1943 March 18
The Empire captured:
The Allies captured:
Nauru Island
Nikunau
There were Imperial amphibious operations at:
There were Allied amphibious operations at:
Nauru Island
Ocean Island
What seemed a tank-only attack near Chihkiang, the stubborn refusal of stout-hearted defenders to retreat near Patung, a river-crossing on the western flank, and the peasants on the plain must remember to sharpen their pitchforks!
Ground combat at 77,50 (near Chihkiang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 768 troops, 0 guns, 142 vehicles, Assault Value = 688
Defending force 33353 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1002
Japanese adjusted assault: 47
Allied adjusted defense: 1423
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 30
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Allied ground losses:
180 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Assaulting units:
57th Infantry Brigade
61st Infantry Brigade
12th Tank Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
Defending units:
68th Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
7th War Area
29th Group Army
20th Group Army
26th Group Army
27th Group Army
23rd Group Army
30th Group Army
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Ground combat at 80,47 (near Patung)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32061 troops, 279 guns, 51 vehicles, Assault Value = 759
Defending force 21949 troops, 163 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 102
Japanese adjusted assault: 511
Allied adjusted defense: 235
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
529 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Allied ground losses:
631 casualties reported
Squads: 67 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Assaulting units:
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
110th Division
15th/C Division
17th/B Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th/C Division
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
18th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
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Ground combat at Tuyun (74,51)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1146 troops, 88 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 712
Defending force 49909 troops, 306 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1450
Assaulting units:
114th Infantry Regiment
22nd/A Division
3rd/B Division
1st Mobile Infantry Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
104th/C Division
4th Mortar Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Defending units:
24th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
91st Chinese Corps
95th Chinese Corps
1st Artillery Regiment
21st Group Army
18th Artillery Regiment
3rd War Area
20th Artillery Regiment
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Ground combat at 72,50 (near Kweiyang)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 3867 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 127
Defending force 7398 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 156
Japanese adjusted assault: 94
Allied adjusted defense: 85
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
148 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment
Defending units:
2nd Reserve Division
100th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese/B Corps
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Ground combat at 75,43 (near Neikiang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8181 troops, 64 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 259
Defending force 751 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4
Japanese adjusted assault: 240
Allied adjusted defense: 3
Japanese assault odds: 80 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
277 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
41st/B Division
41st/C Division
Defending units:
14th Construction Regiment
16th Construction Regiment
2nd Construction Regiment
10th Construction Regiment
Nearly all available 2EB and 4EB pounded the unlucky 56th to aid in 2nd British Div's assault. The raw AV reported is artificially high because of the other division still in-hex but marching on. Only 2nd British attacked. They are in good shape and will continue attacking.
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Ground combat at 57,43 (near Kalemyo)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 13911 troops, 231 guns, 147 vehicles, Assault Value = 831
Defending force 3849 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 117
Allied adjusted assault: 424
Japanese adjusted defense: 223
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
300 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
23rd Indian Division
2nd British Division
Defending units:
56th Infantry Regiment
The weather finally permitted strikes against Munda, although still severe overall.
Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 8
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 4 destroyed
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
23 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 20000 feet *
CAP engaged:
5th Sentai/C with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 2 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 12
B-24D Liberator x 24
No Japanese losses
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 16
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x LB-30 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 11
B-24D Liberator x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 18
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
H8K1 Emily: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 24
B-24D1 Liberator x 12
No Japanese losses
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Munda , at 111,134
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
H8K1 Emily: 1 destroyed on ground
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 4
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
The defense on Nauru was squashed, but Ocean Island turned out to be very much defended! Our force landed there was too small and too little prepared. The troops at Ocean Island must rest, even though more of the 2nd/102nd remain to unload. So, unloading will cease for at least a day but probably two days. Two cruiser forces will bombard Ocean Island tonight/tomorrow and when the troops are ready to attack, the old battleships of Short's Long Guns will move in. A B-26 squadron has moved to Abemama and will begin striking. A USMC Para Bn on Tabiteuea has changed prep to Ocean (33%) and will stand by for amphibious pickup. AK Formalhaut is badly damaged and has disbanded in Nauru's anchorage.
Ground combat at Ocean Island (130,130)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1725 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Defending force 1734 troops, 4 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 68
Assaulting units:
46th Naval Guard Unit
Defending units:
110th Cmbt Engineer Battalion
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
2nd/102nd Infantry Bn /1
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Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 12217 troops, 202 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 370
Defending force 1394 troops, 16 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 33
Allied adjusted assault: 994
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 994 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Nauru Island !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1421 casualties reported
Squads: 67 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 89 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (17 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
312 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Assaulting units:
43rd Infantry Division
Defending units:
Kure 5th SNLF
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Ground combat at Ocean Island (130,130)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 1156 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 68
Defending force 1725 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Allied adjusted assault: 16
Japanese adjusted defense: 169
Allied assault odds: 1 to 10 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
125 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
418 casualties reported
Squads: 26 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
110th Cmbt Engineer Battalion
2nd/102nd Infantry Bn /1
Defending units:
46th Naval Guard Unit
Still, oddly to my mind, the fleet elements that are not in-hex at Nauru or Ocean Island make no reports of being spotted.
There is a 7-ship task force at Woodlark Island, consisting of at least 1 x CL. Presumption is they are aimed at our troop carriers (empty) recently spied moving up the east coast of Australia in preparation for operations against Horn Island. They are presently at Cooktown with warships in 2 x SCTF. Submarines are ordered to mine Woodlark.
Here is a look at Burma. As you can see, it is now clear that DAW HQ has recognized the danger posed to the Imperial units 92mi SE of Cox's Bazar (aka 92mi NE Akyab) and those units are now moving. The 4EB will shift their attacks to those targets, while the 2EB continue assisting 2nd British Division. The idea is for the 4EB to delay the Imperials long enough for the first of the Indian divisions, the 17th, to get in front of them and cut off their escape. An armored unit is already moving to make the river crossing (from 46mi NE Akyab to 46mi E Akyab) and has accumulated 12 miles. The three infantry divisions in-hex with it (USA Americal, USA 27th ID, 14th Indian Div) will set off soon, their speed through the jungle being greater. Notice that E of Kalemyo one or two Imperial units are moving to cut the road above Kalemyo. Measures are being taken.
