MichaelU
Posts: 285
Joined: 9/8/2009
Status: offline
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Feb 21-24, 1942
Been a bit slow as Mike and I have been busy with other things, including hiking and playing lots of boardgames. However, it should be back to more regular updates now. Assuming Bill keeps up the turn rate, given the number of games he is apparently playing simultaneously.
I'll summarise the highlights of the latest turn, as not too much has changed in terms of the overall situation, although there have been several sharp ground clashes.
SOPAC:
It's another close call for the Akagi, as SS S-34 launches 4 torpedoes at her, but misses completely. What is with our sub captains? Maybe the sight of such a juicy target is just too much for them.
But then we get lucky, because a Japanese sub launches 8 torps at the BB California and fails to score a hit.
The Japanese carriers had decided on a port strike against Noumea. We've been shipping supplies and troops in there, and the Tfs have been showing high detection levels. So he must have decided to put a stop to all that. By blind luck we didn't have any ships unloading on that turn, so instead the Vals go in and hit the one ship in port, a mine tender.
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Morning Air attack on Noumea , at 115,160
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 113 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
D3A1 Val x 112
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 18 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed by flak
Allied Ships
ACM Planter, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1
Not sure it was worth it for him. We've got one unit of AA in there, so it's starting to look like not such a great place to dive bomb. And it looks like the ACM Planter might even survive the experience, as the fires are brought under control and she is still floating.
Our carriers have been hanging around northwest of Noumea, looking for an opportunity to race in and knock out some supply convoys. But his air search has really thickened and the carriers seemed to have a continuous Mavis escort. As long as he knows we're out there, we are not going to risk it.
The remaining regiments of the Americal division are turning up in Melbourne, so we'll be sending them over to reinforce their compatriots already in Noumea. Once we have a full US division, plus some tanks and other hangers on, Noumea will be tough to take.
PHILIPPINES:
The attacks at Manila are coming in thick and furious, and supply is approaching critical levels. But despite being cut off for months, the defenders are still giving a good account of themselves, killing off more than 8000 Japanese over the course of two days for about 4,000 losses of their own. Here is the attack from the 24th.
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 45725 troops, 464 guns, 224 vehicles, Assault Value = 944
Defending force 44585 troops, 428 guns, 146 vehicles, Assault Value = 528
Japanese adjusted assault: 500
Allied adjusted defense: 981
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
3708 casualties reported
Squads: 97 destroyed, 95 disabled
Non Combat: 60 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 32 disabled
Guns lost 29 (14 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 50 (33 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1638 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 57 disabled
Engineers: 28 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 24 (4 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (6 destroyed, 15 disabled)
BURMA:
The only combat in Burma is in the air. On Feb 23 Magwe falls to a single Japanese unit, and on Feb 24 the skies over the oilfields darken with bombers.
Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 6
Blenheim IV x 12
Hudson I x 12
No Allied losses
Oil hits 21
Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 20
B-17E Fortress x 8
No Allied losses
Oil hits 38
If our intel is to be believed, we've done more than 60 oil hits in one day. Unless our opponent moves fast, the oil will be wiped out before he gets to use it.
CHINA:
The battle for Wenchow has a few more bloody rounds, and the casualties are very heavily in the favour of the Allies.
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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 45035 troops, 437 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 869
Defending force 33565 troops, 212 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 806
Japanese adjusted assault: 737
Allied adjusted defense: 1369
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
5432 casualties reported
Squads: 220 destroyed, 164 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 56 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 46 (6 destroyed, 40 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
517 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)
An atttempt to break through to the northeast of Wenchow is bloodily repulsed. There are now 5 full Japanese division locked down in this fight, and they are not having a good time.
In the forests north of Nanyang another assault fails, with over 2,700 casualties to the Japanese side.
The Japanese mixed brigade that managed to get away with a virtually unopposed river crossing on the northern approach to Sian decides to have another go. This time the defenders are actually in Defend mode, and give the attacking forces the good kicking they should have had the first time around.
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Ground combat at 85,39 (near Sian)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6394 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Defending force 19219 troops, 73 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 398
Japanese adjusted assault: 54
Allied adjusted defense: 541
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 10
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1282 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 135 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
6th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Defending units:
8th Route Army
22nd Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
2nd Construction Regiment
2nd War Area
18th Group Army
There is one success though, with the Japanese finally breaking open the main road to Loyang. The cut off, out of supply troops of the 17th Group Army had done an amazing job in their mountain fastness of holding off the Japanese for several weeks.
All in all, although we have been pushed back on several fronts in China, we're happy with the way things are going. The Japanese advance is slow enough that we are able to block any gaps that appear, and units that die pop up again in Chungking and are put into the reserve ready to block the next breakthrough.
Most importantly though, we are handing out masses of casualties. In one attack on Wenchow we destroyed 220 Japanese squads, with more dying in secondary fights. Don't know how many squads the Japanese get a month, but I imagine losing 250 a day is not going to be sustainable for any length of time.
< Message edited by MichaelU -- 4/4/2018 1:11:45 PM >
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