Divebomber, it's relatively easy to avoid the conversion of the Ise and Hyuga, the only thing to do is not disband them in Osaka port. If you send them to any other repair shipyard, they won't convert.
An interesting feature of the report below was the big drop in manpower. It was due to the "great reinforcement day" on 13 June 1943, that finally costed far more manpower than armament points.
Thanks for the info on Ise and Hyuga.
BTW - did you expand your industries a lot in order to get the quantities that you have now?
Divebomber, you asked an interesting question. My short answer was that I didn't expand much my industry, but I then decided to have a closer look to this and to compare the number at start of the game and now. Below are the differences:
Total war industry increase (not counting 150-250 HI expanded in Japan and Korea): + 1672
These figures were not exactly what I excepted. I knew that I was sitting on a hug pile of supplies, but I had no idea it was so much above the starting level. I also had no idea that I was still below the level of resources I was at the start of the war (it is probable the stock will never reach such a high level again).
As for the industry I expanded the post I would have said repair shipyard. They are second behinf aircraft factories. I would have said I did +250 for naval shipyad and + 100 for armament and finally the latter was more expanded than the first. That explained why I had no problems with armament but some with naval production. By the way the latter will be increased strongly during the summer.
A last comment: the increase in AC production is far superior to the increase in engine, but remember that roughly 50% of my AC factories are stopped most of the time.
3 July 1943
Northern Pacific
There was no raid today. Paramushiro Jima reported damage in the evening as 34/40/65 (airbase/runway/port).
Southern Pacific
One of the two Ki-21 Sentai based in Noumea received orders to go to the Philippines to fly naval and ASW search there. It flew to Lunga during the day. One bomber crashed but the crew was saved.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked by 43 B-24D and 25 PB4Y from PM escorted by 66 P-38G that scored 14 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 68 on runways, doing 61 casualties and disabling 2 guns. A P-38G was lost operationally.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning, 123 B-17E and 37 B-24D from Darwin laid mines off Kendari. My opponent forgot our home rule limiting minelaying at night. Mine missions can’t be intercepted and in this case more than 100 Japanese fighters were flying CAP in the area but didn’t intercept it. The Japanese anyway spent their frustration on floatplanes flying recon in the area and shot down two Mariner over Kendari and a PBY over Amboina. Three MSW docked in Kendari were ordered to sweep these mines.
In the afternoon, Maumere was attacked by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 5 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 1 on the runway, Koepang was raided by 72 B-25C and 47 B-25J from Derby (64 casualties, 4 disabled guns, 4 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 104 on the runway) and Lautem was bombed by 72 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 17 on the runway, and did 29 casualties. Allied losses in the afternoon were a B-25C and a B-25J shot down by AA fire over Koepang, and 1 B-25C and 1 B-25J lost operationally.
The SS I-30 was patrolling between Darwin and Port Moresby to detect Allied naval activity but had reported nothing in several weeks until today. He saw today an Allied ship 180 miles west of Merauke but couldn’t give more information.
SRA
The new cape taken by the Japan convoy off Luzon wasn’t enough to escape the numerous Allied submarines chasing it. They finally managed to reach the transports this night. 60 miles NW of San Marcelina the USS Muskalunge evaded the tired escort and hit with one torpedo the big AP Yamata Maru (damage 29/36/11, 5 casualties and 1 destroyed gun aboard). Two of the 6 PC of the close escort of the convoy counter-attacked and scored 4 near-misses on this submarine. Some hours later she still was there when the “following” convoy sailed in the area and she again slipped past the escorts and attacked an AP but her torpedoes failed this time. 5 escorts searched here and a MSW and a PG dropped depth charges, scoring 2 near misses. More north, the PC ASW group chased at the same time the USS Barb that escaped after a near-miss scored by the Ishigaki. The day was then quieter until the evening when the SS USS Harder attacked the main convoy NW of Bataan and set on fire the AP Kashiwara Maru with one torpedo (damage 50/43/39, 20 casualties). The 5 escorts didn’t find her. In the evening both troops convoys gathered NW of Bataan and received orders to go to Manila where damaged transports will be docked and their troops unloaded. A tanker convoy coming the DEI and sailing to Manila was rerouted to Legaspi to avoid running into this battle.
Another American submarine scored today and was the first to actually sink a Japanese transport on the inner lines of the Empire (until now only escorts and MSW had been sunk, while several transports had been badly damaged but were saved). A convoy of 5 small AK escorted by 2 APD was sailing from Toboali to Rangoon to bring supplies here but was attacked in the morning the USS Runner 60 miles SE of Sinkep Island. The AK Shanghai Maru was hit by 3 torpedoes, capsized and sank immediately. The escorts didn’t find the submarine. In the evening an ASW group was sent from Singapore to this area to chase this submarine.
Burma
50 Betties and 6 Nells from Rangoon bombed the resource centers of Asansol at low altitude (6000 feet) and damaged 10% of them (49 of 480). The city had never been bombed before and had no defenses worth of mentioning them. No Japanese aircraft was hit by AA fire and the only loss was a Betty running out of fuel and wrecked in a forced landing in a rice paddy on the return leg. The crew survived and returned to Rangoon by train. Their comrades were again set to standard orders (rest with 20% naval search).
There were only two Allied raids: Myitkyina was attacked by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 11 on the runways, and 18 Beaufighter VIC and 10 Vengeance I from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E attacked one of the unit of the garrison, the 104th Div, and hit 8 men and 1 gun. Allied fighters also flew LRCAP over this base, with 8 P-40N and 4 Beaufighter VIC. Allied losses during the day were one Vengeance I shot down by AA fire and two P-40E destroyed in an air-to-air collision.
On the ground the only activity was Japanese artillery fire on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina (30 Allied casualties). But I had an idea. When the Allied forces advanced in Myitkyina some weeks ago, first reports indicated that Japanese troops were more numerous than them and with the fortification advantage such a concentration wasn’t necessary. So orders were given for several divisions to move west of the city but given the ground move model of WITP such orders were first cancelled because I forgot to set a city as a destination, and once I remembered it, the Allied troops were on the railway to Mandalay and the computer allowed the units to move, but to the SE via two hex of jungle before reaching Lashio… But now that a Chinese Corps was SE of Myitkyina, I tried again and the troops will now move to the west. So both Tk Div in the city (1st and 3rd) were ordered to go to Mandalay and should leave Myitkyina tomorrow. They will be stopped on the railway west of the city and will then go where they will be the most useful.
Again the evening report indicated that all Burmese airfields were undamaged.
China
120 miles east of Kweiyang 13 Ki-48 from Kweilin bombed a Chinese Division and hit 18 men and 1 gun but one of their number was lost in a crash.
The Japanese forces in Northern China were reorganized. The arrival of an Aviation Regiment from Manchouoko in Lanchow enabled this. The goal of the reorganization is to rationalize the positioning of the Japanese air support in China. Too much was deployed inland, and some of the small BFs were attached to other commands. The objectives was to have more air support in Southern China and along the coast (to fly ASW patrols) and to extract from China the troops belonging to other commands to reinforce the DEI and the Pacific.
Kungchang will no more be an active airfield, and the 3 fighter units based here flew to Lanchow, while the 3 parachutist SNLF recovering from their failed drop in Burma will go by train to Shangai. Three IJA BF currently in Lanchow received orders to go to Hsinyang, Yenen and Chengting, and the IJN BF in Yenen was ordered to go to Wenchow. Japanese units will continue to withdraw in Central China and the regiment of the 27th Div that was holding the road 120 miles W of Sian will go to Homan, relieving two small BF there.
Japan
A convoy left Tokyo to bring an IJN BF to Makin. Three small BF were formed today and will be brought to strength in Tokyo. They received orders to prepare for Woleai, Satawal (NW of Truk) and Iwo Jima.
One of the two factories producing G4M1 converted to G4M2.
Today air losses were untypical of the period: 26 Allied for 1 Japanese, including 15 to 1 in the air.
This turn is also remarkable because for the first time since I was dropped by my Internet provider in December 2006, this AAR is actually up to date. The 5 July 1943 is still in my mailbox and will be played tonight. Thanks to my job where I did long performance tests of software those last days and so had "free time" (especially in teh evening where everybody else was gone) between two clicks to put my notes on this forum.
Northern Pacific
A Mavis reported an Allied convoy and probably more (the TF was not centered in the hex… how I love FOW in WITP) 120 miles NE of Adak Island. The Japanese submarine patrolling north of the Aleutians was ordered to sail to this area to investigate.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked by 17 PB4Y from PM escorted by 40 P-38G that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 17 on runways, doing 14 casualties, while 29 B-24D from the same base raided Kavieng with comparable results: 14 casualties, 4 hits on the airbase and 16 on runways. A B-24D and a P-38G were lost operationally.
On the Japanese side the convoy that brought the first part of the 43rd Div in Hollandia was now unloading the last supplies before returning to Palau. From this base sailed a small AK with about 1000 men of the 43rd Div to test if it managed to slip to Wewak unnoticed. If it did more solitary transports will be sent.
The Ki-21 Sentai going to the PI flew today from Lunga to Truk without more loss and will rest here for one day.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Three MSW started to sweep the mines laid by Allied airmen off Kendari during the night anc continued during the day. According to the messages appearing in the game, they detected 8 minefields during the night and 6 more during the day. Don’t know how the game handles such minefields laid by air but maybe each Allied unit will lay a different minefield. In the evening the mine symbol was no more off Kendari but I don’t know if I can trust it in this case.
Anyway the Darwin airmen were apparently not happy with some tiny ships ruining their effort of the day before and, after having ignored AK convoys and ASW group stopping there regularly in the last months, launched an attack against this minesweeping group. 15 B-17E took off, none returned… They ran into a CAP of 50 Tojo, 17 Oscar II, 15 Ki-61 and 13 Nick Ia that shot down 12 of them before the bombing run and damaged the 3 other enough for them to crash before returning to base. The MSW were missed and the only Japanese loss was an Oscar and its pilot. It was a tremendous victory by the IJA and a good morale boost for it, after some really bad battles over Burma.
Most worrying was the fact that the seven Sentai based in Kendari with 190-200 AC at 90% CAP orders, a big Air HQ, no overcrowding and 60k supplies, were only able to send 95 AC in the battle, while Allied will almost always send 100% of available fighters against raids due to radar. But there is nothing to be done about it.
In the afternoon, Maumere was attacked by 8 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 23 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 2 on the runway, and Koepang was raided by 54 B-25C and 34 B-25J from Derby and reported 67 casualties, 8 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 58 on the runway. The only Allied loss was a B-25J lost operationally.
Two 7000-ton AK loaded supplies in Palau and will carry them respectively to Amboina and Sorong.
SRA
The troop convoy badly attacked these last days at least seemed to have escaped to the Allied submarines, at least momentarily. It now was off Bataan. Three MSW of the local forces joined it and will escort both damaged AP to Manila where troops will be unloaded and will wait for replacement transports. The other transports of the convoy, and the three ASW group now escorting it will sail SW to Taytay before sailing N of Palawan. Japanese airmen reported today that Allied submarines surrounded Bataan.
The convoy bringing 72k fuel to Davao reached this base and started to unload. It will then go to Borneo.
Burma
Allied air activity was at a normal level. Myitkyina was attacked by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 17 P-40E that did 26 casualties and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 11 on the runways. Four units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st and 23rd Mixed Bde) were bombed by 46 Beaufighter VIC, 45 Vengeance I and 31 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kohima and Ledo escorted by 2 P-40E and lost 96 men and 4 guns. In the mountains SE of Imphal, the 12th NLF was attacked by 52 Hurricane II from Imphal and 22 Lysander I from Kohima escorted by 12 Spitfire Vb and lost 160 men. Allied losses during the day were 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 2 Vengeance I shot down by AA fire.
On the ground Japanese artillery targeting Allied troops on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina hit 28 men. As planned yesterday, the 1st and 3rd Tk Div managed to leave Myitkyina and arrived on the railway west of it. They received orders to stop here and will wait for future developments. Current plans are to use them together with the reinforcements coming from Japan to reduce the eleven Allied units more west on the railway, once these will be surrounded.
More south the Burma Army staff was unsure about the forces holding Lashio (two BF and two Const Bn) and ordered the 4th Eng Rgt to march from Mandalay to this base. To replace the Eng Rgt, the 1st Parachute Rgt will be ferried from Hanoi to Mandalay by 40 transport AC. Needless to say the elite troops were not pleased to receive an assignment as rear-area garrison, but they were more or less planned to then take a part in the battle more north on the railway.
The evening report still indicated that all bases were undamaged. Recon aircraft reported that Asansol had still no CAP but the air commanders now had another idea in mind. Kohima was an active hub for Allied fighter-bombers, dive bombers and recon aircraft but was possibly only defended by a handful of Spitfires. It may be a good target for another Japanese strike. Recon will continue tomorrow to fly over Indian bases but will cover the Assam bases, and amongst them Kohima.
China
120 miles east of Kweiyang 44 Ki-48 from Kweilin and Wuchow bombed 3 Chinese units and hit 32 men and 1 gun.
More north Japanese patrols now reported 19 Chinese units in Kunming (one more than before) and recon aircraft reported that the HQ 14th Air Force and another unit were NE of the city (probably coming to reinforce it) while other unidentified troops were east of them, also coming from Chungking. All of this augured badly for the Japanese attack on this city but the troops of the Southern China Army were now only some miles away from their target and will at least reach it and launch a probing attack. Even if the Chinese will outnumber them, better troop quality and supplies may suffice to take the city.
Japan
The 1943 vintage of the Kido Butai was presented today to Adm Yamamoto and his Imperial Majesty in Osaka. It was organized in two fast CV TF, two slow CV TF, a BB TF and a scout force. Total strength will be 10 CV and 4 CVL carrying 675 aircraft, 7 BB, 9 CA, 7 CL and 36 DD. Precise OOB is the following:
Fast CV TF 1 (Adm Yamaguchi): CV Zuikaku, Amagi, Unryu, CA Chikuma, Tone, CL Noshiro, 6 DD, 165 AC. Speed 34 knots
Fast CV TF 2 (Adm Yamada): CV Shokaku, Hiryu, Soryu, CA Ashigara, Chokai, Maya, 6 DD, 158 AC. Speed 34 knots
Slow CV TF 1 (Adm Ugaki): CV Akagi, CVL Ryujo, Zuiho, Shoho, BB Kirishima, Hiei, Haruna, 6 DD, 147 AC. Speed 28 knots
Slow CV TF 2 (Adm Nagumo): CV Kaga, Hiyo, Junyo, CVL Ryuho, BB Yamato, Musashi, CA Kako, Aoba, 6 DD, 195 AC. Speed 25 knots
BB TF (Adm Hashimoto): BB Mutsu, Fuso, CA Furutaka, Kinusaga, CL Oyodo, Oi, Kitakami, Tama, Kuma, 6 DD. Speed 24 knots
Scout TF (Adm Yoshitoni): CL Abukuma, 6 DD. Speed 32 knots
The fleet left the port in perfect formation (all ships have 0 SYS) and sailed for Aomori. The fleet will support the “reoccupation” of Paramushiro Jima by Japanese airmen.
Some days ago, two training fighter classes were declared operational in China. One was sent to Burma the other upgraded from A6M2 to A6M3a and should be scattered into fragments to fill other units. Well it was totally forgotten for some days and was now a ready A6M3a unit. It was then decided to use it as such and the unit arrived at Ominato today with 25 A6M3a and 23 pilots (exp 70).
Divebomber, you asked an interesting question. My short answer was that I didn't expand much my industry, but I then decided to have a closer look to this and to compare the number at start of the game and now. Below are the differences:
Total war industry increase (not counting 150-250 HI expanded in Japan and Korea): + 1672
These figures were not exactly what I excepted. I knew that I was sitting on a hug pile of supplies, but I had no idea it was so much above the starting level. I also had no idea that I was still below the level of resources I was at the start of the war (it is probable the stock will never reach such a high level again).
As for the industry I expanded the post I would have said repair shipyard. They are second behinf aircraft factories. I would have said I did +250 for naval shipyad and + 100 for armament and finally the latter was more expanded than the first. That explained why I had no problems with armament but some with naval production. By the way the latter will be increased strongly during the summer.
A last comment: the increase in AC production is far superior to the increase in engine, but remember that roughly 50% of my AC factories are stopped most of the time.
Thanks for the nicely detailed answer. What you did seems quite sensible. The one additional thing that I am wondering about is how you generated so much supply. Did you limit other actions that use up supply such as building bases or increasing the size of your LCUs?
DB, I limited the building of bases and replacement of some units (for example in Kwantung and China) for the first 6 months but now all units have replacement allowed and all bases are building fort and expanding if necessary. One of the reason I hase so many supplies is I guess my limited industrial expansion, especially regarding research. Another is the fact that I took "few" aircraft losses (less than 5000 in 19 months) so had to spend less supplies to replace losses, even if I don't think it will be so costly... A third reason may be that I repaired every resource center I could defend against heavy bombers... and a linked reason will be that I had not much supplies to pay to repair big resource/oil centers, because I use my slow method of garrison attrition and then overwhelming deliberate attack with a lot of engineers to take them. I probably saved half a million supplies by doing that, compared to my first campains as Japanese.
5 July 1943
Northern Pacific
The day began in the area with a surface attack by the submarine USS Pargo against an empty barge convoy having just dropped the last men of the 22nd Eng Rgt there during the night. One barge was sunk and another damaged. Up to now nothing unusual but the morning recon to Attu and Kiska sent shortly later alarm messages. About 125 USN and FAA Wildcats were reported over these two bases and that could only mean that Allied CV were in the area… And in the afternoon another alarm message was sent by a Mavis based in Paramushiro Jima that saw 3 Allied “CA” and probably more (the TF was again not centered in the hex…) west of Attu. Precise reports indicated that they were 420 miles E of Paramushiro, so too far for a bombardment TF or a raiding surface TF, leaving only two possibilities: a CV raid, or an invasion force…
Paramushiro Jima was bombed in the afternoon by 50 PB4Y, 29 B-24D and 12 Liberator VI from Attu that wounded and killed 101 men, disabled 1 gun and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 2 on airbase supplies, 28 on runways, 1 on the port and 1 on a fuel dump. The B-17E that usually joined these raids were not there and probably were kept in reserve for naval search and attack missions (or had a bad dice roll). The base reported damage in the evening as 41/40/66 (airbase/runway/port).
This was a serious threat. The Kuriles were one of the areas that Japanese forces will defend at all cost because Allied bombers based here may raid Japan itself and there was no way this will be allowed. By chance, the Kido Butai was already sailing to this area with almost all available warships in Japan. It could have sailed one or two days sooner and now the Japanese admirals prayed that these lost days won’t be decisive. The Kido Butai will be in the threatened area in 3 or 4 days.
In the mean time the LBA will have to fight alone. Paramushiro itself had only two AC, Mavis flying naval search, and 9 Dinah III were sent there from Japan to fly more naval patrols. In the evening 26 Betties coming from PH (where a strong bomber force was based) arrived in Sapporo, bringing the total of bombers in the area to 80 Betties, 21 Nells and 27 Ki-49. The fighter forces that were planned to defend Paramushiro Jima after the KB operation were also ordered to get ready for the next days. See the map below for details.
Local naval forces were composed of barges, and a ML squadron (a MLE, 4 ML and 2 MSW) based in Etorfu Jima and all were ordered to retreat as fast as possible. Two of the submarines of the patrol line between Aleutians and Japan were ordered to sail east of Paramushiro while others also sailed north to keep an eye on the action and be ready to finish cripples.
The map below will also show the troops in Paramushiro Jima that may be the target of the invasion force if it was an invasion force.
Far more east, the skipper of one of the two Japanese submarines patrolling south of Alaska reported today an Allied convoy sailing eastwards 500 miles SSE of Anchorage and was rather surprised that nobody seemed interested. He decided on his own to sail east to pursue this convoy.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked by 15 PB4Y from PM escorted by 41 P-38G that scored 18 hits on the runways, doing 30 casualties, while 34 B-24D from the same base raided Kavieng and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 21 on runways. A PB4Y and a F-5A Lightning were shot down by AA fire over Rabaul.
NE of Green Island the raiding TF (CL Yubari and 3 DD) after waiting for bad weather for several days was using fuel and when a new forecast of good weather for tomorrow was received was ordered to return to Truk.
In Hollandia, the troops of the 43rd Div that were landed by ships were mostly support troops. A Ki-59 unit arrived there from Palau and will start tomorrow to ferry these troops to Wewak. Two other Ki-59 left China and Luzon for Davao to go there, but this first step cost to both of them one crashed aircraft and a lost crew.
The convoy bringing the 51st Mixed Bde from Japan arrived in Lunga and will unload tomorrow. To cover it the Tony Sentai of Noumea was sent there. Two of its 34 pilots disappeared without a trace during the long overseas transfer flight.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The three MSW working off Kendari found 2 more small minefields during the night and 3 during the day. A PBM Mariner on a recon flight over this base was shot down by a Japanese fighter.
As in Burma, the Area Command in Kendari decided to send to the High Command a daily report showing the condition of the base. The first showed the following damage: Maumere 57/0 (airbase/runway), Koepang 100/77, Dili 28/26, Lautem 77/7 (and port 11).
SRA
After a day without submarine attack, three Japanese ships were torpedoed today.
The big Japanese troop convoy off Luzon had barely left Bataan to the SW during the night when if ran into the USS Blackfish that hit with one torpedo the big AP Hokuriku Maru (damage 9/32/6, 37 casualties aboard). Two of the 6 PC of the close escort of the convoy counter-attacked and scored 2 near-misses on this submarine. The convoy was no more attacked during the day and sent back the damaged AP to Manila with one ASW group escorting her. The convoy turned NW in the evening and will sail towards Camranh Bay.
In the morning another convoy carrying a small BF to Indochina was attacked 180 miles NW of Lingayen by the SS USS Finback that torpedoed once the medium AP Kogoyo Maru (damage 13/32/19, 33 casualties). 2 of the 5 escorts, two MSW, dropped DCs but missed the attacker. This convoy will continue to Camranh Bay too. This base may become the center of heavy submarine action and the local ASW air units (25 Ki-48) was reinforced by 35 other Ki-48 coming from China.
And in the evening the old American submarine S-35 saw 180 miles south of Tarakan a big tanker convoy escorted by 7 warships and managed to get close and fire torpedoes. One hit the TK Jinei and set her on fire. Two escorts, a MSW and a DD, dropped DCs and scored a near-miss. This convoy was coming empty from Japan and the Jinei had a lucky and efficient crew. Damage was only 4/17/9. The tanker convoy will continue to Balikpapan where the Jinei will be patched and she will remain operational. In the evening 34 Ki-30 arrived in Balikpapan from Kuching to fly ASW search in this area.
The increased Allied submarine threat had been answered by the Japanese with changes in the convoy roads and concentration of ships in bigger convoys. Two examples took place today. In Legaspi two convoys coming from Singapore and Palembang united and sailed to Japan with 80k oil and 42k resources aboard. In Kendari the convoy having load locally 35k resources was joined by another arriving from Soerabaja with 32k oil and 14k more resources and will sail to Japan via Morotai to avoid the dangerous waters around Menado.
Burma
It was again a normal day for Allied airmen… and their targets. Myitkyina was attacked by 6 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 17 P-40E that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 2 on the runways. Four units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st and 23rd Mixed Bde) were bombed by 40 Vengeance I, 31 Beaufighter VIC, 27 Liberator VI and 24 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Dacca, Kohima and Ledo escorted by 27 P-40N and 2 P-40E and lost 130 men and 5 guns. In the mountains SE of Imphal, the 11th NLF was attacked by 22 Lysander I from Kohima escorted by 6 Spitfire Vb and lost 17 men. Allied losses during the day were 1 B-25J and 1 Vengeance I shot down by AA fire, and another Vengeance lost in an accident.
On the ground Japanese artillery targeting Allied troops on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina hit 12 men. A new Allied unit appeared on the trail from Kohima north of this battlefield a few days before a NLF reached it to cut the Allied supply path. Recon aircraft will fly tomorrow to identify it and the ferry flight of paratroops from Hanoi to Mandalay was stopped as these troops may find a better use by dropping on this Allied unit.
The evening report still indicated that all bases were fully functional. Both morning and afternoon recons reported a CAP of 12 Spitfire Vb and 2 P-40N over Kohima. They counted 170 fighters, 25 bombers and 172 auxiliary but I finally found a way to read these figures on the right way. In fact the fighter-bombers are probably counted by the game engine as both fighters and auxiliary AC, so are counted twice. In this case in Kohima there is one bomber unit (Vengeance I), one auxiliary unit (with F-5A) and one fighter unit (with Spitfire) and all other AC will be counted twice, as they are fighter-bombers (Beaufighter, Lysander and Hurricane). So the real total number of AC should be around 200… Still an interesting target for an afternoon raid but recon will continue tomorrow.
China
120 miles east of Kweiyang 52 Ki-48 from Kweilin and Wuchow bombed 2 Chinese units and hit 139 men but two bombers collided and crashed.
The troops of the Southern China Army sent to attack Kunming (5 Div, 1 Bde, 1 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt, 5 ART, 2 HQ) reached the city and reported that it was hold by 22 Chinese units (3 more than the day before) and that 2 more units were NW of the city and 3 more NE of it. Air recon of Chunking counted today 24 units in the city where between 30 and 40 were on the last count. Anyway the Army will bombard the city tomorrow to judge the defenses and its commander will then decide to launch an attack or not.
NE of Changsha, the 37th Div received orders to march to this city rather than keep the road against a improbable Chinese attack. With this reinforcement the 11th Japanese Army will then launch a new attack. The goal of it will be to take the first Chinese defense line (reduce fort levels) and to draw more Chinese units here, so the Japanese advance east of Kweiyang will not be stopped. Nine Chinese units were 120 miles NW of Changsha and not moving for some days, probably being kept in reserve by the Chinese command. So Japanese forces will attack at the same time from the west and the east.
In Northern China, Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sining to size 6 (+ 100 points).
Japan
The second G4M1 factory converted too to G4M2, bringing the total production capacity for this aircraft to 66.
Attachments
19430705_Kuriles.jpg (193.11 KiB) Viewed 304 times
I was thinking that instead of trying to invade Paramushiro Jima the US forces would just isolate it and grab the neighboring bases that you have empty. With the ability of the US engineering units to build up bases quickly those bases could be built up to level 3 in almost no time, and then you would have US fighters and 2E bombers right on your doorstep.
The next step for the US would be to grab the bases on Sakhalin Island, which would then provide perfect locations for a US bombing campaign of the Home Islands.
The biggest advantage that you have on your side right now is that it is not winter and so your LBA will have a better chance to fly. If the US was invading in December you would be in very big trouble.
DB, well this is a possibility but I think a landing on Paramushiro Jima is more probable because of the repeated air attacks against the port (in fact targetting the CD guns) here. If the target was the island just behind, my opponent could have only done AF attacks as he did regularly and will have caught me more off guard than he did.. if that is possible. By the way I agree with your analysis of the second phase of your plan, that is why I sent last month reinforcements to this island.
This is for this kind of situation that I love WITP... It may be a bad simulation at the tactical level, but when you have to do a strategic choice, you face the same as the RL commanders, just you can do things faster and with more troops, AC and ships but both sides can use that. So here the battle in the north will be won or lost according to the decisions I did last month (sending troops to Burma or keeping them to defend Japan and Kuriles, keeping the KB in Japan and then sending them to Kuriles the day before the fleet was seen) or even before (putting 500 AV in PJ, using engineers here, forgetting to reinforce air support..) and the decisions my opponent also made months ago (the number of div he planned for this assault).
Back to the AAR, I had two maps this turn, one for Kuriles and one for Asia and so will make tow posts
6 July 1943 (part one)
Northern Pacific
Dawn patrol reported that the Allied fleet was now at 180 miles east of Paramushiro Jima. Japanese airmen identified the CV Essex and the CL Newcastle in this fleet. There was no Allied raid during the day, while a Betty flying recon over Attu reported that the CAP now was reduced to 14 Corsairs before being shot down by a direct AA hit. P-38G were also based here and were not seen on CAP but three were lost operationally today, and it is probable that they flew LRCAP over the Allied TF.
In the evening the SS USS Raton attacked a barge convoy 60 miles SW of Paramushiro Jima and sank one.
The Japanese High Command was now sure it was an invasion attempt. The former confidence of its members to have done what should be done to defend this area was now badly shaken. Outside Paramushiro Jima and Ominato, no base in the area had more than 30 AS and Paramushiro was too far for other bases to be provided with efficient air support. Anyway the land defenses were judged strong enough to be able to repulse a landing by 4 infantry divisions, and to delay 5-6 divisions by at least a month, so this time should be used to reinforce the area.
Right now the decisive battle will be fought at sea. Japan should take control of the seas around the island, and then may reinforce it with FT TF, or at least be able to stop Allied supplies and reinforcements. The Kido Butai will sail to the northeast from its current position, without going to Ominato to refuel as it was planned before the Allied fleet was seen. This refueling stop would cost one or two days of extra delay and the Naval HQ decided it was not necessary. Destroyers will refuel at sea before the battle, the main warships will have enough fuel to remain at sea for several days.
The first probes will be launched to test the defences of the Allied fleet. A Betty Chutai based in Toyohara was ordered to fly naval attack range 9, so allowing it to attack ships off Paramushiro but not more east.
More reinforcements were sent to the area: 7 submarines, including the one patrolling north of the Aleutians, 3 based in Midway and one just commissioned in Tokyo, received orders to join those already sent to this area. And the 27 Betties based in Midway flew to Akita, in northern Japan, and were replaced by another Betty Daitai coming from PH.
The map below will show you the situation in the evening, and the assault value and fortification level of all (defended) Japanese bases in Kuriles, Sakhaline and Hokkaido.
Allied engineers expanded Unmak Island airfield to size 6.
Central Pacific
The small AP convoy sent from PH to Christmas Island finished to unload supplies here and was boarded by the Const Bn that had finished a week ago to build fortifications here. This unit will be carried to the atoll of Maloelap, east of Kwajalein, for more work of the same type.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the morning an ASW group chased the SS USS Trigger 180 miles north of Truk but she escaped after the DD Umikaze scored a near-miss on her.
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked by 32 B-24D and 12 PB4Y from PM escorted by 32 P-38G that scored 6 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 42 on runways. A PB4Y and a B-24D hit by AA fire over the target crashed on the way home.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Gili Gili to size 2.
SRA
A convoy started to load 112k oil in Balikpapan to bring them to Japan. To escape the ships patrolling the straits between Borneo and Sulawesi, it will first sail to Tarakan trough coastal waters.
Japan
About one hundred transport aircraft returned to Japanese airfields from China, Philippines and Indochina (with two operational losses, a Tina and a Tospy). They will be used to bring reinforcements in the north.
Due to a lack a space in naval shipyards, the CV Taiho construction was set again to a normal pace. It will return to accelerated pace once the conversion of Chiyoda and Chitose will be ended in 10 days.
There was only one Allied raid: Mandalay airfield was attacked by 60 B-25C, 24 Blenheim IV and 15 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 3 P-40E that scored 10 hits on the airbase, 13 on supplies and 102 on the runways, disabling 129 men and 1 gun. AA fire shot down a B-25J.
On the ground Japanese artillery targeting Allied troops on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina hit 12 men. The Allied unit that appeared on the trail from Kohima north of this battlefield yesterday was identified as the 2nd Burma Bde. The 12th NLF advanced in the jungle to the NE and cut the trail east of Imphal and SW of Kohima, and reported 4 more Allied units on the trail south of Kohima. So the plan to cut the Allied supply path and surround Allied troops on the railway can’t be done with the troops currently in the jungle and both NLF (reduced to 50-70% OOB and only some able squads by incessant air attacks) were ordered to march south and try to return to Japanese lines. The new Japanese plan will just be to repulse back to the jungle Allied troops that advanced on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina. With the reinforcements that will arrive in some weeks and the two Tk Div that were retired from Myitkyina, it should be possible.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/68 (system/runway), other bases undamaged. Both morning and afternoon recons reported a CAP of 10 Spitfire Vb and 2 P-40N over Kohima. The Japanese raid on this base will be launched as soon as storms will quiet, and three fighter units in Rangoon were grounded to be in perfect shape for it.
The 46th Div convoy arrived in Bangkok and started to unload it.
China
120 miles east of Kweiyang 12 Ki-48 from Kweilin and Wuchow bombed a Chinese division and hit 7 men.
The troops of the Southern China Army sent to attack Kunming (5 Div, 1 Bde, 1 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt, 5 ART, 2 HQ) bombarded the city and hit 192 Chinese but more important counted 9 Corps, 2 Cavalry Corps, 2 Div, 4 Base Forces and 6 HQ holding it. Chinese AV was 2225, Japanese one 2757. In clear terrain, with preparation probably low for both sides and with a better experience and supply level on Japanese side, it was decided to launch a schock attack tomorrow, that will be supported by four bomber Sentai that moved in the evening to Nanning (from Wuhan and Kweilin) and Hanoi (from Bangkok). It will be a dicey situation, the success of the attack depending heavily of the fortification level of the city. Also two Chutai of Oscar II will fly LRCAP over the attacked city to intercept Allied transport if they try to supply it.
27 A6M3a and 12 Ki-21 from Wuhan bombed a Chinese Corps NW of Changsha and hit 46 men.
Finally the Allied fleet didn’t reach Paramushiro Jima during the night but both Japanese submarines sent to patrol east of the Japanese base met Allied fleets. 60 miles east of PJ, the I-20 saw a CVE and tried to attack her but unable to get close enough finally attacked a destroyed of her escort, but missed. She was chased by the escort (5 DD, 2 DE) and damaged by the DE Austin that scored a hit and 4 near misses on her. She then saw the CA HMS Dorsetshire and Devonshire but was chased by the 4 DD of their escort. One of them, the USS O’Brien, scored fou new near-misses on her. Four other DD then chased her and the USS Braine scored a new hit and 5 near-misses on her. The submarine then managed to remain hidden all day until evening when she surfaced for repairs near two AO and was chased away again by 3 DD, the Mugford scoring a new hit and 7 near-misses on her. The submarine was then badly damaged (69/84/0) and sailed SW to try to reach a Japanese base.
Sixty miles more east, the other submarine in the area, the I-177, reported at dawn an Allied convoy (identifying 2 AP, 2 LST, 1 AK) but was then chased down by 7 MSW and 2 DMS. The MSW Tern and the DMS Elliot and Perry dropped depth charges on her, scoring 2 hits and 7 near misses. The badly damaged submarine managed to escape but sank during the evening.
The third submarine closer to the action fared no better. The I-6 had been ordered to sail from her patrol area to the new battle area, even if she should sail past the Allied bases of Attu and Kiska. She was still only north of Amchitka when she was attacked by Allied planes in the afternoon and heavily damaged by a B-25C and a PB4Y. She survived but reported in the evening damage as 69/88/0. She will try to reach Wake but will probably sink in the next days.
On the other hand, an American submarine, the old S-30, found in the morning the Kido Butai and attacked it 240 miles east of Aomori. She heavily damaged the DD Sazanami with one torpedo (25/57/17) and escaped search by 5 DD after only a near-miss scored by the DD Kagero. She followed the fleet all the day, getting close in the afternoon of the CA Kako and the CVL Ryujo but was then seen and chased by 6 DD. She closed the same TF some time later and this time launched torpedoes against the CV Hiyo but missed. The same 6 DD again searched her and the Harukaze scored a near-miss.
The barge convoy fleeing Paramushiro Jima spent a bad day near Ketoi Jima. SDB Dauntlesses and a PB4Y sank a barge and damaged two others and then the SS USS Capelin attacked and sank another with a torpedo.
The main news of the day were anyway reports of the first attacks by CV aircraft against Paramushiro Jima and sank one. In the morning, 27 TBF escorted by 7 Wildcats launched from CV 120 miles east of the Japanese base attacked the 48th Naval Guard Unit and hit 42 men. In the afternoon, the raid came from 60 miles E of PJ and was bigger, with 126 SBD, 90 TBF, 31 Barracuda and 9 TBM Avenger escorted by 10 F4F-4. They bombarded the coastal defenses of the base, scoring 9 hits on the port and 2 on fuel dumps and disabling 164 men and 6 guns. AA fire shot down a TBF, another and a Wildcat were lost operationally.
Japanese airmen flew only naval patrol and the Allied CAP over their CV shot down the Glen of the SS I-39 and a Dinah III.
Despite having been seen, the KB will continue to sail NE and was ordered to arrive NE of Etorofu Jima tomorrow. It should then still be out of range of Allied CV, but in perfect position to attack the next day. It will be LRCAPed by Rufes from Etorofu Jima and 9 A6M3a from Toyohara. By the way the damaged DD Sazanami was sent back and will go to Ominato for emergency repairs.
And a request sent by the KB staff to the 1st Fleet headquarters in Tokyo to send some ASW groups in northern waters to chase Allied submarines received a near immediate answer that only inexperienced MSW were available, all ASW escorts being away escorting troop convoys to Burma or in the Pacific, or tanker convoys in the DEI.
The Japanese High Command was now almost sure it that the Allied target was Paramushiro Jima. Three troop convoys were seen in the incoming armada. PJ reported in the evening damage as 10/41/71 (airbase/runway/port) and was left by the Dinah Chutai based here, leaving only a Mavis behind. 34 Tinas flew to Wakkanai and will try to bring troops of the local garrison (a regiment of the 14th Div) to PJ. They will probably meet Allied CAP over the island but reinforcement will be sent at any cost.
A Betty Daitai in Sapporo was ordered to try to fly night naval air attack.
As was said yesterday, the main problem of Japan in this area is a lack of aviation support squads. Three small base forces being trained in Tokyo for Pacific bases were ordered to go to Ominato by train as fast as possible. And 10 transports and 6 escorts left Tokyo for Ominato and will then carry the Aviation Unit based here to Sapporo. If PJ fell, the latter will need fighter protection for its industry while Ominato has no industrial target.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked by 23 B-24D and 9 PB4Y from PM escorted by 32 P-38G that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 31 on runways and did 90 casualties. AA fire shot down a B-24D.
SRA
In the morning, the submarine HMS Trident attacked NW of Johore Bharu the ML group that had been busy in the area since some months. It appeared that no ship of the group had any ASW ability and the submarine sank the ML Katoku with one torpedo and escaped without being chased. Four DD were sent from Georgetown to chase her.
Burma
Myitkyina was LRCAPed by 7 P-40E and two Beaufigther VIC. The airfield was attacked by 8 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40E that scored 3 hits on the airbase and 2 on the runways. Two divisions of the garrison (33rd and 104th) were bombed by 23 Vengeance I and 15 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 2 P-40E and lost 9 men and 2 guns. A Vengeance I was shot down by AA fire.
There was nothing new to report on the ground. Japanese artillery fire west of Myitkyina failed to hit anything.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/62 (system/runway), other bases undamaged.
The 46th Div finished to unload in Bangkok and received orders to move to Burma.
China
The troops of the Southern China Army in Kunming (5 Div, 1 Bde, 1 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt, 5 ART, 2 HQ, 134 000 men) launched a shock attack against the city but met perfectly prepared defences (fortifications level 9) and apparently trained and rested Chinese troops (94 000 men). The AV was of 5062 (doubled) for Japan vs 2361 for Chinese but after adjustments was of 288 for Japan vs 2168… Ooops… Japanese losses were heavy: 7551 men, 169 guns, 19 tanks (and 10 troop points) while Chinese lost only 1070 men and 29 guns. No air support flew today. After this bloody failure, Japanese troops were ordered to remain on the defensive. If they will march back to Kweiyang or remain here until reinforcements come will depend of the outcome in Central China.
In the latter area, the 37th Div joined the 11th Army in Central China, bringing its force to 6 Div. It will wait for Japanese troops being east of Kweiyang to move east and reach the Chinese lines, and then attacks will be launched both there and in Changsha to divide Chinese reinforcements.
24 A6M3a from Wuhan bombed a Chinese Corps NW of Changsha and hit 41 men.
China was also searched for reinforcements for the Northern Pacific new front. 35 Ki-44 based in Lanchow flew to Shanghai and will be sent to Japan tomorrow. Two small base forces of the Southern Army being in Shanghai boarded AP that will bring them to Hakodate. Another was in Kweilin and left this base for Canton where she will also board ships to be sent in the same area.
Japan
The Aeronautics Production Minister ordered several changes today:
_ the production of Glen, Tony and A6M3a will be restarted at full capacity for the two first (respectively 4 and 123), at a reduced capacity of 129 for the third (the latter decision was just to compensate for eventual heavy losses in the Kuriles)
_ the Betty factory of Okayama will be doubled from size 20 to 40 to allow a faster upgrade of G4M1 to G4M2 of the existing units.
_ research of the George will start in Osaka and Maizuru
_ the production of the Oscar II will be strongly reduced (from 159 a month to 40…) due to the high pool for this aircraft (more than 400).
Attachments
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The Allied fleet sailed west during the night and anchored off Paramushiro Jima. Three transport TF were there. Two were carrying assault troops and each had 7 MSW and 7 DMS included. Those 28 minesweeper ships cleared all the 1500 mines still left off the base during the night and the morning, but not before they did significant damages to the fleet. Two British AK (Empire Chauncer and Ravnaas) hit respectively 21 and 5 mines and both sank in the evening. There was also a third transport TF, supposed to land occupation forces after the battle, but it anchored in an heavily mined area and 5 AP were heavily damaged by mines, hitting between 5 and 2 of them during the night and the day. This TF also unloaded troops of the beach rather to have then drowning off it. Of the supporting ships, the CA Vincennes hit 2 Type 93 mines, and the CVE Sangamon and the DD Panther one each. So the 1500 mines scored 45 hits, including 26 on two ships (due to the bug that made the last mine of a minefield swept by a MSW belonging to a transport TF always hit the flagship of this TF).
Several Allied surface TF also arrived off the island. One of 3 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD sank a damaged barge left behind by the fleeing convoy. And 7 old BB (Mississippi, New Mexico, Idaho, California, West Virginia, Colorado and Maryland) pounded the base, delivering the “nuke” attack so common in WITP: 5542 men and 31 guns disabled or destroyed (around 25 troop points lost by Japan this turn). There was no return fire, maybe because the 240mm hadn’t the necessary range, or because they were disabled by the bombardment.
The second was probable because the CD fire against the Allied landing troops was reduced and inefficient. As I said before, PJ was lacking of field artillery, and the latter is very efficient against landing ships and troops. Anyway in this case, the defenses only fired 220 shells and hit 2 DD, 1 DE and 1 LCI but none seriously. Allied landing losses were 5507 men and 1 vehicle, including the losses aboard the mined ships. 9 Japanese were hit by naval suppression fire during the landings. In the evening Japanese guns bombarded the Allied beach head and hit 7 men. Allied troops then counted 39 219 men, 214 guns and 51 vehicles, and had 1192 AV while the Japanese garrison had 486. The map below will show you the units on both sides (an Air Fleet HQ was not shown on the Japanese side). Allied forces had only the equivalent of 3 divisions and a half and the Japanese garrison should hold against such forces.
More south, Allied submarines were active. During the night the SS S-30 chased the KB and attacked the CL Oi SW of Etorofu Jima but missed her. Four DD searched her without success but then 4 DD escorting another TF joined the search and the DD Samidare scored 2 direct hits with Type 95 DC on her. Later, but still before dawn, she was chased by 6 other DD and two of them scored 3 near-misses with Type 2 DCs. The same night, the SS Pargo chased a barge convoy SW of Ketoi Jima and sank one with gunfire and torpedoes.
The air activity was almost only Allied. In the morning, a SOC-3 Seagull found the badly damaged SS I-20 south of PJ and sank it with its bombs. Japanese troops reported 21 F4F-4 flying CAP over the Allied beachhead, and then were attacked by 17 TBF from the CVE off the beached escorted by 10 F4F-4 and then by 34 B-17E, 31 PB4Y, 29 B-24D and 11 Liberator VI from Attu and lost a total of 602 men and 8 guns while a Liberator VI was lost to engine failure.
In the afternoon, the beach defenses were again bombed by Allied CV airmen, with 109 SBD, 84 TBF, 31 Barracuda and 15 TBM escorted by 11 F4F-4 launched from CV 60 miles east of PJ… They disabled 58 men and 1 gun, and scored 6 hits on the port, 1 on fuel dumps and 2 on supplies. Japanese AA fire shot down a SBD and a PBM Mariner flying recon of the base.
Japanese only flew naval search and recon. A Betty was shot down by AA over Attu and a Mavis shot down by the Allied CAP, but they identified the CV Hornet and Lexington (II, an Essex-class ship). The Tina from Wakkanai also carried troops of the 14th Div to PJ flying without loss trough the Allied CAP (maybe because people were exhausted) and landing 440 men, 11 guns and 2 tankettes there.
In the evening the base of PJ reported damaged of 51/59/90 (airbase/runways/port), 173 able engineer squads and 453 AV. It also reported that most of the units being in the base lost between 5 and 15% of their strength under the bombing.
The plan for the next two days is shown below. The idea was to save the island by attacking the convoys before the finished unloading, and attack them both by air and by surface ships. The first day of air attacks were supposed to sink or damaged a good part of the BB and cruisers from the Allied fleet. The Kido Butai will be in range of the B-24 based in Attu but will fly 60% CAP to provide a good escort to its raids against Allied ships. With 355 Zeroes, 185 dive-bombers and 165 torpedo bombers the fleet should be able to defend itself while delivering powerful attacks.
The last Mavis of PJ flew to Osaka where the unit will be recompleted and retrained, and was replaced in PJ by 6 Dinah III (one crashed on landing and was wrecked, but the crew was saved. Two Oscar Sentai flew from Ominato to Shikka and Toyohara, both bases of Sakhalin Island, and were ordered to fly sweeps over PJ (it seems to me that sweeps against enemy troops in friendly bases never launched – and the next turn confirmed it (edited) – but I wanted to try anyway).
Toyohara had only a small Base Force with 30 air support but today 75 transport aircraft landed in the Korean airbase of Hungnam, where the 10th Air Regiment was changed of command from Kwantung Army to Northern Force. It will be brought to Toyohara by this transport armada.
More east two new Japanese submarines arrived between Attu and PJ and will patrol in the middle between these two islands to avoid Allied patrols.
The damaged DD Sazanmi reached the port of Ominato in the evening and was docked for emergency repairs.
Central Pacific
It now seemed clear to the Japanese High Command that the Allied offensive was a major one, and possibly the only one in American plans. So troops could, and even should be withdrawn from the Pacific to be redeployed in this area. The first orders were given this evening. The 21st Div in Kona, Hawaii Islands, received orders to prepare for Toyohara, Sakhalin Island, and all available transports in PH were sent with escorts to this base to load and then carry it.
By the way the probability of an Allied attack against Hawaii without CV support was very very weak so both submarines still patrolling off California with their Glens were recalled to PH for some rest and small SYS repairs.
Southern Pacific
Other troops that will be sent back to Japan will be some of the convoys bringing troops and engineers back from forward bases in the area. A convoy bringing two Eng Rgt from Efate arrived today in Kwajalein and its initial orders were then to scatter to go to various Pacific Islands but instead it refueled and then sailed north for Japan.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon Rabaul was attacked, but not by PM airmen for once. Gili Gili became last week a size 4 AF and sent today 44 B-25J to raid this base. They scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 39 on runways, did 99 casualties and disabled one gun for one loss to engine failure. Rabaul reported damaged in the evening as 14/0 (airbase/runway).
Japanese forces were concentrated on bringing troops in Wewak. 15 Ki-59 transport aircraft arrived in Hollandia from Mindanao and will rest some days and then start to bring troops of the 43rd Div to Wewak. A small AK loaded 3500 supplies in Palau and will sail alone to Wewak.
SRA
Two convoys loaded resources to bring them to Singapore, 14k in Kuala Lumpur and 21k in Palembang.
The convoy carrying the 154th IJNAF BF arrived at Camranh Bay and started to unload (this unit was ordered to man and fortify small bases in Indochina rear area). The ship that was torpedoed some days ago will be easily saved in this port.
Burma
The bad weather that delayed the launch of the Kohima operation also grounded Allied airmen and there was only one raid. In the mountains SE of Imphal, the 11th NLF was attacked by 52 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 4 Spitfire Vb and lost 19 men.
On the ground Japanese artillery targeting Allied troops on the railway 120 miles west of Myitkyina hit 42 men, but today Allied guns replied and hit 68 Japanese. The main event of the day was in Myitkyina itself where the Allied troops launched another deliberate attack. This time their engineers managed to destroy a part of the Japanese fortifications but the attack was again a failure at 0 to 1 (the Allied AV value was of 3323 vs 2230, adjusted values were 2215 Allied vs 8753) but again their losses were heavy: 4849 men, 153 guns and 38 vehicles, while Japanese losses were 1016 men, 7 guns and 1 tank. The 270 engineer squads in the city were ordered in the evening to rebuild fortifications as fast as possible. Orders were also given to stop all artillery fire in north Burma until an attack will be launched when reinforcements will be in place.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/54 (system/runway), other bases undamaged.
China
Japanese artillery hit 28 Chinese in Kunming.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sian to size 6.
Attachments
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Best of luck for upcoming Paramushiro Jima operation!
BTW, the Emperor has no doubt for victory especially since Allies always move prematurely and try to strike where they shouldn't... [:)]
Joking aside I simply see no reason for such large Allied operation so close to Japan with so little support for air force (both on land and on CVs/CVLs/CVEs)... you as Japan have intact (and upgraded) KB together with air support from land bases (again especially so close to Japanese mainland)... IMHO it will be another huge Allied carnage....
I agree. He needed to build up and be patient until he had more CVs and Hellcats. If he was going to make an early move in the North he should have done it while the KB was involved in the New Zealand operation. He would have been established by the time you got any forces up there to contest the invasion.
I agree, the Allied move is too early or too late, but he was also unlucky that the KB was already sailing to the North from Japan when his ships sailed from Attu...
On the other hand he should have waited for more Hellcats.
9 July 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night 4 CA and 1 CL bombarded Paramushiro Jima, destroying 3 Dinah III, hitting 479 men and 3 guns disabled, scoring 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies, 30 on runways, 4 on the port and 5 on port supplies. Two Allied TFs continued to unload troops on the beachhead. Japanese defenders fired 234 guns during the night and the night, heavily damaging an AK (probably hit by one or two 240mm shells), set on fire a DE, and hit a MSW and a CL. Allied troop losses were 3216 men, 1 gun and 3 vehicles.
At dawn, the weather was awful on the whole area and grounded most aircraft of both sides. The Kido Butai was at 240 miles west of Paramushiro Jima, the main Allied CV TF (with four CV TF) was 60 miles east of PJ, and a CVE TF off the beachhead itself. Despite having orders to follow a surface TF, all four CV TF reacted in the morning eastwards, while the CVE TF reacted twice, to the NW in the morning and to the west in the afternoon. Despite these moves, all CV TF were covered by clouds in both phases, before and after reacting. Fighters of both sides defending the CV shot down 7 enemy aircraft on naval search (3 Walrus, 3 Kingfisher and 1 TBM against 3 Alf, 2 Jake, 1 Betty and 1 Val) while a Rufe flying LRCAP from Etorofu Jima over the KB was lost to engine failure, but its pilot was saved.
During the day a damaged barge sank off Etorofu Jima while the American AP U.S. Grant that hit several mines the day before sank in the evening off the beachhead.
One of the two Japanese submarines between PJ and Attu, the I-178, reported 2 “CA” sailing east, probably the damaged Vincennes with an escort DD, but wasn’t close enough to attack. A third submarine will arrive tomorrow in this area, and five more in the next days.
Probably due to the fact that the CVE TF moved away from PJ, the transport aircraft bringing reinforcements were not intercepted and brought 350 more men, 13 guns and 1 tankette. Japanese artillery pounded the Allied troops, hitting 78 men and 2 guns. And Allied troops replied by launching a deliberate attack against the base with 61107 men, 509 guns and 105 vehicles, but failed at 0 to 1 (1241 Allied AV against 494 Japanese, adjusted to 1250 vs 1513).
In the evening the base of PJ reported damaged of 54/68/90 (airbase/runways/port), 176 able engineer squads and 456 AV. The two remaining Dinah left in the evening and were replaced by two Pete (to leave an aircraft symbol there).
At this stage of the battle, the Japanese intelligence began to have a clear view of the situation around PJ: the invasion fleet was composed of two transport TF still unloading off the beachhead, covered by 5 surface TF (built around BB or CA) and a CVE TF (that reacted today), and was covered by 4 CV TF cruising just east of PJ with a replenishment TF and a transport TF (this one might be sailing back from PJ or bringing second wave troops to build the base after its fall).
The following CV had been identified so far: Hornet, Lexington II, Essex, Indomitable, Belleau Wood. As the Lexington was sunk in the battle of Christmas Island in February 1942 with two other American CVs, the Yorktown II and the Enterprise II should be also with this fleet. Nine CV/CVL were counted, the two not identified were probably another Royal Navy CV (the Victorious?) and another CVL or Essex CV. The conclusion of the Japanese intelligence service was that this fleet was carrying between 588 and 648 aircraft, so the Kido Butai had a slight numerical advantage. It also had the edge on aircraft quality (A6M3a and A6M5 vs F4F-4), pilot experience and crew fatigue, so even when the CVE groups were added (3 CVE counted, two identied as the Sangamon and Chenango), the Kido Butai was still in a good position to win a CV battle and will remain in the area.
So the battle plan decided the day before remained in place with two changes:
1) the Kido Butai will move 60 miles NW to avoid a possible attack by an Allied surface TF
2) as transport aircraft brought most of the 10th Aviation Rgt from Hungnam to Toyohara during the day, the base now had 220 AS and was able to welcome a big concentration of Japanese aircraft. 79 Betties (one more crashed during the transfer flight), 21 Nells and 71 Oscar II gathered there. Tomorrow, the Betties will fly naval attack missions (limited to range 9, targets off PJ or east of it) escorted by the Oscars, while the Nells will fly naval search.
On Sakhalin Island, Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Shikka to size 6. The ML squadron replied in Wakkanai resumed operations with 3 coastal ML that will lay mines off Toyohara.
35 Ki-44 arrived in Aomori from China to reinforce this front.
Central Pacific
Three of the ML based in PH sailed to Midway and will lay their mines there and then sail for Japan to then go to the Northern front.
Southern Pacific
The ML squadron based in Suva (a MLE and 4 ML) received orders to transfer to Pago-Pago. 13 000 mines had been laid off Suva during the last months, and 5 000 off Nandi.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Rabaul was again attacked by 43 B-25J from Gili Gili that scored 3 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 39 on runways, and did 67 casualties and disabled one gun, while Kavieng was attacked by 33 B-24D and 14 PB4Y from PM and reported 39 casualties and 1 hit on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 15 on runways. Two B-24D and a PB4Y were lost in accidents, and a F-5A Lightning was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul. Rabaul reported damage in the evening as 18/0 (airbase/runway), Kavieng reported that all damage had been repaired before the evening.
The small AK that was sent alone with 800 men of the 43rd Div from Palau to Wewak reached this base and started unloading them without being seen by Allied airmen.
A new surface TF (CA Atago and 3 DD) left Truk and sailed SW to the patrol area north of Green Island. As the other before, it will wait for bad weather and then raid Allied positions in eastern New Guinea.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The daily situation report showed the following damage to Japanese airfields: Maumere 45/0 (airbase/runway), Koepang 44/0, Dili 22/0, Lautem 52/0 (and port 11).
Burma
Myitkyina was bombed by 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and by 40 B-24D from Imphal escorted by 19 P-40N that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 67 on the runways, disabling 70 men and 1 gun. In the mountains SE of Imphal, 51 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 4 Spitfire Vb tried to bomb Japanese troops but it the bad jungle-covered hill and hit nothing.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/45 (system/runway), Myitkyina 20/5, other bases undamaged. The weather forecast for tomorrow was still awful, so the raid on Kohima was again postponed. 9 Oscar II flew from Rangoon to Lashio and will fly LRCAP over Allied troops 120 miles W of Myitkyina to check if they were supplied by Allied transport aircraft.
The world trembles again while in the cold north Pacific the big sea battle approaches!!!
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
I agree, the Allied move is too early or too late, but he was also unlucky that the KB was already sailing to the North from Japan when his ships sailed from Attu...
On the other hand he should have waited for more Hellcats.
IMHO the key of success in long war are small steps... even the longest journeys are made of small steps... [8D]
Therefore while bold and daring actions are OK in preferable conditions (i.e. against weak/er opposition) - against well armed and prepared opponent only step-by-step (i.e. island hoping strategy with reliance on both CVs/CVEs/CVLs and land based air) is possible!
Thus (again) I see your oppoennent's latest move as very very reckless and I think it will (again) be total Allied disaster...
At this stage of the battle, the Japanese intelligence began to have a clear view of the situation around PJ: the invasion fleet was composed of two transport TF still unloading off the beachhead, covered by 5 surface TF (built around BB or CA) and a CVE TF (that reacted today), and was covered by 4 CV TF cruising just east of PJ with a replenishment TF and a transport TF (this one might be sailing back from PJ or bringing second wave troops to build the base after its fall).
The following CV had been identified so far: Hornet, Lexington II, Essex, Indomitable, Belleau Wood. As the Lexington was sunk in the battle of Christmas Island in February 1942 with two other American CVs, the Yorktown II and the Enterprise II should be also with this fleet. Nine CV/CVL were counted, the two not identified were probably another Royal Navy CV (the Victorious?) and another CVL or Essex CV. The conclusion of the Japanese intelligence service was that this fleet was carrying between 588 and 648 aircraft, so the Kido Butai had a slight numerical advantage. It also had the edge on aircraft quality (A6M3a and A6M5 vs F4F-4), pilot experience and crew fatigue, so even when the CVE groups were added (3 CVE counted, two identied as the Sangamon and Chenango), the Kido Butai was still in a good position to win a CV battle and will remain in the area.
So... he has 5x large CVs (with possible 2 more) + and 9x CVLs/CVEs if I understood you right or 9x allogether CVs/CVLs\CVEs (with possibly 2 more CVs)?
It is a bit pity that you are fighting almost on neutral ground - none of you can rely on LBAs much and distance to ports is similar too. If the base west from PJ would be built to level 3....but i know how long does it take for Japanese engineers to built SPS 0 base to level 3. Isnt there any way to take advantage of your bases nearby - sweeps by A6M3 from etoforo jima over pj - if there is airfield. Or from Tojohara at least? If pilots are skilled they should do well against F4Fs even when flying extended range mission.
As for LBA I have a slight advantage as my escorted bombers may reach PJ (from Toyohara or Shikka). Building the small dot west of PJ will have helped for nothing because Allied bombers from Attu will have pulverized it the same way they did with PJ, and will only allow Allied troops to have an AF in the area faster. On the other hand I should have built an AF size 2 or 3 in Etoforu Jima, but it as a SPS of 0 and I would need a lot of engineers.... that were busy elsewhere...
I was in Southern France with my family last week-end (of 4 days, with following holidays) and had time to play two turns (10 and 11 July) but no time to update my AAR. Doing a turn these days is taking me 2-3 hours, just checking everything in the combat area is doing them so long. Well, the end of the story is that I forgot the charger of my laptop there... and so had no more PC when I returned home. The charger was sent to me by snail mail but should arrive only next week (another extended week-end is coming) and all my efforts to find a compatible charger for the mean time failed, even buying one was not an option (there is no such charger in stock in Paris and the delay for ordering and receiving them is 2 weeks, either in local stores or on the Net).
So this stupid mistake will stop this game for at least one week at the most interesting time. To make you wait I will publish the AAR of the two last played days, but without pics or maps. Anyway they are interesting readings...
10 July 1943
Northern Pacific
Allied troops continued to land on Paramushiro Jima during the night and the day. Japanese defenses fired 91 shells but hit nothing. Allied landing losses were 408 men and 1 vehicle. During the night, the base was also bombarded by 3 CA, 1 CL and 6 DD that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 78 on the runways, 1 on a fuel dump and 1 on port supplies.
When the sun rose, the storm was still raging over most of the area but there was clear weather over PJ. Both the Kido Butai 240 miles WNW of PJ and the main Allied CV TF SW of it were under clouds, and both reacted (respectively eastwards and westwards) to get closer and find a hole in the cloud, but to no avail. The KB was during its move attacked by the SS Ray that fired torpedoes at the CVL Ryuho but they failed to explode. She was then chased by the 6 DD escorting her, and then by 5 DD of another CV group, but escaped after only two near-misses.
The CVE TF off PJ also reacted to the NW, so remaining under clear weather but leaving the other Allied TFs off the beachead without cover. The land-based Japanese units coming from Toyohara used this opportunity. The main group, 17 Betties escorted by 11 Oscar II, attacked the CVE TF and met a CAP of 49 F4F-4. 8 Betties, 6 Oscar and 2 Wildcats were shot down in a fierce air battle but the remaining bombers reached the Allied ships and hit with one torpedo the CVE Sangamon, setting her on fire, while losing one more Betty to AA fire. At the same time four other groups, with a total of 19 Betties and 6 Oscar II, attacked Allied ships off PJ and scored a torpedo hit on the BB USS Colorado (no big damage reported) and another on the CL HMS Emerald (last seen on fire), also attacking but missing the CL USS Boise, a DD and a LST. AA fire shot down 4 Betties while an Oscar was lost operationally.
Despite bad weather, both sides sent many aircraft on naval patrol and both sides' fighters scored many victoreis during the morning and the evening. The Japanese lost 12 aircraft (4 Val, 2 Alf, 2 Jake, 2 Dave, 1 Nell and 1 Judy) but in the afternoon a Val used well cloud cover to come near a CV TF and managed to hit the CVL Montery with her bomb. Japanese CAP scored 20 victories against Allied patrols (5 Kingfisher, 4 SBD, 4 Walrus, 3 TBF, 2 Seagull, 1 TBM and 1 Barracuda) and with the help of clouds covered efficiently the Japanese CVs.
But two other Japanese TFs were not so lucky. The Japanese reaction move in the morning had left behind the BB TF (2 BB, 1 CA, 6 CL, 6 DD) and the scout TF (1 CL, 6 DD) of the KB and in the afternoon, if clouds still covered the Japanese CV, these two TF laid exposed in clear weather when the storm quieted in their area... as it did over the main Allied CV TF. The first attack against them was launched by the CVE TF with 18 TBF escorted by 12 F4F-4 and heavily damaged the BB Fuso with two torpedoes for the loss of an Avenger to AA fire.
The Japanese TF commander yelled for help and 16 A6M3a flew trough the storms covering their CV to the area.They were able to intercept the three following Allied raids: the two first came from the main CV TF with 90 SBD, 72 TBF and 16 TBM escorted by 47 F4F-4, 11 Wildcat V and 5 F6F, followed by 32 SBD and 25 TBF escorted by 16 F4F-4, and the third came from the CVE TF again, with 8 TBF escorted by 5 F4F-4. All 16 Zeroes were shot down in these air battles and none managed to reach the bombers but they shot down 12 F4F-4, 4 Wildcat V and 1 Hellcat. So the score was finally in Japanese favor, and given the number involved it was a good indicator of the superiority of Japanese fighters. By the way the small Hellcat group involved scored no victory and suffered one loss in this first battle against Japanese fighters.
Another piece of good news was that the Allied raids came in several waves despite targeting the same TF. And a third one was that the 122 dive bombers and 121 torpedo bombers involved in these 3 raids performed very badly, scoring only 4 new torpedo hits and 29 bomb hits, but mostly on the BB where they bounced harmlessly. When he saw the sky full of incoming bombers the Japanese admiral was sure his ships were doomed. Finally the only loss was the already badly damaged BB Fuso that took 19 bombs and 3 more torpedoes, capsized and sunk. The BB Mutsu was hit by 9 bombs that only disabled a 5in gun and a torpedo that failed to do much damage, and reported in the evening damage of 3/0/17 (SYS/FLT/fires). The only other ship hit was the CL Oyodo that was hit by a bomb and reported almost no damage from it. And Japanese AA fire shot down 3 SBD, 2 TBF and 1 TBM.
The nearby scout TF was also attacked twice by airmen coming from the main Allied CV fleet, first by 29 Barracuda, 14 TBF and 7 TBM and then by 8 TBF. The British crew were better than their allies and sank the DD Kamikaze with 2 torpedoes and heavily damaged (14/55/3) the CL Abukuma with another. US crews only scored a dud on the cruiser. The only Allied loss in these raids was a Barracuda lost operationally.
The only Japanese reply in the afternoon was two small raids from Toyohara against Allied ships off PJ for a total of 7 Betties escorted by 6 Oscar II. They missed a CA and a DE and two bombers were shot down by AA fire.
As the day before, the CVE move enabled Tina transport aircraft to bring more troops of the 14th Div (400 men and 10 guns) from Wakkanai without being intercepted (even if one Tina was lost in an accident). On the ground Japanese artillery hit 20 men and 1 gun, while the Allied troops launched a new deliberate attack despite their failure the day before and were again repulsed at 0 to 1 (1140 Allied AV vs 501 Japanese, but adjusted to 393 vs 1252). Japanese losses were 175 men and 4 guns, Allied ones were heavier at 655 men, 32 guns and 1 vehicle.
The evening report in PJ reported damage of 58/89/90 (airbase/runways/port), 181 available engineer squads and 452 AV while the Allied forces were reported as 63575 men, 591 guns and 128 vehicles (AV 1142 before the attack).
Today air losses were almost even with 48 on the Allied side (39 A2A, 8 AA, 1 ops) and 51 on the Japanese one (42 A2A, 7 AA and 2 ops). The Japanese ASR service saved at least 16 pilots/crews (6 of A6M3a, 4 Betties, 2 Val, 2 floatplanes, 1 Oscar and 1 Nell), not counting the wounded, so that was a more than 30% survival rate for shot down Japanese crew today, not bad at all… for Japan. A Zero pilot, PO2 Minobe K of AI-1, scored his kills 23 and 24 and equaled the score of the best living Japanese ace (another KB pilot) but still remained way under the score of the best Japanese ace (34 kills, but this pilot was now in a British POW camp).
The estimation of the Allied CV power was raised today. It was now estimated that the Allied fleet had 9 CV (the Essex, Hornet, Indomitable, Victorious and Lexington II were identified, they were at least 2 other Essex there, the last two were supposed to be another British CV and another Essex), 2 CVL (Monterey and Belleau Wood) and 3 CVE. So the aircraft strength of this fleet was estimated to be around 800 AC. 40 had been lost until now and 20-25 were supposed to be now unavailable due to the cumulated damage on the CVE Sangamo, leaving around 740 AC vs 640 for the Kido Butai. But on the other hand a number of Allied aircraft were damaged today and Allied crew had flown for 3 of the 4 days now and should be tired while the Japanese ones were still waiting for their first action. Also the air battles today showed that Japanese crews will certainly perform better than their opponents. So the Kido Butai will remain in the area and continue to try to engage the Allied fleet.
One of the 3 Japanese submarines now patrolling between Attu and PJ reported a new Allied convoy (3+ AK, 1+ AP) sailing west, and currently at 240 miles east of PJ. This convoy was probably carrying more troops to the beachhead. Japanese SIGINT also reported more Allied ships 120 miles west of Attu. The Allied commander was probably aware now that the first wave of Allied troops will never succeed to take the base and so probably ordered more troops to be brought. The Japanese High Command, still reluctant to fight a pure CV vs CV battle (preferring letting Allied CV airmen attack first and be decimated by Japanese CAP, and then launch an attack the next day with an higher escort ratio), ordered that these troop convoys will be the number one target tomorrow. The KB will sail 120 miles north of PJ. It reacted twice in 2 days despite following a surface TF and I decide to tried something else tomorrow, the two DD that the KB will follow will be a “transport TF”. I had no problem with CV following transport TF before so maybe this time they will obey my orders…. CV airmen will have a range of 2 and so be able to engage Allied ships off PJ or east of it.
In the evening, the Mutsu TF received orders to sail to Toyohara to replenish AA ammunition and refuel. The damaged CL Abukuma will sail to Sapporo under escort by two DDs. But before sailing westwards, this force and the scout TF formed three small surface raiding groups that were ordered to sweep the waters east of PJ tonight. The CA Chokai will do this 180 miles east of the base, 3 DD 120 miles east and the CL Kuma and a DD 60 miles east. Their goal will be to hit crippled retreating ships, for example the CVE Sangamon (hit twice in the last 3 days), or the new Allied convoy. Then before dawn the will flee towards to Marcus Island or Shikka, hoping to be out of range of Allied CV when the sun rose or that Japanese CV will draw Allied airmen away from them.
The LBA units in Toyohara will continue their attacks tomorrow. The 3 Betty Daitais engaged today lost 15 bombers and were reduced to 16 available AC and 26 too damaged to fly. They were ordered to fly naval search and the other bomber units (26 Betties and 20 Nells) will fly naval attack under escort by the remaining 64 Oscar II.
Reinforcements continued to reach this new frontline. Four instructors (with 75-80 exp) and 5 trainees (with 40-45 exp) detached from a training Daitai in Mukden arrived aboard a CV of the KB to replace today losses. Also a full Daitai of Zeroes arrived in Ominato from China, having stopped its operational training before the end (exp 58).
In Ominato, the 51st Aviation Unit and the HQ of the 25th Air Flotilla (transferred from Home Defence Command to Northern Force for 90 PP) boarded an AP convoy in some hours and the convoy left in the evening for Sapporo. Most of the units concentrated in Ominato had flown to Toyohara yesterday or left today: 36 Tonies flew to Sapporo and 35 Nick and 9 Rufes to Toyohara to fly CAP over the base.
A convoy left Osaka for Ominato. It was formed with 4 AR and ten warships (3 CL and 7 DD) having been patched quickly after receiving their 7/43 upgrades and now having system damage at 3 or less.
Central Pacific
The last men of the 21st Div boarded transports in the port of Kona and the convoy left in the evening this base to bring it back to Japan to reinforce the defenses of Sakhalin Island.
Southern Pacific
The convoy that had evacuated the 56th Bde and the 24th Eng Rgt reached its first stop since Auckland, Funafuti Island, and was ordered to continue northwards and to return to Japan, where these troops will also be used on the Northern front.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The first Japanese transport that brought men of the 43rd Div to Wewak had gone unnoticed and was now on the way back. Another transport started to load troops in Palau and will follow her, but this time it won’t be a small AK but a 3000-ton AP.
SRA
Five ASW ships arrived in Soerabaja and will escort to Singapore the CA Suzuya that will undergo an upgrade here.
A convoy loaded 10k resources in Toboali and will bring them to Singapore.
Burma
The only Allied air raid was an attack by 22 Lysander I from Kohima escorted by 6 Spitfire Vb against the 12th NLF 60 miles SW of this base, hitting 20 men.
A Japanese aircraft reported two AP off Chandpur. Suspicions rose again that Allied troops were preparing an amphibious operation in this area. It was decided to attack this TF with all available warships. That wasn’t much: 2 CA and 1 CL anchored off Georgetown, and 3 DD on ASW patrol in Malacca Straits. All six were ordered to sail to Victoria Point to refuel here and then sail north to raid Chandpur.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/36 (system/runway), other bases undamaged. The garrison of Myitkyina had started to rebuild fortifications (level 8, 4%).
China
A training mission was flown from Wuhan against troops NW of Changsha by 24 A6M3a and hit 26 Chinese without loss.
On the ground, all Japanese troops near Kunming received orders to march back to Kweiyang, as remaining there will be useless. The other part of the Southern China Army advanced east of Kweiyang and reached the Chinese lines 120 miles of this city. Japanese troops (5.33 Div, 1 Tk Rgt, 2 ART, 2 HQ) will attack tomorrow the 9 Chinese units facing them with air support from Nanning, Wuhan and Nanchang (for a total of 104 bombers and 71 fighters used as fighter-bombers).
More north two regiments of the 26th Japanese division were 120 miles E of Chungking in positions allowing them to keep an eye on the Chungking-Changsha road, that was empty and undefended. One of them received orders to march to the SW to cut the road and stop the supplies coming from the Chinese capital to the Chinese forces in Central China.
These last forces were composed of 37 units, but the aim of confusing them by advancing at the same time from Kweiyang in the west and from Wuhan in the east succeeded. Now only 15 of these units were facing Japanese troops (9 east of Kweiyang and 6 in Changsha) and were outnumbered in both places. If the other units moved to one side or the other, I will then attack the side they left.
Japan
In the evening, a convoy of empty AP returning to Tokyo was tracked 240 miles ENE of Tori Shima by the SS USS Paddle, but she was seen and chased by the escort (6 PG). One dropped depth charges but missed and she escaped without damage.
The estimation of the Allied CV power was raised today. It was now estimated that the Allied fleet had 9 CV (the Essex, Hornet, Indomitable, Victorious and Lexington II were identified, they were at least 2 other Essex there, the last two were supposed to be another British CV and another Essex), 2 CVL (Monterey and Belleau Wood) and 3 CVE. So the aircraft strength of this fleet was estimated to be around 800 AC. 40 had been lost until now and 20-25 were supposed to be now unavailable due to the cumulated damage on the CVE Sangamo, leaving around 740 AC vs 640 for the Kido Butai. But on the other hand a number of Allied aircraft were damaged today and Allied crew had flown for 3 of the 4 days now and should be tired while the Japanese ones were still waiting for their first action. Also the air battles today showed that Japanese crews will certainly perform better than their opponents. So the Kido Butai will remain in the area and continue to try to engage the Allied fleet.
Darn... this will be much much closer han any of us expected... the only lucky thing is that he didn't wait for his fighter upgrade...
The world will continue to trembe in anticipation of news from the Pacific north!
The three surface TF sent east of PJ during the night were far less successful than hoped. The CA Chokai and the 3 DD sent respectively 180 and 120 miles east of the base found no target. The third TF had a bad start when the SS USS Seahorse attacked it 120 miles W of PJ and torpedoed the CL Kuma, setting her on fire, then evading the depth charges launched by her only escort, the DD Makinami, that scored only a near miss. These two ships anyway continued to the planned area and there met a DD of four American DD. The Allied crews curious to see what this burning ship was were surprised when it began firing at them but the battle was deceiptive for both sides. In two separate actions between the two small Tf, the DD Makinami was hit by 3 shells and set on fire, while several shells bounced on the Kuma without doing much damage. On the US side, the DD Foote was hit twice and set on fire, the DD La Valette and Braine were hit once each and not heavily damaged.
Both sides then retired. The same US DD TF met in the morning the SS I-19 360 miles WSW of PJ and chased it. The only intact DD, the USS Sims, scored two hits and 5 near misses with Mk 9 depth charges on the Japanese submarine, heavily damaging her (51/75/0) (by the way I forgot to say yesterday that the I-6, heavily damaged some days ago north of Amchitka Island by two Allied aircraft, had sunk south of the Aleutians). The three Japanese raiding TF met no more Allied submarines but didn’t run as fast as planned and were in range of Allied aircraft at dawn… but Allied airmen had something else to do.
Because today at last weather was good on the whole area and the CV of both sides were only 120 miles apart. The Kido Butai was 120 miles north of Paramushiro Jima, the main Allied CV fleet 60 miles east of it and the CVE TF just of the beachhead. Only the latter reacted and moved NW (probably to have more maneuver room). Patrols of both sides continued to identify enemy ships and to suffer heavy losses to enemy CAP.
It is difficult to give precise figures as the losses in the CV battle today were very high for both sides, but my estimation was that Allied CAP scored 15 victories against patrol aircraft (5 Pete, 3 Val, 2 Jill, 2 Dave, 1 Betty, 1 Dinah and 1 Glen) and lost a Wildcat V in an accident. Another Val was shot down by AA fire during a patrol but other identified two new CVL not yet reported, the Cowpens and the Independence. The Japanese CAP was better and shot down 19 patrol aircraft (6 SDB, 6 Kingfisher, 2 TBF, 2 Mariner, 1 Barracuda, 1 Walrus and 1 Seagull) and lost an A6M3a in an accident. Another Kingfisher was shot down by AA fire when it flew too close of a Japanese ship.
And then the CV battle started…. the first since August 1942.
In the morning the Allied CV TF managed to send a well coordinated raid and all units arrived at the same time near the Kido Butai, concentrating on one CV TF. 103 SBD, 70 TBF, 27 Barracuda and 16 TBM flew this raid under escort by 65 F4F-4, 12 Wildcat V and 6 F6F. They were intercepted by a CAP of 176 A6M3a and 28 A6M5 that performed very well. Better aircraft (expect the handful of F6F), better experience and less fatigue really helped the Japanese pilots that suffered 28 losses in this first attack (27 A6M3a and 1 A6M5) but shot down 210 Allied aircraft (64 F4F-4, 56 TBF, 36 SBD, 22 Barracuda, 14 TBM, 12 Wildcat V and 6 F6F)! Tens of Allied bomber crews turned back under the fierce attacks of the Zeroes and finally only 15 (8 TBF, 5 Barracuda and 2 TBM) reached the Japanese ships and attacked several CVs but scored no hit, losing one more TBF to AA fire.
The Japanese airmen attacked two Allied CV TF in the morning and one of the two raids get split in two. What saved them from a major disaster was that the first raid to reach the target was the biggest and was very well escorted. I had also hesitated a lot as putting my CAP level at 60 or 70% and finally decided for 60, and this probably did the difference between a slaughter for Japanese airmen and what happened (that you will maybe call a slaughter too, but it could have been worse).
This first raid targeted a TF built around the CV USS Lexington II and HMS Indomitable and the CVL USS Independence. It was flown by 79 Val and 34 Kates escorted by 85 A6M3a and 20 A6M5 and met a CAP flown by 141 F4F-4, 23 Wildcat V and 14 Hellcats. The Japanese fighters sacrificed themselves to open a way for the bombers to reach the enemy ships but also decimated the Allied fighters. Losses between fighters were roughly even: 86 for Japan (72 A6M3a and 14 A6M5) and 89 for the Allied (82 F4F-4, 5 F6F and 2 Wildcat V) but the exhausted Allied pilots stopped less than half of the Japanese bombers. 40 Vals and 10 Kates were shot down by the Allied CAP, but respectively 39 and 24 got trough and attacked the big warships in the center of the TF. They met a murderous AA fire that shot down 16 Vals and 11 Kates, but scored the first hits of the battle. The Lexington was hit by a torpedo and 2 bombs and set on fire, the Indomitable was hit by a bomb that didn’t pierce the armoured bridge but destroyed an AA gun position and the CVL Independence and two BB (Indiana and Massachusetts) were attacked but missed.
A small part of this Japanese attack group arrived late with 18 Val and 15 Kates escorted by 11 A6M3a. What remained of the Allied CAP (59 F4F-4, 21 Wildcat V and 9 F6F) was unable to stop them even if it shot down 18 Japanese aircraft (7 A6M3a, 7 Kate and 4 Val) for the loss of 9 F4F-4. AA fire then shot down exactly half of the remaining aircraft, 7 of the 14 Val and 4 of the 8 Kates, but the Lexington was hit again by a bomb and was now reported as being heavily damaged. Two more bombs hit the Massachusetts but without doing much damage, and the Indomitable dodged the torpedoes fired against her.
A smaller Japanese group attacked another Allied CV TF with 12 Kate and 7 Val escorted by 14 A6M3a. The CAP was now flown by 48 F4F-4, 21 Wildcat V and 9 F6F that shot down 7 A6M3a, 6 Kate and 2 Val but lost 8 F4F-4 and 3 Wildcat V. Once again more than half of the Japanese fighters reached the ships. They attacked the CV Essex and the CL Denver with torpedoes and the CVL Monterey with bombs, but scored no hit and lost 3 Val and 2 Kate to AA fire.
At midday Admiral Nagumo, the commander of Kido Butai, was well confident that the battle had been won, and in fact probably become far too much overconfident because he sent 24 A6M3a on LRCAP over Paramushiro Jima on dubious reports of Allied air acivity. All that saw these pilots were some Allied recon aircraft.
And the battle was not yet over. Once again, the Allied air assault was well coordinated in the afternoon with all aircraft attacking the same Japanese CV group. A first raid came from the CVE TF with 11 TBF escorted by 12 F4F-4. The Japanese CAP had been reduced by losses, Japanese raids launched at the same time requiring escort, and stupid orders to 61 A6M3a and 17 A6M5. They shot down all 12 F4F-4 for the loss of 3 A6M3a but then destroyed only 7 of the TBF. The four that get trough attacked the CV Junyo and the BB Musashi but scored no hit and two were shot down by AA fire.
Then arrived the airmen from the main CV TF: 43 SBD, 2 TBF and 2 TBM escorted by 8 F4F-4, 3 Wildcat V and 2 F6F. Japanese CAP shot down with ease all 13 Allied fighters (only losing an A6M3a in this fight) and then attacked the Allied bombers, concentrating on the Dauntless flying at high level. 11 were shot down and the 31 survivors turned back, as in the morning. Of the four torpedo bombers only one TBF was shot down by the CAP and the 3 other attacked the CV Kaga and Junyo but again missed. AA shot down a TBM.
And that was the end of the Allied air attacks against the Kido Butai with no damage done to any ship. But it was not the end of the battle, as it was now the turn of Japanese airmen to strike enemy ships.
The Allied CAP was now reduced to 20 F4F-4, 9 Wildcat V and 6 F6F and even if Japanese attacks that arrived in scattered order they were powerful enough to overwhelm the Allied CAP.
Four waves of Japanese aircraft attacked an Allied CV TF built around the CV USS Yorktown and HMS Illustrious and the CVL Cowpens. The first wave was made of 31 Kat, 17 Judy, 9 Jill and 4 Val escorted by 46 A6M3a and 13 A6M5 and swept most of the CAP. The next waves were made of 25 Kates escorted by 2 A6M3a, 12 Vals escorted by 4 A6M3a, and finally 18 unescorted Kates. In air battles, 19 Japanese aircraft (12 A6M3a, 2 A6M5, 2 Val, 1 Kate, 1 Judy and 1 Jill) and 26 Allied (14 F4F-4, 7 Wildcat and 5 F6F) were shot down. So 113 Japanese attack aircraft reached the TF… and were decimated by AA fire that shot down 42 Kate, 6 Jill, 5 Val and 3 Judy around this TF alone. But all three Allied CV were hit. The CVL Cowpens was heavily damaged by two torpedoes, the Illustrious was set on fire by two torpedoes (and also was hit by two other that didn’t explode) and the Yorktown took a torpedo and two bombs but still seemed not seriously damaged when she was last seen.
Two other small raids attacked other CV groups with 15 Vals escorted by 4 A6M3a and then 9 Kates. The few remaining Allieds fighters didn’t managed to intercept them and two more F4F-4 were bounced and shot down by the Zeroes. AA fire continued to shot down about half of the attacking Japanese aircraft, in this case 10 Val and 5 Kate, but the CVL Monterey was damaged by a bomb and two near-misses (hits not penetrating the belt armor), and the CV Essex and the CVL Princeton were each hit by a torpedo.
And so this day of CV battle ended with a Japanese costly but real success:
_ Allied losses were 421 aircraft (in this battle, 433 overall for the day), including 415 A2A, 5 AA and 1 ops. Lost were 201 F4F-4, 71 TBF, 53 SBD, 28 Wildcat V, 23 Barracuda, 18 F6F, 16 TBM, 7 Kingfisher, 2 Mariner, 1 Seagull and 1 Walrus. The CV Lexington II and CVL Cowpens were heavily damaged, while the CV Essex, Illustrious and Yorktown II and the CVL Princeton were maybe hit seriously enough to be out of the battle and probably out of the war for some months, and the CVL Monterey and Indomitable were hit but remained operational. At least five other Allied CV were still intact: the CV Hornet and Enterprise II, an unidentified British CV (the Victorious?) and the CVL Independence and Belleau Woord. To that may be added at least two CVE, the Chenango and Suwanee.
_ Japanese losses were 345 aircraft (again in this battle, excluding losses suffered during LBA strikes off PJ described below, 353 overall for the day), including 235 A2A, 106 AA and 4 ops. Lost were 130 A6M3a, 95 Val, 80 Kate, 17 A6M5, 7 Jill, 5 Pete, 4 Judy, 2 Jake, 2 Dave, 1 Betty, 1 Dinah II and 1 Glen. No Japanese CV was hit.
Despite the two CV forces were each in range of enemy LBA, no land-based units took part in the battle. Allied heavy bombers flew only naval search and one bombed and hit the SS I-38 300 miles east of Attu, doing medium damage (25/5/0).
On the Japanese side Toyohara-based bombers attacked ships off PJ that had been left as usual without CAP by the reacting CVE TF. A group of 21 Betties and 15 Nells escorted by 39 Oscar II attacked a convoy and scored 7 torpedo hits, sinking the LST-335 (2 hits), heavily damaging two other LST and the AP President Gardfield (hit twice) and setting on fire the CL Richmond. AA fire shot down 3 Betties and a Nell, while another Betty and an Oscar were lost operationally. A smaller group of 3 Betties escorted by 6 Oscar tried to attack the BB New Mexico but missed and 2 of the 3 bombers were shot down by AA fire.
By the way landing operation had continued during the night and the day on Paramushiro Jima. Japanese coastal defenses only fired 13 shells and hit no ship. Allied landing losses were 552 men. During the night, four British cruisers (2 CA and 2 CL) and 6 DD bombarded the base, doing 506 casualties, disabling 3 guns and scoring 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies, 73 on the runways, and 1 on a fuel dump. In the morning the AP John Glenn, critically damaged by mines on the first day of the landing, sank SE of the island.
On the ground, Japanese artillery fired at Allied troops but hit nothing, while Allied didn’t attack any more. The evening report in PJ reported damage of 67/99/90 (airbase/runways/port), 182 available engineer squads and 466 AV while the Allied forces were reported as 65305 men, 593 guns and 154 vehicles (AV 1075). Japanese transport aircraft continued to bring men of the 14th Div to the base (or maybe did not fly due to the runway state, I didn’t check it this turn) and another Chutai (of 8 Topsies) arrived in the evening in Toyohara and will bring parts of the regiment of the 14th Div based here.
At sunset, the Kido Butai commander was faced with a crucial question: what to do next. His ships were intact, but he had lost half of his aircraft during the day and now only had 227 fighters (215 available) (this included the 27 Zeroes of a 58 exp operational training unit arriving in the evening from Ominato), 80 dive-bombers (62) and 78 torpedo bombers (66). The opposing side had also lost half of his aircraft, including a big part of its CV fighters, and had about half of its CV damaged enough to be out of order, but with ports size 4-5 available in Attu and Kiska, most if not all damaged CV could be saved. On the other hand, the remaining Allied CV probably had enough aircraft left to still be a threat, and the heavy bombers based in Attu may get trough the weakened Japanese CAP. So pursuing the retreating Allied ships under the umbrella of Allied LBA was not an option.
It was decided that BB and submarines will be the ones that will try to sink the damaged CV before they escaped. All Japanese CV were gathered into two CV TF (one with 190 AC and the other with 162) and the two “freed” admirals, Yamaguchi and Yamada, will each lead a TF with all available BB east of PJ to try to chase the damaged CV during the night. Today reports showed that retiring Allied ships sailed not only to Attu but also to Kiska and Amchitka and so the 6 remaining Japanese submarines were deployed on a line stretching 180 miles from north to south to cover ll these lanes. Both BB TF will sweep waters respectively 120 miles east and ESE of PJ, and retire at dawn towards Etorofu Jima. The CA Chokai will also return to these waters and sail 60 miles SE of PJ.
The KB airmen will prefer prudence rather than being reckless. Both CV TF will sail just SE of PJ. Zeroes will fly 90% CAP and attack aircraft will fly to range 3. So they may attack the most damaged and slow damaged CV, or the Allied convoys. The heavy CAP will protect the CV against the remaining SBD and the Attu-based heavy bombers. At this place, the KB will be out of range of the P-38 and with their range of 3 Japanese attack aircraft will meet no P-38 on LRCAP.
Land-based bombers in Toyohara received more aggressive orders. 81 bombers remained here, and 53 were available in the evening. All units received orders to fly naval attack to range 15, while flying 20% naval search. By the way the local engineers received the orders to expand the AF (currently size 4) to size 6.
The four Japanese ships hit today (CL Abukuma, DD Makinami and SS I-19 and I-38) all received orders to sail to various Japanese ports.
In Toyohara, the Mutsu TF was scattered. The BB herself will sail to Sapporo with an APD that happened to be here escorting two AK, while the other ships (2 CA, 4 CL and 4 DD) will sail east towards PJ under command of Adm Nishimura.
A convoy loaded 48k fuel in Takamatsu and will bring them to Ominato, where the KB will refuel after the battle.
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Tarawa to size 6.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the morning 8 PB4Y from PM attacked Kavieng and scored 1 hit on supplies and 6 on the runways. Rabaul was attacked in the afternoon by 32 B-25J from Gili Gili that disabled 32 men and 2 guns and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 18 on the runways for one operational loss. This base reported in the evening damage of 2/0 (airbase/runways), while Kavieng was fully repaired.
The surface raiding TF (a CA, 3 DD) sent from Truk reached its planned patrol position north of Bougainville… and as usual received orders to wait as the weather forecast for tomorrow was for clear weather. Everytime Japanese surface ships were in the area for the 3 next weeks it had been the case. Frustating…. especially because the weather was almost always rainy or stormy when they were not in position.
The three transport aircraft Chutai based in Hollandia will start tomorrow to ferry men of the 43rd Div to Wewak.
In Lunga, the Japanese engineers had almost finished to build fortifications (level 8, 98%) and a convoy of 14 AP and 6 escorts left Truk for this base. It will pick up all construction troops and bring them to other bases.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Lautem was bombed by 25 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 13 P-40N that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 9 on the runway, did 46 casualties and disabled one gun. The only Allied loss was a Mariner shot down by AA fire over Kendari.
The evening report for this area gave the airfield status as: Maumere 39/0 (system/runway), Dili 6/0, Lautem 49/10/11, other bases undamaged. The garrison of Koepang had started again to build fortifications (level 6, 5%).
SRA
An ASW group was formed in Manila and left this base to patrol north of Luzon and chase the numerous Allied submarines still reported by air patrols in this area..
Burma
Allied air activity raised again to its usual level after two quiet days. Myitkyina was attacked by 6 B-25J from Ledo and 28 B-24D from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40N and 18 P-40E and reported 11 casualties, 7 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 41 on the runways, and an Allied LRCAP of two Beaufighter VIC. Four units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st and 23rd Mixed Bde) were bombed by 58 Liberator VI, 50 Beaufighter VIC, 38 Vengeance I, 29 B-17E, 29 Beaufighter Mk 21, 22 B-25J and 8 Blenheim IV from Imphal, Dacca, Kohima and Ledo escorted by 38 P-40n and 24 P-40E and lost 298 men and 14 guns. In the jungle more west, the 12th NLF was attacked and missed by 50 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 3 Spitfire Vb SE of this base, while 20 Lysander I from Kohima escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb attacked the 12th NLF SW of their base and hit 23 men. Allied losses during the day were 1 F-5A, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 VIC shot down by AA fire, and one B-24D, a B-25J and a Vengeance I lost in accidents.
Japanese aircraft still reported a convoy off Chandpur. The planned raiding force was constituted in Victoria Point with 2 CA, 1 CL and 3 DD and sailed north in the evening. Tomorrow it will be 180 miles NW of Rangoon, ready to strike the next night. It will be LRCAPed by 20 A6M3a and 17 Oscar II from Rangoon but the forecast bad weather was hoped to hide them from Allied patrols (that should be reduced as most Allied bombers were used to bomb troops). By the way the same forecast of thunderstorms was the reason for another postponement of the Kohima raid by Japanese airmen. A sentai of 36 Oscar II arrived in the evening in Rangoon from Georgetown where it was protecting the warships that will raid Chandpur.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 40/27 (system/runway), Myitkyina 25/15, other bases undamaged. Three Allied transport aircraft (2 Dakota I, one C-47) were lost today, probably while bringing supplies to troops in Burma. The Oscar II Chutai based in Lashio reported nothing today 120 miles W of Myitkyina and will test tomorrow the Chinese Corps SE of this city. It was judged probable that Allied airmen dropped supplies to troops near Myitkyina but there were too many Allied fighters in this area to fly LRCAP.
China
The attack of the troops of the Southern China Army 120 miles east of Kweiyang (5.33 Div, 1 Tk Rgt, 2 ART, 2 HQ) didn’t receive the planned air support because of bad weather. Only 12 Oscar II from Nanchang reached the battlefield and bombed a Chinese Corps, hitting 21 men. Then Japanese troops attacked the 9 Chinese units facing them (5 Corps, 2 HQ, 2 Div) and achieved a 2 to 1 ratio (2139 AV vs 1731, adjusted to 1289 vs 451). The Chinese line was nevertheless not broken because only the two divisions were defeated and retreated eastwards, all other Chinese troops had enough fortifications to keep their positions. Japanese losses were 1226 men, 31 guns and 3 tanks, while the Chinese lost 2416 killed and wounded, around 800 prisoners (5-6 troop points) and 13 guns. The attack will continue tomorrow to defeat the remaining Chinese troops.
