters here....looks like we will be able to continue the fighter attrition here after the DEI is lost.




PEARL HARBOR

Pearls' ship repair facilities have been humming with activity. CV Lexington has 2 more days on critical pierside before she has completed her minor damage repairs and then she will be placed in the shipyard to fix the hull damage.

CV Yorktown has 8 days left in the shipyard to complete repairs of her hull damage and then she wil be decommissioned to undergo her 4/42 upgrades.

CV Saratoga has just completed minor damage repairs and will be decommissioned tomorrow to undergo her 2/42 upgrades.


The carrier air groups are flown to Ford Island for training and upgrades while the CVs are being repaired.

CV Hornet completes her 4/42 upgrades and becomes the only operational USN CV in the Pacific.




PHILIPPINES

Japan again attacks at Clark at 1:4 odds causing 2200 Japanese casualties vs 1000 Allied.

At Cebu, a Japanese 1:3 deliberate attack causes 100 IJA casualties vs 20 Philippino. The combat report shows the Japanese have only 51 AV here now vs the 132 AV of the 81st PA Division.

Two squadrons of B-17s are staged from China to Clark and they will be targeting the IJA troops on Cebu tomorrow. The 81st PA Division will then deliver a shock attack.

4/24-4/27/42



SUBS


SS I-162 continues the search for the RN CVs south of Java. She first puts a torpedo in CL Danae and then sinks AO Tan 3.

SS Swordfish takes 3 DCs as she stalks an IJN transport TF off Borneo.

SS I-121 continues the search for the RN CVs south of Java but neither side scores a hit,

SS Seawolf takes 2 DCs from IJN surface TF off Singkawang.

SS S-36 takes 4 DCs from a single SC off Kendari...yikes those SCs have incredible ASW capabilities.




PHILIPPINES


Another deliberate attack at Clark creates 1350 IJA casualties vs 2560 Allied casualties.

The Japanese get the 1st lick in at Cebu and their deliberate attack causes 170 IJA casualties vs 28 Allied.

Our counterattack at Cebu is very interesting. On the first attack the B-17s at Clark dont fly due to weather but we still achieve a 2:1 shock attack...the Allies suffer 158 casualties vs 56 IJA and NO retreat...there were no forts so I dont understand why the IJA troops didnt retreat.

Next day the B-17s fly and hit the IJA troops at Cebu but now we only get a 1:2 attack....this time the Japanese suffer 120 casualties vs 65 Allied....go figure.



CHINA

Our port attack at Hankow is spectacularly ineffective...no hits on ships....a few port hits but LOTS of damaged AC. Dont know why we couldnt target a ship in port over 2 turns but maybe it has something to do with inland ports.

The war at Pingsiang rages on. Over a 4 day period with 3 assaults and 1 bombardment the Japanese sustain over 7000 casualties vs 4100 Chinese casualties. We already have over a half dozen trashed corps from the Pingsiang battles.




THE AIR WAR

Overall Japan loses 56 AC vs 58 Allied AC. In A2A Japan loses 8 A6M2s and 17 Oscars vs Allied losses of 18 P-40Es, 14 Hurricane I Trops and 1 Hurricane IIa Trop.

In the early war period when the Allies are flying Buffaloes the A2A ratio was something like 2:1 losses in favor of Japan. Now with all the Hurricane IIb Trops its more like 1:1.

In stock WitP and CHS I would usually be able to build a 150-200 strong 4E bomber force by 1/42 and could proceed to nuke Japanese airfields at will...God bless all those LB-30 replacements.

Here in AE, Ive only done 1 major airfield strike the ENTIRE war. I used to think that using 4Es in ground attack missions was a waste in stock WitP but here in AE the ground attacks are all important...in fact sending the 50 B-17s from the PI to China for ground attacks was probably the single most important factor in stabilizing the Chinese front.

The Japanese have such a huge artillery advantage in China its imperative that the Allies send as much air power here as possible. The Chinese air force is virtually worthless at this point in the war...so I reinforce China with 50 B-17s, 3 AVG squadrons, 4 Hurricane IIb Trop squadrons, 2 Buffalo squadrons, 1 Hudson IIIA squadron, 1 Hudson I squadron and 2 Blenheim IV squadrons.


Japan threw me around like a rag doll in 12/41 when they had complete air superiority. After that I was able to gain air equality if not air superiority and now I can usually decrease Japanese assault odds or increase Allied assault odds when the air is committed.



PEARL HARBOR

The new AE ship repair routines are a game in themselves.

CV Yorktown only needed 20 days to repair 20 hull damage when she was placed in the shipyard. Today I put CV Lexington in the shipyard and it was indicated that 73 days would be required to repair 20 hull damage. I know that CV Lexington has higher durability and I guess that this would impact shipyard repairs but this is quite a bit more. I emptied the shipyards at Pearl...CV Yorktown only had 5 hull damage remaining so she pulled out and was given an AR to complete repairs and CA Chicago was pulled out of the shipyard and placed on readiness repair and then the repair estimate on CV Lexington came down to 49 days. Placing CV Lexington on "high" repair cut it down to 48 days..since we are using 2 day turns I left it on "high" so that Lex would come back 2 days early.

4/28-4/29/42



SUBS


SS S-39 sinks SC Ch 15 off the Celebes. Next day SS S-39 puts a torpedo into AK Nagara Maru.

SS I-121 stalks the RN CVs and lands a tropedo on BC Repulse...Repulse now has 12 sys and 30 flotation damage and is withdrawn towards Ceylon for repairs.

SS S-36 gives not one but TWO reports of "temporary flotation repairs failing".




CHINA


Relatively quiet turn. Japan again attacks at the road junction behind Kukong and Wuchow........this time its 1860 IJA casualties vs 286 Chinese.

Consecutive bombardment attacks at Pingsiang net only 350 and then 175 Chinese casualties...either the Japanese are short on supply here or Allied air attacks have disrupted the heavy artillery.


Looks like StoneAge is evacuating Yenan since he is out of supply there...5 of 6 occupying units are marching cross country back to Kweisui.


Artillery fire is exchanged at Hankow and Kweisui.

3 Chinese corps are again ordered to shock attack the remnants of 35th Infantry Division and 13th Ind. Mixed Brigade SW of Kaifeng.



BURMA

Both sides lob artillery shells at each other at Lashio and Myitkina.

Japan invades at Port Blair.

I looked at the supply at Myitkina for the first time in a few weeks....we have over 65,000 supply there....more than Ive ever seen...I have to assume that this supply is being drawn through the jungle from India. I have a secure road from Myitkina to China so I also have to assume that Myitkina supply is traveling on to China....the 500 supply/turn Burma Road bonus. With 600 AV in 3x terrain here and all this supply Ive decided to make a stand at Myitkina. 4 artillery regiments and 2 Indian brigades are on the way. With all this supply available Myitkina would be the perfect jumping off point for the recapture of Burma and Malaya.



PHILIPPINES


A Japanese deliberate attack at Clark causes 2768 Chinese casualties vs 1860 Japanese...the end is drawing near on Luzon.

Japan captures Taytay.




SOPAC


Japan captures Auki in the Solomons.



DEI


IJA troops capture Boeton near Kendari.

Japanese troops invade at Nias Island off Sumatra.

Another Japanese deliberate attack at Palembang causes 716 IJA casualties vs 920 Chinese.

Just discovered a significant bug at Palembang last turn. Two turns ago Praboemoelih reverted back to Allied control through osmosis...no Allied troops were present in the hex. Palembang had 80,000 supply at the time.

Next orders phase when I inspected Praboemoelih I found that over 70,000 supply there that had been sucked out of Palembang. Palambang now has only 5000 supply. I set the supply arrows at Palembang to "max draw: and the next turn 50,000 supply went back to Palembang leaving 24,000 supply in Praboemoelih. This turn I left the supply arrows maxed out at Palembang but no more supplies were transferred back to Palembang from Praboemoelih. Japan's biggest problem on Sumatra has been a lack of supply to support an assault on Palembang...now they can retake Praboemoelih and use the 24,000 supply that they will capture there to take out Palembang......sigh.....

4/30-5/1/42



SUBS


SS I-19 takes 8 DCs from newly upgraded USN DDs near Noumea.

SS KXIV attacks transport TF off the Celebes but the TFs escorts instead hit her with 2 DCs.

SS Tarpon takes"extensive flooding damage" east of Wake...this is an unusual message.....usually the message is something to the effect of "temporary flotation repairs failing". I have no record of SS Tarpon being damaged in combat so I wonder if it was it was a crew mistake while the sub was diving...ie someone forgot to close the induction valves.


SS Seawolf sinks SC Ch 1 near Saigon.




BURMA


A Japanese deliberate attack at Lashio results in 1100 IJA casualties vs 219 Allied casualties. Im hitting the IJA troops here with a lot of air every turn and for the moment the defense looks pretty solid unless substantial reinforcements are brought in.

Japan conducts two 1:1 attacks at Port Blair reducing the forts to level 1.




DEI


A deliberate attack at Palembang causes 530 Japanese casualties vs 350 Dutch.

Japan captures Nias Island.

CV Illustrious leaves Captetown and begins her journey across the Indian Ocean to join the other 2 RN CVs off the south coast of Java.



SOPAC


Japan captures Arawe on New Britain and Lunga on Guadalcanal.

I just started prepping some regiments at Noumea for an eventual assault on Lunga.



PHILIPPINES

Another deliberate attack at Clark causes over 3200 Allied casualties....our AV there is now less than 200.



SHIP UPGRADES

With 4 of the 5 USN CVs in port being upgraded or repaired I thought it would be a good time to upgrade the rest of the fleet.....especially the ASW assets as IJN subs seemed to be attacking CVs at will in combat zones and getting away scot free.

At Bremerton Naval Yard we have 4 BBs, 4 DDs and 2 DMSs being upgraded.

At SF we have 6 CAs, 4 CLs and 5DDs being upgraded.

At LA we have 1 CL, 4 DDs and a DMS under upgrade.

At Auckland we have 7 DDs getting their ASW upgrades to fight the Japanese sub menace around Noumea.

By the time the USN CVs sortie in June most of the USN should have the latest and greatest tech upgrades.



CHINA

The usual slaughter at Pingsiang this turn results in 2580 Japanese casualties vs 1660 Chinese.

StoneAge has now completely evacuated Yenan and Chinese troops are on the way to liberate the town.

Three Chinese corps jump on decimated 35th Division and 13th Mixed Brigade again in clear terrain...this time the Chinese get a 3:1 shock attack and Japan loses another 4600 casualties vs 258 Chinese. The remnants of the 2 IJA formations are retreated back across the river towards Kaifeng.

Im getting SigInt reports for the last few turns that 12th Army and 38th Division are planning an attack on Tsiatao...we've got 1200 AV here now on "rest" and if Japan couldnt take it in January or nFebruary I dont see how they could take it now....still with the rail line 1 hex away from Tsiatao Japan could shift a lot of troops here in a hurry.

5/2-5/3/42




SUBS




SS I-154 goes hunting for RN CVs south of Java and runs into a Dutch surface combat TF....4 DCs but doesnt look serious.

SS I-9 is attacked by upgraded USN ASW TF near Efate....4 DCs and heavy damage.

SS Trout pumps 59 shells into AKL Tainichi Maru off Russel Island and she sinks with heavy loss of life.



SUB STRATEGY


Im trying to stretch both Japanese ASW AC and IJN ASW TFs so the Allied subs are attacking Japanese shipping from Sakhalin Island in the north to Singapore in the south. Mostly Allied subs are attempting to sink IJN transports and interdict resource and fuel shipments but in the SRA Allied subs are also scouting and attacking amphibious assault TFs and combatant ships.

StoneAge is taking the opposite tack....he is concentrating the IJN subs in 2 or 3 areas...mainly in the Noumea/Efate/Luganville triangle in the south Pacific and also in the Indian Ocean south of Java....and he is focusing on sinking Allied capital ships(especially CVs) vs Allied merchant shipping.

The advantage for StoneAge in this strategy is that he can overwhelm our ASW TFs where he concentrates and can target CVs turn after turn....and eventually he will score some hits. The disadvantage of this strategy is that the Allies can also concentrate ASW TFs and AC in just a few areas and the vast majority of the theatre becomes relatively safe from sub attacks...like west coast US and most of the Allies island chain in the south Pacific and Singapore to India to the middle east and to Capetown.

So I had to withdraw my CVs from the combat zone near New Caledonia/New Hebrides as I couldnt adequately counter the Jap sub menace...thats ok because all the USN CVs needed repairs or upgrades anyway. In the interim I have flooded the New Caledonia/New Hebrides area with ASW AC and ASW TFs and we have sunk a half dozen IJN subs in the region over the last month.

To sum up: its easier for IJN subs to target Allied capital ships...but its also easier for the Allies to kill Jap subs AND most of the Pacific is relatively safe from the sub menace.




SUB TACTICS


I really enjoy the submarine part of AE vs stock WitP. I hate micromanaging subs and having to move them every turn after they are spotted. In AE I mostly just assign a hex for the subs to conduct a patrol around and set the reaction range from 1-6 depending on whether they are close to enemy land bases or out in the open ocean.

My ASW on the other hand follows 2 different modes. My large transport TFs and Air Combat task groups generally have an attached ASW TF with aggressive commanders.

I also have hunter/killer ASW TFs in the areas that StoneAge has massed his subs....like Noumea and the Indian Ocean just south of Java.The hunter/killer groups have been responsible for the vast majority of IJN sub kills. Unlike the subs, I put my hunter/killer ASW TFs on straight line patrols..point 1 to point 2 on my convoy routes. For example around Noumea I have 3 hunter killer ASW TFs..one does Noumea/Luganville, one does Noumea/Efate and one does Noumea/Auckland...these are the ASW assets that are sinking most of the IJN subs AND they are clearing the convoy routes for my transport TFs that follow the same sea lanes.

Ive noticed a huge difference in ASW with the DDs that have already upgraded. Unlike some other AARs where the posters are converting their Clemson Class DDs to APDs...Im converting the vast majority to DEs...that actually quadruples their ASW firepower...one ASW TF with 4 DEs will have the ability to fire 32 ASW rounds in one salvo. I dont need fast transport...I need ASW protection for my CVs and also for the 2nd most important ships in the USN arsenal...the APs and AKs.

From here on out....every Air Combat task group and every amphibious assault force will have an attached ASW TF with upgraded DDs.



CHINA


Things have really quieted down here. Just a half dozen bombardment attacks...notably at Hankow and Pingsiang but the Pingsiang losses are minimal...245 Chinese on the 1st bombardment and then 131 Chinese on the 2nd....either Japan is out of supply in China or they are out of AV.




BURMA


Japan captures Port Blair.




DEI

2nd Raiding Regiment recaptures Praboemoelih....and with that they capture 25,000 of my supply. Nice bug! Now Japan has the supply they need to take Palembang...they didnt have the ability to mass enough supply there before.




PHILIPPINES


Japan launches a 1:1 and then a 2:1 shock attack on Clark...Clark is captured as a half dozen Philippino formations surrender and the remaining disorganized rabble retreat back to Bataan. The Allies suffer 10,000 casualties vs 600 Japanese. We have about 150 AV left on Bataan...most of that is from the Bataan CD unit.

These guys did their job with heroic sacrifice and will make ultimate victory possible.

5/4-5/7/42



SUBS


SS I-173 takes 6 DCs from upgraded USN ASW TF off Noumea.

SS Porpoise surfaces off Singapore to put 11 shells in AKL Haguro Maru.

SS Swordfish puts a fish in AK Keisho Maru near Jolo.

SS KXIV puts a 2nd torpedo in AK Keisho Maru sinking her.

SS S-39 lands a torpedo on AK Toyama Maru off Kendari.

SS KXVII scores a torpedo hit on TK Mirii Maru near Brunei.

SS I-173 takes 7 more DCs...this time from our ace ASW boys...flagship of veteran Aussie DD Stuart(very aggresssive commander) and 3 APDs...these guys are attacking something nearly every turn off Noumea.

SS I-154 takes 11 DCs from RN ASW near Batavia.




PHILIPPINES

Japan reinforces both Bataan and Cebu....the end is near for Allied troops in the Philippines.



DEI

Japan invades at Batoe Island west of Sumatra.

ABDA air combat and surface combat TFs sail into Batavia under massive P-40E CAP for refueling and reloading depth charges. When fully provisioned they will resume their patrol off the southern coast of Java.




CHINA

Continued quiet here. A few Japanese bombardments at the usual places but minimal Chinese casualties.

Chinese troops recapture Yenen.



BURMA

A deliberate attack at Lashio causes 900 Japanese casualties vs 470 Allied. WE are down to 1400 supply here and forts are reduced to level 2...meanwhile Japan has reinforced and has over 20,000 troops vs our 150 AV. Looks like we could lose Lashio at any time so we are forced to withdraw the 2 Hurricane squadrons that had been flying CAP.

Japan captures Little Andaman Island.




THE AIR WAR


StoneAge has been doing a good job in aerial attrition over the last couple of weeks. Two turns ago the Allies lost 16 fighters in A2A combat vs 4 Japanese. The Dutch P-40Es had been doing poorly over Palembang so I was forced to withdraw all Allied air forces there and cede control of that airspace to Japan.

In Burma, the Fulmar Is and Hurricane Ias have been dropping like flies. Im going to upgrade all the Huricanes to the IIb models before I commit them to A2A combat....and the Fulmars will be used strictly for long range escort..no more CAP. This makes me worry about the RN CVs...one of their largest fighter groups is composed of Fulmars....the Sea Hurricanes are great but have short legs so will need to upgrade the Fulmars to Martlets ASAP for long range escorts.




SOPAC


Japan captures Beru in the Gilberts.

The build up continues at Noumea/Efate/Espirutu Santo. Luganvile is now a level 6 airfield and we are starting to stage in B-17s for the eventual suppression of the Japanese base at Shortlands.

As the ASW/sub war rages on around New Caledonia, 3 more Allied convoys arrive at Noumea and will begin offloading some 70,000 troops(including 31st Infantry Division);100,000 supply; 150,000 fuel and over 100 AC.

5/8-5/9/42




CARRIER BATTLE OF WESTERN JAVA

Last turn I had ordered all the RN CVs and ABDA surface TFs to Batavia for refueling and an ammo reload(depth charges). All of the available P-40Es and most of the available Demons from Java were placed on CAP over Batavia to protect the ABDA fleet from IJN naval bombers. For whatever reason CVL Hermes did not follow CV Formidable and stayed behind off the SW tip of Java. This turn the refueled and rearmed ABDA fleet left Batavia and proceeded east along the southern coast of Java. CVL Hermes was given a "to meet" order with the other RN CVs but again she stayed in place off the SW tip of Java.

Evidently I had left my carriers in the area too long and StoneAge had manuvered mini KB in for a surprise strike. The RN fleet carriers had cleared the area but tiny CVL Hermes was left behind to face the combined might of CVL Ryujo, CVL Zuiho and CVU Hosho.

Mini KB spotted CVL Hermes in the AM and moved in for the kill at approximately 6 hex range. Fortuitously, CVL Hermes was able to hide under a squall and was not attacked by any IJN planes in the AM. CVL Hermes carried no fighters...only 2 small Albacore torpedo bomber groups. An Albacore strike was launched in the AM against mini-KB but without fighter escort it was torn to shreds:



Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21



Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 15


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 2 destroyed



CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
Zuiho-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 14000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes



Some B-25s from Batavia sortied to attack mini KB but the A6M2s were more than up to the task:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Enggano at 41,99

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21



Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 6


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed



CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes
Zuiho-1 with A6M2 Zero (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead


In the afternoon, mini-KB was able to launch an attack with good escort against helpless CVL Hermes in heavy rain conditions. Miraculously, a good portion of the CAP over Batavia was able to "drift" 3 hexes....some 138 miles.....to intercept the IJN airstrike over the CVL:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 46,98

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 52 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
B5N1 Kate x 9



Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 12


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes



Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
1-VI.G.V with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 53 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
2e-1-VI.G.V Groep with CW-21B Demon (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
51st PG/16th PS with P-40E Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(12 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 11 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 28000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes
3 planes vectored on to bombers
2-Vl.G.IV with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 33000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes
2-VI.G.V with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 33000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers


Only 1 Kate gets thru the Allied CAP and she misses CVL Hermes.

The brave Albacore and B-25 pilots launch PM striles against mini-KB but without any fighter escort the efforts are futile:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Enggano at 41,99

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18



Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 11


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 2 destroyed



CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 16000 and 21000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
Zuiho-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Enggano at 41,99

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16



Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 8


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed



CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
Zuiho-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead



When the smoke clears AC losses are 10 A6M2s(not all form the carrier action), 11 Albacores, 12 Kates and 7 B-25s.


CVL Hermes is ordered to join up with the other RN CVs next turn and hopefully this time she obeys orders....she has certainly used up 8 of her 9 lives.




PHILIPINES

Two deliberate attacks at Bataan inflict 1200 IJA casualties vs 4300 Allied.....its all over but the crying now.

Japan captures Cebu.

5/10-5/13/42



SUBS


SS S-39 takes 4 DCs from a single PB off Kendari.....she looking at some yard time now.

SS I-121 takes 12 DCs from RN ASW TF near Madioen.

SS Tambor puts a torpedo in AK Kensin Maru off Toyohara.

SS I-173 receives 3 Dcs from the DD Stuart ASW TF by Noumea.

SS Seawolf sinks PB Heiyo Maru off Hong Kong.

SS Haddocks shells, torpedoes and sinks TK Hishi Maru near Toyohara.

SS I-4 gets 4 Dcs from the DD Stuart ASW TF off Noumea.

SS Seadragon shells, torpedoes and sinks AK Oregon Maru near Truk.




PHILIPPINES



Japan captures Bataan after 2 days of shock attacks....20,000 American and Philippino soldiers are marched off to PoW camps in central Luzon in what will be known as the Bataan Death March.

Japan now holds total control of Luzon. Allied troops held out almost a week longer than in RL. Japanese troops at Clark/Bataan are pretty trashed from the 6 month siege...just in case StoneAge intends to use them in a new offensive somewhere else I have 2 minelaying subs on the way to Manila to interfere with embarkation.

The Allies sole remaining base in the Philippine archipelago is at Zamboanga.



CHINA


Another Japanese deliberate attack at Kweisui results in 450 Japanese casualties vs 800 Chinese.

Continued Japanese bombardments in all the usual places.




DEI

An IJA deliberate attack at Palembang nets 290 Japanese casualties vs 950 Dutch...looks like ther beginning of the end here also.

Japan captures Finschafen on New Guinea.



ALLIED STRATEGY


Despite repeated pleas from the Admiralty for USN CVs to aid in the defense of the Malay barrier, the USN Pacific Fleet remains committed to defense of the Hawaiian Sea Area and protection of the SLOC from the US west coast to Australia.

Today, the biggest single threat to the Allied SLOC from the US west coast to Australia is the bustling Japanese base at Shortlands in the Solomon Islands. Recon shows the development of both a level 4 airbase and a level 4 port at Shortlands with over 60 AC stationed there.

In addition, Japan has captured several bases south of Shortlands including Tassafaronga, Lunga and the Russel Islands. Development of airfields at any of these locations could put IJN naval bombers within range of of Allied sea lanes through the New Hebrides and New Caledonia.

Several US Army and USMC formations at Noumea are currently being prepped for a SOPAC offensive thrust up the Solomon Island chain. Not only do we intend to isolate/capture Shortlands but eventually we intend to neutralize Rabaul...and eventually link up with a concurrent SWPAC thrust along the NE coast of Papua New Guinea into the Admiralties.

The first step of this offensive will be an amphibious assault on Japanese occupied Guadalcanal. The offensive will be known as Operation Watchtower. The timing for this offensive will be based on the availablity of USN CVs and new AKAs.

As far as the CVs are concerned, CV Hornet and CV Yorktown have both completed their repairs and upgrades and are currently patrolling Hawaiian waters while training new replacement pilots. CV Saratoga will complete her upgrades in 4 days while CV Lexington will take another 33 days to complete repairs and then some 25 more days for the upgrades. Over at Sydney CV Enterprise will complete her repairs in 29 days and then will start her 4/42 upgrades.

The AKs will be able to upgrade to AKAs on 6/1/42....the upgrade will take 21 days. So my best estimate for the launch of Operation Watchtower will be around the 1st week of July.


Attached is a screen shot of current action in the south Pacific off Noumea. A new convoy has just made it through the IJN sub barrier off New Caledonia while multiple Allied hunter/killer ASW TFs fight to keep the sea lanes open.

5/14-5/15/42



SUBS

This last turn was expensive for the Allies in the south Pacific. I formed a new tanker TF at Noumea 2 turns ago that would fit dockside for unloading...no destination orders were given. This turn the tankers complete unloading and then move on their own towards Auckland with no internal or external ASW TF....the tankers are essentially defenseless.

SS I-9 spots the TKs first south of Noumea and sinks TK War Sirdor and TK Elsa.

SS I-21 next spots the TKs near Norfolk Island and sinks TK Sunadmiral. There are 3 TKs left in the TF...I ordered it back to Noumea but it will begin the next turn on top of SS I-21 so I dont know if any will make it back....this is by far the worst merchant disaster of the war for the Allies.

Elsewhere....

SS Tautog puts a torpedo in AK Shozan Maru near Kavieng.

SS Pollack sinks PB Fumi Maru near Koshiro.

SS Halibut sinks PB Yoshida Maru off Iwaki....StoneAge has lost a lot of PBs recently....this has to be affecting his ASW capabilities.




CHINA


Quiet.




BURMA


Quiet.



SOPAC


Japan invades at Tulagi.

An IJN air combat TF is spotted 500 miles east of Tulagi apparently heading towards either Luganville or Suva. US fighter and divebomber squadrons are mobilized throughout the area.

5/16-5/19/42



SUBS


SS 019 takes 6 DCs from IJN ASW near Miri.

SS Halibut sinks DD Yugure off Tokyo.

SS I-9 puts a torpedo in AK Lewis Luckenback near Noumea...at least the 3 TKs made it back to port safely.

SS KXI puts a torpedo in TK Kaijo Maru off Kendari...again we find a TK full of fuel and she is set afire...but SS KXI is then forced to the surface where she is sunk by IJN naval gunfire in a running battle:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Kendari at 70,106

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kennichi Maru
SC CHa-17
TK Ose Maru
TK Nissho Maru
TK Kaijo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXI, hits 12, on fire, heavy damage



SS KXI launches 2 torpedoes at xAKL Kennichi Maru...
SC CHa-17 attacking submerged sub .......
SC CHa-17 is out of ASW ammo...
SS KXI forced to surface!...
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Ose Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Nissho Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
TK Kaijo Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Kennichi Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
xAKL Nagaragawa Maru firing on surfaced sub .......
Sub slips beneath the waves...



SS Drum exchanges 2 shell hits with AKL Turusima Maru in a surface battle near Russell Island.

SS I-10 sinks AK Sawokia near PukaPuka.

SS Seadragon pumps another 7 shells into AKL Turusima Maru in a surface attack near Munda.




DEI


Japan captures Tarakan in an overland assault.

IJA troops storm ashore at Ambon...supply is low but the CD guns get in a few licks:

Pre-Invasion action off Ambon - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

7 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Oi
CL Katori
PB Saiko Maru
PB Myoken Maru



CL Oi firing at Molukken Garrison Battalion...
CL Katori firing at 4th Coastal Gun Battalion...
PB Saiko Maru firing at enemy troops...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging PB Saiko Maru at 2,000 yards...
PB Myoken Maru firing at enemy troops...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging PB Myoken Maru at 2,000 yards...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Ambon

TF 136 troops unloading over beach at Ambon, 76,109

Japanese ground losses:
223 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 82nd Nav Gd /4...



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Ambon - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Oi
CL Katori
xAK Yasukawa Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Saiko Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Myoken Maru, Shell hits 1



CL Oi firing at 4th Coastal Gun Battalion...
CL Katori firing at Ambon Base Force...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging xAK Yasukawa Maru at 12,000 yards...
CL Oi fires to suppress enemy guns at 12,000 yards...
PB Saiko Maru firing at enemy troops...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging PB Saiko Maru at 2,000 yards...
PB Myoken Maru firing at enemy troops...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging PB Myoken Maru at 2,000 yards...


Invasion Support action off Ambon

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Atlas Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
CL Katori
CL Oi
PB Myoken Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire



150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging xAK Atlas Maru at 12,000 yards...
CL Oi fires to suppress enemy guns at 12,000 yards...
PB Myoken Maru firing at enemy guns...
150mm CD Gun Coastal Battery engaging PB Myoken Maru at 2,000 yards...


Japan will need to get more troops ashore to take Ambon:

Ground combat at Ambon (76,109)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 576 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 79

Defending force 950 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 22



Assaulting units:...
Molukken Garrison Battalion...
4th Coastal Gun Battalion...
Ambon Base Force...
...
Defending units:...
82nd Nav Gd /1...





CHINA


All Quiet on the Western Front. Again.

China has been remarkably quiet since the end of April...only a single deliberate attack at Kweisui.

Even at Pingsiang the bombardments that used to cause thousands of casualties now create mere dozens.

I was wondering if Japan was running low on supply or AV or maybe both.

I read in a thread somewhere that Japan starts the war with around 11,000 AV in China so I thought that Id do a little counting. In the far south, 38th Division and a mixed brigade have had their combat effectiveness cut in half with repeated attacks at the road junction behind Wuchow but since 38th Division is SAA I wont count it.

Chinese shock attacks have decimated 3rd Divison, 6th Division, 35th Division and a half dozen mixed brigades plus assorted SNLF and RGC units in shock attacks...call it some 2800-3000 AV(all of these units are now at 20-50% strength).

Some 2000 IJA AV has been trashed in the meatgrinder at Pingsiang.

700 AV in the forest NW of Nanchang has been trashed in attacks towards Changsha.

Wuchang holds the aforementioned 3rd and 6th Divisions plus a full strength division.

Hankow has a garrison of 1300 AV besieged....these guys are pretty chewed up also from Japanese attacks on hankow.

800 AV from decimated 35th Division and 13th Ind. Mixed Brigade sits SW of Kaifeng(already counted).

In and around Kaifeng are some 2000 AV trashed from the long siege of Tsiaotso.

Just north of here are some 900 AV west of Taiyun that have been bloodied trying to open a road to Sian.

Farther north are some 600 AV out of supply and retreating from Yenan.

In the far north Japan has some 700 AV mostly trashed in the battle for Kweisui.

That makes over 11,000 AV that had been pretty beat up in China. I know that troops have been transfered from Manchuria that arent accounted for here but I have to think that the Japanese army in China has been mostly resting during the month of May trying to recover from disruption.

Initially at Pingsiang I had trouble getting supply into the base. Now we have nearly 60 transport AC flying supply into Pingsiang from Chungking and we have built up nearly 1200 supply there in addition to constructing a level 1 airstrip and level 2 forts. I think that the threat level to Pingsiang has been greatly reduced and Im thinking about pulling the SEAC medium bombers out as they are using up a lot of supply and I think that their need is greater over Burma. Changsha had 20,000 supply before we brought in the bombers and fighters but with the Pingsiang ground battles and the air war supply at Changsha went below 10,000 and stayed there. I will keep the B-17s at Chungking...we have had over 30,000 supply there the entire war even with the supply transport into Pingsiang.

With Myitkina drawing supply from India and Allied control of the road from Myitkina to Lashio to Paoshan I have to think that we are getting the Burma Road supply bonus.

5/20-5/21/42



SUBS


SS Grampus takes a DC from IJN ASW near Ominato.

SS I-29 sinks TK Herborg off Suva.

SS I-165 gets forced to the surface by RN ASW south of Java and takes 19 shell hits before sinking.




SOPAC


Japan captures Tulagi.

An IJN CV was spotted east of Tulagi 2 turns ago(4 days). The PBY-5s missed her last turn but now 2 IJN CVs are spotted 7 hexes east of Efate. We have both fighter and divebomber squadrons on Luganville, Efate and Suva. At Noumea there are over 175 fighters and 80 divebombers so if KB comes within 6 hexes they will be toast. Just in case, we evacuate most of the ships in port at Suva and Noumea and all shipping in the area is ordered to flee.

There are over 60 B-17s at Luganville that were massing for the upcoming suppression of the airbase at Shortlands...I wont put these guys on naval attack but every one will be on naval search.

There are also 26 B-26s with P-38F escorts at Noumea that might be able to get a long range hit in.

5/22-5/23/42



SUBS


SS Grampus scores yet again as she pumps 5 shells into AK Senko Maru near Ominato.

SS I-29 sinks PC Jackson at Suva.

SS Halibut puts a fish in AK Tamagawa Maru off Hachinohe(HI) but takes 2 DCs in return.

SS Flying Fish sinks PB Shotoku Maru near Toyohama.....lots of action this turn in Japanese waters.

SS KXII takes 3 DCs from a PB off Miri.

SS S-38 puts a torpedo in AK Okiyu Maru...this one is full of troops...off Boeton but takes 3 DCs in return from the escorts.




BURMA


Another deliberate attack at Lashio reduces the forts to level 2 and causes 400 casualties apiece.




DEI


Japan captures Den Passar off the SE tip of Java. If I was a betting man Id bet that Japan will invade Java right across the strait from Den Passar at (one of my favorite AE placenames)....drum roll please............Banjoewangii or something like that. Its not heavily defended but is only a level 1 port so will take weeks for Japan to unload the 4 divisions required to take out the 1200 AV at Batavia.

Why couldnt Japan just invade at Semarang with the level 5 ports like most of the other AARs where I have all my CD guns waiting.... sigh.

Things are getting a little uglier for the Dutch/American air force on Java....Japanese sweeps and night airfield attacks account for 12 P-40Es.

We are running out of land based fighters on Java just as the main event is about to start.....just like in RL.




SOPAC


This is where all the action is now. Japan evidently brought all 3 of their fleet carriers....CV Akagi, CV Kaga and CV Junyo. StoneAge must have swapped out for another A6M2 daitai as he flew 89 fighters this turn. Japan is sailing _DEEP_ into the south Pacific looking for targets of opportunity. This turn the carriers sink 2 ACMs...they were on the way to Noumea and almost out of fuel so I let them continue on to oblivion.

More importantly the Allies suffer their worst aerial defeat of the war. StoneAge didnt get within 6 hexes of Noumea which would have caused certain death....instead he got within 7 hexes and only my 7 hex range fighters and divebombers flew only to be overwhelmed by a 6o A6M2 CAP....and recon told me there was only 30 fighters in the air combat TF.....my bad.

So the Allies lose 16 F2A-3s, 12 SBD-2s, 3 SBD-3s, 12 P-38Es and 3 LB-30s. I had forgot about the LB-30 on Noumea when I put the B-26s on naval attack and they joined in...but where were the B-26s? I am very disappointed in the performance of the P-38Es. Add to that the fact that 6 Buffaloes were shot down escorting a raid over Lashio and altogether the Allies lose some 82 AC this turn vs 19 Japanese including 12 A6M2s and 3 Oscars. At least the F2A-3s and SBD-2s are obsolete airframes. Now I put all the divebombers and fighters at Noumea on 6 hex range and if the B-26s decide to attack they are on their own.

Getting back to the P-38Es, they were going to spearhead the reduction of the Jap airbase at Shortlands...now Im not sure that they are up to the task.

Looking at the screen shot, Japan is bringing TKs and BBs and cruisers so they plan to stay around for a bit. Its a big risk going that deep into Allied waters. I thought that StoneAge would bomb Noumea so I evacuated the port and sent everyone out to sea...LOL... in retrospect staying in port would have been safer a Japan wants no part of the Allied aerial armada there. So most everyone in SOPAC is out at sea...fortunately the westbound convoys are far away and not in danger but I have nearly 300 combatant and empty convoy ships fleeing to the 360 degrees of the compass away from the IJN CVs.....most of the "at risk" ships to Sydney and Auckland. Just in case, Im moving fighters and bombers from NE OZ and Port Moresby down to Sydney and putting CV Yorktown to sea from the shipyards even though she has not completed repair of her hull damage. As luck would have it, I have the 10th Air Force HQ on an xAP off south Australia that was heading for Port Moresby...they will instead drop off at Sydney to help facilitate unlimited air ops if needed.

5/24-5/25/42




SUBS


SS KXIII takes 2 DCs from one IJN ASW TF at Miri and then 8 DCs from another ASW TF.

SS RO-68 takes a DC from An Allied escort AM near Port Moresby.

SS Perch puts a fish in AK Taizin Maru off Toroshima.

SS KXII takes 11 DCs from IJN ASW TF at Miri....SS KXII has 90% flotation damage and probably wont make it back to port. Thats 2 subs hammered at Miri in one turn...both were set to "patrol aound a hex" so Id better reduce the reaction range so the subs dont actually enter Miri harbor.....StoneAge must have a "Top Gun" ASW TF there.




DEI


Another deliberate attack at Palembang results in 500 Japanese casualties vs 700 Dutch.

Japan captures Trinkat off the NW tip of Sumatra.

BB Sovereign was making her way across the Indian Ocean to complete hull repairs at Capetown but we got a "temporary flotation repairs failing" message today.




CHINA


Japan launches their first attack in a week here at the road junction behind and between Wuchow and Kukong....Japan suffers 700 casualties vs 200 Chinese.

Japanese bom,bardments have been very ineffectual at Pingsiang for the last month after seeing earlier bombardments causing 2000 casualties in a single barrage. I was reading jwilkerson's thread about the effect of Blenheim bombers on his artillery unit....how it was vaporized in 2 turns...and I wonder if the daily aerial bombardments by the Allies are having the same effect. StoneAge used to have 5 artillery units at Pingsiang and now there are only 4...possibly one was destroyed and the others are heavily disrupted?




SOPAC


Japan captures Nikunau in the Gilberts.


The IJN fleet sails all the way to the north coast of the north island of New Zealand. A pretty substantial IJN surface TF finds some of our transports:



Day Time Surface Combat, near Waipapakauri at 117,181, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CS Chiyoda
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
CA Mogami
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CL Nagara
CL Yura
CL Tama
CL Kiso
DD Asashio
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Sagiri
DD Oboro
DD Sazanami

Allied Ships
xAKL Kanlaon II, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Luzon, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Taurus, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAKL Darvel, Shell hits 1, and is sunk



Then KB hammers shipping around Auckland:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 117,182

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
D3A1 Val x 22



Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Dundula, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
14 x D3A1 Val diving from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val diving from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Dundula...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Auckland at 115,185

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A1 Val x 13



No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AMc Currell, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Auckland at 115,185

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
D3A1 Val x 22



Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AMc South Sea, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Humphrey, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Cosgrove, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Futurist, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage


So the Allies lose 4 AKLs, 4 AMcs, an AK and an AMC off New Zealand today. StoneAge had a choice to either move KB south to Auckland or west to Sydney.....he went south and fortunately the vast majority of Allied shipping went west. Most of the rest of the shipping that had been at Auckland is now pretty far south...near Antartica I suppose and thats a very long way for KB to sail. Maybe there will be a port attack on Auckland next turn?

"Where is Task Force 34.....the world wonders" Admiral Chester Nimitz 10/25/44



5/26-5/29/42


SUBS


WitP AE requires some 16 or 17 squadrons to be withdrawn on 6/1/42. One of those squadrons is No. 4 AACU RAF....a torpedo bomber squadron aboard CVL Hermes. This squadron has 2 pilots and no AC so it cant be withdrawn off the CVL or even flown off to Java. The ABDA fleet heads to port at Tilatjap so Hermes can offload the torpedo bomber pilots in port. On the way to Tilatjap they encounter SS I-32.

SS I-32 sinks AO Trinity and AO Tan 1 near Tilatjap. RN ASW returns the favor by sinking SS I-32.

SS KV sinks AK Sakito Maru near Saigon.

SS Perch sinks PB Nichinan off Kochi.

SS KXII sinks off Borneo coast from damage suffered the previous turn at Miri.

SS Perch now surfaces off Kochi to pump 7 shells into AK Arabia Maru and takes 1 shell in return.

SS KXV sinks PB Fukuei at Miri but takes 2 DCs from the IJN "Top Gun" ASW TF there...looks like the Top Gun TF consists of 2 SCs and 2 Es.

SS S-47 sinks CHa-14 off Ominato.

SS Tautog puts a fish in AK Hokkai Maru near Lihir.

SS Skipjack surfaces off Kendari to put 4 shells in AK Tazima Maru but takes 2 shells in return.




DEI


Japan captures Siberoet Island off Sumatra, Donggala on Celebes and Tamerfane on Aru Island.

The Dutch launch a counterattack at Ambon...a 6:1 and then a 9:1 shock attack cause 320 Japanese casualties vs 200 Dutch but fail to force a retreat.

Another deliberate attack at Palembang results in 360 IJA casualties vs 630 Dutch.




CHINA


Hostilities are renewed in China.

Another deliberate attack on the road junction behind and between Kukong and Wuchow results in 670 IJA casualties vs 300 Chinese.

A deliberate assault on Hankow causes 4500 Japanese casualties vs 2000 Chinese.

Japan repeatedly attacks Chinese troops as they attempt to withdraw to a mountain hex on the road just NE of Tsiaotso and eventually catches a single corps left behind and routs it....Japan suffers 1500 casualties in the 2 day battle vs 4800 Chinese.




SOPAC


StoneAge has had KB running amok in the south Pacific for a week sinking shipping from Noumea to Auckland as well as terrifying the populace of New Zealand.


CINCPAC Admiral Chester Nimitz radios "Where is Task Force 34....the world wonders" as Admiral Halsey with the fast carriers of Task Force 34 are nowhere to be found.

Task Force 34....CV Yorktown CV Hornet and CV Saratoga are now just north of Pago Pago hurrying(as much as you can hurry in AE) west to cut off KB deep in the south Pacific. CV Enterprise is pulled from the shipyard in Sydney....still with unrepaired hull damage...and ordered .to head north to Brisbane to first rendezvous with a surface TF and then join up with Task Force 34 near Noumea to engage and crush KB.

KB disappeared into the vast wastes of the south Pacific on 5/26-5/27. Heavy bombers and PBYs had been put on search from bases ringing the periphery of the Tasman Sea in an effort to locate KB.

When KB finally does reappear west of Noumea on 5/29 they are within 9 hexes of the CV Enterprise TF and 8 hexes of the surface combat TF....fortunately neither side detected the other. Looks like StoneAge is heading back to Truk with KB . Since Task Force 34 is still 3-4 days away from Noumea it looks like KB will make it out of harm's way. Meanwhile CV Enterprise is ordered back south at full speed along with the surface TF to avoid confronting KB single handedly. Enterprise will now head back to port to complete hull repairs and her 4/42 upgrades.

5/30-5/31/42



SUBS


SS RO-33 takes 5 DCs and is heavily damaged from USN ASW TF near Brisbane.

SS Tuna surfaces off Choiseul Bay to exchange shell fire with AKL Tateyama Maru.

SS Greenling surfaces near Munda to put 4 more shells in AKL Tateyama Maru.

SS Drum finally sinks AKL Tateyama Maru with a torpedo off Rekata Bay.



DEI



Japan captures Car Nicobar off the NW tip of Sumatra.

Two more Dutch shock attacks at Ambon at 15:1 odds and then 47:1 odds cause 400 Japanese casualties vs 72 Dutch....still no retreat here by IJA troops so it looks like we will have to kill them in place.


CVL Hermes was not able to disband in Tilatjap so she still has the No. 4 AACU RAF torpedo bomber unit aboard. That unit was supposed to be withdrawn today. Im sending all the ABDA fleets to Batavia tomorrow so hopefully CVL Hermes can offload the air unit there.



SOPAC


The IJN carrier and surface TFs continue to withdraw to the north toward Rabaul and Truk.

Allied surface and transport TFs spread around the south Pacific start to head back to ports. We didnt lose too many ships in the raid but I bet we burned up an extra 100,000 fuel points during the Japanese excursion.

CV Enterprise makes it back to the shipyard at Sydney to complete repairs.

CV Wasp, BB North Carolina and escorts leave Balboa to begin their trip west to Noumea. They should make it in time for the start of the first Allied offensive....Operation Watchtower.

AKs are in ports in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland for their 6/1/42 conversion to AKAs.


Here is a screen shot of losses and points for Japan and the Allies as of 6/1/42:

6/1/42



THE NAVAL WAR


With FoW on, StoneAge and I are posting our losses, top pilots and training pools every 2 months.

Naval losses are:


ALLIED: 2 BBs, 1 CA, 1 CL, 4 DDs, 28 AKLs, 14 AKs, 3 AOs, 6 TKs, 4 SS, 13 AMcs, 4 CMs, 1 CMc, 2 ACMs, 3 DMSs, 2 AM, 1 PC,11 HDMLs, 12 MLs, 8 MTBs and 9 PTs.



JAPAN: 4 CVs, 1 BB, 4 CLs, 4 DDs, 31 AKs, 15 AKLs, 6 TKs, 2 APDs, 1 TB, 16 SS, 2 SSX, 2 AMC, 7 DMS, 2 AMc, 1 ACM, 1 CMc, 28 PB and 2 SC


The statistic that jumps out at me the most (other than the CVs of course) is the loss of 28 PBs for Japan....it is getting increasingly more difficult for Japan to escort all their transport TFs with the loss of so many escorts.

The other thing is that the ship losses for both sides reflect the nature of the conflict...mostly losses due to aerial combat and submarine warfare...very little in the way of surface combat.





THE AIR WAR


Aircraft losses seem to be ramping for both sides as the attrition battles continue in the skiies over Burma, China and the DEI. Losses now stand at 1894 Allied AC vs 1658 Japanese AC. The Allies had reduced the loss differential to less than 100 AC at one time but the heavy losses of Dutch AC over the last month have increased the differential now to 240 AC.

In A2A combat its 1100 Allied AC to 818 Japanese AC. I have a screenshot below of the Japanese AC models ranked in order of heaviest losses. Japan has only lost 30 A6M2s over the last 2 months but their Oscar losses are becoming substantial.

6/1/42



THE AIR WAR


Here is a screen shot of Allied AC losses. The loss of P-40Es has gone through the roof since the last update 2 months ago....especially in A2A combat....its the green Dutch pilots in the sky over Palembang and Java as pilot quality coudnt keep up with the replacement rate. The Dutch and American fighter groups in Java are now severely depleted as they have exhausted their replacements. The Dutch B-25 bomber squadrons seem to be doing just fine however.

6/1/42



THE AIR WAR



Here is a screenie of the Allied Top Gun pilots. The 9 top pilots are P-40E drivers...not surprising as they are absorbing most of the Japanese fighters.

What is surprising is that 5 of the top 9 plots are Dutch.

6/1/42



THE AIR WAR


And finally here is a screenshot of the pilot pools. This is one aspect of the game that I dont fully understand. There are literally thousands of US Army, Marine and Navy pilots in the pools but their experience is terrible....the Army pilots in particular have only a 29 experience. I wish these pilots would stay in flight school longer and get some decent experience instead of inflating the pilot pools.