Summary December 1941
Sorry, but the game is moving so fast that I can't keep up with AAR. In addition, the situation with the submarine fleet is not happy and unfortunately there would not be much to write home about. So it looks like it's going to flip to a classic AAR for us.
Naval War
The Japanese started the war campaign really hard. The Kido Butai struck the fleet in Manila and sank most of the ships, including the submarine fleet. The Kido Butai sailed through the DEI and anything that wasn't fast enough was sunk. I was thus forced, at least temporarily, to withdraw all ships to Australia. Ports in Balikpapan, Surabaya, Batavia and Palembang were destroyed.
For that reason, there were practically no level battles. CL Boise was badly damaged by aircraft from the carriers on the first day, but Kapinan managed to maneuver carefully around the north coast of Borneo as far as Singkawang, where she badly damaged the destroyer Nowaki in a small skirmish.
A Japanese surface TF ventured in pursuit of freighters as far as the west coast of Australia. So I sent three level TFs to try to drive him off. Losses on both sides are similar. The Allies lost a light cruiser and three destroyers. The Japanese lost four destroyers and several heavy cruisers were damaged. Unfortunately, Force Z couldn't catch him anymore. So Force Z moved to Java, where he dispersed the Japanese invasion fleet. Unfortunately, it took half a day to destroy the entire 4th division on the decks.
Day Time Surface Combat, near Carnarvon at 47,133, Range 15,000 Yards
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 1, on fire
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Kako, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Oboro, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Uzuki, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Alden, Shell hits 1
DD Barker, Shell hits 1
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Edsall, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Parrott, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Whipple, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Stewart, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
Day Time Surface Combat, near Banjoewangi at 57,107, Range 18,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Goyo Maru, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Hitati Maru, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
xAK Akagisan Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Sinsyu Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Kasagi Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Terukawa Maru, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAK Syohei Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK London Maru, Shell hits 42, and is sunk
xAK Syozui Maru, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Sensan Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Taikei Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
LSD Akitsu Maru, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Asama Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
xAP Buenos Aires Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
xAP Huzi Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
PB Kinsyo Maru #2, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
E Uruyame, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
DMS Taneko, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Katsutade, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 3
BC Repulse
CL Danae, Shell hits 1
CL Dragon
CL Durban, Shell hits 2
DD Vampire
DD Tenedos
DD Electra
DD Express
I try to take advantage of the fact that the Japanese have the main forces in the SRA and use aircraft carriers. Aircraft from the USS Enterprise attacked and destroyed the convoy near Tarawa. Unfortunately, even a quick move didn't prevent the capture of Rabaul and I only sank a few empty ships. The USS Lexington first picked up the planes at Wake and as I did not expect the enemy to dare to attack here I moved elsewhere. I thus missed the opportunity to destroy the invasion fleet. But in the end, Wake defended himself.
I decided to try a different tactic than in the previous game. Since I can't deploy my aircraft carriers against the Kido Butai, even if they operate together, I'll keep each with its escort and attack where the Japanese aircraft won't be. The attacks will be weaker, but I can be in more places. We'll see how it works.
Akagi is just wishful thinking
Air War
The absolute supremacy of Japanese aircraft over Burma, Malaysia and the Philippines does not allow any major operations. I limit myself there to smaller skirmishes, when I managed to catch Japanese bombers without an escort several times. Otherwise, the main losses were caused by the Japanese themselves with too bold air raids on Manila and Singapore. Of course, I tried to attack the Japanese invasion forces, but the quality of the planes and crews is very bad. So my best bomber is the P-35As, which hit several transport ships in Lingayen Gulf. I withdrew all P-40s and B-17s from the Philippines. They would bleed unnecessarily here.
Another place where I try to unsettle the enemy a bit is China. Two AVG squadrons moved to China, where they try to attack mainly Japanese air raids at irregular intervals. Most of the escort is Ki-27 and we can handle that. I am gradually transferring the Chinese squadrons and sending them to India for training. I don't want to use up valuable supplies.
Correct there are about 514 Japanese aircraft ???
Burma & Malaya
Nothing special here. The Japanese land all along the coast of Malaya from Singor to Mersing. I managed to withdraw absolutely all units to the safety of Singapore. Only the three units retreating from Kota Bhar will fight and blockade central Malaya. There is no enemy in Burma yet. The Japanese are intensively bombing Rangoon and I expect some para-drops. I have decided not to fight for southern Burma, and will only build defenses around Mandalay. But I'm starting the main fortification work in Myitkina. I'm hoping the Air Force will help me defend here.
DEI
Japanese aircraft carriers cruised through the DEI, sinking everything in their path. The Japanese then land only on Borneo in Singkawang, Kuching and Miri, and also on Sorong Island. After 14 days, the expected landing in Palembang came, but the first wave is very weak and the majority consists only of the rear units. The opponent probably didn't count on the fact that my transport and floatplanes would work like bees. The defense is already around 500 and I hope to increase it even more.
In the second half of the month, the Japanese continue to land along the entire coast of Borneo, in three places in Java and also on the southern tip of Sumatra. The Allies, on the other hand, landed the British 18th Division at the last moment, which should significantly strengthen the defense of Palembang. The Japanese must bleed here.
Philippines
Nothing surprising here either. After the crushing blow of Kido Butai, the Japanese land all along the coast of Luzon from north to south. The main bases have been bombed by at least a hundred planes every day since the first days. Since I need to build a fortification at Clark Field, I try a little psychological game. I'm sending P-35A fighters to Manila and from there on a mission against Japanese transports. About 5 ships are damaged, but above all, from then on, the Japanese concentrate only on Manila for more than a week, and at Clark Field a fortification is quickly built to the size of 3. All troops withdraw to Clark Field and Bataan. I am waiting in Manila for a new division to be formed and on December 20th I will clear Manila as well.
The rest of the islands are quiet. The uninhabited islands come under Japanese control gradually and automatically. The Japanese occupy Davao, which I leave to them and gradually withdraw everything to Cagayan.
Pacific
As the Kido Butai is deployed in the SRA there is little Japanese activity in the Pacific. Rabaul, Shortland and Tulagi are occupied, as well as Baker Island and Canton Island. Wake Atoll was successfully defended. I expect the situation to change as Kido Butai was last reported off Formosa. I don't know what that means yet, but if the Japanese wanted to deploy her in a southerly direction, I would assume she would sail to Truk.
So there is the possibility of some activity in the north and if I was paranoid enough, an additional attack on Pearl Harbor. But the survey is active in Hawaii, Midway and Johnston Island, and I suppose I would be warned in time. The North Pacific is under submarine surveillance. I can't do more yet.
China
I'm watching some Japanese moves, but it's too early for any big ground battles. But the air force is very active and unfortunately so numerous that even my Flying Tigers cannot stop it. In the north I register an attempt by tank units to bypass my positions and the 29th division is trying to open a road to the north. So far unsuccessful.
On the Sian front, I managed to delay the enemy and retreat towards the city, where I will try to build a defense. I see the largest number of units advancing on Changsha so far. The survey reports 16 units.
In the south, there is still a little groping. First I have to find out the center of gravity of the Japanese attack. I'll stick to the basic idea of lane blocking and cruising to make supply difficult if he gets around me. Changsha, Sian and Kweiyang never leave.
Sub War
As I mentioned at the beginning, on the first day Kido Butai attacked the port of Manila. This is a total disaster for my submarines. Nineteen submarines are sunk directly in the raid, five more sunk as a result of damage over the next few days. I will not mention their names here. The USS Porpoise miraculously survived the raid and, together with USS S-36 and USS S-39, which were at sea, are now the only submarines in the Philippines and Formosa area. Another four submarines are damaged and trying to get to Australia for repairs.
As expected, Dutch submarines claim the most success. They manage to damage two large aircraft carriers and several cargo ships are sunk. Unfortunately, my losses continue. S-39 is sunk by planes from Kido Butai, USS Porpoise is damaged in the same area. So I withdraw the last submarine from the Philippines and concentrate on DEI.
