Secret Japanese Looney plans.

[mogami]

OK no Tom or Olegs allowed.

I've been keeping a log of my operations in Tom Hunter Game. Oleg game is much slower.

I am going to record Operations in the South Pacific. I am going to attempt the largest Operation of my experiance in WITP
and capture Noumea from an opponent detirmined to defend it.
Japanese Operations are somewhat tardy as a result of length of siege at Manila.
I hope to be able to commence landing on New Caladonia by 1 June 1942. (already past this date with no landing)

Conditions that must be met prior to attempting landings.
1. New Caladonia must be isolated
2. Noumea Airfield must be closed or airgroups there destroyed
3. Enemy CV and surface forces must be accounted for and neutralized.
4. Over whelming force must be on hand and safely transported to landings.


19 Apr 1942
I have captured Luganville and Efate and now must wait for them to become operational as airfields for CAP and ground support.
Both are extended range for IJA bombers but I'm going to have to make do because the IJN will be busy keeping enemy shipping from area. (Hopefully Betty/Nell on efate and isolate Noumea)
All avaiable IJN surface assets are being sent to Truk or Tulagi excepting ships that require repair or are due for upgrades.
I'll have to rotate my ships through this process. The IJN is already showing signs of wear and tear.

The CV airgroups are wearing thin. Several unescorted strikes by B5N resulted in the destruction of the groups involved.
CV currently covering transports unloading Luganville and then will retire to refit airgroups.
I must retain the CV at sea around NC to prevent resupply and reinforcements but I must also remain able to defeat the USN CV should they appear. I am fairly certain that before the summer of 42 is over the major elements of the IJN and USN will have been commited to action in this location. I assume the RN and Dutch and others will also be here before long.

The enemy has heavy bombers so it will require some time to achive control of the air. First I need it over my own fields.
Currently there is a major build up of enemy airforces over Burma. (training against empty Japanese bases)
I will try to engage there with fighters while all bomber groups and remaining fighters gravitate towards the South Pacific.
When an airfield is repaired below 30 percent damage I will move in max fighters for CAP.

Several construction and AA units will arrive Luganville next turn or so to help the 149th IJN and 15th Baseforces assigned there.

I expect that by the time my infantry has preped and transported into area the enemy will have 4 or 5 divisions on New Caladonia.
The proper course would be to find another place to fight but I want to see if I can overcome the obstacles. If it becomes obvious I can't win air control then of course I'll look elsewhere. The only other options are further east after I have secured the Gilberts. (something I will set about doing soon)(Tarawa and Baker are always yummy targets if Japan leaves them alone for a while. I let the enemy move in it's moving out I prevent)

20 Apr 1942
Plan for invasion of New Caladonia
I. After obtaining control of air and surrounding waters Japanese 14th Army Gen M. Kawabe will land at Kourmac and secure the base. (Presently waiting collection of recon data to decide if landing can be made at La Foa and split enemy forces)

Expect enemy force to be at least 2 divisions with support troops. (Call it 800 AS) will be dug in

14th Army order of battle
Infantry Assault formations
South Seas Detachment
35th Bde
56th Bde
65th Bde
4th Mixed Bde
21st Mixed Bde
23rd Mixed Bde
53rd Inf Div (Unit presently in A/B/C detachments (A Osaka B&C Manila)
59th Inf Div (Unit presently in A/B/C detachments (A Efate B emabrked enroute Tulagi C Luganville

Assault support formations
SAA presently has 6 combat engineer regts assigned. 3 will go with 14th Army
1st,3rd,4th Eng Rgt

II. After 14th Army captured Kourmac 16th Army Gen J. Nishio will land Kourmac and proceed to march to La Foa
14th Army will refit Kourmac and then follow for battle at Noumea
.
16th Army order of battle
21st Inf Div
33rd Inf Div
38th Inf Div
48th Inf Div
55th Inf Div
56th Inf Div

Support formations
5th,15th,21st Eng Rgt

A. Expect following landing at Kourmac enemy will reinforce position at La Foa

III. While 16th Army advances and secures La Foa 3rd Army Lt Gen S.Sawada will land Kourmac
3rd Army order of battle
Imperial Guards Div
2nd Inf Div
4th Inf Div
5th Inf Div
16th Inf Div
18th Inf Div

Combined force of 3rd,14th and 16th Army will then advance to Noumea

Support units
Tank Rgt
1st,2nd,4th,7th,8th,6th Reserve
Arty
Mortar Bns 3rd,5th,15th
Hvy Field Arty Rgts 1st,3rd,8th,17th.18th

Basefoces Kourmac (base can build to level 5 presently level 2 but expect it will have reached at least size 4)
La Foa currently size 1 but can build to level 5
23rd Special Base Force (90AV)
135th IJN Baseforce (30AV) also will provide coastal defense
134th IJNAF Baseforce(30AV) will provide anti air defense
136th IJNAF Baseforce (30AV) more AA
136th IJA Baseforce (30AV)
7th Coastal Gun Rgt
8th Coastal Gun Rgt (will move to La Foa when that base captured.)
24th Special Basefoce (90 AV)(will move La Foa)
138th IJN Baseforce (30 AV) (will move La Foa)
137th IJNAF Baseforce (30AV)(will moveLa Foa)
137th IJA Baseforce (30AV) will move La Foa)

22 Apr 1942
Formed many bombardment TF Tulagi. Targets Koumac, La Foa, Noumea TF range in size from 4 DD to main force of
3 BB (Noumea) CV will provide CAP enroute.
Luganville runway repaired enough to transfer aircraft but I am waiting on Oscar Sentai (Truk) Sentai will move Lunga next turn and Luganville Turn after. Also have A6M2 Daitai to send. After Luganville defended it will provide CAP to Efate while that field
is repaired. (Will transfer Oscar Sentai and Zero Daitai there when ready)
I have to depend on IJN surface units to disrupt bombing while fields repair. Noumea is very hard field to close but I think I can shut down Kourmac and La Foa. CV will attempt strike against airfield there after refitting (as soon as this batch of bombardment TF are through)
The BB and CA require a trip back to Truk to reload main gun ammo. I have a AD at Tulagi to rearm DD
Several more BB are enroute Truk to replace damaged ones.
Prince of Wales and Repulse have been out of sight for some time.
The RN likely has 6 or more BB on map at present and USN has at least 1 (Colorado begins in Seattle)
I would prefer finding these ships in range of my Kates (or Betty/Nell) rather then fighting them in surface actions.
Only the Mutsu and Nagato carry 16inch guns all the other IJN BB are 14inch and the Kongo class cannot compete with Allied BB in surface actions. (They are fine for bombardment missions) Of course the main Japanese weapon in surface battle is the long lance.

I want to put the fear of nightly surface actions into enemy to keep transport TF out of area. Noumea cannot be taken while
it remains in supply. I must prevent combat formations from deploying there in excess of 6 divisions. (I think I can defeat a force this size if I can transport SAA safely and keep it supplied)
(6xInf Div=2400 assault points but out of supply=600)

25 Apr 42
Early results from bombardment missions not good. Many ships damaged (including a BB) for little result.
Going to attempt to reconsitute 59th Div at Tulagi and transport to Kourmac (parts at Luganville/Efate and enroute Tulagi)
Luganville has fighters,recon,patrol

5 May 1942
53rd Infantry Div removed from 14th Army OOB. Div assigned defensive duties in Luzon (Div will first secure remaining enemy held bases in PI)
will begin loading transports Manila in next day or so to move units to South Pacific.

10 May 1942
All transports and escorts refueled Manila
Enemy heavy bombers will likely make Operation against New Calodonia impossible.
Am looking for alternative. Has to be base I can isolate I can't close Noumea with bombardment and there are simply too many enemy aircraft to deal with. I hate having to admit I can't go where I please in May 1942.

11 May 1942
7 out of the 8 Arty units departing Manila for Truk.
Enemy employing BB in bombardments against Luganville. I can't keep base open. CV fighters will fly CAP to permit damaged ac to repair and move back to Lunga.

I am going to attempt to reduce Port Moresby. My intell reports 40k troops there but I can't leave it to bomb Rabaul/Shortlands while I am fighting else where. I have not yet changed objectives.

14 May 1942
56th Bde loading Manila for transport Truk (unit is 100/100)
16th Army HQ loading (100/100)
1st Tank Rgt loading (100/100)
8th Tank Rgt loading (100/100)
1st Eng Rgt loading (100/100)
4th Eng Rgt loading (100/100)

15 May 1942
5th Eng loading (100/100)

23 May 1942
14th Army loading (100/100)
15th Eng Rgt (100/100)
21st Eng Rgt (100/100)
I.G. Inf Div (100/100)

24 May 1942
18th Inf Div loading (100/100)

30 May 1942
Major fighter sweep of Noumea planned in day or two. 185xA6M2 will transfer to Luganville (Oscars will pull out that day)
Follow on sweeps will include CV fighter groups. (I hope to send 300 once or twice)

South Seas Det loading (100/100)
55th Inf Div loading (100/100)
head of column now unloading Truk 1.5kAp will be retained there 3k Ap return to Manila.
Will send a large TF soon in range Wake heading Midway

2 June 1942
4th Mixed Bde loading (100/100)

3 June 1942
56th Inf Div loading (100/100)

[mogami]

Hi, against Oleg the Japanese are going to first cut communications around Pago Pago and then reduce Fiji.
Major operations in China in both games will free up formations to move against Soviets.
(backbone of all Looney games)


I am going to take Port Moresby from Tom and then land on Kourmac (the old plan for NC) I'm just going to target enemy fighters for a while so the bombers will have lighter escort to attack my transports.

[witpqs]

Mog,

Thanks for posting this - most interesting! [:)]