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1-4 January 1942

 
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1-4 January 1942 - 8/8/2005 4:17:07 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		1-4 January 1942

Central Pacific

The first day of the month was marked by a big raid of 109 B-17E against Johnson Island that hit hard the runways and the supplies. Two bombers were lost to op losses. Japanese admirals were not really confident to know so much heavy bombers were opposing them but the two CV TF nevertheless received orders to sail to 180 miles of PH the next day.
For some reason, they were late and at 300 miles of the island at dawn. They launched first a sweep by 6 Zeroes that reported 66 fighters on CAP and shot down 3 P-40B and 2 F4F-4 without loss. A raid of 56 Zeroes, 69 Vals and 38 Kates (with bombs due to the range) was then launched. But before they attacked, American bombers arrived near the Japanese ships, that were protected by 105 fighters. The first American formation was 7 B-17E and all were shot down without loss. Then arrived 71 B-17E escorted by 10 P-40B and 4 P-40E. The Zeroes shot down all the escort and 27 heavy bombers but lost 10 fighters to the bombers’ gunners. One of the 3 US groups involved turned back when it was reduced to 10 bombers but the two others (34 remaining aircrafts) bombed Japanese CVs and BBs. They scored no hit and lost 2 more bombers to AA fire.
At the same time, the Japanese raid arrived over PH and met 20 F4F-4, 18 P-40B, 15 P-36A and 8 P-40E. The Japanese escort was able to stop all American attempts to reach the bombers and shot down 15 F4F-4, 14 P-36A, 8 P-40E and 2 P-40B (the other fled) while losing 7 of them. The bombers hit a convoy, sinking the PG Tui, heavily damaging 2 other AK, setting in fire 7 and hitting lightly a last one.
In the afternoon, two small US raids targeted the KB but both turned back when the CAP (69 Zeroes) intercepted. These skirmishes saw 3 P-40B, 1 B-17E and 3 Zeroes fall. 17 other B-17E attacked a surface TF west of the KB (escorting the Lahaina convoy) and the DD Nenohi was lightly damaged (17/8/0) by a bomb.
Another Japanese raid (40 Zeroes, 37 Vals, 40 Kates) flew to PH, targeting another convoy. 19 Allied fighters (9 F4F-4, 5 P-40B, 4 P-36A, 1 P-40E) intercepted. 5 F4F-4, 2 P-40B and 1 P-36A were shot down but they destroyed 2 Zeroes, 2 Kates and 1 Val. The raid then bombed four AK, sinking the Exmoor and heavily damaging the 3 other.
At the end of the day, two KB airmen were now aces (6 and 5 kills) but also a Marine Wildcat pilot of VMF-211 (5 kills). KB Zero units had lost more than 20 pilots during the day and 27 Zeroes flew from Midway to reinforce the airgroups of Soryu, Hiryu and Akagi.
During the day Japanese floatplanes flew recon over all Hawaii Island. They reported 27 units, 85 ships, 339 aircraft (46/148/145) in Midway and 1 unit, 2 ships, 5 fighters (but no CAP) and 11 patrol aircraft in Lahaina. Submarines reported an USN naval concentration 420 miles ESE of PH, too far away of the KB. The Japanese CVs retired west to rest aircrews and refuel.
During the night of the 2-3, 8 Nells from Midway bombed PH airfields without success and two were lost operationally. After dawn, some Zeroes and floatplanes returned to PH and reported no CAP but AA shot down a Jake. KB CAP shot down 2 PBYs during the day.
In the evening of the 3, 2 CA and 3 DD detached from the KB to sail to PH and attack ships reported there. A convoy escaped them by retreating at sea but they surprised and sank the ML Oglala without damage.
The KB has also sailed east and was at dawn at 120 miles S of PH. Naval patrols reported 8 DM west of Kona, 5 AK off PH and 3 AK NE of it. Japanese airmen flew 618 sorties during the day without encountering Allied aircraft (except PBY, 3 were shot down by CAP) and hit heavily the DM TF in the morning (6 DM sunk, 1 heavily damaged, the last wasn’t hit), the PH convoy in the afternoon (all 5 AK sunk) and the convoy NE of it in both phases (all 3 AK sunk). The cost of these operations was 6 Kates (2 AA, 4 ops) and 2 Vals (ops).

During these four days, port building continued in Midway, helped by the arrival on the 2 of the convoy bringing 2 Eng Rgt (that will be used for PH assault) and the port reached size 2 on the 4. US submarines continued to lay mines off the island but they were swept without loss or damage. 51 Zeroes and 27 Betties arrive in the island on the 2 and 4. On the 3 the SS S-18 attacked a Japanese ADW group 240 miles SE of the island and sank the PC Shonon Maru 3.

MSWs arrived off Johnson Island on the first hours of the 3 and swept all mines in 2 days without loss. They will join the Lahaina invasion.

The Lahaina convoys have sailed without problems (except the B-17 attack on the 2), first SE before turning east towards Kona and were in the evening of the 4 180 miles SW of Lahaina.

East of Hawaii, the IJN submarines had two rather bad days. On the 3 the I-22 was chased during the night by 4 DDs and hit by a DC thrown by the DD Dale while the I-21 was hit by a SBD in the morning. The next night the damaged I-22 met an USN replenishment TF and was sunk by the DD Humphreys and some hours later the I-3 was damaged by another SBD. The IJN submarines made no attack and few sighting in the period. Despite the losses and hits, still 20 submarines remained in the area and some others are sailing towards it.

The Lahaina landing was planned tomorrow but the great numbers of DM/ML met (and destroyed…) made me think twice to it. Recons revealed few or no troops of Kona, Hilo and Lahaina and the 16th Div is probably able to take all three but I don’t want to blunder into giant minefields with my troop convoys. So PGs are sent to these 3 bases to test the defences while all TFs, including reinforcement MSW being a little late, will gather 120 miles SW of PH (so 120 miles W of Lahaina). KB airmen are mainly ordered to bomb airfield at dawn, only 2/3 of the Kates being given naval attack orders. The number of US aircraft in PH has risen to 455 (58/195/202) and hitting them on the ground should be a good idea. I also suspected my opponent to provide me empty AKs as targets to deplete the KB airpower while his CVs are waiting ENE of PH. A good thing is the small numbers of fighters. On the other hand, I guess some of the bombers and “auxiliary” are SBD and TBF detached from the CVs and they may overwhelm KB CAP by sheer numbers….

Philippines

On Luzon, the 31st NLF marched from Laoag to Vigan and occupied it on the 3. The next day an Allied unit appeared in Lingayen (6400 men, probably a division coming from Clark Field) and the NLF received orders to retire to Laoag. Bombers based on Batan Island will bomb these Allied troops.

In the south the Japanese occupied without opposition Tawi Tawi (on the 3) and Talaud Island (on the 2). The seizure of this little dot S of Davao drew a comment by my opponent, that didn’t understand it. It is just that every time I checked the strategic map, this green spot drew my eyes and I clicked there to check if it was an Allied TF or sub. Now it is a red dot.

Not much is excepted in the area in the next days. The last development is that 4 Allied subs were seen on the 4 south of Manila (in the middle of the islands). Either they are damaged ships leaving the area or operational ships sailing south as the waters N of Luzon are definitely empty of Japanese shipping (and another submarine was hit there in the 2 by an aircraft). In both cases ASW patrols will be reinforced in the area.

Dutch East Indies

The Yokosuka 2nd SNLF took Samarinda on the 1st without meeting any opposition and then Tarakan, that has been bombarded by ships (2 BB, 4 CA, 2 CL, 14 DD) and Jolo Betties and Nells for two days was taken on the 2 by the 35th Bde, a Naval unit and 2 Const Bn (the second was brought there from Brunei by a FT TF and landed on the 1). The Dutch garrison was crushed and retreated SW, except the coastal gun crews that were captured but the base was badly wrecked by all the pounding (86/20/59) and the resources were also badly damaged. Only 270 of the 600 resource and 21 of the 100 oil centers are working.

On the 1 and 2 a dozen of B-17C (probably based in Java) tried to hit IJN ships off Tarakan. On the 2 Zeroes flying LRCAP shot down one. If was feared that these bombers will raid the oil/resource after Tarakan fell and so it was still covered by LRCAP on the 3 and 4. The airfield is now usable again and some fighters arrived on the evening of the 4 to cover the base.

Troops in Samarinda and Tarakan both marched to meet each other and crush between them the Dutch units fleeing Tarakan. Jolo airmen bombed these troops on the 4. They will then seize Balikpapan but will wait that an Eng Rgt arrive to reduce the damage to the oil centers when it will fall.

During the night of the 2-3, two ML laid a defensive minefield off Menado. This base is still waiting for reinforcements (especially a base force) and supplies.

Malaya

Alor Star airmen (2 Sally Sentais) bombed Singapore port on the 1, 2 and 3, hitting 2 allready damaged AK sometimes and a SS once but losing a half-dozen bombers to AA fire. That was enough to make some damaged ships attempt to escape but Johore Bharu grew to a fully active airbase with 2 Daitais of Nells and 1 Sentai of Ki-51 on naval attack and Zeroes, Nates and Oscars for escort and CAP. The MSW Ballarat was sunk on the 2 while trying to sail from Singapore to Palembang, as was the AK Lembatang on the 4.

Recon aircraft and submarines reported during the whole period several TF (including CA at least once) off Toboali but it was never enough to see a raid launched against them. Only success in the are was on the 3 when SS I-158 sank a British MSW SW of the base and then evaded his 3 sisterships. Johore Bharu airmen liked better hitting ships off Palembang on the 3. In the morning 6 Brewster 339 bounced 12 Oscars and shot down one before being attacked by 25 Zeroes, that shot down 3 Dutch fighters. The 6 Nells hit a TK once and left her burning. The Japanese airmen returned in the afternoon, Zeroes shot down 2 more Brewster and 24 Nells sank a British TK.

Dutch airmen from Palembang raided Johore Bharu on the 1 and 2. The first day 20 Nates intercepted 6 Brewster and 12 Martins, shooting down 3 and 1 for no loss, but the bombers destroyed 3 Zeroes on the ground (while losing one more Martin to AA). The next day Zeroes were also flying CAP and 3 more Brewters and 2 Martins were shot down but bombs fell again on the airfield and destroyed a Nell. The whole 25th Army is at Johore Bharu preparing for attacking Singapore and the engineers are expanding the port rather than doing nothing. It is now size 3.

The CA TF cruising N of Kuching saw no target in range and retired to Saigon on the 3, after evading bombs thrown by 3 Martins from Palembang on the 2. It might have hit Toboali but the Allied transports will probably evade while Dutch and British warships may react.

Day after day, more base forces and more air units arrive in Johore Bharu and the air units based here are ruling the seas around Singapore. The only problem is that they refuse to fly to Toboali (where there are TFs of up to 6 transports if I believe my recons…). Bombings of Singapore will now target the airfield, as it is an easier target than the port.

Burma

British forces retreated towards Rangoon, as reported on the 1 Japanese airmen that bombed British troops in the area. On the 2 the 33rd Div launched a shock attack from its bridgehead and discovered only the 1st Burma Bde was facing it. It was easily repulsed. The Div then began to march westwards to pursue while troops in Moulmein will wait that the Div holds the other side of the river north of Moulmein to cross it.

From what are reporting the air recons, British are probably evacuating Rangoon towards Mandalay.

In the north, British engineers are busy expanding Asansol airfield (now size 4 after 2 or 3 expands in a short time), probably to receive heavy bombers.

China

Changsha resources were bombed by around 60 divebombers on the 1, 3 and 4. Around 120 new centers were disabled and now a third of the 600 of the city are out. AA shot down 3 Anns and as the type proved too vulnerable to AA both units there were upgraded to Sonias.

In the north, Japanese artillery continued to pound Yenen while other troops are still slowly advancing in the forest south of it.

In the south, a limited operation was launched on the 2 from Hanoi (21st Div and a naval unit) and Canton (38th and 104th Div, 19th Bde + support units). The goal is to defeat Chinese troops in the Nanning area in a short raid and to give some experience to Japanese troops. The crossroads NW of Canton was occupied without opposition but recons and patrols have yet shown no Chinese unit except one in Nanning and 10 in Wuchow (that won’t be attacked).

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 31
5-6 January 1942 - 8/9/2005 7:28:31 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		5-6 January 1942

Central Pacific

On the 5, the 3 PG sent on recon off Lahaina, Hilo and Kona saw no mines and no defending ship. An ASW group chased an US submarine west of Kona with no success. As I excepted the day was full of aerial activity. I was alarmed to see VF pilots shooting down my patrol pilots (1 Val, 2 Daves, 1 Alf and 1 Pete were shot down during the day by US fighters) and thought US CVs, or at least their airgroups, would be involved in the battle. They weren’t, after the turn I saw in the operations report that the victories were scored by VMF pilots, based in PH.
The Kido Butai launched a raid against PH airfields with 61 Zeroes, 111 Vals and 61 Kates. They met 10 F4F-4, 12 P-36A, 7 P-40B and 4 P-40E that were slaughtered by the escort. 1 Zero, 9 F4F-4, 4 P-36A, 4 P-40B and 4 P-40E were shot down in the air battle. The bombers were unattacked before reaching the target but met a tremendous AA that shot down 28 Vals and 2 Kates. I made a mistake, I should have kept Vals on naval attack and sent all my 150 Kates on airfield attack at 20000 feet, where they would have suffered far less losses. Now the IJN has only about 100 Vals in the whole Pacific. The bombing was not a failure anyway and destroyed 41 planes (10 PBY, 9 B-26B, 7 P-40E, 6 F4F-4, 6 LB-30 and 3 B-17E). 577 men were hit and 129 bombs hit the runways or the services.
A CAP of 101 Zeroes was around the CVs. During the day, they shot down 4 Catalinas and an uncommon Coronado. But they also welcomed the attack launched by PH airmen on the morning. Sadly for them Allied airmen were unable to coordinate their attacks and arrived piecemeal. The first were 12 B-25C (all shot down, 1 Zero lost), then came 27 B-26B (14 shot down, survivors turned back, 2 Zeroes lost).
The main raid arrived after them with 7 F4F-4, 6 P-36A, 4 P-40B and 3 P-40E escorting 14 SBD, 16 B-18 Bolo, 5 A-20B and 34 B-17E. Zeroes scored 47 victories (13 SBD, 13 B-18, 7 F4F-4, 4 P-36, 4 A-20B, 4 P-40E, 4 B-17E and 1 P-40B) for 3 losses. Only one SBD crew managed to get through the CAP before turning back and missed the BB Nagato.
Then arrived two lost SBD, that were quickly shot down, then 5 A-20B, that were also all shot down, and in the end an unescorted medium raid of B-18, B-25C, B-17E, B-26B and LB-30 (of 7th BG, a newcomer in the area…). Their crews were aware of what happened to their friends and most turned back under attack. CAP shot down 3 LB-30, 2 B-25C and 1 B-18 while losing one Zero. One B-25C managed to close the BB Fuso and missed her.
Last raid of the morning saw 6 B-17E come close of the CAP and skirmish with it, shooting down one Zero before turning back without loss. Some Allied airmen attacked easier targets in the morning. 6 B-17s hit once the PG sailing around Lahaina to search mines, 3 LB-30s missed a MSW W of Kona and 3 Boloes missed too a PG off Hilo. In the afternoon, clouds covered the KB and only some Japanese aircrafs flew, a Val hitting the SS S-34 W of Hilo. PH launched 51 bombers against the biggest Japanese TF in range, 4 MSW and 2 PC west of Kona, and they sank the MSW Seki Maru 3 and Anishi Maru. I was already short of MSW close of Hawaii….
Kido Butai fighters scored today 114 victories (including those over PH) for only 10 losses (one operational) and count now 9 aces (1x7, 4x6 and 4x5). The total losses today were 160 Allied vs 50 Japanese.
On the evening of the 5, both CV TF, the Lahaina troop convoy, 2 BB TF and a CA TF were all 120 miles SW of Pearl Harbor, 180 miles from Lahaina. The PG have reported no mines or coastal defences and the air threat from PH was reduced to 220 aircraft, mostly PBY (14/87/121), and their morale was probably shaky. I hesitated to split the troop convoy to land in Hilo and/or Kona at the same time of Lahaina, and even created TFs and then ordered all ship back in one TF. I need only one base and it will be hard enough to defend it against B-17. And I want to be sure to seize it quickly.
On the evening of the 5, 9 Vals and 27 Zeroes flew aboard the KB ships from Midway and Johnson. The Val losses have made enough room for more Zeroes, even if it was not planned at all.

So on the 6, the troop convoy arrived off Lahaina, covered by both BB TFs and 30 Zeroes on LRCAP. The old DD Sagi hit a Mk 16 mine and sank. An AP then hit a mine during the landing of 16th Div (total 873 casualties) and another was hit by a patrolling Allied aircraft but both are not heavily damaged. The 16th Div confirmed there is only one Allied BF on the island.
PH and KB launched no raid during the day, only patrols and Japanese CAP flying. Zeroes shot down 6 more PBY while Vals and floatplanes hit hard US submarines that sailed out of PH in force. At least 8 submarines were in the waters 120 miles SW of PH, where KB was the day before. But KB sailed 60 miles E during the night… Two submarines (S-18 and S-34) were sunk by repeated hits off PH and at least 3 other were damaged.

East of Hawai, the Japanese submarines saw only some APs and reported no attack against them on the 5. On the 6 the I-24 attacked in full daylight the AK Barbara Olson on the surface about 600 miles of PH and sank her without damage. And a Glen reported 4 CA and a CL 1200 miles ENE of PH and sailing east. No SBD or TBD was seen since two days so it is probable that USN warships (maybe lacking fuel) are sailing towards the West Coast.

Lahaina should fall tomorrow. More MSW sailed on the evening of the 6 towards this area from Midway and Johnson Island. 1 CA and 4 DD will sweep waters off PH during the night, just in case the 2 ships docked at Lahaina tried to reach it during the night. Recon reported 286 AC (31/114/121) on PH, 66 more than yesterday, but the airfields won’t be attacked. The number of ops of the CVs is at 55-70% and I will only launch naval attacks. The KB will sail to 60 miles SW of PH to evade submarines (that will probably all go to Lahaina) and will continue to LRCAP Lahaina with 2 Daitais of Zeroes.

More aerial reinforcements are on the way. In two ways started towards Hawaii 27 Zeroes from Jolo, 27 Ki-21 from China (14th Sentai) and 9 Vals from Japan (the last ones not aboard CVs).

Southern Pacific

Barges landed hald of a NLF in Wewak, New Guinea, on the 5 and the base was occupied on the 6. Some APs arrived off Woelai and will carry the local BF to Hollandia, and then bring back to Palau the air support personnel brought in Hollandia by transport aircraft.
F3/Chitose converted from Claudes to Zero on the 5. It is planned to send it to…. yes, you bet right, Hawaii.

Philippines

Not the most interesting part of this game. Ki-48s from Batan Island hit both days the 11th PA Div at Lingayen (total 50 casualties).

Dutch East Indies

28 bombers from Jolo hit on the 5 troops retreating from Tarakan. They have not been caught by pursuing Japanese troops yet. More aircraft arrived in Tarakan, where airfield is now fully repaired.
Both convoys carrying reinforcements to Menado will arrive in the next day and Kondo’s BB TF sail to this island to protect them.

Malaya

On the 5 Johore Bharu airmen continued to ignore the Allied transports off Toboali while 39 Sallies from Alor Star bombed Singapore airfields (88 casualties) without loss. They also reported no more ship in the port, so the badly damaged Dutch AK Siberoet was probably scuttled during the night. In the evening, all combat air units of Alor Star moved to Johore Bharu. And all bombers there (112) received orders to bomb with 54 Zeroes flying escort Palembang airfield, where 155 AC (29/30/96) were reported by recons. But bad weather cancelled the raid the next day. Orders were repeated for tomorrow.

The CA TF refuelled in Saigon and then sailed to Johore Bharu, that it will protect against Allied bombardment runs. If Allied torpedo bombers are sent to Singapore to hit them, the CAP should be able to decimate them. On the 6 a Dutch submarine tried to attack the TF but was detected and chased. The TF will arrive tomorrow.

25th Army is still preparing for Singapore. The first units should reach 50% preparation next week.

Burma

On the 5, 46 Sallies from Bangkok bombed Rangoon with bad results. The base is almost empty anyway. 33rd Div occupied the hex north of Moulmein on the 5 and troops waiting S of the river joined it the next day. Only one Allied unit is still in Rangoon (probably the one that can’t move). The town will be seized in the next days but Mandalay will probably be a hard nut to crack. It is good news that my opponent didn’t try to defend the river crossings in the area.

China

Troops still moved slowly around Yenen, that was pounded daily by Japanese artillery.

Changsha was bombarded again on the 6 (by 30 Ki-51). Later reports were somewhat optimistic when they claimed 200 ressources were disabled, as after the last raid (16 hits claimed) only 193 are.

In the south, the 21st Div arrived NW of Nanning, with the naval unit keeping the road to Indochina. Only a Chinese Corps was reported at Nanning and nothing around. 1/3 of the Div will keep the road, the 2/3 will reach Nanning and attack the Chinese Corps.

Japan

I changed much less things as I do usually in Japanese production, especially regarding the aircraft research. And I realized on the last turn that I was producing more supplies, fuel and HI than what I was consuming. I have 170 000 supplies in Osaka, while all Japanese cities are well supplied. And that is despite sending convoys almost every day out. First time I saw this in one of my games, I will not have enough AKs. I should say that most of the AK starting in remote ports didn’t use the first turn “magic move”.
I expanded the Zero (+ 44), armament (+ 24) and naval shipyard (+ 20) production.

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 32
RE: 5-6 January 1942 - 8/10/2005 6:42:22 AM   
Mike Scholl

 

Posts: 9349
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: Kansas City, MO
Status: offline 		Don't have the exact figures at hand, but as I recall something like a half dozen US fighters managed to get off the ground during the original and histoic Pearl Harbor raid, and they shot down about a half dozen of the raiders with small loss to themselves. That's under the conditions of total suprise and unpreparedness. Doesn't it strike you that the results the game is giving you during your continued assults on the same target are a bit "off"? As in totally absurd and completely one-sided? Just wondering....

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 33
RE: 5-6 January 1942 - 8/10/2005 11:06:57 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

Don't have the exact figures at hand, but as I recall something like a half dozen US fighters managed to get off the ground during the original and histoic Pearl Harbor raid, and they shot down about a half dozen of the raiders with small loss to themselves. That's under the conditions of total suprise and unpreparedness. Doesn't it strike you that the results the game is giving you during your continued assaults on the same target are a bit "off"? As in totally absurd and completely one-sided? Just wondering....


It seems to me that US claims during PH were inferior to their own losses in the air. And claims are not real Japanese losses, even if Japanese aircraft didn't survive much hits. Also when you launch the historical PH raid in WITP, with only 6 CVs and 2 Zero Daitais attacking airfields rather than flying escort, US fighters usually reached bombers shot down half a-dozen aircraft in most cases.
Right now I have 6 CVs, 2 CVLs and 2 CVEs cruising off PH. I will rather compare results I achieve with what happened in Midway with Allied CAP and LBA. They were decimated until the Japanese CAP was exhausted, dispersed and out of fuel/ammo and the DB arrived. You can have exactly the same thing happen in WITP where CAP is less and less efficient when following raids arrive. In my case, what saves me from damage was the fact that the first raids were destroyed or turned back before all my fighter units were engaged so I still had fresh fighters to stop the last ones.

I was excepting that my opponent will send his CV airgroups to PH and they will fly fron the airfield here. In this case the extra F4F-4, SBD and TBF will probably get trough at least in part and score some hits. As I said the battle we had is like Midway but without US CVs in the area and with twice more aircraft on both sides. On the other hand the battle is not so one-sided, I have allready lost around Hawaii about 60 Zeroes, 60 Vals, 40 Kates and about twenty other aircraft (Nells, Mavis, floatplanes), most of the time with their crews.

(in reply to Mike Scholl)
Post #: 34
Japanese flag over Hawaii - 8/10/2005 2:55:00 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		7-8 January 1942

Central Pacific

The 16th Div continued to land in Lahaina on the 7 under fire by the US defenders that hit slightly (all above SYS 10) 5 APs during the day. 980 men were lost or disabled during the landing while the AP Shozan Maru hit another Mk 16 mine and was badly damaged. The island surrendered in the evening (deliberate attack at 156 to 1, fort 0, no Japanese losses), the 107th USN BF was captured (1700 POWs), the badly damaged CL Detroit and the AVD McFarland were scuttled in the port and one P-26 seized on the airfield. All installations were intact, as the base wasn’t bombed. Captured charts show 430 mines off the island. For some reasons MSW cruising off Lahaina didn’t sweep mines there this day but went to Hilo to sweep another field.

During the night of the 6-7 the small surface TF sent off PH reported some mines that were sunk by rifle fire without damage but met nothing else. Only patrols flew from PH on the 7 and Zeroes shot down 5 PBY and a Coronado. Another Coronada hit SW of Kona the damaged PC Ch 20 and she was scuttled in the evening. 5 Zeroes escorted a Jake on a recon to PH and met no CAP but AA shot down the Jake.

I was excepting attacks by DDs or PTs, or another round of air attack but my opponent only used submarines. 6 were 120 miles SW of PH and 5 S of it but KB was just 60 miles SW of PH, where only the SS Plunger was. She tried 3 times to attack and was every time seen and chased. Japanese aircraft chased submarines all around and sank the Pompano off PH (2 hits) and hit 5 other submarines once.

The badly damaged Shozan Maru was docked in Lahaina in the evening of the 7 while one Jake flew to the airfield for flying naval search (and draw Allied bombers). I was excepting a bombing attack on the island, either at night or at day and LRCAP was maintained over the island, with other units.

The KB moved to 60 miles W of PH during the night. Vals had orders to fly naval attack, Kates naval as primary and bombing airfield at 20000 ft as secondary. No ship was at sea except 15-20 submarines and these were hit very hard. Only one was at the right place and she was unable to attack. Japanese Nells from Midway, Mavis from Johnson, Vals, Kates, Jakes, Petes and Daves of the KB (2 CS sailed with the KB) launched 63 ASW attacks in the morning, scoring 10 hits on seven submarines (7 hits on 5 allready damaged) and performed even better in the afternoon with 73 attacks, 11 hits on 9 submarines (5 allready damaged). The SS Nautilus, Dolphin, Pollack and Grayling sank in the evening. Such successes were scored by about 20 Nells (from Midway), 9 Mavis (from Johnson) and about 20 Vals, 25 Kates and 30 floatplanes from KB, all crew being above 80 exp. Allied submarines were often reported for two days and were almost all in the same 3 hexes so all had a high detection level. I think the fact that the sub patrol TF had no autodisband orders available is the cause of the loss of 3 of the 4 submarines lost this day and probably of the loss of 2 submarines the day before. On the other hand submarines are able to survive high FLT score and to sail up to the West coast (or Japan) without sinking, so I sink that my opponent did a mistake when he sent them to PH.
PH airmen remained on the ground, even PBY didn’t fly at all on the 8 and the daily Zero sweep over PH reported no CAP. Clouds covered the island in the afternoon so KB launched no raid against it. No ship left the port either. During the day two MSW swept some Allied mines off Lahaina.

Recon showed 426 Allied aircraft on PH (48/170/208). Again I think that it is possible SBD and TBD are counted in the auxiliary total. KB will sail 120 miles SW, so will be 3 hexes away from PH and will not be attacked with torpedoes. Orders remain the same: LRCAP Lahaina and attack PH airfield with Kates if no ship is seen.

Japanese submarines saw no more warships of CV aircraft during these two days. Five submarines chased a convoy sailing SE of Hawaii towards San Francisco and will continue in the next days. It is interesting to note that almost only AKs were seen around PH (and they carried no troops when attacked) while S of it or around Johnson Island mostly APs were reported and those sunk were full of troops. So it is thought propable all unit reinforcements were sent to atolls and PH received no more defenders.

The landing in PH was planned around the 20. The convoys are sailing slower than planned and the new date is set as the 30. The main objective is to build Lahaina and then base bombers and BB here to pound PH. Tinas will begin tomorrow to transport Const Bn from Midway to Lahaina. KB will sail in few days to Midway for refuel/rearm/reorganisation of the airgroups and then return to patrol E of PH. CVL Shoho arrived in Midway on the 8 was joined by the CVE Taiyo and sailed E to join the KB. The plan is to have half of the CV going to Midway while the other will patrol N of PH, so stopping any general stampede.

In the rear area, more supply and fuel is loaded in Japanese ports for this theatre. And an AP convoy sailed on the 8 towards Bonin to pick up all troops based here and bring them forward. Two recon units (11 a/c) received orders on the 8 to move to Hawaii and started from Takao and Bangkok the long ferry route.

Southern Pacific

On the 7, a Glen reported an AP off Canton Island and another NW of it. A RO submarine sent to the island reported no contact on the next day.

On the 8, some headhunter tribes joined the Coprosperity Sphere when Dagua surrendered to the NLF occupying the nearby base of Wewak, New Guinea. Allied engineers expanded Port Moresby airfield to size 4 the same day.

Philippines

On Luzon, the NLF of Vigan retreated to Laoag on the 7 and will wait and see there. The 11th PA Div was still in Lingayen on the 8, when 9 Ki-48 from Batan Island bombed it (20 cas).

On Mindanao, a NLF marched on the 8 to Butuan from Cagayan and will occupy it tomorrow.

Dutch East Indies

The “main offensive operation” planned for these two days was a landing in Zaombaga, Mindanao. As a sub was reported there on the 7, the transports were sent to Sandakan and unloaded a NLF here on the 8.

On Borneo, the 35th Bde finally marched out of Tarakan on the 8 and as there is a river shock attacked the fleeing troops of Tarakan, that were slowed by lack of supply and bombing raids. Both Dutch units (VII Garrison Bn and 2nd DAF BF) surrendered and Japanese counted 1000 POWs. The 35th Bde will continue to Samarinda, rest there while the 5th Eng Rgt will arrive by sea under naval escort and then march to Balikpapan.

Patrols reported both days Allied cruisers off Macassar. They are outside escorted range of torpedo bombers. Convoys carrying base forces will arrive in the next day both in Tarakan and Menado and build them to size 4 airfields. I may also send 3 Nell/Betty Daitai and a Zero unit to one of this base and attack the ships with bombs at high altitude. Both sides should suffer few losses.

Malaya

On the 7, 45 Nells, 34 Ki-21 and 22 Ki-48 (with 18 Ki-43 and 19 Zeroes) raided Palembang airfield. They met no CAP and lost only one Ki-21 to AA. 17 Allied aircraft (5 Martin 139, 4 Wirraways, 3 Hurricanes, 2 Lodestars, 1 Vildebeest, 1 Swordfish and 1 Lockeed 212) were destroyed on the ground. This raid should have been repeated the next day but was cancelled by bad weather.

The CA TF arrived off Johore Bharu in the night of 7-8 and will patrol there in the next days.

In the evening of the 8, 36 Ki-21 arrived from Bangkok in Alor Star and will bomb Singapore daily. Johore Bharu received again orders to bomb Palembang.

Burma

The river NE of Rangoon was crossed on the 7 by the 14th Tk Rgt, that was followed the next day by the 33rd Div, the 15th Army HQ and another Tk Rgt. The British troops that seemed to retreat on the 7 marched south (at least one of them) on the 8 and may want to defend the bridges of the Mandalay road, or maybe cut Japanese lines. The latter will not work as the 21st Bde remained behind, N of Moulmein, to protect them.

The 15th Army will defeat the unit 120 miles NE of Rangoon before attacking the town. It will wait for the 21st Bde to be relieved by naval infantry units and join the main body to cross the river together.

China

Yenen continued to be pounded by Japanese guns (379 casualties in 2 days).

In the south, 2/3 of the 21st Div reached Nanning on the 8 and reported only one Chinese Corps there. They will attack it and take back the city with the support of 27 Betties that flew from Takao to Canton on the 8. The original plan was then to leave the area and return to Indochina (and to Canton for troops S of Wuchow) but another possibility will be to hold the area. Except that I will need a lot of small units to hold the whole railway and liberate troops (21st and 38th Div) for Luzon campaign. So it won’t be done now.
Along the coast, the 2nd Mongol Cav Div arrived around Amoy and will relieve the 116th Div that will then march to Canton.

Japan

On the 7 the War Production Ministery ordered to increase four times the production of the Emily. I want to be able to have all Mavis squadrons upgraded before May. Well not exactly, I will keep one Mavis squadron to use the available aircraft.

The map with this post is the situation in Southeast Asia on the evening of the 7.




Attachment (1)

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 35
9 January 1942 - 8/11/2005 12:58:40 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		9 January 1942

Central Pacific

The night and morning were very quiet around Hawaii. The daily sweep found no CAP over PH and the naval searches reported no submarine around. It seems they fled east towars the West Coast as some were at least reported east of PH in the afternoon. Two damaged ones (Cachalot and Plunger) only reached Moloaki (or Molokai, what is right, the map or the base name?) and 2 Vals sank the Plunger. She is the 11th American submarine confirmed sunk. American airmen continued to not fly in this area.

The main event of the day was the afternoon raid launched by KB against PH airfield. 46 Zeroes escorted 153 Kates that bombed at 20000 feet and were only opposed by AA fire. As I said some days ago I did a big mistake on the last raid by using Vals for airfield attack. Only 4 Kates were lost to AA fire and they blasted the airfield. They scored 122 hits on the runways, 30 on the installation, 4 on the supply runs (destroying supply in PH will help for the landing) and hit 375 men and 17 guns (presumably AA). And they hit hard the main target by destroying 75 aircraft on the ground (15 B-17E, 15 PBY, 8 F4F-4, 7 LB-30, 7 B-26B, 5 P-40B, 5 P-26A, 4 P-36A, 3 B-25C, 2 A-20B, 1 SBD). At the end of the day Japan recon showed 186 aircraft (20/72/94) and airfield damage 27 in PH . And I have a question: are this numbers the total of available aircraft or do they included damaged ones ?

The men in Lahaina still don't believe their luck of not being attacked at all but I will not let them rest. MSWs only work one phase each day, I don't know why, they are on patrol with no refuel orders (they have fuel) and undocked. Their crews are probably busy surfing along the coast. At least the engineers of the 16th Div and 105th IJN BF (landed with it) and those brought by transport aircraft are busy. Lahaina airfield should rise size 4 in 2-3 days . The air situation is deemed sure enough to base aircraft here (other than the decoy floatplane) and the first 27 Zeroes arrived from Midway in the evening.

Around 1000 miles WSW of San Fransisco, Glens reported two US TF with CAs (they might be DDs) sailing east. I'm quite sure that the USN has left the vicinity of PH. After several submarines were hit or sunk NE of PH, the cover of this area was light for some days but several submarines carrying Glens (two of them replaced them in Midway after it was shot down) are again in the are and they report no ship in the area.

E of PH, the four submarines chasing an AP convoy since 3 days still didn't attack. The convoy has proven faster than thought, sailing 4 hexes each day rather than 3. These submarines will continue to chase it.

Tonight will start the phase 2 of the Hawaii operation. 2 BB and 2 CL will bombard Hilo, base of 22 PBY, while 2 DD will bring troops of the 16th Div from Lahaina to Kona. Once Kona will fall, the 16th Div will land also in Hilo.
The Kate raid against PH will be repeated. The goal is to chase heavy bombers from PH and to keep the airfield closed, or at least enough damaged to seriously reduce its activity if the Allied airmen decided one day to fly. Also hitting AA guns will reduce the losses. To launch the raid, the KB will sail 120 miles N of PH. So if the Allied commander tries a general stampede thinking the raid was a departure greeting.... boom.

South Pacific

I monitored this area this turn. Submarines confirmed that APs (at least 2) are off Canton but still didn't attack.

Kwajalein suddently went very active after one quiet month. Not knowing where US CVs may be, I will still not advance south but reorganize my forces. Some APs and PGs will pick up the BF of Wotje and bring it to Maloelap. The TK are sent towards Japan, the two fast AS to Saipan (I don't take risks with them) and the Nells to Truk to fly naval search (Truk only had 6 Jakes...).

Philipinnes

A raid by 9 Ki-48s to Lingayen didn't find the target. And Butuan was occupied.

Dutch East Indies

Patrols confirmed that the Allied fleet is off Macassar. Two big cruiser TF are there, with no CAP, and from there are able to react towards both Balikpapan and Kendari.

I have in the area 3 Daitais of naval bombers but no base in torpedo range and size 11 (for Zero escort). These bombers are ordered to bomb Balikpapan airfield tomorrow, to slow the building of forts here (recons reported 10000 Dutch in this base).

Malaya

Bad weather again cancelled the raids from Johore Bharu and Alor Star. A new set of order was issued so they will find something tomorrow. IJAAF bombers in Johore Bharu will raid Palembang (with Zero escort) and SIngapore airfields and Toboali port. The 6 APs are still off Toboali and I hope this raid and increased naval patrols will be enough to send the 54 Nells of Johore on a naval attack mission against them. Sallies based in Alor Star will again try to bomb Singapore. And a Chutai of Nates will LRCAP Singapore, just to be sure no Dutch transport aircraft will fly there.

Burma

Another British unit marched south to defend the river crossing 120 miles NE of Rangoon. And of course if you order an unit NE of Moulmein to go to this hex, if will march first NW and then E, crossing 2 rivers.
I don't want to attempt another opposed river crossing. So I will take Rangoon and then march 120 miles N, cross the river and hope the threat of being surrounded will be enough for the British troops to retreat.

Troops are still getting in position. The 4th Mixed Rgt, well rested in Bangkok, will leave tomorrow towards the Burma front again.

Only offensive operation should be a Sally raid from Bangkok against troops NE of Rangoon.

China

The 21st Div (less the 1/3 that kept the road to Indochina with a naval unit) took back Nanning, chasing the 91st Chinese Corps east towards Wuchow. After examination of the available troops, it is possible to garrison the area and the railway with naval troops allready in the area and the 19th Bde. This will allow the 21st Div to march to Canton.

APs are leaving Formosa and Pescadores with the remaining troops of 14th Army (the HQ, 2 Tk Rgts and some artillery) and will gather in Canton. They will then sail from there with the 38th Div and 21st Div. Depending of how the Singapore battle started in mid-January, these troops will sail to Malaya (if things are really bad), Palembang (if things are not so bad but will take some time) or Luzon (if things are OK and troops assaulting Singapore will be available in the first half of February for Palembang).

The 27 Betties sent to Canton to support the Nanning attack didn't fly. They will try to bomb ressources of Kumming tomorrow and then fly to another theater.

Japanese economy

5 TK left Formosa towards Japan. They will load oil and bring it to Formosa, Hong Kong and China for the local HI.
Several AK TF left Japanese ports and will load fuel in Chinese ports. There are hundred of thousands of tons of fuel available here and very low naval activity. The fuel will be brought to Japan for use by TK and AO.
In Manchuria, I discovered a pile of 60 000 supplies in Mudken, where is located the HQ of 3rd Army. I ordered it to Port Arthur to draw supplies here,so they may be shipped overseas.

Next post will show a map of the Hawaii Islands.

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 36
RE: 9 January 1942 - 8/11/2005 11:33:23 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		Hawaii situation 9 January 1942

Edited: it seems that my original BMP file became blurry when converted to JPEG for uploading. All comments written in red are unreadable.

So here they are:

NE: US surface TF sailing E
E: AP convoy to San Francisco, the subs S of it didn't attacked this turn
E of Hawaii: US subs fleeing
Lahaina : 27 Zeroes based here + 9 from KB on LRCAP
Hilo: 2 BB + 2 CL will bombard
Kona: FT TF from Lahaina will land troops
Pink arrow from west: Midway Betties will bomb PH airfield in daylight
Black arrow to N of PH: KB will sail her and Kates will bomb PH if no ships are seen
Black arrow NW PH pointing W: after the raid KB will sail towards Midway
Black arrow NW PH pointing E: Shoho & Taiyo from Midway to join KB

Will try to do better next time.




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AmiralLaurent -- 8/11/2005 11:41:17 AM >

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 37
RE: 9 January 1942 - 8/11/2005 2:04:02 PM   
String


Posts: 2661
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Estonia
Status: offline 		Have you crated any Sonias from china or SRA? They would be quite good in this situation, but if you havent already sent them on their way then there's no use sending them now, they would arrive too late to have any impact imo

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 38
RE: 9 January 1942 - 8/11/2005 3:04:38 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		No, sending DBs against PH will be too bloody. Suppression of the base will be done by Sallies and Helens (first group will be released in Tokyo in 3 days).

But having some Army DB at hand for ground attack during the final battle may be useful. By the way landing in PH is planned in 3 weeks and the battle will probably go on for several weeks... so maybe these DBs may arrive in time. I may send back a CVE to pick them up. That may be an idea.

(in reply to String)
Post #: 39
10-13 January 1942 - 8/14/2005 8:22:59 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		10-13 January 1942

Central Pacific

The main threat remaining in the area was the heavy bombers based in Pearl Harbor and these flew on the morning of the 10. 24 B-17 and LB-30 in 5 groups attacked ships off Lahaina and W of Hawaii in the morning and 10 other in the afternoon. 9 Zeroes flew CAP over Lahaina and shot down 1 LB-30 but lost two to return fire. Most bombs missed but one hit the CL Kitakami (damage 18/9/13). 3 B-17E also attacked the KB in the afternoon but were repulsed by the CAP (109 Zeroes...) and at the same time PH was bombed by 147 Kates (escorted by 46 Zeroes but there was no CAP) and shortly later by 25 Betties from Midway. Two Kates were shot down by AA fire and one lost in an accident but both raids destroyed on the ground 59 aircraft (13 B-26B, 10 PBY, 7 F4F-4, 7 B-18A, 6 P-26A, 4 B-17E, 3 A-20B, 3 P-40B, 2 P-40E, 2 LB-30, 1 P-36 and 1 SBD). 176 men and 6 guns were disabled and 14 hits were scored on the airfields, 114 on teh runways and 3 on the supply dumps. During the day Japanese fighters also shot down 2 PBY.
The original plan was that the KB will retire on the evening of the 10 but it received the orders to remain in range of PH to launch another raid. Clouds cancelled it on the 11, that saw two more PBY being shot donw by the KB and no raid launched from PH. The next day, KB (reinforced by Shoho and Taiyo) sailed closer to PH again and in 2 raids 148 Kates bombed PH airfields again. The result were 68 aircraft destroyed on the ground (13 F4F-4, 9 SBD, 7 LB-30, 6 PBY, 6 P-40E, 5 B-26B, 4 B-17E, 4 B-18A, 4 P-36A, 4 P-26A, 3 A-20B, 3 B-25C), 306 casualties, 13 guns disabled, 2 hits on supplies and 147 on the airfields and runways. But the raid proved costly, AA fire shot down 9 Kates even if they flew at 20000 feet like the former raids. THe PH airfiels were then damaged at 64% and closed... something I had never dreamed to achieve. The KB sailed east on the 13 without launching any more raid and in the evening divived in two TFs. The Shokaku, Zuikaku, Akagi, Shoho and Taiyo will remain in Hawaii area to cover convoys while the other will refuel and resplenish airgroups and bomb dumps in Midway.

Reinforcement arrived by air in Lahaina during these four days and the base now has 3 Ki-15 (that started recon flights over PH on the 13), 27 Zeroes and 27 Nells (for naval search and attack). The convoy carrying enough BF to Lahaina to turn it into a major airbase that will be used to bomb PH will arrive in 3 days. With it will arrive the only IJN AR and the BB will start to bombard PH. Aerial reinforcements continued to fly across the Pacific and are waiting on Johnson Island and Midway to fly the last leg to Lahaina once it will be ready.

Mineswepers continued to sweep mines off Lahaina and around but far more slowly than what was planned. Hilo was bombed twice by BBs and CLs, that hit hard the base (more than 400 cas) but only destroyed one PBY on the ground (on the 10). THis same day, 2 DD unloaded some troops of the 16th Div in Kona but one hit a Mk 16 mine and was docked in Lahaina (should be saved). Kona was occupied the next day without any opposition. Moloaki surrendered on the 12. Hilo will be next target, once MSW will have the mines defending it.
By the way, more than 1000 mines were reported off Kona. The DM TF that was destroyed by the KB 60 miles W of this base on the 4th of January has probably laid them the night before.

The submarines chasing a convoy E of Hawaii tried 3 times to attack it in 2 days but were always chased by the escort (2 NZ PGs) and scattered when the convoy arrived near the West Coast. On the 13 a Glen reported an AP convoy 720 miles SE of Kona, probably sailing to Christmas Island but only one SS was sent to deal with it as the CVs are busy elsewhere.

On the rear an AP convoy arrived in Bonin and began to load the troops here (a NLF and a BF) to bring them to Johnson Island. Midway port was expanded to size 3 on the 13 and the two Eng Rgt here began at once to reboard ships to be used during the PH invasion.

The next days should be quiet. The 5 CVs remaining near Hawaii will cover the convoy and then the real pounding of PH will start... The landing is planned in 2 weeks.

South Pacific

In New Guinea, barges unloade part of a NLF on the 12on Aitape , that was occupied the next day. Engineers expanded the AF of Hollandia to size 2 on the 13.

No more Allid aircraft were based in Rabaul on the 11 and recons were flown by Nells from Truk to this base to check if it has been evacuated. Allied units were seen still in the base.

Philipinnes

On the 11, 12 and 13 Ki-48s from Batan Island bombed the 11th PA Div at Lingayen (70 casualties). Nells bombed and hit twice the SS S-39 off Manila on the 11. A Betty Daitai coming from China bombed Manila on the 12 but scored no hit at all and AA shot down one. They were grounded while more recon were flown to Manila.

The last Allied base on Mindanao Island, Zaombanga, surrendered to Japan on the 13.

Dutch East Indies

On the 10 Balikpapan was bombed by 54 naval bombers from Jolo (no casualty, 39 hits) while the 22nd NLF took the undefended town of Sandankan.

The Allied cruisers were still off Macassar on the 10 and 11 and sailed to Kendari on the 12. A dozen Nells from Jolo attacked them on the 13 (due to wrong orders being issued). They met no CAP, missed 2 Dutch and 1 British CL and returned with only 1 loss.

Menado will be the main airfield on the area (building here is far faster than in Tarakan) but it will be one week before the base will be ready. All Japanese ships left the base on teh evening of the 13 as all Japanese surface TFs of the area will cover two convoys bringing the 5th Eng Rgt and the 4th Mixed Bde (loaded in Brunei) to Samarinda, from where they will join troops that marched from Tarakan and then assault together Balikpapan.

Malaya

The 25th Army is ready for the attack on SIngapore (almost all units have prep over 50). The advance will start on the 15. To prepare the attack Japanese bombers bombed the base on the 10 (25 Ki-21), 11 (25 Ki-48 & 18 Ki-21), 12 (40 Nells) and 13 (73 Ki-21, 27 Ki-48 and 40 Nells). Raids were often failures (only 6 supply hits and 100 casualties in 4 days) but the losses were limited to 2 Sallies and a Lily.
As I thought, Dutch transport aircraft are used to supply Singapore or evacuate troops. Nates tried twice to intercept them without any success so on the 13 I alos used a Sentai of Oscars ro fly LRCAP over SIngapore and they shot down 2 Lockeed 212 and 1 Lodestar.

Johore Bharu airmen were also busy more south. On the 10 14 Nells and 18 Zeroes flew to Toboali and sank a Philipinno AK and hit another with one torpedo. The next day 18 Ki-21 bombed Toboali port but the Allied ships left the area. The same day 18 Ki-21 escorted by 36 Zeroes and 3 Oscars raided Palembang airfield. They were intercepted by 3 Wirraways, 10 Hawks, 7 Demons, 3 Brewsters and 6 Hurricanes. Zeroes shot down 21 Allied fighters but lost 3 of their own number and the raid missed while 2 Ki-21 were shot down by AA fire. The next days no more CAP was reported over Palembang even if the base is still full of aircraft. But the bombers have orders to bomb Singapore only.

On the 11 the SS Truant was hit by a Sally E of Songkhia. The CA TF of Johore Bharu sortied on the evening of the 11 and it was planend to raid Singkawang but only one aircraft was reporetd here by recons and the raid was cancelled on the evening of the 12.

Burma

The four days saw only moves forward. The first troops of the 33rd Div (1/3) reached Rangoon on the 12 and bombed it the next day (only the Rangoon Force is there) while another third arrived with the HQ 15th Army. Rangoon will be attacked (and probably taken) tomorrow.

Some Ki-48s arrived in Tavoy. The main piece of information duing these days was the fact that Japanese recon aircraft at least reporetd the AVG in Mandalay (30-35 P-40B flying CAP every day).

A secondary operation will see the capture of Andaman in some days. The CA TF based in Johore Bharu and a Parachute Rgt (currently in Bangkok) will take part in the operation, that will be supported by Army aircrafts.

China

Japanese troops continued to bombard Yenen in the north and to march around it to surround it. They also organized the land around Nanning in the south anc reoccupied Pakhoi.

The strategic air campain against Chinese ressources has been slowed down by bad weather. The only raid in 4 days was by 20 Betties from Canton against Kumning, that disabled 12 of the 300 ressources of the city, before leaving for Batan Island and PI (see above).

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 40
14-17 January 1942 - 8/16/2005 12:02:26 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		14-17 January 1942

The 17 January was really the desicive day of the war until now. The 25th Army managed to advance in Singapoe without much losses and the first BB bombardment of PH was a success.

Central Pacific

I didn't attack again PH airfields during this period and no raid from there either. The daily CAP continued over the island without meeting any CAP and I lost several recon aircraft to AA fire without learning much more. On the other side I shot down a half-dozen of Allied patrol planes.

On the two first days, the 5 CVs remaining off PH covered the two convoys arriving in Lahaina. The base is now a size 4 airfield with 380 air support squads and a size 4 port with an AR.

The pounding of Pearl Harbor to prepare the landing started on the 16 with a Kate raid against the port at 20000 feet, the main targets being the coastal guns. Only 5 CVs were still near PH on this date and 65 Kates flew the raid. To my surprise they found 3 BBs in the port (Nevada, Tennessee and Pensylvania) and scored 6 torpedo hits on them but murderous AA fire shot down 27 Kates... ouch... (on the whole this day costed Japan 40 aircraft against only 6 Allied) The only good news was that 17 guns were hit so I was confident enough to send 5 BBs to bombard the island the next night. They won their battle agains the coastal guns (18 more guns hit while the BBs suffered almost no damage) but hit nothing more and as I apparently forgotten to switch "escort bombard" to no, the DD Hayate was sunk by return fire and another DD was badly hit and docked in Lahaina for repairs. On the 17 Sallies and Nells bombed again the port. This time they suffered no loss to AA but scored only one bomb hit on an AV and 2 that bounced on BBs (Lahaina was still AF 3, so no 800kg bombs for Nells).

The secondary operation against Hilo was launched on the night of the 14-15 and proved costly. The CL Yura was badly damaged by a Mk16 mine despite the 3 MSW included in the FT TF and the MSW W20 was hit 7 times by the CD guns and is now docked in Lahaina port but issue is in doubt to know if she can be saved. The 1500 men of 16th Div who landed launched a shock attack on the 16, that destoryed the 3 levels of forts, and then a deliberate on the 17 but it only achieved 1 to 1 and failed with low losses. A chock attack will be launched tomorrow with the support of 3 cruisers.

Submarines made few contacts E of Hawaii. One was followed for two days and 1 CL and 3 DD were sent for an open sea interception. The CL and a DD met a TK SE of Hawaii on the night of 16-17 but didn't sink her (several shells and a torpedo hit the TK) before returning to base.

Off California, the I-17 sailed close enough to the shore to fly a recon with her Glen above San Francisco. Nothing was spotted but enough Wildcats and SBDs were reported in the air to be sure that at least one US CV is in the area.

The main part of the KB is now in Midway and had finished recompleting air units (by absorbing land-based units and fragments, or drawing reinforcements from the pool). The only part of the CV airgroups currently depleted are the Kates groups of the CVs sailing off Hawaii (and now refueling at Lahaina). And 39 Kates and crews are island-hopping from Japan to join them.

Four bomber units (1 of Nell, 1 of Betty, 1 of Sally and 1 of Helens) are now based in Lahaina and will bombard PH every day before the landing. The naval bombers will bomb the port and the The KB will regroup NE of PH to cut any retreat path for the Allied ships. The BB TF will continue to raid PH but will do it every two days, resplenishing in Lahaina between two raids. The fact that the big guns in PH or the mines didn't do any damage to my BBs is good news. And from what my opponent is saying in his mails, it seems to me he is not excepting an invasion of PH but rather a siege. The invasion convoy is now less than a week from the island.

South Pacific

Two DD carried from Kwajalein to Tarawa a part of a NLF, that took the atoll on the 16.

Sarmi, New Guinea, was occupied on the 17 by a NLF.

Philipinnes

Apart the daily attacks by Ki-48s on the 11th PA Div in Lingayen, there was no action. But I decided to accelerate things there and is loading a big base force in Tainan to land it in Aparri.

Dutch East Indies

On the 14, an Allied surface TF was seen NW of Macassar and sailing NE, probably for a bombardment run to Samarinda where Japanese troops are gathering. I sent 4 CA, 2 CL and 8 DD to intercept them at night, ordered the 80 naval bombers of Jolo to fly naval attack and placed some submariens to chase cripples. Well nothing happened and the next day the Allied cruisers were nowhere to be seen.The were found on the 16 again (9 CA off Maumere) and lost again the next day.

The 5th Eng Rgt arrived in Samarinda on the 16 and is unloading, the 4th Bde will arrive tomorrow. 3 surface TF and LRCAP from Brunei are portecting them. The 35th Bde and 2 naval units are also in Samarinda and the advance on Balikpapan will start shortly.

A NLF took the undefended town of Jesselton on the 17.

The TFs here used more fuel than planned (especially as Tarakan oilfields have been badly damaged during the invasion) and 4 TK began to load fuel in Camranh Bay on the 16 to carry it to Tarakan.

Malaya

Daily raids hit SIngapore targetting the airfield on the 14 and the troops later. I ordered the 25th Army to advance to Singapore on the evening of the 14, choosing the unit with the most FAT (an Eng Rgt) to lead the advance. On the 15 it has walked 22 miles ,all other units 23. On the 16 the game showed the Eng Rgt on the map at Singapore but on the unit list still at Johore Bharu with no more movement orders. All other units were at 46 miles. I ordered all to follow the 18th Div, that was still following the Eng Rgt, that was ordered again to march to SIngapore. And I upgraded to v1.602.

On the 17 the whole 25th Army (except the late Eng Rgt, that has now been ordered to remain in Johore Bharu) arrived in Singapore hex. The shock attack was at 0 to 1 against fort 7 but Allied casualties (3000) were higher than Japanese (2500) so I'm rather confident with the outcome of the battle. All my units have disruption around 80 but few are really hit. The 23rd Bde has suffered the most in the LCU. The worst hit are my ART units. 2 of the 5 are intact but the 3 others have almost all their guns disrupted (maybe 7 remaining for the 3 units).

The only air raid outside Singapore was a sweep by 25 Zeroes over Palembang on the 16. They met 10 Hurricanes and shot down 3 for one loss.

The 25th Army will spend the next 3-4 days resting before attacking again Singapore. The base is held by 12 Bdes, the Sing Fort, 1 AA Rgt, 11 BF and (probably) 3 HQ. Attacking forces are 4 Div, 1 Bde, 1 Tk Rgt, 2 Eng Rgt, 5 ART units (but only 2 effective) and the HQ 25th Army, with the HQ Southern Area in Johore Bharu.

During this pause, Johore Bharu airmen won't bomb Allied troops but will revert to their former targets: Palembang airfield for the Ki-21, Singapore airfield for the Ki-48 and naval attack or SIngaproe airfield for the Nells.

Burma

Rangoon resisted two days to 2/3 of 33 Div but fell on the evening of the 15 with 3800 POWs (taoal Japanese casualties for the two days were around 400). Ressources and oil are intact !

The two Tk Rgts sent 120 miles N of Rangoon has the wanted effect. On the 17 British forces started to move north and only 1 British unit was still in the hex 120 miles NE Rangoon. The 21st Bde and 1/3 of 33rd Div will cross the river tomorrow to try to shock attack this unit before it retreats. The units that moved north will come back south to take the bridge rather than walking trough the jungle.

Recon continued to report P-40B flting CAP over Mandalay (from 37 to 62 depending to times) but no other Allied air activity was reported. IJAAF bombers based in Tavaoy bombed Allied troops NE of Rangoon on the 14, in Rangoon on the 15 and the empty Andaman Islands on the 16. These islands were captured by 110 paratroops coming from Bangkok the next day. Mavis should be based there in the short future.

China

The only event of the four days was a raid by 70 Ki-51 on Changsha on the 14. The ydisbaled 32 more ressources (now 230 hit) while losing 2 of their numbers.

The artillery routine in Yenen continued and was a little modified on the 17 when Chinese guns ifred back (8 Japanese casualties).

Japan

The naval shipyard production was increased in two small ports (+ 10 points).

The first TFs to carry oil and ressources inside the Japanese Empire were created on the 17. Two TK left Saigon to load oil in Brunei for Indochina. And two 7000-ton AK are loading ressources in Saigon to bring them to Japan.

The fact that the Allied submarines are mainly active along the frontline made me confident to move small transport TFs with little or no escort.

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 41
Strategic plans + report 18-21 January 1942 - 8/19/2005 2:13:47 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		18-21 January 1942

Game is running slower this week, due to heavy work schedule on my part. I spent less time playing at home but more time thinking about the game and its future while travelling in trains.

Central Pacific

On the 18, the I-168 sank the TK Admiral Chase damaged by warships the day before E of Hawaii, a patrolling PBY bombed a PG off Lahaina (damage 49/13/20) but 3 other were shot down by Zeroes. Betties, Nells and Sallies bombed Pearl Harbor, hitting the BB Nevada, Tennessee and Pennsylvania and the SS Triton, destroying 1 supply dump, 4 P-39D and 2 B-17E on the ground and disabling 417 men and 15 guns, but AA shot down 6 Betties, 3 Nells and 1 Sally. Hilo fell this day and the 115th USN Base Force surrendered (1500 POWs) but the base was completely wrecked (100/2/92). 400 mines were counted off the base. In the evening the Northern CarDiv left Midway towards PH again while the Southern CarDiv left Lahaina steaming SE to chase an Allied convoy, letting the too slow Taiyo behind.

The next night the 5 BB TF returned to PH and blasted it with devastating results. Two BBs were hit in the port, 10 aircraft on the airfield (3 F4F-4, 3 B-17E, 2 LB-30, 1 P-39D, 1 P-40E) and most of all 8123 men and 182 guns were disabled… this raid probably wrecked most base forces of the base…. The Japanese ships were undamaged… Coastal guns only fired four shells. During the day, 2 MSW swept some mines off PH without any reaction by CD guns while 2 PBYs were shot down by Zeroes in the area. On a sidenote a PG hit by a B-17 off Hawaii before the Lahaina landing was scuttled in the evening 60 miles W of Wotje after trying to reach Kwajalein.

In the morning of the same day the SS S-27 tried to attack both TF of the Northern CarDiv SE of Midway and was chased twice by the escorts. At the same time, the Southern CarDiv found an AK convoy SE of Hawaii at range 5 and launched against it 25 Zeroes, 38 Vals, 39 Kates in two waves in the morning and 24 Zeroes, 31 Vals and 36 Kates in the afternoon. They used only bombs due to range and no AK was reported sunk but 5 were heavily damaged, 5 reported in fire and a last one hit more slightly. A Jake reported 3 ships, including a DD NE of Palmyra and sailing NE. Just in case it was an USN CV TF, the Southern CarDiv (3 CV + 1 CVL, with one Val group lacking) returned to Lahaina without finishing the Allied convoy. 4 submarines were ordered to chase it. The US TF was probably fast ships escaping southwards from PH, as no US CV was reported later and the number of ships in PH decreased.

During the night of the 19-20 the BBs returned to PH after having rearmed on the afternoon of the 19. This time CD guns were more active, firing 66 shells that hit two BBs but only destroyed some AA guns on one of them. The bombardment was far less effective than the night before: 440 Allied casualties, 18 guns, 2 vehicles. It was probably another duel between the CD guns and the BBs.

After dawn, a PBY was shot down by AA over the Northern CarDiv and another one was shot down by a Zero during the day. Lahaina bombers flew against PH again, targeting this time the airfield with 25 Ki-49 (first operational use), 36 Betties, 17 Nells and 16 Ki-21 at 20000 feet. They suffered no loss but only scored 13 runways hits and destroyed 1 B-17E and 1 F4F-4.

No AK was reported sunk of the convoy hit on the 19, that was followed by Glens, and in the evening of the 20 the CL Kuma and 3 DD that were off Hilo sailed SE at full speed. During the night the SS I-171 sank one of this transports and then the surface TF intercepted the crippled AKs in daylight, first sinking a full TF made of the 5 AKs that were the most damaged and then attacking the TF made of the other five AK, sunk one more and hit two (one heavily damaged, one in fire). The TF retired in the evening to Hilo while the 4 submarines in the area will continue to chase the remaining AKs.

More north, another raid by 27 Ki-49, 39 Betties, 18 Nells and 20 Ki-21s targeted PH. Betties flew low over the port to drop torpedoes and AA shot down 8 while they hit several times the 3 BB still there. IJAAF bombers hit the airfield and destroyed 9 aircraft (3 F4F-4, 2 P-39D, 1 B-18A, 1 B-17E, 1 P-40B, 1 LB-30) without loss. Two PBYs were shot down by Zeroes in the area. The heavily damaged MSW W20 sank in Lahaina port after one week in a size 4 port with an AR….

The convoys approaching Hawaii were not attacked during this period. They are carrying troops for PH (landing now scheduled in 3 days) and Lahaina (more construction troops and a Fleet HQ) and supplies and fuel for Lahaina. Two TFs carrying together 130 000 fuel sailed past Midway to drop it to Lahaina, that has no more fuel except 18 000 fuel in a resplenishment TF docked there). A quick check of the TF list shows that more than 250 000 tons of fuel and 150 000 tons of supplies are currently sailing towards this area. And around 10 000 fuel are in Midway and 90000 supplies in Lahaina, Johnson and Midway.

At last my opponent decided to use his PTs to defend PH. He was maybe keeping them in reserve waiting for the invasion TF… Anyway the BB bombardment run scheduled for tonight was cancelled and instead two TF of 3 DDs each are sent to chase PTs. I have always been successful with this kind of PT chase until now so I hope it will continue. After dawn the Sally group of Lahaina will also attack these PTs while the other bombers will continue to pound PH. The Northern CarDiv will also raid PH airfield with Kates if no naval target is seen.

Southern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded the airfield at Suva to size 4.

Philippines

The 11th PA Div was bombarded at Lingayen on the 19 by 12 K-48s (34 cas) and on the 20 by 10 (33 cas).

A NLF coming from Jesselton landed on Puerto Princesa on the 20 and occupied the undefended port the next day.

Dutch East Indies

On the 18, a Mavis hit the Dutch SS KXIV off Balikpapan. The next day, the SS KX attacked in the morning several Japanese TF SW of Samarinda and was sunk by the DD Mineguma and Suzukaze in the 3rd action, after missing a DD in the first. The 4th Mixed Bde landed in Samarinda on the 20-21 without any Allied interference and on the evening of the 21 the whole troops here (35th Bde, 4th Mix Bde, 5th Eng Rgt, 2 naval units) started to march to Balikpapan. All ships sailed to Tarakan, where loaded TK should arrive tomorrow and will refuel there.

I am thinking to use these warships to support an invasion of Kendari in the end of the month by the 56th Bde (now in Davao) and the 65th (now in Menado), as soon as Menado will be a size 4 AF (currently at 72%), while Balikpapan will be attacked by land. Then one brigade will be used to take Macassar while the 3 others will be shipped to the PI.

Malaya

On the 18, 46 Ki-48 bombarded Singapore airfield and AA shot down one. They were heavily escorted while at the same time 51 Ki-21 went to Palembang without escort and were intercepted by 9 Hurricanes. 3 bombers went down, 15 turned back and 33 bombed the airfield and destroyed 2 Wirraway, 1 Lockeed 212, 1 Demon, 1 Martin 139 and 1 Swordfish. The same day it was confirmed that the Dutch AKs Siberoet and Beatrice had been scuttled in Singapore after severe damage by LBA.

On the 19 46 Ki-48 bombed Singapore without loss while 17 Ki-21 went again to Palembang but this time under escort by 25 Zeroes and 11 Oscars. They met 11 Hurricanes that shot down 1 Oscar but lost 3 of their number. The Sallies lost 1 to AA while they destroyed on the ground 1 Hurricane and 1 Wirraway. In the afternoon 39 Nells bombed Singapore while Hurricanes shot down a C5M Babs over Palembang.

On the 20, 63 Ki-21 and 22 Zeroes flew to Palembang despite clouds covering it (15 more Zeroes get lost) and again met 8 Hurricanes. Zeroes shot down 4 but the British fighters destroyed 1 Zero and 2 Sallies and then AA shot down 3 Sallies while bombs destroyed on the ground only 2 Martin 139 and 1 Wirraway (recons reported 150-200 aircraft here). They also scored 7 supply hits but I suppose Palemebang will never lack supply…In the afternoon 28 Nells bombed Singapore, losing 1 to AA fire, while 7 other attacked an AK off Toboali but all torpedoes missed.

On the 21, Singapore was raided by 54 Ki-48 and 101 Ki-21, one of the latter being shot down by AA fire. The cumulated results of 4 raid of aerial bombings are 72 casualties and 8 supply hits. The Japanese artillery fire has been far more successful (1894 Allied casualties in 4 days, while Allied guns only 110 Japanese in the same time).

Japanese troops in Singapore now have disruption 15-20 and fatigue 50-60 and this had not changed the last turn so I ordered a general deliberate attack to hit the Allied fortifications for tomorrow. IJAAF bombers based in Johore Bharu will bomb Allied troops to support the attack while Nells will fly ASW patrols, as 3 Dutch SS are around Singapore since several days.

The last aerial units have now left Komphong Tranch, Cambodia, and the base forces here march now for Malaya and mainly Burma.

Burma

On the 18, 15 Ki-21 bombed the 16th Indian Bde 120 miles NE of Rangoon (37 cas). This unit was retreating and when Japanese troops crossed the river there in the evening, it was already well north and there was no battle. The next day the 16th Ind Bde was again bombed by 13 Ki-21 SE of Pagan (10 casualties).
The main body of the 15th Army (see map attached) arrived S of Pagan on the 20 and they reported 3 Allied units in Pagan. The 33rd Div, a Tk Rgt and a Const Bn were ordered to march E while the rest of the Army was resting. The Const Bn advanced alone the next day and reported one more Allied unit in Taung Gyi (sp?).
The plan was to occupy the two towns and to stop there, or to cross the river W of Mandalay if the hex was undefended and then to lay siege of Mandalay. It has been changed and Japanese troops will now try to surround Allied troops in Pagan and Taung Gyi (see the red arrows on the map).

An Aviation Rgt will arrive in Rangoon in some days but the Burma Army will probably have no aerial support before the fall of Singapore and Palembang.

China

A Chinese unit was reported W of Yenen on the 18. I wondered if it was a HQ leaving Yenen or reinforcements. It moved more W on the 21 and Chinese artillery ceased firing the same day so maybe Yenen is evacuated. The first Japanese units reached the hex SW of Yenen on the 19 while Mongol cavalrymen occupied the crossroads NE of Yenen, so that may be the cause. Artillery fire in Yenen was continued the 4 days by Japanese (total 757 Chinese casualties) and for 3 by Chinese (total 10 Japanese casualties).

The 2nd Eng Rgt will arrive in Yenen tomorrow and then a probing attack will be launched against the city. 32 Sonias flew from Wuhan to Chengting to support the attack. The other China Army DBs are ordered tomorrow to bomb again the resources of Changsha.

Japanese economy

An AK convoy loaded 35 000 supplies in Japan and sailed to Tarakan. These supplies will be used to repair the oilfields.

Strategic planning

In the last days, I defined more precisely the strategy I will use in the next months.

I decided to invade Palembang without waiting for the fall of Singapore. This operation will be supported from Johore Bharu and will be done by the 14th Army troops assembling in Canton: (21st and 38th Div, 2 Tk Rgts, 14th Army HQ), all preparing for Manila or Clark Field. They will continue to prepare for Luzon operations but will before be used in Palembang. Two Eng Rgt will also take part in the operation: 4th Eng Rgt currently in Johore Bharu and 5th Eng Rgt that is marching to Balikpapan.
Preliminary operations will include landing in Sinkep Island by a naval unit. The main landing will be done in Jambi (MLs were reported off Palembang in the past) and troops will march to Palembang by the road.

I will have to invade Luzon one day. As said above, 3 of the 4 Bdes currently used in DEI will be brought back to PI. Also the 21st and 38th Div back from Palembang. And I will add the 17th Div, currently a China Army Div holding Shangai. It will be replaced there by one of the 2 Divs arriving as reinforcements in 23 days. I should have the PP to buy it in one month and a half. Luzon operations will start in March.

Once Singapore and Palembang will be Japanese, the next target will be Java. One of the four Div currenly in Singapore will go to Burma, the 3 others and the Bde will be used in Java. And then against Timor… or NW Australia depending the easiest target.

Burma is not my priority. With 2 Div, 1 Bde & 1 Rgt, I don't think i will be able to take Mandalay. And I will not attempt to take Akyab. During one of the quiet periods in the south between 2 main operations, I will mass airgroups in the area and try to crush AVG and other Allied units in one big blow.

In the Pacific, I am now rather confident about the PH operation. The five divisions here should be enough to crush the garrison. After its fall, I will probably split the KB between a fast and a slow TF. The second may sail to the DEI to support the Java/Timor campaign. The first will remain in the area. Before splitting, I may use all CV/CVL/CVE for a raid against the West Coast.





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< Message edited by AmiralLaurent -- 8/19/2005 2:49:09 PM >

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 42
22 January 1942 - 8/22/2005 5:01:03 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		22 January 1942

Only one turn was done since Friday.

Central Pacific

The DD sent during the night to chase PTs didn’t meet them (they were disbanded in port) and only reported one mine, that was sunk by rifle fire.
After dawn, clouds cancelled all planned Japanese raids and only patrol aircraft flew, another PBY falling to a Japanese Zero.

The PH invasion fleet is two days sailing away of its target. It will gather tomorrow 60 miles W of PH and land troops the next night. All available ships and aircraft will support the invasion. Tomorrow, the BB TF will sail to PH, following 2 TFs of 3 DD ordered to chase PTs. They are ordered to remain off the island after the bombardment run. All Japanese CVs will gather in the same hex as the invasion convoy and Kates will bomb PH airfields.

The next target after PH will be Christmas Island and the South Seas Detachment, currently in Johnson Island, is preparing for that since the fall of Johnson. I just realized this turn that Christmas is 11 hexes away from Johnson and so I can base Navy bombers and fighters there to harass the base. Mavis will start to recon the base tomorrow.

The remnants of the convoy hit those last days are only sailing one hex a day. The four submarines chasing them didn’t attack today and will continue to chase these ships.

Southern Pacific

A barge TF unloaded part of a NLF in Biak, that is undefended and will be taken tomorrow.

Philippines

Two raids were launched from Batan Island. 10 Betties bombed Naga without success while 7 Ki-48 bombed the 11st PA Div in Lingayen (12 cas).
During the day, the last PT in the area, the PT-32, was sunk off Guian, Samar, by 3 DDs sent especially to chase her. These 3 DDs were ordered in the evening to sail to Butuan and will be used as a FT TF to invade Leyte and Samar.

Dutch East Indies

The four TF returning from Samarinda to Tarakan found several minefields (probably laid by subs) off this base but escorts swept part of them and no ship was damaged. These TFs will refuel in Tarakan, and then the warships will sail to Menado and join the convoy (currently loading 56th Bde in Davao) that will invade Kendari.

Malaya

Singapore was cloud-covered and so wasn’t bombed. The only Japanese raid was a sweep by 15 Zeroes escorting a Babs to Palembang. 8 Hurricanes of 453 Sqn intercepted them and managed to shot down a Zero and the Babs while losing only one aircraft. The sweeps to Palembang will be stopped after this poor show.

The 25th Army launched the deliberate attack planned in Singapore but it was a failure at 0 to 1 and the forts (level 7) were not reduced by the engineers. Japanese losses were 3424 men, 107 guns and 9 vehicles, Allied lost 2799 men, 102 guns, 1 vehicle. The Allied guns bombarded the Japanese lines but hit nobody. All assault troops of the 25th Army have disruption at 75-80 and fatigue 60 after this attack and will rest 3-4 days before a new attack. The support troops have DIS around 20 and fatigue also about 60. The five ART units in the island now have 74 of their theorical 156 guns/mortars of 150mm available). All Johore Bharu will bomb Singapore airfields tomorrow (to destroy supply).

Burma

A Japanese recon aircraft reported a CAP of 62 P-40B over Mandalay. No Japanese aircraft will come to play with them for a while.

The main body of the 15th Army is now SE of Pagan and troops are ordered to advance NW, NE and E of the hex (to Pagan, the hex S of Mandalay and Taung Gyi).

China

47 Ki-51 (with 30 escorts) bombed Changsha resources and scored 20 hits.

South of Yenen are now the 110th Div, 10th Ind Bde and 1/3 of 27th Div (600 assaults points together). They are ordered to march NW to cut the road W of Yenen (but will arrive in one month). Chinese artillery didn’t fire in Yenen for 2 days (while Japanese did, hitting 190 men today) and the Chinese may be retreating from the city. Japanese troops will wait one more day and then attack, hoping to hit troops when a part will have left the city and another still being there.





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(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 43
Almost invaded PH (23 January 1942) - 8/24/2005 11:47:18 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		23 January 1942

In fact I landed in PH on the 24 but there was a bug (see the support section for details) and we agreed to redo the turn. Landing will take place on the 25.

Central Pacific

During the night, the SS S-23 was seen by the escort of a convoy S of Midway and hit twice by the APD-38, but will probably not sink, and the S-35 was chased by 3 PGs between Midway and Johnson Island. At the same time, 3 DDs engaged 12 PTs off PH, surprised them, sank four and damaged another but the DD Yayoi was torpedoed and sunk by the PT-30.

After dawn more Japanese warships arrived off PH and swept some mines. Clouds covered the whole area and cancelled raids planned in the morning. In the afternoon a PBY was shot down by a Zero and 80 Kates raided PH airfield. AA shot down 4 but they destroyed on the ground 6 F4F-4, 3 B-17E, 3 P-39D, 1 LB-30, 1 B-18A, 1 P-40E, hit 150 men and 8 guns and scored 78 hits (32 airfield /4 supply/42 runways).

The bombardment TF (5 BB and 6 DD) engaged the PT TF off PH 3 times and sank 5 PTs (4 by DDs and one by 16in shells of Mutsu). The US sailors fired 4 torpedoes against DDs and all missed. The BBs then pounded PH and hit 396 men and 20 guns. 31 shells were fired against them but all missed.

The Japanese submarines were still unable to hit the crippled convoy SE of Hawaii. One of the damaged AK (Horace Luckenbach) sank in the evening.

The original plan was to land in PH on the 24. We did it but there was a bug. 25000 of my men landed in the hex W of PH (that is not ocean in the game but coastal) rather than on PH. We agreed to redo the turn and I will move my fleet one hex SE and land on the 25. For some reason my BBs didn’t bombard PH during the bugged turn so I won’t use them either on the first turn of the landing.
APs are loading troops of 16th Div in Hilo and Lahaina to drop them as a second wave in PH. Lahaina bombers are ordered to bombard ground troops in PH. CV Kates will continue to bomb the airfield. The 3 CV TFs will gather NE of PH and some warships will meet them tomorrow. The 3 BBs currently with the CVs will then be used to bombard PH too with their new escort (so 8 BBs will be available to bombard PH.. the plan is to use 4 each night).
Off West Coast the I-17 is ordered again to recon San Francisco. Another Glen-carrying submarine, the I-23, is ordered to patrol off Seattle and leaves her position N of Midway.
The first Emily Chutai started to move towards Hawaii but lost one aircraft and crew in a crash.

Southern Pacific

A NLF occupied the undefended island of Biak.

Two DDs picked up the troops at Makin and sailed north. They will carry them to Nauru to seize the atoll tomorrow.

Philippines

Three DDs will carry a NLF from Butuan, Mindanao, to Ormoc, Leyte, tomorrow.

Dutch East Indies

In the afternoon the SS S-39 was hit by a patrolling Mavis west of Tawi Tawi.

Two transport TF (one carrying 56th Bde, the others carrying some supplies and scheduled to load 65th Bde in Menado) sailed from Davao to Menado in the evening. The 3 surface TF in the are were reorganized in Tarakan in 2 TFs, refuelled and also sailed to Menado. All should gather there in 2 days, when the airfield will be expanded to size 4, and then the Kendari operation will be launched. The 56th Bde will be used first and the 65th Bde will remain in reserve. If everything went well, the 65th Bde will be used to seize Macassar.

Malaya

54 Ki-48 and 111 Ki-21 (and 100 escorts) raided Singapore and hit 45 men, scoring 26 hits on the airfield, 8 on supplies (good news) and 86 on runways. 1 Ki-48 hit by AA crashed later. Japanese artillery pounded Allied lines and hit 603 men

Burma

The first Allied aerial offensive mission in the area is launched by 20 Hurricanes (of 2 squadrons) escorted by 35 P-40B that attacked the 33rd Div S of Mandalay and hit 12 men.

The 33rd Div and a Tk Rgt are now just S of Mandalay. The Div was ordered to march NW and cross the river to an undefend hex (and then surround Pagan), the Tk Rgt will march E to close the northern escape road from Taung Gyi. More troops will arrive tomorrow in the hex S of Mandalay. The 21st Bde and 4th Rgt will respectively arrive in Pagan and Taung Gyi in 2 days.

China

The usual Japanese artillery fire at Yenen cost 147 men to the Chinese units, that are still in place. The 8th Bde will arrive tomorrow to reinforce Japanese troops here and I will wait one more day to order an attack here.

Intelligence reports show that now 259 ressources centers are damaged in Changsha, so the last raid disabled 29 (for 20 hits).

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 44
Pearl Harbor invaded - 8/25/2005 11:33:12 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		24-25 January 1942

Central Pacific

On the 24, Lahaina bombers (37 Betties, 23 Ki-21, 21 Ki-49) bombed two US CD units in PH in the morning hitting 227 men and 9 guns but losing 4 Betties, 3 Ki-21 and 3 Ki-49 to AA fire. In the afternoon, 70 Kates bombed the airfield and destroyed on the ground 18 aircraft (6 F4F-4, 4 P-36A, 3 P-39D, 2 P-40E, 1 B-17E, 1 B-18A, 1 SBD) while losing 2 to AA. They hit 159 men and 7 guns and scored 56 hits (2 on supplies).
The PH invasion fleet sailed to the hex SW of PH during the day, as there was a bug in the hex W of PH the first time we did this turn. In the evening SS Tautog tried to attack one of the three convoys but was seen and chased by 15-20 escorts. A PC hit her with one depth charge but not seriously.

The whole invasion fleet sailed to PH during the night of the 24-25. 3 PTs engaged twice a cevering surface TF of 2 DDs, losing one PT in the first action but torpedoing the DD Wakaba in the second (I just realised I forgot to disband her in Lahaina… I hope she will survive one more turn). The two remaining PTs were engaged in daylight by the escort of 4 BBs and sunk by DDs.
6-8 minefields protected the base but few ships hit mines, as 20-25 MSWs were sailing with the invasion TFs. An AP hit 6 Mk 6 mines and sank, but I think this is the bug that saw a ship hit a mine everytime a minefield is swept. CD guns were far more a problem. A TF unloaded during the night and the 3 during the day and they lost 2 (empty) APs, 1 APD, 4 fast MSW and 1 PG sunk. 7990 men were hit in the landings and 250 more in the bombardment by US troops (24th and 25th Div are the only combat units in the island but there is a dozen ART units). Japanese counterbattery fire hit 82 men while 70 Lahaina bombers attacked 3 CD units during the day, hitting 162 men and 3 guns but losing 3 Betties, 2 Ki-21, 2 Ki-49 and 1 Nell to AA fire.
In the evening 56810 men are ashore (53254 still able) and have an ASS value of 1359. They have 709 guns and 25 tanks. Disruption is between 20 and 50, fatigue around 50. Most are still lacking supplies. They were bombed by 44617 Allied men. The bad news of the day is that I forgot to change the 48th Div orders to PH and I changed it today. The other units are all prepared at 65-75% for PH.
16 damaged ships (1 CA (damaged 12/3/10), 3 DD, 5 empty AP, 2 AKs, 2 APD, 2 PG, 1 MSW) sailed in small groups (depending of their speed) to Lahaina where they will auto-disband. This port is size 4 with an AR (the AR…) and a HQ Fleet. Some damaged ships docked there with FLT 0 (2 CL, 1 DD, 1 AP, 1 AK) sailed out of the port towards Japan to make more room for the new damaged ships. It is hoped 3/4 of them will be saved.
The remaining ships of the 3 convoys numbered exactly 100. The 6 able APD formed an ASW TF and will remain in the area but not be exposed to CD fire. The other 94 ships were gathered in a giant transport TF that will continue to unload the 46237 troops it has aboard with the support of 4 cruisers and a dozen of DDs. Eight APs of this convoy are damaged, two of them will sink during the night but they will remain there to finish unloading troops.
Two bombardment TF (4 and 3 BBs, the latter detached from KB) will attack PH tonight. Lahaina bombers will be grounded for some rest, except the Nell unit that will bomb the airfield at 20000 feet. All Kates of KB have been given the airfield of PH as secondary target.
Ground operations will start slowly with the two ART units ashore bombing the Allied lines. The 16th Div is now aboard transports in Lahaina but will remain in reserve. It will sail in a second wave with supply carrying ships after some days of fighting in PH. The first TF TF (carrying 75000 fuel) will arrive in Lahaina in 3 days and is badly needed.
Japanese suffered 8000 "casualties" during the landing but only ONE troop point was scored by my opponent... almost all the "lost" squads were disabled and not destroyed. Now the difficulty will be to bring supply to them.

Both days the Glen of the SS I-17 flew recon over San Francisco but only reported a CAP of around 30 F4F-3 and F4F-4. So USN CVs are probably here but there is no proof of it.

On the 25 the I-25 found again the remnants of the convoy hit NE of Christmas Island, now 240 miles NE of this island, and sank the damaged AK Mauna Ala.

A new reinforcement convoy arriving in Lahaina was divided to send base forces to Hilo and Kona. The recon and patrol squadrons will be based here and that will leave more room in Lahaina for combat units. 36 Betties are flying across the Pacific to reinforce the area (2 crash today with the loss of their crews...).

Southern Pacific

2 DD landed part of a NLF on the empty atoll of Nauru on the 25 and it was captured.

Philippines

A FT TF landed on the 24 in Ormoc a NLF, that occupied the base on the 25.

On the 24 9 Betties from Batan Island bombed and missed the 101st USAAF BF in Naga. On the 25 7 Ki-48s bombed the 11st PA Div in Lingayen (27 cas). Recon flights reported 22 Allied units in Manila.

Dutch East Indies

Nothing happened during these two days. The convoy scheduled to load 65th Bde arrived on the 25 in Menado and started to load it. The 56th Bde convoy will arrive there tomorrow and then sail towards Kendari with both surface Tfs already at Menado. The airfield here is at 97% to be size 4 and will be tomorrow. 20 Zeroes arrived today and bombers will follow tomorrow. Fuel situation is bad in this area and two TKs are loading fuel in Palau to bring it to the area but Palau stocks are themselves low (50 000 tons are sailing from Japan to Palau but will arrive in more than 10 days).

In Borneo, the troops advancing from Samarinda to Balikpapan should arrive in 2-3 days.

Malaya

Singapore was bombed on the 24 and the 25 by the same number of bombers, 53 Ki-48 and 111 Ki-21 (one lost on the 25). Bombs hit 63 men and 1 gun and scored 221 hits (10 on supplies). Artillery fire hit 905 men during these two days while Allied artillery fire replied only on the 25, hitting 97 Japanese.

Allied submarines still patrol around Singapore but there is no Japanese shipping in the area. On the 25 a Ki-30 bombed and hit the SS O23 SW of Singapore.

The supply in Singapore is probably disappearing at least at a rate of 5% a day. Japanese troops here are at disruption 15-20 and fatigue 45-55. They will launch another deliberate attack tomorrow.

Recons show that Kuala, in N Sumatra, is empty, and 11 barges loaded on the 24 a SNLF in Kuala Lumpur to take it.

Burma

SW of Mandalay, the 33rd Div was raided on the 24 by 18 Hurricanes (escorted by 36 P-40B) from Mandalay and lost 62 men. It started to march NW to croos the river and surround Pagan and walked 20 miles in 2 days. The Tk Rgt sent to the west marched 60 miles in 2 days and is now N of Taung Gyi, that has been reached by the 4th Mixed Rgt on the 25. The 21st Bde is not yet in Pagan, but has only 8 miles to walk along the railway to arrive.

I was excepting only base forces in these two bases but the unit reported in Taung Gyi is 4000-men strong, so is probably a brigade. And there are 3 units (no more details) in Pagan. Burma army is weak and may be beaten but for the moment I will stick to the plan and hope my opponent will retreat rather than launch a counter-attack.

China

Artillery fire continued in Yenen (480 Chinese casualties in 2 days). A Chinese unit appeared W of Yenen. My troops SW of Yenen are marching NW towards the road but will arrive there in only 3 weeks.

Tomorrow I will launch a probing attack in Yenen. 3 Div, 1 Bde & 2 Eng Rgt will launch a deliberate attack with the support of 36 Ki-51 based in Chengting (now a size 4 AF).

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 45
RE: The plan - 8/25/2005 12:19:35 PM   
Apollo11


Posts: 24082
Joined: 6/7/2001
From: Zagreb, Croatia
Status: offline 		Hi all,

quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

<SNIP>

The main idea of the plan is to put a maximal pressure on the Pacific front. Japanese forces will invade Hawai Islands in January 1942 with five divisions. Once it is done, they will occupy under CV cover the atolls south of them. Then all ships, planes, troops and supplies available in the USA will be “trapped” there. With a PH under Japanese control and with the Kido Butai and half of the Japanese surface ships in the area, they won’t be able to ship to the other fronts.

<SNIP>


Oh my... this has been a long dream/plan of mine as Japanese (months and months old) and now I accidentaly find ot this thread...

I wish you _BEST_ of luck!


BANZAI !!!


Leo "Apollo11"

_____________________________



Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!

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(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 46
26 January 1942 - 8/26/2005 12:40:14 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		Thanks Appolo. This PBEM is a serious attempt to invade and hold PH, while also having to conquer the rest of the world... or at least of Asia. My opinion was that I can't use more than 5 Div in this operation and future will tell if this will work. I am rather confident, the only question is how much time PH will fight before running out of supply... the main reason I am bombing it as much as I can.

The fun part is also to handle activity in the deserted areas. I planned at a time to write an humourous AAR telling how Gen Hodda, commanding of the mighty 14th Army, will invade Luzon with a row boat, his seasonned personnal ordonnance (a veteran of the China War.. the one that took place in 1895), a squad of Formosan soldiers that don't speak Japanese and had no rifles (and don't really understand what all this is about) and his dog, the fiercest element of his army. But I'm not a good writer enough, especially in English.
By the way N Luzon has been invaded by a NLF and a half. And they are keeping away the whole PI Army. Banzai !!!

26 January 1942

Central Pacific

The landing continued in Pearl Harbor. American defences shot 4249 shells during the night (3 AP sank during this phase) and 2258 during the day (one AP sank). Almost all Japanese troops still aboard landed but they suffered more than 9600 losses. 4 BBs and a CA bombarded PH before dawn hitting 378 men and 13 guns but that was not enough. Allied artillery in the evening hit 226 more Japanese.

During the night, two Allied submarines were chased off Lahaina and PH by Japanese escorts, the latter after missing the BB Fuso with torpedoes, but escaped unhurt. Another was chased SW of PH during the day.

In the afternoon, the KB launched 113 Kates to bomb PH airfield. AA shot down 5 while they destroyed 15 aircraft on the ground (4 P-36A, 2 B-17E, 2 SBD, 2 F4F-4, 2 P-39D, 1 P-40E, 1 PBY, 1 P-40B) and hit 195 men and 10 guns but only one of the 72 hits scored destroyed a supply dump.

The evening check found that 3 3000-ton AP were too badly damaged to be saved off PH and they were scuttled. 6 badly damaged APs and 9 less badly hit, with the 5 DD damaged today will sail to Lahaina in 2 TFs. The main convoy will also sail back to Lahaina. In this port a MSW and a 1500-ton AP were scuttled as they were slowly slipping under the waves.

92000 men are now ashore in PH (1466 ASS pts, 1146 guns, 34 tanks) but the supply level of the big divisions is not good. They will wait a little while I gather AKs in Lahaina.

Tomorrow PH will be bombarded by 3 BB and 2 CAs during the night and then 5 BBs and 1 CA during the day. The KB wil lstop raiding PH for one day (at least) and will chase submarines (5 reported around Hawaii) with Kates (naval attack with 50% search) and Vals (100% search). Also 27 Kates based in Lahaina will fly ASW. The patrol and recon squadrons are now based in Kona and Hilo, where base forces have landed during the day.

Elsewhere in the Pacific, the AK Steel Seafarer, that was hit in the convoy attack launched by Japanese CV days ago, finally sank 120 miles E of Palmyra Island. And the Glen of the SS I-17 off San Francisco was lost in a landing accident and will be missed.

Philipinnes

Ki-48 bombed the 11st PA Div in Lingayen (7 cas). An barges loaded in Puerto Princesa a NLF to invade Taytay.

Dutch East Indies

A NLF landed during the day in Manokwari. It was brought by barges from Sarmi and is changing of operationnal area, as it is getting close from Amboina. In fact it is perhaps the first New Guinea base outside Hollandia that I will use, to base patrol planes.

A Do24K-2 flying too close of Menda was shot down by a Zero (a pilot of F1/3rd claimed it as his 6th victory). The airfield became size 4 and 50 Betties/Nells and 8 Mavis flew in in the evening. Several Allied merchants have been seen off Amboina and W of it. A surface TF (4 CA, 2 CL, 8 DD) will attack Amboina tonight and then bombers will track Allied ships under Zero escort. During this time the 56th Bde convoy and the escorting BB TF will leave Menado towards Kendari. The landing is scheduled in 3 days.

Malaya

54 Ki-48 and 111 Ki-21 bombed Singapore, hitting 64 men and scoring 4 supply hits amongst others. A deliberate attack was launched by Japanese troops but failed at 0 to 1 against level 7 forts, that were untounched by the engineers. 2570 Japanese and 1563 Allied fell. Disruption of Japanese troops returned to level 80 and they will rest again.

A secondary operation saw a NLF landing in Kuala, the first place of Sumatra invaded. Recons have reported the city as empty and troops confirmed that. The base will be occupied tomorrow.

Burma

The daily raid by Hurricanes (this time 39 of them) hit troops S of Mandalay and the 33rd Road Const Bn lost 99 men. The 33rd Div continued to advance and has now marched 30 miles. The 4th Mixed Rgt bombed the Allied lines in Taung Gyi and is facing a Burma Bde. It has been ordered to launch a shock attack tomorrow. The 21st Bde arrived in Pagan, where 3 Allied units are. It will bombard them tomorrow.

Two Zero Daitais arrive in the evening in Rangoon. They were doing little in Malaya and will try to ambush the Hurricanes and P-40B used by the enemy. But tomorrow they will only rest.

China

31 Ki-51 from Chengting bombed a Chinese Corps in Yenen and hit 40 men but lost one of their number to AA fire. The Japanese troops (3 Div, 1 Bde, 2 Eng Rgt) launched a attack and engineers reduced the fort level to 3 but the attack was at 0 to 1 and costly: 1677 Japanese casualties, 521 Chinese.

The surrounding move is also threatened. A Chinese unit is now 60 miles W of Yenen and another 60 miles more W so Chinese may receive reinforcements. For the time being orders are not changed. Troops in Yenen revert to artillery fire and the KI-51 will bomb Yenen airfield to stop the building of fortifications.

(in reply to Apollo11)
Post #: 47
27 January 1942 - 8/26/2005 11:19:16 AM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		27 January 1942

Today the number of 100 confirmed sinkings of Allied ships was reached. The bodycount shows 2 BB, 1 CA, 3 CL, 1 DD, 1 ML, 6 DM, 13 SS, 2 AS, 2 AVD, 1 AV, 1 AO, 6 TK, 1 AP, 36 AK, 3 PG, 3 MSW, 18 PT.
40 were sunk by CV airmen, 32 by surface ships, 17 by LBA, 7 by submarines, 3 scuttled when a base fell and the last one was sunk by naval bombardment in port.

Central Pacific

Pearl Harbor suffered two devastating naval bombardments. During the night 3 BB and 1 CA drew no return fire and hit the 3 damaged BB still in the port (Nevada, Tennessee and Pennsylvania) and an AE, disabled 960 men and 54 guns and scored one supply hit. In daylight came 5 more BBs and 2 CAs. CD fired 19 shells with no results and the island was hit hard. Two Catalinas were sunk at anchor, the 3 BB and 2 AV were hit in the port, 3829 men and 154 guns were hit and both the airfield and port structures were hit but no supply hit was scored. I wonder if that means supply is lacking in PH….

The aircraft flying ASW around Hawaii found 4 submarines and the Cuttlefish was hit once in the morning E of Lahaina and the S-28 twice in the afternoon SW of PH. Another submarine was chased by 6 APDs SW of PH in the evening but escaped. A PBY was shot down by a Zero during the day.

For once, an Allied submarine scored a hit. A supply-laden AK was hit by one torpedo fired by the SS Silversides 60 miles W of Midway. It will be docked there. As the submarine threat was until now inexistent in my supply lines, this convoy was escorted only by one MSW. In the area I have 2 convoys carring 72000 supplies and 144000 fuel to Hawaii and I reinforce their ASW escort. I also ordered 54 naval bombers in Midway to fly ASW patrols tomorrow to chase the 3 submarines reported in the area.

In Pearl Harbor the Allied bombing attack opposed 46 375 American men to 81 725 Japanese and hit 193 Japanese. See the attached image for the details of units.

Lahaina port is full of damaged and burning ships. All ships with FLT and FIR 0 are sent elsewhere but there is still in the port 20 APs, 8 DD, 2 APDs and 2 PGs. None is in immediate danger of sinking.

All Lahaina bombers are ordered again to bombard PH airfield. The island will also be bombed by 3 BBs and 2 CAs tomorrow, while the other BB TF will resplenish. The CV airmen will continue to chase submarines.

Philippines

Tacloban surrendered to Japanese forces in nearby Ormoc. Barges unloaded part of a NLF in Taytay during the day and will ocuupy the undefended town tomorrow.

Dutch East Indies

During the night, 4 CA, 2 CL and 8 DD raided Amboina and found two TK off the island. Both are sunk and then the Japanese ships bombarded the base (137 men and 4 guns hit, 5 supply and 6 fuel hits). CD guns hit the DD Yudachi and set it on fire.

The 21st NLF occupied Manokwari during the day.

The convoy carrying the 56th Bde will arrive tomorrow 120 miles NE of Kendari and the landing is scheduled for the next day. The BB TF covering it will be joined tomorrow by the CA TF that raided Amboina. Zeroes from Menado will LRCAP them.

The first Japanese troops (a SNLF and a Eng Rgt) reached Balikpapan from Samarinda. The 4th and 35th Bde and a Naval Guard Unit are 10 miles behind and bombers from Jolo and Menado will bomb the Allied troops here (6 units, 12000 men) as I fear a counterattack before all my troops arrive. Just one Nell Daitai in Mendao remained with naval attack orders and will try to hit the Allied transport seen today off Sorong.

Sumatra

The Kainan Guard SNLF took the undefended base of Kuala and then received order to march W. Once it will be in the hex W of Kuala, I will land in Sabang and the Allied troops here will have no retreat path.

Malaya

Clouds grounded Japanese aircraft. The daily artillery bombing in Singapore hit 188 Allied men.

Burma

The daily raid from Mandalay (42 Hurricanes and 17 P-40B) hit today the 2nd Tk Rgt S of Mandalay: 31 men and 2 tanks hit.

The 4th Mixed Rgt launched a shock attack in Taung Gyi against the 1st Burma Bde and failed at 0 to 1 against fort 2. 277 Japanese and 9 Allied fell in the battle.
In Pagan, the 21st Bde bombed the Allied lines (27 cas) and reported it is facing the 16th Indian Bde, the 2nd Burma Bde and a BF.
The 33rd Div still advanced 10 miles today and is now 20 miles away from the river.

More troops will go to Taung Gyi (a SNLF, a Tk Rgt, the HQ 15th Army and an ART unit) in the hope to take it. 21st Bde will remain in Pagan to fix the Allied units here. 33rd Div will cross the undefended river and then march to Mandalay, as so many Allied troops are S of the river it should be possible to arrive there and hold. As soon as it will be done, the 2 Tk Rgts of the army will try to reach Lashio and Mitkyina around Mandalay before the Chinese arrive here.

The 2 Zero Daitais in Rangoon are now rested and will LRCAP tomorrow the troops S of Mandalay to intercept the Hurricane raid.

China

31 Ki-51 from Chengting bombed Yenen airfield and scored 10 casualties and 13 hits (1/3/9) for no loss. The Japanese artillery fire then hit 152 Chinese. There is now a 5th Corps in the town, that had arrived from the west.

In the south, the APs planned to carry the 14th Army to Palembang are almost all already in Canton and the 38th Div will leave the frontline between Canton and Wuchow to board ships in the former.






Attachment (1)

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 48
RE: 26 January 1942 - 8/27/2005 10:54:22 AM   
Apollo11


Posts: 24082
Joined: 6/7/2001
From: Zagreb, Croatia
Status: offline 		Hi all,

quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Thanks Appolo. This PBEM is a serious attempt to invade and hold PH, while also having to conquer the rest of the world... or at least of Asia. My opinion was that I can't use more than 5 Div in this operation and future will tell if this will work. I am rather confident, the only question is how much time PH will fight before running out of supply... the main reason I am bombing it as much as I can.

The fun part is also to handle activity in the deserted areas. I planned at a time to write an humourous AAR telling how Gen Hodda, commanding of the mighty 14th Army, will invade Luzon with a row boat, his seasonned personnal ordonnance (a veteran of the China War.. the one that took place in 1895), a squad of Formosan soldiers that don't speak Japanese and had no rifles (and don't really understand what all this is about) and his dog, the fiercest element of his army. But I'm not a good writer enough, especially in English.


Thank you - I will be looking forward to every new entry in this AAR!

BTW, you write in English OK (we all understand you)...


Leo "Apollo11"

_____________________________



Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!

A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 49
RE: 20-21 December 1941 - 8/27/2005 11:08:52 AM   
Apollo11


Posts: 24082
Joined: 6/7/2001
From: Zagreb, Croatia
Status: offline 		Hi all,

quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

And I don't know if I can send a TF with surface combat orders to PH without being engaged by the CD guns (and they are big here). If someone knew, please post it. I want also to do this off Singapore, to hit single transport TF. My impression is that surface combat TFs won't be engaged by CD guns but I would like to be sure.


Sorry for not spotting this earlier...

The CD guns will only defend from enemy invasion, enemy bombardment and protect the friendly minefields.

They will _NOT_ engage other enemy TFs that enter their HEX.

Please note that there was a bug in earlier WitP where all CDs behaved like those on Bataan (the CDs there are the only ones that will shoot at everything that enters their HEX)!


Here is the link for the thread where this was discussed (look at the bottom of the page):

http://www.matrixgames.com/default.asp?URL=http%3A//www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp%3Fm%3D911121%26mpage%3D1


I hope that I was not too late with this info...


Leo "Apollo11"


_____________________________



Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!

A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 50
28-31 January 1942 - 8/28/2005 5:23:58 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		28-31 January 1942

Thanks for the advice, Apollo, but I have allready had the answer and tried this, both off Singapore and PH.

It is time for an update of this AAR. January 1942 is now gone and finished with some Japanese successes. All my objectives for January have been met.

Sorry for the long post. The next one will be a review of economy and of objectives for the next month, as I did at the end of December.

Aleutians

After two months of total inactivity of my part in this area, I noticed on the 28 that Allied aircraft were now based in Amchitka and Adak. 3 Mavis were sent to Paramushiro Jima to fly patrol in this area. On the 30 they reported a ship off Amchitka. Pilots identified an AP but it was probably an AV. Anyway this evening two DDs escorting a empty convoy returning to Japan from Hawaii were detached and ordered to sail to Amchitka and raid the base. They sailed so slow on the 31 that they are still not in position and will tomorrow sail to 6 hexes of the base, and then raid it during the night. The ship wasn't seen on the 31.

Central Pacific

The 28 was quiet with just an ASW group engaging and missing an US submarine E of Midway and DDs discovering a new minefield off Lahaina. Artilley fire hit 824 Japanese men at Pearl Harbor, far more than usual. The ASW patrols by KB airmen saw nothing and they reverted to normal naval attack orders. A ground attack with full support was planend the next day in PH. Also 8 Tabbies arrived this day in Lahaina and dropped then dailys supplies to troops in PH. More transports are planned to do this but I will wait that Lahaina airfield is extended as I don't want to overcrowd it.

During the night, 3 BB and 2 CA pounded PH CD guns (269 men and 7 guns hit). The SS Searaven that patrolled off PH was unable to intercept and was then hit by a Val. Off Lahaina an AK hit the new Allied minefield and was docked with moderate damage. 70 bombers from Lahaina bombed the 25th US Div and hit 14 men at the cost of a Ki-21 shot down by AA while only PBYs flew on the Allied side, as usual, and one was shot down by a Zero. In the evening the second BB TF (5 BB and a CA) bombarded PH and hit 673 men, 16 guns and 1 vehicle. The 29 shells fired against it did no harm. But the deliberate attack launched failed at 0 to 1 (78 000 supply-lacking Japanese attacked 71 000 Allied under fort 6). Losses were 2422 Japanese vs 684 Allied but at least I knew what I was facing. The following Allied artilley fire hit nothing.
This day, 2 APs were seen off Palmyra and 25 Nells and 26 Zeroes flew from Midway to Johnson to attack them while the SS I-25 sailed closer to the island with her Glen.

The next night 3 BBs and 2 CAs again engaged the CD guns off PH and hit 288 men and 13 guns. On the 30 the Mk10 minefield off Lahaina was cleared but a PC hit one and was docked with FLT 70. A PBY was shot down by a Zero over Lahaina, where the KB came to refuel. A TK convoy carried here 70000 fuel some days ago but after refueling the BBs there was not enough for all CVs.. 77 Lahaina bombers hit PH airfield and destroyed on the ground 3 SBD, 2 P-39D and 2 P-40E. For the first time they suffered no loss to AA fire. 107 men and 7 guns were hit and 33 hits scored. In the evening, the badly hit SS S-28 sank 300 miles NE of PH. American artillery fire hit 144 men in PH while Japanese shells (fired by the 2 divisions still with supplies) hit nothing.
During the day a Mavis flew a recon over Palmyra and reported no CAP but also no ship off the island.

The pounding of PH continued on the 31 and was especially bloody. For the first time the two BB TF hit together during the night and while 5 BB and 1 CAs pounded the CD guns, hitting 343 men and 11 guns while being shot at only 3 times, the 3 other BBs and 2 CAs experienced no return fire and pounded the airfield (11 hits including a supply, 1 P-39D destroyed... airfield is almost empty) and the port (PC Tiger sunk (never heard of this ship before), BB Pennsylvania on fire, the two other BBs, 2 AK and 1 MSW hit, 11 hits including 1 supply). 4818 men, 120 guns and 4 vehicles were hit by the rain of shells. Airmen of Lahaina were grounded by bad weather but 35 Allied men were hit by Japanese artillery fire while American guns remained silent ! Are they allready out of supply ?
Recon and patrols reported several transports off Palmyra, covered by 13 P-40E. 20 Zeroes and 9 Nells took off from Johnson Island and without loss shot down 2 P-40E and sank the AK Diamond head (allready bombed and hit in the convoy attack by KB on the 20th). Returning airmen reported in Palmyra 2 units (8680 men), 63 aircraft (21/24/18) and 3 APs in two TF off the island.

Ships continued to be patched in Lahaina and left port as soon as their FLT was 0 to leave more room for crippled ships. 2 DD and 1 APD were such declared saved on the 28, 1 PG on the 29, 1 DD and 2 AP on the 30, and 4 AP, 2 AK, 2 DD and 1 APDon the 31. Only one AP is still in danger at 90 FLT since 2 days (and at 80 before). The port has no more fuel but 75 000 tons will arrive in 2 days and 140 000 3-4 days later. The first convoy made of ships damaged off PH left in the evening of the 31 Lahaina for Japan. It is made of ships able to do 10-knots: the CA Chikuma, 4 DD, 1 APD, 1 PG and 3 4500-ton AP.

Japanese intelligence learned during the past few days that an AK hit off PH on the 2nd and an AVD bombed off French Frigate Shoals on the 28 December had both been scuttled. They are both credited to KB airmen.

A full effort has been decided tomorrow against PH. Both BBs TF will bombard, joined by all Lahaina bombers and the Kates of KB, still docked at Lahaina, that will bomb the airfield at 20000 feet. The convoy carrying 16th Div is still off Lahaina and is incorporating supply-carrying AKs. The plan was to wait to send it to PH that Lahaina port was near-empty of damaged ships but if it is confirmed that American guns are no more firing in PH the landing date will be advanced.
Operations will continue against Palmyra. More south the Glen of I-9 saw an AP NE of Canton and the submarine will chase her.

South Pacific

The RO-64 patrolling S of Rabaul was chased by an Allied warship without DC on the night of the 27-28. It is possible that this was a FT TF to Rabaul. 27 Nells are based in Truk and were supposed to fly naval search. When I checked them at the end of the turn, I discovered I grounded them sometimes ago. Thei new orders are naval attack, search 50%, max range just one hex short of PM to not meet Allied CAP.

Philipinnes

The 22nd LNF occupied Taytay on the 28. The NLF holding Ormoc was busy every day receiving the surrender of the nearby islands. Catbalogan on the 28, Bacolod on the 30 and Tagbolan on the 31 (sp?)

The 11st PA Div in Lingayen was bombed on the 29 (10 Ki-48s, 14 cas) and the 31 (10 Ki-48s, 12 cas). This won't be repeated as the Ki-48 Sentai based in Batan Island moved in the evening of the 31 to Saigon and then Burma. Only recon planes remain in the area.

Dutch East Indies

This area saw some action and the greatest successes of the period.

On the 28, 10 Betties from Menado bombed a Dutch Bn at Balikpapan to prevent any counterattack against the few troops allready there. A Bde marched in the hex during the day and artillery fire revealed that only 3 Dutch Bns and 3 Base Forces were holding the base and no more air support was required. All Betties and Nells were given naval attack orders.
The same day 17 Nells from Menado found 2 APs without CAP off Macassar and sank the Roseboom. The AP Camphuys was hit by 2 torpedoes and sank the next night NW of Macassar by the SS I-155 while trying to escape.
Naval patrol revealed several transport Tfs in the area and the CL Jintsu and 2 DDs were ordered to leave Menado to attack them in daylight the next day. The other warships were ordered in Kendari where the 56th Bde would land during the night.

Starting on the 29 a Tospy Chutai dropped paratroops of the 1st Rgt on empty Sulawesi bases. Pomala was taken on the 29, Makale on the 30 and Pinrang on the 31. So the garrisons of Kendari and Macassar have no more retreat path.
The main event of the 29 was the landing of the 56th Bde in Kendair. No CD fire was experienced but 799 men were disabled in landing operations (the Bde is preparing for Manila...). The BB TF covering the landing had the surpirse to see a Dutch AK attempt to enter the port during the day. It was a wild uncoordinated action and at least 6 IJN ships fired torpedoes (not a brillant idea when the closest torpedo store is 2000 miles away) on the poor merchant, that was also hit by 14in shells and sank without survivors. More Allied TFs were reported this day especially two surface TF (6 and 10 CAs?) 240 miles off Kendari. A Dave was shot by AA fire while getting too close of one of them. But the only naval attack launched from Menado was by 4 Nells against an AP SW of Kendari and missed. 4 other transport TFs were reported.
The CL Jintsu and escort was too slow and didn't reach Sorong, being one hex short. It was seen by Allied planes and Japanese patrols reported one CA off Sorong. Either it was real and the opposition was too strong for the Japanese Tf or it was wrong and the Allied ships will sail away. So I changed orders and sent the TF south of Amboina, via the channel SW of Sorong.
Both surface TFs were in range of Kendari. With 2 BBs, 5 CAsand CLs and DDs in two TF I had superiority but night naval battles are always risky and these British sailors know how to use torpedoes. As the 56th Bde was unoladed at 95% and only 2 Allied units were defending Kendari, I ordered all Japanese ships to sail 120 miles to the NE and wait there. The 56th Bde was ordered to attack the base. 3 Betty/Nell Daitai were ordered to attack Allied ships tomorrow from Menado at range 13 maximum (both surface TFs were at range 12) while the Zero unit here, that had LRCAPed tghe Kendari TF for two days, was rested.
On Borneo, the last troops troops marching to Balikpapan arrived this day and were also ordered to attack the next day.

During the night a Dutch submarine tried to attack the ships leaving Kendari E of the base and was chased away by DDs. I don't know if the Allied warships sailed to Kendari during the night and then retired but dawn found them exactly at the same place as yesterday. They weren't attacked but in the morning 28 Nells from Menado torpedoed 180 miles SW of Menado 2 Dutch AP and sank them with the 12th Dutch Air Force aboard. They didn't fly in the afternoon.
Both Balikpapan (where 3 Dutch Bns and 3 BF were attacked by the 4th and 35th Bde, 1 Eng Rgt and 2 naval units) and Kendari (1 Dutch Bn and 1 Bf vs 56th Bde) fell at the first attempt. The garrison of Balikpapan retreated towards Banjarmasin, and will be pursued by the 4th Bde and a SNLF, while the 2000 men holding Kendari surrendered. In Balikpapan 528 of the 600 ressources and 233 of the 300 oil were seized intact. Damage was more important in Kendari where only 288 of the 600 ressources are usable. 20 000 oil and 37 000 ressources were seized in the two bases but only some thousand of fuel and supplies, Allied ships should have taken a good amount of them.
29 Ki-57 arrived during the day in Jolo, that is no longer a frontline base, to ferry an Aviation Rgt to Balikpapan where a Zero unit (the last one released from Japan) arrived to protect the oilfields against Allied bombers
The Allied ships were still in Sorong and in range of the Jintsu TF that was ordered to attack them at night. 3 DDs were sent to intercept an AK SE of Kendari. Adm Nishimura gathered his best ships, 2 Bbs, 4 CA, 2 CLs and 6 DD and led them SW to a spot where Allied warships had been seen the last two days. The Japanese TF was to slow to arrive in one phase so the battle will take place in the day where BBs will have a hig advantage against Allied cruisers. The main danger was torpedo bombers from Macassar or Lautem but they have not attacked the day before and thunderstorms were forecast.
With the successfull completion of the Kendari operation, the 65th Bde was released from reserve status and its convoy left Menado to the NE, sailing to Macassar around Sulawesi. Nishimura will round Sulawesi by the south while all other warships in the area will refuel in Menado (where 2 TKs will arive shortly) and then follow the 65th Bde.

During the night of the 30-31, the Jintsu and DD Tokitsukaze and Kuroshio sank 2 Dutch TKs off Sorong and met no resistance. At the same time 3 DDs found and sank an AK 120 miles SE of Kendari. A captured survivor revealed it was the Philipino AK Taurus, that had been torpedoed by LBA off Toboali on the 10 and was too slow to escape.
The BB TF led by Nishimura found no target at sea but was not attacked either. Japanese bombers reported several TFs and found a surface TF (10 CAs?) off Lautem and another (10 CAs?) between Timor and Amboina. In the morning clouds reduced operations and the 18 Nells sent to attack transports NW of Lautem didn't find them. In the afternoon 11 Betties were sent to Lautem and found Dutch warships without CAP. AA fire shot down 3 Betties and they only scored a torpedo hit on a Dutch DD, heavily damaging her, while missing the CL Java and De Ruyter.
This day Allied engineers expanded the port of Darwin to size 6.

Nishimura will not remain in Maumere area and will bombard Macassar tonight before retiring to Balikpapan for refueling. Other warships all return to Menado, where bombers still receive naval attack orders and will tomorrow be escorted by Zeroes, that are now fully rested.
Three submarines in the triangle Timor-Amboina-Darwin are all ordered to sail closer of Darwin that is the logical destination of the Allied ships in the area.

Sumatra

The 14th Army (Army HQ, 21st and 38th Div, 2Tk Rgt, 1 large BF and 3 small) began on the 30 to board a huge troopship convoy (50 3000-4500 ton AP) in Canton and will sail to Palembang in 2 days. It will be joined by supply-carrying AKs from Formosa and Bangkok. Other troops planned for the assault are two Eng Rgts currently in Johore Bharu and Balikpapan.
The plan is to first take Sinkep Island (that is empty according to low-level recons flown sicne several days) and Jambi. FT TF will carry NLF to occupy them. Then transport AC will bring air support to Jambi and Nates and Oscars will be based here to cover the landing of the main force, that will march to Palembang. The warships currently operating off Sulawesi will be used to cover the operation.

Malaya

Singapore airfield were bombed without loss on the 28 by 165 IJAAF bombers (35 cas, 79 hits) and on the29 by 163 (86 cas, 130 hits). Japanese artilley fire also pounded Allied position and hit 1000 men from the 28 to the 30. On this last day Japanese bombers started to bombard troops and 148 Navay and Army bombers hit with few results the 22nd Aus Bde and Singapore Fortress (25 cas), losing 1 Ki-21 and one recon Ki-15 to AA fire. The last day of the month saw a new deliberate attack against the city. 91 bombers pounded the Singapore Fortress before the attack (82 cas) without loss. The assault failed at 0 to 1 and 2503 Japanese and 961 Allied soldiers fell. But for the first time Japanese engineers reduced the fort level, from 7 to 6.
Allied aircraft in the area continue to do little. On the 29 and the 31 Dutch transports were intercepted by Oscars over Singapore (where LRCAP is maintained every day) and on each day 3 transports were shot down by the Army fighters, that increased easily their scores. The best IJAAF pilot has still only 3 victories.

Bombers will again bomb Singapore airfield for some days, before the next attack in 3-4 days.
A special operation will be launched shortly. The whole 2nd Parachute Rgt is in Johore Bharu and recon have shown only one BF and 9 patrol planes, probably 3 Do-24 units, in Singkawang, Borneo. I gather 70 transport planes in Johore Bahru and will drop the whole Rgt on the town, to destroy on the ground the aircraft. Then I will air transport some air support squads there.

Burma

On the 28 the 33rd Div was LRCAP by Zeroes from Rangoon but bad weather ground Allied aircraft. The division now with FAT 64 slowed to 5 miles a day. On the 29 Zeroes rested and 42 Hurricanes escorted by 7 P-40B attacked, hitting 133 men. The next day 42 Huris and 8 escorting P-40E returned to the same target but this time Zeroes of two Daitais bounced them. For its first fight the AVG lost 6 P-40B and hit nothing. 9 Hurricanes were shot down but at least they shot down a Zero and reached their target, hitting 44 men. The Zero pilots flew in the evening back from Rangoon to the rear base of Bangkok and one was lost in a crash. The Allied pilots repeated the attack the next day with 35 Huri and 11 P-40B and the 33rd Div lost 77 men but this same day she crossed the Irrawaddy river west of Mandalay without meeting any resistance.

In Pagan the 21st Bde bombarded with artilley fire Allied troops (45 cas in 4 days) and was the 30 and 31 bombed by a sqn of Hurricanes based in Akyab, that was escorted by P-40Bs on the 31. 51 Japanese men were hit in 2 days.
The 4th Mixed Rgt in Taung Gyi was reinforced by the HQ 15th Army, a SNLF and an ART unit and a schock attack was launched against the 1st Burma Bde on the 31. The attack was repulsed but managed 1 to 1 ratio and reduced the fort level of the town to 1. 340 Japanese and 45 Allied fell but Japanese troops are fine and the shock attack will be repeated tomorrow. A Tk Rgt is also arriving there as reinforcements.

The plan is to take Taung Gyi and throw the Burma Bde in the jungle E of it, then the 4th Mixed Rgt and other troops will march to Pagan and defeat the Allied troops here, repulsing them towards Akyab. During this time the 33rd Dvi won't move and will held its bridgehead, launching shock attacks if Allied troops move from Mandalay in this hex. Then the main body of the 15th Army will cross the river thereand then march to Mandalay.
The main problem is that only tiny troops hold the river S of Mandalay and an Allied counterattack may be dangerous.
Two Ki-48 Sentais will reinforce the theater, coming from China and PI.

For the month of February 1942, the Admiralty wants to retire one CA and two DD of the Far East.

China

Yenen airfield was raided again on the 28 (7 hits) by 23 Ki-51 of Chenging, that were then grounded. Japanese artillery bombarded the town daily and hit 774 men in 4 days. Chinese reinforcements are coming tothis theater. Yenen is now held by 5 Corps, a Div, a BF and 1 HQ. Another unit is now just W of the town and a new one appeared 120 miles W of it on the 31. Japanese troops have not been reinforced and are still marching SW of the town to the NW for a good part.

In Central China, 55 Ki-51 bombed Changcha on the 29 without loss and disabled 18 more ressources (now 277 of the 600 are disabled). The next day a new Ki-48 Sentai bombed Ichang airfield without loss but scored no hit (gaining one exp point anyway). It left the next day the area to Indochina and then Burma.

In the south, the 116th Div, relieved of garrison duties by Mongol cavalrymen, arrived on the 29 in the frontline between Wuchow and Canton.

Nothing special is planned in the next day. Ki-51s will again raid Changsha tomorrow.

Japan

The Ki-48 production, stopped at the start of the war, was restarted on the 31. More detailed economic data will be in the next post.
The DD Kazegumo was commissioned on the 29 in Hiroshima. My naval policy is to accelerate CVs and DDs, even if this requires to stop or slow BBs. The other biggies (Shinano and Taiho) have been stopped on day one, and Musashi is halted about 40% of the times. I stop it everytime my naval point stock is under 200 and restart it when it is above 500.
Much Japanese ports have been expanded to their maximum size. It is always useful to have good ports. Airfields won't be needed in the near future and their expansion is not planned, except for certain ASW bases.

Sigint

Yes, I am talking of Japanese sigint. So far I have only used it to spot Allied Tfs at sea (once a month roughly) and once I so managed to sink an Allied submarine by sending several ASW TF to the spot. But last turn I noticed that the game was showing ground units in SF (15 of them when I put the mouse over) and reported 21 ships (5 AP identified) in LA. I have no aircraft in range, my Glen-carrying submarine off California has lost its in a crash days ago, but both LA and SF are in the sigint file of the day....
By the way I just check every other Allied base out of range of my patrols and was unable to know how many ships or units they have.
I have never noticed this aspect of sigint... if it is one.

(in reply to Apollo11)
Post #: 51
Monthly report, January 1942 - 8/29/2005 12:42:35 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		Monthly report, January 1942

Japanese score: 6639 (+ 2489)
Bases 2260 (+ 478)
Aircraft 1203 (+ 734)
Army 1784 (+ 648)
Ship 1228 (+ 520) 113 ships sunk (+ 76: 1 CL, 6 DM, 11 SS, 6 TK, 27 AK..)
Scuttled ships 126 (+109)
Strategic 38 (+ 0)

Allied score: 7066 (-246)
Bases 6238 (- 798)
Aircraft 573 (+ 352)
Army 67 (+ 44)
Ship 188 (+ 156) 33 ships sunk (+ 27: 3 DD, 1 APD, 1 SS, 8 MSW, 11 AP..)
Strategic 0

Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supply stock: 2 561 000 (- 2 000)
Fuel stock: 3 788 000 (- 203 000)
Ressource centers : 14 334 (+ 1 215)
Ressource stock: 1 527 000 (- 101 000)
Oil centers : 1 388 (+ 305)
Oil stock: 1 425 000 (- 179 000)
Manpower centers : 791 (+ 4)
Manpower pool : 220 000 (+ 71 000)
Heavy industry: 13 255 (+ 0)
Heavy industry pool: 50 000 (+ 8 000)
Naval shipyard: 1270 (+ 50)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 560 (+ 3)
Armament industry: 600 (+ 32)
Armament stock: 40 000 (+ 13 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 1 098 (+ 793)
Aircraft engine factories: 1567 (+ 52)
Aircraft frames factories: 821 (+ 86)
Aircraft research: 78 (+ 41)

Aircraft production:
197 A6M2 Zero (capacity 228 (+66)), 64 Ki-43-Ib Oscar (62), 51 G4M1 Betty (46 (+20)), 45 D3A Val (41), 31 E13A1 Jake (28), 30 B5N Kate (28), 25 Ki-49 Helen (23), 22 Ki-21 Sally (20), 21 Ki-51 Sonia (45, partly stopped), 17 H8K Emily (32 (+32, replaces Mavis)), 16 A6M-2 Rufe (14), 13 Ki-57 Topsy (10), 12 L2D2 Tabby (10), 5 H6K2-L Mavis (4 (+2)), 3 Ki-46 Dinah (31, suspended), 3 E7K2 Alf (5), 3 L3Y Tina (5), 3 E14Y1 Glen (4), 2 C5M Babs (4), 1 MC-21 Sally (5)

Total: 564 aircraft (261 fighters, 98 level bombers, 66 divebombers, 37 floatplanes, 34 transport, 30 torpedo bombers, 17 patrol, 16 fighter floatplanes, 5 recon)

Analysis of the strategic situation

The 16th Army is now ashore at Pearl Harbor where no more Allied resistance is met. BBs and aircraft bomb the island at will. The only problem is that Japanese troops are lacking supplies, but there is enough in Lahaina and in convoys going there. As soon as Lahaina port will be empty of crippled ships, supply will be landed in PH and it is fairly probable that PH will fall in the next month.
The next target in the Pacific will be Palmyra and Christmas Island. The former is probably held by a brigade and the latter will probably be seized first and turned into an active airbase.

In DEI the January objectives have been met with the capture of Kendari and Balikpapan. I just checked and in fact my annouced objectives were Kendari and Tarakan... I was rather cautios next month . The current operation will end with the capture of Macassar and then the area will remain quiet, as warships will sail north to support the Palembang operation (see below). The four brigades in the area are all preparing for Manila and will be replaced by naval garrison troops. Between Miri, Tarakan and Balikpapan 230 oil centers are damaged in this area and supplies will be sent there to repair them (allready 35000 at sea will reach Tarakan in a week).

The main new operation will be the landing in Jambi, Sumatra, by the 14th Army with 2 reinforced divisions that will then march to Palembang. The operation will be heavily supported by IJAAF fighters that have had a really quiet January month. Palembang is THE oil center of the map and should be taken undamaged. I plan at least 2 weeks of artillery, air and naval bombardment before actually assaulting it. So the probable date of Palembang fall is in early March 1942.

At this date Singapore should have fallen. Forts there are harder to reduce than planned but the 4 divisions and 1 bde here should take the base this month as planned, even if the target date of 15th Feb is not assured. Then one division will go to Burma at once and other troops will prepare for Java. One division will be used to seize Medan and Bankha while such preparing.

Burma is rather confuse. If my opponent doesn't counter-attack things should be OK. Taung Gyi and Pagan will be taken separatly, and troops here (3 Bdes) repulsed in the jungle... that will leave Mandalay with less troops to be held and no river crossing will be necessary. So the town may be taken by the available troops in Burma, even before the extra division arrived from Malaya. In this case this division may be used to seize Akyab in an amphibious operation... the problem being that naval support for this operation will be reduced. It can't be launched before March in all cases.

Philipinnes will remain quiet for the whole month... the 14th Army troops won't be available in the area until mid-March and will then start operations in Luzon with the 17th Div brought from China.

In China I am not sure of the outcome of the Yenen operation... it will probably turn into a slatemate but at least it is costing supplies to China. The "strategic air offensive against Chinese ressources" is slow, as only Ki-51s are available but that may change once PH will fall in the Pacific as the Army bombers will then be sent to China. Another operation in preparation is the capture of Ichang. 5 divisions are preparing for it and it will be a brutal and quick frontal assault along the road, to frighten my opponent and maybe draw units back from the northern front. No encirclement will be attempted here.

As shown above the Japanese Empire is still using its oil and ressources stocks... and the outcome of extra HI is rather reduced. No significant increase or modification of industry is planned this month, except the capture of Singapore... this will probably change after the capture of Palembang and the first convoys coming from DEI (first TK convoy is loading in 50000 oil points in Brunei right now)

Below is the air losses screen. As you can see IJNAF air groups are used to the limit but most of them have been kept at full strenght by emptying the IJN pilot pool and disbanding Kates, Val and Zero land-based units into CV units. You can also notice the huge number of Allied sorties... less than 100 are actually frontline sorties and this is probably showing a huge training program.




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AmiralLaurent -- 8/29/2005 12:44:34 PM >

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 52
1 February 1942 - 8/29/2005 2:17:50 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		Northern Pacific

The two DDs sent to attack the AV off Amchitka Island are now in position and were not spotted by Allied aircraft AFAIK. They will hit tonight.

Central Pacific

During the night, Japanese minesweepers swept the last Allied mines off Hilo and continued to sweep some off Moloaki. During the day, the planned bombardments were all cancelled: the air raids by bad weather and the BBs pounding because I forgot to change back the TFs to bombardment from surface combat. No PBY flew from PH today, maybe because the airfield was closed by damage. Japanese artillery fire hit 5 Allied men while Allied guns remained silent.
Mavis continued to recon Palmyra Island and reported 14 P-40E flying CAP and 2 1-AP TFs off the island. Johnson Island air operations were cancelled by bad weather but not before a patrol saw an Allied warship, identified as a CA, but probably a DD, 400 miles SE of Johnson. It was probably a warship fleeing PH (that is 600 miles NE of the position of the sighting). I-171 was ordered to Palmyra to attack these ships while Johnson airmen still have naval attack orders.

Both BB TFs receive bombardment orders and will pound PH this night. Hilo and Kona are lacking fuel and two AK are sent from Lahaina to Hilo (now mine-free) to unload some. No ship was “saved” (FLT falling to 0) in Lahaina today but all FLT levels seem to decrease.
The lack of return fire by the American in PH make me wonder if they still have enough supplies to fight. I will wait the results of the bombing planned tomorrow and if return fire is slight, the 16th Div won’t land in PH but only supplies (and the last few remmants of already ashore units still aboard ships). No need to wreck a division for finishing an out-of-supply base.

Southern Pacific

The coconut production of the Japanese Empire increased by a wide margin today when natives from the well-known island of Apamama rowed to Tarawa to bow before the Japanese flag.

Philippines

A quiet month started with extensive recon. The Allied OOB is the following according to Japanese intelligence : Bataan 1 unit (fixed CD), San Marcelino 1 unit (probably a Div/RCT), Lingayen 1 unit (11th PA Div), Clark Field 11 units (20000+ men), Manila 22 units, Naga 2 units (probably a Div and a BF), Legaspi unknown. The main Allied position will then be Manila. A good thing as far more units are preparing for Manila than for Clark Field and none is preparing for Bataan.

Dutch East Indies

During the night 2 BBs, 4 CAs and 2 CLs bombarded Macassar, destroying a Do24 on the ground, hitting 175 men, 3 guns, 5 vehicles and 4 supply dumps and scoring 28 hits on the airfield. I forgot to change the home base to Balikpapan and they returned to Kendari where in the evening the Dutch SS O16 attacked the CA Nachi. A torpedo hit in the middle of the ship… and didn’t explode. The submarine escaped the 6 DDs of the escort (that strangely were shown each twice in the animation searching her). The TF received orders to return to Macassar for a bombardment run and this time sail then to Balikpapan.
The feared B-17 raids again Borneo oilfields became a reality when 18 B-17Cs of the Java-based 19th BG attacked Balikpapan. 17 Zeroes intercepted the raid but were only able to damage 3 bombers and 9 bombs fell on the fields, damaging 21 more oil centers (212 remain usable). The Zero Daitai based in Menada was sent in the evening to Balikpapan, naval bombers based here will fly without escort.
In Menado, the Jintsu and 2 DDs joined the other surface TF of the area and all ships refuelled from 2 TKs sent there and then left the base to escort the 65th Bde convoy that is sailing to Macassar.

Sumatra

The 14th Army convoy left Canton towards Sumatra, and 3 supply-laden AK left Formosa. 5 other AK are loading supplies in Bangkok and their escort is arriving from Saigon.

Malaya

179 Navy and Army bombers hit Singapore airfield. 72 men and a gun were disabled and 1 supply dump destroyed (with 75 other hits). AA fire hit badly a Ki-21 that was lost during the return to base. Artillery fire was more efficient and hit 348 men.
The barge TF that carried troops to Kuala some days ago left Kuala Lumpur to Johore Bharu and will be used in preliminary operations to seize Sinkep and Jambi. A SNLF will be carried by trains from Kuala Lumpur to Johore. Still two Dutch submarine are in the area and Nells and Ki-30 of Johore will chase them tomorrow.

Burma




The usual raids hit the 21st Bde in Pagan (14 Hurri and 10 P-40B from Pagan, 13 cas) and the 33rd Div now W of Mandalay (39 Hurris and 12 P-40B from Mandalay, 54 cas). Two Hurricanes were lost in accidents.
The Japanese troops (4th Mixed Rgt, a SNLF, HQ 15th Army and an ART unit) attacked Taung Gyi and for the first time since a month some king of aerial support was planned. Ten Ki-27s took off from Rahaeng to strafe Allied troops but didn’t find the target… The shock attack was nevertheless a success (at 6 to 1, fort 1, 176 Japanese and 12 Allied cas) and the 1st Burma Rifles Bde retreated, leaving the town by the trail leaving SE ! It will have to walk 2 months in the jungle to arrive to Lashio, the closest Allied base. By this date it will probably be no more an Allied base. The other good news are that 96 of the 100 ressources of Taung Gyi were taken intact.

The SNLF will remain in Pagan to hold it against an eventual comeback of the Burmese Bde, that will probably become a guerrilla unit given its new position. Other troops are sent to Pagan to help the 21st Bde to take it.
The two Zero Daitais assigned to this theatre flew again from Bangkok to Rangoon. As the last time they will rest one day and then LRCAP troops in Central Burma to intercept Hurricanes.

China

Artilley fire hit 53 Chinese men in Yenen. The map at the end of the turn showed 9 units in Yenen but the combat animation showed IIRC no new combat unit. So they might be a new Chinese HQ in Yenen.

Korea

The DD Kazegumo was commissioned in Port Arthur and sailed to Japan to join a combat formation. Limited operations are planned in the Aleutians in March and will be supported by the new warships launched and lightly damaged ships returning from Hawaii. The flagship will be the CA Chikuma, currently sailing to Tokyo with SYS 13 after a CD hit off PH.
Before these operations if will probably be useful to have some ASW-capable DD off Japan as the Allied submarines have left PH and may use Dutch Harbor or Anchorage as bases to reach Japanese waters.


Attachment (1)

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 53
2 February 1942 - 8/30/2005 3:34:51 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		2 February 1942

Only one turn done yesterday... my Net connexion at home is no more working , I hope it will be quikly fixed. I haven't played WITP for 16 hours now and my hands are not shaking... yet. Not too bad for a WITPolic like me.

Northern Pacific

The first firing of the war in the area took place during the night. Two DDs were searching an American AV off Amchitka but only the DD Asakaze found and engaged the AVD Gillis and fought her at 7-8.000 yards. The Japanese ship was not hit while the AVD was heavily damaged by one torpedo and some shells. It is hoped that she will sink before reaching a good Allied port.
The two DDs then sailed at full speed westwards towards Kuriles but ran out of fuel 360 miles out of Amchitka. An empty AK of a convoy returning from Hawaii to Japan was detached and sailed towards them to refuel them at sea.

Central Pacific

During the night some MSW were active off Kona while farther east the SS S-23 that was hit on the 23rd by an ASW group sank while trying to reach the West Coast. It is the 15th Allied submarine sunk, the second by surface ships.
The night bombardment followed the same scheme as the last time. Both BB TFs attacked together and CDs were only able to repel one. 3 BBs and 2 CAs so engaged the CDs (187 cas and 5 guns hits, 49 shells fired by CDs) and then 5 BBs and 1 CA could hit the base, receiving only 18 shots in return and hitting 1421 men, 26 guns, 3 vehicles and 3 BBs, 2 DDs (1 heavily damaged) and 1 AD in the port.
PBY were again active over Hawaii but may be based in Palmyra now rather than PH that was reported almost empty by patrols. A PBY was shot down by Zero but a Zero was also lost today to an Allied patrol aircraft at an unknown place. And to my great surprise PH launched a raid today. 4 P-39D escorted by 3 F4F-4, 2 P-40B and 3 P-40E, probably all available aircraft, attacked a convoy SW of PH and an AP was hit by a 250lb bomb. She was not seriously hit and will continue to sail back to Japan with one escort. 2 P-39D and 1 P-40E were lost operationnaly by the Allied forces today and may have crashed on battered PH runways. And revenge was exacted in the afternoon when 87 Kates raided PH AFs at 20000 feet. They suffered no loss and only 4 were hit, showing another time that PH is running out of ammunition… They destroyed on the ground 2 F4F-4, 1 P-39D, 1 PBY and 1 P-40B and hit 226 men and 5 guns. Artillery fire then targeted Allied lines and hit nobody but reports showed only 65000 able men in PH, 10000 less than during the initial landing.
Mavis continued to recon Palmyra and reported 2 TFs of one AP each and another of one “CA”-DD, the one that probably escaped from PH yesterday. They were covered by a CAP of 14 P-40E that shot down today the Glen of the I-25 when it got too close of the island (she will go to Lahaina to pick a replacement while I-9 sails north from Canton Island area to replace her). Clouds covered the island and so no raid was launched from Johnson, where a big TF will arrive in two days, and that will then receive more bombers.

After the escape of this ship and the apparent lack of supplies of PH, that will probably fall soon, a general stampede from PH is probable. To prevent it the Japanese CV were reorganised into a fast and a slow TF, and will probably remain more or less so in the future. CarDiv 1 is the fast one, led by Yamaguchi, and made of CV Akagi, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku, CVL Shoho and Zuiho, 1 CA, 2 CL, 6 DD. It carries today 332 AC and can make 26 knots. CarDiv 2 is led by Nagumo, made of CV Kaga, CVL Ruyjo, CVE Taiho and Hosho, CS Chitose and Chiyoda, 1 CA, 1 CL, 6 DD, carries 136 AC and 42 floatplanes and is able to do 20 knots.
CarDiv 1 will sail to the NE of PH with a surface TF (1 CA, 2 CL, 3 DD) to catch any ship fleeing towards the West Coast. CarDiv 2 will sail S and intercept ships going to Palmyra and will also be assisted by a little surface TF (1 CA, 3 DD). Johnson Island bombers and a Daitai of Nells in Lahaina will also be used for naval attacks. If no naval target is seen CarDiv2 will recon Christmas Island.

The result of today bombing attacks show that PH fire is far less dangerous than some days ago, that probably means that it is lacking supplies. Bombardments will continue with IJAAF bombers and the 2 BB TFs. The 16th Div will remain in reserve and a new transport TF is created in Lahaina with 6 3000-ton AP (that will land the part of 4th and 48th Div and 3rd and 21st Eng Rgt not landed in PH in the first assault, 4000 men on the whole) and 17 AK (carrying 46 000 supplies) escorted by 3 CL for counter battery fire, 11 PG and 11 PC. Once all troops in PH will be complete and supplied the final assault will begin.

In Lahaina, 2 APs and 1 PG were declared saved and left the port to join a docked TF. Two convoys of damaged ships sailing respectively at 3-4 knots and 5-7 knots left today Lahaina for Japan. The damaged ships (7 AP, 2 DD, 1 APD, 1 PG) are escorted by 4 PG, 6 MSW and 1 CL (to draw aircraft).

One of the convoys returning to Japan is running out of fuel N of Midway and has been ordered to sail to this base, where 4 TK (originally planed to go to Lahaina) will arrive with fuel.

Southern Pacific

Another malaria-ridden island joined by its own initiative the Empire: Noemfoor’s mosquitoes are strongly in favor of the Great Coprosperity Sphere and will welcome Japanese soldiers anytime.

Philippines

The air power of the area was greatly improved by the arrival of 10 Ki-27s in Appari. They will bomb and strafe Allied troops from there.

Dutch East Indies

Sending submarines off Darwin paid off. During the night the damaged Dutch DD Van Galen was sunk by the I-165 60 miles of Darwin, that she was trying to reach after being torpedoed by LBA off Lautem. Some hours after dawn the RO-34 found the AK Van Neck unescorted E of Tenimbar and attacked on the surface, heavily damaging her with 2 torpedoes and some shells. Both submarines moved in the evening, respectively towards Derby and Amboina.

An AP convoy is screened since two days by Japanese patrol planes going from Timor to Java and 26 Nells were sent in the evening from Menado to Balikpapan to attack it. Transport AC will continue to bring air support personnel from Jolo to Balikpapan.
Japanese merchants will leave Menado, the AP load the last part of 65th Bde that was not carried by the first convoy and will join it while the TKs will go to Tarakan and load oil before sailing back to Japan.

Malaya

162 Ki-21s and Ki-48s bombed Singapore but only hits 4 men, 1 gun, 2 supply hits and scored 117 hits on the airfield, while one bomber of each type was shot down by AA fire. These airfield raids are rather ineffective and costly lately and troops will be bombarded starting from tomorrow. Japanese artillery fire hit 469 men today. Troops will have one more day of rest and will attack in two days.
SE of Singapore the heavy aerial ASW patrols finally scored a hit when a Ki-30 bombed the Dutch SS O24.

The planned paradrop on Singkawang is still planned and waiting for a clear weather day.

Burma

Allied aircraft didn’t fly and the only war activity was in Pagan where the 21st Bde bombarded Allied lines but scored no hit.

The 14th Tk Rgt that is currently SE of Mandalay received orders to march NE to cut the Mandalay-Lashio road. I also played with the idea to send most of my troops to the 33rd Div bridgehead while the 21st Bde will fix Allied troops in Pagan, rather than take Pagan first. The idea being that if I repulse them from Pagan they will go to Akyab that I don’t plan to take before mid-March and they will have time to go there. Anyway I decided finally to take Pagan and then to concentrate troops to take Mandalay, Lashio and Mitkyina faster.
The 2 Zero Daitais of Rangoon will LRCAP Pagan tomorrow to try to catch the Allied FBs.

China

56 Ki-51 bombed resources centers in Changsha again but only disabled 11 (bringing the total of disabled centers to 288) with 15 hits while losing 3 of their number to AA fire.
Japanese artillery fire hit 344 men in Yenen.

Supply is becoming scarce in Canton, mainly because the 14th Army convoy loaded there, and an AK service is established to bring in Canton part of the useless supply docks in nearby ports, Swatow, Amoy and Wenchow all having more than 20000.

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 54
RE: 2 February 1942 - 8/30/2005 7:45:24 PM   
Rob Brennan UK


Posts: 3685
Joined: 8/24/2002
From: London UK
Status: offline 		Cor ,, just discovered this AAR and its a very good read and also very exciting ..

Adm Laurent .. your english is superb , far better than my french at least :)

and taking PH .. didnt think it was possible .. congratulations ( i hope) this is now subscribed and im awaiting the next turn with baited breath !

Good luck

_____________________________

sorry for the spelling . English is my main language , I just can't type . and i'm too lazy to edit :)

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 55
3-4 February 1942 - 8/31/2005 3:44:57 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Rob Brennan UK

and taking PH .. didnt think it was possible .. congratulations ( i hope) this is now subscribed and im awaiting the next turn with baited breath !

Good luck


Thanks. PH has not been taken yet, so I won't rejoice in advance, but will probably fall this month. Singapore will fall this month and I am confident that Mandalay will too. So I'm seriously thinking to the "what next?" question. Java and PI are obvious targets but how and will how many troops is another question. WITP requires to plan 3 months in advance for maximal efficiency and currently I have plans up to April 1942. It's time to think seriously to the third phase: May-July 1942.

3-4 February 1942

Northern Pacific

The Glen-carrying SS I-28 was commissioned in Tokyo on the 3 and became the flagship of 4 other submarines (two minelayers and two fleet subs lightly damaged in Pacific and repaired in Tokyo last month) that will operate off Aleutians and Alaska.

Central Pacific

Clouds grounded Lahaina bombers for two days. Pearl Harbor defenders had least had quiet days but their night were still noisy. As usual the two BB TF bombarded each night. The CD guns were able to repulse them on the night of the 2nd-3rd, firing 90 shells and destroying some AA guns aboard the CA Aoba but lost 728 men and 18 guns. The next night, 5 BB crushed the CD (618 cas and 17 guns hit) while 3 BB and 2 CA hit the base (1530 men and 45 guns hit, the 3 BB and 1 AK (heavily damaged) hit in the port and 17 hits on the airfield). Japanese troops on the island now only face 63500 able men. No raid was launched from PH but PBYs flew the two days and one was shot down by a Zero on the 3.

The last Allied mines off Kona were swept on the 3. An APD TF sailed there on the 4 and loaded the present troops of 16th Div (500 men) that will take French Frigate Shoals.

No raid was launched from Johnson against Palmyra, that was covered both days by 13-20 P-40E. Allied engineers expanded the local airfield to size 3 on the 4 and recons report now 12000 men (2 units) there. Ships are still off the island but the DD that escaped from PH was seen by a Glen sailing south on the 3 and left the area.

Another warship, the DD USS Maury tried to escape from PH following the same path on the 4 but Cardiv 2 was in position to intercept it and in the afternoon 22 Vals and 19 Kates sank her with 13 250kb bombs 300 miles N of Palmyra. This CV TF will sail tomorrow 360 miles N of Palmyra and his escort force will so be able to bombard the island the next night.

Japanese engineers are also working and expanded Lahaina AF to size 5 on the 4. This extra space was immediately used as 27 Betties and 20 Tinas arrived from Midway to fly over PH, respectively to bomb and drop supplies. 24 Zeroes left Lahaina for Johnson Island, where there are now 160 air support points, and will help to reduce Palmyra Island.

The second wave convoy for PH had loading problems… It was supposed to load 4000 men but the 500 of the remnant of 48th Div boarded all six 3000 and repulsed any attempt by other units to board the ships… not especially a professional attitude. So I create a new transport TF to load the other units and will then merge then. This TF will go to PH as soon as a full bombing day hit PH. Not tomorrow, as one BB TF didn’t have time to rearm today and only one BB TF will pound PH tomorrow.

Southern Pacific

Two CD units and 3 Construction Bns currently in reserve in Formosa were ordered on the 3 to board AP that will carry them to Kwajalein and then to Pacific Islands.

Philippines

11 Aparri-based Nates strafed unsuccessfully the 71st PA Div in San Marcelino on the 4. The only goal of these raids is to identify targeted units.

Dutch East Indies

13 Java-based B-17Cs of the 19th BG flew to Balikpapan on the 3. The two Daitais of Zero here were on 70% Cap but for some reason more Zeroes flew escort (see later) than CAP and only 20 intercepted the raid. They shot down one bomber without loss and the B-17Cs scored 5 oil hits but in fact they hit only already disabled centers and did no new damage.
The same day 22 Nells escorted by 27 Zeroes left Balikpapan in the morning to hit an AK convoy 120 miles NE of Bali (the convoy seen thes 2 last days heading to Java) and scored 11 torpedo hits (50%, but two duds) to sink the AK Senang and Sorabaja and heavily damage the AK Ban Ho Guan with 2 torpedoes. 9 escorted Nells took off again in the afternoon and sank the AK Tjikanti sailing alone more south, 60 miles NE Raba.
The BB TF that was slowed because some DDs ran out of fuel and it has ‘no refueling’ orders finally reached Balikpapan on the 4 without having done the bombardment of Macassar planned.

On the 4, 19 B-17C returned to attack Balikpapan oilfieds but met this time 31 Zeroes, as both Daitais were on 100% CAP, and lost 7 bombers shot down while damaging only some Zeroes. They scored two oil hits but they were effective this time and 8 more oil centers were disabled, leeving 204 usable.

The 65th Bde convoy has been joined by the light surface TF and will be joined tomorrow by the BB TF. It managed to sail past the staits S of Tarakan without being attacked by submarines and will reach Macassar in two days.
The last report of Allied warships was the sighting of 9 “CA” in Darwin on the 3. The damaged AP Van Neck, hit by the RO-34, sank the same day off Darwin.
On Borneo the SNLF and 4th Mixed Bde sent W of Balikpapan to chase Dutch troops arrived too late, they were already on the next hex. They will march back to Balikpapan and will be ship-carried to Banjarmasin.

A convoy is loading in Japan the 3 BF of the 128th serie (IJA, IJN and IJNAF) and will carry them to this area, where they will manage small and rear area bases, so the big base forces will be concentrated on forward bases (Kendari, Balikpapan and Menado).

Sumatra

The Palembang operation will begin tomorrow with a 3 pronged preliminary offensive:
1) 24 Tabbies and 54 Topsies will drop the 2nd Para Rgt from Johore Bharu to Singkawang, to take the airfield and destroy the patrol planes based here. Johore Bharu Nells will bomb the BF based here to support the attack.
2) the CA TF in Johore Bharu (4 CA, 4 DD) will carry a Naval Gd unit to Sinkep Island S of Singapore
3) 11 barges will carry half of a SNLF to Jambi.
The main convoy carrying the 14th Army is now in South Chinea Sea and will arrive at Jambi in 9 days.

Malaya

Ki-21 and Ki-48 bombed during two days at Singapore the 22nd Aud Bde and Singapore Fortress on the 3 (111 AC, 2 AA losses, 72 men hit) and the 4 (106 AC, no loss, 46 men hit) while 40 Nells bombed unsuccessfully the airfield on the 4. A Ki-30 bombed and hit on the 3 the last Dutch submarine in the area, the O-21, SW of Johore Bharu but she was still there the next day.
Japanese artillery hit 465 defenders of Singapore on the 3 and the well-rested Japanese troops launched a shock attack the next day. The ratio was for the first time 1 to 1 and the forst were reduced from level 6 to 5. It costed 4140 Japanese casualties vs 1700 Allied but this is the beginning of the end for the Malaya Army. Japanese units were not all disrupted at 80% after the attack and the next shock attack will be in 3 days. Also the Allied score fell this turn of at least 80 points and that means that a big Allied base is lacking supplies. It is almost certainly Singapore.

Burma

On the 3 42 Hurricanes, escorted by 11 P-40B, bombed the 33rd Div W of Mandalay and hit 57 men. Zeroes LRCAPing Pagan saw nothing so the next day they were ordered to cover the 33rd Div.
So on the next day 18 Zeroes were orbiting the are when the daily raid (42 Hurricanes and 22 P-40B) arrived. But this time the AVG won the battle. The F1/3rd Daitai lost 8 Zeroes while shooting down only 2 P-40Bs and 2 Hurricanes). The F1/Yamada was more successful and shot down 5 P-40B and 2 Hurricanes without loss. The FBs hit the troops again and disabled 68 men.
In the evening the two Zero Daitais were grounded for rest while 36 Oscars arrived in Rangoon as reinforcements. After I sent the turn, I thought twice about it and my conclusion was that I have made 3 mistakes:
1) a strategic mistake : I am trying to dispute the control of the air over Burma while it has very little influence on the ground war and so is not important. For this I have used 2 Zero Daitais (half of the forces available from Mandalay to Kwajalein….) for 8 days and will wait several days until the beaten unit recovered.
2) an operational mistake: there is still no air HQ in Rangoon and so my units don’t fly at full strength. The HQ 3rd Air Division has been ordered to Rangoon from Bangkok.
3) a tactical mistake: these Zeroes LRCAPed two days in a row and were too fatigued to be efficient.
The end result of the operation is that in 8 days I shot down 13 P-40B and 13 Hurricanes and lost 10 Zeroes and their pilots. I can’t afford that. So I have decided to retire all fighters from Burma for the time being and use them over DEI, where the enemy is less powerful.
The convoy carrying 4 BF from Japan to Bangkok is unloading in this port and these BF will go to bases in Burma area so when aircraft will return they will be correctly supported.

Japanese ground units continued to advance according to orders. A Tank Rgt will cut the road between Mandalay and Lashio tomorrow.

China

The usual artillery fire continued in Yenen and hit 620 Chinese in two days. My opponent is apparently rotating his units. An HQ arrived some days ago and another (or the same) left the town on the 3 and is now W of the city with probably a corps.
On the 4, 32 Ki-51 bombed Yenen AF and scored 11 hits (2 on supply) for 2 losses to AA.
Tomorrow the strategic resource air offensive will start again with a raid of 35 Ki-48 from Hanoi against Kumming.

(in reply to Rob Brennan UK)
Post #: 56
First American victory of the war - 9/2/2005 5:11:43 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline 		5-7 February 1942

Northern Pacific

Allied engineers expanded the size of Nome airfield to size 4.

Central Pacific (1) : the Battle of Palmyra Island

It started with a standard “sea superiority” operation by CarDiv2 and ended as the first American victory of the war.

CarDiv 2 (Kaga, Ruyjo, Taiho and Hosho) was ordered on the evening of the 5 to sail 240 miles NE of Palmyra Island to chase Allied ships in the area and recon with floaplanes Palmyra and Christmas Island. LBA of Johnson Island was in support. But here I made a mistake. I thought a recent message said Allied engineers expanded Palmyra AF to size 3, in fact it was the port, AF was already size 4.

And so on the morning of the 6 the battle began by a sweep of 27 Zeroes of F2/3rd from Johnson to Palmyra. They met 15 P-40E of 49th FG and lost the battle, 4 Zeroes and 3 P-40E being shot down.
The next action was over CarDiv 2 when 6 B-26B, 3 B-25C and 4 P-40E attacked and met a CAP of 52 Zeroes, that shot down without loss the 4 P-40Es, 5 B-26B and 2 B-25. The 3 surviving bombers missed the CA Chokai. I was excepting this kind of weak raid and though the bombers attacked the first available target.
So I was chocked to see the real raid arrive: 31 B-26, 11 B-25 and 24 P-40E targeting the carriers. The Cap was the same but shot down “only” 14 P-40, 1 B-26 and 2 B-25s while losing 3 Zeroes. A bad day for the 49th FG but they really brough the bombers safe to their targets. Then I was still relaxing, those American level bombers in 1942 can’t hit Shinano in a pond… the first plane to attack (a B-25) was even shot down by AA. But it was the only one and some minutes later two Japanese carriers were burning. They were the CVE Taiho (4 bomb hits, 2 fuel explosions) and Hosho (1 bomb hit, 1 fuel explosion).
At the same time Vals and Kates from Kaga were executing the DD Craven SW of Christmas Island, at range 5. She took 15 bombs and sank.

Things were turning bad and could have gotten worse in the afternoon. All 27 Zeroes of the Taiho were apparently airborne during the battle and all landed aboard the Kaga. It seems to me that v1.602 is ignoring the 115% rule for diverting AC abord CVs. In this case, the Kaga has now 21 Vals, 21 Kates and 50 Zeroes aboard = 91 AC for a capacity of 72. So she launched no AC in the afternoon. While Palmyra airmen returned… the first raid targeted again the escorting surface TF with 3 B-25 and 3 B-26 and met only 15 Zeroes, that shot down 2 B-26. A CA and a DD were missed. The main afternoon followed with 20 B-26B and 11 P-40E and the CAP was only able to shot down 3 P-40 and 3 B-26B. The 17 other all missed this time….

At the end of the day, both CVE were closed (Hosho Zeroes flew during the afternoon). Taiho was damaged at 60/25/49 and able to do 8 knots and 15 hexes away from the nearby port. Hosho was less damaged (forgot to note how much) and able to do 13 knots. I created 2 escort TF, each with a damaged CVE and 3 DDs. Kaga’s Vals flew to Johnson Island, so Zeroes and Kates would be able to fly. I thought Taiho was doomed and didn’t want to risk Kaga and Ruyjo to save her so the two CVs were ordered a hex north of the position Taiho will reach the next day and probably in the hex where Hosho would be.
Reinforcements were ordered to join the fleet. 3 CAs and 6 BBs left Lahaina while CarDiv 1 patrolling NE of PH was ordered at full speed to the area in case the US CVs came. Johson Island AC were ordered to raid Palmyra to try to help.

So 5 Nells bombed Palmyra during the night but hit nothing. After dawn 38 Zeroes also from Johnson swept the skies above Palmyra and met 16 P-40, shooting down 4 for one loss. Allied bombers targeted both CVEs in the morning and were opposed by about ten Zeroes above each. First raid (5 B-26, 3 B-25) missed the Hosho, shot down a Zero and lost a B-26. The second (11 B-26) lost 2 B-26 to CAP but scored 3 more hits on Taiho…In the afternoon 14 B-26B attacked again but met 11 Zeroes and all turned back after one B-26 has been shot down and several damaged.
Nevertheless at the end of the day, the Taiho is now damaged at 96/56/39 and no more moving. The Hosho is damaged at 54/10/8 and will escape but Taiho is now doomed. The only reason I didn’t scuttle her this turn is that it seems to me Japanese ship control has been increased slightly in v1.6/1.602 and I want to see her state tomorrow.
CarDiv 1 will arrive near the cripples tomorrow. The 3 CA and 6 DD sent from PH wail sail tomorrow to 6 hexes NE of Palmyra and bombard it the next night.

The battle is not finished but the score for now is in American favor:

Japanese losses: a CVE lost, another damaged, 9 Zeroes, 1 Kate
Allied losses: 2 DD sunk, 28 P-40E, 15 B-26B, 5 B-25C

And I could have been far worse… the bug cancelling ops on the Kaga on the afternoon of the 6 is really serious. I was lucky all bombs missed. I am also lucky that none Zero or pilot of the Taiho is trapped aboard the burning wreck.

Central Pacific (2) : Hawaii operations

Pearl Harbor was bombarded during the night of 4-5 by 3 BB and 2 CA (164 cas). A PBY was shot down by Zeroes during the day but clouds cancelled other raids.
The next night the two BB TF were off PH and both overwhelmed the CD defences and hit the base, a sign the defences were becoming weaker. Combined losses were 5700 men, 518 guns, 3 SBD and 1 P-40E destroyed on the ground and 1 PC on fire in the port. The 3 wrecked BBs in the port were also all hits by more than a dozen shell and all were on fire after the second raid. Allied guns only fired 22 shells but one managed to disable a 5in gun abord the BB Nagato.
Clouds cleared during the day for the first time this month and 103 bombers bombed the airfield, hitting 58 men and destroying 2 PBY and 1 SBD.
So in the evening of the 6 and as planned the second wave convoy left Lahaina for Pearl Harbor with 4000 men and 50000 supplies. To free CA and DD to help CarDiv 2, the 8 BBs were put in the same TF that was ordered to pound PH during the night. Troops were planned to arrive and land in the afternoon.
Plan was not followed. There was no BB bombardment during the night, either my fault or ?, and the transport TF was off PH at the end of the turn but didn’t unload despite ‘do not unload’ was NOT activated… 90 Lahaina bombers had hit PH AF and port (only IJAAF bombers) during the day, destroying 1 PBY, scoring some bomb hits on BBs and hitting 20 men but losing 1 Ki-48 and 1 Ki-21 to AA fire.
Allied troops in PH opened fire again with guns on Japanese troops on the 7, hitting 25 men.

Minesweeping operations continued in Hawaii Islands and all Japanese-held islands are now mine-free. Another secondary operation saw 3 APD land 400 men of 16th Div on French Frigate Shoals on the 7 and the atoll was seized.

In the period 6 AP and 3 DD saw their FLT reduced to 0 and left Lahaina. 7 more AP and 1 PC are still there, one of the AP with FLT 86 and several more around 70.

The orders for the PH landings have been reissued. The problem is that the landing will be before the naval bombardment by the 8 BBs.

Southern Pacific

There was one military event: on the 7 16 Truk-based Nells bombed Rabaul at 20000 feet just to be sure the base was still occupied. They drew AA fire and reported seeing 3 units in the base. They scored no hits and suffered no loss.

Other than that, several small Tfs are operating in the Marshalls. I will only only use Kwajalein, Maloelap, Jaluit and Ponape and is bringing all troops, supply and fuel from the other bases to them.

Philippines

On the 5, 10 Ki-27s strafed the 71st PA Div in San Marcelino and hit 11 men but one Nate was lost in an accident.
On the 7 3 DD brought part of a NLF from Ormoc to Guian, that will be occupied tomorrow.

Dutch East Indies

Note : the effective boundary between the DEI Japanese Command and the Malaya Command has been fixed as the middle of Borneo. Sumatra and the NW corner of Borneo are now under Malaya Command responbability.

A convoy with two TK arrived at Tarakan on the night of the 4-5 and met a submarine-laid minefield. The four MSW of the escort swept it and as often (always?) happens when MSW swept the last mine of a minefield and they are in a TF with other ships, another ship (in this case a TK) hit a mine. She was docked in Tarakan with damaged$ 41/51/1 and 3 days later is still at 41/48/0… The 4 MSW were detached from the convoy and sent to Balikpapan where they cleared completely another minefield on the 7. The remaining undamaged TK is loading oil for Hong Kong.

On the 5, 9 B-17C from Java raided again Balikpapan but were intercepted by 28 Zeroes. 4 B-17s and 2 Zeroes were shot down in the battle. The remaining American bombers missed their target.

During the night of 5-6, 2 BB, 4 CA, 2 CL and 6 DD bombarded Macassar while the 65th Bde landed there. The base fell on the 7 and the Makassar Garrison Bn and the 9th DAF BF surrendered (2700 POWs). The only Allied reaction was by Java-based B-17, 3 of them flying on each day. On the 7 one scored a hit on the BB Kongo and destroyed a 5in gun.

On the 6 Hollandia-based Nells flew recon over Darwin and reported a CAP of 15 P-39D, that shot down one of the two Nells sent there. Other than that the recon only saw 4 “CAs” and a TF of 4 SS off Darwin.

A secondary operation was launched in N Borneo on the 6 when the Kure 1st SNLF landed in the hex NE of Brunei to capture the 106 RN BF that went there after the fall of Brunei. The first (deliberate) attack the next day was at 5 to 1 but the British didn’t surrender. A shock attack will be launched tomorrow.

On the 7 air patrols reported 4 APs off Maumere (S of Macassar) and sailing NW (towards Java). Both surface TF at Macassar will try to intercept it at sea NW of Maumere (1 and 2 hexes from this base) and then return to Balikpapan.

The damaged AK Ban Ho Guan sank on the 6 in Soerabaja port. Japanese intelligence confirmed also that the AK Capillo, torpedoed on the 11th December by the mini-KB off Borneo, was scuttled by her crew.

Sumatra - Malaya

The Palembang operation started on earnest in the night of 4-5 when the CA TF of Johore brought a Naval Guard unit to Sinkep Island, south of Singapore. The base was empty, as reported by aerial recons and was occupied the next day.

On the 5, Singkawang was attacked from Singapore first by 31 Nells that hit 106 men of the 11th DAF BF and then by the 2nd Parachute Rgt that was dropped on the base and took it. The DAF BF retreated to Pontaniak and the Japanese captured 5 Do24K-2 based here. Only loss was a Topsy lost in an accident. The next days, transport aircraft brought there a small BF and supplies while 15 escorted Martins bombed the airfield on the 6, scoring 10 hits. The first aircraft (2 Ki-46) arrived in the evening of the 7.

The barge convoy for Jambi was slower and was covered during the night of the 5-6 by the CA TF and the next day LRCAPed by Oscars but wasn’t attacked. It landed troops on Jambi during the night of 6-7 and troops again found an empty base, that will be occupied tomorrow.

Air operations were planned on the 7 by both sides, ending the long lull in the area. The day before the Hurricanes flying CAP shot down a Ki-46 flying the daily recon over the airfield but another came back with picture showing 188 aircraft (74/31/83). All available bombers in Johore Bharu (51 Ki-48, 145 Ki-21, 46 Nells) were ordered to attack the airfield at 10000 ft and all available fighters in the area (71 Ki-43 and 39 Zeroes) were gathered in Johore Bharu to escort them. Johore was badly overcrowded then, with 519 AC on a size 5 airfield. So not all aircraft were able to join the raid that was flown by 46 Nells, 50 Ki-48, 107 Sallies and 66 Oscars. The absence of Zeroes was not really felt as there was no CAP over Palembang. AA fire shot down 1 Ki-21 and 1 Ki-48 but 7 Hurricanes, 6 Wirraways, 4 Vildebeests, 4 C-60A Lodestar, 3 Swordfishes, 2 Hawk-75A and 1 Lockeed 212 were destroyed on the ground while 163 bombs cratered the runways, 29 the airfield and 7 destroyed supply dumps. The Allied aircraft base here had naval attack orders and 7 Brewster 339, 2 Martin 139 and 2 CW-21B attacked CAs off Johore Bharu. Only 6 Nates took off from the overcrowded airfield and didn’t intercept them, but they did no damage and AA shot down a Brewster. At the same time 13 Hawk strafed barges off Jambi but again scored no hits.

On the 5 another shock attack was launched against Singapore. It was unplanned and casualties were rather light, 540 Japanese vs 160 Allied. The reason was that after the 1 to 1 attack the turn before I had ordered my troops to do bombardmenr attack by clicking on a Div. Troops that have no gun (2 Eng Rgt and 1 Tk Rgt) can’t follow this order and so remained with shock attack orders…. The Tank Rgt was OK but more than 90% of the Eng squads of the two Eng Rgt were disabled. No more attack was launched after that. The Allied troops were bombed on the 5 (112 Ki-21/48, 111 cas, 2 Ki-21 lost) and 6 (127 Ki-21/48, 123 cas, 1 Ki-48 lost) and the base on the 6 (41 Nells, 35 cas). Artillery fire hit 500 men the 6 and 7.

Now Singapore troops are well rested and have been ordered to launch another shock attack (except the Eng Rgts). Johore Bharu airmen will raid Palembang airfield again, in the hope the airfield has been closed by the last raid and many aircraft will be trapped on the ground. 150 aircraft left Johore Bharu (Ki-57, Ki-48, divebombers flying ASW…) but that stiull leaves 370 here, so the base is still overcrowded.

Burma

Allied aircraft used their local air superiority and bombed the 33rd Div west of Mandalay on the 5 (36 Hurris, 34 cas) and the 7 (42 Hurris, 161 cas) and the 21st Bde in Pagan on the 6 (14 Hurris, 44 cas). If the 33rd Div has disruption and fatigue around 70 after the last attack, that was not enough to stop the 21st Bde and save Pagan.
Reinforcement (Hq 15th Army, 4th Mixed Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt) arrived there on the 6 and a shock attack was launched on the 7 and the town taken at 78 to 1. Both sides lost 380 men in the battle. 89 of the 100 ressources of the base are still usable. The Allied troops (16th Ind Bde, 2nd Burma Bde, a BF) retreated in the jungle towards Akyab.
On the other side of Mandalay the 14th Tk Rgt reaches the Mandalay-Lashio road on the 5 and was ordered to go to Lashio, where one unit was reported. The move was cancelled the next day as now 2 units were in Lashio and it was supposed a Chinese unit reached it. In fact it may be a British unit air-carried from Mandalay, as the number of units in Mandalay was reduced from 11 to 10.

Now the troops of Pagan will move north and join the 33rd Div bridgehead and then march to Mandalay. With 3 Allied Bdes defeated and trapped in the jungle the city will probably fall quickly before the 15th Army troops. All Japanese troops are preparing for Mandalay since 7th Dec and are between 80 and 100% of prep.

China

Artillery fire continued in Yenen and 550 Chinese in 3 days were hit. Chinese artillery replied on the 7 and hit 14 Japanese. The Chinese now have 5 Corps, 1 Div, 1 BF and 2 HQ in Yenen, ca 81 000 men (70 000 able). Two other Chinese units are 120 miles W of Yenen but the hex just W of the town is undefended. The first Japanese troops in the forest SW of Yenen will reach the road in 8 days (1 Bde and 1/3 Div), followed by the other (1 Div, 1/3 Div and 1 Tk Rgt) the days after.

Japanese engineers expanded Hong Kong port to size 9.

Score

After two monts of war, the Japanese score is on the evening of the 7 for the first time above the Allied one, thanks to the Allied ground losses in Pagan and Macassar: 7198 vs 7125. Of course that is without the 100 or 90 points that is worth the Taiho…
I concluded from a sudden drop of score that Singapore was lacking supplies. The Allied score returns to his normal level the next day and my opponent denied any of his major base was in the red.

By the way here is the reply of my opponent after he received the 6 February turn:

“Ah, the joy of the replay. The massacre of my infantry at Pearl, the destruction of my air force at Palmyra, the loss of a DD trying frantically and pathetically to escape it's inevitable doom. Oh and hitting a couple of escort carriers was nice too. Not bad for a bunch of mid-50 pilots. Who would have thought they had it in them?”

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 57
RE: First American victory of the war - 9/2/2005 6:10:03 PM   
witpqs


Posts: 26087
Joined: 10/4/2004
From: Argleton
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

... the bug cancelling ops on the Kaga on the afternoon of the 6 is really serious.


Bummer. Do you have a save for Mr. Frag to look at? This one might be serious enough that they try to track it down even at this stage.

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)
Post #: 58
RE: First American victory of the war - 9/2/2005 6:59:28 PM   
mogami


Posts: 12789
Joined: 8/23/2000
From: You can't get here from there
Status: offline 		Hi, It is not a bug. There are people who would rather throw aircraft overside when they land to avoid overloading but it's not a bug.



_____________________________






I'm not retreating, I'm attacking in a different direction!

(in reply to witpqs)
Post #: 59
RE: First American victory of the war - 9/2/2005 7:42:38 PM   
AmiralLaurent

 

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, It is not a bug. There are people who would rather throw aircraft overside when they land to avoid overloading but it's not a bug.



Yes it is a bug. Until the last versions it wasn't working like that and if the change is intentionnal I missed it (not that I have really checked what v1.602 changed, I had no more PC for a month at the time). In fact it is either a bug (developper & manual announced the game will do something and it does something else) or it is a faulty simulation.

All navies were throwing a lot of aircraft overside during the war to be sure that the carrier remained operative. The important things are the carriers and the pilots... who cares of aircraft ? In fact a lot of damaged AC were just thrown out of the carriers, but they usually let the crew get out....

By the way there were enough place on both of my CV and the diverting AC may have landed on both and so all will operate in the afternoon.

Another faulty feature is that the unit that was diverted had orders escort with 70% CAP. The fragment (that has 100% of the AC and pilots) had in the evening escort 0% CAP... It should have kept the same orders, or reverted to default setting (escort 60% for fighter).

And yes, I have saves of the turn before and this turn. Same problems have been reported several times on this board. I checked the turn before and there were no reason my Zero didn't fly CAP on the afternoon. More important in this case my overcrowded CV survives the turn and so I could see at the end of the turn that shis was carrying 140% of her capacity. I flew Kaga's Vals to a land base and the next day the Zeroes flew again.

(in reply to mogami)
Post #: 60
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