EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE

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EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/10/2012 6:52:03 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/16-3/17/43

SUBS GONE WILD!

The US Silent Service has its biggest turn of the war as subs attack IJN shipping from the home islands to the Manchurian and Chinese coasts to the DEI to the Philippines to the Gilberts to the waters off New Guinea:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 16, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Vanimo at 94,116

Japanese Ships
LB-107, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Tambor

SS Tambor attacking on the surface

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Nago at 95,63

Japanese Ships
TK Kiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Kyo Maru #13
TK Azuchisan Maru
TK Okuni Maru
PB Yamadori Maru
PB Kogane Maru

Allied Ships
SS Drum

SS Drum launches 2 torpedoes at TK Kiyo Maru
Drum diving deep ....
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Kogane Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Kogane Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Kogane Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Kogane Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Kogane Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Culion at 75,80

Japanese Ships
PB Ginyo Maru
TK Toen Maru
TK Fujisan Maru
PB Shonan Maru #17

Allied Ships
SS Seawolf

SS Seawolf launches 2 torpedoes at PB Ginyo Maru
Seawolf diving deep ....
PB Ginyo Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Shonan Maru #17 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonan Maru #17 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonan Maru #17 attacking submerged sub ....
PB Shonan Maru #17 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonan Maru #17 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shonan Maru #17 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Hansa Bay at 97,121

Japanese Ships
LB-101, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-34

LB-101 is sighted by SS S-34
SS S-34 attacking on the surface
Massive explosion on LB-101

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Rabaul at 106,126

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
DD Talbot

SS I-28 launches 2 torpedoes
I-28 bottoming out ....
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Aitape at 96,118

Japanese Ships
PB Nichiro Maru

Allied Ships
SS Hoe

SS Hoe launches 2 torpedoes
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wewak at 96,119

Japanese Ships
LB-102

Allied Ships
SS S-36

SS S-36 cannot acquire firing solution on enemy LB

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wakkanai at 121,48

Japanese Ships
xAK Muroran Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Syunko Maru
xAK Taian Maru
xAK Hokutai Maru
xAK Yamayuri Maru
xAK Italy Maru
PB Sonobe Maru
PB Fukeui Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Finback

SS Finback launches 4 torpedoes at xAK Muroran Maru
PB Sonobe Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Makin at 135,125

Japanese Ships
xAK Bushu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Etashima Maru
SC Ch 2

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish

SS Swordfish launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Bushu Maru
SC Ch 2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Fukue-jima at 100,59

Japanese Ships
TK Goyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1
TK Nissyo Maru
TK Akebono Maru
DD Nokaze
DD Tachikaze

Allied Ships
SS Thresher

SS Thresher launches 4 torpedoes at TK Goyo Maru
Thresher diving deep ....
DD Nokaze attacking submerged sub ....
SS Thresher eludes ASW attack from DD Nokaze
SS Thresher eludes DD Nokaze by diving deep
DD Tachikaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Sarmi at 92,114

Japanese Ships
E W-16
E Tomozuru
E W-14

Allied Ships
SS Flying Fish

SS Flying Fish is located by E W-16
Flying Fish diving deep ....
E W-16 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-16 fails to find sub and abandons search
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Wakkanai at 124,48

Japanese Ships
PB Bokuyo Maru
PB Awa Maru

Allied Ships
SS Kingfish

SS Kingfish is sighted by escort
PB Bokuyo Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Bokuyo Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Awa Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wakkanai at 122,47

Japanese Ships
PB Sonobe Maru
PB Choyo Maru #2
xAK Syunko Maru
xAK Taian Maru
xAK Seisyo Maru
PB Fukeui Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Tinosa

SS Tinosa launches 2 torpedoes at PB Sonobe Maru
Tinosa diving deep ....
PB Sonobe Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
xAK Tenryu Maru, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Silversides

xAK Tenryu Maru is sighted by SS Silversides
SS Silversides attacking on the surface

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Aitape at 96,118

Japanese Ships
PB Nichiro Maru

Allied Ships
SS Hoe

SS Hoe launches 2 torpedoes
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Submarine attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
xAKL Malacca Maru, Shell hits 39, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Silversides, hits 8, on fire

xAKL Malacca Maru is sighted by SS Silversides
SS Silversides attacking on the surface
Burlingame, C.C. decides to submerge SS Silversides due to damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
AKE Heian Maru, Shell hits 4

Allied Ships
SS Silversides

AKE Heian Maru is sighted by SS Silversides
SS Silversides attacking on the surface
Burlingame, C.C. decides to submerge SS Silversides due to damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Rabaul at 106,126

Japanese Ships
SS I-28

Allied Ships
DD Talbot

SS I-28 launches 2 torpedoes
I-28 bottoming out ....
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Talbot fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Wewak at 96,119

Japanese Ships
LB-102

Allied Ships
SS S-36

LB-102 is sighted by SS S-36
SS S-36 cannot acquire firing solution on enemy LB

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 17, 43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Sarmi at 92,114

Japanese Ships
E Sagi
E Tomozuru
E W-16
E W-14

Allied Ships
SS Grenadier

SS Grenadier launches 4 torpedoes at E Sagi
Grenadier diving deep ....
E W-16 fails to find sub and abandons search
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 attacking submerged sub ....
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E W-14 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub vs Sub: SS Tarpon attacking SS I-2 at 97,121 - near Hansa Bay

Japanese Ships
SS I-2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon

SS Tarpon launches 2 torpedoes at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Wewak at 96,119

Japanese Ships
LB-102

Allied Ships
SS S-36

LB-102 is sighted by SS S-36
SS S-36 cannot acquire firing solution on enemy LB

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
AKE Heian Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-46

AKE Heian Maru is sighted by SS S-46
SS S-46 launches 2 torpedoes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Amami Oshima at 97,62

Japanese Ships
PB Yamadori Maru
TK Kiyo Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Thresher

SS Thresher launches 2 torpedoes at PB Yamadori Maru
Thresher diving deep ....
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Yamadori Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Port Arthur at 98,45

Japanese Ships
xAK Kizan Maru
xAK Surabaya Maru
xAK Kiyama Maru
xAK Juko Maru
xAK Chowa Maru
PB Daiya Maru

Allied Ships
SS Stingray, hits 1

SS Stingray launches 4 torpedoes at xAK Kizan Maru
Stingray bottoming out ....
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru attacking submerged sub ....
PB Daiya Maru is out of ASW ammo
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Submarine attack near Sarmi at 91,114

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kakuzan Maru, Shell hits 33, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-46, hits 8, on fire

xAKL Kakuzan Maru is sighted by SS S-46
SS S-46 attacking on the surface
Pierce, J.R. decides to submerge SS S-46 due to damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Aitape at 96,118

Japanese Ships
PB Nichiro Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-34

SS S-34 launches 2 torpedoes
S-34 diving deep ....
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Nichiro Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Port Arthur at 98,45

Japanese Ships
PB Sozan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Kiyama Maru
xAK Juko Maru
xAK Chowa Maru

Allied Ships
SS Stingray

SS Stingray launches 2 torpedoes at PB Sozan Maru
Stingray bottoming out ....
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Balikpapan at 65,98

Japanese Ships
PB Kaika Maru
PB Heiyo Maru
PB Tsukikawa Maru
PB Tokihime Maru

Allied Ships
SS Gato

SS Gato launches 2 torpedoes at PB Kaika Maru
Gato diving deep ....
PB Tsukikawa Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Tokihime Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Tokihime Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Tokihime Maru attacking submerged sub ....
PB Tokihime Maru loses contact with SS Gato
PB Tokihime Maru loses contact with SS Gato
SS Gato eludes ASW attack from PB Tokihime Maru
PB Tokihime Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Tokihime Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Tokihime Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Aitape at 96,118

Japanese Ships
PB Nichiro Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Hoe

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

SS Hoe launches 2 torpedoes
Sub escapes detection

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Rabaul at 106,126

Japanese Ships
SS I-28, hits 1

Allied Ships
AM Grebe

SS I-28 is sighted by escort
I-28 bottoming out ....
AM Grebe fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Grebe fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Grebe fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Grebe fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Grebe attacking submerged sub ....
AM Grebe cannot establish contact with SS I-28
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Shikuka at 126,44

Japanese Ships
PB Choyo Maru #2
xAK Syunko Maru
xAK Uga Maru
xAK Taian Maru
xAK Hokutai Maru
xAK Italy Maru
PB Sonobe Maru
PB Fukeui Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Steelhead

SS Steelhead launches 2 torpedoes at PB Choyo Maru #2
PB Sonobe Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Fukeui Maru #7 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

CENTPAC

IJAAF bombers continue to hit the level 3 AF at Tabiteuea on a daily basis. With IJN bombardment TFs in the area I cant stage in any fighters for CAP. This theatre will just have to wait until we can commit our entire carrier force.

CV Wasp and CV Enterprise both have their repair estimates down to less than 40 days now. The APAs should be completing their upgrades in another 4 days. With the torpedoing of CV Junyo a week ago.... I feel better about going back on the offensive with only 6 fleet carriers to provide support. I dont feel as if I need to wait for the 2 Essex Class CVs to arrive in July so we will probably be able to resume our offensive in the Gilberts in early May.

SWPAC

As posted earlier.....USN subs harass IJN shipping all along the northern coast of New Guinea.

We finished unloading a fresh tank regiment at Madang and they will move to reinforce at Hansa Bay next turn. The artillery bombards the Japanese at Hansa Bay while the infantry and armor formations rest:

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1886 troops, 105 guns, 172 vehicles, Assault Value = 1350

Defending force 23737 troops, 305 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 541

Japanese ground losses:
100 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
43rd Infantry/A Division
32nd Infantry/C Division
6th Australian/B Division
32nd Infantry/A Division
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
6th Australian/A Division
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
32nd Infantry/B Division
754th Tank Battalion
43rd Infantry/B Division
43rd Infantry/C Division
763rd Tank Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
6th Australian/C Division
154th FA Bn
205th Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
134th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
28th Div /6
11th Garrison Unit
21st Div /1
48th Division
26th Ind.Mixed Bde /1
8th Div /3
10th Garrison Unit /4
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Area Army
17th Naval Const Bn /4
Southeast Area Fleet /1
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
3rd JNAF Coy
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
29th JNAF AF Unit
13th Garrison Unit /2

When I get the file back I will check the fatigue, morale and disruptions of the units of I US Corps and if not too bad we will launch another assault.

Fifth Air Force targets the Japanese AF at dagua and several fighters are destroyed on the ground.

CBI

Tenth Air Force pounds the Japanese AFs at Rangoon and Chiang Mai and several aircraft are destroyed on the ground.

Eastern Army's IV Indian Corps and XV Indian Corps bigin their marches on Rangoon and Pegu respectively. I dont think that I have enough force to dislodge the IJA 15th Army from their primary defensive position at Pegu but I am hoping to pin them in place while we liberate Rangoon. I have several BFs and AA LCUs at Prome and if we can take Rangoon I should be able to stage in enough fighters to be able to bring in supplies by sea.

If SEAC can take Rangoon and bring in supply convoys the whole tide of war will change in this theatre,

In China, Dave has left only a single LCU to garrison Nanyang so we will move our 5000 AV Chinese army into the base to re-take it.

Dave has 2 seperate thrusts in south central China aimed at capturing nanchang. I have a 2500 AV garrison at Nanchang plus another 4500 AV army that was pulled out of Ichang is on the march to reinforce and should arrive at Nanchang in 2 turns. Dave's tank division broke into open terrain as it pursued the Chinese retreating to Nanchang so I staged in 3 squadrons of DBs from India to Changsha to slow then down:

Morning Air attack on 1st Tank Division, at 86,54 , near Nanchang

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 45
P-40K Warhawk x 23

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
259 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
2 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
2 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
9 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
13 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
7 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment ...
Also attacking 13th Division ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 13th Indpt Infantry Regiment ...

Morning Air attack on 1st Tank Division, at 86,54 , near Nanchang

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 45
P-40K Warhawk x 19

Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
2 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
6 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
9 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
7 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
3 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 37th Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 13th Division ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 37th Division ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 37th Division ...
Also attacking 1st Tank Division ...
Also attacking 37th Division ...

Whats conspicuous about these two DB attacks is that the Japanese had been reinforced by an additional 2 divisions by the 2nd day of the battle. My recon doesnt show any Japanese troops moving though either Chuhsien or Hangchow but Im convinced that the majority of the 7000 AV Japanese army that had threatened Sian has now moved to the south.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 6/10/2012 6:53:00 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 331

RE: EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/12/2012 2:55:42 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/18-3/19/43

SUBS

SS S-34 puts a torpedo in xAKL Shuka Maru near Hollandia.

SS Trigger lands a fish on xAK Takaoka Maru off Manokwari.

SWPAC

I US Corps launches a pair of bloody assaults at Hansa Bay:

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39593 troops, 803 guns, 1370 vehicles, Assault Value = 1384

Defending force 23928 troops, 308 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 552

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 1351

Japanese adjusted defense: 997

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1399 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 105 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 35 (18 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
187 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 31 (5 destroyed, 26 disabled)
Vehicles lost 124 (26 destroyed, 98 disabled)

Assaulting units:
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
32nd Infantry Division
763rd Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
43rd Infantry Division
6th Australian Division
198th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
148th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
154th FA Bn
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
8th Div /3
21st Div /1
28th Div /6
11th Garrison Unit
26th Ind.Mixed Bde /1
48th Division
10th Garrison Unit /4
Southeast Area Fleet /1
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
17th Naval Const Bn /4
3rd JNAF Coy
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
29th JNAF AF Unit
2nd Area Army
13th Garrison Unit /2

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39012 troops, 800 guns, 1349 vehicles, Assault Value = 1308

Defending force 23094 troops, 282 guns, 155 vehicles, Assault Value = 482

Allied adjusted assault: 736

Japanese adjusted defense: 829

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2130 casualties reported
Squads: 90 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 27 (16 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1486 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 144 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 28 disabled
Guns lost 48 (1 destroyed, 47 disabled)
Vehicles lost 48 (5 destroyed, 43 disabled)

Assaulting units:
43rd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
32nd Infantry Division
762nd Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
6th Australian Division
225th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
154th FA Bn
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
28th Div /6
21st Div /1
11th Garrison Unit
26th Ind.Mixed Bde /1
48th Division
10th Garrison Unit /4
Southeast Area Fleet /1
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
8th Div /3
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
17th Naval Const Bn /4
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
29th JNAF AF Unit
3rd JNAF Coy
2nd Area Army
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
13th Garrison Unit /2

That last assault really hurt. Im going to bombard with artilllery for a couple of turns and rest all the armor and infantry.

USN DMs laid 3 minefields at Hansa Bay. There is almost no barge traffic along the New Guinea coast now. After the Battle of the Bismarck Sea Dave doesnt seem to be trying to run in supplies to Hansa Bay by sea.

CBI

Dave continues to mass Japanese forces in south central China for an eventual attack on Nanchang.

In the north.....Chinese troops re-enter Nanyang and an assault will be ordered for next turn.

In Burma....IV Indian Corps closes in on Rangoon while XV Indian Corps reaches the outskirts of Pegu. Dave appears to be withdrawing his Rangoon garrison to Pegu as Eastern Army approaches so we may get Rangoon without a fight.

The supply draw is working well now in Burma. I was able to draw over 60,000 supplies to Prome last turn over the coastal road from Akyab. We were also able to draw supply from Kalemyo to the the Shwebo/Mandalay/Meiktila complex and Allied supply levels increased almost 50% to over 33,000 supplies.

We were even successful in drawing supply to Chungking where we now have 17,000 supplies.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 6/12/2012 2:56:02 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 332

RE: EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/13/2012 5:45:47 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/20-3/21/43

SUBS

SS Trigger sinks xAP Teika Maru off Morotai and most of the Japanese troops aboard are lost at sea.

SS Triton sinks xAK Teikoku Maru near Iwo-jima.

SS Salmon sinks TK Azume Maru by Tawau.

CENTPAC

Japan redoubles their efforts to close the CENTPAC AF at Tabiteuea. First a small naval bombardment is sent in:

Night Naval bombardment of Tabiteuea at 137,134

Japanese Ships
CL Kuma
DD Yuzuki

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CL Kuma firing at 21st Marine Regiment
DD Yuzuki firing at 21st Marine Regiment

Then Dave sends in the daily air raid to hit the airfield but a squadron of P-40Ks is staged in.... evidently they are a crack P-40K squadron....and the Japanese suffer heavy losses in A2A combat:

Morning Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 21
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 31
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 16

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 9 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-49-Ia Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (3 airborne, 16 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes

Morning Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 21
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 18
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 13

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 19

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-49-Ia Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (8 airborne, 16 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes

The IJAAF Oscars are hammered and the AF at Tabiteuea remains open. Im sure that I will be seeing much larger IJN surface TFs in the Gilberts in the near future.....but in about a week the waters from the Gilberts to the Marshalls will be flooded with USN fleet subs.

SWPAC

I US Corps bombards away at Hansa Bay while the armor and the infantry are rested:

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1386 troops, 102 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 1297

Defending force 22391 troops, 258 guns, 153 vehicles, Assault Value = 438

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry/A Division
762nd Tank Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
43rd Infantry/A Division
32nd Infantry/C Division
43rd Infantry/B Division
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
32nd Infantry/B Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
6th Australian/C Division
754th Tank Battalion
6th Australian/B Division
6th Australian/A Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion
43rd Infantry/C Division
I US Corps
134th Field Artillery Battalion
154th FA Bn
198th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
11th Garrison Unit /3
10th Garrison Unit /4
21st Div /1
26th Ind.Mixed Bde /1
28th Div /6
48th Division
90th Infantry Rgt /4
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
29th JNAF AF Unit
8th Div /3
3rd JNAF Coy
2nd Area Army
Southeast Area Fleet /1
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
17th Naval Const Bn /4
13th Garrison Unit /2

I will rest the troops again next turn as we wait for a fresh combat engineer regiment to arrive and then we will renew the assault.

Dave sends in CA Atago to bombard the troops at Hansa Bay but first she has to run the gauntlet of Allied subs and bombers:

Sub attack near Wewak at 97,119

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
DD Inazuma

Allied Ships
SS Flying Fish

SS Flying Fish launches 4 torpedoes at CA Atago
Flying Fish diving deep ....
DD Inazuma fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Inazuma attacking submerged sub ....
DD Inazuma fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Inazuma fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Inazuma attacking submerged sub ....
DD Inazuma cannot establish contact with SS Flying Fish
SS Flying Fish eludes ASW attack from DD Inazuma
Escort abandons search for sub

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hansa Bay at 97,121

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4
P-39D Airacobra x 13
P-40K Warhawk x 17

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Bomb hits 1
DD Hibiki

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

The 500 lb bomb penetrates the deck and explodes deep inside the ship.

Fifth Air Force targets the AF at Wewak this turn. First....the F4U-1s sweep at high altitude and decimate the Nicks on CAP:

Morning Air attack on Wewak , at 96,119

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 40,800 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 41

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses

CAP engaged:
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(41 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 41 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes

Then the P-38Gs sweep the target causing further attrition of the Nicks:

Morning Air attack on Wewak , at 96,119

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 26

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
26 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 100 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Wewak , at 96,119

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 42,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 39000 feet

CAP engaged:
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
13 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 93 minutes

By the time the heavy bombers arrive at Wewak there are no more Nicks on CAP and the 4Es leave the AF there with 60% damage and a bunch of busted up AC.

Japan loses an incredible 63 AC in A2A combat this turn vs 4 Allied AC. Overall....Japan loses 96 AC vs Allied losses of 18 AC. Individual plane losses include 42 Oscars, 39 Nicks, 6 Sallys, 5 Helens, 5 P-38Gs and 4 P-40Ks.

CBI

The IJA 1st Tank Division leads an assault on Chinese troops near Nanchang but is decimated by the AT guns regiment waiting for them:

Ground combat at 85,55 (near Nanchang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8513 troops, 128 guns, 626 vehicles, Assault Value = 2361

Defending force 35311 troops, 252 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1378

Japanese adjusted assault: 54

Allied adjusted defense: 669

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 12

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1042 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Vehicles lost 75 (3 destroyed, 72 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
406 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Tank Division
13th Division
39th Division
34th Division
37th Division
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
92nd Chinese Corps
82nd Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
56th AT Gun Regiment

Farther north....the Chinese recapture Nanyang:

Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18805 troops, 158 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5481

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

Allied adjusted assault: 588

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 588 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nanyang !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker:

Assaulting units:
34th Chinese/B Corps
57th Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese/A Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese/C Corps
16th Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese/B Corps
59th Chinese/B Corps
1st Chinese/C Corps
61st Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
30th Chinese/A Corps
45th Chinese/A Corps
34th Chinese/A Corps
36th Chinese/A Corps
34th Chinese/C Corps
59th Chinese/C Corps
35th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese/B Corps
1st Chinese/B Corps
36th Chinese/C Corps
7th Group Army
37th Group Army
2/215th Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
8th Group Army
2nd Group Army
1st War Area
4th Group Army
Lusu War Area
5th War Area
33rd Group Army
85th British AT Rgt /1
20th Artillery Regiment
Jingcha War Area
33rd Chinese/B Corps
6th Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment
36th Group Army
34th Group Army
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Rgt /2

Now the Chinese can again threaten both Sinyang and the Chengchow/Loyang/Tsiaotso complex.

In Burma.....IV Indian Corps enters a deserted Rangoon and an assault will be ordered for next turn.

XV Indian Corps invests the main Japanese defensive position at Pegu. An artillery unit will bombard 15th Army at Pegu next turn to see exactly what IJA forces are deployed there.

Meanwhile....Dave drops elements of 4 IJA paratroop regiments in our rear at Taung Gyi:

Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1642 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 102

Defending force 1935 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 96

Japanese adjusted assault: 47

Allied adjusted defense: 199

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
364 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Raiding Rgt /1
4th Raiding Rgt /2
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /3
1st Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
SSVF Brigade

Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 418 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 83

Defending force 1899 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Japanese adjusted assault: 2

Allied adjusted defense: 220

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 110 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), preparation(-)
fatigue(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Raiding Rgt /1
4th Raiding Rgt /2
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
1st Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
SSVF Brigade

The 29th British Brigade is 2 hexes away at Mandalay and they will be ordered to reinforce Taung Gyi ASAP. Chinese troops at Toungoo will be airlifted to Taung Gyi. A half dozen fighter squadrons will LRCAP Taung Gyi.

To top it off....nearly 300 Tenth Air Force and RAF 2Es and 4Es will carpet bomb the Japanese at Taung Gyi.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 6/13/2012 5:52:06 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 333

ALLIES RECAPTURE RANGOON - 6/14/2012 3:20:23 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/22-3/23/43

SUBS GONE WILD!

SS S-32 sinks LB-119 off Aitape.

SSX Ha-16 is sunk near Rabaul by an Allied ASW TF

SS Gunnel is hit by 7 DCs from an IJN ASW TF off China and is heavily damaged.

SS Gato sinks E W-3 near Donggala.

SS Triton sinks xAK Kian Maru near Ulithi.

SS Greenling puts a torpedo in xAK Tanzine Maru by Balikpappan.

SS I-28 is hit by 33 DCs from newly converted RN DEs(ASW value=9) and is sunk near Rabaul.

SS gato sinks xAK Taketoyo Maru near Balikpappan.

CENTPAC

A6M@s sweep Tabiteuea and this time the P-40Ks take it on the chin. Supplies are starting to dwindle here so we will need to figure out how to get a resupply convoy though.

SWPAC

P-38Gs sweep Sarmi and work over the Tojos on CAP.

Dave brings in a bombardment TF to hit Hansa Bay and they run into the newly laid minefields there:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 22, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 63 encounters mine field at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Murasame, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Hansa Bay at 97,121

Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon

DD Yudachi is sighted by SS Tarpon
SS Tarpon launches 4 torpedoes at DD Yudachi

DD Mura same sinks immediately but DD Yuadchi stays afoat until daybreak when it is finished off by the intrepid B-25D1s:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Hansa Bay at 97,121

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 23
F4U-1 Corsair x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 15, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Magazine explodes on DD Yudachi

IJN BBs make it through to bombard Hansa bay but the damage is negligible:

Night Naval bombardment of Hansa Bay at 97,121

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Nagato

Allied ground losses:
110 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Yamashiro
BB Yamashiro firing at 6th Australian/B Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato
BB Nagato firing at 6th Australian/C Division

I US Corps bombards Hansa Bay and now suddenly everyone is low on supply so all of I US Corps will bombard next turn.

Fifth Air Force levels Wewak destroying IJA fighters on the ground.

SIGINT show 2 IJA paratroop formations are preparing for Madang.

CBI

Seven IJA divisions trash a Chinese army outside of Nanchang:

Ground combat at 85,55 (near Nanchang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 74661 troops, 686 guns, 958 vehicles, Assault Value = 2743

Defending force 34924 troops, 252 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1337

Japanese adjusted assault: 2046

Allied adjusted defense: 629

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4961 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 348 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Guns lost 42 (1 destroyed, 41 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7482 casualties reported
Squads: 199 destroyed, 585 disabled
Non Combat: 318 destroyed, 131 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 38 disabled
Guns lost 115 (29 destroyed, 86 disabled)
Units retreated 5

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
39th Division
41st Division
34th Division
37th Division
13th Division
12th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
82nd Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
56th AT Gun Regiment

The remaining Chinese retreat to Nanyang where we now have almost 7000 AV.

Japan attacks W of Loyang only to be thrown back with heavy losses:

Ground combat at 85,43 (near Loyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8697 troops, 136 guns, 627 vehicles, Assault Value = 397

Defending force 24991 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1078

Japanese adjusted assault: 170

Allied adjusted defense: 2026

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 11

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1135 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 79 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 36 (1 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Vehicles lost 65 (6 destroyed, 59 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Division
14th RGC Temp./C Division

Defending units:
80th Chinese Corps
91st Chinese Corps
45th Chinese/C Corps
45th Chinese/B Corps
56th Chinese/A Corps

In Burma.....IV Indian Corps secures Rangoon. Ive adusted the supply aroows to try to draw the 65,000 supplies at Prome down to Rangoon. Hopefully now that we are in control of Rangoon the Burma Road is functional again. A BF from Prome and some AA units are marching from Prome to Rangoon and we will start to attempt to bring in supplies by sea here.

Dave sends in BB Yamato and BB Musashi to bombard Allied troops at Pegu:

Night Naval bombardment of Hansa Bay at 97,121

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Nagato

Allied ground losses:
110 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Yamashiro
BB Yamashiro firing at 6th Australian/B Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato
BB Nagato firing at 6th Australian/C Division

The damage is again negligible and Im happy to be ablew to locate these 2 BBs. With 2 additonal IJN BBs bombarding Hansa Bay this turn that leaves only 2 more available BBs to oppose us either in CENTPAC or II Australian Corps north of Darwin.

XV Indian Corps bombards the main Japanese defensive position at Pegu and it appears that the IJA 15th Army is retreating towards Moulmein:

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1540 troops, 122 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 5157

Defending force 128117 troops, 1691 guns, 1922 vehicles, Assault Value = 3911

Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 41 (10 destroyed, 31 disabled)

Assaulting units:
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
6th British Brigade
22nd (East African) Brigade
5th British Brigade
63rd Indian Brigade
23rd British Brigade
2nd Recce Regiment
48th Gurkha Brigade
16th British Brigade
88th Chinese Division
13th Indian Brigade
18th British Division
27th Infantry Division
BFF Brigade
44th Indian Brigade
15th Indian Brigade
200th Chinese Division
111th Chindit Brigade
7th New Chinese/A Corps
12th Indian Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
1st Burma Battalion
45th Indian Brigade
31st Infantry Regiment
46th Indian Division
6th Indian Brigade
16th Canadian Brigade
3rd Cavalry Regiment
8th Indian Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade
16th Indian Brigade
14th British Brigade
36th Chinese Division
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
7th Australian Division
7th New Chinese/B Corps
XV Indian Corps
2/11th Field Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
2nd Division
3rd Tank Regiment
21st Division
20th Division
7th Tank Regiment
56th Division
19th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
33rd Division
8th Tank Regiment
55th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
1st Engineer Co
11th Tank Regiment
18th Tank Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
47th Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
8th RF Gun Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
45th Field AA Battalion
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
20th AA Regiment
26th Fld AA Gun Co
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
41st Field AA Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
15th JAAF AF Bn
29th Fld AA Gun Co
23rd AA Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Southern Army
2nd RF Gun Battalion
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
40th Field AA Battalion
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
15th Army
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
93rd JAAF AF Bn
51st Field AA Battalion
Burma Area Army
29th JAAF AF Coy
34th Road Const Co /2
14th Naval Construction Battalion
21st Fld AA Gun Co
32nd Field AA Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
11th RF Gun Battalion
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
6th RF Gun Battalion
10th RF Gun Battalion
29th Ind. Engineer Regiment
101st JAAF AF Bn
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
53rd Const Co
3rd Mortar Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
22nd Air Flotilla
48th Field AA Battalion
9th RF Gun Battalion
13th Naval Construction Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
43rd Const Co
25th Army
62nd JAAF AF Bn /1

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1482 troops, 117 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 5154

Defending force 118361 troops, 1656 guns, 991 vehicles, Assault Value = 3299

Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (12 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
5th British Brigade
6th British Brigade
88th Chinese Division
44th Indian Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
BFF Brigade
7th Australian Division
15th Indian Brigade
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
6th Indian Brigade
18th British Division
2nd Recce Regiment
16th Canadian Brigade
200th Chinese Division
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
14th British Brigade
16th Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
7th New Chinese/A Corps
16th British Brigade
27th Infantry Division
1st Burma Battalion
48th Gurkha Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade
31st Infantry Regiment
3rd Cavalry Regiment
63rd Indian Brigade
45th Indian Brigade
23rd British Brigade
36th Chinese Division
22nd (East African) Brigade
13th Indian Brigade
111th Chindit Brigade
46th Indian Division
7th New Chinese/B Corps
2/13th Field Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
XV Indian Corps
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
33rd Division
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
55th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
21st Division
20th Division
56th Division
1st Engineer Co
8th RF Gun Battalion
45th Field AA Battalion
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
29th JAAF AF Coy
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
22nd Air Flotilla
26th Fld AA Gun Co
13th Naval Construction Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
14th Naval Construction Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
Southern Army
41st Field AA Battalion
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
29th Ind. Engineer Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
53rd Const Co
11th RF Gun Battalion
32nd Field AA Battalion
15th Army
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
15th JAAF AF Bn
6th RF Gun Battalion
23rd AA Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd RF Gun Battalion
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
47th Field AA Battalion
25th Army
48th Field AA Battalion
34th Road Const Co /2
93rd JAAF AF Bn
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Fld AA Gun Co
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
Burma Area Army
29th Fld AA Gun Co
9th RF Gun Battalion
20th AA Regiment
43rd Const Co
40th Field AA Battalion
101st JAAF AF Bn
10th RF Gun Battalion
62nd JAAF AF Bn /1

IJA AV here dropped from 3900 to 3299 here in 1 day. Even though we outnumber the Japanese at Pegu Im happy to let then withdraw unmolested.

Over 300 Allied 2Es and 4Es bombard the IJA paratroops at Taung Gyi and an assault is ordered for next turn.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 334

RE: EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/15/2012 4:14:41 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/24-3/25/43

SWPAC

I US Corps once more bombards at Hansa bay. Im still having trouble drawing sufficient supplies from Madang to the front so I again am forced to call off the assault.

P-38Gs sweep Sarmi at long range....this seems to be the main staging base on New Guinea for Japan and its heavily CAPed so the P-38s have been mixing it up here with the Tojos for the last few turns.....giving much better than what they get. The two P-38G squadrons of 5th Air Force are now at less than 50% strength and are withdrawn to Port Moresby to rest and take on replacements.

Fifth Air Force heavy bombers switch targets to once again suppress Rabaul. Rabaul is not repairing its AF and port damage very quickly so Im assuming that they are very low on supplies.

SIGINT reports a couple of IJA para formations prepping for Madang so Im flying in some defensive troops via transport AC.

B-25D1 "COMMERCE DESTROYERS"

The B-25D1s have been so effective at interdicting IJN convoys along the northern coast of New Guinea that the area is now virtually devoid of targets. There is a lot of IJN activity at Sarmi however so the B-25D1s are set at long range naval attack without their normal fighter escorts. After the P-38G sweeps work over the Japanese CAP at Sarmi the B-25D1s come in at wavetop level:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Sarmi at 91,114

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 3

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
E W-21
E W-14
E W-16

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
25th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters to 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
64th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sarmi at 91,114

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 5
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 10

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami, Shell hits 8
DD Inazuma
CL Naka, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Naganami, Shell hits 2
CA Atago

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
24th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
25th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 13000
Raid is overhead
64th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 16000
Raid is overhead

Not only do the B-25D1s land a 500 lb bomb on a CL but they shoot down some Tojos and Oscars. The Japanese fighters only seem to win the dogfights when they attack from the rear....from the front they are usually forced away or shot down by the nose mounted machine guns. This is somewhat reminiscent of the modern day USAAF ground support AC in the Gulf War....the A-10 Warthogs...lumbering tactical ground support AC that were able to shoot down Iraqi fighters with their nose cannon.

A second B-25D1 squadron was staged to Darwin before it reached max TOE. It was also placed on long range naval attack at 100' and they hit Japanese shipping in the DEI during their 1st turn on station:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Dili at 71,114

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 1 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 17

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAKL Nagano Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAKL Natsukawa Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
50th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (17 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(17 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
17 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 17000
Raid is overhead

Morning Air attack on TF, near Dili at 71,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 3

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAKL Tohuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Yamayuri Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
50th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 17000
Raid is overhead

Once again the B-25D1s shoot down Japanese fighters that carelessly attack head on.

CBI

Quiet in China.

The Japanese forces that had been advancing on Nanchang suddenly disappear back into the forests and are probably headed back to the railheads at hangchow and Chuhsien for redeployment elsewhere.

In Burma....most of IV Indian Corps reinforces XV Indian Corps at Pegu and they bombard the IJA 15th Army as it withdraws towards Moulmein:

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1469 troops, 108 guns, 89 vehicles, Assault Value = 6152

Defending force 118308 troops, 1656 guns, 992 vehicles, Assault Value = 3297

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 29 (11 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Assaulting units:
111th Chindit Brigade
6th British Brigade
7th Australian Division
150th RAC Regiment
8th Indian Brigade
13th Indian Brigade
36th Chinese Division
BFF Brigade
31st Infantry Regiment
16th Indian Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
2nd Recce Regiment
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
44th Cavalry Regiment
43rd Cavalry Regiment
22nd (East African) Brigade
1st Burma Battalion
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
6th Indian Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
48th Gurkha Brigade
5th British Brigade
15th Indian Brigade
44th Indian Brigade
16th British Brigade
18th British Division
200th Chinese Division
7th Armoured Brigade
23rd British Brigade
7th New Chinese/A Corps
14th British Brigade
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
27th Infantry Division
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
88th Chinese Division
255th Armoured Brigade
63rd Indian Brigade
3rd Cavalry Regiment
45th Indian Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
16th Canadian Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
46th Indian Division
7th New Chinese/B Corps
XV Indian Corps
2/11th Field Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
20th Division
21st Division
33rd Division
2nd Division
56th Division
Imperial Guards Division
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
55th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Engineer Co
32nd Field AA Battalion
101st JAAF AF Bn
10th RF Gun Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
93rd JAAF AF Bn
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
53rd Const Co
21st Fld AA Gun Co
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
34th Road Const Co /2
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
29th Fld AA Gun Co
40th Field AA Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
25th Army
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
11th RF Gun Battalion
45th Field AA Battalion
41st Field AA Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
29th JAAF AF Coy
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
43rd Const Co
47th Field AA Battalion
23rd AA Regiment
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
14th Naval Construction Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
Burma Area Army
5th Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
29th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Southern Army
20th AA Regiment
2nd RF Gun Battalion
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
13th Naval Construction Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
26th Fld AA Gun Co
36th Field AA Battalion
6th RF Gun Battalion
15th Army
15th JAAF AF Bn
22nd Air Flotilla
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
9th RF Gun Battalion
62nd JAAF AF Bn /1

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2485 troops, 167 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 6853

Defending force 29691 troops, 537 guns, 371 vehicles, Assault Value = 545

Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Assaulting units:
36th Chinese Division
31st Infantry Regiment
200th Chinese Division
150th RAC Regiment
254th Armoured Brigade
18th British Division
111th Chindit Brigade
22nd Indian Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
BFF Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade
16th Canadian Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
6th British Brigade
2nd Burma Brigade
16th British Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
27th Infantry Division
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
45th Indian Brigade
2nd Recce Regiment
6th Indian Brigade
13th Indian Brigade
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
15th Indian Brigade
14th British Brigade
7th Australian Division
44th Cavalry Regiment
22nd (East African) Brigade
16th Indian Brigade
63rd Indian Brigade
44th Indian Brigade
3rd Cavalry Regiment
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
255th Armoured Brigade
5th British Brigade
23rd British Brigade
1st Burma Battalion
26th Indian Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
88th Chinese Division
48th Gurkha Brigade
46th Indian Division
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
7th New Chinese/A Corps
9th Australian Division
7th New Chinese/B Corps
2/13th Field Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
IV Indian Corps
XV Indian Corps
109th Tank Attack Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
8th Medium Regiment

Defending units:
Imperial Guards Division
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Engineer Co
41st Field AA Battalion
34th Road Const Co /2
45th Field AA Battalion
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
43rd Const Co
93rd JAAF AF Bn
Burma Area Army
26th Fld AA Gun Co
29th JAAF AF Coy
15th JAAF AF Bn
47th Field AA Battalion
14th Naval Construction Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
31st Field AA Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
23rd AA Regiment
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
101st JAAF AF Bn
13th Naval Construction Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
53rd Const Co
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
29th Fld AA Gun Co
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
34th Field AA Battalion
20th AA Regiment
32nd Field AA Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
21st Fld AA Gun Co
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Army
62nd JAAF AF Bn /1

By the end of the turn only 550 AV of IJA troops is left at Pegu. A deliberate attack will be ordered next turn just in case any IJA LCUs havent cleared the hex.

A massive air battle breaks out over Pegu as Japan tries to cover its withdrawal. We are able to get some F4U-1s into the battle and Japan takes heavy fighter and bomber losses. Between the P-38G sweeps over Sarmi and Rahaeng and the air battle over Peu Japan loses 69 AC in A2A combat vs 24 Allied AC.

Altogether....Japan loses 93 AC this turn vs 47 Allied AC. The previous turn Japan lost 62 AC in A2A combat vs 27 Allied AC. Individual plane losses over the last 2 turns include 48 Tojos, 33 Oscars, 35 Topsys, 14 Sallys, 14 Lilys, 10 Nicks, 9 A6M2s, 7 Rufes, 22 HurricaneIIcs, 16 P-38Gs, 17 P-40Ks, 4 HurricaneIXbs and 4 F4U-1s. The arrival of the F4U-1 and the exclusive use of P-38s on high altitude sweeps seems to be changing the tide in the air war against Japan. Japan has now lost a total of 8101 AC vs Allied losses of 7288 AC or about 12% greater. In A2A combat....Japan has lost 3669 AC vs Allied losses of 3199 AC or about 14% greater.

Most of the USAAF fighter squadrons are understrength as we reach nadir point for the USAAF until new plane types arrive in summer 1943. However....we will start receiving 120/Hellcats/mo in about a week so the USMC will suddenly take on a much greater role....at least in the Pacific....as they will finally be able to flesh out their VMF groups with F4F-4s as the Navy switches over to the Hellcats.

Tenth Air Force and the RAF carpet bomb the IJA paratroops at Taung Gyi with over 300 bombers but the results are disappointing. The paratroops arent even disrupted when the Allies launch their attack:

Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5031 troops, 65 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 238

Defending force 1826 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Allied adjusted assault: 120

Japanese adjusted defense: 25

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
166 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
SSVF Brigade
55th Prov Chinese Division
14th Canadian Bde /1

Defending units:
3rd Raiding Regiment
4th Raiding Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF

Im a bit surprised about suffering heavier casualties than the Japanese in a 4:1 attack. The bombers did a bit better the next day and actually disrupted the paratroops a bit:

Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5203 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 224

Defending force 1732 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Allied adjusted assault: 158

Japanese adjusted defense: 19

Allied assault odds: 8 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
55th Prov Chinese Division
SSVF Brigade
14th Canadian Bde /1

Defending units:
4th Raiding Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
3rd Raiding Regiment
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF

The British 29th Brigade is marching to reinforce but this is taking a bit longer to mop up than I had anticipated.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 335

RE: EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/16/2012 5:14:20 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/26-3/27/43

CENTPAC

Japan bombs the forward CENTPAC AF at Tabiteuea again. The P-40Ks on CAP cause Japan to lose 15 Oscars and 5 Sallys to A2A and Ops while no P-40Ks are lost.

Supplies are down to about 1300 at Tabiteuea now and I still dont have any good ideas of how to resupply without commiting to a major fleet action.

SOPAC

Powerful XIV US Corps completes massing on the outskirts of Rabaul and the order is given to advance on the target. Even though its only a march distance of 48 miles it will take over 2 weeks for the Allied troops to hack their way through the jungle.

LSTs continue to drop supplies on the beach for XIV US Corps and they are now carrying over 45,000 supplies with them into Rabaul. Rabaul doesnt seem to be repairing its port and AF damage very rapidly so Im hoping that the 45,000 man garrison there is low on supplies. Ive mined Rabaul repeatedly and have at least 2 S class subs on station there at all times and with all the USMC DBs based nearby it will be very difficult for Dave to bring in any supplies except maybe for transport AC.

Seventeen newly converted APAs reach Noumea. CV Wasp and CV Enterprise both require less than 30 days now to complete repairs. Soon SOPAC will reume its amphibious advance across the Pacific.

SWPAC

I US Corps now has sufficient supplies on hand to resume the assault on Hansa Bay. All the 2Es, 4Es and tactical bombers of Fifth Air Force will carpet bomb Hansa bay this next turn and the following turn we will adain attack Hansa bay.

SS S-32 pumps 4" shells into LB-121 and LB-122 off Aitape and both barges are _obliterated_. I kinda like that "O" word.

CBI

Quiet in China.

Tenth Air Force heavy bombers pound the remining IJA troops at Pegu but they still are able to retreat beforew an attack can be launched. IV Indian Corps joins up with XV Indian Corps at Pegu just in time to take over an open city.

The Allies have now advanced from Shwebo-Mandalay-Rangoon/Pegu virtually without firing a shot.

Bassein is captured and now the only IJA troops left in our rear are the IJA paratroops at Taung Gyi.

Rangoon is drawing supplies down the coast road very nicely from Akyab-Prome-Rangoon and we now have 29,000 supplies at Rangoon. The Burma Road is now definitely open for business and Chungking just went back over the critical 20,000 supply level. BFs and AA LCUs are still on the march to Rangoon. Individual supply ships are crossing the Bay of Bengal now to bring in supplies to Rangoon and as soon as I can get the AF open at Rangoon we will attempt to bring in convoys from Calcutta covered by LRCAP from fighters based at Akyab/Prome/Rangoon.

My next immediate goal here is to finish off the IJA paratrops at Taung Gyi but then what to do with the 7000 AV of Eastern Army? Surprisingly....Dave does not withdraw to Moulmein but keeps his army in the jungle next to Pegu. Personally I would have withdrawn across the Salween River. I dont want to get into a frontal assault on 4000 AV of IJA troops in jungle terrain. Dave has been bombing eastern Army pretty heavily while they remain in the clear terrain of Pegu. Ive basically not contested this as the Allied air forces have been busy conducting other missions. Next turn over 200 fighters....mostly RAF plus 1 VMF squadron....will fly a CAP trap over Pegu and we should have a pretty good sized air battle.

My goal here was to reopen the Burma Road and now that its been done....with monsoon season close to starting....Im not sure which direction I want to go. It kind of depends on how successful I am in bringing in reinforcements and supplies by sea into Rangoon. Before I launch another offensive I will need to bring any a lot more BFs and aviation personal so that I can at least have parity with the Japanese air force.....we have basically advanced beyond the range of our aerial support. Im letting the RAF and the VMF squadrons handle most of the dirty work here now so that whats left of the USAAF fighters have enough replacements to continue fighting in the south and central Pacific and in China.

My 3 options for Eastern Army at this point would be to:

1) frontal assault against the 4000 AV of the IJA 15th Army and advance down the coastal road towards Moulmein and Tavoy;
2)Place a blocking force of 3000 AV at Pegu and send the remaining troops into China to help take some of the pressure off the hard-pressed Chinese army;
3)Place a blocking force of 3000 AV at Pegu and move the other 4000 AV down the interior road from Taung Gyi to Rahaeng and the plains of central Thailand.

The 3rd option seems most feasible to me now.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 336

RE: EASTERN ARMY ON THE MOVE - 6/18/2012 4:59:46 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

3/28-3/31/43

SUBS

SS Sargo puts a torpedo in xAK Dakar Maru by Balikpappan.

SS Thresher is sunk by an IJN ASW TF off Fukue-jima.

SS I-155 sinks xAKL Sipora near Rangoon.

SS I-155 sinks xAKL Illinoian near Rangoon.

CBI

Quiet in China.

The British 29th Brigade reaches Taung Gyi and the IJA paratroops surrounded there will be assaulted next turn.

With SS I-155 sitting just off Rangoon I will need ASW escorts to get supply convoys into Rangoon. BFs and AA guns reach Rangoon this turn and fighters are immediately staged in.

I didnt realize that there was a river in between Pegu and the IJA 15th army so when I ordered all of Eastern Army to invest the jungle hex where 15th Army was positioned the Allied armor was trashed in a shock attack across the river:

Ground combat at 56,54 (near Moulmein)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 21424 troops, 204 guns, 2037 vehicles, Assault Value = 1407

Defending force 132371 troops, 1710 guns, 1972 vehicles, Assault Value = 3953

Allied adjusted assault: 222

Japanese adjusted defense: 10669

Allied assault odds: 1 to 48

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
557 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 35 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (3 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
4024 casualties reported
Squads: 201 destroyed, 146 disabled
Non Combat: 230 destroyed, 215 disabled
Engineers: 63 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 98 (54 destroyed, 44 disabled)
Vehicles lost 542 (168 destroyed, 374 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
268th Motorised Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
150th RAC Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade
3rd Cavalry Regiment
255th Armoured Brigade
44th Cavalry Regiment
43rd Cavalry Regiment
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
254th Armoured Brigade
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
2nd Recce Regiment

Defending units:
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Division
19th Ind. Engineer Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
2nd Division
8th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
1st Engineer Co
20th Division
7th Tank Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
33rd Division
18th Tank Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
55th Division
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Division
1st Recon Regiment
2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
36th Field AA Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
22nd Air Flotilla
45th Field AA Battalion
43rd Const Co
51st Field AA Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
9th RF Gun Battalion
62nd JAAF AF Bn /1
5th RF Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
53rd Const Co
6th RF Gun Battalion
21st Fld AA Gun Co
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
31st Field AA Battalion
13th Naval Construction Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
15th JAAF AF Bn
Southern Army
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
101st JAAF AF Bn
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
29th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
14th Naval Construction Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
93rd JAAF AF Bn
2nd RF Gun Battalion
34th Road Const Co /2
26th Fld AA Gun Co
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
23rd AA Regiment
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
29th JAAF AF Coy
15th Army
6th Shipping Engineer Regiment
41st Field AA Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
Burma Area Army
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
8th RF Gun Battalion
47th Field AA Battalion
10th RF Gun Battalion
29th Fld AA Gun Co
32nd Field AA Battalion
25th Army
11th RF Gun Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
20th AA Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Bn /3

I will pull the armor back next turn and they will probably need to R&R in Rangoon now for a couple of months. Supplies are flowing nicely into Rangoon.

CENTPAC

Dave sweeps Tabiteuea with A6M2s and then sends in Oscar escorted Sallys and Helens. The P-40K squadron based at Tabiteuea continues to thrash every Japanese airstrike and keeps the AF open. In the last 4 days Japan loses over 50 fighters in A2A combat vs less than 10 Allied fighters.

Supplies at Tabiteuea are now down to 600. USN subs....including 3 SSTs... are sent on transport missions to bring supplies to the isolated base.

SOPAC

US XIV Corps continues to advance on rabaul and is still 32 miles out. LSTs continue to drop supplies on the beach and XIV US Corps is now carrying over 50,000 supplies with them.

CV Victorious completes its transit from the Panama Canal to Auckland where it joins some USN CVEs. The Allies now have 5 fleet carriers available and CV Wasp and CV Enterprise should complete their repairs in less than a month. When we have 7 fleet carriers available we will resume the amphibious advances in SOPAC and CENTPAC and challemge the mighty KB.

SWPAC

I US Corps finally captures Hansa Bay after 4 days of carpet bombing by Fifth Air Force:

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41425 troops, 804 guns, 1486 vehicles, Assault Value = 1561

Defending force 24064 troops, 259 guns, 150 vehicles, Assault Value = 533

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 1683

Japanese adjusted defense: 793

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4142 casualties reported
Squads: 148 destroyed, 94 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 84 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 59 (42 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
469 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 22 (2 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (4 destroyed, 32 disabled)

Assaulting units:
43rd Infantry Division
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
767th Tank Battalion
32nd Infantry Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion
6th Australian Division
134th Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
154th FA Bn
148th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
11th Garrison Unit /3
26th Ind.Mixed Bde /1
48th Division
10th Garrison Unit /4
28th Div /6
21st Div /1
90th Infantry Rgt /4
8th Div /3
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
3rd JNAF Coy
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Southeast Area Fleet /1
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
17th Naval Const Bn /4
2nd Area Army
29th JNAF AF Unit
13th Garrison Unit /2

Ground combat at Hansa Bay (97,121)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40992 troops, 803 guns, 1486 vehicles, Assault Value = 1498

Defending force 21256 troops, 222 guns, 150 vehicles, Assault Value = 406

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Allied adjusted assault: 1110

Japanese adjusted defense: 301

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

Allied forces CAPTURE Hansa Bay !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
8076 casualties reported
Squads: 317 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 349 destroyed, 126 disabled
Engineers: 110 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 139 (120 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 145 (142 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 17
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
451 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 75 (5 destroyed, 70 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st USMC Tank Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
43rd Infantry Division
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
767th Tank Battalion
6th Australian Division
225th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
I US Corps
154th FA Bn
148th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd NZ Division

Defending units:
48th Division
10th Garrison Unit /4
28th Div /6
21st Div /1
90th Infantry Rgt /4
12th Air Defense AA Rgt /1
2nd Area Army
41st Air Defense AA Bn /1
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
3rd JNAF Coy
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /2
8th Div /3
29th JNAF AF Unit
17th Naval Const Bn /4
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
Southeast Area Fleet /1
11th Garrison Unit /3
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment
13th Garrison Unit /2

Even after the Japanese defenders are retreated from Hansa Bay and take enormous losses they still have 36,000 troops remaining. These troops will retreat to Wewak where they will join another 16,000 fresh IJA troops in a prepared defensive positions in difficult terrain.

Meanwhile....I US Corps is exhausted from the prolonged battle for Hansa Bay. Both the 32nd and 43rd Divisions have over 100 disabled squads and many of the armor units are at less than 50% TOE. I will need to stand down I US Corps for 3 months for rebuilding.

The Japanese defenses on New Guinea grow stronger as we advance to the west and our supply line becomes longer and more tenuous. SWPAC has advanced overland from Port Moresby to Buna and then Lae and finally Madang and Hansa Bay. Like MacArthur in real life...SWPAC will need to conduct further advances on New Guinea by amphibious landings rather than marching across the never ending swamps, rivers and jungles.

But before SWPAC can conduct any amphibious landings on New Guinea SOPAC must turn the Bismarck Sea into an Allied lake.....and that means invasions by I Amphibious Corps at Kavieng/Mussau/Manus while XIV US Corps reduces Rabaul.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 337

ALLIED OPERATIONS: SPRING 1943-SUMMER 1944 - 6/19/2012 4:56:20 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/1-4/2/43

SUBS

SS Sargo puts a torpedo in fully loaded TK Hirota Maru near Donggala and she lights up like a roman candle.

SS Sealion sinks xAKL Ryuun Maru off jaluit.

SS Balao lands a torpedo on xAK Hakonesan maru by Tiachu.

CBI

The armor of Eastern Army that was mauled by the IJA 15th Army 2 turns ago successfully withdraws to Pegu.

The IJA paratroops that were dropped a few turns ago at Taung Gyi were completely wiped out this turn:

Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9524 troops, 135 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 430

Defending force 1438 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Allied adjusted assault: 219

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 54 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
437 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
SSVF Brigade
29th British Brigade
14th Canadian Brigade
55th Prov Chinese Division

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
3rd Raiding Regiment
4th Raiding Regiment
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF

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

1st Raiding Regiment Wiped Out at Taung Gyi by attrition!!!

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

3rd Raiding Regiment Wiped Out at Taung Gyi by attrition!!!

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

4th Raiding Regiment Wiped Out at Taung Gyi by attrition!!!

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

Yokosuka 3rd SNLF Wiped Out at Taung Gyi by attrition!!!

ALLIED OPERATIONAL PLANNING: SPRING 1943-SUMMER 1944

Outside of the CBI....the Allies will conduct 4 axis of advance towards Japan.

The 2 main thrusts will be parallel drives by SOPAC to the Bismarcks/Admiralties/Paulaus.....and a
SWPAC drive west down the northern coast of New Guinea and eventually to the Moluccas by late 1943.

II Australian Corps will launch a secondary thrust North from Darwin across the Arafura Sea to Saumlaki/Taberfane and then across the Banda Sea to Ceram and the Moluccas by late 1943. If SWPAC gets bogged down in New Guinea troops will be transferred over to II Australian Corps and then it will become a primary axis of advance.

SOPAC, SWPAC and II Australian Corps will all meet up in the invasion of Mindanao, Puerto Princessa and the central Philippines in early 1944.

A combined assault on Luzon by SOPAC/SWPAC/II Australian Corps is planned for summer 1944.

Meanwhile.....CENTPAC will launch a diversionsry secondary offensive into the Gilberts by May 1943 and then the Marshalls by summer 1943. This advance will shorten Allied SLOCs from the west coast US to New Guinea by hundreds of miles and will create a diversion that will force Dave to heavily garrison the Marianas at the expense of the Carolines and Paulaus.

Of all 4 Allied axis of advance...the CENTPAC thrust on the Marianas is most likely to result in a full commitment of KB.....which is why this advance will be delayed until the Allies have massive carrier superiority by summer 1944.

Ive attached a screenshot showing each Allied axis of advance with the estimated launch date of every operation.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 338

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/20/2012 4:16:10 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/3-4/4/43

SUBS

SS Seal sinks TK Kuremoto Maru near Sangi.

SS S-44 sinks LB-120 off Aitape.

SS Seawolf sinks PB Fumi Maru by Puerto Princessa.

CBI

Relatively quiet across the CBI.

Dave has an IJN CA patroling the waters off Rangoon and he caught another one of my blockade runners:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,54, Range 3,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Haguro
DD Shiratsuyu

Allied Ships
xAKL Selma City, Shell hits 7, and is sunk

Poor visibility due to Thunderstorms
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 3,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 3,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 3,000 yards
CA Haguro engages xAKL Selma City at 3,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAKL Selma City at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
xAKL Selma City sunk by CA Haguro at 3,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

So now I will need to deal with both IJN subs and surface TFs in order to get supllies into Rangoon by sea. That means I will need to get additional aviation support into Rangoon as well as naval search, ASW and naval strike air groups.

Allied fighters sweep Bangkok for the 1st time in the war. Its nice to be able to put some pressure on Japanese airfields that were rear area bases for so long.

CENTPAC

Japan hits Tabiteuea again with both high altitude sweepers and escorted bombers on airfield attack missions. The P-40K group at Tabiteuea has put up a good fight against overwhelming odds but now is reduced to a fragment of its former self. Supply has basically been exhausted at Tabiteuea but Ive got sub transports and fast tranports on the way. I was hoping to use Tabiteuea as a forward bomber base to help reduce Tarawa and Makin but in its current state it cant even defend itself.

Ive flooded the Gilberts and Marshalls with over a dozen subs and this turn a USN sub was spotted by a Val 2 hexes NE of Eniwetok. Eniwetok has a level 1 AF but I tend to think that this Val flew off a flattop....and that there is a strong possibility that KB is lurking just N of the Marshalls for the "imminent" invasion of Tarawa. if so...they will have to lurk for another month or so before anything happens.

I will be creating a diversion in SOPAC before CENTPAC begins the next phase of its Gilberts campaign so hopefully that will get the attention of KB.

SWPAC

Its been quiet here since the capture of Hansa Bay. Ive pulled a lot of fighters groups and all of the medium bomber groups out of New Guinea for R&R. Dave has also pulled out most of the Japanese air forces from New Guinea but he still has a lot of fighters covering Aitape and there is also a lot of Japanese naval activity there.

I sent the P-38Gs on high altitude sweeps over Aitape this turn but the Tojos seem to have bested them this time. However while the Tojos were busy fighting high altitude sweepers the B-25D1s swooped in at wavetop level to hit IJN shipping at Aitape:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Aitape at 95,118

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 17 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 26

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAKL Yamamizu Maru, Shell hits 14, Bomb hits 10, and is sunk
PB Odatsuki Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
204 Ku S-1/C with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead
24th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes
64th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes

Ive completed the withdrawal of the 1st Marine Division form New Guinea and they are back at Noumea resting and prepping for the Gilberts.

SOPAC

XIV US Corps is now only 18 miles out from Rabaul so they should invest the base in less than a week. Meanwhile....LSTs continue to offload supplies on the beach and XIV US Corps is now carrying over 60,000 supplies with them.

Ive completed the withdrawal of the 2nd Marine Division from the Solomons and they are now resting at Noumea and prepping for the Gilberts.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 6/20/2012 4:17:32 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 339

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/22/2012 4:06:34 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/5-4/6/43

CENTPAC

Japan again sweeps and bombs Tabiteuea. The P-40K squadron there only has 3 operational fighters and the base is virtually out of supplies.

A USN AV on fast transport arrives at Tabiteuea and will unload next turn. Nearly 30 F4F-3s and F2A-3s are staged in to cover the unloading. Another AV and an AVD are on the way in fast transport mode with supplies.

SOPAC

Lead elements of XIV US Corps approach within 7 miles of Rabaul. XIV US Corps now is carrying along over 70,000 supplies.

Rabaul once again has a 100% neutralized AF from Allied medium bombers so Fifth Air Force will switch targets and hit the level 4 Japanese AF at Manus next turn.

SWPAC

Transport convoys are busy landing seabees and engineers at Madang. We will need to build up Madang and Hansa Bay to level 6-7 AFs before we make any further advances in this theatre.

F4U-1s and P-38Gs sweep the Japanese AF at Aitape at high altitude while P-40Ks sweep at 20,000'. Then the heavy bombers of Fifth Air Force pummel the AF there. Combined with P-38G sweeps over Bangkok Japan loses 34 AC in A2A vs 7 Allied AC. Individual plane losses include 13 A6M2s, 13 Oscars, 12 A6M3s,3 Tojos, 5 P-38Gs, 4 BeaufighterVIcs and 2 F4U-1s. Im a bit concerned by the absence of Tojos in A2A combat this turn. It leads me to think that the Tojo squadrons have been pulled out of the line for a major operation or redeployment.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS

This theatre has mostly been a sleepy backwater for me although Dave continues to generate a tremendous amount of interest here.

Bathurst Island has built a level 5 AF now.

B-25D1s based at Darwin hit an IJN convoy at extreme range in the DEI:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Lomblen at 68,113

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 10

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMC Saigon Maru, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
AMC Nosiro Maru, Shell hits 7
AMC Bankok Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 7, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lomblen at 68,113

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AMC Nosiro Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AMC Bankok Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Dave has been quietly building up his base at Merauke in the Allied rear. The initial target of II Australian Corps will be to capture Merauke and the invading troops are now 76% prepped. The capture of Merauke will not only remove a threat to Allied SLOCs from the south Pacific to Darwin but will provide another large AF to help neutralize Japanese bases at Hollandia and Sarmi.

Phase I of II Australian Corps' advance will be to secure bases on the far side of the Arafura Sea to prepare for an eventual advance into the eastern DEI and NW New Guinea. The estimated launch date of this operation will be late summer-fall 1943.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 340

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/23/2012 3:30:31 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/7-4/8/43

SUBS

SS S-47 sinks xAKL ganges Maru off Aitape.

SS Perch puts a torpedo in TK Okuni Maru near Beaufort.

CENTPAC

Big air battle over Tabiteuea as the Allies try to keep the base open. F4F-3s, F2A-3s and P-40Ks decimate the Oscars and Helens trying to close the AF and interdict Allied shipping. AV Abemarle runs the gauntlet and begins to unload her precious cargo of supplies but in the afternoon another wave of Helens shows up and sinks her:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tabiteuea at 137,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 15
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 15

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 2
F2A-3 Buffalo x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AV Albemarle, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-8 with F4F-3 Wildcat (13 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(13 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
13 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 37500
Raid is overhead
VMF-214 with F2A-3 Buffalo (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 33200
Raid is overhead
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000

When the smoke clears Japan has lost 39 AC in A2A combat vs Allies loses of 11 AC. Individual plane losses include 33 Oscars, 8 Tojos, 13 Helens, 5 F2a-3s, 3 F4F-3s, 3 F4F-4s and 3 P-40Ks.

Only 22 supplies are left at Tabiteuea as the turn ends but transport subs are unloading and transport AC are flying in supplies next turn.

An IJN bombardment TF could easily show up next turn and put Tabiteuea out of its misery but the last time the IJN visited these waters CV Junyo took 2 torpedo hits.....and Dave has spotted most of the dozen or so USN subs in the Gilberts and Marshalls so we will see.

SOPAC

After 2 months of slogging it through the jungles.....XIV US Corps invests Rabaul with its 1900 AV. The artillery will bombard next turn so we can get an idea of exactly what we are facing.

Fifth Air Force levels the level 4 Japanese AF at Manus. With Kavieng and Rabaul airfields closed....we now have complete air superiority over New Britain, the Bismarcks and the Admiralties. The heavy bombers will hit Manus again next turn to close it while the medium bombers will begin to bomb Japanese defensive positions at Rabaul.

Ive brought some CAs and CLs up to Milne Bay to escort the LSTs as we will now begin to unload supplies directly on the beach at mighty Rabaul.

VF-2....based in the Solomons.....becomes the 1st squadron to upgrade to the brand new Hellcats. This is the qualitative superiority Ive been waiting for before we resume the amphibious advances. Not only does the US Navy now field a superior fighter......but F4F-4s should now flood into the replacement pool to fill out our depleted VMF squadrons. The tide of the Air War is about to turn in a major way.

CV Wasp has a repair estimate of 13 days and CV Enterprise has a repair estimate of 17 days. The "Calm before the storm" wont last too much longer......the US carrier force is about to come out of mothballs.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 341

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/24/2012 4:12:50 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/9-4/10/43

SUBS

SS Hoe sinks LB-134 off Vanimo.

SS Pompano sinks SC CHa-42 near Hakodate.

SOPAC

Allied landing craft unload supplies on the beach at rabaul:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Rabaul (106,125)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

127 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Trenton
SC-699
LST-457
LST-464

CL Trenton firing at 15th Base Force
SC-699 fired at enemy troops

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Rabaul (106,125)

TF 378 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 106,125

Japanese and SOPAC troops at Rabaul bombard each other:

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 16886 troops, 148 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 716

Defending force 54571 troops, 925 guns, 1212 vehicles, Assault Value = 1936

Japanese ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
19th Naval Guard Unit
65th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
86th Naval Guard Unit
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
87th Naval Guard Unit
42nd Naval Guard Unit
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
46th Naval Guard Unit
18th Naval Guard Unit
Maizuru 1st SNLF
63rd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
15th Base Force
35th Fld AA Gun Co
6th JNAF Coy
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
5th Base Force /3
44th Field AA Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
55th Field AA Battalion
35th Field AA Battalion
30th Fld AA Gun Co
16th AA Regiment
1st Fleet
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Air Div /1

Defending units:
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
34th Infantry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
145th Infantry Regiment
19th Infantry Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
25th Infantry Division
8th NZ Brigade
4th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1710 troops, 129 guns, 130 vehicles, Assault Value = 1922

Defending force 25807 troops, 354 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 704

Assaulting units:
145th Infantry Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry Division
34th Infantry Regiment
19th Infantry Regiment
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
22nd Marine Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
132nd Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
8th NZ Brigade
98th Field Artillery Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
86th Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
63rd Naval Guard Unit
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
18th Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
Maizuru 1st SNLF
65th Naval Guard Unit
46th Naval Guard Unit
19th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
42nd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
6th JNAF Coy
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
35th Field AA Battalion
15th Base Force
35th Fld AA Gun Co
44th Field AA Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
30th Fld AA Gun Co
5th Base Force /3
1st Fleet
55th Field AA Battalion
16th AA Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Air Div /1

Looks like Dave has about the same size garrison here as he did at Hansa Bay. I was expecting 2 1/2 divisions but as it turns out there are only naval guards and SNLF here....not one regular IJA division. Rabaul should be a much easier nut to crack than Hansa Bay was.

Fifth Air force sends its medium bombers to ground attack the Rabaul garrison while the heavy bombers completely close the AF at Manus....and one of the 4Es shoots down a Tojo.

P-38s sweep Manus and kill a few more Tojos.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS....NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

The B-25D1s at Darwin hit an IJN convoy trying to bring in supplies to Merauke:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Dobo at 85,120

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAKL Tatsuha Maru, Shell hits 7, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
PB Kure Maru #5, Shell hits 9

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

The sooner I take Merauke the better off we will be.

CENTPAC

Another big air battle over Tabiteuea as Dave sends in A6M2s to sweep. Overall Japan loses 26 AC in A2A combat vs 6 Allied AC. Individual losses include 30 A6M2s, 8 Tojos, 4 P-40Ks, 3 F4F-3s and 3 P-38Gs.

I staged in a fresh VMF squadron with F4F-4s to Tabiteuea this turn to cover a couple fast transport TFs that will be arriving with supplies. Hopefully one of these TFs makes it through the Japanese bombers.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 342

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/25/2012 8:21:49 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/11-4/12/43

CENTPAC

Another big air battle over Tabiteuea as fast transport TFs bring in badly needed supplies.

Now that we have over 1000 supplies on the ground I staged in a fresh F4U-1 squadron with legendary Joe Foss.

Dave has been mostly avoiding the Allied air forces over the Admiralties, Bismarcks and New Guinea but Im definitely getting the aerial attrition battle I had been seeking here in the central Pacific. Japan has lost 250-300 AC over Tabiteuea during the last month. Japan has now lost 900 more AC than the Allies.

CV Wasp now has a repair estimate of less than 10 days while CV Enterprise has a repair estimate just under 2 weeks.

SOPAC

LSTs continue to drop supplies on the beach at Rabaul.

All of XIV Corps artillery has now arrived at Rabaul so a deliberate attack is ordered for next turn.

CBI

Eastern Army advances to the Salween River:

Ground combat at 56,54 (near Moulmein)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 138260 troops, 2047 guns, 1983 vehicles, Assault Value = 5357

Defending force 690 troops, 0 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Allied adjusted assault: 2947

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 2947 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 92 (92 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
245 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
22nd (East African) Brigade
13th Indian Brigade
2nd Burma Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
44th Indian Brigade
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
17th Indian Division
111th Chindit Brigade
18th British Division
46th Indian Division
16th Canadian Brigade
31st Infantry Regiment
88th Chinese Division
22nd Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
7th Australian Division
16th British Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
36th Chinese Division
45th Indian Brigade
15th Indian Brigade
6th British Brigade
27th Infantry Division
BFF Brigade
14th British Brigade
29th British Brigade
5th British Brigade
23rd British Brigade
4th British Brigade
9th Australian Division
2/9th Field Regiment
27th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
XXXIII Indian Corps
2/11th Field Regiment
XV Indian Corps
8th Medium Regiment

Defending units:
3rd Tank Regiment

There is a telephone pole of 76 Japanese LCUs staring at me on the other side of the Salweeen in Moulmein.

I will probably call for a complete halt of the Allied advance here as I have achieved my primary objective.....opening the Burma Road....and I am now in very good defensive terrain.

I will pull all of I Australian Corps out of the CBI now and send it back to Oz to join up with II Australian Corps in the advance north from Darwin through the DEI.

The Chinese Red Army in Burma will also be withdrawn....take on replacements until maxed out....and then be sent back to China. The Red Chinese Army will number almost 1500 AV when fully built out.

Large air battle over Rangoon as Japan tries to regain air superiority in this theatre. Between Rangoon and Tabiteuea Japan loses 24 Tojos, 13 Oscars and 5 A6M2s vs Allied losses of 14 P-40Ks,10 Hurricane IIcs, and 5 F4F-4s.

In China....Dave has somehow marched 1800 AV of troops onto Nanning...they must have marched in from Indochina as I didnt see them coming. I only have 600 AV of Chinese at Nanning but more troops are marching in from the railhead at Liuchow.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 6/25/2012 8:22:49 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 343

SOPAC ASSAULTS RABAUL - 6/27/2012 5:01:33 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/13-4/14/43

SOPAC

USN landing craft continue to drop supplies on the beach at Rabaul:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Apr 13, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Rabaul (106,125)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

119 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Leander
SC-522
LST-18
LST-24
LST-19

CL Leander firing at 15th Base Force
SC-522 fired at enemy troops

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Rabaul (106,125)

TF 62 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 106,125

The Tokyo Express shows up at Rabaul and annihilates the Allied amphib TF during a night battle:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 1
DD Yugumo
DD Akigumo

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Shell hits 25, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
SC-522, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LST-18, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
LST-19, Shell hits 27, and is sunk
LST-24, Shell hits 21, and is sunk

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 60% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 26,000 yards...
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 7,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Chikuma at 7,000 yards
DD Akigumo engages LST-24 at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Chikuma at 5,000 yards
CA Tone engages CL Leander at 5,000 yards
DD Akigumo engages LST-24 at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages CL Leander at 2,000 yards
SC-522 sunk by CA Chikuma at 2,000 yards
CL Leander engages DD Yugumo at 2,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages CL Leander at 2,000 yards
Magazine explodes on CL Leander
CL Leander sunk by CA Tone at 2,000 yards
DD Akigumo engages LST-19 at 2,000 yards
LST-19 sunk by DD Yugumo at 2,000 yards
LST-24 sunk by DD Yugumo at 2,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages LST-18 at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages LST-18 at 3,000 yards
CA Tone engages LST-18 at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Akigumo engages LST-18 at 2,000 yards
LST-18 sunk by CA Chikuma at 2,000 yards
LST-18 sunk by CA Chikuma at 2,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

When daylight arrives the B-25D1s get a measure of revenge on the marauding IJN CAs:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kavieng at 106,122

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 13
P-40K Warhawk x 5

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 9, Bomb hits 1
CA Tone, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 3
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 14
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 7

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Another IJN surface TF wipes out some xAKLs unloading at Lihir:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Lihir at 108,124, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma
CL Kiso
DD Tanikaze

Allied Ships
AM Deloraine, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAKL Kahuku, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
xAKL Manini, Shell hits 20, and is sunk

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 60% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
CL Abukuma engages AM Deloraine at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages AM Deloraine at 9,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages xAKL Kahuku at 9,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages xAKL Kahuku at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
AM Deloraine sunk by CL Abukuma at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages xAKL Kahuku at 2,000 yards
xAKL Kahuku sunk by DD Tanikaze at 2,000 yards
DD Tanikaze engages xAKL Manini at 2,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages xAKL Manini at 2,000 yards
DD Tanikaze engages xAKL Manini at 2,000 yards
xAKL Manini sunk by CL Abukuma at 2,000 yards
xAKL Manini sunk by CL Abukuma at 2,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

XIV Corps launches a pair of attacks at Rabaul:

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 52844 troops, 960 guns, 1239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1892

Defending force 25394 troops, 352 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 665

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 2379

Japanese adjusted defense: 455

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2345 casualties reported
Squads: 73 destroyed, 121 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 98 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 60 (26 destroyed, 34 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3309 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 373 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 73 disabled
Guns lost 75 (2 destroyed, 73 disabled)
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)

Assaulting units:
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
19th Infantry Regiment
145th Infantry Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
25th Infantry Division
8th NZ Brigade
209th Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
165th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
86th Naval Guard Unit
42nd Naval Guard Unit
46th Naval Guard Unit
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
65th Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
Maizuru 1st SNLF
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
63rd Naval Guard Unit
18th Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
19th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
16th AA Regiment
55th Field AA Battalion
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
44th Field AA Battalion
35th Fld AA Gun Co
30th Fld AA Gun Co
1st Fleet
15th Base Force
6th JNAF Coy
35th Field AA Battalion
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
50th Field AA Battalion
5th Base Force /3
4th Air Div /1

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 50437 troops, 959 guns, 1240 vehicles, Assault Value = 1539

Defending force 22812 troops, 331 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 475

Allied adjusted assault: 1379

Japanese adjusted defense: 261

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2190 casualties reported
Squads: 73 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 47 (19 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1567 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 173 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 52 disabled
Guns lost 43 (4 destroyed, 39 disabled)

Assaulting units:
19th Infantry Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
145th Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry Division
34th Infantry Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
8th NZ Brigade
209th Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
165th Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
Maizuru 1st SNLF
63rd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
41st Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
46th Naval Guard Unit
42nd Naval Guard Unit
18th Naval Guard Unit
19th Naval Guard Unit
65th Naval Guard Unit
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
5th Base Force /3
55th Field AA Battalion
6th JNAF Coy
30th Fld AA Gun Co
1st Fleet
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
35th Field AA Battalion
15th Base Force
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
16th AA Regiment
35th Fld AA Gun Co
50th Field AA Battalion

The good news is that we were able to get 5:1 odds on the Japanese. The bad news is that SOPAC took disproportionately higher casualties than the Japanese.

I'll rest the infantry next turn and let the artillery bombard away.

CENTPAC

Major air battle over Tabiteuea this turn as Allied fast transport TFs drop off supplies. The Japanese score 4 bomb hits on AV Tangier and she was disbanded in port with heavy damage.

The F4U-1s are dominant in the skiies as Japan loses another 51 Oscars, 40 A6M2s and 7 Helens in air attacks this turn.

Additional fast transport TFs will arrive at Tabiteuea next and it appears as if we might be able to survive the supply crisis here.

Dave is rapidly building up his defenses on Tarawa and Makin however....there are now over 6000 troops on Tarawa and over 4000 troops on Makin.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS....NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Dave laid a trap for the B-25D1s last turn. He sailed BB Ise into range of Darwin.....knowing that 500 lb bombs would bounce off of her....and then LRCAPed her with 30 Oscars and A6M2s:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Babar at 75,117

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 21

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Bomb hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1/C with A6M2 Zero (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead
50th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (21 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
21 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Babar at 76,118

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 71 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 25

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 destroyed

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1/C with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 9 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes
50th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (25 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
25 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead

14 of the 16 B-25D1s were lost and the squadron will now be withdrawn to rest and rebuild.

CBI

Bettys unsuccessfully attack Allied shipping near Rangoon:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 51,53

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
F4U-1 Corsair x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAK Orna
xAK Tornus
xAK Dagfred

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 9000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMD-254 with F4U-1 Corsair (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 36800
Raid is overhead
VMF-112 with F4F-4 Wildcat (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 34000
Raid is overhead
No.111 Sqn RCAF with Hurricane XIIb (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 36000
Raid is overhead

Japan captures Nanning in a surprising 6:1 assault:

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 47604 troops, 444 guns, 379 vehicles, Assault Value = 1789

Defending force 20202 troops, 101 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 607

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1294

Allied adjusted defense: 215

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanning !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SB-III: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 11 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1328 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 76 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled

Allied ground losses:
9257 casualties reported
Squads: 256 destroyed, 110 disabled
Non Combat: 356 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 52 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 39 (33 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Units retreated 10

Assaulting units:
9th Tank Regiment
8th Division
12th Division
38th Division
18th Division
10th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
64th Chinese/C Corps
52nd Chinese/A Corps
65th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese/B Corps
100th Chinese/B Corps
46th Chinese/A Corps
31st Chinese/B Corps
9th Chinese Base Force
35th Group Army
1st Artillery Regiment

A squadron of P-40Ks that was based at Nanning to provide CAP was lost.

Im sure now that this Japanese army crossed the border from Indochina. This previously quiet backwater was the soft underbelly of my China defenses...the road is now open to Liuchow and Japan will be able cut the Chinese railroad that runs from Tuyun to Changsha.

Im railing troops in from all over China as there is virtually nothing in the area that can stand up to the 1800 AV Japanese army. Im flying in an anti-tank gun regiment from Burma and another from Sian to help slow down the IJA armor regiments.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 344

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 6/28/2012 2:33:04 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/15-4/16/43

SUBS

SS I-34 sinks AVD Ballard near Tabiteuea.

SS Snapper puts a torpedo in xAK Montreal Maru by Hengchun.

SS Hoe sinks LB-132 near Aitape.

SS I-176 sinks xAK Yenangyaung off Rangoon.

SS I-160 sinks xAK Pardo off Rangoon.

SS RO-106 sinks xAK Testbank off Rangoon.

CENTPAC

No aerial attacks on Tabiteuea last turn for the 1st time in several weeks due to the drubbing the Japanese air force has received here.

AVD Ballard was on a fast transport mission but was sunk by an IJN before it reached Tabiteuea.

CL Kuma struck 2 mines off Makin.

SOPAC

XIV Corps bombards the Japanese defenders at Rabaul:

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2130 troops, 168 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 1435

Defending force 20780 troops, 312 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 330

Assaulting units:
25th Infantry/B Division
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
25th Infantry/A Division
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
145th Infantry Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
19th Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
8th NZ Brigade
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
25th Infantry/C Division
165th Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
98th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
209th Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
18th Naval Guard Unit
19th Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
63rd Naval Guard Unit
65th Naval Guard Unit
46th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
50th Field AA Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Maizuru 1st SNLF
42nd Naval Guard Unit
35th Fld AA Gun Co
16th AA Regiment
30th Fld AA Gun Co
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
44th Field AA Battalion
86th Naval Guard Unit
15th Base Force
35th Field AA Battalion
55th Field AA Battalion
1st Fleet
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
5th Base Force /3
6th JNAF Coy
4th Air Div /1

LSTs continue to unload supplies on the beach at Rabaul.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS......NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

BB Ise tries to engage Allied shipping near Darwin in a night action:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 76,124, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
DD Uzuki
DD Minazuki

Allied Ships
AM Rail
xAK Steel Seafarer

Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Improved night sighting under 82% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 82% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range increases to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat

After Dave used BB Ise for bait 2 turns ago to wipe out a B-25D1 squadron I staged in a squadron of TBFs to Bathhurst. As daylight breaks....BB Ise is hovering near the northern coast of Australia and is hit hard by Marine TBs:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Babar at 75,119

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 25

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 24
TBF-1 Avenger x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 6 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1/C with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
50th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 25 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes

Im not sure if Bb Ise will sink from this damage so every Allied sub in the area will be vectored to intercept the IJN battleship on its way back to port.

CBI

The Chinese reinforcements to Nanning arrive a day too late to stop the big Japanese assault but just in time to get creamed by the Japanese army there:

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37852 troops, 371 guns, 364 vehicles, Assault Value = 1678

Defending force 2647 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 113

Japanese adjusted assault: 665

Allied adjusted defense: 15

Japanese assault odds: 44 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
273 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
900 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 109 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Division
9th Tank Regiment
12th Division
38th Division
8th Division
10th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
46th Chinese/B Corps

Japan launches another attack just outside of Kanhsien:

Ground combat at 82,57 (near Kanhsien)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6543 troops, 44 guns, 184 vehicles, Assault Value = 274

Defending force 11614 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Japanese adjusted assault: 79

Allied adjusted defense: 257

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
109 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
457 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Tank Regiment
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Recon Battalion

Defending units:
71st Chinese/A Corps
14th Chinese/C Corps
49th Chinese/C Corps

A 1:3 attack in good defensive terrain but the Chinese suffer extreme casualties from the IJA armor. With this attack and the previous loss of Nanning the Chinese are in dangaer of Losing Kukong and Wuchow as well as Liuchow....our entire defensive position is southern China could collapse. Im thinking of sending some SEAC troops to China to deal with the menace of Japanese armor.

Dave intercepts an Allied convoy carrying supplies to Rangoon:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,54, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato
BB Musashi
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
xAK Nurani, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAK Orna, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAK Pardo
xAK Testbank, Shell hits 2
xAK Tornus, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yenangyaung
xAK Dagfred, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAK Ima, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
YMS BYMS-2005, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
YMS BYMS-2006, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Low visibility due to Rain with 82% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 82% moonlight: 4,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 4,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 4,000 yards
YMS BYMS-2006 sunk by BB Musashi at 4,000 yards
YMS BYMS-2005 sunk by BB Yamato at 4,000 yards
BB Yamato engages xAK Ima at 4,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAK Ima at 4,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAK Orna at 4,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAK Nurani at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
xAK Ima sunk by BB Yamato at 6,000 yards
BB Yamato engages xAK Testbank at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
BB Musashi engages xAK Dagfred at 4,000 yards
BB Yamato engages xAK Tornus at 4,000 yards
DD Ushio engages xAK Tornus at 4,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAK Testbank at 4,000 yards
xAK Orna sunk by BB Yamato at 4,000 yards
xAK Nurani sunk by BB Musashi at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
xAK Dagfred sunk by BB Yamato at 3,000 yards
BB Musashi engages xAK Tornus at 3,000 yards
DD Shiratsuyu engages xAK Testbank at 3,000 yards
xAK Tornus sunk by BB Musashi at 3,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

As posted above the 3 IJN subs in the area finish off 3 of the survivors from this TF.

I almost think this loss of ships and materiel was worth it for the intel it provides. Dave has already lost 6 BBs and now BB Ise has been seriously damaged. That leaves 5 BBs total for Japan....and her 2 most powerful BBs are in the Andaman Sea. That means that my upcoming CENTPAC and SOPAC offensives can only be countered by a max of 3 IJN BBs.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 345

SOPAC RESUMES THE OFFENSIVE - 6/30/2012 4:04:46 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/17-4/18/43

SUBS

SS S-46 sinks LB-125 off Vanimo.

SS Shad sinks xAK Nitiai Maru near Ailinglaplap.

SS I-37 sinks xAKL Santa Ana by Rangoon.

CENTPAC

Quiet in the Gilberts and Marshalls. No air battles over Tabiteuea for a few turns....Dave is probably tired of being on the wrong end of the aerial attrition. We now have over 2000 supplies at Tabiteuea.

SIGINT reports that CL Kuma sank near Makin from striking the 2 mines.

I staged in a VMSB squadron with SBD-3s to Tabiteuea in case Japanese surface TFs come back.

The Japanese are building up rapidly now at Tarawa....there are over 8000 troops there now....virtually all brought in by transport AC.

CBI

With the halt of Eastern Army on the Salween River.....its not so critical to mass supplies in Rangoon. Dave has commited a huge force to stop Allied resupply by sea....BB Yamato and BB Musashi and a half dozen subs.....but we seem to be able to draw supplies down the coast road from Chittagong-Cox's Bazaar-Akyab-Prome so I will suspend the naval resupply operations.

Instead...Ive changed the arrows to draw most of the supply in Burma to Mandalay and from there I hope to draw it into China.

Dave continues the push on Kanhsien. He uses most of the IJAAF in China to bomb Chinese defensive positions in front of Kansien and launched another assault this turn:

Ground combat at 82,57 (near Kanhsien)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6361 troops, 44 guns, 184 vehicles, Assault Value = 248

Defending force 11070 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 277

Japanese adjusted assault: 182

Allied adjusted defense: 187

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
657 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
448 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Tank Regiment
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Recon Battalion

Defending units:
14th Chinese/C Corps
71st Chinese/A Corps
49th Chinese/C Corps
NCAC
57th AT Gun Regiment

I had just managed to reinforce the position with an anti-tank regiment but they didnt seem to knock out any tanks last turn. As usual....I have reinforcements on the way but its a question if I can hold out until the calvary arrives. Im going to LRCAP this defensive position next turn with nearly 100 fighters so we should see a pretty big air battle next turn. If Dave wins this ground battle near Kanhsien I will have to withdraw from Wuchow and face the prospect of a Japanese advance on Kukong from 3 directions.

All the heavy bombers of Tenth Air Force are now based in China and they will target the Japanese outside of Kanhsien next turn.

SOPAC RESUMES THE OFFENSIVE

Dave sent his CLs down to Rabaul to hammer an Allied landing craft TF unloading on the beach there:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Yura
CL Kinu
E Hayabusa

Allied Ships
DM Gamble, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-454, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
LST-456, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-458, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 29,000 yards
Range closes to 27,000 yards...
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Okuma, Masakichi crosses the 'T'
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 19,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-454 at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 17,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages LST-454 at 17,000 yards
Massive explosion on LST-454
CL Yura engages LST-454 at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 15,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-454 at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 11,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-456 at 11,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-454 at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 7,000 yards
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 7,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-454 at 7,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 7,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-458 at 7,000 yards
DM Gamble engages E Hayabusa at 7,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-454 at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 6,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-458 at 6,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages DM Gamble at 6,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages LST-454 at 6,000 yards
Massive explosion on DM Gamble
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 6,000 yards
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 6,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-456 at 6,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages LST-454 at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 5,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-456 at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-458 at 3,000 yards
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 3,000 yards
DM Gamble engages E Hayabusa at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 2,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-458 at 2,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages LST-456 at 2,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-458 at 2,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-458 at 2,000 yards
DM Gamble engages E Hayabusa at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 4,000 yards
LST-458 sunk by CL Yura at 4,000 yards
E Hayabusa engages DM Gamble at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-456 at 9,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-456 at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 15,000 yards
CL Kinu engages LST-456 at 15,000 yards
CL Yura engages DM Gamble at 15,000 yards
DM Gamble engages E Hayabusa at 15,000 yards
Range increases to 19,000 yards
CL Kinu engages DM Gamble at 19,000 yards
CL Yura engages LST-456 at 19,000 yards
Okuma, Masakichi orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 24,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...

This was a daylight surface battle but none of the 60 SBD-3s stationed next door at Feni Is. attempted to intercept the IJN surface TF.

Ive been sending the landing craft TFs to Rabaul for the last couple of weeks to get Dave used to seeing landing craft TFs in the area. I had 2 landing craft TFs waiting just south of Rabaul that were blending in with the Rabaul resupply TFs...but these landing craft TFs were loaded with the US Army 108th Regiment instead of supplies....and this turn they assaulted Kavieng:

Pre-Invasion action off Kavieng (106,122)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

15 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
SC PC-1077
APA President Polk

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

SC PC-1077 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Kavieng (106,122)

TF 352 troops unloading over beach at Kavieng, 106,122

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Kavieng (106,122)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

15 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
LST-21
LST-23
DD Abbot

CL De Ruyter firing at 20th JNAF AF Unit
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Kavieng (106,122)

TF 397 troops unloading over beach at Kavieng, 106,122

Allied ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Kavieng (106,122)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

17 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Ceres
LST-459
LST-465
DD Conway

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CL Ceres firing at 20th JNAF AF Unit
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Kavieng (106,122)

TF 399 troops unloading over beach at Kavieng, 106,122

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Surprise was complete and absolute here. USN carriers stayed in port and the entire amphibious operation was LRCAPed by over 100 Hellcats, F4F-4s and F4U-1s based at Lihir.

The 108th Regiment will assault the Japanese on Kavieng next turn.

XIV Corps at Rabaul bombarded again:

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2130 troops, 169 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 1523

Defending force 20666 troops, 308 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 324

Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
22nd Marine Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry/A Division
132nd Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry/B Division
112th Cavalry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
19th Infantry Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
145th Infantry Regiment
8th NZ Brigade
25th Infantry/C Division
4th Field Artillery Battalion
165th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
209th Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
97th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
46th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
63rd Naval Guard Unit
19th Naval Guard Unit
18th Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
42nd Naval Guard Unit
65th Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
86th Naval Guard Unit
44th Field AA Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
35th Fld AA Gun Co
6th JNAF Coy
55th Field AA Battalion
35th Field AA Battalion
5th Base Force /3
Maizuru 1st SNLF
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
1st Fleet
15th Base Force
16th AA Regiment
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment

A deliberate assault will be ordered next turn.

CV Wasp has 3 days remaining to complete repairs at Auckland. CV Enterprise has 7 days remaining to complete her repairs at Sydney. Another VF squadron converts over to Hellcats.

The calm before the storm is almost over.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 346

THE AIR WAR - 7/2/2012 3:56:18 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/19/43.......THE AIR WAR

Its been quite some time since I posted on the Air War but Dave is on vacation this week so the turns are slow.

Japan has now lost 8600 AC to 7655 Allied AC or about 12% more AC. In A2A combat....Japan has lost 3966 AC vs Allied losses of 3317 AC or about 18% more.

Here is a screeenshot of Japanese plane losses by type. Notice that the Tojo has jumped in front of the Nate and now has the 3rd most losses of any Japanese plane type.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 7/2/2012 5:04:16 AM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 347

THE AIR WAR - 7/2/2012 3:53:50 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/19/43....THE AIR WAR

Here is a screenshot of Allied aircraft losses by plane type. The F4F-4 has moved up into 3rd place as VF and VMF squadrons have been carrying on the bulk of the fighting in SWPAC and SOPAC due to the current shortage of US Army fighters. The P-40E and P-39D losses should be nearly frozen in place as both are now out of production.

The C-47 has moved up into 4th place with nearly all their losses due to ops. I expect the C-47 to be at the top of the list by mid 1944.

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Post #: 348

THE AIR WAR - 7/3/2012 6:05:01 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/19/43......THE AIR WAR

I've attached a screenshot of the top Allied pilots to date. I was a bit surprised that 19 of the top 23 pilots were USAAF but maybe that helps to explain why I have severe shortages of all USAAF fighter plane types. I was also surprised to see a half dozen Chinese aces on page 2 and 3 of the roster. There are also some VMF and VF pilots that are rising stars and it will only be a matter of time until they reach the 1st page of the roster.

One squadron really stands out for "Top Gun" status...the USAAF 18thFG/78thFS that has done the bulk of the fighting over Tabiteuea. There are 20 pilots left in that squadron....7 are double aces and 5 are aces. I can't wait to upgrade these boys to P-47D2s.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 7/3/2012 7:07:40 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 349

SOPAC CAPTURES RABAUL - 7/5/2012 4:37:46 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

45/19-4/20/43

SUBS

SS S-27 sinks LB-501 near Aitape.

SS Amberjack puts a torpedo in TK Kaijo Maru off Taytay.

SWPAC

The B-25D1s hammer a small IJN convoy off Aitape:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Aitape at 95,118

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 36
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 33

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 6 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAKL Tensyo Maru, Shell hits 10, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Meiko Maru, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (33 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
33 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
24th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (36 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
36 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead

There still seems to be a lot of Japanese naval activity off the coast of New Guinea by Aitape.

Ive sent in several seabee units to Madang by xAPs and now they are furiously building up the airfields and ports at Madang and Hansa Bay.

CENTPAC

Dave resumes the aerial assault on Tabiteuea with Helens escorted by Oscars.

The airfield at Tabiteuea remains open as Japan loses 52 AC in A2A combat vs 21 Allied AC. Individual plane losses this turn include 49 Oscars, 12 Helens, 5 Tojos, 5 Nicks, 17 P-40Ks, 8 F4F-4s and 5 B-25D1s.

The 18thFG/78thFS fighter squadron on Tabiteuea lost 3 P-40Ks in the air battle but all 20 pilots survived. Of those 20 pilots....there is now 1 triple ace, 6 double aces and 7 aces. Of the 6 remaining pilots....3 are one kill short of being an ace.

SOPAC

Big turn for SOPAC. First...the US Army 108th Regiment captures Kavieng with a pair of shock attacks:

Ground combat at Kavieng (106,122)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3596 troops, 76 guns, 95 vehicles, Assault Value = 125

Defending force 1281 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Allied adjusted assault: 214

Japanese adjusted defense: 25

Allied assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kavieng !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
108th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
18th Garrison Unit /2
20th JNAF AF Unit
36th Const Co
C./50th JNAF Coy

Ground combat at Kavieng (106,122)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3582 troops, 76 guns, 95 vehicles, Assault Value = 123

Defending force 1073 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 14

Allied adjusted assault: 95

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 95 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), morale(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
311 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
108th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
18th Garrison Unit /2
C./50th JNAF Coy
20th JNAF AF Unit
36th Const Co /1

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

C./50th JNAF Coy Wiped Out at Kavieng by attrition!!!

Japanese Unit(s) Wiped Out at Kavieng by attrition!!!

Then.....XIV Corps captures Rabaul in final massive assault:

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 49063 troops, 960 guns, 1229 vehicles, Assault Value = 1555

Defending force 20291 troops, 305 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 289

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 1618

Japanese adjusted defense: 207

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
5819 casualties reported
Squads: 254 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 336 destroyed, 80 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 147 (140 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 121 (121 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 28
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
1296 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 117 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 34 (1 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Units pursuing 1

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
19th Infantry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
112th Cavalry Regiment
145th Infantry Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry Division
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
164th Infantry Regiment
Fiji Brigade
22nd Marine Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
8th NZ Brigade
4th Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
209th Field Artillery Battalion
XIV US Corps
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
165th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
42nd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF
46th Naval Guard Unit
19th Naval Guard Unit
18th Naval Guard Unit
41st Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
65th Naval Guard Unit
63rd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
55th Field AA Battalion
86th Naval Guard Unit
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
5th Base Force /3
35th Fld AA Gun Co
16th AA Regiment
8th Indpt SNLF Coy
50th Field AA Battalion
51st Air Defense AA Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Base Force
35th Field AA Battalion
44th Field AA Battalion
5th Air Defense AA Regiment
30th Fld AA Gun Co
1st Fleet
Maizuru 1st SNLF
6th JNAF Coy
4th Air Div /1

The surviving Japanese troops from Rabaul....28 LCUs with over 250 AV...are retreated into the jungles of New Guinea. Im going to try to trap and kill the remaining Japanese troops here before XIV Corps moves on to its next objective.

This brings the SOPAC campaign for New Britain to a close. XIV Corps landed at Gasmata in January 1943 and it has taken over 3 months to march on Rabaul and secure it. Rabaul is perhaps my favorite anchorage in the Pacific for the Allies west of Pearl Harbor. Although it can only be enlarged to a level 8 AF and a level 7 port....it is easy to defend against a Japanese carrier strike as it is surrounded by the island barrier of the Bismarcks, Admiralties and the northern Solomons.

Fifth Air Force had been very busy the last 6 months trying to neutralize the large(size 4 or larger) Japanese airfields at Rabaul, Kavieng and Manus. Now in one turn.....SOPAC captures 2 of those AFs. Now only the level 4 AF at Manus and the level 1 AF at Mussau remain. There are no more Japanese airfields in range to the north or east of Rabaul so Fifth Air Force can now turn its attention to the chain of Japanese airfields on the north coast of New Guinea.

Rabaul will be our main forward base in the Pacific now until Babeldaob is captured. Allied xAPs and xAKs now will be extremely busy as we move all the troops, base forces, engineers, supplies and fuel from the rear area SOPAC bases at Noumea and Luganville to Rabaul. As XIV Corps mops up the Japanese stragglers on New Britain the troops will begin preparing for their next objectives in the Carolines and Paulaus. We can now pretty much strip most of our rear area bases in the Solomons, the Solomon Sea and the Coral Sea to provide engineers and base forces for our next round of advances.

CV Wasp will complete repairs this next turn and CV Enterprise will complete her repairs in 5 days.

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(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 350

GILBERTS TURKEY SHOOT - 7/8/2012 5:07:10 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/21-4/22/43

CBI

Quiet in Burma as I have halted Eastern Army north of the Salween River.

I have 2000 AV of Eastern Army forces....mostly armor and mechanized....plus over 1000 AV of the Red Chinese Army on the march from Lashio into China to help restore the situation there.

Ive shut off the supply draw arrows in Rangoon and all the bases on the Indo-Burmese border....and turned on the supply draw arrows around Mandalay and central Burma....and now supply at Rangoon is down to 25,000 while the Mandalay/Shwebo/Meiktila complex in central Burma now has over 60,000 supplies. Next turn Im shutting down the supply draw arrows in central Burma and turning them on in western China and we will see how much supply I can suck into China.

Dave has momentarily halted his offensives at Nanning and Kanhsien....it looks like he has pulled troops out of Nanning and is bringing in reinforcements to Kanhsien before he resumes his advance on Kukong from the east. Another IJA force has left Canton and is advancing on Kukong from the south.

Heavy bombers from Tenth Air Force.....now mostly based at Chungking....pound Japanese positions to the east and SE of Kukong.

Quiet in central and northern China.

SOPAC

SOPAC launches a couple more 100:1 attacks at Kavieng in an attempt to clear out the remaining IJA defenders there.

Construction engineers and base forces stream into both kavieng and Rabaul. Kavieng AF becomes operational this turn and Allied fighters are staged in. The AF and port at Rabaul are still repairing damage and Im using amphibious lift to bring in more seabees.

SOPAC captures the last remaining Japanese base on New Britain with an armored attack on Talasea:

Ground combat at Talasea (103,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 765 troops, 3 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 63

Defending force 577 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Allied adjusted assault: 60

Japanese adjusted defense: 5

Allied assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Talasea !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Japanese ground losses:
78 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
766th Tank Battalion

Defending units:
3rd Engineer Construction Battalion
25th Air Flotilla /1

GILBERTS TUREKEY SHOOT

Dave goes _all in_ this turn in an attempt to shut down the CENTPAC AF at Tabiteuea. I staged in a 2nd VMF squadron with F4U-1s this last turn and they were faced with an immediate onslaught of Japanese land based and carrier based AC.

First.....Japan hits Tabiteuea with fighters and bombers based in the Gilberts and marshalls:

Morning Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 17 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 17
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
F4U-1 Corsair x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 2 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 30000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 2 on standby, 2 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34000 , scrambling fighters between 24000 and 34000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 6 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 29000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 6 scrambling)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes

Morning Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
F4U-1 Corsair x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 14 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 31000 and 33000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 26000 and 33000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 2 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 33000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 2 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34000 , scrambling fighters between 28000 and 34000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Tabiteuea at 137,134

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 4 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 7
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
F4U-1 Corsair x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAK Tai Yin, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 58 minutes
5 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
(11 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 19000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 58 minutes
3 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 4000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34000 , scrambling fighters to 32270.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 17
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 10

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 5
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
F4U-1 Corsair x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Ki-49-Ia Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 31000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 58 minutes
14 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 34000
Raid is overhead
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tabiteuea at 137,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 6
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 14
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1
F4U-1 Corsair x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 11 on standby, 2 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
10 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 5 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 4 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
11 planes vectored on to bombers

Then Dave sends in the KB in an attempt to overwhelm the exhausted Allied fighter squadrons:

Afternoon Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 132
B5N2 Kate x 24
D3A1 Val x 45

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 14
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1
F4U-1 Corsair x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 16 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
DD Kilty, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
15 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 36000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
VMF-212 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34000 , scrambling fighters to 7000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 36800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 7 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 52 minutes

Also attacking Tabiteuea ...
Also attacking Tabiteuea ...
Also attacking Tabiteuea ...
Also attacking Tabiteuea ...
Also attacking Tabiteuea ...
Also attacking Tabiteuea ...

Afternoon Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 41 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A1 Val x 23

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 5
F4U-1 Corsair x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 11 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 21000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
3 planes vectored on to bombers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Tabiteuea , at 137,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 100 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
D3A1 Val x 18

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4U-1 Corsair x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Runway hits 9

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VMF-122 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters to 11000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-441 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36800 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
18th FG/78th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers

When the smoke has cleared Japan has lost an astounding 142 AC in A2A combat vs 14 Allied AC. Overall this turn....Japan loses 176 AC vs 36 Allied AC. Individual plane losses include 105 A6M2s, 29 Vals, 21 Oscars, 14 Helens, 9 Sallys, 5 Tojos, 9 F4U-1s, 6 F4F-4s, 6 P-40Ks and 3 SBD-3s destoyed on the ground.

Nine of the 36 pilots of VMF-122 and VMF-441 reach ace status this turn and 3 more pilots of 18thFG/78thFS become aces. VMF-441 now has 15 aces out of 18 pilots on its roster while VMF-122 has 7 aces out of 17 pilots on its roster and 18thFG/78thFS has 14 aces out of 17 pilots on its roster.

I didnt think that Dave would sortie KB to protect Makin and Tarawa in the Gilberts but here he has commited KB to just to help reduce the CENTPAC base at Tabiteuea. I have over a dozen subs currently patrolling the Marshalls and Gilberts and this turn I will send another dozen subs to the area. Dave lost CV Junyo to a USN sub when KB last sailed these waters in March 1943 so I am very surprised to see KB return now.

Japan has at least carrier equality at this point in the war and usually has a slight carrier superiority. The biggest deterrent to an Allied amphibious advance at this stage of the war is Japan's ability to hide KB in its interior lines only to suddenly appear when the Allies begin an offensive. Here.... Japan has exposed KB for little gain just as the Allies were about to launch their next amphibious advance.

CV Wasp completes her repairs this turn at Auckland and leaves port for the south Pacific. CV Enterprise has a repair estimate of 3 days. I was just getting ready to load USMC assault forces for Makin and Tarawa but I am now reconsidering. Even though CV Junyo has been sunk and Dave lost the equivalent of another CV deckload of A6M2s and Vals last turn...recon shows that his carriers still carry over 260 fighters and 320 bombers. The level 4 AF at Tarawa and the level 3 AF at Makin hold another 200 fighters and bombers and of course Nells and Bettys could be staged in at a moments notice.

To borrow an old football cliche I think in a situation like this you have to "take what the defense gives you" or to borrow a Civil War cliche...."hit 'em where they aint". The resumption of the CENTPAC offensive into the Gilberts may need to be put on hold for just a bit.

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Post #: 351

RE: GILBERTS TURKEY SHOOT - 7/14/2012 3:28:33 PM

House Stark

Posts: 184
Joined: 4/30/2011
Status: offline

*bump*

This AAR is far too good to languish on the second/third page. Hope it gets resumed soon.

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Post #: 352

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 7/14/2012 7:56:00 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

Thanx House Stark....Dave was on vacation last week and I just received my 1st turn back in a week.

4/23-4/24/43

SUBS

SS S-42 sinks LB-102 near Aitape.

SS Seal sinks PB Tokihima Maru near balikpappan.

CBI

Quiet in Burma.

The supply draw from Burma into China is working very well. Two weeks ago I had maybe 13,000 supplies in Chungking and 5000 supplies at Changsha but now there are over 33,000 supplies at Chungking and 12,000 supplies at Changsha.

Dave really likes to make use of his ports on the Chinese coast to move troops around. His thrust on Nanning has suddenly halted and now there is a force of 7 LCUs marching from Canton to Wuchow. I wouldnt be surprised if the 7 LCUs are 7 divisions that Dave shipped in by sea to Canton.

Im evacuating Wuchow now under the cover of Tenth Air Force as massed heasvy bombers and 3 squadrons of Vengeance DBs will hit the IJA forces advancing in clear terrain on Wuchow.

P-38s based at Rangoon sweep Bangkok. Ive received numerous reports over the last few turns of AA gun units being shipped to Bangkok so Dave is expecting me to eventually unleash a massive aerial bombardment here.

SOPAC

Allied armor at Talasea launch a 27:1 attack on the remaining Japanese troops in the hex.

Seabees and BFs continue to flow into Kavieng and Rabaul. The port and AF at Rabaul are still being repaired. Im in the process of shipping 2 USN base forces to Rabaul as I will need their naval support to unload all the troops and supplies there for future operations.

CENTPAC

With 4 IJN air combat TFs in the Gilberts last turn I was expecting a naval bombardment of Tabiteuea this turn so I evacuated the 2 F4U-1 squadrons back to Lunga. However...all was quiet last turn as KB was last seen withdrawing to the NW.....a probable destination of Truk. KB should reach Truk this next turn and rebuild her decimated carrier groups. No aerial bombardment of Tabiteuea this turn as Japanese land based bombers lick their wounds.

Allied BBs and carriers continue to mass in the south Pacific as plans go forward for an amphibious assault in the Gilberts. CV Enterprise will complete repairs at Sydney next turn and then she will rejoin the fleet.

Ive posted a screenshot of Japanese bases in the Gilberts and Marshalls. The operational plan for the CENTPAC invasion of the Gilberts calls for neutralization of the Japanese AFs at Tarawa and Makin on D-Day minus one. That still leaves 2 level 4 AFs and 2 level 3 AFs in the Marshalls that Dave can use for naval bombers. Dave can stage in land based Vals and Kates to Mili and Wotje and Netties to Maloelap and Roi-Namur.

When I began planning for the resumption of the Gilberts offensive 3 months ago I didnt think that Dave would commit the Combined Fleet here to defend such a peripheral target. Now Im starting to have some reservations about this entire operation. Im going to proceed with the offensive preparations for the moment but I need to get some long range recon over the Marshalls before I completely commit to going forward.

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Post #: 353

RE: CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 7/14/2012 10:51:10 PM

Wirraway_Ace

Posts: 1400
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Austin / Brisbane
Status: offline

I cannot understand why the continued Japanese attempts to suppress Tibiteuea. While it is an important base for beginning an Allied offensive in the Gilberts, with Lae and Rabual in MacArthur's hands, the Gilberts are now only a side show.

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Post #: 354

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 7/16/2012 12:43:45 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

Wirrayway_Ace...I completely agree with you in regards to Japan's efforts to neutralize Tabiteuea while the Allies buildup at Rabaul, Lae, Madang, Hansa Bay and Kavieng.

Besides the latter 4 bases being more of a threat to Japan than any possible Allied actions in the Gilberts.....the CENTPAC move into both the Gilberts and the Marshalls is strictly diversionary.....I guess that Ive created a pretty good diversion.

4/25-4/28/43

CBI

Dave naval bombards Rangoon with CAs that sail up the Irrawaddy River and then naval bombards Pegu with BB Yamato and BB Musashi:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Apr 25, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Rangoon at 54,53

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 23 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Vildebeest III: 11 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 3 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed on ground
Catalina I: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Haguro
DD Ushio
DD Kawakaze

Allied ground losses:
157 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Light Industry hits 1
Airbase hits 10
Runway hits 39
Port hits 3

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CA Haguro
CA Haguro firing at Rangoon
DD Ushio firing at Rangoon
DD Kawakaze firing at Rangoon

Night Naval bombardment of Pegu at 55,53

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
BB Yamato
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Hatsuzuki

Allied ground losses:
174 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 50 (30 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 17
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 5

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Musashi
BB Musashi firing at Pegu
BB Yamato firing at Pegu
DD Shiratsuyu firing at Pegu
DD Hatsuzuki firing at 111th Chindit Brigade

The Allies lose a few planes on the ground at Rangoon. I have 2 squadrons of PBYs at Rangoon plus a squadron of Vildebeest TBs but not only dont the TBs launch a strike on the IJN bombardment TFs but the PBYs dont spot either TF.

Thats ok though as I have confirmation of Japan's 2 most powerful BBs in the Andaman Sea. I have upcoming amphibious assaults for CENTPAc, SOPAC and II Australian Corps and its nice to know that the IJN's most powerful ships are haplessly sailing around in B.F. Egypt.

On the other side of the coin...SIGINT reports that BB Ise was not sunk when it was hit by 3 torpedoes from Avengers. That means Japan still has 6 BBs but I dont expext to see Bb Ise back at sea until 1944.

In China....IJA troops invest Wuchow. Im still trying to evacuate the hex and I have the heavy bombers of Tenth Air Force plus RAF DBs bombing the IJA units at Wuchow.

SOPAC

Rabaul has completed repairs of its AF and port facilities and we have landed 2 USN BFs and a USN Port Service engineer unit so there is now 230 naval support there for future unloading.

XIV Corps LCUs close in on the remaining Japanese stragglers in the jungle outside of Rabaul. Fifth Air Force medium bombers hit the IJA troops on New Britain every turn while the heavy bombers have been suppressing Japanese level 4 AFs at both Wewak and Aitape.

SOPAC armor clears out the remaining IJA troops at Talasea.

CENTPAC

The largest concentration of Allied capital ships in the war....7 CVs, 8 CVEs, 1 CVL, 14 BBs and over a score of CAs mass and refuel about 400 miles to the NE of Espirutu Santo in preparation for the upcoming Gilberts offensive.

Ive attached a csreenshot of Japanese bases in the Marshalls and Gilberts after doing a lot of long range recon and it appears as if Dave has turned Maloelap into a large Netty nest....and thats all before staging additional AC in once Dave discovers my TFs.

I dont want to expose my fleet carriers to both KB and the Netties so I will need to figure out a way to both cover my amphibious TFs in the Gilberts _AND_ intercept any IJN carriers that may arrive from Truk.

I consider the USN CVEs to be expendable but the CVs are very precious.

I staged in the 2 VMF F4U-1 squadrons and a P-40k squadron back to Tabiteuea to cover a massive resupply effort next turn with both xAKs and LSTs. Ive turned the base building back on at Tabiteuea as I want a level 5 4E base here before I invade in the Gilberts. The operational plan now is to neutralize both Tarawa and Makin with naval bombardments on D-Day minus one while heavy bombers based at Tabiteuea will try to suppress Maloelap.

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(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 355

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 7/17/2012 7:02:16 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

4/29-4/30-43

SUBS

SS Haddock sinks SC CHa-4 off Hakodate.

CBI

Despite a heavy aerial bombardment by Tenth Air Force heavy bombers and RAF DBs.....IJA troops capture Wuchow.

Dave is now rolling up my line in eastern China all the way from Wuchow to Hangchow. Kukong will now be threatened from 3 directions and Nanchang may eventually need to be evacuated.

Most Chinese LCUs are now taking on replacements as supplies continue to flow from central Burma into China.

CENTPAC

Japanese naval search spots 2 USN BBs in the massive amphibious armada that is formimg up near Santa Cruz Island. Dave's closest operational airfield is 18 hexes away so his naval search is spotting me at extreme range. Surprise has now been lost with USN amphibious assault transports still 21 hexes away from their target at Makin atoll(3 days sail).

Japan has pretty close to carrier parity with the Allies at this point of the war so risking an opposed amphibious assault deep in enemy waters is risky enough....but facing IJN carriers and also land based AC from the six level 3 and level 4 Japanese AFs in range of Makin is borderline suicidal. I havent seemn any Nells or Bettys for at least 6 months so I know that Dave has been hoarding them for a special occasion.

Im going to postpone the opposed assault on Makin and instead capture another small, undefended atoll that can be built up into a large AF that can soften up Japanese defensive positions in the Gilberts and Marshalls(in conjunction with the AF at Tabiteuea) before Allied carriers are committed so deeply into hostile waters.

The problem with invading the Gilberts or the Marshalls is their relative isolation....Allied TFs can be spotted well before they can engage Japanese forces in those archipelagos.

On the other hand....there is so much Allied shipping in the Solomon Sea bringing troops and supplies to New Guinea, New Britain and the Bismarcks that Allied amphib TFs can "blend in" with all the other "background noise" and not be seen for what they really are until its too late.

To use another tired football cliche here Im going to now "stretch the defense"....II Australian Corps will conduct amphib ops on the southern coast of New Guinea and also in the Banda Sea while SOPAC will continue amphib ops in the Bismarcks and Admiralties so that Dave is not quite so focused on the Gilberts.

I will have 2 new Essex Class CVs plus a CVL and 2 more CVEs by late July so I may push back the assaults on Tarawa and Makin until then.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 7/17/2012 7:04:03 PM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 356

CALM BEFORE THE STORM - 7/19/2012 5:46:57 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

5/1-5/2/43

SUBS

SS Grayling torpedoes xAP Kashima Maru near Jesselton.

SS Perch sinks SS I-162 off Denpaser.....I believe this is the 3rd IJN sub that Allied subs have sunk in the war.

CBI

Japan continues its advance on Kukong and Nanchang in south central China.

Tenth Air Force P-38s based at Rangoon continue high altitude sweeps over Bangkok.

CENTPAC

A small USN amphib TF captures Vaitupu south of the Gilberts. I dont like allowing Dave to hold small bases deep behind Allied lines that can be used for float plane naval search. Baker Is. is another one of these small bases on my "to do" list to pacify.

Additional long ranged Japanese naval search AC spot Allied invasion forces SW of the Gilberts. I sent most of the invasion forces earmarked for Makin back to base at Noumea last turn after being spotted. Next turn we will invade and capture Abemama and that will give us a 2nd base in the southern Gilberts that in conjunction with Tabiteuea can help neutralize Japanese bases farther to the north.

A massive resupply op lands at Tabiteuea this turn and now we have 13,000 supplies at this important forward base.

SIGINT

I received SIGINT this turn that CV Junyo was not sunk as previously reported. Its unfortunate that BB Ise survived 3 torpedoes and CV Junyo survived 2 torpedoes as both ships were pretty far away from a friendly port when they were hit.

At least CV Junyo will be out for the war until late 1943.

SOPAC

The massive buildup continues at Rabaul as construction engineers and BFs pour into the base.

The 28,000 survivors from the former Japanese garrison at Rabaul have been cornered in the jungles west of Rabaul and elements of XIV US Corps are closing in on them.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS GOES ON THE OFFENSIVE

Ive attached a screenshot of eastern New Guinea showing Japanese bases across the region. While SWPAC has been advancing along the northern coast of New Guinea and Fifth Air Force has been neutralizing Japanese AFs at Manus and on the north coast of New Guinea ....Dave has quietly flown in construction troops and BFs at both Merauke and Terapo on the southern coast of New Guinea. Merauke has even been enlarged to a level 2 AF allowing Dave to pursue offensive air ops here if he chooses.

Next turn II Australian Corps will go on the offensive for the 1st time in the war to invade at both Merauke and Terapo. Unlike in the Gilberts....i have so much shipping in this area that Dave has not ID'ed my amphib TFs and they should land unmolested next turn. LRCAP will be flown over the invasion beaches from both Horn Is. and Port Moresby.

Once these 2 Japanese AFs have been taken the SLOC from eastern Australian to Darwin will be secured and II Australian Corps will be free to begin conducting amphib ops in the Banda Sea north of Darwin.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 7/19/2012 5:48:38 AM >

(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 357

THE STORM ARRIVES - 7/21/2012 6:05:35 PM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

5/3-5/4/43

NEW GUINEA

II Australian Corps invades at Merauke and Terapo on the southern coast of New Guinea:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 03, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Merauke (89,124)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

23 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Humphreys
APA President Polk

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

APD Humphreys fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Merauke (89,124)

TF 27 troops unloading over beach at Merauke, 89,124

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Merauke (89,124)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Humphreys
APA President Polk

APD Humphreys fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

Pre-Invasion action off Terapo (96,127)

Allied Ships
AP McCawley
LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe
APA La Salle
DD Whipple

AP McCawley firing at 4th Base Force
AP McCawley fired at enemy troops
LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe fired at enemy troops
APA La Salle fired at enemy troops
AP McCawley fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Terapo (96,127)

TF 437 troops unloading over beach at Terapo, 96,127

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

6pdr AT Gun lost in surf during unload of 11th Australian Bde

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Terapo (96,127)

Allied Ships
AP McCawley
LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe
APA La Salle
DD Whipple

AP McCawley fired at enemy troops
LSI(L) Empire Battleaxe fired at enemy troops
APA La Salle fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

Ground combat at Merauke (89,124)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 906 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59

Defending force 3041 troops, 42 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 115

Assaulting units:
16th Naval Guard Unit
11th JAAF AF Bn /1
36th Const Co /1

Defending units:
138th(Sep) Infantry Regiment

Surprise was complete at both invasion beaches. Terapo is only guarded by a weak Japanese BF but Merauke will be a bit tougher nut to crack. P-39Ds based at Horn Island LRCAP the amphib transports at Merauke and hopefully next turn will repel the inevitable IJA air transported reinforcements. Tactical and medium bombers of Fifth Air Force repeatedly pound the IJA nforces at Merauke and a shock attack will be ordered next turn.

Meanwhile....the heavy bombers of Fifth Air Force continue to suppress Japanese level 4 AFs at Wewak and Aitape on the northern coast of New Guinea.

CBI

Dave moves up a tank division and an armor regiment in an attempt to break through into Kanhsien but Chinese AT guns are waiting for them:

Ground combat at 82,57 (near Kanhsien)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14561 troops, 178 guns, 810 vehicles, Assault Value = 588

Defending force 15241 troops, 109 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 440

Japanese adjusted assault: 385

Allied adjusted defense: 399

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
833 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 58 (1 destroyed, 57 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
797 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Recon Battalion

Defending units:
71st Chinese/A Corps
14th Chinese/C Corps
93rd Chinese Division
49th Chinese/C Corps
NCAC
57th AT Gun Regiment

Dave is hitting the Chinese here with over 100 bombers/turn so evidently this is a critical advance for him as he tries to isolate Kukong. Im sending infantry and more AT guns from Kukong to reinforce here but its doubtful that they will arrive in time. Next turn Im sending in all the heavy bombers from Tenth Air Force plus RAF DBs here to disrupt the Japanese at their own game.

CENTPAC: INVASION ABEMAMA

Covered by 8 CVEs with 190 fighters and 6 surface TFs with 12 BBs.....Admiral Hill's amphibious TF lands a portion of the 2nd Marine Regiment at Tabiteuea:

Amphibious Assault at Abemama (136,130)

TF 389 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 136,130

Allied ground losses:
209 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 29 (0 destroyed, 29 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)

5 troops of a US MMG Section lost overboard during unload of 2nd Marine Rgt /1

Amphibious Assault at Abemama (136,130)

TF 439 troops unloading over beach at Abemama, 136,130

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 155 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (0 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 70 (0 destroyed, 70 disabled)

8 Aviation Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 37th Aviation Base Force

Ground combat at Abemama (136,130)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 784 troops, 58 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

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

Allied adjusted assault: 10

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Abemama !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+)

Assaulting units:
2nd Marine Rgt /2
36th Aviation Base Force /1
27th USN Naval Construction Battalion
180th USAAF Base Force
37th USN Naval Construction Battalion
14th USN Naval Construction Battalion
37th Aviation Base Force /1

The Marines suffer relatively high disablements here as they were 80% prepped for a Makin invasion that was cancelled at the last minute. Still....the 2nd Marines should be back to normal by the time they are 100% prepped for Makin. Seabees and BFs are also landed and they immediately go to work on construction of an airstrip.

Meanwhile.....the 7 CVs and 1 CVL of Task Group 58 take up a blocking position about 250 miles due west of Abemama just in case KB decided to sortie from Truk.

A half dozen ASW TFs patrol the waters of the southern Gilberts and SS I-34 is sunk off Tabiteuea.

The Allied TFs at Abemama fight off Japanese airstrikes all day from their bases in the northern Gilberts and Marshalls:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Abemama at 136,130

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
G4M1 Betty x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Cornwall

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
VF-35 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(5 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
VF-37 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes
VF-60 with F4F-4 Wildcat (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead
VRF-1F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
3 planes vectored on to bombers
VRF-2F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 11 minutes
3 planes vectored on to bombers
VRF-3F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
VMF-121 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuria at 135,131

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 41
D3A1 Val x 16

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 55

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 11 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BB Indiana, Bomb hits 1
DD Gridley
CL Boise

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D3A1 Val releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-37 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
VF-60 with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
VRF-1F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
VRF-2F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
VRF-3F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(7 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
VMF-121 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
VF-35 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(12 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes

The Bettys fly from Maloelap while the Vals are based on Makin.

Meanwhile.....Helens based on Tarawa get in their licks:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Abemama at 136,130

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 12
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 destroyed

No Allied losses

CAP engaged:
VF-35 with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
1 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-37 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
VF-60 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead
VRF-1F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead
VRF-2F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
3 planes vectored on to bombers
VRF-3F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
3 planes vectored on to bombers
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
3 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-121 with F4F-3 Wildcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
3 planes vectored on to bombers

I had staged in 3 squadrons of the new US Navy PB4Y-1 Liberators to Tabiteuea and they work over the Betty base at Maloelap:

Morning Air attack on Maloelap , at 136,117

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 63 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 35

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 31

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb

finally on the next day.....the Bettys on Maloelap coodinate to form a massive strike and they break through Allied CAP over the invasion forces:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Abemama at 136,130

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 118 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 63
G4M1 Betty x 27
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 31

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 11
F4F-4 Wildcat x 130

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 14 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Copahee
CVE Long Island

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
VF-35 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 16000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
VF-37 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 11 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
VF-60 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
VRF-1F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 14 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
VRF-2F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
VRF-3F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 7 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
VMF-121 with F4F-3 Wildcat (3 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 14000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes

CVE Chenango now has 24 SYS 60 FLT 5 ENG as she will try to limp back to port at Tabiteuea where she will be disbanded to effect emergency repairs. Most of her VF group lands on Tabiteuea and will join up with the "Top Gun" VMF F4U-1 and USAAF P-40K squadrons already there to put up a CAP of nearly 100 fighters over the base.

CVE Barnes just arrives in theatre from the US west coast and will take the place of CVE Chenango on the line.

The CVEs get a measure of revenge by destroying a small IJN TF near Makin:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Makin at 137,124

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
TBF-1 Avenger x 9

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kuramasan Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
PB Sonan Maru #5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

When the smoke clears Japan loses 75 AC in A2A combat vs 6 Allied AC. Overall....Japan loses 126 AC this turn vs 20 Allied AC. Individual plane losses include 49 A6M2s, 46 Bettys, 16 Oscars, 6 Helens, 4 Tojos and 7 F4F-4s.

I had moved most of the recon squadrons out of Tabiteuea last turn so that I could base the Liberators there and now my PBY recon of Maloelap has failed me at a critical time.....I have no idea of how damaged the AF is there nor do I know how many AC are currently based there. Dave still has 100 AC at Tarawa and Makin and this turn just staged in 80 fighters to Mili. Im pretty sure that the 80 fighters on Mili will sweep Abemama next turn.

So its time to get the heck out of Dodge at Abemama. The fast carriers of TG 58 will take up positions just 100 miles to the west of Tabiteuea. all of the amphib TFs at Abemama....with the exception of 4 LSTs....will immediately cease offloading ops and will withdraw to Tabiteuea. The CVEs will withdraw to Tabiteuea and have their 190 fighter CAP augmented by the 100 land based fighters there. The PB4Y-1 Liberators at Tabiteuea will again hit the Betty base at Maloelap.

And 6 naval bombardment TFs with 10 BBs and over a score of cruisers will give both Makin and Tarawa a "Spruance haircut".

I feel very fortunate now that I cancelled the Makin assault and stayed farther to the south....I wasnt nearly as exposed by invading Abemama and Dave roughed me up with just his "garrison AF". Who knows how many land based AC Dave staged in this last turn but Im not going to stick around to find out.

I dont know if Dave will seek a major carrier engagement next turn. If I was the Japanese commander Im not sure if I would engage. If KB engages TG 58 and wins a victory it could put the Allies back a year. If KB engages and loses the Allies could run wild in 1943. Still...to paraphrase Javier Bardem from "No Country for Old Men"...."this is the best deal your gonna get". Right now I only have 7 carriers with only 2 1/2 squadrons converted to Hellcats. By the end of July I will have 10 CVs and another CVL....all stocked with Hellcats.

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(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 358

THE STORM ARRIVES - 7/22/2012 1:06:44 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

5/5-5/6/43

CBI

Japanese assault outside of Wuchow is turned back with heavy casualties:

Ground combat at 77,56 (near Wuchow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26994 troops, 287 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 1003

Defending force 14002 troops, 125 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 507

Japanese adjusted assault: 727

Allied adjusted defense: 865

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2205 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
336 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
51st Division
6th Tank Regiment
104th Division
20th RGC/A Division
21st Mortar Battalion
2nd Mobile Infantry Rgt /6

Defending units:
60th Chinese/C Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
49th Chinese/B Corps
52nd Chinese/C Corps
12th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment

Japan launches a 1:5 attack outside of Kanhsien into Chinese AT guns that is repulsed with heavy tank losses:

Ground combat at 82,57 (near Kanhsien)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1470 troops, 9 guns, 184 vehicles, Assault Value = 498

Defending force 13914 troops, 109 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 294

Japanese adjusted assault: 57

Allied adjusted defense: 301

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 50 (3 destroyed, 47 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
227 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
23rd Tank Regiment
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st Tank Division
2nd Recon Battalion

Defending units:
71st Chinese/A Corps
93rd Chinese Division
14th Chinese/C Corps
49th Chinese/C Corps
NCAC
57th AT Gun Regiment

Maybe Chinese reinforcements will arrive here in time.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS

11TH Australian Brigadfe captures Terapo.

II Australian Corps troops assault Merauke after a heavy aerial bombardment by Fifth Air Force:

Ground combat at Merauke (89,124)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 867 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 3048 troops, 42 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 116

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
16th Naval Guard Unit
11th JAAF AF Bn /1
36th Const Co /1

Defending units:
138th(Sep) Infantry Regiment

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

Ground combat at Merauke (89,124)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3041 troops, 42 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 115

Defending force 1019 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Allied adjusted assault: 23

Japanese adjusted defense: 57

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
238 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
138th(Sep) Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
16th Naval Guard Unit
11th JAAF AF Bn /1
36th Const Co /1

I will rest the 138th Regiment fore a couple of turns as Fifth Air Force bombs the bejesus out of the defenders.

SOPAC

Rabaul enlarges to a level 6 port. Allied troops/supplies/fuel continue to pour into Rabaul.

Fifth Air Force continues to pound level 4 Japanese AFs at Wewak and Aitape.

CENTPAC

According to the original CENTPAC operational plan.....multiple Allied bombardment TFs give both Makin and Tarawa a "Spruance haircut":

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 26 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 28 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 31 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Arizona
BB West Virginia
CL Detroit
DD John D. Ford
DD Doyle
DD Carmick

Japanese ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 43
Port hits 5
Port supply hits 5

BB Arizona firing at Tarawa
BB West Virginia firing at Tarawa
CL Detroit firing at Tarawa
DD John D. Ford firing at Tarawa
DD Doyle firing at Tarawa
DD Carmick firing at Tarawa

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 44 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 54 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 27 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 5 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Idaho
BB Colorado
CA Northampton
CA Indianapolis
CL Achilles
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Arunta
DD Stuart

Japanese ground losses:
212 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 38
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 1

BB Idaho firing at Tarawa
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Colorado
BB Colorado firing at Tarawa
CA Northampton firing at Tarawa
CA Indianapolis firing at Tarawa
CL Achilles firing at Tarawa
DD Isaac Sweers firing at Tarawa
DD Arunta firing at Tarawa
DD Stuart firing at Tarawa

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 6 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed on ground
G3M3 Nell: 21 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 2 destroyed on ground
D3A1 Val: 10 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2-N Rufe: 8 damaged
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
CA Australia
CA Houston
CL Nashville
DD Van Galen
DD Parrott
DD Tucker
DD Cushing

Japanese ground losses:
200 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 12 (7 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 53
Port hits 17
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 8

BB Mississippi firing at Makin
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB New Mexico
BB New Mexico firing at Makin
CA Australia firing at Makin
CA Houston firing at Makin
CL Nashville firing at Makin
DD Van Galen firing at Makin
DD Parrott firing at Makin
DD Tucker firing at Makin
DD Cushing firing at Makin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 25 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M2-N Rufe: 4 damaged
A6M2-N Rufe: 4 destroyed on ground
B5N2 Kate: 14 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed on ground
D3A1 Val: 8 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Indiana
BB South Dakota
CA Canberra
CL Honolulu
CL Boise
CL St. Louis
DD Gridley
DD Craven
DD Jarvis
DD Henley
DD Mugford
DD Bagley

Japanese ground losses:
261 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 41
Port hits 23
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 3

BB Indiana firing at Makin
BB South Dakota firing at Makin
CA Canberra firing at Makin
CL Honolulu firing at Makin
CL Boise firing at Makin
CL St. Louis firing at Makin
DD Gridley firing at Makin
DD Craven firing at Makin
DD Jarvis firing at 89th Naval Guard Unit
DD Henley firing at Makin
DD Mugford firing at Makin
DD Bagley firing at Makin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 8 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 damaged
A6M2-N Rufe: 2 destroyed on ground
G3M3 Nell: 8 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed on ground
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Ramillies
BB Royal Sovereign
CA Frobisher
CA Dorsetshire
CL Caradoc
CL Helena
CL Danae
DD Nizam
DD Thracian
DD Thanet
DD Scout

Japanese ground losses:
270 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 30
Port hits 13
Port supply hits 4

BB Ramillies firing at Makin
BB Royal Sovereign firing at Makin
CA Frobisher firing at Makin
CA Dorsetshire firing at Makin
CL Caradoc firing at Makin
CL Helena firing at Makin
CL Danae firing at Makin
DD Nizam firing at Makin
DD Thracian firing at Makin
DD Thanet firing at Makin
DD Scout firing at Makin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 29 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 15 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 20 damaged
E7K2 Alf: 1 damaged
E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CA New Orleans
CA Louisville
CL Perth
DD Flusser
DD Preston
DD Helm
DD Walke
DD Anderson
DD Bailey

Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 24
Port hits 7
Port supply hits 1

CA New Orleans firing at Tarawa
CA Louisville firing at Tarawa
CL Perth firing at Tarawa
DD Flusser firing at Tarawa
DD Preston firing at Tarawa
DD Helm firing at Tarawa
DD Walke firing at Tarawa
DD Anderson firing at Tarawa
DD Bailey firing at Tarawa

Japan loses over 100 AC on the ground. Overall....Japan loses 120 AC vs 27 Allied AC. Individual plane losses include 30 A6M2s, 19 Osacrs, 14 Rufes, 14 Helens, 8 Bettys, 8 Vals, 7 Kates and 7 PB4Y-1P Liberators.

Japan has now lost 9276 AC during the war vs Allied losses of 7644 AC......about 21% more AC.

USN PB44Y-1P Liberators again hit the level 4 AF at Maloelap. Without long ranged fighters....the Liberators operational tempo is greatly reduced after Maloelap AF is 32% suppressed and the Liberators must be shut down. Makin AF is now 75% suppressed and Tarawa AF is now 90% suppressed. I disbanded AE/AKE/AD/AR in port at Tabiteuea so all the bombardment TFs will both refuel and re-arm and CVE Chenango will gain the assistance of an AR for repairs.

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(in reply to racndoc)

Post #: 359

THE STORM ARRIVES - 7/23/2012 12:42:44 AM

racndoc

Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Newport Coast, California
Status: offline

5/7-5/8/43

SUBS

SS Grayback sinks xAK Toa Maru off Donggala.

SS I-177 is sunk by an Alled ASW TF off Tarawa.

SS I-180 is sunk by an Allied ASW TF near Abemama.

SOPAC

The buildup continues at Rabaul as both the AF and port are enlarged to level 6.

II AUSTRALIAN CORPS

Tactical. medium and heavy bombers of Fifth Air Force bomb the bejesus out of the Japanese garrison at Merauke. A shock attack is ordered for next turn.

CENTPAC

A level 1 airstrip is completed at Abemama and F4F-4s are immediately flown in.

Allied bombardment TFs continue to work over Tarawa and Makin:

Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 10 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 15 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 17 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Arizona
BB West Virginia
CL Detroit
DD John D. Ford
DD Doyle
DD Carmick

Japanese ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 17
Port hits 1

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Arizona
BB Arizona firing at Tarawa
BB West Virginia firing at Tarawa
CL Detroit firing at Tarawa
DD John D. Ford firing at Tarawa
DD Doyle firing at Tarawa
DD Carmick firing at Tarawa

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 58 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 19 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 21 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Idaho
BB Colorado
CA Northampton
CA Indianapolis
CL Achilles
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Arunta
DD Stuart

Japanese ground losses:
277 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 30
Port hits 6
Port supply hits 3

BB Idaho firing at Tarawa
BB Colorado firing at Tarawa
CA Northampton firing at Tarawa
CA Indianapolis firing at Tarawa
CL Achilles firing at Tarawa
DD Isaac Sweers firing at Tarawa
DD Arunta firing at Tarawa
DD Stuart firing at 51st Naval Guard Unit

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CA New Orleans
CA Louisville
CL Perth
DD Flusser
DD Preston
DD Helm
DD Walke
DD Anderson
DD Bailey

Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 13
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

CA New Orleans firing at Makin
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Louisville
CA Louisville firing at Makin
CL Perth firing at Makin
DD Flusser firing at Makin
DD Preston firing at Makin
DD Helm firing at 89th Naval Guard Unit
DD Walke firing at Makin
DD Anderson firing at Makin
DD Bailey firing at Makin

PB4Y-1 Liberators work over the Japanese AF at Maloelap....its now 43% damaged.

The Allied operational plan for the Gilberts has worked out nicely and I now regret cancelling the Makin invasion. I generally set up a set piece attack for operational planning and I cancelled the Makin invasion when the situation did not unfold as I had envisioned. But now after 3 turns of combat in the Gilberts Japan has lost over 300 AC and and if I would have been more flexible and allowed the situation to develop I could be invading Makin now.

Live and learn I guess.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AdmSpruance -- 7/23/2012 12:43:08 AM >

(in reply to racndoc)

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