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Speedysteve -> 1-2nd January 1944 (9/21/2012 12:23:06 PM)
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Hi all,
Siberoet area:
The unloading is virtually complete at Padang now. Just the final few support elements are disembarking. There's of course another 150,000 tonnes of supply to unload but that's not immediately urgent.
It looks as though Padang will fall soon. Another attack went in on the 2nd and ground is being taken and the Japanese are taking heavier casualties:
Ground combat at Padang (44,85)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36588 troops, 913 guns, 538 vehicles, Assault Value = 1075
Defending force 9879 troops, 117 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 203
Allied adjusted assault: 577
Japanese adjusted defense: 247
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1158 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
380 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 5 disabled
We press on again on the 3rd to try to crack them once and for all.
No air attacks on the Padang area but a few subs have tried their luck even firing some fish in desperation at my ASW vessels (none of which hit). The following Japanese Subs were reported sunk: SS RO-100, I-9, RO-63 and I-23. I-39, I-177, I-31 and I-181 were reported damaged.
Faber did launch a surprise and well conducted raid against Siberoet's port and specifically it's damaged ships on 1st January. My CAP fought hard but the enemy numbers prevailed. My CVE's are still afloat but more damaged against now (in the 50/60 range for FLT):
Morning Air attack on Siberoet , at 42,85
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 156 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 27
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 33
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 42
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 25
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 24
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 24
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 28
Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 28
A-36 Mustang x 1
P-51A Mustang x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-51A Mustang: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CVE Santee, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Corregidor, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Chenango, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
I predicted no attack on the 2nd and I was right. I expect one on the 3rd though. I've decided to move back to Siberoet from Padang with most of my TF's (except 2 unloading supply). It's a gamble as it means there'll be no CAP over Padang tomorrow but I predict that Faber will launch a port attack on Siberoet and NOT have bombers on naval attack since he wouldn't want to tangle with my CV CAP.
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Burma:
2 things to note amongst the normal actions (the troops have marched 39 miles so far):
1.) The Japanese 33rd Division has been tracked moving on rail from Myitkyina to Mandalay. It was attacked by LBA on the 2nd which caused heavy casualties (900 men). I wonder if this signifies Faber evacuating northern Burma now.
2.) The Japanese contested one of my Burma raids for the first time on the troops SE of Akyab. 60 x Tojo were on CAP and a big brawl ensued:
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Morning Air attack on 48th Division, at 55,47 , near Akyab
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 63
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 10
Hurricane IIc Trop x 20
Liberator B.III x 15
Spitfire VIII x 27
Wellington GR.XIII x 15
B-24D Liberator x 36
B-25H Mitchell x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 11 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
Liberator B.III: 1 damaged
Spitfire VIII: 5 destroyed
Wellington GR.XIII: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Over the course of the daily actions 40 Allied and 60 Japanese planes were lost.
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Submarine Warfare:
SS KXVI heavily damaged the troop laden AK Matsukawa Maru with a torpedo off Victoria Point (a troop convoy bound for Burma. SigInt identifies at leats 2 x Bde's heading for Burma).
SS Dace blew up the fuel laden tiny TK Terukawa Maru off Luzon.
SS Lapon also sank a tiny TK Kaijo Maru off Tawi Tawi.
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