Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline
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9/17/43
Thin Man: Banzai!
I mean it: Banzai!
In a miscalculation, the Japanese commander at Kwajalein orders a banzai charge that guts his army. I wasn't expecting this and didn't dare attack myself, as bombardment recon indicated John's army was a strong as mine. I was biding my time with reinforcements on the way from Canada. So when the movie neared the end and suddenly a deliberate attack popped up at Kwaj, I was surprised, a bit alarmed, but confident that the Allied army was strong enough to hold. Immediately, the Japanese AV dropped to 0, so I knew the outcome would exceed expectations. Here is the result:
Ground combat at Kwajalein Island (132,115)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 4737 troops, 114 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 176
Defending force 4730 troops, 57 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 137
Japanese adjusted assault: 1
Allied adjusted defense: 97
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 97
Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2552 casualties reported
Squads: 118 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 50 (15 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
2nd Maizuru Assault Division
42nd JNAF AF Unit
Nimur Naval Fortress
Kwajalein Base Force
32nd AA Battalion
24th Air Flotilla /1
Defending units:
3rd USMC Parachute Battalion
Brockville Rifles Battalion
201st(Sep) Infantry Regiment
151st Combat Engineer Regiment
Edmonton Fusiliers Battalion
This should decisively weaken the Japanese garrison. Allied units all show "0" fatigue and either "3" or "4" disruption. They will deliberate attack tomorrow (no shock attack on the off chance that the defenders, while weakened, still have strength behind six forts or in case John lands reinforcements).
Weeks ago, I had decided that it would be best to wait at Kwaj - to let the US RCT prep and for reinforcements to arrive. I also decided that the best way to help at Kwaj would be to attack elsewhere. The plan to attack elsewhere is still in effect. More about that later.
At sea, you can see from the embedded map that Steroid KB has reunited not too distant from Johnston Island, that replenishment ships are out there, and that Mini KB is east of Wake and in a position to unite. John has put himself in a bit of a ticklish situation. If KB needs fuel, he'll have to unite with the AOs and then he'll have to shepherd them to safety.
Death Star didn't move as far as it was supposed to, probably because the CV TF at Jaluit was one hex further away from the core group. This left several combat TFs exposed without air cover, but fortunately Japanese LBA didn't sortie. It also left me uncertain that my TFs will obey orders. I want to advance, but I don't want big ships left naked. I have to be careful. I've chosen for the advance group of TFs to move two hexes NE, with the carriers then to rendezvous with them (a 5-hex journey). There is a risk of calamity if TFs don't obey orders. I think they will - there's no "daisy chain" this time. But I'll be nervous when I send the turn to John.
John had spotty and low detection on just a few of the exposed combat TFs and carrier TFs. He knows ships are suddenly showing up well NE of where any have been seen before, so he's probably on full alert now. What does he do? Flee? Hesitate and refuel? Steam strongly west looking for battle? Most interesting.
Down at Tabituea three USN DDs intercepted a Japanese merchant TF inbound (and under observation for many days). The destroyers sank a PB and perhaps three xAKs and damaged others.
Circus: Death Star North (three CVEs) happened across another xAK midway between Hawaii and the Aleutians and sank it. That's good, but now John's had a bead on these vulnerable carriers for two or three turns. I'm radically changing course. I don't want him to detach a strong CL/DD force that might cause problems.
Up in the Aleutians, things seem fairly quiet. There is a big combat TF (seems to be mainly DDs) at Amchitka. I don't know if this is offense or defense. Arleigh Burke now has eight Fletchers under his command at Adak. That's his strongest force yet. He'll remain on the defense for the time being.
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< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 5/16/2016 7:02:09 AM >
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