AE TOURNAMENT REDUX: ERSTAD(J) VS ADM SPRUANCE(A)

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

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racndoc
Posts: 2528
Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2004 3:47 pm
Location: Newport Coast, California

CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

3/17-3/18/42



DEI


The Japanese invest Batavia and launch their 1st bombardment of the city:


Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 18862 troops, 205 guns, 30 vehicles, Assault Value = 1201

Defending force 42827 troops, 491 guns, 180 vehicles, Assault Value = 1273

Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)



Assaulting units:
33rd Infantry Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
18th Division
33rd Division
9th Infantry Regiment
4th Div /7

Defending units:
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
VI KNIL Battalion
4th KNIL Regiment
Prajoda Garrison Battalion
2nd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
6th KNIL Regiment
Manado Garrison Battalion
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Afdeling Ritman
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
Samarinda KNIL Battalion
2nd KNIL Regiment
Van Altena Battalion
Marinier Battalion
3rd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
SE Borneo KNIL Battalion
VII KNIL Battalion
Kendari Garrison Battalion
Makassar Garrison Battalion
ABDA
Loemafjang Base Force
Madion Base Force
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
1st KNIL AA Battalion
KNIL Army Command
Soerabaja Base Force
Djojakarta Base Force
ML-KNIL
Commandement Marine
Bandoeng Base Force
MLD
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
Tjilitap Base Force
Batavia Base Force
Malang Base Force


Looks like Dave brought 18th and 33rd Divisions here in addition to elements of the 4th and 16th Divisions. I think that I should be able to hold out here for a bit.....it just depends on how effective the upcoming naval bombardments are.

The Japanese are thrown back in 1:2 assaults at Buitenzorg and Tilatjap.


I withdrew thew remainder of the Dutch air forces on Java this turn....it was just becoming too easy for Japan to score points by destroying Dutch AC.



On Sumatra.....Japan captures Djambi and closes in on Palembang.



CBI



The Japanese armor in the south finally breaks through and defeats the Chinese in 3x terrain:


Ground combat at 85,56

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 23987 troops, 116 guns, 980 vehicles, Assault Value = 1103

Defending force 8900 troops, 75 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 214

Japanese adjusted assault: 993

Allied adjusted defense: 226

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4060 casualties reported
Squads: 245 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 147 destroyed, 43 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 6


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
11th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
12th Ind.Mixed Brigade
3rd Tank Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
10th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
55th Infantry Brigade
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
88th Chinese/B Corps
86th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese/C Corps
88th Chinese/A Corps
86th Chinese/B Corps
10th Group Army



It looks as if the Japanese armor will continue to drive SE towards Pucheng.....both sides have troops approaching Pucheng in all directions. This is becoming an interesting development as 1200 Chinese AV will shock attack into Nanchang next turn.....and then there is really nothing in the way to prevent me from securing the Nanchang/Hankow highway and that should put the IJA troops around Pucheng out of supply.

Just SW of Nanchang, the IJA 40th Division launches an ill advised shock attack:

Ground combat at 84,55

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11645 troops, 104 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 390

Defending force 17616 troops, 103 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 710

Japanese adjusted assault: 72

Allied adjusted defense: 591

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 8

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

Japanese ground losses:
2072 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 114 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled


Allied ground losses:
319 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Assaulting units:
40th Division

Defending units:
53rd Chinese/B Corps
3rd New Chinese/B Corps
53rd Chinese/A Corps
21st Chinese/B Corps
3rd New Chinese/A Corps
53rd Chinese/C Corps
32nd Group Army


Losing a shock attack is about the worst thing you can do in AE. I had bombed 40th Division for 4 days so they were pretty disrupted....and next turn 900 Chinese AV will assault them and put them out of their misery. Crushing 40th Division and taking Nanchang should open up a huge hole in the rear of the Japanese in south central China..

In central China, 3600 Chinese AV capture Nanyang in a human wave assault:


Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 99805 troops, 607 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3857

Defending force 1354 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Allied adjusted assault: 5307

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 5307 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nanyang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1773 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 54 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (9 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 3


Allied ground losses:
960 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 72 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
30th Chinese/C Corps
1st Chinese/C Corps
59th Chinese/C Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
45th Chinese/A Corps
45th Chinese/C Corps
57th Chinese/A Corps
57th Chinese/B Corps
36th Chinese/C Corps
77th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
57th Chinese/C Corps
55th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
90th Chinese/B Corps
1st Chinese/B Corps
30th Chinese/A Corps
30th Chinese/B Corps
36th Chinese/A Corps
1st Chinese/A Corps
48th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese/A Corps
36th Chinese/B Corps
59th Chinese/B Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
45th Chinese/B Corps
67th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese/C Corps
21st Group Army
22nd Group Army
4th Group Army
2nd Group Army
5th War Area
33rd Group Army

Defending units:
8th Engineer Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /5



The 2400 AV of the Chinese Ichang army advance adjacent to Hankow:


Ground combat at 84,49

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 68166 troops, 387 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2379

Defending force 2280 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 105

Allied adjusted assault: 1426

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 1426 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2426 casualties reported
Squads: 69 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 76 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Chinese/C Corps
8th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/B Corps
18th Chinese/A Corps
8th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/C Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
85th Chinese/B Corps
85th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/B Corps
18th Chinese/B Corps
2nd Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/C Corps
7th Chinese/A Corps
7th Chinese/B Corps
8th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/B Corps
2nd Chinese/C Corps
26th Group Army
20th Group Army
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
11th RGC Temp. Division


I have another 2500 Chinese AC approaching Wuchang from Changsha so that makes over 5000 Chinese AV threatening to invest Wuchang/Hankow.....and currently there are only 1300 troops in Hankow. Dave moved 5 LCUs out to meet my Ichang army and keep me from entering Hankow next turn. I will attempt to destroy the 5 LCUs next turn...I think Dave just wanted to delay me here so his 150,000 strong army up in Tsiaotso can be railed into Hankow/Wuchang next turn.

Just to keep things interesting for Japan I moved another 2100 Chinese AV adjacent to Loyang.....so that should give Dave some options as to where to deploy his 3600 IJA AV in Tsiaotso.

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racndoc
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CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

3/19-3/20/42



CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE


Massive land combat across China this turn. The largest battle was just outside of Hankow. I had 2400 Chinese AV in the hex NW of Hankow and was ordering an assault on 7 unidentified LCUs....unknown to me was that the hex contained 5 IJA divisions. Dave had other ideas. He sent over 300 AC on aerial bombardment of the Chinese stack and then launched his own assault first:



Ground combat at 84,49

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 45586 troops, 360 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 1697

Defending force 74111 troops, 401 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2452

Japanese adjusted assault: 886

Allied adjusted defense: 1449

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4671 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 518 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 397 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
5089 casualties reported
Squads: 58 destroyed, 197 disabled
Non Combat: 53 destroyed, 401 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled


Assaulting units:
58th Division
39th Division
13th Division
68th Division
13th RGC Temp. Division
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
7th Chinese/B Corps
18th Chinese/C Corps
8th Chinese/C Corps
29th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/C Corps
8th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/B Corps
85th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/B Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
85th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/B Corps
8th Chinese/B Corps
29th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/A Corps
7th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/B Corps
2nd Chinese/C Corps
20th Group Army
3rd Group Army
26th Group Army
31st Group Army



Both armies suffered massive losses in the Japanese 1:2 assault.


The it was the Chinese army's turn to attack:


Ground combat at 84,49

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 67006 troops, 401 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2205

Defending force 42332 troops, 360 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 1282

Allied adjusted assault: 845

Japanese adjusted defense: 619

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3239 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 132 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled


Allied ground losses:
3495 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 203 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 208 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled


Assaulting units:
8th Chinese/B Corps
29th Chinese/C Corps
85th Chinese/B Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
7th Chinese/A Corps
13th Chinese/C Corps
2nd Chinese/B Corps
85th Chinese/C Corps
29th Chinese/B Corps
29th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/C Corps
13th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/B Corps
8th Chinese/C Corps
7th Chinese/B Corps
8th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/C Corps
26th Group Army
20th Group Army
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
68th Division
13th Division
39th Division
58th Division
13th RGC Temp. Division
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment


The next day was a disaster for the 5 IJA divisions:


Ground combat at 84,49

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 64412 troops, 401 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2011

Defending force 40188 troops, 360 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 1128

Allied adjusted assault: 826

Japanese adjusted defense: 240

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
12805 casualties reported
Squads: 381 destroyed, 123 disabled
Non Combat: 536 destroyed, 135 disabled
Engineers: 25 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 53 (28 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Vehicles lost 30 (17 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units retreated 7


Allied ground losses:
2618 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 266 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 265 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
8th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/C Corps
85th Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/B Corps
8th Chinese/C Corps
18th Chinese/B Corps
7th Chinese/A Corps
29th Chinese/A Corps
7th Chinese/C Corps
29th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/B Corps
13th Chinese/A Corps
18th Chinese/C Corps
2nd Chinese/A Corps
85th Chinese/C Corps
2nd Chinese/B Corps
18th Chinese/A Corps
7th Chinese/B Corps
29th Chinese/C Corps
8th Chinese/A Corps
2nd Chinese/C Corps
20th Group Army
26th Group Army
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
68th Division
13th Division
39th Division
58th Division
13th RGC Temp. Division
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment



The 5 IJA divisions are crushed and suffer over 20,000 casualties....the remnants retreat into Hankow. Unfortunately with 4x terrain in Hankow I cant really exploit my success here. Next to Hankow.......another Chinese army begins to invest Wuchang.


Farther south.....another Chinese army shock attacks their way into Nanchang:


Ground combat at Nanchang (85,54)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 26893 troops, 171 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1197

Defending force 1713 troops, 12 guns, 76 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 1038

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 346 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nanchang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
381 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 100 destroyed, 56 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 68 (49 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
32nd Chinese/C Corps
72nd Chinese/C Corps
32nd Chinese/A Corps
68th Chinese/A Corps
72nd Chinese/A Corps
72nd Chinese/B Corps
32nd Chinese/B Corps
68th Chinese/B Corps
78th Chinese/A Corps
78th Chinese/C Corps
78th Chinese/B Corps
68th Chinese/C Corps
30th Group Army

Defending units:
17th JAAF Base Force



Just SW of Nanchang another Chinese formation crushes the IJA 40th Division:


Ground combat at 84,55

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22537 troops, 141 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 902

Defending force 10292 troops, 104 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 279

Allied adjusted assault: 448

Japanese adjusted defense: 142

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2690 casualties reported
Squads: 116 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 113 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (8 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
249 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd New Chinese/B Corps
4th Chinese/A Corps
21st Chinese/B Corps
53rd Chinese/A Corps
4th Chinese/B Corps
53rd Chinese/B Corps
3rd New Chinese/A Corps
4th Chinese/C Corps
53rd Chinese/C Corps
32nd Group Army

Defending units:
40th Division


We have now punched a 2 hex hole in Japanese lines here. Part of the Chinese army will shock attack into Kiukiang while the rest of the troops race down the undefended Nanchang/Hangchow highway to cut supply to Japanese armies in the region.


Another Japanese attack is repulsed just outside of Chuhsien:


Ground combat at 87,56

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13946 troops, 114 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 533

Defending force 14347 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 479

Japanese adjusted assault: 394

Allied adjusted defense: 1065

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
551 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 71 (7 destroyed, 64 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
722 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled


Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
Kyuko Naval Guard Unit
22nd Division

Defending units:
28th Chinese/A Corps
21st Chinese/C Corps
3rd New Chinese/C Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/A Corps
50th Chinese/B Corps
50th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army



It looks like the Japanese are low on supplies here and 400 Chinese AV will invest Chuhsien next turn so this will make things interesting in south central China. The massed IJA armor can continue its rampage through the rear of the Chinese but their supply line is very much in question.


Farther north....another Chinese army destroys an iJA armor unit outside of Loyang:


Ground combat at 86,43

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 50305 troops, 226 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2151

Defending force 217 troops, 0 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 18

Allied adjusted assault: 1217

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 1217 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 36 (36 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Allied ground losses:
188 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
9th Chinese/B Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
38th Chinese/B Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry/ Corps
80th Chinese/B Corps
38th Chinese/C Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
9th Chinese/A Corps
43rd Chinese/C Corps
80th Chinese/C Corps
76th Chinese/B Corps
76th Chinese/C Corps
9th Chinese/C Corps
38th Chinese/A Corps
43rd Chinese/A Corps
80th Chinese/A Corps
90th Chinese/A Corps
14th Group Army
24th Group Army
1st War Area
Lusu War Area
15th Group Army
Jingcha War Area
36th Group Army

Defending units:
5th Armored Car Co



Dave said in his email to me that Japan had suffered a major disaster in China this turn. Six IJA divisions were chewed up and now Wuchang has been invested and Chinese armies sit just outside Hankow and Loyang. Nanchang was captured and the Chinese threaten to sever the Nanchang/Hangchow highway. The 3600 AV IJA army at Tsiaotso disappeared this turn...no doubt its being railed somewhere...I cant invest Hankow or Loyang or even advance with my 3600 AV Chinese army in Nanyang until I know where the main Japanese stack has railed to.




DEI


Japan launches their 1st assault on Batavia and are repulsed with heavy casualties:


Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27831 troops, 275 guns, 68 vehicles, Assault Value = 1201

Defending force 42861 troops, 491 guns, 180 vehicles, Assault Value = 1275

Japanese adjusted assault: 492

Allied adjusted defense: 2529

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3195 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 291 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 121 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1372 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 93 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 91 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)


Assaulting units:
9th Infantry Regiment
33rd Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
18th Division
16th Engineer Regiment
4th Div /7

Defending units:
Kendari Garrison Battalion
6th KNIL Regiment
Prajoda Garrison Battalion
Marinier Battalion
2nd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
VI KNIL Battalion
Manado Garrison Battalion
2nd KNIL Regiment
Van Altena Battalion
3rd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
SE Borneo KNIL Battalion
VII KNIL Battalion
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
Samarinda KNIL Battalion
Afdeling Ritman
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
4th KNIL Regiment
Makassar Garrison Battalion
Madion Base Force
ABDA
MLD
Batavia Base Force
1st KNIL AA Battalion
Commandement Marine
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
KNIL Army Command
Bandoeng Base Force
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
ML-KNIL
Tjilitap Base Force
Soerabaja Base Force
Djojakarta Base Force
Loemafjang Base Force
Malang Base Force



This was a good start for the Allies in what promises to be a very bloody battle.

Japan takes Buitenzorg as the Dutch defenders withdraw to the Batavia perimeter.

Japan is again held off in another 1:2 attack at Tilatjap.

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Wirraway_Ace
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RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by Wirraway_Ace »

AdmSpruance,

I noticed you are keeping your Chinese Corps split into there sub elements (A,B,C) even in the attack. I was interested in your logic. I generally try to rebuild formations in the attack as losses appear to disproportionately hit smaller formations, but you have gone the opposite direction....And I certainly can't argue with your success.
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SuluSea
Posts: 2397
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:13 pm

RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by SuluSea »

Fantastic stuff Admiral, lots to like in this AAR, the counter offensive, the carrier raid on Rabaul, the blockade  runners fueling the Luzon drives. Obviously Dave's a good player and it looks like when his guard is down you're countering in all the right spots. Good work!!!
"There’s no such thing as a bitter person who keeps the bitterness to himself.” ~ Erwin Lutzer
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racndoc
Posts: 2528
Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2004 3:47 pm
Location: Newport Coast, California

CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

SuluSea.....thanx for your comments. The game has been a lot of fun so far and currently Im doing pretty well in China.....but ultimately I think that I will be in trouble in China and its incumbent on me to open up another theatre or 2 to siphon off IJA formations as quickly as I can.

Wirraway_Ace.....good point on breaking down the Chinese into sub-corps units. I do that at the start of the game to help recover disabled squads and increase reinforcement rates but generally I rebuild the corps as soon as they are mostly undisrupted.....but I never rebuild a corps unless Im able to upgrade the commander...helps me keep track of which corps still require upgraded commanders. Here Im using a lot of corps that have recently seen combat and need their squads undisrupted.....and also a lot of corps that were 2nd echelon troops that are being used for the 1st time and to a large extent I have been guilty of being distracted so much that I forgot to rebuild the corps before attacking last turn. You were correct in your assumption that its better to rebuild the corps before attacking as _long_ as you upgrade the corps commander.



CHINA COUNTEROFFENSIVE


The Japanese massed armor stack rampaging behind our lines in south central China crushes the Chinese formation outside of Pucheng that it had roughed up a couple of turns ago:


Ground combat at 85,57

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24507 troops, 116 guns, 981 vehicles, Assault Value = 1130

Defending force 4934 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 92

Japanese adjusted assault: 754

Allied adjusted defense: 94

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
3363 casualties reported
Squads: 220 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 193 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 4 disabled
Units retreated 6


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
12th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
23rd Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
55th Infantry Brigade
9th Tank Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
86th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese/B Corps
88th Chinese/C Corps
86th Chinese/B Corps
10th Group Army


The remnants of this Chinese formation retreat into Pucheng and Im sure that the IJA armor will follow them into Pucheng and hit them again.

The only thing I can do to counter this is cut his supply line in south central China.....and to effect this I am both advancing down the Nanchang/Hangchow higfhway and also re-entering Chuhsien. Just outside of Chuhsien the IJA 22nd Division losses a 1:2 counterattack:


Ground combat at 87,56

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12886 troops, 114 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 452

Defending force 13889 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 463

Japanese adjusted assault: 241

Allied adjusted defense: 651

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
871 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 63 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled


Allied ground losses:
203 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kyuko Naval Guard Unit
22nd Division

Defending units:
50th Chinese/B Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
21st Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/A Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
3rd New Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army


Ive been bombing the 22nd Division for a few days so its fatigue and disruption is building.....Ive got 400 Chinese AV entering Chuhsien this turn which can then approach 20th Division from the east......while just NW of 20th Division poor decimated 40th Division is being bombed and pursued and in a couple of turns I have a feeling that all of these formations will reach the same point in space and time.....again it should be interesting.

Meanwhile Chinese troops are marching to shock attack their way into Kiukiang.

About 2800 Chinese AV invest Wuchang this turn.

Ive left my Ichang Army outside Hankow, my 3700 AV South Sian Army at Nanyang and my 2200 AV Southeast Sian Army outside Loyang until I see where Dave commits his 150,000 troops that were at Tsiaotso a couple of turns ago.


Inland from Amoy....another Japanese attack is thwarted against a Chinese roadblock:


Ground combat at 83,59

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4073 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Defending force 2634 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 115

Japanese adjusted assault: 59

Allied adjusted defense: 187

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
355 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
112 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
102nd Infantry Regiment
1st RGC Route Brigade

Defending units:
86th Chinese/C Corps



And finally outside Canton, an IJA armor that attacks every turn at 1:4 odds and kills 6-7 squads while never losing a tank......finally gets a bad die roll and has 4 tanks disabled/killed:


Ground combat at 76,59

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 544 troops, 0 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Defending force 2750 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 78

Japanese adjusted assault: 21

Allied adjusted defense: 179

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 8

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
7th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
52nd Chinese/C Corps





DEI


Japan bombards at Batavia this turn:


Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 21735 troops, 263 guns, 68 vehicles, Assault Value = 1007

Defending force 44604 troops, 502 guns, 256 vehicles, Assault Value = 1324

Japanese ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
18th Division
16th Engineer Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
33rd Infantry Regiment
16th Naval Guard Unit
4th Div /7

Defending units:
Samarinda KNIL Battalion
6th KNIL Regiment
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Van Altena Battalion
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
Kendari Garrison Battalion
1st Regt Cavalerie
1st KNIL Landstorm Battalion
2nd KNIL Regiment
Manado Garrison Battalion
Afdeling Ritman
Barisan KNIL Regiment
2nd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
3rd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
Prajoda Garrison Battalion
VI KNIL Battalion
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
VII KNIL Battalion
4th KNIL Regiment
Marinier Battalion
SE Borneo KNIL Battalion
Makassar Garrison Battalion
Merak Base Force
KNIL Army Command
ML-KNIL
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
Madion Base Force
Batavia Base Force
Commandement Marine
Banjoewangi Base Force
MLD
ABDA
1st KNIL AA Battalion
Djojakarta Base Force
Tjilitap Base Force
Soerabaja Base Force
Bandoeng Base Force
Loemafjang Base Force
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
Malang Base Force


Whats interesting here is that the Japanese AV is 200 less than last turn while Dutch AV has increased by 100.


Japan is repulsed yet again at Tilatjap in a 1:2 attack.



PHILIPPINES


I like this theatre. Japan now has 3 1/2 divisions on Luzon but cant break out of the Vigan beachead:


Ground combat at 81,73

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14840 troops, 229 guns, 135 vehicles, Assault Value = 469

Defending force 7462 troops, 158 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 349

Japanese adjusted assault: 399

Allied adjusted defense: 604

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
583 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Allied ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
48th Division
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
1st PA Infantry/A Division
91st PA Infantry/B Division
1st PA Infantry/C Division
91st PA Infantry/C Division
1st PA Infantry/B Division
11th PA Infantry/C Division
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Provisional GMC Grp


Ive attacked a screenshot of the Philippines as Allied xAKs almost form a continuous chain across the Pacific from Luzon to Hawaii. Our 2nd wave of resupply ships has mostly made it to Luzon now and the 3rd wave of resupply ships is now leaving Hawaiian waters. So far at least 20 xAKs have made it thru to drop off over 60,000 supplies at a cost a single xAK.

Ive drawn a line in purple on the map where I will be constructing my defensive line as Dave continues to reinforce Luzon. I can defend here by occupying a mere 2 hexes at San Fernando and Bayombong....both in good defensive terrain.

Dave had been bombing Manila/Clark from Day 1 of the war to keep me from building fortifications. One of the reasons I reoccupied most of Luzon was to divert the IJAAF so that I could entrench at these bases......well now Clark....my final bastion on Luzon.....has level 4 forts so I will move some of the engineers up to start fortifying the San Fernando/Bayombong line.

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CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

3/22/42.....CONTINUED


It was a busy work week and there was a lot going on in this game so I didnt have a lot of time to really go thru the combat results. Now its the weekend and I havent received a turn in a couple days so I had a chance to review the combat in China over the last couple of days.

Dave has been sending his armor stack thru my lines in south central China like a hot knife thru butter and I cant stop it...I can only delay it by sending fresh Chinese formations in front of it to get chewed up.

My only option is to cut off supply to his Panzer Korps and to do that I have captured Nanchang and am trying to overrun the Nanchang/Hangchow and Nanchang/Chuhsien highways.

Two turns ago Dave attacked me outside Chuhsien:


Ground combat at 87,56

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13946 troops, 114 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 533

Defending force 14347 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 479

Japanese adjusted assault: 394

Allied adjusted defense: 1065

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
551 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 71 (7 destroyed, 64 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
722 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled


Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
Kyuko Naval Guard Unit
22nd Division

Defending units:
28th Chinese/A Corps
21st Chinese/C Corps
3rd New Chinese/C Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/A Corps
50th Chinese/B Corps
50th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army



The 13th Tank Regiment suffered 71 vehicle disablements and then was retreated into Chuhsien to recover its disabled vehicles. Then the 22nd Division attacked again last turn outside of Chuhsien:

Ground combat at 87,56

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12886 troops, 114 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 452

Defending force 13889 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 463

Japanese adjusted assault: 241

Allied adjusted defense: 651

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
871 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 63 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled


Allied ground losses:
203 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kyuko Naval Guard Unit
22nd Division

Defending units:
50th Chinese/B Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
21st Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/A Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
3rd New Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army



The 22nd Diviison and the Kyuko Naval Guard have lost 113 squads out of approximately 475 squads over the last 2 turns......almost 25% casualties....and they must have suffered considerable disruption after two consecutive 1:2 assaults. Meanwhile 13th Tank Regiment is sitting as a dead duck in Chuhsien trying to recover its disabled tankettes. I had 400 Chinese AV enter Chuhsien this turn and next turn they will annihilate 13th Tank Regiment in a human wave shock attack. Then I will have full control of the Nanchang/Chuhsien highway and the Jap Panzer Korps will be out of supply. Im staging bombers from India down to China to continue to pound 22nd and 40th Divisons and then I will close in on both Divisions from multiple directions. I should be able to severely disrupt both divisions and maybe even put up a significant threat against Hangchow.


The only good tankette is a dead tankette. I apologize for this 2 day old screenshot but I havent received a new turn in a couple of days:

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THE AIR WAR

Post by racndoc »

Dave's been busy at work so with no turns for a few days I'm able to do some more AAR housekeeping.



3/21/42.......THE AIR WAR


Japan has now lost 1407 AC to 1351 Allied AC at this point in the war. In A2A, Japan has lost 553 AC vs 642 Allied AC.

Here is a screenshot of Japanese plane losses. Note that over a third of Japanese plane losses have included front line Nate and A6M2 pliots:




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RE: THE AIR WAR

Post by racndoc »

THE AIR WAR......CONTINUED


Here is a screenshot of Allied plane losses to date. With the Dutch air force mostly withdrawn from Java the vast majority of Japanese and Allied plane losses now are taking place over CBI. Note how the Hurricane IIb losses have ramped up since the last time I posted plane losses a little over a month ago. The Hurricane IIbs have basically carried the Allied war effort for the last month and many Hurricane squadrons are at partial strength..... but they have given the Allies the breathing room they needed while the AVG rebuilt their squadrons with P-40Es.

Now the Hurricanes will have a bit of help in the CBI. An experienced P-38E squadron has been fully fleshed out and will come online next turn. A Canadian Kittyhawk squadron is still training but should be available by early April. The Allies now have a reserve of nearly 70 P-40Es from the ABDA withdrawals and the Chinese are converting their first squadron over to the H81-A3s and will have P-43 Lancers available in April.

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RE: THE AIR WAR

Post by racndoc »

THE AIR WAR.....CONTINUED


And finally here is a screenshot of the top Allied aces. Note that 3 of the top 4 pilots and 4 of the top ten are Hurricane drivers......indicative of the Hurricanes being thrown into the breech over CBI for the last month.

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RE: THE AIR WAR

Post by pauk »



Excellent stuff mate. Its a pitty that we never arranged our game as we planed :/

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CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

Hey pauk.....great to see you on the forums! If you decide to take the plunge into AE my offer of a game is still open.



3/23-3/24/42



CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE


The Chinese capture Kiukiang in another human wave attack:


Ground combat at Kiukiang (85,53)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 16615 troops, 133 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 754

Defending force 1062 troops, 16 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 30

Allied adjusted assault: 559

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 139 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kiukiang !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), op mode(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
573 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 75 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 20 (20 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2


Allied ground losses:
282 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
32nd Chinese/A Corps
72nd Chinese/B Corps
72nd Chinese/C Corps
78th Chinese/B Corps
72nd Chinese/A Corps
78th Chinese/C Corps
32nd Chinese/B Corps
78th Chinese/A Corps
32nd Chinese/C Corps
30th Group Army

Defending units:
23rd RGC Temp. Division
17th JAAF Base Force



The IJA 13th Tank Regiment continued to withdraw towards Hangchow so the Chinese captured an empty Chuhsien. The Chinese counteroffensive has now liberated Nanyang, Nanchang, Kiukiang and Chuhsien.


The Chinese maul the IJA 40th Division yet again:


Ground combat at 85,55

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22304 troops, 141 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 889

Defending force 7644 troops, 99 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 186

Allied adjusted assault: 630

Japanese adjusted defense: 72

Allied assault odds: 8 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3490 casualties reported
Squads: 100 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 82 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 17 (9 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
4th Chinese/B Corps
21st Chinese/B Corps
53rd Chinese/A Corps
3rd New Chinese/A Corps
4th Chinese/A Corps
4th Chinese/C Corps
53rd Chinese/B Corps
3rd New Chinese/B Corps
53rd Chinese/C Corps
32nd Group Army

Defending units:
40th Division


As luck would have it.......the IJA 40th Division withdrew into a hex now occupied by a Chinese army that was advancing on Hangchow with 1500 AV so it will be mauled yet again next turn.


Even though we hit the IJA 22nd Division for 4 days with aerial bombardment there simply wasnt enough Chinese assault strength present to maul it:


Ground combat at 87,56

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11697 troops, 105 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 448

Defending force 12113 troops, 114 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 393

Allied adjusted assault: 262

Japanese adjusted defense: 515

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
384 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1137 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 86 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled


Assaulting units:
3rd New Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/B Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
21st Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/A Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese/C Corps
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army

Defending units:
Kyuko Naval Guard Unit
22nd Division


Im going to continue to pound the 22nd Division from the air as additional Chinese formations are brought up to the battle.


Farther south....we will shock attack another IJA tank regiment outside of Canton next turn.



SUBS

SS Sealion sinks PB Choun Maru #18 off tandjoengsler.

SS Swordfish sinks fully loaded AO Iro by Boela.



DEI


Fortress Palembang now has 476 AV with its supply growing daily. Japan doesnt have enough troops present on Sumatra to take Palembang at this time.

Fortress Batavia has its AV increase every turn...its now at 1383 vs 1170 Jap AV and next turn Batavia should be over 1400 AV. My supplies are dwindling here with the daily aerial and ground bombardments.....I have only 26,000 supplies left and I somewhat belatedly turned off replacements in Batavia last turn. Japan doesnt have enough troops on Java to take Batavia but Im thinking now that Dave will try to starve me out here.



PHILIPPINES

On Mindanao......the Allies have 345 AV at Cayagan but supplies dipped below 1000 this turn. I diverted one of the Legaspi bound xAKs with 3200 supplies to Butuan where it is currrently unloading. I think that Dave is planning to starve me out on Mindanao also.


On Luzon I finally shut off replacements this turn to everyone but the flak guns so I can conserve more supply. I want all my BF/AA units to upgrade to the 90mm AA guns so I will keep their replacements on.

I have well over 60,000 supplies on Luzon with more on the way....I think that Dave is planning the seige and starve strategy here so Im trying to accumulate over 100,000 supplies spread over a dozen bases.

American and Philippino troops continue to withdraw to the San Fernando/Bayombong line.

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RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

3/25-3/26/42



CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE


The IJA panzer korps captures Pucheng by trashing the same Chinese army they've hit twice before....fortunately there arent that many troops left to kill in the hapless Chinese formation:


Ground combat at Pucheng (86,57)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9527 troops, 14 guns, 981 vehicles, Assault Value = 599

Defending force 2188 troops, 73 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Japanese adjusted assault: 495

Allied adjusted defense: 13

Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Pucheng !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1310 casualties reported
Squads: 89 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 85 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (7 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 6


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
20th Recon Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
1st Recon Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
88th Chinese/C Corps
88th Chinese/B Corps
86th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese/A Corps
86th Chinese/B Corps
10th Group Army




The Chinese return the favor by trashing the IJA 40th Division for the 3rd time in a week:


Ground combat at 86,54

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 38063 troops, 265 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1600

Defending force 5197 troops, 95 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 94

Allied adjusted assault: 999

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 999 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3828 casualties reported
Squads: 86 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 85 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (11 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
139 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
9th Prov Chinese/B Corps
9th Prov Chinese/C Corps
9th Prov Chinese/A Corps
95th Chinese/C Corps
87th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese/B Corps
26th Chinese/A Corps
95th Chinese/A Corps
95th Chinese/B Corps
84th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese/C Corps
27th Group Army

Defending units:
40th Division



The Chinese shock attack on the IJA 7th Tank Regiement outside of Canton just barely missed the required 2:1 odds:


Ground combat at 76,59

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 5104 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 150

Defending force 496 troops, 0 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Allied adjusted assault: 199

Japanese adjusted defense: 119

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker: shock(+)


Allied ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
28th New Chinese Division
52nd Chinese/C Corps

Defending units:
7th Tank Regiment


Lots of manuvering going on in southeastern China....Im in his rear approaching Hangchow and the Japanese are in my rear at Pucheng.

All quiet now in northern and central China.



SUBS


SS Gudjeon puts a fish in AK Asaka Maru off Wakkanai.

SS Trusty sinks DD Murakumo near Malacca.



CARRIERS

CV Enterprise completes repair of the torpedo damage she suffered in the Raid on Rabaul and shoves off from port to join Yorktown and Hornet in the south Pacific.

CV Saratoga and CV Lexington will complete their March 1942 upgrades next turn and then they will link up with the other USN CVs.



PHILIPPINES


We continue to offload supplies at Butuan, Legaspi and Naga.


With the Allies withdrawing from the Vigan beachead towards the San Fernando/Bayombong line.....Dave changes hit tactics. He had been using his rather substantial Philippine air force to ground bomb our front line troops when Vigan was threatened. With the threat to Vigan removed....he has gone back to bombing Clark. The funny thing here is that we've already built level 4 forts at Clark and the engineers have now moved out to start fort construction at San Fernando and Bayombong. In addition .....with the Allied supply dispersion......the airbase supply hits caused by Japanese bombing are only causing x% X 10,000 supplies vs x% X 70,000 supplies if we were holed up at Clark.

Leyte has exhausted its supplies so I have 2 squadrons of PBYs airlifting the 93rd Regiment from Leyte to Luzon....another 60 or so AV to add to the upcoming battle.



DEI


With the capture of Merak and Tilatjap.....the Allies are reduced to their twin fortresses at Batavia and Palembang.

What had been a telephone pole of nearly 50 IJA LCUs at Singapore a month ago is now only 11......I dont know where they all went but certainly not enough troops have moved to Sumatra and Java yet. Sigint reported this turn that 25th Army HQ was still at Singapore....I suppose thats in range of Palembang but certainly not Batavia.

Interestingly.....Dave did not bombard Batavia with his grounf forces this turn....cant understand why. With replacements and fort construction now turned off at Batavia Im going to see how rapidly I am expending the 26,000 supplies left. I am starting to consider a major Allied resupply effort to Batavia in late April or early May.




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RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

3/27-3/28/42

Quiet turn across the map. For the first time in the war.....there is not even a single land combat.



CHINA


Lots of manuever but no combat..... the situation in SE China is very fluid and chaotic. Im trying to send some Chinese corps with large concentrations of AT guns....say 8-12 per corps....to the forest north of Amoy to defend against the IJA panzer korps.

Looks like Dave is railing some reinforcements up to Taiyuan to try to move on Sian from the east.

All quiet in the far north....looks like he is pulling back the troops that broke out at Kweisui last month so no assault on far western China for the moment.



DEI


Dave tried to sweep Palembang with A6M2s from Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku. They got lost in the bad weather and didnt make it....but I hadnt spotted KB in 3 weeks or so so its nice to know their approximate location in the Indian Ocean S of Sumatra.


Heavier aerial bombardments over Batavia....my supply level is now 24,000. At this rate I will run out of supplies before the end of April. No ground bombardment at Batavia again....I guess that Dave got tired of training the Dutch troops but still it would make them exhaust their supplies sooner.



SWPAC/SOPAC


With KB located off Sumatra I have a free hand now in building up the New Hebrides. Unfortunately....Saratoga and Lexington are still in route from Hawaii....otherwise I might even consider an early move into the Solomons. We now have a level 2 AF at Luganville and a level 1 AF at Efate.



PHILIPPINES


The Allies have now completed their withdrawal to the San Fernando/Bayombong line on Luzon.

Dave finally got became aware of my resupply efforts and sent in a surface TF to hit an xAK unloading at Legaspi:


Day Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 82,82, Range 16,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Yura
CL Tama
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
AM Oriole, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAK San Vincente, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk



Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 16,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 16,000 yards
DD Michishio engages AM Oriole at 16,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages xAK San Vincente at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CL Tama engages AM Oriole at 11,000 yards
DD Michishio engages xAK San Vincente at 11,000 yards
DD Michishio engages xAK San Vincente at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CL Tama engages AM Oriole at 8,000 yards
CL Yura engages AM Oriole at 8,000 yards
DD Michishio engages AM Oriole at 8,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages xAK San Vincente at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
AM Oriole sunk by CL Tama at 6,000 yards
CL Yura engages xAK San Vincente at 6,000 yards
xAK San Vincente sunk by DD Michishio at 6,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


I cant believe that I forgot to detach AM Oriole when the respply ships left Midway...oh well. Ive got a few resupply ships in the area...one will be sent to Naga and the others will be rerouted to Butuan. Hopefully the IJN surface TF will leave after a few turns of quiet and then I will again try to get supplies back into Luzon.

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RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by Wirraway_Ace »

ORIGINAL: AdmSpruance

3/27-3/28/42

DEI


Dave tried to sweep Palembang with A6M2s from Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku. They got lost in the bad weather and didnt make it....but I hadnt spotted KB in 3 weeks or so so its nice to know their approximate location in the Indian Ocean S of Sumatra.


Heavier aerial bombardments over Batavia....my supply level is now 24,000. At this rate I will run out of supplies before the end of April. No ground bombardment at Batavia again....I guess that Dave got tired of training the Dutch troops but still it would make them exhaust their supplies sooner.

Would the troops in Batavia be better used now in Palembang. Can you transport some of the better KNIL Rgts to the X3 terrain with adequate supply?
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RE: CHINESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Post by racndoc »

Wirraway_Ace......I think that its a good idea. Air transport of Knil regiments from Batavia to Palembang makes sense with the decline in supplies on Java and I considered doing that about a month ago.....the only probelm is that Japan has total control of the skiies over Java and Sumatra...even the whole of KB is there to lend aerial support.... and any transport AC I would have sent would have been destroyed within a few days. In fact....I withdrew most of the Dutch air force a few weeks ago as it was just being destroyed in situ by the IJAAF and the IJAF.

Its a moot point now however as Japan invades at Palembang this turn...




3/29-3/30/42



DEI


Japan invests Palembang with a combination of overland and amphibious assault:


Pre-Invasion action off Palembang - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

131 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
CA Maya
CA Chikuma
CL Kitakami
CL Kuma, Shell hits 1
xAKL Yosyu Maru
xAKL Yamayuri Maru
xAKL Zuiho Maru, Shell hits 5


Allied ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


CA Suzuya firing at Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion firing at CA Suzuya
CA Maya firing at Zuid KNIL Battalion
Palembang Base Force firing at CA Chikuma
CA Chikuma firing at Palembang Base Force
CL Kitakami firing at Palembang Base Force
Palembang Base Force firing at CL Kitakami
CL Kuma firing at Palembang Base Force
Palembang Base Force firing at CL Kuma
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAKL Yosyu Maru at 8,000 yards
CA Maya firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAKL Yosyu Maru at 8,000 yards
CA Maya firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAKL Yosyu Maru at 8,000 yards
CA Maya firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
CL Kitakami firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
CA Maya firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun battery firing at xAKL Zuiho Maru
75mm CD Gun battery firing at xAKL Zuiho Maru
75mm CD Gun battery firing at xAKL Zuiho Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Palembang

TF 63 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 48,91





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10394 troops, 59 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 498

Defending force 46091 troops, 318 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1409

Japanese ground losses:
221 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)


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


Assaulting units:
Sabang Garrison Battalion
Zuid KNIL Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
8th Indian Brigade
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
Pakanbaroe Det.
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Medan Garrison Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
Singkawang Base Force
Malaya Army
Bintan Det. Base Force
Padang Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Pontianak Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
224 Group RAF
Bengkalis Base Force
Sambas Base Force
Palembang Base Force

Defending units:
5th Division
2nd Division
33rd Div /4
21st Division
18th Div /6



I was a little disappointed that the Medan Coastal Gun Battalion didnt put up a better fight. No matter though, now, as Dave has 3 1/2 divisions ready to assault Palembang next turn. Hopefully the Dutch bloody up the Jap SAA a bit before they capitulate....and hopefully the mass of BFs present at Palembang do a little demolition of the oil facilities there.

The aerial bombardments continue at Batavia. USN fleet subs can carry 48 supplies....so 20 subs could deliver nearly 1000 supplies in 1 trip. Im going to start redeploying subs next turn to transport supplies into Batavia. Im getting pretty tired of watching the USN subs bounce torpedoes off of Japanese hulls every turn so maybe I can do something useful with them.

I have been considering sending in about 20 small xAKs with supplies from Australia to Batavia......covered by USN carriers...... but with the entirety of KB somewhere in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra this would be an exceedingly risky operation.



PHILIPPINES


A 2nd IJN surface TF runs down an Allied xAK blockade runner last turn off Legaspi:


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 29, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 83,82, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Kamikaze
DD Yunagi
DD Okikaze

Allied Ships
xAK Panaman, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk



Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 92% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 10,000 yards
DD Okikaze fires at xAK Panaman at 10,000 yards
DD Yunagi fires at xAK Panaman at 10,000 yards
DD Kamikaze fires at xAK Panaman at 10,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages xAK Panaman at 10,000 yards
DD Yunagi engages xAK Panaman at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages xAK Panaman at 6,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages xAK Panaman at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages xAK Panaman at 3,000 yards
DD Yunagi engages xAK Panaman at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Okikaze engages xAK Panaman at 4,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages xAK Panaman at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages xAK Panaman at 5,000 yards
xAK Panaman sunk by DD Okikaze at 5,000 yards
xAK Panaman sunk by DD Okikaze at 5,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


I could try to instead offload supplies at Lucena or Batangas....but then there is the risk of Japanese naval bombers in addition to the surface TFs.
Whatever.....Dave is on to my resupply efforts to Luzon. Ive diverted another two xAKs to Butuan and Cayagan on Mindanao and am considering suspending supply shipments into Luzon for a couple of weeks until things quiet down again.



CHINA


All quiet on the ground again this turn as both sides continue to manuever. I finally spotted Daves 150,000 strong army.....3500 AV.... in central China at Chengchow. Its looks as if they were waiting for me to move a 2000 AV Chinese army into Loyang so they could kill it. Ive turned the 2000 AV Chinese army around however and its heading back into the forests SE of Sian.

Dave has been bombarding Wenchow with surface TFs for some time:


Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CL Kinu
CL Isuzu
CL Sendai
CL Kashii
DD Tsuta
DD Hasu
DD Namikaze
DD Mikazuki
DD Hayashio


Allied ground losses:
320 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled


Light Industry hits 3
Resources hits 3
Manpower hits 3
Fires 1365
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 107
Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 5

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato
BB Nagato firing at Wenchow
E7K2 Alf acting as spotter for CA Mikuma
CA Mikuma firing at 100th Chinese/A Corps
CA Mogami firing at Wenchow
CL Kinu firing at Wenchow
CL Isuzu firing at 100th Chinese/A Corps
CL Sendai firing at Wenchow
CL Kashii firing at Wenchow
DD Tsuta firing at Wenchow
DD Hasu firing at 100th Chinese/A Corps
DD Namikaze firing at 100th Chinese/A Corps
DD Mikazuki firing at Wenchow
DD Hayashio firing at 14th Chinese Base Force



I have been fighting to the last man to keep open a line of communication between Wenchow and Changsha as Wenchow is an extremely important supply source for China. The IJN naval bomardments....while not significant to Chinese ground forces....are slowly destroying the light industry in Wenchow....there is barely 40 LI left out of the original 80 LI. We have a HR against strategic bombing in China by either side but the naval bombardments are having the same effect as city attacks. Eventually the output of supply by Wenchow will be reduced to an insignificant amount and then we will withdraw from the coast to build up a shorter and stronger defensive line in the interior of China.



SOPAC

The SOPAC area is now reaching a point where it can defend itself for awhile without the presence of USN carriers. With nearly 600 AC and over 1000 AV of troops it presents a stronger defense with more mutually supporting airfields than even the Hawaiian islands.

And the numerous USAAF and USMC fighter and DB squadrons are getting trained up to the point where they can sucessfully engage the IJNAF. Even the B-26 Marauder squadrons are trained up to over 70 experience for low naval.

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GENERAL DONG'S MARCH TO THE SEA

Post by racndoc »

3/31-4/1/42



DEI


Dave launches his first assaults at Palembang:


Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8788 troops, 59 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 384

Defending force 44964 troops, 318 guns, 148 vehicles, Assault Value = 1350

Japanese ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
Padang Garrison Battalion
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
Pakanbaroe Det.
8th Indian Brigade
Medan Garrison Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
Zuid KNIL Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Malaya Army
Pontianak Base Force
224 Group RAF
Singkawang Base Force
Padang Base Force
Sambas Base Force
Bengkalis Base Force
Bintan Det. Base Force
Palembang Base Force

Defending units:
21st Division
5th Division
2nd Division
33rd Div /4
18th Div /6



Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 45103 troops, 318 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1356

Defending force 12797 troops, 130 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 384

Japanese adjusted assault: 411

Allied adjusted defense: 898

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1069 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 98 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
2023 casualties reported
Squads: 41 destroyed, 54 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 75 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
5th Division
33rd Div /4
21st Division
2nd Division
18th Div /6

Defending units:
Medan Garrison Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Pakanbaroe Det.
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
2nd Garrison Battalion
Zuid KNIL Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
8th Indian Bde /1
Langsa Base Force
224 Group RAF
Sambas Base Force
Padang Base Force
Pontianak Base Force
Bengkalis Base Force
Malaya Army
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Bintan Det. Base Force
Singkawang Base Force
Palembang Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 7370 troops, 59 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 306

Defending force 44041 troops, 318 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1289

Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
Pakanbaroe Det.
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Medan Garrison Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Zuid KNIL Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
8th Indian Bde /1
Pontianak Base Force
224 Group RAF
Bengkalis Base Force
Sambas Base Force
Singkawang Base Force
Bintan Det. Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Padang Base Force
Malaya Army
Palembang Base Force

Defending units:
33rd Div /4
5th Division
21st Division
2nd Division
18th Div /6



Kudos to Dave for bringing sufficient force to the party. I had hoped to resist at Palembang for awhile but it looks as if the Allied defenses will collapse in the next turn or two.



PHILIPPINES


Dave may have stopped me from landing supplies at Legaspi and Nagi but the Allied xAKs continue to drop off supplies at Butaun and Cayagan on Mindanao and Atimonan on Luzon.



CHINA


The IJA panzer korps attempts to break out into southern China through the forests N of Amoy:


Ground combat at 83,59

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13085 troops, 52 guns, 981 vehicles, Assault Value = 725

Defending force 32170 troops, 238 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1352

Japanese adjusted assault: 306

Allied adjusted defense: 2950

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1934 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 144 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 187 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 66 (6 destroyed, 60 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4415 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 271 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 205 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled


Assaulting units:
102nd Infantry Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
10th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
49th Chinese/C Corps
70th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Division
86th Chinese/C Corps
65th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese/C Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
21st Chinese/A Corps
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment


This result is almost unfathomable for me. I had hand picked Chinese corps with lots of embedded 37mm AT guns and Im in 3x terrain and yet in a 1:9 attack the Chinese suffer over 4400 casualties vs Japanese losses of 1900. With this game design there is no way to stop Jap armor......excuse me.... there is no way to stop crap Jap tankettes regardless of the odds.

I did way better in my 1:2 counterattack:


Ground combat at 83,59

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 29104 troops, 238 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1082

Defending force 9658 troops, 52 guns, 975 vehicles, Assault Value = 545

Allied adjusted assault: 732

Japanese adjusted defense: 1312

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 67 (12 destroyed, 55 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
65th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
70th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese/C Corps
49th Chinese/C Corps
93rd Chinese Division
86th Chinese/C Corps
21st Chinese/A Corps
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment

Defending units:
9th Armored Car Co
8th Recon Regiment
102nd Infantry Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment



Japan suffered way more casualties percentage wise in my 1:2 counterattack than they did in their 1:9 assault. Looks like Dave is going _ALL IN_ here to break out with his massed armor into southern China to relieve besieged Canton. Maybe I would be better off if I continued to counterattack at 1:2 odds every turn rather than wait for Japan to attack me at ridiculously low odds.

Well Im going _ALL IN_ this next turn with the RAF, USAAF and CAF and Im throwing in virtually every AC I have in theatre to stop the Jap tankettes.

Meanwhile....2 Chinese armies under the command of General Le Duc Dong......affectionately known to his troops as the Dongger...continues their march to the sea towards Hangchow.

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RE: GENERAL DONG'S MARCH TO THE SEA

Post by racndoc »

4/2-4/3/42



DEI


All quiet at Palembang. I think that Dave is just resting his troops for the final assault next turn. With the fall of Palembang imminent....the Dutch fighter squadrons there are rebased to Batavia.

Five Allied subs load supplies at Palembang for transport to Batavia.

The supply level at Batavia drops to 22,000.




PHILIPPINES


Japan has 3 airstrikes with Lilys against an Allied xAK unloading supplies at Atimonan. No bombs hit but Im sure that I will see divebombers there next turn... its too hot here for xAKs to unload.

All xAKs still in route from Midway to the Philippoines will be re-routed to Butuan, Cayagan and even Davao on Mindanao. With supplies now pouring into Mindanao Ive turned on replacements there for the LCUs.

The PBYs complete withdrawal of the 93rd Regiemnt from Leyte to Luzon and are staged on to Calcutta to upgrade and take on replacements.



CBI


I bought 2 more Chinese formations with PPs and they cross the border into Burma to recapture Bhamo. They will move on now to Myitkina and eventually Calcutta to take on massive Chinese infantry squad replacements.


In China, Dave reinforces his panzer korps with 2 infantry brigades and Im sure he will try to break through Chinese defensive positions inland from Amoy next turn. I have reinforcements on the way at Kanhsien....some more 75mm artillery and 2 Chinese corps with another 12 37mm AT guns but they wont arrive for a couple more turns. The Allied bomber attack on the IJA armor stack didnt seem to do much damage last turn. However in the swirling air battle the Japanese lost 45 AC vs 21 Allied AC. Im staging the Allied bombers to Sian this turn to deal with a Japanese buildup to the east out of Tayuan.

I just realized that I have 3 AT gun regiments.....from III Indian Corps....rebuilding with the rest of III Indian Corps at Karachi. The British 85th AT Gun Regiment is at full strength and will be railed to Ledo. I wasnt able to fly any of the AT gun regiments out of Singapore at the start of the war as the transport AC had insufficient lift capacity. Now that I am starting to get the new DC-3s and Skytrains with 6000 lb capacity I want to see if they are capable of lifting the 2 pounder AT guns into China. If not....then I will march the AT gun regiments into China but that will take a long time. The other two III Indian Corps anti tank regiments will stay behind in India until they reach their full TOE......with 36 2 pounder AT guns received every month....they should both be rebuilt in a couple of weeks.

Im transferring yet another 800 Chinese AV from central China to southern China as Dave seems to be more focused on the south now.


General Dong continues his march to the sea....1 Chinese army is now within 2 hexes of Hangchow while another Chinese army is poised to threaten Nanning and eventually even Shanghai.

The Chinese aslo recapture Pucheng.

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THE FAT LADY'S GETTING READY TO SING AT PALEMBANG

Post by racndoc »

4/4-4/5/42



SUBS


SS I-1 sinks CL Concord near Christmas Island with a pair of torpedoes.

SS Triton sinks PB Mikitade Maru near Toyohara.






DEI


Japan launches two more 1:1 assaults at Palembang:


Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44872 troops, 318 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1358

Defending force 11686 troops, 129 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 324

Japanese adjusted assault: 752

Allied adjusted defense: 652

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1373 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 91 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1453 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 81 disabled
Non Combat: 44 destroyed, 70 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
III/66th Naval Guard Unit
2nd Division
5th Division
33rd Div /4
21st Division
18th Div /6

Defending units:
Korps Marechausee Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Pakanbaroe Det.
Medan Garrison Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Zuid KNIL Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
Sabang Garrison Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
8th Indian Bde /1
Langsa Base Force
224 Group RAF
Malaya Army
Padang Base Force
Sambas Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Bengkalis Base Force
Pontianak Base Force
Singkawang Base Force
Bintan Det. Base Force
Palembang Base Force



Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4959 troops, 56 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 152

Defending force 43996 troops, 322 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1307

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
Zuid KNIL Battalion
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Medan Garrison Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
8th Indian Bde /1
Padang Base Force
224 Group RAF
Bintan Det. Base Force
Bengkalis Base Force
Malaya Army
Singkawang Base Force
Sambas Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Pontianak Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Palembang Base Force

Defending units:
2nd Division
5th Division
I/81st Naval Guard Unit
33rd Div /4
III/66th Naval Guard Unit
21st Division
18th Div /6



Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44064 troops, 318 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1339

Defending force 10449 troops, 128 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 256

Japanese adjusted assault: 518

Allied adjusted defense: 325

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
674 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 86 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Allied ground losses:
2037 casualties reported
Squads: 32 destroyed, 125 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 146 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
33rd Div /4
I/81st Naval Guard Unit
5th Division
III/66th Naval Guard Unit
21st Division
2nd Division
18th Div /6

Defending units:
Zuid KNIL Battalion
2nd Garrison Battalion
Sabang Garrison Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Van Aaran Garrison Battalion
Tapanoeli Gsn Battalion
Riouw KNIL Battalion
Medan Coastal Gun Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
West Borneo KNIL Battalion
Korps Marechausee Battalion
6th Indian Bde /1
Medan Garrison Battalion
8th Indian Bde /1
Langsa Base Force
Bintan Det. Base Force
224 Group RAF
Singkawang Base Force
Bengkalis Base Force
Padang Base Force
Pontianak Base Force
Malaya Army
Sambas Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Palembang Base Force



It may not be completely over yet at Palembang.....I had a level 1 fort there at the end of the turn.....but the fat lady is up and tapping the microphone there.


At Batavia....Dave orders a ground bombardment this turn in addition to the daily aerial bombardments:


Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 29960 troops, 326 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 1467

Defending force 46717 troops, 503 guns, 256 vehicles, Assault Value = 1451

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



Assaulting units:
16th Recon Regiment
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF
18th Division
8th Tank Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
33rd Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
20th Infantry Regiment
16th Naval Guard Unit
4th Div /7

Defending units:
SE Borneo KNIL Battalion
Kendari Garrison Battalion
6th KNIL Regiment
Samarinda KNIL Battalion
2nd KNIL Regiment
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Marinier Battalion
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
VI KNIL Battalion
VII KNIL Battalion
4th KNIL Regiment
1st KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Manado Garrison Battalion
Van Altena Battalion
Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion
Prajoda Garrison Battalion
3rd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
Afdeling Ritman
1st KNIL Regiment
Roodenburg Battalion
2nd KNIL Landstorm Battalion
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
1st Regt Cavalerie
Makassar Garrison Battalion
Commandement Marine
Tjilitap Base Force
Djojakarta Base Force
Madion Base Force
Bandoeng Base Force
Soerabaja Base Force
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
Loemafjang Base Force
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
KNIL Army Command
Batavia Base Force
MLD
ML-KNIL
Merak Base Force
Banjoewangi Base Force
1st KNIL AA Battalion
ABDA
Malang Base Force


Dutch AV is up to 1451 at Batavia but supply is now down to 19,000....Im going through supply much faster than I had anticipated here. Subs are starting to bring in a trickle of supplies but it isnt nearly enough. Batavia may run out of supplies before I can even mount a carrier covered resupply effort.


Looking at the overall picture of Japanese SAA troop dispositions....there are elements of 5 IJA divisions at Palembang; elements of 4 divisions at Batavia, 2 1/2 divisions at Vigan on Luzon.....and 56th Division in western Burma. That pretty much accounts for the entire SAA and there cant be a Phase II offensive for Japan until Dave clears up the situation in the DEI.




PHILIPPINES


IJN surface TFs sink 2 xAKs off Luzon. Ive sent the last 4 blockade running xAKs to Mindanao where they are currently unloading. Everyone else has been sent back to Midway and then on to the USA west coast. I think that I will reload supplies in San Francisco and then stage everyone back to Midway....and then maybe resume the blockade runners in late May or early June. There are over 75,000 supplies on Luzon now and 10,000 supplies on Mindanao.



CBI

Dave is sending the 56th Division towards Myitkina now and paradropped the 1st Raiding Regiment on Katha as soon as I had evacuated it.

In China.....what had been a garrison of 4 LCUs in Hangchow last turn is now 14 LCUs this turn.....looks like Dave railed in 10 LCUs last turn from his massive force at Chengchow. I have 2 armies approaching Hangchow....1300 AV and 1600 AV....if Dave railed in the big boys from Chengchow then he could annihilate each of my armies individually. But if he pursues one of my armies the other could take Hangchow....so it looks like a bit of a standoff to me.

It looks as if I will have to postpone the drive to the sea for a bit.....but at least the Chinese counteroffensive in the SE has halted all Japanese offensive activity in both the center and the north.

Dave had begun to mass troops at Taiyuan for a drive on Sian from the east...and even infiltrated with a single LCU to cut our main supply line....but now the Chinese are massing and will destroy the IJA roadblock in 2 turns.

In the south.....the IJA Panzer Korps has been reinforced with 3 brigades and Dave lauches a bombardment to evaluate the relative AV of the oppposing forces:


Ground combat at 83,59

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 15282 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1124

Defending force 28632 troops, 234 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1114

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


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


Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
55th Infantry Brigade
9th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
12th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
71st Chinese/C Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
49th Chinese/C Corps
70th Chinese Corps
86th Chinese/C Corps
65th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese/A Corps
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment


My troops here are on 3x terrain but that is little solace against massed tanks. Im trying to withdraw my troops here even as Chinese reinforcements close in. Im committing a lot of air here next turn as Im sure Dave is also. If the Chinese stack can survive just one more turn here it should be able to withdraw and merge with the reinforcements.

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Wirraway_Ace
Posts: 1509
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: Austin / Brisbane

RE: THE FAT LADY'S GETTING READY TO SING AT PALEMBANG

Post by Wirraway_Ace »

Adm Spruance

who owns Port Blair and the surrounding islands? What does southern Burma look like? How about the islands off Sumatra. With Dave heavily tied down, now may be the time to grab key terrain to position yourself for a late 42 offensive...assuming this scenario 1.

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racndoc
Posts: 2528
Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2004 3:47 pm
Location: Newport Coast, California

THE FAT LADY'S GETTING READY TO SING AT PALEMBANG

Post by racndoc »

Wirrayway_Ace....

Yes we are playing Scn 1. Ive attached a screenshot of Burma as Ive neglected to discuss this theatre much in the AAR.

Dave has captured Port Blair and all the Andaman Islands, Great Nicobar and most of the islands off Sumatra.....and of course KB is sailing somewhere just off the southern coast of Sumatra.

As far as troop dispositions....I think that Japan is a bit light in this theatre. Dave has 56th Division, 1st Raiding Regiment and the rest of the IJA paratroops and a couple of mixed regiments. Mandalay is now a level 3 AF but no other AFs have been built up in Burma. I think that Dave has so far used most of his PP's to release troops in Manchukuo for duty in China proper.

I will not be considering any amphibious ops in this area for quite some time. If KB remains in the Indian Ocean/DEI I will consider an early amphibious op in the central or south Pacific as soon as all 5 USN carriers are on station.......Sara and Lex are heading back on station after completing their 3/42 upgrades and Enterprise and Yorktown are currently completing their 4/42 upgrades.

Im repidly building up in the south Pacific at this time. I am also just beginning to build up NE Oz.....airfields at Cairns, Cooktown and Portland Roads will all be maxed out to neutralize Horn Island, Port Moresby and the rest of SE New Guinea before we commence any offensive ops in the area.

Currently, Japan has a level 2 AF at Lunga, a level 3 AF at Munda and level 4 AFs at Shortland and Rabaul. There has been no Japanese buildup at Port Moresby but sigint identified an Air HQ at Buna so this will probably be the main Japanese AF in SE New Guinea. Barring an early snatch and grab Allied offensive...we will probably begin amphibious ops in SWPAC in 8/42.

Concurrent with that offensive....I hope to begin a land based offensive in Burma. If you ever read my "In Harm's Way" AAR....I began an offensive in Burma in 8/42 that captured Burma by 9/42, Thailand by 11/42 and Saigon and most of Indochina by 1/43. In that game of AE I launched a 3 prong offensive into Burma with Burma Corps(1100 AV), I Australian Corps(1350 AV) and III Indian Corps(1800 AV with attached armor).

In this game, I have nearly 1400 AV of Burma Corps concentrated around Myitkina...that doesnt count the 185 AV of 7 Armored Regiment currently in NE India. Even though Burma Corps has a large amount of AV the LCUs are mostly inexperienced with low morale....so they are hunkered down in Myitkina until they improve in quality.I also have all of I Australian Corps....with the exception of the 6th Australian Division(currently in Oz) at Chittagong. I have virtually every sub unit of III Indian Corps rebuilding in Karachi.....cadres of every unit were extracted from Malaya but the majority of the troops were sacrificed to tie down Japan at Singapore for a few weeks. I have approximately 550 AV of III Indian Corps currently at Karachi with 18th UK in Oz. Im sending the 3 AT regiments of III Indian Corps to China to slow down the massed IJA armor there. Even with taking on replacements for the next 4 months...... III Indian Corps will be nowhere near as strong by 8/42 as it was in my last game of AE.

To augment these troops.....Ive landed the US Army 159th Motorized Regiment and the 14th Canadian Brigade at Karachi and have another Canadian brigade and the USA 27th Division in transit to Capetown. I also am forming a "Red Guard" at Calcutta.....currently its 3 Chinese LCUs with an AV of 275 with 3 more Chinese LCUs on the way. I want the Red Guard to increase to approximately 1000 AV by 8/42.

In addition, I was originally concerned about an early Japanese thrust into Australia and SOPAC. I sent 18th UK and the 6th Aussie Divisions to OZ. Now that Ive built up SOPAC and can readily ship troops from New Caledonia/Fiji/New Hebrides to Australia....I am considering shipping 18th UK and 6th Australian Divisions back to India to pack a little more offensive punch.

I would normally like to wait on starting an offensive from India into Burma until the Indian 254th and 255th Armored Brigades upgrade to modern tanks...then they can form the nucleus of a powerful armored force along with 7th Armored Brigade.

The main objective of a 8/42 offensive into Burma would be to open up the Burma Road and take pressure off of the hard pressed Chinese forces. At a minimum it would soak up IJA troops that could otherwise be used in a Phase II offensive somewhere else and best case scenario could compromise the Japanese in SE Asia and Indochina.

Ive built up the airfields at Myitkina, Ledo, Imphal and Chittagong. Ive got a squadron of P-38Es, a squadron of Canadian Kittyhawk Ibs and several squadrons of P-40Es training in India now. I found in my 1st game of AE that even though I overran most of Indochina by the end of 1942 I regretted not sending more air groups to India to augment 10th Air Force. My greatest limiting factor now is a lack of bombers in this theatre. Im doing pretty well in China now and have achieved very favorable AC loss ratios with Japan but it has cost me a lot of bombers. You will see in my next post that I was able to stop the IJA armored force in southern China but it was at the cost of over a dozen bombers. Most of the RAF bomber groups are at half strength now. My RAF bomber replacements consisted of only 4 Hudson IIIa /mo to date but starting in April I get 6 Wellington Ics/mo and then in May I will start getting 12 Blenheim IV replacements/mo. I sent 3 B-17 groups from the PI to India at the start of the war and they have been performing yeoman duty in China up till now. I need to get more USAAF bombers into India but in the early war I was sending all the B-26 squadrons into SOPAC. Even if you send some of the Bolos to India in the early war you really cant do much with them until the US starts getting 20 B-25c replacements /mo in 8/42. I will try to send B-17 groups into India but they will also be needed to take out the Japanese AFs at Rabaul, Shortlands, Lunga and Munda.

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