It appears it was bust

It appears it was bust (Full Version)

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wobbly -> It appears it was bust (8/25/2004 8:19:48 AM)
Not a very good turn to be an allied Merchant Marine sailor. The weather gods do shine on my APs going to Georgetown – unfortunately I wanted them to rain on me, the only thing raining in Georgetown harbour were bombs! More punishment of Amboina, a wonderful day for my diminutive airforce in the Philippines and other chicanery in this Pacific War. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/30/41 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Teloekbetoeng at 19,58 Japanese Ships SS I-121 Allied Ships AK Benkalis, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage PG Warrego MSW Warrnambool MSW Eland Dubois AK Tjisaroea My new transport TF going to Palembang gets caught, first by this sub… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval Gun Fire at Singapore (23,50) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 7 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Otori, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships AK Benkalis, and is sunk Then by a bombardment force (I don’t know how this combat result came about) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 71,46 Japanese Ships CA Furutaka DD Oboro, Shell hits 1 DD Uzuki DD Kikuzuki Allied Ships AK Corregidor, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk The Corregidor was making it’s own way back to San Francisco and happened to stray too close to Japan. It was scouted by planes and then met by this surface unit – glug glug. (just forgot to look after it during my turns – woops) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 11th PA Division, at 43,51 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 48 Ki-30 Ann x 31 Ki-21 Sally x 67 Ki-48 Lily x 20 Ki-15 Babs x 2 Allied aircraft P-26A x 1 P-35A x 4 P-40B Tomahawk x 9 P-40E Warhawk x 6 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 21 destroyed, 4 damaged Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-26A: 1 damaged P-35A: 5 destroyed P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 69 casualties reported Guns lost 1 More damage to my ground forces at Clark but look at the cost in those awful Nates – nice to see my pilots can use an advantage if it comes their way. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Georgetown at 23,44 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 27 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12 Ki-21 Sally x 39 Ki-48 Lily x 44 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 22 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 6 destroyed, 2 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 8 damaged Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 22 destroyed, 6 damaged Allied Ships AP Van Cloon, Shell hits 8 AP Pijnacker Hordijk, Bomb hits 2, on fire AP Van Rees, Shell hits 4 AP Buyskens, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage AP Van Riebeek, Shell hits 4 CL Durban Aircraft Attacking: 4 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet 4 x Ki-48 Lily attacking at 100 feet 1 x Ki-21 Sally attacking at 100 feet Yep, the clouds stay away and it is the beginning of a pounding at Georgetown – he set all his planes to fly in at sea top level so no surprise here. He did scout last turn but I was taking advantage (?) of the weather forecast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Georgetown at 23,44 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 13 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 22 Ki-30 Ann x 14 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 4 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 13 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships AP Van Riebeek, Bomb hits 3, on fire CL Durban, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage This one really hurts – the Durbin sinks – I have to scuttle 3 of the APs – 3 further ones manage to get away with minor damage and should escape. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Nanning Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 44746 troops, 511 guns, 5 vehicles Defending force 21441 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 502 casualties reported Guns lost 26 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 139 casualties reported Guns lost 4 He is trying to force me out of Nanning – the pitiful foray I tried earlier with troops in the base to the south of Nanning are about to join those here. This should mean I am here to stay -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Kuala Lumpur Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21102 troops, 239 guns, 53 vehicles Defending force 6698 troops, 34 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2 Japanese ground losses: 142 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Allied ground losses: 148 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Vehicles lost 1 The men hang on another day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is obvious KL’s days are numbered – nothing I can do about that. There are now troops at Georgetown with the nearest surface units 2 days away – can they hold. As I said the APs are running for home – too hot in the combat zone. PzBs baby carriers are going to find some prey this turn – no doubt. I have too many slow merchantmen within reach of these marauders. I am trying to divert them but I have his next turn in my inbox and he claims more merchant fatalities – they could be here or the group at Soerboja or Palembang. Lady Lex and Enterprise have replenished there F4Fs – unfortunately I had to upgrade a marine sqd at pearl to have enough F4F-3s to upgrade the Buffalos on Lex and that meant I did not have enough F4F-4s to upgrade either sqd on the carriers. The time on this is just ticking away! I still don’t know where the KB is hiding. I have very little on the go at the moment – running from carriers down by Darwin; absorbing a pounding in Malaya – although trying to get the men out there; about to absorb a pounding in the Philippines. I would like to start moving troops from the West Coast of the US – I have 3 Divisions available - but I am worried about those d@mn enemy carriers! It is the new year – I hope it bodes better…

wobbly -> Yug - I am being spanked (8/26/2004 8:47:43 AM)
Bad day in the SRA - you could write a song about it. My transport fleet into Palembang gets another licking and they are starting to wonder what the hell they are doing in Torpedo alley. Kuala Lumpur falls and with it a kazillion troops. Not good at all. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/31/41 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,48 Allied aircraft T.IVa x 3 Allied aircraft losses T.IVa: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Japanese Ships CA Kumano Well my T.IVs attack a cruiser force moving up the straits next to Singapore, they are heading to Georgetown where I am planning on a fast transport mission - could be ugly! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 23,42 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 18 Ki-30 Ann x 15 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AP Pijnacker Hordijk, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage This poor fella is a singleton, loaded with resources, trying to escape balikpapan - she wears all kinds of hurt but is not actually that badly damaged. Unfortunately she is in a terrible location and likely to be preyed upon next turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 21,57 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 35 G4M1 Betty x 6 Allied aircraft CW-21B Demon x 7 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Empire Moonrise, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage TK Empire Flint, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AK Empire Tarpon, Torpedo hits 2, on fire PG Jasmine AK Birminghan City, Torpedo hits 1, on fire TK Spirilla, Torpedo hits 1, on fire MSW Cochin, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Kapow - more woe for the tranport fleet heading to Palembang - with the amount of time he has to watch these guys come in I am arriving with no undamaged ships and the IJN lining up for surface action anyway. I am coming to the conclusion that the richest oil producing base is untenable for depletion of resources it is so capable at producing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Sabang at 19,41 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 21 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 13 damaged Allied Ships CA Cornwall CA Exeter CL Enterprise, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CL Glasgow To make matters worse my fast transport mission is air attacked. The CL Enterprise is massively damaged by this single torpedo - it is likely to fail in its attempt to make it back to Tricommalee. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Amboina Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4320 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1057 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1 Japanese ground losses: 50 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 20 casualties reported Amboina holds but it is only with supplies held by the troops themselves. They must surely capitulate in the next day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Nanning Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 43899 troops, 482 guns, 4 vehicles Defending force 21231 troops, 73 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 1132 casualties reported Guns lost 13 Allied ground losses: 98 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The Chinese though are reinforced in the nick of time - they heap out a spanking on the shock attacking Japs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Kuala Lumpur Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 20844 troops, 230 guns, 52 vehicles Defending force 6563 troops, 27 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Kuala Lumpur base !!! Japanese ground losses: 183 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 11891 casualties reported Guns lost 29 The very worst day of the campaign is roundly topped off by the loss of all these troops. It was inevitable but is still not easy to stomach. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As I've said my fast transport mission is flying into georgetown tonight. It is likely to meet the surface force previously seen in the straits and the damage it receives could be enough to slow them down enough to get spanked from the air. The next fast transport mission is lining itself up to get more men - they only have to hang on. PzB's baby carriers are finding nothing but empty ocean as I manage to hypothesize his likely movements and have my transport ships elsewhere - how long can it continue? The Lex and Enterprise depart brisbane under Spruance. The are off to the Indian ocean - depending on how I am feeling they may not make it as I may unleash them on the baby carriers, I'll see how brave I am feeling. With the loss of pilots in the old Lex Buffalo fighter sqd there is alot of new blood to train! My transport missions from the US are making their way across the Pacific, so far unhindered. the first major shipment of fuel for Brisbane is in site of Efate Port Villa - a few turns to go but the sailors can taste the Oz beer (rubbishy watery crap that it is).

wobbly -> Georgetown falls and Clark is not far behind (8/26/2004 12:34:22 PM)
A filthy day for the forces of good - georgetown falls but not before my surface group manages to race in and pick up a base unit. Those same courageous navy boys then suffer at the hands of the Jap airforce as they fall out of the sky on the retreating ships. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/01/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 21,47 Japanese Ships DD Yugiri, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CL Yura DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Shikinami DD Murakumo Allied Ships SS Trusty, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Trusty is attacked 3 more times in the day and has floatation damage of 88! The system damage sits at 3 so I am going to try and save her - we shall see. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 140,54 Japanese Ships SS I-19, hits 8, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships PG Dawson MSW Nipigon MSW Outarde MSW Ungava MSW Wasaga DD Litchfield DD Chew DD Schley DD Ward Right over on the West coast of the US a B-17 sites a Jap sub that I then go and meet with my ASW ships - down she goes. THere is another here too - ASW ships make a beeline -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval Gun Fire at Georgetown (23,44) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 24 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships CA Chokai CL Yura CL Kinu DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki Allied ground losses: 85 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Since I loose Georgetown it is very hard to say for sure but it seems the Gun Battery was savaged - they hardly hurt the bombardment force at all. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Wyndham at 30,86 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 6 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 4 damaged Allied Ships TK Manvantara, Torpedo hits 1, on fire MSW Wollongong, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage These bastard Nells fly all the way from Kendari, with torpedoes!!! The Wollongong goes straight to the bottom. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 21,39 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 19 Ki-21 Sally x 42 Ki-48 Lily x 35 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships CLAA Columbo, Bomb hits 2 CL Glasgow, Bomb hits 2, on fire CA Exeter CA Cornwall Allied ground losses: 13 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The beginning of a pasting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 21,39 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 17 Ki-21 Sally x 25 Ki-48 Lily x 28 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 8 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 8 damaged Allied Ships CA Exeter, Bomb hits 2 CA Cornwall, Bomb hits 2 CLAA Columbo CL Glasgow, Bomb hits 1, on fire Allied ground losses: 32 casualties reported Guns lost 2 He's started so he'll finish. All the ships are in the 30s sys damage and the Cornwall lost an 8" Turret. I don't know how that is going to be repaired. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Samarinda at 31,63 Japanese Ships ML Natsushima Allied Ships PT TM-9, Shell hits 1 PT TM-11, Shell hits 1 I was so hoping the PTs could rest some retribution - I should know better. What I have cut out is about 50 sorties from the Dutch AF that miss this ship from 5000 feet. I have made a MSW TF to go to Samarinda to remove any mines he may have laid. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Clark Field Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 129479 troops, 1052 guns, 299 vehicles Defending force 24814 troops, 197 guns, 74 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 677 casualties reported Guns lost 19 Vehicles lost 5 Allied ground losses: 2008 casualties reported Guns lost 82 Vehicles lost 3 Oh crap - first try and it looks like he is going to take Clark - look at all those troops!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Georgetown Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 65103 troops, 668 guns, 104 vehicles Defending force 8138 troops, 26 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese forces CAPTURE Georgetown base !!! Japanese ground losses: 233 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 15182 casualties reported Guns lost 44 The final Ignomy - allied troops go into captivity - they are off to do some trail and bridge building - under some duress too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PzB's Malayan and Phillipine actions seem to be coming to a very quick end. He is going to take me out way ahead of schedule. I hope I have put a dent in his troops but I don't think so. The small ship FT mission to Georgetown has no point any more. He will move down to Singapore now with the whole force and squash me. I may use these ships to attack a force that seems to have arrived in Georgetown. If I am lucky he is trying to load the ships up with troops. He still has a few surface ships there as well but maybe I will get at the troops... I must admit I do feel just like running away - everything I have tried (other than the sneaky carriers) has ended in tears. Speaking of the Carriers they move North - Lex's fighters are being repaired and may be ready to defend the fleet in time. Port Moresby now has a force of 20 P-40 Warhawks and more on the way. I need to reinforce if I wish to hold them from a Japanese deluge sure to arrive once he has finished cleaning up the Phillipines. The Battleships California and Oklahoma make it to San Francisco - they go straight to drydock and some repairing. THe two initial visitors are now both down to 27 damage. Now a few stats. I've lost 72 ships including: 3 BBs 2 CLs 7 DDs 1 AS 3 AVs and kazillions of frighters I have only killed 8 subs and 5 DDs worth noting. I've lost 425 ACs - 220 on field and 145 in the air Japs have lost 201 He has 2329 points form army losses I've gained 65 from his losses. Pretty ugly reading!

wobbly -> Clarke a gonner (8/28/2004 8:45:16 AM)
Clark falls on the second attack, Houston and Perth get found at Tjilitjap by the mini carriers. All round another turn to PzB I'm afraid. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/02/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 22,48 Japanese Ships DD Yugiri, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships SS Truant Truant find and dispatches this DD damaged by Trusty yesterday - Trusty has managed to remove some of her flooding damage - she is now at 80, fingers are crossed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 29 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 8 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged Singapore's trial begins - I have updated the Oz buffalos there to fly Hurricanes - they go into the fight tomorrow - we shall see if they are any better at handling Nates. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 31,66 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 17 Martin 139 x 13 No Allied losses Japanese Ships ML Natsushima, Bomb hits 1 At last the second days raiding of about 30 bombers manages to hit the ML - they get her with 4 more bombs in a later attempt too - hope she is done for. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A5M4 Claude x 7 A6M2 Zero x 9 D3A Val x 3 B5N Kate x 19 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 8 Brewster 339D x 3 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 2 destroyed B5N Kate: 2 destroyed, 15 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 5 destroyed Brewster 339D: 2 destroyed Allied Ships CA Houston, Torpedo hits 1 DD Thracian CL Boise, Torpedo hits 2, on fire DD Alden CL Tromp Bugger - he moves at full speed during the night and makes it before my fleet can disband at Tjilitjap. Both ships are damaged but not extensively and other than a port bombing should get away to either Australia or India. I move in two more squadrons of fighters and some bombers to make him think twice about hanging around here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 G4M1 Betty x 9 Allied aircraft P-40B Tomahawk x 13 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed At last the AVG goes into action - they have their first kill but loose a Tomahawk in the process. The Betties have poor morale they turn around. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Amboina Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 4142 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 769 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Amboina base !!! Japanese ground losses: 152 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 412 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! After putting up a spirited defense the forces at Amboina at last retreat. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Clark Field Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 128759 troops, 1042 guns, 295 vehicles Defending force 21249 troops, 80 guns, 71 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Clark Field base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses P-26A: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 370 casualties reported Guns lost 11 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1190 casualties reported Guns lost 31 Vehicles lost 9 Not good at all - I really have not defended the Phillipines well and unfortunately the troops retreat to Manila - my forces are now neatly split - how will he deal with them? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More running away required - I just don't know what else to do. The light dutch surface forces head to Trimmalee - PzB is moving units into the Bay of Bengal - who knows where they are aimed. I really needed to have moved the Prince of Wales out of Tjilitjap, where it has been based for some time now, in case of this eventuality. He does not appear to have bought the heavy Carriers - I would say they are still retreating from their foray on the other side of the Pacific, so it is up to the CVEs and such - they are powering North so this may be his plan. My Carriers are about level with Cairns and still heading North - half of the Lex's Wildcats are now operational. I load the British 18th Division at karachi and head them to the almost undefended Tricommalee - I cannot afford to loose this place! The 18th should make it decidedly harder for him to take - I have Blenheims, Hudsons and Swordfish waiting on a move that far east. I don't think I can wheel out the Hermes - the enemy light carriers will eat it for breakfast.

wobbly -> PoW is wrecked (8/28/2004 11:41:09 PM)
Prince of Wales takes a pounding in Tjilitjap harbour, despite demanding torpedo nets be put up around her she wears torpedos all over the place. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/03/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 31 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 1 Hurricane II x 3 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Hurricane II: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged Hurricanes aren't the answer they get spanked out of the sky like the Buffalos - very disappointing but not all together unexpected. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 81 G4M1 Betty x 7 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 4 CW-21B Demon x 3 Brewster 339D x 11 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 25 destroyed, 39 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 2 damaged Brewster 339D: 2 damaged Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage CL Boise, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage I just had to sit and watch this one come in - No escape for the big battlewagon as if she was caught at sea she would have gone down for certain. She has about 55 sys and 65 float damage. The one consolation is the Nells pay for it - my pilots are about doubling their claims - 10 Nells actually fall but the others should have taken a morale hit and might not be able to repeat the dose. If I get her out it looks like PoW is the first BB to be returned to the UK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 31st USA Regimental Combat Team, at 43,52 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 23 C5M Babs x 2 Ki-27 Nate x 48 Ki-21 Sally x 82 Ki-48 Lily x 27 Allied aircraft P-40B Tomahawk x 3 P-40E Warhawk x 1 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 5 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 13 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40B Tomahawk: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 123 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Now it is Manila's turn. One of his tank units has gotten ahead of the rest of the troops and i will try attacking it this turn to send it back to Clarke. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Palembang at 20,55 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 13 Ki-48 Lily x 5 Allied aircraft CW-21B Demon x 8 Brewster 339D x 6 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships AK Santa Teresa, Bomb hits 3, on fire More attacks on the ships I am loading at Palembang - there is a large surface fleet just outside the gates so I will disband the fleet this turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nanning continues to hold despite a 2 to 1 attack by the Japs there this turn. Enemy troops in Canton have move towards the battle so I'm going to move the troops I have up to try and cut off the advance. Landings in Wewak - he is on the move South. The really big news though is I think I have spotted the Kidu Butai! Catalinas out of Canton Island find the ships still swanning around down south - I divert the transports there further south -they're going to have to go to Antarctica at this rate just to get around. I would say, with him continuing to stay down here, that he is aiming at coming very far south with his troops. I am leaning on an invasion of Noumea. I will get the NZ 3rd soon and that is where they are heading.

wobbly -> PoW hurt further but I get some bombers (8/29/2004 4:56:05 AM)
Major aerial attack on Tjilitjap trying to put the PoW under the waves but this time the allied fighters take more than their pound of flesh. An incredibly audacious surface attack into Tricommalee - PzB has cajones the size of watermelons! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/04/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 141,51 Japanese Ships SS I-21, hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Fox DD Hatfield PzB has laced the West Coast of the US with subs - so far I have found and sunk 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 141,53 Japanese Ships SS I-9 Allied Ships AK Liberty, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Allied ground losses: 40 casualties reported However sometimes the subs get in and score. The DDs that sunk the I-21 are to join with these AKs - a day too late. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Menado, at 39,67 Japanese Ships DD Numakaze CL Kiso DD Namikaze DD Nokaze DD Okikaze DD Kamikaze CL Tama CL Oi CL Kitakami BB Yamashiro BB Fuso BB Nagato Allied ground losses: 27 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 8 Port hits 1 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 2 The invasion of Menado has begun - PzB is using the heavy hitters to ease the pain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 30 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 5 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged The Hurricanes cannot foot it, even with Nates - I am resting all the fighters to stop sweep losses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 48 G4M1 Betty x 7 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 6 CW-21B Demon x 3 Brewster 339D x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 13 destroyed, 25 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 1 damaged Brewster 339D: 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 1 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Port supply hits 1 The first attack comes from Kuching - surely this will mean their morale is taking a dive! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 42 G4M1 Betty x 27 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 6 CW-21B Demon x 3 Brewster 339D x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 21 destroyed, 12 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 1 damaged Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 16, on fire, heavy damage AK Benkoelen, Bomb hits 1, on fire CL Tromp, Bomb hits 1 CL Boise, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 19 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Port hits 2 Then an attack from Kendari - he obviously has some serious numbers at the airbase there. The bombs being dropped are 250Kg versions and mainly bounce off the PoWs armour - they are cleaning AAA guns off though. The hits to Tromp and Benkolen are problems and the Boise is in serious trouble - SYS 84!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Trimcomalee at 15,25 Allied aircraft Sea Gladiator x 2 Swordfish x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships CL Yura, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Murakumo This is the only notable hit on the enemy fleet at Trimcomalee (another bomb does bounce off the Chokai) - all for about 70 sorties. The pilots need experience badly! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Trimcomalee at 15,25 Japanese Ships CA Chokai CL Yura, on fire CL Kinu DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Murakumo DD Akikaze Allied Ships CLAA Ceres DD Stronghold, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Jupiter At last PzB gets what he is after: a surface attack on the ships in the port. However he chooses the as yet undamaged reinforcements from Columbo. This one hit has done 25sys damage though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Manila Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 22704 troops, 156 guns, 20 vehicles Defending force 70835 troops, 588 guns, 219 vehicles Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 137 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 3412 casualties reported Guns lost 44 Vehicles lost 3 Look at all those losses!!! I deliberate attack to try and drive the tank unit PzB has moved up, off. However the rest of the cavalry arrive in time to meet my attack and seriously repulse it. I have never seen such heavy losses in a 'non-surrender' attack. Manila is doomed and with it one hell of alot of troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first rounds of fighting are coming to a close with the loss of Manila just around the corner and Singapore bides her time waiting for the Japanese host to arrive. I make a surface TF around the Revenge in Trimcomalee harbour - it is small and with few DDs but if the big boy can land some of her heavy rounds it may be OK - I direly need a bit of luck! The fighters stay above Tjilitjap but I imagine PzB will send the zeros in on a sweep mission this turn. I don't mind if he uses the zeros from the light carriers - with my two fleet carriers about to go through the gap between Northern Oz and PNG I want those little ships to have lost some of their punch. I shot down 5 kates in his attacks today. That goes nicely with the 16 Nells and 5 Betties - very gratifying but this turn I should pay! The KB are moving West very fast - they should intercept a singular AK damaged earlier, loaded with supplies for Oz - not much I can do about this. There is a transport fleet that may be in trouble - I have steered them due south at full speed to see if I can't slip by. I also line up the surface fleet, I have had floating around the southern solomons, for the fast transport pick up of the airbase unit that used to be in Rabaul. If they manage it I could try and get the ground unit as well - unsure whether they retire to PM or back to Oz to properly recuperate - probably need to refuel the surface ships anyway.

wobbly -> manila on a shoestring (8/30/2004 4:15:24 AM)
Strange turn with a mid-ocean intercept of a CL and PT boats that stray into range of the coastal batteries at Singapore. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/05/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval Gun Fire at Singapore (23,50) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 51 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships PT Gyoraitei #2 PT Gyoraitei #6, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage PT Gyoraitei #5 PT Gyoraitei #4, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage PT Gyoraitei #3, Shell hits 18, heavy damage All three sink but were only in the hex. This seems strange as other locations with CD units don't always attack ships passing through - I doubt he had PT boats loaded up to bombard so why, in a 60 mile hex, does he get smoked?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 17,26 Japanese Ships CA Mikuma DD Hatsuyuki Allied Ships CL Enterprise, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage The hapless Enterprise, down at the bow and struggling to make headway is accurately located by PzB and dispatched. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 32,56 Japanese Ships TK Ichiyu Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships SS O20 A nice attack on a tanker trying to exit (or enter) Brunei and is savaged by 88mm shells -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Palembang, at 20,55 Japanese Ships DD Kagero DD Wakatake DD Mochizuki DD Yayoi DD Kisaragi DD Arashio DD Hamakaze DD Isokaze Allied Ships TK British Motorist, Shell hits 1, on fire AK Empire Clive, Shell hits 2, on fire PG Jasmine, Shell hits 1, on fire TK Empire Druid, Shell hits 1 Allied ground losses: 32 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Runway hits 3 Port fuel hits 1 OK so PzB notices that I had put the ships in the TF, loading up at Palembang, into the base. he bombards and has seriously hurt the ships he hit - despite the bombadiers only being destroyers. I make a fleet of the ships here and try and run for it. PzB has sent the next turn that i again can't see - he says he has sunk some transports and I remember that I didn't put any CAP above these ships - they are likely to be the target - oil and resources will sink with them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Bali at 24,68 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 12 Martin 139 x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Ariake DD Amatsukaze DD Kuri DD Yamakaze My useless level bombers can't hit the side of a barn again - these DDs are down by Bali - are they a part of the Mini CV TF that has now done a vanishing act? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 46,36 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 190683 troops, 2353 guns, 160 vehicles Defending force 51142 troops, 259 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 38 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 312 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 4958 casualties reported Guns lost 51 Woah - he spanks me out of a free hex I was waiting in - ouch. I can't remember the details of the city they have retreated to but with 200k troops attacking me, it might be time to really start retreating. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at San Marcelino Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 3642 troops, 25 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 431 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE San Marcelino base !!! Japanese ground losses: 5 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 26 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Manila and Bataan are the only places that remain allied on the main Phillipine Islands. He only has to finish them off - and that wont be hard - and it will then be a quesiton of 'where next'? Manila is down to 676 supplies! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think the question of where next is being answered by his main fleet carriers which are now steaming West as fast as he can go. I can imagine that he really wants to find my carriers and will trya to use and attack on Noumea or PM to lure them out. Well they are straight through the gap between Oz and Pm and steaming at full speed to Derby, which has been a major drop off point of alot of the resources taken from previously allied bases. Also - where has his little CV TF gone? I want him to continue to attack and hopefully dimish the effectiveness of the planes he still has on board. This continued pressure on Ceylon is starting to get on my goat. I don't want him thinking he can go anywhere he pleases - surely my pilots are better than that?

Williamb -> RE: manila on a shoestring (8/30/2004 4:22:12 AM)
quote: Naval Gun Fire at Singapore (23,50) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 51 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships PT Gyoraitei #2 PT Gyoraitei #6, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage PT Gyoraitei #5 PT Gyoraitei #4, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage PT Gyoraitei #3, Shell hits 18, heavy damage All three sink but were only in the hex. This seems strange as other locations with CD units don't always attack ships passing through - I doubt he had PT boats loaded up to bombard so why, in a 60 mile hex, does he get smoked?? I wonder I know Singapore had some of the largest shore gun emplacements in the world at that time. May have ben 14' inch guns or something like that. Why it made landing there very dangerous. Except of course they didnt fortify the land approaches.

denisonh -> RE: PoW hurt further but I get some bombers (8/30/2004 5:22:12 AM)
He sure does. I have learned to be careful against him, as he is quick to react and is not one to be fooled twice. With LBA at Kuching and Kendari, operating naval forces in the SRA is a b1tch. Not sure that the attempts to evacuate resources are worth the shipping lost. What is your take on that? quote: ORIGINAL: wobbly Major aerial attack on Tjilitjap trying to put the PoW under the waves but this time the allied fighters take more than their pound of flesh. An incredibly audacious surface attack into Tricommalee - PzB has cajones the size of watermelons! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/04/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 141,51 Japanese Ships SS I-21, hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Fox DD Hatfield PzB has laced the West Coast of the US with subs - so far I have found and sunk 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 141,53 Japanese Ships SS I-9 Allied Ships AK Liberty, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Allied ground losses: 40 casualties reported However sometimes the subs get in and score. The DDs that sunk the I-21 are to join with these AKs - a day too late. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Menado, at 39,67 Japanese Ships DD Numakaze CL Kiso DD Namikaze DD Nokaze DD Okikaze DD Kamikaze CL Tama CL Oi CL Kitakami BB Yamashiro BB Fuso BB Nagato Allied ground losses: 27 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 8 Port hits 1 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 2 The invasion of Menado has begun - PzB is using the heavy hitters to ease the pain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 30 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 5 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged The Hurricanes cannot foot it, even with Nates - I am resting all the fighters to stop sweep losses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 48 G4M1 Betty x 7 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 6 CW-21B Demon x 3 Brewster 339D x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 13 destroyed, 25 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 1 damaged Brewster 339D: 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 1 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Port supply hits 1 The first attack comes from Kuching - surely this will mean their morale is taking a dive! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 42 G4M1 Betty x 27 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 6 CW-21B Demon x 3 Brewster 339D x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 21 destroyed, 12 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 1 damaged Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 16, on fire, heavy damage AK Benkoelen, Bomb hits 1, on fire CL Tromp, Bomb hits 1 CL Boise, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 19 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Port hits 2 Then an attack from Kendari - he obviously has some serious numbers at the airbase there. The bombs being dropped are 250Kg versions and mainly bounce off the PoWs armour - they are cleaning AAA guns off though. The hits to Tromp and Benkolen are problems and the Boise is in serious trouble - SYS 84!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Trimcomalee at 15,25 Allied aircraft Sea Gladiator x 2 Swordfish x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships CL Yura, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Murakumo This is the only notable hit on the enemy fleet at Trimcomalee (another bomb does bounce off the Chokai) - all for about 70 sorties. The pilots need experience badly! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Trimcomalee at 15,25 Japanese Ships CA Chokai CL Yura, on fire CL Kinu DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Murakumo DD Akikaze Allied Ships CLAA Ceres DD Stronghold, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Jupiter At last PzB gets what he is after: a surface attack on the ships in the port. However he chooses the as yet undamaged reinforcements from Columbo. This one hit has done 25sys damage though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Manila Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 22704 troops, 156 guns, 20 vehicles Defending force 70835 troops, 588 guns, 219 vehicles Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 137 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 3412 casualties reported Guns lost 44 Vehicles lost 3 Look at all those losses!!! I deliberate attack to try and drive the tank unit PzB has moved up, off. However the rest of the cavalry arrive in time to meet my attack and seriously repulse it. I have never seen such heavy losses in a 'non-surrender' attack. Manila is doomed and with it one hell of alot of troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first rounds of fighting are coming to a close with the loss of Manila just around the corner and Singapore bides her time waiting for the Japanese host to arrive. I make a surface TF around the Revenge in Trimcomalee harbour - it is small and with few DDs but if the big boy can land some of her heavy rounds it may be OK - I direly need a bit of luck! The fighters stay above Tjilitjap but I imagine PzB will send the zeros in on a sweep mission this turn. I don't mind if he uses the zeros from the light carriers - with my two fleet carriers about to go through the gap between Northern Oz and PNG I want those little ships to have lost some of their punch. I shot down 5 kates in his attacks today. That goes nicely with the 16 Nells and 5 Betties - very gratifying but this turn I should pay! The KB are moving West very fast - they should intercept a singular AK damaged earlier, loaded with supplies for Oz - not much I can do about this. There is a transport fleet that may be in trouble - I have steered them due south at full speed to see if I can't slip by. I also line up the surface fleet, I have had floating around the southern solomons, for the fast transport pick up of the airbase unit that used to be in Rabaul. If they manage it I could try and get the ground unit as well - unsure whether they retire to PM or back to Oz to properly recuperate - probably need to refuel the surface ships anyway.

wobbly -> A Black black day (8/30/2004 1:28:06 PM)
Disaster in the Philippines as Manila and 40K troops fall. The battered Boise seccumbs to the wounds received from the air and a hapless Blenheim squadron looses 75% of its planes to zeros over the mini CV fleet. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/06/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tarakan at 33,61 Japanese Ships CA Nachi, Shell hits 7 CL Naka, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1 DD Oyashio, Shell hits 2 DD Harusame DD Yudachi Allied Ships PT PT-35 PT PT-41, Shell hits 10, and is sunk The only brightside to a bitter day a nice torpedo hit on the Naka. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships CL Natori DD Satsuki DD Fumizuki Allied Ships AK Empire Lightning, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk AK Bintoehan, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Unfortunately the plane bait I had at Tjilitjap were visited by a small surface unit - bang down I go again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Corregidor M Fortress, at 43,52 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 21 Ki-21 Sally x 46 Ki-48 Lily x 12 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 22 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Aircraft Attacking: 11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet 15 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet 12 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 15000 feet 20 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet Everyday for the last 2 weeks it seems PzB has managed to get weather in the Philippines that has allowed these guys to visit - they are doing fantastically well at smashing everything on the ground. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 20,67 Japanese aircraft A5M4 Claude x 5 A6M2 Zero x 15 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Blenheim I: 20 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Yamakaze 10 aircraft and their pilots are lost - a bitch slapping if ever there was one. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 1 D3A Val x 1 B5N Kate x 3 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 1 damaged Allied Ships TK Mindanao, Bomb hits 1, on fire ML Gouden Leeuw, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage I also have some transports just outside Soerabaja and they are found by a small jap air attack - look at the accuracy: 4 bombers 3 hits. I have to wittle these pilots away! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,54 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5 Ki-30 Ann x 18 Ki-21 Sally x 36 Ki-48 Lily x 20 Allied aircraft CW-21B Demon x 5 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 4 destroyed Allied Ships TK British Motorist, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage TK Empire Druid, Bomb hits 2, on fire AK Empire Clive, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage AK Empire Faith AK Empire Tower, Bomb hits 1 Why on earth would you join my Navy? Poor buggers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,54 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 16 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Empire Clive, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage TK Empire Druid, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage AK Empire Tower, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Just what they needed some Nells to help out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Manila Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 109487 troops, 897 guns, 303 vehicles Defending force 30428 troops, 88 guns, 17 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0 Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Manila base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 562 casualties reported Guns lost 17 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 40736 casualties reported Guns lost 127 Vehicles lost 9 Nothing though can compare to the black moment of a black day. 40K troops go into the bag on the first deliberate attack because the troops at Clarke retreat to Manila rather than bataan where the supplies are. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phew - I just want to scarper. The Phillipines is a total loss - the troops remaining in Bataan just do not have enough numbers to resist for very long - even with the 16K supplies there. The retreat to Manila has killed me. I think I am just trying to reinforce too close to the front, I am loosing my way with the defense of Burma too - I feel that with the way he sped through Malaya and the Philippines - like I should just pull back to India. Even then I have shown, with my naval assets, how to be targets rather than terrorisers. So I don't even feel safe in India: look at how he came and went how he pleased by Trimcomalee... A Black day - a black day indeed. Densionh, I think my attempts to get resources out were ill founded - especially ones to Palembang - it is just too vulnerable. You can possibly get some out of Java as long as you are careful about using your fighter assets. On the whole though you just cannot do much about his attacks. William Amos: He didn't try to land - this was a PT boat squad passing through as far as I can tell. By the way the shore battery does have 14" guns as you surmised - please oh please let him try an invasion that way. I'm not holding my breath though - he hasn't put too many steps wrong so far.

wobbly -> japs in Singapore (8/31/2004 3:55:37 AM)
At last a turn that didn't involve multiple ships of mine meeting the ocean's bottom. Unfortunately it did involve about 100K chinese troops running away like scared kids from the Japs at Hengchow. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/07/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Singkawang, at 25,57 Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses CW-22 Falcon: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged Japanese Ships DD Kagero DD Wakatake DD Mochizuki DD Yayoi DD Kisaragi DD Arashio DD Hamakaze DD Isokaze Allied ground losses: 59 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 7 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 37 he has to be happy with the damage caused by this attack - for a bunch of Destroyers they were very effective. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 45,56 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 18 G4M1 Betty x 2 No Japanese losses Allied Ships MSW Whippoorwill, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage The last ship in the Philippines, forced to run when Manila fell, is found - like every other TF of mine - trying to escape and is sunk. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 72 troops unloading over beach at Bulla, 40,75 Japanese ground losses: 25 casualties reported Capturing Bulla - like he will next turn - cuts off the retreating troops that were ejected from Amboina - nowhere for them to go now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Hengchow Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 166367 troops, 2097 guns, 163 vehicles Defending force 75382 troops, 437 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Hengchow base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses I-153c: 20 destroyed SB-2c: 16 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 678 casualties reported Guns lost 11 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 2439 casualties reported Guns lost 50 Just despicable - I could have sworn I would get at least one turn to defend. Nope he take the place on his first try and with it I loose 2 sqds of aircraft; the fighter had been moved IN the turn before! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Menado Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 4058 troops, 26 guns, 10 vehicles Defending force 2050 troops, 11 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 57 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 2 Allied ground losses: 6 casualties reported Despite being pounded by a battleship bonbardment force for 2 turns the men in Menado appear to be holding their own. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A bit to discuss this turn: The fast transport TF I made to get the base unit - previously at Rabaul - out of its predicament will not go to the pick up beach. Instead it is heading back to Port Moresby (it's new home base) each turn. I don't understand this, they are setup right they just wont go to the location with the men. Now the men are not located at a base and the men (I now notice) have move orders but this is still very frustrating. I have possibly 6 enemy fleet carriers bearing down on me and i want to get my men out - especially since I had to pay Political points to allow it to happen! This is going to happen again like in the base unit between Amboina and Barra. My Carrier TF will make it to Derby this turn and refuel. It is while they are in a base that the highest likelihood of them being seen will arise; this is why I did not go to Darwin. The fleet of enemy small carriers has headed for Kendari - probably to replace lost planes - so they are looking more like 'no target'. This was not the initial plan for them anyway, they were to be a surprise in the Bay of Bengal. In pearl harbour a reinforcement battlegroup is put together around A Reigiment of the 25th US Division (I think) who, along with supplies, are on their way to Midway. They are being escorted by Saratoga whom I hope will not be required. I have lost both the KB and their supporting Tankers - last seen sprinting in the direction of Noumea - I get shivers in me timbers just thinking about them! Moving North the whole P-40E Warhawk wing from Manila (originally) has now made it to Port Moresby. The tank unit from Brisbane to Darwin is about 10 turns out. Most of the Destroyers that were originally with Houston, PoW et al made a run for it last turn and appear to have escaped to Trimcomalee, this turn the Houston tries to follow suit. PoW is at 60 flood damage and falling. Singapore announced today that the Japanese have crossed the land bridge into the Northern suburbs - here we go gents!! In Rangoon, the arrival of over 21K supplies has meant the AVG have been upgraded - they now have P-40Es. I hope I can repair enough in time to give PzB a nasty shock. The 18th UK Division is about to land at Trimcomalee - to assuage my fears there. In China we run away away - I am ceeding the railway to PzB and bugging out - it remains to be seen if he will let me!

wobbly -> five go loopy - with surface TF - in GG (8/31/2004 1:44:01 PM)
First bombardment and aerial attacks at Singapore and Bataan. Otherwise quiet this turn. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/08/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 50 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 45 Ki-21 Sally x 57 Ki-48 Lily x 54 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 3 Hurricane II x 5 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged Hurricane II: 7 destroyed, 12 damaged Catalina I: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied ground losses: 29 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 10 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 100 Look at the mighty armada that strikes Singapore!! My fighters are powerless and Sing suffers major damage to her facilities. He has been so lucky with his air armadas - they fly every day in huge numbers and it really has an effect on ground forces! My rain dances are not working out as they should... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 2nd PA Division, at 42,51 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 24 Ki-21 Sally x 53 Ki-48 Lily x 13 Allied aircraft P-40B Tomahawk x 2 P-40E Warhawk x 1 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed Allied ground losses: 70 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Bataan gets the same treatment - unfortunately the weather is not set to get any better. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 37,61 Allied aircraft Martin 139 x 5 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Daihachikyo Maru, Bomb hits 1 AP Kaito Maru, Bomb hits 1 Japanese ground losses: 48 casualties reported These bastards are heading straight at Tarakan. I load the place with Martins and even Buffalos all at 100 feet. I want him to bleed as I don't think he has bought any surface ships. I restrict the range so they don't go after Brunei which has zeros and accounted for about 3 of my Martins this turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Fergusson Island at 57,94 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 21 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 5 destroyed, 13 damaged Allied Ships DD Tucker, on fire CA San Francisco, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage DD Case The swearing and cursing when this strike appeared was enough to make milk curdle. This is my fast trasport mission that has at last decided they will end there crab like sideways movement on an island. The get scouted and in come the bloody Nells. Fortunately the damage to San Francisco is mainly flooding - sys 27 flood 52 fire 11. THe Tucker hit in a previous raid and reporting a 'massive exposion' actually is hardly touched: sys 11 float 12 fire 11. The both join into an 'escort mission' and head for Brisbane. THe rest of the ships are going to try again to pick up the troops. Since I am at an island I may as well give it one last crack. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 27,67 Japanese aircraft A5M4 Claude x 5 A6M2 Zero x 8 D3A Val x 1 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Montanes, Bomb hits 1, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet I hate his blasted accuracy 1 bomber 1 hit and it does exceptional damage. I lie in bed at night dreaming of spitfires and P-38s - anything to allow me to start dishing up some of the hurt rather then receiving it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not much else to report - my carriers make it to base and refuel then head out on the long trip North. There is the remnant of PzBs refueling TF still at sea and I want to steer well clear of them - I am after bigger game. I keep expecting to see his carriers pop up. With the heading they had they are in support of invasions in the south or a port strike of Brisbane or something - still leaning in the direction of Noumea.

wobbly -> Nanning is taken (9/1/2004 8:27:26 AM)
Singapore hangs on by the skin of her teeth - I expect her to fall next turn. CL Helena is torpedoed as I try, again, to lift the men located below Rabaul off. The Chinese in Nanning are at last forced to retreat. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/09/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval Gun Fire at Bataan (42,51) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 37 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships MSW W.19, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage MSW W.13 MSW W.16, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage MSW W.15, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage PzB was very frustrated with this one - trying to move the MSWs to Manila before Bataan had fallen - the CD guns sink 3 of them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Fergusson Island at 57,94 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 7 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 8 damaged Allied Ships CL Helena, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CA New Orleans I give up - you cannot pick up troops from a non-base hex while using Fast transport mission it appears. There is no way I am trying to take actual transports up there to pick up the troops only to find I can't load them that way too. Imagine the carnage. I would love to pick up my men but I know when I'm beaten. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 38,57 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 18 No Japanese losses Allied Ships MSW Bittern, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Hells bells not even a poor retreating MSW can thread the needle. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Nanning Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 48774 troops, 493 guns, 5 vehicles Defending force 18877 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 244 casualties reported Guns lost 10 Allied ground losses: 341 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! Nanning defenders at last manage to get nudged out of their hex - I couldn't manually move them so they had to be "forcefuly" moved - I hope I can retreat them now. they did very well against better troops - more Chinese should hold them up as a fighting example. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Singapore Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 190221 troops, 1911 guns, 348 vehicles Defending force 31853 troops, 220 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5 Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 5) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5 Japanese ground losses: 879 casualties reported Guns lost 43 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 2543 casualties reported Guns lost 42 Vehicles lost 1 Look at that - hanging on by their finger nails. I don't think they will last another turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Singkawang Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 3317 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1457 troops, 2 guns, 2 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Singkawang base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Do 24K-2: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 28 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 3160 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Sinkawang has held out for some time but the defneders had run out of supplies and were not going to hold much longer - they all surrender however which is a bit of a shame. I have now found out (the hard way) that you can't pick up units, using fast transport from a non-base hex, anyway so they were always lost. More points to PzB. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- His baby carriers have made it back to Kendari and will be loading up to come out and smash more of my transport shipping south of Java. I now only have 3 DDs (one crippled) and the PoW in the SRA that could be used for combat - obviously I would think twice (actually I'd think ten times!) about using PoW. My carriers of course are the most powerful weapon available but I am very tentative of using them - he has beaten the gung ho out of me.

wobbly -> Singapore does the leeming (9/1/2004 2:24:41 PM)
As prophesised Singapore falls. With it the scores do a complete about face. I loose 1500 or so base points which he gains and then he also gets 40K worth of allied soldier points. Almost my whole SRA bomber force flies from either Tarakan or Balikpapan against his Tarakan invasion and manage a grand total of 2 bomb hits... AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/10/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 1st PA Division, at 42,51 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 26 Ki-21 Sally x 47 Ki-48 Lily x 13 Allied aircraft P-40B Tomahawk x 1 P-40E Warhawk x 1 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 11 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 10 casualties reported These two allied pilots were just a little over-zealous with their claims but the final tally for the day does include 6 Nates. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tarakan at 33,61 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 6 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Keizan Maru AP Tamashima Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire Japanese ground losses: 29 casualties reported Guns lost 1 I did have many of the bombers set to fly in at 100 feet - it is the Blenheims at 4000 that actually score. All the other planes still want to hit the indestructable BBs - there is just nothing you can do about this and boy it is frustrating! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Aitape Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 858 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Aitape base !!! The beginning of the loss of alot of allied real estate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Madang Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 1505 troops, 13 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Madang base !!! Woops there goes another -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Singapore Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 194353 troops, 1899 guns, 442 vehicles Defending force 29063 troops, 176 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese forces CAPTURE Singapore base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 9 destroyed Hurricane II: 3 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 356 casualties reported Guns lost 14 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 38234 casualties reported Guns lost 157 Oh and yes another! Singapore is also a lost cause after resisting for a grand total of only 1 day. In other games I have, as the Japanese, I had to get 200 to 1 to make the Chinese surrender. They also were cut off but I can not understand the difference between them and these allied soldiers that capitulate at the drop of a hat - they're like leemings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bataan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 119324 troops, 1024 guns, 194 vehicles Defending force 25074 troops, 224 guns, 66 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 637 casualties reported Guns lost 13 Vehicles lost 6 Allied ground losses: 1785 casualties reported Guns lost 36 Vehicles lost 4 No change to things as usual in the Philippines - I refuse to change McArthur out he's going into captivity with the rest of his lads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Shortlands Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 719 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Shortlands base !!! And you'll all recognise this little investment - not quite on the gold coast of Oz - but the Japanese will be very happy with it none the less. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A throughly crap turn and I am starting to get down in the mouth. There is nowhere I can look to say - hey I am causing you trouble here. I have 10 P-40Es flying for the AVG and now the whole weight of the Jap airforce is going to turn North. Another problem is the carefully squirreled 20K supplies at Rangoon has suddenly evaporated - I take it China wanted them - I don't know if I like that too much. If you are restricted to needing 20K to upgrade or replenish units and then having all of that supply disappear into the hills, then how are you supposed to get to the 20K? With the loss of the lead group of aussies in Singapore the unit in Rangoon would have been elegible for replacements - sorry sir you need 20K supplies grrrrr. 2 days and I get reinforements in all the far away bases - they include the CV Yorktown.

Sinjen -> RE: Singapore does the leeming (9/1/2004 10:10:31 PM)
If you have a command HQ at a base I think it attempts to maintain atleast 20k supply as a minimum if possible.

wobbly -> Hello KB (9/2/2004 9:01:31 AM)
A better day today but once again the invincible Japanes Army/navy land forces sweep another allied base into their collection - Tarakan falls. The good news is I have found the KB and I found teh baby carriers - they had disappeared. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/11/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 69,113 Japanese Ships SS I-10, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships PG Kiwi PG Tui PG Moa My PGs had been scouted by a glen for about the last 4 turns - they at last find the sub launcing it and in a beautiful attack each boat puts depth charges into the sub - go the Kiwis! the problem is they are out of fuel and one hex south of Noumea - that problem becomes abundantly clear when you look at the attached location of the KB. They may be in for a **** storm! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 25,65 Japanese Ships SS I-166 Allied Ships DD Pillsbury, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage PzB gets one back. I always feel sad when this occurs - a DD, carefully husbanded at balikpapan makes its injured flight for freedom; only to be cruelly cut down by a filthy sub! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tarakan at 33,61 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 6 Blenheim I x 11 Martin 139 x 6 Allied aircraft losses Blenheim I: 1 damaged Martin 139: 2 damaged Japanese Ships CL Nagara CA Nachi, Bomb hits 1 DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 4 my land based planes are again hopeless - they cannot help themselves when armoured targets are available. Unfortunately I only have the T-VIs that carry torpedos - he must be sitting back and laughing his head off! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 40,67 Japanese Ships CVL Ryujo DD Fumizuki DD Ariake DD Amatsukaze DD Yamakaze DD Satsuki DD Nagatsuki DD Minazuki DD Hatakaze DD Mikazuki Allied Ships SS Seawolf This is close to the perfect way to have found the Ryujo again - teh perfect way would have been to put 1 of the four torps fired at her into her! they are heading East above the Northern tip of New Guinea. Considering the location of the re-acquired KB a southern push looks on the cards! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Tarakan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 6688 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1503 troops, 17 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Tarakan base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Martin 139: 13 destroyed Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 28 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 229 casualties reported Guns lost 6 pathetic - and all of those damaged bombers that couldn't hit a barn are added to his take. Unfortunately that is the lion's share of Martin production for a month gone up in smoke. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bataan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 119209 troops, 994 guns, 246 vehicles Defending force 22270 troops, 165 guns, 59 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2 Japanese ground losses: 2641 casualties reported Guns lost 69 Vehicles lost 11 Allied ground losses: 1924 casualties reported Guns lost 56 Vehicles lost 3 the writing is on the wall but at last an allied army has bloodied teh Jap's nose - 69 jap guns lost - fantastic! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well as you can see from the attached screenie i have the KB ready to pounce on Noumea. The PGs south of Noumea are likely to all get sunk (you can't see them in my short - bad cropping). I also have 4 tankers in port - they have dropped off 16K fuel but are still loaded - they are going to bug out South West and hope to be clear. The large supply force North of new Caledonia are going to head West into the centre of the Coral sea. The 2nd Marines - about 20 hexes South East of Noumea will come a little closer and then hold. I scouted some APs a few turns ago and thought they were tankers for the KB - time will tell - the small kiwi cavalry unit will not suffice. I have one sqd of Hudsons and 12 B-17Es at Noumea but no fighters. The subs in the area are my primary defense and I thank foresight they are here - 8 in all. they will try and predict the KBs moves and scare him away. Not much happening elsewhere the Philippines is over bare the credits, manila is all his and he is starting on Borneo. java and Sumatra are likely to be next and the view of his baby carriers heading East means I may be able to through a major crimp into a javanese invasion with Lex and Enterprise - stay tuned to see if an opportunity eventuates. In Trimcomalee the UK 18th Div are dropped off and assume the position. 12 P-40s in Rangoon - come on your aviator engineers - work! Thanks Sinjen - I don't have a command HQ there - just a UK air force HQ. I can't see me getting one there in a while either. [image]local://upfiles/7787/Qo413568097.jpg[/image]

wobbly -> Yorktown arrives - Kiwi navy sunk (9/4/2004 5:38:34 AM)
Other than a few hiccups this is by far the best turn so far for me in the game. A sub meets a CL and manages to put two torps into her. Bataan holds! The reinforcements arrive! To those that actually read these musings, PzB and I had an internet gremlin moment and didn't manage to get the next turn to each other - hopefully this is back to business as usual (that does NOT mean more of my ships have to sink - thank you very much Murphy!) AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/12/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 21,47 Japanese Ships CL Kinu, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage DD Otori DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Shikinami DD Murakumo DD Ayanami DD Asagiri Allied Ships SS Truant SS Truant - you get a medal. The largest and most capable surface ships to be put under the waves - yes the Kinu sinks. Truant gets away but has also fired all but 1 salvo of torps so has to retire to Soerboeja for some more torps. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 69,116 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 40 B5N Kate x 24 No Japanese losses Allied Ships PG Tui, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage PG Moa, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage PG Kiwi, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage As expected my Kiwi navy - out of fuel - cannot escape his rampaging CVs and are all sunk. The transports are hotfooting it out of the way and have not been found yet. It remains to be seen if I have cleared the area - no sightings of invasion APs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bataan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 117139 troops, 888 guns, 235 vehicles Defending force 19696 troops, 91 guns, 54 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1 Japanese ground losses: 458 casualties reported Guns lost 10 Allied ground losses: 1791 casualties reported Guns lost 11 Vehicles lost 4 Well they hang on for another day but I have looked at each unit and they are severely hurting - if I get another day out of them it will be a miracle. With thunderstorms tomorrow I can only hope they are at least spared the attentions of his air force. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Menado Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 7106 troops, 57 guns, 15 vehicles Defending force 2041 troops, 12 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1 Japanese ground losses: 33 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 67 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Menado is becoming a shining example of how to do it. PzB has had to land more troops and they still haven't taken the place. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With the reinforcements arriving I make two HUGE supply fleets. One for Pearl with some base, AAA and tanks units, plus some PBYs and B-25s. The other fleet is heading for Sydney. They hold 1 million and 1/2 million supplies and fuel between them, it should take a while before they are loaded. Brand new Yorktown upgrades her fighter wing to F4F-4s and heads to Pearl - Hornet due in 31 days. The regiment of the 25th Division begin landing on Midway - Saratoga on guard to the NW. I also put all 7000 type AKs, with names starting with M, into AEs ARs MLEs etc - thats about 16 ships. I don't know what his Carriers by Noumea are going to do now, probably come further West. There is little I can do, it is all down to the subs and to this end I have spun PzB a small white lie: there aren't ten subs there - close enough though [:D] The supply TF destined for Noumea is now going to Brisbane - it is a very large one and I really need some Oz based supply and fuel. The supply TF destined for PM is getting close - I embark a surface attack TF to guard them. The P-40Es at PM, currently on low level navy strafe duties, will be turned to CAP when they get close enough. A trickel of single AK and TK ships are leaking out of the SRA loaded with resources and Oil. This seems to be the way to do it. They don't incur the wrath of his bombers - although they are very vulnerable to sub and surface attacks this way (and also do not take that much with them). The Lex-Enterprise group are about level with Bali but 20 hexes to the West - clear sailing ahead. A new group of surface units arrive in Karachi, they build a surface combat unit around the BB Royal Sovereign and head to their new harbour: Columbo. I get a swag of hurricane sqds and they move around - mainly to Trimcomalee and Diamond harbour. The AVG now has 15 flying P-40Es. Boy this is a slow business - PzB has loaded the base inland (can't remember its name) with aicraft - the assault is coming. To this end I have moved 3 Chinese Corps and an HQ to Mandalay - they'll take ages to get there but are one hex on the way. I am toying with speeding Spruance up and sitting off the Northern tip of Sumatra. PzB is likely to load a whole lot of APs with troops and my carriers would make a royal mess of them if all his carrier assets are away in the Pacific - land based planes are far more scary than in UV now though; very hard to get the right weight into what to do here. PoW has flooding of 45% - I am starting to chafe - will she ever be low enough to escape to the safety of India and then back to the UK?

wobbly -> bataan falls (9/6/2004 1:50:52 AM)
Back to business as usual - I lose Bataan and the heroic defenders of Menado. Also the massive Jap - China invasion force smashes me out of Wuchow on his first try. PzB is landing all over the place in the North of New Guinea. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/13/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Balikpapan at 31,64 Japanese Ships CA Nachi CL Nagara DD Oyashio DD Yukikaze DD Harusame DD Yudachi DD Suzukaze DD Shiokaze Allied Ships PT PT-44 PT PT-45 PT PT-46, Shell hits 1, and is sunk PT PT-47 PT PT-48 PT TM-11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Balikpapan at 31,64 Japanese Ships CA Nachi CL Nagara DD Oyashio DD Yukikaze DD Harusame DD Yudachi DD Suzukaze DD Shiokaze Allied Ships AK Ethel Edwards, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk A force of Jap warships waltzes into Balikpapan and sinks a PT and hammers this hapless freighter - she was loaded with resources that go with her to the bottom. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bataan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 117705 troops, 878 guns, 292 vehicles Defending force 17249 troops, 58 guns, 53 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0 Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan base !!! Japanese ground losses: 453 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Vehicles lost 4 Allied ground losses: 12044 casualties reported Guns lost 116 Vehicles lost 43 Another 12K troops into the bag - goodbye MacArthur soooo sorry I left you with your men. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Wuchow Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 132578 troops, 1519 guns, 152 vehicles Defending force 34556 troops, 229 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Wuchow base !!! Japanese ground losses: 1369 casualties reported Guns lost 23 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 529 casualties reported Guns lost 28 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! I am now in headlong retreat in China - either through my own movement or being pushed by PzB. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Menado Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 7056 troops, 53 guns, 13 vehicles Defending force 1965 troops, 10 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Menado base !!! Japanese ground losses: 20 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 4063 casualties reported Guns lost 6 They surrender rather than reteat, better to go to a prisoner of war camp than wander around in the Jungle - oh how little they know. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With that ends the assault on the Philippines proper (there are still a few islands left for him to conquer) and the first phase of the war. I am still very much in headlong retreat. I have tried to make a stand in Burma, but every where else is very shakey. Back in the US the last BBs damaged in the Pearl harbour attack make it to Seattle and go into dry dock immediately. Their escort DDs return to San Francisco to pick up some transports. My huge transport fleets did not do as I expected. The one to Sydney is loading rapidly and as expected but the one to Pearl with troops on board has only loaded the troops and aircraft - no supplies - have to check out how I did that wrong. At Pearl another B-17 group flies in from the mainland. Midway continues to reinforce without Japanese interference. Down by Noumea the KB did a strange thing, it went North - I have also scouted APs!!! I don't know whether this is my nervous flyers looking at the KB's tankers and reporting them wrongly or what... I reduce the range on my fortresses and hudsons at Noumea and hope I can target the transports. He has effectively bypassed half the subs with this move but not all, I still have a chance at an intercept. In Rockhampton a powerful surface force puts to sea and is heading South for Noumea. I don't expect the KB to leave entirely, and knowing PzB they will move about to try and catch me out. I'll have to look carefully at his moves. The 2nd marines mark time South of Noumea - oh and I looked at the TF and it also has an air group of Bolos in it. The PM resupply mission moves closer but it may be forced away by the movement of the KB. All planes at Balikpapan retreat to Java or Sumatra. There are still one hell of alot of damaged ones on the ground - about 25. Now Balikpapan is the only place I have really done something different about defence. The infantry unit at Samarinda and the unit from the base further to the West have all been moved to Balikpapan. Lets hope they and the mines laid here can cause some difficulties - Pzb has overkilled everything fabulously well so far, I want this to be his first hiccup. I also have about 6 subs in attendance. Further north a large supply TF - with 50K supplies - pulls into Trimcomalee. As an aside PzB has hinted that he does indeed plan on attacking Sumatra and Java next - in this case my build up of Burma has been for naught - except of course that I am providing suppleis to the chinese while he doesn't attack - and boy do I need those!

wobbly -> Magnificent PTs (9/6/2004 1:04:54 PM)
A major propaganda faux pas offset by an incredible attack by my PT boats. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/14/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 118,68 Japanese Ships SS I-6, hits 6, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships AP Ruth Alexander DD Hatfield DD Fox My ASW mission, defending the TFs loaded with a US division bound for Pearl, manages to find another lurking sub in the deeper water East of Hawaii. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 32,64 Japanese Ships PG Takunan Maru #10, Torpedo hits 1, on fire PG Ikunta Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire PC Ch 24, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage PC Ch 29 AP Chichibu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Kaijo Maru #2 AP Kaito Maru AP Katsuragisan Maru AP Koshu Maru #2 AP Kotobuki Maru #5 AP Kunimitsu Maru AP Otake Maru AP Ryoyu Maru #21 Allied Ships PT PT-44 PT PT-45 PT PT-47 PT PT-48 PT TM-11, Shell hits 1, on fire Check that out - 5 PTs, four fire their torps and they all hit. Pretty unrealistic but boy did it bring a smile to my face!! [sm=duel.gif] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Balikpapan, at 31,64 Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Hasu DD Numakaze DD Namikaze DD Nokaze DD Okikaze DD Kamikaze DD Hatsukaze CL Oi CL Kitakami CL Kiso CL Tama BB Yamashiro BB Fuso BB Nagato Allied ground losses: 265 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 9 Airbase supply hits 3 Runway hits 15 Port hits 6 Port fuel hits 3 Port supply hits 7 The beginning of Balikpapan's pain - the heavies come in and shell the place. There is instantly massive damage to the facilities - I will be stuck at 66% built for the 3rd level of fortress. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 24,65 Japanese Ships SS I-162 Allied Ships AP Mijer, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage His subs catch up with one of my ships fleeing Balikpapan for Soerboja. Amazingly the AP isn't that badly hurt? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Balikpapan at 31,64 Japanese Ships BB Nagato BB Fuso BB Yamashiro CL Tama CL Kiso CL Kitakami CL Oi DD Hatsukaze DD Kamikaze DD Okikaze DD Nokaze DD Namikaze DD Numakaze DD Hasu Allied Ships PT PT-44 PT PT-45, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage PT PT-47, Shell hits 9, and is sunk PT PT-48 PT TM-11, Shell hits 2, and is sunk As quick as they get a day in the sun, those same rays are magnified and fry 3 PTs like ants in a school ground. The remaining 2 are on a suicide run against Samarinda; also being invaded. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I alluded to a major faux pas. I let slip to PzB that his small carriers had moved in a way I didn't want as I had something planned for them. I think he has guessed that my carriers are over in the West - bugger. He says he will unleash the KB on me - not as if he wasn't going to - but now unfettered. A new TF is made in San Francsico (which by the way is rapidly emptying of fuel - amazing) and also loads 50 B-25s and heads for Auckland. The B-25s can repair in Auckland and then head north. I can no longer see the KB - where are they headed? I will wait a turn before trying to unload in Noumea. Knowing PzB he will turn them around and come straight back for the kill. My supply mission to PM is still chugging its way to PM. I hope this isn't his target... More planes are repaired at balikpapan and head away from the airbase. There are still 14 on the field. No troops ashore there yet - maybe he plans to take Samarinda and walk? The PoW is down to 34 flooding. I am itching to head her out of the battlezone but I will feel really foolish if she sinks on the way. I load Palembang with bombers and set them to range 3 - I don't want them going after Singaporean targets. PzB appears to be trying an invasion of the little island off the Eastern coast from Palembang. Hopefully he forgets to CAP and I make him pay; I am not getting my hopes up though. In Trimcomalee I build one last supply transport for Rangoon - 11000 supplies. The AVG is up to 25 flight ready P-40Es now.

wobbly -> RE: Magnificent PTs (9/8/2004 4:30:22 AM)
More PT action - an invasion on Sinkep Island (as expected) AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/15/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 32,64 Japanese Ships PG Takunan Maru #10, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage PG Ikunta Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire AP Chichibu Maru, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships PT PT-44 PT PT-48 I sent my PTs on a suicide run to Samarinda. They don't make it and intercept the ships they damaged last turn. All torpedoes expended and another hit gained - the Takunan Maru must be about to take a last dive... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 116,68 Japanese Ships SS I-23, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships DMS Elliot DMS Dorsey DMS Lamberton DMS Boggs DMS Hovey DMS Southard DD Allen DD Aylwin DD Monaghan DD Dale DD Worden DD MacDonough DD Hull DD Dewey Another sub tries to attack the approaching Pearl harbour troops. Other than an attempt in Pearl harbour itself they are not going to manage it. We have decided on a house rule to try and restrict the strength of the allied ASW - more on that later. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Balikpapan, at 31,64 Japanese Ships DD Hasu DD Numakaze DD Namikaze DD Nokaze DD Okikaze DD Kamikaze DD Hatsukaze CL Oi CL Kitakami CL Kiso CL Tama BB Yamashiro BB Fuso BB Nagato Allied ground losses: 140 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 3 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 34 Port hits 4 Port fuel hits 6 Port supply hits 3 No invasion so far but the the heavy metal has been pounding the crap out of Balikpapan. Despite this I maange to get another 4 blenheims repaied and shipped out to join their partners. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 22,50 Japanese Ships PC Ch 4 APD APD-37 DD Arashio DD Hamakaze DD Kagero PG Kozan Maru PG Takunan Maru #3 PG Oi Maru PC Ch 5 PC Kyo Maru #11 PC Kyo Maru #2 PG Sozan Maru PG Shinko Maru #5 PG Uji DD Mochizuki DD Yayoi APD APD-39 APD APD-36 APD APD-34 APD APD-33 APD APD-32 DD Kisaragi DD Asagiri DD Murasame DD Isokaze Allied Ships SS KXI Here is the real difference in ASW. This is in shallow water - he tries twice (I have cut the other out) and doesn't get a hit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 36 troops unloading over beach at Sinkep Island, 22,53 Japanese ground losses: 260 casualties reported Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 7 T.IVa x 6 Blenheim I x 6 Allied aircraft losses Brewster 339D: 1 damaged T.IVa: 2 destroyed Japanese Ships DD Nowaki AP Hakka Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AP Sasago Maru AP Eihuku Maru DD Maikaze I've tried to hit the Sinkep invasion force but all the troops were off by the time I struck. I can only guess how long the units there will resist but if the past is anything to go by it will be short and sour. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Pakhoi Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 28940 troops, 360 guns, 5 vehicles Defending force 16669 troops, 52 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 70 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 46 casualties reported Defeated Allied Units Retreating! This was the only way to get these troops out - have them attacked and make them retreat. I send them towards the hinterland - although that is off trail and the Japs may manage to get around behind them to finish them off if they stay to the roads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the house rules to correct the uber efficient Allied ASW capabilities: no specialized ASW tf should have more than 6 ships in 42 - 10 in 43 - 15 in 44 - 20 in 45 and 25 in 46. So I am reducing my ASW fleets to smaller ones that are more plentiful. Hmmm my transport TF with a destination of Auckland decided to head off without loading - turn around you idiots! As I said earlier Pearls defensive capabilty is about to get a large boost. I have started a 'resupply' efort to the little Islands dotted betwen me and teh South Pacific. I want to be able to transfer planes via these bases without using the shipping if at all possible - more supplies are required on quite a few of these specks. My subs, just North of New Caledonia, get scouted by a val - he is still there somewhere (still haven't scouted him). I am sending a single tanker into see if he will bite. PzB continues to swallow up the little bases in teh north of New Guinea. The next on the list is Finschafen and that is in range of my P-40Es - they are all set to naval attack. The really interesting part of the combat zone is still the south of Borneo. Balikpapan does not look like it will face an amphibious invasion. My initial thoughts do appear to be true. He will land in Samarinda, take it and walk. I scout the Ryujo at Jolo base. PzB has stated he ran the ships to the bottom of their bunkers. He also states that he has upgraded all the claudes on ships to zeros - what lovely news [:(] Batavia, in the north of Java, has manged to continue unloading supplies, oil fuel and resources at a trickel pace. A large Tf nakes it there today and will continue with the work. The AVG still only has 25 functional P-40Es. Alot of extra troops that were guarding the hex to the norht were retreated to Rangoon today (they were feeling the effects of Malaria) and they swallow a sizable chunk of the supplies I had there. Another 10K on teh way but I dont think they will have an easy time of unloading if the AVG continues to drag its toes repairing.

wobbly -> PM P-40Es take to the air! (9/9/2004 1:34:39 PM)
Fredrickson peered over his cards at Smith in the chair opposite. Smith was a 3 stud champion and Fredrickson hadn't managed to take a dime off him for the hour they'd been playing. Fredrickson watched as he drew in a breath through the filthy cigars he managed to get from somewhere and laid his hand on the table. "Oww crap man - how the hell do you do it!" "It's all in the smile Freddy - all in the smile", he said scrapping up the pot. They had been together through the hell of the Philipines, then through the crazy run to Australia, now they were in the warm blanket humidity of Port Moresby. It had not been a very comfortable war so far and the fact high command had seen fit to move them all over the place, rather than stand and fight, had meant the Aussies who owned PM liked to call them yellow behind their backs. There was a sound of running from the door and the new young captain stuck his head in the door of dispersal: "Come on guys the Japs are trying to take Finschafen and were getting a crack at them" Smith's grin expanded like a Cheshire cats and the two of them grabbed their life jackets. Outside the throaty roar of the Warhawk's engines being fired up reverberated around the base. Both of the men ran for their aircraft but Fredricksons was closer. He was helped into the seat by his mechanic and then fumbled with the harness. He looked over at Smith who was standing in the cockpit, one leg inside and the other on the wing. He turned towards Fredrickson's plane, noticed he was being watched, and give him a salute using only his middle finger, then drew a last puff from his cigar and blew him a kiss - smoke included. Fredrickson laughed despite himself and then eased the throttle forward as his mechanic gave him the all clear. 38 P-40E Warhwaks raced across the concrete strip and sprang into the air. 'Bout time they had some sport! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/16/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 74 encounters mine field at Singapore (23,50) Japanese Ships MSW W.6 MSW W.18 APD APD-38, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage PC Ch 6 PC Ch 8 A last vestige of defense at Singapore manages to hole one of the minesweepers. It appears to have done some serious damage but they couldn't have chosen a better place to hit a mine! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 56,86 Allied aircraft Hudson I x 5 P-40E Warhawk x 38 No Allied losses Japanese Ships ML Okinoshima, Shell hits 12 AP Tatuharu Maru AP Aratama Maru, Shell hits 20 Well they have at last shown themselves to be the holders of the torch at Port Moresby but you can see Mr Fredrickson and Smith haven't exactly covered themselves in glory! The Group has an average experience of 59. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Palembang , at 20,55 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 47 Ki-21 Sally x 40 Ki-48 Lily x 42 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 17 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 2 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 4 My little attack against the invasion forces at Sinkep Island seems to have pissed PzB off. He must have whipped his pilots up: they fly to Palembang to bomb despite the cloud icon being over the base. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sinkep Island Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 2822 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1486 troops, 2 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0 Japanese ground losses: 64 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Allied ground losses: 26 casualties reported He doesn't manage to take the island either! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Samarinda Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 5966 troops, 69 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 969 troops, 8 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Japanese assault odds: 42 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Samarinda base !!! Japanese ground losses: 9 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 123 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Samarinda falls though. The base force that was there retreats to Balikpapan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 45,38 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21541 troops, 267 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 27745 troops, 193 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 927 casualties reported Guns lost 37 Allied ground losses: 59 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! The continuing retreat of my Chinese troops - they do still have a few teeth though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Little happening on the West Coast and Pearl. Some massive transport Tfs have left and will take the better part of a month to deliver their cargo. At Pearl the New Division arrives with no further mishap. The AK damaged by a sub just outside San Francisco made it the whole way and now books some time in the dock. Little else is happening anywhere really. THe supply TF for PM is about to make land fall - an attack by his carriers could severely hurt me here. My P-40Es are reverted to CAP - even the 8 Wirriways join in.

wobbly -> KB turn up in Brisbane (9/11/2004 1:24:03 AM)
A sneaky Destroyer attack by PzB into Batavia nets him a swag of shipping. He aerially assaults Chungking's industrial capacity and I make what could be a major stuff up with air upgrades! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/17/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese Ships DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Murakumo DD Shikinami DD Ayanami DD Akikaze DD Wakatake DD Otori Allied Ships MSW Deloraine, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk TK Angelina, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese Ships DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Murakumo DD Shikinami DD Ayanami DD Akikaze DD Wakatake DD Otori Allied Ships AK Tjikandi, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese Ships DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Murakumo DD Shikinami DD Ayanami DD Akikaze DD Wakatake DD Otori Allied Ships PG Warrego, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk MSW Warrnambool, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage PG Jasmine, Shell hits 15, and is sunk MSW Eland Dubois 3 separate attacks net him six ships. I was trying to load single ships with resources after my large TFs got toasted by his planes. This always lined me up for a surface combat attack. He also had a sub sitting in the harbour. The above Tf was an ASW group trying to take them down - didn't that backfire! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 64 Allied aircraft I-153c x 5 I-16c x 12 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-153c: 1 damaged I-16c: 1 damaged Heavy Industry hits 7 Quite a change in tactics - he hits my industry. I am unsure how much this affects me as I still don't have a complete grasp of heavy industry and the allied side. I take it China's industry goes into the pool and can be used for US air planes and such... Needless to say that at the moment it is far more important to have the supplies than spend them on repairing heavy industry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is two days rolled into one report - here is the second day. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/18/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 13 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) Japanese Ships DD Oyashio DD Suzukaze, Mine hits 1, on fire TF 107 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) Alot more minefield sweeps reported. I think 3 ships hit mines while my patrol boats put bombs into two ships and one sub. I'll take it although I agree with another forum poster (sorry can't remember your name) that a lone patrol plane above a base guarded by zeros is not going to attempt to bomb the shipping there. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 107 troops unloading over beach at Balikpapan, 31,64 Japanese Ships DD Hatsuharu AP Yamagata Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 25 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Coastal Guns at Balikpapan, 31,64, firing at TF 107 13 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese ground losses: 153 casualties reported Another mine hit and the invasion of Balikpapan begins. I have made a terribly stupid mistake here - I'll fill you in on this at the end - but an hour after I sent the turn back my missus had to enquire at the foul language. I had suddenly realised how STUPID I'd been. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 27 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft Hawk 75A x 3 Brewster 339D x 3 Hurricane II x 4 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hawk 75A: 2 destroyed Brewster 339D: 4 destroyed Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged I think Batavia may be on the list of targets to come. PzB has ramped up the attention he is giving the place. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am an idiot. I have been retreating the air forces that so inadequately guarded the Philippines. I get them back to Balikpapan and I realise - hey I can upgrade these guys with all the P-40Es I have in stock. Wicked! So I upgrade the P-36 sqd of 24 planes. What was I thinking - man the Japs are only right on the doorstep! So now I have 2 repaired planes and 22 still in crates! The only consolation is I have defended Balikpapan on the ground better than any other location. PzB has started an invasion and he is well short of troops at the moment. Judging by the speeds at which I have repaired ACs it will take 10 days to repair the P-40Es; except, he is bombarding the crap out of the place with BBs - man I am a dunce! Another unit of Tomahawks has also upgraded, thankfully I did this at Palembang and they should be fine. I want to wait until I have most of them flying before I turn them on to CAP - he is sweeping the place with oscars and a few P-40Es might make him bite his tongue (pilots aren't that flash though). My resupply Tf bound for Rangoon is almost upon the place - the 32 airworthy P-40Es of the AVG at last get to test their new birds - they are set to LRCAP. The really big news is the KB has turned up off the coast of Brisbane. I had seen this coming and moved the majority of shipping to Sydney. Unfortunately I had also taken the opportunity to move a TF bound for Noumea to Brisbane when the KB turned up there. They have unloaded half of their 110K of fuel and supplies but it looks like alot of the rest of it is going to sit on the Brisbane harbour floor. To try and limit the damage as much as possible I disband most of the laden transports - they still appear to unload will disbanded. I do leave 4 ships in a TF in Brisbane harbour - hopefuly he has attack naval and attack port as a secondary. I also make about 6 singular transport TFs and set them to differing homebases. Of all the ships I really want the 3 APs here to get out. I am going to play with the same fire now and try to unload the 2nd Marines in Noumea - they are about 3 days out. Another 4 Tfs were milling around Noumea and they will also head for the place. It is obvious I need some fighter defense in Oz and in a hurry. To this end two fighter groups are loaded onto transports in Seattle and San Francisco. I get the Battlewagons: Missisippi and New Mexico + 4 DDs next turn - just what I needed.

wobbly -> The AVG get to clear their gunports (9/12/2004 1:06:50 AM)
More landings at Balikpapan, the AVG go into battle, where are the evil Jap Carriers? AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/19/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 89 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) TF 89 troops unloading over beach at Balikpapan, 31,64 Japanese Ships DD Kamikaze DD Hatsukaze PC Ch 29 Coastal Guns at Balikpapan, 31,64, firing at TF 89 24 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships PC Ch 29 Japanese ground losses: 262 casualties reported Well they're dying on the beaches but the amount of firepower he now has ashore means I am going to struggle to hang on long enough to get my Warhawks out. The good thing is that he appears to have forgotten to set his BBs to bombard - the airfields are still open. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 107 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) TF 107 troops unloading over beach at Balikpapan, 31,64 Japanese Ships PC Ishigaki AP Yamagata Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 26 casualties reported My minelaying appears to have been the best investment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Palembang , at 20,55 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 31 Ki-48 Lily x 43 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-48 Lily: 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses Catalina I: 1 destroyed Airbase hits 4 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 26 Now it is Palembang's turn to feel the pain. I don't want to fly the 12 Warhawks against his oscars until all of them can get in the air - currently only 5 are serviceable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 27,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 15 G4M1 Betty x 13 Ki-21 Sally x 18 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 13 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 10 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships PG Aster, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage - sunk AK Empire Bay, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AK Empire Lake AK Empire Scout MSW Cromarty, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage At last the new P-40Es get their outting. They manage to get 1 to 1 losses with the escorting zeros but then they refuse to engage the bombers. The AKs are continuing onwards but if the AVG continue to play with the fighters rather than the bombers it is going to get painful. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In transcripts from the enemy PzB laments the inability of his ASW groups. There were about 6 engagements and he doesn't manage to hit a thing - I cried for him and have said a wee prayer to the ASW gods to put things right - or not. I imagine I will face the first attack at Balikpapan this turn. I only have 2 forts up and that wont change while he has bombardment forces in attendance. It is funny but this battle is the first one that I have had a vested interest in. The previous battles have been a fore gone conclusion. The KB do not attack Brisbane!!! So what has he done? I think it is move north as i do get a scouting report on one of the AKs that headed north. Best thought point to him trying to stop my resupply of PM. I am therefore going to unload for one more turn at PM and then run for it towards Darwin. If he is heading back to Noumea he will find a bonanza of targets - the harbour is chocka-black full of ships and is going to get worse: the marines land tomorrow.

wobbly -> balikpapan doomed (9/13/2004 3:37:06 AM)
Balikpapan appears to be a lost cause - is it Palembang's turn next? AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/20/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 28 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) TF 28 troops unloading over beach at Balikpapan, 31,64 6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese ground losses: 104 casualties reported PzB continues to pile troops into Balikpapan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 116,68 Japanese Ships SS I-9, hits 1, on fire Allied Ships DMS Elliot DMS Boggs DMS Southard DD Farragut DD Phelps DD Henley Despite reducing the number of ships in my ASW TFs I still manage to put a depth charge onto I-9. PzB informs me she is badly damaged. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Balikpapan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 13695 troops, 75 guns, 5 vehicles Defending force 3683 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1 Japanese ground losses: 120 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Allied ground losses: 59 casualties reported Oh hell - it is going to fall next turn. I managed to get all the Blenheims out but he is going to get 18 Warhawks on the ground. The men still have a retreat hex but I have no chance of getting them off the island. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The effect of the Balikpapan battle is to inform me of the likelihood of my defense of Java and Burma. The Dutch units just do not have the strength to hold the Japs back. Palembang is about to be invaded I think - hopefully a dutch infantry unit (previously on the West Coast) that I moved towards Palembang on the very first turn, will make it in time to help defend the place. My supply TF makes it to Rangoon and starts unloading. Thankfully his sub stationed there does not get an attack and the weather is too bad for the enemy airforces. The AVG only has 22 functional planes so it will go into training mode once the TF leaves - I want more fighters to be able to fly. A sub off the Coast of Tjilitab scouts the port. This may give him the info he is after: is PoW still there. The answer is yes - with float damage at 6. This is enough for me to make a fFand get the hell out of dodge - she has 2 DDs and a PG as escort. They will head south before turning North to get to Karachi - hopefully. Down to Port Moresby. I stopping unloading the supplies there and run the TF through the gap between the top of Oz and New Guinea. Hopefully I have not left this too late and they can escape the Kido Butai (if that is where they are heading. My Brisbane ships were never attacked in the end and I continue to unload them in dribs and drabs in case he returns. Brisbane has about 46K supplies with another 25K or so still to unload. In Noumea the 2nd Marines begin to unload. It will be touch and go as to whether they unload in time if this was where the KB has disappeared to. 3 other TFs are in port and the numbers of supplies and aircraft are starting to increase: 36 B-17 flew in today from Canton Island. The Yorktown makes it to Pearl and its TF is disbanded. Unloading of supplies at Midway is almost completed - the Saratoga will stay there until it is done and then both Carriers can team up and head to Noumea.

wobbly -> Palembang invasion (9/13/2004 11:16:49 AM)
Balikpapan falls and the invasion of Palembang starts. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/21/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack near Muntok at 21,55 Japanese Ships DD Usugumo DD Shirakumo DD Isonami DD Hatsuyuki DD Murakumo DD Shikinami DD Ayanami Allied Ships SS KXVII, hits 1, on fire The first return fire from the Jap navy on one of my subs for a while - she should make it to Batavia but is out of the fight - sys 50. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 19 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55) TF 19 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55 57 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships APD APD-39, Shell hits 15, on fire Japanese ground losses: 159 casualties reported Guns lost 2 It is nice to have a location with a CD unit - they do make all the difference when it comes to hurting an invasion - especially as he didn't bombard first this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 141 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55) TF 141 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55 Japanese Ships DD Murakumo DD Ayanami DD Akikaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage - scuttled? Japanese ground losses: 24 casualties reported Coastal Guns at Palembang, 20,55, firing at TF 141 112 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Murakumo Japanese ground losses: 365 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Whats more they get another dose and a DD hits a mine - apparently PzB had to scuttle a DD so maybe it's this one. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 31,70 Allied aircraft T.IVa x 4 Allied aircraft losses T.IVa: 1 damaged Japanese Ships ML Ishizaki AP Kiko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire My T.VIs are scoring better than any other planes. There are only 3 and 2 planes in the squads respectively but the 3 man squad has an average experience of 79!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Kendari at 33,71 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 5 Allied aircraft T.IVa x 2 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Japanese Ships PC Fumi Maru #3 Here they go again - both planes actually hit with their torps but they break on impact. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 G4M1 Betty x 9 Ki-21 Sally x 13 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 P-40E Warhawk x 11 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Empire Scout, Bomb hits 1, on fire AK Empire Lake, Bomb hits 1, on fire I just do not appear to have the same success with the AVG as others are - I loose more than the Japs and yet again I don't really hit at the bombers. Both ships are mediumly damaged - the supplies are getting in though! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Balikpapan Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 15563 troops, 77 guns, 5 vehicles Defending force 3629 troops, 42 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Balikpapan base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 19 destroyed - bugger bugger bugger Japanese ground losses: 135 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 46 casualties reported Guns lost 3 A spent force - all the units retreat to die in the jungles of Borneo - there is no way PzB will let me get to a base to pick them up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Palembang Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 2073 troops, 48 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 2964 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese ground losses: 41 casualties reported Guns lost 1 I have another Dutch infantry unit 27 miles out and marching - can they make it in time to make a difference? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OK - from india first. A HUGE supply convoy forms in Karachi with the destination of Trimcomalee - I want this to be my staging point. Rangoon is gaining supplies at the cost of P-40s and ships but hopefully this is enough to keep the men happy for a while. The AVG and the hurricanes continue to defend the ships but I don't appear to be getting the results others have, therefore I am praying for rain. Palembang airforce takes to the skies - I don't believe the number of troops he has landed will be enough to take the place quickly and I now have 10 airworthy P-40Es and 16 buffalos. 12 martins are on low level naval bombing raids. The 6 P-40s that made it out of Balikpapan are going to try and replenish there numbers a second time - they are moved to the adequately supplied Batavia airbase. the PoW appears to have passed the gauntlet of subs trying to hem her in - can she make it the mighty distance to Karachi? The KB turns up 6 hexes south of PM. My surface combat unit has escaped but it will be touch and go with the transports - they will move 3 hexes away next turn and there is only one way I can have moved so if he wants to get them there is little I can do. Noumea is now a hive of activity. The APs finish dropping off the 2nd marines and head off to Auckland to get the NZ 3rd. About 50K supplies are also unloading here but it is the lack of air support that is the problem. I have loaded a large air regiment in SAn Francisco but they are two weeks away. All the subs defending Noumea will now retreat to their home to refuel then move up to the shipping lanes around Rabaul to cause trouble. The resupplyof Midway concludes and the Saratoga returns to Pearl. She will join with Yorktown and may make some trouble depending on the movements of the KB. I am toying with building up CLark Island.

wobbly -> Palembang not such an easy target (9/14/2004 12:48:53 AM)
First Palembang attack repulsed - KB goes into hiding again. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/22/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 10 Ki-48 Lily x 9 Allied aircraft no flights No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses No Allied losses Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 4 Aircraft Attacking: 9 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 10000 feet 10 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet Another change in tactics by my erstwhile opponent. The blenheim nightfighters originally at Singapore - evacuated to Mandalay - return to Rangoon and start flying night missions. I don't want my ever so carefully husbanded supplies to be whittled away by night attacks; not that it has been my experience that night fighters are that capable of hitting anything. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 21 No Japanese losses I think he is lining himself up to bomb the port again - after the last attack where he lost 20 Nells it is better to get rid of the CAP - however his target: PoW is long gone. I do put the CAP up again here just in case he decides to send in the bombers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 30,67 Allied aircraft T.IVa x 2 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Astuga Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 44 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The T.VIs are doing a superb job. I got the willies this turn though and have evacuated them all. I think they have been doing too well and he will try and snuff them out with surface forces. Oh and I get a replacement plane today - wohoo [:D] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 G4M1 Betty x 13 Ki-21 Sally x 9 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 P-40E Warhawk x 9 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed Allied Ships AK Empire Scout, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage AK Empire Lake Hmm - continued air attack on the supply fleet at Rangoon. The Empire Scout sinks and in a later attack (not included) a MSW and another transport get so badly damaged I have to scuttle them. Only one AK at 47 sys and still holding 700 supplies remains of this TF. I want to allow my Warhawks to repair so I disband this fleet. 4 Warhawks and 5 hurricanes were destroyed today - a hurricane did manage to shoot down a zero though!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 43,40 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21515 troops, 266 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 9666 troops, 34 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 56 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 137 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 1853 casualties reported Some of my cut off Chinese surrender. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Palembang Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 2984 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 4629 troops, 74 guns, 8 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 261 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Allied ground losses: 10 casualties reported Guns lost 1 A very healthy outcome. I think my other garrison force will make it in time to make a difference. More fun and games if he attacks. I think he will get stroppy and use overwhelming force but I have done my best here: mines here and on the approach hex, 3 subs on the way in, a CD unit and 3 inf units, 2 fighter sqds and 3 bomber sqds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I haven't been reporting on, although by the number of pages PzB has in his AAR, he does, is the small bases he has been taking. He is being very clinical here and has mopped up dozens so far. Cheap tricks like taking the fuel from these locations with my carriers is becoming an impossibility. Speaking of the carriers Spruance makes port in Trimcomalee. I upgrade both fighter wings to F4F-4s and head them to Columbo to base: it is just a little more sheltered. The Hermes follows. PzB has said he has a high suspicion that I moved the carriers out here - I let the cat out of the bag with that poor propaganda email. Anyway, they are here to stay and I think I will use them to defend Java. Not interfere personally, they are too valuable, but to drop off their airwings and have them attack landing forces. that should still be able to throw a spanner in the works, how can I make them target transports? Jap landings are also taking place in the North of Sumatra - Madang I think the names is - here also I have coordinated the defences and he seems to have underdone the numbers of troops required. In Java the number of aircraft being restored to units is on the increase - only batavia has over 20K supplies to do this though so I rotate units in and out of here. The hapless P-40E squadron has another 14 crated P-40Es now - I hope they get to fly before being destroyed! Further south I am contemplating moving the base units in the DEI just North of Oz into the Southern combat area group. I now have 1700 political points and was waiting to transfer a West Coast infantry unit but as Raverdave has found out it is the base units that are restricting the use of aircraft. The PM resupply effort continues to sail to the West unabated. The KB has disappeared again. If they have decided to follow then my evacuation of the airbase units wont go ahead. If they have headed towards Rabaul then it can. I also have the surface combat force that defended the PM resupply and they may be used against Kendari - the old bane of my existence. Noumea is up to 15K supplies, not enough to upgrade the Buffalos I sent here eons ago but that will change soon. Most importantly I need the base units here to start expanding, they are set to accept reinforcements. At Pearl another regiment of the divided 25th Infantry Division is loaded and sent to Johnson Island for defense.

wobbly -> Now it's Madan that is rebuffing his Imperial highness (9/14/2004 12:29:36 PM)
Continued landings and Palembang and now North in Medan. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/23/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 81 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55) TF 81 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55 265 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships MSW W.18, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage DD Yamagumo, Shell hits 36, on fire Japanese ground losses: 536 casualties reported Guns lost 3 CD guns are fabulous when they aren't being battered by BBs or hammered from the air. I can't stop the BBs - although they all seem out of position - but I can restrict the airpower. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 46,48 Japanese Ships PG Kyo Maru #8 PG Kogyoku Maru PG Hirotama Maru Allied Ships SS S-36, hits 2, on fire The Norwegian scoundrel manages to put more hurt on another of my subs today - it should make it although with flooding of 62 and many hexes to Soerboja it will be touch and go. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Batavia , at 19,59 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed More hurricanes destroyed in sweep attacks. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion, at 20,55 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20 Ki-21 Sally x 43 Ki-48 Lily x 45 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 3 P-40E Warhawk x 6 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 8 damaged Allied aircraft losses Brewster 339D: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 45 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Aircraft Attacking: 8 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 10000 feet This is what I have to try and stop - once he has Palembang he is planning to use aircraft form here against Java - or so he tells me. I therefore move the repairing P-40Es - 12 of them - from Batavia to join the 12 already at Palembang. Those original pilots counted their first victory today downing a zero. Unfortunately my fighters were too high to hit the bombers - the next turn maybe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Macassar, at 30,69 Japanese Ships DD Yudachi CA Nachi DD Yukikaze DD Oyashio CL Nagara DD Harusame DD Shiokaze DD Hatsuharu Allied ground losses: 93 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 5 Airbase supply hits 4 Runway hits 19 Port hits 2 Port fuel hits 6 Port supply hits 16 Another invasion - this time Macassar North of Kendari. From here my Dornier flying boats were harrassing his shipping and the TV.1a's were finishing off the damaged ships. I learnt from my losses at Tarakan and Balikpapan, pulling them out in the nick of time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 43,40 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21379 troops, 263 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 8482 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 36 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 25 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 76 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! Another attack on cut-off Chinese units - there is a path for me to travel but I think the door will close before I can get through - have to try though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Medan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 2376 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 4055 troops, 32 guns, 7 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 250 casualties reported Guns lost 10 Allied ground losses: 25 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Another rebuff in another location in Sumatra - he HAS underdone his invasion - not enough for me to try and repell him but enough to mean he has to face the CD guns again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation cloak and dagger started today with four subs loading parts of base units in the philipines, northern Borneo and southern Borneo. Even if I can't get all the men out maybe I can build a new unit from the skeleton of the old. More subs are on their way to these locations to continue the good work. I think PzB will try and land in Java in one of the lightly held locations and then walk to the new conquests. The fun he has had with my CD guns has meant some amount of pain. Therefore I am going to risk a new strategy: Operation Shoreline. I am going to move CD units to locations that he may think are less likely to have the CD units from those that must oviously have them - like Batavia and Soerboja - he then takes awful losses in his landings. Hopefully I can prepare in time. In timor I set the hudsons located their to night bombing frustration raids on Kendari. The point is to make him come out and bombard the bases I fly from. Waiting in the wings are the surface force previously guarding the PM resupply effort. Once again I have cold feet about taking on Kendari air and I no longer have the Dorniers at Macassar to inform me if there is any shipping there to hit anyway. The KB appears to be retiring - they are scouted North of Russel Island. The resupply TF tentatively moves back towards PM. If he stays in Rabaul of course it is only a hop skip and jump back to hit the resuppliers but I'll set up recon to Rabaul once he has had enough time to get there. Another Ozzie Brigade is on its way from Sydney to PM - so far the build up here has gone well although a full invasion would probably force me out. Noumea has 19.5K supplies and a swag of aircraft. She is getting closer to safety with each day. Oil and resources from the US and SRA are making it to Australian industry.

wobbly -> Quiet day (9/15/2004 3:35:06 AM)
Quiet day, more forces invade palembang - he has 5 units there now to my 4. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/24/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 19 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55) TF 19 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55 144 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships APD APD-36, Shell hits 1 MSW W.4, Shell hits 20, on fire, heavy damage APD APD-1, Shell hits 19, on fire DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 1 Japanese ground losses: 280 casualties reported Guns lost 1 I wrongly stated that I had a CD unit here, this damage is being done by the units themselves, which is probably why the larger ships are not getting much damage but the MSWs seem to get smashed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Iloilo, 42,56, firing at TF 109 TF 109 troops unloading over beach at Iloilo, 42,56 He's started another invasion in the Philippines - I am down to this base and Cebu here now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Little to report. The Buffalos in Noumea upgrade to Wildcats (F4F-3s). I get the light cruiser Sumatra in Soerboja with 20 damage already attributed to it?? It will stay a turn and then move out of the hot zone. The KB continue to move north away from PM and the South Pacific. It does appear that my AAR reports are heavily handicapped through our time zone differences. he is getting a turn, writing up his AAR and posting it, well before I get to post mine. Somethimes he has posted his second day as I write my morning AAR at work and work has a habit of getting in the way. So I suppose what I am wondering is does the lack of surprise lessen the impact too much?

RAM -> RE: Quiet day (9/15/2004 4:48:03 AM)
quote: So I suppose what I am wondering is does the lack of surprise lessen the impact too much? If you are asking if reading the AAR is less enjoyable because whe know the other side's turn...No, not really, as it's something that would happen anyway. There is no way to read both AARs at the same time so it's inevitable that, when you get to read both AARs, when you read the last one you already know more or less what happened. So I won't worry about it :). BTW, I'll add that I'm enjoying greatly this AAR. I haven't posted anything in this thread yet (and I posted only one, very similar message in the other thread), and I won't be likely to comment a lot about it because... a) I'm very green at the game, so you probably know five times what I do about it [:'(] b) I don't want to, without wanting it, give any kind of hint of any of the other side's moves. Us readers have a lot of knowledge on what's going on in the other side planning...it's a danger, and don't want to run it. It may seem as an unlikely event, but chances exist that any comment can give away some info or at least raise questions that maybe the player wouldn't have thought of asking himself. That would be a really nasty thing and probably would ruin some of your fun (and the fun from the ones we're reading your AARs, too)...and that would the last thing I would want to do [;)] Again, this is a very nice AAR, I'm enjoying it a lot...and learning a lot of the game in the process...so, please, keep the good war stories coming! [:)]

wobbly -> RE: Quiet day (9/15/2004 6:18:39 AM)
Thanks for the feedback RAM. I was always going to continue the AAR i was just wondering whether I try and coordinate with PzB when we post our AARs or something. I would think the best way to view it is to open two windows, one with his AAR and one with mine, and that way you could glean what we are talking about more easily. Also, it should be more obvious when we are going to run into each other - even if we don't know. As you say though, there is always a possibility that you give something away...

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