NOT JUST Submarines in the Pacific: FDRLincoln (Japan) vs. Bakerman (Allies)

[FDRLincoln]

A pair of Dutch submarines contribute and pick off cripples

ASW attack near Serasan at 56,85

Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CM Hatsutaka
xAP Naminoue Maru, on fire

Allied Ships
SS KXIV



SS KXIV launches 4 torpedoes at DD Yugiri
KXIV bottoming out ....
Sub escapes detection


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Sub attack near Singkawang at 56,87

Japanese Ships
PB Chosa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DMS W-4, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Eiko Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXVI



SS KXVI launches 4 torpedoes at PB Chosa Maru
KXVI bottoming out ....
PB Eiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Eiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Eiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Eiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Eiko Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[FDRLincoln]

I hoped my Betties and Nells could take some revenge, but air search was unable to locate the Dutch and no air strikes were launched.

On the positive side, the Davao landing got off to a good start. My Main Battle Fleet is making its way to Vietnam, where it and the First Battle Cruiser Squadron will support upcoming operations. There won't be any more slaughtered convoys.

[FDRLincoln]

He is still conducting a forward defense in Malaya. Once the Main Battle Fleet arrives in Vietnam I am going to land at Mersing (to cut off his Malaya army) and Palembang (to seize the oil fields and prevent Festung Palembang). These landings should be about January 1st and the troops are moderately-well-prepped. I hope to draw the ABDA fleets out to be pummeled by the Main Battle Fleet. Singkawang and Kuching airfields will be fully repaired by then and ready to provide air support for both operations.

That's the plan anyway. He's tricky and will throw a wrench in somewhere.

[EUBanana]

ORIGINAL: FDRLincoln
Subchaser CH9 gained about 20 points of experience from this action. It will be interesting to see if she is more effective at hunting subs.

That is interesting. I can barely get the xp of my ships to go up at all.

What was her experience before the action?

[FDRLincoln]

EU: in the 30s, like most other SCs.

[Mac Linehan]

FDRLincoln -

I missed this AAR, but have enjoyed catching up. Love the sub action; I am an AE Sub Boy also!

Will follow your adventures with interest.

Banzai!!!

Mac

[FDRLincoln]

A couple of days without much submarine action. One of my I-boats spotted a lone tanker near New Caledonia but did not attack. Other I-boats are being vectored in to try and intercept. Recon located what appears to be his Dutch and remnant British fleet hanging around the Batavia area. I-boats are in the area but no attacks yet.

In other news, Wake Island finally fell. Davao fell. Moulmein fell. He launched an attack on Ichang in China but I've got about 500 AV of troops behind level 4 forts and he took serious casualties.

[FDRLincoln]

A couple of days without much submarine action. One of my I-boats spotted a lone tanker near New Caledonia but did not attack. Other I-boats are being vectored in to try and intercept. Recon located what appears to be his Dutch and remnant British fleet hanging around the Batavia area. I-boats are in the area but no attacks yet.

In other news, Wake Island finally fell. Davao fell. Moulmein fell. He launched an attack on Ichang in China but I've got about 500 AV of troops behind level 4 forts and he took serious casualties.

[FDRLincoln]

There was a Dutch sub attack but fortunately the torps missed. These Dutchmen are annoying.

ASW attack near Soc Trang at 60,74

Japanese Ships
DD Asashio
CA Ashigara
CA Maya
DD Fubuki
DD Sagiri
DD Michishio
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
SS KXIII



SS KXIII launches 4 torpedoes at DD Asashio
KXIII bottoming out ....
DD Sagiri fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Michishio attacking submerged sub ....
DD Oshio fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Michishio fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Michishio fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Michishio fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Michishio fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[FDRLincoln]

Ground combat at 49,78 (near Kuala Lumpur)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3632 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 239

Defending force 269 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Japanese adjusted assault: 111

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 111 to 1

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


Allied ground losses:
320 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
42nd Infantry Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
5th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
1st Mysore Battalion

Mysore Battalion Surrenders

[FDRLincoln]

No turn today as my opponent is a church-going man.

Combined Fleet has reviewed and approved plans for Operation Northern Light. Submarines I-122, I-123, and I-124 have been ordered to Tokyo.

[FDRLincoln]

Another boring submarine day. No sinkings, just two ASW actions.

ASW attack near Kota Bharu at 53,74

Japanese Ships
xAK Hikosan Maru
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
SS KXII, hits 6



SS KXII is sighted by escort
DD Hatakaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hatakaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hatakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hatakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hatakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

The combat replay showed the sub taking damage, so hopefully something actually happened here.
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ASW attack near Fort Ord at 219,74

Japanese Ships
SS I-21

Allied Ships
DD Smith
DD Preston



SS I-21 launches 4 torpedoes at DD Smith
DD Preston fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

I have five submarines prowling the West Coast, and this is the first contact they've made. None of them have reported being detected until now. Where are his convoys?

[FDRLincoln]

In other news, the most interesting thing that happened today (December 28, 1941) was this:

The 6th Indian Brigade was cut off during the initial assault on Malaya. I could see it sitting in a jungle hex. I reconned this several times but there was no indication of movement. Once again, my air recon missed something: this brigade was actually in motion, reached Singora, and launched a suicidal attack on the garrison and airbase.

Fortunately I had recently dispatched the 17th Guards to Signora to clean these guys out of the jungle. The garrison held and should be able to mop them up next turn.

My opponent is wily indeed.

Ground combat at Singora (51,72)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1525 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 68

Defending force 5792 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 161

Allied adjusted assault: 17

Japanese adjusted defense: 57

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
6th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
17th Indpt Guards Regiment
82nd JAAF AF Bn
84th JAAF AF Bn

[FDRLincoln]

I have other submarines near Brisbane (no contacts), New Caledonia (I saw a tanker a couple of turns ago), Pago Pago (no contacts), and Palmyra (no contacts) in addition to the west coast subs. There are multiple subs in each patrol area, and they move around each turn. The Glen-equipped boats aren't finding anything. Nobody is finding anything. I also have two AMCs patrolling near Dutch Harbor (no contacts) and two others in the general sea lanes approaching Australia (no contacts). Nobody has reported being spotted by Allied aircraft.

Where the hell is he? You AFBs got any ideas?

[FDRLincoln]

Another extremely annoying Dutch submarine attack

Submarine attack near Siaoe at 77,99

Japanese Ships
xAK Shozan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS KVII



xAK Shozan Maru is sighted by SS KVII
SS KVII launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Shozan Maru
Shozan Maru sinks

[FDRLincoln]

Enemy carriers spotted!!

Lexington and Enterprise take on Mini-KB near Namlea. Weather prevents a US airstrike, but mini-KB's attack does no damage. The Kates fly with bombs instead of torps (I have plenty of torp ammo so that is annoying) and miss. Shipping in this area has been set to run away. Will he pursue, or will he withdraw in the face of the Bettys I have in this area?

At least I know where his carriers are now!

Morning Air attack on TF, near Namlea at 76,107

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
B5N1 Kate x 14



Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 18


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Lexington
CV Enterprise



Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 12000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
3 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 12000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
1 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 12000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F2A-3 Buffalo (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
VF-6 with F4F-3A Wildcat (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers

[FDRLincoln]

The Chinese impale themselves on the defenses at Ichang.

Ground combat at Ichang (83,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 12350 troops, 78 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1785

Defending force 20201 troops, 154 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 703

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 1712

Allied assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 3)

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


Allied ground losses:
7178 casualties reported
Squads: 592 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 210 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 33 (14 destroyed, 19 disabled)


Assaulting units:
2nd Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
75th Chinese Corps
26th Group Army

Defending units:
34th Division
14th Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th RGC Temp. Division

[FDRLincoln]

Intelligence reports that US submarine Triton has been reported sunk, cause of death a 250kg bomb. I hope this is accurate and reflects success for my airborne ASW patrols.

[FDRLincoln]

The presence of his US carriers in the DEI clarifies my operational plans. Planned amphibious actions for January 1-2 will be postponed by 48 hours to allow additional air assets to deploy properly to counter US CV threat.

[FDRLincoln]

December 30 1941 was Not a good day for the Empire. It gets off to a bad start with I-155 striking a mine and sinking.

TF 52 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (64,97)

Japanese Ships
SS I-155, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage