PzB74
Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000 From: No(r)way Status: offline
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Thank you! It was indeed a good victory but also remember that it was fought in very favorable terms; - The KB and LBA outnumbered the enemy by more than 2-1 in ac - We achieved surprise attack Still we had to struggle really hard to finish off 3 carriers and 2 battleships; incredible durable ships. Indeed, a major forward supply base is worth a lot Jahn. Christmas Island still holds 150k supplies and 52k fuel. Using the Line Islands as our forward sub hub also allows us to concentrate a sub presence here and as soon as a battle begins subs on patrol can quickly mass into the area. Johnston Island; the last part of the battle. We sank 3 PT boats, a sub chaser and a Destroyer Minelayer. 3 ships in port were also hit while 16 ac were destroyed on the ground - no further air activities were observed from Johnston Island this day so mission was accomplished. Our 3rd consecutive attack in Kalemyo was not a success; had hoped that the fatigued and disrupted defenders would suffer more than the troops attacking. Not quite so, enemy AV was adjusted from 650 to 2500, quite outrageous really Think you listed our losses quite accurately Jahn; The carrier Kaga, the heavy cruiser Maya, a light cruiser, 2 destroyers, a fleet oiler as well as ca 5? sunk subs. In addition the Junyo and 2 CAs were damaged by subs. A somewhat more comprehensive task is to put together a complete list of Allied ship losses: 2 US and 1 UK carrier, 2 US modern battleships, 4? heavy cruisers, 2? CLAAs, 6? destroyers and a multitude of PT boats, SCs, subs etc. Also have to look into air losses; my first impression is that KB has lost 35% of its ac complement and 20% of its pilots. Should be doable to replace all these losses quite soon. We have a reserve of old Vals and Kates until new Judys and Jills comes online. Yes FatR, we have confirmed our sea supremacy until the end of 43. Andy will receive a growing number of CVEs and add his suriving carriers to them until enough Essex class ships and CVLs can slowly rebuild his fleet carrier strength. Base on how well the Junyo took 2 torpedoes and the fact that the Kaga didn't sink until the 8th torpedo hit her I will assume that the Lexington surived being hit by 3 torpedoes. Saratoga should be back in service by mid 43 while Lexington should be back late in the year. Assuming that Andy will find another British carrier he will then have the Enterprise, a UK carrier (maybe 2 or even 3 depending on deployment Indian Ocean vs Pacific), Sara and Lex as well as 3 Essex carriers, 6-7 CVLs and ca20 CVEs within the end of the year? This means 7 CVs (plus 2 UK potentially), 7 CVLs, 20 CVEs fielding 840 ac + 600 ac in the escort carriers. By the end of the year we should have the Akagi, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu, Junyo, Taiho, 2 Katsuragis, 3 CVLs and 4 CVEs fielding 810 + 110 ac. My rough estimate thus indicates carrier parity by 3Q 43. The Hellcat will be superior to the Zeke while the Dauntless-Helldivers and Avengers will be comparable to the Judys and Jills. New construction will keep us on a 1-1 parity slowling loosing its way to a 1-2 disadvantage at the end of first quarter 44. This means we have a full year before Andy can challenge the KB if combined with LBA in a defensive role. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 25, 43 Surface Combat & Bomardments Night Time Surface Combat, near Johnston Island at 164,113, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Hamakaze DD Hagikaze DD Murasame DD Yamakaze Allied Ships PT-142 PT-143 PT-144, Shell hits 3, and is sunk PT-145 PT-146 PT-147 Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Johnston Island at 164,112, Range 7,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Hamakaze DD Hagikaze DD Murasame DD Yamakaze Allied Ships SC-742, Shell hits 3, and is sunk Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Johnston Island at 164,112, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna DD Hatsuzuki DD Tanikaze CL Ninaru Allied Ships PT-142 PT-143 PT-145, Shell hits 1, and is sunk PT-146, Shell hits 1, and is sunk PT-147 Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Johnston Island at 164,112, Range 8,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna DD Hatsuzuki DD Tanikaze CL Ninaru Allied Ships DM Tracy, Shell hits 4, and is sunk Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Naval bombardment of Johnston Island at 164,112 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed on ground P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed on ground F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 destroyed on ground P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground 1 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships BB Kirishima BB Hiei BB Haruna BB Kongo CA Mikuma CL Ninaru Allied Ships AD Markab, Shell hits 1 CLAA Oakland, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AD Rigel, Shell hits 1 Allied ground losses: 315 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 29 disabled Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled Airbase hits 20 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 162 Port hits 2 E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Kirishima BB Kirishima firing at Johnston Island BB Hiei firing at Johnston Island E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Haruna 16th Marine Defense Battalion firing at BB Haruna BB Haruna firing at 16th Marine Defense Battalion BB Kongo firing at Johnston Island CA Mikuma firing at Johnston Island CL Ninaru firing at Johnston Island -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 37 encounters mine field at Palmyra (170,133) Japanese Ships AMc Wa 5 AMc Wa 4 AMc Wa 2 AMc Wa 1 57 mines cleared -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub Attacks Sub attack near Palmyra at 171,133 Japanese Ships PB Nagata Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships SS Sargo SS Sargo launches 4 torpedoes at PB Nagata Maru Sargo diving deep .... Sub escapes detection --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Combat Morning Air attack on 18th JNAF AF Unit , at 57,47 (Magwe) Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 13 minutes Allied aircraft Hudson IIIa x 3 B-25C Mitchell x 9 Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged Also attacking 6th Air Division ... Also attacking 84th JAAF AF Bn ... Also attacking 18th JNAF AF Unit ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 56th Recon Regiment, at 58,41 Weather in hex: Clear sky Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 6 minutes Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 3 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 3 x Blenheim IV bombing from 12000 feet Ground Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 31st Field AA Battalion, at 57,47 (Magwe Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 8 minutes Allied aircraft B-25C Mitchell x 4 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 12000 feet Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment, at 59,42 (Kalemyo) Weather in hex: Moderate rain Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 5 minutes Japanese aircraft Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 25 Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 34 Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 21 Ki-49-IIa Helen x 63 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled) Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled) Aircraft Attacking: 27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb 36 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb Also attacking 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment ... Also attacking 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment ... Also attacking 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment ... Also attacking 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment ... Also attacking 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment ... Also attacking 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment ... Also attacking 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment ... Also attacking 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment ... Also attacking 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground Combat Ground combat at Kalemyo (59,42) Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 62420 troops, 712 guns, 844 vehicles, Assault Value = 2466 Defending force 22920 troops, 580 guns, 703 vehicles, Assault Value = 634 Japanese adjusted assault: 535 Allied adjusted defense: 2548 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 0) Combat modifiers Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-) Attacker: disruption(-) Japanese ground losses: 2629 casualties reported Squads: 8 destroyed, 187 disabled Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 129 disabled Engineers: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled Vehicles lost 27 (2 destroyed, 25 disabled) Allied ground losses: 285 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 36 disabled Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 22 disabled Engineers: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled Vehicles lost 23 (3 destroyed, 20 disabled) Units destroyed 1 Assaulting units: 33rd Division 1st Formosa Inf. Regiment 79th Infantry Regiment 6th Tank Regiment 2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment 1st Tank Regiment 2nd Tank Regiment Imperial Guards Division 2nd Mobile Engineer Regiment 65th Brigade 24th Infantry Regiment 6th Guards Division 22nd Recon Regiment 14th Tank Regiment 2nd Recon Battalion 38th Division 1st Recon Battalion Guards Tank Division 21st Army Defending units: 2nd Hyder Lancers Regiment 32nd Infantry Division 7th Australian Division 14th Indian Division 8th Belfast Heavy AA Rgt /1 13th Indian Light AA Rgt /1 3rd Heavy AA Rgt /1 25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment Pathan Construction Battalion 1st KNIL AA Bn /1 ----------------------------------------------------- Johnston Island
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< Message edited by PzB -- 11/14/2010 3:52:38 PM >
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"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without" - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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