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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

 
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/12/2007 5:11:21 AM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		The Japanese invasion of Java, February 1942:




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Post #: 31
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/12/2007 3:29:12 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		'MO' Operation - the Japanese lunge for Port Moresby, February-March 1942

When the dust settles after the 'Friday the Thirteenth' engagement the Japanese conclude that Darwin is not ripe for immediate assault. Accordingly, the timetable for the follow-up thrust on Port Moresby is advanced, the Japanese command being acutely aware that resistance to this will harden with every day that passes.

The plan for the MO operation is as complex as any on which the Japanese have ever embarked. In essence it involves the simultaneous convergence upon Port Moresby of two separate invasion convoys. One, originating from Truk, is to carry the brigade primarily dedicated to the attack upon Port Moresby. That brigade will subsequently form a garrison for the base. The other convoy originates from Kendari, and carries forces ultimately intended for an attack upon Darwin.

To pre-empt reinforcement of Moresby, the Japanese are anxious to preserve the element of surprise, but any sighting of Takagi's Moresby Western Attack Force as it traverses the Arafura Sea seems sure to give the game away. Takagi's force is routed close to the southern shore of New Guinea, so as to remain as far as possible from the prying eyes of Darwin's search aircraft. Simultaneously a small force with seaplane tender Mizuho at its core is to land an SNLF on Aru Island. This, however, is little more than a maskirovka: a distraction intended to supply a rationale for the presence of Japanese ships if Takagi's force is detected. In the event he is not.

Matsuyama's Moresby Eastern Attack Force is routed from Truk to the Solomon Sea directly past Cape st George. Thence it is to enter the Coral Sea via Jomard Passage before swinging west towards its target.

At the same time as Matsuyama departs Truk two further convoys bearing the occupation forces for Buna and Lae diverge from his track, headed for Seeadler Harbour in the Admiralties where they will hold until the enemy's attention is distracted by the Moresby convoys' appearance. The Lae and Buna Occupation Forces will then enter Huon Gulf via Dampier Strait and separate into four components aimed at Buna, Salamaua, Lae and Finschafen. The Lae force is the critical element in this part of the operation, since as soon as Lae's airstrip has been seized Navy fighters will fly in from Rabaul to provide LRCAP over the forces operating in the vicinity of Moresby. The necessary air support will be airlifted in from Rabaul by Navy Type 97 Transport Flying Boats.

Next in the roster is Owada's Madang Consolidation Force, consisting primarily of the brand new tender Nisshin. This is tasked initially with delivery of additional supplies that will promote the reconnaissance and search operations to be flown by IJAAF Ki-46's from Madang's strip. Owada's ships are then to transit to Rabaul for refuelling before heading south, being now designated the Cover Force for the operation. With its enhanced complement of Type 0 Reconnaissance Seaplanes (plus a group of slightly shorter ranged Type 94's), the Cover Force is to operate in a search and tripwire role in the central reaches of the Coral Sea, in direct support of the operation's last component: 1st Mobile Force.

The carriers of 1st Mobile Force under Nagumo sortie from Truk one day after Matsuyama. Initially routed towards Bougainville the Force then turns south-west through Bougainville Strait and enters the Solomon Sea west of Vella Lavella. From there it is directed to a point slightly south of the Louisiades, where it is planned to lie in wait for any Allied naval move in the direction of Moresby. The Japanese hope is that in this position it will remain undetectable by air search and unlikely to encounter submarines. It is hoped that any Allied counter-move will initially be detected by Owada, who will then retire abruptly, leaving Nagumo's powerful air groups ready to stike from the flank.

The operation as a whole is to be coordinated from Vice Admiral Kusaka's South East Fleet HQ at Rabaul, from which a powerful force of land attack aircraft are to suppress Moresby's air defences. Rabaul will also form the point of departure for a further brigade to reinforce the attack plus a base force to flesh out the Moresby garrison after the base's capture. These units are to be conveyed respectively by a fast and slow transport group, though the fast will depart second and may overtake the slow en route





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Post #: 32
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/12/2007 3:32:25 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		'MO': Opening Moves

As Takagi's Moresby Western Attack Force passes between Auru Island and New Guinea on 18 February, Mizuho deposits an occupation force on the island. The inhabitants alert ANZAC Command to the Japanese presence, but Allied search aircraft fail to detect Takagi as he moves east. So far the element of suprise has been preserved, and the Japanese invasion task forces continue to converge upon their unsuspecting target.

The Japanese cannot remain unobserved for ever, and they are at last spotted by Port Moresby's search planes on 22 February. By this time Takagi is through Torres Strait and closing rapidly on Moresby. But simultaneously a Type 0 observation floatplane from one of Hashimoto's accompanying cruisers happens upon Allied warships to the west of Thursday Island. Consternation in the Japanese ranks! It is entirely possible that the opposing forces passed within miles of each other during the previous night! The consequences, had the Allied ships encountered Takagi's transports before Hashimoto could intervene, are unimaginable. The composition of the enemy remains uncertain, but they are reported to include heavy units. At Rabaul, the intelligence officers at South East Fleet HQ assess the enemy to include heavy cruisers Canberra and Australia, probably accompanied by light cruisers Hobart and Perth. Or perhaps the New Zealand light cruiser squadron.

Moresby's alerted defences respond with attacks by Hudsons and A-24's upon Takagi and his consorts. Only one transport is successfully bombed, but one of the few minesweepers accompanying the western force is hit and seriously damaged. Later this will have unfortunate consequences.

On the same day, Matsuyama's Moresby Eastern Attack Force is spotted as it enters Jomard Passage. 12 Hudsons attack at mixed altitudes, and transport Monji Maru is hit. Matsuyama diverts her to Milne Bay with orders to seize the settlement there.

The presence of enemy surface units this close to Moresby is an unexpected and unwelcome development for the Japanese. The enemy warships can be expected to return to the defence of Moresby with all possible speed. Whilst Hashimoto is confident that he will prevail in a surface battle off the target, he is likely to suffer damage, and his cripples will then lie at the mercy of Moresby's hostile aircraft. Accordingly the Japanese hastily adapt their plans: Takagi will recoil out of range of Moresby's dive bombers, whilst Nagumo's Mobile Force, which has been loitering south of the Louisiades, will move north to eliminate the Allied surface threat. Nagumo is assigned a dual mission: CarDiv 5's 'junior' air group will hit Moresby's airfields with everything it's got, whilst the first team in CarDiv's 1 and 2 will await morning sightings of enemy surface units. If none are found it will add its weight to the assault on the enemy airfields. These are already receiving a pounding from the substantial force of land attack aircraft now based at Rabaul.

As has happened before, things do not go quite as the Japanese expect. On 23 February the Allied cruisers are detected to the west of Moresby, but outside the range of Nagumo's aircraft, as he has remained sufficiently distant from Moresby to avoid exposure to its dive-bomber's 1000-pounders. Instead, aircraft from CarDiv's 1 and 2 target a couple of merchantmen in Moresby's harbour, together with minelayer Bungaree. All are summarily despatched.

Meanwhile CarDiv 5's airgroups and Kusaka's land attack planes hit the Moresby aerodromes hard, but not hard enough to put them completely out of action.

By the evening of 23 February the cat is well and truly out of the bag so far as the Japanese plan is concerned. Nagumo's carriers have revealed their hand, and the Allied cruisers have regrettably not been caught. On the other hand, unless other undetected Allied forces are in the vicinity, those cruisers seem unlikely to commit to Moresby's defence in the teeth of the threat from the Japanese carriers. Should they do so, Hashimoto can face them with greater equanimity, since the day's air attacks on Moresby have attenuated its ability to pick off any cripples from a surface engagement. Matsuyama ploughs steadily on to Moresby, and Takagi once again reverses course, this time towards the same target.





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Post #: 33
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/12/2007 5:58:55 PM   
Mistmatz

 

Posts: 1399
Joined: 10/16/2005
Status: offline 		Great update, especially your very well crafted graphics plus the written text build up good tension. Good luck with operation MO! :)

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 34
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/16/2007 8:19:54 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Thanks, Mistmatz! Good to see another reader of this thread! Haven't been keeping up with recent postings as I have been distracted by 2 new books just received: 'Midway Inquest' and 'Japanese Destroyer Captain'.

Things have remained tense around Moresby, but nothing earth shattering yet. I hope to post a further update fairly soon.

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Post #: 35
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/16/2007 8:45:29 PM   
aztez

 

Posts: 4031
Joined: 2/26/2005
From: Finland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Mistmatz

Great update, especially your very well crafted graphics plus the written text build up good tension. Good luck with operation MO! :)



I do second this comment!

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Post #: 36
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/28/2007 10:55:00 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		'MO' - The Conclusion

After the flurry caused by the appearance of an Allied surface unit in the vicinity of Takagi's Moresby Western Attack Force, Japanese operations in the area around Eastern New Guinea unfold in somewhat anti-climactic fashion.

Takagi's transports arrive first off Port Moresby, and begin to unload on 25 February 1942. He is soon joined by the ships of Matsuyama's Moresby Eastern Attack Force. Warned by reports from pilots of 1st Mobile Force that a minelayer was sunk whilst operating in the vicinity of Moresby, the Japanese are expecting the roadstead to be strewn with mines - and they are not disappointed. Minesweeper W16, one of the few vessels hard hit by Moresby's ineffectual air attacks, is sent in ahead of the Western Attack Force, but her crew is preoccupied with damage control and she achieves nothing against the minefields. Takagi has brought with him only two more sweepers, and though these do their best, Bungaree's mines are laid thickly enough to cause widespread damage. Twelve transports sustain injury, as do escort Heijo Maru and destroyer Chidori. However, some of the damaged ships are empty transports brought along to decoy some of Moresby's anticipated air attacks, and consequently the Japanese invasion force suffers surprisingly little loss.

One day prior to the initial landings at Moresby, two other transport groups slip into Huon Gulf past the west end of New Britain. Each of these divides, and the four resulting groups descend upon Finschhafen, Lae, Salamaua and Buna to deliver their landing forces. At all points save Buna the landings are unopposed and the bases quickly seized. At Buna however, the landing force encounters a group of New Guinea riflemen who escaped detection by pre-landing aerial reconnaissance, and who successfully withstand the initial Japanese onrush. Not until 3 March are the Japanese able to dislodge these defenders, who slip away into the Owen Stanleys via the inhospitable jungle trails.

Whilst the transports disgorge their loads at Moresby, Allied submarines gather to prey upon the Maru's. To counter this, the Japanese re-deploy their escorts into dedicated ASW groups that mercilessly prosecute all contacts. Ultimately one Dutch submarine lingers too long in the hazardous shallows and perishes.

The Allied cruisers sighted west of Thursday Island on 23 February hastily retreat towards Darwin as soon as they become aware of the threat posed to them by the Mobile Force's carrier aircraft. Yet this retirement affords them no respite, for as they approach Darwin on 27 February the kokutai of land attack aircraft based at Ambon mount a torpedo attack upon Allied task forces operating in the vicinity. Light cruiser Durban takes a torpedo hit, as do a couple of merchantmen. To escape such attacks the Allied cruisers once again turn east, presumably in the hope that by hugging the Australian Coast from Cape York southwards they can escape the attentions of Japanese carrier air. They are probably encouraged in this belief by the failure of Allied air searches to regain touch with Nagumo, who has deliberately withdrawn from detection range to a point south of the Louisiades, precisely for the purpose of luring such Allied surface units into his grasp.

On 28 February a Type 97 flying boat operating out of Ambon catches sight of the cruisers east of Cape Arnhem, and the following day they are again spotted in their old haunt west of Thursday Island. Informed of their return, Nagumo immediately moves to intercept them. Positioning of the Mobile Force is critical: too far south and it will be exposed to the unwelcome attention of Allied aircraft based on Townsville, too far north and the enemy cruiser group may successfully evade Nagumo by a high-speed run. The Japanese plan is frustrated, for the prey is next observed in the vicinity of Cape Arnhem, apparently heading for Darwin once again.

As the transports off Moresby empty and the minefield takes its toll, groups of damaged and slow empty vessels are despatched in the direction of Rabaul, ultimately to be followed by the remainder of the transport groups once unloading is complete. At the entrance to St George's Channel submarine Grayback engages mine-damaged transport Yamazato Maru, proceeding independently to Rabaul, in surface gun action. Undaunted by the marauder, Yamazato Maru's gun crews give better than they get, and succeed in landing a 3" round on the submarine before the action is broken off.

The New Guinea riflemen encountered at Buna were observed to retire in the direction of Wau, and the Japanese command concludes that there is a real danger of Moresby's garrison retreating in the same direction when the base falls. Unfortunately there remain only a handful of naval troops at Lae, and although these plod wearily into the hills with a view to seizing Wau and denying it as a rallying point for the Allies, it is all too clear that they will take weeks to reach the base. The only alternative is a parachute assault, and, the need for this having not been foreseen, a destroyer transport packed with paratroops is despatched at top speed from as far afield as Kuching. Simultaneously long-ranged L3Y transports are ordered to Woleai Island, from which the drop on Wau can be launched, albeit at maximum range. Perhaps fortunately for the Japanese, the paratroops are on the point of boarding the aircraft for the long and hazardous flight to New Guinea when news comes that Wau has voluntarily delivered itself into Japanese hands!

With the fall of Wau, no reason remains to delay the Japanese attack on Port Moresby. Since 25 March the base has received an unrelenting bombardment by 4 kokutai of land attack aircraft operating from Rabaul, and it appears that this must have had a somewhat demoralising effect upon the garrison. On 12 March the 4th and 21st Infantry Divisions, assisted by an independent infantry brigade and base force troops, open their formal assault upon the base. To their surprise its defenders succumb with unexpectedly little resistance:

Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 51883 troops, 235 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 1085

Defending force 11015 troops, 82 guns, 61 vehicles, Assault Value = 165

Japanese max assault: 967 - adjusted assault: 1286

Allied max defense: 134 - adjusted defense: 195

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Moresby base !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
316 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
14712 casualties reported
Guns lost 26
Vehicles lost 25

Allied units going into the bag include 2/3 Independent Coy, 30 Australian Bde, Lark Force, a battalion of Papuan infantry, 2/9 Armoured Rgt and 2 base force units. So conclude primary operations in New Guinea, which, with the exception of the Dutch base at Merauke and a couple of potential base sites, is now under Japanese sway in its entirety.





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Post #: 37
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 9/29/2007 2:07:21 AM   
ctangus


Posts: 2153
Joined: 10/13/2005
From: Boston, Mass.
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel
Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Moresby base !!!


BANZAI!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel

I should be interested to know whether your experience of with an overland offensive refutes my suspicion that the Allies will suffer significantly from being at the end of an extended, low-grade supply line. Of course, the deluge of Allied supply may have been so great that this had no apparent impact upon operations. Alternatively you may have supplemented the overland supplies with an airlift - but if so that implies a loss of air transport capacity for use elsewhere.



I brought a Command HQ (Australia HQ IIRC) up to Daly Waters. At the time my opponent & I started that game Katherine had not yet been introduced as a base to CHS. The HQ pulled enough supply to support the offensive, though certainly slowly.

The HQ drew enough supply to support limited bomber operations and ground attacks roughly every week or so.

Now, in the CHS 2.x versions the Australia Command is static. But the ANZAC or SW PAC command could potentially be sent up there.

However if your opponent doesn't do the same I don't think such an offensive could be supported just by transport planes, at least in '42. Maybe late '43. That's my (halfway) educated guess...

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 38
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/1/2007 7:13:59 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

quote:

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel

I should be interested to know whether your experience of with an overland offensive refutes my suspicion that the Allies will suffer significantly from being at the end of an extended, low-grade supply line. Of course, the deluge of Allied supply may have been so great that this had no apparent impact upon operations. Alternatively you may have supplemented the overland supplies with an airlift - but if so that implies a loss of air transport capacity for use elsewhere.



I brought a Command HQ (Australia HQ IIRC) up to Daly Waters. At the time my opponent & I started that game Katherine had not yet been introduced as a base to CHS. The HQ pulled enough supply to support the offensive, though certainly slowly.

The HQ drew enough supply to support limited bomber operations and ground attacks roughly every week or so.

Now, in the CHS 2.x versions the Australia Command is static. But the ANZAC or SW PAC command could potentially be sent up there.

However if your opponent doesn't do the same I don't think such an offensive could be supported just by transport planes, at least in '42. Maybe late '43. That's my (halfway) educated guess...


That's most interesting - I hadn't seen the earlier version of CHS that lacked Katherine, and I certainly hadn't noticed that Australia Command is static in the current version. But, yes, clearly the way for the Allies to go is is to bring in a command HQ to boost supply deliveries.

If, notwithstanding the HQ's presence, supply levels rebuild at a rate that permits ground attacks only at weekly intervals then that looks like a good result for Japan when compared to the conventional 3-day bombard-rest-attack cycle that copious supply levels permit. It requires a scarce HQ to be committed at or near Darwin, and that precludes that HQ from making mischief for Japan elsewhere.

Put another way, the mounting of a land-based offensive against Darwin implies an Allied decision to make the base one of its areas of main effort. Also, such a counter-offensive seems to be one that may be slowed by logistical constraints to such a degree that the Japanese may have the time to develop in-depth defences further back, in the Timor-Celebes-Vogelkop area. The Japanese will need to decide how far to fortify those areas in any case, but a strong Allied move against Darwin rings the alarm bell loud and clear, whilst the absence of such a commitment implies that other areas may have prior claim on scarce defensive resources.

Anyhow, I still treat the prospect of the North Australian bases staying in Allied hands as amounting to a substantial threat, so for the time being I remain committed to operations leading to the capture of Darwin. Since my opponent evidently believes I have designs on capturing the whole of Australia (surely I wouldn't be so rash - or would I?), I'd also like to encourage that belief, perhaps by a raid on, say, Tasmania, or the Adelaide area.

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Post #: 39
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/1/2007 7:19:16 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		To bring things further up to date...

Conclusive operations in Sumatra and Java

The end of Allied resistance in Java and Sumatra comes swiftly in March 1942.

The main body of the Japanese 25th Army marches along the north shore of Java from Kragen, and its leading elements take up position opposite Batavia's defences on 1 March. However, the attack upon the city is delayed until the arrival of units involved in the capture of Soerabaja. The Japanese have decided to bring to bear the full weight of their forces on the island, since ABDA command has concentrated three Dutch regiments in Batavia's defence, together with the small Dutch armoured contingent. In preparation for the attack, strong forces of IJAAF bombers based on Madioen relentlessly pound the airfields in the city's proximity.

Meanwhile, on 3 March a modest landing force wrests Christmas Island from its diminutive garrison, whilst naval paratroops are dropped upon Sawahloento in Central Sumatra, seizing it unopposed on 1 March before proceeding to Padang, which they take two days later.

Shortly before the final assault against Batavia commences, a number of Allied merchant vessels are observed heading south-west from Sunda Strait, having evidently fled Java before the final collapse. Rear Admiral Yamada's 2nd Mobile Force, which has been covering the occupation of Christmas Island, moves west towards them, and aircraft from his 4 light carriers succeed in doing extensive damage to the fleeing ships. Subsequently destroyer Hasu distinguishes herself by successfully intercepting a number of damaged ships, to several of which she administers the coup de grace.

At dawn on 7 March Rear Admiral Nishimura comes calling at Batavia with a bombardment force that includes battleships Fuso and Yamashiro and heavy cruisers Myoko and Ashigara. Causing some 4,700+ casualties, their fire severely disrupts the defenders of Batavia, who are left in no condition to resist 25th Army's shock assault, led by 18th, 33rd and the Imperial Guards Divisions. The survivors take to their heels in the direction of Merak, and the Japanese exult as they discover that not one of Batavia's precious resources has suffered damage, so great has been the confusion on the Allied side.

No sooner have the defenders quit Batavia (with 25th Army in pursuit) than the order is given for an invasion convoy to depart Singapore for the richest prize in the Indies: the oil and resource complex at Palembang. From 7 December 1941 onwards 4th Mixed Regt and 91st Naval Guard have been readying themselves for this critical seizure and they are now fully prepared for the task. Landings begin on 9 March, and despite the accompanying minesweeping group's best efforts stores transport Shozan Maru strikes a mine and is heavily damaged. The defenders fire intensively but ineffectually upon the invaders: light cruiser Jintsu absorbs 13 hits with little damage, thereby drawing off most of the defensive fire so that only two transports suffer a single shell hit apiece.

On the same day Japanese forces capture Belitoeng, having landed there the preceding day. They will go on to capture resource-rich Toboali on 12 March, taking intact all but a small fraction of those resources.

Whilst operations against Palembang are moving to their conclusion, moves are afoot against the remaining bases in Western Sumatra that will lead to the fall of Teloekbetoeng on 12 March and Benkolen on 14 March.

On 11 March 25th Army, having caught up with Batavia's defenders at Merak, performs a formal attack upon them. Heavily outnumbered and with no further place to which they may retreat, the ABDA command and its subordinate units surrender. Against some 24,900 Allied losses the Japanese suffer a mere 91 casualties in this final battle in the conquest of Java.

However, by far the most notable event of 11 March in Japanese eyes is the fall of Palembang. Once again preceded by a pulverising bombardment from Nishimura's battleships, the shock of the Japanese attack proves irresistible, and the defending forces are bundled out of Palembang in such haste that, once again, they are denied any opportunity to do further damage to the base, so that its oil and resource production facilities fall intact into Japanese hands, along with some 450,000 barrels of crude!

Thus are Japanese operations against the Netherlands East Indies brought substantially to a successful conclusion, as there now remain unconquered only the Dutch outposts at Lombok and Parmakasan. Although further substantial operations against Darwin and objectives in Burma remain pending, Japan's primary purpose of seizing the rich Southern Resource Area has been accomplished at minimal cost. Now for the harder task of retaining it.





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Post #: 40
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/6/2007 8:05:20 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Economic consequences of the campaign to date

Here's a spreadsheet summary of what has been captured so far in the SRA.

The 'Maximum Attainable Gains' columns show what was apparently up for grabs in CHS scenario 157. Red figures in these columns show the few 'potential' captures that still remain.

The 'Actual Gains Attained' columns show exactly that, but I've colour-coded them to show the partial captures (orange) and the disasters (red), where the defenders seriously damaged/totally destroyed what was available.

Actually, the Japanese player loses out in this scenario, because Belitoeng never yields any resource centres. They're in the database, but unfortunately they only appear in the second slot, and since the first slot is vacant it seems the Japanese player never gets the benefit of them.

At the foot of the sheet is a calculation of the percentage of gains actually attained. Arguably, the lower the percentage of manpower captures the better, given how they grab precious resources.

As can be seen, apart from Belitoeng the only major disaster was Soerabaja, where the defenders did a comprehensive job of destroying anything of value to the invaders.






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Post #: 41
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/6/2007 8:07:36 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Next, here's a further spreadsheet with a snapshot of the Japanese economy's current state. I've applied an arbitrary 1% to reflect 'shrinkage' resulting from transport of resources from port of landing to place of use.

Notwithstanding the additional resource centres captured in the SRA, there's still a daily deficit of 277 resource points required by HI and all those greedy mouths. That's where the damage done at Soerabaja and the absence of resources from Belitoeng hits home. As you might expect, I'm taking steps to repair the damage done at Soerabaja.





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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 42
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/6/2007 8:14:08 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Blueprint for a sea bridge

With the SRA largely taken I can now start implementing plans for moving Japan's gains to where they will do her economy some good, i.e. primarily in the home islands. I admit to having adopted wholesale the approached recommended by Nemo121 in aztez' Red Storm Rising AAR - thanks, Nemo, that was really helpful!

Yet another spreadsheet shows what is required to service the principal Japanese resource and oil production centres in the SRA. Daily production figures I obtained via Bohdi's utility, as well as voyage times based on a 9 knot rate of advance - i.e. a fuel-efficient cruising speed. Loading/unloading is assumed to require 50% of voyage time, as per Nemo's recommendation, but this may prove over-generous, in which case there's room for optimisation of the cycle. One factor that will need to be taken into account is the extent to which the outbound journeys can be used to lift supplies, fuel and troops to the Empire's outer reaches, as this will obviously increase loading/unloading times.

The spreadsheet only shows the principal oil and resource ports from which the Japanese must lift cargoes, and reveals total cycle times ranging from 37.5 to 52.5 days. I have modified these by adopting two basic cycles: one of 39 days and one of 49 days. What I have in mind is an interlocking convoy system, in which subordinate convoys sharing the same cycle time combine at convenient points along the Japan-bound route, and disperse again into separate components on the return route.

What is interesting about the spreadsheet is the extent to which it reveals the tankship bottleneck in CHS. The Japanese player starts with only 34 tankers having a capacity of 10680 or greater (i.e. the whale factory ships) and only a few more of the smaller 6000 capacity. As can be seen, using a combination of 39 and 49 day cycles a total tank capacity of 593400 is required, which can be satisfied (just) by pressing all of Japan's tankers into service. However, that's not going to be good enough, given that the Empire has other minor sources of oil supplies (notably E. Sumatra, Ambon and Burma), and will also need to shift substantial quantities of fuel to destinations far removed from the oil ports of the SRA - e.g. Truk. Furthermore the model makes no allowance for tanker downtime whilst fleet members undergo maintenance to make good accumulated sys damage, or Allied attrition which sooner or later is going to bite. Inevitably it appears that all the Shiretoko's and like oilers will need to be pressed into cargo service, at least until the existing fleet is supplemented by new construction. Indeed there may be a case for accelerating construction of tankers in the pipeline.

The bright spot from Japan's viewpoint is that no more than 55 5000-capacity cargo ships are required to lift the bulk of resource production. This leaves Japan with an enormous surplus of AK's, some of which could, at a pinch, be impressed for carriage of cased fuel whilst tankers are unavailable. Inefficient, but you have to make do with what you've got.





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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 43
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/17/2007 4:35:06 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		As before, some end-of-month reports for March 1942, starting with aircraft production/stockpiles and the economy:




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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 44
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/17/2007 4:44:19 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		The stockpiles graph updated to 31 March 1942. This reveals a jump in oil and resources resulting from the fall of Palembang, but the resources peak gets consumed quite quickly. Pleasingly, there's still an upward trend in supply and fuel generation, but this may be as good as it gets for Japan before Allied attacks begin to bite. In particular, I'm not expecting the oil and resources captured in Burma to remain immune for long, as I expect them to come under effective air attack within the next few months. I look on them as nothing more than a bonus Japan enjoys only for so long as the Allies remain weak.




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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 45
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/17/2007 4:55:34 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Now for the intelligence summary screen as at 31 March 1942, with changes highlighted in yellow, as before. IJA losses have gone up a bit more than I would have liked, but Allied ground forces have suffered a good deal more severely. However, most of those losses are represented by the Dutch defenders of Java; no substantial inroads have been made into quality Allied LCU's.

One good point about operations on land is that I managed to block Rangoon's defenders' line of retreat by staging an armoured motor tour round Magwe. That netted me another two brigades, albeit not of high quality.

It's been a fairly quiet month at sea, whilst in the air the Allied to Japanese loss ratio has declined somewhat. Japanese operational losses are now lower than Allied (just), indicating that it is possible for Japan to keep these in check if careful attention is paid to the weather and fatigue.




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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 46
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/17/2007 6:24:14 PM   
Jim D Burns


Posts: 4013
Joined: 2/25/2002
From: Salida, CA.
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel
and will also need to shift substantial quantities of fuel to destinations far removed from the oil ports of the SRA - e.g. Truk.


I'm pretty sure AK's can move fuel for you. I've been away from the game a year and haven't tried it yet in my new PBEM, but I think AK's can haul fuel but not oil if my memory serves me.

Jim

Edit: oops hadn't read your entire post as yet, D'oh! Ignore me, LOL

< Message edited by Jim D Burns -- 10/17/2007 6:30:03 PM >

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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 47
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/17/2007 11:20:31 PM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		Very nice analysis of the oil/fuel situation. The lack of excess capacity in your tanker fleet makes me wonder how much tonnage your opponent needs to sink to put your economy in trouble. Have you looked ahead at the new construction and figured out what level of losses you can sustain?

I haven't played CHS but it looks as though the submarine/ASW battle may be much more critical here than in a stock game, especially if Cantona realizes and tries to exploit this vulnerability.

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 48
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 10/18/2007 10:57:35 AM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Jim - yes, oil transportation by AK's is a no-no, but they can certainly be pressed into service to carry fuel.

Thanks Cuttlefish! Fortunately CHS provides a reasonable number of tankers in the construction pipeline, though some of them are the Japanese standard cargo type fitted out as a tankship, in which the capacity isn't very great. However, I haven't yet totted up details of the capacity added by new construction to determine the point at which losses become critical.

In any case, I wasn't happy with my previous oil transportation plan, so here's another one based on rather different premises.

First, oil will move in dedicated tanker convoys (which is what the Japanese actually did, in the end), and these convoys will move at mission speed rather than cruise, giving them a 13 kt rate of advance.

Second, I've tried to factor in more accurate calculations of the loading times at different ports, taking into account port size and tanker size. This can become critical at small ports like Miri, where it takes 11 days to fill a 10680 capacity TK. (By the time you've filled a whale factory ship there the war is already over )

Third, I've made some more exact calculations of how the feeder cycles from the minor oil ports link into the two main lines. The best arrangement I've yet come up with is one group of ships in each feeder cycle's 'set' tarvelling with the main line convoy into which it feeds, whilst the other group is making the voyage to and from the minor port. The two groups alternate these roles. This means that ships in the feeder services discharge their cargoes in Japan, rather than the port at which they join the main line convoy; this saves unnecessary loading/unloading. I suspect there's still room for improvement in this arrangement.

There are a couple of advantages in this arrangement. First it's making better use of the limited number of 10680 capacity tankers: at any time 4 of the initial TK's available can be down for maintenance (which is going to be needed, as sys damage will accumulate more quickly due to the ships being pushed at higher speeds). Second, the arrangement actually leaves a surplus of small TK's for potential use on the South Seas fuel shuttle, or as reserve capacity.

A couple of other points:

The whale factory ships are impressive, but the extra time they take to load complicates the planning. A possible solution would be to dedicate them to the Brunei-Japan or Balikpapan-Japan leg of the system; this way they get extra time for loading whilst the return convoy proceeds to its final destination on the outbound voyage.

The scheme depicted details escort requirements according to the criteria developed by Allied operational research. I've applied the 'worst case' assumption that air cover isn't available, although in reality most if not all of the convoys' paths should receive heavy air cover. I propose to treat these as minimum requirements, and plan to have each convoy on the mainline accompanied by one or more ASW support groups for pouncing upon Allied submarines that threaten the convoy's line of advance.

The nightmare scenario is of an Allied SAG or carrier TF getting within striking distance of one of these convoys, since the upshot of a single attack might be fatal damage to Japan's oil transportation arrangements.

Last but not least I suspect that this shows clearly that I've got way too much time on my hands!




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(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 49
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/4/2007 7:47:18 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Here are details of Japanese shipping losses in the period 7 Dec 1941 - 11 Apr 1942: a total of 52 vessels. I've sorted them by cause of loss, though I'm not sure whether this reveals anything significant.

ML Bungaree's MkXVII mines laid at Port Moresby accounted for 5 vessels, so she earned her keep for the Allied cause.

Dutch torpedoes have proved a good deal more effective than American, given the numbers fired; nothing surprising there.

Only 8 vessels have been lost to bombing attacks. I suspect this is due partly to luck and partly to the inexperience of Allied aircrews.

Raider Akagi Maru, with R. Adm Daigo aboard, went down S of Christmas Is. (IO) to the only effective anti-ship strike by carrier aircraft so far. Actually, at the time I thought I'd found an Allied SAG and was manoeuvring Yamada's light CV's towards it whilst the raider's floatplanes kept tabs on it. Unfortunately Akagi Maru couldn't run fast enough to stay clear of the British carrier(s). I declined the chance to engage the RN task force, as I'm hoping for a more favourable opportunity.

The worst casualties were the 2 light cruisers Naka and Isuzu. I shouldn't have exposed Naka as I did in the Andamans, but Isuzu's loss simply reflected the fact that sooner or later the Allied subs were bound to get lucky. Still, 2 CL's and 2 DD's represents an acceptably modest loss rate in surface warships for my grab of the SRA.




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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 50
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/4/2007 8:32:56 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		I have not previously given details of what's been taking place in China, so here is a shot to show the state of things as at 11 April 1942.

Initially I had planned to strike down to Kanhsien from Nanchang, but was confronted in the wooded hex SW of Nanchang by a sizeable defending force. I then decided to find a more vulnerable spot at which to hit the enemy. This has led to Japanese operations focusing on Pucheng, and Japanese forces have now penetrated to a point 1 hex distant from the town on its SW side. Meanwhile, other substantial Japanese forces are closing with the Chinese units located to the NW/NE of Pucheng. I am attempting to pin these forces in the (mostly) non-wooded hexes in which they are currently located, hoping to destroy them in detail. However, the success of this exercise will depend upon whether I can seize Pucheng before substantial Chinese forces fall back to defend it.

A couple of notes on other parts of China:

A Japanese force can be seen in the wooded hex SW of Nanning. My opponent seems to have had second thoughts about an invasion of Indochina, but only after his incursion had activated the Vietnamese militia divisions. Some of these, stiffened by a regular IJA infantry unit, have entered the wooded hex to which the Chinese invaders retreated (they are present but not visible in this view), but neither side has tried to force the other out. Behind them, meanwhile, the Japanese are feverishly building up the defences of Hanoi and Haiphong.

Most of the Chinese guerillas in North Central China have been eliminated.

I voluntarily withdrew from Ichang at the outset, as I regarded it as a dangerously exposed salient likely to prove a source of trouble later. I see that Chinese units (4 of them so far) are now on the road from Ichang to Hankow. Irrespective of whether they strike for Hankow or Sinyang, they are assured of a warm welcome, as both these towns have been heavily fortified and are adequately garrisoned (I hope!).

I have deliberately tried to avoid committing myself to anything spectacular in China so far, as it's a theatre that is of secondary importance to me whilst I capture the SRA and SW Pacific areas and consolidate my hold on them. My immediate aim is to eradicate all hostile forces east of the line Nanchang-Swatow. If successful, this should provide me with a secure base for further operations ultimately directed towards Hengchow/Changsha when a suitable opportunity presents itself.




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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 51
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/5/2007 9:43:29 AM   
Gen.Hoepner


Posts: 3645
Joined: 9/4/2001
From: italy
Status: offline 		If you go for Darwin, i'd say go deeper. It's nice to to expand your defensive perimeter including Northern Oz, but remember that you do not wat to be flanked. My suggestion is: take darwin in the north (along with Whyndam, Derby and such) and use your paras to land at Daily waters, cutting his retreat path. Then, after you defeated his armies at Darwin with your divisions, order to your taks to shock-pursue. With this you should be able to destroy completely his northern army. March then till Alice Spring. It's so isolated that cannot be bombed with efficiency, even by the allies...and however, if they'r e bombing here they aren't attacking SRA!
But if i had to go for Darwin, i'd go also for Perth, as soon as my army in Darwin is unloaded. Grab everything in the west coast of Oz, which should be lightly defended. If you don't you'll expose yourself to a flanking advance on your right flank (Perth-exmouth-Timor) that will force you to run away...

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[image]http://yfrog.com/2m70331348022314716641664j [/image]

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 52
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/5/2007 2:40:28 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Interesting thoughts, General!

However, let me put forward some counter-arguments to the strategy you propose.

I agree that, having taken Darwin, the Japanese should advance into Australia's interior. If in the process they can eliminate Darwin's former defenders then well and good. I expect my opponent to be well aware of the risk that paratroops pose to his LOC, so I shouldn't be surprised to find both Katherine and Daly Waters garrisoned to frustrate such a coup.

However, I see no advantage in advancing as far as Alice. For the Japanese, it's at the end of a long stretch of road, with attendant supply penalties. For the Allies, it's at the end of a railway. Fighting at Alice plays to Allied logistical advantages. Digging in at Daly Waters reverses this: it would then be the Allies operating at the end of a slender supply line. With Alice as the most advanced Allied base, Darwin is beyond efficient bombing range.

As for Perth and W. Australia, it's possible to put together a large enough Japanese expeditionary force to be confident of taking it, but I'm not convinced that the gains justify the risks.

To start with, it's going to involve another major amphibious assault for which Japan doesn't start well-equipped. I'm expecting to take substantial shipping casualties in the attack on Darwin (he has 150+ bombers based there). They are going to be as bad, if not worse, in an attack upon Perth. Moreover, from Darwin the casualties have some hope of making it back to a friendly port and repair ships. From Perth, they won't.

The attack on Darwin receives the benefit of limited support from LBA. An attack on Perth doesn't. Guaranteeing the transports' safety requires the commitment of substantial naval assets, and both transports and SAG's will require air cover from KB. That draws KB away from the Central Pacific and unbalances the Japanese for too long. Geraldton is too small and too distant from Perth to offer an acceptable land-based alternative source of air cover.

However, assuming I am prepared to risk the losses that may be involved in securing Perth, what real advantages have I gained? I may have denied him a staging point for a thrust directed at Timor, but it's one to which I have to commit yet more defenders. It's also one I have to supply via a vulnerable sea LOC. Holding the west coast of Australia simply lengthens my defensive frontage. It dissipates the reserves I need to assure my hold on the Malay peninsula, Sumatra and the Sundas. Sooner or later he's likely to be coming for one of those, and frankly I'd rather face him in Timor or points west, where I shall enjoy a denser web of bases capable of supporting torpedo-equipped airstrikes. Indeed the preparations for the attack on Darwin themselves enhance this defensive web, thus killing 2 birds with one stone to Japan's advantage.

Look at it from the Allied viewpoint. If Japan establishes itself in Perth, what is the Allied response? Well, for starters they can send a besieging force west along an excellent railway line if they choose. Unlike the Japanese, their supplies to the front can't be sunk en route. If necessary such supplies can be supplemented via Albany, unless the Japanese commit to taking and defending this as well. Or they may decide to treat W. Australia as a self-imposed prison camp. Japanese troops can wait out the war there, whilst the Allies concentrate their ever-increasing forces on some other, more critical point of vulnerability.

For my money the capture of W. Australia is a jump too far for the Japanese come April 1942. I believe it leads to excessive dispersion of Japanese forces for too little reward. Maybe I'm suffering from cojones deficit disorder, but if so you'll be able tell me so when the Allies have comfortably established themselves in Koepang.

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(in reply to Gen.Hoepner)
Post #: 53
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/8/2007 5:15:43 AM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Landings at Tarawa: the first Allied offensive

On a daily basis from mid-January 1942 the Japanese garrison of Tarawa have been dutifully submitting reports of American PBYs' daily reconnaissance overflights. Then, on 11 March, 6th Fleet HQ at Kwajalein begins to receive reports that a new, twin-boomed reconnaissance aircraft has also begun to snoop the atoll. American signals security is not as tight as it might be (hints in the (e)mail!), and gradually the Japanese come to suspect that some major operation directed towards the Gilberts may be afoot.

The problem for the Japanese is that there are few measures they can take to pre-empt such a move. Several units are preparing for garrison duty on Tarawa, but their infantry components are still filling out in the Home Islands. Furthermore, Tarawa is not regarded as a critical link in the perimeter and the Japanese are loath to commit major reinforcements on what is little better than a hunch about American intentions. Nevertheless, the garrison receives some limited additions and a minelaying group begins to ply between Truk and the Gilberts.

On 13th April a Type 0 reconnaissance seaplane of the 19th Chutai operating out of Betio sights a group of westbound Allied merchantmen some 360 miles ESE of Tarawa. The alarm bells ring all the way to Truk, for merchant ships on that course and in that location must be assumed have hostile intentions towards the Gilberts.

The Japanese immediately begin to activate their plans to meet this contingency. 2 chutai of Zeroes and 2 kokutai of land attack planes transfer to Maleolap, and units of the Imperial Navy are ordered to the Marshalls with all despatch. 1st Mobile Force with its heavy carriers receives orders to intervene if circumstances permit, but it will be several days before it can do so. Meanwhile the garrison on Tarawa braces itself.

The storm breaks with a punishing night time bombardment by an Anglo-US battleship-cruiser group on 14 April, followed by dive bombing attacks by US carrier aircraft:

Naval bombardment of Tarawa, at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City
CA Louisville
CA Indianapolis
BB Warspite
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
2271 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 19
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1
...

Day Air attack on 52nd Naval Guard Unit, at 84,95

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 21
F4F-4 Wildcat x 19
SBD-3 Dauntless x 63

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
18 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet

The American carrier task force is evidently operating in shallow waters some 240 miles ESE of Tarawa.

In the early morning hours of 15 April the bombardment group returns, but this time its efforts are ineffective, perhaps for want of ammunition:

Naval bombardment of Tarawa, at 84,95

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City
CA Louisville
CA Indianapolis
BB Warspite
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
8 casualties reported

As dawn breaks an Allied invasion group is sighted approaching the atoll, and the Japanese bombers lift from the crushed coral of Maloelap's runway to assure them of a warm welcome:

Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G4M1 Betty x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 17 damaged


Allied Ships
AP Bantam
AP Barnett, Torpedo hits 1
AP Arthur Middleton, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP President Coolidge
DD Sampson, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

The invasion group seems hesitant in making its landfall, and the first assault troops of the US 27th division only begin to hit the beach late in the day. By this time, the Japanese mines have begun to take their toll:

TF 1036 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1036 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95

Allied Ships
AP Mormacdove, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sampson, on fire, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported

Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1036
9 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Smith

Allied ground losses:
184 casualties reported

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Ground combat at Tarawa

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4025 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 126

Defending force 1565 troops, 27 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Ground combat at Tarawa

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1561 troops, 26 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 77

Defending force 4986 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 126

Allied max assault: 70 - adjusted assault: 1

Japanese max defense: 105 - adjusted defense: 54

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

Allied ground losses:
519 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2

The transport group lying off Tarawa is reported as containing only 8 ships of any size, but there's another transport group coming in some 60 miles astern. The presence of President Coolidge is a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. If she's carrying the main body of 27th Division she will take a time to unload, and if his assault troops come ashore in penny packets they will be in real danger of piecemeal destruction.

Tarawa remains well stocked with supplies, but really the defenders' AV is insufficient for me to have any confidence in their ability to hold.

Even if I lose the atoll I expect him to pay a stiff price in high value troopships. This is going to be an interesting battle.

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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 54
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/9/2007 7:05:19 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Day Two at Tarawa - 16 April 1942

Transport Mormacdove continues to operate as an involuntary minesweeper

TF 1036 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1036 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95


Allied Ships
AP Mormacdove, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Smith
AP President Coolidge, Mine hits 1, on fire


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported

Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1036
16 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Smith

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
112 casualties reported

I-175 takes a shot at an escort in the retiring bombardment group - and misses

Sub attack at 89,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-175

Allied Ships
DD Ellet
DD Drayton
DD Morris
DD Walke
DD O'Brien
CA Louisville
CA Indianapolis
BB Idaho

Sub attack near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64

Allied Ships
AP Barnett
DD Smith

Allied transports also start to unload at Makin. There are no defenders to oppose them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1079 troops unloading over beach at Makin, 84,93

Allied ground losses:
69 casualties reported

Meanwhile, a series of task forces arrive at Tarawa. Japanese coastal submarines engage them whilst the mines claim further casualties:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1036 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1036 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95

Allied Ships
DD Smith

Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1036
10 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Smith

Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1038
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1038 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1038 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1079 troops unloading over beach at Makin, 84,93

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1094
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1094 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1094 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied ground losses:
55 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1137 encounters mine field at Tarawa (84,95)

TF 1137 troops unloading over beach at Tarawa, 84,95

Allied Ships
AK Steel Traveler, Mine hits 1
AK Steel Scientist, Mine hits 1, on fire


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1

Coastal Guns at Tarawa, 84,95, firing at TF 1137

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64

Allied Ships
AK Bintoehan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

Land attack planes from Maloelap join the party. Where is the expected US CAP?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Makin at 84,93

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G4M1 Betty x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Rowan, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Elna, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G4M1 Betty x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AP President Coolidge, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (Sinks)

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Bintoehan, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Tarawa at 84,95

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

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

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 2

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

Fighting on the beachhead continues...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tarawa

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4032 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 132

Defending force 3202 troops, 25 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 26

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tarawa

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 2602 troops, 25 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Defending force 5302 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 132

Allied max assault: 18 - adjusted assault: 2

Japanese max defense: 117 - adjusted defense: 37

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

Japanese ground losses:
55 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
156 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1

...and Makin falls to a Raider battalion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Makin

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 630 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 22

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied max assault: 26 - adjusted assault: 14

Japanese max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Makin base !!!

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(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 55
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/11/2007 7:27:59 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Tarawa: all is quiet now.

This was a battle that ended not with a bang but a whimper.

Although the second day's shock attack had yielded a derisory AV of 25 for the Allies, I had expected them to persevere in their efforts to get a decent amount of firepower ashore and into action. But it was not to be. Came the third day of the battle, there remained only a couple of submarines in the offing (presumably evacuating the shocked survivors), and about 10 vehicles littering the foreshore, apparently still occupied by their crews. I imagine they are probably Stuarts. I don't have any anti-tank guns amongst my defenders, so I'm inclined to let these invaders wither for a few days.

The retiring transport groups are being harassed (ineffectually) by my submarines, but it seems that the curtain has come down on my opponent's first attempt to claw his way back across the Pacific.

In his emails he admits that he made several errors that had fairly disastrous consequences. First, he failed to notice that Maloelap is a level-4 airfield from which torpedo-armed land attack planes could reach Tarawa with fighter escort. Second, he failed to cater for the possibility that Tarawa's waters were mined, and brought no MSW's or DMS's with him. Third, he apparently intended to fly LRCAP over his transports but omitted to set the necessary orders. I suspect that in addition he was using far too few transports, at least one of which (Pres. Coolidge) wasn't fit for purpose. The consequence seems to have been that his invasion group would have needed several days to unload, and that those assault troops that made it to the beach did so in drabs and drabs, and were cut down by a small number of defenders as a result.

I know that the US 27th ID was the main component of his assault force, but I have no idea how much of it still remained on board the Coolidge when it went down. I've seen no dramatic jump in the Allied troop loss total, but I don't know whether troops who go down with a ship are reflected in that total. If they are, then he's got away lightly.

The torpedo-toting land attack aircraft were murderous, and accounted for a significant proportion of his invasion group. Had he persisted on day 3, 1st Mobile Force was sitting within torpedo-capable range to the NW of Tarawa, and I suspect there might have been a more comprehensive slaughter of his ships. His carriers never approached to within less than 240 miles of Tarawa (to the SE of the atoll), so the likelihood is that the Mobile Force would have remained undetected. I suspect that even if he had successfully mounted CAP cover over his transports it would have been overwhelmed by a succession of escorted strikes from Maloelap and the Mobile Force.

Just to make his discomfiture complete, it apears that my opponent failed to notice that he had given 'retirement allowed' orders to an Australia-bound troop convoy. Having unloaded on Australia's east coast it blithely went on its way back to West Coast US until it was spotted by a Japanese flying boat midway between the Lower Solomons and New Caledonia. As this happened simultanously with the his Tarawa op., I assumed this was a coordinated operation aimed at Koumac or Espiritu Santo (can never think of it as 'Luganville'). Both Lunga and Noumea are playing host to a kokutai of land attack planes apiece, and they piled in with gusto, with the result that the returning convoy was virtually annihilated.

I've tried to console my opponent by pointing out that Tarawa was very much a 'learning experience' for the Allies IRL, and if he takes the lessons to heart I can expect the next assault to be a good deal more determined and proficient. Meanwhile I'm relieved to have bought myself some time in which to beef up my Pacific bulwark.

_____________________________




(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 56
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/11/2007 8:29:13 PM   
Cuttlefish

 

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline 		Nice summary of the battle. Learning how to mount an effective amphibious attack is one of the harder things to do in this game, I think. Perhaps your opponent can think of this as his Dieppe - a disaster, but one with valuable lessons. And as you said, you gain time.

By the way, I don't think troops lost aboard ship do show up in the troop loss totals. I once lost an entire division at sea (the memory remains painful) and my loss totals did not change at all.

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 57
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/12/2007 12:01:47 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		Thanks, Cuttlefish! I had a suspicion that troops sinking with a ship were not indicated in the scoreline. I saw no message indicating rescue of survivors, so the extent of his losses has to remain a matter for speculation. Wishful thinking makes me want to conclude that 27th US ID will be hors de combat for a few months, but it would probably be rash for me to plan on that assumption.

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(in reply to Cuttlefish)
Post #: 58
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/12/2007 12:45:36 PM   
Local Yokel


Posts: 1494
Joined: 2/4/2007
From: Somerset, U.K.
Status: offline 		I have a question (or three). I am planning a major amphibious operation in the Indian Ocean where I expect the target to be heavily defended with artillery. I have to decide what to put into the invasion transport group to neutralise the defending guns. I understand that battleships can be incorporated into an escort TF, so it would be possible to build the invasion TF to include such ships. Does one then keep the invasion TF as an escort TF, or can one change it into a transport TF so as to be sure it will unload when it reaches the target base?

Also, is it actually a good idea to put a battleship into the invasion TF to absorb the defenders' fire? I have to assume I shall be opposed by torpedo bombers, and that some of them are sure to get through such CAP as I can put up, so BB's remaining in the target hex will be vulnerable. Would it be better for me to put all participating BB's into bombardment or surface action groups rather than the transport group?

Third, my experience suggests that bombardment groups tend to concentrate on only part of the target's assets, perhaps leaving the defenders' airfields and/or coastal artillery untouched. To counter this I am contemplating the use of multiple bombardment groups. Any thoughts on the optimum size/composition of such groups? My fast BB's and CA's should be able to get in and out overnight without leaving themselves within torpedo attack range come daybreak, but not the slow BB's.

_____________________________




(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 59
RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel - 11/12/2007 1:28:16 PM   
Yakface


Posts: 846
Joined: 8/5/2006
Status: offline 		1.  Yes - make up the invasion TF as a escort with the BB included and then convert to transport (IIRC escort TF's don't unload)

2.  Don't think anyone can give a whole load of advice on this one.  The BB will be useful in the invasion fleet, drawing fire and delivering it.  My experience is that a BB in a bombardment TF's are better at doing damage but BB in the transport is better at drawing fire.  It's a matter of judgement and only really for you to say whether you want to risk it considering you are likely up against TB's.  Personally I would only include it if the fire from the shore would otherwise be severe.  Otherwise CA's may be a better bet.

3. Not sure it matters whether ships are grouped together or split up for bombardments (other than the normalising effect of lots vs few).  I'd probably go for 4 bombardment platforms (BB or CA) in each, but no idea whether that's right or not. 

(in reply to Local Yokel)
Post #: 60
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