Cribtop
Posts: 3890
Joined: 8/10/2008 From: Lone Star Nation Status: offline
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March 1, 1942 Thanks to Pax and nygiants59 for their advice! I assumed that new squadrons/new planes would be accounted for in the out months in the Tracker planning tool, but apparently they are not. Sort of moves the goalposts on you, but we can ramp up production to match without too much trouble. Subs & 4th Fleet No change. SE Fleet SA Horn Island takes the place, forcing the remaining 2 LCUs to surrender with 5:1 odds vs level 1 forts. Casualties 271(79) vs 32(1). Glad to have this base as it can be a thorn in the side. It was a fun little mini-game to take it on the cheap. We will fly in an SNLF and fly out the 2 paras for duty elsewhere. In fact, I have a mind to move the 3rd Yokosuka SNLF to China and drop them on the Sian outskirts stack to halve its adjusted AV at the crucial moment. The survivors of the Port Moresby garrison stumble into Terapo with raw AS of 20 and adjusted AV of 3. They barely take the place from the janitor we left to keep an eye on things (he died like a true Samurai - very hard to commit seppuku with a push broom but he managed it ). We will bomb this rabble into oblivion and re-take the base with the other para unit in short order. 14th Army No change. 16th Army Babo invaded. 21st Division has re-formed at Kendari and 38th Division will arrive in about 3-4 days. The quiet period will end soon with an invasion of NW Oz. Tomorrow we begin flying the 5th Air Division HQ unit into Denpasar. 25th Army We have decided on a broad plan for Operation SJ, the capture of Sumatra and Java. This could take a while to type so, it being Friday night, we had to re-fill our frosty adult beverage. Friendly Situation: We have available for the mission up to 5 infantry divisions, 3 tank regiments, engineers and base forces. Naval assets will include MKB, Indes Fleet, and various supporting elements, including minesweepers, dedicated ASW TFs and a special LCTF for use at Palembang. IJAAF will bring 2 or if needed 3 Sentai of Oscars and two bomber wings to the party. IJNAF will allocate 3 Zero units of varying sizes plus at least 3 Daitai of Netties. Enemy Situation: Enemy ground forces are generally weak and dispersed, with concentrations at Batavia, Medan and Soerabaja. Enemy naval forces in theater are almost nonexistent except for Dutch submarines. We cannot discount the possibility that UK or USN CVs will intervene, but at least the UK battle line was decimated at Nicobar Island. Enemy LBA is generally weak, concentrated at Batavia, Palembang, Sabang and Madioen. Threats to our forces: 1) Submarines; 2) LBA; 3) Surface assets equivalent to an IJN LCTF (i.e. CL/DDs); and 4) Carrier air. Additional localized threats include mines and CD guns. Desired End State: Invade Sumatra and seize the southern portion of the island to project air power over Java from both East and West. Invade Java, divide the island, and put both Batavia and Soerabaja in a state of Siege. Final phase will be mopping up these garrisons, followed by DBCL work. Execution: The Op will be multi-phased, beginning with a direct descent on Palembang using a specialized invasion TF that includes an LCTF to sail upriver. This is determined to be achievable because Palembang contains only 2 enemy LCUs of minimal strength. Pre-conditions for Palembang invasion: 1) Clear Singapore of mines (DMS en route currently); 2) shift assault shipping from Takao and Cam Ranh Bay to Singers; 3) Sweep and bomb Palembang airfield and other Dutch airfields in range of Malaya; and 4) establish line of picket ships south of Sumatra and Java to warn of enemy CV threat. Invasion will be covered by LBA, Indes Fleet and MKB in a standoff/LRCAP role. Phase II will begin with MKB pounding enemy airfields in western Java, specifically Batavia. MKB to include 2 DesDivs with each CarDiv and a dedicated ASW TF of 4 DDs to minimize sub threat. We will invade at Kalidjati, use the level 4 airfield to establish a fighter base asap, then move to cut the island in two and invest Batavia. Secondary forces will then push until Soerabaja is invested. Invasion of Java will be supported by LBA from Palembang and perhaps Oosthaven. 15th Army We enter Meiktila. DA tomorrow. Enemy main body is at Mandalay and retiring to Schwebo. China DA Pucheng results in 66:1 odds, casualties 501(3) vs 233(0). Our boys may be getting a bit tired, so we will rest tomorrow before more attacks. Other Today we graduate our first class of trained airmen and begin work on the second class. The first class is a bit of a stopgap. Future classes will be cross-trained in a second skill where relevant.
< Message edited by Cribtop -- 7/2/2011 5:11:18 AM >
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