Lunacy or Shrewdness?

[Nikademus]

No way a torpedo could survive intact after being dropped from 11,000 feet. We have a program glitch of some kind here . . .

Its a known bug. Airgroups set to naval attack + a secondary mission (port or airfield) will attack ships with torpedoes but at the assigned altitude set vs the hardcoded 200 feet. Impacts accuracy of the torpedoes and effect of flak.

fix won't make 1.8 but hopefully next one.

[pauk]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

[ I am expanding my naval shipyards, merchant yards, armament and vehicle assembly by between 25 and 50% each. Ideally I'd like to look at increasing my naval shipyards by 100% as I think that having the important CVs and BBs earlier would allow me to increase my operational tempo sufficiently to compensate for the supply used. E.g If you use 100,000 tons of supply in 3 months to build up naval yards BUT this allows you to capture resource-producing areas which produce 33,000 tons of supply 4 months earlier than you otherwise would have/delays their fall to the enemy by four months/ allows you to capture them when otherwise your attack would have failed then that was supply well spent.

Be careful - naval shipyards eats your HI points! So you should expand HI industry - and that is eating supply too! But what is more important HI need oil for producing HI points - and i doubt that you will have more than 2 500 oil which is enough for 15 000 HI (i'm sure that this 15K HI isn't enough to run your war economy (as you describe it) at full capacity).

It is certainly biggiest mistake which Jap player can do - burn supply for nothing.

[Nemo121]

Ah I've done some calculations and I can see you are right.

From my understanding of the HI allocation sheet available at Spookys and reading of the manual my economy at the moment produces roughly 13,500 HI per day = 405,000 HI per month.


Daily production requires the following:
Naval Shipyard ( target of 1500) = 4500 HI per day = 135,000 HI per month.
Merchant Shipyard ( 1000) = 3000 HI per day = 90,000 HI per month.
Armament ( target of about 600) = 3600 HI per day = 108,000 HI per month.
Vehicle ( target of about 135) = 810 HI per day = 24,000 HI per month.

Monthly production of engines ( 1400 x 18) = 25,200 HI per month.
Monthly production of planes consumes about 16,200 HI per month ( varies a little depending on the mix of twin-engined and single-engined production).

So, total HI consumption for a month is 398,500 and I have a reserve of about 6,500 HI. Of course with the capture of factories in Singapore and China this will increase somewhat but that will just help me buffer the reserve.


So, you're absolutely right and thanks for the input Pauk ( BIG fan of your Sake Break AAR BTW [&o] [&o]). I have expanded my production as much as possible right now and any desire to take naval shipyards to 2000 points per day would require an additional 1500 HI per day. Therefore any further expansion will have to occur only after I capture more resources and HI in India & China.


As to the oil... Yeah, assuming that I only capture the oilfields approximately 85% intact the maximum I can yield from capture of the DEI/Burma/China/India region is 1950 (2300 x 0.85) which will have me producing about 2600 oil. On the other hand if I plough the required resources into repair and can protect the DEI from Australian bombing by the middle of 1942 I should be able to have about 3,050 oil points per day. Using your equivalency of 6 HI to every oil point that would allow me to run a HI of about 18,000.


BTW where does the ratio of 6 HI points to every oil point come from?

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/01/42

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


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mochizuki
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Myoko
CA Maya


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 33

There will be one more day of bombardments at Balikpapan as the battleline returns from refuelling and repovisioning at Tarakan. These forces will then make their way to Soerabaja, join up with W.5 and hit Batavia. At the same time I have decided to move the invasion of Sumatra forward. Intensive recon of north-eastern Sumatra shows Palembang unoccupied. I have been returning my transport planes to the DEI from China over recent days in order to capitalise on this event and it is time to strike.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

I'd been hitting the airfields in Singapore for so long that I decided to vary it a little by striking the port. I was merely hoping to disable a few CD guns in order to allow my battleline to bombard while I'm waiting for my transports to load up everyone in the Phillipines for the Indian invasion ( the battleline will obviously be tasked to hit Manilla once Batavia falls and Manilla's CDs are a little attrited by concentrated aerial port attacks) but it seems the bombers took their orders very literally and from a height of 11,000 feet managed some fairly superb results. No fewer than 31 bombs hit gathered allied shipping.

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 62
Ki-21 Sally x 232

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Manoora, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Goulburn, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Bendigo, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Ballarat, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Maryborough, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Port hits 18
Port fuel hits 6
Port supply hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59

Unfortunately I forgot to set the resting Zero Daitai at Johore back to Escort and 4 of my bombers were destroyed as a result. Several more enemy bombers were also destroyed and with the poor allied replacement rates of these bombers the attrition should be becoming unbearable by now.

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 72
G4M1 Betty x 22

Allied aircraft
Hawk 75A x 1
Brewster 339D x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 3 destroyed
Hudson I: 2 destroyed
Catalina I: 1 destroyed
CW-22 Falcon: 3 destroyed
Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed
Lockheed 212: 1 destroyed
F.K.51: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
91 casualties reported

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 37
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 74
Ki-46-II Dinah x 6
Ki-36 Ida x 5

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 1
P-35A x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 2 damaged

The Dinah's took damage as they were sent in at 6,000 feet in order to get good intel. Unfortunately all I keep getting is that there are roughly 30 units in Manilla. I don't even have a rough guesstimate of their numbers.A tiny fragment of 2nd Division has joined the 4 divisions in the Manilla area and will mount a probe tomorrow in order to more accurately assess the enemy's potential for resistance. 2 of my divisions will make for and subdue Bataan while the other 5 on the island will all pile into Manilla with a view to Shock Attacking as soon as practicable. When it is practicable will depend on how strongly the enemy is dug in so a relatively long period of bombardments may occur first as my units recover their disruption and fatigue.

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 1 destroyed
P-35A: 3 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
307 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Yokosuka 1st SNLF, at 45,30

More wasted Chinese supplies. [:D]

Allied aircraft
I-153c x 18
IL-4c x 10
SB-2c x 17


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
88 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34

The Nells at Tavoy have almost certainly accounted for Louisianan.

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 13

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 4

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,52

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 3
Ki-32 Mary x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP Van Diemen, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet

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

Japanese Ships
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Mochizuki
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Myoko
CA Maya


Allied ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lanchow

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 790 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 812 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lanchow base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27180 troops, 244 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 23187 troops, 202 guns, 26 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Sorong

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 870 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Sorong base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33309 troops, 277 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 38120 troops, 227 guns, 72 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,31

Another Shock Attack by half of the 1s PTD forces the 3 Chinese Corps facing the 1st Provisional Tank Division away from the Chungking/Sian crossroads and back towards Chungking. The other half the 1st PTD is to making for the crossroad in order to relieve the paratroops dug in there and also in an effort to Shock Attack the 2 enemy Corps out of the hex. I doubt it will work but if it does it will very much ease my job in Northern China. A quick count reveals 25 enemy units isolated in the Sian pocket. That's about 1/3rd of the total Chinese force and defeating it in detail would be quite a coup.

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3630 troops, 0 guns, 243 vehicles

Defending force 12739 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 23 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 7

Allied ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25525 troops, 271 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 18983 troops, 152 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41717 troops, 417 guns, 27 vehicles

Defending force 21126 troops, 179 guns, 12 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
138 casualties reported

My two divisions here are recovering well. Their disruption is in the teens but the fatigue of the last division to arrive is still in the 40s. Time is on my side so I will wait.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22685 troops, 249 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 5301 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lashio

One of the two routes for the Burma Road falls to my forces. In addition a couple of Allied units are retreating into China. Good, when China falls so will they, in the meantime they are more useless mouths for the Chinese to fail to feed.

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1530 troops, 0 guns, 100 vehicles

Defending force 720 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 100 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lashio base !!!



Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Torokina

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 254 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Torokina base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Wewak

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 407 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wewak base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10783 troops, 123 guns, 9 vehicles

Defending force 27180 troops, 244 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4232 troops, 11 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 47535 troops, 489 guns, 27 vehicles


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Palembang

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 378 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Palembang base !!!

My paratroopers captured Palembang. I have been airflifting the 18th Aviation Unit from its starting position to Johore via Saigon for the past few days and have also positioned transports at Singkawang and Pontianak. The majority of my transport force will be committed to airlifting the 18th Aviation Unit and engineer regiment from Johore to Palembang. In addition other transport units will be airlifting the 4th Independent Regiment from Singkawang and Pontianak into Palembang as well as a Base Force from Pontianak to Toboali. These forces will enable me to defend Palembang from any ground offensive and also drive southward to Teloekboetang, taking it well ahead of my target date.

In addition I have flown my two best Oscar Daitais into Toboali and Palembang and set them to 90% CAP as well as flying a H6K4 unit and Betty Chutai into Palembang. Since it will now be obvious to Trey that Java and Sumatra are about to fall it would be logical for him to try to evacuate OR intervene with British naval forces. If this happens I will have advance warning... if it is a naval strike the Betty Chutai will be powerless but if it is a hasty evacuation the Chutai should be sufficient to take care of the cripples.

I am interested to see what the Allied aerial forces at Singapore and Batavia will do. I expect a maximal effort against the oilfields at Palembang and Toboali and will use the strength of the Allied response to judge the strength of Allied air in the region. If it is weak then the battleline will accelerate its movement and hit Batavia sooner than planned.

I took a picture of the situation in the DEI as I think it is complicated enough to bear pictorial explanation but, unfortunately, forgot to save it before cutting and pasting this text. I will post it next turn.

With these invasions succesfully concluded I believe that I should be up to 2500 Oil by mid-January and the first shipments should be reaching the Home Islands in the middle of February. I think that making these resources available several months earlier than usually accomplished justifies the somewhat extravagant expenditure of resources in the first month... It will also mean that while my losses per day have been high my losses per objective achieved have actually been quite low when compared to other AARs at a similar stage of the offensive.


With 10 divisions hitting India in mid-February ( I am currently in the process of marshalling the convoys for this invasion in Kagoshima) I am beginning to look at uses for the Independent Regiments and Brigades. 5 are committed to operations in the DEI ( 2 at batavia, 1 marching to batavia from Soerabaja where it landed a few days ago, 1 being evacuated from Banjarmasan to Soerabaja ( it has been replaced by an NLF from my operational reserve at Kendari) and 1 being air-transported from Borneo into Palembang), 1 is in Davao and 1 is guarding Port Moresby. I could certainly use them to bolster the invasion of India OR I could use them to mount a 2nd concomittant offensive. 7 x 300 AV Brigades/Regiments should make short work of much of New Zealand and by the time Australian units could respond I can have flown in Betty Daitais from New Guinea and Noumea using Norfolk Island ( which I recently captured and am building up to a Size 3 Airfield... and is currently annoying the heck out of Trey as a Mavis base with coverage over his whole East Coast... He's going to hate it even more when I place my Emily's there [:D] ) as a stepping stone to reduce operational losses.

Being able to mount these two operations relatively simultaneously ( I would allow the Indian operation to dislocate his defences and attention initially before following up with the New Zealand invasion a short while later) would allow me to advance my post-New Zealand offensives by two months and give me the ability to mount obvious, simultaneous, dislocatory, threats to the south-eastern Australian coast, Perth and Northern Australia which would tend, at least, to lessen Australian counter-attacks and, at best, to render Australia vulnerable to capture. I have been impressed with Pauk's Australian venture but think it would have been much more succesful if he had managed to take New Zealand also thus robbing the Australian and American navies of their operational freedom and Australia of most of its supply. Anyways, we will find out soon enough. Another, tangential, benefit is that the more quickly I can tidy up things in the Western Pacific the more quickly I will reduce the Allied ability to sortie subs into my SLOCs and the fewer objectives the Americans will be able to retake from their base at Pearl.

I've committed my entire minelaying fleet to helping shore up Johnson Island. They will lay approximately 1000 mines in their initial sortie and will return to land an additional 1500 at the end of January. CD and AAA units are also on their way to Midway ( no mines yet, it will get them once I am happy with Johnson Island), Johnson ( awaiting 1000 mines) and Palmyra (1800 mines). I fully expect to lose several islands in the Central Pacific over the next half year but so long as I can maintain my hold on Wake, Kwajalein the Truk/Buna/Noumea line I will consider the Eastern Front a great success and should be able to render the situation more satisfactory once India falls and I regain the freedom of action of my operational reserves.

Of course plans are one thing, reality another entirely

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/02/42

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


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 1 destroyed
Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
DD Kikuzuki
DD Mikazuki
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
CA Kako
CA Kinugasa
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Chokai
CA Mogami
BB Kongo
DD Oshio
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Haruna


Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 104
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 36
Ki-21 Sally x 232
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 2
Buffalo I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 18 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 3 destroyed
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 5 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Swordfish: 2 destroyed
Catalina I: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 70

Singapore is proving very resilient. It is only a shooting gallery at present with Japanese losses being extremely low since I based out of Johore but I daren't let up on the airbase attacks until such time as my battleline has transited the area on its way to Manilla. Once the battleline has moved on I will Port Attack until the time to load my DEI Brigades up for the New Zealand or Indian invasions comes around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
G4M1 Betty x 23

Allied aircraft
Hawk 75A x 1
Brewster 339D x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hawk 75A: 1 destroyed
Brewster 339D: 4 destroyed
C-60A Lodestar: 1 destroyed
Martin 139: 1 destroyed
F.K.51: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 71
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
CW-22 Falcon: 2 destroyed
Martin 139: 6 destroyed
F.K.51: 1 destroyed
C-60A Lodestar: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
120 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 50

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
C5M Babs x 4
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 72
Ki-48 Lily x 25
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5
Ki-15 Babs x 9
Ki-36 Ida x 4

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
C5M Babs: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 3 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
PG Tulsa, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Princess of Negros, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Gertrude Kellogg, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
TK Mindanao, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
SS Sealion, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Seal, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Ethel Edwards, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Pecos, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Anakan, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Palawan, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Snapper, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AK Sagoland, Bomb hits 1
AS Otus, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AS Canopus, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tanager, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
91 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

A very impressive port attack result. I had no idea there were this many ships still in Manilla. Obviously many of them were damaged in the initial attacks but I thought most of them had been smuggled out in single ship TFs. The Allies will pay for their laggardness with respect to these ships.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Teloekbetoeng at 19,58

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 6
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP Van Rees, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,51

Japanese aircraft
Ki-32 Mary x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP Van Diemen, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 26,32

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Memphis City, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 66,44

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 12
PC Ch 11
PC Ch 10
PC Ch 6
PC Ch 4
PG Myoken Maru
PG Kiso Maru
MSW W.20
MSW W.12

Allied Ships
SS Gar

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

Japanese Ships
DD Kikuzuki
DD Mikazuki
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
CA Kako
CA Kinugasa
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Chokai
CA Mogami
BB Kongo
DD Oshio
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Haruna


Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 15
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Macassar, at 30,69

I'm going to land an NLF at Macassar. It isn't much of a diversion of effort and it has to be taken at some stage. Might as well take it now. I expect the landing to occur on about the 5th of January.

Japanese Ships
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Mutsuki
DD Yukikaze
DD Natsushio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Oyashio
DD Kuroshio
CL Natori
CL Nagara


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 17
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27339 troops, 248 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 22993 troops, 194 guns, 26 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
106 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

More enemy units entered the hex just west of Changsha. It seems pretty clear that Trey has decided that if I'm running riot in the north he is going to attack in the south. Fair enough, one can't be strong everywhere.

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 68318 troops, 869 guns, 5 vehicles

Defending force 31675 troops, 264 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1335 casualties reported
Guns lost 38
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
851 casualties reported
Guns lost 16


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 44,31

It looks to me like the 4 Chinese Corps pushed back from Ichang have suffered very serious losses from all their forced retreats. If I'm reading it right this force which, at the time of their defence in Ichang, numbered 36,000 is now down to only about 9000 men. Great, if that's true they won't be adding much to the defence of Chungking when the time comes.

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3550 troops, 0 guns, 236 vehicles

Defending force 9350 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 23 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
424 casualties reported
Guns lost 13


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25569 troops, 275 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 19018 troops, 153 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41874 troops, 423 guns, 28 vehicles

Defending force 21285 troops, 183 guns, 12 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
117 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22688 troops, 246 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 5184 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
99 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 35,29

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1520 troops, 0 guns, 99 vehicles

Defending force 460 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

More armoured attacks in Burma push the Allies backward toward China and India.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kai Island

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1264 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kai Island base !!!

I had actually misremembered. I didn't send an NLF to Kai Island. I sent a Base Force which had been reinforced with about 15 infantry squads. It had no trouble taking Kai Island at all. The 40 IJA squads which each base Force can have come in very useful on occasion.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Taung Gyi

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6209 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1432 troops, 0 guns, 100 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
305 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

3 enemy Brigades attempted to Shock Attack one of my armoured regiments out of Taung Gyi. Another Tank regiment is on its way to Taung Gyi and should arrive within 3 days. At that stage I will just hold in place until my infantry divisions are finished taking Rangoon and are free to close with the defenders of Taung Gyi and eradicate them.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10793 troops, 123 guns, 9 vehicles

Defending force 27339 troops, 248 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4259 troops, 11 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 47712 troops, 495 guns, 28 vehicles



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1586 troops, 92 guns, 3 vehicles

Defending force 72679 troops, 615 guns, 186 vehicles

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


Japanese ground losses:
312 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Vehicles lost 1

This was a significant attack. It would appear that the Allied defensive AV ( including urban bonus) at Manilla is 4900. The raw combat power of my 8 divisions + sundry armoured and engineer regiments is in the region of 4000 AV so with some softening up via aerial ground attack and naval bombardment I should be able to Shock Attack effectively about a week after Bataan falls. With a bit of luck a week of Shock attacks could see Manilla fall. So, I'm still on course for Manilla to fall by the end of January and my Indian invasion fleet to be on its way by the beginning of February. *fingers crossed*


Below you can see a picture detailing the DEI/Singapore region. Significant portions of the 18th Aviation Unit and 4th Regiment are at Palembang as are several Daitais of Bettys and an Oscar Daitai. I believe that the airbase at Batavia or the planes at it may be too badly damaged to mount offensive operations as I've seen nothing flying an offensive mission from it for the past 3 or 4 days.

[Capt. Harlock]

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 378 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Palembang base !!!

MAJOR carelessness on the part of your opponent, and a powerful boost for your plans. As you calculated in your post above, oil is key to maintaining the Japanese economy. IMHO this is a bit gamey: there should have been local police and militia to defend against of force of less than 400 men.

[mogami]

Hi, Gadzooks what were Allies thinking? You move troops to Palembang not away.
I have 3 PBEM games as Japan that have reached 1943 and Palembang is still damaged in 2 of them.
Because of that everything that depends on oil shipments has been impacted. (Production ,Supply, fuel, have all been curtailed)
I have dumped 300,000 supply onto Palembang from Home Islands and still have not reached 50 percent of potentional output.
(Palembang is not the only SRA center that remains damaged into 1943)( I still have IJAAF groups flying Nate because of low aircraft production)

[Nemo121]

Harlock,

If 400 paratroops ( elite troops to the Japanese way of thinking) landed and I was in some sort of Javan Militia I don't think I'd have grabbed my pitchfork and run out to confront the paratroopers, especially not when I saw dozens more transports bringing in more troops. By the end of Day 2 of my invasion of palembang I had over 3,000 troops on the ground.

In any case if you look at what happened in the real drop on Palembang there was no militia response either. Hell, the most effective militia in Java throughout the war was pro-Japanese.


Mogami,

Yes, I've been lucky with my oil captures so far although, to be fair, since every post I've read in AARs bemoans the damage to oil facilities AND links this to the presence of engineers I've taken pains to bombard EVERY oil-rich defended base with my battleline. I think that the attention from the battleline has been the most significant help to me in capturing these resources in good condition.

As of 1st January 1942 my oil production is just under 2000 Oil per day. Unfortunately the force I sent in to capture Lanchow in the north of China only mustered 20 AV of paratroops ( marching northward from the base they had previously occupied) and so when I took that town I didn't have enough AV to prevent a partisan rising and the entire production of that town was lost by the next day.... I think there should be a 3 or 4 day period of grace from when one captures a town to when the "partisan" check comes into play or else people who capture towns by coup de main are going to be unfairly penalised for it...


As to why Palembang was ungarrisoned. Well, I hadn't moved a single unit any closer to it than Singapore and showed no interest in it while I was extensively reconning Teloekbetang and threatening to cut off the retreat of all Dutch units in Batavia ( which would, perforce, doom Palembang) so I think that Trey decided to put everything he had into one position ( Batavia) and hope for the best.

Additionally it must be borne in mind that he probably felt my paratroops had shot their bolt as he knew I'd committed every one of my parachute units to the attack... Of course he wasn't to know that I've had 4 FT TFs frantically racing around the Phillipines, DEI and Malaysia picking up every paratroop fragment they could and bringing them back to Saigon from where I was looking for the next wave of targets. The FT TFs were necessary because the "Pick Up Unit" command is broken.


I'm really looking forward to using the paratroops in India and Australia. My initial concept is to simply ship the paratroops into Trincomalee once that base is taken ( so that Trey won't know they have arrived), mate them up with their transport planes and then wait for Trey's forces to come tearing down the railway lines into meeting engagements with my forward elements. Then I will pick various operationally significant points and launch massive paraborne invasions behind the enemy lines dislocating his forward fight.

[Monter_Trismegistos]

Could you also post map of Timor/Kendari/Kuching etc. area?

Good luck with your India invasion!

[Nemo121]

Here you go Monter_Trismegistos.

As you can see the 3 NLFs I have landed at Samarinda are marching on Balikpapan to attack it. Once Balikpapan falls the only Allied units left in Borneo will be a couple of units which are on the Banjarmasin/Balikpapan road after having been ejected from Balikpapan on the 7th December.


In Sulawesi you can see one of my transport TFs picking up an NLF preparatory to landing it at Macassar. This is NOT an out-of-base landing. It is an out-of-base loading... before anyone else barges in to complain of gameyness.


Davao should fall in the next couple of days and in Java you can see one Regiment on the march to batavia with a transport TF landing another regiment at Soerabaja.

Several outlying, non-essential bases also remain untaken. I intend to recon these and use them for training purposes and therefore have chosen not to invade them at this stage.

Anything else you want to see?

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/03/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 53,45

Japanese Ships
AG AG-113, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Stingray
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 53,45

Japanese Ships
AG AG-111, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Stingray

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

I have a very experienced Betty Daitai near Pearl and have decided to see how it will do with night port attacks. Even the occasional hit on shipping will discomfit the Allies and build experience. This raid was carried off without loss so I think I will continue these night raids and possibly increase them as more Betty Daitais become available.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Macassar, at 30,69

Japanese Ships
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Mutsuki
DD Yukikaze
DD Natsushio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Oyashio
DD Kuroshio
CL Natori
CL Nagara


Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 4



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 36
Ki-21 Sally x 237
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 17 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
MSW Maryborough, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

Port hits 21
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 5

Does anyone know what % of port damage correlates with coastal guns being knocked out? E.g. If I inflict 66% port damage on Singapore would this mean that roughly 2/3rd of the coastal defence guns would have been knocked out?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G3M Nell x 6

Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 13th Tank Regiment, at 43,31

Allied aircraft
I-153c x 12
IL-4c x 6
SB-2c x 16


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x IL-4c bombing at 5000 feet
4 x SB-2c bombing at 5000 feet
6 x SB-2c bombing at 5000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 5000 feet
3 x IL-4c bombing at 5000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 5000 feet

More wasted effort. The 4 retreating Chinese Corps have run into a hex containing 3 fresh Chinese Corps so the supply used in this bombing run has been wasted. There was no way two heavily fatigued Tank Regiments were going to roll 3 fresh Chinese Corps.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 24,54


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 7
Hudson I x 2


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Arizana Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW W.9
AP Ayo Maru

Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Martin 139 bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Martin 139 bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Martin 139 bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Hudson I bombing at 5000 feet

I was very surprised to see this. Batavia has managed to launch offensive raids despite my airfield attacks. On the positive side they are no longer able to put 30+ bombers into the air in each attack. I had stood my Zeros down to help rest them. This will no longer be an option. CAP and LRCAP is immediately instituted over my bases and nearby TFs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 23,51

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-32 Mary x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AP Van Diemen, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Ki-32 Mary bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 2


Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Martin 139 bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 2


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PG Kanko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Martin 139 bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Macassar, at 30,69

Japanese Ships
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Mutsuki
DD Yukikaze
DD Natsushio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Oyashio
DD Kuroshio
CL Natori
CL Nagara


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 14
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 67220 troops, 901 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 30732 troops, 227 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
1873 casualties reported
Guns lost 57

This battle is occuring just east of Henchow. I made 0:1 odds but still managed to kill far more of the enemy than I lost. Excellent.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33712 troops, 277 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 42346 troops, 267 guns, 70 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

And on the other side of the river to Henchow I accept attritional combat in order to draw forces southward.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 43,31

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3450 troops, 0 guns, 228 vehicles

Defending force 12933 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
172 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 17

Allied ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Guns lost 6


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25709 troops, 275 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 18949 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bataan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22008 troops, 238 guns, 15 vehicles

Defending force 6341 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

The bombardment attack was conducted in order to be certain what forces were in Bataan. I believe that the two divisions I have committed to clear Bataan quickly should be able to take care of these 6000 men irrespective of how well dug in they are. Why 2 divisions diverted to this non-essential operation? Simple,
1. it help secure my lines of communication,
2. taking Bataan will give my battleline a clear run at Manila when the time comes for their bombardments,
3. I have 1 week before the Imperial Guard can be online at Manila and therefore 1 week before any sizeable assault will be put in. Rather than having this division sit around doing nothing I had the option of using it offensively in a manner beneficial to future operations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Davao

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13166 troops, 134 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4625 troops, 39 guns, 1 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
751 casualties reported
Guns lost 19

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Good, Mindanao will soon be clear of the stain of imperialism. More importantly this will free up the 56th Brigade to rest and recuperate prior to its embarkation for New Zealand. This is required as the 56th brigade has taken quite heavy losses ( in disablement) and a couple of weeks sitting around in a high supply base would do it the world of good.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 41972 troops, 426 guns, 27 vehicles

Defending force 21427 troops, 188 guns, 12 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
189 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

I will shock attack here next turn. With 3 enemy brigades seeking to counter-attack from Taung Gyi it would be useful to have my divisions free to blunt this counter-attack as quickly as possible. I am also moving a 2nd tank regiment down to reinforce the regiment which has been kicked out of Taung Gyi. My hope is that with 2 tank regiments operating in clear terrain I should be able to hold and counter-attack the British forces without any help from the infantry divisions but if it is required it behooves me to ensure it is available.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22726 troops, 242 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 5070 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 14 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
63 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Myitkyina

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1532 troops, 0 guns, 100 vehicles

Defending force 330 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 96 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Myitkyina base !!!

The Burma Road is now, officially, closed. The supply situation in China should deteriorate rapidly.



Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Taung Gyi

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 8432 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1422 troops, 0 guns, 99 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 3

Allied ground losses:
315 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10873 troops, 123 guns, 9 vehicles

Defending force 27426 troops, 251 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Samarinda

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 329 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4765 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles

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



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4351 troops, 13 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 47790 troops, 498 guns, 27 vehicles

[Monter_Trismegistos]

Well actually I wanted more south-east map. I am curious about "frontline" between your forces in DEI and Darwin. Which bases does he still controls especially.

Have you ever tried to use bombardment TF against Manila or Singapore? I've seen other AARs, the results were so scary so it made me a tittle scary about doing it myself. Those big guns can hurt you easily. And as I understand the system, port damage does not reflect CD guns damage. It is much harder work to put them out of action.

[Nemo121]

I own Timor and Kai Island. There are only two small islands ( neither capable of holding a level 4 airfield) south-west of Kai Island that I do not own. I see no need to occupy them at this stage.

I am building up Kai Island since it is within 6 hexes of Darwin and at the appropriate time ( after India and New Zealand fall) I would like to mount operations against Darwin in order to drain Australia of its supply. That's 2 to 3 months in the future though.


As to naval bombardments of Manila and Singapore. I plan to bombard Manila once I have knocked out enough CD guns... I had thought this was tied to port damage.... Which AARs contain Manila bombardments? I haven't read any which do so my only knowledge re: the lethality of these guns is that I sent 4ships into Manila harbour on the 1st night to lay mines and each one was sunk so I figure they must be quite lethal indeed.

If the damage meted out in those AARs doesn't look too devastating I will consider visiting with the battleline ( 8 BBs and about 13 CAs) concentrated in one TF.

[Emilio]

Hi Nemo,

Just a silly question since I'm a newbie also (well, not so new but waiting for 1.8 in order to start playing seriously).

How do you made to merge in a single TF the KB and the CVLs (mini KB) since the light carriers are dispersed in Palau and in Kure?

Thanks for your help,

Emilio.

[Nemo121]

Well it took me a bit of trial and error but basically what I did was simply to order to CVLs and any other escorts I wanted into the same hex as KB was due to attack from. ALL units were set to "DO NOT RETIRE".

So, at the end of the first day of combat the CVs and CVLs were all in the same hex and I just used the transfer ship orders to create the TFs I desired. I hope that helps. I'm no expert but if you've any more questions I'll always try to answer ( or at least own up that I don't have a clue ).

Update to follow in a few minutes.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/04/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1002 encounters mine field at Moloaki (113,68)

Allied Ships
PC Reliance

I don't expect decisive results from these sub-laid minefields around Pearl Harbour but they will give the Allies something else to worry about and force encourage re-routing of invasion convoys making for Midway and Johnson Island, giving me more time to respond to any planned invasions.

I suppose that at this time I should say a little something about my plans for the Pearl Harbour area.

I own Midway and Johnson Island. In a few days I will capture Laysan and land a Base Force to support a patrol plane Chutai. Later if it becomes advisable to take Pearl harbour I will take and develop the French Frigate Shoals as a forward base for basing fighters and patrol planes but I don't expect to reach that decision point for a minimum of 3 months and more probably 6 months.

Johnson island will, within the next two weeks, boast a garrison comprising the South Seas Detachment, a sizeable Base Force, a Coastal Defence Regiment and a AAA regiment. Once sizeable forts are built this force ( roughly 150 AV) should require the Allies to commit a division to any invasion. If this happens then the transports will be within Betty/Nell range of both Palmyra and Midway and will require escort by the US carrier fleet. So, as you can see, Johnson Island is actually a rather large trap. So long as KB is available nearby any US invasion of Johnson will allow me to manoeuvre against the US carriers while they are pinned in place providing cover for the vulnerable APs.

Obviously in mid-February it will become obvious that KB isn't anywhere near Midway and the risk of an invasion will be extremely high. The only thing which will actually hold the Americans back at that time will be the fear that what he sees in India isn't all of the KB. So it is important to create a fear of KB over the next 2 weeks. In order to do this and to induce the Allied carriers into mis-deployment at the beginning of February I have come up with operation "Wal-Mart No-Go"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 damaged


One of the P40s actually made an attack run but was damaged by defensive fire. My 2 Bettys were lightly damaged by FlAK.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 24,52

Japanese Ships
SS I-158

Allied Ships
AP Van Diemen, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


My FIRST succesful, planned, submarine interception of allied shipping... I have been finding it almost impossible to intercept enemy ships with my submarines. Is there any post which describes how to do this? I put them on the hex the enemy ship is at and on hexes I think it will pass through this turn and yet nothing ever happens.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 43,49

Japanese Ships
AP Kasuga Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami
DD Asagiri
DD Sagiri
AP Heiyo Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-36, hits 2

Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported


You may note this convoy is much more heavily protected than my SOP would call for ( SOP is 1 PG per convoy or 1 PG per full ground combat unit carried by the convoy. E.g. 3 NLFs in a convoy would rate 3 x PGs.... Important HQs and divisional/Regimental-sized units rate DDs.). That is because this convoy is carrying the Southern Area Army HQ to Lingayen. Fortunately the Kasuga Maru is only 60 miles from Lingayen and has only light flotation and fire damage. It should survive. Imperial Guard Division's convoy is about 2 days behind the Southern Area Army HQ.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Changsha , at 47,36


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 5


No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 36
Ki-21 Sally x 227
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 25 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

Port hits 23
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 9


Both Buffaloes were lost in A2A combat while both Sallies were lost to FlAK. This will be the last significant air attack on Singapore for some time as I am transferring these planes to Clark Field along with my newly released reserves from Korea in order to launch very heavy airstrikes against the defenders of Manila over the next week. I am going to concentrate on ground attacks in an effort to disable as much of his combat power over the next week as possible. Once this is done my ground forces will Shock Attack. Further tasking of my army bombers will depend on the results of this Shock Attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 11

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Lockheed 212: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
C5M Babs x 4
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 73
Ki-48 Lily x 27
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5
Ki-15 Babs x 9
Ki-36 Ida x 3

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 3 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed

Allied Ships
AS Otus, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Lark, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Holland, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AK Ethel Edwards, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
SS Seal, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AO Pecos, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tanager, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bisayas, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Pillsbury, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Finch, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 2

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1


Today 100 bombers struck Manila. Tomorrow over 250 should strike and 2 days after that 400 bomber raids should be the norm. It will be devastating. I just hope it will be devastating enough.

Today since I was only able to put in a small attack I decided to concentrate on the Port again in the hope of knocking out some of the Coastal Defence guns and shipping. It paid off as not only did I score many hits on enemy shipping but SS Seal was confirmed sunk.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Upolu, 97,109, firing at TF 149
TF 149 troops unloading over beach at Upolu, 97,109


24 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
148 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Upolu

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1656 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 788 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
352 casualties reported
Guns lost 5


My first completely failed attack of the war. Elements of the 52nd Guard Unit went ashore at Upolu and were annihilated to a man. This unit which once proudly mustered over 80 squads is now reduced to the wounded survivors of a mere 17 squads. ( IOW 17 squads disabled, no squads combat-capable.) Serving the Emperor's a bitch [:D]. Fortunately I have a few NLFs nearby which will be incorporated into my commerce-raiding plan and retake Upolu in conjunction with KB.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 108687 troops, 1184 guns, 17 vehicles

Defending force 73496 troops, 624 guns, 185 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
435 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 2

Excellent! At this rate there will be only another 150 or so days of combat to go. [:D]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 54,91

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2490 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2063 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

This represents Kure 3rd SNLFs attempts to mop up the survivors of the Port Moresby Defence Brigade and Base Force in the jungle between Buna and Port Moresby. BAH! It isn't worth it. Instead I will just leave them to rot with disease and starvation taking the toll my men could not.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27542 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 23046 troops, 195 guns, 26 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 62997 troops, 901 guns, 4 vehicles

Defending force 27567 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
1302 casualties reported
Guns lost 33

1302 casualties to a bombardment attack? [X(][X(][X(] All bow before the queen of the battlefield! [&o][&o][&o]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,35

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 33922 troops, 283 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 49284 troops, 313 guns, 70 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25756 troops, 278 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 18913 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles


Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported

The rest of these bombardments in China are just to burn up Chinese supply. Nothing decisive, just slow attritional wearing away.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bataan

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 44327 troops, 485 guns, 32 vehicles

Defending force 6302 troops, 94 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 56 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan base !!!



Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 3 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
635 casualties reported
Guns lost 28
Vehicles lost 5

Allied ground losses:
5096 casualties reported
Guns lost 58

Good, that's one set of large CD guns which won't threaten my battleline if it becomes necessary to commit them to breaking the defenders of Manila... The more I think about it the more I become unwilling to charge blindly into the gaping maw of those guns. Batavia has some CDs so I will see how that bombardment goes. If I suffer losses there then I will be much more reluctant to risk my battleline off Manila and may just dock it in Hong Kong to repair some system damage....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Davao

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 12127 troops, 112 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4524 troops, 38 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Davao base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
231 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Allied ground losses:
8818 casualties reported
Guns lost 36
Vehicles lost 1

Good! The 56th is finally freed from Mindanao. I have begun prepping it for Dunedin and am transferring it to Noumea to rest and recuperate while it awaits the fall of Java and the release of its compatriots for the invasion of New Zealand. In addition the SNLFs and the regiment at Port Moresby are currently loading onto transports bound for Noumea. It is a nice non-malarial hex for these forces to use in resting up for the Dunedin operation.

As part of my maskirovka operation I am prepping 2 units for Pearl Harbour or Northern Australia for every 1 unit I prep for Dunedin. I am doing this so that if Allied intelligence succeeds in reading my orders they are twice as likely to get misleading reports as they are to get a useful report. Even if they get intel on all of my preparations they will be forced to honour each of them as being possible and desirable from the Japanese point of view and will be forced to wait for me to commit my forces before throwing their CVs and LBA into the defence of any particular target.

My only concern is that the Allies may vastly reinforce Dunedin if they catch wind of this attack. If that happens I may have to re-adjust on the fly when the initial recon reports from my floatplanes come back to the invasion fleet.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 42117 troops, 427 guns, 27 vehicles

Defending force 21528 troops, 192 guns, 12 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
2392 casualties reported
Guns lost 77
Vehicles lost 9

Allied ground losses:
432 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Good, 1 to 1 odds with level 3 forts. Next turn I should get similar odds and drop the forts to Level 1. The turn after that I can expect Rangoon to fall. This is essential as I'm quite concerned about the potential for 3 Allied Brigades to counter-attack the two tank regiments I have facing Taung Gyi and cut off northern Burma. Still, that's why this sort of rapier advance is so risky, a counter-attack at the neck of the thrust tends to decapitate the whole offensive and the Taung Gyi/Pagan area is the neck of this particular offensive.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22714 troops, 240 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 5069 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
89 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 43,31

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 12746 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 3260 troops, 0 guns, 208 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 13 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
190 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 14

Allied ground losses:
367 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

6 Chinese Corps counter-attack the 2 Tank Regiments pushing on Chungking. This is not at all of a surprise to me. Interestingly the 4 Corps which I had been pushing back since Ichang mustered no more than 10 AV each in the counter-attack while the 2 Chinese Corps which had moved into this blocking position each contributed over 300 AV to the counter-attack. I am interpreting this as meaning that the 4 Chinese Corps from Ichang are pretty much completely spent until such time as they do a lot of rest and recuperation in a rear area.

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Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10882 troops, 122 guns, 9 vehicles

Defending force 27542 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Jambi

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 57 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Jambi base !!!

Paratroops from Palembang were flown northward to take Jambi. This was completely non-essential but it tidied up my map a bit and only required a 5 day diversion of a partial fragment of 1st Parachute Regiment so I decided to allow it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Below you can see a map of the convoy routes to Australia. Basically I have been planning to do some convoy raiding with the CVE-Butai backed up by some CL-led destroyer divisions and to that end either have at Noumea or have on the way to Noumea 5 DD Divisions ( 5 Cls and 20 DDs), the CVE-Butai, 2 CS which have almost completely converted their airgroups to the longer-range Alfs to aid with the commerce-raiding and an AD.

I was planning to begin these raids in another two weeks after I had had a chance to bring fuel down from Truk but I've seen an opportunity to accomplish several objectives at once and am going to take it. These are:

1. Show the teeth of KB and show them in such a way that the Allies know I am willing to use them aggressively and in multiple TFs.

2. Begin attriting supplies to Australia.

3. Move KB towards the DEI without making it obvious that I am aiming at India.

4. Suppress Upolu Island sufficiently to allow a succesful landing.

5. Accomplish all of the above such that the KB arrives in the DEI at the beginning of February in good enough shape ( both in terms of system damage and minimal losses to aircrews) to be able to support an invasion against significant LBA and enemy CV action within a forthnight of arriving in DEI.



A strike against Pearl Harbour would attrit my aircrews significantly and also increase the likelihood of my ships sustaining significant damage from LBA. A strike against the convoy lanes to the east of Pearl Harbour would result in an unacceptable transit time to the DEI and an unconscionable delay to the invasion of India. It would also run the risk of a decisive battle against US CVs, something I do not wish to engage in prior to the invasion of India. So, we are left with convoy raiding. The CVE-Butai and DD flotillas are in place. Short on fuel admittedly but the diversion of KB's underway replenishment TF to the area should sort that out. With those forces in place to close the western jaw of the trap KB can sweep in from the east at flank speed hoovering up the slow transports and driving those that are faster into the waiting guns of the DD-flotillas and CVE-Butai. I estimate that my haul should be no less than 10 ships and no more than 20 but actual losses inflicted are pretty much irrelevant. It will achieve all 5 of my above objectives and by the time this commerce strike ends I should be in position to have a line of Glen-equipped subs operating out of Pago-Pago as an early warning line with 2 CS and 2 CVE operating out of Noumea with orders to both launch their own airstrikes on convoys as well as vector in the Noumean DD flotillas. Obviously the Allies will have their own plans but I don't think that anything short of the committment of their CVs to this area will guarantee their convoy runs in future. If they wish to commit their carriers here in February then that suits me just fine. I will see them coming and can have my CVEs, CS and DD flotillas escape to New Guinea.


In the accompanying picture RED shows the movement from initial positions. KB will carry out this movement with ALL torpedo-bombers, dive-bombers and search planes stood down. I will maintain CAP just to be safe but mostly I will rely on my Mavis' at Midway, Johnson and Palmyra to warn me of onrushing US carriers. The black arrows show the sweep pattern and the dark green lines show the egress route of KB. It will pass by Upolu on its way to the DEI and incidentally prep it for my ground invasion which will be standing by. The light green line shows the return of the CVE-Butai to Noumea.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/05/42

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Night Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 8

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 15

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 21000 feet

I'm going to continue these night raids at various different altitudes until I find out at which altitude allied AAA over Pearl Harbour begins to become effective. Might as well test that out now at the cost of a couple of Bettys rather than later when I can lose a lot of planes in the finding out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Macassar, 30,69, firing at TF 98
TF 98 troops unloading over beach at Macassar, 30,69


9 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PG Hayakafuku Maru

Japanese ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 95,62

Japanese Ships
PC Takuna Maru #6
PC Shonon Maru #11
PC Shonon Maru #10
PC Shonon Maru #3
PC Kyo Maru #7
PC Kyo Maru #6
PC Fumi Maru #3

Allied Ships
SS Argonaut, hits 1

I shook free enough PCs from various convoys passing through Midway to create a 10 PC strong ASW group basing out of Midway. They claim their first victim. It isn't a kill but the damage should send it back to port.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 53,45

Japanese Ships
AG AG-121, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Stingray

Stingray is having a good game intercepting my AGs on their way to Takao. I am planning to use them to shuttle fuel etc from Mynok to Singapore in about three months after Singapore falls.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
C5M Babs x 7
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 259
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7
Ki-15 Babs x 11
Ki-36 Ida x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
PG Tulsa, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bisayas, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Gertrude Kellogg, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
SS Snapper, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tanager, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Peary, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Pillsbury, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP President Madison, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Anakan, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Princess of Negros, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Holland, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Ethel Edwards, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AO Trinity, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Otus, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Sealion, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AO Pecos, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Lark, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Finch, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Palawan, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sagoland, Bomb hits 1


Allied ground losses:
427 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 1

Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 2

[X(] [X(] [X(] [X(] Twenty ships in Manila harbour absorb a total of 41 bomb hits. With Allied losses now nearing 175 ships the fall of Manila should see them climb past 200 ships. I've also estimated that the Indian theatre of operations could, conceivably, contain about 200 to 250 British ships and I would dearly love to account for a large proportion of them when I take India. Every ship I sink now is one less ship with which he can attempt to run the gauntlet to Australia OR use to support invasions elsewhere.

On a sidenote I think it is time to get rid of the Tojo Sentai, replace it with Nates and incorporate them into my training programme. I have 4 Oscar Sentais and 3 Zero Daitais available for land-based operations at present. My monthly production of Oscars is about 120 planes so I plan to expand to 8 Oscar Sentais during January. At present I envision 4 Oscar Sentais involved in the invasion of India, 2 in the invasion of New Zealand ( all 6 being crated up and shipped in by transport) and 1 each in northern Burma and China. 1 Zero daitai will stiffen each invasion while the third Zero Daitai will be tasked as resistance requires.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 41st PA Division, at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48 Lily x 17
Ki-15 Babs x 2
Ki-36 Ida x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 6 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 2 damaged
Ki-36 Ida: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 16000 feet
5 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 16000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 56,43

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 32
PC Ch 18
PC Ch 17
PC Ch 16
PC Ch 15
PC Ch 14
PC Ch 13
PC Takunan Maru #5
PC Shonan Maru #17
PC Shonan Maru #2
PC Shonan Maru #1
PC Kyo Maru #13
PC Kyo Maru #12
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Permit, hits 4

Hmm, gonna trim this one down. It ws one of the first I created and I just lumped all the PCs in a base into it. 14 is a bit of overkill. I'll go with 10 PCs per TF so that I can begin supplying TFs to my outlying bases.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 95,62

Japanese Ships
PC Takuna Maru #6
PC Shonon Maru #11
PC Shonon Maru #10
PC Shonon Maru #3
PC Kyo Maru #7
PC Kyo Maru #6
PC Fumi Maru #3

Allied Ships
SS Argonaut


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 108839 troops, 1191 guns, 19 vehicles

Defending force 72958 troops, 613 guns, 185 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
291 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27667 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 23117 troops, 194 guns, 28 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported

The bombardment group arrives tomorrow. I've been reconning Batavia with 3 separate recon groups as I hear that greatly impacts the effectiveness of bombardments. I'm interested to see how the bombardment group does. I have gathered 8 BBs and 14 CAs into this one bombardment group. It is escorted by 2 CLs and 14 DDs so I think that not only should Batavia be hit hard but the battleline should be completely safe from any counter-attacks, excepting damage done by mines of course. An MSW group is asigned to enter Batavia 12 hours after the initial bombardment to sweep for mines. I didn't send it in first because I was afraid of what the Coastal Defence guns would do. So far every time I have gone up against strong coastal defences every ship sent in has been lost.

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Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 58474 troops, 863 guns, 5 vehicles

Defending force 26033 troops, 63 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
1084 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

Wow! I've got to lure more of these Chinese forces out in the open. I doubt they could sustain these sorts of casualties if I were able to inflict them on 3 or 4 different axes at a time. That would add up to 5,000 casualties per day and while most would be disablements they WOULD draw down enemy supply levels and, over time, as enemy supply levels plummeted would result in irrecoverable losses. Since the enemy is committed to holding me as far from Chungking as possible that will provide another excellent opportunity to attrit his supplies with bombardment attacks.


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Ground combat at 45,30

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4226 troops, 6 guns, 287 vehicles

Defending force 17707 troops, 133 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
313 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 26

Allied ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

I attempted to Shock Attack at the crossroads to Sian. I wasn't expecting success but it was worth a shot. In about two days time the other two tank regiments should join up with the paratroops and tank regiments at the crossroads and this should enable me to hold this position against Chinese attack. When the infantry divisions from Ichang link up I can begin pressing the Chinese back.


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Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 39181 troops, 330 guns, 18 vehicles

Defending force 21004 troops, 184 guns, 12 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
1728 casualties reported
Guns lost 16
Vehicles lost 8

Allied ground losses:
507 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Ok so 2:1 odds next turn should yield a surrender. Good! The sooner I can transfer the forces here to Taung Gyi and possibly even Ledo ( if the Shock Attacking Tank Regiment advancing up that path can take Ledo via Shock Attack ) the better.


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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22703 troops, 239 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 4946 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported

It is really hard to know whom is whittling whom away more here.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 36,30

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1714 troops, 0 guns, 117 vehicles

Defending force 1016 troops, 11 guns, 3 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 35 to 1


Allied ground losses:
137 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 10931 troops, 121 guns, 11 vehicles

Defending force 27667 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


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Ground combat at Macassar

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1017 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1213 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles


Hmm, I might have brought too little to Macassar to be able to take it quickly. No matter, I have more in the area and will commit it if required.

The picture below shows the Peary taking a 250Kg bomb in Manilla harbour. In the bottom-left you can also see my recon efforts in southern India. So far every base looks to have at least some garrison... Still, seeing as it is about the last place left for me to use my paratroops I am flying all I have available into the base at Pagan and will await opportunities.

[Nemo121]

Strangely enough two TFs suddenly popped up west of Singkawang. They are tentatively identified as containing 2 APs and a CA. They are probably just transports from Singapore trying to flee the area and I should ignore them but the report of the CA worries me a little. I have over 100 Bettys and Nells within 5 hexes of them and will set them on Naval Attack for tomorrow. That should take care of these ships whatever they are.

[Mike Solli]

If you're going to move air units by ship, don't forget to divide them into Chutai and put them on 3 separate ships. This prevents the loss of the entire unit if one ship happens to be sunk. Note that after you do this, you can have the 3 AKs load supply so they don't move practically empty.

[Nemo121]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/06/42

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TF 1032 encounters mine field at Moloaki (113,68)

Allied Ships
MSW Tern
MSW Rail
MSW Turkey

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TF 108 encounters mine field at Batavia (19,59)

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Mine hits 1

Only one loss to enemy mines and even then the Ashigara only has 27 flotation damage and the size 3 port of Palembang is less than a day's sailing away. It should handily survive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 122 encounters mine field at Noumea (68,113)

Japanese Ships
MSW Toroshima Maru
AP Somedono Maru, Mine hits 1

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Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-30 Ann x 39
Ki-15 Babs x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 49

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Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 19
Ki-46-II Dinah x 3

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 4
Buffalo I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 15 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 2 damaged
Buffalo I: 1 damaged
Blenheim I: 1 destroyed

Runway hits 4

Interestingly the Sallys suffered no losses to the fighters which intercepted them and actually managed to damage 3 of them for an equal number of their own damaged. The FlAK did the damage.

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Day Air attack on 41st PA Division, at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
C5M Babs x 1
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3
Ki-21 Sally x 113
Ki-48 Lily x 12
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1
Ki-15 Babs x 2
Ki-36 Ida x 1

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
C5M Babs: 1 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
152 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

The rule of thumb seems to be 1 ground casualty for every ton of bombs delivered. Hopefully the disruption is massive as otherwise aerial bombardments aren't really going to do much to the defenders of Manila. As of the morning of the 7th December I have 2100 AV in Manilla with another 1500 within 3 days march. So, so long as their fort levels haven't gone up much I should be able to Shock Attack them fairly effectively and get close to 2:1 on the first day with a solid 2:1 by the 2nd or 3rd day of Shock Attacks.

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Day Air attack on TF at 21,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
G4M1 Betty x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Don Jose, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

The freighters trying to sneak past Toboali get their just desserts. No sign of any warships so I presume these are just ships trying to slip away from Singapore a couple of days too late.
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Day Air attack on Wuchow , at 42,39

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

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Day Air attack on TF at 22,54


Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 5
Blenheim IV x 3
Hudson I x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Arizana Maru
AP Ayo Maru, Bomb hits 1


The British in Singapore are like rats. No matter what you do they ALWAYS survive, come back out of their burrows and make your life a living hell. They manage to launch an 11 plane raid today.
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Day Air attack on TF at 21,58

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 9
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 22

No Japanese losses

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 36,54

Japanese Ships
PG Seisho Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

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Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
F.K.51: 1 destroyed
Martin 139: 4 destroyed
Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed
Lockheed 212: 2 destroyed
Hudson I: 2 destroyed
Catalina I: 1 destroyed
CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed
C-60A Lodestar: 2 destroyed

14 planes destroyed and runway damage of 95 according to my reconnaissance reports. That's good but what follows next is truly amazing.

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Myoko
CA Maya
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
CA Kako
CA Kinugasa
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Chokai
CA Mogami
BB Kongo
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Haruna


Allied ground losses:
7913 casualties reported
Guns lost 51
Vehicles lost 22

Airbase hits 62
Airbase supply hits 20
Runway hits 401
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Admittedly this is probably one of the strongest bombardment TFs possible in the game but close to 8,000 casualties is still pretty spectacular work. Given that I am generally only seeing 23,000 defenders when I am bombarding this would account for the loss of 1/3rd of their total force. I'm certain many are just disabled but it bodes well for my Shock Attack when the 3rd regiment reaches Batavia over the next couple of days. In fact if this has done as much damage as I think I may only require a Deliberate Attack. I'll bombard for another two days and see how things lie then before deciding.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 109107 troops, 1205 guns, 20 vehicles

Defending force 72765 troops, 606 guns, 186 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
282 casualties reported
Guns lost 10


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Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 58759 troops, 866 guns, 6 vehicles

Defending force 24796 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
1104 casualties reported
Guns lost 14


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Ground combat at Macassar

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1213 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1793 troops, 15 guns, 4 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1


Japanese ground losses:
78 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Rangoon

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 37324 troops, 293 guns, 9 vehicles

Defending force 20622 troops, 174 guns, 12 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
1350 casualties reported
Guns lost 33
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
968 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Hmm, they were down to fort level 0 last turn. They must have regained a fort level overnight. I will Shock Attack again tomorrow. They should be unable to build another fort overnight again and thus should definitely surrender tomorrow. Unfortunately this will be a day too late for transfer to Pagan and airlift to targets of opportunity but one can't have everything.

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Ground combat at 23,47

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 22749 troops, 240 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 5047 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
42 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
84 casualties reported


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Ground combat at 36,27

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1566 troops, 0 guns, 103 vehicles

Defending force 210 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 100 to 1



Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating! directly towards Ledo which I think might only be held by a single Base Force. *Fingers Crossed* If I can take that I'll just airlift one of the infantry divisions in from Pagan to help hold it... This is why I've been so eager to get the Rangoon situation finished ASAP. I need to regain the operational flexibility of those divisions...

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Ground combat at 45,30

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17626 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4420 troops, 9 guns, 259 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
272 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

The allies are attempting to push my forces ( 2 tank regiments and some paratroops) from the Sian/Chungking crossroads. Unfortunately for them 2 of my tank regiments are due to arrive tomorrow with over 2 division's worth of troops due the day after that. If the crossroads can be held for one more day then it should hold indefinitely. As you can see in the picture below some 32 Chinese units are trapped in the two northern pockets with roughly 86 units in the southern portion of China. So, 1/4 of their combat power could be about to be annihilated over the course of the next fortnight.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batavia

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 9818 troops, 113 guns, 11 vehicles

Defending force 27707 troops, 247 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
91 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Guns lost 5