Sand in the Vaseline - Wobbly vs PzB

[wobbly]

Hi all - as i wrote in PzBs thread we are going to do separate threads, one from the allied perspective: mine, and one frem the Jap perspective: his. We will not look at each others AAR but you are welcome to. From this you should see the blunders as they build and the victories as we pull them off (blind luck in my case most likely). Please do inform us of information that is likely to change the course of events... With no further ado:

Yesterday, a day that will live in Infamy, the treacherous Jap attacked Pearl Harbour and locations in the Phillipines, Malaya, Bornea and other less well known locations.

Dum de dum...

Well PzB has done a number on me at Pearl. Two BBs gone up in smoke due to magazine explosions: Pennsylvania and West Virginnia, 2 more in the 80s damaged, two more in the mid fifties and 2 that can muster 14 knots.

I sortie the two that are functional with a DD escort and head them due south making their TF run at full speed - they have used all 1000 of their ops so this may be an extremely foolish thing to do. I do expect he will stay around and try another attack on Pearl - there is literally nothing airworthy to stop him. I form the subs into singular TFs and send them to places close to Pearl and hopefully whereever he sends the KB. I also build a PG and PT surface force to hopeful dissuade the BBs from coming into port or to absorb any naval attack planes he has set.
I have also done a possibly foolish thing with the B-17s in the US moving them to Pearl and putting them on Naval attack at 5000. I just hope to persuade him that staying is dangerous. It isn't dangerous from a carrier perspective, they are running to the west at full speed - one is going via Wake, Enterprise I think, the other is going via Tarawa to the South Pacific. This is exceedingly dangerous but I am going to trail my coat through South east asia and make him follow me - he should run out fuel before I do.

In the US I create some large transport missions to bolster Pearl, Auckland and eventually Brisbane. I also create a fuel transport mission to go to Pago Pago, which will become a refueling stop. Little else to do in the South Pacific with no assets to speak of until the Aussies and Kiwis merge.

In the Dutch provinces the main points of interest will be Kanimbla (I think - my computer wont let me play and alt tab too well) it is the base below Balikpapan that produces resources. It has a size 4 airfield. It is also about to be invaded and I intend to close the place. First Dutch air assets are placed within range - mainly Balikpapan. they will try and bomb the invaders. Second I am creating a surface unit to visit. I don't really want to tango with his surface forces but I do want to badly damage the place so he can't fly Nells or Betties out of there. It is also loaded with supplies so I have to cull some.

In Singapore The surface forces are made into a fast transport group and will take the 1st malay unit to the top of java (again the name escapes me). Then it too will join in the bombardments further south. I do have to watch out for his little carriers as they could ruin the party. To this end I move a few of my long range dutch search planes to the likely areas of egress.
A transport fleet of 2 APs is also trying ot load troops at Singapore, now that I have closed and sent the turn I think I should have waited a couple of turns. The troops at Kuala Lumpur and the place below it are marching to Kuantun. My level bombers are moving out of the coastal airfields and are set to ground attack the landing troops at Kuantun. He appears to have only landed a few troops here and i want to hurt them as much as I can before the larger force at Khota Bharo hammer my units there - they have zero supplies at the base! I have moved dutch level bombers up to the island to the West of Malaya and they will help to attack Malayan targets. My Wilderbeasts will be on naval attack but I don't expect much - they are usually hammered if there is CAP and I expect there to be.

In india I create a large transport fleet to provide supplies to Tricomalee and send APs back North ready to load up with troops for the front lines. I also create some Fuel and supply Tfs to go to Rangoon. the fuel tfs are to empty the place and the supply Tfs are taking in some to try and allow the units there some extended life.

In the Phillipines I have sortied the important tankers support vessels and some PGs to try for Balikpapan - the P-40s are flying LRCAP. I individually sortie each sub and aim them in the water between Borneo and the Phillipines and choke points further South, i am of the opinion most people hammer the waters in between the Phillipines and Formosa so this is the likely location of his ASW forces. The B-17s in the South are changed to South Pacific command and moved to balikpapan (important place this). Alot of ships are staying where they are for a turn or two. My exposed units at Aparri and those other northern bases head back towards Clark.

In China I move a few units around - man I have no idea what to do here!

[rogueusmc]

Are ya gonna do this AAR in narrative form too?...I enjoyed that format before but it's probably alot of work.

I'm debating on helping you in this AAR...might bite me in butt...lol

[wobbly]

Day two and the smoke still hangs over pearl harbour like a pall, the interesting thing is it was not added to...
PzBs carriers are sighted heading away - at full speed it appears - to the Northwest and a possible invasion of Midway?? The good thing about this is that the two mildly damaged BBs that traveled south get away and can continue on to the US. I assemble two ASW TFs and head one east and one west to try and find some targets.
Now, as a pointer, don't try and rush your turn through so you can go to work.. I wanted to slow my carriers down to mission speed and forgot, I also wanted to change the P-40 sqd at manila to LRCAP another departing transport mission - woops.

The Japs run rampant in the Phillipines and make serious headway in Malaya. I am very worried about being cut off, I mean I know it is a sure thing eventually but I don't want to loose troops because I couldn't retreat! This happened in Lungayen, PzB's troops take the base but my unit does not retreat, I take it this is because there are enemy units at Naga? If so this is important information to know. His forces also take Aparri, Vigan, Jolo and Davao - the last is dangerous as he has an airbase unit here and instantly ACs are listed as basing here (none fly however).

Some sub activity is starting to occur - I loose a dutch sub but my fleeing Phillippino transports manage to return the favour.

Sub attack at 25,47

Japanese Ships
DD Hagikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Maikaze

Allied Ships
SS KXIII, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese Ships
SS I-123, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
AVD Heron

Bombers hit the naval yards at manila and the two ships hit are seriously damaged. Another large group sorties with balikpapan as their homebase.

Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
G4M1 Betty x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Anakan, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Compagnia Filipinas, Bomb hits 1, on fire


Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
5 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

And I find his second carrier group (well they find me !! they are South East of the Phillipines heading towards the South Pacific. With this knowledge I sortie more of the transports from Manila to head South West and the ships that hadn't moved in Naga now all sortie heading towards Pearl - they will have to watch out for the retreating KB!

Day Air attack on TF at 44,63

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 15
B5N Kate x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Mauban, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage - this ships has to be scuttled.

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
2 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 5000 feet
9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
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Many small enemy units head ashore at Kuantun - the defenders will be overwhelmed soon. My defenders at Khota Bharu all retreated to Alor Star - I wonder if their attackers will follow. If they do they wont be coming to Kuantan and the two more Indian brigades that are 30 miles out of Kuantun could make taking the place difficult...

Ground combat at Kuantan

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3057 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 12365 troops, 55 guns, 208 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

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TF 143 troops unloading over beach at Kendari, 33,71


Japanese ground losses:
111 casualties reported

Here is the invasion I was alluding to in the previous day's listings (I think I named it Kanimbla) anyway - many planes attack but none hit anything and my bombers at Balikpapan decide to hit the ships at Kuching (there are some BBs there and they would rather bomb something they can't hurt). I can't reduce the range either as they are equidistant. I have scouted 2 CAs there but hope that this is not the case and they are actually DDs as my Dutch surface force is slated to sweep in tonight. With 3 CLs and 10 DDs I hope to meet out some damage!
In other news the evacuation of Singapore went well with all ships leaving unharrassed including the APs now fully loaded with the 2nd Malay brigade!!! I'll try to strike while the iron is hot - two APs sitting at Palambang also head to Singapore - it would be excellent if I could get the Aussies as well!
The AVD sqd of Tomahawks also moves to Rangoon while the Buffalos retreat to Mandalay - I want this sqd to protect my transport fleets, all of which have disembarked and are on their way.

[wobbly]

roguemc: Hey mate!! [:)]

Well you could help me with things we have already passed. No I don't seem to have the imagination to create the good stories in narrative so I was going to keep writing thoughts and plans.

[Andy Mac]

Hi guys good AAR

If i may ask the commander his intentions given the evac you are trying to do in Singapore how long would you be happy to hold out for ?

Mid Jan or is that to far away ?

[Luskan]

Hold out shmout. If wobbly gets the aussies out, he suddenly gives himself several defensive options, and if he is fast enough Pzb won't know he's done it until after singapore falls. There is nothing worse as the jap player than planning a nice little offensive carefully, sending in just the right amount of troops and stepping on an aussie INF that you didn't realise was there. I think I've just done this in sumatra myself vs Raver (he said he sent them to java or burma).

Best place for the aussies is rangoon. Time it right and you can have all those tank units and arty units from karachi arriving at Rangoon a turn or two before the japs arrive there via rahieng. If the aussies are already there and you're bulding your fort, you'ce got a size 6 fort and 80000 tough defenders, while the japs only ever bring a division at most. I've got Doomed (he is the japs) all tied up at Moulmein AND rangoon where he has attacked both and lacked the strength to take either. I bombard every turn and hammer his two seperated divisions down a little every turn and every day my forts get bigger etc. etc.

WARNING: do not land any reinforcements at Akyab. The place is a death trap. The trail leading out of it takes about 3 months to travel end to end because trail movement is so slow. Too easy to bombard and bomb too.

PzB isn't dumb - he's going to be waiting for you at balikpapan however.

[Thayne]

I must protest.

I have been sitting here for a week thinking, "Hey, you know, it would be great to get into a PBEM game where each player could post their own DAR, explaining what they are doing and why, so that the readers can be both sides . . . so long as each player has the integrity not to look at the other player's DAR or indirectly try to mine information from it."

Here, you go and take my idea.

I do think such thing could make interesting reading.

Thayne
Editor in Chief
Thayne News Campaign Reports

[rogueusmc]

Wobbly and Herbie did this in UV. It was fun.

Wobbly's was in a narrative form alot like yours but from a first person perspective of certain characters during the conflict.

[herbieh]

hey!
Wobbly and I did a classic of this at UV, and will be at it for ages yet on a current game. It is very much fun way to do it. BUT ONLY FOR HONORABLY MINDED MEN . Wobbly has high honour.[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

ORIGINAL: Thayne

I must protest.

I have been sitting here for a week thinking, "Hey, you know, it would be great to get into a PBEM game where each player could post their own DAR, explaining what they are doing and why, so that the readers can be both sides . . . so long as each player has the integrity not to look at the other player's DAR or indirectly try to mine information from it."

Here, you go and take my idea.

I do think such thing could make interesting reading.

Thayne
Editor in Chief
Thayne News Campaign Reports

[wobbly]

Thanks for the words guys, especially herbie - this is stealing a bit of his thunder as he and I did the first version of this in the UV forum, where, as he said, we have another version still running.
Luskan has essentially given the game away, I am moving the malayans asn the aussies out to ship them up to Burma. I like to defend teh crossroads hex to the north of Rangoon as well. To this end there are most of the Indian APs heading up to Karachi to get the tank units there.
My surface attack against the Jap landings at Kendari are both a success and a failure - I manage to meet and sink both destroyers he had guarding the invasion but don't manage to get amongst the transport ships. Unfortunately the invasion has gone ahead and is a success - Kendari falls and now I will have to go well out of my way to send ships to Australia in their attempt to deprive the Japs of resources and oil.

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Kendari at 33,71

Japanese Ships
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
DD Umikaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 1
DD Alden
DD Barker
DD Bulmer
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott
DD Whipple
DD Stewart, Shell hits 1
DD Banckert
DD Witte de With
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein

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Ground combat at Kendari

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8507 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1103 troops, 10 guns, 2 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kendari base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Guns lost 5


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Around the PI some of my eastwardly fleeing ships are found by his torpedo planes and sunk. The bad weather that was hiding the ships has now abated and I can see more destruction on the horizon. His small carrier TF has also changed direction popping up between the PI and Sulawesi. This location is extremely bad as I have many transports trying to make for Balikpapan and this will undoubtably mean I get them sunk. (Luskan the mind reading banana strikes again).

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Day Air attack on TF at 22,51

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 10
Ki-48 Lily x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP Van Diemen, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2
AP Speelman

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet
4 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet

This is one of the APs going to Singapore to try and evacuate men - it isn't too badly hit at present and will soon come under the dubious cover of the buffalos still stationed there.

My carriers are in position to hit any forces around Wake and Tarawa next turn. I have been thinking about what I do with the carriers and I will take one South and the other all the way over to the Bay of Bengal. If I can sneak it over there it might give him a nasty shock if (when!) he decides to get amongst the shipping there. Speaking of this my first tankers are arriving at Rangoon in the next turn so the AVD is put up to defend them.

[wobbly]

major faux pas!

D@mn, I forgot to tell the Repulse and POW group not make a home base in Java. They drop off the 1st Malayan Brigade and then try to return to Singapore, the Nells find them and hammer 4 fish into the Repulse - I have not opened the next turn (I am at work and it is in my inbox) but PzB informs me that she did not make it to palambang like I had hoped - She only had 56 float damage so i can only surmise he hit her again.
He also pops up again by Pearl -Woah - did not expect this. I imagine he is after returning carriers but the Enterprise has passed Wake and the Lex refueled at the island north of Tarawa and continues west. The plan here was to interupt the invasion of Rabaul but PzB again informs me that the aussies there have capitulated so I am likely to meet enemy ACs operating out of there if I continue too far.
Some sub and anti-sub activity with me sinking a couple of his and him sinking one of mine and an ML and DD.

In the Phillipeans I send another bunch of merchies out - LRCAPing them from Manila - PzB informs me that he hit them (in the new turn) but I don't know which ones. It is a run of the gauntlet down the gap between the Phillipines and Borneo. Which brings me back to teh Repulse - now my firepower I can aim at Kendari has been seriously dented - humph. I really want to close Kendari down but you have to face up to a swarm of Jap Naval bombers to do so - is my ploy an impossibility?

The APs heading to Singapore are hit again my low flying Lilis and they stop in at Sing to get a bit of repair and flood reduction done. No need to race my evacuation - better he revert his planes to land bombing missions for a bit.

In Oz I pay political points to change the HQ of the small Oz Brigade at brisbane, they and the base unit plus the Aus HQ are loaded into APs and sent to PM.

China is still a mess with one unit ddeciding a move to the East is best done by moving through Canton - no doubt it will get slapped.

Hong Kong and Naga continue to hold however but again i don't see this lasting much longer.

I'll look at the new turn when I get home and update with anything new from the front...

[wobbly]

A day of transport force mayhem and ground forces bravery.

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Night Time Surface Combat at 39,56

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare

Allied Ships
MSW Tanager, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bisayas, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Capillo
AK Ethel Edwards
AK Palawan, Shell hits 1
AK Princess of Negros

More ill luck as PzB gets a mid ocean night intercept of one of my retreating transport TFs. The MSW joins the AK at the bottom of the Phillipine Sea.
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ASW attack at 110,70

Japanese Ships
SS I-171, hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Dewey
DD Hull
DD Selfridge
DD Phelps
DD Allen

I get another sub around Pearl - there still seems plenty of targets to choose from. Just an addendum to the debate about the effectiveness of Allied ASW, this was a night attack and none of these destroyers has greater than 35 night experience AFTER the successful attack (it probably went up).

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Day Air attack on TF at 23,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
G3M Nell x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
ML Krakatau, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet

This poor bugger has been trying to get into Singkawang for the last turn but has been scared off by surface raiders, this time for good reason as the BB - Ise and Hyuga visit. The next day naval bombers find and despatch her.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Sawu Island at 27,75

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Sinabang, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

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Day Air attack on TF at 34,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
G3M Nell x 6
G4M1 Betty x 12

Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 8 destroyed

Allied Ships
AP President Madison, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
TK Mindanao
AO Pecos, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

the unerring capability of his twin engine naval bombers adds to the loss of my transport fleet - there is no hiding from the menace in the sky - weather stays a balmy "partly cloudy".
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Ground combat at Naga

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22018 troops, 210 guns, 1 vehicles

Defending force 9769 troops, 87 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Guns lost 5


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Ground combat at Hong Kong

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39307 troops, 435 guns, 12 vehicles

Defending force 12526 troops, 79 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
314 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Allied ground losses:
286 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Wow, both Hong Kong and Naga hold despite borderline odds, Nagas defenders are actually 30 miles out of the hex on their way to Manila - being forced to retreat ruins morale something shocking and theirs is still OK - I hope they make it.
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Ground combat at Yenen

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 65431 troops, 783 guns, 15 vehicles

Defending force 31547 troops, 193 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1163 casualties reported
Guns lost 36
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
280 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

The days good defensive effort continues with the Chinese defenders of Yenen giving the Japs a bloody nose. I am sending reinforcements but I don't hold out much hope as the odds are nearly 2-1 and the forts are falling.

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Ground combat at Alor Star

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19135 troops, 261 guns, 7 vehicles

Defending force 9780 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4


Japanese ground losses:
555 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

And again in Malaya - what a great day for the ground pounders.
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Ok, I am in dire straits in the race to get ships out of the Phillipines, if I am not careful more will sink than escape. I think I have sighted his CVE TF below Kendari as well, it isn't as if he needed more help in this area - he is pounding me.
A surface TF is moving into position down there for a bombarment run - this is a worry as I have scouted warships at Kendari and of course the naval bombers can "reach out and touch me". What I really need is some bad weather. To help in the job I move the Martins that were in Java back to Balikpapan to hit Kendari - maybe a pointless exercise with zeros there.

In Singapore I create a transport Tf of the two damaged APs and load the aussies aboard, all 3 sqds of buffalos are put on LRCAP - they have reasonable morale so may stay to fight. The two Malay brigades are on their way to Rangoon - baring long range bombers - he just took Victoria point.
The tankers at Rangoon are filling and leaving - the AVG has defended them completely so far, it remains to be seen how well they will do when the Malayans and hopefully the Aussies arrive.
My two Carrier TFs continue Westward; Spruance down South now has an airbase at Rabaul to contend with - I don't want to be sandwiched between there and Truk if i can help it.
I don't know what PzB is up to with the KB. I have a large enemy force heading eastwards about 20 hexes North East of Pearl. At present my recon is scouting no Carriers amongst it but I think it is KB (or part of it). They are getting into the shipping lanes between the US and Pearl. All of my transport Tfs have been filled now and are heading due South - it may be touch and go as to whether I get around KB if he keeps heading this way. I will have to watch out for the Yorktown, which is heading to Pearl with the BB Colorado and 4 DDs as escort.

[wobbly]

Another depressing day for the forces of light. The evil empire makes hay while the sun shines and the small amount of shade that was in the offering has now also departed - clear weather in the SRA forecast.


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Sub attack at 23,56

Japanese Ships
SS I-162

Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

This was one of the three DDs form Hong Kong - as it's former home expires so does it. That is 2 from 3 for PzB - the other has made it safely to Soerboja.

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Day Air attack on 6th Tank Regiment, at 24,48


Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 17
Blenheim IV x 12
Hudson I x 10


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 5

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Blenheim IV bombing at 10000 feet
6 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
7 x Hudson I bombing at 10000 feet
5 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Hudson I bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet

He is moving his tank battalions down the East coast of Malaya and I am killing some of the men and machines - targeted again for this turn.

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Day Air attack on TF, near Songkhia at 24,43


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Enju Maru, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 15000 feet

A small smile in the gloom, a hudson, all the way from Rangoon manages to hit one of the transports at Songkhia from 15,000.
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Day Air attack on TF at 43,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
G3M Nell x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Luzon, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Day Air attack on TF at 37,60

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
G3M Nell x 9
G4M1 Betty x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Ethel Edwards
AK Princess of Negros, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Capillo, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Palawan, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Day Air attack on TF at 24,77

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 14
B5N Kate x 34

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Van Ghent, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Modjekerto
AK Boero, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK Parigi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
TK Iris, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Loa Koeloe, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sigli
AK Soerabaja

Day Air attack on TF at 33,65

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G4M1 Betty x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Sagoland, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
MSW Quail, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

A truly awful day to be a merchantman. I have come to the conclusion that I moved too quickly for a non-historic turn. That is all I have played before this PBEM and the difference it makes when the Jap can move to southerly bases and put down Nells and Betties cannot be denied. As you will also notice I HAD seen his CVEs and they saw a large TF loaded with fuel bound for Darwin - he makes one hell of a mess and the fires on the fuel laden ships are insurmountable. I break the TF up and scatter.

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ASW attack at 111,70

Japanese Ships
SS I-8, hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Dewey
DD Hull
DD Selfridge
DD Phelps
DD Allen
DMS Wasmuth
DMS Chandler
DMS Perry
DMS Dorsey
DMS Lamberton
DMS Boggs
DMS Trevor
DMS Zane
DMS Hopkins
DMS Hovey
DMS Southard

ASW strikes again around Pearl - this time in the day - these guys are getting good experience. I make two more TFs to step up the hunt - Pearl is not where you want to be Mr Scandinavian!
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Ground combat at Hong Kong

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39183 troops, 427 guns, 12 vehicles

Defending force 12106 troops, 64 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Allied ground losses:
16543 casualties reported
Guns lost 53
Vehicles lost 1

Hong Kong at last capitulates - now the enemy troops located there will be destined for the SRA or more China bashing - he also gets a very handy repair yard!

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Elsewhere in Yenen he gets rid of the final fortress level and has almost twice my forces so a few more lost will bring about 2-1 odds and that will be that.
Alor Star lost another 70 men and a fortress level.
My attempt to load the Aussies up has somewhat failed - one ship got hit by torpedo bombers so will remain in Singapore and unload while the other, under the dubious cover of the Buffalos, will try a run up the Malaca straits, me thinks some dingos are about to take a bath!
My surface force that was lining up to hit Kendari was right under the wings of the CVL fleet - phew, not scouted. I get cold feet and send them rushing back to Soerboja - is there nowhere I can walk in freedom?
Lexington continues on its way east and whats more a large Jap transport fleet is heading its way, I may not be able to intercept, but if possible it will be very sweet. Spruance, down south in Enterprise has decided that taking a trip between Truk and Rabaul is tanatamount to suicide and is instead going to skulk around Lunga.
The KB is making a play at cutting off supply to Oz, Noumea and NZ. I know your game, my friend! Every long-range plane I have is on scouting missions and he can't shake them. I am therefore routing all the transport TFs he is hunting a good 18 hexes away. He is moving at about 4 hexes a turn so I have to keep a wide berth and hope my scout planes can keep him visible.

[wobbly]

The japanese don't appear to be funny little yellow men after all, they do appear to be able to build reasonable aircraft and fly them well too. The Carnage continues and this time the land forces don't show the backbone they have up to now exhibited.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 88 troops unloading over beach at Gasmata, 59,90


Japanese ground losses:
194 casualties reported

This is attempting to cut off the retreating rabaul forces - don't know if i can do anything about it. PzB managed to land troops on the Isthmus between Manila and Naga - I take it you can pick up troops (fast transport) in a non-base location -certainly couldn't in UV - anyone know?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 2nd Tank Regiment, at 24,48


Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 14
Blenheim IV x 9
Hudson I x 7


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 6th Tank Regiment, at 24,48


Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 6
Blenheim IV x 3
Hudson I x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
42 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

This has got to be tearing his nighty - they may be tanks but the trails on Malaya are still a turd to get around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,75

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 8
A6M2 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 14
B5N Kate x 26

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
TK Iris, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Parigi, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Boero, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Loa Koeloe, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,75

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
B5N Kate x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Parigi, on fire, heavy damage
AK Boero, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,77

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 8
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A Val x 14

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Toendjoek, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,75

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Van Ghent, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Koepang at 28,77

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
MSW Jan van Amstel
AK Sigli, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,73

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Soerabaja, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

All of these attacks are from the same CVE force that found my fuel laden TF to Darwin. As you can see the scattering of the TF does little to save them as the TF commander points his assets at each individual ship or pair of ships. Despite many attacking planes being damaged none are listed as lost - hummph. To consol myself I have been saying - 'that's fuel the Japs wont get going to the bottom' - has a hollow ring doesn't it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Naga

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41341 troops, 414 guns, 8 vehicles

Defending force 9523 troops, 80 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Naga base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
438 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
11923 casualties reported
Guns lost 100

Oh woe on the two PA divisions caught at Naga - useless buggers! I sent them towards Manila 3 days ago. Yesterday they were at 59 miles of 60 to get to the isthmus hex between Naga and Manila, however the loss of Naga today makes them surrender. What irks me is the base force made it to Manila 2 turns ago - they all left at the same time. Do the Phillipine troops have slower marching speeds than the american base units?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tuguegarao

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14704 troops, 256 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1411 troops, 10 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 52 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tuguegarao base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

I left 3 engineering units (base forces) here to damage the resources. I don't know how effective this will have been - now it is up to the speed they can move as to whether they get to Clark.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Alor Star

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18251 troops, 220 guns, 6 vehicles

Defending force 9553 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
1202 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

I am so thankful to my one shining light per turn - Alor Star - you are a star - a nasty "back at you" for the Japanese army! Malaya is one area I seem to be handling correctly, or more likely he is handling incorrectly - his intial offensive has halted - no suppleis in Khota Bharu - and the speed he is able to move around is severely restricted by the places he has chosen to go to, due to the connecting roads/trails.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news:
Thunderstorms in the SRA - wohoo. Now of course, my surface bombardment force is out of fuel two hexes from Soerboja, so by the time I could get them into position the sun will of course be shining! This does mean I have sortied some more transports and hope to get them further from harms way.
To this end, many tankers and AKs are about to arrive in the SRA from India hoping to load up and return without being blown ou of the water. Palembang is filling up but I am worried about moving there as PzB has stationed a surface attack force North East and there are always the Nells and Betties of course.
My single damaged AP of aussies has managed to sneak up the Malacca straits one whole turn. I move some Buffalos North and continue the LRCAPing. The other AP managed to unload safely.

I can't see the Kido Bhuti any more!!!! Oh woe - where the hell can it be. I was plotting the location and have a general trend of South East, which is threatening. I have the 2nd marines in ships and really don't want them to go to the bottom. He doesn't even need to hit anything - he just needs to stay invisible and I have to treat him with care! The large expanse of water in between the States and Hawaii, without an island is to blame...

[wobbly]

Sorry folks - missed a turn that didn't have much to offer - but this one does

First thing to note is the combat replay bug has not been fixed - PzB and I are playing on the same machine we started on and this turn his combat replay has him capturing Mersing and fighters from Clark straffing a CS while mine has me holding Mersing and never going for the CS. I hate this bug - it really does suck!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Tarakan at 33,61

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare

Allied Ships
PT TM-9, Shell hits 1
PT TM-10, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
PT TM-11
PT TM-12, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
PT TM-13, and is sunk

This and an earlier attack halve my PT boats in the South of Borneo - the retreat towards Balikpapan - I can only surmise he is going to attempt (well going to succeed lets be realistic) to take tarakan shortly and does not need these menaces getting in the way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Hibiki
DD Akatsuki
DD Arashio
DD Michishio, Shell hits 2
DD Oshio
DD Asashio
CL Jintsu
CA Atago
CA Takao
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied Ships
AK Beatrice, Shell hits 1


Allied ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 2
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1

Very little damage in the morning but I am about to go waaaaaaay out on a limb - I am sending the light surface attack force of Houston, Tromp, Java and 10 DDs into Pontianak this turn. He has a few DDs there but it doesn't look well defended - the big if is this bombardment force retreating towards Saigon to rearm - it may be on react and come to the party. Alot of reacting has been occuring in the game so far - mainly PT boats and the ML Krakatoa which would not go to Pontianak to lay its mines - bah would have helped now!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 15th Indian Brigade, at 24,44

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 8
Ki-21 Sally x 34
Ki-48 Lily x 30

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

3/4s of the jap army airforce just fell out of the sky upon Alor Star (edited for brevity) - I don't think he liked the two lots of 1000+ losses he suffered trying to take it without support.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day Air attack on TF at 53,72


Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 16
SBD Dauntless x 34


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
PC Sonan Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW Banshu Maru #8
AP Juko Maru
AP Tafuku Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PG Shoei Maru
AP Monji Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Yokohama Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK China Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
238 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Yeehaaa!! Lex finds a southward bound transport TF AND she is loaded with troops!! man was this gratifying and to me this is the beauty of the game over UV - there is a whole lot of ocean to get lost in and both sides can do it - read the KB playing hide and seak on my side of the ocean!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 53,72


Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 16
SBD Dauntless x 28


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 24
MSW Fumi Maru #2
AP Juko Maru
AP Monji Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AP Marsue Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
217 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Bliss I tells ya Bliss!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 51,76

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 13

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 destroyed, 9 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Lexington

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet

Woah heart is in the mouth as I have stupidly put my CAP at 30% but the withering fire from the AAA is enough to make the BOMBING Nells think twice on their bomb runs. So nice to have some of that to help defend too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Mersing

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19654 troops, 224 guns, 7 vehicles

Defending force 4859 troops, 50 guns, 4 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
293 casualties reported
Guns lost 23

Allied ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

See, my combat report has me holding but I can assure you it has been lost - first attack he put in too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright then, action packed turn planned and I see PzB has already done the next turn so you lot will be able to see how I went. I split Lex from some of her escort vessels and head the escort vessels to some of the uninhabited bases up and down New Guinea - i am perilously low on fuel and getting some would help me feel a little safer. Lex herself moves two hexes North to get another crack at the transport TF. As an added bonus there is also a transport heading down from the Phillipines which I order to follow the Lex - see if I can't get some fuel from her.
PzB reports that I hit a few of his hurt APs and weather an attack form Nells escorted by zeros - who of course make short work of my Buffalos: 5 downed - but no hits on Lex. I can't tell you what I will do here as I haven't seen what he has done but the likely course is North of NG then South - depends on his light Carriers.
As I said the small surface fleet goes into Pontianak and my PT boats in Phillipines are attempting an intercept of his transports.
The AP of Aussies has escaped and will attach to the transports moving up to Rangoon with the Malayans on board. Another 9000 supplies has arrived at Rangoon so she is getting well kitted out.
I have also set alot of Dutch bombers to naval attack inteh straits below Balikpapan - most likely to no good but what the hell.

[wobbly]

The first really good Allied turn, with two major actions coming off.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/17/41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Pontianak, 25,58, firing at TF 77
TF 77 troops unloading over beach at Pontianak, 25,58


16 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
ML Hatsutaka, Shell hits 2

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

The invasion continues but a few visitors are about to ruin the party!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TF 152 encounters mine field at Hong Kong (43,42)

Japanese Ships
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Hinode Maru #20
MSW W.13
MSW W.14
PC Ch 18, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Sunk
PC Ch 32

First of these and we will take all comers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 25,58

Japanese Ships
DD Kasasagi, Shell hits 48, and is sunk
ML Hatsutaka, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
AP Josho Maru, on fire
AP Meisho Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
AP Mexico Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 2
CL Java, Shell hits 1
CL Tromp
CL Boise, Shell hits 1
DD Barker
DD Bulmer
DD Edsall
DD Parrott
DD Whipple
DD Thracian, Shell hits 1

I'd have loved to hammer the APs but judging by the results there were no troops aboard anymore - oh well. Upon retreating the Nells find the ships - one DD suffers a torp but should live and that is that - phew!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 116,71

Japanese Ships
SS I-1, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Allen
DD Dewey
DD Hull
DD Selfridge
DD Phelps
DMS Wasmuth
DMS Chandler
DMS Perry
DMS Dorsey

One more Pearl sub - it is a death trap to stay around there
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 51,73


Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 5
SBD Dauntless x 32


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PG Shoei Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Day Air attack on TF at 52,74

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allied aircraft
TBD Devastator x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
MSW Seki Maru #3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:

Lex attacks once more but it is the cripples she is sinking, as expected he runs for Palau.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 51,74

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
G3M Nell x 6

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Lexington

Aircraft Attacking:
And the zeros come out to play, this and another attack fail to get any hits and a few Nells are damaged - unfortunately my already weiny fighter squad lost 4 Buffalos!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 27,72

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 8
A6M2 Zero x 4
D3A Val x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Lepus, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 27,72

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
B5N Kate x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Lepus, on fire, heavy damage

The parting shot from his little carriers - they have put on full steam and are speeding back towards the East. He will have to go through the straits below Balkpapan and I set all the planes to naval attack - should net much but I hope to scare them at least.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,49


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 18
Vildebeest IV x 19


Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest IV: 5 destroyed, 18 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
DD Asashio, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

At last the Vilderbeasts jon the party. Flying into horrific flak they manage to plant 2 torpedos into teh Kongo's escort - she sinks - unfortuantely the Kongo isn't scratched.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tavoy and Pontianak are added to the Japanese haul.
With his CVLs rushing back to do battle with Lex the shipping lanes in the west get back to loading and moving goods to Oz.
Lex's escorts have all managed to refuel one way or another but ex herself is still mighty thirsty - she heads towards one of the little locations that hasn't been emptied yet and I hope we can get more than teh 1500 fuel she currently has in her tanks. The plan, such as it is, is to go down through the hell by PM and try to fight my way through. To this end the P-40s that were at Manila, that moved to tarakan and will next fly down to Darwin, then Townsville and then PM (phew) will try and LRCAP the old lady as she makes her bid - we shall see.
Still no sign of KB - the area she could be in is now vast. I am hoping, with my ASW work, that he is heading back to Pearl and hopes to take out one of the groups. One more turn and they all head for home. Saratoga is very close to Pearl - coming from the North - i am going one step closer then two runs at full speed!
A huge fleet of CAs, DDs and more ominously - APs and Aks are heading fo rthe straits of Malaca - is he on his way to Burma - it doesn't llok like Lex can make it across this time. Thinking about this - maybe I move Enterprise from her position by Lunga over there - hmmm.
Phillipines are in deep strife and Malaya, with the quick loss of Mersing is starting to look decidedly shaky. I was contemplating trying to rescue some men with fast transport from the ships at Tricomalee but with the enemy ships by Singapore I have a shaky feeling.
In china things are in waiting mode - how long will he bombard before running me out of town?

[wobbly]

A quiet turn with the only thing of note being the massive increase in air assets in Malaya and the invasion of Johore Bahru.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/18/41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mersing , at 23,49


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 19
Blenheim I x 15
Blenheim IV x 12
Hudson I x 9


No Allied losses

Resources hits 3

My first resource raid is pretty unsuccessful - 3 hits will hardly dent its capacity - still you have to start where you start.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 7
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 27
Ki-21 Sally x 61

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed
Vildebeest IV: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 34

61 Sallys!!! All coming from Khota Bharu - with this up against Singapore it may be time to skidaddle away brave brave sir Robin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 28,56

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-27 Nate x 7

Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 20
Martin 139 x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Martin 139: 8 destroyed, 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise

Arggghh they've done it again and I have noone to balme but myself. The attraction of bombing targets they can't hurt is too great. I reduce their range to 6 so they wont go to Kuching again (well the ones that are left!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 116,67

Japanese Ships
SS I-7

Allied Ships
AVD McFarland
AVD Thornton
MSW Turkey
MSW Rail
MSW Tern
MSW Grebe
MSW Vireo
MSW Bobolink

Another combat replay discrepancy - PzB says a torp hits the AVD thornton and that I hit him - as you can see in MY combat replay no-one is successful - the truth turns out to be as PzB saw it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat at 79,68

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
DD Kagero
DD Isokaze
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
AK Elcano, Shell hits 29, and is sunk

Now this is a really strange one!! One of my retreating transport ships meets members of the Pearl Harbour invasion retiring to Japan. There can be no naval bombers though as they would have pounced on the transport 1 hex away. I still believe the Carriers are in my neighbourhood - no sign though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Johore Bahru, 22,49, firing at TF 131
TF 131 troops unloading over beach at Johore Bahru, 22,49


116 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
ML Aotaka, Shell hits 1
APD APD-33
PG Eiko Maru, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
763 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported

PzB is trying to completely cut off Singapore and it is working too well. I, of course, have helped him by evacuating some troops. This is the location of the ships I saw below Singapore so I send a surface fleet from Tricommalee to try and get some indian troops out of Malaya.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Clark Field

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20878 troops, 206 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1988 troops, 0 guns, 137 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 26 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
304 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 18

Allied ground losses:
154 casualties reported
Guns lost 6


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

PzB got ahead of himself and the the tank units get to Clark before the rest of the hoard. i just took the oppotunity to send a few of them back whence they had come.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plans:
The TF of smaller carriers did not run through the straits below Balikpapan but are sitting back in tehir favourite position: West of Kendari. This meant my small surface force aiming to hit Kendari could have been on the receiving end of a spanking, however, weather is at last being friendly and they are socked in all day and are not found.
Fortune favours teh brave and teh same has occured for the Lex battlegroup - searches do not manage to find her as she heads for refueling. The whole group is a bit of a hodge podge so I hope I can get them sorted out before the bad guys arrive.
The reinforcement TF from Brisbane is almost at PM - 1 more turn. The P-40s from Manila are all now at Darwin: next stop Townsville.
Enterprise has decided to stay near Lunga, it may be benficial to have the fighter support when Lex tries her run, I am still contemplating going North around New Guinea, all depends upon his little carriers.

[wobbly]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/19/41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Johore Bahru, 22,49, firing at TF 131
TF 131 troops unloading over beach at Johore Bahru, 22,49


38 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
ML Aotaka
CA Chokai
APD APD-38, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
415 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

More troops pour ashore and I have little to stop them - his decision to invade though does mean I must be destroying men and weapons rather than taking them into Mersing and then marching them

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 35,54

Japanese Ships
DD Kiji
MSW W.6
PG Hashidate
PG Saga

Allied Ships
SS KXV

Jap ASW tries to stop the Dutchies....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 35,54

Japanese Ships
AP Seizan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
SS KXV

Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported

But they sneak by and manage to put a torp into a troop ship
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20
Ki-21 Sally x 50

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
Blenheim I: 10 destroyed, 3 damaged
Buffalo I: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Blenheim IV: 6 destroyed, 9 damaged


Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 7
Runway hits 47
massive damage to the air fleet at Singapore - my Buffalos do naught to stop this so I start evacuating. The level bomebrs go to Ceylon with some moving to Java.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 15th Indian Brigade, at 24,44

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-21 Sally x 45
Ki-48 Lily x 31

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
89 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

He is really pounding the troops at Alor star but I have moved another indian brigade there - hopefully they make it before he decides to attack again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 63,93


Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 7
SBD Dauntless x 30


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
ML Tsugaru, Bomb hits 5, on fire
DD Asanagi, Bomb hits 1
DD Yunagi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
ML Tokiwa, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
173 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

The big E plays her hand!!! A small shortlands transport TF is found and damaged.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat at 76,63

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
DD Kagero
DD Isokaze
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
AK Dos Hermanos, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

D@mn - he mid-ocean intercepts again, I have to move my retreating transports to a more erratic path.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jahore Bahru is not going to hold for very much longer and with it goes retreat from Singapore - Malay will be cut in half! Don't know what to do here - he really has concentrated on me here.
Big E is moving down South - with his fleet carriers' whereabouts unknown I am getting very antsy with my moves. I still feel he is trying to hammer transports between the US and the South Pacific but where he will strike is still anyones guess, I fogt to do it this turn but I am going to split the large transport TFs into a whole lot of little ones - that way if he finds one I will loose alot less.
A surface combat group splits off from the Big E and heads into shortlands but I tink he will be long gone.
Lex managed to get some fuel but it barely dents the requirement - i am going to have to try the same trick at another of the little locations. I notice others do not allow this sort of refueling - I would have been in dire straits without it...
In other Carrier news Saratoga makes it to Pearl and upgrades her airwing to F4F-4s. Some transport Tfs are nearly at Pearl form the North.

[wobbly]

A quiet day

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Balikpapan, at 31,64


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged
Martin 139: 3 destroyed, 8 damaged
Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze
CA Nachi
DD Natsushio
DD Kuroshio
DD Sawakaze
DD Oyashio
DD Hasu
DD Samidare
DD Yudachi
DD Harusame
DD Minegumo
DD Natsugumo
CL Naka

Allied Ships
AK Montanes, Shell hits 1
AK Siantar, Shell hits 2, on fire
AP Mijer, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Pillsbury, Shell hits 1, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
170 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 4

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 42
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1

It looks like Balikpapan is aggravating PzB and he hammers it with a contingent of ships. the number of aircraft lost isn't as high as stated but there are alot of dmaged ACs in the squadrons.
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Ground combat at Yenen

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 108972 troops, 1254 guns, 12 vehicles

Defending force 44858 troops, 325 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
953 casualties reported
Guns lost 28

Allied ground losses:
585 casualties reported
Guns lost 10


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Ground combat at Johore Bahru

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21449 troops, 224 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 8458 troops, 72 guns, 3 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
366 casualties reported
Guns lost 17

Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Both Yenen and Johore Bahru are not lokg for this world - I can see them capitulating in the very near future.
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No one is at home in the shortlands for my surface ships to tango with so they retire towards the Enterprise as she rounds the bottom of the Solomons.
I am playing with fire trying to refuel a bombardment mission to the south of Bali - I really do want to hit Kendari, this is very difficult with the amount of Naval bombers floating around.
His Carriers really are heading to the East - they were slow while refueling but now are on their way. Tis of course means I can empty the more accessable supply locations with more impunity.
Lex wil be refueling this turn PzB has more search planes out after her so I don't think I will get away without weathering some form of storm. Unfortunately the P-40s cannot get to Cairns without being boxed up - this means I am going to be slow at getting some added defence over the ships.

[wobbly]

The Kido Butai rears its ugly head sending some of my freighters to the bottom. I had split the Tfs into smaller units the trun before so doing so has lowered my losses but it still hurt! Also Yenen capitulates in the North of China – he has the serious potential to cut my off in the North now!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/21/41
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Day Air attack on TF at 131,81

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 20
B5N Kate x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Steel Trader, Torpedo hits 1
AK Steel Navigator, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
TK H. M. Storey, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

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Day Air attack on TF at 131,81

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
TK H. M. Storey, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Steel Navigator, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Steel Trader, Bomb hits 3, on fire

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Day Air attack on TF at 130,77

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
TK Admiral Chase, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
AK Steel Exporter
AK Nebraskan, Bomb hits 2, on fire

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Day Air attack on TF at 130,77

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 21
B5N Kate x 20

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
TK Admiral Chase, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nebraskan, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Steel Exporter, Bomb hits 2, on fire


Bang Bang Bang – all of these ships bar one are sent to the bottom (either instantly or through scuttling charges). The other as yet unfound Tfs turn in differing directions and run for the hills. As yet the 2 marines are a good 20 hexes from this major threat – they will continue south to try and get around the likely direction of travel the KB will now take.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Waingapu at 27,74

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Marblehead
CL De Ruyter

Aircraft Attacking:

My surface combat Tf lining up to hit kendari is instead targeted by Betties form their target. What’s worse is Kendar has a well stocked Surface group contingent so it’s “run away” again.
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Ground combat at Yenen

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 107661 troops, 1209 guns, 12 vehicles

Defending force 43268 troops, 311 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Yenen base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
1967 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Vehicles lost 3

Allied ground losses:
639 casualties reported
Guns lost 8


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

He does pay to take the place but all the retreating units are out of supplies and will find it very hard to move fast in their current condition.
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Ground combat at Johore Bahru

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21176 troops, 201 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 8294 troops, 69 guns, 3 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
351 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Allied ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

This is a better result. Especially since he did not reduce the forts.
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Alright, much is afoot. In the South Pacific I have decided to spend most of my political points releasing a NZ Cavalry unit from Auckland. They load into AKs as “only troops” and head to Noumea. With the lack of extra defence accorded by the 2nd Marines it is important that I try to cover this vital base. A large TF of Cruisers and destroyers is still a long way form Noumea – about at Clark Island.
With the KB being found I sortie the damaged BBs from Pearl. They will travel North and then East. They are travelling in two groups of 2 BBs and 3 DDs – one group has BBs with 41 and 48 damage the other two are in their 80s. I need to reduce the pressure on Pearl’s repair facility. The two BBs that sortied after the Pearl attack have made it to San Diego.
The APs with the Malayans and Aussies are about 2 turns out of Rangoon. PzB has dedicated himself to Malaya so there is no air force at Tavoy to intercept the incoming troop ships. This may yet come off!
In the continuing saga of the Lex, she has taken on another load of 700 fuel which has her at 3000. This is borderline enough to get her down below New Guinea at cruise speed – obviously I wont get the luxury of travelling at a cruise speed or while she is under air attack – hope it’s enough. To help in this endeavour further, the P-40s that are being reassembled in Cairns are flying to PM. Two there at present, it will be a while before they have any impact.
At PM itself I am dropping off the Aus corps HQ a small cavalry unit and a RAN base unit. IN my combat replay PzB hit this with the Nells damaging the CL Adelaide. In the actual replay no such attack occurs.
With the advancement of the enemy light Carriers towards Truk my attempts to empty the SRA of supplies has stepped up in pace. I expect to loose more but get more stuff out too.
In Malaya it is more of the same. I have moved the two swds of Buffalos to George field (sp) and they are LRCAPing Alor star – just might restrict his bombing of my troops. The fast transport from Tricommalee will be ready to run into Malaya in a turn or so. I will have to retreat one of the more beat up units from Alor Star for evacuation.
In the Philippines I am attacking another single unit that has advanced ahead of the pack at Clark. The B-17s damaged at Clark are transferred to the South Pacific command and moved to Balikpapan – from there to Darwin. This takes up the very last of my political points – I have 11 left… Many more pinprick anti-naval fighter sweeps go against his APs – nothing of note hit though.